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.
day And if the voice of Christ in the daies of his humility were so fearefull and auailable in the hearts of his persecuters what a dreadfull thunderbolt will hee cast downe against all his enemies and vpon all the reprobate being in glory and sitting at the right hand of his Father when he shall vtter this finall and fearefull sentence Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels Math. chapter 25 verse 41. Againe wee are all put in minde that his death is meritorious and the full price of our redemption Thirdly we see that he is Lord of life and death for he raised himselfe by his eternall Spirit and as he had power to lay it downe so he had power to take it vp as appeared euidently at his resurrection Let vs serue him that is able to redeeme from death such as beleeue in him and rest vpon him for their saluation He that restored himselfe to life is able to giue vs life and he that brake the sorrowes of death is able to destroy him that hath the power of death Lastly let vs also endure the crosse willingly following his steps and shewing our selues to be like vnto him remembring that the losse of life for his sake is indeed not a losse of life but a finding of it or a changing of it a temporall life with an eternall Fourthly the heiffer heere mentioned was brought out of the hoast as also other sacrifices were Leuit 4 12 21. this signified Christs suffering out of the gates of the City as Heb. 13 11 12. Iohn 19 16 17 20. This circumstance is not without profite for first it sheweth and signifieth the abolishing of the types and figures of the Law the truth standing in place of the ceremonies and the body instead of the shadowes and therefore such as still serue at the Altar cannot bee partakers of our Altar that is of Christ Hebr. 13 10. Wee haue an Altar whereof they haue no right to eate which serue the Tabernacle The false Apostles taught that the ceremonies were to be mingled with the Gospel but these two cannot stand togegether because the seruice performed in the tabernacle was but a shadow of better things to come Col. 2 verse 17. But the body is Christ Wherefore to obserue them was to deny Iesus Christ and to keep them still in force was as much as to ouerthrow his sacrifice once offered vpon the Crosse They are therfore much deceiued that goe about to bring into vse againe Altars of wood or of stone in the churches of Christians For the Apostle speaketh not of Altars as of many but of the Altar as of one There is but one Altar in all the Church not infinite Altars and by that one Altar hee vnderstandeth the offering vpon the Altar which is no other then Christ himselfe So then wee may as well bring in the Leuiticall sacrifices as the Leuiticall Altars into the Church of Christ forasmuch as these depend one vpon another the sacrifice hauing relation to the Altar and the Altar to the sacrifice Math. 23 verses 19 20. whereas now we haue no more need either of the one or of the other For we haue an Altar and an offering which by offering of himselfe once vp a full and sufficient price for our redemption hath perfected all that are sanctified Againe as Christ was led out of the gates by the Iewes as though he were vnworthy of the society of men and afterward was crucified betweene two theeues as if he were the greatest malefactour of all hauing before preferred a wretched murtherer before him so let it not seeme strange vnto vs if the world cannot abide vs and if wee bee often made a gazing stocke to men and Angels and accounted as the off-scouring of the world and the filth of the earth 1 Corinth 4 verse 9. But howsoeuer the world do iudge of vs let vs appeale from their corrupt iudgement to the righteous iudgement of God saying with Iob Behold my Witnesse is in heauen and my Record is on high Iob 16 verse 19. Hee accepteth of vs as of his children and will admit vs as heires of his kingdome with his Sonne Lastly Christ was turned out of the City to teach vs what wee must account of our selues in this life that we haue heere no place to rest and repose our selues our hope is concerning things that are not seene Hebr. 13 verses 13 14. Let vs goe foorth vnto him without the Campe bearing his reproach for wee haue heere no continuing City but we seeke one to come As then we must bee content to beare part of the Crosse of Christ and to bee reproched as he was reproched for if we wil not beare part of his crosse wee shall not weare part of his Crowne so also wee must account our selues as Pilgrims and strangers in this world that we may enioy his kingdome in the world to come We must bee content to leaue father and mother lands and liues for his sake knowing that we shall finde all againe with a good aduantage Such as refuse to goe out of the Campe of this world to Christ and begin to nestle themselues as if they had heere a sure certaine habitation what other thing remaineth for them but vtterly to perish in the Camp of this world together with the wicked Our hope is in heaueÌ„ our ankre is fixed fast aboue not in this world but in the next wee seeke not a kingdome vpon the earth for then wee should deceiue our selues God hath not called vs heere to reigne but to suffer Thus it was with all the fathers Gen. chapter 47 ver 9. Hebrewes chapter 11 verses 13 14. The Heathen people accounted this life as it were an Inne to lodge at for a short season Cicero de sâ—â— not an house to dwell in and continue for euer yet those poore soules knew not whither they went but we know whither we goe and the way we know Iohn 14 4. We looke for a City which hath foundations whose builder maker is God Heb. 11 10. Vse 4 Lastly this purging and purifying water sprinkling the vncleane mentioned in this place is a figure of the blood of Christ fit and sufficient as a well of springing water to purge vs from all our sinnes Leuit. 1 13. Zach. 13 1. In that day there shall bee a fountaine opened vnto the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem and for separation from vncleannesse so the words are in the originall in which the Prophet alludeth to these waters of separation in this place Christ is this fountaine flowing of it selfe open and ready vnto euery one that will drinke of it for the cleansing of sinnes And we heard before out of the Apostle that the blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purgeth our consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Now the blood of Christ purgeth our consciences two
before our eyes the example of Balaam hired to curse the people of God o Iohn 5 34 36. who gaped after gaine and promotion and gaue mischeiuous counsell to the Moabites and Midianites to worke their death and destruction This truth is confirmed by sundry the Apostles Peter Iude and Iohn in the new Testament who mentioning this history declare both that bee loued the wages of vnrighteousnes and laid a stumbling-blocke before the children of Israel to intrap them was reprooued for his iniquity by his Asse Who spake with mans voice and forbad the foolishnesse of the Prophet These things being duly weighed and throughly considered do sufficientlie teach vs who is the author of this Booke not man but God and that the authority of it is diuine and not humane Now let vs see what vse may be gathered from hence and how it may be profitably applyed to our instruction Seeing the Author of this Booke and so of Vse 1 the rest of holy scripture is not man or Angel or any creature but the Lord of heauen and earth we learne that they want not nor stand in neede of the confirmation and approbation of the Church or of men seeing they are approued vnto vs by a greater authority and as it were warranted vnto our consciences from on higher Court where God himselfe sitteth present and president of the same So then as Christ our Sauiour speaketh p I receiue not the record of man but I haue a greater witnesse then the witnesse of Iohn We may truly say the same of his word we haue a better ground to stand vpon and a fairer warrant then the testimonie of the Church to beare record of the dignitie and authority of the word Hence it is that he saith in the same place The works which the Father hath giuen me to fin sh do beare witnes of me that the Father sent me and the Father himselfe which hath sent me beareth witnes of me This serueth to conuince the Church of Rome of the spirit of errour which teacheth that the scripture receiueth authority and credite from the Church insomuch that some of them are not ashamed to auouch q Eckius in Euchirid de autho Eccl. That the authoritie of the Church is greater then of the Scripture and others feare not to blaspheme r Hermannus that they should haue no more authority in regard of vs then Aesops Fables except the authority of the Church did procure it And as they are bold to maintaine that the Church is aboue the Scripture Å¿ Bellar. de verbo dei li. 4. cap. 12. so they teach that the Scriptures are not in themselues necessary neyther were written to be a rule of our Faith Thus they fall from one heresie into another proceed from worse to worse as euill men doe But the assurance of our Faith touching the Scriptures is not builded on the Churches authority but vppon the illumination of Gods spirit shining euidently in the Scriptures theÌ„selues The holy Ghost openeth the eyes of those that are his that they know discerne his voice from all others For as the Sun is not seene by any lighâ— but his owne so we iudge of the truth and all false Doctrines by the Scriptures How do we discerne sweet from sowre but by it owne taste And how can wee better discerne the rellish of the Scripture t Psal 19 10. Which is swâ—eter then the Hony and the Hony-combe to the taste then by the