Iosiah was named of God long before he was borne as we see in the first booke of the Kings chap. 13. and the second verse and so is Cyus Esay 45 1 2. as appeareth in the prophesie of Isaiah For when the Prophet was sent to cry out against the Altar at Bethel he saide O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord Behold a childe shall bee borne to the house of Dauid Iosiah by name and vpon thee shall hee sacrifice the Priestes of the high places that burne Incense vpon thee they shall burne mens bones vppon thee This was threatned long before Iosiah was borne yet God knoweth his name before hee was and reuealeth him as if hee had bene aliue in that time The like we may say of Cyrus the deliuerer of the Iewes whom the Lord nameth and appointeth to free his people from the bondage captiuity wherein they liued albeit at that time hee was not borne nor in an hundred yeares after nor Iosiah in three hundred after his name was published Seeing therefore the very haires of our heads are numbred seeing Christ is the good Shepheard of his Sheepe and seeing all things both past and to come are present with God so that hee beholdeth them with one acte wee conclude that the people of God are knowne to him and that particularly Vse 1 The Vses First this giueth singular comfort to all Gods children if any thing else bee able to minister them comfort If an earthly Prince should vouchsafe to looke vpon vs shew vs this fauour to single vs out from the rest and call vs by our names how would we reioyce and how much would we esteem that the King would stoope so low as to know vs So doth this doctrine seale vp to our heartes this great consolation that the King of heauen doth know vs by our names Are we then in trouble and persecution Are wee accounted silly men obscure base and vnregarded Do we liue as contemptible persons to the men of this world and will they not once vouchsafe to know vs Let not this trouble or grieue vs let it not dismay or discomfort vs we cannot sinke downe in destruction but rather let vs lift vp our heads assuring our selues that albeit they turne themselues from vs yet God looketh vpon vs though they reproch vs yet he will respect vs and though they seeke to roote out our names from the earth yet hee will know vs and call vs by our names Thus the Lord speaketh to Moses and encourageth him Exod. 33. and sheweth how he regardeth him in all trouble because hee knew him by name Thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name Exo. 33 12.17 Where we see hee ioyneth these two together Finding grace in his sight and knowing him by name The like doth Christ say to his Disciples that returned from preaching of the Gospell Luke 10 20. In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen And indeed what greater comfort can there be then this If thou hadst all the delights and pleasures of this life for a season and haddest thy name written in the blacke book of reprobation and thy condemnation grauen in thy forehead what could the former allurements comfort thee Or how could they driue horror and heauinesse from thy heart So when he sent out his Apostles and gaue them power to cast out vncleane spirits and to heale all sicknesses hauing taught them that the haires of their head were numbred Math. 10 28. he addeth Feare ye not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell So then heere we haue the foundation of sounde comfort laide before vs and this wee must lay vp in store against the day of tentation and time of trouble For albeit we liue now in time of peace and plenty yet we know not how long they shall continue and how soone they may be taken from vs and we bee scourged with the contrary iudgements It is a rule in our holy Religion that the Church must taste of the Crosse and God wil try vs this way that wee may bee acquainted with our owne infirmities that wee may bee preserued from many greeuous sinnes that we should not be condemned with the Worlde that others beholding Gods hand correcting his Church for sinne might learne thereby to hate and abhorre sinne and to loue righteousnesse and that the Church might gaine glory to Gods name by striuing for the trueth vnto the death But when the crosse is any way vp on vs and we feele the sharpnesse of his rod we are ready to sinke downe to desperation and to say wee are no more had in rememberance as Psal 10 1. Why standest thou farre off O Lord and hidest thee in due time euen in afflâ—ction And afterward Psal 22 1 2. My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and art so farrâ— from my health and from the wordes of my roaring O my God I cry by day but thou hearest not and by night but haue no audience Thus are we inclined to iudge in our miseries and to thinke God to haue forgotten vs and to be vtterly absent from vs. But if wee in time of trouble remember him and his name hee will remember vs and our names for good not for euill If we can say in trouble I wil delight in thy statutes I will not forget thy word Psal 119 16 6â— 163. beholde mine affliction deliuer mee for I haue not forgotteÌ„ thy law we may lay this vp as a truth plant it as a chiefe plant in the ground of our hearts that God will neuer forget vs nor put vs out of his sight for euer True it is hee will proue his people and try their faith for a season but he will neuer forsake them nor leaue them as a prey in the iawes of their enemies who reioyce at their fall and delight themselues in their aduersities And as true it is that the vngodly triumph ouer them trample vppon them euen as abiects and men out of the fauour of God but if we waite a little while he will remember his people according to his mercy and recompence his aduersaries according to their iniquity This doeth the Prophet declare Psal 10. where he complaineth of the fraud wrong rapine and tirannie of the vngodly He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face Psal 10 11 12 14. and wil neuer see yet thou hast seene it for thou beholdest mischiefe and wrong that thou mayest take it into thine owne hands the poore committeth himselfe to thee for thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Howsoeuer therefore the faithfull say they are forsaken and the vnfaithfull iudge them also to bee forsaken yet there is great difference betweene the tentation of the
and constant in his promise therefore he neuer deceiueth nor deludeth those that are his with vaine wordes whose truth reacheth vnto the clouds Reason 2 Secondly as he is true in nature so he is vnchangeable in will he is not like man that he should lye Man is subiect to vanity inconstancy as to speake and not to do it to promise and not to keepe it but it is not so with God who hath opened his mouth wil performe it This doth Iob plainly declare Chap. 23 13. Hee is in one minde and who can turne him Tea he doth what his minde desireth for he will performe that which is decreed of me and many such things are with him There is no variablenesse with him neither shadow of turning he remaineth the same euermore To this purpose Moses declareth that Balaam could not curse the people of God but was constrained against his will to blesse them Numb 23 19. because God is not as man that he should lye neither as the Son of man that he should repent Hath he sayde and shall he not do it Hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Thirdly hee is powerful and of himselfe Reason 3 able and sufficient to worke out his own wil so that nothing shall hinder him or delay the doing thereof when the time is come It falleth out oftentimes with man when hee hath promised to accomplish a worke that hee is not able to performe it either through weaknesse in himselfe or through the ouer-ruling power that is in another It is not so with God whatsoeuer he decreeth hee doeth whatsoeuer he willeth he worketh and performeth When after Gods gracious promise to giue flesh vnto his people in abundance Moses doubted therof in regard of the want of those meanes which he saw not and the multitude of the people which he saw the Lord said vnto him Is the Lords hand shortned Numb 11 23. Thou shalt now see whether my word shall come to passe vnto thee or not Seeing therefore God is true of his word vnchangeable in his will and powerfull in his workes wee may builde our faith vpon this trueth that his promises shall neuer faile any of his children Let vs now apply this doctrine to our selues Vse 1 First is this certaine that God will performe whatsoeuer he hath promised Then we may conclude this that whatsoeuer promises are not yet fulfilled shall in due time bee accomplished How many promises hath he already verified Could any power or strength of man preuaile against him to frustrate them and to make them of none effect Many there are that he hath made which are yet to come they also shall be made good for euen they are as easily brought to passe as the rest which wee see already performed We haue a prophesie promise of the calling of the Iewes that they shall be gathered into the Sheepfold of Christ and professe his name for God is able to graft them in againe Hence it is that the Apostle saith Rom 11 23. I would not Brethren that ye should be ignorant of this secret lest ye should be arrogant in your selues that partly obstinacy is come to Israel vntill the fulnes of the Gentiles be come in See then hereby the prophesie inuerted Once it was as we heard before that God should perswade Iapheth to dwel in the tents of Sem but now the promise is that God will perswade Sem to dwell in the Tents of Iapheth As therefore the church of the Iews is brought in praying for the conuersion of the Gentiles so shold we by an holy emulation from them apply vnto them and for them theyr owne words Cant. 8 8. We haue a litle Sister and she hath no brests what shall we do for our Sister when she shall be spoken for The calling of the Gentiles once seemed as vnprobable and vnpossible yet did God take away all obstacles and stumbling-blockes and brought them vnto the faith by the power of his two-edged sword so we cannot doubt for faithfull is he that hath promised but in his good time he wil in mercy looke vpon the naturall branches and according to his ancient bountifulnesse graft them into their owne Oliue tree They are the first borne of God and as it were the elder Brethren of the house albeit they seeme disinherited for a season and cast out of the house yet God will admit them againe receiue them into the adoption of sonnes And our doctrine serueth vs as a prop and pillar to vnder-prop our faith touching this point Againe God hath promised that hee will free vs from all sinne and misery Reu. 7 16 15. that he will wipe away all teares from our eyes and make vs without spot and wrinkle so that wee shall hunger and thirst no more We see not this with our bodily eyes neither are wee made partakers of this promise For behold vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst 1 Cor. 4 11 12.13 and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine abiding place we are reuiled and yet we blesse wee are persecuted and suffer it we are euill spoken of and we pray we are made as the filth of the world the off-scouring of all things vnto this time This doctrine therefore serueth to vphold our faith in this point Thirdly God hath promised to raise vp our bodies that haue lien in the dust and are rotted in the earth by his almighty power who calleth things that are not as if they were True it is it goeth aboue naturall reason to conceiue vnderstand this truth Rom. 8 11. yet the Apostle saith If the Spirit of Christ that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies How soeuer then our bodies bee either burned or drowned or deuoured God will raise them for with him nothing is vnpossible We see what men are able to doe by Art and workemanship of ashes they are able to make costly and curious glasses by distillation they are able to extract the spirite and quintessence of sundry things out of one mettall it is not hard with them to draw another as Siluer out of Lead by melting and refining by sowing their corne that rotteth in the earth we see it hath a new body giuen it Therefore it is not impossible in it selfe Notwithstanding we see not this as yet performed the bodyes of the Saints remaine in the earth and see corruption This doctrine therefore serueth to vphold our faith in this point to make vs rest in hope that he will not alwayes leaue them in the graue nor suffer them to perish therein for euermore Lastly God hath foretold that there shall be an end of this world that the Lorde Iesus shall breake the heauens and come to iudge al flesh so that the dead shall rise and all shall stand before his iudgement seate to receyue according to their workes
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.
Lastly this daily sacrifice importeth the daily sacrifice of prayer which we ought to offer Vse 4 to God as our dayly seruice due vnto him 1. Kings 18 36. Rab. Menachem fol. 115. And thus do the Hebrew Doctors speake The continuall sacrifice of the morning made attonement for the iniquities that were done in the night and the euening sacrifice made attonement for the iniquities that were by day It is therefore required of vs to pray vnto God not once in a moneth or once a weeke nor onely vpon the Sabbath day or publikely in the assemblies of the faithfull but we must remember him daily that remembreth vs euery houre The time of prayer is euery day and that in respect of our daily sinnes Fine strong motiues to stir vs vp to praier our daily wants dangers tentations and decayes so that we must obserue the rule of the Apostle Pray continually 1 Thess 5 16. These are fiue strong motiues to stir vs vp daily to performe this duty so that we may say with the Prophet I waite for the Lord my soule doth waite euen in his word do I hope my soule waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning c. Psal 130 5 6. First to speake of them in order we haue daily sins We prouoke God euery day and therfore are taught daily to pray for forgiuenes to say If thou Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand Ps 130 3. For as he lades vs daily with his benefits so we lade him daily with our sinnes so that they are a burden vnto him he is weary to beare them therfore we should make euen reckoning with the Lord euery day and renew our repentance euermore Secondly we haue dayly wants and who feeleth them not and therefore it is our duty daily to bewayle them and daily to craue the supply of them If there be any feeling of grace or sparke of Gods Spirit in vs we cannot bee ignorant that we want both temporall spirituall blessings for body and soule A blinde man may see them they are so great and so many Thirdly we haue dayly dangers euery creature if God giue vs ouer is able to work our destruction We go not from home but our returne is vncertaine no man can assure himselfe of safety If we get vp on horsebacke in the slipping of one foote we slip into danger sometimes into death If we be in the house the misstepping of one foot bringeth trouble If a man enclose himselfe in his garden a serpent may byte him If he walk in the streetes a tyle from an house may strike him downe nay dead Where can a man secure himselfe or how long or from whom When we haue escaped one danger may we afterward promise vnto our selues safety nay wee are presently in danger of another danger as we see in the Syrians who when they had escaped the sword of the Israelites fled to Aphek into the Citty for refuge But there a wall fell vpon twenty and seuen thousand of them that were left and slew them 1 Kings 20 30 so that it is with vs as the Prophet Amos speaketh as if a man did flie from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him Amos 5 19. Therefore our onely safety standeth in prayer and in sanctifying the Name of God and begging his assistance Fourthly we haue dayly tentations bodily and ghostly arising from the flesh the world and from the diuell Our aduersary the diuell neuer resteth but walketh vp and downe like a roring Lyon seeking whom he may deuoure Iob 1 7. 1 Pet. 5 8. He is neuer ydle nor weary he is an importunate suter he will neuer giue ouer nor take any denyall and therfore Christ saith Math. 26 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into tentation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weake and he instructeth his Disciples Luke 32 21 that Satan desired to haue them that he might sift them as wheate howbeit he telleth Peter he prayed for him that his faith should not fayle Among all these tentations pleasure and prosperity are none of the least when we enioy health wealth peace and liberty ease and abundance If euer we forget God it is most commonly when we are full Psalm 30 6. Deuter. 6 6 7.8 c. Luke 21 34 35. Lastly wee haue dayly decayes in good things It is with vs in the matters of the soul as it is in the state of our bodies Our naturall heate and moysture wherein the life consisteth is dayly impayred and would quickly consume were not nature dayly supplyed by meate and drinke whereby the decayes of these as it were the breaches made in nature are made vp so would faith and repentance and other graces of God be weakned and diminished dayly in vs if they were not encreased by the continuall vse of the Word of the Sacraments and of Prayer and therefore we must not ceasse to stirre vp these gifts in vs lest they be as a spark of fire in greene wood which will soone go out if it be not kindled So then this morning euening sacrifice shold direct vs how and when to worship God wee must remember him in the morning in the euening hee must be in our thoughts first and last we must begin the day and ende the day with him Let him be in our first meditations when we awake out of sleepe If the heart and thoughts be well setled in the morning they are like to be better ordered and disposed all the day after This made the Prophet say Psalm 5 3. My voice shalt thou heare in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my praier vnto thee and will looke vp and Psalm 22 2 and 53 17 and 119 55 62 164. Dan. 6 10 Then are the faculties of the soule most fresh and cheerefull then are the senses comforted and refreshed because of the nights rest and therefore best able to performe any duty to God or man Againe the morning is a time wherein the world and the businesse of this life haue not yet forestalled and possessed our hearts and affections and therefore wee are then the most fit to perform any special or spiritual duty required of vs. Lastly it is the first part of the day and therefore the most worthy to be consecrated to God after wee haue newly tasted his great mercy in the night past which he might haue made euerlasting darknesse vnto vs neuer raised vs vp againe Moreouer as the greatest part neglect this time so doe they also at euening they forget what blessings they haue receiued what dangers they haue escaped what tentations they haue resisted what wants they haue obtained what decayes they haue supplyed and repayred for which they should giue him thanks and lastly what sinnes they haue committed in the day for which God might
heauen is not giuen but to those to whom it is prepared of the Father Matth. 20.23 and 25.34 But election is not of works but of grace and therefore is called the election of grace Rom. 11.5 This appeareth Ephe. 1. Ephe. 1 5.6 He hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will c. No man could be saued except Christ had come and had satisfied the iustice of God for the sinnes of the world by his precious blood for there is no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued Act. 4.12 but all his benefites proceed from grace and the euerlasting loue of God toward vs as Ioh. 3. Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the word that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life No man can be saued except he be effectually called to Christ and his Gospel outwardly by the word and inwardly by the Spirit but whence proceedeth this grace but from grace as the Apostle testifieth 2 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 1.9 Gal. 1.6 He hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was No man can be saued except he hath faith in Christ for the iust shall liue by faith Hab. 2.4 and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11. But from whence haue we faith By grace as the Apostle witnesseth Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2.8 By grace ye are saued through faith that not of your selues None can be saued except he be iustified as Psa 34.15 16. The eies of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry but the face of the Lord that is his anger and indignation is against them that do euill to cut off their remembrance from the earth But our iustification commeth from grace as Rom. 3. Rom. 3.24 We are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus No man can be saued except being iustified by faith he be also sanctified and renewed by the spirit of regeneration for except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3. But whence haue we this but from the grace of God as the Apostle expresseth Tit. 3. Tit. 3.6 The bountifulnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared and according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour No man can be saued without good workes and a carefull and constant endeuour to walke in them for we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephe. 2.10 But how are wee inabled to performe them but by the grace and free gift of God as Ezek. 36. Eze. 36.26 â—â— A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh and I wil put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my iudgements and doe them The like may bee saide of remission of sinnes No man can be saued without continuall forgiuenesse of sinnes for into many sinnes and offences we fall daily Iam 3.2 But this is giuen vs through his grace onely as the Prophet teacheth Esay 43. Esai 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake that is for no deserts of thine but thorough grace and fauour and will not remember thy sinnes and Ephe. 1.7 We haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Lastly no man is saued except he perseuere and continue in faith in loue in Christ in repentance in Christ and in all good works as Matth. 24. he that endureth vnto the end he shall be saued and Reuel 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life but from what root and fountaine proceedeth this gift and from whence hath it his beginning The Apostles and Prophets tel vs most plainely and directly as Iere. 32.39.40 Ier. 32.40 â— I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer I wil put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Phi. 1.6.29 and 2.13 God that hath begunne his good worke in his Saints will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Now as we haue said of all the rest so we may say of eternall life Rom. 6.23 that it is the free gift of God and therefore all his giftes and our saluation come not from our our merits but from his mercies not from our deseruings in whole or in part but from his free fauour in Christ Iesus Let vs come to the reasons and consider Reason 1 aright the causes hereof First of all God wil haue the praise and glory of his owne works and will not giue and grant ouer the same to another But if the graces of his Spirit were well deserued of vs and not freely bestowed vpon vs wee had matter of reioycing in our owne selues and of boasting against God The Apostle hauing shewed that the righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the Law saith Where is then the reioycing Rom. 3.27 and 4.2 It is excluded And touching Abraham thâ— father of the faithfull he sayeth If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Likewise writing to the Ephesians chap. 2. By grace ye are saued through faith Ephe. 2.8.9 and that not of your selues it is the gift of GOD not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe So then he giueth all his gifts freely that he may haue the whole praise of his mercy But so much as we take to our selues so much hee loseth of his glory Reason 2 Secondly he knoweth we haue nothing of our owne we craue our daily bread and drinke at his hands We are beggers and destitute of all good things and neuer are able to supply our owne wants Our owne penury is such that we haue nothing to boast off but our misery pouerty blindnesse nakednes and wretchednesse We were saith the Apostle dead in trespasses and sinnes â—he 2.1 2. wherein in times past we walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience We are vnable to thinke or to doe any thing it is God must worke in vs the will and the deed it is he must draw vs before we can runne after him or come
where he had graciously bestowed much he may iustly require the more Againe our spirituall life is a debt and our workes due to him in regard of our redemption iustification and sanctification in consideration of all the which we owe our selues wholly vnto God and he in iustice may require all the seruice that wee can possibly performe vnto him A seruant bought with money and redeemed out of bondage is a debter to his master and is wholly at his commandement because he oweth to him his life his liberty and all that he hath How much more then must we consider our selues to be wholly the Lords to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues being redeemed from the bondage of sinne and slauery of Sathan not with siluer and golde but with the precious blood of Christ as a Lambe vnspotted and vndefiled 1 Pet. 1. 1 Pet. 1.19 Neither were we once onely made free men but moreouer are laden with many benefites by this our Sauiour and redeemer being regenerated with his Spirit to walke before him in newnesse of life So that our vnthankefulnesse is exceeding great if forgetting the greatnesse of our deliuerance we returne to our vomit againe as dogges 2. Pet. 2.22 and lye wallowing in the mire as filthy swine Lastly in regard of the benefits to come which by the Spirit of Christ we doe certainly expect and looke for to wit our resurrection of the body and glorification in the heauens These being exceeding blessings do make vs infinite debters vnto God Hence we learne to detest the heresie of Popish hypocrites that dare boast of the merits of the Saints and of workes of supererogation an euident argument of intollerable proude spirits For debt and merit are quite contrary they are so opposite the one to the other that the first being established it ouerthroweth the second as Rom. 4.4 5. Rom. 4.4 5. To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse If then our whole life be a debt of the Spirit it must of necessity be false that there is any meriting of life and saluation by any workes either of congruity or condignity or supererogation For whatsoeuer it pleaseth them to prate of merits either publikely or priuately to their disciples dare any of them when they are ready to goe the way of all flesh and must be presented before the eternall iudge dare any of them I say desire of God to giue them according to their merits dare any in the pride of his heart so exalt and lift vp himselfe as to pray Lord I am worthy of thy mercy I haue deserued thy kingdome pay me that thou owest vnto me I desire nothing at thy hands gratis or freely my works are truely and properly meritorious I haue a right to heauen and deserue it worthily I expect not eternall life as an almes but as a price due vnto my labours I am content thou enter into iudgment with me for I haue righteousnesse in mine owne person and therefore I craue not to be accepted in thy beloued Ephes 1.6 1 Pet. 2.5 but in my selfe Lord thou hast made me able to merit heauen for my selfe and theâ—efore repay me according to my worth I thinke none of them are come to this presumption to pleade for themselues with God therfore whatsoeuer they write whatsoeuer they speake whatsoeuer they resolue and determine in their schooles and pulpits they deny it renounce it wholy at the point of death with their own mouthes condeÌ„ne their owne folly In their life they talke of merits but at their death they are glad to call for mercy so by their owne practise proue and confirme the trueth of the doctrine of the Protestants howsoeuer against the light of their own consciences they oppose themselues flatly as enemies vnto it The debt of the creature euen of the man regenerate is greater then he is able to pay the thousandth part nay the more he payeth the more he oweth and is bound to pay forasmuch as the benefits of God do daily grow and encrease toward him and abound in a wonderful measure that they augment the debt strengthen the obligation Neither can they escape and auoid the force of this Obiection by a friuolous and false distinction that our works are not indeed meritorious in the rigour of Iustice or absolutely considered in themselues but that they are so by the ordinance and acceptation of God Answere For albeit God accept of our workes and reward them euen to a cup of cold water Mat. 10. yet he accepteth them not as merits but as the due obedience of his sonnes which he recompenseth freely and fully because he that cannot lie or deceiue hath promised the reward Neither is it the ordinance of God that we should merit by our obedience but that we should performe the worship and honour that is due vnto him Tit. 3.4 Act. 15. Let them therefore shew vs where God hath made any such promise vnto vs to accept our workes as merits and we will beleeue them The Lord gaue the Israelites the land of Canaan not for their workes Deut. 7.8 and 9.5 but for his owne loue and mercy If they could not merit the earthly Canaan how should any deserue the heauenly Wee are taught to pray to GOD to giue vs our daily bread If wee cannot merit the foode of this life no not one morsell of bread but must craue it of him as poore beggers doe an almes at the dores of men much lesse can we merit euerlasting life which is the gift of God Rom. 6.23 Rom. 6.23 For what is a bit of bread in comparison of the kingdome of heauen or what is the food of the body in respect of the food of the soule Lastly this doctrine destroyeth another bulwarke of the Church of Rome Against mans free will whereby they set vp mans nature and that is free will teaching that there is a cooperation of mans free will with Gods free grace in the first act of our conuersion A doctrine full of pride and folly as well as the former for as much as this is to part stakes betweene God and our selues and to diuide our conuersion betweene him and vs and consequently to ascribe as much to man as to God Christ saith that without him we can do nothing Phil. 2.13 we cannot come vnto him except the Father draw vs Ioh. 6. It is God that doth worke in vs the will and the deed saith the Apostle We are all by nature corrupt there is no part sound in vs or without vs. We are not onely as crazy or sicke but as dead men God doth all and we nothing in good things Hee preuenteth vs with his grace he prepareth vs by his word he enclineth vs by his Spirit and worketh both the
their families according to the house of their fathers Hitherto we haue spoken of the order prescribed vnto Moses and the people to be obserued now followeth briefly the execution of the commandement as the conclusion and shutting vp of the Chapter in these 3 verses Howbeit before the performance thereof Moses addeth two cautions necessary to be obserued and considered First the totall summe of them that were numbred before which amounted to the number of sixe hundred thousand and three thousand fiue hundred and fifty Loe how great the blessing of God was in multiplying his people and what the truth of his promise is that he made to Abraham Secondly the exemption of the Leuites who were acquitted and discharged out of the former muster being appointed to another office of another nature verse 33. Then is annexed the obedience it selfe to the commandement of God set downe both generally The children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses and then particularly in two points They pitched by their standards and they set forward euery one according to their families according to the house of their fathers No man murmured at the order of God no man enuyed his superiour no man contemned his inferiour but all of them rested in his ordinance marched according to his direction and appointment We learne from hence that it is the duty of Gods children Doctrine 8 to yeeld obedience not onely to some It is our duty o yeeld obedience to all Gods commandements but to all the commandements of GOD. God requireth at our hands a full and entire obedience Doe wee require commandements to confirme this vnto vs or would we haue examples Let vs consider both And first for precept The Apostle is plaine 2. Corin. chap. 7.1 2 Cor. 7.1 Hauing these promises let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Where we see he perswadeth to make a through worke to clense our selues not onely from some filthinesse and to retaine some but from all not onely of the body but of the soule euen of the whole man Likewise in the former Epistle 1 Cor. 5.7 chap. 5.7 purge out the olde leauen that ye may be a new lumpe as ye are vnleauened He confesseth that they were renewed and regenerated in part and therefore concludeth must proceed and goe forward vntill the worke be wholly finished For the word is compounded signifying not only to purge but as much as may be possible to purge out quite and cleane as the Israelites were commended when they celebrated the Passeouer to put away all leauen from them so that whosoeuer had any in his house should be cut off from his people To this purpose commeth the exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 12.1 Heb. 12.1 Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloude of witnesses let vs lay aside euery weight and the sinne which doth so easily beset vs and let vs runne with patience vnto the race which is set before vs. As if he had said forasmuch as we haue so great a multitude of beleeuers which he compareth to a cloude that is thickened compacted or gathered together in the middle region of the aire of vapours wee must doe as they that runne in a race they doe not onely cast away clogges and impediments but whatsoeuer may hinder them in their course as the cares of this life the delights of the world the lusts of the flesh and generally euery thing that may cloy vs and clogge vs in our spirituall iourney Thus we see how we are commanded to cleanse away all filthinesse to purge out all leauen to cast aside euery weight Behold how the Apostle addeth vniuersall notes in euery of these places But are these precepts without examples are they meere speculatiue considerations without their vse No we haue in the Scriptures of the new Testament many among the faithfull that receiue this commendation from the mouth of God It is noted concerning Noah Gen. 6.22 Gen. 6.22 that he did according to all that God commanded him euen so did he It is recorded of Moses that when Pharaoh did giue them and their children liberty to goe into the wildernesse to serue the Lord onely their flockes and their heards should be stayed he answered boldly Our cattell also shall goe with vs Exos 10.26 there shall not an hoofe be left behind Exodus chapter 10.26 It is testified by the Euangelist Luke touching Zacharie and Elizabeth that they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Luke 1.6 Luke 1.6 All these particular testimonies doe teach vs that it is our dutie to labour earnestly and carefully to performe a pure and perfect obedience vnto all the commandements of the Lord that we may be entire wanting nothing Now we come to the reasons that we may Reason be farther confirmed in this trueth First consider the nature of God he is perfect in himselfe and perfect in all goodnesse toward vs. He faileth in nothing so that he may truely say what could I haue done more then I haue done we must therefore answere in duty and obedience vnto him Hence it is that Christ saith Be ye perfect euen as your Father which is in heauen is perfect Matth. 5. Matth. 5. â— If then we must be like him and resemble him we ought to striue to be like him in perfection Secondly Christ Iesus is a perfect Sauiour Reason a perfect redeemer a perfect mediatour Hee hath fully finished our saluation and he dyed to satisfie for all our sinnes If he were but halfe a Sauiour a party obedience might bee sufficient on our part But he neuer left the worke of our redemption vntill he had appeased the wrath of his Father and nailed all our sinnes vnto his Crosse This caused the Apostle to say He gaue himselfe for vs Tit. 2.14 that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity and purify vnto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 Seeing then that Christ Iesus hath redeemed vs from all sinne it followeth necessarily that we should follow after all righteousnesse and make conscience of all sinne Thirdly in respect of the commandements Reason 3 themselues Cicer. de offâ—â—â— lib. 2. for as an heathen man said of moral vertues that they were linked together as in a chaine so that he which had one truely had all of them so we may much better say of the Lawes of God that as there is one lawgiuer which is the Author of them all so they are all knit in a knot together that the knot cannot be loosed but all are dissolued Or they being ten words are as a band hauing ten conditions if one of them be broken the whole band is forfeited The testimony of the Apostle Iames fully accordeth and agreeeth hereunto chap. 2. Iam. 2.10 â— Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law
