by it Thus much for this second generall question Wee now come to consider of this Gospell and first of the Title The Gospel according Quest 3 to Saint Matthew Here first it may bee demanded Answ what is meant by this word Gospell Answer For the true and full understanding of this question wee have two things to consider of viz. the Name and the Nature of the Gospell of which not apart or severally but together For the Name shewes the Nature Conveniunt rebus nomina sape suis The Name is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is a good and joyfull message c Bullinger s Luke 2.10 and is attributed and ascribed unto many things 1. Sometimes to a peculiar message Ecce Luke 2.10 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. Behold I bring you glad tidings 2. Sometimes to the preaching of the Gospell as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to my Gospel d Rom. 2.16 1 Cor. 4.15 2 Cor. 8.18 that is my preaching of the Gospell 3. Sometimes to holy doctrine or the preaching of Christ e Mat. 24.14 Esa 61.1 This Gospell of the Kingdome shall be preached unto all Nations c. 4. Sometimes this word Gospell is taken for the Evangelicall Bookes Matth. 26 1â Wheresoever this Gospell shall bee preached there shall also this which this woman hath done bee told Now the Euangelicall Bookes are of two sorts to wit Either Forged and false as the Gospel of S. Peter S. Iames S. Clement and divers others which the Papists cosen the world withall Or True which are the foure of S. Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn and are called Gospell ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã after a more singular manner because they bring unto us both true newes and the best newes that ever we heard f Luke 2.10.13 14. Behold sayth the Angel I bring you glad tidings tidings of great ioy which shall bee unto you and to all people c. Now the truth of this appeares thus First The Gospell is the power of God unto salvation g Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.18 Secondly it is a glasse wherein as with open face the vaile being taken away wee may see the glorie of the Lord and bee transformed into the same image from glory to glory h 2 Cor. 3.18 Thirdly it shewes unto us i Luke 2.14 Gods good will unto mankinde and mans reconciliation unto the Lord of glory Fourthly it shewes unto us the will and pleasure of the Lord more clearly and plainly than was made knowne unto the Fathers in and under the Law k Ephes 3.4 5. Fiftly the Gospell is such a blessed message that woe bee unto him that either Neglects to preach it being called thereunto Wee unto me if I preach not the Gospell l 1 Cor. 9.16 Or Brings any other Gospell than this let him be accursed that bringeth any other Gospell m Gal. 1.8 9. Or Rejects this It shall bee more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of iudgement than for those that despise this Gospell n Mat. 10.14 15. And thus much for this question Another question here will arise Why the Quest 4 Gospell or any Scripture was written To this I Answ 1 Answer first for the helps of our knowledge least that in processe of time there should either have beene no remembrance or a false remembrance of our salvation and redemption by Christ to prevent which God in much mercy and love hath committed the life death resurrection and ascension of Christ unto writting that the truth might remaine and bee knowne for and unto all ages The Lord would have us remember what Christ did for us and what hee undertooke and underwent for our Redemption and therefore hee commandes that those things which are to bee remembred should bee written least otherwise the memory of them should perish The Lord would have our memories to retaine Truth not lyes and therefore commands the Gospell to bee written that the truth may not be corrupted o Luke 1.4 5. I answer againe the Gospell was written for Answ 2 the helpe of our faith least it should have beene uncertaine If the History of Christs conception birth life temptation sufferings obedience and the like had only beene by tradition delivered from Father to Sonne in processe of time we should have questioned the truth of it and so our faith would have beene the more shaken and lesse sure to redresse which the Lord commends all these things to writing that so our faith might be firme and working not fraile and wavering If the Gospel had beene related unto us by others not by the Apostles wee should have been prone to have called the truth and certainty of it in question as the Sadduces who will neither receive nor imbrace any other Scripture but onely the Pentatench or five bookes of Moses because none were written by him but them and therefore the Lord will have the Gospel written and the Canon and Rule of faith taught confirmed and sealed by his Apostles who were eye and eare witnesses of what they wrote a 1 John 1.3 that wee might the more undoubtedly beleeve the infallible truth of it Quest 5 It may here further be questioned what the Gospel and Scriptures doe containe Answer I answer First holy Histories to bee knowne Secondly Rules and doctrines of faith to be practised and beleeved For the better understanding of this question and answer observe First what is to expected Secondly what is to bee learned from the holy Scriptures I. What is to be expected from the Scriptures First the truth of Historie not of every historie and passage but onely those that are necessary b Joh. 20.21 Secondly the summe also of all those things which are to bee beleeved as necessary unto salvation c 2 Tim. 3.16 And therfore 1. they are to blame that say the Scriptures are corrupted and falsifyed by Heretiques 2. the Patrons and setters up of those ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Vnwritten traditions II. What is to be learned from the Scriptures First the doctrine of faith d Collo 3.16 and therefore 1. Papists are much to blame who hold some things as articles of their faith for which they have no warrant from the word of God as is proved by Sir Humfrey Linde in his via tuta 2 Ignorant persons also are here very faulty who will not studie the Scriptures that thereby they may bee inabled to give an account of their faith to every one that shall demand a reason of it e 1 Pet. 3.15 3. They also are blame worthy that refuse to bee Catechised and instructed in the principles of Religion grounded upon and taken from the holy Scriptures Secondly the truth of History is to be learned from the Scripture because that is the foundation of faith and therefore it is necessary to heare reade conferre and accustome our selves unto the study of holy writ because for this end God commanded them
that it had been some Specter and therfore were frighted with the sight whence it may be demanded Why men naturally so much abhorre and fear such sights and apparitions of Spirits Quest First the reason herof is because of that diversity Answ 1 of nature which is in corporall and spiritual bodies or because of that strangenesse which is betwixt them For spirituall creatures whether good or bad are alienated from all commerce and society with men and hence from the unwontednesse or strangenesse of the sight Specterâ trouble men which would trouble them lesse if they were more acquainted with them or accustomed to such fights Secondly spirituall creatures are more agile Answ 2 quicke strong and powerfull then are corporall and therefore men are troubled with the sight of them and affrighted with them as naturally the weaker things are afraid of the stronger VERS 31. Verse 31 And immediately Iesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Concerning a small true faith divers things have bâen spoken heretofore I will therefore here onely propound a Question or two of faith in generall Quest 1 Wherein doth the faith of beleevers now differ from that faith which was in Adam in his innocency Answ For answer hereunto observe that the Object of that faith which is in beleevers is twofold viz. First the whole will of God revealed unto us in his word containing all Histories Commands Doctrines Threatnings Promises of what kind soever And this is called Legall faith Secondly the particular promise of remission of Sins and everlasting life by the death of Christ and this is called Evangelicall faith Now in this distinction between Legall and Evangelicall faith we must not conceive of two distinct habits of faith for it is but one gracious quality of the soule disposing it to the belief of all divine truth which for the substance of it was the same in innocent Adam with that which is in regenerate men The difference standing onely in these three things to wit First in the degrees Adams faith was perfect because his understanding was fully enlightned and his affections absolutely conformable to all holinesse We know but little and by reason of our internal weakenesse wee beleeve but weakly what we do know Secondly in the Originall in Adam faith was naturall by Creation in us it is supernaturall by the Holy Ghosts infusion Thirdly in the particular Object Adam beleeved God without reference to Christ the Mediatour we beleeve chiefly the promise of grace in Christ and all other things with some Relation to him And thus we see wherein our faith differs from Adams Quest 2 Whether is fiducia trust and assurance of the essence of justifying faith because our Saviour here blames Peters doubting Answ It is and I make it good by these three grounds namely First from the Phrase of Scripture used in this businesse Those phrases ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Iohn 1.12 and Rom. 10 14 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Romans 4.5 Acts. 16.31 and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ephes 1.12 To beleeve in or upon or into God Christ the Holy Ghost are not used as the learned know by prophane writers but onely by Ecclesiastical implying that in divine matters ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies besides the naked acknowledgement of the Head the confidence and affiance of the heart Secondly it is cleare from that opposition which is made between faith and distrust or doubting as in this verse and Iames 1.6 and Rom. 4.20 Thirdly from that excellent place 2 Timoth. 1.12 where it is apparent that to beleeve is as much as to commit our selves to Christs trust and keeping I know saith the Apostle in whom I have beleeved or whom I have trusted and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that thing wherwith I have entrusted him or delivered up to his keeping What was that his soule unto everlasting salvation Wherefore to beleeve the Promise is with confidence and Trust to rely upon it resting our selves upon the performance of it Verse 33. Then they that were in the Ship Verse 33 came and worshipped him saying of a truth thou art the Sonne of God How many waies are men Quest or any other creatures called the Sonnes of God and how is Christ his Sonne Thomas 1 p. q. 33. ar 3 saith that The Sonne of God is five wayes used in Scripture viz. Answ First some are called the Sonnes of God Propter similitudinem vestigij tantum and thus the unreasonable creatures are called the Sonnes of God and God is called their Father Iob. 38.28 Secondly some are called the Sons of God Propter similitudinem Imaginis and thus the reasonable creatures are called the Sonnes of God as Deuter. 32. Js not he thy Father who hath created and made thee Thirdly some are called the Sonnes of God Secundum similitudinem gratiae and these are called Adopted Sonnes Fourthly some are called the Sonnes of God Secundum similitudinem gloriae according to that of the Apostle Rom. 5. We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of the Sonnes of God Fifthly some are called the Sonnes of God Secundum perfectam rationem nativitatis and thus onely Christ is the Sonne of God CHAPTER XV. Verse 1. 2 VERS 1. 2. Then came to Iesus the Scribes and Pharisees which were of Hierusalem saying Why doe thy Disciples transgresse the Tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they Eate Bread Quest WHat is meant by this word Tradition This voice Tradition is equivocall Answ and hath divers significations namely First sometimes it is taken for all Doctrine whether written or not written 2 Thessal 2.15 Hold fast the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle Secondly sometimes it is taken for that Doctrine which is delivered only Vivâ Voce by word of mouth as in this verse Why doe thy Disciples transgresse the Tradition of the Elders which Traditions were never written but delivered with a living voice from one to another Thirdly sometimes it is taken for the written word of God As Acts 6.14 and 1 Corinth 15.3 Fourthly by the Papists this word Tradition is taken for that Doctrine which is written but not in the holy Scriptures Fiftly the Fathers by this voyce did understand sometimes those Doctrines which were contained in the Apostolicall writings and unwritten Traditions they called that which was not Totidem verbis expresly commanded or laid down in the Scripture but yet the thing it self was extant in the Scripture and might be proved from thence And sometimes by Tradition they did understand not Doctrines but Ecclesiasticall order and Rites Scharp de sacra Script pag. 125. Verse 3. Vers 3. But he answered and said unto them Why do you also transgresse the Commandement of God by your Tradition Argu ⣠ment Against the Popish Traditions we produce this Argument from this place All Traditions among the Jews besides
must not bee out when they should be untied wee must not adde or diminish from the Scriptures when wee cannot reconcile them Secondly no Greeke examples or copies have it thus and therefore no such addition is to be permitted Thirdly Iocânias Answ 3 had onely one brother viz. Zedochias the yonger and therefore by Brethren in this verse is not to bee understood the immediate naturall brethren of Iâchânias I answer therefore with Beza and Hier s that there was a double Iâconias to wit the father Iâhoiââim and also the sonne Iehââachin who were both so called it being ordinarie with the Hebrewes to have two names and sometimes tearmed by the one and sometimes by the other and of the father it is here sayd Iâsias begat Iâconiah that is Iâhâiaâiâ together with his brethren Now the brethren he had were thâee viz. Ieââas Shallum and Maââââas or Zedâchias although some there be that conjecture Iehâas and Shallum to be one and the same But against this Reply 3 it will bee objected how then it is sayd that Iosias begât them in the Babylonian captivitie I answer Answ 1 first Bââh is put for Laââd i. e. about the time of the captivitie Againe the Captivities to be Answ 2 referred unto the sonnes not unto Iosias i. e. these words in the Text ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the captivitie are not to be referred to the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã begât but unto the children which hee begot in whose time a threefold successive captivity came to passe under their Kings 1. Vnder Iechânias the father whom the Hebrewes call Iebââachiâ as Hierome sayth by H and K or as others Ieââiaqââs by Q II. Vnder Iocânias the sonne whom the Hebrewes call Iâââiachiââ by Ch. and N. III. Vnder Zedechia who reigning the carrying into captivitie was consummate finished which transportation Saint Matthew here remembers as though it were but one alone so that the meaning is not that Iâsias in the Babylonian captivity begot the children for being prevented by death long before the Captivity he could not But that his posteritie was brought into that Babylonian exile for the words are to be read thus Iosias begat Iâconias his brethren ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. who were in the time of the transportation into Babylon And thus in the 17. verse of this Chapter the same wordes signifie Târiâiâum non tâmporis durationem V. 12. Iâcheâiah begat Salathiel Vers 13 this Salathiel is called elsewhere t 1 Chro. 3 17. Reconciliation Shââltiel and he is conceived to bee the common terme of the stocke of Salomon and Nathan for whereas hee is called the sonne of Iaconiah u 1 Chro. 3.17 wee must understand it not to bee his sonne by nature because hee had no sonne that reigned after him x Iâââ 22.30 but his legall sonne hee being of the stocke of Nathan y Luke 3.27 And thus these two places are reconciled to wit Ierem. 22.30 and this verse the first speaking of a naturall sonne the other of a legall z Tremellius It will here bee objected Salathiel Luke 3.27 is called the sonne of Neri but in this verse of Ioconias Answer Reconciliation Hee was the naturall sonne of Neri and the legall sonne of Ioconiah so called because hee succeeded him in the kingdome And thus in the genealogie of Christ Luke followes the naturall order and Matthew the Legall See Parouâ upon this verse where this question is further prosecuted VERS 13.14.15 And Abind begat Eliachim Vers 13 14 15. Object and he Azâr and he Zadoc and he Achim and hee Eliud and he Eleazar and he Matthan and hee Iacob The Papists object these verses for their humane traditions thus The Evangelists both Matthew in these verses and Luk. 3. name many of Christs progenitors whose names are not found in the Old Testament but are borrowed onely from Tradition and therefore Traditions Answ 1 besides the Scriptures are to bee allowed I answer hereunto first that although some names in the genealogie of Christ be not in Scripture yet it follows not hence that the Euangelists had them from humane tradition but from the dictating of the Spirit of God who did inspire them Answ 2 when they wrot these books Secondly without the knowledge of these names our faith may be safe it not being absolutely necessarie unto salvation to know directly successively the line race and linage of Christ and therefore this will prove but a sandie foundation unto the Papists to build those their Traditions upon which concerne as they say our faith unto salvation Answ 3 Thirdly because it is requisite for the confirmation of our faith after the comming of Christ to know him certainly to be the son of Abraham and David therefore this genealogie is written and that in Scripture that we may know it and beleeve it and therefore the Papists are not to obtrude any Tradition upon us but such as are in the Scriptures as the forenamed examples are for we beleeve that Christ came of these and although wee know not from what histories or authors the Evangelists were taught it yet now because it is taught unto us by an Evangelist who in the writing hereof was directed by an infallible spirit of truth we therefore confidently assent unto it Vers 16 VERS 16. Of whom was borne Iesus If any Sect. 1 judicious reader desire to know the derivation or reason of this name Iesus which is given to the true Messias Tract 6. f. 623 624. let him reade Illyricus de nomine Iesu where hee shall finde it confirmed by eight reasons that Jesus comes from the verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Jascha to Save and is the same with Iehoshua a Saviour where also divers arguments are confuted by which Ofiander would prove that Jesus comes from Iehovah or from Ieheschuh Sect. 2 § 2. VERS 16. Iacob begat Ioseph the husband Quest 1 of Mary Concerning these two holy persons Ioseph and Mary much might be spoken but I will onely observe a word or two First it may bee inquired Answ what they were I answer they were one thing jure another re one thing by right of inheritance another by present condition By right they were successors of the Kingdome of Israel as is proved by many writers but for the present they were poore he being a Carpenter and she but meane in regard of temporal possessions and her present condition Hence it will be questioned againe Quest 2 Why doth God permit the righteous to bee deprived of their right and to bee brought into misery and poverty Answ and want I answer that the Lord doth it for many causes First because thus God will prove and trye them Heb. 12.3.4 Secondly because worldly aboundance and plenty is not so fit or convenient for them as shall afterwards be shewed Thirdly that he may crowne them with future blessings more abundantly thus Iob was robbed and Abraham was to forsake all that the
kill me yet will I trust in him a Iob. 13.15 seemes to imply that he feares God will kill him Thus David cryes out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me b Psa 22.1.2 and 88.1.2 Secondly sometimes the devill tempts us hereunto by others using them as instruments Answ 2 to disswade us from our confidence assurance in God Thus Iob was tempted by his wife when she said unto him Doest thou still retaine thine integritie curse God and die c Iob. 2.9 Thus David was tempted many saying unto him that there was no helpe for him in his God d Psa 3.2 22.7.8 yea the heathen reproaching him and saying where is now thy God e Psa 115.2 Thus Senacherib tempteth Hezekiah to distrust God Esa 36.7.10.15.18 § 4. Command that these stones be made bread Sect. 4 What is meant by these words Quest 1 First some say they have an Allegoricall sense Answ 1 which is this If thou be Christ the Son of God then change these stones that is the Gentiles into bread that is the children of Abraham Secondly the scope of the words is Historicall Answ 2 and the sense is because thou hungrest for bread and hast it not shew therefore thy power by making unto thy selfe bread of these stones Seeing the action the devill perswades unto is lawfull why doth not Christ doe it that it Quest 2 was a lawfull thing appeares thus I. because God oftentimes miraculously hath asswaged the hunger and thirst of his people hee brought water out of the stony rocke for his children the Israelites and out of the jaw bone of an Asse for the refreshing of Sampson he fed Elias with Crowes and with meate from heaven he satisfied hungry Israel with Manna and Christ with bread and fish Iohn 21.19 II. Because Christ himselfe else where doth as much as the devill here tempts him unto for he changeth water into wine f Ioh. 2.7 and therefore why not stones into bread Christ would not doe this both for the Counseller he would not believe or obey the Divell Counsell and that both in Generall because that which may bee lawfull in Thesi in regard of the substance may be unlawfull in Hypothesi in the circumstances thereof Particular and that both because Hee was not led aside by the Spirit into the wildernesse to worke miracles or to demonstrate his Deity but his humanitie rather His hunger was to bee overcome by suffering not by eating Christ would not turne stones into bread because he would not obey or believe the Counseller that gave the advice Observ Teaching us that wee must not trust or give credit unto Sathan and hence it was that Christ would not suffer the Divels to beare witnesse of him but rebukes them when they acknowledge him g Mark. â 34. Luk. 4.41 neither would Paul brooke it that the mayd possessed with the Divell should testifie of him that hee was the servant of the true God h Act. 16.18 Quest 3 Why may we not believe or give credit unto the Divell who sometimes speakes truth as is apparent in the places even now alledged Answ 1 First because he hath no calling hereunto either to bear witnesse of Christ or of his Apostles or to teach and instruct us or to doe good unto us by any counsell or advice God makes the good Angels ministring Spirits for the comfort of his children i Heb. 1.7 but not the evill Angels never making use of them except first it bee to or for the destruction of some as Christ suffers them to goe into the Herd of Swine who thereupon were drowned yea hence the eternall fire of hell is called the condemnation of the Divell in Scripture because the Lord useth him as an instrument to torment those that would not obey him Or secondly the Lord makes use of Sathan to delude and deceive those that are obstinate in wickednesse thus the Divell deceived Achab k 1 King 22.21 and l 2. Thess 2.11 doth daily Antichrist and his followers l 2. Thess 2.11 Or thirdly the Lord makes use of the Divell for the tryall of his children thus hee suffers him to tempt holy David to see whether he would number the people or not m 2 Sam. 24. Thus he suffers him to try whether holy Iob will continue in his integritie notwithstanding his stupendious afflictions n Iob. 1. 2. Thus hee sifts Peter Luk. 22.31 and buffets Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 Thus the Lord useth him alwayes as an enemie never as a counseller to advise or a Doctor to teach and instruct and therefore we must never beleeve him but alwayes suspect him Answ 2 Secondly wee must not believe the Divell because hee is but a Lying Spirit 1. King 22.21 an old lier and the Father of lies o Ioh. 8.44 who is craftie to deceive being able to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light p 2 Cor. 11.14 And whatsoever he doth or sayth he doth it that he may deceive Quest 4 How doth the Divell deceive men that wee may learne to avoyd his slights and subtilties Answ 1 First sometimes the Divell deceives bona daâdo by giving good things unto us that thus hee may the more speedily gaine us unto himselfe he promiseth temporall gaine unto us that hee might gaine our pretious soules ditat in mundo ne ditemur in coelo a Chrysos s hee doth enrich us with earthly blessings lest wee should bee enriched with heavenly mercies he oftentimes cures bodies that he may kill soules Secondly sometimes the Divell deceives Answ 2 vera dicendo by speaking the truth thus hee deluded the Pharisees by a false collection hee taught them that they must love their brethren and friends and this was a truth taken from the law b Lev. 19.18 but from that ground by the rule of contraries he teacheth them to hate their enemies c Matth. 5.43 and this was contrary unto the Law The Sabbath must bee kept and observed so sayth the Law Exod 20. therefore the workes of mercie must not bee done upon that day this is the Divels deduction Blasphemy it is to make a man equall unto God this is truth but that Christ was a blasphemer because he made himselfe equall with God was one of the Divels slanders d Ioh 5.18 Sathan is said to be a lyer from the beginning because he began with the first man at this weapon Yee shall know good and evill sayth Sathan therefore yee shall bee like God himselfe this was a lying conclusion And therefore as Aristotle was wont to say of a lyer so sayth Chrysostome of the Divell Non credendum Satanae licet verum dicat trust him not though he speake the truth but learne to stop our eares against all his enchanting perswasions that although hee charme never so wisely yet we may be like deafe Adders not listening at all to his bewitching songs How doth the Divel come