goodnes and excellency of it selfe True it is wee doe not reiect and refuse contemne or condemne the testimony authority of the true church as the Papists slander vs u What the office and authority of the Church is but wee confesse these points of the Church First it is as the keeper of the rolles and records to preserue them not to authorize them He that is custos rotulorum doth not giue authority to the writings but hath them of trust committed vnto him Secondly it is as a touchstone to distinguish them from bastard counterfeit Scriptures not to make that Scripture which is no Scripture The touchstone of the Gold-smith doth not make gold but discerneth and distinguisheth gold from other mettall what is base and what is rich stuffe so doeth the Church Thirdly it is as the voice of a x Chrisost hom 1. in Epist ad Tit. crier to preach and publish and promulgate and teach the truth as a cryer pronounceth and proclaimeth the Edicts and Decrees of his Prince but cannot adde to them nor take from them nor authorize them nor any way alter change them Fourthly it is as an Interpreter and expounder to expound and interpret them according to the Scriptures As the man of Law deliuereth the sense of the Law but doeth not make it to bee Law These are holy and honourable seruices of the Church and these wee willingly acknowledge to belong vnto it But that the Scriptures should receiue credite from it or bee of no authority without it we cannot admit or acknowledge For they are cleere perfect firme and worthy of all respect and reuerence without the testimony of the Church for the Authors sake The Apostle saith y 1 Ioh 5 6 9 It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse for that Spirit is truth and afterwarde If wee receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater Thus then wee see that the chiefe cause why wee beleeue that the Scriptures were deliuered from Heauen is not the witnesse of the Church nor the authoritie of man but because the Spirit speaketh euidently in them so that we can no more doubte of the truth of them though the Church should hold her peace then if we heard God openly speaking vnto vs froÌ„ the highest heauens Let vs therefore detest the wickednesse and blasphemy of such as say the authority of Gods worde dependeth of the testimony of man which were to preferre man before God to make all his promises hang vppon the vncertaine credite of man and to make the hand-maid take place before the Lady and Mistris which were a presumption and saucinesse not to be endured Secondly we learne from hence who is the Vse 2 best Interpreter of the Scriptures and who is the sole and soueraigne Iudge thereof namely God himselfe who is the author and inspirer of them For as the authority of them dependeth not vppon the Church so the interpretation of them dependeth not vppon the will and pleasure of man according to the saying of the Apostle z 2 Pet. 1 No prophesie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation Euery man is the expositor of his owne worke euery Law-giuer knoweth best the meaning of his owne Law a 1 Cor. 2 For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God for God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his
Shepheard to leade them in greene pastures Mat. 9 36. Is it not a wofull miserable thing to see Satans kingdome flourish and to see him ruling in the hearts of men and as it were dancing in their soules No greefe or sorrow should be like vnto this to see so many thousands perish euerlastingly But there is no other way to destroy his kingdome to make him fall downe like lightening then to haue the glad tydings of the Gospell spread abroad in the earth Luke 10 42. Is it not a miserable thing to see a City besieged round about and to haue no watchman to watch it and giue warning of the approch of the enemy Who can doubt but such a City is neere to be taken and surprized God hath made the Ministers his watchmen they must blow the Trumpet Ezek. 3 18 and 33 9. and warne the wicked that they turne from their wickednesse and euill wayes and so dye not in their iniquity Is it not a grieuous thing to haue meate ready to putrifie and corrupt and yet want salt to season it The Ministers of the word are not onely the light of the world but also the salt of the earth Math. 5 13. without which the people are as vnsauoury flesh and stinking carrion in the nostrils of God or else what needed this salt Lastly is it not a miserable thing to be pittied of all men to stand vpon the shore and to see many ready to bee drowned and cast away To behold them tossed vp and downe with the waues and at euery blast of the winde like to be swallowed vp in the seas But thus it is with vs by nature we cannot chuse but perish except this meanes be prouided for vs as an Arke to saue vs. Alasse how many dead carkasses may wee see swimming and floating in the glassie sea of this world that haue no life in them This point is pointed out vnto vs in the vision that appeared to Paul in the night Acts 16.9 There sâ—â—od a man of Macedonia and praied him saying Come ouer into Macedonia and helpe vs whereby he gathered assuredly that the Lord had called him to preach the Gospel vnto theÌ„ There are many things may bring vs into misery are able to make vs miserable but the want of Gods word and the sauing hearing of it bringeth a misery of all miseries euen an heap of all miseries which are as it were included in one by the Spirit of God speaking of the estate of the ten Tribes that had driuen away the Priests of the Lord 2 Chr. 15 3. Now for a long season Israel hath beene without the true God without a teaching Priest and without law Where mark that the holy Ghost ioyneth these three together God the Priest and the Law they that were without a teaching Priest were also without God and he that is without God is without all those things that should doe him good The like we see in the 13. chapter of the same book where Abijah concludeth against Israel that they could not prosper because they had banished the Priests of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron from them and on the contrary he saith concerning himselfe and Iudah As for vs the Lord is our God and wee haue not forsaken him 2 Chr. 13 10 and the Priests which minister vnto the Lord are the sonnes of Aaron and the Leuites waite vpon their businesse Verse 12. and afterward Behold God himselfe is with vs for our Captaine and his Priests with sounding Trumpets to cry alarme against you O children of Israel fight yee not against the Lord God of your Fathers for you shall not prosper If then wee would haue God to be with vs we must bee content to accept and make account of his Ministers if we cast them out with contempt from vs we say to the Lord also Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies Iob 21 14 15. who is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profite should wee haue if we pray vnto him Iob 21 14 15. Likewise the Prophet complaining of the desolation of the Sanctuary Psal 74 9. saith Wee see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among vs any that knoweth how long It was a great punishment inflicted vpon Caine to be driuen from the face of God Gen. 4 14 also vpon Agar Ismael the bond-woman and her sonne to bee cast out of the house of Abraham which was the Church of God Gen. 21 14 21. For that is as much as to bee separated from God to be banished from the word to be separated from his kingdome The Ministers are the guides to leade vs the way without them wee cannot but wander out of the way we are blind vnderstand nothing they open our eyes that we may see the truth Acts 8 31 and 26 18. â—he second â—proofe Secondly this reprooueth the vaine conceite and proud imagination of their hearts who hauing learned the principles of religioÌ„ and some grounds of knowledge proceed no further as if they had no more vse of the word whereas there is matter of instruction alwaies to be learned out of the word for all persons When wee haue eaten one kinde of meat one day we eate the next day as hungerly of it as we did before So ought we to come to the great Supper that God hath made vs againe and againe alwaies hungring and thirsting after the same This is most certaine and set it down as a most true rule the more knowledge we haue the more still we desire knowledge the greater our faith is the more we desire to haue it strengthened It is our daily praier that God would giue vs our daily bread Math 6 11. how much more then ought wee to craue at Gods hand the gift of spirituall food belonging to our soules that wee may be nourished to eternall life He is a foolish builder that when he hath begun to builde and laid the foundation giueth ouer Luk. 14 29. and neuer proceedeth to finish the worke but suffereth all men that passe by to laugh at him There is no people ought to be without the ministery it must alwaies remain among them that it may build them vp forward Eph. 4 13. and finish that which is begun Till wee all come in the vnity of faith and the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Would we haue it saide of vs and obiected against vs This man began to build but was not able to make an end This man laide his hand to the plough but now he standeth still and looketh backe There is as great vse to be made of the word after wee are conuerted to the faith regenerated by the Spirit of God as when we first beleeued They theÌ„ are greatly deceiued that being puffed vp with an
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
