that seeing God hath created vs and giuen vs our being to serue him albeit we be reduâ—ed by others it shall not profit vs oâ— deliuer vâ— from iudgement Ignorance shall excuse no man it is the fountaine of all sinne it is the cause of all punishments Hos 4 1. Mar. 12 24. it is not enough for vs to say we are no seducers and deceiuers of others because if we be seduced and deceiued by others wee are partakers of their sinne and shal beaâ—e our iust condemnation Secondly seeing the poore seduced people Vse 2 shall not escape no more the the chiefe Ring-leaders and heads of the conspiracy against God it is our duty to search narrowly and view diligently that which is brought and taught vnto vs we must beware of seducers and Captaines that leade to lewdnesse of life or corruption of doctrine It behoueth vs to shew such loue to God and his truth as to withstand such as goe about to infect vs to shame them to bewray them to reprooue them to conuince them and to take heed that we be not drawne away with them eyther by their flattery or by their authority Hence coÌ„meth the exhortation of Christ Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are rauening wolues yee shall know them by their fruites Math. chap. 7. verse 15. By these the LORD our GOD tryeth vs whether we loue him with al our harts with all our soules He chargeth his people to seeke carefully to search earnestly Deut. 13 14. and to enquire diligently if there bee any such wickednesse There is no loue to God where his truth is not professed followed and maintayned The Apostle Iohn chargeth those to whom he wrote Not to beleeue euery spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God or not for many false Prophets are gone into the world 1 Iohn 4 1. But where is this ability to bee found And where shall we meete with those that are able to discerne of spirits Looke vppon the greatest part of our congregations and behold they are not able to make any tryall of truth from errour They are fit to entertaine any doctrine They know no difference betweene the mists of Popery and the light of the Gospel They embrace this Religion because it is established by authority defended by the Law professed by the Prince countenanced by the Magistrate embraced by the multitude freed from trouble controlled by none But aske them a reason of the hope that is in them and call them to an account of the faith which they hold Aske them what they beleeue and how they thinke to be saued they are taken speechlesse and not able to giue any reasonable answer And how can it bee otherwise in many places where such as should bee eyes to others are blinde themselues a naked ministery hath made a naked people an ignorant ministery hath made an ignorant people a simple Teacher hath made a sottish hearer For as Moses saw that the people were naked Because Aaron had made them naked Exod. 32 25 vnto their shame among their enemies so wee see the people without knowledge and vnderstanding because the Watchmen are blinde the Embassadors are dumbe the Shepheards are simple the Teachers are not able to instruct themselues The meanes to bring vs to this spirituall iudgment to try the spirits Rules to be obserued to enable vs to try the spirits are to obserue these few rules and directions following First we must haue the word of God to dwell plentifully in vs we must reade and search the Scriptures as Christ commanded Iohn 5 39 and the men of Berea practised Acts 17. They examined the Doctrine of the Apostles by the touchstone of the Prophets and are commended for it by the Spirit of God We must not take euery thing that is deliuered but search and try the things that are deliuered Secondly we must continue constant in the things which wee haue learned thence Thus the Apostle exhorteth Timothy who had beene brought vp in the Scriptures of a childe To perseuere in the things which hee had learned and was perswaded of knowing of whom he had learned them 2 Tim. 3 14. Thirdly we are to auoyd those places and persons where abhominations are set vp and maintained lest ioyning and partaking with them in their sinnes wee be also companions with them in punishments Thus doth the Apostle teach vs to giue a farewell to those places I heard a voice from heauen say Goe out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that ye receiue not of her plagues Reuel 18 verse 4. Fourthly we are to magnifie the Ministery of the word where it is planted and established we are diligently to attend vnto it and to heare it with all patience and reuerence to encrease in vs both knowledge and obedience to worke in vs faith a sound beleefe to bring vs to a true sight of our sinnes and to an vnfeigned repentance from dead works If these rules be carefully and wisely obserued we shall bee made able to try all things that we heare to refuse the euill and to hold fast that which is good Lastly we may from hence conclude the Vse 3 wofull condition of all seducers that seduce and deceiue the simple people they are sure to perish and to be destroyed It is a greeuous sinne not to embrace the truth of God but to erre from the wayes of saluation but it is more greeuous to draw away others and to plunge them into the pit of destruction They are accursed in the law which make the blinde to go out of the way and all the people were to say Amen Deut. 27 18. If we see a poore blinde man wandring hither and thither for want of a guide and groping to finde his way if wee lay stones or stumbling blocks before his feere to supplant him and cause him to fall downe all men are ready to condemne it of rigor and cruelty The very heathen which neyther know the Law nor vnderstand the Gospel could say Cicer. li. 1. offic that whosoeuer sheweth not the way to a trauailer and wayfaring man when he seeth him out of the right way is without all pitty and compassion as if one should refuse to suffer his neighbour to light his Candle that is gone out at his Candle that burneth But if a man should leade his brother beeing in a strange and vnknowne Countrey quite and cleane out of the way direct him of purpose into places of danger and thereby as it were blow out his Candle that burneth bright all men would haue accounted him a monster and vnworthy to liue vpon the earth If our brother want our helpe or counsell we are bound to do all good vnto him and it is a note of cruelty to shutte our mouthes or hands when they should bee opened as wee see in the examples of the Priest and Leuite Luk.
rule ouer him but all the Laity in respect of the Cleargy are as sheepe to the Shepheard Therefore the Ministers of the Church may not be iudged or censured of Lay men I answere Answer this whole argument is figuratiue and therefore cannot be demonstratiue by the rules of their owne Schoole A figuratiue speech cannot conclude necessarily but onely probably If we take the word sheepe and sheepheard in their proper signification the sheepe being brutish and vnreasonable cannot iudge the their sheepeheard But if the words be taken metaphorically or by way of similitude the Magistrate is not a sheepe in all things but onely in Spirituall things belonging to doctrine and faith and a good conscience wherein the Ministers are Sheepeheards If we speake of Ciuill things and prouiding that all things be done decently and orderly in the Church the Magistrates are sheepeheards of the people and all the Cleargy are his sheepe because they are citizens and subiects of his city and Soueraignty As then the Magistrate cannot prescribe to the Minister what doctrine he shall teach so it were pride and presumption for the Minister to set downe rules to tie the Magistrate to his lure in the duties of his calling for then the sheep indeed should iudge their Pastor Thirdly Obiect 3 it seemeth absurd that an earthly Iudge should take and punish the seruants of the chiefest and highest Iudge and those men that are consecrated vnto him I answere Answer an earthly Iudge that sitteth vpon an earthly bench is also the seruant of the most High GOD the Minister of the heauenly Iudge Rom. 13.4 2 Chron. 19.5.6 and the Lieutenant of the Almighty exercising the iudgement not of man but of God It belongeth to his office to iudge others that are Gods seruants so farre as they are subiect to him as sheepe to their sheepeheard by the Law of God and man If one of the Cleargy breake the Law of God and of the kingdom wherein they liue by committing murther theft periury false witnesse-bearing or such like he is punished not as the seruant of God but as the seruant of sinne and an offender against the Common-wealth Against those supposed reasons we oppose the authority of Gods word that subiecteth all persons to the power of the Magistrate Let euery soule bee subiect Rom. 13.1 Ti. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.13.14 put them in remembrance that they bee subiect to the principalities and powers and that they be obedient and ready to euery good worke therefore submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it bee vnto the king as vnto the superiour or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do well We heard before that Christ requireth obedience and as he commanded it to others so he practised it himselfe for he was subiect to his parents Luk. 2.51 Matth. 17.27 and to the Magistrates he payed polle money for himselfe and for Peter not vsing the priuiledge he had and the liberty he might vse for offence sake lest another emboldened by his example should vse the pretence of liberty that indeed he had not Paul also teacheth subiectioÌ„ both by word and deed by his doctrine practise For he was subiect to the Magistrates and vsed their authority for his safety when hee appealed from the malicious Pharises vnto Caesar Act. 26.32 Chrysost homil in Roman Bernard eptst 42. Thus we see what Christ did what the Apostles did what the Christians did they exempted not themselues from the secular power but whether they were Apostles or Euangelists or Prophets they submitted themselues and claimed no freedome from their iurisdiction wherefore they are led by another spirit that broach and practise a contrary doctrine The third res proofe Thirdly they are reproued that are seditious persons and moue rebellion and insurrection against Princes who alwaies or for the most part are mette with all in this life and receiue according to their deseruings Of such persons Iezabel spake truely 2 King 9.31 Had Zimri peace that slew his master as if she should haue said Can any Rebell or Traitor or any that riseth against his superior and Soueraigne prosper and haue good successe For Zâ—mri a Captaine of the hoste conspired against Elah the son of Baasha king of Israel smote him that he dyed vsurped the kingdom But the time of his reigne the continuance of his sitting on the throne could not be numbred nor reckoned by yeres 1 King 16.9.15.18 nor by months nor by weeks he reigned onely seuen dayes and then being hardly besieged he was constrained to burne himselfe and the kings house with fire so that as he came to his kingdome by vsurpation and held it a while by effusion of blood so he ended his dayes in desperation Reade to this purpose 2 Kin. 15. where we haue set before vs the examples of Shallum 2. King 15.10.13.25.30 who coÌ„spiring against Zachariah the son of the second Ieroboam and smiting him in the sight of the people and reigning in his stead did not long enioy his kingdome but sate in his throne the space of a moneth and then himselfe was slaine so he found according to his works so that as he spared not to shed blood so his blood was not spared Likewise the example of Pekah who conspired against Pekahiah and smote him in Samaria in the place of the kings palace but did he escape for this treason and end his daies in peace No as he did euil in the sight of the Lord and departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebal so Hoshea wrought treason against him smote him and slew him and paid him home in his owne kind So in the former Chapter we see that when the seruants of Ioash king of Iudah wroght treason against their master slew him his sonne did not suffer their hoare heads to go downe to the graue in peace but so soone as the kingdome was confirmed in his hand he slew his seruants which had killed the king his father 2 Kin 14 5. Thus it appeareth that a discontented head a muttering spirit and a seditious mind are dangerous and bring a iust reward of rebellion vpon their heads that are the contriuers of it so that they fall into the pit of confusion that they made for others This is the ende of rebellion and such recompence haue Rebels against Princes Hence it is that such pernitious persons being the common plagues of kingdomes and Common-wealths are hated of God and man odious to euery one yea euen to those that vsed them to serue their owne turnes in disloyal and wicked actions Plutarch in the life of Romulus so that albeit they loue treason well yet they hate the Traitor For he that betrayeth his Prince his countrey and kindred into their hands to whom he is not tyed