for the Direction of our life and that in these foure regards First it shewes us our errours All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light and whatsoever doth make manifest is light e Ephes 5.13 This light is regula sui obliqui the rule of truth and falshood in the night wee erre and misse our way but the day light shewes us our errours and therefore wicked men hate the light they therefore that know not themselves to bee sinners and sinfull creatures are not enlightned with this light for it shewes our sinnes and errours unto us Secondly this light doth enlighten the aire or dispose the meanes of knowledge both externall and internall that is thereby wee are inabled to reape benefite by the meanes to obey those things which we know God by Christ giving unto us both the will and the deed f Phil. 2.13 And therefore those that receive no benefite at all by the Ministerie of the Word neither obey God are not Christs Thirdly this light expelles darknesse as a candle doth presently enlighten the most darke room therefore those that yet remaine in the shadow of death partake not Christ those that bring forth no other fruit than the workes of darknesse and sinne doe not as yet enjoy this light Fourthly this light directs our steppes in the wayes of God unto that which is good he is our Way Light and Life g Ioh. 1.4 Ambulare vis Ego via Falli non vis Ego veritas Mâri non vis Ego vita h Aug. s Ioh. 14.6 Wouldst thou walk I am saith Christ the way Wouldst thou not be deceived in thy walking I am the truth Wouldst thou not dye I am the life Thus Christ is our chiefest light without which we erre and by whom we may know how to moderate and direct our lives according to the will of God And therefore those that desire to obey God aright let them heare Christ let them come unto the light and let them learne the word other teachers may lead us aside but the word is a certaine guide and they doe well that attend thereunto i 2 Pet. 1.20 Thirdly this light and bright Sunne cleares the heavens and comforts the conscience the Sunne comforts all creatures in a manner and Christ is comfortable unto all his children the message of the rising of this bright morning Starre was newes of great joy k Luke 2.10 When Christ comes unto Zacheus he rejoyceth l Luke 19.6 when this light shined in Samaria there was great joy in that Citie m Acts 8.8 when the Eunuch was made partaker of Christ hee goes home rejoycing n Acts 8.39 When the Keeper of the prison was converted unto Christ he rejoyced exceedingly o Acts 16.34 Doe all rejoyce that are made partakers of Quest 5 Christ They doe Answ except onely those that are as yet infirme and weake that is First those that are not as yet sure of it Children have life long before they are apprehensive of it and the babes of Christ are made partakers of him before they certainly know it Secondly those that have weake eyes doe not rejoyce in the light of the Sunne so those whose affections are yet captivated with the love of sinne Iohn 3.19 or the love of the world 1. Iohn 2.15 doe not rejoyce in this light And therefore those who thinke they enjoy Christ and yet doe not rejoyce in the fruition of him must know that the reason is because either they love some sinne or the world too much Fourthly this light is profitable for us unto eternall life this is the end of all The Sunne renewes the earth after winter is past so after the winter of this life this light will renue our dayes by making us partakers of life everlasting And therefore whosoever are destitute of light are destitute of life whosoever are without Christ are without salvation Who are without Christ Quest 6 First Heathens and Infidels who are Answ 1 extra Ecclesiam both out of the visible and invisible Church Secondly Heretikes who hold tenets that Answ 2 overthrow fundamentall truths Thirdly ignorant persons who neither Answ 3 know the doctrine of faith repentance or obedience Fourthly prophane and wicked persons who Answ 4 either obey not at all or not with a true and sincere heart who either know their masters will and doe it not or may know their masters will but will not The reader perhaps will thinke it necessary that I should have shewne the meanes how this light may bee obtained which I had indeed set downe but that it followes more naturally in another place and therefore now I omit it in this VERS 17. Vers 17 From that time Iesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand § 1. From that time That is after that Iohn was cast into prison Hence two questions are made Sect. 1 Quest 1 First why did not Christ begin sooner than thus to preach Answ 1 First some a Aretius say because God would have it so and we are not to enquire after any other reason Answ 2 Secondly some b Hierom. sup answer this Christ did in regard of his doctrine because the Gospell was to bee preached and published after the Law Now Iohn preached the Law and therefore Christ preacheth not so long as Iohn continues preaching but when hee is cast into prison and debarred from preaching then Christ beginnes But I rather think that Iohn preached the Gospell though not perfectly than the Law because our Saviour sayth of him that hee was the least in the kingdome of heaven c Matth. 11 11. that is in the Church of Christ in the New Testament and therefore if hee belonged to the Church of the Gospell it is most likely that hee preached the Gospell although not so clearly as now it is taught because Christ had not as then finished the worke of our redemption Answ 3 Thirdly this was done in respect of Iohn Baptist lest otherwise hee should have been thought rather Christs companion than his fore-runner if they had preached both together d Chrysos sup yea hence it was that John while hee had libertie onely preached and baptized but wrought no miracles e Ioh. 10.48 because hee would not bee thought to bee equall unto Christ but onely one that made way for him Answ 4 Fourthly this was done in respect of Christ lest that his preaching should be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã without any witnesse f Chrysos sup as the Jews falsly sayd to him Thou bearest witnesse of thy selfe therefore thy testimony is nothing g Ioh. 8.13 that is thy testimony is of small worth if it bee confirmed onely by thy owne mouth But this calumniation Christ proves false Yee sent sayth hee unto Iohn and he bare witnesse of mee h Ioh. 5.33 yea Iohn plainly averres this Yee your selves beare me witnesse
not sufficient to teach the truth in some things except we doe it in all Answ 1 First because the truth is but one and therefore the whole truth is to bee knowne As in obedience the whole law is to be performed or else wee are guiltie of the breach of all the Commandements r Iam. 2.10 So the Catholike faith is to bee kept whole and undefiâed or wee cannot bee saved Athanasius in his Creede And therefore the whole truth and doctrine of religion should bee taught Hence Moses is commended because hee spake unto the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him in Commandement to say unto them Å¿ Deut. 1.3 And so Paul appeales unto the people that they know how that hee kept backe nothing from them But taught unto them all the will of the Lord. t Act. 20.26 Secondly truth should not be mingled with Answ 2 falshood or lying for they are like the Jron and the Clay that will not cleave together Daniel 2 43. And therefore saith Saint Paul I speake the truth in the Lord I lye not Rom. 9.1 Because all Ministers should bee carefull to avoide all lying and teach nothing but the truth and the whole truth unto their people Thirdly because it is the subtletic and the Answ 3 craft of the Divell to hide and conceale lyes under some truthes Thus Sathan by keeping backe part of the truth would have perswaded Christ that hee might lawfully have cast himselfe from the top of the Pinacle u Matth. 4 6. Thus the Pharisees say Christ blasphemes because hee makes himselfe equall with God v Ioh. 10.33 and undertakes to forgive sinnes which none but God can doe w Mar. 2.7 hiding untruthes under veritie Christ being God as well as man and therefore might pardon sinnes and without robbing of God make himselfe equall with him And therefore if we desire not to erre we must labour to know the whole truth of God in things necessarie unto salvation Quest 3 Is every truth profitable to be taught Answ 1 First oftentimes some truthes are lesse profitably taught in things De facto Answ 2 Secondly in hard and difficult things the teaching of the truth is sometimes lesse profitable and therefore those things which are more hardly understood should bee more rarely taught Yea hence Saint Paul would not have the Romans to receive him who was weake in faith unto doubtfull disputations Romans 14.1 Answ 3 Thirdly there are many nice and curious questions which being not necessarie unto salvation are lesse profitable to be taught Answ 4 Fourthly but those fundamentall truthes which are necessarie to bee knowne and beleeved and practised are profitable for us and those must bee taught one after another that so wee may adde line unto line and precept unto precept getting now a little and then a little untill we come to the perfect measure of perfect men in Jesus Christ Secondly Christ reproves and blames the Scribes and Pharisees because they taxe the more grosse sinnes but see not the inferiour Quest 4 Whence comes it that the carnall man can condemne the greater and more criminall sinnes of the world and land as the corrupt Scribes and Pharisees doe here Answ 1 First because the light of nature teacheth this for those things which the Law of God forbids as sinne the law of nature condemnes as vice Answ 2 Secondly the very tradition of Religion and practise of Morall honestie amongst men teacheth them to condemne grosse and enormious sinnes Answ 3 Thirdly the frequent and daily preaching of the Word in these places doth disswade us from sensible sinnes and teacheth us to condemn outward evill actions Quest 5 Why doth not the naturall and carnall man condemne internall sinnes as well as outward for the Word teacheth and discovereth those as well as the other Answ Because spirituall things are spiritually discerned and the naturall man cannot understand them 1 Cor. 2.14 15. Yee have that unction of the Holy Ghost therefore you know all things saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.20 27. as if he would say untill we be endued with grace from above wee cannot know or be truely convinced of our true and spirituall duty unto God Quest 6 What outward duties may a meere carnall man performe Answ 1 First hee may be an honest man many Philosophers were very honest men and yet but naturall men Answ 2 Secondly hee may heare the Word of God as Herod did and many doe daily Answ 3 Thirdly hee may heare the Word of God with joy as did Herod and the stony ground who brought forth a blade that is expressed some shewes of delight in the hearing thereof either externall or internall Fourthly he may confesse and acknowledge his sinnes as did Caine and Saul Fifthly he may humble himselfe as did Ahab Answ 4 who although a King yet sits in sack-cloth Answ 5 and ashes when God threatens him Sixthly he may make some satisfaction and Answ 6 restitution as did Iudas who brought backe the peeces of silver againe Seventhly he may reforme himselfe and life Answ 7 in some things as did Ioas for a time and Iehu and Herod who did many things Eightly hee may have some generall gifts of Answ 8 the Spirit as of prophecie with Balaam or of miracles with divers Mat. 7.22 Ninthly he may joyne himselfe to the societie Answ 9 of the professors of the Gospel thus did Simon Magus Acts 8.13 and Nicholas Acts 6.5 and Rev. 2.6 and many who at length left them 1 John 2.19 If the naturall mans estate be thus deplorable Quest 7 how may he be truely humbled in and under it for for the most part they are as fearelesse and hopefull as the best True it is that the naturall civill Answ morall honest man is so well conceited of himselfe for the most part that hee will not suffer himselfe to be checked or reproved and therefore that hee may learne to be humble and lowly in his owne eyes and labour to come out of his miserable blinde and corrupt condition let him carefully marke and observe these five things First the multitude of his sinnes let him here summe up 1. His usuall and daily offences which he commits and yet thinkes not of at all 2. His idle and vaine words yea his obscene and blasphemous speeches 3. The eruptions of his affections and passions which are sometimes transported with anger pride revenge covetousnesse and wantonnesse 4. His unknowne sinnes which are therefore unknowne because he doth not observe and marke his actions and therefore unknowne sinnes because as yet hee thinkes them lawfull not knowing them to bee prohibited by God Secondly let him consider his great neglect of good workes and duties as 1. how many duties he hath omitted and left undone both towards God his Countrey the Church the poore his parents kindred children and servants 2. How weakly and unworthily he performes those duties which he doth how farre short they come of
Egypt for his linnen to the earth for his gold to the silke-worme for his silke to the shell-fish for his purple and had nothing of his owne so that if every one of those should have claimed their owne he would have stood like Aesops crow stript of all when every one of the foules craved their owne feathers which they had lent her But the Lillie is beholden to no other for its beauty and therefor doth exceede Salomon in all his glory Answ 3 Thirdly when Salomon was cloathed thus it was but a remembrance to him of his fall and he had as little cause to glory in these ornaments as a man hath to glory in the velvet patch or plaister that covereth his wound but the beauty of the lillie is naturall it covereth not the shame of it Therfore the lillie exceedes Salomon in all his glory Fourthly Salomon in all his glory was but one Answ 4 and much adoe there was to get one Salomon so decked and cloathed But all the lillies of the field are so cloathed Therfore the lillie exceeds Salomon in all his glory Fifthly Salomon was arrayed in all his glory Answ 5 but sometimes but the lillies so spring so continue untill they wither and die Therefore they exceede Salomon in all his glory Sixthly Salomon was thus arrayed by men Answ 6 but the lillies by God therefore their glory is more excellent VERSE 30. Vers 30 Wherefore if God so cloath the grasse of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall hee not much more cloth you O yee of little faith § 1. Shall hee not much more cloth you The scope of our Saviour in this verse is to Sect. 1 shew that we are nearer to the love of God Obser then the other creatures are or to teach us that whatsoever good things God gives to the creatures he will much more give unto us except we provoke him Reade Matth 12.12 Luke 13.15 14.5 Why will God give good things much more Quest 1 to men then to other creatures seeing man is but the workmanship of God as they are First because man is a more durable creature Answ 1 then the herbes or grasse which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven and a more noble creature then the rest Pronaque cum spectant animalia caetera terram Os homini sublime dedit caelumque videre Iussit c. The eye of man up to Heaven is cast The eye of beasts upon the earth is plac't Secondly because God hath given man rule Answ 2 and dominion over the creatures Psa 8.6 c. Heb. 27. Answ 3 Thirdly because man is created for Gods glory but the other creatures for mans good 1. Cor. 3.21 Answ 4 Fourthly man was prepared unto eternall glory the beasts unto an earthly and temporary subsistence and being Answ 5 Fifthly God loves man more then the rest doth God saith the Apostle take care for oxen Rom. 9.9 that is not in comparison of men And therefore all these considered we may bee certainly assured that if wee doe not ponere obicem provoke the Lord by our sins he will not with-hold from us those good things which he bestowes upon the other creatures or have lesse care of us then he hath of them Is not the love of God perfect and if so Quest 2 then how doth he love man more then the rest of his creatures Answ Although the love of God bee perfect in it selfe yet it is graduated in the creatures according to the decree of God who in this order hath determined to love namely I. Before all things his glory best II. Next unto his glory the elect III. Next unto them mankinde or the rest of men IV. And lastly the creatures How may we obtaine from God those good Quest 3 things which we want We must doe as the children of God were wont to doe of old to wit beg them at his hands Answ as for example Dost thou want or desire First bread to eate Secondly that thy estate may bee encreased and multiplied Thirdly that thou maist bee blessed in thy undertaking of marriage Fourthly Children Fifthly freedome from thy foes Sixthly instruction in any doubts Seventhly the continuance of of life Eightly the pardon of thy sin Ninthly freedom from temptation Then doe as did Iacob Genes 18.20 Isaac for Iacob when he went to Padan Aram a Gen. 28. â Eliezer Abrahams servant in the behalfe of Isaac when he went to Nahor b Gen. 24.12 Hannah 1. Samuel 1.10 Hezekiah Esai 37.14 David Psalme 73.18 Hezekiah Esa 38.2 David Psalme 32.5 Paul 2. Cor. 12.8 Pray unto the Lord and thou shall bee heard and answered graciously Sect. 2 § 2. Oh yee of little faith Quest 1 What is the meaning of these words First our Saviour doth not here taxe infidels Answ 1 but the debility and weakenesse of beleevers Answ 2 Secondly our Saviour speakes here unto the Apostles who were not without faith as may appeare by the diligent view of these places Matthew 8.26 14.31 16.8 Answ 3 Thirdly the meaning therefore is that weaknesse of faith hinders them from trust confidence and cheerful dependance upon God Obser Wee learne hence that there may be true faith which is weake there is a smoaking flaxe and bruised reed Esa 42.3 Matthew 12.20 Quest 2 How doth this appeare that faith may bee both true and weake Answ 1 First sometimes the Sunne is obscured by the interposition of a cloud and sometimes the Lord hideth his face that wee cannot see him Psalme 22.1 2. Answ 2 Secondly there is sincerity without strength Answ 3 How many-fold is this weaknesse Twofold namly either First in apprehension when the knowledge is weake Secondly in application when a man cannot certainly lay hold upon Christ but is like him in the Gospel who said Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe Mark 9.24 How may a weake faith be knowne to bee Quest 4 true First the weake true faith is but of short time Ans 1 or is but newly and lately infused 1. Peter 2.1 where there is life in an infant there is daily growth insomuch as from a child it comes to be a man except it be a dwarfe or monster in nature And therefore they should suspect the truth of their faith who are alwaies children and both weake in knowledge and application Secondly the weake true faith is humble Ans 2 sorrowing and blushing for sinne and iniquity though by-past and mourning for her present weaknesse in application true faith sorrowes because she is weake Thirdly true faith though weake yet brings Ans 3 forth some good fruits of obedience Galath 5.6 Iam. 2.14 What are the effects of weakenesse of faith Quest 5 As infidelity in toto Answ so debility in tanto causeth much evill as for example First weakenesse of faith sometimes drives unto the use of wicked meanes a feare to want things necessary often hurryes men unto coveteousnesse