propound to themselues an euil end as either vaine glory to be esteemed of others or the merit of the work that they may be rewarded of God and do not referre them to his glory But not he that commendeth himselfe is approued but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10 18. Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts then shall euery man haue praise of God 1 Cor. 4 5. Wherefore all their workes are as the apples of Sodome which are faire in outward appearance and yet are rotten and corrupt So may vnbeleeuers do sundry workes that are beautifull in outwarde shew but they are like vnto painted Sepulchers which appeare glorious to the sight but they are within full of dead mens bones and all vncleannesse For their heart which God especially beholdeth and searcheth is foule filthy and can no otherwise be made cleane then as it is purified by faith Let all men therefore take knowledge of their naturall condition that they are of themselues abhominable and to euery good worke reprobate vntill they be borne again and regenerate by the Spirit of God The third reproofe The third reproofe is of such as notwithstanding the necessity of the word to direct our actions which without the light of it to shine in our hearts cannot please God yet regard not the knowledge of it but contemne both it and the meanes that leade vs the way vnto it This is an horrible sinne to forsake our owne saluation and as it were to cut our owne throats or to cast our selues wilfully into the middest of the seas It is a greeuous sin to be ignorant of the Law of God not to know what he commandeth or what he forbiddeth but it is more fearefull to despise knowledge offered and so as it were to despite the Spirit of grace what remaineth for such but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries Heb. 10 27. Such can haue no comfort or consolation in any of their actions For as the eye is the light of the body and directeth the rest of the members in all things they go about or else the feete might carry them into some pit of destruction so is the word of GOD our Lampe or Candle Psal 119 105. whereby we see how to walke and direct our selues into the way of peace we know what we ought to do and from what to refraine And as the body runneth violently into an heap of dangers where the eye is blinde and can perceiue nothing vntill it fall headlong into them so is it with such as regard not the knowledge of the scriptures but say vnto GOD as may appeare by their practise Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Iob 21 14. This world is as a wildernesse full of Lyons Bears Tygers and other rauenous and venemous beasts or as a sea standing out with rockes replenished with quicksands We can no sooner step out of doores but we shall be assaulted one way or other nay we our selues are tentations vnto our selues For rather then we should lacke tempters we tempt our selues like vnto a State that wanting forraine enemies falleth out within themselues and by ciuill warres destroy one another So is it with vs when we are free from open enemies we become enemies to our selues If then we want the guidance and gouernance of the word we are in danger to be ouercome and to take the foile Our Sauiour willeth vs as we heard before to search the Scriptures because in them we thinke to haue eternall life and therefore without the knowledge of thē we deceiue our selues if we dreame of eternall life So in another place he maketh the ignorance of them to be the cause of all euill and error in iudgement as Marke 12 verse 24. Are ye not therefore deceiued because yee know not the Scriptures Obiect But some peraduenture will say it belongeth to the Ministers onely to search them it is their office to looke into them I answer Answer it is a duty belonging vnto all persons to know them Christ exhorted the people to search them It is required of all to haue them dwell in them plentifully Colossians 3. If we would be preserued from error we must know them if we desire saluation we must search them if we would be able to resist the tentations of Satan we must be armed with them They are as the will and Testament of Christ whereby he hath bequeathed vnto vs an heauenly inheritance and a most rich possession and therefore it behoueth vs to reade the will to know how we hold it Thou wilt obiect Obiect they are hard and I am simple they may leade me into errors as many haue fallen into strange opinions by reading of them Art thou simple thē thou art the rather bound to reade them for they were written Answer Prou. 1 4. to giue vnto the simple sharpenesse of wit and to the child knowledge and discretion The whole Church is commanded this duty both Iewes Gentiles were there no simple men and women among them Neither oughtest thou to be afraid to be ledde by them into error for they were written to preserue thee from error and to leade thee into all truth It is the vnstable that wrest them to their owne destruction Reade them with humility with reuerence and praier Be thou lowly in thine owne eies and take heed of a proud spirit be conuersant in them with reuerence Esay 66 ◠learne to tremble at his word craue the assistance of Gods Spirit to guide thee and to open thine eyes that thou maiest vnderstand his secrets and thou shalt not need to stand in feare of being carried into error And touching the hardnesse of them be not discouraged from the reading of them Some things indeed are hard to be vnderstood but there is nothing hard in one place but it is made easie in another and it shall he made easie to vs by diligent meditation in them Besides all things that are necessary to saluation are plainely set downe that the people may vnderstand them It is the lying spirit of the diuell in the false Prophets of Antichrist that cryeth out The Scriptures are hard and full of knots the people may not reade them Beleeue not euery spirit 2 Thes 2 3. but try the spirits whether they be of God or not for many false Prophets are gone into the world 1 Iohn 4 verse 1. They are blinde leaders of the blinde they play fast and loose with the people as Iuglers do with the simple and cast a mist before their eies that they should not espy them They leade them into error and then take the light from them whereby they might be conuinced It is the great policy of that great Antichrist and man of sinne not onely to forbidde the reading of our bookes but the free vse of Gods
is a seruice that is well pleasing in his sight forasmuch as we shew thereby that we do not depend on the pleasure of men but rely our selues vpon the authority of God And as it is the praise and triall of a good subiect who is content to beleeue and obey the lowest messenger and least officer that commeth vnto him with a message and commandement from his Prince so heereby it appeareth that we are true Citizens of the kingdom of God his adopted children if we heare his word with feare and reuerence albeit it be preached vnto vs by the meanest and poorest of all Gods seruants On the other side as it is a note of contempt toward the Magistrate himselfe to disobey or resist any Serieant or seruant that commeth from him how base soeuer he may seeme to be so wee make our selues guilty of rebellion and high treason against GOD when wee despise such as speake in his Name and contemne them that haue authority committed vnto them from the most high All such as loathe the truth for the Teachers sake when their owne consciences conuince them that it is the word of God which soundeth in their eares let them assure themselues and perswade their owne hearts that the contempt of their persons redoundeth to the Sonne of God yea to the Father himselfe Let them marke this point weigh it diligently who take it hainously when they are reprooued of men equall vnto them or inferiour to them or if they be contemptible to the world by reason of their poore estate The fourth reproofe Lastly it reproueth those that go about to shake the faith of many and to weaken the assurance and certainty of our saluation hauing the promises thereof propounded vnto vs in the doctrine and by the writings of the Apostles Hence it is that sundry scoffers and prophane spirits aske the question who is Paul and who is Peter or what is Iohn that wee should of necessity beleeue them Who gaue them authority or whence haue they power in the Church to set downe and prescribe vnto vs a rule of faith The doctrine that now we deale withall serueth very fitly to stoppe the mouthes of these Atheists and containeth a soueraigne preseruatiue against the poison that they offer vnto vs inasmuch as Christ the eternall Sonne of God maketh them his messengers his witnesses his heraulds to spread abroad his sauing health and auoucheth that he speaketh in them acknowledgeth himselfe to be author of that truth which they deliuer Gal. 1 8. so that if an Angell from heauen should preach any other Gospel then that which they haue preached to the Churches hee must bee holden accursed This therefore we ought to apply vnto our selues and gather as an argument of great comfort that when remission of sins and eternall life are promised to them that are truely penitent and lay hold vpon Christ by a liuely faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles we must assure our selues it is the voice of Christ and he will ratifie it in the highest heauens Neither is this true onely touching the Apostles themselues that had their calling from God and not from men and were conuersant with Christ in the daies of his flesh but likewise of all the faithfull Ministers of Iesus Christ that haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen committed vnto them When we assure forgiuenesse of sinnes to those that haue contrite and broken hearts it is no doubtfull or vncertaine assurance but grauen with a diamond and written as it were with a pen of steele to continue for euer forasmuch as it is the assurance of Christ and of God himselfe The