Euery worde of God is the word of a great person and euery part and parcell of it is the Decree of a King nay of the King of Kinges to whom all Kinges and Princes are subiect and must rise vppe from their Throne when they appeare before him whose Throne is the Heauen and though they bee Lordes of the Earth they must resigne their Crowne vnto him that hath the earth for his footestoole and therefore the greatest regard and respect must be giuen vnto it For a Heb. 2 2 3. as the Apostle teacheth Hebr. 2 2 3. If the word spoken by Angelles was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receyued a iust recompence of reward how shall wee escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lorde and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him Woe vnto them therefore that reiect the food of their soules and surfet of this heauenly Manna and do not hunger and thirst after the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby Neither let any obiect Obiection If God did speake we would heare and if he did call wee would answere if hee did threaten wee would feare and if hee did teach we would obey but so long as all proceedeth from man as sinfull as our selues wee cannot be so affected Answere This was the Obiection of the Reprobate rich man in the Gospell who albeit his Brethren had Moses and the Prophets yet hee would haue Lazarus sent from the dead vnto his Fathers house to testifie vnto them b Luke 16 28 29 30 31 Lest they should come into that place of torment But what was the answer of Abraham If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neyther will they be perswaded to amend their liues though one arise from the dead againe If we reason on this manner with the rich man and put on his affection let vs also take heede lest wee haue that recompence of reward that the rich man had He supposed that extraordinary meanes would worke extraordinarie effects and vndoubtedly procure the conuersion of those to whom they were sent but therein hee was vtterly deceyued and if wee were not Fooles and blinde we would not follow so foule and fearefull an example Wherefore to informe our iudgement aright and reforme our affection we are to obserue two points first we must acknowledge that it is Gods mercy to speake vnto vs by men like vnto our selues and subiect vnto the same infirmities and passions that we are who applyeth himselfe to our weakenesse and respecteth our capacity who are not able to abide his presence who is so glorious in holynesse fearefull in praises doing wonders We see this in the Israelites at the deliuerie of the Law when the voice of God sounded in theyr eares they ran away and could not abide it they feared to be consumed at once cryed out vnto Moses c Exod. 20 19 Talk◠thou with vs and wee will heare but let not God talke with vs lest wee dye When the Lord reuealed a part of his glory sitting vpon an high throne the angels couered their faces were not able to abide the beauty brightnes of his maiesty the lintels of the doore cheeks moued the house was filled with smoke the Prophet himselfe said d Esay 6 5. Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwell in the middest of a people of polluted Lippes for mine eyes haue seene the King the Lord of hostes In like manner if God should appeare vnto vs and vtter his voice from heauen we should feare and quake and fall downe as dead men and cry out with great astonishment Alas we shall dye beecause we haue seene and heard the Lorde as many of the Fathers did then we would make request to haue the Ministers of the worde speake vnto vs whom now we despise and whose word wee contemne as base and contemptible It is therefore to bee accounted and receyued as a notable token of his great mercy toward vs that he sendeth vs to school to learne of our Brethren to whom wee may freely and familiarly resort for counsell in our doubtes for comfort in our afflictions for knowledge in our ignorance for instruction in godlinesse and for resolution in all our wants Secondly we must labour to perswade our owne hearts that it is his word which we heare and his Ministers that speake vnto vs and that it is our duty to heare them as the Lord himselfe whose Messengers they are whose calling is from him and whose mouths he hath opened to speak his word with boldnesse as it ought to be spoken Let vs craue this mercy at Gods hands to resolue vs of this point and to settle our consciences in the full assurance of it This will be a forcible means to make vs heare it and regarde it as Gods owne ordinance ought to bee heard and regarded And vntill wee haue learned this Lesson we can neuer reuerence the preaching of the worde as is required of vs either for the aduancement of Gods glory or the comfort of our owne soules Let vs therefore perswade our selues of this and set it downe as a principle and firme conclusion that as the words of the Prophets and Apostles are of great authority euen the word of the eternall God most vndoubtedly to bee receyued and most assuredly to bee beleeued so likewise the words of all Gods true and faithfull Ministers truely expounding and faithfully giuing vnto vs the naturall sense and meaning of the Scriptures and gathering sound doctrine out of them for the instruction and edification of the people of God grounding all they teach on the sure foundation of the Prophets and Apostles the words I say of Gods Ministers in these dayes are no lesse to be esteemed and acknowledged the word of God himself then if Esay or Ieremy thē if Paul or Peter or any of the rest did write or speak vnto vs. For the Scripture standeth not in words letters or syllables but in the sense vnderstanding So long then as the Minister vttereth not the conceits of his own brain nor deliuereth the traditions and precepts of men but holdeth himself to the doctrine of the Scripture which is the touchstone to try truth from falshood to descern the word of God from the word of man hee is no otherwise to bee heard and the Gospell no otherwise to be receiued from his mouth then if some Prophet of God or Apostle of Christ were among vs. For wee must not haue the Faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons but when the same faith the same truth the same word is preached both by the former Prophets and Apostles and by the ordinary Ministers of the Church of the times wherein wee liue if it should bee receiued when it is published by them and reiected when it is deliuered by these a
of the Tribe of Leui shall keepe thy charge and the charge of all the Tabernacle onely they shall not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary and the altar that neither they nor you also die Where we see God doth threaten Aaron and his sonnes as well as the rest of the Leuites Verse 18.19 Cut ye not off the Tribe of the families c. We haue in these words the reason of the former institution it is drawn from the danger that will ensue the carelesse and vnreuerent handling of the instruments of the Tabernacle Aaron and his sonnes must appoint to the Kohathites their seuerall offices and shew them what part euery particular person must beare to the end the wrath of God doe not breake in among them and cut off euery soule that sinneth The consideration therefore of the wrath and indignation of God ready to come vpon the offenders ought to encrease their care to doe the duty that God requireth We learne from hence Doctrine 1 that all holy things must be handled rightly Holy things must be handled reuerently and religiously reuerently and religiously Whatsoeuer matters of God we meddle withall whether it be hearing of his word or receiuing of the Sacraments or calling vpon his Name or reading the Scriptures or conferring with others for the encrease of our knowledge obedience we are to be carefull to doe them with all possible feare and reuerence This duty the Lord vrgeth by his Prophet Esay 66.2 To him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my word The Apostle writing to the Hebrewes perswadeth to labour to haue grace whereby they may serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare Hebr. 12.28 They that will please God in the duties of his worship must be humbly affected and base in their own eies Hence it is that Christ willeth vs to be carefull not onely what wee heare Mar. 4.24 but also how we heare Luke 8.18 We must regard not onely the matter that is deliuered but the maner how it is receiued forasmuch as we may heare the word and yet sinne in our hearing Thus were the seruants of God affected when they came before him to pray vnto him O my God I am ashamed and blush to lif vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased ouer our head and our trespasse is growne vp vnto the heauens Ezra 9.6 Wherefore whensoeuer we haue to doe with God in any part of his word or worship let vs come in humility and lowlinesse let vs approach neere vnto him with a broken heart with a contrite spirit with an humble soule falling downe flat before his footestoole and worshipping toward his holy Temple Reason 1 The reasons hereof are euident For first we haue to doe with God in matters of religion When the word is preached or read the Lord speaketh to vs when we pray to God we speake to him that is glorious in power and praises Abraham praying vnto God confesseth his own basenesse and vnworthinesse I haue taken vpon mee to speake vnto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 And Daniel in his prayer saith O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs confusion of faces as at this day Dan. 9.7 Children dealing before their parents will be wary how they behaue themselues subiects in the presence of the Prince will be most dutifull so ought it to be and much rather when we appeare before the King of kings coÌ„sidering with whom we haue to deale So likewise touching the word it is not man that doth deliuer it God is the Authour of it and therefore we are oftentimes commanded to heare what the Spirit saith vnto the Churches Reuel 2. and 3. Reason 2 Secondly such as come without reuerence and due regard into his presence do lose the fruit and benefit of their comming We are willed to giue earnest heed to the things which we haue heard lest at any time we should let them slip Heb. 2.1 This is it that Christ our Sauiour teacheth Lu. 8. For hauing giuen warning that we take heed how we heare he giueth this reason Mar. 4.24 With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you and vnto you that heare shall more be giuen Where we see God will deale with vs as we deale with him and serue vs as we serue him Such measure of attention as we bring with vs â—eoph enarr cap. 4. Mar. such measure of grace shall we receiue from him If then we come carelesse it is no maruell if we depart fruitlesse Lay then these two things together that we haue to deale with a most terrible and fearefull God who is euen a consuming fire and that with what measure of reuerence and attention we mete it shall be measured vnto vs againe it followeth from them both that God must be serued with feare and trembling Vse 1 Let vs now come to the vses of this doctrine which remaine to be considered of vs. First this reproueth all such as come without reuerence to the exercises of religion neuer considering whereabout they goe but rashly and vnreuerently disorderously vndecently behaue themselues in the house of God If a man should come to heare a speech vttered by his Prince so contemptibly all men would cry shame of him and account him worthy seuere punishment and censure him as guilty of the contempt of his person I should thinke I had done a great worke and laid a worthy foundation if I could throughly teach you this one lesson and ground you in this one point to behaue your selues with reuerence in the place of Gods worship He that hath learned to come reuerently and behaue himselfe in the seruice of God as in his presence hath made a notable beginning a good entrance to worke in him right hearing and carefull practising Scarce one among an hundred maketh conscience of this duty and our ordinary assemblies haue scarce the outward face of a Church in regard of the want of this duty in the greatest part of hearers If the lest occasion be offered our eyes and feet and tongues and hands are set on worke another way that we haue quite forgotten God his word the worke in hand the matter the time the place and our selues also as if we were an assembly of fooles What is now become of our hearing or where is the attention that ought to be in vs If any man come into the Church our eyes are fixed vpon him our feet are ready to carry vs vnto him our mouthes are opened to speake vnto him our hands are stretched out to draw him as it were with violence vnto vs and sometimes whiles one haleth him one way another pulleth him another way that we seeme to striue who shall most forget himselfe and be authour of the greatest disorder and confusion in the house of God wherin all things ought to be done decently and in order
haue set at nought all my counsell and would none of my reproofe I also will laugh at your calamity and mocke when your feare commeth Such measure as we mete it shall be measured vnto vs againe and God will deale with vs as we deale with him If we set our faces against him Leuit. 25.17.23.24 he will set his face against vs. If we will not be reformed but will walke contrary vnto him then he also wil walke contrary vnto vs and with the froward he will shew himselfe froward Fourthly they are to be obeyed that haue Reason 4 no absolute authority but are themselues vnder the authority of others God commandeth to honour father and mother Exod. 20. albeit themselues are to honour God Thus doth the Centurion reason from the lesse to the greater Matth. 8.8 9. from himselfe to Christ Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe but speake the word onely and my seruant shal be healed for euen I am a maÌ„ vnder authority hauing souldiers vnder me and I say to this man Go and he goeth to another Come and he commeth and to my seruant Do this and he doth it If then such as are meane men and haue inferiour places of command are notwithstanding obeied by those that are vnder them much more ought the Lord himselfe to be obeyed who is aboue all and all vnder him Reason 5 Fiftly the Rechabites obeyed Ionadab their father and receiued a blessing for their obedience He restrained them from many profits and pleasures of this life and his charge vnto them might seeme very hard and harsh being restrained of wine and forbidden to build houses to sow seed and to plant vineyards and when they had these set before them they answered We haue obeyed the voyce of Ionadab Ier. 35.8.13.14 the sonne of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged vs to drinke no wine all our dayes we our wiues our sonnes and daughters This example is the Prophet Ieremy commanded to set before the people of God to shew them their sinne Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Goe and tell the men of Iudah and inhabitants of Ierusalem will ye not receiue instruction to hearken to my words saith the Lord The words of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab that he commanded his sonnes not to drinke wine are performed for vnto this day they drinke none but obey their fathers commandement notwithstanding I haue spoken vnto you rising early and speaking but ye hearkened not vnto me Shall we make lesse account of God then the Rechabites did of their father and value his commandements lesse worth then they did their fathers commandements If we haue had the fathers of our flesh and we gaue them reuerence shall we not much rather be in subiection to the father of spirits and liue Hebr. 12.9 Lastly there is a speciall relation betweene Reason 6 God and his people The subiect oweth obedience to his prince the seruant to his master the child to his father God is all in all he is our king and we his subiects he our master and we his seruants he our father and we his children according to the saying of the Prophet Malachi A sonne honoureth his father Mal. 16. and a seruant his master if then I be a father where is mine honour and if I be a master where is my feare saith the Lord of hostes So that disobedience is as the sinne of rebellion and God detesteth those that commit it as rebels against him All these reasons serue to preach obedience vnto vs whensoeuer the word and will of God is made knowne vnto vs. The vses of this doctrine are very profitable Vse 1 vnto vs. First learne from hence and let it worke an impression in our hearts that nothing can be more agreeable or a more effectuall marke of our Christian profession then to obey and hearken vnto the voice and word of God This made Samuel say to Saul 1 Sam. 15 2â— Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of rammes When the Lord was to deliuer his Law in mount Sinai he said If ye will obey my voyce indeed and keepe my Couenant then yee shall bee a peculiar treasure vnto me aboue all people for all the earth is mine Exodus Chap. 19.5 By the voyce of God we are to vnderstand not the letters or so many syllables of the Scriptures but the preaching and publishing of the same according to the doctrine interpretation exhortation reproofe comfort and such like For the word taught and applyed according to the true sense and naturall meaning of the Scriptures is as well the word as that which is written forasmuch as by the gift of interpretation bestowed vpon his seruants the mind and meaning of them is opened That then is not Scripture onely which is expressed in so many syllables and therefore the Apostle saith when they deliuer pure doctrine with integrity and grauity â— 2.6.7 they deliuer the wholesome word which cannot be reprooued They are the seedmen the word is the seed and therefore they deliuer the word The voyce of Gods messengers in the ministery of the word is to be heard and esteemed as the voice of the euerliuing God and not as the voyce of a mortall man The Prophets call vpon the people â—s 4.1 to heare the word of the Lord when themselues spake vnto them and not the Lord immediately The Apostle declareth that God in old time spake by his Prophets Heb. 1.1 according to the saying of Christ that whosoeuer heare his disciples and Ministers heare him and they who contemne them contemne him Luke 10.16 Thus in all ages haue the faithful esteemed the Ministers as the messengers of God and the Ministery of the word as the voyce of God himselfe This is witnessed by sundry testimonies of holy Scripture speaking of the Church generally and of the seruants of God particularly The Church saith Esay 2.3 Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs of his wayes and we will walke in his pathes Cornelius hauing sent for Peter saith he was present before God to heare what he would speake vnto him by Peters mouth Acts 10.33 The Thessalonians receiued the word not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 Thus must we esteeme of it in iudgement thus must we obey it in practise When sinne is reprooued it is God that reprooueth it When the sinner that is penitent is comforted God is the comforter If the word find out our secret sinnes we must be no lesse terrified and humbled then if God should proclaime open warre against vs and vtter his Thundering voyce against vs. If the sweet consolations of Christ are offered to
fully and freely attend and intend the learning of the Law and giue themselues to the contemplation and consideration of the workes and wayes of God and of godlinesse separated and sequestred themselues for a time wholly from the company and conuersation of men resigning vp themselues into the hands of God and seeking to cut off all occasions whatsoeuer that might quench their zeale and hinder their deuotion Secondly the publike sanctification of the whole Church whereof God is the authour Moses the teacher and the interpreter This is the summe of this Chapter Touching the former point handled in the 21. first verses which is concerning the vow of the Nazarites before we come to the matter it selfe it shall not be amisse for the farther declaration and demonstration thereof to remooue two doubts that stand in the way arising the one from the diuers acceptation of the word the other from the distinction of the seuerall kindes of this vow Touching the seuerall significations of the word The word Nazarite is diuersly taken lest we be deceiued by the ignorance thereof we must vnderstand that there are foure acceptations of it distinct the one from the other Some are called Nazarites some Nazarens others Nasarites which words because they are oftentimes by diuers confounded as if they were all one and the same it is needfull to haue them distinguished aright the one from the other The Nazarites of whom wee haue mention in this place haue their name of separation and are written by the letter Zain Iunij paral lib. 1. c. 8. Analys in Numer these by obseruation of certaine ceremonies of which we shall speake more particularly afterward dedicated themselues vnto God in a more holy manner then the common sort The second sort called Nazarens or Nazarites are distinguished from the former and written with the letter Tsadi and so to be called Natsarites or Natsarens so named of the word Netzer which is oftentimes vsed by the Prophets and signifieth properly a branch growing out of the roots of trees frō whence the Syriack word Notzera or Notzerath or Natzerath is deriued and thereof commeth the name of the City or Village of Nazareth in Galilee Danaeus comment in August de haeres because it was situate in a place planted with store of trees and flowers as Danaeus testifieth out of Bernard Now Christ our Sauiour being conceiued and brought vp in this place is in the New Testament called a Nazarene Matthew chap. 2. verse 23. and Iesus of Nazareth Ioh. 19.19 Act. 2.22 and 3. 6. Matth. 26.76.71 Mar. 1.24 and 10.47 and 14.67 and 16.6 Luk. 4.34 18.37 24.19 Act. 4.10 and 16.14 and 10-38 and 22.8 and 26.9 From hence also the disciples of Christ were first called Nazarites but afterward they were called Christians Acts 11.26 at Antioch which professed the faith of Christ and the doctrine of the Gospel The third kind of Nazarites differeth from both the former both in the originall of the word and in wanting warrant from the authority of the Scriptures For they are otherwise written thē the other were to wit with the letter S and are deriued from the Syriack word Nesar which signifieth to cut off or to abolish because they helde that the bookes of Moses and the Prophets howsoeuer they carried their names were fained and counterfeit things and withall maintained it to be vnlawfull to kill any liuing thing Epiphan lib. 1. haeres 18. or to eate of the flesh of any creature wherein the spirit of life had bin and consequently condemned the bloody sacrifices prescribed in the Law The fourth and last sort of those whom Eusebius remembreth among the Ebionites Euseb lib. 6. histor Ecclesi cap. 17. howbeit others reckon and range them among other heretiks did after a sort beleeue in Christ and acknowledged him to be the promised Messiah for as the former sort were Iewes so these would bee accounted Christians D. Field of the Church lib 5. cap. 7. howbeit they taught that the ceremonies of the law of Moses were necessary to saluation and thereby did couertly and cunningly ouerthrow the liberty of the Gospel againe they boasted of their false miracles and priuate reuelations as the Anabaptists doe in these last dayes Now as Christ our Sauiour was commonly called Iesus of Nazareth so to be called Nazarites after his name as Christians of Christ was at the first receiued as a name of praise and commendation howsoeuer the vnbeleeuing Iewes and Gentiles vsed or rather abused it as appeareth Acts 24.5 Where Tertullus the declayming Oratour accuseth Paul to be a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarens and therefore these heretikes gloryed and boasted in that name as in a name and note of honor as the fittest which they found as with a veile to hide and with a cloude to couer the poison and pestilence of their damnable sect who vnder the colour of the Christian religion did indeed decline and depart from the true doctrine of Christ Luk. 1.26 Thus much of the names of the Nazarites the first whereof is of such as are mentioned in the old Testament the second of such as are expressed in the new so named of Nazareth a City of Galilee the third of those that altogether abrogated and abolished the old Testament the fourth of such as taught that Christians were bound to obserue the ceremonies of Moses These two last haue no footesteps in the Scriptures but they are found in Ecclesiasticall histories Hauing thus opened the name let vs consider the seueral kinds of these Nazarites mentioned in the first place They are of two sorts Two kinds 〈◊〉 Nazarites first such as were Nazarites by commandement secondly such as were Nazarites by vow Now both these kinds were such among the Iewes as were separated from the rest of the people to a more strict and pure course of seruing God then others were of which the Prophet speaketh in the Lamentations chap. 4.7 Her Nazarites were more pure then snow they were whiter then milke they were more ruddy in bodie then rubies their polishing was of Saphir By commandement were such as God from the beginning did extraordinarily call to that solemne profession of a special holinesse These were perpetuall Nazarites whose separation from the common sort by a stricter kinde of life continued all the dayes of their life Of this sort we haue sundry examples some in the old Testament and some in the New In the Old we haue first the example of Sampson then of Samuel and afterward the Rechabites Concerning Sampson we reade that the Angel of God appeared to the wife of Manoah his mother Iudg. 13 3◠and 16.17 and said to her Behold now thou art barren but thou shalt conceiue and beare a son and now drinke no wine nor strong drinke neither eate any vncleane thing for the childe shall be a Nazarite to God from the wombe vnto the day of his death and afterward
and enter into the way of saluation Acts 16 34. Abraham is noted to bee the Father of the faithfull and we see hee was not without a faithfull seruant not onely faithfull to his master but faithfull to God and therefore also to his master This is noted as the chiefe cause that religion so much prospered at Thessalonica when the Gospell was preached and published there the Noblemen did embrace it Acts 17. If the raine once fal vpon the mountaines it will quickly water the vallies that are beneath like the precious oyntment powred vpon the head of Aaron that ran downe to the skirts of his garments Ps 133 2. When the Gospel was preached at Berea and such as were of noble birth tooke hold of it and they that were honorable by calling embraced beleeued it then not a few but many in number followed after them with all readinesse Actes 17 11 12. I am not ignorant that diuers of our latest and lernedest Expositers vnderstand the words otherwise Bez◠〈…〉 Act◠〈…〉 â—iâ—â—n 〈◊〉 Testa Mâ—â—◠〈…〉 and thinke they are called Noble not in regard of their birth or blood but of their beleefe as indeede true Piety is true Nobility and true Religion is the truest Honor. Howbeit I rather vnderstand the word in his proper and naturall signification for these causes First it is not needfull to flye to a figure when the proper signification of a word standeth and contayneth nothing vnder it either against the doctrine of faith or the instruction of life or the truth of the historie Secondly Luke vseth this word in this signification as also others for such as are noble by birth and not otherwise as Luk. 19 12. 1 Cor. 1 26. Thirdly the Euangelist hath relation to that which hee noted before in this chapter where he saith That not a few of the cheefe women beleeued verse 4. that were at Thessalonica howbeit they were more noble that were at Berea who searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so Lastly in these words a reason is rendred how it came to passe that the Gospell tooke such good effect and gained so many soules to God Caâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 in Aâ—â—â— 17. euen because the Nobility and honorable personages gaue their names to Christ were not ashamed to professe it The multitude followed their example as commonlie they do imitate the actions of their Leaders The Poet could say 〈◊〉 Totus Componitur orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita regentis The people cast their eyes vpon their Rulers neither are they ordered so much by their lawes as they are by their liues O that they which are in authority would consider this that the eyes of all men are vpon them O that they wold seriously bethink with themselues what good they might do by embracing religion and by countenancing them that are truly religious or if this will not enter into them and that their honors do so dazle their eyes that they cannot see the truth hereof O that they would at the least learne what hurt they do what backwardnes they cause what coldnesse in Religion they procure and what floods of wickednesse they bring in Doubtlesse if they did at any time meditate on these things and weigh in indifferent ballances either the one or the other it were enough to turne nay to breake their hearts and to put greater loue and zeal into them of Gods glorie For if the Gouernours of a Family bee luke-warme it may be easily obserued that their children which follow them their seruants which attend vpon them and all the rest of the house which are guided by them are neither hot nor cold And if it fall out that the Heads of the house be prophane and irreligious there is nothing to bee perceyued in that whole family but notable fruites of infidelity swearing blaspheming breach of the Sabbath contempt of the word brawling contention and all kinde of wretchednesse and wickednes If Saul begin to persecute Dauid he shall get many diuellish Doegs to snarle at him 〈◊〉 22 9. 〈◊〉 26 1. 〈◊〉 19. and finde many hollow-harted Keilahites to betray him haue many pestilent Ziphites offer themselues to discouer where hee hideth himselfe in strong holds all as his seruants to helpe him forward in his wickednes If Caiaphas sit in iudgement to arraigne condemne Christ 〈◊〉 26 69. 〈◊〉 14 66. 〈◊〉 â—2 25. 〈◊〉 9 17. all his seruants and his maides will bee ready in the hall and at the doore to set vpon his disciples and to follow the humor of their master so that euen the damosel that kept the doore could not let Peter alone but must assault him How then can we but acknowledge that it is a very happy thing to inioy godlye Magistrates and Christian Gouernours how much encouragement Inferiours haue by theÌ„ and how sweet a liberty they finde cannot be expressed O that we could learne to prize value this blessing as we ought It is not a generall benefit to be found in all places the godly haue oftentimes much disturbance and suffer many taunts and checkes euen for their profession sake in prophane places liuing vnder prophane persons For albeit all Magistrates and men in authority though their office be not great are set vp for the punishment of euil dooers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2 14. yet oftentimes they turne the edge of the sword the wrong way Rom. 13 3. and are a terror to good works but not to euill Lastly hauing receiued so great merâ—y froÌ„ Vse 3 God and continued among vs to haue such as are cheefe ouer the people to be cheefe also in piety and to go before them in all good â—onuersation whether they be such as bee in the house or out of the house it is our duty to fal downe before the Lord and to acknowledge this blessing Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnes and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men Psal 107 8. So did Hiram the King of Tyre reioyce greatly when he heard that Salomon was annointed King in the roome of his Father and said Blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto Dauid a wise sonne ouer this great people 1 Kin. 5 17 The like we see in the Queene of Sheba when she had seene his workes and heard his wisedome she said Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel 1 Kings 10 9 because the Lord loued Israel for euer therefore made he thee King to doe iudgement and iustice And doubtlesse if wee knew the want of such Princes as our brethren and sisters in former times did when they were shut vp in prisons and burned to ashes we would acknowledge the necessity of performing this duty It is recorded in 2 Chro. 17 7. that Iehoshaphat who is renowned
euer they were to displease their fathers as if the whole world were gouerned by witches O that these men would be as carefull to please God as fearefull to offend him as for witches they are more afraid of them thē hurt they are but the diuels instruments to deceiue the world the diuell hath vtterly blinded the eyes of these and of many others to make them beleeue that they do those things which they neuer do neither indeed can do The diuell himselfe is Gods seruant or rather slaue to do his will whether he will or no for he can do nothing but what the Lord willeth He ruleth all things by his prouidence the diuell cannot kil a flye except he haue liberty giuen vnto him But to returne to the former point that it is God onely that worketh myracles obserue with me that he worketh two waies somtime by himselfe alone God worketh myracles two waies and sometimes by some other creature By himselfe alone when he vseth no instrument at all as in the creation of the world making al things of nothing without helpe of Angel or other matter So he turned backe the shadow of the diall of Ahaz by himselfe alone and many other such like Againe when it pleaseth him he vseth means as in the myracles wrought in Egypt he did them by the hand of Moses and Aaron But heere we must take heed of two extremes and God is dishonoured by both of them First that we derogate nothing from the Maiesty of God albeit it please him to vse meanes in many of his myracles because he vseth thē freely not of necessity and he is as well able to worke without them as with them Secondly that we do not magnifie the creatures and instruments which the Lord vseth aboue that which is conuenient because that were to set them in the place of God who haue no more power then that which is giuen them from aboue Obiect But some may heere aske the question why doth God vse meanes in working of myracles Why did he vse the holy Prophets and Apostles and sometimes also such as haue no iustifying faith Mat. 7 22 23. as Iudas and others no doubt as he preached so he wrought myracles for he had the same commission with the rest Math 10 7 8. I answer Answer he vseth them not because he standeth in need of them or is tied vnto them but for these causes Why God vseth mean in working of myracles First to teach vs that he approueth the meanes whereby things are brought to passe and he sheweth by his owne example that we should make account of them so that if any neglect or contemne them he opposeth himselfe against the Lord. Secondly to support and vphold mans weaknesse who is not able to looke vpon his Maiesty when he worketh by himselfe as a weake eye cannot see things that are farre off except he put on his spectacles This is plaine in the example of the Israelites Exo. 19 18 19 when they heard the thunder and lightning and the sound of a Trumpet exceeding loud and the Mountaine smoaking they were so afraid that they desired the Lord to speake no more vnto them Exod. 20 19. but that Moses might speake vnto them and they would heare him Thirdly the Lord vseth meanes for the triall of our faith whether we will ascribe the work that is wrought onely to the worker thereof or to the meanes or partly to the one and partly to the other or as some doe all to the instrument and nothing to the principall In the myracles wrought by Christ himselfe wee see how diuersly men were affected for thogh they were effected by the finger of God yet the Pharisies blasphemed Math. 12 24. and said This fellow casteth out diuels by Beelzebub the Prince of the diuels This argueth great corruption of nature and want of faith Obiect And as we haue shewed why God vseth meanes so it may be asked what meanes God vseth in working myracles I answer Answer they are of diuers sorts First such as nay seeme to haue some force and power in them for the working of the myracle 2 King 20 1. When the waters of Marah were bitter that the people could not drinke of them the Lord shewed Moses a tree which when he had cast into the waters they became sweet Secondly Exo. 16 23 ◠he vseth meanes that haue no appearance of any power or vse in the working of a myracle such was the touching of the hem of Chrsts garment which infinite numbers touched Math. 9.21 Luke 8 45. and yet receiued no vertue from thence Such was the lifting vp of the rod of Moses and the stretching out of his hand at the red sea Such was the striking of the Rocke with his staffe at the waters of strife Numb 20. which had no power to make the waters gush out Such was the handkerchieffe of Paul to cure diseases Acts 5 15 ◠19 12. Iosh 6 20 the shadow of Peter by which many were healed For these cures were wrought when the Apostles were absent and knew nothing of them but were busied in other more important workes of their callings Thirdly he vseth such meanes as seeme no way auaileable vnto the worke but rather quite contrary to hinder it as curing the blinde man He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and laid vpon his eies Iohn 9 6 11. which might seeme more auaileable to put out sight then to restore it to make a man blinde then to make him see Thus then wee see and learne to acknowledge that euery miracle is wrought by the sole and omnipotent power of God Lastly we learne heereby that we haue a Vse 4 most sure word of the Prophets and Apostles whereunto we must take heed as vnto a light that shineth in darke places We are not cunningly circumuented by deuised fables but we haue the whole doctrine of saluation deliuered in the Scriptures fully confirmed vnto vs. For to what end do all the extraordinary works of God done by the hands of the Prophets and Apostles serue but to make plaine the doctrine which is according to godlines and thereby to worke in our hearts faith and beleefe The myracles of Christ vnwritten Ioh. 10 30 ◠therefore now vnknowne were not vnprofitable to be read vnworthy to be known neuerthelesse these were sufficient When Christ came into the world Esay 9 6. he was many waies wonderfull it is one of his names by which he was to be called he was wonderfull in his person wonderfull in his doctrine and wonderfull in his workes In his person Math. 1 23. Luke 1 35. because of the vnion of his two natures he was both God man In his doctrine the word preached by him because hee taught the way of God plainely Math. 22 1◠cleerely and euidently nay as one that had authority for his word