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
sentence of death gone out against vs Euen as the children of Israel had beene all the children of death as well as the first borne of Egypt had not God in great mercy and compassion spared them For albeit he deliuered Goshen where the Israelites were from the plagues that wasted and wearied the Egyptians was this thinke we because Israel deserued to be spared or because God could not in iustice comence any action against them No they had learned too much the manners of Egypt they beleeued not the word of the Lord for their deliuerance but murmured against the Ministers of God sent vnto them albeit they had seene his wonders and signes that were wrought among them Their first borne therefore had beene in no better case then the first borne of Egypt had not God beene mercifull vnto them and shewed pitty vpon them So then we are all put in mind of our naturall corruption by sin deriued from Adam in regard of which corruption which is spread as a foule and filthy leprosie ouer all the powers of the soule and parts of the body we are guilty both of temporall and eternall death vnlesse we haue redemption by Christ the promised Sauiour of the world We are by nature wretched and miserable sinners borne as it were out of due time and deserue the wages of sin that is death 1 Ioh. 1 8. Tit. 3.3 Rom 6.20 We our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another There are many branches of this corruption and sundry points necessary to be knowne of vs concerning the same First we must acknowledge no difference between our selues and others Are we better or more excellent then they No in no wise We all lie vnder sinne and haue the seedes therof within vs. Rom. 3.9 and are ready to fall into all the most horrible sinnes can be named if we be not stayed by the hand of God Secondly we must looke into the Law of God as in a glasse that we may see our defects and deformities We are blinde and cannot see the Law is a true glasse and will shew vs our face truly it telleth what is amisse and flattereth no man for by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 There cannot be the least spot but it will be made to appeare so that he which is ignorant of the Law knoweth not himselfe Thirdly we must confesse the loue of God to be great toward vs in freeing of vs from the bondage of sinne and setting vs at liberty to be the seruants of righteousnesse Thus doth the Apostle Rom. 7.24 25. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord c. Fourthly ' we must learne the vilenesse and greatnesse of our fall which Paul calleth the disobedience of one man containing all sinnes of what kinde and nature soeuer Adams sinne how great which may be considered in those few particulars First he regarded not the promise of God wherby he was willed to hope for euerlasting life so long as he cōtinued to eat the tree of life Secondly he despiseth the commandement of God restraining him from the forbidden fruite and maketh no account of it Thirdly hee breaketh out into horrible pride and ambition whereby he would be equall vnto God and seeke an estate higher then that wherin he had set him He was not content with his present condition albeit it were most excellent Fourthly he sheweth an vnfaithfull heart to depart away from the liuing God his creator so that he did not beleeue or not regard the threatning of God which was that when he sinned he should die he becommeth the most vnkinde and vnthankefull wretch that could be not considering what infinite benefites he had receiued for himselfe and his posterity and that he was to loose them and leaue them in such sort that they departed both from himselfe and from his posterity Lastly he brake out into foule and fearefull Apostacy from God to the diuell from his maker to the tempter giuing more credite to him that charged God with lying with enuy and with malice then to the Almighty of whose goodnesse he had so great experience Thus he preferred the father of lyes before the God of all truth So that in the first sinne of man August Enchir. ad Laurent ca. 46. we may discerne many sinnes if it bee deuided into his particular parts and considered seuerally as it ought to be of vs. The fift branch is that we must all of vs take notice of the fruits and effects of the former disobedience whereby the image of GOD after which we were created at the first is blotted out onely some few remnants remaining of it so that in stead of wisedome power trueth goodnesse holinesse and righteousnesse wherewith our first parents were clothed as with garments more precious then the carpets of Egypt and all the ornaments of gold and siluer wherein the Nobles of the earth are attyred he punished them with the contrary euills and pulling these from them and stripping them starke naked they appeared most deformed through blindnes weakenesse falsehood foolishnesse prophanenesse and vnrighteousnes which swarmed in them and all their children A cursed roote cursed fruite a wretched cause a wofull effect Hence it is that we are prone to fall into all euil and not able to thinke one good thought 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.5 we are borne dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephe. 2.1 Ier. 17.19 Iob 15.15 And yet this is not all our misery but it brought in as by a violent wind or a raging flood an heape of sicknesses diseases aches and a traine of ten thousand calamities that attend vpon our whole life vntill they bring vs into the chambers of death Lastly when we haue taken good notice of the former miseries and bondage vnder which we lie and thought well vpon them with due meditation they will driue vs out of the loue of our selues and make vs labour to be regenerated and borne againe by the spirit of God Ioh. 3.5 Ezek. 36. ◠we must seeke to repaire the decayed image of God to be renewed in our mindes that we may be no longer the seruants of sin but of righteousnesse Our olde man must be crucified that the body of sinne may be destroyed Rom. 6.5 Let it not therefore reigne in our mortall body that we should obey it in the lustes therof neither let vs yeeld our members as instruments of vnrighteousnes but yeeld our selues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and our members as instruments of righteousnesse vnto God Againe What we are by grace as the figure of the first borne expresseth the natural condition of all mankind deseruing to be destroyed so it setteth foorth the prerogatiue of the faithfull and sheweth what we are by grace For as Christ being
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
yet neuerthelesse many neuer lay it vnto their hearts Secondly it is required of the Ministers of Vse 2 the Gospel whom the holy Ghost hath made ouerseers of their seuerall flockes to looke to their whole charge from one quarter or corner of it to another Neither may they thinke they haue discharged their duties by casting an eye ouer some part of their congregation but they must ouerlooke and ouerview it all throughout considering they are to giue an account for euery soule that dyeth through their ignorance or through their negligence There is none of them but they are content to take benefit and to receiue maintenance from the poorest and lowest that depend vpon them and therefore as they are not ashamed to receiue temporall things of them so they ought not to disdaine or refuse to minister vnto them in spirituall things For if we take from them their goods and seeke to doe no good to their soules we rob them and steale from them nay so much as lyeth in vs we are no better then murtherers and manslayers Wherefore we must endeauour to set vp the candle vpon the Table in the Lords house that it may shine and giue light to all that are in it Let vs as the Lords trumpetters sound the siluer Trumpet of the word aloud that all the hoste of God may heare the sound therof or at least may be without excuse if they doe not prepare themselues to battell A good Prince taketh care for all his poore subiects and receiueth them into his protection and beareth the sword for their preseruation The soule of man quickeneth the whole body and euery part of it it giueth life to the hand as well as to the head and to the foote as well as to the eye as well to the parts that are lowest as to such members as are highest so that no limbe is destitute of the functions and operations of it The head serueth to the benefit of euery member which by certaine ioynts and bonds are knit vnto it that they receiue plentifull encrease and want no succour or strength necessary for any part how little and meane soeuer it be So ought it to bee with the Ministers of the Gospell who are made as it were stewards of the Lords family Luke 12.42 which is the Church they must giue them their portion of meate in due season Blessed is that seruant whom his master when he commeth shall find so doing Mat. 24.46 This serueth to reprooue such as absent themselues from their charges because they are small and all proud and lofty spirits that thinke it a disgrace and dishonour vnto them to submit themselues to the lower sort and to take paines to bring them to the knowledge of true religion Hereby indeed they starue the fewest soules but the losse of one soule is more heinous then the killing of many bodies For the body may die yet the soule may bee saued in the day of the Lord. And this is one cause of Non-residency in that such as are of proude spirits doe scorne the simplicitie and pouerty of their hearers Wheresoeuer there is an haughty man and high-minded A rule to be obserued there can by no meanes be an heart to serue the Lord in his Ministery Where ambition and vaine-glory beare sway they are alwayes ioyned with the contempt of others which ought not to be among the Ministers for how then shall the poore the weake the simple be instructed by them The Minister of the word must be affable easie to be spoken withall and familiar with the meanest and lowest he must abase himselfe to reason and conferre and conuerse with the poore Artificer and tradesman as wel as with the Yeaman or Gentleman or rich man The Apostle hath laide before vs his owne example how he behaued himselfe when he was at Ephesus Acts 20.18 19 20. Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you at all seasons seruing the Lord with all humility of mind and with many teares and tentations which befell me by the laying in wait of the Iewes and how I kept backe nothing that was profitable vnto you but haue shewed you and haue taught you publikely and from house to house c. He was not inferiour in giftes to any euen the deepest doctours in our dayes but went farre beyond them all 2 Cor. 12.2.4 he was caught vp to the third heauen euen into Paradise and heard vnspeakeable words which it is not lawfull for a man to vtter yet he made himselfe equall to the lowest and stooped downe to euery degree 1 Cor. 9.22 that by all meanes he might saue some Humility is a notable vertue that decketh adorneth all Christians and is necessary to be in all that professe the feare of God Col. 3.12 and is oftentimes commended vnto vs among the fruites of a regenerate person which the Spirit of God would haue vs beautified withall The Apostle Peter chap. 5.5 6. giueth this exhortation Be all of you subiect one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proude and giues grace to the humble humble your selues therfore vnder the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt you in due time This heauenly gift is opposed to that vaineglory pride and ambition which naturally groweth in vs as Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife and vaine-glory but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme other better then themselues Howbeit this vertue is most notable and necessary aboue all other to be in the Ministers of Gods word as Christ himselfe both by word and by example in his continuall practise taught his disciples Matt. 11.29 Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules And when he had washed his disciples feet he said vnto them Know ye what I haue done to you If I your Lord and master haue washed your feet yee also ought to wash one anothers feet for I haue giuen you an example that ye should doe as I haue done to you Ioh. 13.14 15. The place of the Apostle is worthy of our remembrance to this purpose 1 Thess 2.7 We were gentle among you euen as a nourse that cherisheth her children c. Where Saint Paul noting out his meekenesse and diligence in preaching vnto them sheweth it by a familiar comparison taken from a naturall nourse-mother who thinketh no seruice too base or meane in the washing and wringing in wiping and cleansing in feeding and bringing vp her tender infant What is it that she will refuse to doe what paines wil she not take for her childe what sauours is she content to endure how ready is she to breake her sleepe and rest in the night season and neuer repineth at it and albeit it be teasty and wayward yet she maketh much of it and loueth it neuer a whit the lesse Thus it ought to be with the Ministers
a notable Epistle to this purpose written to a certaine Bishop called Auxilius August epist 75. in the behalfe of one Classicianus who being a young man for the offence of the master of the house excommunicated all the rest of his family and would not deliuer the Sacraments to his children and houshold whom he perswadeth to lay aside anger and to reuerse his sentence lest the man perish that is a friend the diuell reioyce in it that is an enemy In this case in a manner doe they offend who refuse to baptize the children of theÌ„ that are excommunicated such as are borne in fornication because their parents are impenitent as though the sonne should beare the iniquity of the father or the wife of the husband or the seruant of the master or he that is not yet born the iniquity of theÌ„ that are borne What hath the infant offended that is borne in the Church that he should not be baptized of the Church The Prophet saith The son shall not beare the iniquity of the father nor the father Ezek. 18 20. the iniquity of the son but the soule that sinneth it shall die This also is the resolutioÌ„ of Beza in one of his Epistles Beza epist 10. prouing that the children of the excommunicate may be baptized We conclude therefore that they onely which haue offended and remaine obstinate in their offences are to be excommunicated forasmuch as Christ neuer said if he heare not the Church let him and all that belong any way vnto him be as heathens and Publicanes but let him be vnto thee that is him only This serueth to coÌ„demne the horrible and abhominable tyranny of the Bishops of Rome who haue not onely raged vpon the bodies of the Saints but also exercised dominion ouer their consciences These are they that send out their curses and smite the cheefest Monarches of the world as it were with thunder lightning They pronounce sentence of excommunication for trifles and they absolue from it for trifles They excommunicate one for another and they absolue one for another They cast out of the Church those that do not belong to their iurisdiction for what haue they to doe with Princes When Princes are supposed to haue offended they curse condemne whole states and Kings as they haue serued heeretofore the Kings of this Land and lately thc State of Venice They haue interdicted whole Realmes they haue forbidden diuine seruice to be said and the Sacraments to be administred Fiftly we must learne from what things excommunicate persons are excluded that we may the better know how to behaue our selues toward them Christ saith let such be as heathens Publicanes that is abstaine from such false brethren and communicate not with theÌ„ either in matters of religion or in common conuersation But how far we must forbeare their company and conuersing with them we shall speake afterward The word excommunication and to excommunicate note out a cutting off froÌ„ the communion which Christ noteth by the branches that bring foorth no fruite Iohn 15 6. If a man abide not in me hee is cast foorth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned The Euangelists also call it to put out of the Synagogues Iohn 16 2. that is out of the fellowship of the faithfull met together in one place Hence it is also that they were said to be accursed being out of the Church as they are blessed that abide in the Church hauing a communion together in matters of religion and fellowship one with another Now we must vnderstand that there is a two-fold communion from whence an excommunicate person may be said to be excluded Communion is two-fold inward and outward the one is inward and spirituall the other outward and corporall The inward communion is that which euery faithfull one hath by faith and loue first with God and then with the Saints of God and therfore in the Creed it is called the Communion of Saints For all the Saints are ioyned together with Christ their head by the band of the Spirit among themselues and with the whole body of the Church 1 Cor. 10 16. The bread which we breake in the Supper of the Lord is it not the communion of the body of Christ saith Paul And the Apostle Iohn in his first Epistle That which we haue seene heard declare we vnto you 1 Iohâ—â— that ye also may haue fellowship with vs and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ From this fellowship can none be excluded but by sin The Prophet saith Esay 5 â— your sinnes haue separated betweene mee and you And Iohn teacheth that if we walke in the light as he is in the light 1 Iohn 1 â— we haue fellowship one with an other and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth vs from all sin And Paul in his Epistle to the Romanes sheweth particularly that there is nothing vnder heauen can separate vs from Christ and from the loue of God neither death Rom. 8.3 â— nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature among al which he doth not reckon sin and therefore it is sin alone which can separate any man froÌ„ the grace of God and from communion with him The excommunication of the Church can bar and shut out no man from this communion For if any man be truly engrafted into Christ endued with faith in Christ and repentance from dead workes beeing a member of his body in deed and in truth excommunication shal hurt him nothing at all in regard of that spirituall communion forasmuch as the sentence so giuen is void and frustrate and the doore is shut vp locked fast with a false key Such an excommunication is a blessing not a cursing Againe albeit a man iustly deserueth to bee excommunicated through his sin to be separated from God yet excommunication is not the first or cheefe cause of it but his owne sin and the continuance in it seeing it doth not seuer him from God but declareth him to bee seuered through his impenitency as the Priests vnder the law putting out the leprous did not defile them with the leprosie but pronounced them to be defiled as the Iudge giuing sentence vpon a malefactor doth not therby make him a malefactor for hee was so before but pronounce him to be so and as a theefe that is found guilty is not thereby made a theefe But here a question ariseth how can it be Obiect that any hauing a true fellowship with Christ can be separated from it through sin Can he that is a member of Christ be made no member All men are eyther reprobate or elect The reprobate are not neyther were neyther euer shall be partakers of this communion how then should they be
through the malice and wickednesse of men The Apostle speaking of the Law saith Rom. 7. It is holy and the commandement holy and iust and good The like we may say of the discipline of the church it was ordained not to destruction but to saluation and if it attaine not to this end the fault is in the person impenitent not in the ordinance of God as when a good approued medicine well applied recouereth not the patient the fault is not in the Physition but in the desperatenesse of the disease This ought to teach all persons excommunicate for their sinnes to submit themselues to the stroke of Gods owne hand that thereby they may bee healed Impenitent persons are as those that are diseased sins are as sicknesses or wounds or soares excommunication is as physicke for the soule and a souereigne medicine to recouer them and the Gouernors of the Church are as good Physitions or tender Chirurgions who when all other remedies of admonition and exhortation faile are compelled to seare and cut and launce and apply as it were desperate cures not that they delight to be sawing and searing but because the cutting off of one member serueth to preserue the rest of the body Let vs be content to suffer for the benefit of the soule as we are for the health of the body Remember the counsell of the best Physition that euer was Christ Iesus who came to seeke and to saue that which was lost If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee Mat 5 29 30. and 18.8 for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell The end of excommunication is the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord. It is a bitter medicine and vnpleasant to the taste howbeit it is wholesome and healthfull It is as a sawe that cutteth off a dead member or as an hot iron that seareth an vlcer howbeit the effect is pleasant and profitable It maketh sad howbeit it is godly sorrow that causeth repentance neuer to be repented off It is like the seed the which except it be cast into the earth and die it can bring forth no fruite But it may be obiected Obiection how can excommunication make to the good and saluation of him that is excommunicated forasmuch as it cutteth him off from the body of Christ and from the communion of Saints that hee may be no longer a member A member that is once cut off from the body receiueth no more life from it neither can be ioyned to it againe as a branch that is cut froÌ„ the vine withereth Ioh. 15. How then can excommunication bee any way profitable I answer Answer as before that al they who are in the body of the church enrolled in the number of the faithfull are not after one manner members of the church neither are al cut off alike by the two edged sword of excommunication Some are in the church as euill humors in the body but are not of the Church as all hypocrites who haue giueÌ„ their names to Christ but are not Christs Zâ—ch 〈◊〉 redeâ—â—â— because they haue not the Spirit of Christ They haue a shew of faith godlines but they are as Idols that seeme to be that which they are not They seeme to haue a communioÌ„ with Christ but they haue not like to one that hath a woodeÌ„ leg so artificially ioyned to his body Beza 〈◊〉 that ther is none which taketh it not to be a true leg indeed whereas notwithstanding it is not so When the Church proceedeth to excommunication against these it cutteth them off and casteth them away altogether so that such a separation cannot tend to their saluation but is a fore-runner of their destruction Others are true members of the church haue a true communion with Christ his Church These are of two sorts some are so kept by the power of the Spirit in obedience that albeit they sinne for who is it â—hat sinneth not yet they giue no offence to the Church are not obstinate in their sins but being admonished or without admonition they repent and amend Now where there is repentance from sin and amendment of life there is no need of excommunication There are another sort that want this remedy and cannot otherwise be cured the fiery darts wherwith Satan hath wounded them are so deadly These the word cannot restore and the admonitions of a few and of many they contemne to these excommunication is profitable when all other meanes faile This foundation being laid the answer to the former obiection is easie to wit that it cannot be profitable to be separated from the body from whence it had life no more then for the branch to be cut away from the vine forasmuch as we must consider that there is a twofold separation in whole or else in part and therefore the similitude is not to be presfed farther then the purpose of it That separation which doth altogether separate any member from the body cannot be profitable vnto it But excommunication maketh not such a separation neither diuideth the elect of whom we speake wholly and finally from the body of the Church but onely in part in respect of the flesh not according to the Spirit in regard of the corruption of the old maÌ„ not in regard of the renuing of the inner man The second end of excommunication is the saluation of the whole Church for the Corinthians are willed to put away the euill one froÌ„ among them and to purge out the olde leauen 1 Cor. 5. that they might be a new lumpe Where the Apostle sheweth that the casting out of a wicked man from the company of the faithfull is to this purpose that if he will not repent yet at least others should be prouided for thâ—t they be not infected with his impiety as it were with a leprosie The third ende is that the rest may feare and bee kept within the bounds of their duty That which the Apostle speaketh of publike rebuking Them that sinne rebuke before all that others also may feare 1 Tim. â— may also be applyed to excommunication namely that the stiffenecked should not be spared no more then wolues be suffered among the sheepe to the end that others by their example may take heed This is to pull out of the fire and to saue with feare It is better for vs to learne by the punishments of others then to be censured our selues for our owne sinnes Daniel setting before Belshazzar the king his manifest offences who was weighed in the ballance and found wanting doth aggrauate and encrease his sinnes 〈◊〉 21. that he had seene his father deposed from his kingly throne and driuen from the sons of men and fedde with grasse like oxen yet he had not humbled his heart though he knew all these things but
eternall glory we must bee more then flesh blood Thou wilt therfore be ashamed to confesse that thou vnderstandest by flesh and blood that thou art nothing but a lumpe of flesh What then art thou flesh in part spirit in part as thou must acknowledge thy self to be if thou be the Lords Why then dost thou not performe the workes of the spirit Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do sauour the things of the flesh Ver. 6 but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit To be carnally minded is death Verse 7. but to be spiritually minded is life and peace The carnall minde is enimity against God Verse 13. for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be If ye liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body Ver. 14. ye shal liue For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of GOD Vers 8. so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Thus we see that the flesh and the spirit are alwayes opposed the one to the other so that by this wee may prooue our selues whether we be regenerate or not Let vs not therefore boast our selues that we are flesh blood forasmuch as such as are onely flesh cannot yet assure their owne hearts that they are the Lords Obiect 5 Fiftly it may be obiected that to repulse wrong is a note of courage and fortitude and to put vp wrong a token of pusillanimity and of a faint heart If then I must not reuenge I shall be accounted not onely a foole but a dastard and coward Answer I answere this is no better then the diuels sophistry and openeth a gap to the common practise that is in the world to quarrell for euery word speaking It is no argument of courage to be ready to draw the sword and dagger but rather of rashnes headinesse vnstayednesse and of a ruffian like spirit And it is no disgrace to be of a bearing and forbearing nature Our chiefest honour consisteth in fighting against sin vnto the death and shewing all might and manhood in the subduing of it He is stronger that ouercommeth his owne passions then he that winneth a city We must remember that we are made kings and Priests vnto God the Father and therefore let vs not make our selues slaues and captiues to Satan to sin and to the world This then serueth to meete with three sorts of men Perk. on Mat. 5.39 to condemne their euil courses whose whole life pleadeth for nothing more theÌ„ priuate reuenge First they are reproued that for euery crosse word supposed iniury are ready to challenge one another into the field the accepting of that challenge when it is giuen This fighting a single combat is vnlawfull That which the naturall man accounteth valour God esteemeth a vice and therefore it is no disgrace to refuse it but rather true grace in yeelding obedience vnto God For we must set down this as a rule that no man must sinne against God for the sauing of his credit reputation among men And if we did duly consider what sin is against whom it is committed and what punishment is procured therby vpon our selues we would neuer question the former ground set downe vnto vs. Secondly out of the case of challenging the field the common practise of fighting quarrelling is condemned which are no better then forerunners of murther and haue a bloody face in the sight of God The Apostle Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 3 1â— Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him Many there are that hold it vtterly vnlawfull to giue the first blow but if another strike them then they thinke that therby they are warranted to strike againe If any giue the occasion of a fray they hold him worthy to be condemned but if they be prouoked by another they account themselues to be bound to returne him the like This is directly contrary to the doctrine of Christ whereunto all must submit themselues that wil be the disciples of Christ He would haue vs take many wrongs and not seeke to reuenge our selues And it is contrary to the practise of Christ and of his Apostles When one of the officers of the high Priest smote Iesus with the palme of his hand Ioh. 18. â—â— because he held his peace would answer nothing he smote not againe as these men thinke he was bound to do for his honour But this was no disgrace or reproch to Christ how then should it be any shame for a true Christian We will needs be accounted Christians whosoeuer say nay but we scorne and disdaine to follow the example of Christ Act. 23.1 Ananias the high Priest commanded them that stood by to smite Paul on the mouth he reprooueth him fot it but he smote not againe this was no infamy but a glory vnto him Lastly their opinion also is condemned that make it a matter of praise and an argument of valour to turne away his face froÌ„ no man This indeed is foole-hardinesse It is the commendation of Magistrates to be men of courage to feare the face of God but not the faces of men They must accept no mans person in iudgement neither decline to the right hand or to the left But a priuate man may turne his backe to his aduersary without any impeachment of his credit or diminishing of his valor or lessening of his honor or slander to his reputatioÌ„ But of this we haue spoken sufficiently before therfore we wil proceed Lastly it may be obiected that vnder the Obiect law of Moses when any man had killed his neighbour the auenger of blood might slay the murtherer whensoeuer and wheresoeuer he met him Numb 35 19. If a man had killed any person at vnwares and hated him not before he must flie to one of the Cities of refuge and abide in it vnto the death of the high Priest which was annointed with the holy oyle but if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the Citty of refuge whither he was fled 〈◊〉 27. and the reuenger of blood finde him without the borders of the City of his refuge and the reuenger of blood kill the slayer he shall not be guilty of blood If then he be not guilty of blood how is it that God aloweth no priuate reuenge but commandeth to render good for euill to pray for them that curse vs and to doe good to our enemies and such as persecute vs I answer the politicke lawes serue not to bring men to perfection such as are made for ciuill gouernment When God speaketh as king of Israel and maketh statutes tending to outward peace and tranquility he aimed not at the spirituall perfection which is contained in the moral law which is the rule of