heauen is not giuen but to those to whom it is prepared of the Father Matth. 20.23 and 25.34 But election is not of works but of grace and therefore is called the election of grace Rom. 11.5 This appeareth Ephe. 1. Ephe. 1 5.6 He hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will c. No man could be saued except Christ had come and had satisfied the iustice of God for the sinnes of the world by his precious blood for there is no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued Act. 4.12 but all his benefites proceed from grace and the euerlasting loue of God toward vs as Ioh. 3. Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the word that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life No man can be saued except he be effectually called to Christ and his Gospel outwardly by the word and inwardly by the Spirit but whence proceedeth this grace but from grace as the Apostle testifieth 2 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 1.9 Gal. 1.6 He hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was No man can be saued except he hath faith in Christ for the iust shall liue by faith Hab. 2.4 and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11. But from whence haue we faith By grace as the Apostle witnesseth Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2.8 By grace ye are saued through faith that not of your selues None can be saued except he be iustified as Psa 34.15 16. The eies of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry but the face of the Lord that is his anger and indignation is against them that do euill to cut off their remembrance from the earth But our iustification commeth from grace as Rom. 3. Rom. 3.24 We are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus No man can be saued except being iustified by faith he be also sanctified and renewed by the spirit of regeneration for except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3. But whence haue we this but from the grace of God as the Apostle expresseth Tit. 3. Tit. 3.6 The bountifulnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared and according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour No man can be saued without good workes and a carefull and constant endeuour to walke in them for we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephe. 2.10 But how are wee inabled to performe them but by the grace and free gift of God as Ezek. 36. Eze. 36.26 â—â— A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh and I wil put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my iudgements and doe them The like may bee saide of remission of sinnes No man can be saued without continuall forgiuenesse of sinnes for into many sinnes and offences we fall daily Iam 3.2 But this is giuen vs through his grace onely as the Prophet teacheth Esay 43. Esai 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake that is for no deserts of thine but thorough grace and fauour and will not remember thy sinnes and Ephe. 1.7 We haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Lastly no man is saued except he perseuere and continue in faith in loue in Christ in repentance in Christ and in all good works as Matth. 24. he that endureth vnto the end he shall be saued and Reuel 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life but from what root and fountaine proceedeth this gift and from whence hath it his beginning The Apostles and Prophets tel vs most plainely and directly as Iere. 32.39.40 Ier. 32.40 â— I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer I wil put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Phi. 1.6.29 and 2.13 God that hath begunne his good worke in his Saints will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Now as we haue said of all the rest so we may say of eternall life Rom. 6.23 that it is the free gift of God and therefore all his giftes and our saluation come not from our our merits but from his mercies not from our deseruings in whole or in part but from his free fauour in Christ Iesus Let vs come to the reasons and consider Reason 1 aright the causes hereof First of all God wil haue the praise and glory of his owne works and will not giue and grant ouer the same to another But if the graces of his Spirit were well deserued of vs and not freely bestowed vpon vs wee had matter of reioycing in our owne selues and of boasting against God The Apostle hauing shewed that the righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the Law saith Where is then the reioycing Rom. 3.27 and 4.2 It is excluded And touching Abraham thâ— father of the faithfull he sayeth If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Likewise writing to the Ephesians chap. 2. By grace ye are saued through faith Ephe. 2.8.9 and that not of your selues it is the gift of GOD not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe So then he giueth all his gifts freely that he may haue the whole praise of his mercy But so much as we take to our selues so much hee loseth of his glory Reason 2 Secondly he knoweth we haue nothing of our owne we craue our daily bread and drinke at his hands We are beggers and destitute of all good things and neuer are able to supply our owne wants Our owne penury is such that we haue nothing to boast off but our misery pouerty blindnesse nakednes and wretchednesse We were saith the Apostle dead in trespasses and sinnes â—he 2.1 2. wherein in times past we walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience We are vnable to thinke or to doe any thing it is God must worke in vs the will and the deed it is he must draw vs before we can runne after him or come
estate and do murmure grudge at the hand of God vpon them and withall repine at the good estate of others Thus it fared with the people of Israel sundry times sometimes through want of bread Exod. 16 2. Sometimes through want of water Exod. 17 2. Sometimes through want of flesh Numb 11 4. Sometimes through feare of their enemies Numb 14 2. Sometimes through danger of the way by which they were to passe Numb 21 5. They were neuer long contented with one estate but brake out through impatience against God and brought vpon themselues diuers plagues and iudgements whereby they were consumed Thus is it with many in our daies if we be pressed with any want of good things or if we be chastened with the feeling of any euill things we break out into rage and choller and will not submit our selues to him that striketh vs. If we be bitten a little with famine and haue not our necessities by by supplied we cry out against God and man we are ready to say What shal we eate or what shall we drinke or what shal we put on If we fall into any sicknesse that continueth with vs we thinke God hath forgotten vs or forsaken vs if he do not presently remoue his hand from vs and that no man hath felt that which we feele If we be in any trouble by losses of temporall things though they be but trifles by and by we imagine wee are vndone it is too late with vs to think how to liue and we are more out of patience then if we had lost the loue and fauour of GOD. Thus doth the bitter roote of infidelity sticke in our hearts it brancheth forth into open rebellion against God like the child that murmureth vnder the rod for as that is the cause that the father taketh vp the whippe to whip him againe so our resisting the hand of God when it is heauy vpon vs doth not call in the iudgement but rather constraineth the Lord to scourge vs againe to lay vpon our backs more strokes and stripes then he did before The way to call in his corrections is to submit our selues vnto him to confesse our offences to acknowledge his iust iudgements according to the saying of the Prophet I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou diddest it Psal 39 9. Secondly it reproueth such as vse vnlawfull meanes vngodly shifts The second reproofe wicked policies to enrich themselues These men care not what waies they vse or what courses they take to get goods to heap vp riches for themselues their posterities whō they desire to raise vp on high and to make great in this world This vnsatiable humour is as the dropsie or rather as the graue that neuer saith it is enough It is euer crauing more as a gulfe or whirle-poole ready to receiue but not apt to shew what it hath receiued and therefore doth God oftentimes crosse and not giue any blessings to their labours These make themselues vnfit for holy desires for heauenly meditations and for the kingdome of God If any should aske them whether their meaning be to make thēselues drudges to the world bond-slaues to the Diuel and so to cast themselues headlong to destruction both of body and soule they would quickly answer No and defie those that should charge them with it Notwithstanding this inordinate affection bewrayeth what lieth in the heart and discouereth that they goe about to cast themselues away wittingly and willingly and to vndoe themselues vtterly Wherefore to the end we may vse our riches aright How to vse our riches aright wee are to practise two points First we must be poore in spirit not glutted in them nor glued to them for then we shall be deceiued by them according to the counsell of the Psalmist Psal 62 10. Trust not in oppression become not vaine in robbery if riches increase set not your heart vpon them We must not be tied to our riches that we can neuer get from thē but so to account of them that whensoeuer it shall please God to make vs poore and to take our riches from vs to render vp the whole into his hands to forgoe them willingly and to resigne them vp to him that gaue them is able to restore them When Iob had lost all his cattell and children and was fallen from the top of felicity to the lowest vale of misery he could say with a quiet spirit Blessed be the Name of the Lord it is he that hath giuen it is he that hath taken them away This willingnesse to depart from them at the Lords call doeth make it manifest that hee neuer made the wedge of gold his hope nor saide to the fine gold Iob 31 24. Thou art my confidence he reioyced not because his wealth was great nor because his hand had gotten much as he declareth in the protestation that he maketh of his integrity Whereby he sheweth that there passeth a secret communication conference betweene the rich man and his riches applauding himselfe for his money that he hath True it is a man will not speake vnto his riches nor cannot heare his riches answere him there passeth not an expresse dialogue betweene the monied man and his money when he openeth his chest or vnlocketh his coffer but he vseth this manner of speech by way of faigning the persons to set foorth the folly vanity of such as haue store and abundance they make a secret kinde of compact and conspiracy with their gold and siluer they set downe their rest in it they repose their trust vpon it and will rather leaue all then depart from it Neuerthelesse he doth not reproue all ioy and gladnes when their goods encrease It is lawfull to reioyce in all the blessings of God that he giueth and we receiue He requireth this at our hands as it is expressed Deut. 12 7. Ye shall eate before the Lord your God and ye shal◠reioyce in all that ye put your hand vnto ye and your housholds wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee This mirth and gladnes is so far frō displeasing God that it is rather a fruite of the faith and feare which is in vs toward him Calu. Serm. on Iob. forasmuch as wee learne thereby to praise his name to confesse his goodnes to yeeld him thankes for the benefits which he bestoweth vpon vs. He speaketh therefore of a blinde reioycing of carnal mirth and prophane iollity such as is among worldlings who are carried away with a loue of their riches so that they forget God remember no more their owne frailty and mortality This is a franticke ioy that turneth vs away from God and maketh vs drunken in the pleasures of this life Secondly while we enioy possesse the things of this world we must not keepe them to our selues but know how to vse them moderately as God hath commanded They are giuen vnto vs to be vsed
family which was the Church of God not onely Isaac the sonne of promise in whose seede the nations of the earth should bee blessed but Ismael that was borne after the flesh that mocked his brother persecuted him that was borne after the spirit and in the end was cast out of the Church Gen. 21.9 10. Gen. 21.9.10 Gal. 4.30 Gal. 3.30 And as it was with the father so was it with the son for we see this in the children of Isaac who stroue and struggled within the wombe of their mother Gen. 25.22 and when the time of her deliuerance came she brought foorth not only Iacob Gen. 32.24 who afterward was sirnamed Israel obtaining a farre more honourable name then all the Affricani or Germanici or Asiatici among the Romanes whose praise was wholly from the earth and a blast of the mouthes of mortall man whereas he wrastled with God in Peniel and preuailed but also prophane Esau Heb. 12 16. so branded as it were in the forehead by a marke of yron by the Spirit of God who sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage For the children being not yet borne neither hauing done any good or euil that the purpose of God according to the election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth It was said vnto her Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Rom. 9.11.13 Rom. 9.11.13 Samuel was a man that feared God exceedingly and gouerned the people vprightly so that he appealed to the people and to the consciences of all men to witnesse his innocency and integrity what wrong he had done them whose oxe he had taken and whose asse he had taken or at whose hand he had receiued any bribe to blinde his eyes 1 Sam. 12.3 1 Sam. 12.3 Yet when hee was old and made his sonnes iudges ouer Israel they walked not in his wayes but turned aside after lucre they tooke bribes and peruerted iudgement 1 Sam. 8.3 1 Sam. 8.3 Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart yet he had not onely Salomon that was beloued of God 2. Sam. 13.14 and 15.16 1 Kin. 1.5 but also incestuous Amnon ambicious Absolon and trecherous Adonijah the first defiled his owne sister and wrought folly in Israel the other two rebelled against their father and sought to take away the kingdome from him The like we might say of Eli who sate vpon a seat by a post of the Temple and by his residence on his charge and daily attendance to giue answeres to the people that came vnto him gaue testimony of his godlinesse yet his sonnes were the sonnes of Belial and knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 1 Sam. 2.12 To conclude for the examples that might be brought to this purpose are infinite who was more Godly then Iosiah who remembred his creator in the dayes of his youth and reformed religion betimes in his kingdome yet his children followed not the wayes of their father but did euill in the sight of the Lord according to all that their wicked forefathers had done 2 King 23.32 37. 2 King 23. Iere. 22.18 Iere. 22.18 To all these testimonies of Scripture if we adde also the testimony of common experience of all ages and times and places and persons we may gather that all the children of the faithfull haue not beene alwayes continued vnder the covenant of God nor followed the steppes of their faithfull parents to be like vnto them Now because this is a point diligently to Reason 1 be marked of vs let vs consider the reasons whereby it may be better confirmed vnto vs. First to shew the election of God which is the highest steppe of our saluation to stand vpon the free wil and purpose of God and not vpon ordinary succession or naturall generation or any causes in our owne selues to the end that all both parents and children should confesse that such as haue receiued this power and prerogatiue to beleeue in the Name of Christ Iesus are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1.13 Ioh. 1.13 This reason is noted concerning Iacob Rom. 9.11 that the purpose of God might stand according to election not of any workes but by him that calleth this was it that made difference betweene him and his brother Secondly that the best seruants of God Reason 2 may acknowledge that they can by no means conuey to their posterity the graces of God the gifts of sanctification repentance from dead workes which themselues haue receiued from God by supernaturall meanes and not by naturall they begetting naturally children of wrath as well as other men euen sinfull children tainted and defiled with originall corruption Adam begate Seth in his owne image that is in his naturall inclination to euil Gen. 5.3 Gen. 5.3 Hence it is that Dauid acknowledgeth he was shapen in iniquity and that in sinne his mother did conceiue him Psal 51. Psal 51. So then as the corne that is purged from the chaffe and made cleane bringeth vp corne againe together with the chaffe and as the father that is circumcised begetteth children that are vncircumcised so such parents as are sanctified themselues cannot leaue to their issue any sanctifying graces which must come onely from aboue from the Father of lights Reason 3 Thirdly God hath a purpose to shew his iustice in the destruction of the stubborne and disobedient as he doth his mercy in the saluation of those that are godly and obedient This is the reason rendred by the Spirit of God that albeit the sonnes of Eli were reproued by their father yet they hearkened not vnto his voyce because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 â— Sam. 2.25 God is determined to glorifie himselfe and his great Name in their destruction as they resolued and setled themselues their whole liues to dishonour him to their confusion Reason 4 Lastly the children euen of faithfull and godly parents doe oftentimes want the good meanes of a godly education and therefore no maruell if their hearts not being ploughed vp doe bring forth cockle and darnell in stead of good corne For the children of God doe themselues through humane frailty and infirmity sometimes faile in the performance of this duty They cocker them and are too choice and nice ouer them they dare not offend them or speake a word against them which ouerweening and suffering of them to haue their will too much God punisheth in their children whereof we haue a worthy example in Dauid toward Adonijah who exalted himselfe against his father saying I will be king and he prepared him chariots and horsemen and fifty men to runne before him The occasion of this presumption and rebellion is noted to be thus King 1.6 His father had not displeased him at any time in saying Why hast thou done so He failed toward him more then Eli did toward his sons for he said
