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.
Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God Our aduersaries teach that the Church is the supreame Iudge of the Scriptures and hath absolute authority to expound the same and by the Church they vnderstand the rabble of Priests and Iesuites and Cardinals and Councels and by them all at last the Pope whoe holds the Oracles of God shut vp in his brest whose iudgement also they hold to bee infallible so that he cannot erre Thus they will haue Scriptures Fathers Councels and the Church it selfe passe vnder the sentence of his Consistory Thus b Reason why the â—pists refuâ—â— the Scripâ—â—â—â— to be Iudâ—â— all controâ—â—â—sies they do partly because they know and their hearts condemne them that the greatest number of the causes controuersies debated between them and vs haue no foundation of the Scriptures to leane vpon and therefore must of necessity stagger fall downe c Andrad thod expliâ— vnlesse they bee supported by traditions and partly because they woulde make themselues Iudges in their owne cause which notwithstanding is against all Law of God and man For they disable the Scriptures from being the rule of our faith and cast them downe from the chaire of honour in which they were seated by the author of them and cast all power vpon the Church and then they define the d Bristo 〈◊〉 12. in maâ— Catholike Church to bee the Romane Church Rhem. annot in Rom. 1 8. and make the Catholike and Romane faith all one who seeth not heereby and smileth not at it that seeing the Church is made the rule of faith and their Romane Church the true catholike Church of Christ that they meane to stand to no iudgment but their own and bee iudged by no other Iudge but themselues and to receiue nothing for trueth but their owne opinions Indeed we cannot deny but they cast many shaddowes to blinde our eyes and pretend at euery word the Catholike Church but they meane nothing thereby but the Popes determination which verifieth in them the common Prouerbe Aske my fellow if I bee a theefe Thus they are made Iudges that are parties and partially referre all thinges vnto the tribunall of their owne iudgement Wee teach and affirme that the Holy Ghost and the Scripture it selfe haue chiefe authority to interprete the Scriptures the Scriptures must expound the Scriptures and out of themselues the meaning of them must be taken Our Sauiour teacheth a Iohn 5 47. that they which beleeue not Moses writings will not beleeue him The Apostle teacheth b Ephes 2 20 Wee are all built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himselfe beeing the Head-corner-stone in whom all the building is coupled together by the Spirite 2 Tim 3 15 and that the Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation Thus it is saide c Nehe. 8 8 that the Leuites read distinctly the Lawe to the people and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand it by the Scripture it selfe Thus did the men of Berea reade the Scriptures d Acts 17 11. and by them tried the Apostles doctrine whether those things were so or not So then we conclude that the iudgement of all men is vncertaine and doubtful that resteth vpon their sole authority and that the Scriptures are to bee expounded by the same Spirit whereby they were written for heereby onely we can know assuredly the vndoubted meaning of them and from hence we can appeale to no superior iudge Vse 3 Thirdly from this consideration of the Author of the Scriptures we haue a direction to the Minister what he must preach vnto the people not the inuentions of his owne braine not the conceits of his owne wit not the excellency of wordes not the entising speech of mans wisedome e 1 Cor 2 14 which Paul disclaimeth and disalloweth in his owne practise but he must come in the plaine eu dence of the Spirit and of power that the knowledge of God may be furthered and the conscience informed in the wayes of godlinesse He must deliuer nothing to the people but the pure and precious word of God hee must content himselfe with the simplicity thereof and bee able by the scriptures to warrant the doctrine that he deliuereth so that hee may truely say with the Prophets Thus saith the Lord. Thus doth the Apostle ground his doctrine as vpon a sure and certaine foundation f 1 Cor. 11 23 1 Corinth 11 23. I haue receiued from th Lorde that which I also haue deliuered vnâ—o you This doth the Apostle Peter require at his hands 1 Pet. 4. g 1 Pet. 4 11 If any man speake let him speake as the words of GOD. VVee see therefore what must be the matter and subiect of our Sermons and from whence as from a plentiful store-house we must furnish our selues not from Fathers or Councels or Doctors of the Church much lesse from Poets Philosophers Orators Historiographers to paint our exhortations with the flourishing colours of humane learning which may for a season tickle the eare and delight the outwarde man but can carry no weight to the Conscience nor transforme the inward man into the obedience of the will of God Such as seeke to please men that haue itching eares doe beate the aire and labour in vaine neither must they thinke to winne a souâ—e thereby to the knowledge of the Gospell This doth the Prophet Ieremy set downe chap. 23. h Iere 23 22 If they had stood in my counsell and had declared my words to my people then they should haue turned them from their euill waies and from the wickednesse of their inuentions Heere then we haue a direction what to do and in what manner to furnish our selues to the worke of the ministery wee must bee as good Stewards set ouer the Lords house to feede the family with bread not with wine with wholesome food not with chaffe that wee may discharge our duties with comfort and the people bee builded vppe in knowledge and obedience Lastly seeing God onely is the Author Vse 4 of the whole Scripture and of euery particular booke and branch contained therein which are the rule of our life and the foundation of our faith it belongeth as a speciall duty to the people of GOD to reade them to receiue them to study them to reuerence them to obey and keepe the doctrines deliuered in them forasmuch as they proceede from such an Author Wee learne to put a difference betweene the speeches of person and person and wee vse to giue better audience and greater reuerence vnto the word of a Prince then to others wee will not lose a worde willingly that commeth from his mouth and according to the Maiestie of the person so is our respect and so wee attend vnto him If one shoulde contemne a Prince and not regard him speaking vnto him hee would bee iudged worthy of death or of some sharpe and seuere punishment
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
men but the one hanged himselfe the others were smitten with sudden death at the voyce of Peter as with a thunderbolt so that they fell downe and neuer rose vp againe A iust reward of all such as haue a conscience gilt or rather guilty of the horrible sinne of hypocrisie If a man goe about to deceiue his neighbour how is he spoken against but if he goe about like a wretch to cosin his master or his father how doe all men point at him as a varlet and abhorre him as a beast God is our Master our Father our Husband our King all Titles of honour are due vnto him and too litle for him forasmuch as no dignity or excellency or superiority can be giuen vnto him but his Maiestie and honour surmounteth them all shall we then goe about to deceiue and circumuent him though wee could carry it away cunningly and not bee espied Know therefore that he detesteth all such wickednesse more then man doth the deceitfulnesse that is practised against himselfe The first example of hypocrisie that wee haue in the Scripture Gen 4 5. is Caine he came to the worship of God with his brother but because his heart was not vpright God had no respect vnto him nor to his offering no more then if hee had cut off a dogges necke Esay 66.3 or had offered swines flesh but reiected both his person and his oblation The like he speaketh to the Israelites that pleased themselues in outward ceremonies and turned the worship of God into a lie Ierem 7.8.9.10 11. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit will yee steale murther and commit adulterie and sweare falsely and burne incense vnto Baal and walke after other Gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my Name and say Wee are deliuered to doe all those abominations Is this house which is called by my Name become a denne of robbers in your eyes Behold euen I haue seene it saith the Lord c. Where wee see we cannot deceiue the eye of the Lord with a lie he knoweth our wicked hearts and will finde vs out to bring vs to shame in this life and to destruction in the life to come We may not dally with him wee cannot deceiue him notwithstanding all our windings and turnings and altering our selues into all shapes he will finde vs out to the contempt of our persons to the shame of our faces and to the astonishment of all that behold vs. Secondly seeing it is a speciall duty belonging Vse 2 vnto vs to yeeld obedience to the whole will of God and to all his commandements we haue from hence a preseruatiue from the poyson that is cast out against vs as it were dung in our faces to make vs deny the faith renounce our Religion and start backe from our most holy profession For seeing we must performe perfect obedience and not limited as we thinke good we haue direction how to serue him that hee may accept of vs and bee well pleased with vs. If then Satan the master of all mischiefe and the author of all confusion raise vp cursed instruments brought vp as cunning schollers in his owne schoole to scoffe at vs and to scorne at our obedience we must comfort our selues in the Lord and commit our selues to the word of his grace knowing that it is God who requireth this intire obedience at our hands and delighteth in such sacrifice as is without blemish Let it not trouble vs that we heare such slanderous words such false reportes and diuellish lies cast out against vs let vs commit our causes to him that iudgeth vprightly who will iustifie vs in the ende and condemne our enemies Let vs be able to say with the Prophet All this is come vpon vs Psal 44.17 yet haue we not forgotten thee neither haue we dealt falsely in thy couenant These are the dayes of sinne wherein iniquity hath already gotten the vpperhand and such as are truely religious are made a prouerbe God requireth of vs that we be pure but who are in greater disgrace then such as study after purity and true holinesse If we labor to leade our liues according to the Lawes of God wee shall bee vpbraided with Puritanisme and as the enemies of Daniel could finde no accusation against him Dan. 6.5 except they finde it against him concerning the Law of God so doe our enemies deale with vs when they can catch no aduantage against vs they picke a quarrell with vs about the Scriptures and our profession as if it were a shame to reade the Scriptures or a disgrace to follow after holinesse of life The Apostle teacheth Phil. 2.15 and 4.8 that wee must bee blamelesse and pure as the sonnes of God in the middes of a naughty and crooked nation among whom wee are to shine as lights in the world Philippians chapter 2.15 And againe Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are of good report think on these things Our Sauiour the author of our saluation and the finisher of our faith Matth. 5.8 pronounceth that the pure in heart are blessed Paul willeth his scholler Timothy to keepe himselfe pure and to take heed lest hee make himselfe partaker of other mens sinnes 1 Tim. 5.22 1 Tim. 5.22 and 2.8 and 3.9 He commandeth all men to pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting and to haue the mystery of faith in a pure conscience And in the second Epistle 2 Tim. 2.22 he chargeth him to fly the lusts of youth and to follow after righteousnesse faith loue and peace with them that call on the Lord with pure heart Heere we see what God requireth of vs and what he speaketh vnto vs this is his voyce that ought to sound euermore in our eares Be blamelesse be pure be the sonnes of God in the middes of a naughty nation blessed are the pure haue pure consciences pure hands pure hearts whatsoeuer things are pure and of good report thinke on them True it is there haue alwayes beene hypocrites in the Church Prou. 30.12 and there is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse Pro. 30.12 What then shall we whip their faults vpon the backes of those that are of no kinne vnto them For the faithfull though they haue in them many frailties and infirmities yet are washed by the blood of Christ and by the Spirit of God from their sins that they haue no dominion ouer them and exercise no kingdome in them Was it euer allowed in any court of Iustice and iudgment to take one for another to accuse one for another to condemne one for another It is the Law of God Ezek. 18.4 that euery soule should beare his owne sinne that neither the father should beare the iniquity of the sonne nor
Shepheard to leade them in greene pastures Mat. 9 36. Is it not a wofull miserable thing to see Satans kingdome flourish and to see him ruling in the hearts of men and as it were dancing in their soules No greefe or sorrow should be like vnto this to see so many thousands perish euerlastingly But there is no other way to destroy his kingdome to make him fall downe like lightening then to haue the glad tydings of the Gospell spread abroad in the earth Luke 10 42. Is it not a miserable thing to see a City besieged round about and to haue no watchman to watch it and giue warning of the approch of the enemy Who can doubt but such a City is neere to be taken and surprized God hath made the Ministers his watchmen they must blow the Trumpet Ezek. 3 18 and 33 9. and warne the wicked that they turne from their wickednesse and euill wayes and so dye not in their iniquity Is it not a grieuous thing to haue meate ready to putrifie and corrupt and yet want salt to season it The Ministers of the word are not onely the light of the world but also the salt of the earth Math. 5 13. without which the people are as vnsauoury flesh and stinking carrion in the nostrils of God or else what needed this salt Lastly is it not a miserable thing to be pittied of all men to stand vpon the shore and to see many ready to bee drowned and cast away To behold them tossed vp and downe with the waues and at euery blast of the winde like to be swallowed vp in the seas But thus it is with vs by nature we cannot chuse but perish except this meanes be prouided for vs as an Arke to saue vs. Alasse how many dead carkasses may wee see swimming and floating in the glassie sea of this world that haue no life in them This point is pointed out vnto vs in the vision that appeared to Paul in the night Acts 16.9 There sâ—â—od a man of Macedonia and praied him saying Come ouer into Macedonia and helpe vs whereby he gathered assuredly that the Lord had called him to preach the Gospel vnto theÌ„ There are many things may bring vs into misery are able to make vs miserable but the want of Gods word and the sauing hearing of it bringeth a misery of all miseries euen an heap of all miseries which are as it were included in one by the Spirit of God speaking of the estate of the ten Tribes that had driuen away the Priests of the Lord 2 Chr. 15 3. Now for a long season Israel hath beene without the true God without a teaching Priest and without law Where mark that the holy Ghost ioyneth these three together God the Priest and the Law they that were without a teaching Priest were also without God and he that is without God is without all those things that should doe him good The like we see in the 13. chapter of the same book where Abijah concludeth against Israel that they could not prosper because they had banished the Priests of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron from them and on the contrary he saith concerning himselfe and Iudah As for vs the Lord is our God and wee haue not forsaken him 2 Chr. 13 10 and the Priests which minister vnto the Lord are the sonnes of Aaron and the Leuites waite vpon their businesse Verse 12. and afterward Behold God himselfe is with vs for our Captaine and his Priests with sounding Trumpets to cry alarme against you O children of Israel fight yee not against the Lord God of your Fathers for you shall not prosper If then wee would haue God to be with vs we must bee content to accept and make account of his Ministers if we cast them out with contempt from vs we say to the Lord also Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies Iob 21 14 15. who is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profite should wee haue if we pray vnto him Iob 21 14 15. Likewise the Prophet complaining of the desolation of the Sanctuary Psal 74 9. saith Wee see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among vs any that knoweth how long It was a great punishment inflicted vpon Caine to be driuen from the face of God Gen. 4 14 also vpon Agar Ismael the bond-woman and her sonne to bee cast out of the house of Abraham which was the Church of God Gen. 21 14 21. For that is as much as to bee separated from God to be banished from the word to be separated from his kingdome The Ministers are the guides to leade vs the way without them wee cannot but wander out of the way we are blind vnderstand nothing they open our eyes that we may see the truth Acts 8 31 and 26 18. â—he second â—proofe Secondly this reprooueth the vaine conceite and proud imagination of their hearts who hauing learned the principles of religioÌ„ and some grounds of knowledge proceed no further as if they had no more vse of the word whereas there is matter of instruction alwaies to be learned out of the word for all persons When wee haue eaten one kinde of meat one day we eate the next day as hungerly of it as we did before So ought we to come to the great Supper that God hath made vs againe and againe alwaies hungring and thirsting after the same This is most certaine and set it down as a most true rule the more knowledge we haue the more still we desire knowledge the greater our faith is the more we desire to haue it strengthened It is our daily praier that God would giue vs our daily bread Math 6 11. how much more then ought wee to craue at Gods hand the gift of spirituall food belonging to our soules that wee may be nourished to eternall life He is a foolish builder that when he hath begun to builde and laid the foundation giueth ouer Luk. 14 29. and neuer proceedeth to finish the worke but suffereth all men that passe by to laugh at him There is no people ought to be without the ministery it must alwaies remain among them that it may build them vp forward Eph. 4 13. and finish that which is begun Till wee all come in the vnity of faith and the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Would we haue it saide of vs and obiected against vs This man began to build but was not able to make an end This man laide his hand to the plough but now he standeth still and looketh backe There is as great vse to be made of the word after wee are conuerted to the faith regenerated by the Spirit of God as when we first beleeued They theÌ„ are greatly deceiued that being puffed vp with an