was with power Math. 7 21. Luke 4 32. and they were astonied at his Doctrine In his works and myracles Math. 11 â— Iohn 5 36. and 10 25. because they plainly proued him to be God The doctrine of Christ serued for faith the myracles serued for the doctrine forasmuch as they tended eyther to prepare the mindes of men to receiue the doctrine 1 Cor. 14 â— or to strengthen faith in the doctrine already receiued Iohn 14 11. Both these were committed to writing by the will and appointment of Christ himselfe to further the faith and saluation of the people to the end of the world The doctrine long since written is no otherwise to be regarded then the liuely voice of Christ if he were among vs we heard him preach to vs as the Iewes did and the myracles that are written are no otherwise to be esteemed â—ede no â—yracles â—me â—racles then if we saw them done before our eies so that wee need no other no new myracles to confirme the doctrine of Christ of his Apostles They were needfull when the Gospel was first planted and seemed strange in the world as it were in the infancy of the Church That truth is already plentifully confirmed except we should account it new euermore Hence it appeareth how found vnreasonable the Romanists are that require of the Ministers of the Gospel to confirme their calling by myracles For thus they reason Extraordinary callings are to bee confirmed by myracles but the planters of our Churches shew no myracles therefore their calling cannot be of God These are like to the Iewes of whom Christ speaketh Mat. 12 38. If I should aske of them what signes and myracles the Prophets shewed Nathan Iddo Obadiah Micah many others I think their best answer would be silence Wee reade expresly that Iohn the Baptist did no myracle Ioh. 10 41. yet was his calling extraordinary The rule that Christ giueth vs to discerne false doctrine from the true is this By their fruites ye shall know them Mat. 7 16. The doctrine that is taught is the true fruite they are known therfore by deliuering the doctrine not by working of myracles We teach no other doctrine then is set downe in the Scripture so that it is sufficiently confirmed by myracles already For if the doctrine of the Apostles be our doctrine doubtlesse the myracles of the Apostles are ours also which may not bee seuered and diuided from the doctrine it selfe 〈◊〉 defens This then discouereth the weaknesse of Turrian the Iesuite who is more ridiculous theÌ„ the rest that asketh the question how wee know that Luther was a teacher raised vp of God and what myracle he euer wrought as also when he telleth vs that if any should aske of them what signe they haue giuen to them of God they haue this myracle the Sacrament of orders A very vnorderly answer whereby it appeareth that he knoweth not what a myracle is For who can call an ordinary thing a myracle As well we may say the preaching of the word is a myracle yea we may better say that the wonderfull effects wrought by the Gospel are a myracle whereby faith is wrought in the hearts of the elect and eternall life begun in them If we will not beleeue the truth of the Gospel by beholding the glorious effects which it worketh in the consciences of men it appeareth euidently that we would not beleeue though we saw a thousand others yea though one should come from the dead vnto vs Lu. 16 31. 7 And Moses laid vp the rods before the Lord in the Tabernacle of witnesse 8 And it came to passe that on the morrow Moses went into the Tabernacle of witnesse and behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Leui was budded and brought foorth buds bloomed blossomes and yeelded Almonds We haue in these words the obedience of Moses in word and worke to the former commandement as also the performance of the promise that God made touching the budding of Aarons rod. Consider in these words Doctrine Obedience is required of al Gods seruant that it is the property of Gods children to yeeld obedience to his word so soone as the same is deliuered and reuealed vnto them All the faithfull are commended in holy Scripture in this respect The ten lepers that were commanded to shew themselues to the Priest prepared themselues immediately to go though as yet no cleansing or curing appeared in the flesh Lu. 17 14 15. they neuer consulted with flesh and blood they beleeue that Christ was true of his word able to performe in deed what he had promised in word Thus did Noah wheÌ„ God commanded him to build an Arke thogh he had many discouragements the greatnesse of the worke the length of the time the mockings of the wicked the danger of putting himselfe into it and committing of his life to the mercy of the raging waters yet none of these could terrifie him Heb. 11 7. but by faith hee ouercame them all Peter being commanded of Christ to let downe his net to take fish sheweth that he had wearied himselfe his fellowes all night neuerthelesse at the commandement of Christ he let it down hoped for an happy issue Lu. 5 4 5 6. Thus haue Gods childreÌ„ alwaies done let vs therefore beware of disobedience vnder what preteÌ„ce soeuer it be Saul had his excuse he could set a faire face vpon a bad cause but hee was punished with the losse of his kingdome 1 Sam. 15. Woe had it bene to Naaman who shewed himselfe discontented with the Prophet because he being before instructed of God had willed him to wash himselfe seuen times in Iordan he had gone away a leper as he came if he had not hearkned to the counsel of his seruants 1 Ki. 5 10 12. Moses was shut out of the land of promise because he obeyed not God in striking the Rock Psal 106 33. but spake vnaduisedly with his lips The Prophet receiued a commandement froÌ„ God that he should go to Bethâ—el reproue the idolatrous worship of the two calues that Ieroboam had set vp and that he shold neither eate not drinke in presence with the idolaters 1 Ki. 13 8 9. but because he did contrary to the commandement he was torne in peeces of a Lyon paying the punishment of his disobedience and teaching vs by his example obedience to God Againe Doctrine obserue that God performeth more then he hath promised He onely told Moses God is better then his word that the mans rod whom he had chosen shold blossome but it appeareth that for farther manifestation of the truth of his word and the dignity of Aaron he verified more for the Lord did not only cause it to bring foorth buds and to bloome blossomes but likewise to beare almonds We see then from hence that such is the goodnes of God that he performeth and bringeth to passe more then he promiseth to
familiar with them through disparagement of our nature wee cannot haue them alwayes present with vs through distance of place Therefore the Spirit that could haue taught the Eunuch by inspiration Acts. 1 â— commanded Philip to goe neere and ioyne himselfe to his chariot to be a guide to the blind a light to him that sate in darkenes and an instructer of the vnlearned The Angel that appeared vnto Cornelius could haue told him and taught him those heauenly mysteries of saluation whereby hee and all his house should be saued but he directeth him to Peter to tell him what He ought to doe Lastly Act. 10 â— our owne request hath concurred with the ordinance of God desiring that man cloathed with the same infirmities and subiect to the like passions might speake vnto vs. For when the Israelites at the deliuering of the Law saw the signes of his glory as it were certaine prints and footsteps of his Maiesty the sounding of the trumpet the cracking of the thunder the flashing of the lightning the trembling of the earth the darkenesse of the aire the appearing of the cloud the quaking of Moses himselfe at these sights 〈◊〉 19 19. they cryed out to him with great vehemency of spirit Talk thou with vs and we will heare thee but let not GOD talke with vs lest we die Seeing therefore the maiesty of God is incomprehensible who dwelleth in light that no man can attaine vnto 〈◊〉 6 2 5. whose glory the Angels cannot beholde without couering their faces seeing the excellency of the elect Angels is so great that wee cannot so much as endure their presence neither can we be so familiar with them as we do desire and should be to deliuer our estates to them neither can at all times when we desire being on earth haue conference and recourse to them being in heauen seeing the Word is the same in the mouth of God in the mouth of an Angel and in the mouth of the Minister and is with like regard and reuerence to bee heard as Luk. 10 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Lastly seeing we desired the ministery of man to teach vs and God approued of our desire saying 〈◊〉 5.19 Oh that there were such an heart in them to fear me keep all my commandements alwaies that it might go wel with them and with their children for euer the intollerable pride and presumption of those appeareth that embase the high ordinance of God in the ministery of his word would call God or his Angels out of heauen to attend vpon their fancies to minister to their wantonnes To the second obiection 〈◊〉 second â—â—â—â—ction an â—â—ed pretending reading of Scriptures and Sermons at home and asking whether we can make the Bible better we answer that we preach not to make the Scriptures better but the people the Scriptures need it not the people do And albeit there bee enough set downe in the written word yet men vnderstand litle as Acts 8. wheÌ„ Philip heard the Eunuch reade the Prophet Esay he saide But vnderstandest thou what thou readest 〈◊〉 8 31. â—â— 17 11. He saide How can I without a guide The reading of the Scripture I confesse is profitable comfortable and necessary to fit vs and frame vs to the sauing hearing of the word preached to keepe vs that we bee not easily deceiued by false teachers 〈◊〉 5 20. 〈◊〉 5 1 2. But notwithstanding the reading of the Scripture we must haue it further opened diuided and applyed as 2 Tim. 2 25. Study to shew thy selfe approoued vnto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright When a maÌ„ is grieuously wounded it is the salue that healeth yet is the skill and cunning hand of the Surgeon necessary and requisite to make the plaister to spred it and apply it to the part diseased It is the meate that nourisheth the body yet must it be cut chewed and digested If there be little children in an house and they haue an whole loafe which is great hard set before them they find the crust too strong for them so that it must bee cut for them and diuided vnto them in due season Moreouer we find by experience that such as plead for reading either Scriptures or Sermons at home when they should attend the publike exercises of religion do indeed spend the time nothing lesse then that way as appeareth by their palpable ignorance neither let such looke for a blessing from God at home when he requires them to ioyn themselues to the congregation of the faithfull so that while they think to deceiue others they do most of all deceiue theÌ„selues Last of al why do they not say as much of the other part of the Ministers Office For as he is to preach the Gospel so he is to administer the Sacraments Now then as they alledge they can reade Scriptures Sermons at home themselues as wel as heare them at the mouth of the Minister so can they not poure Water on the face of their children and rehearse the words of institution as well as the Minister Can they not themselues take Bread Wine breake the one poure out the other receyue them both and eate and drinke them in their priuate families as wel as take them in the publike assembly at the hand of the Minister But should such water so sprinkled on the child be holy baptisme Or should such bread and such wine so taken so broken so eaten drunken be the Lords Supper No such idle actions are not holy Sacraments but shameful prophanations of the precious blood of Iesus Christ Wherefore notwithstanding all our shew of reading in our houses to our housholdes yet must the Lords holy ordinance be magnified among vs to seek the law at the Pastors mouths as the Prophet teacheth Mal. 2 7. The priests lips should preserue knowledge and they shall seeke the Law at his mouth c. And examine when you will those that pretend reading to exclude preaching you shall finde them for the most part ignorant in the grounds and principles of Religion knowing neyther the vse of the Law nor the end of the Gospel vnderstanding neither the Petitions of the Lords prayer nor the Articles of faith and therefore if they bestow so much time as they would make the world beleeue they are yet in the number of those whom the Apostle speaketh of 2 Tim. 3 7. Which are euer learning but are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth To the third obiection The third obiection answered boasting of sufficient knowledge we answer That as we prophesie in part so we all know in part and the Ministery of the word serueth not onely to begin faith and repentance in vs but to build vs vp to the day of Iesus Christ It serueth not onely to teach vs knowledge but obedience
exquisite and excellent thing in them but the inward and spirituall worship is neglected among them the Name of God is dishonoured the Sabbath is prophaned the Scriptures are abused the doctrine of faith and repentance is buried many open sinnes are maintained amoâ—g theÌ„ If that bee the true relâ—gion which giueth all glory to God the Popish religion cannot bee so whâ—ch giueth all glory to themselues and robbeth God of the honour due to his Name by their doctrine of merits by their works of supererogation which indeed is more then supererogation If it be the true religion that magnifyeth the Scriptures resteth in the perfection of them submitteth all persons causes vnto them and acknowledgeth them the sole and supreme Iudge of all Questions and Controuersies of religion then that must bee a false religio which patcheth other writings and traditions vnto them which in matters of â—octrine flyeth from them which preferreth the authority of the Church before them and â—enveth to be wholly ordered by them If that â—e the true religion which aduanceth the sufferings of Christ and resteth in his perfect Oblation once performed vpon the Crosse Heb. 10 1â— which acknowledgeth Christ to be the onely Sauiour and Redeemer of his people and â—eacheth to relye vpon him alone for our iustification then that must bee confessed to bee a counterfet religion which setteth vppe a mocke Christ and honoureth instead of him the cursed Idoll of the Masse whereby the remembrance of his death is shamefully eâ—uded and the people of God are miserably deluded Learne therefore that all zeale is not true zeale and to hate all euill albeit it haue the appearance of good and come masked vnder the vizard and habite of holinesse For counterfeit piety is double impiety Secondly let vs not bee carried away and Vse 2 seduced with euery vaine blast of false Doctrine but stand constant setled and vnmoueable as they that are builded not on the weak sand but vpon the firme Rocke that cannot bâ— remoued This the Apostle teacheth Heb. 1 9. Bee not carried about wiâ—h diuers and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart bee stablished with grace and not with meates which haue not profited them that haue beene occupied in them This vse is vrged by the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. 3 5. This know that in the last daies shall come perillous seasons for men shall bee louers of their owne selues c hauing a shew of godlinâ—sse but haue denied the power therof turne â—way therfore from such We see how easily the greaâ—est part are carried away with shadowes without substance and shewes without inward truâ—h They haue itching eares after new Teâ—chers and forsake the ancient Teachers that haue fed them with the milke of the word gained them to the faiâ—h of Christ Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to take heeâ— wee be not seduced and deceiued with â—aâ—e Pâ—ophets and to make a tryall of their doctrine by the truth of the Scriptures according to the counsell of Christ our Sauiour Math. chapter 7 verses 15. 16. Lastly it is our dutieâ— to learne to discerne Vse 3 the spirits and to be able to iudge of the Doctrine whether it be of God or not Christ commandeth his Disciples to beware take heed of the leauen of the Pharisies and Saduces Math 1 and 2 â— that is of their doctrine but in another place he chargeth them to heare the Pharisies obey their doctrine sitâ—ing in Moses chaire because they were appointed for the time to be the Teachers of the Church Now then if they must heare and do what they say and yet auoide their mixtures corruptions of sound dâ—ctrine it is required necessarily of the people to discerne betweene the Law of GOD and the leauen of the Pharisies being charged to cleaue to the truth and to forsake error This is that vse which thâ— Apostle Iohn vrgeth 1 Iohn chap. 4. verse 1. Deâ—rely beloued beleeue not euery spirit but try thâ— spirits whether they bee of GOD For many false Prophets are gone out into this world And in the second Epistle chap. 7 8. hee speaketh to the same purpose Many deceiuers are entred into this world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh looke to your selues that wee lose not the things which we haue done but that we may receiue a full reward Hereunto likewise cometh the exhortation of Eliah to all the people that were seduced by false Prophets 1 Kings 18 21. How long halt yee betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal bee hee then go after him And the Apostle Paul chargeth the Thessalonians to try all things and to hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5 21. This condemneth the Church of Rome of sacriledge that take from the people the key of knowledge and nuzzle them in ignorance as the mother of deuotion accounting it sufficient that they beleeue as the Church beleeueth and credite in all things theyr Pastours and Teachers and forbid them all tryall of the doctrine deliuered vnto them But the Scriptures require of them the spirit of discerning 〈◊〉 12 2. â—il 1 10. â—ph 5.15 17. and all iudgement that they may allow those things that are best and that they may bee without offence vntill the day of Christ to take heed that they walke circumspectly and wisely that they may vnderstand what the will of the Lord is and beware that they be not seduced And it is no excuse to the people beeing misled and misguided to say Thus haue I bene taught and instructed For when the blinde leade the blinde they both fall into the pit of destruction Mat. 15 14. So that if they embrace not faith vnto saluation but withdraw themselues vnto perdition they that follow false Teachers are sure to perish as well as they that leade them the way or rather out of the way and if the Watchman see the sword drawne 〈◊〉 33 8. and iudgement comming and blow not the Trumpet albeit the blood of the people shall bee required at his hands yet they shall also be taken away in their sins Verse 5. The Lord put an answer in Balaams mouth Heere is set downe the Author of his Prophesies He sought a cursing but God put in his mouth a blessing so that the spirit of Prophesie is sometimes giuen to wicked men as appeareth in Saul sundry others Wherefore it is said God put his word in his mouth not in his heart He hath God plentifully in his mouth but his heart was farre from him so that he speaketh not farre otherwise then his Asse spake before because God compelled him against his will to vtter that which he put in his mouth â—â—rine 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 â—â—â—eâ— to â—â—uiâ— oâ—â—e 〈◊〉 Heereby we learne that Gods truth is oftentimes enforced and drawne out of those that know it not nor beleeue it Prophane men of an euill spirit are constrained
were alwayes in sight of his parents the seruant of his master the souldier of his Captain the subiect of his Prince they would not haue an vnseemly gesture a disordred action how much more doth it stand vs vpon to behaue our selues honestly and in order and to looke to all our wayes that we offend not before the maiesty of God in whose presence we stand When the Minister prayeth and preacheth when the people attend and hearken wee must know that God looketh vpon vs. If any thing bee done vnreuerently and wickedly hee seeth it and beholdeth it when it is committed We cannot hide it from his sight and therfore we should do nothing that may greeue him This is that vse which Moses setteth downe in giuing directions to the people when they went to warre Deut. 23 12 14 That they shold haue a place without the hoast whither they should resort for the necessity of nature and couer their excrements for the Lord thy God saith he walketh in the middest of thy campe to deliuer thee and to giue thee thine enemies before thee therefore thine hoast shal be holy that he see no filthy thing in thee and turne away from thee The truth of this Ceremony leadeth vs as it did them to a farther matter Let vs let the figure passe come to the substance which teacheth that wee must be an holy people to God in soule and bodie and take heede of stayning and defiling our selues And what is it that doth defile vs It is not that which entereth into man but that which commeth out of a man as our Sauiour speaketh of the meates we eate Matth. 15 18. All the euill affections that wee haue within vs are so many stainings of vs before God Euill thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses slanders are so many infections and as filthy dirt and dung in his sight We must all of vs learne to purge our selues from such foule and filthy corruptions if wee will haue God to rule and be resident amongst vs. If a man bee to receyue any honourable guests or strangers into his house he will haue it swept and kept cleane that he offend not those that he would entertaine It is a great honor vnto vs that God will dwell with vs and rest among vs and vouchsafe so to abase himself as to walke among vs ought not we then to bee carefull how we walke before him and to be wary euery one of vs lest we should displease him Ought we not to behaue our selues with all feare and reuerence seeing he beholdeth vs and eyeth whatsoeuer we do throughout our whole life For as he is come neerer vnto vs Iames 4 8 so vnlesse we draw nere vnto him cleansing our hands and purging our hearts he will withdraw himselfe from vs if we make not our soules and bodyes pure Temples for him to lodge and abide in Hee will dwell with vs vpon no other condition if wee doe not marke and obserue this wee make our soules guilty of driuing GOD away that he should no longer remaine among vs to blesse vs. Lastly we are put in mind by his presence Vse 4 to waite and stay our selues vpon his prouidence in all things depending vpon his protection and deliuerance Stephen a faythful witnes of the truth being perswaded of the presence of Christ stood out to death and boldly maintayned the cause of God against al his aduersaries Acts 7 56. Wee are alwayes in such sort vnder his protection that wee shall not neede to feare that his power will fayle to maintaine and preserue vs. When the Lord Iesus sayde vnto his Disciples Matth. 28 20. Goe into all Nations preach vnto them and baptize them he addeth Loe I am with you vnto the end of the world Whereby hee meant to confirme and strengthen them in all the combats they were to suffer and conflicts which they were to endure in the preaching of the Gospel So Christ appearing vnto Paul and promising his presence to be with him gaue him boldnes to vndergo great dangers and not to account his owne life precious and deere vnto him so long as he might doe seruice vnto God he sayd vnto him Acts 18 9.10 Feare not but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall lay hands on thee to hurt thee for I haue much people in this City Thus the Lord speaketh to the Prophet Ieremy Bee not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee Here we see the presence of God is made as a reason to strengthen him in the duties of his calling We meete with many dangers and incombrances that assault vs and set vpon vs in the running of our race and finde many enemies that seeke to stop our course such is our weaknes that we shall neuer be able to ouermastet them and to go lustily forward in a resolute and constant course vnlesse we set before our eyes this doctrine that Balaam published as a priuiledge belonging vnto the Church that God is with vs and will neuer forsake vs. Let vs therefore consider Rom. 8 13. If hee be with vs we shall not neede to feare who bee against vs. He will smite our enemies vpon the cheeke bone break the teeth of the wicked He wil scatter theyr counsels and deuices and cast down whatsoeuer riseth vp against our peace And the ioyfull shout of a King is among thē This is the third prerogatiue graunted to the Church which God as king of the Church granteth vnto it being as it were the Scepter of his kingdome the lawes by which it is gouerned For as no kingdom can stand without statutes nor the subiects be gouernd without lawes so it is in Gods kingdom He is the King the church is the kingdome the word is the statute law the diuel al his Instruments are Traytors to this kingdome the faythfull and elect are the natural subiects which willingly yeeld obedience to the word Esay 13 1. This word being the arme of God and the kingdome must be preached to draw the elect into his kingdome This Balaam calleth a ioyfull shout and the Prophet is commanded of God Esay 58 1 to cry alowd and not spare to lifte vp his voice like a Trumpet shewing to the people their sinnes and the house of Iacob their transgressions This teacheth vs that it is a great honor and priuiledge of the Church to haue the ioyfull shout of the word to sound among them Doctrine It is the churches priuiledge to haue the pure vse of the word The Scripture or word of God is a priuiledge belonging properly to the Church the vse thereof When God gaue his Law in Sinai it was giuen onely to Israel as appeareth Deut. 4 1. Exod. 20 11 2. where Moses stirreth vp Israel to hearken to the statutes ordinances that should be deliuered vnto thē So the Prophet speaketh Psal 147 19 20. He sheweth his word
men and Angels to execute his purposes so often as it pleaseth him Another question arising out of this Commandement Obiection is touching the persons against whom it is directed as the first was touching the persons to whom it was directed For why should the Midianites be named onely seeing the Moabites also were the professed enemies of the Israelites seeking their ruine and hyring Balaam to curse them I answer Answer the Moabites did not escape but were also punished as appeareth euidently Deut. 23 6. But the Midianites are first in the punishment because albeit they were farther off yet they had the cheefest hand and carried the greatest stroke in this wickednes who made their daughters common yea euen the cheefest among them by the counsell of Balaam as we saw by one example in this Chapter the like whereof we do not reade to haue bene in the Moabites Besides after that Balaam was departed we reade not that the Moabites attempted any thing against Israel but the Midianites gaue the Sorcerer farther entertainment and ceased not as may be presumed presupposed to plot and contriue their destruction Hitherto of the commandement the first part of this diuision the reasons enforcing the commandement follow to be considered which are two in number First because they cunningly gulled and craftily circumuented the people of God Secondly because they allured them both to idolatry and to fornication For this is the meaning of the words when Moses saith They haue beguiled you as concerning Peor and as concerning their sister Cozbi And hereunto Iohn pointeth in the Reuelation saying Balaam taught Balak to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel that they should eate of things sacrificed to Idols and commit fornication Reue. 2 14. Both these reasons may be gathered into one and thus concluded If the Midianites drew you into sinne and brought vpon you the plague of God then spare not to smite them But the Midianites drew you into sinne and brought vpon you the plague of God Therefore spare not you to smite them This is the force and strength of the reason to mooue the Israelites to make themselues strong and to be of good courage assuring themselues that God will giue them victory enable them to destroy them that did compasse their destruction Thus wee haue seene the interpretation of the text and the order of the words This is the naturall meaning intended by the Spirit of God But before we passe any further it shall not bee amisse a little to consider the notable abuse of this place and of other Scriptures auouched by some of the Church of Rome For one of late Alabast apparat in Reuel Ies Chr. not onely a common professor of our Religion but a publike Preacher of the same in our Church hath reuolted from vs through some worldly tentations runne into our enemies campe lifted vp his heele against vs and in bitter and biting manner rayled at vs. This man wanting no good will to write against vs and yet finding no strength in himselfe to deale against vs out of euident and plaine Scripture hath turned all into allegories and out of his inward and hidden senses wresteth and wringeth all things against the Protestants As for example when the Lord in this place is saide to haue spoken to Moses in this manner Vexe the Midianites and smite them because they troubled you with their wiles and beguiled you as concerning Peor Apparat in Reuel cap. 6. pag 96. the meaning according to his interpretation is this Christ said to the Vicar of Christ Suppresse the writings of heretikes and confute them because they trouble you with their guiles and make their false doctrines appeare beautifull to the shew and outward appearance the heretickes receiuing a counterfeit word in stead of the true Scripture which is condemned in the day of the Popes censure Behold here the heauy iudgment of God vpon this man since his apostacy and reuolting from the true Church to the Synagogue of Antichrist Are not here strange proofes and farre set interpretations to proue the Pope to be the Vicar of Christ that the writings of heretiques are to bee suppressed and that the heretiques themselues doe deceiue and delude the world vnder a colour of the word of God a pretence of the bare literall meaning Apparat. cap. 1 7. And yet this is the profound inward mysticall and right Scripture that he so often boasteth of But let the indifferent reader iudge whether this manner of interpretation bee not the highway to set vp all Atheisme to ouerthrow the authority and certainty of the Scripture to shake the foundation of true religion to leaue no grounds for Christians to stand vpon And this hath beene the ancient practice of such disciples as haue learned such diuinity in the schooles of Antichrist It is well known that Pighius compared the Scriptures to a nose of waxe and to a rule of Lead Pigh hiâ—â— lib. cap. 3. Cens Câ—lon pag. 112. Cusan epist 2 7 The censure of Colen affirmeth the like in the same words And to the same purpose Cardinall Cusane teacheth that the Scriptures must be expounded diuersly and framed to the time practice of the Church so that at one time they are to bee vnderstood and interpreted one way and at another time another way These are some of those bolde blasphemies which many of the Popes Minions haue vttered to the world Now such as apply the Scriptures to their owne fancies turne them into allegories do not come farre behind the former If we suffer the Scriptures of God to be thus wrested and corrupted the Religion of Christ cannot long continue If a man pull down the foundation of an house whereon it standeth or shake the maine pillars whereon it leaneth the house it selfe cannot long hold out but must fall downe The Church of God is builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2 20. so long as the doctrine contayned in them is maintayned and kept pure and vndefiled the Church shall stand vpright and remaine without danger of being shaken in peeces But when once it beginneth to be mingled with the chaffe of mans inuention or infected with the poyson of the diuels deuice by and by it tottereth decayeth vntill in the end no remedy being prouided it languish and die Now to apply this to our present purpose howsoeuer some glory of the hidden senses of Scripture which they haue found out and please themselues in their foolish conceits it is no better then to make merchandice of the word and to turne the truth of God into a lye 2. Cor. 2 17. For whereas out of this commandement of God charging Moses to slay the Midianites that troubled Israel with their guiles and drew them to fornication this construction is gathered that Moses is the Vicar of Christ that the Midianites signifie the writings of heretiques with such like trash the onely
naming thereof is sufficient to shew the vanity of it Prefat ad Ca. thol lectures This I confesse may not vnfitly be called another Scripture then yet hath bin knowne howbeit not the Lords but his owne And if this new and admirable way to a new found land were granted vnto him what would it make more against vs then against himselfe and generally against the whole Church of Rome This shall plainely appeare vnto vs in three respects For first of all admit once of these fond guesses and glosses vpon the Scripture and depart from the simplicity of the same there is a gappe opened wide to intrude a thousand diuerse nay contrary interpretations according to the diuers or contrary disposition of the interpreter As for example out of this present place mentioning the commandement of God to Moses the guiles of the Midianites and theyr drawing Israel to fornication by meanes of Cozbi a Princes daughter among them a man might with greater probability gather and agreeing better with the proportion of faith in other Scriptures an encouragement to all christian Princes to pull downe the purple whore that sitteth in spirituall Babylon to reward her as she hath rewarded vs Reuel 18 6 and to giue her double according to her works and in the cup that she hath filled to vs to fill her the double For in the former words Moses shall signifie the Christian Magistrate the Midianites the enemies of Christ the greatest whereof are Antichrist and his adherents the entising of the Israelites to fornication the committing of idolatry and running a whoring after Idols the slaying of Cozbi in the day of the plague the downefall and ruine of theyr idolatrous worship which we see God hath miraculously brought to passe Thus we see how these words may more fitly and fully be applyed against the church of Rome then against true Catholiques whom he calleth heretiques Secondly if this be the marrow and pith of the Scriptures to hide such mysticall meanings and secret senses vnder the outward barke what hindreth vs but that we may raise as good doctrine out of Homers Iliads and Odysses out of Ouids Metamorphosis or out of Virgils Aeneads as out of the writings of Moses and the Prophets which were horrible blasphemy once to conceiue or imagine For if a man by Vlysses or by Aeneas should vnderstand Christ by their companions his Disciples by theyr wandrings his sufferings by theyr going downe to hell his ouercomming of the diuell and triumphing ouer the kingdome of darknesse by theyr safe arriuing in an hauen of rest after all theyr labours his resurrection from the dead and taking possession of the kingdome of heauen hee hath as faire a warrant for these coniectures as this trifler hath for his fooleries to vnderstand by Moses the Pope by the Midianites the writings of heretiques 〈◊〉 in Reuel â—â—p 6. by Cozbi such doctrine as pretendeth the Name of God and by vexing the Midianites the stopping of the course of theyr hereticall writings Lastly this inward supposed Scripture that this dreamer hath conceited burieth the true word of God and setteth vp a forged and counterfet Scripture For it turneth all things into Allegories and disanulleth the rules of interpretation The Allegories that we finde not in Scripture we are at liberty to refuse He that hath set bounds and bankes to the sea that it should passe no further hath restrayned vs how farre we shall go We must not turne eyther to the right hand or to the left Deut. 4 2. Wee must walke the kings high way we must not adde or diminish wee must not change or alter any thing of Christs testameÌ„t Origen the Prince and Patron of Allegories hath beene taxed and condemned of all men for corrupting and peruerting the Scripture this way but now Origen is iustified by this new found interpretation which is no better then a languishing about trifles 1 Tim. 6 4 a doting about questions and strife of words and a casting of clouds and smoake vpon the Sunne beames And howsoeuer the schoolemen haue ouerflowed the bankes in the ranknesse and superfluity of theyr wit and thereby defaced and depraued the precious word of God purer then the gold of Ophir In 1. part Sum. quaest 1. artic 10. yet Thomas one of the Princes and gods among them teacheth that the literall sence of the Scripture is that which the Author intendeth and the Author of holy Scripture is God Now if that bee the true meaning of the Scripture which the holy Ghost intendeth I would gladly know whether the pretended mystical interpretation of this place building vp the primacy of Peter and supremacy of the Pope and pulling downe the heretiques were intended by the Commandement of God vnto Moses Let him tell me whether the words be in the nature of a Prophesie or of an History belonging to the present times or to the times to come Let him shew whether Moses euer vnderstood the commandement of the Lord as this popish Proctor or rather prater pretendeth And whether the interpretation now set afoote were true in the dayes of Moses or not Lastly let him declare whether Moses and the Israelites did euer obey this commandement or not Numb 31 7. But if the meaning be that God spake not to Moses but to the Vicar of Christ nor gaue them charge concerning the Midianites but the writings of heretiques nor spake touching Cozbi but those that counterfeted the word of GOD hee did delude Moses with a vaine shaddow of words pretending one thing and intending another in outward shew giuing him authority but in an inward meaning establishing the Popes superiority which was not hatched nor heard of in sundry ages afterward And heereupon it is that all the sounder Diuines of ancient times Aug. epist 48. Hier in cap. 13 Math. Alph. li. 1. c. 3. Andrad lib 2. Defens Triden and the sounder schoolemen of latter times haue reiected this mystical diuinity as vnauaileable and vnsufficient to proue any point of Christian Religion Thus then wee see that the word of God is not to be turned into an allegory taking away the truth of the history and the doctrine of faith In this manner of reasoning notwithstanding the chiefest keyes of Popish Religion are hammered so most absurd and impertinent allegories are established God made two great lights a greater to rule the day and a lesser to rule the night therefore there are two great powers set in the world the Pope and the Emperour and the authority of the Pope is so much greater then the authority of the Emperour as the Sun is then the Moone God said In thy light wee shall see light therefore there must bee candles in the Church burning at noone day The words of the Prophet Thou hast put all things vnder his feete Psal 8 6 7 they allegorize thus for the supreme iurisdiction of the man of sinne all sheepe and oxen that is all men Foules that is Angels and
