the same spirit more stedfastly resting it selfe in that testimony 1 Cor. 12.3 1 Cor 14.37 than if he should heare from heaven as Austin did Sae penumeâ—ò mâ—ceum cogitans unde tam sitadibilis sit haec scriptura unde tam potenter instuat c. Vide an id sit in causa quod persuasi sumus eam à pr mâ— veritate sluxisse Sed undè sumus ita persuasi nisi a â— ipsa c. Becanâ— baculus pag 104. Tolle lege take and reade this booke of God or than if some Angell should bring him a Bible and say This is the very word of the living God For such a voice might haply be suspected for a delusion of the devill who can easily transforme himselfe into an Angell of light But this testimony of the Spirit we know to be true Joh. 14.17 because he is both a Spirit of truth and a searcher of the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 Onely it must be remembred that this inward witnesse is not to be pretended or produced for confirmation of doctrine to others or for confutation of adversaries but that every one for himselfe might be hereby certified and satisfied in his very conscience that the holy Scriptures are of God The Churches testimony without this is of little value or validity with us Testatuâ— Ecclesia sed ut index non ut judex Eph. 2.20 Lib. contra ep Fundam cap. 5. it being meerly informativum directivum non certificativum terminativum fidei And whereas Austin saith I should not beleeve the Gospel but that the authority of the Church moved me thereunto we must know that hee speaketh there of himselfe as then unconverted to the faith and so not acquainted with the Spirits testimony Testificatio Ecclesiae potest apud infidel s esse occasio ut credere incipiant at nihil facit ad fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alsted syst Th. Now what wonder if such be moved by the consent and authority of the Church which is to them an introduction whereby they are better prepared to beleeve the Scriptures yea inclined at first to thinke them to be the Word of God and so made willing to reade and heare them This is all that that Father intends and as much as the Scripture allowes As for the Papists that are all for their holy mother-Church in this businesse they plainly proclaime hereby that they are an adulterous generation a bastardly brood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spuria soboles whereas the babes of Christ know their Father 1 Joh. 2.13 and that the excellency and authority of his Word is above all both men and Angels Gal. 1.8 how much more above that Church malignant which they resolve at last into the Pope whom they say to be the Church vertuall Illud nescio an sit argumentum omnibus argumentis m jus quod qui vere Christians sunt ita se animo divinitùs affectos esse sentiant ut praecipuè quidem propter nullum argumentum sed propter supernaturalem divinam revelationem c. Greg. de Valentia de analysi fidei lib. 1. c. 20. But how can I better shut up this part of my discourse than with that of a famous Jesuite subscribing to this truth I know not saith he but that this is an argument above all arguments that they that are Christians indeed finde themselves so affected from heaven toward the Scriptures that they beleeve them to be divine for no other argument so much that can be drawne from their antiquity efficacy number of Martyrs confession of adversaries c. as for a supernaturall divine revelation that strongly perswadeth them thereunto CHAP. III. THe Doctrine of the Scripture hath as many uses at the Scripture it selfe hath offices 2 Tim. 3.16 and those according to S. Paul are foure 1. To teach or informe our judgements 2. To reprove and refute errours 3. To correct ill manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnibus numeris absolidus 4. To instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished or every way accomplished unto all good workes First then by way of Inference and Information this Doctrine sets before us divers irrefragable truths touching 1. the Antiquity and Authority of the holy Scriptures 2. their dignity and excellency 3. their power and purity 4. their perfection and sufficiency 5. their verity and integrity 6. their perpetuity and perennity Sect. 1. FOr the Antiquity first of the sacred Scriptures they are the words of the Eternall God the conceptions and expressions that were before all beginnings in the minde of the Most High Verbum Patris idâ—ò dictum est quia per ipsum innotescit Pater Aug. de fide c. 3. Prov. 1.23 Jesus Christ that came out of the bosome of his Father and is both the Essentiall and Enunciative Word Dan. 8.13 hee alone is that Palmoni hammedabber that excellent speaker in Daniel that knowes all the secrets of his Father as perfectly and uttors them as readily as if they were numbred before him as the word there imports Hee it was that went of old and preached by Noah unto the spirits now in prison 1 Pet. 3.19 that spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets or otherwise and