for discouraging the people that brought little children vnto him who ought rather to haue encouraged them Or why doth Christ tell them they knew not of what spirit they were Ioshua had no euill meaning when hee aduised Moses to forbid those that prophesied in the host Numb 11 28. Peters meaning had no hurt in it when he would not permit Christ to wash his feet Iohn 13. Iohn 13 8. Yet doth Moses reprooue Ioshua as one carried away with the spirit of enuy and Christ telleth Peter that if he washed him not hee had no part in him So then we are to vnderstand that as there is a God and that God will be worshipped so he will be worshipped according to his owne word and will If we decline from his will expressed in his word we may well please our selues but we cannot please him we may thinke our selues wise but he holdeth vs for no better then fooles wee may for a time go on in our ignorant courses but hee will in the end cal vs to a reckoning for them and set all in order before vs to the confusion of our faces Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty to study to acquaint our selues with the Scriptures and let vs reade them with all diligence The word is a Christian mans true and perfect guide and in all doubts it is his Counseller Let it not grieue vs to be ruled by it nor account it an heauy burden or an vneasie yoke to be held hard vnto it 2 Pet. 1 19. seeing it is so sure a way for vs to walke in Let vs take this to be our guide and wee shall neuer step one foot awry As the Teachers of the word are not to deliuer that which they neuer receiued of the Lord to his people so we must follow no more then is warranted vnto vs from thence it must be shewed vnto vs there before obedience be yeelded vnto it Hee hath prescribed in it a forme of seruing of him that onely he accepteth other he abhorreth and punisheth The examples of Nadab and Abihu mentioned in this place afterward againe in this booke do preach this doctrine vnto vs and cry out aloud as with a liuely voice that wee should take heed by their harmes In other things God is full of patience but in this he is full of wrath and his iealousie burneth as fire He hath authority ouer his house to appoint his owne worship and he cannot endure to haue it taken away from him by any man Wherefore it behoueth vs to search the Scriptures that wee may learne his will and we must suffer them to dwell plentifully in vs that we may obey his will First we must know it before wee can obey it if we decline and depart neuer so little from it our worke is out of square The Prophet reproueth Saul because he performed his will to halfes and saith vnto him Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15. 1 Sam. 15 22. Hee commanded Ioshua Iosh 1 8. to haue the booke of the law continually before him and he pronounceth those blessed that delight in it and do meditate vpon it day and night Psal 1 2. Woe then vnto those that hide the booke of God from the people and take away the key of knowledge that they should haue no entrance into the kingdome of heauen These are they that are the murtherers of many thousand soules that might come to the knowledge of the truth if these false Prophets did not locke vp and keepe close the Scriptures from them and therefore they are guilty of shedding blood and bring a famine not of bread a thirst but not of water the people cannot heare the words of the Lord. They feed them with lying legends with deceitfull fables and with humane traditions which do no better then starue them and are not able to keepe life in them whiles in the meane season they hide the Scriptures in an vnknown tongue so that albeit they heare them yet they cannot profit by them Thus the blind leade the blind vntil both the leader and he that is ledde fall into the ditch And woe vnto those also that liue in the Sun-shine of the Gospel yet shut their eyes that they should not see They haue the light brought vnto them they need not say Who shall ascend into heauen Deut. 30 12 13 14. or who shall descend into the deepe to bring it vnto vs that we may heare it and do it Neither neede any say Who shall go ouer the sea for vs and bring it vnto vs that we may heare it and doe it But the word is very nigh vnto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maiest do it It is brought vnto our doores preached vpon the house tops that is it is set foorth openly it is published by authority it may bee professed with liberty of conscience and no man is endangered to lose life or limbe or to haue one haire of his head touched for it Such are the dayes wherein we liue that we may truely say with the Apostle If our Gospel be hidde it is hidde in them that are lost 2 Cor. 4 3 ◠in whom the god of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine vnto them As these men are ignorant so they are willingly ignorant they know nothing because they will not vnderstand They professe themselues to be Christians and yet they haue many of thē no more knowledge of Christ then Turks and Infidels What a lamentable thing is it that such as beare the Name of Christ should know nothing touching Christ It will bee thought strange that any such should bee found in such a flourishing Church as ours is where the Gospel is sincerely taught hath had a free passage so many yeares It is true indeed it may seeme very strange and yet alas it is too common Let the Ministers of the word take an account of those that come to receiue the Supper of the Lord what they haue learned let them make a through search and suruay how they haue profited and they shall finde that to bee true which I affirme Many know nothing at all what Christ did for them neither euer heard what hee should do for them his Name they confesse hath often come to their eares and they haue heard very many speake of him but they know not how or which way they should bee beholden to him or indebted vnto him for any thing or what he hath done for them Is it not possible that many of the Saracens or sauages should heare know more of Christ Iesus then these falsely called Christians As this is enough to breake the hearts of the
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
deformed both wayes they haue too little one way and too much another way and yet alasse they see it not they know it not they feele it not Or if they do know it they will not acknowledge it or if they feele it they will not reforme it and if they see it they glory at it and reioyce in it It were a strange thing to see any body to bee merry and make a triumph of it because it wanteth an eye or an hand or a foot But thus the case standeth with many Churches they consist of confused bodies one member encroching vpon the office of another they want their eyes to see withall and yet they dreame of perfection and despise other that are more faire and forward in good things then themselues Nothing continueth long at one stay in this life nothing is so well ordered but Satan and his instruments seeke to put it out of ioynt Wee must pray to God to open our eyes to see our wants and wrinkles and to labour earnestly as well to restore that which is wanting as to cut off that which is abounding Christ is the King of this Church shall any presume in his kingdome to set vp or pull downe to place or to displace to plant or to destroy This is Gods office it belongeth vnto him onely to do them such therefore are no better then vsurpers Vse 2 Secondly this serueth to reprooue the state of the Iewes as it stood in the dayes of Christ It was time for him to come to reforme and restore all things they had many strange plants growing in the garden of God which his right hand had neuer planted that were as naughty and noysome rootes to bee pulled vp and as byles and blisters in the body We heard before that in the Church vnder the Law there was found no other Ecclesiasticall ministeries which were ordinary then those orders of the high Priest the inferiour Priests and the rest of the Leuites all which were appointed by the law of God And if any were raised vp extraordinarily the same had their calling confirmed from heauen eyther by inward motion of the Spirit or by working of miracles or by euident testimonies of the mouth of God But this gouernment of the Church stood not long without change and alteration for though the field were sowne with good seed yet the enuious man sowed tares in it so that in latter times there arose many sectes and sorts of teachers among thē who by schismes were ready to rent that body in sunder departing from the simplicity sincerity that was established by Gods instistution Epiph. cont haer lib. 1. Some of the ancient that haue taken paines to discouer to the world the heresies that sprung vp and grew apace where once they tooke rooting and footing and so to giue notice of them that they might be auoyded doe testifie that seuen seuerall and principall sects arose among the Iewes Seuen sects among the Iewes whereof some are mentioned in the Scriptures and other are not The first was that of the Scribes Scribes who were Interpreters of the Law but withall as if the law were too base a thing to sticke onely vnto it they deliuered many traditions as from their Elders not contained in the Law and sought taking counsell of humane wisedom to bring in a more exact kind of the worship of GOD then Moses and the Prophets euer taught consisting in many voluntary obseruations and customes deuised by men which they are wont to magnifie preferre before the Commandements of God Mat. 15. Colossians 2. Thus would man become wiser thē GOD Deut. 4 2. who forbad all adding or taking from his word The second sect were the Sadduces Sadduces which were of the race of the Samaritans and had their name of one Sadoc a Priest these denied the resurrection of the body and beleeued not that there is any Angell or spirit Acts 23 and consequently ouerthrew all religion as 1. Corinth 15. For if there be no resurrection of the body or immortality of the soule then are wee of all men the most miserable that professe Christ In vaine wee beleeue in his Name and in vaine wee fight with beasts at Ephesus in vaine we suffer crosses and afflictions for the Gospels sake it were better for vs to do as the most doe and to bee wicked and vngodly if there were no other life or reward in another world If the dead rise not 1 Cor. 15 16 17. then is not Christ raised and if CHRIST bee not raised our faith is vaine we are yet in our sinnes The third sect were Pharisies Pharisies these were the strictest of all others and most reuerenced and best esteemed these beleeued the rising againe of the dead at the last day and that there were both Angels and spirits as the Scribes also did and that all shall come vnto iudgement to receiue according to the things they do in this flesh whether they bee good or euill Acts 23. Acts 23 6 7. When Paul beeing accused by his enemies perceiuing that they were partly Pharisies and partly Sadduces he cryed out in the Councell Men and brethren I am a Pharisie the sonne of a Pharisie of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question They much honoured virginity and single life they paied tithes of the smallest things they possessed Luke 18 verse 12. They washed cups platters beds and all kinde of vessels that they vsed they fasted twice euery week and differed in their habite from other men Against these are many woes denounced by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel Math. 23 verse 23 for their hypocrisie that delighted more in outward shewes then in the truth of the heart The fourth sect were the Hemerobaptists Hemerobaptists or Quotidian washers who thought that no man could be saued if hee were not washed euery day that so he might be clensed from the impurity and filthinesse of sinne It is not the water in the whole sea nor any fountaine can wash away the sinnes and corruptions of our life or of our heart It hath no force in it eyther by any naturall power or by any voluntary vse Christ is our Purgatory and purification it is he that must wash vs or else wee remaine vnpure and vncleane He is the water of life whereby our consciences must be sprinkled Heb. 10 22. he is the lauer of regeneration by whom wee are borne againe and washed as with pure water If he make vs cleane then we are clean indeed His passion and the shedding of his blood must be communicated to vs and the sanctifying grace of the Spirit of God And this is necessary vnto saluation not any outward washing of the body which may clense the flesh but cannot touch the soule This is made auaileable three waies First by faith which serueth to apply Christ vnto vs and all his benefits Secondly by repentance from dead workes whereby