we dye vnto sin rise againe vnto newnesse of life Thirdly by the vse of the Sacraments which require both the former points to wit faith and repentance The fift sect were the Essees Essees who are not spoken off in the Gospel because they retired and withdrew themselues from the society of men They despised marriage and liued without the company of women They had no children of their owne but they adopted as their owne such as voluntarily came vnto them Ioseph antiq li. 18. cap. 2. de bel Iudai lib. 2. cap. 7. and betooke themselues to their sect in regard whereof they continued for many generations and neuer failed These were like the Anchorites that liued in the wildernesse and chusing a solitary life sequestred themselues from the company of others These Essees were as it were Popish Monkes and the Monkes were a kind of Iewish Essees and both of them chose a manner of liuing not allowed of God For he neuer appointed that any of the godly should renounce abiure marriage which the Scripture pronounceth to be honourable in all and the bed vndefiled Hebr. 13 4. Hee neuer allowed them to hide themselues in caues or cloysters voluntarily or to institute new rules and lawes that he neuer commanded Nay Christ commandeth his Disciples to obserue whatsoeuer he commanded them Mat. 28 20. The Scripture commendeth to vs the workes of charity Iames 1 27 and requireth of vs to doe good to all men and forbiddeth to separate our selues from the communion of Saints Heb. 10 25. The more good we doe to our brethren the more we please God but these chuse a kinde of life wherein they can do little or no good to others To whom it may be saide Who required this at your hands The sixt sect among the Iewes were the Herodians Herodians which are mentioned in the Scriptures Math. 22 16. Mar. 3 6 and 12 13. who were indeed of the Iewish religioÌ„ but thoght Herod to be Christ because the Scepter was departed from Iudah and the Lawgiuer from betweene his feet when Herod obtained the title and power of a King and ruled ouer the people of God But the prophesies that went before of the Messiah can in no sort agree to Herod nor to any but to Christ Iesus For the Messiah promised by the Prophets must not be a forraigner but one of the Iewes for saluation is of the Iewes Iohn 4. Iohn 4 22. He must be of the Tribe of Iuda and of the stocke of Dauid Psal 110 1. He must be borne at Bethlehem borne of a virgin c none of which can agree to this alien or counterfeit Christ These then were such as depending vpon Herod had made a mixture of religion partly from the Pagans and partly from the Iewes as also the Samaritans had done long before Lastly another sect among them were the Nazarens Nazaraei who in al other things were Iewes but held it vnlawfull to kill any liuing thing or to eate the flesh of any thing wherein the spirit of life had beene they condemned the bloody sacrifices appointed in Moses Law and therefore could not be induced to thinke that so good a man as Moses was the Author of those bookes that beare that title passe as current vnder his name These Iewish Nazarens are a kinde of paganish Pithagoreans and the paganish Pithagoreans are a kinde of Iewish Nazarens True it is Ouid. Metamorp lib. 15. many are of opinion that flesh was not eaten vntill the flood but they were held as Sectaries that held it afterward to be vnlawfull Yea whether it were euer forbidden from the fall to the flood is altogether vncertaine rather it may be thought that GOD permitted the free vse of cleane beasts for meat Flesh eaten before the flood as wel as for sacrifice then that mankinde was restrained from them the space of more then sixteene hundred yeares for so long it was vnto the flood It is confessed that it was lawfull to offer them in Sacrifice and then why not to eate them Especially considering there were other kinde of sacrifices wherein the sacrificer and the bringer of the sacrfice had his part as wel as the whole burnt offering which was all consumed Abel is renowned in scripture that he offered the first fruite of his Sheepe Heb. 11 4 Gen. 4 4. and the fattest of the fold but it had bin a small praise for him to offer the firstlings the fatlings if they were such as himselfe had no vse off if he were not accustomed to eate of them It had beene all one to him to offer the fat or the leane the first or the last the weake or the strong the male or the female But heerein no doubt he is commended that he preferred the seruice of God before his owne priuate vse and benefit which verifieth the saying of the Apostle Who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke And who can deny 1 Cor. 9 7. but he had as faire a warrant to feed himselfe with the flesh as to cloathe himselfe with the wooll of his sheepe And if it be lawfull to kill them for apparel sake how can we thinke it standeth with the will and counsell of God to haue the flesh cast away inasmuch as Christ in the Gospel commanded his Disciples to gather vp the broken meate Iohn 6 12. that nothing at all bee lost Againe if the eating of flesh had bene forbidden so long the earth would in that space haue yeelded such aboundance of encrease that the cattell would haue annoied mankind and consumed the fruites that should haue nourished themselues The Lord promiseth it as a mercy toward the Israelites that he would not destroy the Canaanites before them Deut. 7 22. Lest the beasts of the field should increase vpon them For these helped to destroy them and did eate the vncleane as swine and such like both which by their multitudes might haue beene an annoyance vnto the people of God But there was greater feare of ouerspreading the earth with heards of cattell as with swarmes of bees before the flood if man had not beene permitted to feed of them and so to diminish the number of them Thirdly wee reade in the Scripture some footsteps albeit darke and obscure whereby to trace out this truth seruing as markes to giue vs light in this matter for the beasts were killed and man was clothed with their skinnes Gen. 3.21 Why then might he not as well eate them as kil them and clothe himselfe with them Besides there was euen from the beginning a difference betweene cleane and vncleane beasts â—en 7.2 long before the flood not only in regard of sacrifice but also in respect of common eating as appeareth in the reuiuing of this law afterward Leuit. 11.47 That there may be difference betweene the cleane and vncleane and betweene the beast that may be eaten and the beast
the ground the heresie and impiety of the Anabaptists who vtterly euert all orders and ordinances that God hath established both in the Church and common-wealth and in stead thereof bring in all confusions and tumults into the world For the end of Magistracy is not wrongfull vsurpation ouer others tyranny and oppression of mankind as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord 〈◊〉 10.9 grew thus to be great but that wee should leade a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 They then that abolish Magistracy ouerturne peace concord honesty and piety inasmuch as the Magistrate is the preseruer and maintainer of all these and when there is no king in Israel euery man will presume to doe what he list and who shall controll him Hence it is that all Christians are oftentimes called vpon to performe obedience to the ciuil Magistrate the higher power â— 13.1.2 â— 2.13 14 both to the king as to him that is supreme and vnto gouernors as vnto them that are sent by him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well We must therefore detest those Libertines who hold that Christians need no Magistrates but that euery man should be a law vnto himself and not be controlled by any other how wretchedly soeuer he liue how vniustly soeuer he deale how prophanely soeuer he walke Neuerthelesse though these be most madde and monstrous opinions yet these monsters will not seeme to be madde without reason as we haue declared elsewhere in sundry places First they say all Christians are the Lords freemen â—ction and therefore must not bee brought vnder the subiection of any 1 Cor. 7.22 23. I answere â—er liberty is twofold outward and inward or bodily and spirituall For seruants may be freemen and freemen may bee seruants â—l freeâ—e and â—age Ciuill freedome is a right or power resting in the person to doe according to his owne purpose and pleasure without being forbidden or hindred and interrupted by any other Contrariwise seruitude or bondage is a depriuing of one from this right whereby he is bound to liue according to the discretion of another and to do as he is enioyned and appointed by another so that he cannot liue as he list There is besides this another kind of freedome bondage â—stian liâ— and â—tude which is wholly spirituall This is a freedome of the faithful from the wrath of God from the power of Satan from the dominion of sinne from the curse of the Law from the kingdome of darkenesse from the terrours of eternal death as also from the burden of ceremonies and the bondage of humane traditions obtained to vs purchased for vs through Christ Iesus This is called Christian liberty the freedome of the spirit the freedome of the Lord and of Christ and such like Now there is also a Christian seruitude not contrary to this freedome or opposed against it but set vnder it and well agreeing vnto it which is an obligation wherby we are tyed to serue God in holinesse and righteousnes On the otherside the bondage that is contrary to this freedome bondage of the spirit is the slauery and captiuity vnder sinne and Satan and therefore called the bondage of the flesh of sinne and of vnrighteousnesse This seruitude is damnable and more to be shunned and eschewed then to be taken captiue of tyrants and to be holden of them in a deepe dungeon or in a close prison or in chaines of yron From this it is that the Scripture disswadeth and discourageth vs Rom. 6.21 because the end of it is death Some of the Philosophers of the strictest sect Cicer. parad 5. maintained this assertion and opinion that Onely the wise are free and that all fooles are slaues This hath beene accounted an hard saying Onely the wise are freemen and all fooles are slaues and a strange position but it is most true in the Church of God For such as know God and beleeue in Iesus Christ his sonne are truely wise and truly free free I meane from sin and death euen the freemen of God and of Christ Ioh. 8.36 according to that saying in the Euangelist Iohn If the Sonne shall make you free then ye shall be free indeed whereas al infidels and wicked ones are fooles and seruants of the flesh yea bond seruants of sinne and death This distinction between freedome of the body of the conscience being retained wil shut the mouthes of all those enemies that reason against Magistracy vnder this colour because we are the Lords freemen Forasmuch as we haue shewed how farre we are free how far we are not free what freedome God hath giuen and what he hath not giuen Secondly Obiect they pretend that the iust neede no lawes to guide them or restraine them but are a law vnto themselues Tim. 1.9 The Apostle teacheth that the law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawles disobedient for the vngodly and for sinners for the vnholy and prophane c. I answer Answer this sauoreth rankly of the Nouatian heresy for no man is wholly or perfectly iust as these suppose but they leaue many good things vndone and they do many euill things so that in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 therefore we stand in need of the law to admonish vs to teach vs to reproue vs to threaten vs yea to curse vs and condemne vs and so to vrge vs to that which is good For who is so righteous reformed that he needeth not the law to be a spurre vnto him to be clapped in his sides to helpe him or who runneth so swiftly that he needeth not some encouragement to amend his pace And if the law of God were not made against theÌ„ yet it is for them their benefit And if they should commit no euill in all their life yet they might suffer much wrong iniury from the hands of others wanting the defence of the Law to protect them So then the Law in some respect was giuen to the iust man and in some respect it was not So farre as he is regenerate by the Spirit of God he obeyeth the wil of God cheerefully and willingly and so needeth not the Law but so farre as he is in part vnregenerate and sinneth daily he standeth in great need of it The Apostle hath to doe with false prophets which maintained and taught that the Law was necessary and sought iustification by it This he reprooueth and reiecteth in two respects First touching iustification which wee cannot attaine by the law but must seeke it in Christ Secondly touching the rigour of the law and the commination annexed vnto it which serueth to terrifie the vngodly Obiection 3 Thirdly they say they need no protectour but the Lord he it is that keepeth Israel that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth He is our buckler and shield that we want not the help
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
better then of our selues through lowlinesse of minde Phil. 2 3. â—â—nches of 〈◊〉 vse This vse is as a stocke that hath many branches and disperseth it selfe diuers and sundry waies First of all we are willed to reioyce and be glad when the pleasant sauour of our brothers good name as a precious sweet ointment to the nostrils commeth abroad to his praise and commendation To heare euill of him should no more affect vs and delight vs then an euill smell which we abhorre and cannot abide but shunne it as farre as we can and testifie our dislike of it We are to be glad for the credite and good estimation of our neighbour This is a most worthy and principall fruite of the Spirit set downe by the Apostle Gal. 5. ver 22. The fruite of the Spirit is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance against such there is no law And in the Epistle to the Romanes he thanketh God for them all because their faith was spread abroad throughout the whole world Rom. 1 8. In like manner Iethro the father in law of Moses came vnto him in the wildernesse and reioyced for all the goodnesse which the Lord had done to Israel when he had deliuered them out of the hand of the Egyptians and brought them ouer the red sea Exod. 18 9. So it ought to bee with vs wheÌ„soeuer any good befalleth others we ought to account it as our owne as wee haue our part in the profite of it so ought we to reioyce for it It is so in the members of our naturall body and it should likewise be so in the members of the mysticall body of Christ Iesus Secondly wee are bound to acknowledge the good things we see in our neighbours and to speake of the same The Apostle warneth vs that we should speake euill of no man Tit. 3 2. For this is vnseemely and vnlawfull for them that professe the faith of Christ and the feare of God Which reproueth those that in company of others at common feasts meetings make many of their brethren their tabletalke and defame them with their euill reports The Apostle speaking of Timothy noteth that the brethren reported well of him Acts 16 2. prouided alwaies that we allow not of the faults offences that are in them as 2 Chron. 25 2 27 2. Contrary to this duty are many abuses which wee are to consider First to hide the good things that are in them and to smother and conceale them as fire is raked vp in the ashes or a treasure buried in the earth or a pearle cast into the Sea Secondly to forge tales to their hurt and discredite whom the Apostle calleth inuenters of euill things Rom. 1 verse 29. This is to haue Satan in our heads Thus doe many inuent wickednesse in their beds and put it in practise when they arise These haue not God in their thoughts Thirdly to receiue and beleeue them being inuented by others without ground and warrant whereas we should not credite flying tales vncertaine rumors and reports without iust and sufficient cause though it be bruted and blazed neuer so commonly confidently and constantly When a fame ariseth vpon one mans report and relation or peraduenture more it may proceed from an euill minde or some priuate grudge or hatred of his person or dislike of his profession or other secret cause and therefore it ought to moue vs to see farther to search deeper into the cause before we beleeue the matter as Exod. 23.1 Thou shalt not raise a false report put not thy hand with the wicked to be an vnrighteous witnesse To this purpose Dauid said to Saul Wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens words that say behold Dauid seeketh euill against thee Such men haue the diuell in their hearts that beleeue and in their eares that heare with delight such slanderous words Thirdly to spread abroad lying and flying tales inuented heard and beleeued Thus one euill draweth forward another and maketh no end vntill all be euill and one mischiefe followeth in the necke of another is fruitefull in begetting children like vnto it selfe This sinne is made the more greeuous hainous when we heare tales and taunts begun and furthered by others and our selues adde somewhat of our owne as same for the most part encreaseth by going euery foote getteth new strength as we see 2 Sam. 13 ver 32. When Absolom had encouraged his seruants to kill Amnon his brother because he had defiled and defloured his sister Tamar tydings by and by came to Dauid Verse 30. saying Absolom hath siaine all the Kings sonnes and there is not one of them left See heerein our great corruption and take notice of it and seeke to redresse and represse it euery day more and more We are ready to detract from our brethren in good things and contrariwise to adde vnto them and to ouerlade them with euill things Thus we will seeme to know more of them and to see farther into them theÌ„ they do themselues Wherefore Moses deliuereth this as a warning vnto vs Leuit. 19 16. Thou shalt not goe vp and downe as a tale-bearer among thy people neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour I am the Lord. The diuell is in the tongues of those that tell these tales and in their feete that walke vp and downe with theÌ„ from place to place from person to person from house to house For this cause Salomon saith Pro. 26 20. Where no wood is there the fire goeth out so where there is no talebearer the strife ceaseth The third branch of the vse is this that we are bound to keepe secret the offence of our neighbour and not to blaze it abroad if by priuate admonition he may be won So delt Ioseph with Mary when he perceiued that she was with child Math. 1 19. He would not make her a publike example But it may be obiected Obiection that by this meanes wee shall make our selues partakers of other mens sinnes I answer Answer no man must flatter another in euill for thereby he hurteth his soule and hardeneth his heart Salomon saith Prou. 27 6. Faithfull are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitfull This is a greeuous sinne in any but more greeuous in the Minister and doth the greatest harme Heereupon the Apostle speaketh of himselfe and the rest of the Ministers 1 Thess 2. Wee vsed not at any time flattering words as ye know nor a cloake of couetousnesse God is witnesse And in another Epistle writing of such as caused diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine of Christ hee saith They that are such serue not the Lord but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceiue the hearts of the simple Rom. 16 18. Of such also the Lord complaineth by his Prophet Ier. 6 14. They haue healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying peace