afterwards in the dayes of his flesh revealed to the world those things that he had heard of the Father Joh. 8 26. This was his office as Mediatour and Archprophet and this hee faithfully fulfilled from the beginning of the world The Father never spake or appeared immediately but in the baptisme and transfiguration of the Sonne For this is a rule in Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theolog Rules out of Iâ—â—â—â—â—s and Tertullâ—â— that where the Old Testament brings in God appearing and speaking to the Patriarchs and Prophets we are to understand it alway of the second Person Rev. 1.14 whose head and whose haire when he delivered the Revelation to his servant John are said to be white like wooll yea as white as snow denoting his venerable Antiquity or rather Eternity Mark 16.5 The Cherubims were framed and the Angels ever appeared in the forme of young men not so the Ancient of Dayes Dan. 7.9 He it was that had no sooner made man upon the earth and is then first stiled Jehovah Elohim but he rejoyced in the habitable part of Gods earth Genes 1. that Microcosme Man that miracle of daring Nature as the Heathen called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trismegist in Pâ—nuvidio his delights were with the sonnes of men Prov. 8.31 to whom he appeared with whom he parled in Paradise After the fall hee gently called them to account and reasoned it out with them which he would not deigne to doe for the Serpent but presently doomed him not once asking What hast thou done Hee preached the first Gospel to them and there delivered them that grand Charter of their and our salvation
to be got by the Gospel if a man reade it cursorily and carelesly but if he exercise himselfe therein constantly and conscionably hee shall feele such a force in it as is not to be found againe in any other booke whatsoever Humane writings may shew some faults to bee avoided but give no power to amend them but the feare of the Lord is cleane Nemo adeo fâ—rus est qui non micascere possit Si modò culturae patientem accommodet aurem Hor. saith David and Now are ye cleane by the word that I have spoken unto you saith our Saviour Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth Philosophy may civilize Abscondit vitia non abscindit Lactan. Siresipuit à vino suit semper tamen temu'entus sacrilegio Ambr. de Elia jejunio cap. 12. not sanctifie hide some sins not heale them cover not cure them barb and curb them not abate and abolish them Ambrose saith well concerning Poleme who of a drunkand by hearing Xenocrates became a Philosopher Though hee forsooke his wine-bibbing yet he continued drunke with superstition Porphyry saith it was pity such a man as Paul should be cast away upon our religion Plato came thrice into Sicily to convert Dionysius the tyrant to morall Philosophy and could not But Peter by the foolishnesse of preaching converted his thousands Hieron de clar scriptorib and Paul his ten thousands And as Scipio was called Africanus Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus maledicus effraenotus paucissimis Dei verbis tam placidum quà m ovem reddam Da cupidum avarum tenacem jam tibi eum libera'em dabâ— c. Da libidinosum crude'em injustum continuò aequue castus clemens c. Nunquis haec Philosophorum aut unquam praestitit aut praestare potest Lactant. lâ—b â— Inst t. cap. 86. another Numantinus a third Macedonicus from the countries they conquered so had this worthy Warriour his name changed from Saul to Paul for a memoriall likely of those first spoiles hee brought into the Church of Christ not the head but the heart of that noble Sergius Paulus After whose conversion he beganne to be knowne by the name of Paul and not till then Act. 13.9 So then the efficacy and vertue of the Scripture to produce the love of God and our enemies to purifie the heart to pacifie the conscience to rectifie the whole both constitution and conversation of a man to take him off from the delights of the world and flesh to make him glory in afflictions sing in the flames triumph over death all these and more doe necessarily conclude the divine authority of the Scriptures What words of Philosophers could ever make of a Leopard a Lamb of a Viper a Childe of a leacher a chaste man of a Nabal a Nadib of a covetous carle a liberall person Isay 23.18 Tyrus turning to God and receiving the Gospel leaves hoarding and heaping her wealth and findes another manner of employment for it viz. to feed and cloath the poore people of God Two or three words of Gods mouth saith that Father worke such an evident and entire change in a man Pauca Dei praecepta sic tâ—tum hominem immutant ut non cognoscaâ— eundem esse Lactant ubi supra that you can scarce know him to be the same as in Zacheus Paul Onesimus and others Neither need we wonder hereat considering that Dei dicere est facere Gods words where he pleaseth to speake home to the heart are operative and carry a vertue in them together with his Word there comes forth