Lord as well as they Obiect Then it is no good argument that we must reiect such and such things because the Papists haue abused them Answ. If they be good and necessarie it is not as are the Word Prayer Sacraments Churches and whatsoeuer stands by Gods ordinance in diuine or ciuill vse But in things vnnecessarie that we might be as well or better without their vse it is a good consequence Idolaters haue abused them therefore we must forbeare them as Bishop Iewell speaketh The infallible Iudge and speaking-decider of all controuersies in the Church are the holy Scriptures in the true sense of them Our Lord here giues the true meaning of one Scripture by another in this his controuersie with the deuill Deut. 17.9.10 In any matter of difference the people must come to the Priest or Leuite and they must iudge and determine all differences according to the Law and all the people vpon paine of death must stand to that iudgement Now this Priest was a type not of the Pope but of Christ on whose mouth all must depend for the decision of all controuersies Iosh. 1.7 the booke of the Law was giuen to Ioshua to decide all matters among the Iewes from which he must not depart to the right hand or left hand He was an eminent type of our Iesus or Ioshua whose voice speaking in the Scripture the booke of the law we must attend vnto in all things Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures and our Sauiour said to the Sadduces Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures plainely affirming that the Scriptures rightly knowne were a sufficient fence from all error Luk. 16.29 They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Matth. 19.4 Christ by Scripture refuted the Pharisies abuse of that Scripture of Moses for putting away their wiues Isa. 8.20 To the Lawe and to the Testimonie 1. This is true by reason of the perfection of the Scripture Psal. 19.7 The law of God is perfect so perfect as man and Angell are accursed that shall adde vnto it Prou. 30.5.6 Euery word of God is pure a sheild to those that trust in him put nothing vnto his words least he reprooue thee and thou bee found a lyar It is a perfect Canon or rule which as a straite line shewes the crookednesse of that which is not straite It is a touch-stone and triall of all truths It is a perfect law which is an vniuersall iudgement to direct all and for all to be led by which liue vnder it It is perfect in the effect 2. Tim. 3.16 It is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and instruct in righteousnesse and to make the man of God perfect Obiect The Apostle saith it is profitable but not that it is sufficient alone Ans. We say not it is therefore sufficient because he saith it is profitable but because it is profitable for all purposes of teaching improouing and making the man of God perfect therefore it is sufficient and perfect 2. In the Scripture we haue the voice of God speaking from heauen then which voice no voice of man or Angell can be more cleare or manifest Prou. 2.6 Out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding His wisedome in the Scripture is aboue Salomons in answering all darke and deep questions and no case can be propounded which hath not there his satisfaction and determination Obiect But the Scriptures are a dumbe iudge and cannot determine controuersies Ans. 1. We giue earthly Kings leaue to giue definitiue sentence and iudgement in cases by their writing by which numbers who neuer heard their voice but read the writing vnderstand their meaning and shall we now call them dumb iudges or shall we deny this priuiledge to the King of glorie to determine by writing but we must blasphemously account him a dumbe iudge 2. The Scriptures are not a dumbe iudge but a speaking iudge Rom. 3.19 That which the Law speaketh it speaketh to them that are vnder the law Heb. 12.5 Ye haue forgotten the consolation which speaketh to you as children Ioh. 7.42 Doth not the Scripture say and what saith the Scripture so as it is a speaking iudge and giues to it selfe a mouth and a voice and that a loud one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.27 the Apostle quoting the Prophet Esay saith Esay cryes out concerning Israel c. 3. How doth their speaking iudge determine all causes in Christendom delated vnto him at Rome but by writing and bulls and breues and yet he scornes to be counted a dumbe iudge 3. That is the noble and infallible iudge of all controuersies to which all flesh must stand which hath his authority of himselfe no way delegate but the Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it selfe to bee beleeued because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God from whom lies no appeale whose iudgement can by no meanes within or without it selfe be corrupted whose voice alone cannot erre or be led by passion affection or respect of persons but is an vnchangeable truth as God himselfe is the author of it In euery common-wealth the fittest decider of a controuersie in the Law is the Lawe-maker the King himselfe the same is also true in the Church 4. Christ himselfe decided all controuersies by Scripture so did the Apostles so the auncient beleeuers brought all their doubts to the Scriptures after their example This serues to discouer the wickednes of the Church of Rome who 1. that they may be iudges in their causes and 2. to auoide the light of Scripture which they see so direct against them flie the Scriptures as an incompetent iudge of the controuersies of religion between vs and in stead of the Scriptures they appoint vs fowre Iudges the authoritie of all which is superiour by their doctrine to the authoritie of Scripture The first iudge is the Church for that say they is to iudge of the meaning of Scripture but for the authoritie of the Church we could not know which were Scripture Answ. 1. We aske what they meane by the Church They say the Catholike Church But that is impossible to be iudge vpon earth because it is a companie of all the elect in heauen and earth which neuer was on earth at one time Then they say the visible Church But what if the Church be not visible sometimes as in Elias his time or be in the wildernesse Then they say the Romane Church which hath euer been visible these 1500. yeares Now we know our iudge and how our cause is like to goe in which it is a party But 1. It is not the Catholike Church vnlesse a finger can be an hand or an hand the whole body or a part become the whole and falsly and ridiculously call themselues Catholikes 2. That is no true Church which disagreeth from Christ the Head as Augustine saith and is fallen off Christ by many fundamentall errors as idolatrie iustification by workes and the like which
these stones to be made bread Here is an inference vpon the former words If thou be the Sonne of God vpon a true ground Satan raiseth a dangerous consequence Christ was the Sonne of God true Must he therefore needs make stones bread It is an ordinary temptation of the deuill to inferre mischeiuous conclusions vpon true premisses God had no respect to Cains sacrifice as to Abels Whereas now Cain should haue offered of the best as Abel did and haue brought faith with his offering by which Abel offered a better sacrifice Heb. 11.4 Satan infeâ—res vpon it Therefore kill thy brother Saul receiued no answer of God that was true but that therefore he should goe to the wiâ—ch of Endor was Satans inference both against the law of God and Sauls owne law God is a 〈◊〉 God a true premisse and the scope of all the Scripture but that Ionah should therefore â—â—ie to Tâ—rsâ—ish and not goe to preach the destruction of Niniâ—e was a Satanicall inference A man must pittie himselfe and doe what he can to repell euill from him and auoid danger but that Christ should therefore not goe vp to Ierusalem to suffer was a dangerous consequence of Satan in Peters mouth whom therefore Christ calleth Satan 1. Satan is cunning and seeketh by mingling good and euill truth and falshood to iustifie that which is false and to draw it on with the truth If he should neuer speake truth hee could neuer deceiue halfe so much therefore he speakes many truthes to giue credit to his lies and the same he hath taught all his agents Doe we thinke that a false teacher or heretike could do any great hurt if he should not lay his leauen in a lump of truth would not euery man at first reiect him if he should bring neuer a true doctrine but therefore that his heresie may spread like a gangrene he comes with a faire pretence of many truths which cannot be denied Doe we thinke that the Church of Rome should haue so preuailed in the world or that Antichristian state should haue beene endured or could any Papist be suffered in ours or any wel-ordered countrey if they did not colour all their abhominations and false religion with some generall truths if they should not in word and shew hold and recite the articles of faith and principles of our religion concerning God in vnity of essence and trinity of person concerning Christ the Church c. were it possible that any Christian state could beare them while indeed and in truth they reuerse the whole foundation of religion and are limmes of Antichrist No their deceit is a mysterie and walks in darknes and the maske and vizards of truth with pretence of holines hath held the swords of Princes from them which else had long since beene sanctified in their ouerthrow 2. Satan can doe no other who cannot speake truth for truths sake for beeing a lyar from the beginning he loues not truth and therefore if he speake truth it is to corrupt the truth or to stablish some lie Lying is the deuills mothers tongue Ioh. 8.1 Sam. 28.17 18. Satan in the habite of Samuel spake many truths as that the Lord had rent the Kingdome from him and giuen it to Dauid because he had so spoken he would doe it and because Saul obeyed not the voice of the Lord nor executed his fierce wrath against the Amalâ—kites and that the Lord would deliuer him and the Israelites into the hand of the Philistims the next day c. But all this was to feed Saul in his delusion and hold him in his sinne as though he were Samuel as vers 17. the Lord hath done it euen as he spake by mine hand and v. 19. to morrow shalt thou bee with mee c. So in the new Testament we haue the deuills confessing Christ to be the Sonne of God the Holy One the summe of the Gospel and Paul and Silas to be the seruants of the high God Act. 16. but both Christ and his seruants put them to silence and would not haue them to speake the truth because it was to depraue and slander the whole truth as though Christ and his seruants had beene in league and agreement with the deuills and so their doctrine had beene not diuine but diabolicall Thus Satan like a barge-man lookes one way but rowes another 