not Calfe or any Cattell should vndergo the punishment for sinne because the soule that sinned shall die the death Ezek. 18 verse 4. and the threatning must be true that because man sinned he should die Gen. 2. Thou shalt die the death So that it was necessary eyther that all man-kinde by reason of sinne must perish euerlastingly Heb. 9 15. or else Christ the Mediator of a better testament must become a surety for vs and satisfie the wrath of God kindled and conceiued against vs for sinne If any aske the question Question if the blood of Buls Goats could not take away sinne why did God command them to be offered and to what end were they appointed I answer Answer this was not done in vaine but to good purpose For albeit they could neuer take away sinne nor purge the conscience from dead workes yet they serued fitly to shadow out the death of Christ and to assure the heart that it is washed by the blood of the Messiah This was a notable comfort to the people of God from the beginning taught them to looke for redemption through him Obiection If it bee farther said that God speaketh euery where in the Law that the blood it selfe of Buls and Beasts clenseth and purgeth sinne as Leuit. 17 11. The life of the flesh is in the blood and I haue giuen it to you vpon the Altar to make an attonement for your soules for it is the blood that maketh an attonement for the soule I answer Answer that place speaketh not properly but sacramentally as in the new Testament he calleth in the institution of his last Supper Math. 26 26. the bread his body because it is a figure of it so in this place to the outward signe he giueth the name of the thing signified and to the type he ascribeth the proper effect of the blood of Christ which onely is the blood that is able to make attonement for our sinnes Otherwise those offerings of beasts should be called in vaine Heb. 9 24 10 1. the similitudes and shadowes of good things to come As for those heretikes that dreame that those oblations did really and indeed clense away the sinnes of the fathers not by their naturall operation but by the acceptation of God and therefore were not types of Christs sacrifice washing away sinne they are euidently conuinced by the places before alledged and throughout the Epistle to the Hebrewes Obiect If any aske how these can bee figures of Christ seeing GOD witnesseth in his word that he neuer required them When hee commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sinne thou hast had no pleasure Psal 40 7. Heb. 10 verses 5 6. If then God would haue none of them how could they be the figures and images of better things I answer Answer God may be said to allow them and yet to disallow them to reiect them and to regard them in diuers senses Hee willed them as he commandeth them and commendeth them as a sweet sauour vnto him performed in faith and as types referred to the comming of the Messiah and the time of reformation Heb. 9 10. On the other side he may be said to refuse and reiect them for these three causes First when the manner of doing is euill doing that which God requireth but doing it in a corrupt manner to wit without faith and obedience as the Prophets in euery place reprooue the sacrifices of hypocrites wicked persons as Esay 1 11 12. I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs who hath required this at your hand Your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth and the reason of this is rendered in the words following Verse 1â— Your hands are full of blood Againe God would not that they should remaine continue for euer but that though they had place in the Church for a time they should ceasse at the coming of the Messiah Therfore Christ being come into the world and manifested in the flesh God willed theÌ„ no longer but would haue them abolished And this sense doth the Apostle principally intend in this place that the shadowes must giue place when the body it selfe was come in person Lastly it may after a sort be said that God neuer willed them that is approued allowed of theÌ„ as the principall part of Gods worship and as the very price of our redemption the ransome for our sins our reconciliation vnto God albeit he would haue them obserued of his people and vsed for a time as certaine rudiments rites to bring them to Christ to confirme their faith in him Let vs shut vp this with the comparison that the Apostle expresseth Heb. 9 13 14. If the blood of Buls and of Goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience froÌ„ dead workes to serue the liuing God In these words he compareth the shadow the body the type the truth the ceremony and the substance together Doctrine Christ Iesus hath made aâ— attonement between Gâ—â— and vs by hâ—â— blood FroÌ„ hence we learne this doctrine that the blood of Christ taketh away our sins reconcileth vs to God the Father Christ Iesus hath in the performance of his Priesthood freed and deliuered vs from the guilt punishment of our sins This appeareth euidently vnto vs by considering laying before vs the end the parts and fruite of his Priesthood The end of the Leuiticall Priest-hood and of this figured by it was to offer sacrifice for the ignorances Hebr. 9 â— that is for the sins of the people The distinct parts of it are two satisfaction and intercession His satisfaction consisteth partly in suffering and partly in obedience The second part of his Priesthood standeth in intercession in that he is become our perpetuall and perfect Aduocate that therby God might be appeased for them and we reconciled vnto him The fruite thereof is this that we are deliuered redeemed ransomed iustified and freed from the guilt of sin from the burden of ceremonies from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God and from feare of condemnation This truth is taught in many places Ioh 1 29. Iohn seeing Christ coming vnto him saith Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world And the same Apostle in his first Epistle chap. 2 ver 1 2. If any sinne we haue an Aduocate Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Likewise in the Epistle to the Romanes the Apostle magnifying the mercy of God and setting out the merites of Christ he saith chap. 3 verse
power of Satan to the end wee should intangle our selues againe and giue vp our selues to his seruice who is the sworne enemy of God whereas wee are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies that wee should serue the Lord without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Luke 1 74 75. Labour then to be in Christ and examine thy selfe whether he be in thee or not study to be partaker of the benefits of his passion and to be washed from the filthinesse of our corruption This is a priuiledge belonging vnto the Church of God as the Prophet Esay noteth chap. 33 verse 26. The inhabitant shall not say I am sicke and the people that dwel therein shall be forgiuen their iniquity What then Shall wee continue in sinne because sinne is pardoned Or shall wee turne the grace of God into wantonnesse because grace hath abounded God forbid how shall we that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein Roman 6 2. We are baptized into the death of Christ and are buried with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so we should also walke in newnesse of life Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroied that hence forth wee should not serue sinne The more wee profite by the death of Christ the more wee grow in sanctification and the farther wee proceed in mortification It is one thing to talke of the death of Christ and another thing to feele his death working in vs it is one thing to know that he died and another that he died for vs. It is not enough to reason of his death and to conferre of it except it be as a strong purgation to cleanse vs from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Holinesse in the soule is as health in the body and peace in the City and marrow in the bones It is the righteousnesse of Christ that giueth life vnto vs so that so farre as we liue we are sanctified The life of an vnregenerate man is no life but rather a death they are twice dead dead in soule and dead in body there is no life of God in their mindes or willes or consciences or affections They may well breath in the ayre as the brute beasts do but they haue no heauenly breath or celestiall motion in them They haue the naturall life but they are vtterly ignorant what the spirituall life meaneth But he that is spirituall indeed and truely sanctified the farther he proceedeth the weaker the motions of sinne are in him euen as the neerer a man draweth to death the lesse motion is in him If we be once in Christ and dead with him the pleasures of the world the delights of the flesh the lustes of the eyes the pride of life and the vanities of carnall men will moue vs nothing at all They that were our familiar companions in sin will be shunned of vs bitter vnto vs and banished from vs. The euill workes wherein before we tooke our whole delight will be greeuous Irkesome vnto vs so that we will by no meanes abide to heare and see the vnrighteous deeds of the wicked which before did minister matter of sport contentment vnto our soule Lastly seeing the death and shedding of the blood of Christ is the meanes of our saluation Vse 4 and free pardon of our sins we are to reioyce at it and to comfort our selues in it aboue all things in the world as that which hath procured the greatest blessing that can befall vs so that if we can find but one drop of his blood to be by the power of the Spirit sprinkled vppon our consciences to purge vs from dead workes it should reioyce vs more then the gaining of a kingdome or the increasing of our corne and cattell If a man should liue in health wealth in honour preferment in fauor and friendship of the mighty in credite estimation of men in the praise applause of the world so that he had no experience of sorrow and sicknes of misery calamity yet if he haue not this principle writtē in his hart that Christ shed his blood for him and nailed his sinnes vpon his Crosse and carried them with him into his graue to bury them in perpetuall forgetfulnesse What comfort could all these things bring vnto him Or what sound delight could hee take in them Or what were he nearer for them vnto saluation But if wee should want all these blessings of honour of riches of fauour of preferment and such like and on the contrary side taste of the cup of affliction in great measure and drinke vp the dregs of it if we should endure pouerty banishment infamy iniury disgrace distresse discredite slanders perilles persecution need nakednesse and all kinde of aduersity yet these could not make vs miserable Rom. 8 39. nor separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. It is he that died for vs yea rather which is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect who haue a discharge giuen them from all their sinnes As for troubles and afflictions they are sanctified vnto them and serue to bring them neerer vnto God and are approued meanes whereby they are broght to a conformity with Christ True it is Iob 2 4. our nature abhorreth nothing more then affliction so that it is greeuous for the present and not ioyous It is well obserued that when Iesus went vp to the Mountaine to preach all his Disciples went with him none forsooke him nor fled from him but when he went to Mount Caluarie to suffer they all left him alone Hee hath at all times many that are ready to follow him by professing but few are willing to follow him by patient suffering Wee are content to goe with him into the Temple but we will not accompany him to the Crosse Peter shewed this too plainely both by his words and by his practise When Christ once made mention of his suffering he said vnto him Math. 15 22. Master pitty thy selfe And when he was in the High-Priests hall was assaulted and tempted for feare of the persecutors and danger of death hee denied his Master Notwithstanding we must feare to sinne against Christ more then to suffer with Christ forasmuch as if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him There is nothing can make vs miserable but that which bringeth vs out of fauour with God and separateth vs from him now there is nothing can separate vs from God but sinne nothing can destroy the soule but sinne and sinne is able to do it They therefore are truely happy that haue the power and strength of sinne abolished and are no longer
will raise vs also We are the members he is the head Therfore if the head be aliue he will no◠leaue the members dead so that if he be risen frō the dead we shall rise againe How thē shall we that are appointed to glory defile our bodies beastly lustes the end and wages whereof is shame and ignominy Seeing then Christ Iesus hath determined to make our bodies glorious let vs not make them foule and infamous for as much as the reward of fornication is shame not glorie If then we look that these fraile and mortall bodies should be partakers of immortality at the last day let vs keepe them as fit vessels to receiue honor and glory and euerlasting life It is no small offence to pollute the body of Christ with filthines and vncleannes which God raiseth frō the dead and maketh it sit most glorious in the heauens The fourth motiue to worke in vs the detestation and to lay before vs the danger of whoredome is this the members of Christ are not to bee made the members of an harlot but our bodies are the members of Christ therefore we ought not to make them the members of an harlot Now the bodies of the faithful are called the members of Christ because Christ is the head of the church and performeth the office of an head vnto it into which all the elect are grafted by faith If any man were asked whether he would willingly rent or pull away a member from Christes owne body to make it the member of an harlot he would vtterly deny it he would be ashamed of it he would be ready to defie him that should charge him with it Howbeit the Apostle feareth not to lay that imputation vpon such as commit fornication they separate themselues quite away from Christ so that it must needs be a deadly sin which parteth and pulleth vs from him Wherefore hee saith Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ 1 Cor. 6 15. Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Hereby then we must learne how heinous whoredome is because wee are the members of Christ but by it we make our bodies the members of an harlot which is as much in effect as to turne Christ himselfe into an harlot and to make him a whoremaster then which nothing is more reproachfull and dishonorable vnto the glory and maiesty of Christ Colos 1 18. Eph. 1 22. For the Church is the mysticall bodie of Christ which hee hath redeemed with his blood whereof hee is the head and by his Spirit so ioyneth it to him that it is made one spiritual body with him So then euery faithful person is one member for his part of the body of the Church and of Christ the head ioyned with him by faith quickned by his Spirit He that ioyneth himself therfore to an harlot is made one body with an harlot so that of the members of Christ hee shall make them the members of an harlot and thereby cease to be any longer the members of Christ then which what can be more dangerous to vs or more reprochful to Christ or more dishonorable to God The fift motiue to disswade from fornication is because this sin is committed against the body whereas all other sins are without the body He that committeth whoredom defileth and abuseth his own body and leaueth a proper staine and blot vpon it making it both the subiect and the obiect of his sin It is not so with the theef or the murtherer or the slanderer they deale with the life with the goods and with the good name of another But the whore-master vseth his bodie as the instrument and sinneth against his owne body more then any other Hence it is that the Apostle saith Flie fornication euery sinne that a man doth is without the body 1 Cor. 6. ◠but hee that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne bodie If a man kill himselfe he hurteth indeed his owne bodie howbeit he vseth sworde or knife or fire or water or some such like instrument which is out of the body but the fornicator both vseth and abuseth his owne body he maketh it either instrument or obiect or subiect or all of them The sixt motiue that is vsed is this That our body is the Temple of the holye Ghost whereupon the Apostle would haue it inferred that a fornicator is a sacrilegious person because he hurteth and wrongeth the temple of God But Whosoeuer defileth the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy which temple we are 1 Cor. 3. ver 17. Temples are ordained and appointed for holinesse and pure actions and are not therefore to be prophaned with filthinesse forasmuch as they be consecrated and dedicated to God which is most pure and holy To this purpose he speaketh and argueth What 1 Cor. 6 13. Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy ghost which is in you which ye haue of God If our bodies be Temples they ought to bee kept cleane and decent of vs. The Apostle nameth the bodie in this place as hee did also before in regard of the matter he hath in hand to the end hee might withdraw vs from the defiling and poluting of our bodies Wee heard alreadie that our bodies are the members of Christ heere he saith Our bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost not that our soules are excepted and exempted for they are made partakers of Christ and we are the Temples of God in soule and bodie as hee speaketh in the second Epistle Ye are the Temples of the liuing GOD. 2 Cor. 6 16. If he dwell in vs let vs beware of fornication because he will not inhabite and abide in defiled bodies He is the spirit of purity therefore we must be pure he is the spirit of holinesse therefore we ought to be holy otherwise we are not his He will dwell in a clean house therfore not in a stye of vnclean and filthy swine Let vs take heed we greeue not the spirit of God whereby wee are sealed vnto the day of redemption Eph. 4. The Gentiles knewe by the light of nature that they ought to keepe their temples swept and garnished Christ whipped out of the temple such as bought sold in it yet what are these but lime stone and such corruptible stuffe how much more then ought wee to looke to our selues our souls bodies that we do not defile them and God destroy them The Temple of Ierusalem was burned and the Arke carried away for the sinnes of the people there is no holinesse of place can priuiledge vs if sound Religion be wanting in them that inhabit it Thus was it also at the destruction of Ierusalem foretolde in Scripture after the Gospell of Christ was preached the abhomination of desolation was set in the holy place so that one stone was not left vpon another
that was not throwne downe If then God spare not most holy places consecrated to his seruice thorough their sinne that abuse them let vs not doubt but our owne bodies shal be smitten by the hands of God except we keepe them pure and vndefiled The last motiue to keepe vs from this sin is to know that we are wholly Gods and not our owne to do what wee list or to dispose of our selues Wee are Christs therefore it is our duty to glorifie him by liuing chastly and continently He hath redeemed vs from the power of the deuill by paying the price of his precious blood as of a Lamb vnspotted God hath good right to challenge vs as his owne forasmuch as he bought vs at a deere rate and we cost him more then a worlde nay a thousand worlds of riches and treasures Christ gaue his life for vs a price far greater then all men ca◠conceiue For what can be imagined so precious as the dignity the maiesty the glorie of God which were all after a sort changed and diminished when hee tooke our nature vpon him and suffered in it the cursed and shamefull death of the crosse Therefore it is that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6 19 20. Ye are not your owne for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodye and in your spirit for they are Gods It is the propertie of Iustice to giue to euery one his owne and not to vse that which is another mans as his owne Our bodies are another mans right therefore we may not abuse them to filthines at our owne carnall pleasures Wee haue not authority ouer our selues to dispose of our selues therefore we are as another mans seruants We belong to Christ and to GOD therefore we must liue according to his will Christ hath bought vs with a great price and hath redeemed vs from hell from satan from death and from sinne therfore we be Christs we pertaine as a proper possession to him and no man can lay claime vnto vs. Let vs liue as becommeth his seruants our profession our calling and our redemption but they that follow after fornication serue his enemy forasmuch as our sinnes were the enemies that put him to death Vse 3 Lastly let all married persons liue chastly and keepe the vessels of their bodies in holynesse and in honor There is indeed a twofold chastity one of the single life the other of the married Chastity of single life is with al carefulnesse with fasting and prayer to keep their minds affections and bodies in holines Chastity in marriage is when the pure and holie vse of wedlocke is obserued Hence it is that the Apostle saith Heb. 13 4. Marriage is honorable in all and the bed vndefiled but Whoremongers and adulterers God wil iudge Matrimony is an holy league or couenant as it is called in the Scripture If a man forge or falsify a couenant that is made in bargaine and sale either by conueying some secret title or interest to himselfe or by suborning false Witnesses it is and ought to be sharpely and seuerely punished But behold by an vncleane life the chiefe and most holy Couenant that can be in the worlde is broken and violated A solemne declaration is made of the faith that the husband oweth to the wife and the wife to her husband they come into the church as it were into the presence and before the face of God they call vpon him to be a witnesse and Iudge if either of them keepe not promise yet oftentimes all this vanisheth away and commeth to nothing Hence it is that the Lord complaining against the people of Israel and conuincing them of whoring and such like wickednesse threatneth them that Therefore the Land shall mourne and euerie one that dwelleth therein shall bee cut off with the Beastes of the fielde and with the fowles of the heauen and also the Fishes of the sea shall bee taken away Hosea chap. 4. and the 2. 3. verses This sinne spreadeth farre like a foule and vncleane Leprosie The seuerall kindes of whoredome and catcheth hold of one part after another till the whole bodye bee defiled like to fire that being once kindled runneth from one place to another vntill all bee consumed There is an adulterie of the heart Math. 5 28. condemned by our Sauiour Christ which being once entertained is compared to a burning or boyling 1 Cor. 7.9 that so disturbeth and disquieteth the soule and the exercises of the soule that it cannot suffer a man to serue the Lord in a quiet mind and a pure conscience There is an adultery of the eyes which are as the windowes of the heart 2 Peter chap. 2. verse 14. as Saint Peter speaketh of fleshly minded men Whose eyes were full of Aduiterie This made Iob to make a Couenant with his eyes that they went not astray and caused him to go astray The looking after a woman to lust after her is called by Christ the committing of Adulterie And the Prophet reprooueth the daughters of Sion because they walked with out-stretched neckes and wanton eyes Esa chap 3 verse 13. There is an adultery of the eares the which wee fall into when wee listen vnto vnchaste and vncleane talke vttered by others when wee haue itching eares after it and are content to heare it and yet shew no dislike vnto it no hatred of it There is another adultery and that is of the tongue when wee take delight in vnchaste speeches and filthie Ribaldry by which the heartes of others are corrupted and our owne are manifested to bee corrupt already forasmuch as from the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12. What religion soeuer we professe it is in vaine wee deceiue our owne hearts except we learne to bridle our owne tongues Iam. 1 26. And the Apostle giueth this exhortation Ephes 4 29. that no corrupt communication should proceede out of our mouths but that which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers And in another place he teacheth 1 Cor. 15 33. that euill communications corrupt good manners Lastly there is an adultery which is outward in fact and is called sin finished all the former are as steps degrees leading to this and in the end bring it foorth as a birth which they haue conceyued For wherefore do vncleane persons nourish in themselues the adultery of the heart of the eyes of the eares and of the tongue but because they purpose to commit the outward acte when time and place and person and other occasions shal be offered vnto thē But wee must bee carefull to auoide all these kindes which should not bee named among Christians Ephes 5 3. as becommeth the Saints of GOD. No maruell therefore if this wickednesse bee punished of God with heauy iudgements as that which in an high degree sinneth against God The greeuousnes of the sin of adultery against our neighbour and against our selues
especially to tempt and seduce them These are great motes in Satans eies as marks set vp for him to shoot at because these do most of all seeke the subuersion of his kingdome and the withdrawing of others out of his snares wherein he holdeth them captiue and therefore he hateth them to the death We see he began with Christ and he euermore desireth to hit the fairest marke and to strike downe the highest tree It was a cunning policy of a crafty captaine to command his souldiers to strike at no part of the enemy but at the face and the king of Syria commanded his chiefe commanders to fight neither with small nor great saue only against the king of Israel â— 22.31 Such is the policy of Satan he desireth to winnow and wound the chiefest and choicest of al and he hath oftentimes preuailed as we see in the examples of Noah Lot Dauid Moses Aaron Salomon and many others yea he bendeth his forces and fury so much the more to ouerthrow and ouerturne these because he knoweth that in ouer-mastering them he commonly in their fall giueth the foile to diuers others It is noted that Satan stood at the right hand of Ioshua to resist him Zac. 3.1 So Paul was assaulted aboue his fellows because of his rare and excellent gifts this was the cause why he was so much maligned And Christ telleth his disciples that Satan desired to winnow them â—2 31 them I say aboue others as their calling was aboue others for they were the master-builders and laid the foundation of the Church vpon which others builded Let al those therfore whose place and calling and gifts make theÌ„ euident eminent aboue others take heed to themselues to their carriage and conuersation let them labour to cleaue more closely to God â—5 36 and so to let their light shine before men that they seeing their good works may glorifie their Father which is in heauen These are as chiefe Captaines of the hoste and the ensigne-bearers of the Church to shew the way to others and to go in and out before them in an vnreproueable and vnblameable course and though they draw not all vnto them by their example yet their forwardnesse and feruency their zeale earnestnes shall serue to instruct many others Vse 3 Thirdly seeing these Nazarites must keep themselues from wine and strong drinke as also from eating fresh or dryed grapes so long as the daies of their separation endured or learn hereby that it is our duty to fly from all euill euen all the occasions and allurements of sin whatsoeuer though they be neuer so pleasant to the eye or sweet to the taste inasmuch as we shall find them in the end to be more sharp then vineger more bitter then wormewood more deadly then poison Abner the Captaine of Saul and of his sonne accounted warre as a sport which yong fellowes did make howbeit he confessed the end would prooue bloody 2 Sam. 2.26 when he cryed out Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternesse in the latter end so howsoeuer the foole make a mocke of sinne and it seeme pleasant and profitable at the first yet the end wil be mourning and lamentation This did Zophar teach in the book of Iob Though wickednesse bee sweet in his mouth though hee hide it vnder his tongue yet his meate in his bowels is turned it is the gall of aspes within him c. Hence it is that the Apostle Iames saith Iam. 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction and to keepe himselfe vnspotted from the world If we doe this then we shall bee true Nazarites separated from the world and brought neere vnto God then we shall bestow our mindes and meditations vppon him and withdraw our cares and cogitations from the desire of earthly things When God called Abraham out of Vr of the Caldees Gen. 17.1 he required of him to walk before him and to be vpright Such a spirituall Nazarite was Noah God saw him iust in that prophane age when all the earth had corrupted their wayes Gen. 6. Such a Nazarite was Lot in sinfull Sodome 2 Pet. 2.7 when he vexed his righteous soule from day to day beholding the vncleane conuersation of those cursed Sodomites Thus was Noah out of the world while he was in the world thus was Lot out of Sodome even while he was in Sodome and thus should our conuersation be in heauen while we haue our being and dwelling vpon the earth Phil. 3. Such a Nazarite was Nathaniel in whose spirit there was no guile Ioh. 1. for as he is said to be an Israelite indeed so it may be said he was a Nazarite indeed And as these were holy vnto God so must we labour after purity and offer vp our bodies an holy and liuing sacrifice to God Rom. 12.1 Euery one that calleth vpon the Name of the Lord must depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 We must labour to be cleere from the workes of darknesse and from the sinnes of worldlings and wicked persons marking what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 7 1. Cleanse you selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God For as these Nazarites were not to taste of the iuyce of liquour of the grape so we should not intermeddle with any sinne but shunne and shake off the same much more then we would to be defiled with mire and dirt 2 Cor. 6.17 remember the counsell of the same Apostle What agreement what fellowship is there betweene light darkneâ— therefore come out from among them and separate your selues touch no vnclean thing then shall we be the sonnes and daughters of the Lord Almighty Vse 4 Fourthly consider from hence the false ground that the Papists build vpon to establish the Monkish and Fryarly Orders wherby they build an house vpon the sand which cannot continue For from this ceremony and vow of the Nazarites being a more strict kind of life in the abstinence from sundry pleasures that others lawfully tooke in the moderate vse of the good creatures of God and consequently a profession of greater holinesse by sequestring themselues from the company of men to giue themselues wholly to prayer and meditation Bellar. contro 5. cap. 5. lib 2. de Monachis the Popish doctors goe about to defend the Monks and Friars and that swarme and rabble of Locusts that came out of the bottomelesse pit and to set vp their vnorderly Orders to be a profession of life of greater holinesse and perfection aboue others which the common sort cannot attaine vnto Howbeit if we consider the matter aright compare them together we shall see there is no agreement nor likenesse betweene them This vow was grounded vpon the word of God and warranted from thence the Monkish life is deducted from the puddles of mans inuention These bound themselues