offer themselves to bee considered of namely I. That Religion is outwardly and publikely to be professed II. That outward profession of religion alone is not sufficient unto salvation III. That that profession which shall be rewarded by Christ with eternall life must be adorned with purity and piety both externa l and internall Observ 1 First Religion must not only bee beleeved with the heart but also publikeiy bee professed with the tongue Reade Acts. 7.51 and 9.22.29 and 18.9.28 Rom. 10.9.10 Heb. 10.23.25 Phil. 1.14 Quest 2 Why must we outwardly and publikely professe Religion Answ 1 First because God commands it 1 Pet. 3.15 Answ 2 Secondly because it hath a promise of salvation in the next verse Rom. 10.10 Answ 3 Thirdly because the neglect hereof hath a fearefull commination annexed with it those who will not professe Christ before men shall be denied and utterly disclaimed by Christ Reade Marke 8.58 Luke 9.26 and 18.8 and 2 Timothy 2.12 Answ 4 Fourthly because a constant and bold publike profession of Religion is a meanes to edifie and build up others and on the contrary a fearefull concealing and neglect thereof is scandalous offensive and a stumbling stone unto others Philip. 1.12 and 2.15.16 Answ 5 Fiftly because the publike profession of our faith makes for Gods glory Phil. 1.20 whereas on the contrary the deniall of Christ is the greatest dishonour we can doe unto his name as though Christ or Religion were things to bee ashamed of Luke 9.26 whereas truth blusheth not neither feareth nor seeketh corners Answ 6 Sixtly because by denying of our Religion wee sinne against the truth and consequently against Christ Iohn 14 6. And therefore Paul durst not doe it 2 Cor. 13.8 Answ 7 Sevently because wee need feare nothing Christ having promised to give his Holy Spirit unto us to teach us and to comfort us Iohn 1.14 Ingreditur carceres nobiscum Tertul. If for the profession of Christ and Religion we be cast into prison the Holy Ghost then will goe with us into the prison as wee see by experience Act. 4.31 Quest 3 Who are blame-worthy in this particular Answ 1 First they are to blame who contemne and despise the profession of Religion For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and therefore where there is no profession there is no religion Answ 2 Secondly they are faulty who palliate and cloake Religion Certainely the fearefull shall never enter into heaven Revelat. 21.8 as followes by and by because externall profession is distinguished from the action of the heart and is added over and above If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shall beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10 9. Quest 4 Who palliate and cloake Religion or hide and conceale the profession thereof Answ Temporizers and time servers and that either First in the time of peace namely either I. Because they living in wicked places dare not professe Religion for feare of derision Or II. When in wicked company they counterfeit themselves to be such like the fish Polypus taking upon them any shape or the Chamelion any colour changing their garbâ according to the circumstance of time and place Or Secondly in the time of affliction and persecution when I. They dare not publikely professe the truth But II. Publikely dare deny their profession The hearbe Asolis is made green with heat drops but shrinkes into the ground with winter showres So many flourish and make a brave shew of religion in the times of peace and prosperity but when once the sharpe winter of persecution comes then they whither die and forsake the truth Is the publike profession of religion alwayes Quest 5 and every where necessary First every where and alwayes without any Answ 1 difference to professe publikely what we beleeve is neither necessary nor convenient as for example if a mad and frantick man should come into a roome where many were with a sword drawne and should say that which of them soever did confesse and professe himselfe to be a Christian should presently be slaine then at such a time or before such a person it were unadvisedly done to confesse professe our faith Secondly it is alwayes and every where required Answ 2 that we should never either deny our faith or by any meanes professe that which is contrary to the truth or true faith Thirdly affirmatively wee are then enjoyned Answ 3 to professe publikely Christ and religion when there is any hope or probability by our profession either to glorifie God or to edifie our brethren although there may be likelihood of danger to our selves For the necessity of the meanes is measured and conjectured by the relation it hath unto the end But it is dangerous for our selves in some places Object 2 to professe the truth although there may be hope that glory will redound unto our God and benefit unto our brethren thereby Danger in this case is to be despised Act. 20.24 Answer and 21.13 but of this more by and by Holy things must not bee given to the dogs Object 2 and therefore we need not professe Christ or the truth before wicked men or in wicked places First this command was given to the Apostles Answ 1 and Ministers not to preach to those who contemned and despised the word as in the 14 verse of this Chapter Secondly but we are no where taught to deny Answ 2 the truth or to cover it with a lye Imo ingermain fidei confessionâm Deus severè exigit licet mundus non fert Calvin s God requires and exacts at our hands an ingenuous and free confession of our faith although the world brooke it not Whence Saint Peter commands us to glorifie God in our hearts and to be ready to give an account of our faith unto every one that shall demand a reason thereof 1 Pet. 3.15 And therefore the righteous dare not dissemble or double But Saint Paul saith plainely hast thou faith Object 3 have it with thy selfe before God Rom. 14.22 Therefore the profession of our faith to God is sufficient and to man is needlesse Answ 1 First the Apostle there speakes not of justifiing or saving faith but of a full perswasion of the use or not use of indifferent things and this may bee retained and concealed that is wee must so use them as that our brother be not offended thereby Answ 2 Secondly this Precept Paul gave for those times when men were not certainely perswaded of the use of Gods creatures to wit meats and drinke c. But it belongs not unto us or our times Object 4 But God is a Spirit must be worshipped in Spirit Iohn 4.24 Therefore externall profession is not necessary at all Answ God requires the worship of the heart as appeares by the first Precept and the worship of the outward man as appeares by the second third and fourth Yea the Lord ought to have both
this more amply by and by II. When men deny God the Sonne and this is that deniall which the Text speakes of Whosoever shall deny me elsewhere the phrase is Whosoever shall be ashamed of me Marke 8.30 Luke 9.26 where this addition is put And of my words but the sense is one and the same for our Saviour speakes not here de causa moveme of the cause which moves men to deny Christ whether hatred ignorance feare or shame but de actu negandi of the deniall it selfe and this our Saviour condemnes this hee threatens and this he opposeth to the confession and profession of his name and word Whence we observe That to deny Christ is a great sinne Observ and doth alienate and estrange Christ from us How is Christ denied Quest 2 Christ is denied many waies or there is a manifold deniall of Christ namely either First internall which is two-fold to wit Answ either I. Direct when in heart a man utterly denieth the truth of the Gospell Or II. Indirect when men doe not beleeve in Christ but place their confidence in others and other things and that both for temporall blessings and spirituall graces Or when men deny the Providence of God Give mee not poverty lest I deny thee Prov. 30.9 Secondly Externall which is two-fold to wit either I. Direct when a man denieth Christ with his mouth and this is twofold to wit either First totall when men deny that there is neither Lord or Christ as the Atheists who impudently and blasphemously affirm that there is no Deity no Trinity Psalme 14.1 Or Secondly partiall and this is two-fold namely either I. When men deny that Christ is not yet come in the flesh as the Jewes do Or II WheÌ men deny that Christ is the Messias and true God as the Jews did Act. 3.13 Iohn 9.22 and As the Turks and Anti-christ doe 1 Iohn 2.22 Or II. Indirect and this is two-fold namely either First when men deny Christ in opinion and this is two-fold namely either I. When men hold not the truth of the Gospell in all things and in this sense whosoever doth thinke amisse either of God or Christ or Religion are said to deny them As for example First the Valentinians denied that Christ was incarnate and made true man Secondly the Arrians denied his Deitie or that he was true God Thirdly the Epicures deny the providence of God Fourthly the Saduââs deny the Resurrection Luk. 20.27 Fiftly Adam denied Gods truth and wisedome Sixtly the Pelâgians deny Christ to be our sanctifier contrary to 1 Cor. 1.30 Seventhly the Socinians deny Christ to be our Saviour for they who will not acknowledge him to bee such a Saviour as he is described to be in the word deny him to be a Saviour Eightly those deny Christ who forsake and fall away from the truth once received acknowledged and professed embraceing instead of the truth lyes and instruct of the word humane Traditions and superstitious vanities Or II. When men professe not the truth they know and hold they deny Christ for hee is either denied by silence or speech Some speake false against their conscience denying that openly which they know to be true Secondly some dare not openly professe that truth which they know for feare Thirdly some speake of Christ contrary to knowledge out of malice as the Jewes did or out of covetousnesse as the Souldiers did Mathew 28.13.15 They offend here against the profession of Christ and the truth and Religion who either First blaspheme Christ as Iulian the Apostate and the Pharisees and Iewes did who said he had â Divell or as Pope Iulius 2 did when he said he would eat Bacon Al despetto del Dio even in despight of God Or Secondly when men assent unto errours for as there is but one Christ so there is but one truth and whatsoever is contrary to that is a lye And therefore the servants of Christ are the servants of truth Math. 26.70 Rom. 1.25 And they that deny the truth and accept of errours deny and forsake Christ Thirdly they also deny Christ who silence and conceale their profession who smother the truth in their hearts not suffering the profession of Christ or Religion to appeare unto the world Ioh. 9.20 and 12 42. c. who either are not able or at least are unwilling to satisfie every man who demands or desires to know a reason of their faith 1 Peter 3.15 yea many thinke it now a dayes a high point of wisdome so to elude by ambiguous answers all Questions concerning faith and Religion that no man can tell what Religion they love like or embrace Thus to cloake and cover Religion doth plainly unmaske and discover a denier of Christ Object But it may bee here objected It is lawfull sometimes to conceale some truths yea we are commanded to flie unto another City If we be persecuted where we are and therefore wee may surely conceale Religion Answ 1 First wee may hide some truths sometimes and this is most certaine but wee must neither hide all truths neither some particular truths sometimes Answ 2 Secondly the reason is not alike between fleeing from Persecution and concealing of Religion we having a precept for the one and a prohibition for the other But I omit these two Answ 3 Thirdly observe that there is a double profession of Religion namely I A Profession which is placed in good workes that is when our workes may bee knowne before our Religion And II. A Profession which consists in an open confession Quatenus fit ore of all the principles principal points of true religion Now the first profession is alwaies necessary But the second is not necessary alwaies we must never shew forth or performe any workes opposite or contrary to true Religion or the Doctrine of the Scriptures but we are onely to confesse and professe the Articles of our faith in a fit time and place and upon some serious occasion Secondly Christ is indirectly denied in Practise and this is Five-fold namely I. When Protestants deny Christ by a wicked life 2 Timoth. 3.5 which place is expounded Titus 1.15 c. and 1 Timoth. 5.8 And therefore the warfare of Professors is to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Titus 2.12 For hee that denieth not these denieth Christ II. When Professours talke much of Christ and Religion but shew forth no religious workes or performances not beeing carefull that way to confesse Christ III. When men doe not labour to conforme themselves according to the example of Christ Philip. 2.5 IV. When his word which is taught unto us is not obeyed And V. When we neglect salvation trampling under our feet the blood of the Covenant and sleighting the offers of Christ made unto us in the word and the tender of salvation by him Read Hebr. 2.3 and 10.29 Acts. 3.14 and 13.46 And therefore let us take heed of all sorts of denials of Christ whether externall or internall whether direct or indirect because
the word of God he could not in particular confidently beleeve the promises of the word made unto him in CHRIST Yet faith doth not justifie as in generall it assents to the truth of the word of God but as it is applied to this his principall and proper object to wit the promises of grace made unto us in CHRIST the Mediator Now this appeares thus First because Iustificatio peccatoris pertinet ad bonitatem misericordiam Dei c. Thom. Aqu. 1. qu. Artic. 6. 45. The justification of a Sinner doth belong unto the goodnesse and mercy of God abundantly diffusing it selfe But wee neither can nor ought apprehend or seeke the goodnesse and mercy of GOD beyond and without the promises of grace which are made unto us in CHRIST our Mediator And therefore in these onely as in the proper object is exercised the act of justifying Faith when and as it justifies Secondly this is evident also from the distribution of the word which is divided into the Law and the Gospell Now in the Doctrine of the Law wee neither must seeke nor can have Justification because the conscience of every man who hath any in-sight into himselfe will tell him that he can never be Justified by that legall covenant hee not being able to fulfill the Law And therefore it remaines that Justification is to be sought onely in the Gospell that is in the promises of grace and that the act of faith as it justifies is principally to be directed unto these promises Thirdly this is manifest from these two cleare testimonies of Scripture namely I. Acts 13.38 39. For by Christ is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sinnes and by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses II. Romans 3.21 But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Bp. Davenant in Colos 1.4 Page 32. Sect. 3 § 3. Ye shall receive Observ Our Saviour by saying that we shall receive whatsoever we aske would teach us That if we desire to receive we must aske if we would have our wants supplied or our evils redressed and removed we must pray Read Matth. 7.7 and 1. Thessal 5.17 and 1. Timoth. 2.1 8. and James 5.13 and 1. Peter 3.7 Quest What necessity is there of praying Answ 1 First wee cannot honour and glorifie our God as we ought except we pray For I. Jt is a principall part of his worship And II. Thereby we testifie that we depend vpon God 2. Corinth 5.7 And therefore if we desire to glorifie and honour our good God there is great reason that we should pray Answ 2 Secondly we cannot be sure to be freed from any evill except we pray Answ 3 Thirdly we cannot be sure of the remission of our sinnes without prayer Answ 4 Fourthly we cannot hope for either furthering or preventing grace from God without wee pray unto him Answ 5 Fifthly we cannot be sure to obtaine or comfortably enjoy any good thing without prayer For I. By prayer we receive those things which we want And II. By prayer wee have liberty to use those things which we have And III. By prayer the good gifts of God are confirmed yea blessed unto us 1 Timoth. 4.5 And therefore if we desire preservation from evill and remission of our sinnes and the grace of God and the possession of those things which are necessary for us we must pray Vers 31.32 VERS 31.32 Whether of them twaine did the will of his Father They said unto him the first JESVS saith unto them verily I say unto you that the Publicanes and the harlots goe into the Kingdome of God before you For Iohn came unto you in the way of righteousnesse and ye beleeved him not But the Publicanes and the Harlots beleeved him And ye when ye had seene it repented not afterward that ye might beleeve him Sect. 1 § 1. Verily I say unto you Observ Wee see that CHRIST here affirmes what he speakes but sweares not To teach us That wee must not sweare Matth. 5.34 and Iames 5.12 Quest 1 Js not swearing commanded Answ There is a fourefold use of swearing to wit First a Religious use in vowing vowes unto God Secondly a Civill use when men are enjoyned by the Magistrates to sweare or examined vpon oath for the finding out of some truth and this I. Sometimes concernes a mans selfe when he is compelled to sweare for the purging and acquitting of himselfe of some crime whereof he is accused And II. Sometimes this concernes a mans Brother when he sweares onely as a witnesse or to testifie something of or for or against his brother Thirdly there is a private use of swearing in the binding of bargaines and confirming of contracts in stead of bonds This is lawfull if reverently and religiously undertaken and seemes to be warranted from Psalm 15.4 Fourthly there is an ordinary and customary use of swearing which is unlawfull and wicked and therefore our communication must be yââ yea nay nay because whatsoever is more comes of evill that is from sinne Matth. 5.36 How many kind of unlawfull swearers are Quest there First there are ignorant swearers who use certaine Answ 1 formes of words which they know not to be oathes or evill as by this bread and the like Secondly there are inconsiderate swearers who Answ 2 take the sacred name of God in vaine when they would not sweare or meant not to sweare but the oath breakes forth suddainly Thirdly there are foolish and unwary swearers Answ 3 who mourne when they sweare and resolve they will not sweare but by and by fall with the Dog to his vomit Fourthly there are erroneous swearers who Answ 4 thinke that it is lawfull to sweare if so be they sweare nothing but truth But wee see that Christ will not doe it but saith it comes from evill even to sweare truthes Matth. 5.36 And therefore he will be a swift witnesse against all such Fifthly there are hasty swearers who as soone Answ 5 as ever they are provoked and angred breake forth into rage cursing swearing and all manner of uncharitable and unchristian speeches Sixthly there are generous and gentile swearers Answ 6 who thinke it a point of generosity to sweare now and then and to confirme with an oath what they affirme Seventhly there are envious and malicious Answ 7 swearers who blaspheme sweare and curse onely out of a contempt of the Children of God and that they may vexe them thereby These should all marke the Counsell of the Apostle Galath 6.7 and take heed that they doe not deceive their owne soules for they cannot deceive the Lord who will reward them according to their wicked workes § 2. The Publicanes and the harlots goe into Sect. 2 the Kingdome of God before you By what meanes the Publicanes and harlots were converted our Saviour expresseth in the next words namely by the preaching of Iohn
message of the wise men he feares that all his money given to the Romans for his Kingdome is utterly lost Observ Teaching us that an evill conscience alwaies feares and presageth evill it being more clamorous then a thousand witnesses for first the conscience is alwaies at hand quocunque fugis teipsum non fugis c August s Ioh. fly whether thou wilt thou canst not fly from thy conscience Secondly as the conscience is alwaies present so is it alwaies prepared to accuse it selfe as Iosephs brethren did when they were roughly handled by Ioseph they say it is just upon them for their crueltie shewed towards their brother d Gen. 42.21 so Herod the lesse when he heares of Christ he saith this is no other then Iohn whom I have beheaded e Mark 6. Yea thirdly this is the just judgement of God quisquis habet ultorem sceleris f Ambros that every wicked man should have both a Iudge and a hangman an accuser and condemner within himselfe and thus had this Herod when he heares tidings of a King of the Iewes he being but a wicked usurper and cruell tyrant presently feares his owne downefall Sect. 2 § 2. And all Ierusalem with him Hence it may be demanded Quest why Ierusalem is troubled Herod hath no part in the Messias and therefore no marvell if hee feare but Christ was promised unto the Iewes they dayly expect him therefore why are they troubled at this newes First some say the Iewes were troubled onely Answ 1 with the noveltie of the thing but were neither terrified nor sorry for the newes thus once thought Calvin but afterwards disliked it Secondly others answer that either they loved Answ 2 Herod or at least they flattered him Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis And therefore seeing hee was troubled in deede they are troubled in shew but Herod so inhumainely tyrannising over them as he did makes me that I cannot imagine this to be the cause of their feare Thirdly wickednesse was so rooted in their hearts and they accustomed to all manner of Answ 3 impiety in their lives that they desire not a peaceable holy and just King who would punish their offences to rule over them and hence afterwards they utterly disclaime Christ nolumus hunc regnare we will not have this man to rule over us Fourthly they were troubled because they feare that this message will exasperate Herods Answ 4 suspition and sharpen his tyranny more against them but this their disturbance implyes something more then this Fiftly I answer they were now at peace although a base peace conjoyned with slavery Answ 5 and tyranny and therefore they doe not desire by new afflictions to prepare a way for the Messias wordly peace thus blocking up the way to Christ they feare to bee afflicted by Caesar and therefore will not acknowledge Christ as wee may see clearely by a place or two The Iewes perceiving the extraordinary miracles that Christ wrought gather together and take councell thus If we let this man alone then all will beleeve in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and Nation a Ioh. 11.48 And afterwards Christ being accused to Pilate and he desirous to remitt him the Iewes cry out unto him If thou let this man goe thou art not Caesars friend for whosoever maketh himselfe a King speaketh against Caesar b Ioh. 19.12 And therefore for their parts they utterly deny Christ protesting that they have no King but Caesar c Ioh. 19.15 And thus they are troubled when they heare of the King of the Iewes fearing least hereby the Romans should bee incensed against them and so their peace disturbed and their misery renewed §. 1. VERS 4. And when Herod had gathether all the chiefe Priests and Scribes of the people together be demanded of them Vers 4 where Christ should be borne We may observe hence that the Scripture is three manner of waies handled Sect. 1 1. By the Scribes who reade and study the Scriptures that they may understand them Observ and bee able to dispute of those truths contained in them and goe no further then knowledge and the information of the judgement 2. By Herod he desires to know the Scriptures that hee may therby the better know how to oppose Christ sooner to prevaile against him which he feares not but hee shall easily accomplish if by the Scriptures he can but learne where he is Thus wicked men often reade the Scriptures that they may wrest them for the patronage of their sins hence some have learned to urge those examples of Iosephs feasting of his brethren d Gen. 43.34 whereby it is said they drunke and were merry or drunke largely and of Christs turning water into wine at the marriage e Iohn 2. where it is said and when men have well drunken then the worst wine will serve for the justifying or excusing of drunkennesse Thus others excuse their lying by Abrahams and the Mid-wives examples Heretikes they also study Scripture that they may either thereby overthrow Scripture by finding some contradictions and falshoodes in them as they falsly suppose or at least and best that they may finde some medium midst wherby they may defend their errors by wresting and forcing the Scriptures to speak on their side Both these are wicked Gospellers that study the Word of God onely for table talke and the informing of the minde as the Scribes did or who study the Scriptures for some direct wicked end as Herod did 3. The Scripture is handled by the Wise-men for this end that knowing the truth they may follow it they desire in sincerity of heart to know where Christ is that they may runne unto him fall downe before him and with their soules and hearts truely worship him And these only are wise Gospellers who desire to know the will of God that they may zealously endeavour to doe it Sect. 2 § 2. He gathered together the chiefe Priests Quest 1 Scribes It may heere be questioned who these were Answ Intending elsewhere to speake largely of these I wil here be briefe First the name of High-Priest did belong to the prime and chiefest sacerdotall office which office 1. was vitall and continued for terme of life e Numb 3.25 2. now it was become annual continued but for a yere f Ioh. 11.49 18.13 3. This office was now divided betwixt two as it is said Annas and Cajaphas being the High Priests g Luk. 3.2 4. High Priests or as heere Chiefe Priests in the plurall number signifie either those that are of the stocke of Aaron or Eleazar or those who have borne the office formerly for a yeere or those who were governours of the Sanhedrin Secondly Scribe is the name of one of the seven sects that were amongst the Iewes for Answ 2 there were 1. Scribes 2. Pharisees 3. Saducees 4. Hemerobaptists 5. Nazarenes 6. Esseens 7.