voice of the Minister is not the voyce of a priuate man but of one that is a publike person it is as the voice of Christ himselfe Art thou humbled and cast downe for thy sinnes and doth thy soule cleaue vnto the dust He sendeth his Minister vnto thee and putteth the word of reconciliation into his mouth so that if thou vnfainedly turne vnto God be as well assured of the mercy of God toward thee as thou heardst Christ himselfe say vnto thee as he did sometimes to the sicke of the palsie Sonne bee of good cheare Math. 3 2. thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Againe when the Ministers of God on the other side doe threaten and thunder out the sentence of condemnation against the vnbeleeuers and such as cannot repent this also is no lesse the voice of the Sonne of God which no power of the world nor authority of man can hinder or call backe forasmuch as whose sinnes they reteine they are reteined Iohn ◠This iudgement howsoeuer it be either denied or derided or doubted off among the vngodly yet will Christ make it good and execute the same vpon them to their confusion This doctrine reacheth to the true Ministers of the word who haue their calling from God his word As for the Bishop of Rome that challengeth sole authority to forgiue sinnes and will haue all his decrees and decretals no lesse acknowledged then the word of God it is more then childish and ridiculous For he hath nothing common with the Apostles and cannot proue his succession wherein he glorieth by any sound reasons and yet arrogateth more vnto himselfe then GOD gaue or the Apostles tooke or the Church acknowledged to be due vnto the Apostles forasmuch as the Lord tied thē by an expresse commandement that they should teach the people to obserue those things which he had commanded them Vse 3 Thirdly this serueth to informe the Ministers that it concerneth them much to adorne their calling and to magnifie their Ministery that it bee not blemished and euill spoken off through their default This ought aboue all other things to be a spur vnto vs in our sides and as a fire kindled within our bowels to inflame our hearts with a zeale of Gods glory with a loue of his people with a care to discharge our office committed vnto vs with an earnest desire to encrease the kingdome of Christ Iesus For seeing God accounteth vs as his owne Embassadors sent out to do his wil and vouchsafeth to ioyne our labour with mans saluation we are bound in duty and conscience to preach the Gospel truely purely painefully sincerely and soundly It is required of vs not onely to teach but to teach the truth and to teach the truth with a right affection For we can neuer challenge the names and titles of being the Messengers of God vnto our selues and to be respected as the person of Christ himselfe except we preach the pure word of God and commend to the Church the pure doctrine of Christ If wee preach corruptly and make merchandise of the word of God and mingle wheat with chaffe and good corne with darnell or that which is worse we are not to bee accepted receiued as Christ but to be reiected and refused as false teachers that speake in their owne
confirme our word by testimony from himselfe in his mercies toward them that beleeue in his iudgments vpon the wicked that resist and in preseruing vs because wee haue beene faithful in doing the message for which we are sent Ezek. 33.32.33 Matth. 10.19 20 22 26 28 29 30. It is also a comfort to all such as doe heare aright such as bring foorth the fruit of the Gospel doe not onely receiue the Gospel but they receiue God himselfe 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab which said We will not come vp 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs vp out of a land that floweth with milke and hony to kill vs in the wildernesse except thou make thy selfe altogether a Prince ouer vs 14 Moreouer thou hast not brought vs into a land c. Moses hauing spoken to Korah the principall conspiratour that first began to roule this stone and nothing at al preuailed against him doth not giue ouer Ier. 5.4 5. but tryeth if any of the rest had any more sparke of grace or feare of God in them But the farther he proceedeth the lesse hope he findeth For Dathan and Abiram refuse to come vnto him Before this they assembled themselues tumultuously before they were called but now being lawfully called they will not assemble Nay they open their mouthes to accuse him of cruelty and treachery both of them heinous crimes but both of them falsely ascribed vnto him Of cruelty as if he purposed to kill them in the wildernesse of treachery as if hee had brought them from a land flowing with milke and hony but had brought them to possesse no land Thus they preferre Egypt before Canaan the place from which they were gone before the place to which they were going And yet this is not the depth of their impiety 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 doe mocke 〈◊〉 and him for I take this answer of theirs to bee a very mocke and scoffe cast out partly against Moses and partly against God which will appeare if we compare the words of Moses to Korah with this answer For Moses had said Seemeth it but a small thing to you to seeke the Priesthood also they borrow his own words and cast them in his owne face Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs into the wildernesse to kill vs As if they had said Thou tellest vs that it is a great mattter to vsurpe the Priesthood but why dost thou not consider that it is also a farre greater matter to kill so great a multitude And whereas God so often promised to giue to Israel a land flowing with milke and hony they turne it into a iest and tell Moses that Egypt was that fruitfull land as for other land they could see none for their feet to rest vpon â—â—â—trine â—iâ—ate â—ers reuile â—aile at 〈◊〉 that reâ—e them We learne hereby that they which are hardned in sinne and resolued not to giue ouer doe not onely stoppe their eares against all reproofe which notwithstanding is a great sinne but reuile raile vpon and despise such as tell them the trueth and lay before them their faults though they be the Ministers of God that doe it This wee saw before verse 3. in Korah and his company They gathered themselues against Moses and against Aaron and said vnto them Ye take too much vppon you 1 King 18.17 and 21.20 and 22.8 Ierem. 15.10 and 18.18 and 44.16 17. Actes 17.18 Reason 1 The reasons first because as no bitter things are pleasant to the sicke man who would euer haue his humour serued so no reproofes are pleasant to the sinner 1 King 22.7 Euery sinner is as a sicke man and euery reproofe is as a bitter ingredient nothing pleasing to the taste A wicked man desireth to heare nothing but pleasing things to giue a reproofe vnto him is no better welcome vnto him then if you gaue him gall and vineger to drinke Reason 2 Secondly they are fallen into a sweet sleep of sinne and cannot abide to be awaked or any way disturbed and disquieted They loue to goe to hell with ease they would not bee troubled in their iourney But the reproofes of the Minister doe crosse them and therefore they speake all manner of euill against him Vse 1 This sheweth the miserable condition of such as iustifie themselues in their sinnes who being conuicted of a great height of iniquity and impiety doe cast the Ministers reproofe as dung into his face and defend whatsoeuer themselues haue committed A sicke man that is so farre from taking the potion giuen him by the counsell of a learned Physitian that in stead of taking it he doth cast it in the Physitians face may well be thought to be in a desperate condition and must needs perish so it is with men spiritually sicke with sinne euen heart-sicke who are so farre from receiuing a rebuke at the hand of the Minister that they will be impatient toward him and returne rebuke for rebuke vnto his face nay storme and raile at him with opprobrious and contumelious termes it argueth they are forlorne men and in a pitifull and desperate estate It were infinite to speake of all sorts that are possessed with a spirit of contradiction to gainesay the trueth Some find fault because we reprooue such sinnes as are not found in the place where we preach others because by reprouing sinners we would seeme to make the world beleeue that they are more sinfull then other people and thereby make them odious to others Others accuse vs that we reprooue sin out of hatred and malice not out of loue malice to their person not hatred of the sinne But the Minister is to reprooue any sinne that is in the land besides how know they it is not in that place And if it be not we know not how soone it may be We must learne to detest all sinne but how shall wee detest that which we know not and if wee doe know it no man knoweth it so well but hee may know it better and no man detesteth it so much but he may learne to detest it more The assaults of Satan and tentations to sinne come suddenly if we be not forewarned we may be surprised suddenly Againe the reproouing of sin in one place is not the clearing of another or in one person is not the iustifying of another Lastly to accuse the Ministers of reproouing through malice proceedeth in themselues from want of charity 1 King 22.8 Ahab accused Micaiah of hatred because he neuer prophesied good vnto him but euill but indeed the hatred was in himselfe as also he charged Eliah to be the man that troubled Israel whereas indeed it was he and his fathers house 1 Kin. 18.17 18. we are thought to be their enemies for no other cause but because we tell them the trueth Gal. 4.16 Vse 2 Secondly beholde from hence the cause why the Minister of the Gospell is so ordinarily hated of the