as we haue noted in sundry particulars before We sinne against God because we resist and withstand his will whose pleasure it is that wee bring forth the fruites of sanctification wee pollute and prophane the holie ordinance of Matrimony wee make the members of Christ the members of an harlot and so seeke to draw as much as in vs lyeth our blessed Sauiour into a filthy fellowship of our sinne Down Lectur on Hos 4 2. we defile the Temples of the holie Ghost and turne them into stewes Against our neighbour because this sinne is not committed alone but we draw some other to be partakers with vs in the same wickednesse punishment we sin against the wife or husband of the married-party whom we wrong in the cheefest treasure possession that she or he hath we sinne against the fruite of our owne body whom we disgrace brand with a note of perpetuall infamy which for the most part proue a degenerate brood through want of good-education and especially thorough the secret iudgement of God we sin against our owne families which wee oftentimes ouer-turne by defiling of them turn our houses into stewes we sin against the Cities societies kingdomes where we abide because we defile the land and cause it to vomit out the inhabitants we sinne against the church of God both by hindering the propagation thereof Malach 2 â—5 which encreaseth by an holye seed and by causing it to be euill spoken of by others as if it wer a company of vnclean persons Against our selues because we make our bodies the instruments of sin and sathan we weaken them and make them subiect to diuers diseases and we plunge soules bodies into the pit of hell which burneth with fire and brimstone Such then as are adulterers do not goe into hell alone they carry other company with them If then the iudgements of pouerty beggery infamy infirmity folly and impenitency will not mooue vs to make conscience of this sin yet let this preuail with vs that thereby we destroy our owne soules and exclude our selues from his presence Let vs threfore be watchful ouer our own wayes let vs pull vp the roote of this sinne and all other of the same sort and mortifie the deedes of the flesh Col. 3 5. Let vs cut off all occasions that may draw vs to them as surfetting drunkennesse idlenesse wantonnesse prophane company and such like And aboue all these things let vs obserue these three things First let vs remember that as God is holie so he requireth an holy people to serue him It is his wil that we liue in sanctification so that without holinesse no man can see God or haue fellowship with him Heb. 12. Secondly we must learne to feare God in his word and mark the commandement that forbiddeth adulterie Nothing maketh vs to fall into sinne but the forgetting of the Law which saith thou shalt not sin This stayed vp Ioseph in a strong tentation which being yeelded vnto did set before him a faire shew and goodly traine of all pleasures profits honors but being withstood did threaten him with a multitude of miseries hatred pouerty sorow shame imprisonment destruction and death it selfe yet he eschewed the sin by this means Shal I do this Genesis â—5 3â— and sin against God The word of God must be made our wisedome and direction our guide and our counsellor it is able to deliuer vs froÌ„ the stranger that flatteteth with her wordes This is it that Salomon setteth before vs My sonne keepe thy fathers commandements Prou. 6 â—â— â— 23 24. and forsake not the law of thy mother binde them continually vpon thine heart and tie them about thy necke c. For the Commandement is a lamp and the Law is light c. to keepe thee from the euill woman from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman He teacheth that the lips of a strange woman drop as an hony combe and that her mouth is smoother then oyle but her end is bitter as worme-wood and sharpe as a two-edged sword how then shall we bee deliuered from her if the word of truth bee not in our mouthes and that which is more in our hearts to rule and reforme vs and to order our pathes aright Such as are ignorant of the word are soonest ouer-taken and they that haue not the loue and power of it dwelling in them The foolish woman that sitteth at the doore of her house and calleth the passengers that goe right in their waies Prou. 4 â— maketh choyse of such as are simple and want vnderstanding to turne in vnto her Lastly let vs keepe inuiolable the Couenant of marriage made in the presence of God of Angels and of men let the married persons make one another the delight of their eyes and the ioy of their hearts and be carefull to performe the duties they owe one to another And as the vnlawful impure coniunction of man and woman is detested of God so is holy matrimony euer accepted of him and adorned with many blessings and crowned with a continual supply of the fruits of his loue and fauour The Prophet sayeth Blessed is euery one that feareth the Lord walketh in his waies 〈◊〉 28 1 2 for thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands happy shalt thou be and it shal be well with thee thy wife shall bee as a fruitfull Vine by the sides of thine house thy children like Oliue plants round about thy table behold that thus shal the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Riches are the inheritance of parents but a prudent wife is a speciall gift of God and wee receiue her as at his hands The Apostle doth beautifie it with an honorable title when he calleth it honorable in all It is the spirit of error which calleth that vncleane which God hath sanctified Adultery is foule and vncleane but the marriage bed is vndefiled Damnable then is the decree of Pope Syricius that marriage it selfe is the pollution of the flesh that the married cannot please God Diuellish also is the law of forced chastity restraining some orders and degrees from it whereas to auoid fornication euery man is commaÌ„ded to haue his owne wife and euery woman her owne husband 22 And when he hath made her to drinke the water then it shall come to passe that if she be defiled and haue done a trespasse against her husband that the water that causeth the curse shal enter into her and become bitter and her belly shall swell and her thigh shall rot and the woman shall bee a curse among her people 28 And if the womaÌ„ be not defiled but be clean then she shal be free and shall conceiue seed Wee haue shewed already that in setting downe this law of triall Moses obserueth 3. things First the cause is propounded Secondly the question and controuersie is determined And lastly the euent of the whole is deliuered The two former haue bene
aske sparingly and he bestoweth liberally yea he giueth freely that which we durst not hope for This we see in Iacob Genes 48 11. When Ioseph came with his two sonnes to visite his sicke Father hee saide vnto him I had not thought to see thy face and loe God hath shewed mee thy seede O the greatnesse of Gods goodnesse vnto vs How vnspeakable are his mercies How infinite is his louing kindnes O well shall it bee with vs if we bee euer mindefull of it and neuer forget any of his benefites For seeing he is rich in his mercies towards let vs not vs bee poore in our praises towards him Christ hath spent himselfe vpon vs let vs not bee sparing to giue our selues vnto him againe Let vs follow the example of Iacob who was in the earnestnesse of his affection carried into an admiration of Gods fauour towardes him and breaketh out into a thankesgiuing for his benefites as if hee had saide That which I neuer thought would haue come to passe nay that which seemed to mee desperate and vnpossible God hath offered to mee in wonderfull manner beyond my expectation I iudged my son lost but I haue found him dead but I haue receiued him aliue So let vs take pleasure and delight in his mercies let vs confesse them in words and let vs praise his power set forth his goodnes toward vs. Let vs theÌ„ be ashamed of our own sluggishnes seeing God is more willing to bestow theÌ„ we to receiue he is more ready to shew compassion vpon vs then we to be freed froÌ„ our misery 〈◊〉 His grace is more plentiful then our praier for he giueth vs more then we ask The theefe on the crosse no sooner desired of the Lord to remeÌ„ber him when he came into his kingdome but immediately hee receiued this answer Verily Luke 2â— I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise which containeth more then he was bold to aske We need not then feare any excesse in faith or that we should beleeue more then he wil bestow forasmuch as his fauour goeth beyond our faith who hath his hand open to giue before our mouth is open to speake vnto him 29 This is the Law of iealousies when a wife goeth aside to another in stead of her husband and is defiled 30 Or when the spirit of iealousie commeth vpon him and he be iealous ouer his wife and shall set the woman before the Lord and the Priest shall execute vpon her all this law 31 Then shall the man be guiltlesse from iniquitie and the woman shall beare her iniquity Hitherto hath beene handled the setting downe of the Law We haue heard the cause propounded and resolued examined and determined Now we come to the conclusion of the whole matter and the winding vp of the sentence touching the woman suspected of adultery which is two fold one belonging to the man the other to the woman The man shal be free from sinne the woman shall beare her iniquitie â—ction Heere the question may be asked whether it be lawfull in our dayes for the husband to make tryal of his wife whoÌ„ he suspecteth of adultery may he attempt to discouer openly what she hath done secretly I answere there is no such law now in force neither may we giue way to any such practise therefore it cannot be allowed as lawfull This action commenced against the wife â—achi 〈…〉 b. cannot want sinne and hath an euill foundation Wee that liue in the light of the New Testament who haue more reuealed vnto vs then was made known in the time of the Law must know that no such thing is permitted vnto vs. What then will some say shall the husband suffer his wife to doe what shee list and must he be a baud vnto her or be constrained to take all patiently or shall he bee driuen to see all and to say nothing I answer if the crime be knowne God hath prouided in his law to deale seuerely with such Leuit. 18. and Christian Magistrates must take away euill out of Israel But if it be secret they are to wait with patience vntill God reueale it and bring it to the open light No man may rashly suspect his wife of adultery or call her name into question or raise an euill report of her but labor to keepe her within the bounds of her calling that on the other side shee may learne to loue him and to reuerence him Verse 29. This is the Law of iealousies We are come to the conclusion of this matter to wit of the law of iealousies We haue heard euery part of it we haue expounded euery circumstance we haue considered euery branch of it True it is we haue no vse of the practise of it The bitter waters are not now to be drunken the earthen vessell hath no more place the iealousie offering of memoriall is abolished the vncouering of the womans head is ceassed and the whole manner of tryall is abrogated Neuerthelesse albeit the whole law bee ended yet the same God remaineth the searcher of all hearts bearing the same hatred to all sinne which he did before and hath the like loue to innocency which he had before What is it that moueth to the committing of the sin of adultery but the hope to hide it This bewitcheth the vngodly and leadeth them to destruction when they dream that God is like vnto them This is a vaine conceit and foolish opinion because we see how the Lord himselfe taketh vpon him to discouer it and to be reuenged of those that shall presume to breake the band of wedlock which he hath made This was the purpose of this law to shew that the Lord taketh vpon him not only the knowledge reuealing and punishing of this sinne euen when it is most secretly committed without witnesse of any other man yea or certain knowledge from the husband himselfe or any confession of the party that had done it but also the defence and cleering of the innocent woman being oppressed vexed and ouer-burdened with the vniust iealousie of her suspicious husband He might present his wife whether she were guilty or not guilty before the Priest vnto that tryall which God had appointed and established to that end among them to auoid thereby a greater mischiefe After which matter solemnized with all the ceremonies and circumstances therof if the woman were defiled indeed then should her belly swell and her thighes rot if shee were not defiled then should she not only be free from this punishment but also be blessed with fruitfulnesse as a reward of her innocency and a recompence of the iniury done vnto her and a cleering of her good name which had euilly beene called into question Wee learne from hence that all secret sinnes Doctrine All secret sins are knowne to God hidden from men are knowne vnto God and nothing is hidden from him Howsoeuer many sinnes be committed very secretly and caryed closely
fully and freely attend and intend the learning of the Law and giue themselues to the contemplation and consideration of the workes and wayes of God and of godlinesse separated and sequestred themselues for a time wholly from the company and conuersation of men resigning vp themselues into the hands of God and seeking to cut off all occasions whatsoeuer that might quench their zeale and hinder their deuotion Secondly the publike sanctification of the whole Church whereof God is the authour Moses the teacher and the interpreter This is the summe of this Chapter Touching the former point handled in the 21. first verses which is concerning the vow of the Nazarites before we come to the matter it selfe it shall not be amisse for the farther declaration and demonstration thereof to remooue two doubts that stand in the way arising the one from the diuers acceptation of the word the other from the distinction of the seuerall kindes of this vow Touching the seuerall significations of the word The word Nazarite is diuersly taken lest we be deceiued by the ignorance thereof we must vnderstand that there are foure acceptations of it distinct the one from the other Some are called Nazarites some Nazarens others Nasarites which words because they are oftentimes by diuers confounded as if they were all one and the same it is needfull to haue them distinguished aright the one from the other The Nazarites of whom wee haue mention in this place haue their name of separation and are written by the letter Zain Iunij paral lib. 1. c. 8. Analys in Numer these by obseruation of certaine ceremonies of which we shall speake more particularly afterward dedicated themselues vnto God in a more holy manner then the common sort The second sort called Nazarens or Nazarites are distinguished from the former and written with the letter Tsadi and so to be called Natsarites or Natsarens so named of the word Netzer which is oftentimes vsed by the Prophets and signifieth properly a branch growing out of the roots of trees frō whence the Syriack word Notzera or Notzerath or Natzerath is deriued and thereof commeth the name of the City or Village of Nazareth in Galilee Danaeus comment in August de haeres because it was situate in a place planted with store of trees and flowers as Danaeus testifieth out of Bernard Now Christ our Sauiour being conceiued and brought vp in this place is in the New Testament called a Nazarene Matthew chap. 2. verse 23. and Iesus of Nazareth Ioh. 19.19 Act. 2.22 and 3. 6. Matth. 26.76.71 Mar. 1.24 and 10.47 and 14.67 and 16.6 Luk. 4.34 18.37 24.19 Act. 4.10 and 16.14 and 10-38 and 22.8 and 26.9 From hence also the disciples of Christ were first called Nazarites but afterward they were called Christians Acts 11.26 at Antioch which professed the faith of Christ and the doctrine of the Gospel The third kind of Nazarites differeth from both the former both in the originall of the word and in wanting warrant from the authority of the Scriptures For they are otherwise written thē the other were to wit with the letter S and are deriued from the Syriack word Nesar which signifieth to cut off or to abolish because they helde that the bookes of Moses and the Prophets howsoeuer they carried their names were fained and counterfeit things and withall maintained it to be vnlawfull to kill any liuing thing Epiphan lib. 1. haeres 18. or to eate of the flesh of any creature wherein the spirit of life had bin and consequently condemned the bloody sacrifices prescribed in the Law The fourth and last sort of those whom Eusebius remembreth among the Ebionites Euseb lib. 6. histor Ecclesi cap. 17. howbeit others reckon and range them among other heretiks did after a sort beleeue in Christ and acknowledged him to be the promised Messiah for as the former sort were Iewes so these would bee accounted Christians D. Field of the Church lib 5. cap. 7. howbeit they taught that the ceremonies of the law of Moses were necessary to saluation and thereby did couertly and cunningly ouerthrow the liberty of the Gospel againe they boasted of their false miracles and priuate reuelations as the Anabaptists doe in these last dayes Now as Christ our Sauiour was commonly called Iesus of Nazareth so to be called Nazarites after his name as Christians of Christ was at the first receiued as a name of praise and commendation howsoeuer the vnbeleeuing Iewes and Gentiles vsed or rather abused it as appeareth Acts 24.5 Where Tertullus the declayming Oratour accuseth Paul to be a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarens and therefore these heretikes gloryed and boasted in that name as in a name and note of honor as the fittest which they found as with a veile to hide and with a cloude to couer the poison and pestilence of their damnable sect who vnder the colour of the Christian religion did indeed decline and depart from the true doctrine of Christ Luk. 1.26 Thus much of the names of the Nazarites the first whereof is of such as are mentioned in the old Testament the second of such as are expressed in the new so named of Nazareth a City of Galilee the third of those that altogether abrogated and abolished the old Testament the fourth of such as taught that Christians were bound to obserue the ceremonies of Moses These two last haue no footesteps in the Scriptures but they are found in Ecclesiasticall histories Hauing thus opened the name let vs consider the seueral kinds of these Nazarites mentioned in the first place They are of two sorts Two kinds 〈◊〉 Nazarites first such as were Nazarites by commandement secondly such as were Nazarites by vow Now both these kinds were such among the Iewes as were separated from the rest of the people to a more strict and pure course of seruing God then others were of which the Prophet speaketh in the Lamentations chap. 4.7 Her Nazarites were more pure then snow they were whiter then milke they were more ruddy in bodie then rubies their polishing was of Saphir By commandement were such as God from the beginning did extraordinarily call to that solemne profession of a special holinesse These were perpetuall Nazarites whose separation from the common sort by a stricter kinde of life continued all the dayes of their life Of this sort we haue sundry examples some in the old Testament and some in the New In the Old we haue first the example of Sampson then of Samuel and afterward the Rechabites Concerning Sampson we reade that the Angel of God appeared to the wife of Manoah his mother Iudg. 13 3◠and 16.17 and said to her Behold now thou art barren but thou shalt conceiue and beare a son and now drinke no wine nor strong drinke neither eate any vncleane thing for the childe shall be a Nazarite to God from the wombe vnto the day of his death and afterward