Herodians h Epiphan Danaeus The Scribes they were interpreters of the law and hence in this verse Herod called both the Governours of the Sanhedrin the Chiefe-Priests and also those that were skilfull in the law the Scribes that so it might bee a lawfull Councell and yet the end of this Convocation or convocated Councell was for the ruine and overthrowe of Christ teaching us that a true Councell may erre Observ that this was a true Councell appeares thus First it was lawfully called by Herod the King Secondly those that were gathered together in Councell were the lawfull Rectors and Doctors of the people of God the Iewes Thirdly the consultation was about a maine question of Religion the true Messias and yet notwithstanding all this was done for a wrong and a wicked end Hence it may be doubted If a lawfull Councell may erre concerning religion who then Quest 2 must interpret the Scriptures Answer there are three interpreters of the Scriptures First I and thou or every particular man now this is to bee exploded that is when one private mans opinion or exposition shall crosse all that hath beene before it is lightly to bee waved or not much to be weighed and yet there have beene such who have spoken truth as for example Saint Hierome expounding those words The God of this World hath blinded their eyes a 2 Cor. 4.4 by the God of this world he understands the devill which exposition was called inventum Hicronymi Hieronymies phansy or inventioÌ because they that were before him expounded it of God the Lord and yet we see that his interpretatioÌ is true and all the other mistooke the place by an unanimous consent of all our now Interpreters I might give instance likewise of Augustines invention as they called it concerning the creation of the Angels but I passe it by concluding that a private and particular mans exposition which thwarts all that hath gone before it as it is not rashly to be beleeved and admitted of so it is not to bee adjudged to the fire nor wholy rejected till it have beene examined by other Scriptures and the analogie of faith Secondly the second interpreter of the Scriptures are the Fathers and Councells of the Church these are venerable highly to bee prized and much esteemed but yet not wholy and absolutely to be adhered unto or admitted without examining of them by Scriptures Thirdly the last and best interpreter of Scriptures is the word of God it selfe and this interpretation is to be admitted accepted and received nil difficile quod non alibi planum b August In fundamentall points absolutely necessary unto salvation that which is obscure in one place is more plaine and easie unto the understanding in another And thus every exposition of holy writ is to be examined whether it doe crosse or contradict any other plaine place of Scripture or no for the whole Scripture is as one truth and therefore that cannot bee the true sense of one place that belies another § 3. Herod demanded of them where Christ Sect. 3 should be borne Quest 1 It may heere bee doubted whether Herod did well in asking counsell of the Chiefe Priests concerning Christ or no First I answer to take counsell of them and Answ 1 advise with them was both according to the custome of the Iewish Church and also was well done because to them were committed the Oracles of God and therefore the Gentiles in these cases were to repaire unto them and all the Proselites were instructed by them Answ 2 Secondly I answer that this was not well done of Herod to advise with them upon an hypocriticall pretexte Teaching us Observ that truth is to be sought in the word and of the Ministers of the word they being appointed by God for this service and worke c Malach. 2.7 that is First to teach men what things are to be beleeved and known Secondly to leade and draw men unto those things that are to bee obeyed and done the Scriptures being given for this end to make a man perfect in knowledge faith and obedience unto salvation d 2 Tim. 3.16 Thirdly to admonish advise perswade and exhort e 1 Tim. 4.13 2. Tim. 2.25 whence wee are called dispensers f Cor. 4.1 that give unto all that are hungry good and wholesome meate and that in due time and therefore although it be blame-worthy to doe as some doe to question with the Ministers of God and desire to bee resolved by them of some scruples for this end that they may entrappe them in their talke or ensnare them as the Iewes did with Christ yet it is according to the ordinance appointment of God that those that are in doubt should have recourse unto his messengers for comfort consolation directioÌ Hence it may be demaÌded quomodo quatenus Quest 2 how and how farre we must beleeve the Church and the Ministers thereof First if the holy Citie become an harlot and Answ 1 the watchmen of the citie seeke onely their owne pompe and glory and covetousnesse c. then they are not to be beleeved Answ 2 Secondly if the voyce of the Church and Church-men be not vox Dei the voyce of the Lord we must not then heare nor beleeve them Answ 3 Thirdly wee must heare the Church and chiefe Priests and Scribes as Herod in this verse but then examine by the Scriptures what they teach unto us for this Christ commands g Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures and Paul commends in those noble Bereans h Act. 17.11 that searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so that were preached unto them And this we see is the present practise of this present Councell holden at Jerusalem the Magi they repaire unto the Church at Jerusalem Herod he repaires to the Priests and they to the Scriptures Vers 11 VERS 5. And they sayd unto him in Bethlehem of Iudea for thus it is written by the Prophet Quest 1 Why doth the Lord suffer Herod to know where Christ was borne seeing he sought his life to prevent which Ioseph was constrained to flye Could not the Lord first have admonished the wisemen not to have come to Jerusalem at all or have blinded the understanding of the Pharisees that they should not know where Christ was born seeing Herod desired not the knowledge of it for good but formischiefe Answ 1 I answer First God would not take away such a cleare testimonie of Christ from Herod the Lord will have him know of the birth of Christ that by his owne experience he may perceive and acknowledge that there is no forcerie against Iacob nor inchantment against Israel yea that all his Fox-like craft and subtiltie cannot availe him but that maugre his malice God will preserve this infant the newes whereof doth so trouble him from his rage tyranny and crueltie Answ 2 Secondly God would not take from his children the participation of the crosse For
but it more pernitiously hurts him that is angry then the other because it comes from the minde of the one and from within but reflects onely outwardly upon the other yea experience shewes that anger often brings men to Fevers and dangerous sicknesses as is to the life pourtraied by a great historian and generall scoller f Guevara familiar Epist fol. 114. 115. Secondly it weakens and enfeebles the body making it thereby daily more and more infirme and consequently the life to be the lesse comfortable and the more short anger being like worldly sorrow wihch causeth death g 2 Cor. 7.10 and therefore a man at the least should take pitty of himselfe and his owne life in not giving way to wrath Anger doth easily subdue a mans selfe to the craft of his enemies for by provoking him unto anger they can leade him whether they will for an angry man is easily incensed and once incensed hee is easily ensnared being quickly entrapped in his talke hee as then not being compos mentis in his right wits The effects of anger in regard of the Soule are these First it displeaseth God h Iam. 1.20 but meekenesse is much valued by him i 1 Pet. 3.4 and therefore Fathers are forbidden to be angry with their children k Ephes 6.4 Col. 3.21 and Masters with their servants Ephes 6.9 Philem. 16. and therefore doe not displease God when thou maiest please him but remember that howsoever anger may please thy distempered temper yet it doth not please God and therefore ought carefully to bee eschewed Secondly it provokes the anger of God l Pro. 19.19 Matth. 5.22 who is incensed unto wrath against the angry man because he is not in charity the nature of anger being to be void of charity as I shewed before and therefore remember hee that is angry with his brother God will be angry with him § 3. And slew all the children that were in Sect. 3 Bethlehem Herod seeing himself to be mocked of the Wise-men converts his craft into cruelty and that extraordinary It may heere be asked what manner of cruelty Quest 1 was this of Herods I answer there is a threefold cruelty viz. First Answ of punishment Secondly of law Thirdly of blood First there is crudelitas paenae a Cruelty of Punishment towards inferiors certainely Correction is commended and commanded m Pro. 23.13.14 and therefore they are to blame who blame the Magistrates correction because he is not to hold the sword for nought but heere three rules may be given to Magistrates for the avoiding of their cruelty of punishment First let it be magnâ causâ punish not but for a weighty cause heere is a vulgar errour to be reformed damages are alwaies thought heavie and worthy of punishment but sinnes are thought light as blasphemy lying swearing fornication drunkennesse and the like and scarce deserving correction Secondly when the cause is weighty and truly worthy of correction yet parcâ manu punish with a gentle and sparing hand parvuns supplicium satis est patri n Seneca a little correction sufficeth a father to give and Superiours are Fathers Magistrates must punish as the Lord punishes not for revenge against the person but for the amendment of the offender This rule needes not be inlarged because for the most part Magistrates offend more by remisnesse and too much lenity then by too great severity Thirdly if the cause bee weighty that justice exacts a severe punishment and that correction be laid on with a heavie hand yet amante corde let it be inflicted with a pittifull and commiserating heart not as an enemie or tyrant who punisheth with anger hatred and delight but as a mother with teares Secondly there is crudelitas legis a cruelty of the law this consists in sutes and contentions wherein the most part of men are too faulty going to law one with another for every trifle In going to law wee should observe the same rules that before are prescribed to Magistrates in giving correction First magnâ causâ men should not sue one another but in case of urgent necessity or great wrongs not for every cause and petty wrong as now adayes men ordinarily doe Secondly when there is just cause of suites yet they must bee parcâ manu not with the utmost extremity for summum jus summa injuria to prosecute men to the utmost as far as law will extend is seldome or never lawfull Thirdly though sutes in law be great and concerne thy livelihood yea thy life yet they should bee in charitate prosecuted in love which is very hard to be done Thirdly there is crudelitas sanguinis a cruelty of bloud when men seeke the precious lives one of another and that either first rashly and in the heate of blood occasioned sometimes by playing sometimes by drinking sometimes through whoring sometimes by the lye given or some distastfull words Or Secondly more deliberately and in cold blood and that either I. privately by duels which is thought a part of fortitude for a man to murther his brother by the law of a Duell a divelish law that doth either teach or allow men to shed the blood of a Christian and so deface Christs image or II. publikely and that by edicts as Herod in this verse and other like him bloody Sect. 4 tyrants in the times of Persecutions Observ § 4. Of two yeares old and under Wee may observe hence Herods arrogant folly First Christ was expected by the Iewes and Samaritanes a Ioh. 4.25 Secondly hee was foretold of by the Prophets Thirdly his comming is now revealed and declared Fourthly It is by the Star and the Wise-men confirmed yet notwithstanding all these Herod hopes to meete with him and kill him either by Fraud or Force If the oracle by Herod bee Beleeved why doth hee oppose himselfe Not beleeved why doth he slay so many innocents For Herod might thus have reasoned with himselfe If it bee true that Christ the Messias and heavenly King of the Iewes that hath beene so long since promised and expected be now come it is in vaine for me to strive with him because so I shall be but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a fighter against God and I can expect no other event then that which the Gyants had who warred against heaven their arrowes returning upon their owne heads On the contrary If there be no such thing but that this is a meere fiction like many other of their Rabbinicall conceits why should I then either trouble my selfe or trouble Israel in murdering so many sweete innocent babes Thus I say Herod might have thought and deliberated within himselfe but he doth not True it is that he thinkes the prophecies concerning Christ to be true that he must come and beleeves also the report that hee is come yet hopes to dash all their hopes and to falsifie all these divine truths by prevailing against Christ Teaching us that wicked men most wickedly
imagine that they can prevaile against God as Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should obey him I know him not neither will I at his command let Israel goe b Exod. 5.2 as if he would say mauger all his power I will still keepe them so in divers other plaine places we may see this truth confirmed c 2 Ring 18.34 19.10 Dan. 3.15 Ier. 43.2 This arrogant branch that thus thinkes to toppe the heavens sprouts from these three rootes First from those desires which are too importunate and boundlesse unde habeat quarit nemo sed oportet habere when men have not learnt to want nor to bridle their ambition but are infected with the itch of honour then they runne on in a violent course to obtaine their desires either by right or wrong thus hoping in despight of God as Pope Iulius said to obtaine and effect their purposes This was Herods fault who being blinded with ambition and desire of raigning hoped by his craft and policie to cut Christ short Secondly this hope that wicked men have to prevaile against Christ ariseth from the confidence they have in their owne power and strength wicked great men thinke nothing hard for them to doe and therefore dare wage open battell against Gods religion and his children Thus doth Herod and because none dare gainsay him hee hopes to prevaile This hope arises from forgetfulnesse they remember not oftentimes the hand of the Lord but looke upon things as meerely ordered and governed by second causes d Iames 4.15 they consider not the eye of the Lord that sees all nor the hand of the Lord that swayes all or they presume God will take no notice of them or they dare violate the truth and yet hope to escape punishment as Adam and Evah eate the apple and yet hoped they should not dye although God had positively without any If or and for that peradventure e Gen. 3.3 was of Evahs adding affirmed the contrary f Gen. 2.17 and thus doth Herod hope to prevaile against Christ although God himselfe had most plainely said the contrary g Psal 2. And therefore every one should learne 1. to restraine his bottomles desires and be content with whatsoever estate or condition the Lord shal call him unto or settle him in 2. Every one must remember that he can doe nothing of himselfe because in God we live and moove and have our beeing a Act. 17.28 yea because preferment comes neither from the East nor from the West but from the Lord and therefore when we endeavour against the will of God we doe but strive against the streame 3. All must learne not to forget either the eye or hand or power or truth of God but remember all things are ordered by a divine hand of providence and therefore let us not put forth our hands to use any wicked or unlawfull meanes either for the procuring of any blessing or the preventing of any evill for in doing so we prove our selves to be like wicked Herod that thinkes hee can prevaile against Christ the onely begotten sonne of God VERRS 17. Then was fulfilled that Vers 17 which was spoken by Ieremiah the Prophet saying Then was fulfilled Wee see heere how carefull the Lord is that every word of his should be Quest 1 fulfilled whence First it may bee asked shall every word of God whether promises or threatnings be accomplished Certes it shall Esa 55.11 Answ my word saith the Lord shall be fulfilled and not one jot or jota thereof shall perish b Matth. 5.18 for if the Lord speake it he wil also doe it 1 Pet. 1.24 Secondly Why shall every word of God be Quest 2 fulfilled why is the Lord so carefull to bring to passe whatsoever he hath spoken I answer First because God is truth it selfe Answ 1 Iohn 14.6 and the truth of the word doth depend upon the truth of God and therefore the Lord will fulfill whatsoever he hath spoken least an aspersion of falshood should be cast in his face Secondly because God is infinite in knowledge he knowes from the beginning what shall Answ 2 be for ever and cannot be deceived c Gal. 6.7 and hence it is that the Prophets doe so often speake of things which are to come as though they were present yea sometimes as though they were by-past I. Sometimes they speake of things which shall not bee for many yeares after as though they were already present as d Mal. 3.1 Mark 1.2 the Prophet from the Lord saith concerning Iohn Baptist Behold J send my messenger who shall prepare the way II. Sometimes they speake of things that are to come divers hundred yââres after as though they were already past as it is said of Christ e Esa 9.6 for unto us a child is borne and unto us a sonne is given as though he were then already borne and given Now the reasons of their thus delivering ther-prophecies was because they were as sure of thâ event and accomplishment of that which by them from the Lord had beene spoken as though it were already present or past Thirdly because God is omnipotent able to effect whatsoever hee hath promised or threatned Answ 3 by his word at first all things were made yea so powerful is the voice of God that it never returnes in vaine f Esa 55.11 If the Lord should not accomplish what he either promises or threatens men would beleeve that he were not able to doe it and therefore being jealous of his honour hee is carefull to fulfill whatsoever he hath spoken Fourthly God will fulfill every word of his Answ 4 because he is constant and immutable g Iam. 1.17 for 1. he is never disturbed with affection nor transported by passion he doth all things upon mature deliberation with infinite wisedome and most calme affection 2 His will is never changed he is to day and to morrow and for ever the same and therefore hee certainely fulfilles whatsoever he speakes To summe up all this whole question in few words If the Lord did not fulfill or performe what he promises and threatens it were for some of these causes either first because hee is not true or not a God of his word Or secondly because he knew not what would come to passe some thing thwarting or crossing him which he did not foresee nor know Or thirdly because he is not able to performe what hee hath spoken Or fourthly because he is mutable and of another minde to day then he was yesterday Now all these are blasphemously derogatory from the Majestie of the Almighty and therefore least men should thus conceit of him hee fulfills all his prophecies and predictions that they may see and know that hee is infinite in truth power knowledge and also immutable Against this it will bee objected God threatens all sinners that none of them shall escape but Obiect 1 every one shall perish h Psal 9.17
exalted and every mountaine and hill bee made low and the crooked paths must bee made straight and the rough places plain g Esa 40 4. That is first we must prepare to meete Christ by the valleys that is by humiliation for the conscience of sinners being wounded are so depressed with a true sense of their sinnes that they dare not lift up their eyes unto heaven as wee see in the Publican h Luk. 18.13 and unto such unworthy ones in their own conceit Christ hath promised to come and to exalt these lowly valleys Secondly wee must prepare to meete Christ by laying low the mountaines and hills these high places that are to be levelled are either those that are 1. proud by nature or 2. that abound in honour and riches and in all affluence in worldly things by which they grow haughty exalting themselves contemning others and trusting in this lofty condition and aboundance or 3. those that are transported with a perswasion of their owne righteousnesse as though they stood in no need of divine mercy these are dangerous hills and therefore they must bee made low that is wee must 1. be humble in our selves and towards all 2. Not trust in any arme of flesh or worldly thing whatsoever 3. Not place any confidence in our owne merits or righteousnesse at all but have our affiance onely in the mercies of God through the merits and righteousnesse of Christ Jesus and this is our second preparation Thirdly wee must prepare to meete Christ by making crocked wayes straight by crooked pathes are meant all transgressions on the right hand as Heresies errours superstitions hypocrysie and the like these must all bee rectified that is reduced unto the rule of God and the Gospell of Christ hee being the way the truth and the life and his word the true way unto life and the most perfect rule of truth Fourthly wee must prepare to meete Christ by making rough places plaine by these rugged places are meant all errours on the left hand as impiety injustice intemperance and all other vices and obliquities of the life which being walked in casts a man headlong into destruction And therefore all these must be left before Christ will come unto us Quest 3 Thirdly it may be doubted by whose labour and ministery is this preparation wrought Answ By the Ministery of the Ministers of the word of God as in this verse it is by the voice of the cryer a Esa 40.3 the word being the meanes of regeneration and the seed of faith and therefore all the Ministers of the word of God should be industrious herein labouring to bring the people of God first to a true sense of their sinnes and sorrow for them Secondly to true humility mortification selfe denyall and a sure confidence in the onely mercyes of God and merits and righteousnesse of Christ Thirdly to reduce them from all hypocrisie superstition heresies and errours Fourthly to reforme and reclaime them from all sinnes vices and enormities whatsoever Sect. 2 § 2. Make his pathes straight Pathes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Here it may be demanded how these two ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã pathes and wayes are distinguished Quest Answ Observ I answer two manner of wayes first according to the use wayes are greater pathes are lesser to teach us that we must not onely abstaine from great sinnes but also from small and that we must not serve God for the most part but altogether The Lord will either have the whole heart or none at all he will not devide with Sathan and therefore they are much to blame that excuse their sinnes with saying they are but paths not wayes they doe not give themselves wholy to sinne for their transgressions are but small thus the Usurer excuseth his unwarranted trade because he takes not above eight in the hundred and never takes the extremity of a forfeiture the swearer excuseth himselfe because he sweareth nothing but truth the wine-bibber will say it is true he drunke hard but yet he was not drunken for he knew well enough what he said and did these excuses may be alleadged but they will not be admitted for they will not excuse us unto God because he requires that both paths and way should be prepared Secondly these two paths and wayes may be distinguished according to the grammatical sense or derivation ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã away comes from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to go ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a path comes from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to tread or use or goe often a troden or beaten path much used Observ teaching us that our hearts should not onely be viae but semita not wayes wherein God somtimes walks but paths wherein he may walke continually that is religion must have his continuall residence in the heart and soule without any dispensation at all The occasions of the exercise of religion are alwayes given and therefore if the heart be true they will be alwayes taken and exercises of religion frequently practised and not like some who never thinke of God or religion but upon the Lords day § 3. Make straight his Paths Rectificate Sect. 3 Here it may be asked what is to be rectified Quest Answ I answer Saint Luke shewes that there are foure things to bee made straight b Luk. 3.5 Valleyes Mountaines Crooked and sharpe wayes some thing hath beene spoken of these before § 1. I adde a word or two first Valleyes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Pracipitium this signifies a vacuite of grace these valleyes are to be filled and this emptinesse to be replenished and enriched with the grace of Gods Spirit c Apoc. 3â 15. Secondly Mountaines ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã summitas clivus which signifies humane pride and is to be humbled as aforesaid § 1. Thirdly crooked wayes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã tortuosa which signifies an obstinacy in sinning and this path must bee made ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã right and straight that is our steppes must beee reduced into the wayes of God and therein must we walke with all humble submission night and day Fourthly sharpe wayes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã salebrosa this is taken either 1. for sinne in generall or 2. for contention which breakes the bond of peace and rends the seamlesse coate of Christ or 3. for the thorns of worldly cares coveteousnes and these are to be made smooth i. e. sin is to be left contention to be laid aside and the love of the world to be mortified in us § 1. VERS 4. Vers 4 And the same Iohn had his raiment of camels haire and a leatherne girdle about his loines and his meate was locusts and wilde honey § 1. His meate was wilde honey The Papists Sect. 1 object this place to prove that Iohn was an Eremite Iohn Baptist lived in the desart fared coursely and was barely apparelled he eat locusts Object 1 a course kind of