A COMMENTARIE vpon the Fourth Booke of Moses 〈…〉 NVMBERS CONTAINING The Foundation of the Church and Common-wealth of the Israelites while they walked and wandered in the WILDERNESSE Laying before vs the vnchangeable loue of God promised and exhibited to this people The comely order established and obserued among them Sundry examples of his horrible iudgements against obstinate sinners The Fatherly chastisements and corrections of the faithfull offending and the dangerous plottings and diuellish policies of the Churches enemies are detected and discouered Wherein the whole body of Diuinity is handled touching matters Dogmaticall Of God of Christ of the Gospel of the Law of Sin of Faith and Iustification of the Scriptures of the Sabbath of Magistrates and of the Ministery of the Resurrection of Prayer and the lawfulnesse of set formes of Tythes and Impropriations of the Sacraments in generall and in speciall of Baptisme and the Lords Supper of Duelles and Duellists of Excommunication of Repentance and remission of sinnes of restitution of Warre and of the lawfulnesse of the marriage of Cozen germans Ceremoniall Of the calling of the Priests and Leuites and of the first borne of the waters of iealousie of the vow of the Nazarites of the daily sacrifice of the Iewish Feasts of the yeare of Iubile of the new Moones of afflicting the soule of the Feast of the Passeouer and Pentecost of the Trumpets and of the Tabernacles of the Vrim and Thummim of the seuen Lampes and the making of the two siluer Trumpets of the pillar of Fire and the Cloud of the meate Offering and drinke Offering with the vses of them all toward our selues together with a description of sundry waights and measures vsed of the Iewes Polemicall Or Controuersies betweene the Church of Rome and vs as of the Scriptures of the Church and the notes of it of the supremacy of the Byshop of Rome of the Masse of Purgatory of Free-will of Prayer in a strange tongue of iustification by Workes of the Sacraments of Vowes of auricular Confession of Reliques of binding and loosing of Temples of Tapers and wax Candles of Sanctuaries and of Images and Idolatry Heerein also the Reader shall finde more then fiue hundred Theologicall Questions decided and determined By WILLIAM ATTERSOLL Minister of the word LONDON Printed by WILLIAM IAGGARD 1618. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Walter Couert Knight one of his Maiesties Iustices of the Peace in the County of Sussex And to the Right VVorshipfull the Lady Iane Couert his Wife Grace and peace from Iesus Christ. I Vndertake Right Worshipfull in this Work to expound one of the Bookes of Moses a part of the Churches Treasury committed to writing by the hand of one of the best Worke-men and one of the greatest Prophets of the Church And howsoeuer sundry parcels thereof may seeme at the first view to offer vnto vs little profit as containing onely sundry names of persons and places which may be thought little to concerne vs yet as the whole Scripture giuen by inspiration is profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction 〈◊〉 righteousnesse that wee thorough patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope 2 Tim. 3 16 Rom. 1â— 4 so if we looke into this present parcell with a single eye and a pure heart voide of partiality and a preiudicate opinion we shall oftentimes finde much substance to lye hidden vnder shadowes and as it were rich Mines where the soyle may be taken to bee barren And as this booke beareth in the front of it the name of Numbers so it hath this peculiar aboue the rest that it layeth before vs the numbering of the people and the excellent and exquisit order that God commanded to be obserued among them in their tents in their marching in their remouing in the vnfolding and wrapping vp of the instruments of the Tabernacle and in the Priests and Leuites that attended vpon it All Arts and Sciences before they can bee learned must be reduced into order and method There is an order in God himselfe as wee see in the blessed Trinity for albeit all the persons bee coeternall and coequall and the essence it selfe of the Deity vndiuisible yet there is the first the second and the third person And as it is in God so it is in the creation and workes of God from the heauen of heauens to the center of the earth The elect Angels that do his commandements and hearken vnto the voyce of his word Psal 103 20 haue an order among them there are Thrones and Dominions Powers and Principalities Ephes 1 21. Col. 1 16. and an Archangel that at the last day shall blow the Trumpet 1 Thess 4 16. And as it is among the Angels so it is among the Saints the soules of iust men perfected albeit all haue enough and none of them any want yet there is a difference in the measure of their glory inasmuch as euery man shal receyue his owne reward according to his owne labour 1 Cor. 3 8. Dan. 12 3. The Starres are not all of one magnitude but there is one glory of the Sunne another of the Moone and another of the Starres for one starre differeth from another starre in glory so also is the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15 41 42. Gen. 1 16 17. Psal 136 7 8.9 Thus it is also in the workes beneath that God may euery where appeare to be the God of order 1 Cor. 14 33. Some creatures haue onely a being some haue being and life others Being Life and Sense and others besides all these haue reason and vnderstanding A Campe well disciplined is a perfect patterne of good order He that would order a battell aright saith Vegetius hath respect to the Sun to the dust Veget. Cap. 14. to the winde because the Sun and dust hinder the sight and a contrary wind weakneth the blow The Church of God is ruled by order while there are some to teach and some to heare Neither may any of these seeme strange forasmuch as there is a kinde of order euen in the place of all disorder and confusion euen in hell it selfe prepared for the diuell and his angels Matth. 25 41. Matth. 25 41. for there also are principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkenesse of this world Eph. 6 â—2 and among these one is cheefe and principall as it were an head ouer this body called therefore the prince of the diuels Matth. 12.24 So then we see that in the Creator and in the creatures in the Angels in the heauens in the campe in the church yea in the place of darknesse and desolation it selfe there is â—â—me order from whence sprang the common Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is There is nothing so profitable as order When Moses had receyued the law of God as from the mouth of the Law-giuer and published it among the people and had finished the Tabernacle of the Arke and Sanctuary hee mustered all the
before our eyes the example of Balaam hired to curse the people of God o Iohn 5 34 36. who gaped after gaine and promotion and gaue mischeiuous counsell to the Moabites and Midianites to worke their death and destruction This truth is confirmed by sundry the Apostles Peter Iude and Iohn in the new Testament who mentioning this history declare both that bee loued the wages of vnrighteousnes and laid a stumbling-blocke before the children of Israel to intrap them was reprooued for his iniquity by his Asse Who spake with mans voice and forbad the foolishnesse of the Prophet These things being duly weighed and throughly considered do sufficientlie teach vs who is the author of this Booke not man but God and that the authority of it is diuine and not humane Now let vs see what vse may be gathered from hence and how it may be profitably applyed to our instruction Seeing the Author of this Booke and so of Vse 1 the rest of holy scripture is not man or Angel or any creature but the Lord of heauen and earth we learne that they want not nor stand in neede of the confirmation and approbation of the Church or of men seeing they are approued vnto vs by a greater authority and as it were warranted vnto our consciences from on higher Court where God himselfe sitteth present and president of the same So then as Christ our Sauiour speaketh p I receiue not the record of man but I haue a greater witnesse then the witnesse of Iohn We may truly say the same of his word we haue a better ground to stand vpon and a fairer warrant then the testimonie of the Church to beare record of the dignitie and authority of the word Hence it is that he saith in the same place The works which the Father hath giuen me to fin sh do beare witnes of me that the Father sent me and the Father himselfe which hath sent me beareth witnes of me This serueth to conuince the Church of Rome of the spirit of errour which teacheth that the scripture receiueth authority and credite from the Church insomuch that some of them are not ashamed to auouch q Eckius in Euchirid de autho Eccl. That the authoritie of the Church is greater then of the Scripture and others feare not to blaspheme r Hermannus that they should haue no more authority in regard of vs then Aesops Fables except the authority of the Church did procure it And as they are bold to maintaine that the Church is aboue the Scripture Å¿ Bellar. de verbo dei li. 4. cap. 12. so they teach that the Scriptures are not in themselues necessary neyther were written to be a rule of our Faith Thus they fall from one heresie into another proceed from worse to worse as euill men doe But the assurance of our Faith touching the Scriptures is not builded on the Churches authority but vppon the illumination of Gods spirit shining euidently in the Scriptures theÌ„selues The holy Ghost openeth the eyes of those that are his that they know discerne his voice from all others For as the Sun is not seene by any lighâ— but his owne so we iudge of the truth and all false Doctrines by the Scriptures How do we discerne sweet from sowre but by it owne taste And how can wee better discerne the rellish of the Scripture t Psal 19 10. Which is swâ—eter then the Hony and the Hony-combe to the taste then by the goodnes and excellency of it selfe True it is wee doe not reiect and refuse contemne or condemne the testimony authority of the true church as the Papists slander vs u What the office and authority of the Church is but wee confesse these points of the Church First it is as the keeper of the rolles and records to preserue them not to authorize them He that is custos rotulorum doth not giue authority to the writings but hath them of trust committed vnto him Secondly it is as a touchstone to distinguish them from bastard counterfeit Scriptures not to make that Scripture which is no Scripture The touchstone of the Gold-smith doth not make gold but discerneth and distinguisheth gold from other mettall what is base and what is rich stuffe so doeth the Church Thirdly it is as the voice of a x Chrisost hom 1. in Epist ad Tit. crier to preach and publish and promulgate and teach the truth as a cryer pronounceth and proclaimeth the Edicts and Decrees of his Prince but cannot adde to them nor take from them nor authorize them nor any way alter change them Fourthly it is as an Interpreter and expounder to expound and interpret them according to the Scriptures As the man of Law deliuereth the sense of the Law but doeth not make it to bee Law These are holy and honourable seruices of the Church and these wee willingly acknowledge to belong vnto it But that the Scriptures should receiue credite from it or bee of no authority without it we cannot admit or acknowledge For they are cleere perfect firme and worthy of all respect and reuerence without the testimony of the Church for the Authors sake The Apostle saith y 1 Ioh 5 6 9 It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse for that Spirit is truth and afterwarde If wee receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater Thus then wee see that the chiefe cause why wee beleeue that the Scriptures were deliuered from Heauen is not the witnesse of the Church nor the authoritie of man but because the Spirit speaketh euidently in them so that we can no more doubte of the truth of them though the Church should hold her peace then if we heard God openly speaking vnto vs froÌ„ the highest heauens Let vs therefore detest the wickednesse and blasphemy of such as say the authority of Gods worde dependeth of the testimony of man which were to preferre man before God to make all his promises hang vppon the vncertaine credite of man and to make the hand-maid take place before the Lady and Mistris which were a presumption and saucinesse not to be endured Secondly we learne from hence who is the Vse 2 best Interpreter of the Scriptures and who is the sole and soueraigne Iudge thereof namely God himselfe who is the author and inspirer of them For as the authority of them dependeth not vppon the Church so the interpretation of them dependeth not vppon the will and pleasure of man according to the saying of the Apostle z 2 Pet. 1 No prophesie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation Euery man is the expositor of his owne worke euery Law-giuer knoweth best the meaning of his owne Law a 1 Cor. 2 For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God for God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his
Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God Our aduersaries teach that the Church is the supreame Iudge of the Scriptures and hath absolute authority to expound the same and by the Church they vnderstand the rabble of Priests and Iesuites and Cardinals and Councels and by them all at last the Pope whoe holds the Oracles of God shut vp in his brest whose iudgement also they hold to bee infallible so that he cannot erre Thus they will haue Scriptures Fathers Councels and the Church it selfe passe vnder the sentence of his Consistory Thus b Reason why the â—pists refuâ—â— the Scripâ—â—â—â— to be Iudâ—â— all controâ—â—â—sies they do partly because they know and their hearts condemne them that the greatest number of the causes controuersies debated between them and vs haue no foundation of the Scriptures to leane vpon and therefore must of necessity stagger fall downe c Andrad thod expliâ— vnlesse they bee supported by traditions and partly because they woulde make themselues Iudges in their owne cause which notwithstanding is against all Law of God and man For they disable the Scriptures from being the rule of our faith and cast them downe from the chaire of honour in which they were seated by the author of them and cast all power vpon the Church and then they define the d Bristo 〈◊〉 12. in maâ— Catholike Church to bee the Romane Church Rhem. annot in Rom. 1 8. and make the Catholike and Romane faith all one who seeth not heereby and smileth not at it that seeing the Church is made the rule of faith and their Romane Church the true catholike Church of Christ that they meane to stand to no iudgment but their own and bee iudged by no other Iudge but themselues and to receiue nothing for trueth but their owne opinions Indeed we cannot deny but they cast many shaddowes to blinde our eyes and pretend at euery word the Catholike Church but they meane nothing thereby but the Popes determination which verifieth in them the common Prouerbe Aske my fellow if I bee a theefe Thus they are made Iudges that are parties and partially referre all thinges vnto the tribunall of their owne iudgement Wee teach and affirme that the Holy Ghost and the Scripture it selfe haue chiefe authority to interprete the Scriptures the Scriptures must expound the Scriptures and out of themselues the meaning of them must be taken Our Sauiour teacheth a Iohn 5 47. that they which beleeue not Moses writings will not beleeue him The Apostle teacheth b Ephes 2 20 Wee are all built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himselfe beeing the Head-corner-stone in whom all the building is coupled together by the Spirite 2 Tim 3 15 and that the Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation Thus it is saide c Nehe. 8 8 that the Leuites read distinctly the Lawe to the people and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand it by the Scripture it selfe Thus did the men of Berea reade the Scriptures d Acts 17 11. and by them tried the Apostles doctrine whether those things were so or not So then we conclude that the iudgement of all men is vncertaine and doubtful that resteth vpon their sole authority and that the Scriptures are to bee expounded by the same Spirit whereby they were written for heereby onely we can know assuredly the vndoubted meaning of them and from hence we can appeale to no superior iudge Vse 3 Thirdly from this consideration of the Author of the Scriptures we haue a direction to the Minister what he must preach vnto the people not the inuentions of his owne braine not the conceits of his owne wit not the excellency of wordes not the entising speech of mans wisedome e 1 Cor 2 14 which Paul disclaimeth and disalloweth in his owne practise but he must come in the plaine eu dence of the Spirit and of power that the knowledge of God may be furthered and the conscience informed in the wayes of godlinesse He must deliuer nothing to the people but the pure and precious word of God hee must content himselfe with the simplicity thereof and bee able by the scriptures to warrant the doctrine that he deliuereth so that hee may truely say with the Prophets Thus saith the Lord. Thus doth the Apostle ground his doctrine as vpon a sure and certaine foundation f 1 Cor. 11 23 1 Corinth 11 23. I haue receiued from th Lorde that which I also haue deliuered vnâ—o you This doth the Apostle Peter require at his hands 1 Pet. 4. g 1 Pet. 4 11 If any man speake let him speake as the words of GOD. VVee see therefore what must be the matter and subiect of our Sermons and from whence as from a plentiful store-house we must furnish our selues not from Fathers or Councels or Doctors of the Church much lesse from Poets Philosophers Orators Historiographers to paint our exhortations with the flourishing colours of humane learning which may for a season tickle the eare and delight the outwarde man but can carry no weight to the Conscience nor transforme the inward man into the obedience of the will of God Such as seeke to please men that haue itching eares doe beate the aire and labour in vaine neither must they thinke to winne a souâ—e thereby to the knowledge of the Gospell This doth the Prophet Ieremy set downe chap. 23. h Iere 23 22 If they had stood in my counsell and had declared my words to my people then they should haue turned them from their euill waies and from the wickednesse of their inuentions Heere then we haue a direction what to do and in what manner to furnish our selues to the worke of the ministery wee must bee as good Stewards set ouer the Lords house to feede the family with bread not with wine with wholesome food not with chaffe that wee may discharge our duties with comfort and the people bee builded vppe in knowledge and obedience Lastly seeing God onely is the Author Vse 4 of the whole Scripture and of euery particular booke and branch contained therein which are the rule of our life and the foundation of our faith it belongeth as a speciall duty to the people of GOD to reade them to receiue them to study them to reuerence them to obey and keepe the doctrines deliuered in them forasmuch as they proceede from such an Author Wee learne to put a difference betweene the speeches of person and person and wee vse to giue better audience and greater reuerence vnto the word of a Prince then to others wee will not lose a worde willingly that commeth from his mouth and according to the Maiestie of the person so is our respect and so wee attend vnto him If one shoulde contemne a Prince and not regard him speaking vnto him hee would bee iudged worthy of death or of some sharpe and seuere punishment
so often as they prophane the Lords Sabbaths that so they might call it a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and learne not to follow their owne pleasures and pastimes nor to speake their owne words therein Verses 7 8. They shall keepe his charge and the charge of the whole Congregation c. Hitherto of the meaning of the words let vs now come to the doctrines arising from hence We see in this diuision that Aaron and his sonnes beeing consecrated to the office of the Priest-hood haue also the Leuites giuen vnto them to helpe them in that holy calling Moses is commanded to present them before Aaron the Priest that they may minister vnto him and all this is done by the authority and appointment of God Moses was a great Prophet to whom God spake face to face like vnto whom arose none before him nor yet after him neuerthelesse he durst not presume to do this vntill hee had receiued commission from God From hence we learne that God hath sole Doctrine authority to ordaine the Officers and the Offices of his Church It belongeâ— to God aâ—â— to appoinâ— Officers and Offices of â— Church No ministery is allowed and approued but that which hath warrant and direction from God We see this in the setting apart of the Tribe of Leui among all the rest to this office Leuit. 8. verse 2. The Lord saide vnto Moses Take Aaron and his sons with him and the garments and the annointing oyle c and Deuter. 18 verse 5. Exod. 29 4. The Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy Tribes to minister in the Name of the Lord him and his sons for euer This truth is noted oftentimes in the new Testament In the conference betweene Iohn Baptist and the Pharisies when he said plainely he was not that Christ nor Elias nor a Prophet they replied Iohn 1 25. If thou bee neyther Christ nor Elias nor of the Prophets why baptizest thou This had beene a weake argument and an vnlearned question if Iohn might haue executed some other function theÌ„ that which was ordinary in the Church and instituted of God Hence it is that the Baptist to establish his speciall calling and extraordinary function alledgeth the word of God Marke 1 verse 1 2.3 I am the voice of one crying in the wildernes Make straight the way of the Lord as saide the Prophet Esaias So that both ordinary and extraordinary offices haue their allowance out of the high Court of heauen When Christ asked the question concerning the baptisme of Iohn whence it was Whether from heauen or of men Math. 21 15 he meant thereby to confirme his ministery In like manner when he was teaching in the Temple the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people came vnto him and said Math. 21 verse 23. By what authority doest thou these things and who gaue thee this authority declaring that no man ought without authority and commission from God to execute any function in the Church so that no man should take this honour vnto him but he that is called of God as Aaron was We see then by the whole practise vnder the law that the Ministers thereof both ordinary and extraordinary had their calling from heauen not from the earth from God not from man And in the new Testament the Apostles had their calling from Christ â—th 10 1. Hee chose them he sent them out to him they gaue an account Hee appointed the seauenty Disciples and sent them two and two before his face into euery City â—k 10 1. Luke 10 verse 1. And when he led captiuity captiue he gaue Pastours and Teachers for the worke of the Ministery Eph. 4 verse 11. When a new Apostle was to be chosen in the roome of Iudas who purchased a field with the reward of iniquity and falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Peter alledgeth vnto the Church the word of God It is written in the booke of Psalmes Let another take his charge or office â—l 109.8 â—s 1 20. Albeit then the callings of the Ministery be executed by men and the Ministers that were to continue in the Church were chosen by men like to themselues yet the Office is of God so that as it was not lawfull to bring in any strange doctrine so it was not lawfull to teach the true doctrine vnder the names and titles of any other function then was instituted by God He that hath set downe the doctrine hath also set downe the Teachers of the doctrine hee that hath appointed what shal be taught hath also appointed who shall teach it and deliuer it to his people This is taught vnto vs by sundry reasons Reason 1 First obserue with me the types that the scripture vseth to expresse this point I will name these three for example the Arke the Tabernacle and the Temple The Arke was a liuely figure of the Church all that were out of it were drowned in the waters God leaueth nothing to mans wisedome or pollicy though neuer so wise or righteous but he appointeth to Noah the matter and forme the length and breadth and height of the Arke the wood and seuerall sorts of it Gen. 6 14 and as GOD would haue it builded so he appointeth the builder In the worke of the Tabernacle the Church is more expresly shewed â—xod 31 3. God stirred vp the spirits of those that should bee the workmen and left nothing to the will of Moses but set downe the pinnes the snuffers the boards the barres the hangings and the vessels all was finished according to the patterne that hee had seene in the mount where he talked with God Exod. 39 42. Heb. 8 5. Likewise touching the Temple which came neerer to the times of Christ Salomon was appointed to build an house to God who did nothing in it Chr. 24 19. Chr. 29 25. either touching the building of it or the vessels in it or the beauty of it but according to the forme and fashion that was enioyned him Againe the titles whereby the Ministers Reason 2 are called and the names whereby they are named doe enforce the acknowledgement of this truth they are called sometimes the seruants of God sometimes the builders of his house sometimes the sowers of his ground sometimes the watchmen of his City sometimes the Captaines of his host sometimes the Shepheards of his flocke and sometimes the Stewards of his family Shall the seruant attempt any thing of his owne head and exercise dominion without the appointment or contrary to the appointment of his master It is noted to the commendation of Moses that he was faithfull in al his house as a seruant to him that appointed him Heb. 3 5. The Ministers are builders and the people are Gods building 1 Corinth 3 9. It is in God therefore to make choise of the builders and to lay the whole plot before them They are the seedmen
98 99. by them the young-man may by taking heed cleanse his waies by them all men shal be made more wise then their enemies more learned then their teachers more prudent then the ancient by them they shall make their way prosperous â—â—sh 1 8. and by doing according to that which is written in them they shall haue good successe Of this is Salomon also another witnesse Prou. 2 9. My sonne if thou wilt receiue my words and hide my commandements within thee c then shalt thou vnderstand righteousnesse and iudgement and equity euery good path This is directed not onely to Princes and Magistrates as appeareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes but to all the children of God Chap. 12 5. of what calling soeuer they be So the Apostle speaking of our ordinary meates and drinkes declareth that they are sanctified by the word of God and by prayer 1. Tim. 4 5. That which hee speaketh of our vse of the creatures must be vnderstood of all things else and stretched to all our actions forasmuch as the word must be our warrant wheÌ„ to do euery thing how to do it in a good manner how to flye euil and how to vse christian liberty in things that are in themselues indifferent Reason 1 This is so euident that we want not many reasons to confirme it vnto vs. First the titles giuen to the word do teach it For it is called the statute law of God Are not the statute lawes of the kingdome sufficient to direct vs what to do and what we ought to do They are able to secure vs from danger without any forraine helpes Hence it is that the Prophets cry out in euery place for obedience to the statutes of God Deut. 4 1 and 5 1 and 6 1. Psal 119 24. they will tell vs what wee ought to do Likewise the word is saide to be our Counseller as it were a man of Law to which we ought euermore to resort as we see men in matters of doubt repaire to their learned counsell that they may doe nothing without aduice Secondly the Apostle setteth downe this Reason 2 rule that whatsoeuer we do whether we eate or drinke or enter into any action we must set before vs as the chiefe and high end of all the glory of God There may be indeed and are other ends of the things we doe but this ought to be the principall If this be wanting what other ends soeuer we haue the worke is defectiue and vnholy vnto vs. But no man can glorifie God in any thing without obedience and there is no obedience but in respect of the commandement and word of God The Prophet saith well Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices 1 Sam. 15 22. as in obeying the voyce of the Lord Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fatte of Rams Heereupon therefore it followeth that the word of God directeth a man in all his actions whereas all things done without the testimony of the word of God are without obedience The rule is generall 1 Cor. 10 31. Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God and therefore nothing which is done without the warrant of the word can be done to the glory of God Thirdly the Apostle speaking of things Reason 3 that are in their owne nature indifferent concludeth that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14 23. If any say the Apostle meaneth a full perswasion of that which he doth to be well done It is true but from whence can that assurance grow vnto the conscience but from faith and how can we perswade our selues that we do well but when we haue the word of God for our warrant The argument then is thus framed wheresoeuer faith is wanting there is sinne but in euery action not commanded and allowed faith is wanting therefore in euery action not commanded and allowed there is sin and consequently to approue our actions we must haue the precept and commandement of God and the allowance of his word Let vs after these things thus confirmed Vse 1 to our consciences proceed to the vses First forasmuch as we must fetch the warrant of our actions from the pure fountaine of the word it teacheth vs the perfection and all-sufficiency of the word of God It needeth no humane verities or popish traditions to be patched or put vnto it which were as much as to adde a ragge to a new garment that needeth it not Psal 19.7 2 Tim. 3 16. The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule saith the Prophet The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse saith the Apostle It is able to make vs wise vnto saluation and to furnish the man of God to euery good worke Iohn 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life saith Christ But are all things that we are to do expressed in the word I answer all things are not expressed word for word in so many sillables Whit. contro 1. de Scrip. Quest 6. but all things are contained in the Scriptures For we must know the rule of Nazianzene and it is a sure one that such things as are gathered out of the Scriptures are euen as if they were written they are of like nature of like force of like authority First some things are not in deed and in truth and yet are said to be in Scripture as that God sitteth that he hath eyes eares hands mouth and such like Secondly some things are in deed and yet are not said to be to wit expresly and in so many words so that though the words bee not there yet the doctrine is as that the holy Ghost is God that he proceedeth equally froÌ„ the Father and from the Sonne that there are two Sacraments that Christ is God of himselfe and consubstantiall with his Father and an hundred such points which are necessarily collected and concluded from them as he that saith twice two saith foure and he that saith twice twenty affirmeth forty though not in so many words Nazian lib. 5. de Theolog. Againe some things neither are neither are saide to be as that an image and an idoll are different in themselues And lastly some things are and are said to be in the Scriptures as that there is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man Now we say that all things necessary are contained in them but not expressed as the baptisme of infants and originall sinne yet are distinctly and demonstratiuely inferred out of them and so are all things that belong to faith or obedience whatsoeuer we are either to beleeue or to practise Luc. 16 29. Abraham saith to the rich man They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them if they heare not them neither will they be
precepts and examples to teach vs the way wherein we are to walke Lastly we must haue the doctrine of the Scriptures plentifully dwelling in vs not in the mouth but seated in the heart that we may be able to stand in the truth to continue vnto the end to rise vp being fallen We are euery houre subiect to be tempted of the diuell his tentations are many and strong hee is an expert and experienced captaine he looketh where we are weakest he is a spie that commeth to search and see the nakednesse of our soules And therefore we must be able to draw out the spirituall sword put into our hands vpon euery occasion that we may put him to flight This is the way to resist him this is the way to ouercome him Iam. 4. We haue the example of our Lord Iesus Christ the head of his Church he said It is written he handled this sword at euery tentation Math. 4 4. to teach vs to furnish our selues plentifully with the doctrine thereof that so we may remember to apply the same to euery present purpose 17. And these were the sonnes of Leui by their names Gershon and Kohath and Merari 18. And these are the names of the sonnes of Gershon by their families Libni and Shimei 19. And the sonnes of Kohath by their families Amram and Izehar Hebron and Vzziel 20. And the sonnes of Merari by their families Mahli and Mushi these are the families of the Leuites according to the house of their fathers Hitherto we haue spoken of that numbring of the Leuites which is generall the particular followeth which is both propounded and concluded the former beginning heere continueth to the end of the 37 verse the latter is comprised in the 38 and 39 verses This particular reckoning vp of the Leuites is perfourmed by setting downe such sonnes or issue as were begotten immediately of Leui himselfe then such as descended of his sons and lastly such as proceeded of his sons sons The sonnes of Leui were three in number Gershon Kohath Merari Gen. 46 11. Exod. 6 16 These are described according to the number of their families so that of Gershon came two families the Libnites and the Shimeits Of Kohath came foure families the Amramites the Izeharites the Hebronites and the Vzzielites Of Merari were spread two families the Mahlites and the Mushites In this diuision is laid downe before vs a description of the genealogy or generation of the Tribe of Leui by their names and by their families wherein is set downe both what children Leui had and what were his childrens children insomuch that many did spring and spread themselues as branches out of that roote This we also finde set downe afterward chap. 26 Numb 26 â— and in other places of the word of God and yet it may seeme vnto some very vnprofitable and to minister little or no instruction at all to the Church of God Besides the Scripture speaking of Genealogies doth oftentimes cal them endles and fruiteles and brand them with this note to minister occasion of strife and contention rather then of godly edifying which is in loue 1 Tim. 1 4 and Tit. 1 4 and 3 9. But we must know that the Apostle condemneth not all Genealogies All Geneâ—gies not coâ—demned forasmuch as the Scriptures are full of them and the Iewes kept publike and priuate records of their tribes and families Numb 1 18. Nehem. 7 62. This was obserued vntill the desolation of the City and the Temple Paul was able to proue himselfe of the stocke of Israel Phil 3 5. of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew of the Hebrewes by lineall descent if any had doubted of it The first booke of the Chronicles is full of such genealogies so is Ezra and Nehemiah and few historicall books of the old Testament without them Hence it is that the Apostle ioyneth foolish Questions and Genealogies together where he condemneth not the mouing of euery question in handling the word or conferring of it for both Christ asked his Disciples many things Mat. 16. and there are many questions godly and profitable whereof we may enquire and reason which breed sound knowledge wholesome instruction and fruitfull edification to the hearers He is marked out as with a note of folly that rashly and headily beleeueth euery thing Prou. 14 15. And therefore the questions that are to be suppressed he calleth foolish questions that is idle superfluous vaine and vnnecessary seruing to no vse or profit The same title as a brand set vpon the head of them is to be stretched also to Genealogies foolish genealogies must be staied such as are of no moment such as serue to nourish vaine glory and serue not to the benefite of the faith of the Church But such as the Scripture setteth downe are very profitable sometimes to teach vs the accomplishment of Gods promises sometimes to giue light to other Scriptures sometimes to shew the continuance of the Church from age to age sometimes to discouer the enemies of true religion which often driue it into a corner of the world and sometimes to manifest the true Messiah that the scepter departed not from Iudah till his appearing But to omit this heere we are to consider and to compare the curse of Iacob with the blessings that wee see descend vpon this tribe Simeon and Leui instruments of cruelty in the destruction of the Sichemites haue an heauy curse laid vpon them by their father Gen. 49. Yet God raised out of the same these honourable families and turned the curse into a blessing as he promised to that tribe for their zeale in destroying the idolaters â—octrine 1. â—od chuseth â—eake and â— likely â—eanes maâ— times We learne from hence that God many times chuseth his seruants as his instruments to bring worthy things to passe euen out of low and meane degrees He chuseth weake meanes and vnlikely in the eyes of the world and maketh them his instruments to worke his will This doth Hannah confesse she was contemned and reproched by her aduersarie which caused her in the anguish and bitternes of her soule to pray to the Lord but hauing experience of his mercy toward her she saith The Lord maketh rich Sam 2.6 7 â— and maketh poore he bringeth low and lifteth vp he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the throne of glory So hee dealt with Ioseph he brought him out of prison and lifted vp his head aboue the Princes of Egypt Gen. 41.40 Thus he speaketh to the Israelites Deut. 7.7 8. and putteth them in minde of their naturall condition The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor chuse you because yee were moe in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which hee had sworne vnto your fathers hath the