7. verse 14. Math. 1. verse 23. Luk. 1 31. The Reasons follow First that so he might Reason 1 worke faith in them that otherwise would not beleeue Thus doth God take away all excuse when he worketh aboue nature as Exod. 4 1. When Moses was sent to the Israelites in Egypt to tell them of their deliuerance that God had heard their grones and sighes had seene al their troubles and miseries he alledged that the people wold not beleeue him nor hearken vnto his voice and therefore did the Lord inable him to turne his rod into a serpent the serpent into his rodde that so they might beleeue that the Lord God of their fathers had appeared vnto him Exod. 4 5. Againe he is willed to put his hand into his bosome and when he pulled it out it was leprous as snow verse 6. and putting his hand into his bosome againe when he pulled it out Behold it was turned again as his other flesh verse 7. Whereupon the Lord saith If they will not beleeue thee nor hearken to the voice of the first signe they wil beleeue the voice of the latter signe verse 8. And if they would not beleeue either the one or the other hee is yet willed to take the water of the Riuer and to poure it vpon the dry land and the water should become blood vpon the dry land Secondly God getteth glory hereby among Reason 2 his children his praise is by it set forth when by nothing else Wee are mooued at strange things Iohn 11 15 45. and taught to beleeue Lazarus was raised from the dead who had lyen in the graue foure dayes ver 39. to shew forth Gods glory verse 40. Math. 9 8. Luke 13 13. and 23 47. So that miracles serue to worke faith in vs and to gaine glory to God The Vses First consider from hence the greatnes and Vse 1 power of God who is to bee compared vnto him Esay 44 24. and 45 5. None of all the creatures be they neuer so excellent in strēgth and glorious in power can do such things therefore nothing can be matched with him let him therefore be preferred aboue all This is the vse vrged by Moses in his song of thāksgiuing after their passing ouer the red sea Exod 15 10 11. and Psal 77.12 13 14. He is the onely author of miracles hee it is onely that properly doth them and no other For a miracle is a worke wrought aboue the strength of nature as we shall shew more largely afterward But no creature can worke aboue the course of nature he onely that is the author of nature must do it Obiect But it may bee obiected that some of the Prophets did raise the dead as Eliah 1 Kin. 17 21 22. and Elisha 2 King 4 34 35. made Iron to swim being an heauy thing to ascend vpward 2 Kings 6 6. commanded fire to come from heauen being a light thing to descend downward 2 Kin. 1 10. healed many incureable diseases 2 Kings 5 10. and wrought many great workes Heb. 11 33 34 35. So did the Apostles raise the dead cleanse the Leapers restore sight to the blind healed the sick cast out diuels and this was their office calling to which they were appointed Math. 10 8. Answer Acts 5 15. 19 12. I answer the gift which they had was the faith of miracles And this was done in this manner God reuealed vnto them by his Spirit that he would worke such and such a miracle when they prayed thereupon either by commanding the euill spirit to depart in the name of Christ or by imposition of hands in other workes they wrought the same They hauing this knowledge by reuelation of the purpose of God beleeued the same and were as the mouth of God and the hand of God being his messengers to signifie what he would do Marke 11 22 23. Heb. 11 33 34. They then had no power of their own it was the diuine power onely that wrought them Obiect But some will say that the diuels can work miracles contrary to nature and therefore it is not proper to God Answer I answer hee can worke wonders but not miracles For though euery miracle be a wonder yet euery wonder is not a miracle He can do things extraordinary or otherwise then the common course of nature but he cannot worke aboue or against nature Thus he caused fire to fall from heauen the winds to blow downe dwelling houses as we see in the history of Iob. Hee also caused blisters and vlcers to arise in his body and without question they were true vlcers as the Scriptures plainly setteth downe and Iob truly felt Iob 2 7 8. Howbeit this he did no otherwise but by the force of nature for he cannot make raine or thunder or lightning or winde or storme or tempest this is the worke of God and commeth from his hand Gen. 7 4. Deut. 11 14. 28 12. 1 Sam. 12 17 18. 1 Kin. 8 35 36. God only sendeth the raine the diuel cannot make it and 17 14. 18 1. 2 Kin. 3 17. Iob 5 10. and 28 26. and 37 23 45. Psalme 105 32. 107 25. 135 7. 147 8. 148 7 8. Ier. 5 24. 10 13. 51 16. Zach. 10 1. Acts 14 17. Iames 5 18. The deuill cannot make the matther whereof the rain is ingendred They then are deceiued that thinke the deuill is able to make raine or haile or snow or vapor or the least flye that flyeth in the aire or the smallest worme that creepeth in the earth Neuerthelesse when the matter of stormes tempests is prepared of God he can gather it and hasten it and make it more terrible and carrie it from place to place from country to country For as hee can assume a body but not make a body so he can vse the winde but not create the winde If stormes and windes might bee raised and framed by the power of satan they might be said to execute his word he might be said to be the father of the raine So then briefly it is safest to hold this as a trueth that God caused the fire but satan brought it vpon Iobs flocke God caused the winde but satan draue it vpon the foure corners of the house For when once they are raised satan hath power by Gods permission to carry and transport them from Region to Region so that when naturally they blow one way he can besides nature turne them another way neuerthelesse he is not able to send winds or raise tempests where none are It may be further said Obiection that the sorcerers of Egypt did bring forth Frogs and turne water into blood and rods into serpents and such like Ex. 7 11 22. 8 7. I answer Answ it may be satan did fetch these frogs and serpents from other places and conuey them in a moment into the presence of Pharaoh and of his Princes for the effecting whereof more
he will be present in the midst of them Hee hath promised the graces of his spirit plentifully to them that aske Wherefore when Daniel was to declare to the King the dreame which he had dreamed and the interpretation thereof which none of the Astrologians or inchanters could declare He shewed the matter to his Companions Dan. 2.17 that they should beseech the God of heauen for grace in this secret The like we see in Ester when she heard that all the Iewes were appointed to destruction and of that great danger which threatned the Church Esther 4 16. she willed Mordecai to go and assemble all the Iewes that were found in Shushan saying Fast ye for me eate not nor drinke in three dayes I also and my maids will fast likewise and so will I goe in to the king which is not according to the Law and if I perish I perish So doth S. Paul in euery Epistle almost desire the Church to pray for him that he might bee deliuered from vnreasonable and beastly men Rom. 15.31 disobedient to the Gospel that did vexe and trouble him that his seruice in his Ministery might be acceptable to the Saints for their profit and edification Ephe. 6 19. Colos 4.3 that he might haue the doore of vtterance opened and freedome of speech giuen vnto him to publish boldly the wil and counsell of God as he ought that the gifts and graces of God bestowed vpon him 2 Cor. 1.11 might redownd to the benefit of the Church praise of God True it is the wicked and vngodly do many times desire those whom they thinke to be the children of God to pray for them But they want the Spirit of Christ Rom 8.16.26 Zach. 12.10 and the grace of prayer so that they cannot pray themselues nor haue any heart to lift vp to God Acts 8.24 as we see in Simon the Sorcerer who craued of the Apostles to pray for him to the Lord that none of his threatnings might fall vpon him Hee was not touched with a feeling of his sinne nor desired any pardon thereof but onely craued a freedome deliuerance from iudgement to come So then hee was not grieued for sin but feared the punishment Againe as the Reprobate may desire the prayers of the children of God when they feare iudgements to come vpon them hereafter so they may doe when punishment is vppon them as we see in Pharaoh Exod. 9 27 2◠who desired Moses and Aaron to pray for him that there be no more mighty thunders in the Land The same we see in Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat that made Israel to sinne when his hand was dryed vp that he could not pull it in againe which he had stretched out to lay hold on the Prophet threatning the destruction of the idolatrous altar at Bethel he said to the man of God I beseech thee pray vnto the Lord thy God 1 King 13. ◠and make intercession for me that my hand may be restored vnto me So then the wicked desire to be prayed for but it is onely in extremity it is onely to escape punishment either present or to come But the Godly respect sinne and are greeued for it more then for the punishment they are troubled more for the losse of Gods fauour then of temporall commodities Therefore when he prayeth for himselfe or for others he is moued with a feare and reuerence of the Maiestie of God to whom hee prayeth Eccle. 