3. Satan sees how our nature is easily carried through a generall shew of good or truth to take in with it error and falshood hand ouer head without triall or discerning For though our blessed Sauiour would not confound stones and bread yet we easily take stones with bread and serpents with fishes The whole Masse-booke is but an heape of idolatrous prayers and ceremonies but yet because there is some shew of good in it many Scriptures and some tolerable and good prayers with many deuotions it is wholly receiued without triall of millions giuen ouer to delusion 4. Satan the prince of darknes can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11.14 and the false Prophets will be confident that the truth is with them Zedechiah will oppose Micaiah and Hanani will smite Ieremie and make yokes against the King of Babels yoke Ier. 28.11 The Donatists in Africa cryed out that the sound Christians were traytors to the holy bookes and themselues the defendors of them The Papists at this day crie out with Dioscorus the heretike I defend the opinions of the fathers and their whole doctrine is condemned with mine Let vs learne to be wise and trie before we trust not taking all things in grosse but first examining and proouing them Falshood carries often a shew of truth and truth often couers falshood no vice appeareth in his proper colour but vnder the likenes of some vertue The Romish whore of Babylon offereth not her wine of fornications in the barke of some poisoned plant or shell of some poisonfull or venemous creature but hath conueyed them all into a cup of glistering gold Reu. 17.4 and this hath entised the great ones of the earth who gazed at the glister of the golden boule but neuer looked what was in it the glorious stile of Catholike Church Vicar of Christ Peters successor hath deceiued such as liked not to trie before they did trust and so hath vniuersality antiquity fathers consent and the like Eue should haue examined the words of the serpent and Adam the gift of his wife and then neither of them had beene deceiued The builders of Babel had they examined the motion before they had made onset had auoided that confusioÌ„ Abraham should haue tried the counsell of Sarah before he had taken her maid into his bosome This examination and triall by the touchstone of the word will shew the inconsequence of such dangerous conclusions How lamentably are many great wits and gifts giuen ouer in Popish countries for want of this sound triall taking their religion by tradition offering to the
yet are maintained by Romanists 3. We hold that the Orthodoxe and true Church is 1. A witnesse and keeper of the Scriptures but a iewel hath his price and excellencie from it selfe not from the keeper 2. Hauing the Spirit of Christ the Church can discerne true Scripture from false and supposititious writings but this by the helpe of Scripture as a goldsmith by the touch-stone can discerne gold from other mettells but he makes it not gold but onely tries it so to be 3. It is to publish and declare the truth of Scripture without adding or diminishing as an Herald or cryer manifests the Kings pleasure but it receiues no authoritie from him 4. The true Church is a ministeriall interpreter as hauing the gift of prophesie but tyed to interpret and iudge of Scripture by Scripture Christ is a magisteriall interpreter But that the Church on earth should haue authority ouer Scriptures is too vnreasonable 1. It is to preferre mens voice and testimony aboue Gods 1. Ioh. 5.9 If we receiue mans testimony the testimony of God is greater Ioh. 5. vlt. If yee will not beleeue Moses his writings how will ye beleeue my sayings as if he should say If ye beleeue not Scriptures my testimony will doe you no good True it is that our Sauiour said I receiue not testimony from man that is I need no mans testimony for Iohn gaue witnesse to Christ no more doth the Scripture in it selfe For Christ was the light whether Iohn witnessed to it or no so is the Scripture the word of God whether the Church be witnesse or no. But we admit the Church to giue witnesse but not authority see it in a familiar example A man owes me money I haue a bond and witnesses he denies it I produce the bond and the witnesses that cleare the matter and affirme the bond to be his act and lawfull doe these now make the bond true or the debt good or onely cleare it so to bee for if they should not witnesse the debt and bond were true Euen such is the witnesse of the Church to the Scripture 2. The voice of the spouse is inferiour to the voice of the bridegroome and howsoeuer a man may be mooued by the Church to heare the Scripture if he be vnconuerted as Augustine beeing a Manichie yet a man endued with Gods Spirit and the gift of faith esteemes the Scripture for it selfe aboue all the words of all men as Christ himselfe at length was of farre more authority then the woman of Samaria when the men thereof said to her Now we beleeue not for thy word but because our selues haue heard him So as when we haue the Papist asking vs as if euery one of them doth when the word hath put them to their shifts But how doe you know Scripture to be Scripture but by the Church we must answer by the Scripture taking with vs the help of the Church and especially by the Spirit of God reuealing the truth vnto vs for the sheep of Christ heare his voice and follow him And when we aske the Papists how they know the Church to be the Church or where it is some say it is here some there some hold vs off with one marke some with another but at last they come to know the Church by Scripture and that is the Church which the Scripture saith is the Church so in all other questions that must be the determination which the Scripture determines 3. The Church cannot be iudge because it must be iudged by Christs voice and not be a law vnto it Common-wealths must receiue lawes from the Prince and not the Prince from his people and as it is in bodies politike so in the mysticall body of Christ. And as in the naturall body the head ruleth the members not contrarily so is it here 4. How absurd is it to affirme that that which is subiect to error must be iudge and superiour to that which is free from it But the Church may erre euen the true Catholike Church on earth may erre and doth when it departeth neuer so little from the Scripture although it cannot depart from the foundation nor incorrigibly erre for euery man may erre and therefore that which consists of euery man euen the Apostle was compassed with infirmity Besides the maine difference between the Church militant and triumphant is that one may erre the other is quite freed from error The second iudge and decider of controuersies appointed by the Church of Rome are the Doctors and Fathers but how corruptly for 1. They consent not among themselues and sâ—eldome agree in the same sense 2. They borrow all the light and truth they haue from the Scripture as the starres from the sunne 3. All their doctrine must be iudged of by Scripture and onely so farre receiued as they agree with it 4. They all present their writings to be examined by Scripture and so many things in them are truely iudged erroneous euen in the best of them If I speake let none heare mee but if God speake woe to him that heares not It must not goe for currant This saith Augustine or that saith Donate but This saith the Lord. 5. The interpreter of Scripture must be diuine and infallible as it selfe is and certaine but the interpretation of Fathers is humane infirme sometime according to passion or contention so as often euen by Bellarmines often confession they spake minùs cautè the best of them wrote retractations and other things beeing old then they did beeing young Seeing therefore there is no stability in Doctors let Christ be acknowledged of vs the cheife Doctor of his Church Matth. 23.8 One is your doctor euen Christ. Their third iudge and decider of controuersies are Councells which say they is the Church representatiue but these are as vnfit to be Iudges of Scripture as the former for 1. Euen the generall Councells disagree among themselues in interpreting Scripture as might be seene in a number of places 2. The Popes Canon law it selfe affirmeth that all the Councells except the foure generall namely the Nicen anno 332. Ephesine anno 450. of Chalcedon anno 456. and of Constantinople anno 386. may erre and although it blasphemously equall the foure Councells to the foure Euangelists yet we know that euen these haue erred For that Nicene Generall Councell determined there should be at any case but one Bishop in one city which is against the Scripture Act. 20.28 Philip. 1.1 The twelft Canon of that Councell condemned all kinde of warre among Christians The 13. Canon holds the necessity of the Eucharist as the necessary viaticum or prouision of a Christian at his departure Also it erred in the matter of ministers marriage stayed by Paphnutiuâ— And the Constantinopolitan Councell gaue all equall honour and authority to the Bishop of Constantinople with the Bishop of Rome which the Papists themselues generally hold to be a great error and yet perhaps was none And the consent of
was not for our imitation Ans. True it was not in the extent but in the end it was in the former Christ is to be admired in the latter to be imitated 3. To set out his miracles and diuine power for the honour and authority of his person and doctrine to shew himselfe the Sonne of God Obiect Moses and Elias fasted this fast and yet were meere men Answ. They did it by his power he by his owne they were vpheld by the power of God but hee by his diuine power their fasting was but a type and shadow of this But to make euery man able to imitate this fast obscures Christs glory and this miracle and the Gospell it selfe 4. That hereby he might bid battell offer opportunity and prouoke his aduersary to the combate for this was the end both of his fasting and going into the wildernesse and of his hunger Wherein also this fast of Christ may not be imitated for we are not to offer any opportunities or aduantages to Satan who is ready enough to seeke and take enough as we may not tempt God so we may not tempt the tempter but pray that we may not be lead into temptation by him and watch least we fall into temptation Mark 14.38 yea we must cut off and preuent his aduantages and shunne all occasions wherein he might assault vs as knowing our owne weakenes The third thing in Christs fast is the continuance of time forty dayes and fortie nights Quest. Why did he fast so long why no more nor no lesse Answ. For these reasons 1. To be answerable to the types As Moses fasted 40. dayes at the institution of the law and Elias at the restitution of it so would Christ here at the manifestation of the Gospel 2. Hee exceeded not this