of our owne callings Reason 3 Thirdly it bringeth great confusion in family in Church in common-wealth when one executeth the calling of another If the priuate person should step into the place of the Magistrate and handle the sword of iustice it would ouerturne the whole State When Peter drew out his sword and cut off the eare of the high Priests seruant Christ said vnto him â—tth 26.52 Put vp againe thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Euery one would be a Magistrate and presume to sit in the seat of iustice and no man would be content to leade a priuate life if he might doe what he list The like we might say of a family All men should know their standing the wife must not leape into the place of the husband nor the seruant into the place of the sonne but euery one do his owne duties and we shall finde enough to doe our callings if we be faithfull and diligent in them Vse 1 The vses are next to be considered First it reprooueth such as are altogether ignorant and neither know nor desire to know their duties A fault in all but especially in the Ministers of the word that should giue light to others God requireth of them to teach the people Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips should preserue knowledge that so they may shew themselues to be the messengers of the Lord of hostes They must out of their treasury bring forth things both olde and new They can neuer teach vntill they be taught but these occupy the place of teachers before they haue learned It is a most ridiculous thing for a man to take vpon him to runne a race that wanteth his legges or to be an Oratour and eloquent pleader that wanteth his tongue Christ Iesus taught his Apostles before he sent them to teach into all the world This was shadowed out vnder the Law Aaron must put on his belles â—xod 28.35 that his sound might be heard when he went in vnto the holy place before the Lord but now we haue Idol-ministers that haue mouthes but cannot speake the belles lacke the clappers they may be mooued but they cannot be heard It were fit that hee which is to build vp the house of God should be ignorant of nothing if it were possible for he may at one time or other make vse of his knowledge Iohn instructed the souldiers the Publicans and the multitude that repaired and resorted vnto him Luke 3. hee shall bee better able to apply his doctrine when he hath skill in euery mans trade and occupation Especially he ought not to be ignorant of the Scriptures but to know them plentifully and labour they may dwell in him aboundantly that from them as from a storehouse he may furnish himselfe with plenty of all good things Ignorance is a fault in any that would be accounted a Christian it is a double fault in him that is a Minister Secondly it reproues such as omit their owne duties but rush vpon the callings of other men These are as a seruant that is too diligent These are not idle but are busi-bodies in others mens matters as 2 Thess chapt 3.11.12 We heare that there are some that walke among you disorderly working not at all but are busie-bodies them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietnesse they worke and eat their owne bread So then whether we be idle and doe nothing or else busie in the duties belonging to other men in effect it is all one both are euill and vices to be reformed in vs. And the same Apostle 1 Tim. 5.13 setteth downe an heape and multitude of many sinnes They learne to be idle wandring about from house to house not only idle but tatlers also and busie-bodies speaking things which they ought not Heere is knit together as in a chaine a company of vices the idle wanderers pratlers curious and vncomly speakers The fountaine of all is idlenesse which is ranged in the forefront and draweth after it a taile and traine of diuers euils like a fruitfull mother that hath many children He speaketh by name against women who ought to be painefull not idle keepers of the house not walkers and wanderers out of the house The vertue that adorneth that sexe is silence and therefore they should not be tatlers and pratlers or their tongue like the Aspen leafe that neuer standeth still They should meddle with their owne businesse and not be busie in other mens Secondly seeing God hath set euery one in Vse 2 his calling it is our duty to walke as we are limited by the word The word of God is the warrantise of all callings We must doe our duties with faithfulnesse diligence patience and wisedome These are required to be performed in duties betweene man and man This is to walke worthy of God who hath called vs vnto his kingdome of glory 1 Thess 2.12 Many there are that professe the feare of God and beare themselues as the disciples of Christ who neglect the duties of their particular callings True it is the blessing of God is all in all For except God build the house Psal 127.1 2. the labour of the builder is in vaine and except God watch the Citie the labour of the watchman is in vaine We confesse also that God requireth of vs to search the Scriptures to pray vnto his Name and seeke after knowledge neuerthelesse these do not discharge vs from following the duties of our priuate callings It is not enough for vs to say that God will prouide for vs that he hath promised to blesse vs and to supply our wants and that he hath said he will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs. For God hath promised no blessing to them that be idle he sendeth them to schoole to learne of the Ant which prouideth her meate in Summer and gathereth her food in the haruest â— 9 10 11. Prou. 6 8. Salomon calleth aloud to such How long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleepe so shall thy pouerty come as one that trauelleth and thy want as an armed man As for those that pretend Gods prouidence hold out the doctrine of it as a buckler to defend them in their euill and idle courses they do most shamefully abuse it which is to bee furthered by the meanes that GOD hath appointed and in his wisedome annexed therevnto Neither let any thinke to obtaine any thing at his hands that sit still do nothing that say they will trust God with their life are sure that he will prouide for them The heathen men by the light of naturall reason saw well enough the foolishnesse and absurdity of these mens doings They commend the prayers of that Captaine â—ar in the â— of Paul â— milius that praied for victory
If they were demaunded what they thinke of the word and of God the author of the word they would acknowledge the Scriptures to be most true both the promises that are made and the threatnings that are contained in it they would confesse that God is a most iust God euen visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation yet it skilleth not what they speak with their tongues so long as we may euen openly reade the secrets of their thoughts and the imaginations of their hearts in their outward practises For touching the word of God it is most true and it cannot be denyed we reade oftentimes that God is also mercifull Rom 2.4 Ephe. 2. we reade of the riches of his grace and bountifulnesse of his abounding in compassions and reseruing mercy for thousands What then or what is all this to them shall we continue therefore in sinne that grace may abound ought not rather the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long suffering leade vs vnto repentance Shal we after our hardnes and hearts that cannot repent heape vp vnto our selues as a treasure wrath against the day of wrath and the iust declaration of the iudgement of God who shall giue to euery man according to his workes It is a good lesson which the Prophet teacheth vs that there is mercy with God not that we should presume of his mercy and runne into all excesse of ryot but to the end he may be feared Psal 130.4 Hence it is that Moses Deut. 29.20 strippeth all such as flatter themselues with hope of pardon and conceit of mercy and opinion of escaping from that foolish imagination He that blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie vpon â—im the Lord shall blot out his name froÌ„ vnder heauen These persons may call for mercy but he will not answere them in mercy they may seeke him early but they shall not finde him because they hated to be reformed and did not chuse the feare of the Lord Prou. 1.28 29. He is very gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse Psal 103.17 18. Howbeit it is to the penitent only not to the obstinate The Prophet saith The mercy of the Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting and his righteousnesse vnto childrens children to such as keepe his couenant and to those that remember his commandements to doe them Where we see the Scripture maketh a difference and diuision betweene man and man and giueth to euery one his portion so that albeit he be mercifull yet it is to those onely that keepe his commandements For although all be sinners and therby seeke to creepe away closely that way as it were in the darke that they might not bee espyed yet we must know this that some are repentant sinners for whom there is mercy in store some are obstinate sinners the Scripture hath no mercy for them but terrors threatnings and iudgements and punishments because vpon such wicked he will raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup for the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the vpright Psal 11.6 7. Now such as continue in the course of their sins are ready to beleeue that God is merciful but they beleeue not the Scripture that he is mercifull onely vnto such as repent they perswade themselues falsely that they may run on in euill wayes and yet find mercy at the latter end which is directly contrary to the whole doctrine of the Scriptures And yet these men aske shall we not beleeue the Scripture to be true Whereas they beleeue one part of the Scripture but they call into question another part they lay holde on his promises but they stop their eares against his iudgements nay they doe not so much as beleeue the promises aright neither will learn to whom they are deliuered in whom they shall be verified which sauoureth altogether of infidelity and vnbeliefe Besides as they derogate from the verity of the Scriptures so they deny God after a sort and turne him into a lie make him an idoll to stand stil and doe nothing For to imagine in our heart a GOD wholly compact of mercy that seeth sinne but will not punish it that knoweth who sinneth but will let him alone is to deny the true God who as he is merciful so he is also iust This the Prophet Nahum testifieth in the beginning of his Prophesie The Lord is iealous â—â—m 1 2 3 and the Lord reuengeth the Lord reuengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries and reserueth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slowe to anger great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked c. And heereunto accordeth the description of him Exod. 34 6 7. The Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiuing sinne and that will by no meanes cleere the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children and vpon the childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation Such then as thinke they may proceede and goe forward in their transgressions without controlement or punishment because God is a mercifull God do vtterly deceiue themselues make a snare to entrap their owne soules The wise man saith that to iustifie the wicked and to condemne the innocent are both of them an abhomination vnto the Lord Prou. 17 15. If then he hate it in all the sonnes of men how shall we imagine that the Lord will do or can do either of theÌ„ Let vs therefore so conceiue of God as hee hath taught vs in his holy word let vs not make a counterfeit god nor set vp an Idoll in our heart for he will be serued no therwise then he hath appointed To conclude we must know that whosoeuer denieth 〈◊〉 of the threatnings denounced in the word denyeth a part of the Scripture and as much as lyeth in him maketh God a lyar who will as well execute his judgements as performe his promises forasmuch as hee is faithfull in both And whosoeuer imagineth that God is onely mercifull consequently denieth his iustice hath not the true God for his God but committeth horrible idolatry in coÌ„ceiuing wrongfully of his Maiesty Vse 4 Fourthly seeing such damages and iniuries as are offered to our brethren doe reach to God are condemned as sinnes against him it should teach vs to looke to our own waies to practise iustice and equity toward them to take heed of all fraud forgery falsehood oppression whatsoeuer forasmuch as hee will take an account of vs and bring vs vnto a
Apostle teacheth Put on the new man which is renued in knowledge after the image of him that created him Coloss 3 â— Would we then know what the true image of God is It is the reasonable soule in man endued with diuine knowledge holines righteousnes such like This image is much deformed for we haue vtterly lost all supernaturall gifts and corrupted those that are naturall therefore our whole life is or at least should bee nothing else but a making vppe of this breach a stopping of this gap and a repairing of these ruines But to leaue these we must vnderstand that the face of God noteth out diuers things somtimes it signifieth the inuisible nature and essence of God as Exod. 33 23. Paraeus Câ—â—â—â— on Roâ—â— Thou shalt see my backe parts but my face shall not be seene that is thou shalt see so much of my glory and maiesty as man in this life can comprehend But no man can see God in his full perfection liue if we cannot look vpon the Sun without dazling and dimming of our eies how should we be able to behold the glory of the eternal God let it content vs to look vpon him in his word in his workes in his creatures and in the face of Iesus Christ our Mediator these are as perspectiue glasses wherein we may after a sort see the face of God though it be darkely yet so far as we can conceiue Secondly it signifyeth the fauour of God as also all his benefites Daniel â— 37 deliuerances and graces which proceede from his good wil as from a fountaine and serue to witnesse his fauour to vs Cause thy face to shine and we shal be saued Psal 80. â— Thirdly it signifieth reueÌ„ge and punishment and the signes of his anger all which do oftentimes appear by the face of man I wil set my face against that man Leuit. 28. â— and I wil cut him off from among his people Lastly it noteth out the place of Gods worship where his face and fauour is perceiued through deliuery of the doctrine of godlines Genes â— â—â— Cain was banished from the face of God of the which Dauid coÌ„plaineth 2 Sam. 26 49. So highly did the seruants of God prize the holy meetings and assemblies of the Saints considering that where two or three are gathred together in his name there is he in the midst of them In this place the shining of Gods face vpon his church people is the refreshing of them with his loue grace and fauour and a traine of other blessings flowing from them as it is expounded in the words following added by way of exposition Be gracious vnto them The last part of the blessing is the giuing of peace This word signifieth sometimes our attonement with God through Christ by whom he is reconciled to his chosen who therefore is called the Prince of peace Esa 9 6. and our peace-maker Eph. 2 15. Sometimes it signifieth peace of conscience which is a most sweet quietnes and tranquility of minde arising of a most comfortable feeling and apprehension of our reconciliation with God as Rom. 5 1. Beeing iustified by Faith wee are at peace with God Sometimes a prosperous and happy successe when that speedeth well and is turned to the best whatsoeuer a righteous man taketh in hand as Eph. 6 23. Peace be to the Brethren and loue with faith from God the father c. And sometimes the mutual concord agreement among Christian brethren â—th 6 22. 34 14. Gal. 6 22. Ps 34.14 In this place I refer it to the second and third significations for it is taken for the peace of a good conscience and an happy and prosperous successe in our godly endeuors enterprises This is a fruite of our attonement with God comprehendeth vnder it sundry other benefites For being once at peace with God through the precious bloode of Christ we are at peace with al other creatures in heauen and earth with the Angels with the godly with our enemies and with the beasts of the field To conclude when it is saide They shall put my name vpon the children of Israel hee meaneth that Aaron and his sonnes should after their solemne blessing lay their hands on the people and by this signe assure them that all these blessings which they had prayed for should fall on them because God would blesse them Touching the order of the words obserue herein two principal points first the forme of blessing secondly Gods blessing on their blessing Tremel â—a in An Numb testifyed by the outward signe of laying on of their hands The forme of blessing is a publike praier to God that he wold blesse his church which stands of 3. points First that God would saue his church and vouchsafe to hold it vp in all dangers Secondly that he would as the sun in perfect glory shine vpon it with his grace and fauour Thirdly that he wold poure out vpon the same the effects of his grace and fauour to wit ioy peace prosperitie which are liuely fruites thereof The second part which is a blessing vpon the blessing is noted by a Ceremonial or sacramental sign which is the laying on of their hands For when the priests had held vp their hands in praier as their manner was while they stood in prayer and praied for the blessing of God vppon the people afterward they put their hands vpoÌ„ them as if they had already obtained a blessing from heauen by their prayers and bestowed it with their hands vpon the people For God promiseth that their imposition of hands shall not be in vaine inasmuch as he wil ratifie make good their word as he doth all his Sacraments and ordinances saying I will blesse them But before we come to the particular handling of diuers doctrines offered to our considerations in this prayer I will point out a few generall obseruations to be marked of vs. As first this forme of blessing is the same in effect which the Apostles vse in their saluations to the Churches when they wish vnto them grace and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ This Apostolicall benediction was drawne from this Blessing which sheweth how well acquainted they were with the doctrine of the Scriptures with the prayers of Moses and of the Prophets whereunto also wee should attend as vnto a light that shineth in darke places Secondly we haue here a fundamentall point of our religion offered to our considerations to wit the mystery of the Trinity of persons and the vnity of the God-head Marbac Comm. on Numb 6. This is gathered by diuers out of these words in that the name of the Lord is 3. times repeated The Lord blesse thee the Lord make his face shine vpon thee the Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and yet there are not three Lords but one Lord and therefore he saith I will blesse thee and not wee will blesse
habitation of God who is light it self in whom only is light properly to be found who dwelleth in light that none can attaine vnto 1 Tim. 6 16. Hee hath called his Church his rest and the place where his honor dwelleth Psal 132 13 14. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue desired it Vse 1 This condemneth the Papistes who stand from the verdict of this doctrine as men endited of two crimes and errors first they accuse the Scriptures left vnto vs in the Originals to be corrupted the old Testament by the Iewes the new by Marcion and other heretikes But it is a vaine surmise without proofe or probability touching the corruption of the original fountaines which notwithstanding the Romanists pretend thereby to make a way to bring in the Latine translation to be the pure authenticke Scripture and consequently to bee preferred before them which is as foolish and vnreasonable as to make the mistris to walke on foot like a seruant Franci Luc. in Epist ad Serlet and to set her handmaid on horsebacke therefore some of their own frends are ashamed of this vanity It is a shame they say to belye the deuill It is a crime to taxe the Iewes of a crime wherof they are not guilty It is wel knowne that howsoeuer they stand affected vnto Christ yet they alwayes were and now are very religious respectiue in keeping the text sound and sincere and cannot by any meanes be induced to choppe and change to adde or to diminish any thing And doubtlesse had they not bene trusty and faithfull would God haue trusted them with this true treasure yea though that Church were oftentimes corrupt yea sometimes an Harlot or an Apostat yet the ouer-ruling prouidence of God hath alwaies wrought in them a care and conscience this way both for their owne future happy estate and the benefit of posterity to come to keepe the ancient records euidences of the Scripture sound sure and sincere This appeareth further by the Sermon of Christ in the Mount reprouing the false interpretations of the Scribes and Pharisies who had very grossely corrupted the meaning of the Law Mat 5 21.27 31 33 38 43. 16 6. The church of the Iewes was neuer more corrupt then in the dayes of Christ yet could they neuer be touched nor be iustly charged with this horrible crime of offering violence to the holy bookes of Scripture And if they might haue bene endited of this detestable forgery â—hrist would not haue omitted this greater fault who often reprooueth them of lesser offences Besides our Sauiour willeth the Iewes to search the Scripture which the Prophets had left vnto them by diuine inspiration hee sendeth them vnto these as then they had theÌ„ to try the doctrine of the Pharisies by them Ioh. 5 39. Iohn 5 39. which hee would neuer haue done had they bene corrupted and themselues the corrupters of them Moreouer touching the Iewes seeing they were mortall enemies to Christ if they were minded to corrupt the Scripture they would haue corrupted for their own aduantage such places out of Moses and the Prophets as concerned Christ whome they hated but these remaine entire by which they are fully conuinced and confuted Andrad lib. â— defens Tridâ—â— Hieron epi. 7â— ad Marcell And therefore one saith well that such as holily and religiouslie handle the Hebrew Text do find therein more notable testimonies of Christ then in the Latine and Greeke Copies Now if the true Church had lost the pure and perfect fountaines of the Hebrew and Greeke Text how could it bee a faithfull keeper of his Will and Testament Howbeit GOD hath euer had a care of his word and truth euen then when he committed the same to the custody of the Church Another error of the Romane church is that they make the churches authority to bee our supreame ground and stay of our faith and set it farre aboue the Scriptures themselues These assertions are found in their writings touching the Scripture It is not authenticall without the authority of the church that the authority of the Scripture dependeth on the authority of the Church necessarily Ecchi â—â—cbirâ—â— Pighi lib. 1. de Hierar eccl cap. 2. that we are not bound to take them for Scripture without the authority of the Church that in respect of vs the church hath absolute authority to determine which is Scripture and which is not that the Church hath power to make a booke not Canonicall Stapl. to be Canonicall and one of them vttred this impudent and shamelesse blasphemy that the Scâ—ipture should bee of no more credit then Aesops Fables Hermaâ—â—m without the approbation allowance of the church Howbeit as wee must not take from the church hir right so we must take heed that we giue not to it more then is due and so rob God of his honour and glorie and derogate from the excellency and authority of the Scriptures They make the Church the light it selfe and not the Candlesticke to hold the light say that it also is called light I answer it is a borrowed light receiuing all the light it hath from the word as the Moone doth from the Sun They make it to be the authorizer of the word and hold that it is of no force or credit but is as a dead letter and inken diuinity without it This is no better then to hang the word and consequently Cal in infâ—â—â— lib 1. cap. 7. the promises of God the kingdome of heauen saluation it self vpon the pleasures of men wheras the church is founded and grounded vpon the word not the word vpon the Church as Peter is builded vpon Christ not Christ vpon Peter All the authority that the Church hath be it neuer so great it hath it from the Scripture for how do we know whether the Church erreth or not but by the Scripture The Church cannot giue vs faith whereby we beleeue in Christ and lay hold of eternall life it is the Scripture that worketh it by the inspiration of the holy Spirit The Scripture is the chiefest and the highest court from whence is no appeale but we may appeale from the iudgement of the Church to the Scriptures not from the Scripture to the Church The Church that is the company of the faithfull are not lords ouer our faith they are ruled by faith not ouer-rulers of our faith True it is the Church is a means to bring vs more speedily to know the Scriptures as the woman of Samaria was a meanes to bring the Samaritans to beleeue in Christ 〈◊〉 4 42. but as they when they had heard Christ beleeued not so much for her report as for that themselues had heard him speake so after the Scriptures are discerned and pointed out vnto vs as by the finger of the Church we beleeue them to bee the word of
30 1 Chro. â— Mal. 27. 1 King 21 5 7. Num. 15.34.35 both in his word and by his Ministers The Spirit speaketh euidently in the Scriptures by it he resolueth the Church no lesse then by an oracle from heauen besides for our farther direction he giueth the knowledge of his word to the Ministers who draw al their light from the word and doe thereby aske counsell as at the mouth of God The reasons are very euident First the Scriptures Reason 1 are all sufficient to improue and correct 2 Tim. 3.16 Rom 15 4. to teach and to instruct to giue patience and comfort Ioh 20 31. 2 Tim. 3.15 that we may beleeue haue eternall life and to make vs wise vnto saluation Secondly such as will not beleeue them and reply vpon them will beleeue nothing else no although one come from the dead Luke 16 31 It is therefore the foundation of faith to resort to these meanes to be resolued as to the oracle and ordinance of God Psal 85.8 Obserue from hence that all questions in Vse 1 Religion must be decided and determined by the Scriptures All doctrines are to be prooued by them and al errors to be conuinced by them The Scripture is the supreme iudge of all councels and controuersies The supreâ—â— Iudge of aâ—â— controuerâ—â— it sendeth not the Church to the generall consent of the Pastours of the Church nor turneth them ouer to expect a general councel nor posteth them ouer to Rome as the Gentiles resorted to Delphos to consult with the Oracle of Apollo It is in vaine to neglect the straight direct way to seeke out by-pathes and vncertaine passages It neuer taught the Pope and his Cardinals to be the highest court and supreme Iudges of Scripture who oftentimes are ignorant of Scripture It cannot be interpreted but by the same Spirit by which it was written It is required of the supreme Iudge and interpreter of Scripture that he cannot erre that no appeale be made from him that he be no way partiall and that he haue power to compell the parties dissenting to yeeld obedience These properties agree not to the Bishop of Rome he is not free from error for many of theÌ„ haue falne into heresy haue taught contrary things one to the other haue made many foolish interpretations he is a meere man and can compell no mans wil to yeeld vnto him he is partiall in his own cause and therfore to appeale to him is to aske ones fellow if he be a theefe Secondly the Scripture containeth all Vse things necessary to saluation to withstand tentations Matth. 4. and to build vs vp in all trueth So that it is simply and absolutely necessary The doctrine of saluation cannot be learned but from it The knowledge of the law is necessary Rom. 7.7 the knowledge of the Gospel is necessary Tit. 2.11.12 Neither let any obiect that the Church wanted Scripture along time euen from the creation to the dayes of Moses for the Question is not what was necessary in the beginning but what is now necessary The mothers milke is sufficient for the infant while it is a childe but it is not sufficient afterward when once it is growne vp Neither is it true which the Iesuite obiecteth that Christ commanded not any thing to be written but is ouerthrowne by many testimonies of Scripture 2. Pet. 1.21.2 Tim. 3.16 Reuel 1.11 and 14.13 Vse 3 Thirdly it teacheth that the Ministers ought to be ready to answere the questions and doubts that trouble the people any way Therefore they must be faithfull in their places and skilfull in the Scriptures Hag. 2.12.13 they must not be blind guides dumb dogs Ezek. 34.4 their lippes must preserue knowledge and the people seeke the Law at their mouthes Againe it is required of them to be resident vpon their flocks attending on them as watchmen watch the citie alwayes in danger of enemies to discouer the approach of them and as shepheards attending their flock for feare of deuouring wolues 〈◊〉 56 9 10. The people are as a prey in the iawes of al hereticks where teachers are not attending and residing The Israelites fell into horrible idolatry when Moses was absent from them Exod. 32.1 But how shall the Ministers be consulted withall being absent from the people Vse 4 Lastly it serueth for instruction for the people They are not to consult with witches and wizards but to resort to the Ministers of God Deut. 18.15 and to the word to the law and to the testimonie Esay 8.19.20 Princes therfore must not contemne them nor respect theÌ„ as the lowest and basest of the people And all people high and low rich and poore must search the Scriptures who thinke to haue eternall life in them Ioh. 5.39 They are greatly commended that were diligent in the reading of them Acts 8.30 and 18.11 Dauid did exercise himselfe in them day and night Psal 1.2 None are to be forbidden the reading of them forasmuch as the Gospel is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue Rom. 1.16 They are greatly reprooued and rebuked â—hat were ignorant in them Mar. 12.24 that were slow of heart to beleeue them Luk. 24.25 Euery man therefore must seeke to be assured perswaded in his heart of that which he doth 〈◊〉 14.5 and seeke to warrant his owne work All things must be done in faith Hebr. 4.2 Mar. 11.24 Iam. 1.5 without which no man can please God This reprooueth the ignorance that is in the greatest sort who thinke it enough to doe as others doe to heare the word because others do so to receiue the Lords Supper because they see their neighbours doe so and to come to Church because the most do so These thinke it enough to be present at diuine duties albeit they be indeed farre from doing their duties There are many that come and heare prayers Many do hear prayers which neuer pray who do neuer offer vp any prayers as if there were some hidden vertue in the place or in the praier albeit they neuer lift vp their hearts to God These haue not neither can haue any comfort in that which they doe They are without faith because they are without knowledge They haue no assurance whether they please God or not but doe all things with doubtfull hearts and wauering mindes and therein condemne themselues and sin against God Rom. 14 23. Iam. 1.6 being like a waue of the Sea tossed with the winde Verse 9.10 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Speake vnto the children c. The determination of the question is heere set downe and vpon occasion thereof perpetuall lawes established for the direction of the Church The vncleane are put off to the 14. day of the second moneth the cleane must keepe the Lords Passeouer at the season appointed There are two causes alledged wherfore a man may for a time be excused for not comming to the Passeouer and is allowed as vnblameable
Luke 13.6 7 8 9. 2 Chro. 36.15 We haue all experience of this point Reason 1 The reasons first he knoweth our weakenesse our corruption and inclination to euill he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust Esay 57.16 Psalm 103.14 yea as a wind that passeth away and commeth not againe Psal 78.38.39 no better then vanity yea lighter altogether then vanity Psal 62.9 Secondly his nature is to be mercifull full of compassion 2 Chron. 36.15 Thirdly the sinnes of the wicked are not yet full they haue not yet filled vp the measure of them Gen. 15.16 Lastly he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and therefore he is not slacke concerning his promise but is long suffering to vs ward 2. Pet. 3.9 Obiection Before wee come to the vses of this doctrine we must remoue a few obiections that seeme to make against this point And first how can God bee said to be very patient and to suffer long seeing his iudgements are often said to come suddenly speedily as a whirlewind and a tempest and when they shall say peace and safety his comming shall be as the comming of a theefe in the night or as trauell vpon a woman with child 1 Thess 5.2.3 Answer I answer to be long before he come and to be swift when once he commeth are not opposite or contrary the one to the other He waiteth a long time but when the dayes of his patience are expired then suddenly destruction commeth He giueth warning after warning and will doe nothing but hee reuealeth the same to his seruants the Prophets Amos 3.7 Dan. 9.5.6 but when his patience is abused and contemned then he commeth swiftly and stayeth not The Apostle Peter speaking of the second comming of Christ to iudgment ioyneth both these together and sheweth how and wherefore he is both long in comming and yet swift in comming hee forbeareth because he is patient and hee commeth suddenly in his glory because he is iust 2 Pet. 3.9 10. first hee saith that God is long suffering not willing that any should perish then he addeth the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night Thus we see how he suffereth patiently and yet withall how he cometh suddenly Secondly Obiect the question may be asked whether the Ministers should forbeare or abstaine from threatning and denouncing of Gods iudgements against the vngodly seeing God is gentle and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse whereby they shall terrifie men without cause and make themselues lyars I answer Answer it is true that Ionah the Prophet was discouraged vpon this ground and consideration from threatning destruction against Nineueh Though he were sent against the citie with heauy tidings yet he consulted with flesh and blood fled to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord Ion. 1.3 because hee knew that God was a gracious God and mercifull repenting him of the euil chap. 4.2 But this was his infirmity and therefore he is reprooued ver 10.11 Wherefore it belongeth to all faithfull Ministers of God as a part of their function howsoeuer the iudgements of God be differred and their Sermons derided to open their mouthes boldly and to reprooue sinne earnestly that they may thereby deliuer their owne soules and saue the people that heare them 2 Tim. 4.2 Thirdly it may be asked Obiect whether it be lawfull for the godly to craue of God to be patient and long-suffering to beare with the vngodly and vessels of wrath especially considering the praier of Ieremy chap. 15.15 Lord remember me and visite mee and reuenge mee of my persecuters c. The prayer of Moses and of Ieremy seeme to be contrary Answer Answer The prayer of Ieremy is speciall and extraordinary and containeth no generall rule and direction for the Church He spake this as a Prophet not as a priuate man for hee foretold to his persecuters the vengeance and wrath of God certainely to fall vpon them the generall rule belonging vnto all is set downe by Christ Matth. 5 44. To pray for our enemies and them that hate vs. Lastly it may be demaunded Obiect whether the publishing and preaching of the doctrine of Gods patience and forbearing be not dangerous and hurtfull as seeming to tend to leade men into sinne and minister occasion of hardening the heart and delaying of repentance I answer â—ct from Gods delaying of his iudgements wee may not conclude the delaying of our repentance True it is the vngodly abuse this doctrine to licentiousnesse Rom. 2.4.5 as they do also other doctrines and the Scriptures themselues to their owne perdition the prouidence of God to idlenesse the predestination of God to wickednesse the mercy of God to prophanenesse the grace of God to wantonnesse iustification by faith to carelesnesse of good workes yea Christ himselfe to be a stumbling blocke and a stone of offence Notwithstanding we must vse the doctrine of Gods patience to our comfort and to bring vs thereby to repentance Vse 1 Now we come to the vses of this doctrine which are many seruing for instruction reprehension consolation and exhortation First of all it serueth for our knowledge and instruction and teacheth vs what a good God wee serue and worship such a one as willeth not and wisheth not the death of a sinner such a one as is gentle and gracious mercifull and pitifull Psal 145.8 9. Ezek. 18.23 and 33.11 Againe this teacheth vs what is the cause that God spareth so long both his and the Churches enemies to wit because he is patient Thus doth the Prophet tell the Israelites the cause why the Lord had spared the Assyrians so long Nah. 1.3 We see how prophane many are blasphemers of Gods Name prophaners of his Sabboth despisers of the word haters of good men iniquity aboundeth euery where We might wonder that such liue vpon the face of the earth and wherefore they are spared but that he is a God of patience and long suffring or they could not continue Is not the earth filled with cruelty oppression as it was with the old world that was destroyed with an vniuersall Flood Doth not pride fulnesse of bread aboundance of idlenesse and contempt of the poore abound as in Sodome and Gomorrha which was destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen Ezek. 16.49 So Gen. 19.24 How then could our cities and houses stand and continue if GOD were not very patient Vse 2 Secondly it serueth for reprehension For it conuinceth those that scoffe at his threatenings because God a long time descrieth his iudgements against the vngodly Hence it is that they iudge them perswade themselues of them to be no better then Scar-crowes and therefore to bee vaine and not to bee feared Such persons doth the Apostle Peter describe that mocke at the second comming of Christ which shal come as a snare vpon all them that dwell vpon the face of the whole earth Luke 21.35 2