Tabernacle of the Congregation shall be the Tabernacle and the tent the couering thereof and the hanging for the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 26 And the hangings of the Court and the Curtaine for the doore of the Court which is by the Tabernacle and by the altar round about and the cordes of it for all the seruice thereof We haue seene already the numbring vp of the sons of Leui in generall and then in particular such as come immediately of his sonnes whose posterity are farther set forth vnto vs in this diuision and afterward according to the three chiefe and principall families Of all obserue in generall thus much touching the order that there are fiue points set downe by Moses First the families are numbred that came of them Secondly the particular number of the persons is described Thirdly their place of abode is limited and appointed Fourthly the chiefe ouerseer or superintendent of the house is named Fiftly their office and charge is assigned to euery one as it were a field in which they ought to labour and as a garden in which they ought to plant The trueth of these things shall farther be opened vnto vs in each of them in the families of the Gershonites and in the families of the Kohathites and in the families of the Merarites Touching the Gershonites they are described vnto vs in these words from the 21. verse to the 27. The families descended of Gershon are two the Libnites and the Shimeites in the 21. The persons amount in the whole to seuen thousand and fiue hundred in the 22. their mansion was behinde the Tabernacle Westward in the 23. the chiefe captaine of them was Eliasaph the sonne of Lael in the 24. Lastly their order and office was to carry the couering and the hangings of the Tabernacle in the 25. verse Thus we see that things were not shuffled and confounded together but euery one of them knew their station All things were not confusedly committed to all but euery one had his peculiar office and charge which was as it were the vineyard that they were to dresse We learne from hence â—octrine 1. â—ery one the Church â—th his proâ—r and pecuâ—r office that euery one in the Church both Minister and People haue their proper and peculiar charge different froÌ„ other The Lord did by precept distinguish not only betweene the calling of the Leuites and the people but between Leuite Leuite For the Leuites were either called Priests or by the common name of Leuites which were not Priests The Priests were either the high Priest as Aaron the father and Eleazar his sonne after him c. or such as were vnder him ouer the rest as Eliasaph the ouerseer of the Gershonites or Elizaphan the ouerseer of the Kohathites or Zuriel of the Merarites Their office was publikely to teach to pray to offer sacrifice and to keep the vessels of the Sanctuary The office of the other Leuites was to minister and serue the Priests in all things belonging to the discharge of their necessary duties Thus God alotted to euery one his seuerall office to bee as his standing place in the army out of which he should not step forth one foote either to the right hand or to the left This appeareth most notably in the first booke of the Chronicles where Dauid setteth a particular order among the families of this tribe â— Chro. 24 1. â—nd 25.1 and â—6 1 and sorteth out to euery one his speciall charge both for the Priests Leuites who should be singers who should be porters who should haue the charge of the treasures and who should be appointed officers and Iudges This appeareth more plainely in the new Testament as 1 Cor. 12.28.29 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly teachers after that miracles then giftes of healings helpes in gouernment diuersities of tongues Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all teachers c. All haue not one office all haue not one gift but as he noteth in the beginning of that chapter there are diuersities of gifts diuersities of administrations diuersities of operations and afterward Vers 8 9 10. To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit and to another the working of miracles to another Prophesie to another discerning of spirits c. This he sheweth also expresly in the Epistle to the Romanes chap. 12.6 Seeing we haue gifts that are diuers according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether we haue Prophesie let vs Prophesie c. or Ministry let vs wait on our Ministring c. 1 Pet. 4 14. The Apostle Peter hath a generall sentence tending to this purpose As euery man hath receiued the gift euen so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God Lastly we reade in the Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 4.7.11 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ who gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists some Pastors and Teachers Thus God hath appointed that euery one should haue his proper function and office For as it is in the naturall body so is it in Reason 1 the mysticall body of Christ which is the Church But in our naturall body euery part hath his office and knoweth his place and dischargeth his duty without intermedling and incroaching vpon the right of another So should it be among the faithful we haue diuers and distinct giftes for the good of the Church This is the reason of comparison vsed by the Apostle in sundry places as Rom. 12.4 5. As we haue many members in one body and all members haue not the same office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one members one of another Where he teacheth that as we haue in our naturall body many members so we haue in one Church many members as all members in the natural body haue not one office so all the members of the Church haue not one office as the many members in the naturall body haue one head wherin they are so many members in the mysticall body haue one wherein they are and last of all as in the naturall body euery member is anothers so in the Church euery member is not his owne onely but anothers and is set in the body for the benefite of the whole The same similitude to the same purpose is vsed in the former Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 12.12.14 As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ c. for the body is not one member but many For if they were all one member where were the body but now there are many members yet but one body therefore also there must bee many members in the body of the Church Againe such as
when we striue to exceede and excell our selues and haue bent all our strength to serue the Lord in speciall manner yet we haue need to aske pardon and confesse that wee are vnprofitable seruants Wee are neuer so perfect but we are stained with some imperfections we cannot be so pure but we are defiled with some impurity and contagion of sinne so that howsoeuer wee desire chearefully and constantly to please God in all things yet euill is present with vs Rom. chapt 7. verse 21. and sinne doth easily beset vs Hebrues chap. 12. verse 1. so that we all stand in need of the pure and perfect sacrifice of Christ the author and finisher of our Faith without which wee cannot be accepted of God the Father We must therefore from hence learne to acknowledge that albeit wee desire to offer vp our selues wholly vnto him yet we can merit nothing at his hands nor attaine vnto perfection but are guilty of his iudgements if hee enter into iudgement with vs Psalme 143 2. For in his sight shall no man liuing be iustified It is the sacrifice of Christ for which hee is well pleased from the merite thereof commeth our merit our merit is his merit and the Fathers mercie He knew no sinne neither was any guile found in his mouth Esay 53. And hence it is that we shall be acquitted and discharged of sinne so that none shall bee able to lay any thing to our charge and though we bee in our selues debters yet hee hath payed our debt and set vs free to whome bee all glorie and prayse for euermore Amen 22 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 23 Speake vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes saying On this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them 24 The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee 25 The Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be gracious vnto thee 26 The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace 27 And they shall put my name vpon the Children of Israel and I will blesse them Touching the vow of the Nazarites the first part of the Chapter wee haue spoken hitherto howbeit of vowes in generall wee shall haue fitter occasion to intreate in the twenty one and the thirtieth chapters following Now we come to the second part of the Chapter containing the forme of blessing the people prescribed vnto the Priestes from the mouth of God But first let vs see the meaning and the method of the Words Touching the Blessing obserue that sometimes God is saide to blesse man sometimes man to blesse God and sometimes one man to blesse another God blesseth man when he bestoweth good things vpon vs which we want and remooueth euill things from vs which wee feele The good things which hee giueth vs are partly earthly and partly heauenly and in both hee blesseth vs. Touching earthly we reade in the word Genesis chap. 24. verse 35. where Abrahams seruant sayeth that GOD had blessed his Maister greatly and he was become great then hee telleth wherein Hee hath giuen him Flockes and Heards and Siluer and Gold and men Seruants and maide Seruants and Camels and Asses The like we see Deut. 28 3 4 5. Blessed in the Citie blessed in the field blessed in the fruite of thy bodie c. Touching heauenly it is saide Hee blesseth with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things thorough Christ Ephes 1 3. Againe somtimes man blesseth God when he praiseth God in word and deed with mouth hart and returneth thanksgiuing to him both for bestowing vpon vs his blessings and remouing from vs his blessings When thou hast eaten and art full Deuter. 8 10. then thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath giuen thee So Psal 103 1. Luke 1 68. Now this our blessing of God is nothing but an effect of the former For as we loue God because hee loued vs first so wee blesse God because he blessed vs first We can neuer returne him the glory but from a feeling of his owne mercy We cannot open our mouth to praise him except he opened his hands to blesse vs. Genes 14 19. Lastly man is said to blesse man we blesse one another when wee pray one for another Rom. 12 14. Blesse them which persecute you which is expoūded by the words of Christ Mat 5 44. Pray for them which despitefully vse you To apply these things to our present purpose we must marke that in this place the word is thrice vsed and to be vnderstoode diuersly for when the Lord commanded Aaron and his sons to blesse the people the meaning is they must pray for them and heartily desire good things vnto them Again when it is said The Lord blesse thee and when the promise is made I will blesse thee the meaning is the Lord wil bestow all good things on thee and take away all euil things from thee so that they blessed the children of Israel by desiring and praying God blessed them by giuing and bestowing Moreouer the priests of God are taught to craue that God would make his face shine Obiection lift vp his countenance vpon the people It may be asked hath God any face visage or countenāce I answer these things are ascribed to God Answ not properly but for our better capacity vnderstanding It was the error of the Anthropomorphites who because the Scriptures speak of the eies eares mouth hands heart head and armes of God did therfore imagine that God is like vnto vs and had a bodily shape whereas he is a Spirit as also he wil be worshipped in spirit and truth Iohn 4 24. This the Apostle teacheth The Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the lord is 2 Cor. 3 17. there Obiect 2 is liberty But these heretikes obiect that God made man in his owne image and likenesse Gen. 1. This is true Answer but their consequent is false For we are said to be created according to the Image of God not because he hath any bodily shape for that is against his nature who is infinit and against his word which teacheth the contrary The essence of God is spiritual inuisible and most simple he is a iust and mercifull God loue it selfe holines it selfe goodnes it self In these we were made like vnto God in these we resemble him beare his image being created in righteousnes and true holines Ephes 4 24. True it is some place this image of God in dominion ouer the creatures others in his immortall soule onely others in reason by which we are distinguisht from beasts but these let passe the principall point which the heathen man saw when hee said Tully The vertue which is in a man came neerer to the similitude of God thē the figure or outward shape What then can be the shadow of such a substance and the image of such a nature and the resemblance of such a power and perfectnes but that which the
full of good workes and almes deedes he kneeled downe and prayed 〈◊〉 9.40 and turning him to the body hee bad her arise and she opened her eyes and sate vp Heereunto also we may not vnfitly apply the examples of such as haue recouered out of eminent dangers and haue beene in a manner in the iawes of death and helde their soules in their hands as Hebr. 11.17 19. Touching Isaac hee lay bound with cords as a sacrifice vpon the Altar the knife was lifted vp to haue killed him and his father ready to haue offered him for a burnt offering and therefore he is also said to haue offered him accounting that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence also he receiued him in a figure The like we might say of many other the Saints that haue had experience of Gods power who being no better then dead in their own opinions by incurable diseases and incredible dangers haue notwithstanding been suddenly restored Hezekiah was willed to set his house in order for he should die his disease was mortall yet by prayer hee obtained the prolonging of his dayes When Daniel was in the lyons denne and the three seruants of God in the fiery furnace Noah in the Arke vpon the waters Ionah in the belly of the Whale where were they but after a sort in death yet all these had deliuerance and flourished againe like the Almond rod in this place The like we might say of Paul Cor. 11.26 and 1.9 10 he was pressed with trouble out of measure aboue strength insomuch that he despaired euen of life and receiued the sentence of death in himselfe yet God which raised the dead deliuered him from so great a death We reade in the actes of the Apostles that he was stoned with stones so that they drew him out of the citie supposing that he had beene dead but when the disciples stood round about him 〈◊〉 14.19 20 〈◊〉 2.27 he rose vp and came into the citie So doth this Apostle speake of Epaphroditus he was sick nigh vnto death but God had mercy on him and not on him onely but on me also lest I should haue sorrow vpon sorrow This was likewise the flourishing of the Almond rod of Aaron Reason 1 This is not to be maruelled at forasmuch as God is the liuing God he hath life and being in himselfe and he giueth life and breath and being vnto other things This is a title proper and peculiar to God Matth. 22.32 and therefore it is said Hee is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Secondly he is of infinite power and was Reason 2 able in the beginning to create all things of nothing Heb 11.3 so that the things which were seene were not made of things which doe appeare Thirdly he Reason 3 can take away life and breath so often as it pleaseth him yea cast body and soule into hel Psal 104.29 Matth. 