5.1 Dan. 9.4 he is touched with a feeling of his own wants for which he praieth he powreth out his heart before the Lord and sheweth a feruent desire to obtain his wants 1 Sam. 1 1◠1 Thes 5. ◠he praieth not for a brunt or two but continueth in prayer he doubteth not through vnbeleefe but through faith assureth himselfe to obtaine the requests hee maketh according to his word Fourthly it followeth also that when God Vse 4 hath heard vs for them wee must praise his Name and giue thankes for the blessings hee hath vouchsafed vnto our brethren So doth the Apostle in many of his Epistles Rom. 1.8 I thanke my God for you all through Iesus Christ because your faith is published throughout the whole world As we are not to pray onely for our selues so wee are not to offer the sacrifice of thankesgiuing onely for our selues This serueth to reproue all those that repine and enuy at the blessings bestowed vpon others who haue their owne eye euill because the Lords eye is good This sometime creepeth vpon the seruants of God and therfore ought to make vs more wary watchfull ouer our selues When Ioshua the seruant of Moses saw the spirit of God to rest vpon Eldad and Medad so that they prophesied in the hoast he said My Lord Moses Num. 11. ◠forbid them who answered him Enuiest thou for my sake yea would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would powre his Spirit vpon them So when the disciples of Iohn saw that Christ Iesus made more disciples then Iohn and increased in glory more then he they complained to Iohn that all men flocked to Christ and began to forsake him Iohn replyed Ioh. 3 2◠Yee your selues are my witnesses that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him hee must increase but I decrease Let vs beware that we be not possessed with the spirit of enuie rather let vs labour after brotherly loue 1 Cor. 1◠which suffereth long is bountifull enuyeth not it seeketh not her own things it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth it suffers all things it beleeueth all things it hopeth al things it endureth all things Whatsoeuer good things God bestoweth vpon any member of Christ he hath giuen them not onely for the benefit and comfort of him that hath receiued them but for the good of the whole body Seeing therefore we haue our part and portion therein in as much as there is in the Church one Communion of Saints it is our duty to returne the praise and glory thereof to the giuer and not repine and grudge against him to whom they are giuen Vse 5 Lastly consider from this Doctrine whence it is that God spareth the wicked and vngodly and beareth long with the vessels of wrath appointed to destruction It is for the prayers of his people that are his remembrancers day and night that stand in the gap and breach which the hand of God hath made that cry vnto him without ceassing Spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine inheritance vnto reproch 〈◊〉 17. that the vnbeleeuers should say Where is their God True it is the people of God are contemptible in this vnthankefull world yet were it not for these simple and silly ones the iudgements of God had long since fallen vppon vs which by their prayers hitherto they haue stayed For had we continued in
Thou art the Lord my God When Christ saith If thou beleeue al things are possible to him that beleeueth Mark 9 23 the beleeuer answereth Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe When God requireth to do his will the beleeuer saith to him againe Loe I come O my God I am content to do it yea thy law is within mine heart Hence we must all learne to abhor abiure the false faith of the false church of Rome which teacheth that to be true faith which generally beleeueth the word of God to be true This is the faith of the reprobates and thus the diuell and all damned spirits may be said to haue faith For euery article of the Creed teacheth vs to beleeue not onely generally that there is a God Iames 2 19 a Sauiour a Sanctifier a Church of God a Communion of Saints a forgiuenesse of sinnes a resurrection of the body to euerlasting life which the diuell and his angels knoweth confesseth and beleeueth but particularly that God the Father is our Father that Christ is our Sauiour that the holy Ghost is our Sanctifier that there is an holy Catholike Church and that we are true members of it that we haue our part and fellowship in the Communion of Saints that our sinnes are forgiuen vs and that we shall rise againe to glory and immortality Hence it is that we pray daily not onely for remission of sinnes to be giuen to the faithfull but for the forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes Hence it is that in coming to the Lords Table we receiue Christ as the bread of life and the food of our soules There can be no eating and drinking but by a particular taking and receiuing so can there bee no beleeuing in Christ without a speciall receiuing apprehending of Christ according to the saying of Christ Iohn 6 56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him No man is fed by the meate that another man eateth so no man is iustified by the faith whereby another man beleeueth but the iust man liueth by his owne faith Hab. 2 4. For he is the bread of life that came downe from heauen He that cometh to him Iohn 6 35 shall neuer hunger and he that beleeueth on him shall neuer thirst Let vs therefore labour for this speciall faith and affiance in the mercy of God and make particular application of the merits of Christ Let vs beleeue in him who is the true brazen serpent or rather the truth of the brazen serpent let vs make him to be our life who is of God made vnto vs to be wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1 30. 10 And the ChildreÌ„ of Israel departed thence and pitched in Oboth 11 And they departed from Oboth and pitched in the hilles of Abarim in the Wildernesse which is before Moab at the rising of the Sunne 12 They departed thence and pitched vpon the Riuer of Zared 13 Thence they departed and pitched on the other side of Arnon which is in the Wildernesse coming out of the Coast of the Amorites for Arnon is the border of Moab betweene the Moabites and the Amorites 14 Wherefore it is spoken in the booke of the battels of the Lord against Vaheb in the Land of Suph and against the Riuers of Arnon 15 And the streame of these Riuers which goeth downe to the dwelling of Ar lieth vpon the border of Moab 16 And from thence they remoued to Beer the same is that Well whereof the Lord said vnto Moses Assemble the people and I will giue them water 17 Then Israel sang this song Rise vp Well shout ye vnto it 18 O Well which the Princes digged the Nobles of the people digged it by the direction of the law-giuer with their staues And from the Wildernesse they went to Mattanah 19 And from Mattanah to Nahaliel and from Nahaliel to Bamoth 20 And from Bamoth to the Valley which is in the Land of the Moabites at the beginning of the Hilles and looketh toward the Wildernesse In this diuision is contained the third part of this Chapter describing the peregrinations and perambulations of the Israelites in what places they pitched their Tents till they came to the possession of the Amorites Touching these seuerall iournies some are barely and nakedly mentioned because no notable matter or extraordinary and memorable accident fell out therein other are passed ouer and not at all mentioned or remembred because the whole order of their trauelling in the Wildernesse is particularly recorded afterward Numbers chapter 33 how they remoued from place to place and after what manner But vpon some other of their remoouals Moses doeth somewhat more largely insist and as it were make a stay as in the setting downe of two points First rehearsing the boundes by which the Israelites passed into the Land of promise secondly describing the well which they digged for water Touching the first point they are said to haue pitched in Oboth then at the heapes of the hilles of Abarim situate right ouer against Moab then at the brooke Zared lastly at the borders of the Amorites neere to the Riuer Arnon Now because these were at the first the bounds and borders of the Moabites Moses sheweth how by conquest they were lost declaring both who lost them and likewise who wonne theÌ„ by the dint of the sword For he telleth vs by the Spirit of God that these places were once in the power possession and dominion of Vaheb who before managed the state and kingdome of the Moabites but Sihon thirsting with ambition to enlarge the boundes of his dominion set vpon Vaheb bad him battell and wonne these Coasts Countries from him Now to continue the memoriall remembrance heereof to posterity there was a publike register made hereof to posterity shewing that the name of those quarters was Suph â—â—t 1 1. and declaring that Vaheb had bene the lawfull possessour of theÌ„ as Sihon was now the wrongfull vsurper Neuerthelesse as all things else are ouerswaied by an higher power so this battell was fought and directed by the prouidence of God that the Moabites for their horrible idolatry might be punished that Sihon prouoking Israel to battell might be repressed and that thereby an inheritance for the people of God might be prepared and obtained This is the cause why God drew out the swords of these Infidels one against another that the Moabites lost a part of their dominion and the Amorites enlarged their borders Thus the Israelites took nothing from the Moabites neither possessed any part that was in their present possession as Iephtah prescribeth in the booke of Iudges chap. 11 26. For when the King of the Amonites challenged Israel for encroching vpon his ancient dominion deteining part of his Country from him to wit from Arnon vnto Iabbock and Iordan after their departure out of Egypt and required of them to make present restitution Iephtah conuinceth them and disproueth this allegation