come to the Lords Table when we are farre from it For as God hath his Church so the diuell hath his Chappell and as there is the Table of the Lord so there is the table of diuels We must therefore take heed that we doe not sacrifice to diuels while we purpâ—se to sacrifice to God and I would not that ye should haue fellowship with diuels â—or 10.20 To conclude let this preparation alwayes go before this holy action let there be a ransacking of all the corners of our hearts and spirits and a cleansing and cleering of them by true repentance Let all gouernours of families prepare these that belong vnto them fit themselues and them of their house to this worke Let vs consider the mystery of the death of Christ to make it the meanes of our life the cause of it our sinnes the merit of it our redemption the ende of it the apprehending of Christ with all his benefites the fruit of it reconciliation to God encrease of faith and newnesse of life Vse 4 Fourthly as no vncleane persons that were defiled Num. 9.6 and no vncircumcised persons whose foreskinne was not cut away Exod 12.48 might eate of the Passeouer so no prophane person vncircumcised in heart and vncleane in his soule and conscience hath any interest in the Lords Supper If he come vnto it and present himselfe at the Lords Table he is like to that guest that came to the feast but had not on him his wedding garment Matth. 22.11 as he followeth him in the sinne so hee shall follow him in the punishment also I deny not but such may partake of the bread but they cannot receiue the body and blood of Christ and they shall not onely beare the losse of the benefit but also incurre the danger of damnation For as no vncleane person might come to the Passeouer of the Lord so no vncleane person may come to the Supper of the Lord. Holy things may not be cast to dogs neither pearles before swine Matt. 7.6 These haue no right to this Communion Children are barred because they cannot examine themselues prophane persons because they do not because they will not And how many are there that come in worse manner then children would doe For if infants and children were admitted it is presumed they wold come with greater reuerence their greatest sinne would be their ignorance Ignorance therefore is a barre against them but are there not many in very many places that presume and present themselues at this Table who besides their ignorance as great and as grosse as that in children doe adde prophanenesse of heart make little conscience of the Sabboth and shew small loue to the word of God and therefore doe shut out themselues from this feast by a twofold barre Lastly we saw before that bitter hearbs were Vse 5 added to the Passeouer it must not be eaten without them which signifieth that as the Passeouer was eaten with sowre hearbes so Christ and the Crosse are neuer seuered one from the other because all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2. Tim 3.12 if we wil be the disciples of Christ we must deny our selues and take vp our Crosse and follow him Matth. 16.24 Euery one would be partaker of the Passeouer but they desire not the sowre hearbs we would willingly taste of the sweet but we care not for the bitter We seeme all ready to embrace Christ but we shun the Crosse it is as bitter vnto vs as gall and wormewood We must all therefore frame our selues to suffer afflictions as the good seruants and souldiers of Christ for the faiths sake and be content to drinke of this cup which he hath begun vnto vs. Paul liued in great credit among the Pharisees before his conuersion but so soon as he was called to preach the Gospel by and by they fought to kill him It is a great comfort to suffer for righteousnes sake A good cause doth sweeten the bitternes of the Crosse Such are pronounced blessed by Christ Matth. 5.10 The Apostles went from the councel reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ Acts 5.41 It is no lesse honor to suffer for Christs cause then to beleeue in his Name Phil. 1 29. Ioh â—5 18.20 and 8.48 Our Master Christ Iesus found no better entertainment the world hated him before it hated vs they called him a Samaritan and said he had a diuel they reproached him to be a glutton Luke 7.34 a wine-bibber and a friend of Publicans and sinners he was despised of men Esay 53.3 4. and esteemed as smitten of God Ioh. 1.11 Luke 23.31 he came to his owne but his own râ—ceiued him not If they haue done this in the greene tree what shal be done in the drie The seruant must not looke to haue a better estate and condition then his Lord nor the disciple then his master if they haue persecuted him they will also persecute vs Ioh. 13.16 he that is sent must not looke to be greater then he that sent him It is enough for the disciple to be as his master Matth. 10.25 and the sâ—ruant as his Lord if they haue called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his household Gods children shal be molested and aflicted euen in times of publike peace When the enemies of Daniel could find no matter against his person Dan. 6.13 they began to quarrell about his religion To serue God in truth and sincerity is an heinous crime in the eyes of the world who shall in the end giue an account to him that will iudge vprightly Verse 6. And there were certaine men who were defiled by the dead c. Here is a description of the second Passeouer for such as were vncleane vncleane not by any sinfull pollution but by a legal or ceremoniall vncleannesse not by any willing choice of their owne but by an ineuitable necessity and not by comming neere those that were dead in spirit but by touching the dead body of a man In this obserue three things a question a consultation and a resolution The question is of the people the consultation of Moses the resolution of God The people enquire at the mouth of Moses Moses enquireth at the mouth of God and God determineth the doubt and resolueth both the people Moses The question is wherfore may we not receiue the Passeouer with the rest of our brethren wherfore are we kept backe this is amplified by the occasion they were defiled by a dead corpes The consultation is with God which is the second point Moses willeth them to be quiet stand stil vntil he knew the mind of the Lord ver 8. he wold determine nothing rashly but he doubted and held them in doubt vntill he knew of God what was to be done A religious example of modesty humility and wisedome in the matters of God
I dare boldly affirme and auouch that the greatest sort of men are such Egyptians and do daily practise such Egyptian tricks making more account of this life theÌ„ of the life to come of man more then of God of the earth more then of heauen Let not therefore temporall things dazle our eies to make vs senslesse as blocks If rotten things shine it is but in the dark and in the night and if these transitory riches do besot any it is such as are blind and cannot see the glory and beauty of the world to come which if we could behold with the inward eies of a sanctified mind it would wholly possesse and carry vs into a loue admiration of it But such as are nothing but a lumpe of flesh can sauour nothing but of the flesh All their cares and cogitations are spent about the world their hands and harts are full of it that they leaue no roome for better things Tel these men neuer somuch of religion of the word of God the fear of his name you sing a song to a deafe man by and by they reply Who wil shew vs any good that is any profit Psal 4.6 they care for nothing els but for the flesh-pots It is most strange to consider that the life of man which should bee spent chiefly to prouide for the soule which is immortal yet this for the most part is the least of our thoughts We are altogether plodding about getting of riches and prouiding for the body and the belly which are framed of the earth and dust Gen. 3 1â— 18 27. Iob 4 15. We dwell in houses of clay our eies do euery where behold the vncertainty and vnstability of them yet we cheefely prize and pamper this vassall and slaue of death and forget vtterly or remember at leysure the soule and cast all our hopes on the peace which we trust to make at the parting which is an high presumption no better then a laughing of God to scorn And when we haue done all and gotten store of goods what comfort shall they minister at the last day for all this is but with the Egyptians to striue for onyons and garlike it is no better And when the body must turne to the earth we must lay downe this Tabernacle whose foundation is in the dust what good will our onyons and garlike do vs Wil not a little Manna at that day stored vp stand vs in more stead and bring greater comfort to the soule then to sit by these flesh pots of Egypt Alas my brethren all the wealth of this world if we could heape it vp together is no better then onyons and garlike in comparison of spirituall things Why then should we exalt the body so high which must lye so low and returne to dust and ashes and in the meane season neglect the soule which shall liue when the body is dead and rotten either in euerlasting life or in euerlasting fire Such notwithstanding is our madnes that all the stir which here we make is for onyons and garlike Wee labour for nothing but for the belly meats and yet God shall destroy both it and them â—or 6 13. The rich man is said to fare deliciously euery day howbeit hee made ill prouision for his soule 〈◊〉 16 23. 〈◊〉 12 20 for it was carried to hell and torments Ver. 7 7 9. To enlarge and set forth the sin of these prophane persons Moses dcscribeth what this Manna was It was not a naturall Meteore vsuall common in those quarters 〈◊〉 lib. 3. 〈◊〉 cap. 1. as many haue imagined For this fell among them euery part of the yeare winter summer and that alike It serued to satisfie many thousands It fell not at all vpon the Sabbath day howbeit on the sixt day fell twice so much as there did ordinarily other daies If it were kept vntill the next mourning it putrified but reserued on the sixt day it rotted not but serued them for their vse vpon the seuenth day Nothing could hinder the comming or falling of it 〈…〉 in Moses in 〈◊〉 16. nor frost nor raine nor heate nor cold but this blessing of God alwayes accompanied them whither soeuer they went When they were entred into the possession of the Land of promise then it ceased but not before Lastly Aaron was commanded to keepe a pot full of it for a memoriall of this miraculous worke of God and it rotted not nor stanke It is called the bread of Angels 〈◊〉 Manna â—â—lled the â—d of Anâ— Psal 78 25. not that the Angels do eate any corporall or materiall food beeing themselues spirits but because of the excellency of it or because the Angels were Gods instruments in preparing of it It was food not onely for the body but for the soule it was both a visible Manna and an inuisible both open and hidden both earthly and heauenly This was a type and figure of Christ the true bread that came downe from heauen 1 Cor. 10 3. Iohn 6 ver 33 35. It was a type of the word which is the foode of our soules Hebrewes 5 verses 13 14. as also of the sacraments by which we are nourished 1 Corinth chapter 10 v. 3. These three are right Angels food dainty and delicious fare sweeter then wafers made of hony or of the best confection that the Apothecary can affâ—ord Doctrine God hath prouided a very large and liberal diet for his children This teacheth vs that God hath prouided a very large and liberall diet yea most excellent dainty fare to nourish his children The heauenly blessings of God contained in his word the exercises of our religion the holy sacraments especially the Lord Iesus himselfe the bread of life whom whosoeuer eateth hath eternal life abiding in him are costly plentifull and heauenly feasts the meanes of spirituall nourishment and encrease to his seruants which God hath ordained for his sonnes and daughters The Prophet speaking of the soules prouision which God our good Shepheard maketh for the sheepe of his pasture saith Psal 23 5. Thou preparest a Table before me c my cup runneth ouer Thus is wisedome the Sonne of God broght in by Salomon to haue killed her beasts to haue mingled her wine and to haue furnished her Table Prou. 9 verse 2. Come eate of my bread and drinke of the wine which I haue mingled verse 5. And Math. 22 verse 4. the Kings seruants call the guests and tell them he hath prepared his dinner his oxen and his fatlings are killed and all things are ready So the Prophet speaketh Esay 25 6. and Christ himselfe Luke 14 verse 16. and Psalm 36 19. So then the soules food fare is notable good cheere the best that euer was tasted For these heauenly blessings and this sustenance Reason 1 for the soule doth as fully sustaine and satisfie nourish and maintaine the state and strength of the soule as any outward prouision
they may be bold and confident in dangers Psal 23 4. No enemy shall hurt them no danger shall ouerthrow them The enemies may oppresse them for a time but God is not farre off if he be on our side who shall be against vs Vse 2 Secondly woe be vnto all the enemies of God they cannot stand nor prosper which serueth to terrifie all euill dooers They are as out-lawes or rebels that liue no longer vnder the protection of law or Magistrate so are the vngodly proscribed of God and lye open to iudgement They are as souldiers without weapons they haue neither shield nor buckler nor brest-plate nor helmet nor sword their loynes are vngirt their feet are vnshod their heads are vncouered in the day of battell they lie open as naked men to be wounded and destroied They haue nothing to defend them or to doe them good all creatures are against them nay the Creator himselfe Vse 3 Lastly it is the duty of the faithfull to look to their waies seeing the Lord is with them and dwelleth among them He is a God of pure eies he seeth vs and all our waies let vs therefore carry our selues vnspotted of the world and labour to be holy as he is holy Leuit. 11 44. and 19.1 and 20 7. lest we giue him iust cause to leaue vs. If we haue any friend come vnto vs we are willing to giue him the best entertainment we can we are loth to depart from him we are willing to content him how much more ought wee to receiue the Lord for we may expect more of him and bee assured of defence protection from him greeue him not therefore nor his Spirit by our sinnes So long as they are fostered in vs he cannot be welcome vnto vs neither shall we be welcome vnto him They will driue him away make him depart from vs. Our bodies should be the Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6 19. and therefore we must remember that as we are not our owne but bought with a price so we ought to glorifie God in our body and in our spirit which are Gods 10. But all the Congregation bade stone them with stones and the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before all the children of Israel These rebels had raged against God no maruaile therefore if they raged against his seruants who notwithstanding had not vsed any rigour or force against them onely they perswaded theÌ„ to trust in the promise of God and boldly to proceed on their iourney toward the Land But this is accounted as an hainous crime and they deale with them as men worthy of death according to the saying of Salomon Prou. 9 7. He that reproueth a scorner getteth to himselfe shame and hee that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himselfe a blot Thus we see how wicked men can abide no reprofe nay they cannot suffer a word of exhortation they cannot abide that others should do better then themselues Againe such as are carnal and corrupt are prone to hatred malice and reuenge yea when no cause of offence is offered vnto them See also how God protecteth his seruants in times of danger But to passe ouer these points from hence obserue that such as are Gods seruants Doctrine Such as are gods seruâ—â—â— shall be eâ— intreated and stand for good causes shall be persecuted maligned and euilly intreated as if they were murtherers and malefactours Though they deserue to be fauoured and loued yet they shall be hated cursed and contemned So it was with Moses when he came to Pharaoh moued him to let the people goe Exod. 5 1 2 5 6. Dan. 3 19 and 6 16. Acts 4 20 21. and 5 18. Iohn 16 2. 1 Kings 13 4. Thus was it with Eliah and Elisha thus was it with Michaiah Ieremy and thus it was with all the Prophets Math. 23 34. The reasons because the world hateth the Reason 1 truth and the professors of it The Preachers and professours of it because they manifest publish the truth Gal. 4 16 The truth it selfe because men loue darkenesse more then the light inasmuch as their owne deeds are euill Iohn 3 19. They are chosen out of the world therefore the world hateth them whereas if they were of the world the world would loue his owne Iohn 15 19. Secondly Satan is their enemy and seeth Reason 2 that by them his kingdome is in danger to be ouerthrowne hence it is that he rageth and raiseth persecution that thereby he may stop their mouthes stop the course of the truth Reuel 2 10 and 12 13. Thirdly God will haue his seruants tryed Reason 3 in their faith patience constancy and obedience Reuel 2 10. We must learne to walke through good report and euill report and bee ready to renounce all rather then the truth which we must buy at any rate Prou. 23 â— but neuer sel it though we might gaine all the world because all such gaine is the greatest losse Math. 16 verse 26. The vses follow First maruaile not at it wheÌ„ Vse 1 we see this come to passe neither condemne the truth or the professours of it 1 Iohn 3 13. Maruaile not if the world hate you Let vs comfort our selues with this consolation that it is no rare thing neither is our case singular neither do we suffer alone it hath beene the lot of all Christians nay of Christ himselfe let vs not seeke to be better then he was the seruant may not be aboue his Lord if they haue persecuted him they will persecute vs Ioh. 15 2. Christ himselfe pronounceth such as suffer for righteousnesse sake to be blessed for so did they persecute the Prophets that were before vs Math. 5 12. Many men in the world are discouraged from godlinesse of life and walking in a sincere profession because they see the godly persecuted and the vngodly to prosper and flourish therefore Iohn doth forewarne not to maruaile heereat because this ought not to seeme strange vnto vs it hath beene so from the beginning and so it hath continued The world though it be full of changes yet changeth not his nature neither taketh vpon it any other shape Wherefore we must not ceasse from godlines for hatred of the world but rather goe more zealously forward remembring the words of Christ Math. 11 12. The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Secondly we must reioyce vnder the crosse Vse and be glad when we suffer for the truth not as euill doers 1 Pet. 3 17 and 4 15. but for well doing So did the Apostles Acts 5 41 so did the Hebrewes chap. 10 34. They considered with themselues that they had in heauen a better an enduring substance they accounted it a great honour that they were accounted worthy to suffer for his Name they knew that they were made partakers of the sufferings of Christ and that the trying of their faith would worke patience Iam.
sheweth in these words the persons to whom they belong of whom they must bee practised they belong euen to the strangers soiourners among the Israelites as well as to the Israelites themselues namely if they were circumcised as it is saide before touching the eating of the Passeouer chapt 9. One law is appointed for the one and the other â—rine The doctrine is this â—hurch is â—e body â—ded the lawes The members of the church of what place people soeuer they are are one entire body and are to bee ruled by the same lawes Exod. 12 48 49. Eph. 1 22. and 3 15. 5 21. Coloss 1 18. To this purpose it is called sometimes a body sometimes a city somtimes a temple and sometimes a family But it may be obiected if it be one body one temple one city one family how is it that we reade of many Churches as of the Romanes of the Corinthians and of the seauen churches of Asia I answer there is one Church but it hath many particular parts as the great Sea though it be one yet there are many parts according to the seueral coasts and countries by which they run as the Britan the French the Spanish the German seas and yet all but one sea â— 1 2. The reasons First the ruler thereof is one God and one Lord ouer all who is blessed for euer This one God hath one church hath prepared for it one place and one saluation Eph. 4 5 6. Secondly the body tied as it were by ioynts and sinewes in the same the members are diuers but they make but one body there is one hope one inheritance one baptisme one faith being vnited by meanes of the ministery Ephes 4 12. They haue the same Sacraments they eate one bread and they drink of the same cup. This inward meanes is one Spirit by which they walke 1 Cor. 12 13. Thirdly they are ruled by one head which coupleth them together For as one body can haue but one head so one head can haue but one body and thogh the members be many yet the body is but one Col. 1 18. Vse 1 The Vses First the tolleration of diuers contrary religions is not lawful As the church is one body so it is to be ruled by one law one law is appointed for all This tolleration and dispensation is like the sowing of diuers seeds together in one fielde or the mingling of linnen and wollen together in one garment as if a Painter should ioyn to the head of a man the neck of an horse 〈◊〉 de art then adde to the body sundry feathers of diuers sorts and make the picture beneath to end like a fish what a monster would this be So this linsy-wolsy Religion consisting of contrary parts not one agreeing to another would make the church a very monster and it is directly contrary to the first and second commandement and the office of the Magistrate appointed and ordained to maintain the pure worship of God Ahab and his people are reproued for halting with God and wauering between his opinions Salomon is reproued for this 1 Ki. 11. and contrariwise the best Kings Iosiah Hezekiah Asa and Iehoshaphat are commended for their constant profession and perseuerance in the same truth Secondly all monuments of idolatry and superstition must be demolished and pulled down and idolaters should be slain Deut. 12.2.3 4. 7 4 5. and 13 1 2. Gal. 5 12. Reuel 2 14.15 20. Good king are reproued for suffering hil-altars and Groues not taking them away Besides it is a means to ouerthrow church and kingdome 1 Ki. 11 19. If a church be corrupt in the foundation of the doctrine and the substance of Gods worship we ought to separate from it 2 Chro. 11 14 Acts 19 9. 2 Cor 6 16. Reuel 18 5. not ioyn as a member with it of the same body This vnhappy toleration is accompanied with sundry mischiefes it sheweth a coldnesse in Gods cause and litle or no zeale in defacing the monuments of idolatry and no hatred of them at all being content to giue the glory of God to another which he wil not haue to be giuen It nourisheth a serpent in the bosom and setteth vp vncertainty of faith and religion leaueth men in a mammering what to do and to which side to ioyne himself maintaineth confusion in Gods worship fostereth schismes troubles seditions and rebellions among subiects breaketh the sweet comfortable knot of the vnity and amity of brethren and lastly bringeth danger to Prince and State It is directly against sincere profession Ioshua 24. verse 19. 2 Ioh. 10 1. The Samaritans serued euerie one the god of his country and so serued not God at all The Apostle saith There is one faith Ephes 4 5. an house diuided against it selfe cannot stand Mat. 12 25. FroÌ„ such separate 1 Tim. 6 3. Now let vs see what may be obiected in defence of toleration First it is said Obiect it giueth to euery one contentment Answer and therefore it is a safety to a commoÌ„wealth I answer Contentment must be giuen by lawful meanes otherwise discontentment is better as iust warre to be preferred before vniust peace Againe Ier. 22 15 16. there is no true safety without Gods blessing and as the heathen Philosopher reasoneth against coÌ„munion of all things Arist pol. lib. 2. so we may against the toleration of all religions He taught That whatsoeuer is cared for of all is cared for of none so wee may say whatsoeuer giueth contentment to all giueth indeed contentment to none Hence it is that there are so many iars and contentions which indeed are the ruine of a kingdom Neh. 2 19 20. from 1. ver to the 16. This was the most diuellish policy of Mahomet to patch vp his Alchoran with shreds of all sorts of errors schismes and heresies borrowed from Iewes and Gentiles that there might bee somewhat to content all persons that so some of all sects might be allured vnto that superstition Secondly Obiect the Iewes warranted by the word did suffer amongst them the idolatrous Gentiles Deut. 14 21. Exod. 12 44. therefore we may do the like I answer Answer priuate toleration in conuersation did not allow any open profession or practise of idolatry in those Nations Deu. 12 1 2 3. Again thogh they by reason of their weake estate suffered many Deut. 7 22. yet afterward in a perfect state we finde not any Lastly some things were tolerated contrary to morall lawes as we see in the case of diuorce for trifling causes and of vsurie to strangers which we may not now tollerate Obiect Thirdly corrupt manners in well-ordered gouernment haue had open tolleration therefore the roote from whence they spring may also which is corrupt religion as tolleration of polygamy and of vsury to strangers Answ I answer first the sequele is false for there is great difference betweene manners and false worship yea betweene
then Christ is not yet risen from the dead ver 13 15 16. but he is already risen and death shall haue no more dominion ouer him Rom. 6.9 and if the head be risen then the members shall rise also The head cannot be without the members and how can that head be said to haue life in it if all the members should lie couered in the dust and neuer be vnited to the head neither one to another The second reason Againe if no resurrection then of all men the beleeuers were most miserable vers 19. Here they are vexed with sundry enemies Satan the world and the flesh Lazarus heere wanteth and suffereth hunger while the rich glutton is clothed with purple and fareth deliciously euery day Luk. 16.19 The godly weepe and lament while the vngodly reioyce and be glad Ioh. 16.20 At this stone the godly haue often stumbled Psal 73.2 3. Ier. 12.1 2. and from hence the reprobate take occasion to harden their hearts in wickednesse because they thinke there is no God will reward them that seeke after him Mal. 3.14 but they are greatly deceiued Psal 58.11 For woe were it to all Gods seruants if there were no resurrection eternall life But they are not the most miserable because they are pronounced blessed by the mouth of Christ Matth. 5.4 6 10 11. Luk. 16.25 2 Thess 1.5 6 c. The third reason Thirdly if there should be no resurrection of the godly from death to life then the first Adam should be more mighty and powerful then the second so that the second Adam should be impotent and weake if hee should not be able to deliuer them from the iawes of death Adam and Christ are compared vnto two trees Adam and Christ comâ—red and both of them communicate to Vse 4 their boughes and branches such things as they haue of their owne Adam was as an euill and rotten tree and therefore communicateth so men these properties and no better Christ is the good tree and full of sap and life and he infuseth into his members goodnesse and life and no worse then these It is not possible that an euill tree should bring foorth good fruite or a good tree euill fruit Mat. 7.17 Fourthly The fourth reason all our enemies and the enemies of Christ are to be taken cleane away made subiect to Christ and to vs ver 25 26. All shall be put vnder his feete Psa 8. and he must raigne vntill all his enemies be made his footestoole Psal 110.1 The last enemie of the head and members is death this shall be quite abolished at the last day and not before True it is that Christ himselfe can die no more Rom. 6.9 Heb. 7.25 yet hee accounteth it his enemie because it is an enemie to his children How death is Christs enemy and how ours and he accounteth that as done to himselfe which is done to any of his members Act. 9. And it is our enemie because it daily cutteth off part of our life and seeketh to take hold of it it weareth and wasteth our dayes by his messengers or harbengers to wit troubles and calamities sickenesses sores and aches it bringeth sundry paines and dolours it separateth the dearest and neerest friendes that euer were the body and the soule it leadeth the body captiue and clappeth it vp in a loathsome prison full of wormes and filthinesse and rottennesse it destroyeth that Tabernacle which was at the first a most glorious creature and as farre as lyeth in it it would depriue the body of eternall life and keepe it in ignominy for euer vnder the earth so that it is a most spitefull malicious enemy raging vpon vs without any mercy or compassion Fiftly The fift reason If there were no resurrection to what end and purpose are any baptized for dead if the dead rise not at all Verse 23. why are they then baptized for the dead This place is darke and commonly vnderstood of the Sacrament of Baptisme but then it will not necessarily proue the point for w e it is brought and it is brought to proue the resurrection Wherefore to make the Apostles reason good we must vnderstand it either of the washing and cleansing of the bodies of the deceassed as the word baptisme often signifieth Mar. 7.4 He. 9.10 for this was a common custome among the people of God that first they washed the dead bodies and then annointed them Act. 9.37 yea among the heathen themselues which was a certaine testimony to the liuing of the resurrection of the bodies of the dead To this purpose doth Seruius alledge an old verse of the Poet Ennius Tarquinij corpus bona foemina lauit vnxit Serui. in Aeneid lib. 6. That is A certain deuout woman washed and annointed the body of Tarquinius The like doth Pliny auouch in one place of his naturall histories Pliny as the same Seruius testifieth and expresseth the cause that thereby they might make tryall whether the vitall spirits yet remained in the body or not And Virgil Virgil. Acâ—â—â— lib. 6. declaring how the Trojanes solemnized the funeral of Misenus hath these words Pars calidos latices ahena vndantia flammis Expediunt corpusque lauant frigentis vngunt That is Some brought the waters warm with heat and cauldrons eke appoint The body cold they wash and then with ointments it annoint These witnesses doe sufficiently prooue that the Gentiles did ordinarily vse to wash their dead and then to annoint them and this was a very ancient practise among them Or else we may vnderstand the place of the death and afflictions of the Saints of GOD which they suffer for righteousnesse sake in which they are ouerwhelmed as the body is plunged in the waters and thus the word is taken Luk. 12.50 Matth. 20.22 23. where our Sauiour calleth them backe from their ambitious thoughts of superiority ouer their fellowes and warneth them to prepare themselues for troubles yea for death it selfe This is the cup that all must drinke off 2 Tim. 3.13 Act. 14.22 Baptisme properly signifieth a dipping or plunging into the water and the crosse is a certaine plunging into calamities Thus then the reason is framed If there be no resurrection then should they doe foolishly that would seale vp the trueth of the Gospel with their blood and lay downe their liues for the testimony of God but such as resist vnto blood and suffer persecution for the words sake are not foolish Life is precious and deare vnto them as well as vnto others they would not therefore be so lauish and prodigal of it as to lay it downe except they looked for a better life which the Apostle farther amplifieth by his owne example Matth. 10.39 33. 2 Tim. 2.12 and 4.7.8 1 Cor. 15.30 31. Act. 5.41 16.25 Ioh. 21.19 â—he sixt reaâ—n Lastly the Apostle reasoneth thus If there be no resurrection of the flesh then the Epicures and Libertines taught well that
of knowledge as is giuen of God to a spirit which cannot be little There is much more knowledge in man then is in a bruit beast by reason of that nature which God hath giuen to man aboue the beasts And there is much greater knowledge in the diuell then in all men because of his spiritual substance He hath not a body which may hinder him to see the nature quality and operation of a spirit A bruit beast is only corporal and visible man is partly corporall and visible and partly spirituall inuisible the diuell is wholly spirituall and inuisible so that being a spirit hee hath the knowledge of a spirit and consequently greater familiarity with our spirits then otherwise he could haue Secondly by his creation for he was in his first estate by creation a good angell before his fall and set by God in the Paradise of heauen as Adam was in the Paradise of the earth so that he had the same measure of knowledge giuen of God which hee gaue to other Angels So then what knowledge soeuer is in a good Angel by creation the same knowledge is in Satan by his creation and therefore must be exceeding great I will not dispute whether this knowledge be any way diminished forasmuch as hee still beareth the stampe of his creation this way Thirdly since his Apostacy he hath encreased his knowledge both of things on earth and of the wayes of God by long obseruation and continuall experience he knoweth the age of man his affections inclinations nature and disposition hee knoweth what pleaseth him best in his youth and in his age If any one man had liued from the beginning of the world vnto this day perfect in sense in body in memory in minde in reason and the like and had daily obserued all things that had fallen out heretofore he might be able to discouer wonderfull things and make himselfe much admired in the world Therefore the diuell must needes haue great knowledge seeing he hath had all these he goeth about in euery countrey and kingdome he compasseth the earth to and fro Iob 1.7 and 2.2 obseruing what is done in euery place and is well acquainted with their conuersation Fourthly he encreaseth his knowledge by communication with God or rather by receiuing commandement from God to execute his will which hee maketh knowne vnto him The Lord commanded him to appeare before him to giue an account of the works he had done God had no sooner named Iob Iob 1.8 9 10 11. but by and by he knew him well enough he knew his substance and how God had blessed him therfore neuer asketh who hee was or where hee was hee knoweth euery man by Name and hee knoweth that man is ready to make shew of religion in prosperity and in aduersity through impatience to fall away from his profession God gaue him liberty to afflict Iob in his goods in his children in his body whence then hath he this knowledg but from the reuelation of the Lord he knew that Iob should be visited with great sickenesse and with great losses in his children and goods and thus hee knoweth many other things which are to come to passe afterward And when hee hath them thus reuealed and made knowne vnto him hee goeth many times to witches and wizards and telleth them thereof and they tell it to others before they happen by which meanes he many wayes enlargeth his kingdome Fiftly by the reuelation of the Prophets in former times he attained to great knowledge by whoÌ„ many things were foretold in which also he hath knowledge can alledge Scripture to serue his turne Matth. 4.6 Lastly by continuall obseruation of naturall causes An Astronomer that is skilfull in the starres can tell nay foretell many things but Satan is skilfull in all Artes he can speake all languages in the world he is the best artist and linguist that any where can be found The second thing wherin Satans power consisteth is in his deeds and actions He mooued Caine to kill his brother and preuailed He tempted our first parents and preuailed He commeth to a witch in the shape of Samuel and taketh vpon him to tell what successe Saul should haue in the battell with the Philistims and Saul thought it had beene Samuel Hee was wont to talke familiarly with men and therefore God gaue a Law that if any consulted with familiar spirits he should die Deut. 18.11 Leuit. 20.27 which law had beene in vaine if none had consulted familiarly with them So he was a lyar in the mouth of all the false Prophets of Ahab though themselues did not perceiue it So hee possessed mens bodies as we see in the Gospel whom Christ oftentimes cast out Matth. 8.28 and being cast out they entred into an heard of swine and threw them headlong into the waters where they perished And when certaine Exorcists would haue cast out diuels in the name of Iesus the euill spirit ran vpon them and ouercame them so that they fled out of the house wounded Actes 19.16 Thus we see that Satan is of wonderfull power to teach vs not to be carelesse in resisting of him but to looke diligently to our selues 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Neuerthelesse this is our comfort that his power is limited he is as a raging beast but is tyed vp with chaine he is the strong man armed but a stronger then hee commeth and taketh all his armour from him wherein he trusted Luk. 11.21 22. And albeit he make shew to worke miracles he hath no such power and therefore hee doth them not openly but closely and in the darke as they that doe euill Lastly it reproueth the miracles wrought Vse 3 in the Church of Rome of which they talke and write so much The works wherof they boast and wherein they glory are darke and obscure they are not plain open and euident They tel vs many a sober tale in sundry legeÌ„ds of Saints liues of puling souls that haue appeared out of purgatory and haue taught prayer for the dead adoration of Saints worshipping of images such like superstitious practises all tending to abuse the people and to confirme false doctrine repugnant to the Scriptures August de vnitat eccles ca. â— of all which wee may say as Austine doth that they are vel mendacia fallacium hominum vel portenta mendacium spirituum That is either cosening trickes of deceitfull men or wonders of lying spirits But to passe ouer these let vs by this property of a true miracle examine the miracle of all miracles much made off and mightily maintained to bee in the Sacrament of the Altar so called by the Church of Rome wherein after the Priest hath vtterred and muttered a few words they teach that a great miraculous worke is brought forth because the substance of the bread which was vpon the altar is changed into the body of Christ by a strange Metamorphosis If this were true Transubstaâ—tiation no â—racle it were indeed