10.28 The vses remaine First this was a type as Vse 1 also the whole Priesthood was of the person doctrine Priesthood and kingdome of Christ as appeareth in many places of the Prophets Esay 11.1 2. Psal 45.6 and 22.14.18 Act. 13.23 Al our saluation springeth from his crosse and our life from his death He offered vp himselfe vpon the crosse for the redemption of our bodies to obtaine for vs euerlasting peace perfect righteousnesse and the kingdome of heauen he rose againe from death to life for our iustification Rom. 4 25. This is the rod that came out of the stemme of Iesse and as a branch that grew out of his roots who though he were put to death in the flesh and became as a dry and withered stalke and staffe that was not regarded 1 Pet. 3.18 Rom. 4.24 yet he was quickened by the spirit and God raised him from the dead so that hee became as the flourishing rod of Aaron in whom we haue redemption through his blood the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace Eph. 1.7 Secondly heere is also a type set forth for Vse 2 the confirmation of our faith in the doctrine of the resurrection of the body at the last day which as dry seede is cast into the earth and brought to dust yet in due time shall flourish againe as the rod of the almond in this place Dan. 12.2 Ioh. 5.25 and 11.24 25. Ioh. 19.25 26 29. This hath beene taught in all ages of the Church from the very beginning Gen. 4.10 and 5.24 Heb. 11.5 Iude ver 14 14. Exod. 3.6 15. 2 King 2.11 Esay 26.19 Notwithstanding in all ages some haue been found that haue denyed the resurection Among the people of God that Sadduces taught that man perished wholly and that after death there is no rising or returning to life but that he perisheth as the beast Matth. 22.23 Act. 23.8 And the Apostle Peter foretelleth that in the last dayes should mockers arise that should say Where is the promise of his comming 2 Pet. 3.3 4. and what is this else but not to beleeue that Christ will come againe to iudgement nor raise vppe the dead to life And in the Church of Corinth some were found which said there is no resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15 12. Some haue confessed the immortalitie of the soule as many also of the heathen did but touching the resurrection they haue fansied it to be in this life and not after death so that the resurrection with them is nothing els but regeneration to wit a dying vnto sin and arising againe to newnesse of life The authours of this heresie seeme to haue beene Hymeneus and Philetus of whom the Apostle saith Concerning the truth they haue erred saying that the resurrection is already past 〈◊〉 thereby doe destroy the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.18 Neither is this heresie dead with them but is reuiued and continued in the damnable sect of the Family of loue who hold that hell and heauen are in this life and no other resurrection of the body or day of iudgment or comming of Christ thē in this world To these we may ioin as next neighbors the Anabaptists of our times who vtterly deny that the same bodies which now we haue and shal lie in the dust shal euer rise againe but they hold that God at the second comming of Christ will make vs new bodies This is to maintaine a new creation of new bodies but to deny the resurrection of the former bodies For it is one thing to make and another to raise vp Against all these errors wee must cleaue to the simplicity of the Scriptures The resurrection proued For this is a fundamentall point of Religion if this be shaken and ouerturned all religion is pulled vp by the rootes Hence it is that the Apostle reasoneth against these at large 1 Cor. 15. and prooueth the point soundly substantially by many arguments The first reason First if there be no resurrection
Sun the Moone and the Starres should bee pulled out of heauen Deut. 4.19 Ier. 7.18 in as much as the whole hoste of heauen haue beene worshipped as gods So the bread and wine in the Lords Supper should be abolished seeing they haue beene horribly abused to palpable idolatry Besides wee must make a double difference in the deciding of this doubt First betweene the ordinances of God abused to superstition and the inuentions of men abused to superstition The meere deuices of men when once they are abused may be taken away but the ordinances of God which he hath appointed must not bee repealed and refused for the abuse of them Againe wee must make another difference betweene the ordinances of God instituted vpon speciall and particular occasion for a temporall benefit at some one time and such ordinances of God as haue necessary and perpetuall vse which for no abuse are to be omitted and cut off as the Sunne the Scriptures the Sacraments and such like But the brazen serpent was not so wherefore by Hezekiah it was religiously demolished and destroyed albeit at the first setting vp it were a comfortable and profitable ordinance of God for the present good of his people yet being grosly abused and then no necessary vse of it remaining to the Church counteruailing the danger of the continuance thereof 2 Kings 18.4 he is commended by the Spirit of God for his zeale toward God in stamping it to powder and vtter defacing that brazen stuffe Neither did he account it sufficient to withdraw worship from it or to forbid the people to burne vnto it or to send out the Leuites to instruct them better in the seruice of God or to punish such as gaue the glory of God whereof he is iealous to a molten image Esay 42.8 but cast it downe in detestation and the better to auoyde the sinne tooke away the occasion which was as a stumbling blocke before their eyes Verse 4 5. The soule of the people was sore greeued because of the way for the people spake against God and against Moses c. Heere we see how they fall againe into their former sin and murmuring so often noted in this booke and elsewhere as Exod. 15.24 and 16.2 3 and 17.2 3. for the greatnesse of their labour for penury of water for lacke of flesh for want of dainties delicates they distrust Gods great prouidence and for these rebellions they had beene often greeuously punished yet loe they fall into the same sinne againe Their tents were replenished with his heauenly blessings all places did yet smoake with the fire of his iudgements yet beholde there is no ende of their rebellions verifying the saying of the Prophet Can the Blacke-Moore change his skin Ier 13.23 Nazian orat 1 â—n Iulian. or the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good that are â—â—â—stomed to doe euill Heereby wee learne four our instruction Doctrine Our weakenesse is such that we are ready to fall againe inâ—o the same sins which we haue renounced that lamentable is our condition if God leaue vs we fall into the same sinnes againe and againe which before we refused and renounced I say such is our great frailty and weaknesse if we be not stayed and vnderpropped by the assistance of the Spirit that we returne with greedinesse vnto our former sinnes which wee seemed to haue forsaken and abiured This the Prophet plentifully teacheth Psal 78.40 41. How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernes and greeue him in the desert yea they returned and tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel Thus did Pharaoh Exod. 9.37 38. I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye vnto the Lord for me for it is enough and I will let you goe but when the haile was gone and the thunder ceassed and the iudgement was remooued his heart was hardened and hee continued in his sinne The like we see in Saul who could cleare Dauid more then he His owne conscience rouzed him vp which before was asleep and he confesseth with teares Thou art more righteous then I 1 Sam. 24.17 18 and 26.21 22. for thou hast rendred me good and I haue rendred thee euill thou hast shewed this day that thou hast dealt well with mee for as much as when the Lord had closed me in thine hands thou killedst me not yet the same Saul fell againe into the same sinne and acknowledgeth his owne wickednesse I haue sinned come againe my sonne Dauid for I will doe thee no harme because my soule was precious in thine eyes Wee see this in the example of the Israelites in the booke of Iudges Iudg. 3.7 12 and 4 1 2 and 6.1 2. they committed euill againe and againe they transgressed by idolatry they knew what that sinne was they had experience of Gods seuerity against it they had confessed it and cryed for mercy yet the same people and the children of the same people not taught by their former falles nor admonished by former iudgements nor instructed by former deliuerances doe proceed in the same sinne and prouoke God to punish them by their relapse into the selfe same iniquities Heereunto commeth the allegory and similitude of the vncleane spirit that wandred in the wildernesse and ranged vp and downe without rest but in the end found his house empty Mat. 12.45 46 swept and garnished so that he tooke seuen other spirits worse then himselfe they enter in and dwell there So the places of the Apostle Heb. 6. Do directly offer this point that many sinne againe after the receiuing and acknowledgment of the truth according to the faying of the Wise man Pro. 26.11 As the dog turneth againe to his owne vomit so a foole turneth to his foolishnesse So that except the Lord vphold and hold men backe they fall into the same sins before committed and prouoke him afresh by those sinnes which before they refused Reason 1 For first of all who is the author of constancy and perseuerance in any good worke Is it of our selues Is it of our owne power Nay as euery good giuing and perfect gift is of God so he that in his nature is vnchangeable giueth vs the gift to stand and preserueth vs from falling as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 11.18 19 20. Where he taketh away all occasion of boasting from the Gentiles against the Iewes reasoning from their chargeable condition not being firmely fastened and deepely grounded as the roote it selfe but mooueable and mutable as the boughes and branches knit to the root being easie to be broken off So then God is the author of constancy and of perseuerance Phil. 2.13 Who worketh in vs both the will and the deed not man by his own proper strength who if he be not stayed by him that is the stay and strength of Israel he falleth into horrible sinnes and such as goe against his owne conscience as may appeare very euidently
Come to Heshbon let the City of Sihon be built and repaired c. The end of this Song made of the people of GOD was to keepe a perpetuall memory of the victories that God gaue to the Israelites and to teach the posterity to come how they came to be owners and possessours of these Citiss We learne from hence That it is the duty of the faithfull to remember and publish the works of God Doctrine It is our duty to remember publish the great works of God whereof we are partakers or witnesses Whensoeuer GOD sheweth any of his works of mercy or iudgement toward our selues or others toward soule or body we must not hide them and bury them in forgetfulnesse but spread them abroad and make them knowne to others This appeareth in sundry places of the word of God The Prophet teacheth this duty Psalm 105 1 2. Praise the Lord call vpon his Name declare his workes among the people Sing vnto him sing praise vnto him and talke of all his wondrous works And Psal 107 8. Let them confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works among the sonnes of men So likewise Psalm 111 2 3. The works of the Lord are great and ought to be sought of all them that loue them his worke is glorious and beautifull and his righteousnesse endureth for euer So Psal 66 16 5 he prouoketh all men to heare what God hath done for him Come and hearken all ye that feare God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule and in the same Psalme he reproueth the dulnesse of men that are cold in the consideration of the works of God Come and behold the works of God he is terrible in his doing toward the sonnes of men When the Shepheards had found the word of the Angel true and seene the Babe laide in the Cratch Luke 2 1â— They published abroad the thing that was told them of that childe to the great wondring of all those that heard it And when the man out of whom a legion of diuels was departed besought Christ that he might tarry with him Iesus sent him away saying Returne into thine owne house and shew what great things God hath done to thee so hee went his way and preached throughout all the Citty what great things Iesus had done vnto him When Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch from whence they had beene commended to the grace of God to the worke which they had fulfilled hauing gathered together the Church They rehearsed all the things that God had done by them and how he had opened the doore of faith vnto the Gentiles Acts 14 27. The practise of this duty Christ commanded to the man that he had dispossessed Mark 5 19 20. Goe thy way home to thy friends shew theÌ„ what great things the Lord hath done vnto thee how he hath had compassion on thee so he departed and began to publish in Decapolis what great things Iesus had done vnto him and al men did maruaile All which precepts and examples teach vs that it is not enough to haue receiued Gods benefits and to be mindfull of them our selues but also we are bound to make others according to our places to profite thereby and to praise God for them agreeable to the words of Peter and Iohn to the councell Wee cannot but speak the things which we haue seene heard Acts 4 20. The Reasons of this Doctrine are diuers Reason 1 whether we consider God or our selues or the faithfull with whom we liue First in respect of God inasmuch as it standeth vs all vpoÌ„ to set forth his glory with al our strength and might This is the chiefe and principall end that we must ayme at in all our waies to seeke to gaine glory to his great Name according to that generall precept of the Apostle Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe do all to the glory of God So when God doth make knowne to vs the workes of his owne right hand this must be one motiue to stirre vs vp to spread them abroad that thereby his Name may be glorified and his sauing health published among all Nations Acts 11 1â— as we see the practise in the Apostles Secondly in respect of our selues For this is a notable signe and token of a true and liuely faith that we beleeue the works of God and lay them vp deeply in our hearts when we hide them not vnder a bushell nor couer them in the ashes but lift vp our voice as a Trumpet to declare to others what our selues haue learned This the Prophet testifieth in his owne practise I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing I beleeued and therefore did I speake Psalm 116 verses 9 10. This is not peculiar to the Prophet onely to testifie his faith by the words of his mouth but is made generall and common to others by the Apostle 〈◊〉 4 13. Because we haue the same spirit of Faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore I haue spoken we also beleeue and therefore speak Such as do not beleeue the words and workes of God can neuer be fit instruments to giue notice of them to others but such as doe in heart beleeue them cannot but with the tongue confesse them thereby to assure their owne hearts and to confirme their owne faith more and more Reason 3 Thirdly we must haue respect to others For as Christ speaketh to Peter when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren so when we beleeue the workes of God wee must labour to bring all other to a sound faith and right iudgement It is our duty to hunger and thirst after the saluation of others and being called to the profession we must toll the bell to others There is no man that hath bene truly acquainted with the workes of God and hath in conscience bene conuinced of the vndoubted truth thereof but ought to bee as a publike Cryer and as the Lordes Herald to blaze them and publish them abroad for the good of others This is the reason that mooued the Prophet Dauid to make such often so many protestations 〈◊〉 1 71 to speak of al his wondrous workes to tell his maruellous workes to publish the praises of the Lord his great power This is the reason that Peter immediately after his deliuerance out of prison came vnto Mary where many were gathered together in praier to intreat the Lord for the enlarging of his liberty saying vnto them Go shew these things vnto Iames and the rest of the Bretheren Acts 12 â—7 So then whether we do consider that it is required of vs to seeke the glorie of God to testify the assurance of our Faith or to win our brethren wee must acknowledge that it is a speâ—iall duty laide vpon vs to publish the workes of God whereof any of vs be witnesses of the truth whereof we are conuinced Indeed Christ