their practising performing of this duty If we reason soberly reuerently Christ Iesus will come among vs and be present with vs by the grace of his Spirit and by his blessing of our endeuors which ought to be an encouragement to the same 30 But the soule that doth ought presumptuously whether he be borne in the Land or a stranger the same reprocheth the Lord and that soule shall be cut off from his people 31 Because hee hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his commandement that soule shall vtterlie be cut off his iniquity shall bee vpon him Hitherto we haue spoken of the sinne of ignorance now of presumption and voluntary sins which are said in the originall to be coÌ„mitted with an high hand that is proudly scornefully arrogantly despitefully and desperately against God And therefore it is said that he reprocheth the Lord and hath broken his couenant such a one must be cut off from his people This cutting off for iniquity some vnderstand of excommunication by the censure of the Church others of killing by the sword of the Magistrate but which way soeuer it be taken it sheweth the greatnesse of this crime And because there is no kinde of sacrifice set downe for the expiation of this sin some do hold â—tus that it figureth out the sinne against the holy Ghost which sinne being vnpardonable Math. 12 32. 1 Iohn 5 16 there remaineth no sacrifice for it but a certain looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries Heb. 10 26 27. Howbeit I rather thinke that no sacrifice is expressed because there is no new addition prescribed touching any sacrifice as there is of the other because this is already handled in the booke of Leuiticus chap. 6 2 c. And this sinne is opposed against the sinne of ignorance but all sinnes of presumption are not the sinne against the holy Ghost God forbid we should so entangle mens consciences and hold all presumptuous sinnes to be that vnpardonable sinne â—hat comâ— in Num. Neither can I be of their opinion that thinke God would haue no sacrifice offered for such sinnes lest the sacrifices should waxe vile and contemptible and men should thereby bee encouraged to giue themselues ouer to commit sinne with greedinesse and neuer regard whether they sin ignorantly or presumptuously It is no encouragement to sinne of ignorance because the meanes is set downe to be cleansed of it And who will willingly wound himselfe albeit he haue a Physition that can cure it â—ctrine From hence we may gather a difference betweene sinne and sinne â—re is a â—erence beâ—ene sinne sinne all breake the law and deserue eternall death Ezek. 18 4. Rom. 6 23. Neuerthelesse some are greater and some are lesser There are therefore of sinnes sundry sorts Iude verse 22 23. Hence it is that sinne is diuided diuers waies eyther it is originall which we draw from our parents and bring with vs into the world this is an hereditary sinne it is the inheritance that all parents bequeathe vnto their children as Psal 51 5. Ro. 5 14. Or else it is actuall which is a fruite of the former such are euill thoughts words and workes such as agree not with the law of God This distinction is proued Rom. 5 14 and 7 20. and 9.11 Againe there is a raging and reigning sinne when the sinner maketh no resistance by the grace of the Spirit Rom. 6 12 and 1 Iohn 3 8. He that committeth sin to wit of set purpose and delighteth therein is of the diuell it is so called because we foster and cherish it and become bondslaues vnto it and likewise because it hath rule ouer man carrieth him headlong to destruction Such are all sinnes in the vnregenerate and so continue till there be a new birth and some also in the regenerate in their slidings and fallings against their conscience and there is also a sinne not reigning which the sinner repelleth and resisteth by the grace of the Spirit daily reneweth his repentance for them Such are the sinnes of ignorance omission and infirmity which remaine in the regenerate so long as they liue which they acknowledge bewaile hate and resist and pray daily that they may be forgiuen them saying Forgiue vs our debts 1 Iohn 1 8. Rom. 7 17 and 8 1. Many other such differences of sinnes might be noted but these are sufficient to shew that there is difference betweene sinne and sinne And no maruaile because the commandements Reason 1 of God are not alike but some are greter and some lesser The lawes of the first Table are called the first and great commandement Math. 22 38 and do concerne the Lord himselfe The lawes of the second are inferiour to these as they that concerne our brethren like to our selues Secondly there is great difference in the Reason 2 manner of sinning some sinne ignorantly some wittingly Psal 19 12 13. 1 Tim. 1 13. Some are principall and ringleaders in the sin others are onely accessaries some are onely in thought others in deed some offend of malice some offend of weaknesse some commit sinne others besides this haue pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1 32. Thirdly in respect of God himselfe all sins Reason 3 do not alike dishonor him neither is his wrath kindled alike against all some are desperate sinners that will not be reclaimed and despite the Spirit of grace with whom the Lord cannot but be more offended then with such as are humbled for their sinne This difference serueth to condemne such Vse 1 as make all sinnes equall none greater or lesser then others none before or after other True it is Campian rat 8. and Duraeus in his defence the Church of Rome lay this errour to our charge as also they falsely do many other as if we were of the sect of the Stoikes holding an absurd opinion touching that absurd doctrine of the equality of all sinnes which sheweth that they are farre spent and drawne dry and cannot charge vs with true crimes when they are constrained to obiect against vs such grosse opinions as we detest and condemne haue confuted more then they both in Schooles and Pulpets What errors and heresies thinke you will these men be afraid to broch against vs among their owne disciples that take vp al things vpon trust at the second hand and what imputations wil they not dare to lay vpon vs in their Sermons which they know shall neuer come to be examined forasmuch as their hearers are forbidden to reade any of our writings when they blush not neither are ashamed to publish to the view of the whole world such open and manifest vntruths Obiect But they obiect that we teach all sinnes to be mortall and to deserue death euen the least of them Answer I answer we teach no other doctrine then the Scripture teacheth vs Rom. 6 21 23. Iam. 2 10. Neuerthelesse it followeth not by
the earth but this ought especially to be considered on this day Wee must dispatch all worldly businesses before that they do no way disturbe vs and distract vs. And when the day of the Lord is come wee must assemble together that so there may be an holy conuocation Leuit. 23 verse 3. It was the custome of the people to come together at such times Luke chap. 4. verse 16. Paul sheweth that at Antioch Hee found the whole City assembled vpon the Sabbath day Acts 13 43 44. This assembly is called Gods army Psalme 110 3. It was counted an happy thing to dwell in the Lords house Psal 27 4. and 84 4. Then ought the word to bee both read and preached so was it in the time of the law Acts 15 21. And both of them did Christ himselfe performe ordinarily Luke 4. ver 17 20. It is a part of the Ministers sanctifying of the Sabbath by doing the same The idle ministery is a great cause of prophaning the Lords day both in themselues and in others It is the duty of the people to heare the word with all reuerence and attention to marke and lay vppe in their hearts what they haue heard to the end they might put it in practise And when wee are departed we should spend the rest of the day in priuate duties as Prayer Reading Meditation and Conference things not greatly regarded of the greatest sort We are soone weary of the best things and quickely loathe that we should chiefely loue The cause why we profit not by the publike Ministery is the want of the performance of these duties priuately 38 Speake vnto the children of Israel and bidde them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put vpon the fringe of the borders a Ribband of blew 39 And it shall be vnto you for a fringe that ye may looke vpon it and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and do them and that ye seeke not after your owne heart and your own eies after which ye vse to go a whoring 40 That ye may remember c. This is the law of making Fringes vpon the foure quarters of their vesture whereby they couered themselues that they might looke continually vpon them and remember all the commandements of the Lord and doe them Of this reade Deut. 22 12. These Fringes and Ribands serued them for a monument that they might consider they were a people consecrated vnto God not as Infidels to walke after their owne fancies For vpon these were written some parcell of the Law This was also the cause that the Iewes were commanded to haue the Law written vpon the postes of their doores and likewise that they should beare it about them euermore decke themselues with it that it should be as a ring vpon their fingers as a bracelet vpon their hand as a frontlet before their eyes that is alwayes in sight and remembrance To this end also it must bee written vpon the frontiers of the Land vpon the gates of the Citie and vpon the postes of euery mans priuate house Deut. 6 8 9 that they might haue euery day euery way occasion giuen vnto them to talke and conferre of the word of God sitting walking and lying at home or else abroad This vsage was afterwards abused by the pride and hypocrisie of the Pharisies as Christ chargeth them Matth. 23 5. who because they would bee thought to haue a more speciall holinesse then the common sort had made long gardes and sentences of Scripture written vpon them that might bee seene a farre off But for our selues we must consider that though this ceremony bee no longer in vse and that these Fringes and Laces are shadowes which ended at the comming of Christ yet an instruction remaineth to vs to exercise our selues in his law day and night Psalme 1 2. Iosephus reporteth of the Iewes that they knew the Scriptures as well as their owne names whereas many among vs scarse know the names of the Scriptures Wee learne from hence That all sorts both yong and old of what condition soeuer â—ne are enioyned to know the doctrine of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 must â—owâ— the â—ces and the wil of God reuealed in them Deut. 6 6 7. Ioh. Iohn 5 39. Coloss 3 16. 2 Tim. 3 15. Psal 119 9. 〈◊〉 1. The Reasons First because God hath appointed such as are gouernors ouer others to be teachers of them that belong vnto their charge Such as are fathers and masters of Families are bound to instruct their children and seruants therefore none ought to be without knowledge Ephes 6 4. Gen. 18 19. But how shall they be able to do this except they haue knowledge whereby they may bee able to performe this duty Secondly ignorance is the cause of all error because the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God and the wisedome of God is foolishnesse to man So then being of our selues blinde and wanting the light of the word we must needs goe astray Hence it is that Christ saith vnto the Sadduces Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures Math. 22 29. Thirdly the want of knowledge is the cause of sundry fearfull iudgements spirituall and temporall Hosea 4 6. inward and outward Esay 1 3 7. So then as ignorance is the cause of sinne so it is the cause of iudgement the reward of sinne If wee care not to know him but neglect and contemne the meanes of knowledge no maruell if we be punished Vse 1 This reprooueth the church of Rome of an horrible iniury offered to the people of God They teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and keepe the Scriptures in the Latine tongue as it were vnder locke and key And albeit they haue translated them or the greatest part of them into English yet they set out sharpe edicts ratified vnder an horrible curse that no Lay man as they speake shall presume to reade them vnlesse they be specially licensed by their inquisitors and confessors directly contrary to the end of the Scriptures which were written that we should beleeue and by beleeuing haue eternall life Iohn chapt 20. verses 30 31. They beate downe ignorance and teach that all ought to know the Lord from the highest to the lowest Ieremy 31 30. and that God will poure out his Spirit vpon all flesh Ioel chap. 2. ver 28. Wheresoeuer he vouchsafeth great means hee requireth a great measure of knowledge This discouereth the byshop of Rome to bee no better and indeede no other then Antichrist making lawes contrary to Gods lawes and yet binding the consciences of men vnto them But it will be saide that the vnlearned and vnstable peruert them 2 Pet. 3. and therefore it is dangerous to reade them I answer bee it that some do so shall all therefore be forbidden the free vse of them All things euen the best are abused meate drinke apparrell the Sacraments Christ himselfe and
dangers daily decaies in good things praier is as foode whereby the graces of God are preserued encreased AaroÌ„ made an attonement for the people stood between the liuing the dead Obserue in these words that Aaron the high Priest in taking his censer offering vp with fire taken from the Altar incense to God is a notable figure and type of the intercession of Christ the true high Priest of our profession Heb. 3 1. that he maketh for all his elect to his Father The doctrine is this â—rine Christ Iesus hath set himselfe as Mediatour betweene God and men 〈◊〉 Iesus 〈◊〉 Media between and man For Origen saith well hom 9. in Numer that we must ascend vnto the high mystery or signification of this Scripture and consider how Christ Iesus the great high Priest Heb. 4 14. taking our nature vpon him stood as in the midst betweene the liuing and the dead and brought it to passe by his death that death shold spread no farther 1 Tim. 2 5. Iohn 12 32. Rom. 5 11. and 8 34. He maketh intercession for vs not that now he boweth the knee to his Father or lifteth vp his eyes or spredeth abroad his hands or vttereth any voice of praier for his Church being now in the heauens for this he hath already sufficiently performed Ioh. 17 1. Now he presenteth to his Father the merites of his death and passion of his obedience and resurrection which hath the force of a liuely praier and reconcileth the Father vnto vs. Thus then we see that Christ Iesus is the true Aaron the high Priest that maketh attonement between God and vs Heb. 7 24 25. Eph. 1 verse 5 6. Reason 1 The reasons Christ Iesus our Redeemer hath fulfilled all the parts of a Mediatour and left none vnperfected he alone hath trodeÌ„ the wine-presse of the wrath of his Father Esay 65 5. Hee appeareth before the Father for vs and in our names as we do before the Father in his name he offereth vp our praiers and worketh our saluation Ioh. 17 9. Heb. 4 14 2 15 17. He hath deliuered all them which for feare of death Reason 2 were all their life time subiect to bondage Secondly the blood of Bulles and Goats outwardly sprinkled the ashes of beasts were not false lying signes representing that which is not but true and effectuall signes of purifying and cleansing â— â— 12 13. these did sanctifie the vncleane as touching the purifying of the flesh because such as were shut out of the Congregation for some legall and externall vncleannesse had thereby entrance againe into the assemblies might lawfully come to the worship of God and be partakers of holy things much more theÌ„ doth the blood of Christ which is the truth substance of all the former and which indeed is the blood of the Son of God Acts 20 28. purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Heb. 9 13 14 14 24. Vse 1 The vses remaine First this teacheth that we haue no other Mediator in heaueÌ„ or earth but Iesus Christ who maketh intercession for vs. In the old Testament no praier is made to Henoch though he walked with God or to Abraham though the father of the faithfull or to Moses though God spake to him face to face no praier was offered vp to any Cherubin or Seraphin to any Saint or Angel The Church of Rome therefore is an Apostate Church which hath made so many Mediators and Aduocates for vs in heauen as there are Saints departed and perfected yea which is more absurd they make one Saint Patron for one disease and another for another Comment vpon Philem. so that they haue left nothing for Christ to doe as I haue shewed more at large elsewhere Neither let them obiect that there is one Mediatour of redemption but many Mediatours of intercession But as this is an euill distinction so it is as euilly obserued by themselues And will they beare vs in hand that the simple people simple indeed they are God wot among them vnderstand this difference and can tell how to distinguish betweene these to giue to each his due and no more But what speake I of the simple people of whom I may speake as Ieremy doth Surely these are poore Ier. 5 4. they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the iudgement of their God I will goe vnto the great ones and speake vnto them The learned theÌ„selues among them doe ioyne with Christ our Sauiour other Mediatours not onely of intercession but also of redemption and saluation Hitherto commeth the praier to the Popes great martyr Thomas Becket of Canterbury Breuiarium ad vsum eccles Sarum in festo S. Tho. Cantuar. who died in the Popes quarrell which he maintained against his souereigne king Henry the second and therefore a false martyr but a true traitor and rebell Tu per Thomae sanguineÌ„ quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit that is By the blood of Thomas which he for thee did spend Make vs O Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend A most blasphemous praier wherein they present not the blood of Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for vs but the blood of Thomas to bring vs to heauen It were endlesse to shew their idolatrous praiers made to the blessed Virgin desiring to haue her to reconcile them to her Sonne Among the rest consider this one O foelix puerpera nostra pians scelera Iure matris impera redemptori that is O holy mother which dost purge away our sinnes command thou him that is our redeemer by thy motherly authority And touching Peter and Paul they say Ex Rom Breuiar Concede vt amborum meritis aeternitatis gloriam consequamur that is Grant that by the merites of them both wee may obtaine eternall glory Neither shall we need to maruaile at these things although they sound harsh in all Christian eares if we consider what they ascribe vnto the Crosse of Christ Sabb. in Hebd quarta Quandrag I meane to the wood tree to which they make their praier to this day saying O crux aue spes unica Hoc passionis tempore Auge pijs iustitiam Reisque dona veniam that is O Crosse all haile thou that art our onely hope at this time of the passion encrease thou righteousnesse to the godly and grant pardon to them that are guilty Other grosse blasphemies they haue reformed in their Portesse but this which giueth as great and grosse honour to the wooden crosse they haue reserued and reteined What is become now of their distinction that Christ is the Mediatour of redemption but the Saints of intercession when as they ascribe to the Virgin Mary to Peter to Paul nay to a vile traitour nay to a wooden crosse power to purge away the sinnes of the faithfull to grant them pardon and forgiuenesse and to bring them
of knowledge as is giuen of God to a spirit which cannot be little There is much more knowledge in man then is in a bruit beast by reason of that nature which God hath giuen to man aboue the beasts And there is much greater knowledge in the diuell then in all men because of his spiritual substance He hath not a body which may hinder him to see the nature quality and operation of a spirit A bruit beast is only corporal and visible man is partly corporall and visible and partly spirituall inuisible the diuell is wholly spirituall and inuisible so that being a spirit hee hath the knowledge of a spirit and consequently greater familiarity with our spirits then otherwise he could haue Secondly by his creation for he was in his first estate by creation a good angell before his fall and set by God in the Paradise of heauen as Adam was in the Paradise of the earth so that he had the same measure of knowledge giuen of God which hee gaue to other Angels So then what knowledge soeuer is in a good Angel by creation the same knowledge is in Satan by his creation and therefore must be exceeding great I will not dispute whether this knowledge be any way diminished forasmuch as hee still beareth the stampe of his creation this way Thirdly since his Apostacy he hath encreased his knowledge both of things on earth and of the wayes of God by long obseruation and continuall experience he knoweth the age of man his affections inclinations nature and disposition hee knoweth what pleaseth him best in his youth and in his age If any one man had liued from the beginning of the world vnto this day perfect in sense in body in memory in minde in reason and the like and had daily obserued all things that had fallen out heretofore he might be able to discouer wonderfull things and make himselfe much admired in the world Therefore the diuell must needes haue great knowledge seeing he hath had all these he goeth about in euery countrey and kingdome he compasseth the earth to and fro Iob 1.7 and 2.2 obseruing what is done in euery place and is well acquainted with their conuersation Fourthly he encreaseth his knowledge by communication with God or rather by receiuing commandement from God to execute his will which hee maketh knowne vnto him The Lord commanded him to appeare before him to giue an account of the works he had done God had no sooner named Iob Iob 1.8 9 10 11. but by and by he knew him well enough he knew his substance and how God had blessed him therfore neuer asketh who hee was or where hee was hee knoweth euery man by Name and hee knoweth that man is ready to make shew of religion in prosperity and in aduersity through impatience to fall away from his profession God gaue him liberty to afflict Iob in his goods in his children in his body whence then hath he this knowledg but from the reuelation of the Lord he knew that Iob should be visited with great sickenesse and with great losses in his children and goods and thus hee knoweth many other things which are to come to passe afterward And when hee hath them thus reuealed and made knowne vnto him hee goeth many times to witches and wizards and telleth them thereof and they tell it to others before they happen by which meanes he many wayes enlargeth his kingdome Fiftly by the reuelation of the Prophets in former times he attained to great knowledge by whoÌ„ many things were foretold in which also he hath knowledge can alledge Scripture to serue his turne Matth. 4.6 Lastly by continuall obseruation of naturall causes An Astronomer that is skilfull in the starres can tell nay foretell many things but Satan is skilfull in all Artes he can speake all languages in the world he is the best artist and linguist that any where can be found The second thing wherin Satans power consisteth is in his deeds and actions He mooued Caine to kill his brother and preuailed He tempted our first parents and preuailed He commeth to a witch in the shape of Samuel and taketh vpon him to tell what successe Saul should haue in the battell with the Philistims and Saul thought it had beene Samuel Hee was wont to talke familiarly with men and therefore God gaue a Law that if any consulted with familiar spirits he should die Deut. 18.11 Leuit. 20.27 which law had beene in vaine if none had consulted familiarly with them So he was a lyar in the mouth of all the false Prophets of Ahab though themselues did not perceiue it So hee possessed mens bodies as we see in the Gospel whom Christ oftentimes cast out Matth. 8.28 and being cast out they entred into an heard of swine and threw them headlong into the waters where they perished And when certaine Exorcists would haue cast out diuels in the name of Iesus the euill spirit ran vpon them and ouercame them so that they fled out of the house wounded Actes 19.16 Thus we see that Satan is of wonderfull power to teach vs not to be carelesse in resisting of him but to looke diligently to our selues 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Neuerthelesse this is our comfort that his power is limited he is as a raging beast but is tyed vp with chaine he is the strong man armed but a stronger then hee commeth and taketh all his armour from him wherein he trusted Luk. 11.21 22. And albeit he make shew to worke miracles he hath no such power and therefore hee doth them not openly but closely and in the darke as they that doe euill Lastly it reproueth the miracles wrought Vse 3 in the Church of Rome of which they talke and write so much The works wherof they boast and wherein they glory are darke and obscure they are not plain open and euident They tel vs many a sober tale in sundry legeÌ„ds of Saints liues of puling souls that haue appeared out of purgatory and haue taught prayer for the dead adoration of Saints worshipping of images such like superstitious practises all tending to abuse the people and to confirme false doctrine repugnant to the Scriptures August de vnitat eccles ca. â— of all which wee may say as Austine doth that they are vel mendacia fallacium hominum vel portenta mendacium spirituum That is either cosening trickes of deceitfull men or wonders of lying spirits But to passe ouer these let vs by this property of a true miracle examine the miracle of all miracles much made off and mightily maintained to bee in the Sacrament of the Altar so called by the Church of Rome wherein after the Priest hath vtterred and muttered a few words they teach that a great miraculous worke is brought forth because the substance of the bread which was vpon the altar is changed into the body of Christ by a strange Metamorphosis If this were true Transubstaâ—tiation no â—racle it were indeed
a true miracle But if it were a miracle men might discerne it by sense as all the miracles of Christ were discerned Let them giue vs an instance in any creature in heauen or earth where the Lord wrought any miracle which he did not subiect to the senses of man but heere is nothing that can be discerned by the senses for as much as the bread by the iudgement of all the senses remaineth and appeareth to bee the same in substance which it was before of the same quality quantity colour taste handling smelling vertue and nourishment there is not any one sense or all the senses together that can iudge otherwise of it then it did before therfore it can be no miracle No work is a miracle which cannot bee felt smelled seene tasted or perceiued Wherefore let the Church of Rome teach in their schooles write in their bookes preach in their Pulpits and decree in their Councels neuer so often that there is a miracle wrought in their Sacrament of the Altar yet because we can neither see nor touch nor taste nor feele any thing but the same that it was before we cannot beleeue them But they tell vs Obiect that though the outward forme and accidents of the bread remaine yet the substance of it is turned into the body of Christ which though we cannot perceiue by our senses yet wee are bound to receiue by faith I answer Answer that if the natural body of Christ were there present we might feele him as Thomas did forasmuch as Christ still retaineth his true body albeit it be now glorified Wherefore seeing there is no miracle in the Supper apparent to the senses there can be no miracle at all The difference which is is in the vse before it was common bread ordained for the nourishment of our bodies now it becommeth holy bread sanctified by the Lord not so much to feede the body as the soule To conclude then by this strange and new found miracle they ouerturne the doctrine of the Scriptures touching miracles For wheras we haue shewed that a miracle is a rare worke apparently to the senses wrought by the sole omnipotent power of God they make it to be an vsuall common and ordinary worke wrought by euery Priests pronouncing of fiue words yet so as no sense at all can discerne of it 12 And the children of Israel spake vnto Moses saying Behold we die we perish we all perish 13 Whosoeuer commeth any thing neere to the Tabernacle of the Lord shall die shall wee bee consumed with dying Hitherto of the first part of the Chapter heere followeth the second part to wit the repentance of the people crauing to bee deliuered from present death and from their sinne wherewith they had prouoked God to anger As if they had said We acknowledge that we deserue to die and perish through our sinnes neither did wee know so much vntill the plague that brake in among vs taught vs and the blossoming of the rod conuinced vs to our faces We presumed to meddle with the office of the Priesthood that belonged not vnto vs and therfore we deserue iustly and worthily to die But is there no place for mercy and forgiuenesse We may obserue from hence that this should bee the effect of all punishments which God bringeth vpon sinners to humble vs â—â—d explic â—â—m to make vs auoide sinne and to submit our selues to God with all obedience Againe we must neuer despaire of Gods mercy which is greater then our sinnes as a garment wider then the body and therfore more then able to couer the nakednesse thereof Thirdly we must acknowledge and confesse our sinnes to God because all sinne is committed against God him onely we haue offended Psal 51.4 Briefly also learne that the first degree of pardon is to know that our sinnes are pardonable this is as a sparke of light in a darke night and giueth hope of great mercy But to leaue these particulars this is the generall doctrine In all chastisements â—trine â—t is to bee â—owled iust in all chastiseâ—ts how grieuous and sharpe soeuer they be God is to bee acknowledged iust and righteous in laying them vpon vs Dan. 9.6 7 8 9 16 19. Ezr. 9.6.10 13 15. Psal 51.4 5. 2 Sam. 24.10 The reasons which are as the grounds of this truth are euident First because his punishments though many times they be greeuous burdens to beare yet are alwayes lesse then our deserts and offences Psal 103.10 He dealeth not with vs according to our offences Secondly our sinnes are the procuring causes of all the euils which we suffer Mic. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him So then the cause of all our sufferings is in our selues Thirdly in all his corrections and iudgements hee remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 Wee see this often in this book though the whole people sinned as one man yet iudgment came not vpon the whole but the mercifull God striketh some to admonish and amende others The vses follow First it reprooueth such Vse 1 as stand out with God and are ready to iustifie themselues and accuse God of ouermuch sharpenesse and seuerity These men neuer consider Gods manifold blessings and their owne vnthankefulnesse vnto him who reneweth his mercies toward vs euery morning Lam. 3.23 But we render vnto him euill for good and hatred for his good will We are like vnto stubborne children that murmure vnder the rod and cannot abide correction So it is with vs we can abide to sinne but wee cannot abide to suffer Wee regard not how much we prouoke him but we care not how little he punish vs. It is one of the hardest things in the world to iustifie God and to condemne our selues worthy of eternall death and damnation We see it from the beginning in our first parents they sought shifts and fig leaues to couer the nakednesse of their soules more then they did the nakednesse of their bodies as indeed there appeared much more deformity in the one then in the other and they had more cause to be ashamed of the nakednesse of their soules then of their bodies For sinne maketh vs naked of Gods protection and causeth him to depart from vs it taketh away our shield and defence and leaueth vs in the hands of our enemies We see also in the example of Achan Iosh 7. of Saul 1 Sam. 15. how hardly they were drawne to confesse their sinnes they heard sentence pronounced against them before they would pronounce sentence vpon themselues Let vs not tarry vntill God iudge vs but rather learn betimes to iudge our selues Secondly let vs humble our selues vnder Vse 2 the mighty hand of God 1 Pet. 5.6 and when he draweth out his sword let vs not say wee are righteous like the Pharisee that condemned another but iustified himselfe Luk. 18. rather let vs cry out in the eares of God Spare Lord Ioel 2.17 and confesse that it is
wholesome wine into an vnwholesome vessell it loseth his taste and becommeth not onely vnprofitable but hurtfull and bringeth much mischiefe and sometimes the vtter ruine not onely of the person that possesseth it but of the whole Church that is pestered with it yet not of it owne nature but by his corruption that doth abuse it Vse 3 Thirdly from hence ariseth comfort to men of meane gifts of small knowledge if they be painfull and conscionable True it is they must not be Ieroboams Priests that were neyther Leuites nor learned but taken from the basest of the people as vnsauory salt good for nothing howbeit if with their meane gifts they vse not meane diligence and so discharge a good conscience God accepteth and approueth of them yea he blesseth their labours worketh his great worke of regeneration by them sealeth vp thereby his fauour to their owne consciences We see this in Apollos mētioned in the Acts he was not altogether destitute of knowledge thogh he had but little knowing only the baptisme of Iohn ch 18 25. that is the doctrine of Iohn preaching repentance which he sealed vp by baptisme but his want of knowledge he did recompence with painfulnesse in his preaching for he was feruent in the Spirit and taught diligently the things of the Lord so that albeit he came far behind others in gifts of vnderstanding yet did he paralell or equall them and peraduenture goe before thē in feruency and faithfulnesse and in the effect of his Ministery for he was zealous of Gods glory eloquent in speech diligent in his place mighty in the Scriptures and confounded the Iewes that beleeued not in Christ But woe vnto them that haue neither knowledge nor zeale nor diligence nor conscience It is noted of the Angel that is of the Minister of the Church of Philadelphia Reuel 3 8. that hee had but a little strength a small measure of graces and gifts yet hee maintained the truth resolutely and brought much good to the Church of GOD by vsing them carefully for he did not onely keepe the word and confesse the Lord in time of trouble and persecution but conuerted many enemies that they came and worshipped before his feet Verse 19. Reu. 3 8 9 though he had little strength yet he had many children whom he conuerted to the faith For as the Apostle teacheth out of the Prophet that the desolate hath many moe children then she which hath an husband Esay 54 1. And as it often falleth out that a weak man begetteth many moe children then hee that is of greater strength so such as haue but weake gifts do notwithstanding bring many to God Let not therfore any be discouraged through the weaknesse of their gifts from doing their duty remembring the saying of Christ Mat. 13 12. Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue more abundance Vse 4 Fourthly this serueth to humble and abase such as haue the greatest gifts and are high Doctors of the Church that they should not stand ouermuch vpon the glory of their learning but craue with all humility the blessing of God and cast downe themselues and all their gifts at his footstoole of whom they receiued them that withal they may receiue cōfort in their Ministery from him Their labors are oftentimes lesse blessed because they stand so much vpon their schoole-learning termes tongues titles degrees and such like priuiledges that they oftentimes forget the principall part of their calling to do good to Gods people to know nothing among them but Christ him crucified 1 Cor. 2 2. Many there are that come farre behinde them in knowledge that go farre before them in conscience which are beneath them in learning but aboue them in labour and finde a greater blessing vpon their diligence For it oftentimes falleth out that such as are great Linguists and profound Clearks beare themselues so proud vpon their reputation that they neuer desire a blessing from God nor craue of him to sanctifie their gifts and therefore they oftentimes beate the aire neuer pierce the conscience of the hearers neither win any soules to God They speake in the entising words of mans wisedome vtter strange tongues to gaine admiration astonishment in the hearers but regard not the demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2 4. wheras others which preach in weaknesse and in feare in much trembling that the faith of the Church should not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God are made instruments of bringing a plentiful haruest to God Lastly let the people content themselues Vse 5 with such as God hath set ouer them though they be not most excellent in gifts and count it a blessing from God not refusing or disdaining to heare them and to depend vpon them as the Pastors that watch ouer their soules Heb. 13 1◠They are oftentimes edified in their most holy faith profite in knowledge in repentance and in obedience vnder such a one more then vnder another For these doe much good in their places and turne many to righteousnesse The diet of Daniel and of his fellowes was no better then Water and Pulse yet with that they prospered better then they which had their portion from the Kings Table because they were dieted at Gods alowance and therefore it was ioyned with his blessing so are many fed with plaine yet with pure doctrine taken out of the holy fountains of the Scriptures whose soules do thriue prosper far better in knowledge in faith and in obedience then theirs that are fed after a more stately and costly manner with flowers of eloquence and ostentation of humane learning which puffeth vp but edifieth not The people that haue a painfull and conscionable Minister which bendeth all his gifts to edification that hee may profite with them and vseth them not to gaine glory to himselfe but to God are in far better case then such as haue a great Doctour a cunning linguist an excellent Artist a deepe Philosopher a subtill disputer an eloquent Oratour an acute Logitian or a profound schooleman wel seene in histories and well redde in Fathers and is withall without conscience and leaueth his flocke or if he bee among them hideth his gifts and burieth his talent or if he vse his gifts now and then bendeth them to vanity not to piety to ostentation not to edification or as many doe vse them against the truth not for the truth to destroy not to build to roote out not to plant Woe vnto that people that haue such a guide such a one can do no good vnto them whatsoeuer hee doth to himselfe 25 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 26 Thus speake vnto the Leuites and say vnto them when ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I haue giuen you c. 27 And this your heaue offering c. 28 Thus you also shall offer c. 29 Out of all your gifts you shall