hence if wee consider the persons to whom this commādement was giuen For this solemne forme is set not for the simple sort or the most ignorant amongst the people neither appointed to bee vsed within the walles of a priuate house or within the doores of a secret chamber as if it might be ashamed or blush to come abroad but it was appointed to be pronounced by the priests to be vttered not in a corner but in the Congregation of the people and in the Tabernacle of the Lord before many witnesses Now if there were any able of themselues to conceiue a prayer as the Spirit of GOD should giue vtterance and ability vndoubtedly they were the Priests of the Lord Malach. 2 ◠whose lips must preserue knowledge and the people must seeke the law at their mouthes yet are they both allowed and prescribed to follow a set form in blessing the people Moses a great prophet like to whom did not any arise after him to whom the Lord spake face to face Deutro 34 10. was well enabled to pray without a prescript forme whose prayers were so powerfull and effectuall that they preuailed more then all attempt and resistance made by the bodies of men against their enemies Exod. 17 11. 32 10. nay they after a sort bound the handes of God as with chaines that hee might not destroy them after their Idolatry Exod. 32 10. yet did this great prophet vse set formes of praier at their marching forward and at their standing stil for when the Tabernacle remooued and the Arke set forward he said Numb 10 35 36. Rise vp Lord and let thine enemies bee scattered let them that hate thee fly before thee And when it rested he said Returne O Lord vnto the thousand thousands of Israel Let not vs seek nor seeme to be better thē he was whose giftes were greater then ours are yet hee did not refuse to vse or thinke it vnlawfull to practise this vniforme order in prayer Paul was rapt into the third heauen he saw Christ in his glory 1 Cor. 9 1. and heard vnspeakeable words which it is not lawfull for a man to vtter 2 Cor. 12 4. and who was able to pray better then he yet he vsed alwaies one manner of salutation in the beginning of all his Epistles crauing grace and peace from GOD the Father and he ended with a like conclusion The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you Rom. 1 7. 16 20. 1 Cor. 1 3. and 16 23 2 Cor. 1 2. 13 14. Gal. 1 3. 6 18. Eph. 1 2. 6 24. Christ our Sauiour was filled with the riches of all grace in whom all treasures of knowledge and wisedome were hidden Col. 2 3. who spent whole nights in prayer to God Luke 6 12. yet it is most probable that he vsed one of Dauids Psalmes with his Disciples after the institution celebration of his last Supper when it is said he sung a Psalme or an Hymn ◠26 30. which we doubt not was one of the Psalmes of thanksgiuing set downe in holye Scripture But howsoeuer this were or whatsoeuer that Song were this is certaine that the howre of his passion approaching when his soule was exceeding sorrowfull euen vnto death he prayed oftentimes againe again that if it were possible that cup might passe from him ◠26 39 4. And ver 44 he left his disciples and went away and praied the third time saying the same words Was it not enough for the Euangelists to note his oftē praying but they must adde he said the same words The 92 Psal was sung vsually in the church of the Iewes vpon the Sabbath day was penned for that purpose as appeareth in the title of it the 102 Psalme is a praier of the afflicted when he is ouerwhelmed with sorrowes and powreth out his complaint before the Lord as we may reade in that title This is also the practise of all churches at this day concurring and communicating with ours in this point Seeing therefore it hath bene the practise of the first and most ancient church of the Iewes seeing it is obserued of al the reformed churches in Christendom giuing the right hand of fellowship with vs to haue an vnity and vniformity in publike praiers it serueth fitly forcibly to confirme vs in the present truth that we deale withall that it is lawful to vse either the praiers set down in holy Scripture or any other godly prayers made by the learned to our hands consonant and agreeable to the scripture 〈◊〉 1. For first of all it were a childish and foolish thing to imagine that God is delighted with choise of prayers as a dainty stomacke is with change of meates or that hee taketh pleasure in nouelty of matters and varietie of words or that he hunteth after new formes alterations of our requests But to condemne all prescribed formes is nothing els but to be strongly perswaded that God accepteth and receiueth no praiers but such as are new and cannot abide to heare the same things twice which is to nourish a wrong conceit imagination of the most wise mercifull God Secondly all things must bee done to edification Reason 2 It is the rule of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14 12. but set formes in the publike worship seruice of God tend much to edifying and help greatly the vnderstanding of the simple The greatest number of the people are simple in knowledge and weake in iudgement and therefore to haue their eares acquainted with the same forme and frame of wordes serueth most of all for their vnderstanding Thirdly euery true child and faithfull seruant Reason 3 of God although he haue an honest hart yet he hath not alwaies a flowing tongue and copiousnesse of words but wanteth the gifts of vtterance of boldnes of knowledge of remembrance of inuention of order and such like There are many that haue stuttering tongs fearfull hearts simple capacities fraile memories that are weake in deuising and framing in contriuing and disposing the things which they desire whose names notwithstanding we dare not blot out of the roll and register of the chosen ones of God But to conceiue a prayer all these giftes and many other are required he must be able to vtter to inuent to discerne to order he must haue gifts of audacity and memory but this all the godly are not able to do they are not all thus qualified He that is lame in his lims Perk. Cases of consci lib. and not able to go vpon his legs yet if hee get a crutch to leane vpon hee can walke apace so many are not able to conceiue a prayer or to deliuer that which they haue conceiued of thēselues but if they meete with any one framed vnto their hands they can pray vnto God feruently earnestly heartily This doctrine made thus plaine first serueth Vse 1 to conuince the error of those of the separation who
Are the old freed from this duty through their age It is noted of Hannah that she was an old woman that had beene a widdow fourescore and foure yeaâ—es yet she went not out of the Temple that is all her delight was to be there shee was neuer well and at hearts ease till she was in Gods house she made the Temple as her owne house to dwell in she made the word worship of God her meate and drinke to feed on seruing him with fasting and prayers day and night Luke 2 37. So Simeon came into the Temple by the motion of the Spirit when the Parents brought the babe Iesus to doe for him after the custome of the Law verse 27. Peter and Iohn might haue prayed at home in their houses as many pretend they can and yet doe it not but they went vp together into the temple at the ninth houre of prayer The Lord giueth commandement 〈◊〉 19 30. Ye shall keepe my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuary I am the Lord. Such then as shew no loue to the Sanctuary of God haue no care of sanctifying the Sabbath but do defile it and prophane it yea they neuer consider that they contemne the Lord himselfe neither with whom they haue to doe in this businesse Christ our Sauiour when he could be found no where else by his parents seeking for him he was found in the temple Thus we see the practise of Dauid of Hannah of Simeon of the Apostles and of Christ himselfe touching the publike seruice of God But behold the difference betweene those times and ours or rather betweene them and vs. Dauid longed to be in the house of God our soules long and faint to be out of it Hannah dwelt in the temple and could hardly be gotten out of it wee had rather dwell in the tents of wickednes with much ado are brought to come vnto the Temple Simeon was old as well as Hannah we thinke our selues too old and plead weaknesse and faintnesse that we cannot go so farre and yet we can stretch out our limbes to goe farther at other times and for other occasions Simeon came into the Temple by the motion of the Spirit 〈◊〉 â—hat 〈◊〉 â—o faith 〈◊〉 â—â—ey 〈◊〉 need â—hurches by whose motion do others keep themselues from the Temple and what shall we say ruleth in them surely not the Spirit of God what other spirit then it can be I had rather leaue it to themselues to consider then declare it to them Christ Iesus could be found no where but in the Temple if one would enquire for these yea vpon the Sabbath day yea in time of diuine Seruice you shall haue them rather in the Tauerne then in the Temple or sitting vpon an ale-bench rather then in place where it were more meet they did shew their presence euen where God hath promised to shew his presence True it is he hath said that heauen is his throne and the earth his footstoole that he dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Esay 66 1. 〈◊〉 7 48. â—4 But the meaning is that hee is not included or as it were imprisoned in them his power is not tied to any place neuerthelesse he hath made a speciall proâ—iâ—e tâ—at where two or three are gathered together in his name Math 28 20. there is he in the midst of them Wherefore great shâ—uld be our zeale toward the house of prayer wee should much desire to be at it we shold more and more be in loue with it and with great reuerence remaine in it He that findeth not the Lord heere where his honour dwelleth let him neuer looke to finde him elsewhere For whosoeuer despiseth in the pride of his heart the place of Gods worship â—eâ—useth to yeild his presence there deceiueth himselfe if euer he thinke that God will make himself known vnto him any other way Verse 21 22. And so it was when the Clowd abode c. Heere we haue the cause of their marching and resting declared to wit the cloud which was vppon them by day when they went out of the campe Numb 10.34 When that staied ouer them whether it were two daies or a month or a year they abode in their tents and iournied not but when it was taken vp they iourneyed This cloud had the nature of a Sacrament and signified the presence of Christ conducting them The doctrine Doctrine from hence is this that Christ Iesus is the substance of the Sacraments both of the olde and new Testament Christ Iesus is the substance of all Sacraments old new Whatsoeuer the signes were and howsoeuer they varied yet he was signified by them all This appeareth in this booke plentifully by the cloud in this place by Manna chap. 11. and the rock ch 20. al which were Sacraments vnto them all were the same with our baptisme and the Lords Supper and all of them were figures of Christ as appeareth not by some probability but by the expresse testimony of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10 1 2 3 4. I would not haue you ignorant how that all our Fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed through the sea were al baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat did all drink the same spiritual drinke for they drank of that spiritual rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ First touching the cloud passing ouer the sea if we consider the letter of the history there was a great miracle in them both The clowd in the day time defended them from the heat of the Sun their passage through the Sea gaue them safety and security froÌ„ the tyrannie of Pharao and froÌ„ the danger of present death Neuerthelesse this is not all which wee are to mark nor the chief thing which we are to consider because there lay hid as it were vnder a veile a greater mystery inasmuch as both the cloud and the sea serued them in stead of a certaine kind of baptisme representing and performing that vnto them which our baptisme doth vnto vs. For as baptisme is a signe and signification of the grace of God a Sacrament of regeneration and a certaine passage from death to life so the Cloude was in effect to them as much to wit a tokeÌ„ and testimony of the presence of God their passing through the sea was as a passing froÌ„ death to a new life For while they were in the depth and bottom of the sea where were they but in the midst of death and when they had escaped to the farther shore did they not after a sort rise from death to life So then the Apostle teacheth that both the Cloud and the Sea were as a certaine Sacrament vnto the Iewes that common to them all Christ is the substance of our baptisme because all were couered with the cloud all of them passed through the sea euen as we that professe Christ are all
prayer for the distressed when hee should poure out his Meditation before the Lord as appeareth in their seuerall titles yea Christ our Sauiour that had the greatest grace of prayer who continued the whole night in prayer to God Luke 6 12. yet did not forbeare and abstain in prayer from vsing the same words oftentimes Math. 26. verse 44. This truth will the better appeare if wee Reason 1 consider that the Lord Iesus himself hath left a preâ—cript forme of prayer not as a patterne or platforme onely but likewise to bee vsed as a prayer So that his doctrine is according to his practise he prayed in the garden three times vsing the same words and he alloweth his Disciples to do the like yet who may bee compared vnto him He did it not thorough want of wordes or matter who had the treasures of wisedome in him Therefore he saide to his Disciples After this manner pray you Matth. 