and out of which he is shortly to depart Or will he be patching that Tent and Tabernacle which hee hath pitched for a day or two We dwell in earthly Tabernacles as in houses of clay 2 Cor. 5 4. 2 Pet. 1 14. What wisedome then is it to bestow daies and moneths and yeares in plotting plodding for the world for riches and the vanities of this life Let vs also prepare and prouide before hand for the day of our dissolution that such as God hath blessed with this worlds good set their houses and their estates in order as the Prophet in this regard warneth Hezekiah Esay 38 1. Set thine house in order for thou must dye And we may learne this necessary practise of Ahitophel though liuing in wickednes and dying in despaire of whom the Scripture saieth wheÌ„ he saw that his counsell was not followed he went home vnto his City put his house in order hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 17 23. This duty is to be thought vpon in health as that which deepely concerneth our selues and our posterity When we haue rightly disposed the things of this life let vs prepare for a Nunc dimittis let vs commend our spirits into the hands of God let vs resigne vp our selues willingly to death when we must enter into a particular iudgement For so soone as the soule is departed and separated from the body God holdeth his Sessions to which we are summoned by his messenger death to come into his presence to receiue in part according to our workes whether they be good or euill Euen as we see in the affaires of this life how Iudges and Iustices keepe their sessions and assises wherein malefactors brought out of prison are arraigned so God holdeth his time of iudgement and iustice to reward euery one according to his works We haue all a cause and case to bee tried the greatest the weightiest the worthiest that euer was handled not touching siluer gold not concerning house or land not of titles or inheritances but of the euerlasting saluation or daÌ„nation of our soules for euer and therefore it standeth vs in hand to be well armed thoroughly appointed that we come not as the foolish Virgins without oyle in our lampes or as the vnprepared guest without our wedding garment We see in temporall Courts when men haue a cause to be tried and an action to be determined either of goods or good name how carefull they are before hand to reade Euidences to produce witnesses and to search Records that the suite may passe on their sides how much more carefull ought wee to be to answer before the eternall Iudge where no man shall be admitted to appeare by his Atturney but all must come in their owne persons none shall be suffered to put in sureties This wil be a great day wheÌ„ the whole world shall appeare together at once high and low Prince and Subiect noble and vnnoble according to the description that Iohn maketh I saw the dead both great small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the booke according to their works Reuel 20 12. And was buried there Hitherto of the death of Miriam now of that which followed her death to wit her buriall See heere when life was departed what they did with the body they committed it to the earth The Doctrine from hence is this that it is a necessary duty to bury the dead Doctrine A commendable duty 〈◊〉 bury the dead This appeareth by many examples of the godly which haue practised this duty Gen. 23 4. Abraham the father of the faithfull bought a possession of burial of the Hittites who by the sight and light of nature had their Sepulchers therefore answered Abraham Gen. 23 6. 35 29 50 12 13. Thou art a Prince of God among vs in the cheefest of our Sepulchers bury thy dead none of vs shall forbid thee his Sepulcher but thou maist bury thy dead therein So ch 25 8 9. when Abraham yeelded the spirit and died in a good age and was gathered to his people his sonnes Isaac Ishmael buried him in the Caue of Machpelah in the field of Hephron where Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife The like we see done to Isaac when he gaue vp the ghost being old and full of daies his two sonnes Esau and Iacob buried him Now as Iacob did to his father so his children do to him according as hee had commanded them for his sonnes carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the Caue of the field of Machpelah which Abraham had bought The like may be said of Moses Deut. 34 5 6. for albeit the people buried him not neither knew of his Sepulcher lest they shold abuse it to idolatry yet rather then he should want buriall he was buried of God The men of Iabesh Gilead are praised of God and rewarded of Dauid because they buried King Saul and his sonne and aduentured their liues to do vnto him their last duty 2 Sa. 2 5 6. The same might be said of the rest of the Patriarks Prophets Iudges Kings Gouernours and Priests yea of Christ himselfe whose buriall albeit he were able immediately to haue raised and restored himselfe to life is set downe in the Gospel that his death might be confirmed and his farther humiliation manifested These examples teach that it is a christian and commendable duty of the liuing to be performed to the dead of children to bee performed to their parents and of the people of God one to another to commit the body of the deceased to the graue to put dust to dust and so to couer earth with earth And no maruaile For first among all creatures Reason 1 man is most loathsome and vgly when life is departed As in his birth and bringing foorth into the world of all creatures hee is most fraile and feeble without strength to stand without helpe to defend himselfe so being dead he is most fraile filthy and deformed He that a litle before gloried in his beauty comelinesse feature proportion is now become the mirror and spectacle of a deformed and mishapen carkasse Such a confusion and wracke hath sinne wrought and brought into our nature This made Abraham to say to the Hittites I am a stranger a forreiner among you giue me a possession of buriall to bury with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23 4. This is noted in Lazarus who hauing lien buried but foure daies his bâ—dy stanke Iohn 11 39. Reason 2 Secondly buriall is promised as a blessing from God and the want of it threatened for a plague and iudgement God offereth it as a mercy to Abraham â—5 15. that he should be buried in a ripe age and to Iosiah that he should bee put in his graue in peace â— 22 19 and
manner we vse to inueigh against the Iewes for crucifying Christ and deliuering vp the Lord of glory into the hands of sinners ◠26 27 we accuse the partiality of Pilate the treachery of Iudas the enuy of the Pharisies the malice of the high Priests the villany of the false witnesses the cruelty of the souldiers the taunts of the passengers and the hard-heartednesse of the whole people But we consider not that the same originall corruption is in vs that was in them by the sway swinge whereof beeing all the sonnes of olde Adam we would haue done as they did if we had liued in those times So when we heare or reade of these murmurings and mutinies of the children of Israel we are commonly wont to reuile them to defie them and to account them the vilest people vnder the heauens But wee must ceasse to wonder at them and learne to confesse our owne corruption of heart and pronenesse to yeeld and fall downe in time of tentation vnlesse we be stayed vp by the mighty hand of God For albeit he be most gracious and merciful vnto vs hedgeth vs round about with many blessings and compasseth vs with riches of grace on euery side yet we forget thē all if any one crosse do any way lie vpon vs. If the Lord touch vs with sicknesse as with his little finger with losses with crosses with pouerty or any misery such is our impatiency that we alwaies dwell vpon the meditation of that want we looke vpon it with our eies we handle it with our hands wee tosse it in our mindes and neuer remember the multitude of his mercies the peace of a good conscience the louing countenance of the Lord the seale of our adoption the assurance of our saluation the sweet taste of his loue shed in our harts by the holy Ghost so that one trouble doth more daunt vs and strike vs to the heart then many blessings can comfort refresh vs. But God taking away outward blessings giueth spirituall to his children doth sweeten the bitternesse of the crosse with inward consolation and doth recompence it with heauenly grace whereby wee gaine more in the spirit then we lose in the flesh Secondly we are taught heereby to pray Vse 2 to God in our troubles to hold vs vp and stay vs with his grace that wee fall not from him For seeing at all times and vpon all occasions of want we are ready to repine and murmure against God who can stand by his owne power or by the strength of his owne free will When a man holdeth fast a staffe in his hand so long it standeth vpright as he reteineth it but if he withdraw his hand neuer so little it falleth Carry vp a stone to the top of a Mountaine so long as thou staiest it there it abideth but if thou leaue it it rowleth down of it own strength euen to the bottome So vnlesse the Lord in our calamities and crosses that befall vs do stay vs by his heauenly hand strengthen vs by his Almighty power we break out into vnthankfulnesse forgetfulnesse impatiency grudging against him This made the Apostle after the reckoning vp of the idolatry fornication murmuring and tempting of Christ to exhort them that He which thinketh he standeth must take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10 12. As then we ought all to take speciall notice knowledge of the corruption of our hearts and behold a liuely and expresse image of our nature in the glasse of this people so it is our duty to call vpon God from whom euery good giuing perfect gift proceedeth to put to his helping hand that we may learne to depend vpon him that we may know how to want and how to abound and in euery condition to submit our selues to his heauenly pleasure For we shall neuer be able by our owne strength to subdue our owne corruptions nor to preuaile ouer our owne lustes nor to ouercome the tentations that oftentimes assaile vs vnlesse wee bee assisted from aboue Vse 3 Lastly our corruption of heart prone to murmure and complaine against God whensoeuer he trieth our faith obedience and patience with any misery warneth vs to seeke all holy meanes remedies Remedies against murmuring and distrust to represse this rage and repining against God which may bee as sure helpes to further vs in this way to furnish vs with strength able to hold vs vp in the day of triall First let vs consider the high prouidence of God ruling all things in heauen or earth and ouerswaying all creatures that nothing falleth out without his will pleasure as our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 10 29.30 For who giueth vs our bodies Who clotheth the Lillies that Salomon in all his glory was not like one of them Who feedeth the yong Rauens that cry vnto him Who sustaineth the wicked that are his enemies Who prouided all things for man in the beginning before he was made created Is it not the Lord whose all the beasts of the forrest are and the beasts on a thousand Mountaines So that the resting of our selues vpon this prouidence that he wil feed and cloathe vs and care for vs must take away the greefe of al our wants that ouerpresseth and oftentimes ouercommeth vs. Againe we must learne the benefit of contentation and to grub vp all distracting and distrustfull cares as noysome weeds out of our hearts bearing with patience and meeknes of spirit whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth This minde was in Iacob when he went farre from his fathers house Gen. 28 20. he did not desire siluer or gold house or lands but onely a competent conuenient liuing If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on then shall the Lord be my God So the Apostle teacheth Godlinesse is great gaine 1 Tim. 6 6 7 8 Phil. 4 11 12.13 if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that wee can carry nothing out therefore when we haue food and rayment let vs therewith be content And in another place I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to bee hungry to abound and to haue want I am able to do all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Lastly let vs set our affections on things which are aboue Col 3 2. and not on things which are on the earth If we beleeue that God doth forbeare and forgiue vs our sinnes not deale with vs according to our deseruings if he sanctifie vs with his Spirit make our bodies Temples of the holy Ghost if he turne vs to himselfe working our conuersion which is as great a worke as at the first to create vs
their sicknes trust in the Phisition as Asa did 1 Chro. 16 11 12. 1 Sam. 2.5 not in the liuing God who killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe hee maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth and his hands make whole he shall deliuer thee in sixe troubles and in the seuenth the euill shall not touch thee In time of warre and day of battell we trust in our strength armor men munition and defenced places and make them our God Nah. 3.8 â— whereas the Prophet teacheth that this is a cursed confidence and shall not leaue a blessing behind it Lastly we learne from hence not to reuenge Vse 4 our own causes quarels For if we be taught in this practise of Moses to go vnto God in all our wrongs who will iudge his people then we are not to render like for like or to requite euill for euill or to repay wrong for wrong taunt for taunt rebuke for rebuke railing for railing but contrariwise blesse knowing that we are thereunto called that we should bee heires of blessing This vse is concluded Prou. 20.22 Say not thou I will recompence euill but waite vpon the Lord and he shall saue thee This is the direction of the Apostle Ro. 12.17.19 Recompence to no man euill for euill dearely beloued auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine Psal 94.1 â— I will repay saith the Lord. Where we see God claymeth and challenge vengeance to himselfe and taketh it from vs so that such as seeke reuenge sit downe in the seat of God and as much as lyeth in theÌ„ wrest the scepter out of his hands taking vpon them the person of the accuser witnesse iudge and executioner contrary to all true forme of lawfull iudgement And albeit it bee hard and harsh for flesh and blood to put vp iniuries yet if we wil be the children of God we must haue more in vs then flesh and blood For they that are after the flesh Rom. 3.5 â— fauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit so then they that are in the flesh cannot please GOD. Wherefore when Zachariah the Priest a faithfull and fruitefull witnesse of God was vniustly and cruelly stoned to death he raged not he reuiled not he reuenged not but said The Lord see and require it When the Lord of life â—â— 24.22 Christ Iesus was accused condemned and crucified the iust for the vniust he prayed for his enemies Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe â— 23 34. leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps When blessed Stephen who was full of the holy Ghost and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right of God was cast out of the city and stoned with stones hee kneeled downe and cryed with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sinne to their charge â— 55.58 When the Archangel mentioned by the Apostle Iude saw that the diuell went about to corrupt the pure worship of God hee would not vse railing and reprochfull speaches â— ver 9. but desireth the Lord to rebuke him and repay him for his malice Seeing therefore this duty hath beene practised by Priest and people by men and Angels by the head and the members of his body let vs follow those things that concerne peace let vs be of a patient and meeke spirit which is much set by of God and let vs commit our causes to him that is the God of vengeance It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Verse 9 10. Then Moses tooke that rod c. Hitherto Moses Aaron haue behaued themselues vprightly in respect of God meekely in respect of themselues and patiently in regard of the people Now we shal see how they offend by transgressing the commandement of God by distrusting his word by raging against the whole assembly God chargeth them to speake to the rocke they spake vnto the people Againe as if it were vnlikely or vnpossible that the rock should yeeld water they smote it twise through impaciency vnbeeleefe Thus they that had beene the instruments of God in so many miracles that had seene him face to face as a man seeth his friend that had stood so often in the gap where the hand of God had made the breach that had diuided the red sea Moses I say and Aaron the Ministers of God the witnesses of his workes the pillars of the truth now begin to faile to faint and to fall down to shew vs and themselues the weakenesse that is in flesh and blood From hence we learne that many are the failings and fals of the children of God â—trine â— are the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Howsoeuer the faithfull be borne againe and endued with the spirit of sanctification howsoeuer they desire to please God and endeuor to serue him with all the powers of soule and body yet they often stumble in their race thorough the burthen that presseth down and the sinne that cleaueth so fast vnto them This truth is confessed and confirmed by many testimonies Salomon in his worthy prayer at the dedication of the Temple acknowledgeth it 1 king 8.46 So Iob. 15.14 15. Likewise Prou. 20.9 And the Prophet Psal 14 2 3. All which testimonies doe plentifully teach this truth that howsoeuer through the grace of God giuen vnto them the faithful fight a good fight hauing faith and a good conscience yet all are sinners and no flesh is cleane and cleere from sin which Moses and Aaron here fal into The reasons of this doctrine are First because Reason 1 the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne Gal 3 2â— Rom. 3.19 That euery mouth might bee stopped and all the world be subiect to the iudgment of God Al matter of glorying in our selues is taken from vs we are found guilty before God wee haue no excuse no defence no cloake for our selues to couer our sins there is no difference Wee haue all sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and euerlasting life so that all both Iewes and Gentiles are proued to be vnder sinne Secondly we see that death the wages of Reason 2 sinne hath raigned and doth raigne ouer all without difference yea it taketh hold euen on children that sinned not actually like the transgression of Adam If then old and yong taste of death all the posterity of Adam are corrupted in him when he wittingly and willingly wilfully sinned against God We flow from an vncleane fountaine we grow out of a bitter root we are as branches of the wilde vine Thus the Apostle reasoneth Death raigned froÌ„ Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of him that was to come So then sinne and death goe together as mother and daughter
as the tree and the fruit so that we may proue the one by the other death by sinne and sinne by death the one giuing light and luster to the other The vses remaine to be considered First see Vse 1 heereby a difference betweene this present life and the life to come Heere the reliques and remnants of sinne as spots and staines in the flesh remaine euen in those that are cleansed by the blood of Christ and washed by the renuing of the holy Ghost But when the faithfull shal be glorified they shal be without blame not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing Take heere the best Examples of the best men that haue liued in the best times as Noah Abraham Lot Dauid and Peter yet yee shall see shame in glory darknesse in light folly in wisdome infidelity in faith But when Christ shall appeare and we likewise appeare with him in glory we shall be made like vnto him Therefore the Apostle saith noting out this difference We know in part and we prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13.9 10 12. then that which is in part shall be abolished Now we see through a glasse darkly but then shall we see face to face Now I know in part but theÌ„ shal I know euen as I am knowne Here we ceasse not to prouoke God and euery day of our life addeth to the number and measure of our sins which should be bitter vnto vs as gall and wormewood but when this corruptible shal put on incorruption and this mortall shall put on immortality and death be swallowed vp into victory theâ— we shall ceasse to sin and shal be as the blessed Angels that are in heauen The feruent desire of the creatures waiteth for these times Rom. 8.19 groning and trauelling in pain euen vnto this present to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Much more therfore should we which haue the first fruits of the spirit sigh in our selues waiting for the adoptioÌ„ euen the redemption of our bodies Vse 2 Secondly we learne that such as say they are without sinne deceiue themselues and as much as in them lieth make God a liar we are depriued of his kingdome wee cannot keepe the Law nor haue iustification by the Law or the works of the Law but are iustified freely by grace and haue need of the benefit of Christs blood If we keepe the law we shal liue by it but if we be transgressors of the law we are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Hereunto commeth that which the Apostle Iohn saith If we say wee haue no sinne Ioh 1.8.10 Rom. 3.10 12 24. we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs we make God a lyar and his word is not in vs. And to the same purpose the Apostle Paul There is none righteous no not one they haue all gone out of the way there is none that doth good no not one we are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesus â—ence falleth to the ground the doctrine of merits that aduanceth proud flesh and lifteth vp the supposed worthinesse of vnperfect workes thereby to procure Gods fauour and euerlasting life The Church of Rome place such an inward and inherent dignity in mens persons as maketh them worthy of grace or saluation Moreouer they dreame of such an excellency in the work as fitteth and inableth them to deserue the fauour of God and forgiuenesse of sinnes But in a sight of our sins and in a feeling of our owne corruptions wee must renounce all merits Basil in Psal 114 Aug in Psal 120. and rest onely on the merits of Christ For when we haue done all we must say and confesse that we are vnprofitable seruants c. True it is God wil reward our works but the reward is of mercy not of merit of promise not of debt of grace not of desert Againe hereby falleth another falsehood of theirs holding that good workes are euery way perfect not stained or tainted with sinne but being tryed in the furnace of Gods iudgement will suffer no losse or detriment But the Prophet prayeth Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Psal 143 2. Esa 64.6 And againe in another place it is written We haue all beene as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes or good deeds as filthy clowtes and therefore no good deed of righteous men is without some staine of sin neither can we answer him one of a thousand Lastly we learne that they are deceiued which teach preach a possibility for a man in grace to fulfill Gods law For the Apostle taketh it for a grounded and granted conclusion that the law cannot be fulfilled when hee saith Rom. 8. â— Gal 3 10. It was impossible to the Law to giue vs life because we are vtterly vnable to keepe the condition and therefore God hath sent his Sonne to take our nature vpon him and to abolish sin in our flesh If we could fulfil the law Christ dyed in vaine we might be iustified by the law but Christ dyed not in vaine neither can we bee iustified by the law therfore we cannot fulfill the law Furthermore the Apostle complaineth of his failings defects The law is spiritual Rom 7.14 15 21 22 â— but I am carnall sold vnder sinne what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. I find then that when I would doe good I am thus yoaked that euill is present with me I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading mee captiue vnto the law of sinne Now whereas many of the faithfull are said to bee iust Gen. 6.9 Iob 1.1 Luke 1.6 and to walke in all the commandements of God without reproofe the meaning is they endeuor to perfection striue to obey God with all their heart and with all their soule as Phil. 3.13 God accepteth the will for the deed and the endeuour to obey for perfect obedience 2 Cor. 8.12 Secondly they exempt themselues from none of the precepts of God but labour to walke in all the knowne points of his commandements albeit they faile in the performance of them ceasse not to acknowledge their owne imperfections Lastly God accepteth them in Christ as perfectly righteous so that albeit their obedience be in it self vnperfect yet is it acceptable to God through Iesus Christ as if it were perfect and his righteousnesse is as truly their owne as if they had wrought it in their owne persons Lastly seeing the most faithfull haue their Vse 3 failings in duties of piety and obedience we must take diligent heed we do not
band knitteth faster nor bindeth closer then this while loue and liking lasteth so no contention is so bitter no hatred so deadly as that of brethren and others that are neere in blood when the knot is broken and dissolued The tender glasse when it is once broken will neuer be set together againe No water proueth so exceeding colde as that which was once heated exceeding hot so no hatred prooueth like to the hatred of brethren which are often found mercilesse one toward another such as can neuer be appeased as we see in the malice of Cain toward Abel This is it that Salomon pointeth out in Prou. 18 19. Prou. 18 19. A brother offended is harder to win then a strong City their contentions are as a barre of a Castle For as they loued most entirely deerely before so when once they grow enemies they hate one another most extremely whose hearts are as stony wals that cannot be pierced and as barres of iron that cannot bee broken Now as the Prophet teacheth That it is a good and comely thing for brethren to dwell together in vnity Psal 133 1. so it is a noisome and vnnaturall thing to behold greatest enuy and most mortall malice where the greatest and neerest bands of kindred should knit together Secondly how much more is it required of those that spiritually are knit together in the profession of the same faith to loue and helpe one another that haue one God to bee their Father one Church to bee their Mother one Christ to be their elder Brother one Heauen to be their hope and one Faith to be their assurance These considerations are of far greater might and moment then al bands of other societies which begin in the flesh and end in death Wherefore the Apostle handleth this at large Eph. 4 3 4 5 6. Ephe 4. â— 5 6. Endeuour to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one body and one spirit euen as yee are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all To this purpose Christ our Sauiour teacheth that there is a neerer coniunction betweene himself the faithfull as also betweene the faithful among themselues then betweene brethren and kinsfolkes in the flesh For when some of his hearers saide Behold thy Mother and thy Brethren stand without desiring to speake with thee he answered and saide to him that told him Math. 12 â— 48 â—9 5â— Who is my Mother and who are my brethren And hee stretched forth his hands towards his Disciples and saide Behold my mother and my brethren for whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother and sister and mother Lastly there is no man in the world but we are after a sort charged with him to affect him as a brother to account him as a friend to help him as a neighbour and to loue him as hee is a man Albeit hee be neuer so far remoued from vs albeit we neuer saw him albeit wee know him not in the flesh yet we are appointed as his keeper and guardian to doe him good all the dayes of his life Esay 5 â— defending him from wrongs garding him from enemies sauing him from dangers It was a prophane voice of a prophane man who being asked where his brother was answered I cannot tell Genes â— Am I my brothers keeper Therefore our Sauiour in the Parable of him that fell among theeues teacheth Luke â—â— Rom. â— that euery man is to be called and accounted our neighbor It is not for any to aduance and lift vp himselfe aboue his brethren in disdaine or pride of heart be he neuer so high great in the world but to acknowldge from whence hee came and in that respect to make himselfe equall with them of the lowest sort Thy Brother Israel Hitherto we haue spoken of the strength of the reason and considered the words not simply in themselues but as they are referred to the point they argue that is to perswade their passage Now we wil weigh them as they stand by themselues They declare in their plea that there is a coniunction betweene them in the flesh Doctrâ—â—â— Amon◠〈◊〉 kinde â—â—tain bâ— hood â—â—â—mon 〈◊〉 The Doctrine from hence arising is this Among kinsfolkes and generally among all mankind is a certain brotherhood acquaintance familiaritie and vnion one toward another True it is there is not fleshly kindred immediately among all men to make them so neere of blood as to cal one another kinsmen and to descend of the same line and linage but there is a certaine common kindred in generall to ioyne bind vs one to another So then all mankind thogh seated and placed farre one from another by large and many Countries and distinguished by seuerall languages rites lawes religions and customes are one blood one flesh yea all as brethren issuing out of one fountaine hewne out of one Rocke Euery one is of kin to euery man whether Iew or Grecian Turk Barbarian Scythian French Spanish Italian German c. This appeareth in many places of the word of God 〈◊〉 20.32 â—3 Thus Ahab calleth Benhadad King of Aram his Brother that is his Friend So Christ compriseth euery man vnder the name and title of a neighbor This also the heathen knew and acknowledged well enough as the Apostle testifieth Acts 17 26. God hath made of one blood all mankinde to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath assigned the seasons which were ordained before and the bounds of their habitation declaring hereby that there is an vnion and coniunction among all mankinde Reason 1 The Reasons are these First we had all one beginning from God who is the Creator and Maker of all things visible and inuisible and therefore hee being the efficient cause of all there must be some dependance vpon him and some fellowshippe among the workes of his hands This the heathen confessed as the Apostle alledgeth out of their owne Poet Acts 17 29. 〈◊〉 17 29. We are the generation of God Hee is the Creator we are the workes of his hands he is our Father we are his children consequently brethren one to another Reason 2 Secondly as we had one beginning so we al were made of one mould and matter being framed of the clay and dust of the earth which the Lord tempered and fashioned to make man as appeareth in the history of the Creation So then the matter of all mankinde is remembred vnto vs to be the earth This Moses teacheth Gen. 2.7 3 19. Heereunto the Apostle accordeth 1 Cor. 15 47 The first man is of the earth earthly Thus the most noble and notable creature of a wonderfull frame and composition representing in it the glory of the world was made of the most base matter