betweene sinne and sinne both in nature and in the punishment due vnto them some are greater some lesser some worther of greater punishment and some of lesser yet the least sin committed in thought and motion deserueth euerlasting death and separation from the gracious presence of God if he deale with vs according to the rigour of his iustice and looke vpon vs without the satisfaction of Christ The writers and teachers of the Popish Religion publish to the world that wee hold the sottish Paradox of the Stoikes that all sinnes are equall The Papists slander vs 〈◊〉 make all siâ— equall the contrary whereof is manifest in the harmony of the confessions of our Churches And why do they slander vs with this dotish doctrine or vpon what foundation doe they ground this accusation forsooth because we hold that all are mortall But this is a weake consequent and will not proue the point for which they alledge it All men are mortall euen Princes as it is said in the Psalme 82.6 shall we hence conclude that the people are equall to Princes because they are alike subiect to mortality In the breach of the seuenth commandement there are sundry sortes of vncleannesse and incontinency forbidden as fornication when men defile themselues with filthy harlots and concubines adultery betweene them that are married incest committed with such as are neere in consanguinity or affinity the sinne of the Sodomites Who leauing the naturall vse of the woman burne in lust one toward another man with man working filthinesse Rom. 1.27 reuenged with fire and brimstone from heauen Gen. 19. Among all these seuerall kindes there are degrees of sinne one is greater then other adultery worse then fornication incest then adultery and Sodometry then them all and all these by the confession of the Papists themselues are mortall and yet by their owne confession also one is more heinous and horrible then the other If then their conclusion bee good against vs that we hold all sinnes to bee equal because we teach that they are mortall how should it not stand as strong and firme against themselues that they also hold all these sinnes to be equall fornication as bad as incest and adultery as heinous as Sodometry because they teach that they are all of them mortall The like absurdity wee might easily inferre against them in the rest of the commandements and that out of the Roman Catechisme But to vnderstand this point the better let vs consider that our Churches teach no other doctrine then the Scriptures teach that as all sinnes proceede out of the same fountaine of corruption and infidelity so all of them make vs guilty of eternall death and damnation vnlesse we obtaine pardon by faith in the Mediatour Christ Iesus Luke 12.47.48 All sinnes whether committed of ignorance or knowledge deserue stripes either many or few and these stripes are no other then eternall punishments as appeareth by the wordes of the Apostle 2 Thes 1.8 so that they which know not God neither beleeue the Gospel shall be punished in hel because according to the opinion of the Papists themselues when the Lord shall come in flaming fire to iudge the quicke and the dead Purgatory shal vtterly ceasse and be no more the prison dores shall be broken the fire shall be quenched the place shall be emptyed and the poore soules shall be discharged then shall be a gaile deliuery they shall be quit by Proclamation To vnderstand this the better we must know that sinnes may bee said to bee mortall or veniall three wayes â—s may â—d to bee â—ll or veâ—â—hree â—s First in regard of the euent Secondly in regard of the cause Thirdly in regard of the nature of the sinnes themselues They are veniall in regard of the successe or euent which doe obtaine pardon and when forgiuenesse followeth them though they be in themselues most greeuous as 1 Ioh. 5.16 where the Apostle calleth those onely sinnes vnto death whose reward certainely is eternall death and those not to death which may bee forgiuen howsoeuer in their own nature they merit damnation Thus we may say that Dauids adultery and murther were veniall sinnes because howsoeuer in the nature of them they were deadly yet were they veniall in regard of the euent because Nathan said vnto him The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye 2 Sam. 12.13 â—ss ordin in â—r 11. No sinne is veniall so long as we follow it and no sinne is mortall when once we forsake it Pro. 28.13 All sinnes are made veniall by repentance no sin is veniall without repentance Secondly sinnes may bee said to bee veniall in regard of the cause from whence they proceed whereupon they sooner obtaine pardon because they are not done of malice and a setled purpose but of ignorance and infirmity as Paul sheweth this to bee the cause why his sinne was veniall vnto him and why he obtained mercy and forgiuenesse because he did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 And in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke it is said the Priest shall make attonement when a priuate person or the whole Congregation hath committed any thing through errour or ignorance and it shall be forgiuen them for it is ignorance Numb 14.25 These sinnes springing from this fountaine are damnable in themselues from hence it came that Paul was a persecuter and a blasphemer but the Father of all mercies and compassions gaue him pardon because hee sinned of ignorance and infirmity So then his sinnes were veniall in regard of the euent and of the cause But sinne considered in the nature of the thing it selfe is not veniall but deserueth temporall and eternall punishment Now the Papists themselues teach â— Popish 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sinne that sinne is truely and properly called veniall when it is so in it owne nature and deserueth onely a temporall punishment either in this life or in the life to come so that if God would examine it and enter into iudgement with it according to his most rigourous and seuere iustice hee could not punish it with eternall death for as much as in it owne nature it deserueth pardon or at least some slight or temporall punishment And of these the controuersie is betweene the Church of Rome and vs and not of those that are veniall by the euent or by the cause But the Scripture teacheth vs that all sinne is the transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 This is a true and perfect definition of sinne for euery transgression of the Law is sinne and euery sinne is a transgression of the Law From whence wee reason thus Euery transgression of the law is worthy of death Euery sinne is a transgression of the Law Therefore euery sinne is worthy of death The first part is plainely proued by many places Gal. 3.13.10 Deut. 27.26 Matth. 5.22 whereby it is manifest that the Prophet the Apostle and Christ himselfe speake generally without limitation that whosoeuer committeth any
their sicknes trust in the Phisition as Asa did 1 Chro. 16 11 12. 1 Sam. 2.5 not in the liuing God who killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe hee maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth and his hands make whole he shall deliuer thee in sixe troubles and in the seuenth the euill shall not touch thee In time of warre and day of battell we trust in our strength armor men munition and defenced places and make them our God Nah. 3.8 â— whereas the Prophet teacheth that this is a cursed confidence and shall not leaue a blessing behind it Lastly we learne from hence not to reuenge Vse 4 our own causes quarels For if we be taught in this practise of Moses to go vnto God in all our wrongs who will iudge his people then we are not to render like for like or to requite euill for euill or to repay wrong for wrong taunt for taunt rebuke for rebuke railing for railing but contrariwise blesse knowing that we are thereunto called that we should bee heires of blessing This vse is concluded Prou. 20.22 Say not thou I will recompence euill but waite vpon the Lord and he shall saue thee This is the direction of the Apostle Ro. 12.17.19 Recompence to no man euill for euill dearely beloued auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine Psal 94.1 â— I will repay saith the Lord. Where we see God claymeth and challenge vengeance to himselfe and taketh it from vs so that such as seeke reuenge sit downe in the seat of God and as much as lyeth in theÌ„ wrest the scepter out of his hands taking vpon them the person of the accuser witnesse iudge and executioner contrary to all true forme of lawfull iudgement And albeit it bee hard and harsh for flesh and blood to put vp iniuries yet if we wil be the children of God we must haue more in vs then flesh and blood For they that are after the flesh Rom. 3.5 â— fauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit so then they that are in the flesh cannot please GOD. Wherefore when Zachariah the Priest a faithfull and fruitefull witnesse of God was vniustly and cruelly stoned to death he raged not he reuiled not he reuenged not but said The Lord see and require it When the Lord of life â—â— 24.22 Christ Iesus was accused condemned and crucified the iust for the vniust he prayed for his enemies Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe â— 23 34. leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps When blessed Stephen who was full of the holy Ghost and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right of God was cast out of the city and stoned with stones hee kneeled downe and cryed with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sinne to their charge â— 55.58 When the Archangel mentioned by the Apostle Iude saw that the diuell went about to corrupt the pure worship of God hee would not vse railing and reprochfull speaches â— ver 9. but desireth the Lord to rebuke him and repay him for his malice Seeing therefore this duty hath beene practised by Priest and people by men and Angels by the head and the members of his body let vs follow those things that concerne peace let vs be of a patient and meeke spirit which is much set by of God and let vs commit our causes to him that is the God of vengeance It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Verse 9 10. Then Moses tooke that rod c. Hitherto Moses Aaron haue behaued themselues vprightly in respect of God meekely in respect of themselues and patiently in regard of the people Now we shal see how they offend by transgressing the commandement of God by distrusting his word by raging against the whole assembly God chargeth them to speake to the rocke they spake vnto the people Againe as if it were vnlikely or vnpossible that the rock should yeeld water they smote it twise through impaciency vnbeeleefe Thus they that had beene the instruments of God in so many miracles that had seene him face to face as a man seeth his friend that had stood so often in the gap where the hand of God had made the breach that had diuided the red sea Moses I say and Aaron the Ministers of God the witnesses of his workes the pillars of the truth now begin to faile to faint and to fall down to shew vs and themselues the weakenesse that is in flesh and blood From hence we learne that many are the failings and fals of the children of God â—trine â— are the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Howsoeuer the faithfull be borne againe and endued with the spirit of sanctification howsoeuer they desire to please God and endeuor to serue him with all the powers of soule and body yet they often stumble in their race thorough the burthen that presseth down and the sinne that cleaueth so fast vnto them This truth is confessed and confirmed by many testimonies Salomon in his worthy prayer at the dedication of the Temple acknowledgeth it 1 king 8.46 So Iob. 15.14 15. Likewise Prou. 20.9 And the Prophet Psal 14 2 3. All which testimonies doe plentifully teach this truth that howsoeuer through the grace of God giuen vnto them the faithful fight a good fight hauing faith and a good conscience yet all are sinners and no flesh is cleane and cleere from sin which Moses and Aaron here fal into The reasons of this doctrine are First because Reason 1 the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne Gal 3 2â— Rom. 3.19 That euery mouth might bee stopped and all the world be subiect to the iudgment of God Al matter of glorying in our selues is taken from vs we are found guilty before God wee haue no excuse no defence no cloake for our selues to couer our sins there is no difference Wee haue all sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and euerlasting life so that all both Iewes and Gentiles are proued to be vnder sinne Secondly we see that death the wages of Reason 2 sinne hath raigned and doth raigne ouer all without difference yea it taketh hold euen on children that sinned not actually like the transgression of Adam If then old and yong taste of death all the posterity of Adam are corrupted in him when he wittingly and willingly wilfully sinned against God We flow from an vncleane fountaine we grow out of a bitter root we are as branches of the wilde vine Thus the Apostle reasoneth Death raigned froÌ„ Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of him that was to come So then sinne and death goe together as mother and daughter
the stirring of vs vp to prayer We may now comfortably conclude to our owne consciences with the same Apostle I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God Let vs know then there is great vse of the crosse beeing assured that tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience â—om 5 5 4 5. and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Vse 2 Secondly we learne heereby not to promise to our selues worldly peace prosperity but prepare to endure the crosse before it cometh and know that the end of one crosse is the beginning of another while we liue heere We must not looke to finde heauen vpon earth we must not dreme of the victory before we fight We think of receiuing the prize but we wold not run the race We would put on the crown but we shun the crosse like those foolish husbandmen that would receiue the fruites of the earth but care not for the labour And surely the reason why we are many waies impatient vnder the crosse murmure vnder the mighty hand of God is because wee are vnprepared vnprouided to beare any storme or endure any triall We must not thinke to liue at ease and pleasure but know that whosoeuer taketh not vp his crosse cometh after Christ cannot be his Disciple So Paul teacheth Timothy Thou hast fully knowne my faith and my patience my persecutions which came vnto me but from them all the Lord deliuered me yea and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3 10 12. For as the head was first crowned with thornes so the members must not looke to liue in pleasures Lastly be not offended at the great afflictions Vse 3 that oftentimes we heare to befall the faithfull or we see to be vpon such as feare God let vs not maruaile and wonder at it as at some rare and strange thing much lesse should wee start backe from our profession for the persecutions and fiery trials that come vpon the Church Therfore the Apostle Iohn saith Maruaile not my brethren Iohn 4 13. though this world hate you nay rather we haue cause to reioyce that God vouchsafeth vs this honor not only to beleeue in him but to suffer for his Name This made Paul say Acts 21 13. being entreated that hee would not go vp to Ierusalem What do ye weeping and breaking mine heart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Doubtlesse if we were of the world the world would loue his owne but because we are chosen out of the world therefore the world hateth vs. It is noted to the euerlasting praise of the Apostles Acts 5 21. Heb. 10 33 34. Cast not away therfore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward God hath no need of vs to maintaine his glory he is able to maintaine it without vs therefore it is a great priuiledge and prerogatiue that God calleth vs out to suffer for his Names sake Besides such and so great are our infirmities that the Lord might worthily make vs suffer for our owne sins and bring shame and confusion of faces vpon vs according to our owne deseruings Now in that he mercifully passeth ouer our faults and frailties couereth our transgressions and maketh vs suffer taunts reproches persecutions for his truth and Gospel it is a great honour and dignity whereunto he exalteth and aduanceth vs and therefore our Sauiour saith Blessed shall ye be when men reuile and persecute you say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsly reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Mat. 5 11 12. Wherfore let vs not shrinke backe for trouble but reioyce in our sufferings and praise God for our afflictions Ver. 16. But when we cried vnto the Lord he heard our voice therefore let vs passe through thy Country Heere we haue the third reason vsed to the Edomites to perswade them to giue them passage drawne from an experience of Gods helpe who seeing their misery and hearing their gronings brought them out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Now it would argue great cruelty to forsake those and leaue them in their affliction The strength of the reason of whoÌ„ God hath taken the protection If then God haue helped vs do not you deny vs helpe but God hath helped vs therfore deny not vs your helpe Thus the gracious dealing of God is propounded for their imitation This is a forcible and effectuall reason teaching vs this Doctrine Doctrine The consideratioÌ„ of Gods loue to his children must moue vs to mercy that the consideration of Gods loue mercy shewed to his childreÌ„ must moue vs to mercy The truth hereof hath the consent and agreement of many other Scriptures Hereunto cometh the exhortation of Moses Deut. 10.17 18 19. The Lord your God is God of Gods and the Lord of Lords a great God mighty and terrible who doth right vnto the fatherlesse and widow loueth the stranger giueth him food and raiment Loue ye therefore the stranger for yee were strangers in the Land of Egypt Thus the Apostle reasoneth 1 Ioh. 4 9 11. God hath manifested his loue in sending his onely begotten Sonne into this world that we might liue thorough him Beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another Wher we see he perswadeth to brotherly loue in respect of the experience which we haue of the free loue of God toward our selues So our Sauiour concludes Lu. 6 36. Be ye therefore mercifull as your Father also is mercifull Hereunto cometh that which we reade in the Apostle Iohn in another place Hereby haue we perceiued loue that he laid downe his life for vs therefore wee ought also to lay downe our liues for the brethren 1 Iohn 3 8 16. There is nothing more effectuall to perswade brethren to vnity among themselues theÌ„ to know they haue a gentle father that loueth them all Nothing is able to binde faster those that are fellow-seruants in one family to seeke the mutuall good one of another then to consider they haue a good master carefull of the good of them all to giue them their portion in due season Reason 1 The reasons are euident First we are bound to follow the example of God which must be our direction and instruction This the Apostle teacheth Phil. 2 5 where he exhorteth to humility and lowlinesse of minde from the example of Christ Let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus And the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 11.32 hauing propounded the examples of the
was the ordinance of God to build one Temple and to chuse one place to which man shold resort to worship him yet this order is now abolished euery coast and countrey is Iewry euery towne and city is Ierusalem euery faithfull company and godly person is a Temple to worship God in 1 Cor. 6 1â— 1 Cor. 6 1â— 1 Tim. 2.8 Psal 127 4. We may call vpon God euery where and lift vp pure hands in all places no land is a strange land no ground is vnholy ground And touching their abstinence from flesh on certaine times for religion sake it is a doctrine of diuels 1 Tim. 4 1 3. Lastly it reprooueth such as propound to themselues false and wrong endes of vowes as conceit of merit and opinion of deseruing the fauour of God and euerlasting life For the ends which we respect must be good as to exercise and stirre vp the gifts of faith prayer obedience repentance and other graces of the Spirit and to testifie our thankefulnesse to God for blessings receiued at his hands The intent therefore and meaning is heere to bee considered and we must be well aduised not onely that our vowes be directed to God but for what purpose and how we vow to God not to binde God vnto vs but to binde vs the closer to God to render all honor vnto him Now if we would examine the vowes practised in the Church of Rome by these things before deliuered we shall easily perceiue the fondnesse and falshood nay the wickednes of them For here are condemned all vowes of pilgrimages and abstinence from flesh for religion noted before Bellar lib. â— de Mâ—â—â—â— cap. 36. their doctrine that children may enter into their orders and cloisters against the counsell and consent of their parents and that persons contracted either to other may vow continency without the liking and approbation of the other party which cannot stand with the doctrine of the Scripture or ancient councels Num. 30 â— Coâ— Gâ—â— cap. 16. For the word establisheth the authority of parents ouer their children which the former vowes abridgeth and cutteth short and teacheth that if a woman vow vnto the Lord and bind her selfe by a bond being in her fathers house in time of her youth if her father disalow her the same day that hee heareth all her vowes and bonds they shall not be of value Lastly by the former obseruations fall to the ground the ordinary vowes of single life voluntary pouerty and Fryarly obedience to vaine and superstitious men which they absurdly make and tye themselues necessarily to obserue For such vowes are directly and flatly against the former rules prescribed deliuered vnpossible intollerable beyond our owne strength calling a will worship Col. 2.16 according to the decrees and traditions of men and directly contrary to the commandement of God 1 Cor. 7.9 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Thess 3. â— Againe they are not in the power of him that voweth for no man can promise perpetuall chastity in single life out of the estate of wedlocke Continency is the speciall and proper gift of God who giueth it not vnto all but to whom he will and as long as he will This our Sauiour teacheth Matth. 19. All men cannot receiue this thing saue they to whom it is giuen he that is able to receiue this let him receiue it To this accordeth and agreeth the doctrine of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. I would that all men were euen as my selfe am but euery man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that Furthermore they abolish Christian liberty in the lawfull vse of the good creatures and ordinances of God as riches and marriage food and apparell making that absolutely necessary which God hath freely left to our liking and liberty Lastly they are made most commonly to Saints and not to God and they are made for merits sake therby to deserue saluation and the substance of religion and worship of God is made to consist in them whereas the Apostle teacheth 〈◊〉 4 6. That bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable for all things Therefore these vowes practised and defended by the Church of Rome being vnlawfully rashly vnconscionably â—â—ontra â—l is â—ref superstitiously meritoriously made and vnpossible to be performed cannot binde the conscience but are better broken then irreligiously kept â—si de beno 〈◊〉 ca. 10 in Leuit. according to the doctrine of the former Churches Thirdly seeing vowes be lawful which are promises made to God 〈◊〉 3. of some duty to bee performed to him to some good end the vow which all beleeuers haue made in Baptisme is to be kept of euery one wherein wee promised to beleeue in Christ to obey God to bring foorth the fruites of true repentance to renounce the workes of the diuell the allurements of this present euill world and the lusts of the flesh which lust against the spirit And albeit wee are bound to these duties by our calling redemption without any new vow yet we may lawfully renew our couenant with God and so binde our selues faster and faster As he that hath bound himself in a bond may yet giue greater and better assurance bind himselfe more then before So bee that is bound to haue faith in Christ and to yeeld obedience to all his commandements may yet further and faster bind himselfe to helpe his dulnesse coldnesse and want of zeale and to make himselfe more forward and seruent in duties of the first and second table according to the practise of Dauid I haue sworne and will performe it â—â—19 106 that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements He was bound hereunto without and before his oath yet he kindled his zeale and reneweth his couenant with God by this oath to stirre vp the gift of God that was in him and to helpe his owne infirmity We haue all in baptisme vowed to consecrate our selues euen our soules and bodies to God by renouncing the diuell the world and the flesh if wee goe backe as cowardly Souldiers from this our vow shall wee not bee conuinced as false and vnfaithfull to God And how shall we conscionably keepe any other vowes that breake the first vow we made to God What a fault is it accounted among our selues to promise and then to breake But haue we kept this our generall and common vow Hierom. in Esa lib. 7. cap. 19 August in Psal 7â— 131. Lumba sent lib. 4. dist 38. to fight vnder the banner and enfigne of Iesus Christ against the diuell and all his works Or rather haue we not walked and do we not still walke in the workes of darknes after the inuentions of our owne hearts And do not our open sins cry out and proclaime as much to the dishonour of God and our owne reproch So that all such as walke in the blindnes of their own minds haue besides all their other sinnes this great
the world This is it which the Prophet teacheth Psal 111. The works of his hands are established for euer and euer and are done in truth and equity If then all his works abide and continue from the glorious Creatures in the heauens to the silly worme creeping in the earth much more the holy Scripture must abide without decaying or diminishing as the durable Cedar without rotting and consuming which is not onely his handy-worke but a masterworke chiefe aboue all others as the Diamond among pearles of great price And if the least and lowest creature in the world hath beene in his kinde continued hitherto and shall be continued to the end by the mighty hand of God vpholding and supporting all things that he hath made much lesse shall the Scripture perish and fall away which bringeth greater glory to God and greater gaine to his people Thirdly the Scripture was written for these ends and purposes for instruction and admonition for teaching and confutation for comfort and consolation that so the man of God may be absolute 1 Tim. 3 16 17. Neither was God deceiued in his purpose and intent so that it must remaine continue being written for those endes and vses But what errour can be conuinced what comfort can be receiued what vice can bee corrected what truth can be published what grace can be commended to the Church out of those books which are supposed to be lost Let vs not therefore doubt of Gods prouidence and so shake the faith of the Church thereby Fourthly we see the old Testament hath reserued entirely the Genealogies of the fathers which are not absolutely necessary to faith and saluation as also the whole body of the ceremonies set downe in Leuiticus and other places of the Law which notwithstanding were shadowes of things to come why then should we not presume that the same his prouidence hath also watched ouer other books which more properly belong to our practise and times and so more fitly might informe vs against ignorance teach vs in our religion warne vs in dangers and comfort vs in afflictions And if we haue no word missing or sentence wanting in such bookes as are left to the Church that there should need a void roome or a desunt nonnulla or an Asteriscus and some little starre to giue warning of some defect as we see it is in many prophane writings Dionys Halâ— carâ—as Plutâ— Tuâ—â— Poâ—â—â—â—â—pian Lâ—â—â— and otherâ— and those of the best note how should we be induced to beleeue that whole volumes of the old and new Testament are vtterly lost neuer to be repaired Lastly let vs heare the testimony of the Scripture it selfe obserue what it can say and doth witnesse for it selfe Moses an old and ancient witnesse teacheth Deut. 29 29 that secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may do all the words of this Law But how do they belong vnto vs that are not reserued for vs Or how shall our children be directed by them that cannot be found in their daies or in the daies of their fathers before them Or how shall either father or sonne doe that which they cannot know Heereunto Dauid accordeth Psal 119 152. I haue knowne long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer And our Sauiour giueth his holy consent vnto this heauenly truth saying Truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iote or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things be fulfilled Mat. 5 18 and 24 35. So then we must hold the durablenesse and continuance of the Scripture in the Church which is the pillar of truth that it cannot faile or fall away as is prooued at large in the answer to the Preface of the Rhemish Testament But before we proceed to the Doctrines of this diuision it shall not bee amisse to answer the obiections that are raised and mooued against this point touching the perpetuity of the whole Scripture and of euery part of it First wee finde often mention made of the bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah and Israel â—ect 1. â—ngs 14 19 â—5 7 11 Iosh 10 3 â—am 1 18. of the booke of the iust such like which are lost If then these be lost and by no meanes to be found how shall we truly say that the whole Scripture doeth continue I answer â—sw these bookes were neuer Canonicall Scriptures but ciuill stories and chronicles of the Commonwealth matters not of the Church whereunto the Reader is directed if he be desirous to reade and know the History more at large whereas the Prophets doe onely touch so much as serued for the edification of the Church and the building of it in faith toward God For as all ciuill Nations haue the Chronicles of their fore-fathers and auncestors actes Ester chap. 6 verse 1. Ezra 4 verses 15 19 so had the Iewes their ciuill Histories such were those wee now speake of which were good and profitable bookes of men but were neuer committed or commended to the care of the Church to be preserued and maintained â—ect 2. Againe we reade in sundry places of the bookes of Nathan and Gad the words of Samuel the works of Ahia of Shemaia of Isaiah and other Prophets which likewise seeme to be lost as well as the other wee named before I answer â—er they seeme so to such as do not duely consider of them which indeed are not lost but contained in the olde Testament in the bookes of Samuel and of the Kings which were not written by any one Prophet but by diuers Prophets at diuers times euen in the seuerall ages wherein they prophesied albeit their seuerall names bee not to euery part expressed as appeareth 2 Chron. chapter 26 verse 22 where the Spirit of God testifieth that Esaiah wrote the actes of Vzziah first and last meaning that he wrote them in the second booke of the Kings and in his Prophesies and not pointing out any book which now is lost both the former bookes remaining as a treasure to the Church As then we confesse these bookes mentioned in this obiection to bee of another nature then those expressed in the former so they haue beene preserued and euer shall bee preserued in the Church and be as it were laide vp in the Arke thereof Thirdly it may bee obiected that many Obiect 3 worthy bookes of Salomon are lost which hee wrote I answer Answ his workes are of two sorts first sundry bookes of Humanity and of Philosophy naturall and morall secondly bookes of Diuinity written as he was moued and inspired by the Spirit of God The first sort of humane and earthly things which the Church might best spare without perill or impeachment of faith haue long since failed as it is thought in the captiuity the rest which are parts of the Canonicall Scriptures do abide And marke
heerein a speciall worke of Gods prouidence preseruing his owne truth and reseruing it to all posterity Few are found in the world to affect or regard the pure and sincere word of God in comparison of the multitude that seeke after humane wisedome and labour to know the nature of â—irds of Beasts of Fishes of Trees and of earthly things which delight the outward senses and rauish the vnderstanding of naturall men yet see how those bookes of Salomon that handle meere matters of humane Pâ—ilosophy which the wise men of the world hunt after are vtterly lost whereas the diuine bookes which he wrote by inspiration lesse regarded and more contemned are notwithstanding by the watchfull eye of God remaining and are reserued for the comfort of the Church for euer Lastly we reade of the Prophesie of Enoch Obiect 4 in the Epistle of Iude verse fourteenth who prophesied of the second comming of Christ in power and great glory with thousands of his Saints which Prophesie also seemeth to be among those bookes which are lost I answer Answer this could bee no Apochryphall Booke of holy Scripture for Moses was the first Penne-man or Scribe that wrote the holy Scripture whose fiue bookes are perfect and contained in them sufficient instruction for that CHVRCH whereas that Prophesie did not nor indeed could not Secondly it cannot appeare that this Prophesie was euer written Iude ver 14. It is said he prophesied foretolde the end of the world by the Spirit of God in that most corrupt age that hasted to destruction to the end that such as were ordained to eternall life might beleeue and the rest being hardened might bee made without excuse but it is no where said It was written It is said to bee a Prophesie but no word or mention is made of the writing of this Prophesie so that it seemeth the Apostle learned it by tradition from the father to the sonne as the Apostle Paul setteth downe the names of the sorcerers that withstood Moses and Aaron Neither let the Church of Rome lay the foundation of vnwritten traditions vppon this ground-worke seeing we deny not al vnwritten traditions conueied from hand to hand but only such as are made rules of Gods worship matters of faith and parts of religion necessary to saluation To conclude therefore seeing the prouidence of God the fidelity of the Church and diligence of the faithfull is so great that the whole body of the Canonicall Scripture hath beene kept entire and perfect without losse or lacke of any part or parcell of it of any booke or sentence we must detest the blasphemous shufflings shiftings of the Church of Rome that make the Scripture to be a maimed lame and vnperfect doctrine Censu Colon. dial 6. Concil Trident. sess 4. not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation whereas the Apostle teacheth that the whole Scripture inspired of God is able to make vs wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Verses 10 11 12 13. And the Children of Israel departed thence and pitched in Oboth c. Here we haue painted and portraied out as in a Table certaine stations and iournies of the Israelites wherein wee may behold as in a glasse the prouidence of God protecting theÌ„ and the obedience of the people following him We see how they remoue from place to place in the wildernesse they are neuer long at one stay but either they went forward or backward as the sea continually ebbeth or floweth Now as the Land of Canaan was a figure of their rest in the kingdome of heauen so their wandring vp and downe in the wildernesse did figure and represent the condition of their life to bee vaine and transitory in this world Doctrine The faithfull are forreigners and strangers in this life We learne from hence the state of the faithfull what it is we are pilgrims and strangers in this life we are as guests lodging heere for a night but by and by we must depart and be dislodged we haue heere no continuing City This the faithfull haue in all ages confessed Iacob being brought into the presence of Pharaoh saith The whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty yeares few and euill haue the daies of my life beene Gen. 47 9. But we may say the daies of our pilgrimage are threescore yeares and ten if haply we reach so farre to which not one amongst an hundred cometh few indeed and euill we may truely call them This Abraham pleadeth Gen. 23 4 Gen 15. â—3 wanting a place of buriall to interre his dead I am a stranger and a forreigner among you giue mee a possession of buriall with you Thus he confesseth it went with him in Canaan neither was his estate any better elsewhere This the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth though a great King Psal 39 12. Heare my praier O Lord and hearken vnto my cry keepe not silence at my teares for I am a stranger with thee 1 Chr. 23 15 and a soiourner as all my fathers our daies are like a shadow vpon the earth and there is none abiding So then we see what our life and condition is wee are altogether vanity like grasse that soone withereth wee are as tenants at the will of the Lord our age is as nothing it passeth as a tale that is soone told it is as an hand-breath quickly measured surely euery man in his best estate is altogether lighter then vanity it selfe The reasons First all our daies are stinted Reason 1 and limitted as they are short and vaine so they are vncertaine and vnknowne The strongest natures and constitutions that seeme to be framed setled as a sure building to continue for many yeares yet are soone cut off are no more We see this confirmed by the daily experience of many examples as in Vzzah suddenly smitten 2 Sam. 6 7 in Iobs children quickly ouerwhelmed Iob 1 19 in Ananias and Sapphira presently destroyed Acts 5 5 10 in the rich man that had his soule in one night taken from him Luke 12 20 and in a continuall beholding the hand of God striking as pleaseth him If then vncertainty be an apparent argument of vanity we may conclude from hence our life to be vaine transitory inasmuch as God reuealeth not when or where or how we shall die and bee taken out of this life We know not when we shall die at euen or at midnight at the Cocke-crowing or in the dawning When we lie downe we know not whether we shall rise againe when we arise whether wee shall lie downe againe except we be laid in our graue and make our bed in the dust Moreouer we know not where we shall die at home or abroad When we go out of our houses wee know not