heerein a speciall worke of Gods prouidence preseruing his owne truth and reseruing it to all posterity Few are found in the world to affect or regard the pure and sincere word of God in comparison of the multitude that seeke after humane wisedome and labour to know the nature of â—irds of Beasts of Fishes of Trees and of earthly things which delight the outward senses and rauish the vnderstanding of naturall men yet see how those bookes of Salomon that handle meere matters of humane Pâ—ilosophy which the wise men of the world hunt after are vtterly lost whereas the diuine bookes which he wrote by inspiration lesse regarded and more contemned are notwithstanding by the watchfull eye of God remaining and are reserued for the comfort of the Church for euer Lastly we reade of the Prophesie of Enoch Obiect 4 in the Epistle of Iude verse fourteenth who prophesied of the second comming of Christ in power and great glory with thousands of his Saints which Prophesie also seemeth to be among those bookes which are lost I answer Answer this could bee no Apochryphall Booke of holy Scripture for Moses was the first Penne-man or Scribe that wrote the holy Scripture whose fiue bookes are perfect and contained in them sufficient instruction for that CHVRCH whereas that Prophesie did not nor indeed could not Secondly it cannot appeare that this Prophesie was euer written Iude ver 14. It is said he prophesied foretolde the end of the world by the Spirit of God in that most corrupt age that hasted to destruction to the end that such as were ordained to eternall life might beleeue and the rest being hardened might bee made without excuse but it is no where said It was written It is said to bee a Prophesie but no word or mention is made of the writing of this Prophesie so that it seemeth the Apostle learned it by tradition from the father to the sonne as the Apostle Paul setteth downe the names of the sorcerers that withstood Moses and Aaron Neither let the Church of Rome lay the foundation of vnwritten traditions vppon this ground-worke seeing we deny not al vnwritten traditions conueied from hand to hand but only such as are made rules of Gods worship matters of faith and parts of religion necessary to saluation To conclude therefore seeing the prouidence of God the fidelity of the Church and diligence of the faithfull is so great that the whole body of the Canonicall Scripture hath beene kept entire and perfect without losse or lacke of any part or parcell of it of any booke or sentence we must detest the blasphemous shufflings shiftings of the Church of Rome that make the Scripture to be a maimed lame and vnperfect doctrine Censu Colon. dial 6. Concil Trident. sess 4. not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation whereas the Apostle teacheth that the whole Scripture inspired of God is able to make vs wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Verses 10 11 12 13. And the Children of Israel departed thence and pitched in Oboth c. Here we haue painted and portraied out as in a Table certaine stations and iournies of the Israelites wherein wee may behold as in a glasse the prouidence of God protecting theÌ„ and the obedience of the people following him We see how they remoue from place to place in the wildernesse they are neuer long at one stay but either they went forward or backward as the sea continually ebbeth or floweth Now as the Land of Canaan was a figure of their rest in the kingdome of heauen so their wandring vp and downe in the wildernesse did figure and represent the condition of their life to bee vaine and transitory in this world Doctrine The faithfull are forreigners and strangers in this life We learne from hence the state of the faithfull what it is we are pilgrims and strangers in this life we are as guests lodging heere for a night but by and by we must depart and be dislodged we haue heere no continuing City This the faithfull haue in all ages confessed Iacob being brought into the presence of Pharaoh saith The whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty yeares few and euill haue the daies of my life beene Gen. 47 9. But we may say the daies of our pilgrimage are threescore yeares and ten if haply we reach so farre to which not one amongst an hundred cometh few indeed and euill we may truely call them This Abraham pleadeth Gen. 23 4 Gen 15. â—3 wanting a place of buriall to interre his dead I am a stranger and a forreigner among you giue mee a possession of buriall with you Thus he confesseth it went with him in Canaan neither was his estate any better elsewhere This the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth though a great King Psal 39 12. Heare my praier O Lord and hearken vnto my cry keepe not silence at my teares for I am a stranger with thee 1 Chr. 23 15 and a soiourner as all my fathers our daies are like a shadow vpon the earth and there is none abiding So then we see what our life and condition is wee are altogether vanity like grasse that soone withereth wee are as tenants at the will of the Lord our age is as nothing it passeth as a tale that is soone told it is as an hand-breath quickly measured surely euery man in his best estate is altogether lighter then vanity it selfe The reasons First all our daies are stinted Reason 1 and limitted as they are short and vaine so they are vncertaine and vnknowne The strongest natures and constitutions that seeme to be framed setled as a sure building to continue for many yeares yet are soone cut off are no more We see this confirmed by the daily experience of many examples as in Vzzah suddenly smitten 2 Sam. 6 7 in Iobs children quickly ouerwhelmed Iob 1 19 in Ananias and Sapphira presently destroyed Acts 5 5 10 in the rich man that had his soule in one night taken from him Luke 12 20 and in a continuall beholding the hand of God striking as pleaseth him If then vncertainty be an apparent argument of vanity we may conclude from hence our life to be vaine transitory inasmuch as God reuealeth not when or where or how we shall die and bee taken out of this life We know not when we shall die at euen or at midnight at the Cocke-crowing or in the dawning When we lie downe we know not whether we shall rise againe when we arise whether wee shall lie downe againe except we be laid in our graue and make our bed in the dust Moreouer we know not where we shall die at home or abroad When we go out of our houses wee know not
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
of Tekoah when she pretendeth that one of her sonnes beeing slaine by the other the whole family rose vp against her to deliuer her son that was left her that they might kill him for the life of his brother she appealed to the king to be deliuered from the auenger of blood 2 Sam. 14 11. So 2 Kin. 6 28 8 3. The Shunamite hauing left her house and country thorough famine and in her absence some encrochers seizing vpon her land at her returne to whom goeth she but to the King to haue the same restored and he sent an Officer as it were the high Sheriffe to put her in possession againe and tooke order that they should make restitution vnto her both of her house and land all the fruites and reuenues thereof since the day shee left the Countrey See more Ester 7 3. Ier. 38 8 9. Act. 23 20 21. The Reasons First because God hath instituted Reason 1 appointed Magistrates to this purpose It is properly the office of God to be the reuenger of wrongs and to do iustice to all but he hath left Kings and Princes to bee his Lieutenants and set them to supply his place not to enrich themselues but for the good of the people as Rom. 13.4 He is the Minister of God for thy wealth not for his owne Secondly men are oftentimes constrained especially the faithfull to receiue many great wrongs iniuries from them whose might is as great as their malice If then Princes were not to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the church they must many wayes vndergo much danger and displeasure much hurt and oppression thus doth Ester reason ch 7 3 making petition for her people and her owne life For we are sold I and my people to be destroyed to bee slaine and to perish This reproueth all priuate men that forsaking Vse 1 the meanes that God hath left will bee Magistrates to themselues like Peter who when his Master was wronged drew the sword and smote off the high Priests seruants eare howbeit he is reproued of Christ Mat. 26 51. This is the disorder that Salomon complaineth of Eccl. 10 7. What then will some say Obiect shall wee suffer our selues willingly and wilfully to bee troden vnder foote as blocks and be exposed as spectacles and gazing stocks for euery one to insult ouer vs I answer No Answer God hath not left vs meerely in the hands of euill men but hath appointed vs to resort to the Magistrate But some will say Obiect wee haue complained to them oftentimes and we find no remedy they are deafe and will not heare they are partial and wiil not vnderstand they are carelesse will not helpe Answ Answ Be it so yet wee must not bee as malecontents to right our owne cause but rather continue from time to time to sollicite the Magistrate albeit he will not doe it at the first yet he may repent and doe it at the last We see this in the poore distressed widow mentioned in the Gospel remember her example Luke 18 3 4 5 shee came to an vniust Iudge and said Auenge me of mine aduersary and he would not for a while but afterward he said Though I feare not God nor regard not man yet because this widow troubleth me I will auenge her lest by her continual comming and importunity she weary me Thus it ought likewise to be with vs. Obiect But it will be said They are oftentimes wickedmen they looke for bribes and therefore wee haue little hope to haue helpe for them So was the iudge to whom the poore widow complained Answ So was Ahashuerosh wicked or else he would neuer haue sealed and set foorth so bloody and barbarous a decree