number least he should seeme too inhumane and cruell against himselfe for he did no more then Moses and Elias had done men subiect to infirmity In our time he is no man that cannot straine one tricke aboue others but Christ being in the shape of a seruant takes not vpon him aboue his fellow-seruants 3. He would not fast lesse because he would not seeme lesse then the Prophets nor vnlike them 4. He would not fast more because he would not haue his Deitie now acknowledged by the deuill 5. He would not giue occasion to heretikes to doubt of the truth of his body and humane nature If he had fasted longer then Moses and Elias he might haue beene thought no true man but onely in show incarnate Quest. Why is it added that he fasted fourty nights Answ. For these reasons 1. To shew that it was not such a fast as the Iewes vsed to keepe who fasted many dayes together but ate at nights as Daniel fasted for 3. weekes of dayes chap. 3. v. 10. Nor like the Turkish fasts who so soone as they see a starre eat any thing on their fasting dayes but that which is strangled or hogges flesh Nor yet like the Papists fast who though they say they fast 40. dayes both to imitate Christ to giue God the tithe of the yeare yet can feed wel fare deliciously euery night 2. To shew that Christ had a care to spend his nights wel aswell as his dayes not spending them out in sleep but in watching and prayer as well as in fasting for by the same power his bodie was preserued without sleep as it was without meate Far vnlike the Papists who in their fasting-dayes spend the night in gluttony luxurie and all vncleannesse This example of Christ teacheth vs of what great necessitie this exercise fasting is both for the entrance comfortable continuance of the duties of our calling both generall and speciall This Nehemiah knew well when hearing of the calamitie of Ierusalem and his brethren the Iewes he fasted certaine dayes and prayed before the God of heauen c. 1. v. 4. And Ezra proclaimed a fast to seeke the right way homeward and safe from their enemies c. 8. v. 21. see also Act. 13.3 1. Fasting in an holy and religious manner helpeth forward graces that are necessarie for our calling as 1. the grace of conuersion and therefore is made an adiunct of it Ioel. 2.12 Turne you with all your heart with fasting and weeping 2. the grace of prayer for as prayer sanctifieth fasting so fasting strengtheneth praier Otherwise to place Gods worship in fasting is to make the belly the God 3. it helpes forward the knowledge of the mysteries of God and godlinesse Dan. 9.3 conferred with 20.21 as Daniel was praying and fasting Gabriel was sent to instruct him and reuealed to him the mysterie of the 70. weekes 4. it addes strength and courage in the Christian combate betweene the flesh and the spirit it is as a third that comes in to take the spirits part and so helpeth to the victorie by subduing the flesh 2. The necessitie and profit of this exercise appeareth in respect of our selues for 1. If we want publike or priuate benefits fasting ioyned with prayer is the meanes wherein God will haue them sought and obtained The Beniamites after two sore ouerthrowes by this meanes got the victory Iud. 20.28 Annah by the same obtained her Samuel and Dauid fasted for his childs life 2. If we be in danger of publike or personall iudgments by the same means they are to be diuerted religious fasting is a cheife part of the defensiue armour of the Church as we may see in the examples of Hester sauing her people from Hamans deuise and of the Niniuites turning away the destruction threatned by Ionah by fasting and humbling themselues 3. If wee be to attempt publike or priuate duties hereby we must fit our selues and obtaine successe and blessing So did Nehemiah and Ezra as we saw before and when Paul and Barnabas were separated to the worke of the ministerie they fasted and prayed Act. 13.3 Yea Christ himselfe spent a whole night in fasting and prayer before he chose his Disciples Luk. 6.12 13. 3. Daily experience shewes the necessity of religious fasting for 1. How may men obserue in themselues that for want of this duty they grow dull in their profession and heauy in holy practises yea empty of grace so as they may thinke the spirit is departed from them yet when they haue renewed this exercise they finde themselues more ripe and ready more quicke and able to good duties as if they had new soules giuen them 2. Doe woe not see that the more conscionably a man carrieth himselfe the more busily Satan doth bestirre himselfe against him and had he not need so much the more fence himselfe with coat-armour and flie to God for strength and protection If a good Magistrate or Minister be to be brought into any place how doth Satan storme and bend his forces against him because he thinkes that then his kingdome must downe Therefore if a man meane to be seruiceable to God in any place it is meet
hee should first sanctifie it by fasting and prayer as Christ did This serues to rebuke the great want of this so needfull a dutie What Magistrate or Minister against whom Satan most shouteth entreth thus into his calling as Christ by fasting and prayer but by gifts fauour or otherwise get liuings and offices but to God they goe not and this is the cause that so little good is done either in one calling or the other as much blessing as they seeke they haue So what other reason can be giuen that many lingring euills and want of Gods blessing is in so many families but because men omit the cheife meanes of procuring the one and repelling the other Men thinke they haue nothing to doe with this duty but when publike authority enioynes it and that it is onely the fault of Magistracie it is so out of vse as though euery Master of a family were not a Magistrate and Bishop in his owne house or as if that were not a means for priuate blessings which is so mighty for publike Oh deceiue not thy selfe that which thou canst not doe publikely thou maiest doe in thine owne house and therefore if thou wantest any grace or blessing blame thine owne idlenes that seekest it not in Gods meanes This should mooue vs to performe so needfull a duty as this is and thereunto to consider of these reasons 1. Consider the promises that are made and haue been made good to fasting and feruent prayer Remember that one example of good King Iehoshaphat against whom came the Moabites Ammonites and they of mount Seir whereupon he proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and prayed earnestly 2. Chron. 20.2.17 and before they had ended their praier the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Iahaziel a Leuit who by the spirit of prophecie foretold the victorie saying Yee shall not need to fight in this battell O Iudah and Ierusalem Feare yee not but to morrowe goe out against them and the Lord will be with you and so it came to passe for the enemies slew one an other and the Iewes gathered the spoyle and returned and praised God in the valley of Beracha that is of blessing so called euer after 2. The ordinary praiers of Gods children haue preuailed much and much more can their fasting and praier bring greater blessings When Peter was in prison sleeping betweene two souldiers the night before he should be brought out to death beeing bound with two chaines and the Keeper before the doore watching the prison at the ordinary prayer of the Church an Angel smote Peter saying Arise quickely and his chaines fell off and he was deliuered Act. 12.5 much more can extraordinarie prayer ioyned with fasting preuaile 3. Many things are not obtained but by that prayer which is ioyned to fasting Matth. 17.14 this kind of deuils is not cast out but by prayer and fasting that is by a most feruent kind of prayer to which fasting is ioyned as a whetstone to sharpen it and set an edge on it Some things as those that are pretious cost a greater price and some suits must be obtained of men not without long and instant supplication so here many things are long sought by ordinary prayer which beeing extraordinary fauours might by extraordinarie prayer haue been sooner had 4. God hath rewarded the wicked who haue vsed this ordinance in hypocrisie and much more will he those his seruants that vse it in truth 1. King 21.21 Ahab fasting for the destruction threatened by Elijah humbled himselfe and this fast of his not ioyned with true repentance but onely kept in the outward ceremonie in abstaining from meate in sackecloath and giuing some testimonie of outward sorrow was not vnrewarded but obtained a repriue of the execution of the sentence til his sonnes dayes How much more respect shall we obtaine of God if we ioyne to the outward fast the inward graces of humility repentance faith and feruencie 5. Were this exercise in request sometimes in families it would preuent many iugdements and many sinnes the procurers thereof in gouernours children and seruants as adulterie fornication drunkennesse swearing riot and profanenesse these might bee kept out aswell as cast out by this meanes and vnspeakeable were the good that might hereby be procured as release from many euils life health c. 6. We haue the example of the Iewes who besides all other mooueable fasts vpon speciall occasion must haue one set fast in a yeare Leuit. 16.29 1. Because many great sinnes of all sorts might be committed in a yeare for which they needed to be humbled 2. Once a yeare God might shew some tokens of displeasure publike or priuate that they might know that once a yeare they had cause to be humbled Obiect That was a ceremony Answ. The day was not the thing the equity of which binds vs as well as them because the ends and causes bind vs. And in the Gospel we haue the example of Iohn and his Disciples who fasted often and Christs Disciples must fast when the bridegroome is gone and causes of mourning come Beside these we haue sundry other motiues to religious fasting as 1. Shall Christ fast for vs and not we for our selues 2. Shall the Pharisies fast twice a weeke in hypocrisie and we not once in our liues in sincerity 3. Can we chearefully betake vs for our bodily health to fasting diet or abstinence so long as the Physition will prescribe and will we do nothing for our soules health 4. Can worldly men for a good market fast from morning to euening and can Christians be so carelesse as to dedicate no time to the exercise of fasting and prayer to increase their gaine of godlines 5. Is not this a seasonable exhortation hath not God sounded the Trumpet to fasting Matth. 9.16 when the bridegroome is taken away it is time to fast But now 1. Sinnes abound as drunkennes pride and high wickednes and there is no more feare of Gods wrath in the Church and land 2. The word and ministery is more despised then euer and lesse loued Preachers and Professors of the Gospell are scorned as in the dayes of Noah the heauenly Mannah is contemned and the contempt of it threatneth a finall departure of the bridegroome 3. Papists increase in numbers in boldnes in pride in power and are so farre from beeing conuerted by the light as they are daily more peruerted and peruerse notwithstanding the glorious Gospell of God and the wholesome lawes of the land Adde vnto these the swarmes of Atheists Macheuilians carnall and colde Protestants among vs. 4. Who hath not smarted in the common iudgements of the land lingring by many yeares in plagues vnseasonable weather fires waters and the like all of them forerunners of greater misery Who can forget the warning of gun-powder and the present vnfeelingnes of it And were not these publike euills how many euery one of vs bewaile Christs hiding of himselfe from our soules His gratious beames shine