blessed man because I. God by thus exercising of him shewes that hee loves him and II. The Divell by these strong assaults shewes that he fears maugre all his might hee shall loose him Secondly the other principall and particular cause why Christ was tempted was to shew the power of Christ in the victory and conquest of Sathan according to Saint Paul And having spoyled Principalities and Powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it r Col. 2.15 that is in the Crosse It may here be asked What did Christ triumph Quest 7 over Answ I answer First over our sinnes and guiltinesse so that now sinne shall have no more dominion over us s Rom. 6.14 Secondly he triumphed over death O death I will be thy death O grave I will be thy destruction sayd the Prophet of Christ t Hosea 13.14 to whom the Apostle agrees in these words Christ hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light u 2. Tim. 1.10 Thirdly hee triumphed over Sathan not onely in his resurrection but also in his temptations the Divell being alwayes put to the worst Hence wee see that the Divels could not goe into the Herd of swine untill Christ gave them leave thus also the unnamed Authour of the Hebrewes sayth That Christ came to destroy him that had the power of death that is the Divell x Heb. 2.14 and Saint Iohn y 1 Ioh. 3.8 testifieth that for this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that hee might destroy the workes of the Divell And thus Christ triumphed over Sathan in this place § 4. Of the Divell Are all temptations from Sect. 4 the Divell Quest 1 I answer temptations are two fold viz. Answ First Divine whereby God tempts man Secondly Diabolicall whereby the Divell tempts man First there are Divine temptations whereby God tempts man How doth God tempt man Quest 2 I answer Answ God tempts and tryes two things in man viz. First his Faith whether hee be firme therein or not and this God doth by false Prophets false miracles false Apostles and persecutions Read for the proofâ hereof these place Deut. 13.3 Mat. 24.24 Secondly God tempts oâ tryes mans obedience whether he will continue in the service of the Lord or no Now this the Lord doth sometimes by grievous and heavy commands thus he tempts Abraham by that heart-wounding message every word whereof was a sword in his bowels Take thy sonne thy onely sonne Isaac whom thou lovest and goe offer him up unto me a Gen. 22.2.3 Thus the Lord tries Gideon whether he dare with onely three hundred men bid battle against the Host of the Midianites and the Amalekites b Iudg. 7.7 and thus he tempted Iob to see if he would continue in his integrity Secondly there are Diabolicall temptations Quest 3 whereby the Divell tries us How doth the Divell tempt man Answ I answer by these wayes and meanes First sometimes he calls the truth of Gods Precepts in question that wee might give the lesse credite thereunto and the more unto him And thus he tempted Evah Yee shall not dye at all but shall be like God c Gen. 3.4.5 knowing good and evill Secondly sometimes hee calls the truth of Gods promises and threatnings in question because often they that doe ill succeed well the Prophet gives us a president of this in the perverse Jewes Yee have said it is in vaine to serve the Lord and unprofitable to keepe his ordinances yea the proud are happy they that worke wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered d Malach. 3.14.15 This is the divells malice thus to tempt us that so wee might the lesse care for or feare or regard either the consolations or comminations of the word Thirdly sometimes he makes the word of God seeme hard unto us that so although wee assent unto the truth of it yet we cannot consent unto the practise of it because it is displeasing to our nature or contrary to our disposition or requires more paines then we can endure to take and this made the Jewes cry out upon the doctrine of Christ because it was a hard saying not a false saying and they could not endure it not they could not lawfully obey it and therefore they reject both Doctor and Doctrine e Ioh. 6.60 Preacher and Sermon Fourthly sometimes the Divell teacheth us to abuse Scripture unto the patronage of impiety and thus he abuseth it himselfe in this Chapter labouring by the false alleadging of Scripture to perswade Christ to tempt Gods providence thus he teacheth others to abuse the parable of the talents unto Usury and those words the Sabbath was made for man unto the prophanation of the Sabbath arguing thus from thence It was made for man therefore if man have any occasions he may ride his journeyes or may buy and sell upon that day Fiftly somtimes the divell propounds the inticements of the world unto us thereby frequently bewitching and insnaring of us Sixtly sometimes he spurres forward the desires of our nature and flesh and enflames our appetites unto unlawfull lusts and delights Seventhly sometimes he urges the examples of wicked men unto us that thereby we might be the more emboldened to sinne by their president and paterne Lastly sometimes he tempts us by others exasperating the world against us by hatred or derision or contempt or persecution or wicked counsell or the like Vers 2 VERS 2. And when he had fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights he was afterwards an hungred Quest 1 Why did Christ fast Answ I answer in or for a double respect viz. first in regard of his office and calling which he was to undertake Secondly in respect of his temptation which he was to undergoe First Christ fasted in regard of his function which he was to undertake that he might bee the better prepared for it this reason is given by some but I omitt it because the text seemes to point at the next Secondly Christ fasted in regard of his temptation which he was to undergoe that he might be prepared thereunto How many sorts of fasts are there I answer five First there is a necessary fast when men abstaine because they have nothing Quest 2 to eate Secondly there is a naturall fast Answ this is a voluntary abstinence because a man is not hungry and this is occasioned two severall waies 1 from the naturall constitution of the body and thus Hippocrates saith senes faciliùs jejunant old men are easily perswaded to fast 2 from some sicknesse which hath taken away the appetite and made all meat loathsome unto the stomach Thirdly there is a civill fast which is two fold either 1 commanded by the Magistrate for some civill end as victory or the like thus Saul commands the people to fast untill night least otherwise they should have beene hindred from the pursuite of their enemies Or 2 this fast is undertaken without a command
one mouth which cannot faile Truth is one immutable and constant and can never become a lye or false but the word is truth sanctifie them Father with thy truth what is that thy word is not true onely but Truth f Ioh. 17.17 It is written againe Sathan abuseth Scripture and as it were prophanes it yet Christ nothstanding this gives it not over but keepes him close to his guard with this Sword of the Spirit in his mouth and hand Scriptum est it is Obser 3 written Teaching us that we must never depart from the use of the Scriptures we must never forsake this weapon Here divers questions will be made What is the Scripture the use whereof wee Quest 2 must never forbeare It is the word of God written by the Prophets and Apostles Answ being dictated unto them by the divine inspiration of the Spirit of God a 2 Pet. 1.19.20 The words of the Prophets and Apostles were the words of God hence ever and anone they say Thus sayth the Lord because the Lord spake in and by them The Papists believe the Scriptures to bee the word of God and prove it too but by an argument which the Philosopher will not approve of viz. Probatione circulari treading out this truth like a horse in a mill in this manner The Scripture is the word of God because the Church teacheth us so the testimonie of the Church they thinke infallible because it is guided by the Spirit of God they are sure it is guided by the Spirit of God because the Scripture sayth so b Ioh. 16.13 and thus they run at the ring ending where they began If the Scripture bee not knowne to bee the Quest 3 word of God but by the testimony of the Church then how is it knowne to be such For answer hereunto Answ I referre the Reader to the first question of this booke Pag. 1. onely adding one answer more to those many It appeares that the Scriptures are the word of God by comparing of them with all other bookes writings and writers for the amplifying whereof take notice of three sorts of Bookes under one of which rankes all sorts of bookes and writings may bee included viz. First Humane Secondly Ecclesiasticall Thirdly Divine First Humane bookes are bookes written by men either in the Church of God or out of it of humane things as Philosophicall Bookes or Rhetoricall bookes or Politicall bookes or bookes of any other humane Art or Science These are not divine bookes but humane not the bookes of God but the writings of men having both the matter manner method and stile from men And therefore these are not authenticall bookes in all things to be beleeved which they affirme Secondly Ecclesiastical bookes are those which are written by holy or at least learned men in the Church containing divine things Now these writings are to be admitted and are called the word of God as farre as they sympathize consent and agree with the word of God but they are not authenticall of themselves but as they depend upon the Scripture and speake her true language These writings I say are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã worthy to be beleeved but not of themselves to bee beleeved nor any further than they accord with the word of God Thirdly Divine bookes are the bookes of God written by the Prophets and Apostles which bookes are the word of God the Prophets and Apostles being onely instruments Pen-men thereof and the holy Ghost the Dictator who endites unto them both the matter and manner and the very words and therefore is called aright the word of God and are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of themselves to be beleeved because the writers were ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã inspired taught and directed by the Lord of glory and Spirit of truth in the writing of them And thus comparing the word of God with all other writings we finde that there are none to bee equalled for excellency truth purity and infallibility thereunto and therefore great necessity there is to adhere unto them Obiect 1 The Anabaptists object that the Scriptures are not now necessary because God made many promises that under the Gospell all should be taught of God and that he would write his law in their inward man and they should heare a voice behind them saying this is the way walke in it c Ter. 31.34 Ioh. 6.35 Heb. 8.11 Answ These words are not to be understood simply but comparatively that there shall bee greater knowledge under the New Testament then was under the Old according to the saying of the Prophet the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord that is in the times and places of the Gospell as the waters cover the Sea d Isai 11.9 Quest 4 Why must wee never depart from the use of the Scriptures but with our Saviour here alwayes shield our selves with this buckler Scriptum est it is written Answ 1 First because there is a sweete consent harmony and concord in the whole Scripture Divinae enim lectiones ita sibi connectuntur tanquam una sit lectio quia omnes ex uno ore procedunt e August All the Divine precepts of the word of God are so linked together as though they were but one onely heavenly lecture because all of them proceeded from one blessed and celestiall mouth Secondly because the Scriptures are more excellent Answ 2 then all other writings whatsoever and more abounding with Grace Vertue and Piety Quicquid in Scriptura docetur veritas quicquid praecipitur bonitas quicquid promittitur faelicitas f Hugo Card. That is the Scripture teacheth nothing but truth commandeth nothing but goodnesse promiseth unto us all happinesse Aliae scripturae si quam veritatem docent non sine contagione erroris est si quam bonitatem commendare videantur Gregor vel malitiae mixta est ut non sit pura vel sine cognitione vel dilectione Dei ut non sit perfecta That is if other writings teach any truth yet it is not without the contagion and taint of error if they seeme to commend any good thing it is either mixed with malice and so not pure or without the knowledge or love of God and so not perfect g Ambros Tota Scriptura est convivium sapientiae singuli libri singula sunt fercula the whole Scripture is a banquet of wisedome and every severall booke a dainty dish and therefore great reason there is that we should cleave close unto them Thirdly of all writings the Scriptures are Answ 3 most true and therefore we must never give over the use of them Pope Pius himselfe said Resistendum est quibuscunque in faciem sive Paulus sive Petrus sit qui ad veritatem Evangelii non ambulant h Abbaâ Urspergensis He is to be resisted to his face that walkes not both in practise and opinion according to the truth of the Gospell though it were
Scriptures be obscure Answ 2 humane writings are no lesse yea where shall we meet with certainty and infallibility but onely in the word Can we have it in the Fathers they have their navi and blemishes yea Augustine and Hierom confesse that they may erre and therefore would have none to subscribe to their opinions further then they go according to the word of God Can we find infallibility in the Councels they have erred as may bee shewed largely both out of Bishop Iewell Doctor Whitakers Doctor Willet Chamierus and divers others Can we finde certainty amongst the Popish writers least of all they jarring like an instrument wholy out of tune Thomas against Scotus Catherinus against Cajetane Whatson against Parsons Bellarmine in somethings almost contrary to them all and therefore if obscurity and difficulty bee a sufficient rampire to keepe us from reading the Scriptures by the same reason we are debarred from reading Philosophers Rhetoritians Fathers Schoolemen Popish writers yea all writings and bookes in any sort materiall or necessary to bee studied because they all in many things are difficult and obscure to the understanding and the Scripture is no more Answ 3 Thirdly those things that are obscure in the word of God may bee explained by more easy and cleare places as was said before Answ 4 Fourthly the Father saith e August li 1. de doct Christ Christum Dominum obscurasse Scripturas quo his major habeatur reverentia autoritas qua communia sunt vilesscunt rara verò difficilia cum pretio admirantur that is Christ our Lord in his infinite wisedome hath made the Scriptures something difficult not that men might forbeare to reade or study them but that they might hold them in greater authority price and reverence for naturally we contemne those things that are plaine and facile unto the understanding but those things which are rare and difficult we most admire and more highly value Obiect 3 They object againe The tree is knowne by his fruit and the cause conjectured by the effect and therefore it is neither requisite nor good for people to reade the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue They proove the consequence thus the Scripture read by those that are ignorant is the cause of all errours and heresies usus Scripturarum est causa omnium haereseon f Alphons de Castro the vulgar use of the Scriptures is the ground of all errours Audenter dicimus nullam haeresin essâ quae non occasionem in Scriptura g Cens Colon. I dare boldly say a bold speech indeede that there hath no heresie sprung up in the Church but it was occasioned by the word of God An Italian Bishop dehorted the people from reading the scriptures ne fiant haeretici h Clem. Espens s Tit. 1. least it should make them damned Heretiques To this we answer First the Scriptures may occasion errours either Answ 1 By containing that which is false and erroneous but this the Papists say not Or By a misunderstanding or wrong interpretation thereof but this is not the fault of the Scriptures but the malice perversenesse or ignorance of men Answ 2 Secondly if a wolfe should cloth himselfe in a sheepes skin the sheepe must not therefore cast off his skinne as Saint Augustine saith the Bees must not forsake the sweet flowers because the spider extracts poyson from them Christ doth not here forbeare the use of Scriptures because the devill abuses them some men wickedly abuse Wine unto drunkennesse Meat unto gluttony Marriage unto coveteousnesse and adultery Magistracy unto Tyranny Must therefore Wine Meat Wedlocke Magistracy be prohibited and cryed downe as unlawfull I hope they will not and therefore let them consider how little reason they have upon the like grounds or insequent or ilsequent consequences to forbid the reading of the Scriptures unto the laity in the vulgar tongue 3. They permit worse and more pernitious Answ 3 things unto the common people and therefore why not the Scriptures though they were dangerous as they say First the Popish Clergy allow the Laity to reade other bookes which may occasion errours as well as the Scripture yea containing errours which the word of God doth not as Iustinus Irenaeus Origen who were Chiliastes Tertullian and Cyprian who were Montanists these they permit only the Scriptures they prohibit why because there is a greater enmity betwixt the Scriptures and the Papists then there is betweene these Fathers and the Papists the Fathers in somethings have erred greatly the Papists in many things doe erre grossely but the Scripture in nothing at all it being the touchstone of truth and the hammer of errours to breake them and dissolve them in peeces and therefore as great opposition and enmity there is betweene the Papists and Scriptures as is betweene truth and errour life and death Secondly the Priests allow the people to reade lascivious and wanton bookes which may and doe infect them why then not the Scriptures which is immaculate it is an inhumane thing yea an argument of small love to permit them to wallow in stincking puddles or to drink unwholsome yea venomous waters and onely prohibite pure streames yea the water of life unto them Si manifestuÌ infidelitatis signum sit aliquid scriptoruÌ rejecere vel non scripterum inducere quid dicemus de lasciva praeferentibus a Basil tract de vera fide that is if it be a manifest signe of infidelity either to reject refuse any part of holy writ or to induce into the Canon of faith that which is not divine scripture what shall we say then of those who preferre lascivious and wanton bookes or toyes before the word of God Fourthly and lastly the objection is apparantly false for first it is not the Scripture but the Answ 4 ignorance of the Scripture that is the cause of errours and heresies b Chysost s col 3.16 which truthes we learne even from Truths lips ye erre saith Christ not knowing the Scriptures c Mat. 22.29 where wee see plainely the cause and the effect the effect is error yee erre the cause of their errour is ignorance of the word of God ye know not the Scriptures therefore ye erre It is not then without great cause that the Holy Ghost cals the Pope ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the adversary that thus dares in his Tenets oppose Christ himselfe to the face Secondly the Scriptures reproove heresies and errours and therfore there is no likelyhood that they in themselves should bee the cause of them d 2 Tim. 3.16 Thirdly there is nothing else worthy of credit besides the Scriptures other writings being as chaffe this as wheate e Ierem. 23.28 whence the Fathers f Hier. s Matth. 23. Greg. hom k. sup Ezech. said quod de scripturis sacris authoritatem non habet eadem facilitate contemnitur quà probatur those writing or opinions which are not confirmed by the holy Scripture are easilyer contemned
to endure five dayes and if within that time God did not succour them he would surrender the Citie b Iudith 7 30.31 Manner when we are not contented either with An ordinarie blessing but wee desire greater although prohibited unto us thus Evah tempts God that she may obtaine a greater measure of knowledge and Rachel is not content so long as she is deprived of issue c Gen. 30.1 An ordinary obedience but tempt God by imposing heavier things upon our selves than the Lord requires of us as the Israelites doe d Act. 15.20 Thirdly when obstinately and contumaciously wee provoke God unto anger against us by our sinnes Shall we sayth the Apostle provoke or tempt God unto jealousie as though wee were stronger than he that is doe it not for his jealousie burnes like fire e 1 Cor. 10 22. Answ 3 Thirdly we tempt God two maner of wayes viz. either in his Threatnings to see whether God Can or Will avenge himselfe upon us according to his comminations Promises which sometimes wee Beleeve not at all by a distrust Of the Doctrine that is of the Gospell and the truth of God Of the practise that is of the protection or providence of God Beleeve too much and either Adde some circumstances out of our braine Or Neglect the meanes appoynted by God to bee used First we tempt God in his threatnings when notwithstanding them wee continue in our sinnes How long will yee provoke mee sayth the Lord unto anger with your wickednesse f Numb 14.11 Herein we tempt God three wayes to wit First wee try whether God can avenge himselfe as hee hath threatned thus Pharaoh sayth Who is the Lord that I should obey him I know him not neither will I let Israel goe g Exod. 5.2 As if he would say for this once I will try what hee can doe unto mee for my disobedience of him Thus Nebuchadnezzar being not obeyed by the three children in his fury sayth Who is that God ãâã can deliver you out of my hands that is I will try whether your God can prevaile against me or not h Dan. 3.15 Secondly we try whether God can see what wickednesse wee commit or not They encourage themselves sayth the Psalmist in an evill matter they commune of laying snares privily and say who shall see them i Psal 64.5 yea more Atheistically they else-where say k Psal 94.7 The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it as though they would say they doe not beleeve that God can see what they secretly doe and therefore they will put it to the tryall whether hee can or not Thirdly wee try whether God will avenge himselfe or not upon us often we perswade our selves God sees us and is able to punish us and yet doubting whether he will or not wickedly try it These things hast thou done and I kept silence sayth God wherefore thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe c. l Psal 50.21 that is thou thoughtest that I loved sinne and favoured it as thou thy selfe doest and because I did not speedily avenge my selfe upon thee therefore thou thoughtest I would not punish thy impietie at all It is very full of perill to tempt God any of these wayes Secondly wee tempt God in his promises when wee doe not beleeve the Doctrine or scope of the Doctrine or the promise that is made therein unto us Now it is a dangerous and heavie temptation not to beleeve the bare word of God without some ocular signe Thus the Israelites tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord among us or not m Exod. 17.7 that is wee will not beleeve hee is except miraculously he provide water for us Thus the Jewes blasphemously mocke Christ saying Come downe from the crosse upon which thou hangest and unto which thou art nayled and we will beleeve thee n Matth. 27.42 otherwise wee will not although God from Heaven hath pronounced thee to bee his Sonne Hence our Saviour reproves the Jewes because not content with the infallible word of truth they seeke and demand a signe o Luk. 11.16 and Ioh. 6.30 the word being given us for the rule of our lives Thirdly wee tempt God in his promises when wee doe not beleeve the promise of grace of mercie of protection or providence which is made unto us that is when wee distrust of the successe or event we tempt God impiously this God blames in his people Yee say it is in vaine to serve the Lord p Malac. 3.14 that is it matters not whether we serve him or serve him not all is one for he will not bee appeased or reconciled unto us doe what wee can God commands us to use the meanes both in naturall and spirituall dangers and evils and hee promises to blesse those meanes unto us as farre as may stand for his glory and our good and therefore for us to use the meanes hereby doing our part and to distrust the event and successe which is Gods part is to tempt him This was the Jewes fault Can God say they provide a Table in the wildernesse and meat in the desart a Psa 78.18 That which God requires herein of us is this if any lawfull meanes may bee used use them to the uttermost but leave the successe unto God if there bee no meanes in our power to use then cast our selves wholly upon God with boldnesse of confidence as Saint Paul did Having this confidence I know that I shall abide and continue with you b Phil. 2.25 Fourthly we tempt God in his promises when we believe too much that is hope and expect for more then is promised for to believe those things which God hath not promised is to tempt God or to desire beg or pray for more then God hath made any promise to grant is to tempt him Every petition powred forth must bee in Faith c Iam. 1.6 which Faith is built upon the Word that is the promises d Rom. 10 17. which promises are onely to be found in the Scripture e 2 Cor. 7.1 And therefore we must not desire or expect more then the word of God doth warrant or promise unto us Carefully herein observing these three particulars viz. First God onely promises unto us Generalia generall things as I will be their God f 2 Cor. 6.16 and I will be thy exceeding great reward g Gen. 17.1 and whom I once love I love unto the end h Ioh. 13.1 Secondly when God promiseth unto us Particularia particular things they are made upon some condition Thus God promised that those that trusted in him their life should be given them as a prey in all places i Ier. 39.18 and 45.5 and yet holy Zachary was slaine Mat. 23. and Kingly Esaias was dissected with a saw and therefore particular promises belong unto particular persons and are made unto them upon some
that I sayd I am not the CHRIST but that I am sent before him i Ioh. 3.28 Answ 5 Fiftly this was done in regard of the common people and that in a double respect to wit First lest the people should have beene separated and sundred some running after the one some after the other if they had both preached together Secondly lest they should have been excused in saying they knew not whoÌ to follow the one being after one manner the other after another that is Christ more familiar and Iohn more austere as our Saviour sayth of himselfe and Iohn Quest 2 Secondly why did Christ now preach when Iohn was in prison Answ 1 First lest the preaching of Saint Iohn should not be confirmed Thus Gualter sup Answ 2 Secondly Christ beginnes to preach the Gospell when Iohn was hindered lest that the preaching thereof should cease i k Gualt s and this was the principall cause Thirdly Christ did this to teach us that no Answ 3 power or policie of man or Divell Observ can hinder the preaching of the word of God Certainly the Divell did excite and provoke Herod against Iohn Baptist that hee might bee hindered from preaching but he cannot prevaile for Iohn being exstinct behold God stirres up another and from that time Jesus began to preach The Pharisees forbid the Apostles to preach Acts 4.21 and put them in prison for preaching Act. 5.18 but yet they cannot stop their mouthes In the Judaicall Church they slay the Prophets but still God doth raise up others In the Primitive Church sanguis martyrum semen Ecclesia the persecution of the Christians did spread the religion of Christ more than otherwise it is likely would have been The hand of man is too weak to hold Gods hand or hinder his worke and therefore so long as this world continues God will have a Church upon earth in some place or other some or other to preach his word § 2. Saying Repent The Papists l Bellar. de paenit l. 2. ca 2. Object affirme Sect. 2 that Contrition which is joyned with an inward terrour of the minde and proceedeth from the sight and consideration of our sinnes doth not appertaine to the Law but to the Gospell They argue thus Christ preached Repentance to the which Contrition doth belong Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand in this verse but Christ was a Minister of the Gospell not of the Law and therefore Contrition belongeth to the Gospell not to the Law First Repentance hath part from the Law Answ 1 part from the Gospell from the Law it hath the sight of sinne and terrour of the minde for the same from the Gospell it hath hope and comfort springing from faith in Christ wherefore this reason sheweth not that Repentance in every part thereof is of the Gospell Secondly though the Law and Gospell are Answ 2 in nature and property distinguished yet they may be joyned in use So Moses the Minister of the Law may preach Christ and Christ the Minister of the Gospell doth also establish the Law and by the terrours of the Law call men to the knowledge of their sinne where Repentance beginneth VERS 18. Vers 18 And Iesus walking by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a not into the sea for they were fishers § 1. And Iesus walking by the sea of Galilee Sect. 1 We see the Apostles are not called by Man but by Christ Obser Teaching us that the vocation of the Ministery is the ordinance of God For First he hath given them a calling he gave saith the Apostle some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and Teachers for the worke of the Ministerie a Ephes 4.11.12 and hath given unto the Ministers the Ministery and word of reconciliation b 2 Cor. 5.18.19 Secondly hee hath given unto them spirituall weapons which are mightie through God to pull downe strong holds c 2 Cor. 10 4. Thirdly hee hath given them power making them able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spiritc d 2 Cor. 3 6. And therefore they that despise them as Ministers despise not men but Christ Quest Who despise the vocation of Ministers Answ 1 First the Anabaptists contemne this ordinance Obiect 1 objecting that Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 and it is he that reveales divine truths unto men Matth. 16 17. Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee sayth Christ that I am the true Messias but the will of my Father which is in heaven yea none can come unto God by any meanes except the Sonne bring him Iohn 6.44 Answ 1 First by this reason wee should neither give fodder to the cattell nor tillage and culture to the ground because wee cannot cause our corne to grow or our ground to bring forth or our cattell to thrive or live by what we give them but it is the blessing and blessed providence of God that doth all this Answ 2 Secondly we grant that neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing 1 Corinth 3.7 Answ 3 Thirdly yet the meanes must bee used which God hath appoynted and which ordinarily hee works grace by that is the preaching of the word by those who are lawfully called unto that function for Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Yea he gives men faith and power to believe by the preaching of the Apostles e Ioh. 17.20 I pray not sayth Christ for these alone but for them also which shall believe on mee through their word And therefore the vocation of the Ministers is not to be contemned Answ 2 Secondly the Separatists are despisers of this Obiect 2 Ordinance of the Ministery objecting that our Church is impure our societies polluted and that our truths are mixed with errours Answ There are two Churches to wit the one Dead in the eye of the world in which notwithstanding are some alive in the eye of the Lord thus there were seven thousand in Israel f 1 King 19.18 though Elias saw none and in Sardis there were a few names of those that were pure g Rev. 3.4 Living in the which some are dead notwithstanding thus it was with the Church of Ephesus Revelat. 2.4 and with Pergamus Revelat. 2.14 and of Thyatira Revelat. 2.19.20 Yea even in the Church of the Corinthians the Galatians when they were most pure there was corruptions among them and therefore it is unwarrantable to forsake our Church for the spots and corruptions of some Answ 3 Thirdly prophane persons are contemners of this Ordinance of the Ministerie either by disgracing it publickly or deriding it privatly but these must know that they doe not deride men but God Sect. 2 § 2. By the Sea of Galilee This sea was the lake of Gennesareth Luke 5.1 neare unto Capernaum where Christ first beganne to preach and therefore it appeares to have been in