for the vtter subuersion of the Iewes and besides he was an idolater and an infidel yet Esther petitioned vnto him and obtayned a gracious answer and they found a great calme after a great flaw of wind and weather that threatned shipwracke So had Pharaoh hardned his heart against GOD and his people and was no better then the former yet would not Moses and Aaron giue him ouer So was Cesar a prophane Prince yet Paul appealed vnto him from his owne countreymen the Iewes Acts 25 10. If any say Obiect we haue waited long and yet can find no redresse but matters rather grow worse and worse and we are euery day farther from succour then before I answere Answer then wee must know thus much that God calleth vs to suffer thereby to try our patience and obedience as we see in the example of the Israelites oppressed by the hard dealing of the taske-masters when they finde no release or redresse they sigh to God and grone in spirit and waire his leisure In this case it is our duty to submit our selues to his heauenly pleasure remembring what the holy and constant martyrs suffered and what the Apostle sayth Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is giuen in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake and 1. Pet. 2.19 And if supplication to men will not serue our turne let vs turne our selues to God and make our supplication to him And as Paul appealed from the Iewes to Cesar so let vs appeale to an higher Court from Cesar to God Vse 2 Secondly it is the duty of all Magistrates to deale iustly and truly knowing that they carry the Name of God so that their place is the place of God and their iudgement is the iudgement of God They must bee so farre from doing wrong taking away the goods of other men as Ahab did the vineyard of Naboth 1 King 21 16 that they ought to restore to euery one his right as Iehoram did to the Shunamite 2 King 8 6 and Nehemiah to the people chap. 5 11 12. Iob was a man endued with great power and authority Iob 29 7 8 as well as with much wealth and substance chapt 1 1 2 and yet he telleth vs chap. 31 A looking-glasse for magistrates that he neuer withheld the poore from their desire neyther caused the eyes of the widow to faile verse 16 he neuer saw any perish for lacke of clothing or any poore without couering verse 19 hee neuer lifted vp his hand against the fatherlesse when he saw he might helpe him in the gate verse 21 and before chap. 29 he testifieth that hee deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him verse 12 he became eyes to the blinde and feete to the lame a father to the poore and the cause which hee knew not he searched out verse 15 16 hee brake the iawes of the wicked and pluckt the spoyle out of his teeth verse 17. Heere is a looking-glasse for all magistrates to behold and a picture to looke vpon and a watchword to admonish them what to do the oppressed should be relieued and the oppressors should be restrayned and bridled Happy are such magistrates that
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
serpent that was lift vp on the pole but such as were able in particular to looke vpon it and assented and beleeued the promise that they should be cured and restored by it Christ calleth himselfe The liuing bread of which we must eate but what is eating saue an application because whatsoeuer a man eateth or drinketh that he applyeth vnto himselfe and receyueth it to be his so touching faith whatsoeuer a man doth beleeue the same he doth apply vnto himselfe or else it can be no truth fayth but a counterfeyt faith Marke the grounds of this point First true Reason 1 Faith standeth of two parts whereof one is an acte of the vnderstanding the other is an acte of the wil according to the saying of the Apostle Roman chap. 10. verse 10 With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse The mind informeth vs to see and know God and his sonne Christ and the promises made in him the heart seeketh desireth and loueth that which it knoweth which cānot be without a particular application Secondly euery man is commaunded to beleeue Marke chap. 1. verse 15. 1 Iohn chap 5. verse 15. Now it is not enough that we beleeue except wee also make application or else we beleeue no otherwise then the diuels beleeue for euen they beleeue God Christ Iames chap. 2 verse 19. But to make particular application of Christ as to say Christ is mine and I am his and haue remission of sins by his death is more then any or all the diuels in hell can do The Angel that was sent to be the first preacher of the Gospel saide to the shepheards Luke 2. Behold I bring you tydings of great ioy which shall be to all people for vnto you is born this day a Sauiour that is to you that beleeue for except they had beleeued it and applyed it to themselues they could neuer haue conceyued any ioy at all nor receyued any benefite at all by it Thirdly the promises of GOD howsoeuer they are deliuered in generall tearmes yet they are particular also and euerie one is bound to gather a patticular to himself out of the generall As in a Proclamation albeit it bee conceiued and published in generall words yet the matter is that which belongeth to euery one in particular and must be so applied as if his owne name were set downe in it Marke 16 26. Iohn 3 16. The Gospel is as a Princes proclamation offering pardon and forgiuenesse and though the promises of God be generall yet they doe containe a particular because that which is spoken to all beleeuers is spoken vnto euery one that is a beleeuer and that which is spoken to all penitent persons must bee applyed to euery seuerall penitent soule Fourthly God hath ordained the Sacraments in the Church to be the seales of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4 11 and that they should be deliuered particularly to euery man thereby to assure him of grace and mercy in particular When men once come to know that Christ offereth remission of sins by his death by the receiuing of the Sacraments particularly we come to apply Christ and his merits to our selues so that the deliuering of them vnto vs is thus much in effect Thou beleeuest these generall things then draw neere and take this vnto thy farther comfort that thou mayest bee assured that the promises of righteousnesse doe belong vnto thee as if indeede thy name were particularly specified therein All these things being considered it followeth necessarily that the generall knowledge is not sufficient but a particular application is necessary to saluation Vse 1 This serueth for confutation of an errour of the church of Rome denying that a man may particularly beleeue that God is his God or that Christ is his Sauiour or that remission of sinnes belongeth vnto him and why so Forsooth because in the Gospel all runneth in generall and it is not there written that such and such are Gods and shal haue benefite by Christ But where there is a general as for example Whosoeuer beleeueth and repenteth shal be saued there is the particular also If thou beleeue thou shalt be saued and the faithfull by vertue of this do beleeue and are saued by this their application The Apostles said to the Gaoler Acts 16 31 Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Christ thou shalt be saued and thy house If the Keeper of the prison had replyed Sirs how doe you know that I shall bee saued by Christ Is my name written in the booke of God that I may bee assured it is written in the booke of life Would not they haue told him that his particular name was included in the generall albeit it were not expressed The Papists doe presume to giue absolution vpon confession and yet they do not find any man in the Gospel particularly named When Christ our Sauiour saith Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted Iohn 20 23 they are not afraide vpon this generall to giue absolution to particular persons and to tell them that their sins are forgiuen And will not these men be so fauorable to vs as to suffer vs from a generall to infer and gather a particular as well as themselues to wit that when Christ saith Whosoeuer beleeueth in me shall not perish but haue euerlasting life the Minister may speak to the conscience of this or that man particularly Beleeue thou in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt haue eternall life But Bellarmine goeth farther and obiecteth Obiection That this is not a simple promise but conditionall if they repent and beleeue then they may indeede apply these things to themselues and bee assured of them but a man cannot haue any certainty of these things that they do beleeue and repent and therefore they cānot in particular apply them to themselues Answ I answer this is to builde one error vpon another and to dawbe them both with vntempered mortar For wherefore doth the Apostle command euery man to try and examine him selfe whether he be in the faith and haue Christ Iesus dwelling in him 2. Cor 13 if after this proofe hee cannot know what his estate and condition is This is a certaine rule whosoeuer truly beleeueth knoweth that hee beleeueth though no man knoweth it but himself He that is the Lords hath a new name written Reuel 2 17. which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it But he which hath receyued it knoweth it as wel as he knoweth he liueth For no man doth know the things of a man saue the spirite of man which is in him euen so the things of God knoweth no man saue the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2 11. So then euery man both may and ought to haue assurance of his own saluation and therefore this we beleeue let them teach and write what they will For what if a franticke man should run vp and downe boast that all the wares which come to such a Port or hauen are his shall the Merchant be