visible signe and shape of those fiery serpents to be set vp in brasse vpon an high pole which the people might behold a farre off so as the Israelites looking thereupon should presently and immediately bee healed of that deadly sting Thirdly the obedience of Moses is set down which is greatly to be praised and commended For albeit it might seeme foolish to carnall wisedome and vnpossible to humane reason for a dead image to helpe the deadly byting of those liuing serpents yet he asketh not counsell with flesh and blood nor measureth the commandements of God by the deceitfull measure of mans vnderstanding but submitteth himselfe and all his thoughts to the word of God He did not reason against the commandement of God King 5.12 as Nahaman the Syrian did against the commandement of the Prophet Bidding him goe and wash seuen times in Iordan whereby his flesh should come againe and he should be cleansed of his leprosie But hee did simply as God commanded and as the people desired he set vp aloft the brazen serpent hauing the image and similitude of the true fiery serpents hee aduanceth it on high openly publikely speedily in the sight and view of all at the onely beholding whereof the Israelites bitten were cured restored to health that none of them dyed afterward of that poison and infection that did behold the image that was set vp But before we proceed to the Doctrines of this diuision sundry questions are to be demaunded and determined touching this act of Moses setting vp the signe and image of Obiection 1 these fiery serpents And first of all how doth this agree with the second commandement which forbiddeth the making of an image or representation of any thing in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath hath Moses so soone forgotten the law which God gaue in mount Horeb Or doth hee now fall into idolatry which himselfe so zealously reuenged and seuerely punished before in the Israelites setting vp the golden Calfe himselfe now erecting a brazen serpent I answer Answer this fact is no breach of the second Commandement which forbiddeth to make an Image of our owne head by our owne authority at our own will and pleasure and therfore the Law saith Exod. 20 4 5. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image Againe the Law forbiddeth Images which are worshipped The example of Moses setting vp the serpent fauoreth not images set vp to any religious vse and haue diuine honour giuen vnto thē or else are made to be worshipped and adored But this Image of the brazen serpent was not made by the authority of mā but by the expresse commandement of God saying vnto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent that is a similitude of one of those serpents Neither was it made to be worshipped but onely to be looked vpon not to bend the knee vnto it but to fasten the eie vpon it not for it selfe but for another end euen to heale the people and by healing them to represent Christ crucified and hanging on the crosse whereof this Image was a signe and token Iohn 3.14 therefore when in processe of time it came to be abused to Idolatry 1 King 18.4 Hezekiah stamped it in peeces with contempt This also wee may say and answer to the Church of Rome maintaining the worshipping of Images defacing the glory of God Rhem. Test annot in Heb. 9. cap. and obiecting in defence of them the example of Moses making the Cherubims setting them ouer the Mercy-seate And the Iesuites reason that seeing they were set in the holy place they may much more bee set in our Churches seeing the Iewes were permitted them a people prone to Idolatry grosse in imagination much more are they allowed to Christians vnder the Gospell And lastly seeing the Angels were portrayed which are meere spirituall substances much more may the Images of Christ his blessed mother his holy Apostles and his beloued Saints The Iewes were children Cal. 4.12 and as an heyre in his nonage and were suffered to haue these rites and rudiments to be their booke to help their capacity and to instruct them in knowledge but now the Church being as a man growne to fuller strength and able to digest stronger meate doth not stand in need of such rude Teachers and Schoole-masters Besides these were set vp by the expresse commandement of God we are forbidden to make any images according to our owne fancy and by our owne appointment in his seruice But when God forbiddeth vs the making of Images he gaue not a Law to binde himselfe nor restrained himselfe from commanding ordaining such signes and similitudes such formes and figures as he thought fit for the furnishing finishing of the Tabernacle Againe a particular commandement giuen of God doth not giue a discharge of the generall Law nor set men at liberty or open a gap to do at their pleasure that which GOD expresly and directly forbiddeth to be done so that euery commandement must be vnderstood with this restraint and prouiso Gen. 22.2 Except God command the contrary Furthermore it is a foolish comparison and an euill conclusion to reason because these Cherubins were set in the soueraigne holiest place of all the tabernacle therefore much more the images of Christ of his mother and of Saints may be placed in churches For how fondly and childishly doe they dispute arguing from such as were set vp by the commandement of God to iustifie such images as God neuer commanded nay which are forbidden to be made to any vse of religion D. Bish against Refor Cathal Againe those Cherubins as themselues confesse though others of them deny it were set in the most holy place whereinto the high Priest only entred and that once a yere where they were neuer seene of the people and consequently there could be no danger of idolatry standing in a place farthest remoued from the peoples sight whereas the Romish images are not only set openly in Churches in the peoples view and prefence but are commanded to be worshipped men commonly kisse them and creepe vnto them in signe of honor Yea the writer to the Hebrews teacheth that the holyest place signifieth the highest heauens Now we cannot conclude that because the images of the Cherubins were set vp in the place that representeth and resembleth the heauenly condition of the life to come therefore they may be set vp in earth and in this present life Moreouer the comparison will not holde from Angels to other that seeing they being spirits were portrayed such as had bodies may be as Christ his mother the Saints For we may better draw a contrary conclusion that seeing the Lord commanding some images and similitudes to be set vp would haue none of such things which can possibly bee portrayed by the Art and cunning of mans hand therefore ought men much lesse to doe it by their sole and single authority Neither was there any
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
respect of the largenesse and seeing the obedience of Christ is not lesse auaileable then the disobedience of Adam we feare not to auouch that the Church hath many children as a tree with many branches as a body with many members as a fountain with many streames and as an army of many souldiers making vp one Campe. But before we come to the vses of this Doctrine it shall not be amisse to answer a question Obiect and to remoue an Obiection that may be raised from hence For this may seeme to be contrary to other places of Scripture where it teacheth that few shall be saued that few are chosen Math. 7 14 and 20 16. Luk. 12 32. Esay 1 9. that a remnant shall be saued that the flocke of Christ is a little flocke that the way is narrow and the gate streight that leadeth to life and few enter into it If then they be few how are they many If a small company how are they moe then can be numbred To be few and yet to be many to be a remnant and yet moe then can be reckoned seeme not to agree together I answer the Church may be truely said to haue many children Answer and few members in diuers respects For it is considered two wayes First simply Secondly by comparison First in respect of themselues and the seuerall parts thereof Secondly in respect of the vnbeleeuers If they be compared with the world of Infidels and Hypocrites with Reprobates and Castawayes Lu. 13 23 24. with the vessels of wrath that shall be consumed they be a very few and as a little handfull like a sparke in respect of a great fire or like a drop of water in respect of a great streame for the number of the damned is farre greater But if they be considered in themselues not compared with others The multitude of them that are ordained to eternall life and shall be saued is very great and exceeding many yea so many as no maÌ„ is able to comprehend the number of them Hebr. 12 1. To expresse this difference by some similitudes and examples we see in a common collection and gathering albeit euery man can giue but a little yet when it commeth together the totall summe amounteth to a great matter When a Captaine is to leuy forces and to muster his souldiers if he should take but ten out of a Parish through this kingdome when they come together and meete in one place they make a great Army and a Campe-royall yet if they be compared with the multitude of men women and children that are left behind they are as nothing they are as an handfull and are scarce missed So is it with the true Church of God they are both few yet many they are few in respect of those that shal be condemned which multiply vpon the earth and couer the face thereof and yet they are many in number in respect of the particular parts as shal appeare in the end of the world when they shall be gathered into one place from all places of the world Hauing answered this Obiection and cleered Vse 1 the Doctrine before deliuered let vs come to the vses arising from hence First we learne from hence the great power of the word of God Albeit the Ministery thereof be of the world esteemed foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1 2 yet to them that are iustified to them that are sanctified to theÌ„ that are effectually called it is the wisedome of God and the power of God The Church is called our Mother the word of God is coÌ„mitted to the keeping of the Church beeing the Piâ—lar of truth 1 Tim. 3 â— so that by preaching of the word the Church bringeth forth children to God The word is the seed of regeneration 1 Pet. 1 23 it is milke for children 1 Cor. 3 2 it is strong meate for men of riper yeares Heb. 5 14 whose sences are expert and exercised in the discerning of things that differ If then it worke such a glorious effect we may conclude that it is liuely and mighty in operation entring through to the diuiding of the soule and spirit the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Seeing therefore the encrease of the Church is by the effectuall preaching of the Gospel whereby the members of Christ are vnited into his body and the Sheepe of Christ are gathered into his fold we must acknowledge the power and force of the word to be exceeding great wherby it is brought to passe Heb. 4 1â— Secondly hereby we haue matter of great Vse reioycing praising God to see the prosperity and flourishing estate of the Church encreasing and growing to so many millions or multitudes and to consider how glorious the Name of Chrâ—st shall be when all concurre meete together to praise him The honouâ— of an earthly Prince standeth in the multitude of his Subiects Prou. 14 28 then how glorious and excellent shall the Name of Christ be when so many thousands and thousand thousands that none can number for the infinite multitude shall assemble together to sing the praises of God saying Saluation commeth of our God that sitteth vpon the Throne of the Lamb Praiâ—e and glory and wisedome and thanks and honour be vnto our God for euermore Amen Reu. 7 9.10 12. Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises vnto our King sing praises for God is the King of all the earth Psal 47 6 7. What can minister more ioy vnto vs then to behold the beauty of Sion when one member is added vnto the Church We see how men reioyce when their house is encreased when they haue children giuen vnto them being the inheritance of the Lord and the fruite of the wombe being his reward Psal 127 3. How much more should we reioyce and be glad when we see the church which is the house of God to multiply florish That hee maâ—eth a barren woman to dwell with a family and a ioyfull mother of many children Psal 113.9 It is noted by Christ our Sauiour that the Angels reioyce at the repentance of men when he saith I say vnto you Luk. 15 â— that ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which need none amendment of life how much more then ought we to comfort our selues when the faithfull are encreased when the wayes of the Lord are knowne vpon earth and his sauing health among all Nations The Euangelist Luke testifieth That when the Apostles and Brethren heard that God had granted repentance vnto life to the Gentiles they praised and glorified God Acts 11 18. And this is that vse which the Apostle Paul teacheth Gal 4 27. It is written Reioyce thou barren that bearest no children breake foorth and cry thou that trauailest not for the desolate hath many moe children then shee which hath an husband So then the encrease of the Church when one member
the Saduces Luke 20 27. Actes 23.8 which denyed the rising againe of the body and the subsisting of the soule after the separation For when Paul cryed out in the Councell I am accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead there was a dissention betweene the Pharisees and the Saduces for the Saduces say That there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirit but the Pharisies confesse both These Christ confuteth and conuinceth in the Gospel by the testimony of Moses I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Matth. 22 32. Exodus 3 6. And if these heretickes and enemies of God would not for conscience sake yeelde to this truth and subscribe with heart and hand vnto it yet at least for the profit of it and the excellency aboue their beastly dotage about the mortality of the soule they should embrace it and cleaue vnto it For it is surer and safer to beleeue as the Church holdeth For if this opinion bee true that the soule is immortall It is morâ—ty leâ—â—ger to bâ— the soulâ— be immâ— then mâ— whosoeuer beleeueth it not in heart and confesseth it not with the mouth shall suffer eternall punishment and beare his condemnation If it should not be true which we speake onely by supposition the doctrine being most certaine there is no daunger after death to haue holden the immortality of the soule in the time of our life forasmuch as if the soule do not remaine it cannot be reproued of error nor punished for sinne Againe it is most honest and honorable to hold the dignity of our soule receyued of God and so to thinke reuerently and religiously of it resembling it to God the Angels not to debase and disgrace it making it like vnto the beasts and vnreasonable creatures Lastly it is better to beleeue the soules eternity as fitter to stirre vs vp to liue soberly righteously godlily in this present world and to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to minde heauenly things that we may bee holy as our heauenly Father is holy For if we beleeue our selues to be immortall Math. 16 26 wee will haue a greater care of vertue a greater respect to the reward a greater conscience of Religion a greater feare of sin and of the punishment due to sin So then as there is greater verity so there is more safety security to hold the immortality of the soule against the erroneous opinions of all hereticks that haue desperately and damnably denyed the same to the decay of piety dishonor of God and vnto the vtter confusion of their owne soules Vse 2 Secondly acknowledge from hence a great difference betweene the soule of man and the soule of a beast Euery beast and liuing creature hath a kind of soule which perisheth with the body so that he which killeth the body of a beast destroyeth also the soule which ariseth from the mixture and temperature of the Elements But man was made after the image of God Gen. 1 26. according to his likenesse Eph. 4 24 to resemble him especially in his soule which is of an heauenly nature albeit not of the substance of God This difference and distinction Moses teacheth and obserueth Gen. 9 4 6. But the flesh with the life thereof I meane with the blood thereof shall ye not eate who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood bee shed for in the image of God hath hee made man Where hee maketh an opposition betweene man and beast and between the soule of man and beast Man was made in his soule to resemble his Maker and Creator but the soule of a beast is in his blood And therefore God charging his people to abstain from eating of blood euen of cleane beasts vseth these two reasons Leuit. 17 11 14. First because theyr blood is the seate of the soule secondly God hath commanded it to be vsed in attonemeÌ„ts for sinne as a type and figure of the blood of Christ The soule of man is a substance the soule of a beast is an accident whose being is alwayes to be in another The soule of man is a spirit the soule of a beast is a quality arising of the matter of the body vanishing also with the body and hauing no beeing at all out of the body Thirdly see here a difference between the Vse 3 soule and the body of a man For as this truth teacheth a distinction betweene the soule of a man and the soule of a beast so it maketh a diuision betweene one part of man and the other Man consisteth of two parts of the bodie which is visible and of the soule which is inuisible The body dyeth and is laid in the graue for as it was taken out of the earth so it returneth to the earth againe But the soule as wee haue proued by diuers Scriptures and confirmed by strong reasons neuer dyeth or decayeth Therefore albeit we be taught in the Articles of our faith to beleeue the resurrection of the body yet wee are neuer taught to beleeue the resurrection of the soule For a rising vp presupposeth first a falling down The soul falleth not into the iawes of death nor goeth downe into the house of the graue This difference the wiseman teacheth Eccles. 12 7. Dust returneth vnto the earth as it was and the spirit returneth vnto God that gaue it The dwelling place of the body is the earth the habitation of the soule is with God The soule neuer dyeth nor decayeth nor sleepeth nor riseth againe but is a spirituall substance and inuisible hauing neyther flesh nor bones liuing and abiding for euer as wel out of the Tabernacle of the body as in the same But the body is an earthly and visible substance consisting of sensible parts neuer liuing nor breathing without the soule Wherefore these abide together as two the nearest and dearest friends reioycing together sorrowing together and alike affectioned one toward another yet the day of separation commeth and will come when a departure must be made of these two that cannot alway continue together the body must returne to the earth the soule must bee carryed vnto God the eternall Iudge who immediatly wil passe the sentence of life or death vpon the same Fourthly we must be careful to liue a godly Vse 4 and vpright life that when we shal goe the way of all flesh our soules may bee receyued vp into the heauenly habitations and bee carryed by the Angels into the glorious presence of God There is no man if he bee to stand before Princes and to come into the presence of great men but prepareth and maketh himself ready for that purpose When Ioseph was to appeare before Pharaoh Gen. 41 14. albeit he were called hastily and brought sodainly before him yet he shaued his head and changed his rayment How then ought our care to be increased and how ought we to work out our
the most Highest Therefore he did not seeke a solitary place as hee was wont to worke his witchcrafts at which time he saw God met and preuented him but turneth his countenance at a sodaine toward the desart of Iordan Chap. 22 1. where the Israelites soiourned and pitched their Tents purposing presently to breake out into a cursing of them before the God of the Israelites should be aware of it supposing he would haue put no prophesie in his mouth before he should go to fet his wicked and wonted diuinations Thus he determined with himselfe to vtter the wicked imaginations of his own heart before God shold worke any impression in his minde or reueale his counsell vnto him But God which catcheth the wise in theyr owne craftinesse 1 Cor. 3 19 20 and knoweth that the thoughtes of the most wily are vaine represseth his diuellish purpose and doeth not onely bridle his tongue but inspireth him with his Spirit being as it were changed into another man that he should speake not his own deuices but the words of God So then God casting as it wer his hand vpon him taketh hold on him staying his intent and stopping his course two wayes the one outward the other inward The outward meanes vsed of God to hinder him was the beholding of the dwellings and lodgings of the Israelites distinguished according to their Tribes For when hee saw with his eyes their goodly and comely order whereby the presence of God amongst them was claerly manifested and theyr fayth in him was testified euery man encamping by his standard and vnder the Ensigne of his fathers house Numb 2 2. Numb 2 2. he was vpon that sight and situation of them withholden from proceeding in his curses and execrations The inward meanes was yet more forcible to stoppe the streame of the waters ready to ouerflow the people of God for the Spirit of God came sodainly vpon him that whereas he determined to serue the diuell and damned spirits he is constrayned against his will to serue the purpose and prouidence of God to speak what God would not what himselfe wished desired Thus we see that neither sathan nor his instruments can worke any hurt to the saluation of the people of God Rom. 16 20. but both they and all their endeuours come to nothing Hitherto of the preparation now we come to the prophesy which he vttereth by the Spirit of God In this we are to consider first the entrance into it then the prophesie it selfe In the entrance or beginning to procure attention and purchase credit to his words he setteth downe three things first the inscription and title of the prophesy wherin is a description of himselfe by his name and the name of his father For albeit Balaams name bee of no such waight and moment with vs that we shold for the persons sake giue credite to the prophesie or respect more who speaketh then what is spoken yet this simple plaine dealing professing his own name and confessing himselfe the vnwoorthy instrument of God serueth to adde some authority to the speech that followeth Secondly he stileth himselfe to be the man whose eies were opened wherby he teacheth that he would publish nothing of his owne inuention but that onely which he had receiued by diuine inspiration As if he should say Though Balaam be by nature as blind as a beetle in the matters of God and vnderstand nothing of heauenly things yet he hath receiued a spiritual and heauenly reuelation of the Spirit from aboue that of a blinde man whose eyes through couetousnes of mony and ignorance of God were closed vp he is become a seer to see for others not for himselfe nor his owne saluation Some reade the sentence thus that his eyes were shut vp but the other reading agreeth better to the circumstances of the text and the words folowing as euen Lyra himselfe confesseth that he was enlightned of God to see with the eyes of his mind more clearly then he could do with his bodily eyes Lyra in Numb cap. 24. inasmuch as the light of the mind is more plaine and perspicuous then the light of the body Thirdly he confesseth hee had heard the words of God Thus he speaketh after the manner of the true Prophets who were wont to beginne their prophesies with prefixing the name of God Thus saith the Lord Heare yee the word of the Lord to shew that they vttered not their owne inuentions but the Oracles of God Now as Balaams sight which is the sharpest quickest sence saw nothing before God opened his eyes so hee declareth he was dull and deafe of hearing before God had opened his eares to heare and deliuered his word vnto him Lastly he saith he had seen the vision of the Almighty rauished in mind but hauing his eyes vncouered whereby hee meaneth that being as it were in an extasy he was carried â—uâ— of himselfe The like is noted touching Saul â— Sam. â—9 he went to Naioth in Ramah and the Spirit of God came vpon him also and he went prophesying vntill he came thither Hereby Balaam sheweth two things first the author of the prophesie to wit the Almighty ascribing all to God challenging nothing to himselfe secondly the manner of his prophesie which was in a vision Ezek. 3 14 Dan. 8 27. and 10 8 which farre surpasseth the communication of Gods wil by dream albeit God be the author of both Thus hath God oftentimes made himself known among the Infidels both by visions and by dreames as to Abimelech Pharaoh Nebuchadnezar and others who may be sayd to haue the holy spirit but had not the spirit of holines for whersoeuer he worketh he is holy but he doth not alway work holines and sanctification which euermore accompany saluation What a 〈◊〉 is what aâ— the parts ends of it Now because it is said he fell into a trance it shall not be amisse to shew what a trance is what are the parts and ends of it being away and meanes which God hath vsed to reueale his will vnto men A trance is an extraordinary worke of the Spirit of God vpon the whole man casting the body and senses into a deepe sleep withdrawing the soule from the fellowship of the body to a fellowship with God for the better enlightning thereof It is I say an extraordinarie worke of the Spirit aboue the work of nature or constitution of the body or strength of the imagination whereby the whole man is for a time changed in body and mind the body the senses thereof both outward and inward cast into a deepe or dead sleepe made senselesse the soule withdrawne or separated from the communion and fellowship of the bodie to the fellowship of God for the better enlightning thereof to vnderstand the secrets counsels of God This is a trance or to be rauished in the Spirit which God vsed often to his Prophets It standeth in two parts or actions
ouer vs as he hath done them For are wee more excellent or better by nature or desert then they No by no meanes Eph. 2 1 3. we are borne dead in sinnes the heires of wrath as well as others This made the Apostle hauing made mention of the mercies of God shewed vnto him that had bene a blasphemer a persecuter and an oppressor to render thankes vnto GOD and to giue him the praise and glory Thou hast herein greater cause to blesse and praise the Name of GOD then for thy creation which onely gaue thee a being vpon the earth whereas this doth ioyne thee to GOD and entitle thee to the kingdome of heauen Verse 4. He hath said which heard the words of God and saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance Wee heard before how Balaam was inspired of God to deliuer vnto the Moabites Midianites and Ammonites the will of God Now here is offered to our considerations the meanes and manner that God vsed in giuing vnto him his diuine inspiration and that is by a vision or trance We heard before what a trance is to wit an extraordinary worke of the spirit vpon the whole man casting the body as it were in a deepe sleepe making the minde fit to receiue the things which are reuealed of the Lord. Thus it pleased the Lord to deale with Balaam at this present that his words might be knowne to be diuine not humane Doctrine In formeâ— times Goâ— reuealed dâ—uers thingâ— by visions From hence wee learne that God in former times hath reuealed diuers things vnto men by visions by dreames and otherwayes as seemed good to his heauenly wisedome God hath not vsed one meanes alone but diuers to speake to the world either by Angels or by the cloud or betweene the Cherubims or by Vrim or by dreames or by visions To this purpose there is a rule set downe Numb 12 6. If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be knowne to him by a vision and will speake vnto him by dreame This is further taught in the booke of Iob by the words of Elihu instructing Iob in the maner of Gods dealing with sinners shewing how God admonisheth them in dreames and visions God speaketh once or twice and one seeth it not in dreames and visions of the night when sleepe falleth vpon men and men sleepe vpon their beds Iob. 33 14 15. So when Paul was conuerted by the voyce of Christ the Lord spake to Ananias in a vision to goe vnto him and Paul likewise in a vision saw him comming in vnto him and putting his hands on him that he might receiue his sight Acts 9 10 12. When Peter lodging with one Simon a Tanner waxed hungry and would haue eaten he fel into a trance he saw heauen opened and a certaine vessell came downe vnto him as it had beene a great sheete knit at the foure corners and was let downe to the earth c. Acts 10 10 11. So the Apostle being compelled by the false Apostles to glory of himselfe maketh a rehearsall of the visions and reuelations of the Lord that were offered vnto him 2. Cor. 12 1. Vnto these examples wee might adde sundry others out of the Scriptures as of Iacob of Samuel of Ezekiel Gen. 46 â— of Daniel of Iohn all declaring that GOD vsed to reueale many things by visions to his seruants the Prophets and to others when it pleased him The reasons are First to discouer and Reason manifest his will vnto them sometimes to admonish them sometimes to teach them somtimes to terrifie them and alwayes to declare and reueale his heauenly pleasure vnto them as we heard before out of the booke of Iâ—b Iob 33 15 16. For it hath bene the ordinary maner of God euen from the beginning to warne comfort and declare what hee would haue done or forbid what he would not haue done both in the day time and in the night season partly by visions to such as were waking partly by dreames to such as were asleepe Reason 2 Secondly God would haue the reuelation of his will appeare to be onely his and not of themselues For howsoeuer it pleased the Lord to deale with his seruants and what way soeuer he vsed to signifie his good pleasure in all these cases he imprinted in the mindes and hearts of them to whom hee shewed himselfe certaine notes and euident tokens whereby they might expressely and manifestly know that it was his doing This we noted before to be one of the causes why it pleased the Lord to deale by visions that we should chalenge nothing to our owne selues but ascribe all vnto him Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses First consider from hence the greatnesse and excellency of Gods hand who hath diuers wayes to reueale his will and to teach his people to call them and gather them vnto himselfe Some meanes he hath to preserue a sinner from falling and some to restore him being fallen He is the head Physician of the world he ministreth the best Physicke and of most sure and certain working He neuer faileth in his cures both because hee knoweth the nature of the disease and the working of the ingredient The woman in the Gospel diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeeres suffered many things of many Physicians and spent all that shee had yet it auailed her nothing but shee became much worse Marke 5 26. But such as seeke to God to heale the diseases of their soules and submit themselues to be his patients doe alwayes receiue from him health and depart from him better then they came Hee vseth partly preseruatiues and partly restoratiues He speaketh by admonitions in dreames and visions And these being ceased hee speaketh by chasticements and corrections he preacheth vnto vs by the Ministers of his word and by all meanes desireth to doe vs good True it is the diuell hath his visions being as it were the ape of God which are so many delusions of men as when hee maketh men beleeue they see that which they see not or perswadeth men strange things of themselues that they are that which indeed they are not 1. Sam 28.14 His drift and purpose in both is to deceiue and seduce But God vseth sundry meanes to draw vs to himselfe to draw vs out of our selues to draw vs to his kingdome He is not as a poore practitioner that hath but one plaster for euery sore or one medicine for euery disease he hath variety of meanes store of prouision for al maladies which serueth to commend vnto vs the goodnesse mercy greatnesse power and wisdome of God to be acknowledged and confessed of euery one of vs. Secondly wee learne that God neuer leaueth Vse 2 them destitute of a teacher that in a reuerent feare of his Name seeke vnto him and call vpon him We see he oftentimes admonisheth and informeth of his will such as are out of the Church and know him