possession To this Moses answereth that albeit it could not be denied and gain-sayed but that the Cities were in former time within the Borders and Territories of Moab yet Sihon had taken them away by right of warre and conquest of the sword so that now they were alienated from the Moabites and appropriated to the Amorites who possessed them and dwelt in them So then the Israelites offered no wrong to the Moabites but recouered the places to their owne vse out of the hand of the Amorites Neither did Moab lay any claime to them for many generations as Iephtah declareth Iudg. 11. And this is the right that Israel had to these Cities Thus we see what dealings passed betweene the Moabites and the Amorites before Israel came to these places both of them were idolaters both wicked men both grosly ignorant of the true worship of God and desperate enemies to the true Church one is ready to cut the throat of another and killeth one another in battell We learne from hence Doctrine God often punisheth one euill man by the hand of another as euil that God punisheth oftentimes one wicked man by the hand of another He raiseth vp and armeth one of them to destroy another to eate vp and consume another This truth appeareth in many other places of holy Scripture Chedor-laomer vsurping dominion ouer other Nations made warre against them Gen. 14 5 6.7 8. and tooke away all the substance as a prey booty out of Sodome and Gomorrha God in his prouidence causeth one euill man to slay another The Sodomites were exceeding sinners against the Lord. He raised vp an enemy not much better then themselues for their destruction The like we see in the example of the Midianites Who sheathed their swords in their owne bowels Iudg. 7 20 22 Indeed Gideon gaue his men at armes that went with him to that seruice Lampes Trumpets and Pitchers and thus he marched against his enemies they sounded their Trumpets they brake their Pitchers they lighted their Lampes then the hoast of the Midianites fled euery mans sword was set against his neighbour their own weapons were their owne bane their owne men were their owne murtherers and so they destroyed one another This the Prophet Habbakkuk Hab. 1 6. sheweth when the Law was dissolued Iustice oppressed cruelty practised and all wickednes was aduanced among them the LORD would worke a wonder among them He wold raise vp the Chaldeans against them a bitter and furious Nation to destroy them a people worse then themselues This is that which Esay the Prophet pointeth vnto when he saith Euery one shall eate the flesh of his owne arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and they both shall be against Iudah Esay 9 21. Likewise he prophesieth the destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians chap. 13 17. The destruction of the Egyptians by the Assyrians chap. 19. Yea he would set the Egiptians against the Egiptians so that euery one should fight against his brother and euery one against his neighbour City against City and Kingdom against Kingdom The reasons of this order and manner of Gods working are not hard to finde For first Reason 1 who shall limit him what meanes to vse and what persons to imploy in his seruice Dare any Subiect prescribe vnto his Prince whom he shall send Or shall a seruant teach appoint his master whom he shall entertaine to performe his busines Or will any Magistrate master take well such pride presumption Shall God then the King of Kings the master ouer all men be stinted and limited whom he shal vse As none can appoint him what he shall do or when he shall punish or whom he shall correct no more can we decree or determine the meanes and manner of his proceedings He appointeth the times and seasons of punishing he singleth out the persons to bee punished For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Or who was his Counseller Hee will finde out his enemies in their sinnes and he will chuse out the instruments of his owne iudgements He armeth many times men of euill hearts and of vncleane hands to doe his works diligently and to accomplish his waies feruently When the Lord would smite the house of Ahab and auenge the blood of his seruants the Prophets Iehu is annointed King ouer Israel made the Rod of the Lord who performed his word and will to the full hee slew Iehoram 2 King 9 7. 10 31. cast downe Iezabel and slew the Priests of Baal yet notwithstanding all his zeale which he pretended for the Lord his heart was not vpright before him neither regarded hee to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel neither departed hee from the sinnes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne As then the worke is the Lords so is the workman and as the iudgement is his so is the instrument which hee chuseth and fitteth to effect the same without the prescription appointment of any other Reason 2 Againe albeit they be wicked and vngodly men infidels and idolaters that hee imploieth to finish his worke to bring his decree determination to passe yet he frameth their harts to serue his prouidence as seemeth good in his heauenly wisedome He hath the hearts of all men in his hand euen of Kings to turne them about to be instruments of his will If then he can change the hearts of enemies no maruaile if he vse them as his seruants So he vseth the seruice of the diuels and euill spirits and maketh them to do his will and against their will further the saluation of his children whō they purposed to bring to despaire and damnation as appeareth in the History of Iobs Iob 1 and 2. tentations Albeit they be not his faithfull seruants to do his wil cheerefully yet they are his slaues to serue him by constraint and compulsion This the Apostle Iohn declareth in the destruction of that great whore which is drunke with the blood of the Saints with whom the Kings of the earth committed fornication namely that they gaue their power and authority to the Beast but they shall hate the whore make her desolate eate her flesh and burne her with fire for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to doe with one consent for to giue their kingdome vnto the Beast vntil the words of God be fulfilled Reu. 17 15 16 17. Nothing is done without the will of God He holdeth in his hands the hearts and purposes of Princes and great men vpon earth and directeth them by a secret motion to worke what hee pleaseth whether they know his will or know it not the whole action commeth of him and from him For howsoeuer it might seeme hard and harsh that the Angel saith it was GOD that put it into the harts of Kings to aduance the Papacy which was the work of the diuell to seduce the world yet after
respect of the largenesse and seeing the obedience of Christ is not lesse auaileable then the disobedience of Adam we feare not to auouch that the Church hath many children as a tree with many branches as a body with many members as a fountain with many streames and as an army of many souldiers making vp one Campe. But before we come to the vses of this Doctrine it shall not be amisse to answer a question Obiect and to remoue an Obiection that may be raised from hence For this may seeme to be contrary to other places of Scripture where it teacheth that few shall be saued that few are chosen Math. 7 14 and 20 16. Luk. 12 32. Esay 1 9. that a remnant shall be saued that the flocke of Christ is a little flocke that the way is narrow and the gate streight that leadeth to life and few enter into it If then they be few how are they many If a small company how are they moe then can be numbred To be few and yet to be many to be a remnant and yet moe then can be reckoned seeme not to agree together I answer the Church may be truely said to haue many children Answer and few members in diuers respects For it is considered two wayes First simply Secondly by comparison First in respect of themselues and the seuerall parts thereof Secondly in respect of the vnbeleeuers If they be compared with the world of Infidels and Hypocrites with Reprobates and Castawayes Lu. 13 23 24. with the vessels of wrath that shall be consumed they be a very few and as a little handfull like a sparke in respect of a great fire or like a drop of water in respect of a great streame for the number of the damned is farre greater But if they be considered in themselues not compared with others The multitude of them that are ordained to eternall life and shall be saued is very great and exceeding many yea so many as no maÌ„ is able to comprehend the number of them Hebr. 12 1. To expresse this difference by some similitudes and examples we see in a common collection and gathering albeit euery man can giue but a little yet when it commeth together the totall summe amounteth to a great matter When a Captaine is to leuy forces and to muster his souldiers if he should take but ten out of a Parish through this kingdome when they come together and meete in one place they make a great Army and a Campe-royall yet if they be compared with the multitude of men women and children that are left behind they are as nothing they are as an handfull and are scarce missed So is it with the true Church of God they are both few yet many they are few in respect of those that shal be condemned which multiply vpon the earth and couer the face thereof and yet they are many in number in respect of the particular parts as shal appeare in the end of the world when they shall be gathered into one place from all places of the world Hauing answered this Obiection and cleered Vse 1 the Doctrine before deliuered let vs come to the vses arising from hence First we learne from hence the great power of the word of God Albeit the Ministery thereof be of the world esteemed foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1 2 yet to them that are iustified to them that are sanctified to theÌ„ that are effectually called it is the wisedome of God and the power of God The Church is called our Mother the word of God is coÌ„mitted to the keeping of the Church beeing the Piâ—lar of truth 1 Tim. 3 â— so that by preaching of the word the Church bringeth forth children to God The word is the seed of regeneration 1 Pet. 1 23 it is milke for children 1 Cor. 3 2 it is strong meate for men of riper yeares Heb. 5 14 whose sences are expert and exercised in the discerning of things that differ If then it worke such a glorious effect we may conclude that it is liuely and mighty in operation entring through to the diuiding of the soule and spirit the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Seeing therefore the encrease of the Church is by the effectuall preaching of the Gospel whereby the members of Christ are vnited into his body and the Sheepe of Christ are gathered into his fold we must acknowledge the power and force of the word to be exceeding great wherby it is brought to passe Heb. 4 1â— Secondly hereby we haue matter of great Vse reioycing praising God to see the prosperity and flourishing estate of the Church encreasing and growing to so many millions or multitudes and to consider how glorious the Name of Chrâ—st shall be when all concurre meete together to praise him The honouâ— of an earthly Prince standeth in the multitude of his Subiects Prou. 14 28 then how glorious and excellent shall the Name of Christ be when so many thousands and thousand thousands that none can number for the infinite multitude shall assemble together to sing the praises of God saying Saluation commeth of our God that sitteth vpon the Throne of the Lamb Praiâ—e and glory and wisedome and thanks and honour be vnto our God for euermore Amen Reu. 7 9.10 12. Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises vnto our King sing praises for God is the King of all the earth Psal 47 6 7. What can minister more ioy vnto vs then to behold the beauty of Sion when one member is added vnto the Church We see how men reioyce when their house is encreased when they haue children giuen vnto them being the inheritance of the Lord and the fruite of the wombe being his reward Psal 127 3. How much more should we reioyce and be glad when we see the church which is the house of God to multiply florish That hee maâ—eth a barren woman to dwell with a family and a ioyfull mother of many children Psal 113.9 It is noted by Christ our Sauiour that the Angels reioyce at the repentance of men when he saith I say vnto you Luk. 15 â— that ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which need none amendment of life how much more then ought we to comfort our selues when the faithfull are encreased when the wayes of the Lord are knowne vpon earth and his sauing health among all Nations The Euangelist Luke testifieth That when the Apostles and Brethren heard that God had granted repentance vnto life to the Gentiles they praised and glorified God Acts 11 18. And this is that vse which the Apostle Paul teacheth Gal 4 27. It is written Reioyce thou barren that bearest no children breake foorth and cry thou that trauailest not for the desolate hath many moe children then shee which hath an husband So then the encrease of the Church when one member
not deale faithfully with his people Such as either hide the truth or withhold it in vnrighteousnesse such as conceale or corrupt the word to please mē vndergo the curse of God and bring vpon themselues the heauy wrath of God This appeareth in that charge which the Lord gaue to the Prophet Ieremy chap. 1 17. Thus the Lord dealeth also with the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 3.18 and 33 6. So the Apostle saith A necessity is laide vpon me and woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9 16. Vse 1 The vses of this doctrine are now to bee handled First of all it followeth that they must know the Scriptures they must not bee young Plants Idol Shepheards blinde guides dumbe dogs sleepy watchmen vnsauory salt which is good for nothing but for the dunghill if for the dunghill Luk. 14 35. Mat. 5 13. It is a shame for a guide not to know the way for a Seer to be blinde for a Messenger to bee dumbe So then all Teachers should make conscience to furnish themselues as wise Scribes and good Stewards with profitable competent knowledge spending their dayes in getting the vnderstanding of the Scriptures that they may minister a word in due season and be able to feed their fellow-seruants with wholesome food leading them to the fountaines of life So then the knowledge of the word of God and the gift of interpretation cannot be separated from the function calling of the Minister and God doth disclaime and disauow such as are without knowledge that they shall be none of his Pastors Teachers Thus he speaketh by the Prophet Hosea chap. 4 6. Because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me Who would not maruaile if a Prince should appoint a Messenger or Embassadour to goe to a people which had no legs to goe no tongue to speake no language or reason to deliuer his message Who then can be so absurd as to thinke that the wise God the Lord of Lords and King of Kings would appoint any to be as his mouth and the Messenger of his will which cannot teach and deliuer his will Who is it that hath an house to builde that will chuse such Carpenters and Masons as haue no skill to lay a stone or to hew their timber or to handle their Tooles Who will retaine or entertaine a Shepheard to keepe his sheepe an husbandman to till his ground a Captaine to leade his army a Steward to prouide for his family a labourer to do his work that is altogether ignorant and hath no knowledge to do these things Now God is more prudent and prouident then mortall man and therefore he will reiect and refuse all such as are not able to discharge the Office committed vnto them through ignorance God requireth knowledge in all the people much more in such as take vpon them to be the Teachers of the people which should not onely haue knowledge themselues but teach knowledge to others that they do not perish for want of knowledge The Spirit of God mentioneth this to bee one of the cheefest causes that religion perished among the ten Tribes and that Idolatry was erected and continued among them euen vntill they were carried away to perpetuall captiuity in that Ieroboam made of the lowest and rudest of the people 1 King 13 31 and 13.33 Priests of the high places who would might consecrate himselfe to that calling The condition of the Iewes was neuer more dangerous and desperate and neerer to destruction and desolation then when they had blinde watchmen and such Priests set ouer them as had no knowledge which made the Prophet Esay call for all the beasts of the field to deuoure them and all the beasts of the Forrest to eate them vp giuing this as the reason For their watchmen are all blinde and haue no knowledge Esay 56 9 10. Hence it is that the Prophet Malachi teacheth That the Priests lips should preserue knowledge the people seeke the Law at their mouth for they are the Messengers of the Lord of hoasts Mal. 2 7. This therefore sheweth and condemneth the grosse and greeuous sinne of many amongst vs that occupy the places of Pastors and cannot feede that run before they were sent take vpon thē to be lights and yet are darknesse These can haue no comfort in their calling because they were neuer designed or called of God to this place For whomsoeuer he calleth to any function hee enableth in some measure to discharge the duty which hee hath required of them They indanger their owne soules the soules of many other for when the blind leade the blinde both fall into the ditch Greg. hom 11. in Ezekiel and one saith truely that we murther the soules of such as we see runne the way of destruction when we are carelesse and hold our peace Vse 2 Secondly it behoueth all the Ministers of the word of God to make conscience to deliuer the truth and all the truth vnto the people howsoeuer it be taken according to the example of the Apostles Peter and Iohn answered vnto them and saide Whether it bee right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge yee for we cannot but speake the things which we haue seene and heard Acts 4 19 20. And Paul exhorting the Elders and Ouerseers of the Church of Ephesus setteth before their eyes his owne practise that he had kept back nothing that was profitable but had shewed them all things necessary to saluation I take you to record this day that I am pure frō the blood of all men for I haue concealed nothing but haue reuealed vnto you all the counsell of God Acts 20 20 26 27. If we be carefull and conscionable in doing this duty faithfully to God and his people we shall reape and receiue more sound comfort thereby then by the powerfull effect of our Ministery True it is all painfull Teachers esteeme nothing more nor so much as of the people whom they haue gained to God and godlinesse accounting them their ioy their crowne 1. Th. 2 19 20. and their glory and yet we may reape more true comfort and consolation by discharging our duties carefully then by sauing soules and by turning many to righteousnesse if we could winne whole kingdomes to God For we may saue others from death and conuert a sinner from going astray out of his way and yet after this our selues become reprobates wee may be the sweet sauour of life to life to others and not our selues to God Thus was it with many Priests of loose licentions life vnder the Law Thus it was with Iudas who wrought miracles preached the Gospel and conuerted soules as wel as the rest of the Apostles yet was the sonne of perdition And thus no doubt it was with the Scribes and Pharisies that sate in Moses chayre and taught the people what they should obserue and doe like vnto
those workmen that builded the Arke for others but were drowned themselues Let vs then labour after the especiall comfort consisting in the deliuerie of the whole will of God that though our hearers perish and go vnto destruction yet wee may find peace and comfort to our own harts This was it which the Apostle rested in hee preached Christ not onely as a Sauiour to theÌ„ that beleeue but as a Iudge of them that contemne him he saith We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued in them which perish to the one we are the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life for we are not as many which make merchandize of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake wee in Christ 2 Cor. 2 15 16 17. Thus doth the Prophet Esay prophesie concerning Christ bringing him in on the one side complaining of the contempt of his preaching and on the other side comforting himselfe that his worke was approued of God I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God Esay 49 4. If we be found faithfull we shall be partakers of this comfort blessed shall that seruant be whom his master when he commeth shall finde so doing So then this duty serueth to comfort such as haue taught the word of God not only truely but wholly and onely so that they are able to appeale to the consciences of their hearers to witnesse with their sincerity Thus did the Apostle Paul in many places In the 20. chap. of the Acts vers 18 26 he saith Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men Where he maketh them witnesses of his diligence in preaching and of the discharge of his duty in his calling and therefore they could not deny it Thus he speaketh in his second Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 3 v. 1 2 The like manner of speaking dealing hath beene vsed by the Prophets and Apostles as appeareth in sundry places yea by Christ Iesus himselfe Samuel cleareth himselfe before the people Behold heere I am beare record of me befere the Lord and before his Annointed 1. Sam. 12 3. So Christ speaketh Which of you can accuse me and rebuke mee of sinne Iohn 8 46. This is a great and singular comfort to all the Ministers that in truth shal be able to auouch to their people this their diligence vprightnesse and to say in the face of the Congregation Ye know that I haue done my duty I take you to record that I haue admonished you I haue blown the Trumpet and taught you the way of saluation This is expedient and necessary for the Minister to vtter of himselfe both in respect of the godly and vngodly of the godly that their soules gained to the faith might cleare him and God haue the glory Of the wicked his aduersaries that they might be left without excuse that their mouthes might be stopped they haue nothing iustly to lay against him But contrariwise when the people haue beene ignorant and without instruction thorough the want of performance of this duty this should bee as great a greefe and anguish of spirit and bring as great trouble of conscience to consider his negligence and want of loue to their soules that were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ Thirdly this serueth to confute and conuince Vse sundry errors and to correct sundry euill practises and corrupt abuses First it meeteth with many errors and heresies of the church of Rome which maintaineth the sowre leauen of false doctrine and poysons the truth of God with their owne inuentions And seeing the Minister is to set downe but the truth of God we must learne to detest apocryphall additions and their humane traditions both which are a derogation to the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures For touching the Apocryphall Bookes which they haue lifted vp into the chayre of estate and giuen them equall power and preheminence with the Canonicall Scriptures they are but base counterfet coyne and no part of the Churches treasure they haue drosse mingled with them are not pure and perfect mettall They were not endited by the Spirit of God nor penned by the Prophets 〈◊〉 3 16. Pet. 1 19. the Lords Secretaries as the Scriptures were which haue God for their author and the holy Prophets for their Penmen Againe they were neuer committed of trust to the Iewes nor receiued of them into the Arke as not onely the fathers but the aduersaries themselues confesse and acknowledge but the ancient Church of the Iewes receiued and approued all the Canonical Booke Rom. 3 2. God did commend them to their care committed them to their custody for this was one chiefe priuiledge of the Iewes that they were credited with the Oracles of God And howsoeuer they shewed their ignorance in false interpretations yet they discouered no vnfaithfulnesse in wilfull corruptions additions alterations or manglings of any Bookes for then they should haue beene charged with this â—â—h 5 21. as well as with the other Lastly they containe sundry things that disagree from the true Scriptures of God likewise from theÌ„selues as might be declared and demonstrated by many particulars Seeing therfore these bookes called Apocrypha were neyther penned by the Prophets nor deliuered to the church of the Israelites neither are free from diuers contradictions we conclude that the Church of Rome hath no warrant to equal them with the holy Scriptures make them of like credite and authority with the Scriptures Againe 〈…〉 Ses 4 they offend in teaching humane traditions in making a word vnwritten equall with the word written and holding the Scriptures to be vnperfect maimed lame not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation not fully enabling the Minister to discharge his Calling But the holy Scriptures are perfect absolute and all-sufficient to teach the truth to conuince errors 〈◊〉 3 16 17. to correct vices and to instruct in righteousnesse yea to make the man of God perfect and throughly instructed in euery good worke and are of strength ability and sufficiency to make him wise to saluation Lastly they are accursed that adde any thing that take away any thing froÌ„ that which is written Deut. 4 2. Prou. 30 6. Reuel 22 18. and therefore no such vnwritten verities are to be taught or preached to the people as the matter of our Sermons or the instrument of our faith or the means of our saluation Moreouer it serueth to redresse and amend sundry corrupt practises too common and familiar among the Ministers of the Gospel Some in stead of building vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus
diuels Fish in the sea that is all soules in Purgatory Moreouer as this course of interpretation turneth the Scripture into Allegories so it ouerturneth the rules of Interpretation Saint Augustine in his famous bookes of Christian Doctrine handleth at large the manner how to expound the Scripture and what wayes are to be taken to find out the true meaning therof De doct chri lib. 1. 2 3 Hieron in Esai cap. 19 Where he teacheth that seeing the loue of God and of our neighbour is the end of the whole Scripture that must be a false interpretation which doth not build vp in this loue that we must expound the darke places by the plaine the fewer by the greater number that the study of artes knowledge of the toongs is necessary that we must expound Scripture by Scripture that wee must distinguish betweene precepts precepts betweene those that are giuen to all and those that were particularly directed to certaine persons that we must diligently marke all circumstances what goeth before and what followeth after that we must pray vnto him that is the Author of the Scriptures who onely is able to reueale the meaning of his owne word These rules are diligently to be considered of al those that come to expound the Scriptures As for hidden and secret sences we know them not we acknowledge them not we beleeue them not but leaue them to those that seeke an hidden diuinity and a secret religion deuised in their owne braines which will not abide the tryall of the light And thus much touching the true vnderstanding of this diuision and of ouerthrowing the false interpretation thereof now let vs come to the Doctrines that arise out of the same Verse 16. Againe the Lord spake vnto Moses saying c. We heard before the heauy wrath of God that fell vpon the Israelites the heads of thē were hanged the rest of the people were plagued with a sore plague there died in one day foure and twenty thousand But did the Midianites escape the hand of God that were the enticers of them who offered theyr daughters that they should commit fornication with them No they did not escape God giueth Moses charge to draw the sword against them and to destroy them Heere then we are to obserue the order which God obserueth in punishing The Midianites sinned first but the Israelites are first punished The Israelites sinned after the Midianites but the Midianites are punished after them From this course of Gods iudgements Doctrine God doth first chasten his owne people wee learne this Doctrine that God first chasteneth his owne people Howsoeuer he will not suffer the vngodly to escape nor to goe away without punishment but executeth his iust iudgments against them yet he will begin with his owne Church lay the rod vpon them in the first place He could if it had pleased him haue punished these Midianites first as the principal authors of all this mischiefe but he beginneth in iustice with his Church which were drawne to idolatry and adultery by them Thus the Lord dealt with Moses and Aaron when the people murmured through want of water repented of their going out of Egypt and rebelling against God assembling themselues in tumultuous manner against the seruants of GOD that had led them in the wildernesse and carried them in safety as vpon Eagles wings These were the first and chiefe in the offence yet because Moses and Aaron beleeued not the Lord to sanctifie him in the presence of the children of Israel they were first punished and not suffered to bring the congregation into the land which hee had giuen them Num. 20 12. This wee see further confirmed vnto vs in the latter end of the booke of Iob he had indeed offended God and spoken vnaduisedly with his lippes but his three friends had offended much more grossely then he for the wrath of God was kindled against them because they had not spoken of him the thing that is right like his seruant Iob Iob 42 7. Neuerthelesse Iob is rebuked first albeit he were the party that had lesse offended First God findeth fault with Iob and secondly hee findeth fault with his companions The holy history teacheth vs that Iehoshaphat ioyned in affinity with Ahab and went into the battell with him True it is he sinned grieuously in helping the wicked and louing them that hated the Lord for the which he is reproued of the Prophet yet many good things were found in him and he was righteous in respect of Ahab 2. Chron. 19 1 notwithstanding the wrath of the Lord began first to fal vpon him and he had perished in the fight being compassed by his enemies vnlesse hee had cryed vnto the Lord to helpe him who moued them to depart from him 2 Chron. 18.31 This is it which the Prophet Ieremy declareth at large shewing the order of the Lords proceeding in punishing such as sinne against him first he will rayse vp the Caldeans to chastice his Church and then the Caldeans themselues shall not escape I will send and take to me all the families of the North and I will bring them against this Land against the inhabitants therof and this whole land shall bee desolate and an astonishment and these nations shall serue the King of Babel seuenty yeeres when the seuenty yeares are accomplished c. Ier. 25 9 11 12. This is it which the Prophet complaineth of in the Psalme These are the wicked yet prosper they alwayes and encrease in riches Certainely I haue cleansed my heart in vaine washed mine hands in innocency c. Psal 73 12 13. And if we consider eyther the state of the Church generally or the condition of the members of the Church particularly we may in all times and ages see the truth of this doctrine and conclude with the Apostle Peter The time is come that iudgment must begin with the house of God 1. Pet. 4 17. Reason 1 The reasons will further open vnto vs the certainty of this truth and serue to cleare the iustice of God in obseruing this order For first as hee that honoureth the Lord shall bee honoured so they that despise the Lord shall be despised 2. Sam. 2 30. But none more dishonour GOD then his seruants offending against him whose sinnes presse him downe as the sheaues do a cart They open the mouthes of the vngodly to speake euil of God and his trueth If then Gods owne people the lot of his inheritance doe despise him and cause his Name to be blasphemed if they neglect his honour and turne his mercies vnto security and his grace into wantonnesse and so with a proud heart and an high hand set themselues against it can he beare it and wil hee not be reuenged on such a nation as this 1. Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2 24. There can be no greater despite done vnto a man then when his owne children rise against him and offer all villany vnto him So
to ouersee their manners to redresse their disorders and to teach and instruct them in the wayes of godlinesse To these Salomon speaketh Pro. 27 23 24. Bee diligent to know the state of thy flocks and looke well to thy heards For riches are not for euer and doth the Crowne endure to euery generation When the Sheepheard is gone frō the Lambes the wolfe watcheth to take his prey The husbandman sowed good seed in his field but while he slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheate Mat. 13 25. The diuell watcheth all occasions and maketh his vse of all aduantages to deceiue and seduce and therefore we must take heed we giue him no occasions Moses was absent from the people but forty dayes and what a change found he among them at his returne how deepely had they plunged themselues into idolatry and how had they corrupted the worshippe of God and were departed from him Such is the corruption of nature and prophanenes of the heart to euill continually Gen. 6 5 that they which are vnder vs are ready to fall into euill euen while wee are with them and haue them in a manner before our eyes much more when we are absent from them as Moses speaketh of the people Behold while I am yet aliue with you this day yee haue beene rebellious against the Lord and how much more after my death Deuteronomy chapter thirty one verse 27 Let vs take heed of long and vnnecessary absence from our priuate charges as wel as they ought that haue publike charges lest while by our absence wee prouide for their bodies we do not destroy their soules for want of our presence I will conclude this point with the words of Salomon Prou. 27 8. As a bird that wandreth from her nest so is a man that wandreth from his place Verse 10. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them vp together with Korah when that company dyed what time the fire deuoured c In the description of the Tribe of Reuben he fingleth out Dathan and Abiram as arch-conspirators against Moses the lawfull Magistrate set ouer the people they opposed themselues against authority and therefore perish As they withstood Aaron wee haue spoken before Numb chapter sixteene now consider theyr facte as they rebelliously stroue against Moses and in him against the Lord. Doctrine It is a fearfull sinne to withstand gouernment and authority We learne heereby that it is a fearefull and greeuous sinne to set our selues against lawful gouernment and authority which God hath set ouer vs. This is a most wicked and vngodly worke and the Scripture condemneth it in euery place Hos 8 3 4. Roman 13 1. 2. Pet. 2 10. Iude verse 8. The continuall practise of all the godly throughout the olde and new Testament tend to the contrary to commend to vs obedience for conscience sake and to reproue and condemne all resistance opposition as a worke of the flesh for they euermore submitted thēselues to those that were Magistrates Christ Iesus the Lord of all was not bound to Caesar in any sort whether wee consider him as God or as man Not as he was God Caesar was subiect vnto him and owed to him homage and obedience for as Dauid in spirit called him Lord Mat. 22 43 so might Cesar also and all Princes and Potentates in the world Not as he was man because he was of the blood royall of the seed of Dauid and the right heyre to the kingdome whereas Cesar had no other right but what he got by the sword and therefore he ought to haue receyued not to haue payde tribute yet because he would giue good example to others not offence to any Math. 17 27 he gaue to the receyuers for himselfe and for Peter a Stater which is thought to amount to halfe an ounce of siluer in value two shillings six pence after fiue shillings the ounce And as he taught them by his practise so likewise hee did by words to giue vnto Cesar the things which are Cesars Mat. 22 21. So did Paul for the tryall of the truth and the iustice of his cause appeale vnto Cesar from the high Priests who were carried with rage and enuy against him Acts 25 11. Psalm 18 43 44. Reason 1 The grounds heereof are euident First because publike authority is Gods ordinance euery soule ought to be subiect vnto it because it is of God Rom. 13 1 2. and whosoeuer resisteth it resisteth God himselfe The people of Israel were reiected of God for resisting the manner of gouernment that God had appointed when he set Iudges ouer them and they would needs haue a king to iudge them like all the Nations 1 Sam. 8 5 much more then shall they bee reiected of God that resist gouernment it selfe and be accounted foule fearefull sinners before him Reason 2 Secondly because the opposition against gouernment and the denying and withstanding of it must needs bring all confusion that may be so that nothing can be in peace and quietnesse It is saide and often repeated in the booke of Iudges that euery man did what he list because they had no gouernment Iudg. 18 1 and 17 6 and 21 25. God is the God of order not of confusion and therefore he alloweth of Magistrates because he would haue order among men Take away a Generall out of the field and expose the whole army to rout what followeth but the destruction and carnage of the whole host Take away the Pilot out of the Ship it is the ready way to perish the Ship so if you take away the Magistrate which is as the Chieftaine of the army and as the Master of the Shippe we shall liue a life more sauage and vnreasonable then the vnreasonable beasts leade the great ones would deuoure the lesse the rich the poore the strong ones them that are weake nothing would appeare but a miserable face of hauocke and confusion Before we proceed to the vses Obiect it is necessary to remoue an obiection For to resist gouernment may not be so fearefull a sinne forasmuch as sometimes it is said to be of God as the Scripture speaking of the apostacy of the ten Tribes from the house of Dauid saith that the Lord would giue them to Ieroboam and rent the kingdome from the house of Dauid 1 Ki. 13 31 and chap. 12 15 this was done from the Lord and verse 24 the other Tribes are commanded not to go vp to fight against Ieroboam and his followers for this saith the Lord is from me How then can the rebellion of the ten Tribes be a fearefull sinne seeing it was from the Lord. Answer Answer To cleere this point we must vnderstand that Gods appointment of Ieroboam to bee King and the renting off the house of Salomon doth not iustifie the acte of this people that it was not sin in them for this came to passe by the decree of God yet the people are not iustified in giuing him