he is not tyed to any guide or Gouernor We are put in minde heereof by Moses Deut. 29 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that wee may do all the words of the law God is not tyed to his reuealed wil the Law-giuer is aboue his law For the law must be vnderstood with this restraint and limitation except God command the contrary who is free and not bound to ordinary rules He commanded Moses in the building of the Tabernacle to make the Cherubims and other similitudes as also afterward when the people were stung with fiery serpents to set vp a brazen serpent which without his commandement had bin a breach of the second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the similitude of any thing in the heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth Exod. 20 4. He commanded Ioshua to compasse the City of Iericho seuen dayes with the men of warre and the Arke of God seuen dayes together and therfore also on the Sabbath day Iosh 6 15 which without the Commandement of God had bin a breach of the fourth Commandement Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day So God proued Abraham and charged him to offer his son which he could not haue done without horrible murther Gen. 22 1. except God had commanded it being a breach of the sixt Commandement Thou shalt not kil In like manner God willed his people to aske iewels of siluer and iewels of gold of theyr neighbors the Egyptians Exod. 12 35 wherby they spoyled them but neuer made restitution vnto them which without a peculiar direction from God had not stood with the eyght Commandement Thou shalt not steale Thus thē we see for the encrease of our knowledge how the Law of God is to be vnderstood to wit with this caueat and prouiso Vnlesse it please God to command the contrary who alwayes worketh according to his owne will For as such as haue to do in the Statutes of earthly Princes do teach to restraine them and vnderstand them thus sauing the Kings prerogatiue so are we to do in the interpretation of the law of God alwayes to vse this exception of Gods prerogatiue For if Princes claime a prerogatiue aboue theyr lawes much more are we to giue vnto the eternall God a prerogatiue and priuiledge aboue the lawes giuen to the sonnes of men Secondly we learne from hence that all examples Vse 2 set downe in Scripture are not set downe for our imitation albeit reuealed for our instruction Our Sauiour in the Gospel reproueth his Disciples who would haue called downe fire from heauen vpon the Samaritans to consume them pretending to follow the example of Elias saying vnto them Yee know not of what spirit ye are Lu. 9 59. The examples of the godly set downe in Scripture are of foure sorts The first generall and common standing in the law of nature taught in the ten Commandements commanding vs to worship God to honour our parents to doe wrong to no man Hence it is that we are cōmanded to follow the faith of Abraham 1 Cor. 11 1. the chastity of Ioseph the zeale of Dauid the patience of Iob the repentance of Peter the attention of Lydia the restitution of Zacheus and such like these are set before vs both for our instruction and for our imitation Secondly the godly haue many infirmities and imperfections whereby it commeth to passe that some of theyr actions are sinful and vngodly which are set downe for vs not to follow but to auoyde Such are the incredulity of Moses the adultery of Dauid the idolatry of Salomon the drunkennesse of Noah the incest of Lot the ambition of the Apostles These are not written that we should alledge the fals of the Saints to warrant and iustifie our sinnes but to teach vs that no mā is free from sinne in this life seeing the elect and regenerate do offend that we should not being suddainly ouertaken with sin despaire of Gods mercy that we should be watchfull and looke to our footing seeing these men sinned beeing adorned with such great gifts so highly in Gods fauour that shined as Starres in the Firmament and were eminent aboue other men as the Cedars aboue other Trees Thirdly some things were well done of the Fathers that cannot bee followed of vs without offence to God as those that were ceremoniall and endured only vntill the comming of Christ and the restoring of all things by him as the cutting of the foreskinne the offering of sacrifices the killing of the Passeouer which cannot be brought into vse and practise againe Acts chap. 15 ver 1 5 without iniury to Christ and the abolishing of his death Lastly some examples were singular and proper vnto those to whom they were giuen so as neyther others in those dayes nor we in our times may any way follow them without the same inspiration of the Spirit and of this number is the zeale of Phinehas mentioned in this place and such extraordinary examples as we named before Thus we see both that all examples of the faithfull are not to be practised and likewise what are to be followed and what are not to be followed Heereby we learne to meete with all prophane men who resolue to continue in their sinnes defend themselues with the slips and faylings of the faithfull These men sinne with the godly but they repent not with them they fall asleepe with them but they arise not with them out of sleepe Heereby also the Church of Rome is conuinced who alledge the making of the Cherubims of the brazen serpent and such like to iustifie their imagery and idolatry by the example of Moses which we haue shewed to be speciall not generall commanded to him not warranted to all Lastly hereby they are condemned that would bring in any of the ceremonies of the law which are long since buried together with the Synagogue cannot stand with the simplicity of the Gospel and with the sufficiency of the death of Christ Lastly as no man must bee rash in pretending extraordinary callings so we must take heed we bee not rash in censuring the doings of other men Do we know or can we vnderstand the motions and inspirations of other men What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2 11. We may not therefore examine theyr callings by our owne nor measure extraordinary actions by ordinary rules especially in the times of the decay of religion of the ruines of the Church of the planting of the Gospel when God doth many times giue some of his people speciall motions guide them with an extraordinary direction of his Spirit but euery man must looke to the warrant of his owne worke No man must presume aboue his calling but euery man must be wise according to sobriety and consider what
will teach vs to giue the glory to his name and to lift vp our hearts in thanksgiuing to him Lastly it becommeth vs to ascend as it were Vse 4 by steppes to an higher comparison from the body to the soule and from the meat that perisheth to that which endureth to euerlasting life For seeing wee vnderstand that GOD is thus carefull to feede our bodies it is much more reason that we should seeke at his hands the nourishment of our soules If we haue not this skill and consideration in vs the Fowles of the aire and the beasts of the fielde will bee witnesses against vs to condemne vs. This is the voyce of faith the other the voyce of Nature Nature is wise enough to tell vs when wee want prouision for the body but it must be the office of faith to tell vs when wee want food for the soule Wee are ready to cry out oftentimes What shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be cloathed Mat. 6. but few feele the wants of their soules though they be like to perish and pine away wherefore our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. chapter 6. verse 33. First of all to seeke the Kingdome of God and then all other things shall bee ministred vnto vs. 57 And these are they that were numbred of the Leuites after their families of Gershon c. 58 These are the families of the Leuites the family of the Libnites and the family of the Hebronites c. 59 And the name of Amrams wife c. 60 And vnto Aaron was borne Nadab Abihu Eleazar and Ishamar 61 And Nadab and Abihu dyed when they offered strange fire before the Lord. Wee haue here the third and last part of the chapter touching the numbering of the Leuites apart by themselues branched out into three principall families but specially Aaron is insisted vpon to whom the Priesthood was giuen who is described both by his parents and by his posterity and among his posterity Moses againe singleth out the fact of Nadab Abihu who died when they offered strange fire before the Lord. And albeit we haue spoken of this before chap. 3 4. yet being offered again let vs consider better of it For whereas God commanded fire to bee duely and diligently kept alwaies burning vpon the Altar wherewith the sacrifices were to be consumed and must neuer be suffered to go out Leuit. 6 9 12 13. they presumed to offer sacrifice with strange fire and therefore dyed before their father for as well they might haue taken a strange beast as a strange fire the one beeing no lesse forbidden thē the other Wherby we see the euil persons are cut off betimes 1 Chro. 24.1 2 and are not suffered to liue out halfe their dayes This heauenly fire which GOD sent to consume his sacrifices was brought into the Temple built by Salomon and there it continued from one generation to another vntill the destruction of the Temple and the City The 2. booke of Macchab. not Canonical True it is the author of the second book of Macchabees telleth vs a tale that when Nehemias had builded the Temple and the Altar he offered sacrifice with this fire for when tht Fathers were ledde into Persia the Priests that were deuout tooke the fire of the Altar priuily and hid it in an hollow place of a pit without water where they kept it sure so that the place was vnknowne to all men wherefore he sent for the posterity of those Priests that had hid it howbeit they could finde no fire but thicke water which being sprinkled vpon the wood and sacrifice there arose a great fire so that euery man that saw it maruelled 2 Maccha 1 18 19 20 21 22. Wher we see two things are coupled together the building of the Temple and Altar by Nehemiah and the sending of fire from heauen by God these may well bee ioyned the one being as true as the other But it is plaine by the whole Scripture that Nehemiah builded not the Temple if we shal consider the circumstances either of the persons or of the time or of the place For the Altar was builded by Zerubbabel and Ioshua in the reigne of Cyrus so soone as by his proclamation they returned from the captiuity of Babylon to wit the seuenth moneth after Ezra 3. And touching the Temple though the foundation beganne to be laide while Cyrus himselfe yet liued yet it was not ended finished before the sixt yeare of the reigne of Darius Nothus Ezra 6 which was many years after Iohn 2 20. But Nehemiah was then in Babylon and not yet come to Ierusalem forasmuch as hee obtained leaue of the king of Persia to go thither in the 20. year of Artaxerxes Mnemon the successor of this Darius Ezr. 4. 7. Neh. 1 2 by which computation of time it will appeare that the Altar was builded an hundred yeares and more and the Temple finished at the least 30. yeares before the comming of Nehemiah so that the author of this second booke of Macchabees is not a little deceyued in his Chronology and discouereth that he wrote by a meere humane spirit according to his owne confession in the shutting vp of the booke wherein hee craueth pardon for his slips and ouersights 2 Ma. 15 38 3◠we see there was great need he shold do so Now from the former premisses I reason thus This fire discouered to Nehemiah was kindled of God when he had builded the Temple and the Altar But he neuer builded the Temple and the Altar Therefore this fire was neuer kindled of God Againe the author of that booke testifyeth that after Nehemiah had receyued this fire from God the king of Persia built a Temple vnto it but wee may truly affirme hee neuer built any such Temple forasmuch as the Iewes neyther had neyther indeed might haue any other Temple then one and that at Ierusalem before the comming of the Messiah which the Lord had chosen to put his name there It might be that the kings of Persia that king in particular might builde a Temple to fire which they worshipped as God howbeit this is spoken by way of supposition and hath no relation to the fire here spoken off Neyther can this be vnderstood of the Tēple at Ierusalem but must be referred to some other built elswhere if haply any were built at all For it is sayde that after the Temple and Altar were builded and Nehemiah had offered sacrifice this came to the eares of the king of Persia and then hee commanded this supposed Temple to be erected Againe Nehemiah expressing his iourny vp to Ierusalem and comming to the sepulchers of his fathers maketh no mention of the finding of any such fire which no doubt he wold haue done if any such had beene offered vnto them For he reporteth many sundry things done by him in that booke hee mentioneth their offering of sacrifices with great ioy and gladnes chap.