as the tenet it selfe instead of many take one they tell us a story of a woman who was possessed with a divell and by the direction or revelation of the Virgin Mary shee was brought to the Idoll of Loretto where the Priests invocating and imploring the aid of God the Father Son and holy Ghost the divell moved not at all but when he sung the Letanie of the Virgin Mary the Divell raged and stormed and a woodden Image of the Ladies being laid upon the Damosels head the divell cryed out in her quid mihi caput conteris oh woman why dost thou breake my head a Chem. exam p. 3. f. 182. b. Hereunto we answer first this and the like Answ 1 are but old Wives Fables and woe bee to that Church and religion which cannot subsist without these vide Melch. Can. Loc. 6. Secondly suppose these Fables were truths Answ 2 yet thou knowest not whether they be in Heaven or no unto whom thou prayest for some may worke miracles on earth who shall never partake eternall blisse b Matth. 7.22 Thirdly how canst thou pray unto him in Answ 3 whom thou neither canst nor oughtest to believe Rom. 10.14 Fourthly what need is there to seeke helpe at Answ 4 their hands though they could helpe us seeing that Christ in this verse can doe all things whatsoever he will of himselfe without any aid of others VERS 25. Vers 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Hierusalem and from Iudea and from beyond Iordan There followed him great multitudes of people Why doth the Holy Ghost expresse this Quest 1 To teach us that many are called Answ Observ and but few chosen many here follow him but few persevere yea scarce any for when the people cry crucifie him none in a manner abide with him but leave and forsake him Why doe so many start aside from their stations Quest 2 or forsake their colours First by reason of persecution thus our Saviour Answ 1 saith that when this fiery tryall comes many will depart from the faith Secondly by reason of the difficulty of obedience Answ 2 Many say durus sermo the way of the Lord is hard to walke in and therefore they prove retrograde c Ioh. 6.60.66 Thirdly by reason of the tediousnesse and Answ 3 wearisomnesse of perseverance Noviter conversi fervidi d August they are fervent when newly converted unto the profession of Religion but by and by grow luke-warme and within a while stone cold Zelus ruit mole sua they beginne in the Spirit but end in the Flesh their zeale declining and falling by his owne weight Nullum violentum est diuturnum No extreames hold long and the buildings upon the sand cannot long endure Thus many beginne well hearing the word of God with joy Mat. 13d but for want of depth of earth quickly wither and die Quest 3 What must we do that we may persevere unto the end Answ 1 First doe not presume that thou shalt stand for ever because thou art called many are called who finally and totally fall away and therefore let him that thinkes he stands take heed lest he fall bee not high minded but feare and perfect thy salvation with trembling e Phil. 2 12. Certè plures occidit gula quam gladius praesumptio quam desperatio Intemperance slayes more then the sword and presumtion then desperation we being naturally too prone hereunto hast thou a mind inlightned thy affections inflamed with the love of God and vertue a sense of thy duety towards God and man a conscience of thy sinnes committed both against the first and second table yet measure not thy selfe by these Are thy neighbours worse then thou art Ne te quaesiveris extra yet measure not thy selfe by them goe not out into the streets to seeke for thy selfe but measure what thou art by these rules First by thy owne sinnes which thou dost commit this will make thee blush and be ashamed of thy selfe Secondly by those bright shining lampes of the primitive Church who lived on earth like Saints indeed truely mortified in their carnall affections truely crucified unto the world truely quickned by the Spirit giving themselves wholly unto the Lord and the Lords worke being frequent in contemplation and fervent in practise this will make thee seeme unto thy selfe more deformed then Thersites Thirdly measure thy selfe by the purity of God and his Law consider how undefiled the Law of the Lord is and how infinitely pure the Lord of this Law is and then thou wilt be like the Dove that could find no place to rest her foot upon thou wilt see nothing in thee which thou canst approve of or like but abhorre thy selfe in dust and ashes Fourthly examine thy selfe by thy debility and weakenesse of perseverance consider thy impotency and insufficiency to persevere and continue in the wayes and worke of the Lord unto the end of thy life and this will shew thee as in a glasse that thou art more brittle and fraile then the finest glasse Thus let us meditate of these things and take heed of presuming Secondly examine and search daily thy heart trying and examining therein these particulars First hast thou any faith at all Secondly Answ 2 is thy faith true not false built upon a sure not a sandy foundation How may we know whether our faith be true Quest 4 or not By these markes First dost thou love God Answ 1 Faith workes by love Gal. 5.6 and where there is no love there is no faith and where no true love no true faith and therefore examine whether thou lovest God or not and that not onely lightly in word but solidly in heart Quest How shall I know this whether my Quest 5 love unto my Lord be cordiall and reall or orall and verball Answ By these two things viz. First by the Answ 1 Obedience of God both affirmative and negative dost thou nothing which he forbids thee neither omit any thing which hee requires of thee certainely where there is true love there is a solide desire and a serious endeavour to obey Secondly this may be known by thy reverence dost thou never thinke of God never name him or mention him in thy speeches but with love and hope conjoyned with a godly feare and awfull reverence hypocrites and wicked men approach unto God too familiarly but the faithfull with the greatest respect they can possibly and therefore try whether we love the Lord unfainedly or not by our willing obeying of him and our reverend respect unto him Secondly wee may know whether our faith be true or not by this doe wee performe the Answ 2 workes of love not onely in word but in deed also that is by a renewed changed and purified life and conversation we now labouring I. To obey God otherwise then wee were accustomed that is in sincerity and singlenesse of heart by an universall and continuall obedience
earthly and temporall blessings and therefore wee must not expect so to bee rewarded our life is hid with God Coloss 3.3 and consisteth not in the abundance of earthly possessions Luk. 12.15 Life eternall onely being absolutely called Life Wherefore we must await for our Crowne and recompence untill we come thither Thirdly prosperitie in temporall things seldome Answ 3 proves good at least often proves hurtfull for us in regard of our spirituall estate and condition as appeares by these two particulars First Prosperitie doth often take off and abate the edge of our affections unto God making us say as Peter did bonum est esse hîc It is good for us to stay here e Matth. 17.4 or as another sayd Haec faciunt nos invitos mori wee unwillingly depart from these although it be to go unto God Thus Prosperitie in worldly things bewitcheth us with the love thereof but adversity and povertie weaneth us from the world and maketh us weary of it Secondly Prosperity drawes us into sinne hence Adam was easily seduced in Paradise and David when he was quietly seated in his throne and Salomon when silver was as plentifull as the stones in the streets very few there are that can rightly beare themselves in an equall and just ballance in the time of plentie and abundance yea many there are who can carry themselves fairly soberly modestly and unblameably in povertie and a low estate who runne headlong to destruction by some sin or other when they are great or rich And therefore they erre and decline â recto from the truth who being poore serve God that they may be made rich for this should not be done neither should great things bee expected in this life f Ierem. 45.5 because we know not how banefull riches may prove unto us wee must bee content with those generall promises that God hath made unto us that we shall have food and rayment and that wee shall want nothing that the Lord sees and knowes will bee good for us and unto us and that he will lay nothing upon us but what hee will enable us to beare yea that all things shall worke together for the best unto us in this life and we shall be made eternally blessed in the life to come VERS 4. Blessed are they that mourne Vers 4 for they shall be comforted Blessed are they that mourne c. Peccata Ingentibus non solum peccata remittit panas sed solationem retribuit Deus g Chrysos variis To those that mourne for their sinnes God doth not onely grant remission of the guilt and punishment but also comfort and consolation If this promise be true how comes it to passe Quest 1 that the faithfull and godly cannot draw joy and comfort from it in the time of their mourning The causes why the children of God doe often not conclude true and solide consolation unto themselves from hence in the day of sorrow Answer are these First sometimes some strong and powerfull temptation that doth so strongly and frequently assault them that they cannot enjoy the comfortable sight and light of the Sunne for that thicke cloud that thus doth interpose it selfe Secondly sometimes the remainders of infidelitie which abide in the faithfull hinder them from laying hold upon this saving comfort by a sure and certaine faith Thirdly the conscience of our owne proper indignitie and unworthinesse of this comfort principally after the committing of some grievous sinne David and Peter weepe and that bitterly but cannot for this cause speedily apply comfort unto themselves Quest 2 How is this promise of comfort accomplished unto those that mourne for their sinnes Answ It is fulfilled and performed foure manner of wayes First when God tempers and allayes the sorrowes and afflictions of those that mourne according to the measure of their strength that is layes no more upon them then they are able to beare h 1 Cor. 10.13 Secondly when God removes the griefe with the causes thereof Thus hee comforted Manasses by delivering him out of the hands of the King of Assyria and bringing him againe to Jerusalem into his kingdome i 2 Chro. 33.13 Thirdly when God gives inward comfort to the heart conscience by his word or by his Spirit making his children even to rejoyce in tribulation k Rom. 5.3 Thus Saint Paul sayth that in Asia hee was pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that he despaired of life 2 Cor. 1.8 yet God comforted him in his tribulation that he might bee able to comfort them which were in any trouble by the comfort wherewith hee himselfe was comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 yea as the sufferings of Christ did abound in him so his consolation also abounded by Christ. 2 Cor. 1.5 Fourthly this promise of comfort is accomplished when God by death puts an end to all the miseries of his children bringing their soules to eternall life Thus was Lazarus comforted l Luk. 16.25 and daily many of Gods dearest Saints who are onely by death freed from the miseries of this life Quest 3 How must we so mourne that we may be sure to bee comforted Answ If we desire this two things are to be regarded of us the first in our persons the second in our actions or in our mourning First in personis in our persons we must labour that wee may bee made Christians such as God hath promised to comfort Christ speaking unto his Apostles sayth ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy m Ioh. 16.20 as if he would say it is not every one that mournes that shall be comforted but onely the members of Christ wicked and righteous men may sorrow with the same sorrow but for a divers end as both David and Cain mourne for their sins but the end of Cains teares is the punishment that he hath incurred Davids sorrow being rather for the sinne then for the punishment and therefore we must endeavour to bee made the righteous and holy members of Christ and children of God if wee desire to bee assured of comfort in the time of mourning Secondly In rebus in the things sorrowed for or in the cause of our mourning for many sorrow for that which is not to be sorrowed for As for example First some mourne invidé out of envy thus 1. some grieve for the prosperity of others as David had almost done Psal 73.2 some for the piety of others wishing that the righteous man may be taken away as not being profitable unto them or rather because his glory doth obscure their pride and therefore they are offended with him and sorrow for his presence These mourners have no promise of comfort Secondly some sorrow Avidè covetously either I. Because they have not riches in abundance whereby they might bee more able to satisfie their lusts n Iam 1.5 or follow sinne with more eagernesse freenesse and libertie which they cannot doe by reason of their
must needs bee visible Touching the visibilitie of the Church I lay downe this proposition There shall be alwayes a Church truly visible so long as this mortall world shall last Here that I may be the better understood let me adde these explanations to wit First the most visible Church shall not alwayes bee truest for the weeds of errour and chaffe of hypocrisie and superstition shall sometimes over-grow the come of true religion d Aug. brev coll col 3. as Arianisme did the truth in Hilary his dayes e Hyl. cont Auxen teste M. Cano Yea this is confessed Major pars vincit aliquando meliorem the greater part oftentimes overcomes the better Bellarm. de Concil 3.9 Secondly errours over-growing the truth peradventure the Church shall at some time bee visible onely ad intra not ad extra that is knowne among themselves though not observed of the world I say peradventure because many of our worthy Divines hold that it shall be visible alwayes not onely in some scattered persons but in an orderly Ministery and use of the Sacraments f D. Field de Eccles 1.10 Thirdly this Church shall not alwayes be resplendent and glorious in the worlds eye as the Papists sometime perswade the ignorant but after Saint Augustines comparison like the Moone ever being but sometimes in the wane scarce seene shining at all Obscurari potest multitudine scandalorum saith Bellarmine g Bell. de eccles milit 3.16 in answer to Hylary out of Saint Augustine epistol 48. Fourthly this visible Church hath no warrant of not erring in the usuall sense to wit in part this being the greatest imposture that the Papists gull the world withall as shall be shewed in another place Sect. 5 § 5. A City set upon a hill Here wee have two things to consider of first what this Citie is Secondly what this Mountaine is Quest 1 First what this City is which is set upon a Mountaine Answ 1 First some say the Apostles are this Citie but this cannot be except onely by a Metonymie as we take mundus pro mundanis the world for worldlings And therefore our Saviour doth not say Yee are the City set on an hill Secondly others say the Church is this City Answ 2 because it is as a City deare and consecrated unto God yea elsewhere called the City of God Psal 46.4 the joy of the whole earth the Citie of the great King Psal 48 2. and of righteousnesse Esa 1.26 yea it is termed Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem the Church of the first borne h Heb. 12.22 How deare and pretious this Citie is in Gods sight may appeare by these things observed by some in the metaphore I. The City is the Church thus David Glorious things are spoken of thee oh Citie of God i Psa 87.3 II. The Mountaine whereupon the City stands is Christ according to that of the Prophet David The stone became a great Mountaine and filled the whole earth k Da. 2.35 III. The Citizens of this Citie are the Saints thus saith Saint Paul Yee are fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God l Eph. 2.19 IV. The Towers of this City were the Prophets who were most eminent in the Church V. The Gates of this Citie were the Apostles by whose Ministery men were brought into the Church VI. The Walls of this City are the Ministers of the Word and the Apostles successours who are as rampers to defend the Church against the assaults of sin superstition and errour m Chrys inperf op s Thirdly the true City is not in this life for Answ 3 here we have no continuing City but we seeke one to come Hebr. 13.14 to wit that new Jerusalem which is above Revel 21.2 10. Quest 2 If the City expected and longed for by the faithfull be not in this life then how is the Church called a City both in this verse and in other places as was shewed before Answ The Militant Church of Christ may be called a City partly Analogicè because it something resembles the heavenly Hierusalem and triumphant Church partly Synechdochicè because it is a part of that Citie which is above What is to be expected or may be looked for Quest. 3 in this Citie Foure things to wit first ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Order Answ God the King of this City not being the author of confusion but of peace 1 Cor. 14.33 and therefore all things are to be done decently and in order vers 40. avoiding contention because it becomes not the Church of Christ n 1 Cor. 11.16 And therefore those who will not be subject to the godly decent and lawfull injunctions and orders of the Church are no true members thereof or at least are to be esteemed as stubborne children whether they be 1. Fanatici the Anabaptists who understand all truths as they list themselves measuring all Doctrines by their owne revelations Or 2. Furiosi the Brownists who will tolerate no rites or customes at all although all who know any thing agree that in all Churches there have beene some Or 3. Pertinaces those that are headstrong perverse obstinate and rebellious whose will is a Law and will make any thing lawfull that they please not subjecting themselves to any government or command though never so lawfull Of all these we may say with the Apostle If any seeme to be thus contentious we have no such custome wee nor the Church of God o 1 Cor. 11.16 Secondly the second thing to be expected in this City is Unitie there is but one governement one King one head and one body and therefore we expect unitie in this City reade Ephes 4.5.16 and Rom. 12.5 and 1 Corinth 10.17 it being necessary that the Citizens should be of one minde and of one judgement having but one rule to walke by and one way which all must walke in who hope to be saved p Phil. 3.16 There is one light whereby we are enlightned one truth whereby we are directed one law of obedience unto all one faith in Christ unto salvation one profession of faith and obedience and whatsoever differs from this is an error We may differ in outward and adiaphorall things and yet be of the same religion and body of Christ as we may see Protestant Churches that although they vary in circumstances yet they hold one and the same substance and fundamentall truths entire Thirdly as we may expect in this City unitie betweene the subjects and Soveraigne the body and the head so wee may also betweene the fellow-members of this body because I. they are concives fellow-Citizens q Ephes 2.19 II. They are brethen Psal 133.1 III. because they are members of one mysticall body Romanes 12.5 and 1 Corinth 10.17 Ephes 4.16 and 5.27 Fourthly in this City there is splendour villages are more vile but Cities are more splendidious and sumptuous this splendour and glory which is in that
and desires were mortified in her And hence he concludes Vera voluptas ex virtute nascitur The fruits of true joy spring from the roote of vertue which conclusion is true although the true sense of the place be lost Allegoricall then hee who expounds it literally doth not onely pervert the true sense and meaning of the place but doth also establish a falsehood and untruth for thus a man might prove Christ to be bread yea to be a stone which none are so stony or blockish to beleeve Secondly observe whether is it a rule or an historicall narration we reade of Iephtah who offered his daughter of the Midwives who lied unto Pharaoh of the adulterie and subornation to drunkennesse and murder in David of Noahs drunkennesse and Lots incest Now if these historicall narrations should bee by some understood to bee rules of directions how diabolicall would their lives and conversations become And therefore we must not drawe a rule A facto ad jus from a deede done to the equitie thereof for by that rule all things were lawfull Thirdly observe if it be a Rule then whether is it given as a Command and Precept or as a counsell and advice Paul would have all to live unmarried t 1 Cor. 7.7.8 but this he speakes by permission onely that is by way of counsell and advice not by a positive command from God Verse 6. For concerning Virginity he had no commandement from the Lord but onely supposed it to be good for the present distresse to remaine unmarried Verse 25 26. Fourthly consider if it bee a precept and a command then whether is it generall or particular That is I. Whether was it given to one man onely or to all Thus God commands Abraham to slay Isaac and this precept is not to bee extended further then to him II. Whether doth the precept respect some one particular action which is onely once to be performed or a worke which is frequently to be practised Thus the Israelites were commanded to spoile the Egyptians which precept was neither to bee stretched unto any other nor unto them at another time that is by this command no other persons were allowed to robbe the Egyptians neither were the Israelits warranted to do it at any other time III. Whether were the Precepts given onely unto some one particular people or unto all nations Thus the judiciall Law was given unto the Iewes onely and not unto the Gentiles IV. Whether did the Command concerne some certaine time onely or was it to be extended also unto all times Thus Circumcision Sacrifices and the Ceremoniall law are not now to be urged because they were to continue but unto the death of Christ Thus we must carefully observe the scope of the Holy Spirit and urge nothing beyond that Thirdly in the reading and expounding of the Rule 3 Scripture take heede of all grosse consequences which are very frequent with the erroneous I. some thus expound positiva privativè positive things privatively Thou maist hate thy enemie because thou must love thy brother Mat. 5.43 Secondly some expound Confutativa confirmativè those things which are spoken by way of Confutation as though they were spoken by way of confirmation as for example Saint Paul saith The doers of the Law shall be justified u Rom. 2.13 From whence The Apostle concludes that none shall be justified The Papists conclude that we may bee justified by the workes of the law Thirdly some expound Scriptures so as that there is no consequence at all but a palpable non sequitur Thus Hooker observes the Separatists and Brownists to doe daily And thus the Papists doe hourely I have prayed for thee Peter saith Christ therefore the Pope cannot erre Master saith Peter here are two swords therefore the Pope hath both Ecclesiasticall and Civill jurisdiction both over King and People and many the like But wee must take heede of these sophismes and of this begging the question Fourthly be never obstinate in thy owne opinion Rule 4 but let the spirits of the Prophets bee subject to the Prophets v 1 Cor. 14.32 Great is the errour here of the Papists who will change nothing retract nothing lest they should seeme formerly to have erred Great are the blemishes hereof of the Lutherans with the Zwinglians concerning the corporeall Concomitancie who rather then they will ââcant or confesse their errour will which is too grosse confesse the Ubiquitie of Christâ humanity Certainely this obstinacie in opinion in generall doth hinder the progresse of faith and of religion and therefore all Christians should be carefull to observe this rule not to bee too stiffe in their owne tenets or obstinate in their owne opinions Rule 5 Fiftly adde to the reading a frequent meditation of the word thou readest reade studie and contemplate the Scripture night and day be not a stranger in Israel he that frequenteth a path daily will not lightly goe wrong or erre therein David became wiser then his teachers because hee had respect unto the Testimonies of the Lord w Psal 119.99 And therefore if any thâng be difficult suspend thy judgement reade it over againe turne unto other places like unto it and compare them together and haply God will reveale it unto thee at the last x Phil. 3.15 Rule 6 Sixtly to reading and meditation adjoyne prayer this was the Prophet Davids frequent practise Shew me thy waies oh Lord teach mee thy pathes leade me in thy truth and teaâh mee Psal 25.4 5. Againe Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes yea give thou me understanding and I shall keepe thy law Psal 119.33.34 And againe Make thou me to understand the way of thy precepts verse 27. yea Make thy face to shine upon thy servant and teach me thy statutes verse 135. for my lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me thy precepts verse 171. Thus pray fervently unto the Lord to enlighten thy understanding to anoint thy blind eyes with the true eye-salve of the blessed Spirit and to leade thee in his truth and then rest certainely assured that faithfull is hee who hath promised who will at length reveale himselfe and his truth to him who doth his endeavour to know the Lord and the way and truth whereby he may be brought unto him by reading hearing meditating and a willing subjecting of his opinion and judgement to the word of God Sect. 3 § 3. Of old time The Papists say the consent of the Fathers is the true rule of interpreting the Scriptures Argum. or the word is to bee expounded according to the minde and judgement of the Ancients Against this Chamierus y Tom. 1. de interp script lib. 16 Cap. 11 Sect 1. f. 601. urgeth this place thus If the consent of the Fathers were a certaine rule of interpreting the Scriptures then it should never be reprooved and blamed this is manifest by it selfe But the consent of the Ancients in the expounding and opening of Scripture