the godly to ouercome them with no other then their owne weapons Christ had made the written word his shield his sword he will therefore assay with his owne weapon to wound him and so he deales with his members 5. Here is not onely Gods permission but his ouerruling power for hereby the father of lies against his heart and nature giueth witnesse to the truth and strongly argues it to be the strongest weapon that hath strongest power ouer the conscience Quest. How doth Satan alleadge Scripture Answ. Hee is Gods ape and as God alleadgeth Scripture three wayes 1. by his Spirit and inward motion as to Abimelech in a dreame Gen. 20.3 2. by his Ministers and seruants Angels or men 3. by his owne liuely voice as to Adam So can Satan 1. by suggestion 2. by his Ministers who transforme themselues as if they were the Ministers and Apostles of Christ. 2. Cor. 11.13.14.15 not onely deliuering the word but also truely 3. by voice in some assumed body as vndoubtedly he did to the first Adam and here to the second Seeing then this wicked spirit can and doth alleadge Scripture against vs it behooues vs to trie the spirits whether they be of God or no 1. Ioh. 4.1 not to beleeue euery one that can alleadge Scripture for so we might beleeue the deuill himselfe 1. Thess. 5.22 our commaundement is to prooue all things and hold onely that which is good Our president is in Act. 17.11 the Bereans when they heard the Apostles searched whether the things spoken were so We take no coine without due tryall Quest. How shall I trie the spirit that brings a sentence of Scripture Answ. 1. By diligent study and reading of Scripture diligently searching out the truth for the determination of euery truth must be by Scripture and though Scripture seeme to be opposed to Scripture we must not with Papists draw determination of matters from Scripture so saith the Apostle in Eph. 4.14 Let vs not be carried about as children with euery winde of doctrine how should we doe other but follow the truth in loue Examine the places circumstances antecedents and consequents conferre with other Scriptures to all which it must agree 2. Follow and frequent the ministery as not content with the knowledge of the Scriptures without the true vnderstanding of them for they consist not in the bare letters but in the pithie sense said the Father And this true vnderstanding will help vs to lay it to the analogie of faith whereunto it must be agreeable and will make our senses exercised in the word 3. Adde hereunto prayer which procureth the Spirit to lead vs into all necessary truth Dauid neuer ceased to pray to be taught as we may see through the whole 119. Psalme 4. Consider the end scope of the Scripture alleadged If it lead thee into an action condemned by the law of nature or against other direct Scriptures or principles of religion it is of the deuill the father of lies for Gods Spirit neuer alleadgeth Scripture but to lead vs into the knowledge and practise of some truth This is Moses his rule Deut. 13.1 If a false Prophet rise vp see what he aimeth at if it be to draw thee from the Lord his worship or word take heed of him so if Satan by any instrument of his shall bring the word and pretend great zeale if the end be to draw thee to superstition idolatry or Popery beware of him his scope discouers him If a doctrine or Scripture be alleadged to nourish any fleshly delight or to hold men in sinne though the words be Gods the allegation is the deuills as At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth c. and the theefe was saued at the last houre and therefore if thou canst say two or three good words at thy death all shall be well here is the deuill saying It is written for all Scripture truely cited by Gods Spirit aimes at mortification and the furtherance of repentance If a Scripture be alleadged and vrged to threaten and discourage such as feare God and shew forwardnes in good wayes or to animate the sinner promising him peace and life it is Satans allegation for if Gods spirit alleadge Scripture that word is good and comfortable to him that walkes vprightly and the threats of the law are fit prouision for impenitent persons This teacheth vs not to content our selues to know the Scripture and be able to speake of it or to alleadge it for the deuill knowes the word and can alleadge it readily yea he is expert in it Many men deceiue themselues in their estate and thinke themselues sure of saluation if they can get a little knowledge of the Scripture aboue others as though Satan could not alleadge it or as though the wicked could not preach it as Iudas did or vngodly men professe it who take the wâ—rd into their mouth and hate to be reformed Psal. 50.16.17 But let vs take heed we come not behinde the deuill himselfe while we thus highly coÌ„ceit our selues for 1. Are there not a number of ignorant men almost as ignorant as if the Scriptures had neuer beene written and shall not the deuill condemne these who hath gained so much knowledge in the word which containeth not one word of comfort for him but iudgement that makes him tremble Yet these whom they would make wise to saluation and to whom they offer the ioyes and comfort of life eternall are vtterly ignorant of them 2. Many read the Scripture but as Satan not to informe or reforme themselues nor to make themselues better but both themselues and others farre worse as not onely heretikes and learned Papists who bend all their knowledge to suppresse and hide the truth but all such as by the Scripture seeke to maintaine their owne errors and sinnes which they will not part with And these are no better then the deuill 3. Others will reade Scripture and heare and know it but without all speciall application and grace in the heart wherein they should differ from the deuill and wicked men who know the word but affect it not doe it not nay cannot abide the speciall application of it to do them good and this doth nothing but increase sinne and iudgement sinne Iam. 4.17 to him that knoweth to doe well and doth it not it is sinne a great sinne without excuse or cloake Ioh. 15.22 iudgement for such shall be beaten with many stripes 4. Others bragge of their knowledge they read the Bible at least Dauids Psalmes and they know as much as any Preacher can tell them But stay the deuill reades the Psalter as well as thou and can quote Dauids Psalmes more readily then thou he can read the Bible he knowes as much yea more then any Preacher can tell him what sayest thou more of thy selfe then the deuill can do of himselfe and more truely And what hast thou gained by all this challenge but thine owne conuiction of great sinne
heart 1. Sam. 28.15 when the deuill would delude Saul â—nd hasten his death he layes the ground of it in Gods word and taking on him the person of Samuel saith The Lord hath done euen as he spake by my hand abusing alleadging that Scripture in 1. Sam. 15.28 The Lord will rent the Kingdome from thee this day and hath giuen it to thy neighbour who is better then thou Mar. 1.23 the deuill comes to Christ and tells him he knowes him well enough Thou art Iesus of Nazareth euen that holy One of God that holy One that was promised figured and expected euen that Redeemer and holy One of Israel Isa. 41.14 euen that holy One foretold by the Angell Luk. 1.35 And all this was by Scripture to ouerthrow both Christ himselfe and the faith of beleeuers as though there were some secret compact and familiarity betweene him and them and perhaps hence arose that speach By Beelzebub he casteth out deuills 1. Satan knowes that Scripture is the will of God reuealed and hath sway in the conscience as beeing inspired by the holy Ghost as the onely rule of faith and life and if he can turkiâ— the Scripture out of his right sense and shape he peruerts iudgment and holds the conscience in errour and these errours are dangerous and neare of kinne to obstinacy For till the truth of God come to his place againe in the conscience it will stiffen it selfe in errour euen to the death So as by this stratageme Satan vsurpes the conscience which is Gods right and so leads men at his pleasure 2. His malice sets him cleane contrary to God in his proceedings God hath giuen his Scripture to saue men by and therefore it is called a word of saluation now Satan would herein crosse the Lord in peruerting the word to mens condemnation The Scripture is in the Church as a law to the Common-wealth to containe men in the compasse of faith and godly life whence it is called Statutes and precepts and iudgements But Satan seekes to enforce it as a law to thrust men from faith and obedience The Scripture is a word of truth of holines of wisedome euery way resembling God the author Satan therefore beeing the greatest enemie to Gods image is the greatest enemie to the Scriptures and desireth to peruert them by establishing by them errours heresies false doctrines wicked and foolish opinions and practises 3. His subtilty and pollicie is not inferiour to his malice for 1. He hath a speciall slight and tricke of his owne by pretending truth to impugne it and with Scripture to fight against Scripture which he hath taught his speciall factors heretikes and seducers for why else did Christ forbid the deuill to witnesse to him but that euen that truth he speakes euer tends to destroy the truth And in the text why cites he the truth but to draw Christ into an errour 2. He will gaine to himselfe some credit by this practise for seeing speaches and testimonies depend much vpon the credit of the speaker by his quoting of Scripture he would be taken as if the truth of Scripture depended vpon or needed his witnes 4. Satan must doe thus if he will preuaile against Christ or his seruants for Scripture in the true sense of it is no patrone of sinne nor euer stands on the deuills side Of all tempâ—â—tions beware most of them which come armed with Scripture for hardlier