the sonnes of God for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him God is become our Father the Sonne is our Redeemer the Holy-ghost is become our sanctifier the Angels are become our attendants the Scriptures are become our euidences the Sacraments are our seales the creatures are become our seruants our afflictions are our instructions This the Apostle teacheth the Church 1. Cor. 3 21 22 23. They are blessed that haue their sinnes pardoned and not imputed vnto them as the Prophet teacheth but God saith to euery beleeuer Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee They are blessed that heare his word and keepe it but the sheepe of Christ heare his voyce and follow him They are blessed that delight in the Law of the Lord and in his Law meditate day and might but the godly make it their counsellour to be aduised by it This vse that now we stand vpon is directly vrged by the Prophet Psal 84. where hauing made his complaint that hee could not haue accesse to the Church of God to make profession of his faith and to profite in Religion hee breaketh out into this passionate exclamation being touched with an inward feeling of the want of those holy assemblies Psal 84 4 5. O Lord of hoasts how amiable are thy tabernacles thereupon concludeth the point which wee haue stood vpon Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and in whose heart are thy wayes Howsoeuer the vngodly that sauour nothing but of the earth want spirituall eyes to behold the beauty of the Church and account it no part of their happinesse to liue within the compasse and bosome of it yet the children of God haue taken nothing so neere to heart as when they haue bene driuen from the place of his worship The Prophet is grieued that the sparrowes and swallowes had better accesse and freer recourse to the houses of men to build their nests to lay their young and to rest and repose themselues then he had to the Lords Tabernacle and therefore preferreth their condition before his owne We see how the Iewes wept and pittifully lamented by the riuers of Babylon and hung vp their instruments on the willowes saying Psal 137 1 2 3 How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget to play If I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth yea if I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy No doubt they might haue prayed to the Lord in Babylon and in banishment as well as in Iudea and at Ierusalem the Lord heareth in all places and willeth that men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting 1. Tim. 2.8 but they mourned because they could not visit the Temple of God in Ierusalem there to make publicke confession of their sinnes and of their faith toward God They therefore plainely testify that they haue no feeling either of the weakenesse of their faith or of the greatnesse of their offences that glory in their owne shame and say they beare as good a soule to God as they which resort so often to the Church and delight to heare the preaching of the word and that they can serue God as well at home as in the Church These are led by another spirit then Dauid was who if he were a man after Gods owne heart Psal 42 1 2 3. hauing such an earnest desire after the seruice and worship of God and saying As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God surely these must needs be guided by the spirit of the diuell who so openly scorne all Religion and are at defiance with God robbing God of his honour committing sacriledge in keeping their tongues from the publick praises of God entring themselues off from the mysticall body of Christ condemning and contemning the congregation of the faithfull giuing offence to others by euill example and despiâ—â—ng the ordinance of God who hath appointed commanded the assembly of his people to meet together to acknowledge their sinnes to confesse their faith to pray for things necessary to praise him for his blessings receiued to heare the word expounded and to receiue the Sacraments deliuered so that such as flye from these doe fly from God himselfe they fly from their owne saluation they seeke a worship by themselues and they imagine an heauen by themselues But let them take heed their worship proue not a false worship and their heauen a false heauen and a true hell Secondly we must all labour to bee members Vse 2 of the Church rather then of any other place in the world We see how carefull men are not onely to be in great societies towns but to be of them to haue the freedome of priuiledged places and incorporations Act. 22 28. Yea to obtaine it purchase it with a great summe of money because it hringeth worldly commodity How much more should wee endeauour to be members of the Church whereby we are made free men and haue interest in the blessings of God yea wee become free denizens of the Kingdome of heauen How doe men esteeme their freedome to be of earthly cities If wee be part of the Church wee haue accesse to the truth Now if wee shall know the truth the truth shall make vs free Iohn 8 32 36. If we be belonging to the Church we haue our interest in Christ now if that Sonne shall make vs free then we shall be free indeed This made the Apostle say Phil. 3 20. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour If we become limbes of the Church of God wee haue the spirit that beares witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God now the Lord giueth his Spirit 2. Cor. 3 17 and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Such as are free of cities and incorporations haue diuerse priuiledges that others want obtaine many benefites that others want obtaine many dignities that others desire and haue their names enrolled among the free-men but how much greater is the preheminence of all those that are brought into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God being made parts of the Church which is the freest citty vnder the heauens This city of our God hath the priuiledges of the communion of Saints of the forgiuenesse of sinnes of the resurrection of the body to eternall life and all such as belong vnto it haue their names registred and enrolled in the booke of life What shall it profite thee to obtaine an earthly freedome in earthly cities and to be the seruant of sinne the bondslaue of the diuel and to want the freedome of the sonnes and daughters of almighty
soule returneth to God that gaue it For the question stil remaineth vndecided whether God giue it immediately or not that God gaue it which is al the wise man saith euery wisemā acknowledgeth but how and in what manner by meanes or without means remaineth yet in doubt as before The opposition made in that place betweene the soule and the body rather prooueth the contrary for as the body was of the dust so is the soule of God his gift But how is the body of the dust not immediately but of the Parents so that it is apparent that Salomon hath relation to the first creation of Adam of whō it is true that God formed man of the dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a liuing soule Gen. chap. 2 verse 7. I purpose not to enter into this controuersie much lesse take vpon me to define whether the soule come by traduction or by infusion whether from the parents or from GOD a question much debated both among ancient and moderne writers wishing rather all men to be wise with sobriety to content themselues to know that it is given of God and to be his Title to bee the God of the spirits of all flesh and to consider what vses wee may make of it First this serueth to ouerthrow diuers errors Vse 1 and heresies touching the soule raysed vp in former times to trouble the Church to destroy the faith Such were the Sadduces who held that spirits were only certaine qualities or accidents but no substances at all nor hauing any subsistence of themselues Acts 23 8. We learne on the contrary side to acknowledge that the soule is a creature of God as the body is and a thing essentiall as also the heauenly Angels are and liueth when the body dyeth as may be easily proued by infinite testimonies of holy Scriptures for this is the more noble part of man created but yet immortall inuisible but yet subsisting Salomon saith It returneth to God that gaue it Christ our Sauiour commendeth his spirit into his Fathers hands Luke 23 46. So Stephen prayeth Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Acts 7 59. Thus do they make GOD the keeper and preseruer of the soule when once it is deliuered out of the prison of the body They then that make the soule nothing but a blast or breath or a certain power infused into mens bodies but such as hath no essence or substance are grossely deceiued and mistaken exceedingly Vse 2 Secondly it is our duty to yeeld obedience to God both in body and soule and to submit our selues to him in all things especially vnder the Crosse euen when the flesh is most prone to murmure and rebell Hebr. 12 9. If we must yeelde reuerence to our fathers of whom wee haue receiued our bodies then should we be subiect to God of whom wee haue receiued our soules The Apostle chargeth vs to glorifie God in our body and in our spirit which are Gods 1 Cor. 6 20. they are both his and therefore both are to be giuen to him agine Vse 3 Thirdly the soule being from God it commeth neerest to his essence wherby we beare his Image and resemble him in knowledge wisedome and therefore it is a most precious substance more worth thē all the bodily creatures of the world for when the body returneth to the dust the soule goeth to God that gaue it The Prophet saith Psal 49 7 that no man can redeeme his brothers soule or pay a sufficient ransome to God for him it goeth beyond his power and ability All the gold treasure in the world cannot equall one soule in value The murthering of the soule is the highest and most horrible murther that can be and it is the greatest sin to destroy a mans soule Math. chapter 16 verse 26 on the other side to saue a soule is one of the best works and that which shall receiue the best reward Dan. 12 3. Lastly it belongeth to vs to haue the greatest Vse 4 care of the soule for as it excelleth the body so the care of it should exceed and surmount the care of the body The Scripture oftentimes calleth men from the excessiue and immoderate care of the body to which wee are too much enclined Math. 6 25. 1 Cor. 7 32. Rom. 13 14 that we may haue care of the soule and set our affections vpon heauenly things Obiect But are we to cast off all care of the body and to minde nothing but heauen the prouision for the soule Nay not so Answer GOD hath made the body as well as the soule therfore the body is to be regarded as well as the soule I say as well though not as much As then Christ saith This must bee done but the other must not be left vndone Matth. 23 so the soule is especially to be regarded but the body is not to be neglected Besides the body is as the Tabernacle and instrument of the soule the tabernacle of it to dwell in it and the instrument of it to worke by it and therefore the soule cannot do the duties proper vnto it except the body prosper and be prouided for Howbeit our cheefest care ought to bee for the soule that it may liue to God in this life and liue with God in the life to come If our greatest care be to adorne and decke the body it is most certaine wee are carelesse of the soule Verses 17 18 20. Which may goe in and out before them c. In these words we haue the summe and substance of the prayer of Moses and of the commandement of God vnto him touching Ioshua which I will ioyne together that we may end this Chapter for of laying on of hands mentioned verse 18 and 23 and of asking counsell of God wee haue spoken oftentimes before Moreouer we haue heere many particular points offered vnto vs touching Magistrates and Subiects as that God appointeth none to serue in any calling but he furnisheth him with sufficient gifts for that calling as it is saide Ioshua is a man in whom is the Spirit that is the gifts of the Spirit fit for gouernment As when Saul was appointed annointed to be king of Israel he was after a sort changed into another man and Moses is heere willed to put some of his honour vpon Ioshua verse 20. When it is said he should goe in and out before the people we learne that Magistrates and men that be in authority ought to be examples in all good things to their people not giue themselues liberty to do what they list verse 17. And when the reason is rendred lest the people should bee as sheepe without a Sheepheard we learne that that people is in a most wretched estate where they haue no Magistrates to go in and out before thē Iudg. 17 like a flock of sheep without a Shepheard By this similitude also our Sauiour expresseth in what fearefull condition the people are that haue
saide that it is saide of Ishmael that was cast out of the house of Abraham and was the sonne of the bond woman that hee also gaue vp the ghost and dyed and was gathered to his people as well as of Abraham of Isaac of Aaron of Moses and of many others 2 Kings 22 20. Iudg. 2 10. Acts 13 36. I answer Whether Ismael repented this phrase may imploy with good probability the repētance of Ishmael that he dyed in the faith of Abraham and was carryed into his bosome For hee ioyned with his brother in the burying of his father and the Scripture taketh speciall notice of his whole age and setteth downe how long he liued but no reprobate hath the age of his whole life recorded And thus the prayer of Abraham may seeme to be heard Gen. 17 18. O that Ismael might liue before thee But if he liued and dyed a wicked man then by his fathers to whom hee was gathered we must vnderstand the soules of wicked men that liued before him as Caine and his posterity that were carried away with the flood which now are spirits in prison 1 Pet 3 19. But howsoeuer it be this necessarily must be concluded that the soules of all men liue when the body is turned into earth and hath his subsisting afterward Math. 22 23. Hebr. 12 21. Obiect It will be obiected that the wise man saith the condition of men of beasts is all alike Eccl. 3 19. As the one dyeth so dyeth the other so that a man hath no preheminence aboue a beast This is not spoken simply but in respect They are both alike and equall in the necessity of dying imposed vpon both and man hath no aduantage to glory ouer the beast which serueth to humble him and to proclayme his vanity Againe Salomon speaketh according to the opinion of prophane Atheists such as the Saduces afterward were for they say Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward and the spirit of the beasts that goeth downeward to the earth These are they that also say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye 1 Corinth 15 32. But when he speaketh according to truth he telleth vs afterward that the spirit returneth to God that gaue it chap. 12. Againe they produce sundry testimonies that the dead cannot praise him it must be the liuing the liuing that must doe it Psal 6.5 In death there is no remembrance of thee so 30 10 and 88 11. Esay 38 18. I answere death and the graue haue two significations according to the different maner or estate of those that are dead Answ For some are dead spiritually that are reiected of God and in torments with the damned these cannot praise God at all neyther doth God accept praise at their hands Others are dead onely corporally not spiritually these cannot praise GOD in the Church visible together with the faithfull yet in their soules they neuer cease to acknowledge and praise God together with innumerable company of Angels and Saints departed yea it is their whole practice delight and exercise they doe nothing else Lastly the Apostle seemeth to make it peculiar to God to haue immortality 1 Tim. 6 16 he onely hath immortality I answer God hath this of himselfe the Angels the soules of men by grace and communication they receiue this from him whereas whatsoeuer God is he is it of himselfe Obiect Furthermore another question may bee moued wherefore in mustering this army and sending them to fight Phinehas the Priest was to be among them for what had he to doe with this maner of warfare who was to serue in the Tabernacle and was not numbred among the other tribes that were to goe out to warre I answere Answer Moses sendeth him because hee had giuen a notable proofe of his zeale in slaying the Israelite and the Midianitish woman with his iauelin he is sent not to draw his sword or to bee captaine of the hoste but to exhort the people to teach and keepe them in the feare of God and to put them in hope of victory This was commanded of God when they went to battel against their enemies the Priest was to stir them vp to courage that they should not faint nor feare but be assured that the Lord would go out with them and fight for them to saue them Deut. 20 2 3 4 so the Priests were ready to go with Dauid when he fled out of Ierusalem 2 Sam. 15 24. And when it is said Phinehas went with the holy instruments some vnderstand the Arke others the Vrim and Thummim to aske of God touching the successe of the battell Howbeit it is not likely that he doubted of the end that had his warrant from God to begin it And if Moses had meant this of the Arke no doubt hee would haue expressed it by his name as he doth oftē before besides if he had pointed to this he would rather haue vsed the singular number thē the plural haue said the holy instrument not instruments It is rather to be thought that he meaneth the two Trumpets of which see before chap. 10 and these he addeth in the next words by way of exposition or interpretation as if he had saide the holy instruments that is the Trumpets as Iudg. 8 27. Heereby then we see the absurd collection of Bellarmine De not eccl cap 17 18. who making the vnhappy ende of the enemies of the Church a note thereof alledgeth the death of Zuinglius who was slayne in battell But why might not Zuinglius go with his people into the battell as well as the Priests that were commanded to doe it Hee was as a good Shepheard that gaue his life for his flocke and would not leaue nor forsake them fighting for the defence of the Gospel Neyther may we account it a plague or punishment to dye in battell or a token of one forsaken of God as we see in good Iosiah and many others and the experience of all times teacheth vs the truth of that which Dauid saith The sword deuoureth one as well as another 2 Sam. 11 25. Thus much of the questions Auenge the children of Israel c and Moses saide Arme your selues c. By Moses speaking of warres we may see they haue beene ancient in the world and being commanded of God in this place we see also that they are lawfull of which see before chap. 1 and 24 and 25. But heere diuers other points directing warres and warriers are to bee obserued First obserue that an army is heere spoken off as mustered and gathered together for the battell Doctrine Before battel an army must be gathered The Doctrine is this Before men goe to battell an hoast of men must be appointed gathered together and sufficient forces must be leuied Exod. 17 9. Iosh 8 3. 2 Chron. 13 3 and 32 6. 1 Sam. 15 4. Iudg. 20 17. Reason 1 The causes are euident First that a number may be
hanged by the necke yet none I say would repine at such a man so what ground hath any man to fret or fume or enuy at the flourishing estate of any wicked man especially when it is knowne that GOD hath decreed that he shall perish and that not by an honourable death but perish like Haman shamefully in his owne house and after that shall haue all shame and contempt powred vpon him and go to the place of the damned there to suffer torments with the diuel his angels where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Lastly this being well learned will serue Vse 3 as an admonition for euery one to take heede of euery euill way that he be not obstinate in sinne It is one thing to sinne and another to be obstinate in sinne to withstand the word and rod of God and to abuse his patience It is incident to all to sinne but obstinacy in sinning hardnesse of heart and casting off Repentance are the forerunners of destruction Let vs thinke thus with our selues what can a short or fading pleasure profit vs when God shall come with his fearfull destruction Nay what can all the pleasures or profites in the world recompence for the losse of that comfort and peace that otherwise we may enioy What did Esaus red pottage so pleasing vnto his eye profit him in the end when hee lost thereby not onely his fathers blessing but also the blessed life to come What good got Achan by his wedge of Gold when it proued to be the wracke and ruine both of himselfe of his family And therefore doth Christ our Sauiour teach vs Mat. 16 26. What is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world then lose his owne soule Againe this fearfulnesse of iudgement should make a man thinke of the difficulty of repentance and what fearfull things hee shall suffer if he practise it not If it be a hard thing to breake off sinne we shall find it much harder to be broken with the iudgments of God and the fiercenesse of his wrath It is a fearfull thing to fall into the handes of an earthly Prince Prou. 19 10 but more fearefull to fall into the hands of the liuing God especially when he is inraged and incensed by the sinnes of men and therefore we ought to meete him with repentance lest we feele his vengeance to our condemnation A notable mediation to moue to break off â—he course of sinne And let vs labor to set the hardnesse of bearing the iudgements of God against the breaking off of sinne the one will easily counteruaile and ouercom the other If we finde it an hard and harsh saying to repent and breake off our sins we shall find it more hard when it shall be saide Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels Mat. 25. Let a man seriously and throughly consider what an hard and vnpossible thing it will be to vndergo the wrath of God which maketh the diuels and damned spirits to tremble Iames 2 19 he wil think it an easie and light thing to forsake sinne although it were more deere then all things in the world whatsoeuer What if it were as hard a thing to renounce thy sin and to take vp the practice of true repentance as to pluck out a mans eye or to cut off his arme yet it must be done he hath pronounced it with his owne mouth that must be thy Iudge that is if there be any one sinne as deere vnto thee as thy right eye thou must pull it out or els thou shalt neuer come to the kingdome of heauen or if there be any sin as deere vnto thee as thy right arme by which thou gettest thy liuing if thou canst not be content to cut it off and dost not constantly and confidently resolue to cast it from thee thou canst haue no entrance giuen thee into Gods kingdome We see by common experience daily that men will endure very hard and bitter things from the hand of the Physitian that they may recouer health and escape death and yet it is not to put away death vtterly it is onely to prolong life for a time for they may deferre death they are not able to take it away If then such sharpe and bitter things seeme easie to auoid a temporall death then what ought a man to doe and to suffer to auoid the bitternesse and sharpnesse of eternall destruction and the fierce wrath of God which indeede is nothing but this To forsake sinne and to take vp repentance and the performance of religious and holy duties But alas alas how many are there euery wherin the world that haue bene content to lose many ounces of blood out of the veins for the good of the body that haue neuer shed a few drops of teares out of their eyes for the recouery of their soules To take bitter pilles and potions to purge the grosse humors that distemper vs that haue neuer purged or cleansed themselues from the filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of GOD 2 Cor. chap. 7 verse 1. Nay we see men are willing to be seared that caÌ„not abide to haue the wounds of their soule searched by Gods holy Word yea to haue one member cut off to saue the whole bodie who notwithstanding will not leaue one pleasure of sinne for a season to saue both body and soule This is no better then folly and madnesse Heere is wisedome therefore to thinke of this betimes 31 And Moses and Eleazar the Priest did as the Lord commanded Moses 32 And the booty beeing the rest of the prey which the men of warre had caught was six hundred thousand and seuenty thousand and fiue thousand sheepe 33 And threescore c. 34 And threescore and one thousand Asses c 35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all of women that had not knowne man by lying with him c. 37 And the Lords tribute of the Sheepe was sixe hundred and threescore fifteene c. 41 And Moses gaue the tribute which was the Lords heaue-offering vnto Eleazar the priest c. 47 Euen of the children of Israels halfe c. Wee haue heard before the commandement of God touching the diuiding of the prey Now followeth the execution of it by Moses and Eleazar It is worth the obseruation to consider that as before the death of Aaron Moses and Aaron are alwaies ioyned together so after his death Moses and Eleazar The Magistrate and the minister shold ioyne togethâ—r the Magistrate and the Minister as the hand and the eye are in the body Then doth the church and the conmmonwealth flourish when these two go together and on the other side they go to wrack when they are separated draw seuerall wayes The greatnesse of the victorie and conquest that God gaue to his people appeareth further in these wordes by the distribution of the people and by the reseruation of the
how the houre be spent so it be spent and respect not what they say so they haue said somewhat which is as fond a thing as if hee that buildeth an house should neuer regard with what stuffe he buildeth or hee that soweth whether he sow in the highway among the rockes and thornes or in his field Many there are that goe vp into the pulpit that neuer spend themselues nor waste their spirits nor decay their strength they are rather like those that are halfe asleep or stand vp to tell a tale or to vtter a dreame Whosoeuer is ignorant of the state of his people that neuer considereth hee speaketh to a deafe people that cannot heare but is carelesse in his place endangereth his owne soule and the soule of the people committed to his charge Hee then that would teach aright must put on zeale and be earnest in the Lords cause that so he may worke vpon their hearts and leaue stings in their consciences as Acts 2.37 while Peter preached they were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe Wee say commonly that cold coales heate no body It must therefore first come from his owne heart there must be heat there or else there shall neuer come any heate to others We see by experience that cold iron and hote can neuer be mixed together but before they can be tempered they must both of them be well heated in the fire so except the heart of the Minister and of the people be heated hee shall neuer fasten any thing vpon them or worke any good in them It is true it is the worke of the Lord to heate the soule as it is he that warmeth the body this hee doth by instruments the fire and the Sunne so hee doth the soule and conscience by his Ministers and by his word All parents are charged to whet the Law vpon their children Deut 6 7 if parents must do this to their children then much more ought the Ministers of God to be earnest in this duty If any aske wherein this earnestnesse and feruency consisteth I answer not barely in crying out with a loud voyce as many suppose For many men haue no voyce to speake loud and there are many that speake loud who haue little heate or zeale in them Some will be as earnest in alledging a bare testimony of Scripture as others can be in making application These doe it more out of vse or custome then from any feeling or touch of conscience in themselues Seeing then the earnestnesse that we require may be without the loudnesse of voyce and the loudnesse of the voyce may bee without earnestnesse wee must find it elsewhere to wit in the power of the Spirit that speaketh in him It is not the earnestnes of the voyce that is so much required albeit it falleth out many times where the heart is truly affected that there the voyce will be extended to the vttermost and yet euen in a weake voice proceeding from a weak body a Minister may truly shew the zeale of his heart as well as if the word were deliuered with a loud and powerfull voyce and God requireth no more then a man hath 2 Cor. 8 12. The Apostle saith that his bodily presence was weake among the Corinthians and his speach held as contemptible 2 Cor. 10 10 whereby it seemeth he was not one of the sonnes of thunder that had a great voyce neuerthelesse we find that the power and efficacy of the Spirit did both appeare and abound in him So then the Ministers of God must be zealous and feruent in their places that so they may the better discharge their consciences and also bring the more profit to those that are committed vnto them Vse 3 Thirdly it condemneth those that censure the Ministers of God for their earnestnes and zeale in deliuering the word of God Such persons as are ready to commend a seruant that is earnest in doing his Masters will with a good affection will condemne the Minister of God when hee deliuereth the word with such earnestnes These spare not to say to him as Paul did to Festus Act. 26 24 that they preach as if they were mad or beside themselues But if the answere of Paul will not serue and suffice these men who replyed to that accusation I am not mad most noble Festus but speake forth the words of truth and sobernesse Acts 26 24.25 let them take the words of the Prophet Hoseah chap. 9 7 the spirituall man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity The abundance of iniquity and the obstinacy of wicked men running on in their sinne as a violent flood that runneth ouer the bankes were able to make the Minister mad with crying to them to leaue their sinnes and to forsake their euill wayes when they are so set vpon them that say the Minister what he can and let him cry out as loud as he list they will not abate one haire or a pinne of their pride or remit one houre of their prophaning the Sabbath or drinke one draught nay not one drop the lesse or the couetous person giue one penny or halfe penny the more to relieue the needy members of Christ I say the consideration of this were able to make the Minister euen mad in deliuering of his message which God hath put into his mouth If a father should be beside himselfe for the wickednesse of his gracelesse children would not euery man pitty the father and spit in the faces of those children and hold them worthy of all punishment but what would they say to such children as should go vp and downe and boast themselues that they were the causes of their fathers madnesse Are there not some graceles hearers O that there were not too many that when they haue made their Minister as it were mad with reprouing them that will insult ouer them and glory among their companions that they haue made their Minister preach as if he were madde howbeit if it be for the glory of God and the benefit of his people they need not care nor esteem to be iudged of men or account it any disgrace from the mouthes of gracelesse people to be accounted mad we must walke through good report and euill report it skilleth not therefore though wee be reputed madde so it bee for a good cause for the beating down of prophaning the Sabbath of contempt of the word of oppression pride couetousnes and such like enormities There was not a man more meeke vpon the earth then Moses yet when he came from the mount and saw that the people had sinned he presently grew so angry that hauing the two Tables of the Law in his hand written by the finger of God he threw them downe to the ground and brake them in pieces The people of this generation account their Ministers for a lesser matter then this to bee mad and out of their wittes but while they cry out aloud that their contempt
from dangers acknowledge that it is Gods preseruation and be thankfull for it This should put vs in minde of two things first that if wee happen to liue vnder such a iudgement we must stoope down our neckes vnder this yoake and humble our selues vnder the most mighty hand of God that hath brought so fearfull a iudgement vpon vs. For if we thinke it to be a iudgement when the earth bringeth not foorth her fruite vnto vs then much more may wee thinke it to bee a iudgement when the earth is not able to beare a man but casteth and vomiteth him out into captiuity as the stomack doth grosse and euill humors out of the bodie For this cause doeth the Lord charge the Israelites to keepe his statutes and his iudgements That the Land do not spew them out also when they defile it as it spewed out the Nations that were before them Leuit. chapter 18. verse 25 28. 20. verse 22. And afterward he sheweth that if they did not walke obediently before him the land whither hee bringeth them to dwell therein should spew them out as Reu. 3 16. Of all iudgements to bee carried into captiuity is one of the greatest The very mercies of the wicked are cruelty Dauid made choyse to be vnder the plague and pestilence rather then to flye before the enemy because hee is vnmercifull Wee sit vnder our owne Vines and Figge-trees wee haue seene no inuasion nor heard any complainings in our streetes wee know not what bondage meaneth or to bee carried captiues into a strange Land howbeit it is apparent that wee haue beene very neere vnto it as neere to the pit as could bee and yet not fallen into the same For if the Gunne-powder Treason had taken place which was verie neere vnto the time appointed for the execution of it we had long ere this beene in slauery and bondage againe vnto the bloodie Papists who haue long lyen in waite for such a day and albeit that be defeated and all theyr imaginations bee scattered as chaffe before the winde yet who knoweth how neere we may bee to as great captiuity Wee are secure and put away the euill day farre from vs but the greater our security is the neerer our captiuity may bee We haue close and secret enemies amongest vs neuer more lusty and neuer more couragious then they are at this day which are left to remaine amongst vs to be prickes in our eyes and Thornes in our sides and to vex vs in the Land wherein wee dwell verse 55. These neuer leaue plotting and conspiring our ouerthrow and destruction Wee heare of rumours of Warre abroad and spreadings of errours and heresies which threaten ruine both to Church and Common-wealth these are but the beginnings of sorrow Againe if we looke vnto our selues our sinnes are very great and call continually for vengeance vnto heauen at Gods hands and no doubt he is comming downe to see whether wee haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto him All these laide together and weighed as it were in a ballance what can wee in reason and iustice expect but that GOD deliuer vs into the enemies hands and suffer them to carry vs captiue and so make slaues and bondmen of vs Secondly if any desire to enioy the land wherein hee dwelleth in peace and safety let him labour not to pollute and defile it by his sinnes The Iewes had a promise of God to be his people yet because of their sinnes he suffered them to bee carried into captiuity where they remained long in a strange land Haue we any greater priuiledge then they or may we expect to escape No if wee follow them in contempt of the word and other open sinnes wee shall bee sure to follow them also in the punishment which will be answerable to our iniquities Lastly this assureth vs that as GOD deliuereth his people from temporall danger and bondage so hee will deliuer them much more from spirituall bondage For if he will deliuer our bodies hee will much more deliuer our soules that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1 74 75. Wherefore wee ought patiently to waite his leysure knowing that if hee haue such a speciall care of our bodies that must lye in the dust to set them free from temporall bondage hee will much rather deliuer our soules from spirituall bondage wherein Satan holdeth vs. When Christ our Sauiour would shew that hee came to redeeme the soules of men hee taught them by deliuering their bodies from diseases For when hee restored sight to the blinde by opening their eyes what did it signifie but that hee came to scatter the darknesse of the minde and to make them see that before saw not the light of the truth as Math. 4 16 The people that sate in darknesse saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp The Prophets in the time of the Law smote the people with blindnes that they knew not what they did neyther whither they went 2 Kings 6 18 as the Angels did the Sodomites so that they wearied themselues to finde the doore Gen. 19 11. But Christ to shew that hee came to seeke and to saue that which is lost restored sight to the blinde and opened the eyes of their vnderstandings when hee healed the bodies of such as were lame and halted what was it but a teaching of them that he came to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliuerance to the captiues and to set at liberty them that were bruised When hee raised some to life from the dead what did it teach and shew but that hee is able to raise out of the graue of sinne and to giue the life of the spirit When hee cleansed the lepers what was it but a making knowne to the world that hee will cleanse from the foule and filthy leprosie of sinne And when he did cast out diuels that possessed the bodies of men what was it but to shew that he casteth the diuels out of the hearts and consciences where they desire to dwell as in an house If then it be no small comfort vnto vs to know that the Lord will deliuer his people from an earthly bondage certainely it cannot but minister much more comfort vnto vs to consider that the Lord is more careful of our soules and if hee be mindfull of vs for things of this life hee cannot be forgetfull of vs for the life to come seeing hee hath sent his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all which beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 7 And they remoued from Etham and turned againe to Pihahiroth c. 8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea c. 9 And they remoued from Marah and came vnto Elim c. 9 And they remoued