of hostes e Esay 19.18 Fourthly that Christ doth not quite take away all swearing appeares by these reasons I. Because he saith himselfe he came not to destroy the law now if he had condemned and forbidden all oathes hee had dissolved the law and the Commandement of God which saith Thou shalt sweare by my name f Deut. 6.13 and 10.20 And therefore Christ here saying Thou shalt not sweare at all doth not destroy the law but fulfill it because hee taught them the way and meanes how to fulfill it namely to take heede of all perjurie and rash oathes as we shall see amply by and by II. This will appeare by the consideration of the nature of an oath because an oath is nothing else but an invocating of God whereby we desire that he who is the onely ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã searcher and knower of the heart would giue testimony of the truth and punish him who sweares if willingly or wittingly he affirmeth any thing which is false Now none without blasphemie can say that Christ forbids and condemnes invocation of God III. The truth hereof appeares by the end and use of an oath both in regard of God and man First an oath ascribes unto God 1. the laude and praise of infinite wisedome because he only knowes the most secret corners and passages of the heart and understandeth all truth and therefore we implore his presence to testifie the truth of that which is delivered 2. an oath doth ascribe unto God the praise of infinite goodnesse and justice because hee is the onely defender of truth and avenger of falsehood and therefore we desire in swearing that if wee utter any falsehood God would judge us and make us examples unto others Secondly in regard of man swearing is the very bond of all humane societie and civill government which cannot subsist without truth therefore the Apostle saith that among men swearing is the end of all strife as if hee would say there is no greater better nor surer way to be beleeved then by taking a lawfull oath because he who makes no conscience of an oath makes conscience of nothing And therefore to condemne and forbid all swearing were to detract from Gods glory and to destroy and dissolve the bond of humane societie g Pareus s IV. That Christ doth not quite take away all oathes appeares because there was nothing commanded in the law of Moses which was sin in it selfe and therefore Christ would not forbid that which was good V. Because swearing is commended as a speciall part of Gods worship and an excellent signe of an upright man yea hath a promise of blessednesse whence I argue thus That which God the holy Ghost commends in Scripture as a part of Gods worship and a signe of an upright and holy man and which God the Father promiseth to reward with eternall happinesse that God the Sonne will never quite take away condemne or prohibite But swearing truely and lawfully by God is commended by God the Holy Ghost as a part of Gods worship and a signe of an upright and holy man and hath a promise from God the Father of eternall glory Therefore God the Sonne will never quite take it away The first proposition I take as granted because I hope none will deny it The second may be thus confirmed Every one that sweareth by God shall glory but the mouth of them that speake lies shall bee stopped here is both an Antithesis betweene the wicked and those who sweare by God as also a promise made unto such h Psal 63.11 Thou shalt sweare saith Ieremiah the Lord liveth c. and thou shalt turne from thy abominations and then thou shalt not remove Ierem. 4 1 2. But most plainely the Prophet David Psal 15. propounds a double quere First Oh Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle Quest 1 who shall abide in thy holy hill that is who shall be made partakers of eternall happinesse Answer He that walketh uprightly Answ and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth from his heart Secondly who walketh uprightly and worketh Quest 2 righteousnesse and speaketh the truth Answer Hee that sweareth and changeth not Answ though it bee to his owne hurt VI. It further appeares that Christ condemns not all swearing because hee saith here Thou shalt not sweare by Heaven or by Earth or by Ierusalem or by thy Head but he doth not say Thou shalt not sweare by God and we allow of no other oathes And thus much for the first generall answer to the second objection that our Saviour doth not prohibit all swearing in saying Thou shalt not sweare at all Answ 2 Secondly the meaning of our Saviours words is Thou shalt not sweare at all ordinarily in thy common talke And thus Saint Iames is to be understood when he saith Sweare not neither by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath i James 5.12 Quest 3 Why is all swearing forbidden in ordinary communication and discourse Answ 1 First because it comes from Satan vers 37. Whatsoever in our common talke is more than yea or nay comes of evill that is from that evill one the devill Answ 2 Secondly because swearing ariseth from no internall concupiscence and therefore is more inexcusable It proceedeth not from any desire of honour or pleasure or gaine or ease and idlenesse for there is none of these to be acquired by common swearing it onely proceedes from a perverse nature And therefore as he is the best Christian who loves serves and desires God for himselfe and not for any reward so he is the worst Christian who blasphemes disobeyes displeases and dishonours God for himselfe and not for any thing whereby hee may have either pleasure or profit or honour or ease for the swearer is both more wicked and more foolish then either the drunkard thiefe or adulterer because there is pleasure and profit in these but in that nothing but a corrupt and perverse disposition Answ 3 Thirdly this pollutes and profanes the Name of God the mercy of God the justice of God yea all the Attributes of the Lord to attest his presence and testimony upon every trifle brabble and sleight occasion Answ 4 Fourthly this profanes the worship of God a religious oath is a part of Gods worship as was said before therefore this customary and usuall swearing profanes this worship So prayer is a part of Gods worship but hee who at Dice shall pray God to send him a good cast profanes that worship Answ 5 Fifthly because by this usuall swearing wee defile and pollute our tongues which are given us for the glory of God David saith Hee will praise God with the best member he hath that is his tongue because it was given us by God that thereby we might laud praise magnifie and honour his holy Name now by swearing we dishonour both God and our tongues Answ 6 Sixthly because God will never hold him guiltlesse that thus prophanes his Name
Exod. 20.7 but will cut off the swearer from the face of the earth Zach. 5.3 and Hosea 4.2 Answ 7 Seventhly because of all other sinnes it is committed without shame the Thiefe blusheth if he be taken stealing the deceitfull person if hee be taken lying or using false waights and false measures the Drunkard is ashamed of his drunkennesse after he is himselfe the Usurer is partly ashamed of his trade as appeares by his privacie therein and excuses thereof and protestations that if he were certainly convinced that it were sinne he would leave it the Adulterer is ashamed to be taken in the act or to be known to have committed folly with a Harlot but the ordinary swearer never seeketh to hide his sin never goeth about to excuse his sinne never blusheth for his sinne Eighthly because of all other sinnes it is against Answ 8 the face Name and honour of God Ninthly it is a thing condemned by all Religions Answ 9 the Turkes Papists Anabaptists and who not doe utterly condemne dislike disallow and prohibit it Tenthly because it is a thing very hard to be Ans 10 left Nemo novit nisi qui expertus quam cifficile extinguere jurandi consuetudinem August s None can imagine how hard a thing it is to leave the habit and custome of swearing but onely hee who hath beene a common swearer and hath laboured to leave it Eleventhly because hee who accustometh Ans 11 himselfe to swearing cannot be free from perjury He who speakes much cannot but speake something too much hee who useth many words must needes use some unseasonable words so hee who accustometh himselfe to sweare often cannot but sometimes sweare falsely And therefore we had need be carefull this vulgar horrid impiety of common to avoid swearing Some object againe men will not beleeve me Object 3 except I sweare and therefore what should I doe Chrysostome sup gives three answers hereunto Answ 1 First rather let them not beleeve thee then offend thy God It is better that others should call the truth of that in question which thou affirmest then thou be questioned by God in his wrath for affirming it unto them with an unlawfull oath Secondly men will beleeve thee the worse Answ 2 for swearing oftentimes a man is not beleeved when he sweares the truth because hee sweares it or because swearing is customary unto him Thirdly rather loose saith the Father the Answ 3 thing in question then sweare for it if thou canst not have thy own without swearing then lose it This must be understood 1. of light and triviall things which are of no great moment neither will hurt us though wee lose them 2. Of rash oathes not of oathes solemnely and seriously taken before a lawfull Magistrate Whether is it lawfull to enforce one to swear Quest 4 and take an oath or not For a Magistrate to impose an oath Answ cannot be altogether forbidden or disliked with these limitations 1. If the thing be waighty 2. If otherwise it cannot be knowne § 4. Neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by Ierusalem nor by thy head that is by no creature at all Quest 1 Why is it not lawfull to sweare by any creature at all Answ 1 First because they are none of ours But of this afterwards Answ 2 Secondly because it was never lawfull nor warrantable sometimes it was and is allowed to sweare by the Name of God upon some weighty occasion but never by any creature Answ 3 Thirdly because hee who sweares by any creature sinnes in a double regard namely I. Because he sweares which he should not at all in his usuall discourse II. Because he doth idolize a creature and deifie the thing which hee sweares by For the understanding of the second particular observe that hee that sweares performes three things First hee calls God to witnesse the truth of that which hee affirmes Secondly he doth oblige himselfe herein to honour God for an oath is a part of Gods worship as we may see Psal 63.10 Esa 45.23 and 48.1 and Ierem. 4.2 Thirdly he desires God to be revenged of him if he speake not the truth or if he performe not his oath And thus hee who sweares by any creature doth I. call it to witnesse the thing affirmed II. Doth oblige himselfe to worship it as a God And III. Doth entreat it to punish him if he falsifie his oath and so doth idolize and deifie a creature setting it up as a God Quest 2 Is it not lawfull to sweare by the Creatures indirectly Have not many deare and precious Saints done this Did not Elisha say unto Elijah As the Lord liveth and as thy soule liveth I will not leave thee 2 King 2.4 and repeates the same words againe vers 6. So the good Shunamite saith to Elisha as the Lord liveth and as thy soule liveth I will not leave thee 2 King 4.30 And so Paul I protest by your rejoycing that I dye daily 1 Cor. 5.31 So good Hannah saith to old Eli as thy soule liveth my Lord I am the woman that stood here before thee c. 1 Sam. 1.26 And thus Abner saith to Saul concerning David as thy soule liveth oh King I cannot tell 1 Sam. 17.55 Now all these are indirect swearing by the creatures and therefore may not we by their examples obliquely sweare by them also First in generall if any of the Fathers or Answ 1 Saints have sworne amisse wee must not therefore imitate them therein for we have Lawes to be regulated by and not the examples of men though holy Secondly these phrases as thy soule lives or Answ 2 as my soule lives or as I live is no more than if we should say in truth or the thing which wee affirme is as true as our soules live and so is no oath except we sweare by it as Ioseph did By the life of Pharaoh Thirdly Peter Martyr answers that the Answ 3 name of a creature may be added two manner of wayes to wit 1. activè actively as here when a man sweares by the heaven or earth c. and this is never lawfull for so a man makes the creature his Judge 2. Passivè passively which may be lawfull For the understanding hereof observe That some oathes are First Simple namely a direct and plaine attestation or calling upon God or some creature for witnesse of what is said as by Heaven or Pharaohs life Secondly compounded that either with a Blessing as Pharaoh said so let the Lord be with you as I will let you goe Exod. 10.10 Curse as David said God doe so and more also if I destroy him not l 1 Sa. 25.22 Now in this sense it is lawfull to adde the name of a creature that is with this addition saxit Deus The Lord grant that thy soule may live and thus Ioseph had not sinned if hee had said no more but this The Lord grant that Pharaoh may live Thus we see how carefully wee should avoid all swearing
is controverted betwixt us and the Papists whether Churches are more holy places in them selves and whether it is better though privately to pray in the Temple then in another place The Papists say God rather dwelleth and is present in Churches then elsewhere and therefore it is more available for a man even to make his private prayer in the Church Bellarm. de sanctis lib. 3. cap. 4. The Protestants say that publike prayers made by the congregation in the Church are indeed to be preferred before private but yet not because of the place but in respect of the congregation whose prayers jointly altogether are more fervent and effectuall then the prayer of one man and that the prayer of a particular person made in the Church privately is no better than a prayer made at home in regard of the place appeares thus Our Saviour saith When thou prayest enter into thy chamber he saith not goe to the Church Answ 1 Here Bellarmine answers that the shutting of the doore cannot literally be understood because Christ himselfe prayed in the Mountaines often but in his chamber wee doe not reade that hee prayed at all To this we answer First by shutting the door Reply 1 Christ understandeth praying in secret as it is in the Text God which seeth in secret will reward thee openly Reply 2 Secondly no marvell if we doe not read that Christ shut the doore and prayed for hee had no house or place where to rest his head Secondly Bellarmine saith that Christ here Answ 2 commands that wee should not in our prayers seeke vaine glory as the Pharisees did And he entreth into his chamber that prayeth without vaine-glory whether hee doe pray secretly or openly Replie Our Saviours words are plaine without Allegory for he speaketh of shutting the doore of the chamber And there is a manifest opposition betweene the Pharisees praying in the corners of the streets and the others praying in secret as Cajetane himselfe well interprets the words They pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets that is In locis Publicis in publike places Answ 3 Thirdly Bellarmine to this place answers that by the Chamber is meant the secret of the heart and here onely are forbidden all the wandrings and vagaries of the mind in the time of prayer First this is absurde for by the same reason Reply 1 Almes should bee understood to bee done in the secret of the heart because it is said vers 4. Let thy almes be done in secret Secondly it is cleare as Cajetane here observes Reply 2 that Christ speakes onely of private prayers qua tales sunt But publike as well as private ought to bee conceived in the secret of the heart without any vagaries or extravagancies of the minde And therefore that cannot bee the meaning of our Saviour in this place § 2. Pray unto thy Father who is in secret Sect. 2 Where is God where doth he dwell and Quest 1 abide In the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 Answ in Paradise verse 4. In that inaccessible light 1 Tim. 6 16. above all heavens Ephes 4.10 What doth our Saviour meane by these Quest 2 words Who is in secret First he would hereby teach us the power and Answ 1 efficacie of faithfull prayer though private that it pierceth into the secret places of heaven and penetrats the clouds Secondly Christ hereby would teach us the Answ 2 infinite mercy of God who although he dwels in the secret and hidden places of heaven yet secretly he will descend unto that man who prayes fervently unto him and serves him in sincerity Esai 57.15 and 66.1 2. § 3. Will reward thee openly Sect. 3 Bellarmine lib. 1. de bon oper in partic Object Cap. 3. would prove from this verse that prayer is meritorious because God is said to reward them openly who pray unto him secretly His argument is this Reward is of merit Prayer is rewarded Therefore it is of merit The Major proposition is false Answ for reward may as well be of favour as of desert Hee that giveth but a cup of cold water shall not loose his reward m Mat. 10.42 And yet Heaven cannot bee merited by so small a gift Therefore this reward is of mercy and this place sheweth that prayer is not in vaine but is accepted of God but that it is meritorious it proveth not VERSE 7. Vers 7 But when ye pray use not vaine repetious as the heathen doe for they thinke that they shall be heard for their much speaking § 1. When ye pray use not vaine repetitions Sect. 1 What is the sense and meaning of these Quest 1 words First some understand it of a foolish loquacitie and multiplicitie of words which is indeed a great fault Secondly some understand it of long prayers Answ 2 of which in the last Section Thirdly some understand it of vaine repetitions Answ 3 from Baâtâ a foolish Poet. And this is the true sense of the words Erasm Rheding Beza Why doth our Saviour condemne in praying Quest 1 these repetitions of the same thing divers times First because it is idle and needlesse to repeate Answ 1 our petitions over and over our Father knowing all our petitions and wants vers 8. Answ 2 Secondly because it argues diffidency and distrust as though God would not give us what we want and desire without many repetitions of our requests Answ 3 Thirdly because the use of these vaine repetitions is contrary to the truth or true nature of prayer which should and ought to be more in spirit then in voice Answ 4 Fourthly because it argues a cold wandering and extravagant minde which knowes not what it saith And therefore the Papists in their prayers are sicke of the heathen peoples disease For 1. Upon their Beads they are injoyned sometimes to say a hundred Ave Maries and ten Pater-nosters 2. In their Jesus Psalter they are injoyned to say every petition ten times over and some twelve and to repeate the name Jesus thrice in every petitioÌ as for example in one petition there is this Jesus Jesus Jesus send me my Purgatory in this life this petition must be repeated in this manner ten times and so the name Jesus thirty times therein resounded 3. They have psalmes and rimes which must be said over three or foure times every day yea the errour of their Schoolemen is here inexcusable who tell us in these prayers Non requiritur attentio actualis sedvirtualis If they attend a little at the beginning it is sufficient Indeed if this be not eadeÌ blaterare Sect. 2 to use vaine repetitions I know not what Quest 1 it is § 2. As the heathen doe Answ Why doth our Saviour here name the heathen Certainely because their custome was used among the Jewes The Israelites detested the Quest 2 Gentiles yet were as bad or worse themselvs Whence comes it that in the visible Churches of Christ oftentimes are abuses no lesse then Ans 1 are among the
to the condition of prayer Thirdly God hath promised to heare our Ans 3 prayers and therefore it is very requisite that we should pray see Mat. 7.7 and Iohn 14.13 and 15.16 and 16.23 Iames 1.5 Fourthly it is necessary to pray in regard of Ans 4 the dutie it selfe because I. It is a good worke II. It is a principall part of Gods worship III. It is a mutuall colloquie with God IV. It is a certaine warfare with God we therein wrastling as it were with him Fifthly it is fitting that we should pray in regard Ans 5 of our brethren that so I. we might therein give a good example unto them and II. helpe them by our intercession for them Sixthly God loves to be sued and sought unto Ans 6 and therefore in regard of him we ought to pray Seventhly it is necessarie for our selves and Ans 7 that in many respects namely I. When wee joyne our selves unto the Saints in prayer then we are made partakers of the prayers of the faith full which is no small blessing or mercy II. By Prayer wee are directed in all our actions for thereby wee commit our selves and waies unto the Lord and therefore have a promise of mercy Reade Prov. 16.3 and Psal 37.23 and 40.4 III. Prayer sanctifieth the creatures unto our use 1 Tim. 4.5 IV. Prayer comforteth us in tribulation hence Christ prayes when hee was sorrowfull unto the death a Mat. 26.38 Luke 22.44 hence Saint Iames exhorts us to pray if we be afflicted Iames 5.13 yea hence God commands us to pray and promiseth to heare our prayers in the time of our distresses b Psal 50.15 V. Prayer testifieth our love to God for he who delighteth in private prayer doth shew that he loves to have discourse with God and consequently loves God VI. Prayer is an argument of our hope trust and confidence in God it is conversio cordis ad Deum c August the turning of the heart unto God or the reflection of the soule upon God For by prayer we acknowledge that First God cares for us Secondly God gives all good things unto us VII Prayer doth corroborate pious affections in us yea increaseth and nourisheth the love of God in us as mutuall societie and discourse doth nourish affections so the love of God is augmented by frequent praying unto him And therefore prayer is not needelesse but necessary usefull and very profitable What is prayer It is the Colloquie of the soule with God Or it is the spiritual ascent of the soule unto God begging at his hands those things which concerne his glory and the salvation of our soules according to his will by the merits of Christ When must we pray Quest 3 Prayer is either Answ Publike and solemn these we must use Ordinarily with the congregation upon the Lords day and other Festivals Extraordinarily whensoever upon any occasion we may be made partakers of them whether in season or out of season Private which is either Solemne and Uerbal viz. With our Family thus we must pray daily morning and evening In our closet thus we must pray as often as our affaires and callings will permit Internall thus we must pray continually because we have alwaies neede For if I. we were sensible of our sinnes wants weakenesses and dangers we would pray continually II. If we were sensible of Christ the Spirit and heaven we would alwaies hunger Quest 4 Where must we pray Answ 1 First a superstitious observation of the place is forbidden because now we may pray in any place Iohn 4.12 Answ 2 Secondly the place which is consecrated unto God is not to be prophaned My house shall bee called the house of prayer saith Christ and it is the most fit place for publike prayers Answ 3 Thirdly for private prayers no place is appointed no place is forbidden Sect. 2 § 2. Our Father which art in heaven It will not be amisse considering the excellencie of this prayer taught us by our blessed Saviour to handle it a little more particularly and exactly then wee have done the precedent or shall doe the consequent verses Although the contents thereof are so large and the sense so profound that all the profitable truthes therein contained can hardly be touched upon First of all I will lay downe a generall Analysis or Synopsis of the Lords prayer and then that which is sufficient to be knowne by the vulgar reader concerning the Division of this prayer shall followe afterwards Oratio Dominica habet tres in universum partes Praefationem Noster docet Fiduciam quia noster est Charitatem non pro me solum Pater qui in caelis Pater hinc amorem Dei In caelis hinc potestatem Dei Petitiones spectantes vel ad Gloriam Dei viz. istae tres petitiones I. Sanctificetur nomen tuum significat Deum ipsum Cultum ejus Quae Dei sunt viz Voluntas Attributa polluitur hoc nomen vel Iuramento Verbis prophanis Dehonorando contra haec oramê° II. Regnum tuum veniat est vel Inchoatum in hac vita oramus ut Amplificetur hoc regnum viz ecclesia in genere hic oramus pro omnibus necessarijs ut pote Verbi publicatione Haeresecon destructione Ministerij Plantatione Directione Sanctificatione Nos in illud regnum cooptemur Regeneratione Obedientiâ ConfummatuÌ in caelo oramus ut Citò veniat Nos fiamus participes III. Fiat voluntas tua hîc continentur duo vide licet Petitio fiat c. hîc Fatemur voluntateÌ Dei Gubernare omnia in mundo Esse justam et misericordem Petimus ut Possimus voluntati ejus Conditio sicut c. viz perfectè ut illi Angeli Secretae subscribere tum ea quae vult Deus Petendo Ferendo A pertae obedire Salutem nostram viz. ista tres IV. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis Paris nomen docet nos Omnia necessaria petere Sola necessaria petere Hodiè ostendit tria viz. Quotidiè petendum In victu quotidiano misericordiam Dei agnoscendam de crastino non curandum V. Remitte nobis debita c. hic duo Petitio remitte ubi Confitemur nos esse peccatores Petimus ea remitti Conditio sicut nos videlicet Eadem necessitate Non eodem gradu VI. Ne inducas in tentationeÌ sed c. ubi Negativum hic oramus Contra tentationem condition aliter fiat tua voluntas Ne superemur ab eâdem et hoc summa fide Affirmativum sed libera c. ubi oramê° Liberationem a sathanà Tuitionem a malis ab illo inflictis scil Temporalibus Spiritualibus Aeternis Haec autem cum conditione si Deus vult Conclusio habens Fiduciae rationem a magnitudine Dei nostri Tum Materia in tribus viz. Regno Potentia Gloria Aeternitas in seculum seculorum Resolutionem in hoc verbo Amen docens tum Fervorem desiderij Fiduciam obtinendi Secondly I will now propound some generall questions