holden to be ominous And in another place hee sheweth Rom. quest 25 that they held the morrowes after the Calends Nones and Ides dismall and disastrous dayes eyther to set forward vpon any iourney and voyage or to march with an army into the field It is not worth the labour to spend time to rehearse the folly of our sottish Prognosticators that in euery moneth tell vs which are good dayes and which are euill dayes and set downe particular predictions what shall befall vs and how we shall prosper or not prosper and yet themselues cannot tell what shall happen to themselues I remember a pleasant story Eros de lingua reported by Erasmus in the reigne of Henry the seuenth a wise and iudicious Prince of a certaine wizard who would needs be accounted as a Prophet and able to foretell things to come hee prophesied at a time of the Kings death that he should dye that yeare The king hearing of his Prophesie withall laughing at his folly sent for him as if he meant to take notice of his deepe and profound skill and to reward him highly and when he was come into his presence he asked him whether hee had any knowledge of things to come and could tell what should come to passe heereafter he answered he had great skill that way The king demanded of him whether he knew where he shold be those holy dayes that were at hand for this fell out not long before the feast of the Natiuity he answered No Why then quoth the king I perceiue thou hast no skill at all and knowest not so much as I doe for I know where thou shalt be how long and withall willed his seruants to carry him presently to the Tower and after a while hauing made himselfe merry and derided the folly of that wise foole he dismissed him which was more fauour then he deserued This practise of propheticall diuinations and predictions is meere Gentilisme and great pitty it is once suffered among vs Christians to make some dayes lucky and some vnlucky some fortunate and some vnfortunate whereof wee see the practise in the booke of Ester chapter the third verse seuenth They cast Pur that is the lot before Haman from day to day from Moneth to moneth to the twelfth Moneth Howbeit we see how he was deceyued and the enchanters vpon whom he builded and in whō he trusted like to the Papists who long looked for the yeare 88 of which they hadde many Astrologicall predictions and trusted in it no lesse then in the Oracle of Apollo howbeit they were maruailously in a manner miraculously defeated and disappointed and therefore one saith well D. Fulk preface before the Rhē Testam Octogefimus octanus mirabilis annus Clade papistarum faustus vbique pijs But if we be the true seruants of God our wayes shall prosper Psal 1 3 and it shall go well with vs if we make the word our study and meditation Iosh 1 8 if not let the times be what they will and prognosticate what lucke as they call it soeuer they can yet nothing shal prosper or do vs good whatsoeuer we imagine to the contrary Thirdly the consideration of the feast of Vse 3 the New Moones did put them and doth put vs in minde that we should be new creatures and walke in newnesse of life by the holy Ghost regenerating vs as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 5 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature olde things are past away behold all things are made new Hence it is that we are so oftentimes warned in the Scripture that wee must be renewed in the spirit of our mindes Rom. 12 2. Eph. 4 23. that wee must put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4 24 and must put off concerning the former conuersation the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceiueable lusts verse 22. As then the Moone which ruleth the moneth changeth and reneweth the light so should we be changed not in substance of the body but in quality and that in euery part euen in the whole man forasmuch as we are altogether corrupt Now this that must be changed Why our corruption is called the old man is called the old man first because it is in time before regeneration first we are carnall then spirituall first the first Adam then the second Adam hath place in vs first we are borne then we are borne againe Iohn 3. Secondly because as age maketh loathsome and deformed so this maketh vs full of spots and wrinkles before such time as wee taste of the renewing power of God Thirdly because it draweth neere to death for as old age bringeth downe to the graue so doth the olde man draw vs to destruction of soule and body which is the second death This old man therefore must be cleane cast off or else it shall not profite vs for wee must deny our selues and crucifie our sinfull lustes wee must kill and mortifie our vaine desires as Abraham would haue killed his sonne but wee must go farther for wee must after a sort kill our selues cast off the things that are most deare vnto vs though they should bee as our right hand or as our right eye Math. 5. And we must so cast off the old man that no remnant of him cleaue or sticke vnto vs we should put it off not as if we were loth or vnwilling to leaue it but cast it away with a purpose neuer to take it vp or to put it on againe no nor once touch the same but to account it as a menstruous cloth lest we be like to the dogge that returneth to his vomite or to the sowe that was washed and by and by walloweth in the myre or to the Crocodile that layeth aside her poyson but taketh it vp againe On the other side we must put on the new man called new because nothing auayleth without this Gal. 5 6. Againe it is wrought in vs in the second place for we are first old before we are new for this is the latter birth Lastly because it is strong to do the will of GOD as young men are lusty and able to doe the businesse of this life with great alacrity and actiuity Lastly we must remember that it is not enough Vse 4 to serue God outwardly and to keepe the bare ceremony except we ioyne thereunto the seruice of the heart And if the Iewes had resorted diligently euery first day of the moneth to the seruice of God in the Tabernacle or the Temple yet what could it auayle them if theyr hearts were vncleane theyr hands stained with cruelty Therefore the Prophet saith The new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble vnto mee I am weary to beare them Esay 1 13 14. The Iewes regarded no more
that stand in neede There is none of vs but would be glad of releefe if we were in misery necessity and therefore we should shew pity toward others When the Lord would mooue the Israelites to compassion he putteth them in minde that they had bene strangers bond slaues in the land of Egypt Such as haue felt the want of worldly things would be gladde that euery one should bee willing to stretch out his hand to helpe them and therefore we should do the like Yea though we neuer felt any want let vs remember that want may befall vs hereafter For what are wee but fraile creatures and what are earthly things but mutable flitting No man may exempt him selfe from the stroke of God we may fal from plenty to pouerty yea from superfluity to necessity and be driuen to beg our bread as infinite examples testifie Let vs therfore consider that we are mortal men and that nothing hath befalne to others that may not happen to our selues that thereby we may bee mooued not to turne away our eyes from our owne flesh Esay 58 7. Vse 4 Lastly we must obserue another point in this feast that it was instituted in the remembrance of the deliuerance of the Law which was giuen at the same time For it is said that the people came to Sinai the third month after their departure out of Egypt the same day that they departed from Rephidim Exod. 19 1 2 now that was the first day of the moneth and the fourteenth day was the day of the Passeouer And as the months were then obserued which went by the course of the Moone there was one whole moneth added so that in effect there were fifty dayes from the Passeouer to Gods setting foorth of his Law vpon Mount Sinai so as the feast of Pentecost or Whitsontide was referred to that time Of this we finde mention in the new Testament Acts 2 1. 20.16 at this time the holy Ghost came downe in clouen tongues and sate vpon the disciples Actes 2 3. Wee know the law of it selfe could do men no good through their infirmity It is a dead letter and killeth 2 Cor. 3 6 7. It is a glasse to shew that we are all sinners transgressors of it Rom. 7 10 and therefore serueth to condemne accurse vs Gal. 3 13. Rom. 8 15. Howbeit at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and after his ascension God brought in another manner of Whitsontide then had beene obserued in time of the shadowes and ceremonies when he vouchsafed to poure down as a showre of raine the plentifull graces of his Spirit vpon his Church so that the things that were figured vnder the Law were fulfilled in Christ our Sauiour Wherefore besides the admonition that the Iewes had to wit to do homage to God for their haruest and to fill their mouths with his praise for the fruits of the earth and the bodily sustenance which they receiued likewise to impart of part of these blessings to their poor brethren that there might be a common reioycing and gladnesse among them so God be glorified with one accord they had also a resemblance of the things that were fulfilled at the comming of Christ And albeit it bee not euill or vnlawfull to haue one certain day wherein the history of the comming down of the holy Ghost should be declared and published yet the figure is ceased and accomplished We must not runne trotting or trauelling to Ierusalem to worship there but lift vp pure hands euery where vnto him that hath powred out the infinite riches of his holy Spirit 2 Tim. 2 8. and sent vs the liuing waters Ezek. 47 9 that wee should haue ioy and gladnesse therein Rom. 14. Let vs therefore reioyce seeing God hath shewed himselfe so bountifull to vs to reioice euen according to the ioy in haruest Esay 9 3. For as the Iewes reioyced in the haruest of corruptible fruits that nourished the body so we hauing receiued the incorruptible graces of the holy Ghost shed abroad in our hearts should be ioyfull and glad by withdravving our selues from the vanities of this world and by holding our selues contented with the fauour of God Phil. 4 7 and vvhen this gladnesse is vvrought in vs wee must labour to make others partakers of the same For if the Iewes were commanded to call the poore the Widdowes and the fatherlesse to make merry with thē in the vse of those outward blessings that God had giuen them much more ought we to labour to make others partakers of the spirituall graces which we haue receyued that belong to the building of the church Rom. chap. 12 6. 1 Cor. chapt 12 verse 7. Eph. 2 14. Zach. 2 4 as the woman of Samaria being taught by Christ called out the rest of the City to heare the gracious words that came out of his mouth which shee had heard Iohn 4 so that we ought to say with the Leapers We do not well this is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace and as they saide Come that we may go and tell the Kings houshold 2 Kin. 7 9 so should we say Come let vs goe and tell our brethren what God hath done for our soules CHAP. XXIX 1 ANd in the seuenth moneth on the first day of the moneth ye shall haue an holy conuocation ye shall do no seruile worke it is a day of blowing the Trumpets vnto you 2 And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweete sauour vnto the Lord one young Bullocke and one Ramme c. 3 And their meate Offering shal be of flowre mingled with oyle three tenth deales for a bullocke c. 4 And one tenth deale for one Lambe throughout the seuen Lambes 5 And one kid of the goats for a sinne offering c. 6 Besides the burnt offering of the moneth and his meate Offering and the daily burnt offering and his meate offering and their drinke offerings according vnto their manner for a sweet sauour c. BEfore we saw how Moses beganne to handle the daily sacrifice The contents of this chapt and the monethly and yearely feasts and solemnities of the Iewes this Chapter is of like argument with the former describing three other solemn feasts or rather three yearly sacrifices one to be offered at the feast of Trumpets another at the feast of humiliation the third at the feast of Tabernacles all these fell out in one and the same month called of the Hebrewes Thisri which answereth in part to our September Touching the first it was to be celebrated on the first day of that moneth which was holden sacred in two respects both in regard of the feast of the New Moone and then for the feast of Trumpets so that three ordinary sacrifices were to bee offered in it the daily sacrifice the monthly then that which is proper to this feast to wit a young Bullocke a Ram and seuen Lambes of the first yeere for a burnt
made and then how performed The making thereof was wont alwayes to be ioyned with prayer to note that the faithfull alwayes lifted vp theyr hearts to GOD crauing his blessing Psalm 61 5. Gen. 28 20. Iudg. 11 ver 30 31 so that such as were fit to vow must be faithfull iustified before God and reconciled vnto him otherwise they can neuer call vpon him aright And as they must be made with prayer so they must be performed with thanksgiuing Psal 61 5 otherwise it were better neuer to haue vowed and promised vnto God that cannot be deceyued Fourthly it behoueth vs to know the right ends of vowes which are these First The true and right ends of vowes concerning Gods glory and the aduancement of his worship Secondly to testifie our speciall thankfulnesse to God for blessings which we haue receyued at his hands Thirdly to chastice our selues that thereby we may preuent the wrath of God for by iudging of our selues we escape his iudgement 1 Cor. 11 Fourthly to make our selues more circumspect and watchfull ouer our owne wayes for when we haue fallen into some sinne we do heereby make ourselues more wary and heedfull for the time to come Fiftly to binde our selues more strongly as by a two-fold cord which is not easily broken to yeeld obedience to God Lastly to strengthen the weaknes of our faith hope and other spirituall graces and to giue vs greater assurance of the mercy of GOD which we shall receyue at his hands Lastly it is a duty belonging to euery one Vse 3 to consider diligently what vowes they haue vowed to God We are ready and not sparing to vow in times of our afflictions troubles O that we were as carefull to performe them Psal 66. But if we haue not vowed this way there is a common vow which we haue all vndertaken the vow of our baptisme that wee will beleeue in God and serue him that wee will forsake the diuell and all his works and this is the answer of a good conscience toward God 1 Pet. 3 21. The master of the Sentences calleth baptisme The common vow because therein men protest promise and professe to consecrate themselues theyr soules bodies vnto God both which are his by right of creation and redemption Ierome maketh holinesse in body and spirit the matter of a Christian vow In Esay lib. 7. cap. 19. And S. Austine to this purpose in many places teacheth that to beleeue in God to hope for eternall life and to liue according to his commandements August in Psal 75 131. are the things which we are to vow to God And in another place What doe we vow to God but to be the Temple of God These Christian duties containe the truth of the Iewish vowes They vowed external sacrifices and oblations bound themselues to the outward seruice in the exercise whereof it pleased GOD for a time to traine that people howbeit in all these he called them to the true practice of piety to the inward affections of praise thankesgiuing Psal 4 5 50.14 23 51 17 107 22 115 17. Ionah 2 9. Hos 14 13. Neyther is the holy Scripture silent what their ceremoniall vowes imported to them and to vs. The vow of humbling and afflicting themselues by fasting did teach them to forbeare their owne desires to renounce their own wils to subdue their owne corruptions and to abstaine from cruelty oppression Esay 58 6. Mic. 6 as appeareth by the reproofe of the Prophet when he chargeth them that in the day of their fast they sought their owne wils verse 3. This wee see notably in the vow of the Nazarites a principall one among the rest of which wee haue spoken before The meaning of the vow of the Nazarits whereby they were separated to the Lord Numb 6 2. And this was the chiefe intendment of that ceremony to signifie the common condition of all that people that the Lord their God had separated them from all other people and therefore they must be holy vnto him because the Lord himselfe is holy and hath separated them from other people that they should be his Leuit. 