There was no king like him ouer all Israel neuerthelesse euen him did out-landish women cause to sinne This was the cause of the great wickednes of Ahab who solde himselfe to worke euill in the sight of God because he tooke Iezabel to wife 1 Kings 16 31. And wherefore did Iehoram forsake the steppes of his godly father and commit grosse idolatry but because hee linked himselfe in an idolatrous stocke and married the daughter of Ahab 2 Kings 8 18. Mal. 2 11. Ezra 10 1 2 3. Lastly they are to be reproued who are present with their bodies before the abominable idoll of the Masse whether it be of a fansie or for fashion whether of curiosity or for feare of punishment and to bow downe to an image thinking to be excused if they reserue theyr hearts to God Discommodities of being present at the Masse whereby they robbe God of his glory they giue scandal and offence to the weake brethren they spoyle the Lord of his right they cast themselues wilfully into desperate danger they depriue themselues of a good testimony of their owne saluation and lastly they deny the Lord IESVS and his truth before men and therefore must take heed that he deny not them before his Father in Heauen Math. 10 33. Obiect Neither let them think this any defence or comfort vnto them that they reserue their hearts to God Answ and for his pure worship For if this were true then were the holy Martyrs of God simple fooles that were content to endure all torments yea to lay downe theyr liues for a testimony to the truth rather then giue the least outward approbation to idolatry Then were those three seruants of God greatly deceiued who chose rather to be cast into the fiery fornace then bow downe to the idol that was set vp Dan. 3 18 we are bought with a great price and therefore we must glorifie God in our body and in our spirit for they are Gods 1 Cor. 6 20. Rom. 12 1. Mat. 4 9 Exod. 20 4. 1 Ioh. 5 21. What husband would endure that his wife should prostitute her body to commit whoredome albeit she should pretend and protest that shee reserued her heart chast and pure for him only Then how much lesse will the Lord admit such a bad and blind excuse when they that professe themselues to be his spouse shall commit spirituall whoredome with idols in their bodies Secondly we must learne from hence that Vse 2 it is impiety to worship images with any kind of worship whatsoeuer For if we be commanded to abstayne from familiarity with them that be idolaters much more are we charged to abstayne from idols and from all worship of the idols It is a greeuous sinne to giue the honour of God whereof he is iealous to any but onely to himselfe To robbe God and thereby to enrich another must needes be acknowledged to be a sinfull and wicked practice much more then is it a sinne to giue the same to such base stuffe as stockes blocks and stones and images Not to honour the king is wickednesse To giue the honour due to the King to his Peeres and Nobles must needs bee a greater sinne and offence but to giue it to a base and contemptible person must needs be greater wrong and wickednesse then any of the rest So is it in this case for men not to honour God is euil Idolatry much abuseth the dignitie of man to giue his honour to any mortall man is more sinfull but for a man made after the image of God to giue it to base and senselesse idols is most wicked of all which are the workes of mens hands The basest image-maker that liueth is farre better then the image that liueth not as the workeman is better then the worke And what a grosse and senselesse thing is it that the liuing image of the liuing should performe worship or seruice to the dead image of a dead Saint It were much better therefore and lesse absurd to worship him that made the image who is the creature of God then the image it selfe which is the creature of man So then we oght carefully to take heed to our selues that wee worship not any image or idol with any worship whatsoeuer It is not lawful for a subiect to worship his Prince or for a sonne to worship his father with any religious worship much lesse lawfull is it then for a man to worship such things as these that haue eyes and see not eares and heare not feete and walke not neyther doth any sound passe from them A man would be much ashamed to be found or seene worshipping a tree that groweth a bird or beast that liueth much more then ought we to be ashamed of this grosse kind of worship that we should bow downe to such things as are beholding to vs for theyr forme and fashion so that there is farre more reason that the image should worship his maker then the maker worship the image that hee made Let vs learne to feare GOD and reuerence his worship and flye all kinde of worshipping of images whatsoeuer to abhorre the same as the imiattion of the Gentiles and the very excrements of Antichrist himselfe Whosoeuer they be that practise such impiety in these dayes of grace are fallen from grace It may be that in time of danger and persecution a man may be forced to doe that which goeth against his conscience to saue life but for a man to stand out in these times and to approue such maner of worship he is certainly fallen from Christ and deserueth iust condemnation and destruction and therefore let no colour or pretence or perswasion whatsoeuer draw vs away to the committing of this sinne but let vs labour to keepe our selues pure by cleauing to the worship and seruice of God and by giuing honour and glory vnto him Obiect But they tell vs that they worship not the image of any false God The Scripture indeed cryeth out against the images of false gods and such as are no true Saints but wee for our parts worship nothing but the Images of the true God and of true Saints I answer Answer there is a great difference betweene the Images of true Saints and of false Saints but there is no difference at al in the action it self forasmuch as it is idolatry to worship the Image of the true God as well as of the false And the reason is because it is to giue worship to that which by nature is no God at all Paul and Barnabas were true Saints yet if the men of Lystra had worshipped them they had sinned against GOD as much as when they worshipped Iupiter and Mercurius which were no other then fayned gods Acts 14 12. Therefore that distinction falleth to the ground Deut. 4 15. Obiect Esay 40 18. Rom. 1.23 1 Cor. 10 20. Deut. 27 15. Psal 97 7. But some of the Papists tell vs that images are Lay mens bookes to looke vpon
no maruaile therefore if men decline it is a part of the old leauen for what man is it that sinneth not 1 Kings 8 46. The power of sinne euen in the regenerate is as a Law and therefore wee doe as wee would not Romanes 7 yet not I but that sin which dwelleth in me Secondly they lye vnder an heauy and fearefull curse that doe the worke of the Lord negligently which hee will haue executed diligently carefully cheerefully and zealously Ierem. 48 10 Cursed bee hee that doth the worke of the Lord deceitfully but all such as are luke-warme in the Lords businesse are deceitfull workemen they are loyterers rather then labourers and therefore they may not looke to haue the wages of laborers Thirdly such are vexed with a spirituall consumption losing the heate of the Spirit and the life of grace and fall to decay by litle and litle as Reuel 2 5 thou hast lost thy first loue For as they that haue a consumption of the body the naturall heate decayeth and threatneth death so such as haue a consumption in the soule the spirituall heate diminisheth and threatneth destruction For such churches and persons become in time barren in good thing but plentiful in euill things Esay 5 3 4. The vses follow First this reprooueth the miserable times Vse 1 wherein wee liue wherein men seeme to bee cast into a dead sleepe There is a general lethargy hath possessed vs that nothing can awake vs. Wee haue had not onely the trumpet of Gods word sounding in our eares but many other iudgments but who stirreth or starteth vp at the noyse thereof Who repenteth him of his wickednesse saying What haue I done euery one turneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Ierem. 8 6 if wee tarry till the last trumpet come woe vnto vs for that shall awaken vs and sweepe away all the impenitent into hell and none shal be able to escape Our Sauiour teacheth that from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist vntill now the kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Math. 11 12 where he sheweth that after the Gospel beganne to bee published by the ministery of Iohn who was sent to prepare the hearts of the people they were very greedy and as it were couetous of the truth and couragiously brake into it with all theyr strength and force that they could make Thus it was in the dayes of the Apostles For as at the preaching of Iohn the souldiers the Publicanes and people came vnto him Luke 3 10 12 14. saying Master what shall we doe so when they preached repentance in the Name of Iesus they that heard them were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Acts 2 37. But is it so in our dayes alas we may say the kingdome of darknes suffereth violence the kingdome of this world is wholly sought after and euery man presseth into it Luke 16 16 but as for the kingdome of God wee are content to let it alone Some are open enemies to the Gospel and the preaching of it serue Satan with all their power Some are secure and care for nothing they let al alone and sit still like those that sate idle in the market place and laboured not in the vineyard Some stop their eares and harden their hearts and when the Ministers of God will not apply themselues to their humors they goe backe Some desire to heare sweete and pleasant things to bee flattered in their sinnes and to haue cushions sowed vnder their elbowes If a sonne should no otherwise honour his father then we honor God doubtlesse he would disinherite him and cast him off for euer Or if a seruant should in such sort serue his Master would hee not put him out of his seruice and turne him out of his dores The diuell hath a part of our seruice the world another and shall wee thinke that God will accept a third This were to serue him to halfes or not so much But halfe a man is no man and halfe a Christian is no Christian Euery naturall thing groweth till it be perfect herbes plants trees Euery tradesman and artificer seeketh to encrease onely the Christian sitteth still and doth nothing God the Father left not off the worke of creation till the whole hoste of the creatures was ended Genes 2 1. Christ Iesus ceased not the worke of redemption till it was finished Ioh. 17.4 A builder leaueth not off when hee hath almost builded Paul said I haue finished my course 2 Tim. 4 7 not almost finished there is no comfort in this no more then to bee almost saued which is not to be saued at all If we be cold in Gods seruice we are almost his seruants that is not at all Secondly God will not be dalied withal in the matter of Religions eyther wee must serue him wholly and acknowledge him throughly as wee should or not at all If Baal be God let vs goe after him without wauering So long as wee are neyther hote nor cold wee worship him in vaine and may be assured that hee will spew vs out of his mouth This is no better then to serue him with the halt or blinde or leane or lame which he abhorreth The Lord saith by the Prophet Cursed bee the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of hostes and my Name is dreadfull among the Gentiles Mal. 1 14. This is no better then to serue God with the off all of our affections and to turne vnto him halfe our face and the other halfe to our owne lustes and pleasures This is such an indignity and indecency that a man of any place or reckoning will not take it at our hands Offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not euill and if yee offer the lame and sicke is it not euill offer it now vnto thy gouernour will hee be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Malachie 1 8. Take heede therefore wee doe not play with God Hee that playeth with fire may bee scorched and consumed with the flames of it but our God is euen a consuming fire Deuteronom 4 24 and 9 3. Hebrewes 12 29. No man dare dally with a Prince or with his Lawes whose wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon but there is one Law-giuer who is able to saue and to destroy Iames 4 12. No man will bee bold to iest with edge-tooles wee say commonly that it is dangerous but the Lord is a shield and the sword of excellency Deuter. 33 29 and if his word be compared to a two edged sword going out of his mouth Reuel 1 16 nay if it bee saide to be quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts
Corne yet suffereth the poore to famish for want of food deserueth iustly the curse of God and man Prou. 11 26. Wheras blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth it In like manner the Ministers that are rich in grace and well stored with knowledge who seeke nothing but to ingrosse more into their hands but will part from nothing at all haue cause to feare to be accursed of God man whereas they shall be blessed praised in the gate that make others partakers of their store Wherefore let all such consider the commandement of God to preach the word oftentimes repeated and vrged to the Prophets Es 58 1. Motiues to perswade the Ministers to diligence in their Calling and to the Apostles and other Ministers of the word Math. 28 19. If then we regard what the Lord saith vnto vs we must hearken to his voyce Secondly hereby we testifie our loue to Christ who hath deerely loued vs Iohn 21 15. God hath so loued vs that he spared not his onely begotten Sonne but gaue him to the death for vs and therefore wee are most vnthankfull wretches if we doe not loue him againe but we cannot testifie our loue to him more then by feeding his Sheepe and his Lambes Thirdly we haue committed to our charge the price of the blood of Christ the soules of mē which he bought at a deare rate Acts 20 28. Fourthly the Ministery of the word is the ordinary meanes ordayned for the building planting the enlarging strengthening the vpholding and continuing of the Church of God 1 Pet. 1 ver 23 25. Fiftly there is a gracious promise of a very great reward made vnto those men that are faithfull and gaine soules to their master for they shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer Dan. chap. 12. verse 3 and when the great sheepheard of the sheepe appeareth they shall appeare with him in glory 1 Peter chap. 5. verse 4. and be made heires of al their masters riches Mat. chap. 24 verses 45 46 1 Tim. 4 16. 2 Tim. 4 7 8. Sixtly all such as are negligent watchmen haue a fearefull woe denounced against them because while they feede themselues vnto the full they suffer the flocke to starue Ezek. 34 2. 1 Cor. 9.16 Seuenthly such as haue gifts and doe not vse them haue them in Gods iust iudgment taken from them Matth. 25 28 Zach. 11 17. For as such as vse and employ the talent that God hath giuen them haue his gifts increased in a plentifull measure so they that burie theyr knowledge and zeale and neuer bring them forth they are so weakned and wasted in them that in the end they vanish away as smoke and come to nothing as is too too euident in many of our times Lastly they bring destruction and damnation vpon themselues and the people Ezech. 34 8 10. Matth. 25 10. 9 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 10 Speake vnto the children of Israel and say vnto them when ye bee come ouer Iordan into the land of Canaan 11 Then yee shall appoint you Cities to bee Cities of refuge for you that the Man-slayer may flee thither which killeth any person at vnawares 12 And they shall be vnto you Citties for refuge from the auenger that the man-slayer dye not c. 13 And of these c. 14 Yee shall giue three Cities on this side Iordan and three Cities shall yee giue in the land of Canaan c. 15 These six Cities shall be for refuge The commandement of God touching the setting apart of Cities for the Leuites hath before bene considered in general now he speaketh in particular of the Cities of refuge taken out of the former Cities wherein wee see the number of them the end wherefore they were appointed and the places where they are to be taken Of murther voluntarily and wilfully committed Moses speaketh in the words following such persons must be pulled from the Altar Deut. 19 and put to death but when blood is shed at vnawares there is libertie to flye to one of these Cities of refuge Whereby we see that there is difference between sinne and sinne betweene such as are committed ignorantly and those that are done voluntarily And therefore wee may conclude from hence that all sinnes are not equall Touching the auenger of blood we shal speak more afterward howbeit here we see that he which had killed another at vnawares was in danger to be pursued ouer-taken and slaine by the next of kinne as wel as he that had shed mans blood wilfully True it is God alloweth not that the kinsman of him that is slaine should take away the life of him that was guilty but such was the malice and corruption of men that they would be ready to adde murther to murther that blood should touch blood vnlesse some place of safety had beene prouided This teacheth vs Doctrine All men by nature are prone to reuenge That howsoeuer God hath made vs keepers of the liues one of another yet by nature we thirst after reuenge and are neuer quiet vntill it bee satisfied Heereunto come the many precepts which God giueth to forbid reuenge which hee would neuer so often repeate were it not that hee knoweth the inclination of our hearts Deutero chap. 32 35. Rom. 12 17 19 and 1 29 31. 1 Thes 2 15 16. Prous 12 10. Such an one was Cain Iudas Saul Herod Pharaoh yea such are all persecuters and all heretikes And not onely men vnregenerate are of an hatefull and malicious disposition but such as otherwise haue receyued the spirit of adoption and the grace of sanctification do yet carry about them the body of sinne and the corruptions of the olde Adam as we see in the brethren of Ioseph who for enuy sold him into Egypt Gen. 37 28. Acts 7 ver 9. And in Dauid otherwise a man after Gods heart for when hee had receyued euill words for his good deedes at the hands of Nabal 1 Sam. 25 22. he sware God do so more also to the enemies of Dauid If I leaue any aliue of all that pertaine to him by the morning light and so hee prepared himselfe his men for present and speedy reuenge And no maruell seeing the nature of man Reason 1 is prone to all euill and all the imaginations of his heart are onely euill continually Gen. 6 verse 5. and 8. verse 21. For malice aboue other things is a naturall fruite of the flesh delighting and pleasing our corruption Galat. 5 21. Iames 4 5. Hence it is that we are sayd to serue our lustes and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy hateful hating one another Tit. 3 3. Secondly by nature satan getteth the possession of vs who hath bene a fierce dragon a mercilesse Lyon a cruell murtherer from the beginning Iohn 8 44. Our Sauiour remembereth vnto the Iewes why they were a murtherous generation and telleth them They were of their father the diuell And
idle thing to desire his last end to be like the righteous We see the vngodly liue and wax olde Iob 21 7 9 13. and grow in wealth their children prosper their houses are peaceable without feare the rod of God is not vpon them they spend their dayes in pleasures and sodainly they goe downe to the graue They are not afflicted with tedious diseases they are not tormented with long sicknesses they go away many times quietly as a Lambe their life is with greater delight their death is with greater ease then the life and death of the righteous But after this life beginneth the trouble and torment of the Reprobate Here they haue receiued their pleasures and the righteous their paines therfore these are comforted and the other confounded They must appeare before the iudgment seate of God they must come after this life to their triall they must all stand at the bar and pleade guilty or not guilty The consideration of this day of account immediately after the separation of the soule from the body made Balaam in this place cry out in the sight and feeling of the blessednesse of the Church Oh let my last end be like his From hence wee learne this principle of our faith Doctrine The reasonable soule of man is immortall That the soule of man is immortali hauing a beginning yet is without ending being seuered from the body it liueth in place either of ioy or of torment either it receiueth the reward of godlinesse or it is plagued and punished for wickednesse This appeareth by many testimonies of the word of God When the Lord had made mans body of the dust of the ground He breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a liuing soule able to liue of it selfe Gen 2 7 and by it self And afterward it is said Genes 5 24. with Heb. 11 17. Henoch walked with God and he was no more seene for God tooke him away to shew that there was a better life prepared and to be a testimony of the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body seeing hee was translated that he should not see death neyther was hee found for God had translated him Hereunto commeth the prayer of Simeon Luk. 2 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word he was ready willing to be loosed from the prison of the body and calleth death a departure from hence Likewise it is sayde in the Parable that Lazarus dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22.23 the rich man also dyed was buried and was throwne into the torments of hel And at the passion of Christ hanging on the crosse when the penitent theefe praied Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome hee said Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. Furthermore when the Lambe had opened the fifte seale Reue. 5 6 9. Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God for the testimony which they maintained Reason 1 The Reasons of this Doctrine are to bee known and considered of vs. First if the soule were not of an immortall Nature the godly of all other should be most wretched their life most miserable vnlesse they did beleeue that a time of refreshing should come from yâ— presence of God and contrarywise the condition of the vngodly should be most blessed and happy This the Apostle setteth downe 1 Cor. 15 19 20. And if the soule did not remaine after this life being separate from the body all Religion and piety were in vaine our preaching and your faith were in vaine Why are we in ieopardy euery houre and why suffer we affliction for righteousnes sake nay why do we not eate and drink for to morrow we must dye Reason 2 Secondly nothing that is immortall and transitory can cite a man before Gods Tribunall or terrifie for sinne vnknowne to any other But the soule of man accusing him for secret sinnes makâ—th him hold vp at his hand at the barre of Gods iudgement seate This we see in Belteshazzer when he saw the palme of the hand that wrote vpon the plaister of the wall of his palace Daniel 5 6. His countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his knees smote one against another Before he was thus awaked he contemned the true God and blessed his Idols but when God manifested a small token of his power and presence he did shake tremble euery ioynt of him for feare of that sight This is the iustice of God reuenging the sinne of men that they should tremble at his iudgements that wretchedly abuse his mercies The like example we see in Felix albeit he loâ—ked for a bribe and set iustice to sale at offer and proffer yet when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come he quaked and quiuered at that discourse and was not able to endure the mention of it Now if the soule were subiect to mortality and to perish with the body it would not it could not thus accuse man nor draw him before the iudgement seate of God Thirdly the soule of man can reason of immortality Reason 3 it is vnsatiable in seeking knowledge and is not changed or altered with the estate of the body it contenteth not it selfe to rest satisfied with any thing in this life The more it knoweth 1 Cor. 8 â— the more it coueteth desireth to know the more it is able to learn It desireth blessednesse and happines it respecteth glory and good estimation after death it hath many actions and operations aboue sense and the naturall appetite of the body as to loue God to feare God to put our trust in him to beleeue in him to imbrace religion to cleaue vnto God with full purpose of hart The senses of the body cannot climbe and ascend so high to know God and to meditate on heauenly things nay they cannot reason define diuide number or order any thing Therefore the soule that performeth these things is a spirituall substance like vnto Angels not subiect to death or mortality Now let vs come to the Vses of this point Vse 1 of Religion and principle of our Fayth First it serueth to confute condemn all Atheists Epicures Libertines Sadduces and the late vpstart family of loue raised out of the ashes of the olde Saduces Ioseph antiâ— 18 cap 2 â—bel Iudaiâ— cap. 7. which deny the immortality of the soule These defie all Religion and deny any spirits either Angels of God or spirits of diuels or soules of men all which standing at defiance against heauen and bidding battel to the Lord himselfe shall one day know that they had once giuen vnto them immortal spirits when they shall be cast into vnquenchable fire and endure euerlasting torments The Euangelist noteth out this damnable sect of
First on the bodye which is cast into a deepe sleepe when the senses are for the time bereaued of the present vse of theÌ„ Secondly on the minde the which that it might bee brought neerer to God is withdrawne from all dealing and fellowship with the body and enlightned to vnderstand diuine things as Acts 10. Peter sâ—w the heauen opened a vessell comming downe and a voyce came vnto him The causes why it pleased GOD to reueale his will after this manner are First that they should take nothing to themselues but account all receiued from GOD. Secondly that their bodies and soules being separate froÌ„ all other dealings might haue a deeper impression of the things reuealed and thereby vnderstand them and keepe them the better Thus much touching the trance of Balaam the beginning of the prophesie Now we come to the substance of the prophesie it selfe the summe whereof is first propounded then amplified and lastly concluded The proposition which is prooued is described by a question and by way of admiration expressing the happines of the Church How goodly are thy tents O Iacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As if he should say O how blessed and happy a people art thou which now liuest vnder these Tents and dwellest in these habitations And note here that he doth not giue a touch to theyr happinesse and then passe away sodainly from it but he doubleth and repeateth it as if he meant to dwell long vpon it There is no part or parcell of Gods word in vaine If wee see not the vse of some things it is our weaknes we must confesse it not condemne the Scriptures The Spirit of God forbiddeth vaine babling Mat. 6 7 and reproueth idle repetitions and therefore neuer vseth the same himselfe Three causes 〈◊〉 vsing repeâ—â—â—ons The Reasons and occasions of repetitions are these three First for greater assurance for God speaking twice doth as it were produce a double witnes and signifieth that it did not slip from him vnawares but is that which he meaneth to stand vnto and to ratifie so that albeit heauen and earth passe away yet one iot or tittle of his word shall not passe away Secondly to testify the speedy accomplishment of that which hee hath spoken that it shall not be prolonged and delayed but bee swiftly performed shortly be executed And these two causes are both touched by Ioseph in expounding the two dreames of Pharaoh when he sayth The dreame was doubled vnto Pharaoh the second time because the thing is established by God and God hasteth to performe it Genes 41 32. The third reason of vsing repetitions is to quicken those that are dull and stir vp those that are heauy hearted that they should shake off all deadnes drowsinesse of spirit Once speaking passeth sodainly away wee cannot heare it or if we heare it wee cannot remember it or if we remember it we are backward in practising of it We haue need to be often put in minde of the same thing 〈◊〉 3 1. and for vs it is a safe thing 〈◊〉 â—8 23. This is the cause that the Prophets of God so often vse repetitions So did Balaam before in the former Chapter Numb 23 21. God seeth no iniquity in Iacob he seeth no transgression in Israel These three causes haue place in this repetition vsed in this place For theyr happines is certainly confirmed speedily to be accomplished and the enemies of the people of God are rouzed vp diligently to consider thereof and thinke with themselues surely this is of great importance seeing God offers it vnto me againe and againe This blessed estate and condition of the Church is set down first comparatiuely then simply whereby the former similitudes are expounded and interpreted The metaphors and similitudes are many in number but tending to one and the same purpose vnder the borrowed speeches of the tents of the sheepheards of stretching out of the vallies watering of the gardens planting of the Cedars he vnderstandeth the safety largenes encrease pleasantnesse multitude and strength of the Church that shall surmount the glory of the Gentiles and treade downe the kingdome of Agag that is of the Amalekites which at that time flourished in the world and promised vnto it selfe a perpetuity vpon the earth which prophesie was performed in the dayes of Saul and Samuel of Dauid Salomon 1 Sam. 15 3. This appeareth plainly in the second branch where the comparisons are explained in which hee sheweth the author of theyr happynes to bee God the giuer of euery good giuing and of euery perfect gift who albeit they were a small people and greatly oppressed yet hee brought them myraculously out of the Land of Egypt he shall bee theyr protection defence against theyr enemies giuing them the strength of the Vnicorne Numb 23 22. assisting them in all theyr dangers and subduing all theyr aduersaries vnder them This is the substance of the prophesie the conclusion remayneth consisting of two parts or members the first respecting the Israelites the second respecting others but vttered for the Israelites sake Touching the Israelites he inferreth vpon the premisses theyr peace safety and security tranquility and quyet dwelling without feare expressed by comparison of a Lyon who eateth his prey without fearfulnes of the passengers so the Iews ouercomming all theyr enemies shall haue rest gouerne theyr Church and Common-wealth in peace which came to passe so long as they did cleaue to God with full purpose of heart and worshippe him according to the precise rule of his word for then no enemies albeit neuer so many or so mighty were able to preuayle against them Thus did the Patriark Iacob expresse the preheminence of Iudah Gen. 49 9. As a Lyons whelpe shalt thou come vp from the spoyle my sonne he shall lye downe and couch as a Lyon and as a Lyonnesse who shall stir him vp The second member belonging vnto others is this that they which blesse thee shall bee blessed and such as curse thee shall be cursed A notable commendation of the Church encouragement to perswade others to be of the church As if hee should say So many as shal ioyne themselues of other people to thee and embrace the same holy Religion with thee for it shall in the fulnesse of time come to passe that God shall allure Iapheth to dwell in the tents of Shem. Gen. 9 27 shall be partakers of the same blessings with thee which GOD shall poure out vpon thee but all such as separate themselues from thee and shew themselues not brethren but strangers not friends but enemies not neighbours but aliens from thee shall lye vnder the fearfull curse and reuenge of God This is it which the Lord pronounced and promised long before to Abraham Gen. 12 2 3. This power did Balak before falsely ascribe to Balaam This is the drift of this diuision and the order that the Spirit of God obserueth therein Touching the instructions that