a power as his bidding Lazarus arise and came forth caused him to doe so And as in the Creation he said Let there be light and there was light so in the new creation see 2 Cor. 4.6 As there the spirit moved upon the face of the waters and there-hence hatched the creature so here he spake unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.2 and at the same time breathed on them the holy Ghost Job 20.22 It is said Luke 5.17 that as Christ was teaching the power of the Lord was present to heale the people so is it still in his Word and Ordinances As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit which is upon thee Isay 59.21 and my words which J have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever The Word and Spirit runne parallell in the soule as the veines and arteries doe in the body The veines carry the blood and the arteries carrie the spirits to beat forth and to quicken the blood Hence 2 Cor. 3.6 spirit is put for the Gospel in and with which it worketh and grace in the heart is elsewhere often likened to seed in the wombe because it is first formed there by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit till Christ be formed in us It is the worke of the Spirit to make the seed of the Word prolificall and generative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1.21 to make it an inbred Word as Saint James calleth it not onely able but effectuall to save the soule Surely as the earth is made fruitfull when the heavens once answer the earth Hos 2.21 Rom. 7.4 so are our hearts when the Spirit workes with the Word causing us to bring forth fruit to God And this doubtlesse is that reall testimony given by the Spirit to the Word that it is indeed the Word of God Neither is he wanting in his vocall testimony that inward divine testimony above-mentioned which yet is heard by none but Gods own houshold is confined to the communion of Saints whose consciences he secretly perswadeth of this truth and sweetly seales it up to them This is promised Esay 52.6 They shall know in that day that I am he that doth speake behold it is I. And Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe And as it is promised so is it performed too for he that beleeveth hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 Iohn 5.10 Cant. 2.8 Cant. 5.2 1 Cor. 2.15 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Isay 53.1 Matth. 13.11 so that he can safely say It is the voice of my beloved that knockes The spirituall man discerneth all things for he hath the minde of Christ and an unction within that teacheth him all things to him is the arme of the Lord revealed and to him it is given that which is denyed to others to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven So that he no sooner heares but he beleeves Eph 1.13 and is sealed with that holy spirit of promise whose inward testimony of the truth and authority of the Scriptures is ever met by a motion of the sanctified soule inspired by
Owles abroad in so bright a firmament blind as beetles in a land of light darke in Goshen amidst so many meanes and mercies in the land of uprightnesse doe yee deale unjustly and not behold the Majesty of the Lord Isa 26.10 O generation see ye the word of the Lord Have I beene a wildernesse to the house of Israel a land of darknesse and of the shadow of death Ie. 2.31 How is it then that yee are still sottish children without understanding wise to doe evill but to doe good yee have no knowledge Ieremy 9.3 2 Chron. 13.5 Ought yee not to have knowne as Abijam said to Ieroboam and all Israel should ye not all know the Lord from the least to the greatest Hab. 2.14 Should not the earth be silled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea These are the times if ever wherein God hath powred forth his spirit upon all flesh Ioel 2.28 stretched forth his hands to us all day long Prov. 1. lifted his voyce in the high places of the City caused the Candle of his Gospell to shine full faire upon this kingdom for so long together Matth. 11. so that we have beene lifted up to Heaven as Capernaum in the abundance of meanes and plenty of outward priviledges In the time of Pope Clement the sixth when as Lewis of Spaine was chosen Prince of the Fortunate Ilands and was gathering an Army in Italie and France the English Embassadour then resident at Rome together with his company gat them home as not doubting but that Lewis was set up against the King of England Robertus Avisburiensis than which they could not imagine there was any more fortunate Island under heaven Was it so then over-spread with Aegyptian darkenesse what would our fore-fathers have judg'd had they had our happinesse to live in these glorious dayes of Alexandria in Aegypt Ammianus Marcellinus observeth that once in a day the Sunne hath been continually ever seene to shine over it In the Iland of Lycia the sky is never so cloudy saith Solinus Vnde Horat cam claram vocat but that the Sun may be seene Semper in sole sita est Rhodos The Rhodes is ever in the Sunne-shine saith Aeneas Sylvius And Tacitus tells us that here in Britany the Sunne in Summer neither riseth nor falleth but doth so lightly passe from us by night In vita Agricolae that you can hardly put a difference betweene the end and beginning of the light This is indeed chiefly true of us in respect of the bright and beautifull sun-shine of the truth Other Countries sit in darkenesse and shadow of death like the Valley of Sciâ—ssa neare the Towne called Patrae Locus radijs solis ferme invisus â—ce aliam ob causam memorabilis Solin c. 12 which being shaded by nine high His is scarce ever visited by the beames of the Sun But to us as to Zabulon and Nephtali is a great light risen Matth. 