can we espie the subtilty and danger of these then those which are directly against the Scripture And by temptations of this kinde Satan mightily preuaileth in points both of doctrine and practise which it shall not be amisse to giue some tast of and in both we shall obserue how Satan doth not so much vse as abuse Scripture I. In matters of doctrine 1. For the establishing of the Headship of the Church in the Pope the ordinary Papists haue found a Scripture in Ioh. 21.16 where Christ saith Feed my sheep I answer first that place speakes not of any headship or spirituall gouernment but of feeâ—ing by the word and Sacraments which the Pope neuer doth secondly it is a commaundement not giuen to Peter alone but to all the Apostles who were equally Apostles with him but applied to Peter specially not to note any Primacie but secretly to checke him for his threefold deniall whereby he made himselfe vnworthy to be a Disciple Obiect But Peter saith he hath two swords and therefore the Pope hath both spirituall and temporall iurisdiction Sol. This is a place of Satans alleadging when that which is spoken literally is wrested into a figuratiue sense And where Peter is commaunded Act. 10.13 to kill and eatâ— the Pope may kill and slay and eate vp whom he will or can Prince with people But this is a place literally to be taken and one part of the argument hangs with another as the dreame of a sicke man for the Pope if he be Peters successor must feed the sheep not feed on them But Bellarmine who would make the world beleeue his wit is thinner hath deuised a farre more sufficient place 1. Pet. 2.6 Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious that is the Pope In his preface to the controuersie De Rom. Pontif. and lib. 4. cap. 5. But what may we thinke to reape from him that dares beginne his controuersie with so high a blasphemy and least we should thinke it fell inconsiderately from him he takes it vp againe For doth not both Paul and Peter teach that this stone can be meant of none but of Christ doth not both of them adde He that beleeueth in him shall not bee ashamed must we now beleeue in the Pope And who is this liuing stone that giues life to all that are built vpon him besides Christ himselfe None can arrogate it to himselfe or attribute it to another without high blasphemie Therefore I conclude this point boldly affirming that the deuill could not more impiously abuse this place then hath blasphemous Bellarmine 2. For the point of iustification by workes is alleadged that place of Iames 2.21 wherein they adde vnto the text 1. a false glosse by workes of the law 2. a false distinction saying that they iustifie as causes whereas we graunt that as effects they iustifie that is declare a man to be iustified so did Abrahams workes declare him to be iust and this is not the iustification of the person which is onely by faith but of the faith of the person which is manifestly dead without them 3. In that great sacramentary controuersie they alleadge This is my body wherein Satan hath taught them to abuse Scripture in taking that literally which is figuratiuely spoken as often to writhe that â—nto a figure which is spoken literally and whereas they exclaime against vs for denying the words of Christ as heretikes we are far from denying Christs wordâ— but disclaime their false meaning which destroyes the Scripture seeing Scripture
stands not in words but in sense 4. To establish the false doctrine of free-will they furnish themselues with that place in Ier. 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is But what doe they else but imitate the deuill in cutting off that part of the text which makes against them for in the next verse it followeth The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things who can know it shewing that man in himselfe is vtterly destitute of all grace 5. For the Iesuiticall tricke of equiuocation or mentall reseruation they haue Scripture and Example Ioh. 1.21 they asked Iohn if he were a Prophet he said No whereas he was one for Zachary called him the Prophet of the Highest and Christ said that there was not a greater Prophet then Iohn therefore Iohn equiuocated Answ. Whatsoeuer was the true meaning of the question that Iohn answered plainely vnto If they meant to aske him if he were that singular Prophet whom they fancied to come together with their Messiah he truely answered no. If he were any of the auncient Prophets who were long before Christ he truely answered in that sense no. If he were a Prophet by his proper office he truely answered no. For howsoeuer he was by grace and power a Prophet beeing sent of God to reprooue and conuert sinners yet by ordinarie office he was no Prophet neither did he prophesie But what is this to those mentall reseruations Are you a Priest Garnet No saith he meaning not a Priest of Apollo or Iupiter Were not you in England at such a time No not as the Sunne in the firmament or as a King in a Kingdome A strange madnesse that men professing knowledge zeale should so dally with lies and oaths which tricks of theirs were they iustifiable and sound we should haue little vse of Magistracy or tribunalls especially where matters are determined by mens oathes he were a verie blocke that would suffer any thing to be fastened vpon him The murderer might sweare he neuer slew man namely with the iaw-bone of an asse as Sampson did The drunkard might sweare hee drunke neuer a droppe if he can inwardly conceiue of water or aqua â—oelestiâ— or the Poets nectar or what he can faigne The adultrâ—â—â—e might sweare she was neuer touâ—ht if she can inwardly conceiue of any creature as of a Bull or a Swanne as the Poets faigne of Pasâ—phâ—e and Laeda And were is lawfull to dally with God and mens consciences after this manner we could pay them home in their owne kind for suppose a man were in their Inquisition and were asked if the Pope were Supreame ouer all Kings if a man were disposed to equiuocate be might say and sweare yea reseruing his secret meaning not by right but onely in his owne proud and ambitious desire and thus delude them II. In matters of practise you shall haue no sinner but he hath a Scripture reached to him to lie safe vnder in the holding of his sinne but robbed and turned out of the right sense The Atheist that cares for no Scripture yet hath one text for himselfe Eccl. 7.18 Bâ—e not iust ouermuch nor ouerwise and so he hath enough to cast off all care of knowledge and conscience The image-munger hath a text to let nothing be lost he hath a good vse for his images if they cannot serue to worship they may serue for ornament The swearer hath a text in Ieremie Thou shalt sweare in truth righteousnesse and iudgement therefore he will sweare so long as he sweareth nothing but that which is true The Sabbath-breaker hath his text The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath The murderer and adulterer thinke themselues safe seeing they finde Dauid in both these sinnes and yet commended of God The drunkard hath his lesson Drinke no longer water but a little wine for thy stomacke and often infirmities sake The couetous person knows that he that prouides not for his family is worse then an Infidell which through many mens wickednesse is a ground of much couetousnesse The lazie Protestant hath his text We are saued by grace and iustified by the blood of Christ freely what can his workes doe what need they The idle person hath his text Care not for to morrowe let the morrowe care for it selfe The vsurer hath his plaine place Matth. 25.27 that I might haue receiued my owne with vsurie The theefe hath the theefe on the crosse repenting at the last The carnall Gospeller cares not what sinne he venture on because where sinne hath abounded there grace hath abounded much more The carelesse Libertine is predestinated to life or death doe what he can and doe not what he list he cannot change Gods decree and so he will doe what he list The obdurate and hardned sinner saith At what time soeuer a sinner repents God will put all his sinnes out of his remembrance and therefore he will not repent till he be dying Lastly the vniust person he hath his rule in the vniust steward who was commended by Christ who was indeed commended for his prouidence not for his iniustice In all these thou mayest hold this for a good rule It is the deuills diuinitie to confirme thy selfe in any sinne by whatsoeuer thou hearest or readest in Gods Booke all which in Gods meaning is direct and the onely preseruatiue against all sinne NOw we are to consider this comfortable Scripture in the holy vse of it not as we haue it wrested and mangled by Sathan but as we finde it set downe by the holy Ghost Psalm 91.11 For hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies They shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone In which words the godly are secured and assured of safetie in danger not onely because the Lord himselfe is become their refuge and protection as in the words going before but in that to his owne fatherly care and prouidence he hath added a guard of Angels to whose care also he hath committed the godly Wherein for explication we will note these particulars 1. What is the ministerie of the Angels namely to be the godly mans keepers 2. Who sealeth their commission He hath giuen them charge 3. The limitation of it In all thy wayes 4. The manner they shall beare thee vp in their hands 5. The end least thou dash thy foot against a stone Which is a borrowed speach taken from mothers or nurses who lead or carrie their tender children in their hands that they stumble and fall not to hurt or endanger themselues The word Angell is a name not of nature for so they be spirits but of office ministring Spirits to God to Iesus Christ and to Gods elect His Angels that is the good and elect Angels called his 1. By creation for they had not beeing of themselues 2. By more immediate ministerie they assist him and stand before his face whereas