the kingdome nor he in accepting of it inasmuch as they did it not out of any obedience to the will of God but they did it to ease themselues from the cruelty and tyranny that Rehoboam was likely to vse toward them and therefore they sinned because they had no commandement from God Let vs come to the vses First this confuteth Vse 1 the doctrine of the Anabaptists or Libertines that deny all authority as not fitting for Christians to beare They teach their owne dreames that neyther Christians should bee Magistrates nor yet subiect to Magistrates an horrible impiety in them and it would not be worth the time to shew how they wrest the Scripture to defend their owne errour which otherwise they nothing regard Secondly it serueth to taxe Popery and Vse 2 that out of their owne grounds for the Rhemists haue a rule vpon Iude verse 6 that they are heretiques that deny authority and they would father it and fasten it vpon vs because we deny subiection to the Pope But we retort it vpon themselues For neuer was there any that did cast off the yoke of authority so much as they haue done They haue put downe the mighty from their seates and trod vpon the neckes of Princes they haue dethroned Kings and armed the sonne against the father Vnder a colour of the holy warre they haue sent them abroad and betrayed them into the hands of the Sarazens and in their absence seized vpon their Dominions There was neuer heretique did so shrinke vp the sinewes and shake off the yoke of authority as they haue done It is a rule that they haue that Ecclesiasticall men ought to be free from all ciuill authority whatsoeuer and that Cleargy men must be exempted from subiection to the secular powers so that they not we are the heretiques that despise authority As for the Bishop of Rome wee owe him no seruice neyther may he claime iurisdiction ouer the vniuersall Church eyther by Scriptures Fathers Councels or imperiall Constitutions for many ages Vse 3 Lastly this serueth as an information to vs that wee auoyde all such proud and peeuish conceits as these to imagine there shold be no authority and bee prouoked to bee thankfull vnto almighty GOD that we do enioy authority seeing by it wee are freed from confusion and desolation from much mutiny and misery that otherwise would befall vs. For notwithstanding by the great goodnesse of God we haue authority such is the fury and fiercenesse of wicked men that they breake out into strange enormities and commit many feareful things by poysonings by stabbings by cousenages by oppressions by forgery and falsehood and such like mischeeuous and monstrous practises what then would they presume to do if there were no authority to bring them and their doings into question and to call them to an account for their audacious courses A man should alwayes haue his life in his hand there could be no peace or safety in our houses and habitations if there were no authority to rule to controlle to terrifie to punish and therefore how thankfull ought we to bee to almighty God for that authority which he hath set ouer vs and for the peaceable gouernment we enioy vnder our gracious Soueraigne Now this must withall be acknowledged of vs that no man can be truely thankfull for authority that is not willingly and cheerefully subiect to authority It is a friuolous and vaine thing to pretend thankfulnesse and yet not vndergoe the yoke of obedience with cheerefulnesse Verse 11. Notwithstanding the Children of Korah died not What became of Korah himselfe we haue seene before His name was famous in the Congregation but he became infamous through his rebellion and it is called the gainesaying of Korah to this day Iude verse 11. Notwithstanding marke heere that the sonnes of Korah perished not when their father perished and was punished who spake euill of them that were in authorty for it appeareth that they were preserued aliue and became afterward famous in the Church of God and honourable mention is made of them in the booke of Psalmes and of the Chronicles 1. Chronicles chapter 6 verse 22. Psalm 42 and Psalme 44 and Psalme 45 and sundry others afterward as 2 Chronicles chapter 20 verse 19. From hence ariseth this Doctrine Doctrine It is no disgrace for godlie children to descend of vngodly parents that it is no disgrace for godly children to descend and come of vngodly parents Howsoeuer sinne be a reproch to the parents themselues yet it taketh not hold of their issue except they walke in those sinnes Ezek. 18 14. If hee beget a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done and considereth doth not the like c. he shall surely liue Iephte is commended for a faithfull man that fought the battels of the Lord subdued the enemies of his people yet he was the sonne of an harlot Iudg. 11 1. Heb. chap. 11 verse 32. This farther appeareth in Saul and Ionathan the one of them the greatest enemy the other the greatest friend of Dauid the one sware his death the other his life the father to kill him the sonne to saue him and therefore it was no dishonor to him to haue such a father The like we might say of Ahaz a most wicked man and Hezekiah a most godly King one of the best sonnes of one of the worst fathers yet who accounteth the worse of good Hezekiah because he had wicked Ahaz to his father Ieroboam king of Israel set vp idolatry and caused Israel to sinne and therefore the Lord threateneth to bring euill vppon his house that the dogges should eate him that dyed in the City and the fowles of the ayre him that dyed in the field 1 Kings chapter 14 verse 10 so that they should all be swept away as a man taketh away dung till it be all gone yet God gaue him one good sonne whom in mercy he tooke to himselfe and saued as a brand out of the fire or as a Sheepheard taketh out of the mouth of the Lyon two legges or a peece of an eare Amos chapter 3 verse 12 and therefore it is said All Israel shall mourne for him for hee onely of Ieroboam shall come to the graue because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel The grounds of this truth follow First Reason 1 that election might stand wholly by grace forasmuch as almighty God sheweth mercy where and to whom hee will If religion should descend from father to son in a common and ordinary course of generation or propagation without any interruption it might be thought to bee a worke of nature not of grace and to proceede from parents not from almighty GOD. Therefore bee often breaketh off that course so that wicked parents haue sometimes good and godly children and contrariwise godly parents haue wicked and vile children that the purpose of GOD according to election might stand not of works
no Ministers or teachers to instruct them Matth. 9 36 for as the one sort are in danger of the destruction of the body so are the other of the losse of the soule whereby subiects should learne to be obedient to their Magistrates to be thankfull to God where he hath set them and vnder them to profite in the wayes of godlines lest for our vnthankfulnesse and other sinnes they bee taken away from vs. But the point which is cheefly heere intended Doctrine Magistrates haue their calling immediately from God is this That Magistrates haue their calling and holde their places immediately from God for the good of the people 2 Chro. 9 8. Salomon was set in his throne by God himselfe not by the high Priest or the people Dan. 2 21 37. It is sayde of Dauid that God chose him to be King hee delighted in him to make him King 1 Chron. 28 4. He chose him from the sheepefold to feede his people Iacob and Israel his inheritance Psal 78 71. It is sayd of Saul The Lord hath annointed thee to bee Gouernor of his inheritance 1 Sam. 10 1. God said to the Prophet touching Hazael Iehu Annoint Hazael king of Syria and Iehu shalt thou annoint king of Israel 1 Kings 19 15. So then they hold of God in cheefe and not of men Reason 1 The grounds heereof follow First of all the Scriptures call kings the Lieutenants and ministers of God Rom. 13 4. There is no power but of God the powers that bee are ordained of God c. For he is the minister of God to thee for good and not onely so but they are called gods on earth Psa 82 6. Exod. 22 28 because they sitte in his place and are to execute his iudgements Reason 2 Secondly they are bound to giue an account onely to God and not to man for as they are next and immediate to God and inferiour to none but to him so for all their actions they shall reckon with him The officers sent out by him the Iudges that execute iustice the Ministers and all that preach the Gospel and al that rule in the Church in Commonwealth or in the house must giue an account to him but he to none sauing to him that hath called him Tertullian sayth well Hee maketh him Emperor Apolog. cap. 30. who made him a man before he was Emperor from him hee holdeth his Scepter of whom he hath his soule Obiect But it may be obiected that Peter calleth it an ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2 13 Submit yourselues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake If then it be an humane ordinance how may it be diuine I answer Answer the magistrate is so called not because men are the authors of it or may dissolue it but first because men do execute it not God or the Angels Secondly because it is ordained for the vse benefit and profit of men it is ordained for men as Heb. 5 1. So wee may say of the King he is taken from among men and he is ordained for men Vse 1 This reprooueth the Church of Rome together with the great byshop mighty aduancers of that See that giue temporal power to the Pope and make him the soueraign Monarch of the earth as if all the world were one body and he the soule that quickneth mooueth nourisheth and vpholdeth that body or as if Kings and Princes held their temporall possessions dominions and iurisdictions of him as it were their land in Capite and as if that proud byshoppe had power to cite these as his subiects or vassals iudicially to appeare before his Consistorie Howbeit the Pope himselfe hath no more then hee can claime from Peter if so much neyther can Peter haue any more then hee can deriue from Christ But Christ himselfe while he liued vpon the earth tooke vpon him no temporall iurisdiction he refused to be made a king Iohn 6 hee refused to be a Iudge in ciuill causes and in diuiding inheritances Luke 12 13. He payd pol-mony as others did Matth. 17 he submitted himself to the iudgement of Pilate and commaunded all to giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars Mat. 22. This was the doctrine of Peter his example also What then shall the seruant be aboue his master or will he that calleth himselfe the seruant of seruants vsurpe that which neither Peter the supposed founder of that supremacy nor yet Christ himselfe euer challenged or vsurped The answer of Bellarmine to this is to bee marked which is as the egge whereof the treasons and rebellions were hatched that haue abounded in these last dayes De pont Ro◠lib. 5. cap. 6. For he and his fellowes sound out the trumpet of sedition and secretly instill damnable poyson into the hearts and eares of their hearers and readers that Christ refused to diuide the inheritance lest the office of the Prelacy shold be stained with such base and abiect Offices and that Peter submitted himself to Cesar because then he was weak and not able to recouer his right but if he had bin strong enough he would neuer haue yeelded to him I answer first it is no base calling to be a iudge of inheritances it is an honorable place to sitte in the courts of iustice and in the seat of iudgement Againe as Christ refused to be a Iudge so hee refused to be a king also taught them that his kingdom is not of this world Is it a base office to be a king or dishonorable to rule a kingdom Besides as he refused ciuill honor so he performed ciuill subiection and thereby acknowledged his obedience and homage vnto Cesar by his doctrine practice Wherefore it is certaine hee refused to deale in these causes because they wer not befitting his calling who came to preach not to rule to diuide the word aright not the wealth of the world Secondly where they teach that Peter putteth the church in mind of obedience because it was not then able to resist this is to despise gouernment to arme the subiect against the prince to make way for treasons insurrections and is contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures and the practise of former times as we haue shewed at large elsewhere Secondly it reproueth such as teach that Princes Vse 2 excōmunicate by the Popes sentence are not to be obeyed and that their subiects are discharged of their oth of alleageance toward them so long as they lye vnder that censure But the Apostle willeth that obedience should be yeelded euen to wicked and idolatrous Princes such as are enemies to the Gospel of Christ and that for conscience sake Rom. 13 5. The Christians in the primitiue Church wanted not number nor strength to haue resisted and deposed Pagan Emperours as Tertullian teacheth Tertul. Apolog. for they had filled euery towne and citty euery campe and corner yet they neuer stirred or offered to make insurrection but offered themselues to be killed for
then to keepe the dayes they thought it enough to leaue the works of theyr calling though they did neuer forsake the works of the flesh and therefore he chargeth them that their hands were full of blood verse 15. So is it with vs we rest for the most part in the outward ceremony in honouring God with our lippes and bodily presence in his house we bring no more but our outward eares to heare and neglect the preparation of the heart and yet flatter our selues as if we had done all that he requireth Howbeit God reiecteth and refuseth such duty at our hands hee cannot abide the seruice and sacrifice that is offered in this manner Hence it is that he saith I hate I despise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies though yee offer mee burnt offerings and your meate offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fatte beasts Amos chapter the fift the 21 and 22 verses Not that almighty GOD hated or abhorred the thinges themselues hee did not reiect their works but the euill of their works Esay chapter 1 verse 16 so he cannot abide that we come before him in that corrupt manner but we assemble for the worse and not for the better and by our corruption turne his sauing ordinances into sinne 16 And in the fourteenth day of the first moneth is the Passeouer of the Lord. 17 And in the fifteenth day of this moneth is the feast seuen daies shall vnleauened bread be eaten 18 In the first day shall be an holy conuocation c. 19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by sire for a burnt offring vnto the Lord two young Bullocks one Ramme and seuen Lambes of a yeere old c. 20 And their meate offering shall be of c. 21 A seuerall tenth deale c. 22 And one Goat for a sinne offering c. 23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning c. After this maner c. 25 An on c. Wee come now to the yearely feasts and sacrifices whereof the Passeouer hath the first place wherein beside the dayly sacrifice they were to offer two young Bullocks and one Ramme and seuen Lambs of the first yeare without blemish for a burnt offering and their meat offering must be of flower mingled with oyle and they must eate vnleauened bread seuen dayes the first day the seuenth must be an holy conuocation wherein they must do no seruile worke Of this feast wee reade at large Exod. 12 18. Leuit. 23 5 7. Deut. 16 1. Of this feast we haue also spoken before at large chap. 9 2 3. And it was of great importance euen the foundation of all the benefits which the Iewes receyued at Gods hands without which they had beene no people separated and dedicated vnto almighty God This Paschall Lambe was not a bare ceremony Vse 1 without doctrine and instruction The Iewes departed in great haste out of Egypt And how not armed or with bannners displayed as if theyr enemies had stood in feare of them but they went out like a company of poore fugitiues or banished persons The women carried theyr children vpon theyr shoulders the men tooke vp theyr stuffe vpon theyr necks and fled out of the Land as Lot did out of Sodome for theyr liues They were a people that had no skill to handle the sword or weapon of warre defensiue or offensiue they had beene vsed like Oxen for labor and like Asses for burden And when they must depart it was saide Get you hence Exod. 12 29 they must trusse vp the Corne they had grownd and bake cakes by the way to eate This solemnity they obserued yearely wherin they did eate cakes without leauen which serued to put them in minde that when theyr fathers departed out of Egypt they were a poore distressed people and ranne away like silly Lambes pursued by deuouring wolues This should teach all of vs that God would haue vs remember such deliuerances out of danger as he hath sent vs. We are apt to forget what he hath done for vs as the Iewes were and therefore we must consider to what end God commanded his people to celebrate this feast euery yeare that not for one day but for seuen dayes together and doth so often vrge it vpon them as we see in the Scriptures And albeit this feast haue no place in the new Testament but is iustly abrogated abolished because the shadow must giue place to the body and the ceremony to the truth yet wee must not thinke the commending of it euery where to the Church to bee in vaine For it serues to put vs in minde both of Gods mercy and goodnesse vnto his Church who though he bring them into sundry perils that are ready to oppresse them yet he is ready to deliuer them out of all yea when things seeme to bee most desperate and also of our duty toward him to giue him thankes for our deliuerances and to praise his Name Secondly from hence it followeth that it Vse 2 was a vaine and friuolous controuersie which troubled sundry Churches and rent in sunder one of them from another touching the keeping of the Passeouer Some would haue it kept on the 14. day of the moneth after the manner of the Iewes and others on the Lords day after lest the Church should follow the Synagogue Victor Bishop of Rome did threaten all the East Churches with the censure of excommunication because they celebrated the Passeouer another day then on the Lords day But Ireneus and other holy Bishops reproued him of obstinacy of pride and arrogancy wrote vnto him that he did not well in that he cut from the vnity of the body of the Church so many and so great Churches of Christ which obserued the order deliuered vnto them from ancient times as appeareth in Eusebius For the Churches of the East pretended that they followed Iohn and Philip and the Churches of the West alledged the examples of Paul and Peter for theyr warrant and one clayme was fully as good and haply as true as the other This strife doth the Bishop of Rome at this day nourish and renew againe that had bene long buried in the graue and couered with ashes by his new Calendar and thrusteth vpon the Church his owne ordinance concerning the obseruatiō of Easter as a diuine precept and consequently necessary to be kept and obserued of the Church vsurping iurisdiction and authority ouer all Churches to rule ouer them and their faith at his pleasure Cardinall Bellarmine going about to establish traditions against the all-sufficient doctrine of the Scriptures auoucheth that we must necessarily beleeue that the Passeouer is to be kept in the new Testament on the Lords day onely because they haue bene accounted heretikes who kept it otherwise and yet this cannot be proued by the Scripture I answer the former controuersie was at the last thus defined and
discoraged to thinke they are none of his Or if a false fellow come forth and lay claime to our inheritance will that barre the true owner of his right or make him to let goe his holde What if a mad man out of his wits should say that the Crowne and Kingdome is his would we therefore thinke it is so indeed Or if some should shew false and counterfet pearles will the Goldsmith be discouraged and think that his also are naught and of the same stampe In like sort we may reason What though some do not beleeue or will not apply Christ vnto themselues What if satan haue deluded them with the spirit of errour and blinded them with the mists of ignorance shall wee therefore suffer our selues to be beguiled and to be brought to think that we haue no true knowledge or faith or that we ought not to apply Christ Iesus in particular to our selues To conclude we may be bold to auouch that the diuels haue as much faith as the papists teach and beleeue For the diuell can say and that truly I do beleeue I beleeue that remission of sinnes is sealed vp by Christ for saluation so that hee may beleeue as much as any Papist in the worlde holding the principles of their own doctrine forasmuch as the Romish faith is no other then historicall to beleeue the Scriptures and al things written in them to be true but they neuer come to the principal maine matter wherein the comfort of a Christian lyeth to make particular application of any thing to themselues Vse 2 Secondly it admonisheth euery man to examine himselfe and to try whether his faith be true or not this is the counsell and commandement of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13 5. as we heard before and how shall we better do it theÌ„ by making particular application of those things which ought to bee beleeued to beleeue that God is our God that the Lord Iesus is our Sauior that we are righteous by his obedience that wee haue the pardon of our sinnes that wee haue receyued the grace of sanctification and that wee shall be partakers of eternall life For as faith is the life of the soule so this application is the life of faith If we finde this in vs then certainly we haue a true a liuely a iustifying faith otherwise we deceyue our selues with a shadow and opinion of faith when in truth we are vtterly destitute of it And if men were brought to their tryall heerein it is greatly to be suspected and feared that not onely they in the Church of Rome but many that liue in the Church of God it selfe will bee found to want the true faith and to please themselues with a naked shew of it For some haue not a generall knoledge and therefore cannot haue so much as a generall faith Many albeit they haue a generall knowledge yet they will not nay they cannot in special apply Christ and his benefits vnto themselues because such is their simplicity or sottishnesse that they condemne this doctrine of applying Christ to themselues say it is to some a doctrine of presumption to others the pathway leading to desperation These are afraid to go so farre and dare not meddle with it They will hope well as the Papists do and thinke well but they cannot abide to heare of any particular application These are as men that are afraid of their good friends whose case must needs be lamentable and they stand in a dangerous nay I may say in a damnable condicion because without this application there can be no true faith and without true faith no saluation We haue experience of some in our dayes who out of a melancholy humor perswade themselues that they may not eate because they are vnworthy to touch their meate and by this meanes are the cause of their owne death and yet they thinke they may see it and talke of it but by no meanes may touch it This is the faith of many Christians among vs they thinke they may heare of the things that belong to saluation and reason of them but by no meanes they may apply them these mens case is very dangerous for they must needs perish eternally For as life is maintained not by looking vpon our meate or by speaking of it or by hearing of it but by taking and applying of it so the soule is sustayned and life preserued in it not by hearing of the promises of the Gospel nor by assenting vnto them but by applying of them vnto our selues When the Israelites were stung in the wildernesse with the fiery serpents and scorpions Deut. 8 15 insomuch that many dyed if any should haue saide I am not worthy to look vp to the brazen serpent and to fasten mine eies vpon it I know indeed that God hath appointed it as the only means and remedy to recouer them that are stung but I dare not presume to behold it because of mine vnworthinesse would we not thinke that it were iust that this man should perish So is it in this case many men know that God hath sent his Sonne into the world and that he dyed for the sinnes of the world yet many are so desperate that they talke and dispute of nothing but of their owne vnworthinesse and say they would apply Christ but they dare not they are such greeuous sinners Howbeit he that was worthy to take the booke out of the right hand of the Father and to open it Reuel 5 2 5 11 12 hath also made his children partakers of his worthinesse Reuel 3 4. They shall walke with me in white for they are worâ—hy His merits are become our merits and his righteousnesse is made ours 2 Cor. 5 21. Wherfore whosoeuer they are that eyther through the corruption of their owne hearts or through the tentation of Satan doe not truely apply Christ vnto themselues and his death to theyr saluation but make it a matter of presumption their condition is miserable and they are yet in the way to destruction and may iustly feare that the wrath and iudgements of God will ouertake them Lastly this point is very sweet and comfortable Vse 3 to euery one that is able though with much weaknesse and many infirmities in particular to apply the generall promises of God and the Gospel to himselfe because such shall be sure to finde God gracious vnto them and if they be stung by the old serpent they shall be healed because they can look vp to to the 2. ferpent that God hath set vp and appointed to be the healer and helper of them If they be hungry they shal be sure to be satisfied Christ is the true bread that came downe from Heauen Iohn 6 they eate him by faith and so apply in particular the generall promises to theÌ„selues This is it indeed that ought to encourage euery man to labour for this particular application not like hypocrites to content theÌ„selues with generall things as if they were
Thirdly there are some that extend this Vse 3 Law to all the Iewes in generall as if they were all forbidden to take a wife any where saue in theyr owne tribe But if wee marke the words of the Law we shall finde that they are not to be vnderstood of men but onely of women and not of all women neyther but of such as are heyres and receiue a possession for want of issue male These might not marry out of theyr tribe but others which had none inheritance were left free to marry where they pleased whether in theyr tribe or out of theyr tribe because this is rendred as a reason of the Law that the inheritance might not remoue from one tribe to another verse 9. It was lawfull for them to take a wife of the nations round about them that was not of the seed of Abraham when there was no danger by a contrary religion as appeareth by many examples Mathew 1 3 5 so was it permitted to them to make choyce of a wife out of another tribe that was not to inherite her fathers possession And this was neyther forbidden in the Law nor yet obserued by the Iewes To marry in their owne tribe was neither forbidden nor obserued Exod. 6 23. The Law did not restrayne theyr marriage because it medleth onely with those that were heyres and forbiddeth the possessions of the tribes to be confounded and mingled together If then the Law did not abridge them wee may well suppose and presume that they did not obserue it For not to speake of former examples Moses married not a wife of his owne tribe neyther of any tribe but a Cushite that is one of the Midianites which inhabited Arabia of which see before chapt 12. Aaron also his brother married Elisabet she was the daughter of Aminadab and the sister of Naasson which was of the tribe of Iudah Numb 1 7 and 7 12 Ruth 4 20. So Iosabeah the daughter of the king Iehoram of the tribe of Iudah was married to Iehoiada the high Priest 2 Chron 22 11. Elizabeth the wife of Zachariah the Priest the father of Iohn Baptist was of the daughters of Aaron Luke 1.5 and was the cousin of Mary Luke 1 36 but it is certaine and without all controuersie that Mary was of the tribe of Iudah Luke 5. But it will be obiected Obiection that the Leuites being dispersed among the other Tribes had a dispensation from the former Law and therefore they might marry wiues of diuerse tribes from themselues but it was otherwise with the rest Answ I answer first it is vaine to distinguish against the Law where the law doth not distinguish if then they had any priuiledge let them bring forth the charter and shew their euidence or else we cannot beleeue them Againe albeit the Leuites were scattered heere and there yet many of them dwelt together and there were whole Cities in a maner of the Priests 1 Sam. 22 19. and therefore if they had pleased or had thought themselues charged in this case they might haue hadde choise of wiues of their owne tribe Lastly this was no better obserued by other Tribes then by the Leuites For Dauid of the tribe of Iudah married Michal the daughter of Saul who was of the tribe of Beniamin 1 Sam. 18 20 27. 9 1. Likewise the eleuen tribes hauing in a manner destroyed the Beniamites in a battell professe among themselues that they might not giue them of their daughters beecause they had sworne Cursed be he that giueth a wife to Beniamin Iudges 21 18. declaring thereby that they were not restrained by any law but by their oath and to what end did they make such an oath if they had beene before forbidden by the law of God without their oath Many such like examples might bee brought foorth to shew that this Lawe did not simply restraine the marrying in other Tribes Vse 4 Fourthly from hence we may conclude an argument against the vulgar edition of the Scripture which in this place doth manifestly corrupt the text and bringeth into manifest error for it readeth the text thus All men shall marry wiues of their owne tribe and kindred The Latine translation false all women shall take them husbands of the same tribe both the which beeing generally taken may well be taken for vntruths Whereas the originall neuer speaketh of men marrying out of their tribes neyther of all men generally but of those onely that are theyr fathers heyres Bellarmine that must help at a dead lift De verbo Dei lib. 2 c. 12 answereth That these two are all one and doe not differ which argueth an hard forehead rather then a sound answer for hee blusheth not to affirme any thing when he is put to his shifts We cannot therefore receiue that interpretation for authenticke and canonicall which is directly repugnant vnto the doctrine of the Scripture and the continuall practise of the Iewes And as for those that would haue the Hebrew text amended by the Latine translation it is no better then to goe about to bee madde with reason For where the truth is there can be no error and where no errour is what need any correction To conclude this point Paul de Sancta Maria et iscop Burgensis in addit ad cap 36 Numb I will oppose the testimony and iudgement of Paul de Sancta Maria a great byshop and sometimes Chancellor vnto the King of Castile directly against Bellarmine one Papist against another whose words are these In this precept our translation swarueth very much from the Hebrew verity c and the reason of the Law beareth witnesse to the trueth of the Hebrew for this was the end thereof that the diuision of inheritances that was to be made might remain perpetually amongst the Tribes so that nothing of the land which fell to bee in the lot of the Tribe of Iudah might returne at any time to the lotte of Beniamin and so of the rest Therefore the Law was giuen of those onely which did succeed in their fathers inheritance that the Tribes should not bee shuffled or mingled together because thereby the inheritance would passe from one tribe to another which was against the ordinance of God but other women which had brethren and consequently did not succeede in the inheritance of their father were not forbidden by this Law but that they might marry with whom they would of any other tribe because it appeareth euidently that from hence would not follow the confusion of the lots Neither do we reade of any dispensation that the Tribes of Leui and Iudah had to ioyne in marriage one with another for there needed no dispensation where was no prohibition c. This testimony is cited by Drusius Lastly obserue touching the Iewish inheritances Vse 5 that at the yeare of Iubile the inheritance solde or morgaged returned agayne to the owner as we may reade Leuit. chapter 25 verses 8.9 This fell out euery fiftieth
most comfortable p. 563 b. Faithfull must vse meanes to further Gods prouidence 577. they must deale wisely p. 579. b. they are greeued for the sins of others 504 they shall be euilly intreated p. 596 b. Faithfull faile in many things 735 a. 736 how said to walke in all the Commandements 736 b. they may fall into the same sinnes againe 772 they are forrainers in this life 822 they are brought into the inheritance of the wicked 845 b. they are men of courage 864 b. they bring a blessing vpon their families p. 1080 b. Faith true of an applying nature p. 1232 b. False Teachers p. 1036. Familiarity with Idolaters to be auoided p. 1219. Famine of the word p. 780. Fast the kindes of it 1153 a. what it is ibid. it is to be ioyned with praier 1154 the popish fastes ibid. Fathers comforted that haue euill children 134 their duties See duties Fauour of God must be cheefely desired 432 b. 433 mans happinesse standeth therein p. 433 b. 434 a Feare wrought two waies p. 269 b. Fellowship with wicked p. 1049 b. 1050. Feast of the Sabbath 1140 of the New-Moones 1143 of the Passeouer 477 1146 of Pentecost 1148 of Trumpets 1150 of fasting 1152 of Tabernacles p. 1155 b. Fire one of Gods iudgements p. 525 a. First borne the Lords p. 145. 158 b. First fruites p. 630 631. Flesh eaten before the flood p. 150 b. Food of the soule p. 532 a. Forefathers stood vpon p. 586. Foreseene works p. 87 a. Forgiuenesse by man how farre p. 298. Forgiuenesse of sinnes 654 b. a notable benefit 955 what it is 311 a. 340 such as want it are most miserable p. 340 956. Forgiuenesse three fold p. 298 b. Forme of set praier 513 b. 424 b. against those that condemne it 512 their reasons answered p. 426 b. 512. Fornication not indifferent 380 it is knowne vnto God 381 motiues to auoid it 385 it bringeth iudgements 1052. b. auoid the occasions 1055. See adultery whoredome Freedome ciuill 181 and spirituall ibid. Free will confuted 90 a. what free will man hath p. 90 b. G. Gaine a tentation p. 886 b. Gaming and Gamsters p. 142 b. Genealogies p. 174 b. Gifts what may be lost what not p. 24. 25. Gifts of Moses whether diminished p. 535. b. Glebe of the Church p. 705. Glory of God 605. it is the triall of doctrines page p. 232. God is the Author of the Scriptures 1. hee performeth all his promises 41 b. how hee is present and how farre off 81. 958. 595. hee bestoweth his gifts freely 85. yet by meanes 546 a. how he requireth impossibilities p. 89. God disliketh mens deuises in his worship 141 b. he ordaineth the officers of his Church 146 b. he chuseth weake meanes p. 175. God will haue all places taught 197. and haue a learned Ministery p. 199 a. God hath not giuen to all alike p. 243. God punisheth sinne in his owne kinde 390 he will make knowne the innocency of his 396 b he bestoweth more vpon them then they desire 403 b 683 he knoweth all secrets 410 b. why hee holdeth his peace at our afflictions page 413 b p. 572 a. God hath two schoole-houses 443 b two dwelling places 520 hee vnderstandeth all mens wayes p. 558 God searcheth before he punisheth 562. he heareth not such as lye in their sins 568. hee mingleth his chastisements with mercy 573 b. he respecteth no persons 575. how he is saide to come to a people p. 596 a. God deliuereth from dangers vnknowne to his 902 he is vnchangeably true 952. he prouideth for his 1113. he is of much patience 606. not to be abused p. 778. God visiteth the sins of fathers vpon children 615 b. he punisheth for sinnes of impiety 640 b. he would haue all brought to repentance 678. he is not to be accused for not giuing it Ibid. he giueth life to the dead 683 b. iust in all chastisements p. 691. God chastiseth his owne children 739 he loueth his people 759 b. heareth their prayers 760 784 b he deliuereth them vnder the crosse 786 b. he is mercifull to greeuous sinners p. 809 b. God is mercifull to the mercifull 993 b. accounts our wrongs as his owne 996 a. he chastiseth his owne first p. 1050. Gods presence what it signifieth p. 283. Gods dwelling is among his people p. 519. Gods wrath moued is full of rage 1077. it is foreknowne three wayes p. 1078 b. God setteth bounds to all mens possessions p. 1225. God tolerateth things which he neuer alloweth p. 1247 Godly See Faithfull Good name 357. haue care of each others 398 401. especially of Gods name p. 400. Good is to be commended in whomsoeuer it abideth p. 1257. Gospel of Iames counterfet p. 348 b. Gospel contemned a greeuous sin 796. it needeth no new miracles p. 685 a. Greatest part See multitude Guilty none before triall p. 362. Guilty ought not to be spared p. 1252 b. H Hollowing of Churches p. 436 b. Harlots to be auoyded p. 384 b. Hatred none like to that for Religion p. 764. Head taken diuersly p. 436 a. Hearbes soure p. 1147 b. Hearers duty p. 474 Hearing 13 b. it is a Iewel for the eare 234 a. wherein it consisteth p. 13 b. Hearing the same things p. 238. Heart p. 145 b. Hebrewes how they entitle the Scriptures p. 8 a. Hiding of gifts p. 463. Hin what p. 626 1143 b. Honour God with the best 348. it draweth from God p. 863. Hope of euill professors more then of ciuil men 120 b. of wicked is vaine p. 937. House of God what p. 563 b. Housholders p. 573. Humility p. 77. a Hipocrisie 31 976 582. the markes of it Ibid. at last it is vncased 588 b. the heinousnesse of it 589 a. nothing worse then it p. 1126. Hipocrites 446 b. often in the church p. 11. I Iealousie what 347 a. whereof it consisteth Ibid Iewish lawes touching inheritance p. 1127 a. Iewes had knowledge of the Messiah p. 498 b. Idolaters honored their Prophets p. 914. Ignorance abounds 142 b. the danger of it 170. it is the root of disobedience 250. a great sin 526. it shal excuse none 931. the causes of it Ibid. Ignorant what they are p. 172 251 b. Ignorant Ministers p. 229. Image of God what p. 422. Images not to be worshipped p. 789 b. 790 792. Imposition of handes 434 a. 469 Ministers ordained by it ibid. Impropriations p. 702. Inheritance of the Israelites p. 1257 b. Infants without baptisme 486. they belong to the Couenant p. 1081 bi Inferiors must reuerence their superiors p. 541. Innocency p. 596 b. Innocent person not to be put to death p. 1252 a. Instruction to the Ministers p. 697 a. Instruments weake God chuseth p. 105. Intents excuse not p. 141 b. 170 b. Iobs children godly p. 1130 b. Iosephus tale of Moses wife disproued p. 500. Ioseph and Mary brothers children p. 1270 a. Irony p. 895. Ismael whether he repented p. 1171. Israelites 42 mansions in the wildernesse p.