4.16 Now when a master sets up his servant a great light to worke by hee lookes to have it done both more and better Nihil in Hispania â—tiosum nihil sterâ—â—â— Solin cap. 36. So here Surely it should bee with us as they say of Spaine that there is nothing idle nothing barren there But a lasse it fals out farre otherwise for some have not the knowledge of God 1 Cor. 15.34 to their shame be it spoken but are as bard and rude every whit in very fundamentals and have the same bald and base conceits of God and his will as the blind Heathens had Let me tell you a Pulpit-story and that 's no place to lye in of an old man above sixtie who lived and dyed in a Parish where besides the word read continually there had beene preaching almost all his time and for the greatest part twice on the Lords Day Pembles Serm Mischâ—â—fe of Ignorance besides at extraordinary times This man was a constant hearer as any might be and seemed forward in the love of the Word On his death-bed being questioned by a Minister touching his faith and hope in God you will wonder to heare what answers hee made Being demanded what he thought of God hee answers that he was a good old man And what of Christ that he was a towardly yong youth And of his soule that it was a great bone in his body And what should become of his soule after he was dead That if he had done well he should bee put into a pleasant greene meddow These answers astonished those that were present to think how it were possible for a man of good understanding and one that in his dayes had heard by the least two or three thousand Sermons yet upon his death bed in serious manner thus to deliver his opinion in such maine points of Religion which infants and sucklings shold not be ignorant of Oh who can sufficiently bewaile and expiate the grosse ignorance found in the greater number as rude and raw in Scripture matters as if they were not reasonable creatures though in other things wondrous acute and apprehensive And for the better sort that runne to and fro to increase knowledge Dan. 12.4 some smattering skill they have got but it s wofully indistinct and ill bottomd It would puzzle them shrewdly after so much teaching to give a good account of their faith Surely as Lactantius wittily said that there was never lesse wisdome in Greece then in the time of the seven wise-men so may it be justly complained of the extreme want of knowledge in the abundance of so many means of knowledge That little men have got is for most part ineffectuall and hath little influence into their hearts and lives They use it as some do artificiall teeth more for shew then service or as the Athenians are said to do their coyn to count and gingle with only striving more to an ability of discourse then to an activity of practise to talk of it then to walke by it The very entrance of Gods word giveth light c. Psalme 119 1â— Iohn 3. In agris Sardâ— reperitur animal perexiguâ— simileque araeneis sorma solifuga dicta quod diem sug at Solinus c. 1 Acts 28.27 But this is condemnation that is hel above grouÌ„d that light is come into the world c. like the creature called solifuga the day is to theÌ„ as the shadow of death These mens ignorance is not meerely privative as was that in our Saviour as man only nor naturall as in infants nor invincible as theirs that lived in the midnight of Popery but wilfull and affected Vt liberius peccent libenter ignorant saith Bern. they winke with their eyes as the Pharisees they shut the window lest the radiant tresses of the sun should trouble them in their sleep they are wilfully ignorant 2 Peter 2. Psalm 50. with those in Peter whiles they cast Gods word behind them and bespeake