not carried by affection seeing he is a partie in the Churches Controuersies and by Canon cast out from beeing a Iudge How know we no appeales lie from him seeing the Fathers haue appealed from Councels which are aboue him How can we know that he sits in Peters chaire vpon earth seeing the Father hath taught vs That hee sitteth in heauen who inwardly teacheth mens hearts Therfore we renounce all such corrupt Iudges and leane to the vncorrupt Scripture Secondly seeing the Scriptures are the best Commentaries of themselues and the Iudge and decider of all doctrines and controuersies Ministers that would stablish truth of doctrine must be carefull to prooue and iustifie all their collections of doctrine out of Scripture for thereby they setle the faith of their people vpon a sure ground of faith and manners all other foundations are sandy all other proofes liable to exceptions Why then should Protestant-Preachers who defend against Papists the sufficiencie of Scripture to make Gods people perfect and hold it the rule and square of all doctrine crosse their iudgement by their practise for euery place of Scripture alleadging a dozen or twentie testimonies of Doctors Fathers Councels nay profane Poets and heathens all which are darkenes it selfe and without light further then they borrow from the Sunne in the Scripture I am not so nice as that I thinke not there may be a sparing and sober vse of humane testimonies in Sermons sometimes in cases of Grammar sometimes in matters of great controuersie to shew the consent of the auncient Church especially dealing with an aduersarie that will claime all antiquitie for him sometime by way of conuiction to shame Christians by the heathen as the Lord did the Iewes by Chittim and Kedar and the sluggard by the pismire Neither am I an enemie to learning but would haue a man well seene in naturall Philosophy in humane literature in the writing◠of Fathers and Schoolemen and be as a good housholder stored with things new and olde But needlesly and for ostentation to giue tongues vnto dead men and in the message of God to put to silence the voice of God speaking in the Scripture to set vp Hagar the handmaid aboue Sarah her mistresse is a feareful sinne against God and his word and a crying sinne of these dayes wherein for a man to tie himselfe close to the Scripture without such flourishes and to scorne to send a rich Iewell to the painter is to bring a blot on himselfe that he is a man of no learning For what meaneth else that common crie that no man is against this manner of preaching but they that cannot vse it Well hath he learned his art that can most hide it here that God may haue all the glory for he is not commended here whom men praise but whom God alloweth The Apostolicall teaching of Christ was not in words which mans wisedome teacheth but Gods he is the best scholler that can teach Christ plainlyest and for my part if I would set my selfe to be idle I would chuse that kind of Preaching which is counted so laborious The same I say for disputations and controuersies in the Church and Schooles neuer can we looke for an ende of them till we tie the determination of them to the Scripture alone the right Iudge A stratageme of Satan for Antichrist to flie the Scripture which should soone end controuersies and hide his poyson in the infinite windings of Fathers Councells traditions c. Well I know that God hath a secret worke in punishing the vnbeleeuing world by the continuance of the man of sinne till his time come but hauing well thought of the props on which he standeth yet in the dayes of such light there is none that doth him more seruice then this hiding of his mysterie in such a thicket of vncertainties wherein it is impossible to come to any end or issue We may follow the fox frō one burrrow to another and from hole to hole because we are forced But whosoeuer lookes to come to an ende of controuersies by following him from Father to Father from Councell to Councell from one Decree to another from one Tradition to another with infinite labour examining and scanning the words and syllables of auncient and later times hee shall fall short of his expectation For all this while the determiner of the controuersie is not present but set aside And what other reason can be giuen that wheras the chase and pursuit of that beast of Rome hath been continued with extraordinarie speed and strength for aboue these hundred yeares last past and he hath been followed into euerie hole wherein he hid himselfe yet the controuersies so beaten and canuased are in mans eie as farre from composition or determination as at first not one of them yeelded vp on either hand I say no other better reason can be giuen but that we are not agreed of the Iudge of the cause and so long as they can hold them off the Scriptures they wil not be set downe by any other authoritie Thirdly this doctrine must prouoke vs to the diligent reading and study of the Scriptures for hereby we shall come to be stablished in the truth and able to discerne the abuse of Scriptures by conferring them with themselues this is the best way to keepe vs from errors and sects and to finde out the true sense of Scripture Obiect But doe not our aduersaries read the Scriptures as diligently as we and are not they as skilfull to compare Scriptures and yet abide in error and heresie Answ. Here we must consider 1. the person that must read 2. the rules to be obserued in reading The person must be a religious and rightly affected person that must read the word with vnderstanding Obiect So the Papists say that onely religious persons ought to read the Scriptures Answ. Euery Christian ought to haue the booke of the law with him as the Iewes had before their eyes and in their hands continually Deut. 6.10 euery Christian ought to haue the word of Christ dwell plenteously in him Coloss. 3.16 euery one ought to be ready to giue a reason of the faith he professeth to euery one that will aske 1. Pet. 3.15 euery one ought to attend to the sure words of the Prophets and Apostles as a light shining in a darke place for so the Apostle Peter writeth to all Christians and not onely the Clergie Yet no Christian ought to read vnprepared neither can euery one read to profite but such as are qualified 1. With humility in the sense of our owne simplicity and infancie in heauenly things becomming fooles in our selues that we may subscribe to Gods wisedome in the Scripture and captiuating all our own thoughts to the obedience of Christ. Psal. 25.9 God teacheth the humble Matth. 11.25 Thou hast hid these things from the wise and reuealed them to babes And what is the reason that heretikes Sophisters and Papists of great learning read the
Scripture but vnderstand not but because they giue not vp their reason and humane wisedome which is enmity to God and scorne to be children deliuered to be taught and formed by our heauenly Master 2. With desire and loue of Christ and his truth the scope of all the Scripture is Christ and thou must desire to know and aduance nothing but Christ crucified Pro. 4.13 Loue wisedome and shee shall keep thee When men come prepossessed with opinions to set vp mens deuises and traditions and wicked opinions according to which they must interprete Scripture and not examine them by the Scripture or if they bring a purpose to magnifie the Pope and aduance his religion in stead of Christs no maruell if like the images they haue eyes and see not read and vnderstand not They loue not Christ nor will haue him to rule ouer them but his Vicar neither loue they the truth in the Canonicall Scripture further then it will stand with their Popish Canon law Or if a man come to read out of custome and coldly without feruencie and loue experience will tell him though thus he read much his profite shall be but small 3. With repentance and faith and a good heart 2. Cor. 3.14 when the heart of Israel shall be conuerted to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away this vaile is naturall ignorance and infidelity Where the former is no maruell if the word read and knowne be not vnderstood as a blinde man cannot see the sunne shining in his strength Where faith is absent and is not mingled with the word it must needs become vnprofitable Impossible it is that the wisedome of God can dwell in a wicked heart no man puts precious licour into a fustie caske This is the cause that men of great learning want sound vnderstanding because they want sound conscience Hos. 14.10 The wayes of God are right but the wicked fall in them 4. With a purpose not onely to know but to practise Ioh. 7.17 If any man will doe my will he shall know whether my doctrine bee from heauen The scope of the Scripture is not onely to beleeue in the Sonne of God but to walke in the obedience of faith Now if men read ouer all the Bible an hundred times either for knowledge onely or for vaineglory or to aduance themselues into preferments or to oppose the truth as heretikes and Papists doe no maruell if they neuer attaine the true sense of them 5. With prayer for the Spirit to lead vs into all truth because the Scriptures were inspired by Gods Spirit at first and the same Spirit is onely able to acquaint vs with his owne meaning If any man want wisedome he must aske it of God Iam. 1.5 so did Dauid Psal. 119.18 Open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law Is it any maruell that they who flie the iudgement of Gods Spirit and stand to the Church Pope Councells and only swallow that sense which they giue and neuer looke after Gods Spirit should misse of the true meaning of the holy Ghost and fall into and tumble in a number of errours and heresies To these might be added meditation diligence keeping of order and time speciall application and the like These things let them be brought to the reading of Gods word and no man shall loose his labour he shall be taught of God who hath promised to reueale his secret to them that feare him So much of the qualification of the person Now follow some rules which a person thus qualified must learne and keepe by him to trie when a Scripture is wrested or no. The first is that in our text conference of Scripture there the Spirit of God by plaine places expoundeth those which are more difficult Thus Nehem. 8.8 Ezra opened the Scripture by comparing it with it selfe and so made the people to vnderstand as Iunius noteth out of the originall So the Bereans hauing heard the doctrine of the Apostles searched the Scriptures that is compared their doctrine with the doctrine of the old Testament Thus the Apostles themselues teaching Christs resurrection Act. 2.16 prooue it out of the old Testament viz. Psal. 16.10 Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption And to prooue that those words cannot be meant of Dauid himselfe he appeales to another testimony in 1. King 2. where it is said that Dauid slept with his fathers and lay buried in his sepulchre and so saw corruption This is a speciall way whereby the Scripture giueth wisedome to the simple Psal. 19.7 And for this purpose the Lord hath in great wisedome tempered the Scripture with some hard places to exercise mens senses and trie their diligence in comparing of Scripture whereof there were no need if there were no hard places How comes it that many peruert the Scripture to their owne destruction but because they conferre not one part with another which would lead them into the right sense How come the Arrians when they heare Christ say The Father is greater then I and other such sayings to hold to the death that Christ is not true God coessentiall and coequall with his Father but that they doe not compare this with other places as Ioh. 1.1 That word was God Philip. 