6 9. If we may pray after that manner then wee may pray after a set forme whether it bee read in booke or rehearsed without booke Secondly Reason 2 it is the common rule of Christ and his Apostles that whosoeuer asketh in faith shall be heard whether it be in a prescript forme or otherwise It is faithful prayer which pleaseth God and auaileth much and without faith nothing is accepted Thirdly it is requisite Reason 3 for order sake For vniformity is a notable meanes to auoide confusion and therefore the church heeretofore hath vsed the same the most reformed churches at this day vse it from which wee are not slightly to dissent and disagree and so to reiect read praiers and set formes Lastly the Apostle auoucheth That he would pray with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14 15. and he would pray with the vnderstanding also but a new prayer neuer heard of is not so well vnderstood conceiued of the simple neither can they so rightly readily answer Amen vnto it But the same form vsed the oftner it is heard the better it is vnderstood In men there are for the most part sundry wants as ignorance in the minde forgetfulnesse in the memory defect of vtterance fit to be in him that should speake vnto God feare and bashfulnesse in the affections that they cannot deliuer the desires of their heart in the presence of others much dulnesse and deadnesse in the soule yet we are not to debar such from prayer all which wants a set forme helpeth Vse 1 The vse heereof is to conuince those that are of the separation which haue rent themselues from vs and made a rent in the Church as Schismatickes who holde it vnlawfull to vse any set formes of prayer yea euen that forme of prayer which our Sauiour hath taught and commanded These do not onely hold it to be vnlawfull but account it an abhominable idoll The opinion of those of the separation touching set formes of prayer and as loathsome to God as the offering vp of swines flesh in the time of the law These be their owne words to be read in the bookes of Greenwood and Barow two principall Sectaries and ring-leaders in this diuision They account it no better then lippe-labour nay not so good they hold it to bee a stinting of the Spirit But to leaue words and to passe by their bold assertions let vs heare what they answer to our reasons then reason against their answers We alledge that Christ expressely willeth vs to pray thus and the Priests in the law were expressely charged to blesse the people thus This is our warrant to iustifie our practise now marke I pray you their answer and compare the one with the other They tell vs boldly that Christ willeth not his disciples to pray this but thus and that the Priests were not required to vse these very words of blessing because the Hebrew word Coh Coh vsed in that place is an aduerbe of similitude as if it had bene saide vnto them Ye shall blesse them after this maner or after a like sort This cannot bee to tie them to the same words but to do it according to the same instructions For nothing like to another is the same But this by their patience is no better then a shift and cauill For be it that they were not required to vse the same forme and frame of words yet were they forbidden to vse theÌ„ or if they had vsed them had they offered vp swines flesh had they committed Idolatrie had it bene an idolatrous kinde of seruice for they forbid the people to vse the Lords prayer as a prayer Neither do wee say that the Priests were precisely tied to vse the same and no other words but we would know of them whether they wer forbidden to vse the same To which question I thinke they will not answer in hast The Hebrew word vpon which they lay the waight foundation of all their building is vsed throughout the olde Testament and the vse of it by Moses and the Prophets serueth fully and notably to pul vp their conceit by the rootes and that the weaknesse of their answer and exception may appeare the better let vs see the vse of it in some particular places When Moses was sent to the children of Israel to say That the God of their Fathers had sent him vnto them and pleaded for himselfe that they would say vnto him What is his name God saide vnto him I am that I am Exod. 3 13 1â— 15. Thus shalt thou say vnto the children of Israel I am hath sent me vnto you Heere we haue the same word vsed Now according to their exposition Moses is not commanded to speake the same words at any time because Thus as they say is not the same but the like and to that effect and nothing like is the same So then if he were demanded what was his name that sent him hee might in no case say if wee will beleeue these nouelties I am that I am hath sent me forasmuch as he vseth the aduerbe of likenesse for hee sayeth Thus which is not the same Câ—h but some such like thing Nâ—y their opinion is yet more grosse and absurd for they turn Gods precept into a prohibition and whereas God commandeth Moses what hee shall say they say he is forbidden to vse those very words and allowed onely to speake to that purpose And afterward when God said vnto him verse 15. Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel The Lord God of your Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob hath sent me vnto you this is my name for euer and this is my memoriall vnto all generations If their glosse were granted he might not say The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and of Iacob hath sent me vnto you this had beene vtterly vnlawfull for him he must take heede he say not so in any case no though the Lord tell him This is his name
hee would make good his owne promise and all the words of his mouth shold be found true notwithstanding the want of meanes and the abundance of mouths that were to be filled with flesh The people are sixe hundred thousand footmen c. Shall the flocks and the heards c Or shall al the fish of the sea be gathered together c Here is the distrust of Moses though some labour to discharge him of it and to free him from it Moses dâ— distrust as if hee had desired onely to know the meanes that God would vse according as the Virgin Mary desireth to bee farther informed of the Angel Luke 1 34 But this is disproued by the answere of God who setteth downe his own power not the meanes how hee would effect it Wherefore I think the learned Iunius in this place is deceiued Annot. i◠〈◊〉 locum et â—lys in Num. and we neede not to labor too curiously to cleere the faithful of the remnants of sinne other infirmities forasmuch as he and other the best of Gods seruants haue their failings in faith and obedience as we see in the examples of Abraham Lot Noah Isaac Iacob Dauid Peter Thomas Zacharie Doctrine Many are 〈◊〉 failings of 〈◊〉 Gods seruiâ—â— and which of them not 2 Chron. 15 17 16 12 Rom. 7 17 18 19. because wee know in part and we prophesie in part wee are yet in our iourney and walke in our way and runne in a race we are not yet attained to our iourneies end we haue not yet obtained the crowne Againe we proceede all from an vnclean fountaine Iob 14 4. There is a combat remaining in vs betweene the flesh and the Spirit Rom. 7 23. Gal. 5.17 and these are contrary the one to the other and can neuer be reconciled The Vses hereof are first to shew that we cannot keepe the Law but in many things we Vse 1 sinne all Rom. 3 22 23. and therfore are subiect to condemnation The Church of Rome teacheth that a man may keepe the Law but they are ignorant of the law and of the iustice of God of sinne and of themselues For may they compare with the faithful before named 2 Secondly we do all neede the benefit of Christs blood 1 Iohn 1 7 8. and are iustified by him Rom. 3 24. but if we could keepe the law or could be without sinne then Christ had dyed in vaine Gal. 2 21. 3 Thirdly they are deceiued which holde the Virgin Mary to haue bin conceiued without originall sinne contrary to the tenour of the Scriptures which layeth open sundry her infirmities contrary to her owne confession who acknowledgeth her selfe to haue needed a Sauiour Luke 1 47. For seeing shee was borne after the common course of the nature of man who shall exempt her from the corruption and staine of nature The concâ—â—ti n of the blâ—ssed virgâ—â— made equâ—â— to Christs And what need was there that Christ Iesus should be conceiued by the holy ghost if he might haue a pure conception free from originall sinne without it Wherefore they may as well say that the blessed Virgin was conceiued also by the holy Ghost as affirme that shee was conceiued without sinne and so communicate the property and prerogatiue of Christs birth to her For if she were conceiued without Originall sinne her conception was miraculous whereas the conception of Christ could bee no more 4 Lastly let vs not rashly censure others for sin Iam. 3 24. but admonish with meekenesse considering our selues Gal. 6 1 2. They are most sharpe and seuere iudges of others that forget their owne infirmities Moreouer marke here the ground of Moses his vnbeleefe it is drawne from the course of naturall reason 〈…〉 rea◠〈…〉 ene◠〈◊〉 â—ith and from the consideration of the want of ordinary means Obserue from hence that naturall reason and carnall Wisedome are oftentimes enemies vnto faith The yeelding too much to our owne thoughts the beholding of things with an eye of flesh doe often make euen the faithfull doubt of Gods promises We see this in Sarah Gen. 18 12. in Nicodemus Iohn 3 4. in Zachariah Lu. 1 20. Math. 16 23. 1 Cor. 1 23. Thus wee are prone euermore to trust vnto humane wisedome For the things of God are oftentimes foolishnesse vnto those that think themselues wiser then God 1 Cor. 2 14. Secondly the carnall reason that remaineth in the regenerate is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can be Rom. 8 7. for no man is wholly regenerate the best consist of two men for they are partly the olde man and partly the new man they are partly regenerate and in part they remaine vnregenerate The Vses Therefore we must not counsell with flesh and blood in the matters of God Vse 1 in the mysteries of faith Rom. 4 19 20. Gal. 1 16. Prou. 3 5. Let vs consult with the Scriptures and make the word of God our Counsellers and learne to submit all that is in vs to the wisedome of God The eye is not able to looke vpon the brightnesse of the Sun so the eye of our reason is dazled at the glorious things of the gospell of Christ which things the Angels desire to looke into 〈◊〉 1 12. This is the cause that maketh many shrinke backe when they see the greatest number to walke in the broad way that leadeth to destruction when they see the Church for the most part to consist of the poorer sort and religion to be chiefly embraced of them they are offended WheÌ„ they see wicked men to prosper for the most part they walke by reason and not by Faith by the light of the eye not by the light of the Scripture But wee are euen the best of vs fooles and blinde in the matters of God and we must know our selues to be fooles before we can learne the wisedome of God and submit our selues vnto it Maruell not therefore if few beleeue and obey Vse 2 Secondly the naturall man cannot please God Rom. 8 5 6 7 8. all his knowledge reason wisedome and vnderstanding cannot make him accepted Tit. 1 15. Hee is without faith which purifieth the heart and therefore all his workes are vnsauoury before him Wofull therefore is the condition of an vnbeleeuer whatsoeuer hee doth is sinne in euerie thought word and deede he sinneth waking and sleeping he sinneth euen in the actions of religion and euery worke encreaseth his reckoning and addeth to the account that hee is to make And as the faithfull man the longer hee liueth the more gracious and acceptable he is to God so the vnbeleeuer the longer hee liueth the more he addeth to the heape of his sinnes and the day of his reckoning will be so much the more fearfull and dreadful Gen. 15 16. For as the Ammorites were daily filling vp the measure of their sinnes and so hasting vnto iudgement so is it with the vnregenerate person The sooner he dieth and is
the earth but this ought especially to be considered on this day Wee must dispatch all worldly businesses before that they do no way disturbe vs and distract vs. And when the day of the Lord is come wee must assemble together that so there may be an holy conuocation Leuit. 23 verse 3. It was the custome of the people to come together at such times Luke chap. 4. verse 16. Paul sheweth that at Antioch Hee found the whole City assembled vpon the Sabbath day Acts 13 43 44. This assembly is called Gods army Psalme 110 3. It was counted an happy thing to dwell in the Lords house Psal 27 4. and 84 4. Then ought the word to bee both read and preached so was it in the time of the law Acts 15 21. And both of them did Christ himselfe performe ordinarily Luke 4. ver 17 20. It is a part of the Ministers sanctifying of the Sabbath by doing the same The idle ministery is a great cause of prophaning the Lords day both in themselues and in others It is the duty of the people to heare the word with all reuerence and attention to marke and lay vppe in their hearts what they haue heard to the end they might put it in practise And when wee are departed we should spend the rest of the day in priuate duties as Prayer Reading Meditation and Conference things not greatly regarded of the greatest sort We are soone weary of the best things and quickely loathe that we should chiefely loue The cause why we profit not by the publike Ministery is the want of the performance of these duties priuately 38 Speake vnto the children of Israel and bidde them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put vpon the fringe of the borders a Ribband of blew 39 And it shall be vnto you for a fringe that ye may looke vpon it and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and do them and that ye seeke not after your owne heart and your own eies after which ye vse to go a whoring 40 That ye may remember c. This is the law of making Fringes vpon the foure quarters of their vesture whereby they couered themselues that they might looke continually vpon them and remember all the commandements of the Lord and doe them Of this reade Deut. 22 12. These Fringes and Ribands serued them for a monument that they might consider they were a people consecrated vnto God not as Infidels to walke after their owne fancies For vpon these were written some parcell of the Law This was also the cause that the Iewes were commanded to haue the Law written vpon the postes of their doores and likewise that they should beare it about them euermore decke themselues with it that it should be as a ring vpon their fingers as a bracelet vpon their hand as a frontlet before their eyes that is alwayes in sight and remembrance To this end also it must bee written vpon the frontiers of the Land vpon the gates of the Citie and vpon the postes of euery mans priuate house Deut. 6 8 9 that they might haue euery day euery way occasion giuen vnto them to talke and conferre of the word of God sitting walking and lying at home or else abroad This vsage was afterwards abused by the pride and hypocrisie of the Pharisies as Christ chargeth them Matth. 23 5. who because they would bee thought to haue a more speciall holinesse then the common sort had made long gardes and sentences of Scripture written vpon them that might bee seene a farre off But for our selues we must consider that though this ceremony bee no longer in vse and that these Fringes and Laces are shadowes which ended at the comming of Christ yet an instruction remaineth to vs to exercise our selues in his law day and night Psalme 1 2. Iosephus reporteth of the Iewes that they knew the Scriptures as well as their owne names whereas many among vs scarse know the names of the Scriptures Wee learne from hence That all sorts both yong and old of what condition soeuer â—ne are enioyned to know the doctrine of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 must â—owâ— the â—ces and the wil of God reuealed in them Deut. 6 6 7. Ioh. Iohn 5 39. Coloss 3 16. 2 Tim. 3 15. Psal 119 9. 〈◊〉 1. The Reasons First because God hath appointed such as are gouernors ouer others to be teachers of them that belong vnto their charge Such as are fathers and masters of Families are bound to instruct their children and seruants therefore none ought to be without knowledge Ephes 6 4. Gen. 18 19. But how shall they be able to do this except they haue knowledge whereby they may bee able to performe this duty Secondly ignorance is the cause of all error because the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God and the wisedome of God is foolishnesse to man So then being of our selues blinde and wanting the light of the word we must needs goe astray Hence it is that Christ saith vnto the Sadduces Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures Math. 22 29. Thirdly the want of knowledge is the cause of sundry fearfull iudgements spirituall and temporall Hosea 4 6. inward and outward Esay 1 3 7. So then as ignorance is the cause of sinne so it is the cause of iudgement the reward of sinne If wee care not to know him but neglect and contemne the meanes of knowledge no maruell if we be punished Vse 1 This reprooueth the church of Rome of an horrible iniury offered to the people of God They teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and keepe the Scriptures in the Latine tongue as it were vnder locke and key And albeit they haue translated them or the greatest part of them into English yet they set out sharpe edicts ratified vnder an horrible curse that no Lay man as they speake shall presume to reade them vnlesse they be specially licensed by their inquisitors and confessors directly contrary to the end of the Scriptures which were written that we should beleeue and by beleeuing haue eternall life Iohn chapt 20. verses 30 31. They beate downe ignorance and teach that all ought to know the Lord from the highest to the lowest Ieremy 31 30. and that God will poure out his Spirit vpon all flesh Ioel chap. 2. ver 28. Wheresoeuer he vouchsafeth great means hee requireth a great measure of knowledge This discouereth the byshop of Rome to bee no better and indeede no other then Antichrist making lawes contrary to Gods lawes and yet binding the consciences of men vnto them But it will be saide that the vnlearned and vnstable peruert them 2 Pet. 3. and therefore it is dangerous to reade them I answer bee it that some do so shall all therefore be forbidden the free vse of them All things euen the best are abused meate drinke apparrell the Sacraments Christ himselfe and
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
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