same of the holy Scriptures The Platonists affirme that in the heavenly bodies is a certaine flower and quintessence in these inferiour bodies a kind of dregs and sediment Sure it is that all sciences whatsoever are but drosse and dregs to the doctrine of Divinity contained in the Scriptures there 's not a leafe nor a line not a syllable nor a particle saith S. Jerome but hath its sense and substance well worthy to be weighed and observed Here some make question whether it be their part to reade on in Chronicles Ezra and other places where are nothing but names and Genealogies which they conceive to be to us now of no great use The resolution is Pemble of the Pers Monar that they must reade on if it be but to shew their obedience to God in reading over all his sacred Word But besides there is much to be had out of the Genealogies and Chapters full of names to a wise and diligent Reader And what if we understand not can pick nothing out of some such Chapters yet we must know that those places have in them an immanent power to edifie though as yet it be not transient conveighing the profit of it to us till in some measure we doe understand it Sect. 3. SEcondly make the best of that you reade by serious and set meditation thereupon Psal 119 98 99 100. David hereby became wiser then his Teachers Elders Enemies And why Psal 62.11 when the Lord spake once he heard him twice to wit by an after-meditation Reading and meditation are both expressed by one and the same word in the holy tongue pointing us to what we must doe if we will either understand what we reade or retaine what we understand Meditation is a studious act of the minde searching the knowledge of an hidden truth by the discourse of reason A most sweet exercise to those that are any whit acquainted with it who could even wish themselves pent up as Anchorets in the voluntary prison-walles of divine meditation This this is that that makes a man see farre into Gods secrets and enjoy both God and himselfe with unspeakeable comfort We reade of Socrates that he would stand plodding of points of Philosophy A. Gellius in the same posture of body for divers houres together not sensible of any thing that was done about him And of Chrysippus that he was so transported at his study that he had perished with hunger had not his maid Melissa thrust meate into his mouth Democ. junior Crede mihi in Mathematicarum studijs etiam mo ri dulcissimum esset 'T were a sweet thing saith one to die studying the Mathematicks as Archimedes did Vir ingeniosa prosunda meditatione c sine cibo somno nisi queâ— cubito innixus capiebat per triduum totum Thuan Thuanus writes of one Franciscus Vieta Fontaneio a Frenchman so close and constant a student that he would sit many times three whole daies together in a deepe muse without food or so much as sleepe but what he took a little now and then leaning on his elbow Valere est Philosophari the study of Phylosophy is truly health saith Seneca who therfore salutes his freind Lucilius thus si Philosapharis bene est Epist 15. But I say the onely true health is to meditate with David Horum meditatio valetuâ—o mea vita mea Scultet Annoâ— in Marc. day and night on the Word of God S. Bernard saith that he had once no other masters but oakes and beech-trees Author vitae Bern. lib. 1. â— 4. that among them he had got that skill he had in the holy Scriptures that he had profited more therein by meditation and prayer Ascendamus meditatione oratione veluti duobus pedibus c. Bern. then by reading the largest Commentaries These two were the wings whereby he flew into Heaven and had his hearts desire to be taught of God Therefore shall yee lay up these my words in your heart Luk. 2.13 and in your soule c. Deut. 11.18 as the Virgin Mary did laying up what shee understood not and chewing upon it And as David did Psal 16.7 Psal 4 4. Psal 119.24 Act. 109 10. Esay 6.1 2. Anno a dâ—â—uvio 1540Vide quaeso quà m di versa siant â—oc anno in Ecclesia extra Ecclesiam Ethnici in Graecia spectant ludos â—uos Esaias in Iudea contemplatur revelatä Dei gloriam c. Buchol Chron. 541. whose reynes instructed him in the night season whilst he communed with his owne heart upon his bed and advised with Gods statutes as the men of his counsell So Eliah on Mount Carmel Daniel by the river Vlay Peter on the leads Isaac in the fields Esay among the Seraphims seeing and setting forth the Lord sitting upon his throne high and lofty when the vaine Graecians were at the same time tumultuating triumphing at their Olympick games O quà m sordeant huius mundi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animo ad coelum erecto * D. Prid Lect. O how vile are the tastlesse foolerics of earthly pleasures or the best contents that Philosophy can affoord to a mind lift up in heavenly meditation Such a mans thoughts feed hard upon the fairest objects such as are those set downe in that briefe of the Bible Iam. 1 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch saith that Corioâ—anus had so used her weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vita Cor. Philip. 