2.6 He thought it no robbery to be equall with God Rom. 9. which is God blessed for euer And consequently that the former place speakes of his humane nature the latter of his diuine nature How could the Papists suffer shipwracke of faith and heretically erre in the foundation of religion teaching iustification by the workes of the law out of Iam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes but that they conferre not other places to help them into the right sense as Rom. 4.2 and 3.20 Wee are iustified by faith without the workes of the law and Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his grace he saued vs. Which places beeing compared shewe that one speakes of iustification before God as Paul the other of iustification before men as Iames the former of iustifying the person the latter of iustifying the faith of the person When they read such places as these Awake thou that sleepest and Turne you turne you O house of Israel hence they conclude man hath free-will in his owne conuersion Whereas would they compare these with other places as Gen. 6.5 The whole imagination of mans heart is onely euill continually and it is God that workes both the will and the deed c. the reconciling of such places would force them to see that till God worke vs we are meere patients and after that acti agimus beeing mooued we mooue for his grace must not be idle in vs. The lewd and disordered Libertine when he reads that we are iustified by faith without workes casts off all care of his conuersation What can his workes doe what need they But he could not thus peruert the Scripture to his
the doctrine of inuocation of Saints be found neither in the old nor new Testament with what conscience doe they vrge it on the simple vnder pretence of Scripture If it be said This perhaps is but one Doctors opinion to him consents Asotus a great and learned Iesuite who tells vs plainly Non doceri in scripturis sed insinuari Sanctorum inuocationem that the inuocation of Saints is onely insinuated in the Scripture Marke the force of truth in these two great points of iustification granted by Bellarmine and of inuocation of Saints granted by all these great Papists Our doctrine condemnes the presenting of ones body at the externall diuine worship of any thing which is not God and consequently a man may not be present at false worship to giue it the least allowance no not in gesture Whence they are conuicted of dealing false with God who present their body at the Masse with a conceit that they can keep their hearts to God well enough For 1. Might not our Lord for a whole world haue found by all his wisedom such a present help for him and by such a pollicie haue ouerreached the deuill himselfe who required onely externall bowing keeping his heart still vnto God No our Lord knew well 1. that body and soule make but one man who must haue but one God one Lord one faith one worship 2. that our bodies are the Lords as well as our soules 1. Cor. 6.20 created for his seruice as wel as they redeemed by Christs blood as well as they 3. that he that requireth the whole heart requireth also the whole strength which is of the body 4. that the soule cannot be in heauen if the body be in hell neither can he bow the knee of his heart to God that bowes the knee of his body to Satan 5. that there can be no agreement betweene light and darknes God and Belial the Arke and Dagon cannot stand in the same Temple and the heart cannot at the same time be the Temple of God and of idolls 2. This is the difference betweene the Church of God and the Synagogue of Satan that the one is a chaste wife and spouse of Christ and keeps her to her husband alone and doth not admit others to the vse of her faith the other playes the harlot with many louers and keeps not her faith and confidence to God alone but permits others to be fellowes with him at the same time Now no man can take her for a chaste and vndefiled spouse that will giue the vse of her body to a stranger though she plead neuer so confidently that she keeps her heart to her husband The case here is the very same 3. Here is a number of sinnes infolded in this one action 1. here is a manifest appearance of euill which we should flie 1. Thess. 5.22 2. an occasion of offence to others to draw them in by our example and so farre as we may a destroying of him for whom Christ hath died Rom. 14.15 3. a fight against faith and an allowance of that which a man condemneth Rom. 14.22 Blessed is he that condemneth not himselfe in that he alloweth His body allowes that which his heart condemnes 4. here is a denyall of Christ whose faith hee ought to confesse and professe with his mouth which he would doe if it were in soundnes hid in the heart 5. here is a dastardly ioyning with his Lords enemie for he that is not with him is against him 6. here is not onely an approbation but a communication in idolatry a touching of pitch a defiling of a mans selfe a most present danger of infection and defection from God 7. here is an hypocriticall show of that which the heart abhorres a diuided man and diuided manner of worship which God hateth who requireth the whole man 8. experience shewes that such as giue vp their bodies to idols God in iustice for the most part giues vp the heart to horrible delusions 4. If we must auoid an heretike then much more an idolater We must not onely hate the doctrine of the Nicolaitans but auoid it Many say they hate the Masse but I say then they would auoid it for we separate our bodies not onely our hearts from the things wee hate And the commaundement is to get out of Babylon We read in the Ecclesiasticall historie how S. Iohn fled from Corinthus the heretike and Polycarpe from Marcion And those whom we may not bid God-speed or whom we may not inuite to our owne tables may we ioyne with them in polluting the Lords table 5. Such persons keep not their hearts to God that present their bodies at idolatrie neither present they their bodies onely for the soule gouernes the bodie the will leads the action the vnderstanding the will and the affections attend the vnderstanding Now where there is vnderstanding iudgement will and affections giuen to the idoll-worship is not more then the bodie giuen euen the cheife and highest faculties of the soule Of which we can reckon no better then plowing with an oxe and an asse or sowing the same field with diuerse seeds which the Lord in the law forbiddeth and therein refuseth the mixture of warrantable and vnwarrantable rites in his worship God is a spirit and truth and will not be worshipped in spirit and falsehood A dissembled worship is a marke of a true neutrall of a plaine Laodicean neither hot nor cold a cake halfe baked on the hearth Quest. But is it not lawfull on some occasion to bee present at Masse Answ. In some cases a man may be present and not sinne as 1. When he is there by violent compulsion beeing bound and cast in as into a prison so as he cannot resist this is not his sinne but theirs and it may be said as of Lucretia Two in the sinne but one adulterer she resisted and was forced so was he 2. If in trauell a man be in a fit place to see and obserue their folly so as he shewe no reuerence at all or approbation by bending his knee vncouering his head or otherwise Thus the Apostle Paul went into the idol-temple at Athens as he passed by not to approoue but to take occasion to confute their idolatrie Act. 17.23 3. A man may be amongst idolaters to reprooue and reprehend them as 1 King 13.1 a Prophet came to the altar where Ieroboam was to cry out against it And Elias stood by Baals Priests mocking them while they daunced and launced themselues 1. King 18. And the three fellowes of Daniel stood by Nebuchadnezzars image to protest that they would neuer worship it Dan. 3.1 4. Some hold that in politike imployment a mans calling necessarily requiring it he may present his bodie at idoll-worship as a Protestant may carry a sword before a Prince into the temple of an idoll with two caueats 1. that neither by word nor gesture he giue any approbation of the idolatrie 2. that publike protestation be made
new creatures created to good workes ioyne that in thy actions which the deuill diuorced the inner man with the outward the subiection of the soule with the obedience of the bodie 2. Examine thy loue in thy obedience that because the loue of God constraines thee thou doest what he commands and whether thou preferrest the commandement of God which is euer ioyned with his glory aboue all the world and thy obedience aboue thy profit credit ease pleasure mens fauour or disfauour whether thou canst obey God against all these This was Abrahams loue to God in so difficult a commaundement as the killing of his sonne But Satan here went away not for loue of God but for feare and beeing forced 3. Examine thy manner of obeying whether it be a willing and readie obedience If I doe it willingly saith the Apostle I haue a reward and Rom. 6.17 Ye haue obeyed from the heart or heartily And such obedience 1. repineth not as giuing God any thing too much though the dearest things of all 2. deuiseth no excuses as Saul when hee did but halfe the commaundement pretended sacrifice and the peoples instance 3. seeketh no delayes I made haste and delayed not to keepe thy righteous iudgements Psal. 119. 4. Doest thou obey in all thy commandements 1. the commaundement of faith in the Gospell aswell as the actuall obedience of the Law for one is as acceptable as the other 2. obeyest thou the commaundement aswell of doing good as of abstaining from euill for the deuill here abstaines from this euill of tempting Christ but can neuer doe any good he ioynes not these commaundements in his practise as Gods spirit doth in his precept Isa. 1.16.17 3. makest thou conscience of the least commaundement aswell as of the greatest for all of them haue a stamp of God vpon them makest thou conscience of small oaths vaine words rouing thoughts 4. doest thou obey constantly for loue is strong as death and much water cannot quench it But alasse much obedience is like that of Dauids false friends Psalm 18.44.45 strangers shall be in subiection to me but they shall shrinke away For a season Luk. 4.13 The THIRD point followeth to be considered namely how long Satan left our Lord not for euer after but for a while and surely he stayed away but a little while For if we looke into the holy story we shall see the whole life of Christ almost to be a continuall temptation and how Satan from time to time partly by himselfe and partly by his ministers assayled him This we shall see how sundry wayes Satan molested him and tempted him 1. in his ministery 2. his life 3. his death 1. In his ministery he was tempted both in his doctrine and miracles For his doctrine the Scribes and Pharises often sought to catch aduantages against him as in the case of the bill of diuorce Mat. 19.1 and of the woman taken in adultery Ioh. 8. which by Moses his law should be stoned but Master what sayest thou The Sadduces also tempted him in the case of the woman that had seuen husbands whose she should be in the resurrection Mat. 22.23 And the Lawyer concerning the great commaundement of the law vers 35. As for his miracles the seale of that doctrine they tell him to his face that he cast out deuills by Beelzebub Mat. 9.34 and 12.24 2. In his life and ciuill obedience The Pharises take counsell together how they might entangle him in his talke about paying tribute to Caesar Matth. 