First seeing wee can neither see nor heare nor vse the meanes open before vs except God open our eyes let vs pray to God to guide vs in the right vse of our senses as he hath giuen the senses themselues Let vs vse al the meanes that God hath put into our hands alwayes with prayer to God to blesse them to vs and our comfort Especially when we come to heare his Word let vs craue of him to open our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia Acts 16 14. that shee attended vnto the things which Paul spake so hee that hath eares to heare shall heare For by nature wee haue vncircumcised hearts and eares and through our corruption wee are as closed vessels vnfit to receiue the wholsome liquor and pure waters of the Word of God which is oftentimes preached to the condemnation of those that heare it Therefore the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Yee shall heare indeed Esai 6 9 10 11. but ye shall not vnderstand yee shall plainely see and not perceiue make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauy and shut their eyes lest they sâ—e with their eyes heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale them euen vntill their cities bee without Inhabitants their houses without possessours their fields without tillers of them He doth not alway take away his Word for the sinnes of men but causeth it to be preached to their condemnation that will not obey it nor expresse the power of it in their conuersations And surely if we would know the cause of the ignorance contempt of the Word of the want of profiting and regarding of the preaching of the Gospel which is the high ordinance of God in his heauenly wisedome sanctified for the saluation of his Elect wee shall finde this to be the chiefest we rest and trust in our selues we thinke it sufficient to bring our naturall eyes and carnal eares with vs whereas we should earnestly desire of God the true vse and comfortable fruite of them otherwise we may see and heare to our further condemnation This we see in the same sort practised by the Prophet Elisha when he was compassed with his enemies hee prayeth God to open the eyes of his seruant 2 Kings 6 17 18 19. to see the helpe that God had sent him he prayed likewise to God touching his enemies first to strike them with blindnes that they might run into danger then to open their eyes to see themselues in danger Let vs also continually giue him thankes so often as wee finde his hand to be with vs and feele him with his gifts to bestow vpon vs the vse of his gifts whether naturall or spirituall to blesse our senses to direct our iudgements to sanctifie our vnderstandings to soften our hearts and to circumcise our eares Now if we must be faine to beg of God the proper functions and right vses of our outward senses which we haue by nature as if we had them not and render praise vnto God for them how much more are wee to aske of God a pure and cleane heart an humble and contrite spirit the gift of repentance and the grace of regeneration which we haue not by nature but are contrary to nature For the Apostle teacheth truely that the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God Rom. 8 7. because it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be And again 1. Cor. 2 14. The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned It is God that must reueale vnto vs by his Spirit the mysteries of his kingdome Cor. 2 6 7 1. which none of the Princes of this world haue knowne the spirit searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God This we see noted vnto vs in the communication and conference of Christ with the two disciples that went to Emmaus hee drew neere to them to heare their reasoning together of the things that happened at Ierusalem touching the passion of Christ Luke 24.16 â—1 but their eyes were holden that they could not know him His body indeed was not inâ—isible the change was not in him but in their eyes which after a sort were dimm'd holden backe that they should not discerne him for a season afterward their eyes were opened Iohn 20 15. that they knew him as likewise Mary Magdalen albeit shee were neither blinde nor deafe yet discerned him neither by seeing nor hearing of bim Wherefore wee haue not an absolute power ouer our senses it is God that giueth the eye that must open it much lesse haue we power ouer our vnderstanding will iudgment memory affections least of all concerning heauenly things in which wee are wholly blind as we haue already declared so that it behooueth all of vs to acknowledge all these to be in the power disposition of God either to diminish or restraine them or vtterly to bereaue vs of them take them away from vs at his pleasure that is the giuer consequently wee are alwayes to entreate him to giue vs grace and power that wee may carefully vse them as we ought to the glory of his Name the profite of our brethren and the comfort of our soules and bodies Vse 2 Secondly let vs take heed how wee abuse them to our owne hurt that haue receiued theÌ„ to the dishonor of God that gaue them froÌ„ whoÌ„ euery good giuing euery perfect gift proceedeth If we see not but at the pleasure of God who is able to strike vs with blindnes mists that wee shall grope in darknes seeke som to leade vs by the hand or if we haue our eyes open we shall discerne distinguish nothing but haue the outward inward senses dazled vntil he take away the scales from our eyes that couer them The Apostle Peter complaineth in his time of corrupt men led with sensuality 2 Pet. 2.14 hauing eyes full of adultery that can not cease to sin We must beware how we turne our sight to a contrary end then for which God hath lent it vnto vs but rather with Iob We should make a couenant with our eyes Iob. 31.1 that they wander not after folly and pray with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119. Psal 119.37 Turne away mine eyes from regarding vaâ—ity that they be not carried away after couetous affections If we haue eares by nature yet heare at the pleasure of God how shall we theÌ„ giue ouer our eares hearing to harken to hateful slanders leud surmises euil backbitings flying tales false accusations hurtfull reproches Luke 1 22. Gâ—n 32 1. Act 1â— 11 Luâ—e 13 11. raised and forged to the hurt of our brethren Hee is able to try and touch vs with dumbnesse as he did Zachary with lamenesse as he did Iacob with
be effectuall to stay vs in our obedience because God wil continue the same God of mercy and truth vnto vs without alteration which he was to Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph and all the faithfull so highly renowned and greatly commended in the Scriptures so it must serue to bee a bridle in the iawes of the vngodly and prophane wretches of the world that as he hath plagued consumed and throwne downe into the bottomles pit of hell the wicked heretofore that rebelled against him and resisted his will so he is vnchangeable in Name and Nature and therefore he will do the same to them now and to as many as shall walke in their steps for euer This we may see to be a plain case in the righteousnes of God Eccl. 8 12 13. Though a sinner do euill an hundred times and God prolongeth his dayes yet I know it shall be well with them that fâ—are the Lord and do reuerence before him but it shall not be well to the wicked neither shall he prolong his daies he shall be like a shaddow because he feareth not before God And the Apostle Iude in his Epistle Iude 6 7. 2 Pet 2 1 5. alledgeth and applyeth the examples of Gods vengeance vpoÌ„ the wicked past to those present and to come shewing that if God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them vnto chaines of darknesse to bee kept vnto damnation neyther spared the olde world but brought in the flood vpon the vngodly c. Let vs remember that wee shall finde God the same toward vs for euer neuer presume that he can or will be changed now from that which he hath beene heeretofore toward others Verse 21. He seeth not iniquity in Iacob he beholdeth not transgression in Israel Hitherto we haue spoken of the vnchangeablenesse of Gods loue toward his Church Now let vs see the reasons of it both in spirituall things and then in temporall The cheefest priuiledge of the Church standeth in the fruition and enioying of spirituall blessings Among all spirituall blessings this is one of the cheefest Remission of sinnes This is expressed by this phrase that God seeth not sinne in them that is he forgiueth theyr iniquity and imputeth not sinne vnto them To the same purpose the Prophet saith Our sinnes are couered Psalm 32 verse 1. These may seeme at the first strange speeches and phrases For shall not he that made the eye see Psalme 94. Shall not he that made the eare heare He that made the heart shall not he vnderstand and know the secrets of the heart Are not all things naked and open before him or can any hide himselfe from his presence and winde himselfe from his prouidence The meaning is not that God doth not behold them but it is a borrowed speech from the custome of men which lay away those things out of sight which they do not vse or would not remember so that he doth not see them when he doth not punish them he couereth them when he doth pardon them and account them as if they were neuer committed So Hezekiah saith Esa 38 17. God had cast his sins behind his backe Thus the Prophet speaketh Esay 1 18. Though your sinnes were as Crimson they shall be made white as Snow though they were red as Scarlet they shall be as wool And chap. 44 22. I haue put away thy transgressions like a Cloud and thy sinnes as a Mist So the Prophet Micah saith chap. 7 19. He will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea From all these Testimonies we learne this truth That to euery true member Doctrine of the Church To all the members oâ— the Churcâ— belongeth the forgiuâ—nesse of 〈◊〉 belongeth the forgiuenes of all theyr sins It is a peculiar priuiledge of the faithfull for the merits and righteousnesse of Christ to haue theyr sinnes forgiuen whereby it commeth to passe that God esteemeth of sinne as no sinne and of iniquity as if it had neuer bene committed Heere then we haue offered to our considerations a principall and fundamental point of our Christian Religion and of the holy faith That all our sinnes wants and impections originall and actuall as well in the committing of euill as in omitting of good in thought word deed are couered healed and released thorough the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs which being apprehended by faith and applyed vnto vs doth not onely make them as if they had neuer bene but also iustifie discharge vs causing vs to appeare blamelesse and spotlesse in the sight of God Thus God proclaimeth him selfe to be a most gracious and merciful God readily inclined to forgiue sins Exod. 34 6 7. Esay 33 24. and 43 25. Ier. 31 31 32. and 33 8. Reason 1 And this truth to wit that iustification staÌ„deth in the remission of sinnes through the satisfaction of Christ is confirmed vnto vs by sundry reasons out of the worde of GOD. For first we must appeare as iust and perfect in Gods sight either by the imputatioÌ„ of Christs righteousnesse or by the merite of our owne workes there is no third way can be deuised This is a full distribution of causes as appeareth by the Apostle speaking of the election and calling of the Iewes Rom. 11 6. If it bee of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it bee of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Thus we see hee maketh an opposition betweene the grace of God and the workes of men But no workes can iustifie vs neither of congruitie nor condignity neither of nature nor of grace wrought in vs by the spirit of God but by Gods acceptation of the intercession and merits of his owne Son This the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 3 20. Gal. 3 6. By the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight And in another place I count all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord that I might bee found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3 7 8 9. Reason 2 Secondly whatsoeuer giueth the creature cause of boasting and robbeth God of his glory may not be admitted and cannot be accepted in the worke of our iustification But all things sauing the righteousnesse of Christ minister to vs matter of boasting depriue God of the honor and glory due to his name This the Apostle teacheth in sundry places Rom. 4 2. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce 〈◊〉 2 8.9 but not with God By grace are ye saued thorough faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe So
maketh all other blessings to be curses and iudgements vnto them that are destitute hereof therefore we must all call our selues to an account what account we make of it We should make it our meate and drinke a treasure for the obtaining whereof rather then want it we wold sell all that we haue but alas what thankefulnes hath it wrought in vs We are like vnto the Iewes they had this glorious light brought among them but they loued darkenes more then light because their works were euill If we be weary of this heauenly Manna let vs take heede lest the Lord grow weary of vs if we cast away his word he wil cast away vs and forsake vs for euer The Lord biddeth vs take heed to the sound of the Trumpet Ier. 6 17 let vs not answer presumptuously wee will not take heed let vs beware of securitie remember from whence we are fallen And let him that glorieth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth the Lord and his word to his saluation Ier. 9 24. Vse 2 Secondly it followeth that wheresoeuer God hath established this his ordinance there certainly hee hath a Church and chosen people and some that belong to eternall life for whose sake it is sent among them For as the Spirit of God is the soule of the church quickning it and giuing it life so the word is this soules instrument or the seed wherby it worketh and the onely essentiall marke thereof so that where it is sincerely taught 〈◊〉 â—2 and constantly professed there certainly is a Church Where it is not there is no true Church albeit it haue neuer so goodly and glistering a shew but a very carrion carkas of a church without the life of the Spirit but as an house without light as the world without the Sun as a kingdome without the Law The Prophet Esay calleth it the standard of God saying I will lift vp mine hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people they shal bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders Esay 49. verse 22 Where the Lord Iesus is compared to a King and Captaine and therefore all that will haue comfort that they are members of the church must range themselues vnder it as soldiers vnder the banner of their Chieftaine otherwise they remaine as men In darknes in the shadow of death as stragling and runnagate soldiers out of the campe and as dissolute men vnder no law to gouerne them For they are the vilest and basest that liue without it very dogges and swine They of the Church are Gods chiidren and the word is the Childrens food belonging to them onely When the Canaanitish woman would haue beene partaker of Christs Ministery Mat. 15 26. he answered It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto whelpes But other are as vncleane and filthy beasts This which now hath bene spoken serueth to ouerthrow two sorts of people first those of the Church of Rome which make other markes and notes of the Church as antiquity vnity vniuersality succession subiection to the Pope and such like counterfet markes of their counterfet church and leaue this which is the most certaine and inseparable note This proueth vnto vs plainly that these which most of all boast of the name of the Church are indeede neyther the Catholike Church nor any sound part thereof because they want the immortall seede to beget them the milke and meate of the word to feede and norish them yea it is accounted an high point of heresie to haue read the Scriptures and none is permitted to looke into them without a license so heinous a sin it is to haue the word Secondly it censureth condemneth the Donatists Anabaptists Brownists and those of the separation which condemne our Churches to be no Churches our Sacraments to bee no Sacraments our Ministers to be no Ministers and in effect our religion to be no religioÌ„ because we do not with them in matters accidental fully agree albeit we do consent in matters fundamental we lay Christ alone for the foundation on which we build our saluation we lay hold vpon him by faith only we preach Christ crucified truly by their owne confession powerfully They hold themselues to haue receiued faith among vs by our Ministery before they made this rent and breach in the Church and that the end of such fayth if they had dyed in it had beene the saluation of theyr soules See the books of Greenwood Iohnson Let them therefore return and cause others to return ioyne with vs in hearing the word preached seeing where it is rightly established there must of necessity be a true Church And albeit some of them haue written many of theÌ„ haue spoken against our Church yet let them follow the example of that sonne Matth. 21 29. who answered his father stubbornly that he would not work in his vineyard but afterward repented earnestly and went his wayes Vse 3 Thirdly all such as are this way honoured and blessed must be carefull to vse the word as an honour and a blessing by imbracing it by entertaining it by magnifying this blessing of God in truth and not in opinion in heart and not in face in workes and not in words that we may walke worthy the Gospel and of the Lord that hath called vs and shew our selues carefull to bring foorth the fruites thereof saying with the Apostle Rom. 10 10. How beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Hitherto rendeth the exhortation of the Apostle 1. to the Thessalonians ch 2 11 12. Let vs be carefull to keepe this treasure among vs lest the kingdome of God bee taken from vs. Otherwise instead of being the water of life to saue vs it will be a sea to drowne vs instead of being the sauour of life to life it will turne to bee the sauour of death to death instead of being meate to feede vs it will bee our bane to destroy vs instead of good tydings to refresh comfort vs it will proue the saddest and heauiest newes that euer came to our eares and that day the blackest day that euer came ouer our heads Thus our Sauiour threatned Capernaum which hee had honoured with his presence blessed with his preaching aduanced by his dwelling in it and lifted vp with his miracles Mat. 11 26. Thou Capernaum which art lifted vppe vnto heauen shalt be throwne downe to hell c. Look vpon the seuen Churches of Asia we see what is become of them Behold what the contempt of the Gospel hath brought vpon the Iewes the like hath not falne vpon any people since the beginning what mischeefe miserie did not fall vpon them It cannot bee denied but God hath blessed vs as much as euer he lifted vp the head of Capernaum and hath magnified his mercies and loue vnto