4.8 till he hath turned them in succum sanguinem till the Word become an ingrafted Word setled on his soule as the science on the stock and close applyed as the playster to the sore that will surely heale Sect. 4. THirdly to Meditation joyne hearty prayer to the Father of lights for the Spirit of Revelation that unction from on high that spirituall eye-salve that so plowing with his heyfer we may understand his riddles No man knowes the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him Prov. 20.27 1 Cor. 1.11 Rom. 8.27 which is therefore called Gods candle searching all the inward parts of the belly Even so the deepe things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God But as God understandeth the mind of the Spirit so doth the Spirit understand the meaning of God and we by the Spirit have the mind of Christ 1 Cor 2. ult Reade not therefore but pray first and last that God would give us his Spirit to instruct us that he who commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse would shine into our hearts that he would beate out windowes in these dark dungeons and let in the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Prayer is as the Merchants ship to fetch in heavenly commodities Prov. 31.14 2 Sam 1.22 2 Sam. 18.27 as Jonathans bow that never returned empty
of spoile as Ahimaaz that alwaies brought good tidings When ever therefore you take up the Bible and open it cry Psal 119. Lord open mine eyes that J may see the wondrous things of thy Law When you are reading thinke you see written over every line Zach. 14.20 Sancte liber venerande liber liber optime salve Holinesse to the Lord and lift up some good requests As when you shut the booke againe say Lord who am I that thou shouldst shut up thy mysteries in such an earthen vessell O animae nostrae Biblia dimidium put such a precious pearle in a leatherne purse commit such a rich talent to me who am of saints the least of sinners the greatest Thus as Moses prayed devoutly both when the Arke removed and likewise when it rested againe And as Paul begins continues and concludes his Epistles with holy prayers Hoc primum repetas opuâ— hoc postremus omittas so must we our reading of the Scriptures if we meane to make any thing of it No sacrifice was without incense so must no service be without prayer Mar. 9.24 Yea let us pray with teares as he in the Gospell did and sped They are effectuall Oratours with Christ who found time to looke upon the weeping women when he was in the midst of his agony and in his way to the tree Jacob wrestled with him and prevailed by prayers and teares The Prophets usually received their Revelations besides rivers Esay 62.4 Cant 1.15 Cant. 4.1 The Spouse Christs Cheptsibah is said to have doves eyes glazed with teares John the beloved Disciple wept and so obtained that the booke should be opened Revel 5.4 Like as when Gods bottle was filled with Hagars teares he opened her eyes and sent his Angell to shew her where she might fill her bottle with living water Luther that great instrument of Gods glory for the bringing of life and immortality to light by the Gospell was a man of prayer 2 Tim 1.10 and so ardent therein that as Melancton writeth they which stood under his window where he was praying might see his teares falling and dropping downe Scultet Annal. George Prince of Anhalt though he saw something by Luthers light yet being not throughly convinced of divers points then in controversie besought God with many teares to bend his mind to the truth using often those words of David Psal 119.124 Deale with thy servant according to thy mercy and teach me thy statutes This was the first and the onely Prince of Germany that himselfe taught his subjects the way to Heaven Ibid. both by lively voice by printed bookes and by his daily prayers for his people that he might save himselfe and those that heard him Luk. 6.12 Our Saviour when he was to send forth his Apostles spent a whole night in prayer with strong crying and teares for a blessing on their Ministery and was heard in that he requested The harp yeelds no sound till toucht by the hand of the Musitian nor can Paul prevaile with Lydia till God open her heart Rebeccah may cook the venison but it is Isaac that must give the blessing Paul may plant c. but God gives increase The cause why the Word workes no more upon many mens hearts when they reade of heare it is because they rest too much upon it as that Idolatrous Micah who said Iudg 17. J know God Will be mercifull unto me because J have got a Levite and cry not earnestly to God to come himselfe unto them in the fullnesse of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ Rom. 15.29 to strike a holy stroke by his powerfull Spirit to give us right judgement and understanding that we may approove things that are excellent Pray therefore with S. Paul Phil. 1. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory would give unto us the Spirit of Wisdome and revelation the eyes of our understanding being enlightned c. Ephes 1.17 18 Rev 3. Rev. 5. Pray him that hath the key of David and was found only worthy to open the seven seales to open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law to irradiate both Organ and Object to give us sight and light not that outward light onely that is in the Scriptures themselves but that inward also of his Spirit the light of faith in our hearts Aug de Civ Dei The Platonists could say that the light of our mindes whereby we learne all things is no other but God himselfe the same that made all things say therefore with David Psal 119.12 Blessed be thou O Lord teach me thy statutes And with Zuninglius I beseech Almighty God to direct our waies Deum O. M. precor ut vias nostras dirigat ac sicubi simus Beleami in morem veritati pertinaciter obluctaturi c. Epist lib. 3â— fol. 118. and if Balaam-like we shall wilfully withstand the truth to send his holy Angell who with the dint of his drawne sword may so dash this Asse our blindnesse and boldnesse I meane to the wall that we may feele our feet that is our carnall affections to be crusht and our selves kept from speaking ought amisse of the God of Heaven Omnipotent sempiterne ac miâ—ericors Deus cujus verbum c. Scultet Annal p. 328. His publike Lectures on the Bible he alwaies began with this prayer Almighty everlasting and mercifull God whose Word is a lanterne to our feet and a light to our pathes be pleased to open and enlighten our minds that we may both understand these thine Oracles piously and holily and also be transformed into that we rightly understand so that we may not in any thing displease thy Majesty through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Sect. 5. FOurthly conferre with those that are better able propound to them your doubts and seeke satisfaction as the Disciples did Joh. 16.16 and the Eunuch Acts 8.34 and the Corinthians 1 Cor. 7. But ever doe this with a desire to be resolved and to yeeld to the truth revealed Not like that None-such Ahab 2 Chron. 18.14 or those perverse Pharisees Ioh 18.38 Mar. 8.12 or Pilate that asked what is truth but cared not to heare an answer or Herod who was desirous of a long season to see our Saviour Luk. 23 8. as hoping to have seene some miracle done by him as by some base juggler but would never stirre out of doores to fee him Ier 42.19 Not like Jeremies hearers that had made their conclusion before they came to enquire of him and were resolved upon their course nor like those tatling women in Timothy 2 Tim 3.7 that are ever learning but never knowing the truth Luk. 24. But with an humble and honest heart as those two going to Emaus for such shall know all Christs mind as they Such shall be of his Court and Counsell Gen. 18.17 as
every bush a man and every man an Executioner Isa 7.2 a butcher to doe him to death Ahab mournes and goes softly upon a message of death 1 Sam. 28. â—0 1 Sam. 15.37 Ahaz and his company tremble as the trees of the wood Saul faints and fals flat upon the Earth as a beast Nabal lyes dead in the nest like a block Adrian warbles out that dolefull ditty Carion Chron. Animula vagula blandula Quae nunc abibis in loca c. Silly soule whether art thou wending Another seeing her deare children slain afore her Cratificlia mater Cleomenis apud Plutar. in Cleom. and her selfe ready to be served in like sort uttered only this word Quo pueriestis profecti Poore children what 's become of you Anxius vixi dubius morior nescio quo vado saith a third Carefull I have lived doubtfull I dye whether I go I wot not 2 Cor. 5.1 â— But we know saith the Apostle for himself and his Corinthians that when our earthly tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our clayie cottage shall be dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens And for this we groane earnestly desiring to be dissolved to loose from the shore of life and to launch out into the main of Immortality forasmuch as we know not we think or hope only but by the certainty of Faith grounded on the Promise we are well assured that we shall be then at home with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.23 which is far far the better Look how the Disciples when they had bin tossed all night afore upon the Sea A transcendent expr ssion Ioh. 6. â—1 after they had once taken Christ into the ship were immediately at shore So he that hath fouÌ„ded his faith upon the word of Christ which dwelleth plentifully in him what measure soever he hath met with here yet no sooner takes he death as conquer'd by Christ into his bosome and bowels but he is immediately landed at the key of Canaan at the kingdome of Heaven The fore-thoughts hereof fils his heart with unspeakable and glorious joy fortifies his spirit against the fear of death which he hath learn'd out of Gods word to be to him neither totall nor perpetuall Rom. 8.10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 His Funerall preached by M. Rich. Stocke and causeth him to over-abound exceedingly with comfort as S. Paul speaketh O that ioy O my God when shall J be with thee said that heavenly sparke now ready to be extinct the young Lord Harrington I am by the wonderfull mercies of God saith another upon his death-bed as full of comfort as ever my heart can hold and feele nothing but Christ with whom I heartily desire to be M. Rob. Boâ—ton Another reverend Divine of our Church the day before he died called eagerly for