22.15 And when he ate meate in Matthews house Maâ— 9.11 they asked why he did eate meate with Publicans and sinners and therefore he was one of them Simon the Pharise seeing Mary Magdalen annoynting Iesus his feet with precious ointment and washâ—ng them with teares and wiping them with her haires said Surely if this man were a Prophet hee would know that this woman is a sinner and not let her meddle with him How often did they murmure at him and lie in waite for him and take vp stones to stone him and raile vpon him with most despightfull words calling him Beelzebub a Samaritan a glutton a loose companion running vp and downe with noted sinners In all which Satan was the cheife agent 3. But aboue all other temptations those were most fierce and furious with which he was afflicted torne and tormented about the time of his passion and on the crosse For then as himselfe witnesseth the prince of the world came vpon him with all his traine Ioh. 14.30 he came in himselfe and whole legions of wicked Angells with him as the Apostle plainely implyeth Coloss. 2.15 he spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the crosse Now or neuer Satan must win the field this is the last act Christ was neuer so beset with miserie Satan neuer had him at such an aduantage before now Gods whole wrath is vpon him and now the deuill and his Angells set vpon him so sore that in his agonie in the garden he sweates drops of water and blood and on the crosse he cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Those were more secret temptations of Satan and his instruments but let vs see with what hellish darts they pierced him openly vpon the crosse not to speake of those which he endured all the time he was in examination condemnation and leading to execution For 1. They hang him between two theeues as an arch-rebell and of all sinners the greatest and dart against him the same temptation with that in all this history that he was not the Son of God If thou be the Sonne of God come downe from the crosse certainly God would not let his Sonne hang there but thou art a deluder and arch-seducer of the people 2. They tempted him with feare of death Matth. 27.42 hee saued others himselfe he cannot saue this is a wise Sauiour indeede hee cannot escape death in whose hands he is sure enough and euen ouercome alreadie of death and yet he will bee a Sauiour 3. They tempted him with vtter reiection from God as the most damned reprobate that euer was He trusted in God now let him deliuer him if he will haue him but he can neither deliuer himselfe nor God will haue none of him he abhorres him and will cast him presently to hell These and a number of the like was our Sauiour molested and tempted withall secretly and openly euen then when the wrath of his Father seased vpon him So as truely the Euangelist might say that Satan left him but for a season Christian life is but an entercourse of quiet and trouble sometime Satan leaues Christ but he comes againe and renewes his temptation so it is with the members who haue much warre but some peace many troubles but some breathing time This truth we will a while discouer both in the state of the whole church of God from time to time as also in some particular members thereof What a night
seemed to oppresse the Church in the cradle when wicked Cain slew righteous Abel so as all religion and true worship seemed to be destroyed in all Adams posterity hauing onely Cain left But shortly after God gaue Adam a Seth in whom the Church was restored and preserued and pure religion propagated In Henochs time how was the worship of God profaned when the sonnes of God married the daughters of men which was the cause of the flood but afterward it was restored by Noah and Sam and by him continued to Abraham Now the Church as it was in the Arke so was it like the Arke of Noah against which the waters had a time to increase and a time also of decreasing What a night of trouble was the Church in all the while it was in Egypt a stranger for 400. yeares especially when they were oppressed with burdens and had their infants drownd in the riuer but a change came God sent and saued a Moses by whom he will deliuer his people but so as they must be acquainted with this continuall enterchange in their estate they must be no sooner deliuered out of Egypt but bee chased into the bottome of the sea but there God makes them a way and no sooner out of the sea but into the wildernesse and from thence the good land takes them and in that good land they neuer rested in one estate but sometimes had the better of their enemies and sometime for sinne their enemies had the better of them as all the history of the Iudges witnesseth In the time of the Kings how was the Church troubled and wasted in the time of Ahab and Iezabel when all Gods Prophets were slaine and true religion was quite troden downe But what a sudden change was there euen when things were at the worst did the Lord bring a strange alteration by Elijah who slew all the Prophets of Baal and restored true religion How great misery suffred the Church in the time of Manassah and Ammon but how happily was it changed by the piety of good Iosiah in whom God made his people more happie then formerly miserable But who would haue thought but that the Church had been vtterly wasted in the seuentie yeares captiuity wherein it sate in the shadow of death Yet it was happily restored by Cyrus But when his godly decrees concerning the building of the Temple were hindred by Cambyses his sonne God stirred vp Darius who fauoured the Church and commaunded the continuance and perfection of the worke but not without many vicissitudes of stormes and calmes euen after their returne as appeareth in the bookes of Ezra and Nehemiah What a raging storme was that wherein our Lord and Head of the Church was put to death now the whole Church lay bleeding and dead with him But what a change was there the third day by his glorious resurrection In the Apostles dayes how was the Church wasted when Saul had letters from the high Priests to carrie bound to Ierusalem whosoeuer called on the Lord but when he that breathed out nothing but slaughter and threatning was once conuerted then the Church had for a while rest and peace Act. 9.31 After the Apostles what a continuall storme arose against Christians which lasted 300. yeares vnder the ten monsters of men those bloody men Nero Domitian Traian Antoninus Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Dioclesianus whose rage was such as a man could not set his foot in Rome but tread vpon the graues of Martyrs But after this night a faire sunne rose vp in the East Constantine the Great who chased before him that horrible darknesse and brought a blessed calme But this lasted not long but his second sonne Constantius farre short of his Fathers piety with all his strength set vp and maintained that Arrian-heresie which his good father had condemned in the Nicen Councell by which as bloody persecution sprung vp in the Church as euer was before which lasted almost 80. years vntill Constance the youngest sonne of Constantine set vp againe the Nicen faith in the Westerne part of the world as Italie Greece Africke Illiricum and banished the former poyson After this what a blacke darkenesse of Mahometisme possessed the Easterne part of the world vnder which it lies sunck at this day And as pitchy and palpable darkenesse of Antichrist and Poperie occupieth the Westerne part of the world But what a light did the Lord raise vp in the midst of Poperie his zealous seruant Luther since whome the light hath mightily preuailed to the blasting of Antichrist and the consuming of him vpon his nest Yet not this without a cloud◠for To speake of our owne Church After the long darkenesse like that of Egypt had preuailed and couered for many hundred years the face of our countrey it pleased God that the light of the Gospell should peepe into our land in the dayes of King Henrie the eight but yet much clouded and opposed almost all his dayes In his sonne Edward the sixt Englands Iosiah it began to shine more brightly and a more thorough reformation was vndertaken But this sunne-shine lasted not long but in Queene Maries dayes the truth was againe cast into the fire and the bodies of Gods Saints pitilesly destroyed God in mercy for his elects sake shortened those dayes and raised vp our late Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie in all posterities who was semper eadem in the maintenāce of the faith left Christ sitting in his kingdome and the truth triumphing ouer Poperie and Antichristian falshood which by Gods mercy we enioy vnder our gracious King This hath been the changeable estate of the Church from the beginning and eadem est ratio totius ac partium the same truth discouers it selfe in the particular members As for example Abraham now a poore man in Egypt presently enriched and made heire of the land of promise now reioycing in his Isaac and a while after stretching out his hand to kill his only sonne who also herein was a notable type of the Church now bound and presently loosed and raised vp after a sort from the dead Iacob was now afraid of Esau when he came in warlike manner to meet him with 400. men at his heeles but in a little season God lets him see a sudden change who had enclined his brothers heart to doe him no harme against his often former purposes to slay him Ioseph is now hated of his brethren after a season honoured of them now sold as a slaue to the Ismaelites afterward made a gouernour of Potiphar a Princes house now accused by his Mistresse and cast into prison but after fetched out by Pharaoh and made ruler of all his Princes and the whole land of Egypt Dauid sometimes cast downe and God hath forgotten him a while after so confident in God that he will not feare to walke in the vale of the shadow of death sometimes pursued by Saul as a traytor and rebell sometimes by Saul acknowledged his good