he is not tyed to any guide or Gouernor We are put in minde heereof by Moses Deut. 29 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that wee may do all the words of the law God is not tyed to his reuealed wil the Law-giuer is aboue his law For the law must be vnderstood with this restraint and limitation except God command the contrary who is free and not bound to ordinary rules He commanded Moses in the building of the Tabernacle to make the Cherubims and other similitudes as also afterward when the people were stung with fiery serpents to set vp a brazen serpent which without his commandement had bin a breach of the second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the similitude of any thing in the heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth Exod. 20 4. He commanded Ioshua to compasse the City of Iericho seuen dayes with the men of warre and the Arke of God seuen dayes together and therfore also on the Sabbath day Iosh 6 15 which without the Commandement of God had bin a breach of the fourth Commandement Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day So God proued Abraham and charged him to offer his son which he could not haue done without horrible murther Gen. 22 1. except God had commanded it being a breach of the sixt Commandement Thou shalt not kil In like manner God willed his people to aske iewels of siluer and iewels of gold of theyr neighbors the Egyptians Exod. 12 35 wherby they spoyled them but neuer made restitution vnto them which without a peculiar direction from God had not stood with the eyght Commandement Thou shalt not steale Thus thē we see for the encrease of our knowledge how the Law of God is to be vnderstood to wit with this caueat and prouiso Vnlesse it please God to command the contrary who alwayes worketh according to his owne will For as such as haue to do in the Statutes of earthly Princes do teach to restraine them and vnderstand them thus sauing the Kings prerogatiue so are we to do in the interpretation of the law of God alwayes to vse this exception of Gods prerogatiue For if Princes claime a prerogatiue aboue theyr lawes much more are we to giue vnto the eternall God a prerogatiue and priuiledge aboue the lawes giuen to the sonnes of men Secondly we learne from hence that all examples Vse 2 set downe in Scripture are not set downe for our imitation albeit reuealed for our instruction Our Sauiour in the Gospel reproueth his Disciples who would haue called downe fire from heauen vpon the Samaritans to consume them pretending to follow the example of Elias saying vnto them Yee know not of what spirit ye are Lu. 9 59. The examples of the godly set downe in Scripture are of foure sorts The first generall and common standing in the law of nature taught in the ten Commandements commanding vs to worship God to honour our parents to doe wrong to no man Hence it is that we are cōmanded to follow the faith of Abraham 1 Cor. 11 1. the chastity of Ioseph the zeale of Dauid the patience of Iob the repentance of Peter the attention of Lydia the restitution of Zacheus and such like these are set before vs both for our instruction and for our imitation Secondly the godly haue many infirmities and imperfections whereby it commeth to passe that some of theyr actions are sinful and vngodly which are set downe for vs not to follow but to auoyde Such are the incredulity of Moses the adultery of Dauid the idolatry of Salomon the drunkennesse of Noah the incest of Lot the ambition of the Apostles These are not written that we should alledge the fals of the Saints to warrant and iustifie our sinnes but to teach vs that no mā is free from sinne in this life seeing the elect and regenerate do offend that we should not being suddainly ouertaken with sin despaire of Gods mercy that we should be watchfull and looke to our footing seeing these men sinned beeing adorned with such great gifts so highly in Gods fauour that shined as Starres in the Firmament and were eminent aboue other men as the Cedars aboue other Trees Thirdly some things were well done of the Fathers that cannot bee followed of vs without offence to God as those that were ceremoniall and endured only vntill the comming of Christ and the restoring of all things by him as the cutting of the foreskinne the offering of sacrifices the killing of the Passeouer which cannot be brought into vse and practise againe Acts chap. 15 ver 1 5 without iniury to Christ and the abolishing of his death Lastly some examples were singular and proper vnto those to whom they were giuen so as neyther others in those dayes nor we in our times may any way follow them without the same inspiration of the Spirit and of this number is the zeale of Phinehas mentioned in this place and such extraordinary examples as we named before Thus we see both that all examples of the faithfull are not to be practised and likewise what are to be followed and what are not to be followed Heereby we learne to meete with all prophane men who resolue to continue in their sinnes defend themselues with the slips and faylings of the faithfull These men sinne with the godly but they repent not with them they fall asleepe with them but they arise not with them out of sleepe Heereby also the Church of Rome is conuinced who alledge the making of the Cherubims of the brazen serpent and such like to iustifie their imagery and idolatry by the example of Moses which we haue shewed to be speciall not generall commanded to him not warranted to all Lastly hereby they are condemned that would bring in any of the ceremonies of the law which are long since buried together with the Synagogue cannot stand with the simplicity of the Gospel and with the sufficiency of the death of Christ Lastly as no man must bee rash in pretending extraordinary callings so we must take heed we bee not rash in censuring the doings of other men Do we know or can we vnderstand the motions and inspirations of other men What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2 11. We may not therefore examine theyr callings by our owne nor measure extraordinary actions by ordinary rules especially in the times of the decay of religion of the ruines of the Church of the planting of the Gospel when God doth many times giue some of his people speciall motions guide them with an extraordinary direction of his Spirit but euery man must looke to the warrant of his owne worke No man must presume aboue his calling but euery man must be wise according to sobriety and consider what
these things are hidden from their eyes and cannot enter into their hearts yet this shall bee the end of all those that worke iniquity God will raine downe vpon the wicked snares fire brimstone stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup for the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the iust Psal 11 6 7. On the other side wee must needes acknowledge and confesse that it is a blessed thing to be at peace with God It is a great blessing to liue at peace in the world and to be in vnity with men among whom wee liue but much more sweet and comfortable is it to be at one with the eternall God so as hee haue no controuersie against vs. This is it which the Prophet concludeth Kisse the sonne lest he be angry so ye perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 2 12. So then as the estate of all the vngodly that are vnder the wrath of God is most miserable so the condition of the godly how soeuer accounted of by the vnfaithfull of the world is happy and blessed who are safe vnder the wings of God and shall bee deliuered in the day of iudgment Secondly wee must be wise and circumspect Vse 2 to take heed that we doe not kindle it to our owne confusion This is the exhortation of Moses to the people Take heed that there bee not among you man nor family nor tribe which should turne their heart away from the liuing God that there should not be among you any roote that bringeth forth gall and wormewood for the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoke against that man euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Deut. 29 8. This serueth to reprooue such as are in this point like the horse and mule that are without knowledge and haue no vnderstanding They neuer regard the iudgments of God present they neuer seeke to preuent them being to come This is it which our Sauiour toucheth in the Iewes when he came neere the citty he wept for it and sayd If thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace but now are they hid from thine eyes Luke 19 42. It is therefore our duty to labour to know the times of his iudgments It is vnpossible to auoid the wrath of God vnles we haue a care to know it The wrath of GOD to come vpon the sonnes of men is foreknowne three wayes First The wrath of God to come is forâ— knowne thrâ— wayes by the oracles of the Prophets and by reasons drawn out of the Word of God Secondly by signes and wonders which God sheweth in heauen or in earth or in the sea Thirdly by plagues and punishments that he sendeth the which as they are the beginning of his anger present so they are testimonies and tokens of greater iudgments to come And as we haue shewed before that the wrath of God is resembled oftentimes to a consuming fire so we vnderstand that a fire is already kindled will grow greater by these three meanes before expressed to wit Zanch de diâ—â—â— attrib lib. 4. c. eyther by the report of credible witnesses or by beholding of the smoke ascending or by sensible perceiuing of the flame breaking out which is a fearefull signe of a farther fire and a greater burning except it bee speedily quenched and preuented First the wrath of God is foreshewed vnto vs by the words of the Prophets and Apostles which were inspired by the Spirit of God and foretell the wrath of God to come vpon vs for our sins And as the Law of God setteth downe sundry threatnings and curses so the Ministers of God out of the same doe denounce the iudgements of God gather that the wrath of God hangeth ouer a kingdome or City by an infallible conclusion without repentance For where sinne reigneth there the wrath of God cometh but in this Nation or City or Family sin reigneth wherfore the wrath of God hangeth ouer such a Nation City or house Such threatnings denounced by the seruants of God 〈◊〉 28 20. 〈◊〉 26 21. Cor. 11 30. collected by certaine reasons out of the Scripture are not to be despised but feared not to bee passed ouer but to be preuented not to be derided but to be applyed to our consciences that if we finde those sinnes in vs wee may labour earnestly to repent of them For albeit the Ministers of God do not speake by special inspiration and reuelation of the Spirit as the Prophets yet their threatnings are not voide and vaine but are grounded vpon effectuall reasons of the word and the beholding of present wickednes that aboundeth euery where We must not therefore account them as scar-Crowes which cannot hurt for God will make them powerful in the mouths of his seruants so that they which will not be perswaded to feare them shall bee constrayned certainly to feele them whether they will or not Another meanes to giue vs vnderstanding of Gods wrath before it falleth is by the vndoubted signes and tokens which are as the messengers of God and the fore-runners of wrath which we see in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters For whensoeuer God is determined in his heauy but yet iust iudgement to bring any plague vpon the world and to make manifest his fierce indignation he vseth to send certaine tokens of his anger to testifie that it is not farre off which are as the sproutings of the fig-tree signifying that sommer is neere Thus doth Christ foretell the destruction of Ierusalem and the end of the world by the signes which shal go before them 〈◊〉 24 32. saying Learne the parable of the Figge-tree when her bough is yet tender it putteth forth leaues ye know that the Sommer is nere so likewise ye when ye see all these things know that the kingdome of God is neere euen at the doores These appeare in the Sun in the Moon in the Starres in the Elements and in the creatures when the course of nature is altered changed 〈◊〉 de bell 〈◊〉 lib. 7. cap. â— the very insensible and vnreasonable things doe preach repentance vnto vs and therefore are to be marked and not despised Lastly the former punishment is a fore-runner of a further iudgement the smaller of a greater and the first of a second God broght sundry plagues vpon Pharaoh king of Egypt but such as came after pressed and punished him more then such as went before When Christ had foretold many euilles that should come vpon Ierusalem for their contempt of the Gospel and their refusing of all grace offered vnto them he addeth Mat. 24 6 8. The end is not yet all these are but the beginning of sorrowes as if hee should say there shall moe in
that stand in neede There is none of vs but would be glad of releefe if we were in misery necessity and therefore we should shew pity toward others When the Lord would mooue the Israelites to compassion he putteth them in minde that they had bene strangers bond slaues in the land of Egypt Such as haue felt the want of worldly things would be gladde that euery one should bee willing to stretch out his hand to helpe them and therefore we should do the like Yea though we neuer felt any want let vs remember that want may befall vs hereafter For what are wee but fraile creatures and what are earthly things but mutable flitting No man may exempt him selfe from the stroke of God we may fal from plenty to pouerty yea from superfluity to necessity and be driuen to beg our bread as infinite examples testifie Let vs therfore consider that we are mortal men and that nothing hath befalne to others that may not happen to our selues that thereby we may bee mooued not to turne away our eyes from our owne flesh Esay 58 7. Vse 4 Lastly we must obserue another point in this feast that it was instituted in the remembrance of the deliuerance of the Law which was giuen at the same time For it is said that the people came to Sinai the third month after their departure out of Egypt the same day that they departed from Rephidim Exod. 19 1 2 now that was the first day of the moneth and the fourteenth day was the day of the Passeouer And as the months were then obserued which went by the course of the Moone there was one whole moneth added so that in effect there were fifty dayes from the Passeouer to Gods setting foorth of his Law vpon Mount Sinai so as the feast of Pentecost or Whitsontide was referred to that time Of this we finde mention in the new Testament Acts 2 1. 20.16 at this time the holy Ghost came downe in clouen tongues and sate vpon the disciples Actes 2 3. Wee know the law of it selfe could do men no good through their infirmity It is a dead letter and killeth 2 Cor. 3 6 7. It is a glasse to shew that we are all sinners transgressors of it Rom. 7 10 and therefore serueth to condemne accurse vs Gal. 3 13. Rom. 8 15. Howbeit at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and after his ascension God brought in another manner of Whitsontide then had beene obserued in time of the shadowes and ceremonies when he vouchsafed to poure down as a showre of raine the plentifull graces of his Spirit vpon his Church so that the things that were figured vnder the Law were fulfilled in Christ our Sauiour Wherefore besides the admonition that the Iewes had to wit to do homage to God for their haruest and to fill their mouths with his praise for the fruits of the earth and the bodily sustenance which they receiued likewise to impart of part of these blessings to their poor brethren that there might be a common reioycing and gladnesse among them so God be glorified with one accord they had also a resemblance of the things that were fulfilled at the comming of Christ And albeit it bee not euill or vnlawfull to haue one certain day wherein the history of the comming down of the holy Ghost should be declared and published yet the figure is ceased and accomplished We must not runne trotting or trauelling to Ierusalem to worship there but lift vp pure hands euery where vnto him that hath powred out the infinite riches of his holy Spirit 2 Tim. 2 8. and sent vs the liuing waters Ezek. 47 9 that wee should haue ioy and gladnesse therein Rom. 14. Let vs therefore reioyce seeing God hath shewed himselfe so bountifull to vs to reioice euen according to the ioy in haruest Esay 9 3. For as the Iewes reioyced in the haruest of corruptible fruits that nourished the body so we hauing receiued the incorruptible graces of the holy Ghost shed abroad in our hearts should be ioyfull and glad by withdravving our selues from the vanities of this world and by holding our selues contented with the fauour of God Phil. 4 7 and vvhen this gladnesse is vvrought in vs wee must labour to make others partakers of the same For if the Iewes were commanded to call the poore the Widdowes and the fatherlesse to make merry with thē in the vse of those outward blessings that God had giuen them much more ought we to labour to make others partakers of the spirituall graces which we haue receyued that belong to the building of the church Rom. chap. 12 6. 1 Cor. chapt 12 verse 7. Eph. 2 14. Zach. 2 4 as the woman of Samaria being taught by Christ called out the rest of the City to heare the gracious words that came out of his mouth which shee had heard Iohn 4 so that we ought to say with the Leapers We do not well this is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace and as they saide Come that we may go and tell the Kings houshold 2 Kin. 7 9 so should we say Come let vs goe and tell our brethren what God hath done for our soules CHAP. XXIX 1 ANd in the seuenth moneth on the first day of the moneth ye shall haue an holy conuocation ye shall do no seruile worke it is a day of blowing the Trumpets vnto you 2 And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweete sauour vnto the Lord one young Bullocke and one Ramme c. 3 And their meate Offering shal be of flowre mingled with oyle three tenth deales for a bullocke c. 4 And one tenth deale for one Lambe throughout the seuen Lambes 5 And one kid of the goats for a sinne offering c. 6 Besides the burnt offering of the moneth and his meate Offering and the daily burnt offering and his meate offering and their drinke offerings according vnto their manner for a sweet sauour c. BEfore we saw how Moses beganne to handle the daily sacrifice The contents of this chapt and the monethly and yearely feasts and solemnities of the Iewes this Chapter is of like argument with the former describing three other solemn feasts or rather three yearly sacrifices one to be offered at the feast of Trumpets another at the feast of humiliation the third at the feast of Tabernacles all these fell out in one and the same month called of the Hebrewes Thisri which answereth in part to our September Touching the first it was to be celebrated on the first day of that moneth which was holden sacred in two respects both in regard of the feast of the New Moone and then for the feast of Trumpets so that three ordinary sacrifices were to bee offered in it the daily sacrifice the monthly then that which is proper to this feast to wit a young Bullocke a Ram and seuen Lambes of the first yeere for a burnt