the holy Bible with these very words Come O come M. Iohn Holland Bachelour of Divinity death approacheth let us gather some flowers to comfort this houre All other comforts he knew were but Ichabods without this and therfore turning with his own hands to that 8. chap. to the Romanes M. William Leigh B.D. and Pastour of Standish in his Souls solace against sorrow he gave me the book saith the Reverend man that relates it and bad me read At the end of every verse he made a pause and gave the sense in such sort with such feeling as was much to his own comfort but more to our joy and wonder Having thus continued his meditation and exposition for the space of two hours or more on the sudden he said O stay your reading what brightnes is this J see have you light up any candles To which one answered no it is the Sun-shine for it was about five a clock in a cleare Summers-evening Sun-shine saith he nay my Saviors shine Now farwell world welcome Heaven the Day-starre from on high hath visited my heart O speake it when J am gone and preach it at my funerall God dealeth familiarly with man J feele his mercy J see his Maiesty whither in the body or out of the body J cannot tell God he knoweth but J see things that are unutterable So ravisht in spirit he shut up his blessed life with these blessed words O what an happy change shall J make from night to day from darknes to light from death to life from sorrow to solace from a factious world to an heavenly being Mistris Kath. Brettergh of Bretterhoult in Lancashire in her life annexed to her funerall Sermon c. One more yet and that of the weaker sort and sex but strong in Faith and ready in the Scriptures wherin she used to read eight chapters a day at least This was her constant task in her health and the fruit therof she reaped and received in her sicknesse and at her greatest need Once indeed being conflicted by a temptation of Satan she cast her Bible from her and said it was indeed the book of life but she had read the same unprofitably and therfore feared it was become to her the book of death But another time when the temptation was vanished and comfort recovered she tooke her Bible in her hand and joyfully kissing it and looking up toward Heaven she said that of the Psalme Ps 119.71 72. O Lord it is good for me that J have bin afflicted that J may learn thy statutes The Law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of gold and silver During the time of her sicknes she rehearst for her comfort many texts of Scripture but especially the eighth to the Romans and the 17. of S. John many times concluding and closing up that she read or repeated with prayer and most comfortable uses and applications therof to her self crying out est-soon O happy am I that ever I was born to see this blessed day O praise the Lord for he hath filled me with ioy and gladnes O the ioyes the ioyes the ioyes that J feele in my soule O they be wonderfull they be wonderfull they be wonderfull O how mercifull and marvellous gratious art thou unto me O God c. And this my soule knows right well and this my soule knows right wel which speech of her assurance she often repeated Her last words were My warfare is accomplished and mine iniquities are pardoned Isa 40.1 Ps 7 5. Lord whom have I in Heaven but thee and I have none in Earth but thee My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of my heart Vna est in â—â— pida mihire medicina â—e vaelor patriâ—â— oâ— verax 〈◊〉 â—otensque maâ— Nath. Chytâ— and my portion for ever He that preserveth Jacob and defendeth Israel he is my God and will guide me unto death Guide me O Lord my God and suffer me not to faint but keep my soul in safety And with that she yeelded up the ghost a sweet Sabbaths sacrifice on Whitsunday being the last of May 1601 Now what but the mighty word of God which is his power to salvation could have thus filled the heart and mouth of a weak woman at the time of death with such unconceivable comfort and who would not read and rest stedfastly on such a word of Gods grace â—â— 19.7 â—oh 5.25 Ps 119.50 â—ev 12.11 â—oh 8.31 34. â—rov 6.21 〈◊〉 59.21 as rejoyceth the heart and enlightneth the eyes quickneth the spirit and comforteth the conscieÌ„ce armeth us against Satan and subdueth sin preserveth us from all evill and abideth with us for ever O hide this word in your hearts Ps 119.11 have it ready at your heads as Saul had his speare and pitcher â— Sam. 26.11 Prov. 6.22 23. let it lead you walking watch you sleeping talke with you waking For the commandement is a lamp and the Law is light yea every word of God is pure he is a sheild to them that put their trust therin we had better saith one Malemus carere â—â—lo terra omniâ—â— elementis c. Seâ—â—ecce â—â—s in Paedago â—to Christians want meat drink the light of the Sun we had better be without aire earth all the elements yea life it selfe then that one sweet sentence of our Saviour Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden c. FINIS