20 24 26. And this is that which Balaam vttered concerning Israel Numb 23 9 Loe the people shall dwell alone shall not be reckoned among the nations This then was a speciall vow of ceremonial obseruations wherein by abstayning from many outward things as separating themselues from wine strong drinke suffering no rafor to come on their head and other outward things expressed in that place they were diuided from the common and prophane conuersation both of themselues and others among that people howbeit a special spiritual respect was had of preseruing inward piety holines toward him so that such diuided persons were so many spectacles and examples of the condition of all the faithfull of whom Christ our Sauior hath told vs and taught vs that they are not of this world but he hath chosen thē out of the world Iohn 15 19 they must flye the corruption that is in the world 2 Pet. 1 4 and they must heare the voyce of God calling and crying vnto them Come out from among them separate your selues from them and touch no vnclean thing and then hee will receiue them 2 Cor. 6 17. In al which he alludeth to the vow of the Nazarites who were a separated and selected people retiring themselues from others of which see more before chapter 6. So then the vowes that temaine in the Gospel and belong vnto vs are the vowes of prayer of praise thankesgiuing of obedience to God of denying our selues of subduing our sinnes of mortifying the corruptions of the old man of mercy and compassion toward our brethren and briefly of keeping our selues holy vnto God and vnspotted of the world Psal 27 8 58 12. 79 13. 80 17. 86 11.119 34 35.106 Mat. 16 24. Col. 3 5. Rom. 6 13 12 1. 2 Cor. 6 20. These are the holy and solemne vowes that we promised to God in our Baptisme wherein wee were dedicated and consecrated vnto God and these we doe continually renue when we come to the Table of the Lord. Let vs diligently thinke of these vowes and be careful to practise and performe them that God may be duly glorified in vs. 3 If a woman also vow a vow vnto the Lord and binde her selfe by a bond being in her fathers house in her youth 4 And her father heare her vow her bond wherewith she hath bound her soule and her father shall hold his peace at her then all her vowes shall stand and euery bond c. 5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth not any of her vowes c. shall stand and the Lord shall forgiue her because her father disallowed her 6 And if shee had at all an husband when shee vowed or vttered ought out of her lippes wherewith she
saide that it is saide of Ishmael that was cast out of the house of Abraham and was the sonne of the bond woman that hee also gaue vp the ghost and dyed and was gathered to his people as well as of Abraham of Isaac of Aaron of Moses and of many others 2 Kings 22 20. Iudg. 2 10. Acts 13 36. I answer Whether Ismael repented this phrase may imploy with good probability the repētance of Ishmael that he dyed in the faith of Abraham and was carryed into his bosome For hee ioyned with his brother in the burying of his father and the Scripture taketh speciall notice of his whole age and setteth downe how long he liued but no reprobate hath the age of his whole life recorded And thus the prayer of Abraham may seeme to be heard Gen. 17 18. O that Ismael might liue before thee But if he liued and dyed a wicked man then by his fathers to whom hee was gathered we must vnderstand the soules of wicked men that liued before him as Caine and his posterity that were carried away with the flood which now are spirits in prison 1 Pet 3 19. But howsoeuer it be this necessarily must be concluded that the soules of all men liue when the body is turned into earth and hath his subsisting afterward Math. 22 23. Hebr. 12 21. Obiect It will be obiected that the wise man saith the condition of men of beasts is all alike Eccl. 3 19. As the one dyeth so dyeth the other so that a man hath no preheminence aboue a beast This is not spoken simply but in respect They are both alike and equall in the necessity of dying imposed vpon both and man hath no aduantage to glory ouer the beast which serueth to humble him and to proclayme his vanity Againe Salomon speaketh according to the opinion of prophane Atheists such as the Saduces afterward were for they say Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward and the spirit of the beasts that goeth downeward to the earth These are they that also say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye 1 Corinth 15 32. But when he speaketh according to truth he telleth vs afterward that the spirit returneth to God that gaue it chap. 12. Againe they produce sundry testimonies that the dead cannot praise him it must be the liuing the liuing that must doe it Psal 6.5 In death there is no remembrance of thee so 30 10 and 88 11. Esay 38 18. I answere death and the graue haue two significations according to the different maner or estate of those that are dead Answ For some are dead spiritually that are reiected of God and in torments with the damned these cannot praise God at all neyther doth God accept praise at their hands Others are dead onely corporally not spiritually these cannot praise GOD in the Church visible together with the faithfull yet in their soules they neuer cease to acknowledge and praise God together with innumerable company of Angels and Saints departed yea it is their whole practice delight and exercise they doe nothing else Lastly the Apostle seemeth to make it peculiar to God to haue immortality 1 Tim. 6 16 he onely hath immortality I answer God hath this of himselfe the Angels the soules of men by grace and communication they receiue this from him whereas whatsoeuer God is he is it of himselfe Obiect Furthermore another question may bee moued wherefore in mustering this army and sending them to fight Phinehas the Priest was to be among them for what had he to doe with this maner of warfare who was to serue in the Tabernacle and was not numbred among the other tribes that were to goe out to warre I answere Answer Moses sendeth him because hee had giuen a notable proofe of his zeale in slaying the Israelite and the Midianitish woman with his iauelin he is sent not to draw his sword or to bee captaine of the hoste but to exhort the people to teach and keepe them in the feare of God and to put them in hope of victory This was commanded of God when they went to battel against their enemies the Priest was to stir them vp to courage that they should not faint nor feare but be assured that the Lord would go out with them and fight for them to saue them Deut. 20 2 3 4 so the Priests were ready to go with Dauid when he fled out of Ierusalem 2 Sam. 15 24. And when it is said Phinehas went with the holy instruments some vnderstand the Arke others the Vrim and Thummim to aske of God touching the successe of the battell Howbeit it is not likely that he doubted of the end that had his warrant from God to begin it And if Moses had meant this of the Arke no doubt hee would haue expressed it by his name as he doth oftē before besides if he had pointed to this he would rather haue vsed the singular number thē the plural haue said the holy instrument not instruments It is rather to be thought that he meaneth the two Trumpets of which see before chap. 10 and these he addeth in the next words by way of exposition or interpretation as if he had saide the holy instruments that is the Trumpets as Iudg. 8 27. Heereby then we see the absurd collection of Bellarmine De not eccl cap 17 18. who making the vnhappy ende of the enemies of the Church a note thereof alledgeth the death of Zuinglius who was slayne in battell But why might not Zuinglius go with his people into the battell as well as the Priests that were commanded to doe it Hee was as a good Shepheard that gaue his life for his flocke and would not leaue nor forsake them fighting for the defence of the Gospel Neyther may we account it a plague or punishment to dye in battell or a token of one forsaken of God as we see in good Iosiah and many others and the experience of all times teacheth vs the truth of that which Dauid saith The sword deuoureth one as well as another 2 Sam. 11 25. Thus much of the questions Auenge the children of Israel c and Moses saide Arme your selues c. By Moses speaking of warres we may see they haue beene ancient in the world and being commanded of God in this place we see also that they are lawfull of which see before chap. 1 and 24 and 25. But heere diuers other points directing warres and warriers are to bee obserued First obserue that an army is heere spoken off as mustered and gathered together for the battell Doctrine Before battel an army must be gathered The Doctrine is this Before men goe to battell an hoast of men must be appointed gathered together and sufficient forces must be leuied Exod. 17 9. Iosh 8 3. 2 Chron. 13 3 and 32 6. 1 Sam. 15 4. Iudg. 20 17. Reason 1 The causes are euident First that a number may be
I answere Answ the Lord hath giuen them other bookes to reade when he sayth Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5 39 hereby they shall be led into all truth and be sure to be preserued from errour and euill But as cunning and crafty theeues when they meete with a poore simple foole or a little child doe take theyr treasure or money from them â—nd giue them babies and pictures to play withal to keepe them quiet from crying or complayning so doe the Popish sort deale with Gods people they take from them the rich treasure of the holy Scriptures whereby all theyr iugling and deceit would be discerned and giue them puppets and images to be their play-fellowes which are the doctrine of vanity Ierem. 10 15. Zacharie 10 2 and they are teachers of lyes Habakkuk 2 18. Neyther let them reply that the Prophets condemne the images of false gods and that they make the images of the true God For wee shewed before that this cannot serue their turne forasmuch as the commandement forbiddeth the images of the true GOD Deuteron 4 12.15 Acts 17 29. Againe they obiect Obiect that they doe not worship the images themselues but so farre as they haue relation to the Saints whereof they are images I answere Answer the Israelites so often reproued for worshipping of images did withall professe that they worshipped not the idols themselues of wood or stone but God in them as in making the golden calfe they had a respect to GOD who brought them out of Egypt Exodus 32 3 4. And the mother of Micah witnesseth that shee had dedicated the siluer vnto the Lord to make a grauen and molten image Iudges 17 3. So Ieroboam hauing made the golden calues sayth Behold O Israel thy gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt 1 Kings 12 28 for hee meaneth the image and similitude which representeth the true God Hos 2 26. And not onely the Israelites who could not be so sottish as to beleeue that the calues which themselues had made and had lately made had freed their fore-fathers out of captiuity but the Gentiles themselues excused their idolatry in this maner as Austine witnesseth I doe not serue and adore that stone which I see but I serue him whom I doe not see And who is that a certaine diuine power which is inuisible which hath the charge ouer that image August in Psalm 9 6. As for other obiections drawne from the Cherubims and the brasen serpent wee haue spoken of them sufficiently before chapt 21. Lastly wee haue from hence occasion offered Vse 3 vnto vs to laud and magnifie the Name of God that hath freed vs from the darknes of idolatry and the danger of Idolaters except wee will runne into the same againe He hath placed vs where wee haue the Gospel like the Israelites in Goshen and hath opened our eyes to see those follies Let vs not with vnthankfull hearts desire to returne againe into this seruitude The Lord hath chosen to dwell among vs and hath planted his Church in our kingdom let vs labour to approue our obedience in his sight lest hee take the light of the truth from vs and bestow it vpon a people that wil bring forth the fruits thereof So long as the true worship of God continueth among vs our countrey shall be famous and renowned On the other side all places lose their honour and dignity when once they are defiled with sinne and consecrated to idolatry Gilgal was famous many wayes for many memorable things that happened there yet through idolatry there practised it became so infamous that the people of Iuda are forbidden to resort thither The like might be said of Beth-el which in former times was the house of God but was afterward for the same cause turned into Beth-auen an house of vanity Hos 4. Ierem. 7 12. Psalme 78 60. What shall wee then say of the Popish pilgrimages to Rome or to the holy land but taxe them of ignorance and superstition For be it that these places retayned theyr ancient dignity and maintayned the Religion of God in his purity yet should there bee no reason to go thither to worship forasmuch as all difference of places is taken away Ioh. 4 23. Ierome trauayled himselfe to the holy land and liued there and yet he sayth It is no commendation to haue seene Ierusalem but to haue liued well at Ierusalem this is praise worthy And Bernard after him Wee must not seeke after the earthly but the heauenly Ierusalem not by pilgrimage on foot but by bettering our affections Epist 319. ad Lelbert Abbat And if God require not of vs to resort to such places though they enteâ—â—ayned the truth then doubtlesse much lesse to trauayle so farre vnto them being now degenerate wholly dedicated and deuoted to Antichristianity and idolatry in which respect they are now become reprochfull hatefull and infamous to God al goodmen For we are not to esteeme them as they were but we must take them as they are that is full of superstition and consequently dangerous to come at them But if yee will not driue out the inhabitants of the land from before you it shall come to passe c shall be prickes in your eyes c. In these words we see the threatning which God denounceth against the carelesnesse and negligence of this people in the execution of that commandement of God The Lord will doe vnto them as hee had thought to doe vnto theyr enemies From hence wee learne that coldnesse and caresnesse in the seruice of God is a great and greeuous sinne Want of zeale in the cause of God Want of zeal in Gods cause is a grieuous sinne to be newters or indifferent men not caring or regarding which end go forward is a foule and fearefull sinne before him Iudges 1 21 27 29 31 33 2 2 3. 1 Kings 18 21 and 2 Kings 17 33. Gal. 3 1. Reuel 2 4 3 15 16. Gal. 5 7 Such are the greatest number of our professours Some would reconcile the Papists and vs that is light and darknesse Christ and Belial the Temple of God and idols Some serue theyr turnes by theyr profession so long as they may gaine and grow in credit vnder it Some professe religion as they professe the Lawes of the kingdome to wit as a ciuill thing and matter of good policy to keepe the people in subiection and obedience being ready to change as the time and state changeth Some hate them that are faithfull and forward so much that they can abide no zeale in religion nor in obedience that terme them madde fooles and giddy headed spirits which desire to feare God and to walke according to his word O miserable persons that which GOD hateth is commended and that which hee commandeth is reuiled and euill spoken of The grounds It is as naturall to a man Reason 1 to sinne as it is to draw the aire as experience teacheth in all subiect to humane infirmity