purchase it The Prophet teacheth that the people are destroied for want of knowledge Hos 4 6 thereby depriue themselues of the means of saluation Vse 3 Lastly we should learne to eschew auoid Idolatry in the very beginning before by custome and continuance it be encreased If we once entertaine it with the least liking and approbation we shall neuer or hardly reclaime our selues till we fill vp the measure of it The Apostle exhorteth vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill 1 Thess 5 22. And Iude admonisheth vs to hate the garment spotted with the flesh verse 23. We must hate therefore as well the occasions and appurtenances of Idolatry as Idolatry it selfe as those things which bring much dishonour to God and much hurt vnto our owne soules Obiection But some peraduenture will say What need all these things or what cause is there of so many words touching Idolatry the remnants therof all this might well enough be spared and passed ouer forasmuch as heere are none of vs that are Idolaters and if any haue beene so that is forgotten and forgiuen long agoe I answer Answ it is not to be denyed but confessed that we liue in a reformed Church wherein Idolatry is swept away and yet many do in this point much deceiue themselues and are like the Pharisies that iustified themselues For if we would examine our selues by the strict rule of the word of God what Idolatry is and what it is not then certainely it will manifestly appeare that in the Church of England there are Idolaters yea notable Idolaters to bee found The Law is plaine and do we not reade what God saith Exodus 20 verse 4 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image neither the similitude of any thing thou shalt not bow downe to thē nor serue them If these were asked of this Commandement they would be ready to answer with the young man in the Gospel All these things haue I kept from my youth Matth. 19 20. For we thinke commonly that vnlesse we be popish Idolaters to fall down before an Idoll worship it we be no Idolaters at all But heereby we shew that we doe not vnderstand the Law of God neyther the rules of interpretation For as murther consisteth not onely in taking away life but in hatred also and reuenge as the Apostle Iohn testifieth Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer and yee know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him 1 Iohn chapter 3 verse 15. Matth. chapter 5 verse 22 and as adultery consisteth not onely in the outward acte but also in the inward and secret lustes of the heart so may there be Idolaters that do not fall downe and worshippe an Idoll and there is an Idolatry in the heart as well as in the practise The Apostle Paul in the second Epistle to the Corinthians chapter 4 verse 4 calleth the diuell The god of this world and yet there are none in the Church that worshippe the diuell in any outward or visible shape but they hate the thought of it no lesse then the deed How then is it that many or that any make him their god but that they beleeue in him obey him and trust more in him then they do in almighty God Whereupon he concludeth that they are no better then worshippers of the diuell howsoeuer not in outward fashion yet in the inward affection So if we would examine our owne hearts and spirits by this law which is spirituall we shall finde our selues to be grosse Idolaters many wayes Many worship theyr wealth and make theyr riches theyr god and set it vp as an Idoll in theyr hearts and this is one relique of Idolatry These are they that thinke gaine to be godlinesse 1 Tim. 6 5. and are grosse Idolaters in theyr hearts howsoeuer they neuer worshipped any visible Image Againe there are some that worship GOD with theyr bellies Phil. 3 19 such are the drunkards gluttonous persons howsoeuer otherwise they hate an Image yet are they notable Idolaters in theyr hearts There are also Idolaters of other sorts and other reliques of Idolatry some haue made theyr pleasure theyr god this is the common sinne of great men and these worshippe and serue theyr owne delights and pastimes loue them more then the Lord. Now whatsoeuer a man loueth better then GOD that same he maketh to bee his God Many such there are among vs who albeit they abhorre the open worshipping of Images yet in theyr hearts they reteyne the dregs of Idolatry and are indeed notable Idolaters And if wee would make diligent tryall of our selues and search into the secret corners of our harts by the cleere light of the word as with a candle we should finde our places persons and times to be full of Idolatry forasmuch as the most part haue preferred theyr pride theyr couetousnesse theyr lustes before God himselfe and therefore these are Idolaters haue ioyned themselues to Idols And concerning those that haue liued heeretofore in Idolatry and thinke that now they haue forsaken it therefore shall do well enough let them take heed they do not deceyue themselues For a man may leaue sinne and yet not repent for it A man may ceasse from the practise of it and yet not hate it neyther turne vnto God And doubtlesse if these men can yet laugh heartily at theyr former practises and make a iest and sport in telling what they haue done before an abhominable Idoll they may iustly suspect that they remaine filthy Idolaters still and if occasion were presented vnto them againe they would fall afresh to theyr former Idolatry as the dogge to his vomite I say therefore vnto such that without vnfeyned repentance there is no saluation but as they liued in Idolatry so they shall dye Idolaters and be condemned with Idolaters eternally Reuel 21. verse 8. CHAP. XXXIII 1 THese are the iournies of the Children of Israel which went foorth out of the Land of Egipt with their armies vnder the hand of Moses and Aaron 2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their iournies by the commandement of the Lord and these are their iournies according to their goings out 3 And they departed from Rameses in the first Moneth on the 15 day of the first Moneth on the morrow after the Passeouer the Children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egiptians 4 For the Egiptians buried all their first borne which the Lord had smitten among them vpon their gods also the Lord executed iudgements 5 And the children of Israel remoued from Rameses and pitched in Succoth 6 And from Succoth c. AFter the inheritāce was giuen to the two Tribes the halfe on this side Iordan Moses describeth by the commandement of the Lord the places of their abode in the Wildernesse their seuerall mansions where they pitched their Tents vntil they entred into the Land of promise In this Chapter consider
Salomon was not ignorant but knew well enough what was true honour yet he giueth this counsell not to seeke any honor by reuenge Prou. 24 29. Say not I will do vnto him as he hath done to mee I will render to the man according vnto his worke It is the common sicknesse and disease of the world to requite like for like taunt for taunt and rebuke for rebuke and they thinke they may doe it lawfully and measure to others that measure which they haue measured vnto them whether it bee in word or deede stripe for stripe blow for blow wound for wound But this is a part of our naturall corruption which did appeare in the auengers of blood mentioned in this place Vse 2 Secondly as it reprooueth errors in opinion so it doth likewise errors in conuersation in the practise of life which meeteth with many abuses First here is reproued the common practise of fighting and quarrelling which alwayes beginneth with hatred oftentimes endeth with blood These are they that make no conscience of doing hurt and iniurie vnto others 1 Thess 4 6. 1 Cor. 6 7 8. Many do hold it vnlawfull to strike the first stroke and to offer the first blow and minister occasion of strife but if another strike them and begin the fray they thinke they may lawfully strike againe and return as good as is brought and that with an ouer-plus and aduantage This is to make Magistrates stand for ciphers and Lawes to bee of none effect or to waxe rusty in bookes as a sword in the scabberd Christ reproueth this retayling of like for like both by word and by example By word Matth. 5 39 40 41. Ye haue heard that it hath bene said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say vnto you resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also c. By example for when he was smitten before the high Priest he smote not agayne Iohn 18 22 23 but defended his owne innocency So did Micaiah the Prophet 1 Kings 22 24 25 and Paul the Apostle Actes 23 3 they defended their cause by word but smote not with the fist These examples of the best we ought to haue before vs to bee guided by them who were ledde by the good spirit of God But in our daies when men are charged with contempt of Lawes and Magistrates of God himself in pursuing their priuat grudgings and quarrels if they can say Why did he giue the occasion Why did he begin with me Why did he strike the first stroke They thinke they haue spoken wisely and answered the matter very sufficiently But thus might the Prophets and Apostles as well haue pleaded for themselues and giuen as good a reason of their dealing if they had stricken againe yet they stayed their hands and would not giue blow for blow and they are commended in the word of God The Apostle would neuer haue set foorth the patience of Christ for our imitation who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe and when he suffered he threatned not but committed himselfe to him that iudgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2. vers 13 if he might haue done wrong for wrong but he sheweth that Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should tread in his steps Secondly this condemneth the practise of many masters who doe after a sort nourish quarrels and contentions as much as in them lyeth within their owne doores For if they haue a seruant who being prouoked stricken by his fellow-seruant will not by and by flye in his face and strike again or being challenged the fielde will not take vp the bucklers and answer the challenge they account it the tricke of a coward and esteem such as vnfit seruants to dwell with them For if hauing a defiance giuen him he take not vp the gantlet they thus reason and conclude with themselues If hee will not draw his weapon in his owne cause he will neuer draw it in mine if he will not strike for himselfe being prouoked he will neuer strike stroke for his master if he be assaulted This may be a rule from humane policy but it is no rule in Christian piety neyther is it after the doctrine which is according to godlinesse It is the duty of seruants being stricken to complaine vnto theyr masters and it is no disgrace or reproch to do so except it be a shame and dishonor to submit themselues to Gods word Euery master is a Magistrate within the walles of his owne house to order his seruants family aright Euerie master is a magistrate in his owne house Hee must giue no approbation to priuate reuenge but make peace among them teach them to suffer wrong rather then to offer and prepare to beare a new iniury rather then seek to reuenge an old as we heard before by the expresse commandement of Christ Not that we should vnderstand his words literally to turne the other cheeke to him that hath stricken one or to giue away our cloake vnto him that hath taken away our coat for Christ him selfe being smitten did not so but hee speaketh comparatiuely do so rather then reuenge thine owne cause But as challenges into the field are vnlawfull so none is bound in honor to answer such challenges Neyther let any man thinke it is a disgrace and discredit to refuse a challenge No disgrace to refuse a challenge For besides that true grace and glory standeth in obedience vnto God wherefore I pray you serueth the master in the house and the Magistrate in the common-wealth but to take vp quarrels that arise the one among his seruants the other among his subiects It is a principall part of their office to decide and determine the differences betweene seruant and seruant betweene subiect and subiect And remember this rule that there can bee no credite gotten by sinning against God Vse 3 Lastly we must take notice of this corruption and shew the duties of loue one to another euen toward our enemies Luke 6 33. Esay 11 6 7 9. Matth. 5 44. 1 Pet. 2 21 23. Now the holy Scripture layeth before vs sundry motiues to moue vs to lay aside all maliciousnesse and desire of reuenge Motiues to moue vs to lay downe reuenge and to shew our selues courteous and gentle kinde and tender-hearted one toward another First except we forgiue we can haue no hope or assurance to be forgiuen but iudgment shal be mercilesse to them that shew no mercy Matth. 6 14 15. Iam. 2 13. Matth. 18 35. We shall finde such measure at the hands of God as wee our selues measure vnto others And Christ enforceth the truth of this by doubling of the sentence both for greater certainty of the matter and for deeper impression in the conscience Secondly God hath forgiuen all his children for Christs sake He might haue many iust quarrels and controuersies against vs for our
Exod. 20 7 and therefore the errour of the Romanists is blasphemous who lay this iniustice vpon God that he forgiueth the faithfull theyr offences but retayneth the punishment All men doe very willingly confesse that it is a very haynous crime to condemne the iust man but they doe not in like manner and with like zeale abhorre from iustifying the vngodly but the Spirit of God testifyeth that they are both abhominable in his sight he abhorreth the one no lesse then the other Why the guilty ought not to bee spated and so it ought to bee with those that sit in place of iudgment otherwise they transgresse the Law of God which commandeth that his blood should be vpon his owne head Againe such persons are for the most part made worse and worse and are neuer brought to repentance as experience commonly teacheth Besides by this sparing and winking at euill the godly are often grieued and sometimes are emboldened to euill Lastly other wicked men by their example are encouraged and theyr hearts are hardned Hence it is that Salomon sayth Prou. 24 24 Hee that saith vnto the wicked Thou art righteous him shal the people curse nations shall abhorre him This equity doth Moses also propound in the Law If there bee a controuersie betweene men and they come vnto iudgement that the Iudges may iudge them then they shal iustifie the righteous and condemne the wicked Deut. 25 2. But it will be said Obiect that the Scripture teacheth that God iustifieth the vngodly Rom. 4 5 and therefore hee that executeth iudgement may do the like also I answere first Answ that is lawfull for God to do which is not lawfull for man Againe God in iustifying the vngodly of vnrighteous maketh him righteous and by paying a deare price for him cleanseth and washeth away his impiety and giueth vnto him another minde then he had before which no mortall man is able to do and therefore it is vnreasonable to pretend the example of God or to alledge it to iustifie themselues when they iustifie the vngodly This corruption must needes be euill because it proceedeth from euill fountaines for iudgment is stayed or peruerted eyther through feare or couetousnesse or hope or hatred or fauour or malice or letters or such like affections which blinde the eyes and stoppe the eares and peruert the wise 2 Chron. 19 6 7. But in the meane season they displease the Lord and by winking at the wicked they make thēselues abominable to the chiefe Iudge of heauen and earth before whom they must come to be iudged and in sparing of greeuous transgressours which ought to be punished they make themselues accessaries to theyr transgressiōs many times like Saul Ahab Pilate they beare a part of the punishment Secondly this admonisheth all Iurers that Vse 2 they take great heed whom they acquit and whom they condemne If they condemne the innocent theyr blood will be required at their hands And if they iustifie any that are guilty of blood which is a crying sinne or other haynous enormities labour the rest of their fellowes companions to ioyne with them they are brethren in euill and stayne the iudgment seat with vnrighteous proceeding which is worse then if they should cast dust and doung in the Iudges face These doe often forget that they are sworne men and giue theyr verdict vpon theyr oth for if they did they would not so lightly set theyr soules to sale These for the most part thinke themselues excused by the Iudge and hang more vpon his mouth then hold themselues to the matter Such persons ought not to be simple men but such as should be able to iudge and to discerne betweene right and wrong Vse 3 Lastly let vs come to witnesses which are other parties in the matter of iudgment and are especially aymed at in this place it directeth and informeth them to know what they do and where they stand Let them take heed what they depose lest by forswearing themselues they renounce the liuing God and bring damnation vpon theyr soules A man would thinke that an oth were such a weight and burden vpon the conscience that no man would dare to steppe forth and lay his hand vpon the booke and afterward sell himselfe to the diuell There is nothing so vile wretched but some will bee found as vile to set it on foot If Ahab be sicke for Naboths vineyard Iezabel can quickly by her letters procure two false varlets and vnthrifts in Samaria to beare false witnesse against him 1 Kings 21 10. So when the malice and enuy of the Pharisees grew to be extreme against Christ and that they feared the fall of theyr kingdome though he were innocency it selfe yet there were found false witnesses to condemne the innocent Math. 26 60 61. Hence it is that the Ecclesiasticall Lawes haue not hand ouer head admitted all without difference and discretion to be brought and allowed as witnesses but haue set downe seuen iust considerations of exceptions against witnesses in this manner Aetas conditio sexus discretio fama Fortuna fides The first point to be respected in witnesses is that they be of age for such as are infants children or yonglings know not the depth of the cause nor the validity of an oth nor the distinction of matters whereupon they are to be produced and therefore they may stand by while the iury is impanelled And to these we may ioyne the old doting age which decayeth in vnderstanding no lesse then it doth in strength of body Secondly the condition of the persons whether they be bond or free The tenant for his land-lord the seruant for his Master the father and sonne one for another are worthily esteemed to be partiall witnesses Thirdly the sexe whether it be man or woman for a womans testimony wanteth much of the weight of the other because many of them are partiall and passionate light creatures if it be opposed against the testimony of a wise and considerate man They are soone ledde aside by affection by pitty or fauor and therefore neuer any of them were admitted to sit in place of iudgement where the Iudge should know neyther father nor mother Fourthly discretion for idiots and lunatike persons or mad men would prooue but mad witnesses to be admitted in tryals of truth who cannot discerne aright of themselues and of theyr owne estate For how should they be able to diue into the causes of other men that haue not the vse of reason or vnderstanding Fiftly fame is not to be contemned in this case for they should bee men of good report and credit in the places of theyr abode not common swearers not lyers not drunkards and ruffians for such as sweare commonly make no more conscience of an oth taken before a Iudge then of an oth sitting vpon theyr ale-bench and such as are tainted and stayned with the reproch of many euils will easily bee drawne to adde one sin of periury