1.4 or laid up 2 Tim. 4.8 but prepared Mat. 25.34 and 1 Cor. 2.9 yea what is prepared Mansions Iohn 14.2 and seats Mat. 20.23 And the sinne of man cannot frustrate or make void the covenant and decree of God Rom. 11. because if those fall for whom this kingdome is prepared God will restore them againe by grace and repentance Psal 37.24 Answ 2 Secondly it appeares by Gods preferring of us before the Angels Quest 2 How doth God preferre man before the Angels Answ 1 First in offering repentance unto us which he did not unto the Angels Jude 6. and 2 Pet. 2.4 Answ 2 Secondly in giving Christ for us which hee did not for the Angels Answ 3 Thirdly in planting a Ministerie in the world for bringing men unto Repentance and unto Christ Ephe. 4.11 Answ 4 Fourthly by giving the Spirit of God in our hearts Vers 28 VERS 28. And why take ye thought for rayment Consider the Lillies of the field how they grow they toile not neither doe they spinne And why take ye thought for rayment Quest 1 Doth Christ here condemne apparell Answ No but carefulnesse for apparell for procurandae non curanda vestes Garments are to bee procured and provided not to be cared for Quest 2 Whether were and are garments necessary Answ 1 First they were not from the beginning that is before sinne as appeares thus I. There was no uncleannesse filthinesse or unseemelinesse in the body in the first creation thereof II. There was no unseasonable weather nor any hurtfulnesse in the ayre before the curse And therefore till after the fall there was no use Answ 2 of garments Secondly but now garments are necessarily used Quest 3 What use is there of garments now a dayes Answ 1 First they are now used to cover the nakednesse this after sinne was taught by nature Gen. 3. and confirmed by God Answ 2 Secondly they now are used to defend us from heate and cold Answ 3 Thirdly for comlinesse and ornament and for this cause was given unto Benjamin five changes of rayment Gen. 4.22 Answ 4 Fourthly to admonish us of Sinne and our present uncleannesse thereby The ornament of the soule how carefully that should be adorned 1 Tim. 2.9 and 1 Pet. 3 3 4. Fifthly to distinguish First sexes women from men Deut. 22.5 Secondly ages thus young Ioseph had a garment of divers colours Gen. 37.3 Thirdly orders Thus sometimes I. The Kings were distinguished by their garments II. Sometimes the Priests Exod. 28.2 and 29.5 c. III. Sometimes the Rich Luk. 16.15 Mat. 11.8 IV. Sometimes the Poore Eccles 40.1 Forthly occasions actions affections and times namely I. Holy garments Exod. 39.1 and 40.12 Levit. 8.8 and 16 4 II. Wedding garments Mat. 22.11 III. Garments of mirth Exod. 33.4 and Esay 61.3 IV. Mourning garments sackcloth 2 King 6.30 V. Garments used for travellers on foot on horseback by men warring and sleeping VERS 29. And yet I say unto you Vers 29 that even Salomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these § 1. And yet I say unto you Why doth our Saviour here use this asseveration Sect. 1 Tamen dico yet I say unto you Quest 1 To teach two things unto us namely I. That Christ is of another opinion in many things then the world is II. Answ That wee must beleeve Christ whatsoever the world saith First Christ saith I say unto you as if he would say Many and it may bee you also thinke otherwise Obser 1 but I say it is thus to teach us That he teacheth many things otherwise then reason opinion or the world doth He teacheth that the poore and persecuted are blessed Mat. 5.2.11.12 but the world thinks them miserable Hee teacheth that godlines is great gaine but the world holds gaine godlinesse Reade 1 Tim. 4.8 5.6 How doth it appeare that Christ and reason Quest 2 and the world teach contrarily It is cleare by these three things to wit Answ First Christ is truth it selfe but reason is ignorant of the truth Philosophie it selfe looking upon man as pure and hence affirming that man following the conduct of nature cannot erre Secondly reason nature and the world looke too much upon themselves but Christ teacheth us to looke upon God nature and reason perswadeth us to respect our selves more then Gods glory as Peter said Master spare thy selfe c. Mat. 16.22 but Christ teacheth us to seeke the glory of God in all things and above all things and to deny our selves Mat. 16.24 Whether can a naturall man be the servant of Quest 3 God or not Answ No because he understands nothing beyond or above naturall reason For the better taking up of this observe What the naturall man Can understand namely these things First gaine glory quiet peace estimation and the like Secondly to avoide grosse enormious and criminall offences Thirdly to be of an affable meeke and courteous nature to bee true and just in his dealings and injurious unto none Cannot understand namely these sixe things to with First what is meant by the purity of the heart Secondly the presence of God to be every where Thirdly the internall conduct and direction of the Holy Ghost Fourthly what is meant by the internall fulnesse of God Ephes 3.19 Fifthly to glorifie God in every action Sixtly to be zealous for Gods glory and in Gods service These things are strange unto him untill hee bee taught them by Christ Secondly Christ saith I say unto you as if he would say it matters not what the world saith Obser 2 but what I say Teaching us that wee must beleeve the word of God whatsoever reason opinion custome or the world saith to the contrary Ioh. 10.4.27 and 8.51 Quest 4 Why must wee beleeve the word of God before all these Answ 1 First the word is Christs and he is worthy to be beleeved before all these Ioh. 1.1.14 Answ 2 Secondly the word is true yea a perpetuall truth and therefore deserves to be believed Esa 40.8 Answ 3 Thirdly the word regenerates us and is the spirituall seed whereby we are begotten Iam. 1.18 and 1 Pet. 1.23 Answ 4 Fourthly the word directs our life and conversation Read Psal 19. and 119. Answ 5 Fifthly the word must judge us at the last day and therefore is more worthy to believed then those things which neither must judge us nor we be judged by Ioh. 12.48 and Rom. 2.16 and 2 Thes 1.8 Sect. 2 § 2. Salomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these Quest How did the Lillies exceede Salomon in glory Answ 1 First the ornaments of Salomon in all his glory were but artificiall but the cloathing of the lillies are naturall and looke how farre nature exceedeth art for art is but an imitratrix of nature and her perfection is to imitate nature Therefore the Lillies exceed Salomon in all his glory Answ 2 Secondly Salomon when he was so gloriously decked was beholden to many creatures hee was beholden to
both to feede and defend their young ones Question 3 Is this naturall affection laudable Answer 1 First this love of parents unto their children is commendable in it selfe because it proceeds A naturà primà from uncorrupted nature Secondly Answer 2 this affection may be considered either First Simplicitèr as it is inherent in us and thus it is laudable Or Secondly Respectivè as it guides the will and governes our externall actions and so often it leades us into by pathes and wrong wayes For affections must not governe but be governed by right reason Who are here blame worthy as transgressors against Question 4 this naturall vertue All those who are unnaturall unto their children Rom. 1.30 Answer and 2 Tim. 3.3 as for example First some are unnaturall onely unto some of their children not unto all and that either in affection or countenance some are different in their love affecting one childe much more then another some are more sharpe in their words and corrections and more sowre in their lookes towards one then another And why because they give one sucke not to another Indeed I never read in Scripture that these were separated wee reade that a certaine woman hearing Christ cried out Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps that gave thee sucke (a) Luke 11.27 And our Saviour himselfe saith that the time will come when men shall say blessed is the barren wombe which never bare and the paps which never gave sucke (b) Luke 23.29 where wee see bearing and suckling bringing forth of children and nursing and bringing up of children goe both together as if the Holy Ghost would say those whose wombes God opens enables to bring forth should open their breasts and enforce themselves to give their seede sucke which they have brought forth Sarah and Hannah give their sons sucke (c) Genes 21.7 And they who are able and may conveniently and will not are worse then Dragons Secondly 1 Sam. 1.23 Lament 4.3 some parents are unnaturall unto all their children in suffering them to perish or by undoing them through their idlenesse or pleasure or lust or gaming or prodigality and the like Thirdly those are unnaturall who make their children bastards who beget offspring in a polluted bed and so as much as in them lies labours to bring downe from heaven a curse not a blessing upon their issue Fourthly they are unnaturall who through covetousnesse will either not give fitting education and and breeding to their children or who will not labour to preferre them according to their abilities either in callings and trades or marriages Some there are who will bee at no charge with their children to bring them up according to their ranke and quality neither will affoord them meanes to set them up in the world or to advance them by matrimonie These are very unnaturall For whom doe men labour if not for their children Fiftly they are most of all unnaturall who destroy and murther their young infants And thus much for our Saviours first scope Secondly our Saviour here in saying What man Answer 2 amongst you if his children aske him bread c. doth teach us that wee ought in temporall things to aske at Gods hands only moderate things because great things are not necessary for us neither doe we know whether they bee profitable for us or not and that they are perillous wee may bee certainly assured of § 2. If yee then being evill know how to give Sect. 2 good gifts unto your children c. Our Saviour in these words showes that evill men can give good things How doth this appeare for S. Iames saith that Quest 1 from a bitter fountaine cannot come sweet water and Christ himselfe elsewhere saith that an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit Those things which evill men give are not their owne or proceed not from themselves Answer but are given unto them by God and therefore are good all things being so which proceede from him § 3. Unto your children Sect. 3 Our Saviour showes here expressely that evill men may give good gifts unto theirs implying therby That men may bee good parents temporally Observation and yet evill men How doth this appeare Quest 1 First because this is but a naturall goodnesse not Answer 1 a spirituall Secondly because herein men respect not so much Answer 2 God or his law or their duety towards him but onely their children and in them themselves they they being a part of them as was affirmed even now Quest 2 What good gifts can evill men give Good things are two-fold viz. Answer Temporall of these wee speake and this a wicked man may give Spirituall and these a wicked man cannot give Sect. 5 § 5. How much more shall your Father which is in heaven c. Christ our blessed Saviour here argues from man unto God teaching us Observat That good in man is the exemplar of God this appeares thus First whatsoever man hath which is good proceeds essentially from God Quicquid est in Deo est ipse Deus quicquid à Deo est Deo simile Whatsoever is essentiall in God is God himselfe and whatsoever proceeds from God is like unto him Secondly hence man was created after Gods own Image Ephes 4.24 Question Answer After what Image of God was man made There is a threefolde Image First Spiritus of spirit thus man was created in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth (d) Ephes 4.22 Secondly Animae of soule thus man was endued with knowledge and of this the Lord speaks when he saith Man is become like one of us to know good and evill (e) Genes 3.22 and of this Image we speake in this place Thirdly some adde Corporis of body Os homini sublime dedit but this is curious Verse 12 Verse 12. Therefore all things whatsoever yee would that men should doe to you doe yee even so to them for this is the law and Prophets § 1. Ergo therefore This Illative arguing some dependance upon something going before it may be demanded What coherence and connexion this verse hath with the former and whereupon it depends First Quest some say it hath reference unto the ninth verse where wee have a promise of being heard Answer 1 as if our Saviour would say doe you desire that God may heare and grant your requests then bee you prone to heare and easie to be entreated of your brethren (f) Aretius S. But Christ teacheth us from our owne will in regard of man not in regard of God What you would that men should doe unto you doe yee the same unto them Secondly some referre these words to the same Answer 2 promise made Verse 9. but otherwise namely thus you shall receive from God what you aske upon this condition that you doe unto others what you would they should doe unto you (g) Chrysost S. Thirdly Musculus upon these words telleth us that some referre them to the first verse
in the smallest things Fiftly Faith fructifying in love and sanctity Rom. 13.11 Philip. 1.27 But wicked men believe not neither obey and therefore they are strangers from life Sixtly Christ is the way unto life Iohn 14.6 Acts 4.12 But wicked men are without Christ and therfore it is evident that this straite way of piety is unknowne unto them Answer 3 Thirdly it is cleare also that naturall men are ignorant of this narrow path by the estate and condition of mankinde after his fall he then becoming brutish Thus the Prophets say that man may now bee compared to the beasts that perish Psal 49.12 Ierem. 10.14 and 51.17 And therfore undoubtedly is ignorant of the way of life Answer 4 Fourthly it will bee as cleare as the day if wee consider but the ignorance of naturall men For 1. The best clerke and wisest naturall man is but a foole so long as hee is not taught spiritually and instructed from above Rom. 1.22 Prov. 16.22 and 1. Cor. 1.20 and 3.19 2. The naturall man is but childish in religion 1 Cor. 13.12 Ephes 4.14 3. He knowes not what heaven and life eternall is Haec est vita aeterna ubi possumus Deum videre facie ad faciem ubi est sanitas sine infirmitate requies aeterna sine labore pax sine timore laetitia sine moevore veritas sine errore Life eternall is that place where wee shall see God as we are seene face to face where wee shall have health without sicknesse rest without disturbance peace without feare joy without sorrow and trueth without errour This nature is altogether ignorant of 4. He knowes not how heaven life eternal may be acquired nature can neither teach how heaven may bee had nor procure it And therefore wee may hence collect how necessarie it is for every member of old Adam to labour and endeavour to bee free from this naturall condition wherein hee is and to be regenerated and engrafted into Christ Why must wee thus earnestly desire to bee changed Quest 6 renewed and incorporated into Christ First Because naturally wee are blind and cannot Answer 1 walke without a guide and therefore so long as wee are naturall wee must needs erre and goe astray from the wayes of God Secondly because naturally wee are foolish and Answer 2 spirituall things are too high above our reach And therefore if wee desire to understand those things which concerne the glory of God and our owne good we must labour that we may bee regenerated and united unto Christ Thirdly because by nature wee are but evill Answer 3 trees And therefore if wee desire to bring forth good fruite we must labour and desire that wee may bee cut off from this wilde olive and engrafted into the new and living stocke Jesus Christ Fourthly by nature we are void and destitute Answer 4 of grace yea deade unto grace Ephes 2.1 and therefore if wee desire that wee may be recovered and the grace of God againe quickned in us we must labour to be changed and transformed after the Image of Christ Fiftly because by nature wee are the members of Answer 5 Sathan Ephes 2.3 And therefore if wee desire to be made the members of Christ and the children of God wee must labour to come out of our naturall estate and condition By what meanes may wee bee freed from this miserable Quest 7 condition wherein by nature we are I answer here from the second answer of the former question save one use these meanes Answer First studie the word of God Meanes of regeneration labour for the knowledge thereof for that will teach thee thy misery Secondly obey the word of God when thou knowest the will of God then labour to doe it abstaine from all evill prohibited observe every good duety enjoyned 3 Thirdly love the Lord above all things he onely regenerates by his holy Spirit and therefore love him with all thy heart and with all thy soule 4. Fourthly labour for Christ for hee sends the Holy Spirit unto us hee is the alone Mediatour betweene God and man and all grace which is conferred upon us by God is in and through Christ And therfore no mercy is to be expected but by him and for his sake Fiftly pray unto God that hee would bee graciously pleased to wash us from our sinnes to plant and engraft us into Christ and to sanctifie us by his holy Spirit Thus we have heard the first cause how the way of piety which leades unto life is strait in respect of the Obscurity thereof it being hard to find G Secondly the way of piety which leades unto to life is strait Respectu difficultatis in regard of the Observat 2 difficulty thereof as if our Saviour would say The way to heaven is a hard way Reade Acts 14.22 and 2 Timoth. 3.12 and 2 Corinth 4. How is the way to heaven hard when as 1. God Quest 8 calls all Esay 55.1 And 2 Rejects none that comes James 1.5 And 3. gives his word unto all Actes 20. Which word is a bright and cleare light Psal 119.105 And 4. reveales himselfe unto all those who seeke him We say the way is hard for these causes to wit Reason 1 First because the naturall man cannot understand this word nor be subject thereunto Rom. 8.6 c. Reason 2 Secondly because many seeke not to walke in this way neither regard what the word faith unto them Reason 3 Thirdly because many seeke to walke in this way but seeke amisse that is otherwise then by Christ as by pilgrimages and meat and monasticall vowes and the like Rom. 9.31 Reason 4 Fourthly because this way of religion teacheth things contrary to sense and above reason as 1. That there is imputative righteousnesse Psalm 32.1 2. That wee must deny our selves and submit our selves wholy to the will and pleasure of God And therefore this way may truly be called hard Reason 5 Fiftly this way is hard in respect of our conversion he that would walke in this way hee must turne from two things namely 1. From the world lest otherwise he perish with the world this is very hard for a man to be in the world and not of the world for so he shall be scorned by the world 2. From himselfe and his fore-passed life this is extreame hard and difficult for a man to forsake his owne sense judgement will affection and whatsoever is contrarie to the good pleasure of God Reason 6 Sixtly this way is hard in regard of Mortification and abstinence from sinne yea even those which are most deare unto us as for example 1. Sometimes wee are tempted to have a care of our fame and credite and therefore to forsake the profession of the Gospell because it is derided and scoffed by wicked men 2. Sometimes wee are tempted unto pleasure as unto drunkennesse gluttony wantonnesse adultery pride contention revenge and the like 3. Sometimes wee are tempted unto profit as to couetousnesse lying deceiving
and 2. Pet. 2.1 and 3.3 Iude 4.18 verses From whence comes it that the Church is never Quest 1 free from false Prophets First from the malice of Sathan who is Gods Answer 1 Ape and therefore will have his Chappell where God hath his Church Revel 2.9 And will sow tares where God sowes corne Secondly this comes from the justice of God Answer 2 who gives them over to believe lyes who will not believe the trueth 2 Thessal 2.11 and 1 King 22. They would not believe the Lords Prophet and therefore a lying spirit in the mouth of their false prophets deceives them Thirdly from the wisdome of God who permits Answer 3 errours and false teachers that the good may be discerned 1 Cor. 11.19 How many sorts of false prophets are there Quest 2 First Hereticks who labour to seduce men from Answer 1 the faith teaching opinions which overthrow some fundamentall trueth 1. Timeth 4.1 and 2. Peter 2.1 Secondly ignorant persons who desire to be Answer 2 teachers and yet neither understand what they say nor whereof they affirme 1 Timoth. 1.7 And so both deceive others and are also deceived themselves 2 Timoth. 3.13 Thirdly proud as Diotrephes who loved the Answer 3 preheminence 2 John Fourthly contentious Some saith Saint Paul Answer 4 preach Christ out of envy and contention Philip. 1.15.16 Fiftly covetous who goe about to deceive for Answer 5 their owne base ends Rom. 16.17.18 Sixtly hypocriticall as follows afterwards Answer 6 § 3. In sheepes clothing Section 3 What is meant by these words Question First Christ in these words alludeth to the practise Answer 1 of false Prophets in former times who counterfeited the true Prophets in their attire for the ancient Prophets were usually clothed in rough and course attire hence Elias in regard of his attire is called an hairy man 2 King 1.8 and John Baptist Math. 3.4 And the false Prophets did counterfeit the true in their attire for this end that they might more easily deceive the people as Zachar. 13.4 the Lord saith of them they shall weare a rough garment to deceive for when they wore such course attire made either of sheepes skinnes or sheepes wooll wherewith the true Prophets were usually clothed they sought hereby to perswade the people that they had the hearts of the true Prophets when as indeed they were full fraught with damnable errours Now Christs meaning in this allusion is to shew that false Prophets have plausible pretences for their damnable doctrine and therefore are the more dangerous Perkins S. Second the true meaning of these words is this Answer 2 they shall have a shew of that sanctity authourity and divinity which the true Pastors of the Church have particularly 1. They shall saine Revelations as Mahomet David Georgius the Anabaptists and Basileans did 2. They shall cite Scripture for their opinions but corrupt it as the devill did Math. 4. 3. They shall boast of miracles as the Egyptians did in time past and the Jesuites at this day (r) Reade Deut. 13.1.2 2. Thes 2.9 4. They shall have an outward shew of holinesse and sanctity as Socinus had in Polinia and the Jesuites where they come This kind of garment Paul cals hypocrisie 1 Timoth 4.2 (Å¿) 2 Tim. 3.5 5. They shall bragge of succession as the Papists doe And thus come clothed in sheepes skins § 4. But inwardly are ravening wolves Sect. 4 Christ in those words showes that there are many Ministers devoure teare and destroy but feede not (t) Acts 20.28.29 Why are they called Wolves First for their covetousnesse because they are Question 1 alwayes greedie and never satisfied Rom. 16.17 Answer 1 Secondly for their crueltie because they labour Answer 2 to seduce and pervert and draw people from Christ unto Sathan from life unto death Acts 20.29 How may they be known Question 2 First by their pride they exalt themselves but Answer 1 the Apostles did not so Secondly by their covetousnesse they seeke Answer 2 themselves but the Apostles did not so Thirdly by their carnalitie they are so much Answer 3 given to the world and their pleasure that they âindeâ men rather thou further them from the profession of the Gospell ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã evill life in a leader hindereth the march Fourthly by their entrance Ierem. 23. coming Answer 4 when they were not sent Rom. 10. and 2. Timoth. 3.6 Fiftly by their doctrine if it bee either erroneous Answer 5 or factious Sixtly by their endeavour or end if they labour Answer 6 to draw disciples after them Acts 20.30 verse 16. Verse 16 yee shall know them by their fruits Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles § 1. Yeâ shall know them by their fruits Sect. 1 What is the meaning of these words Question 1 Christ meaneth not so much the fruit of their lives for that in outward appearance Answer and in the judgement of man may bee as good as the true Prophets they coming as the other doe in sheepes clothing as of their doctrine for that wee must specially marke trying it by the word and not be carried away with the pompous ostentation of their works What are the fruits of true doctrine Question 2 The fruits are many Answer but having to speake of this elsewhere by Gods assistance hereafter I now instance but upon one maine fruit which is acknowledged by all sides and on all hands without controversie and that is pietie of life And therefore upon what trâe of doctrine wee finde this fruit of holinesse and sanctity grow we must judge it a good tree The Papists here object Objection Many trâes of thereformed Churches bring forth evill fruites Many Protestants live wicked lives Answer 1 First we know it we acknowledge it and from our hearts deplore and bewaile it Answer 2 Secondly if it be thus with the Protestants what is it with the Papists They will not wash their hands I am sure from this none of their writers ever affirming that all Papists are Saints Answer 3 Thirdly the question is not concerning the life but concerning the doctrine whether that impiety of life which is in some of our Church flowes from the doctrine of our Church as from a fountaine or from the corruption of their owne nature Let us now examine this both in us and them First we affirme that the impuritie of life which is in some Protestants proceeds not from the doctrine of our Church and wee confirme it thus 1. Because wee daily inculcate into the eares of our people those Apostolicall precepts and assertions Those who are in Christ Iesus have crucified the flesh with the affections and Lusts Galath 5. And those who hope to bee saved by Christ must purge themselves 1 Iohn 3. And that they must put off the old man and put on the new Roman 13.12.13 Yea follow after holinesse because without this none can bee saved This our Church teaches and this many although not all in our Church
settled in the truth that nothing can remove them Answer 2 Secondly God sometimes permits it in judgement unto others because they will nor beleeve nor obey the truth Answer 3 Thirdly God suffers it that he may knit us the more close unto his word for when we see that Prophecies and Miracles and all other things may deceive us it will make us more carefull to adhere and sticke close to the Scriptures as the onely sure true and perfect rule of truth Quest 2 Who erre here Answer 1 First the Papists who bragge and boast of Miracles but of this something hath formerly beene said Answer 2 Secondly those who hope they are the children of God for lesse causes then the working of Miracles There are many who upon very slender grounds perswade themselves that they belong unto God as for example 1. Some say I have lived thus long and yet I was never brought into any poverty or want And therefore without doubt I am precious in the Lords eye sight 2. Some say my riches encrease daily I prosper in whatsoever I take in hand and therefore I perswade my selfe that I am one of Gods beloved ones 3. Some say I languished in such or such a sicknesse or disease from which there was so small hope of recovery that the learned Physicians had given me over and yet contrary to all hope and beyond all strength of nature the Lord raised me up againe to my perfect health and strength And therfore this his gracious dealing with me doth assure me that I am one of those whom he hath promised never to forsake faile or leave 4. Some say I escaped such or such a danger which was extraordinary and almost miraculous may I not therefore assure my selfe that I am one of Gods children seeing he was so ready to helpe and protect me in the time of need Thus many leane upon the staffe of Egypt trust to such deceivable hopes as will utterly faile them and frustrate their expectation For many notorious wicked men have bin preserved from want poverty have bin blessed with riches and abundance have beene restored unto health and recovered from some extreame sicknesse yea have beene preserved and protected from some eminent danger And the Wise-man in generall telleth us that neither love nor hatred is knowne by any externall thing Eccles 9.1 By what kind of faith doth wicked men worke Miracles Quest 3 There is a threefold kind of faith namely First a faith which consists of humane opinion Answer and perswasion whereby those things are beleeved to be no lesse true which are laid downe in the History of the Bible then are the Histories of Livie Suetonius and those who writ of n w and unknowne Ilands This kind of faith in many things is common to the Turkes and Jewes And therefore by this faith false Prophets doe not worke Miracles Secondly there is a faith whereby verily vively efficaciously we assent to the promise of the mercy of God being incited and stirred up by the divine blasts and motions of the Spirit of God This is justifying faiâh and therefore by this wicked men doe not worke Miracles Thirdly there is a faith which is called miraculous or the faith of Miracles by which no change is wrought at all in the party in whom it is neither is he made one haire better thereby This faith is a vehement motion and perswasion of the divine Spirit whereby a man is incited to worke Miracles and to begge this power of God wholy beleeving that it is Gods will that they should be wrought and that that which they desire shall be granted Now those which adhere unto this beleefe sometimes obtaine what they desire (l) Pet. Mar. in Judic c. 6. ver 37 38. pag. 87. 6. Verse 23. And by this kind of faith it is that wicked men and false Prophets worke Miracles Verse 23. And then will I professe unto them I never knew you Depart from me yee that worke iniquity I never knew you Where we must observe that Christ saith not Non nosco vos nunc I know you not now to wit when your hypocrisie is detected and discovered but nunquam novi vos I never knew you to wit not then when you professed the faith or prophecied or wrought Miracles in my name Now Nosse here doth not signifie a bare knowledge but approbation I never knew you that is I knew you and tooke notice of you but I did never approve of you Question 1 How can they worke Miracles who are unknowne unto God For usually and truely we distinguish of Miracles thât they are either First false as 2 Thessal 2.9.11 And these are but Impostures and delusions Or Secondly true and these are wrought by faith Now doth not Christ know these that by faith in him worke Miracles We must distinguish of faith in this manner Answer In faith there are two acts to wit First a certaine assent or apprehension this is historical a faith which the devill may have Ja. 2. Secondly an application of the thing beleeved and this is two-fold either First weake and unstable as is in the Presumptuous faith And Temporary faith Secondly solid apprehending either Whole Christ or Christ in part which is called Saving faith Miraculous faith Now as was affirmed and confirmed before a man may have a Miraculous faith and yet be unknowne unto Christ but those in whom is wrought this saving faith are knowne unto him Whence Observat We may learne That a man may have some particular good spirituall gifts and things in him and yet not be a true faithfull child of God The Pharisee did many good things and yet was but an hypocrite Luke 18.11 c. Many workes shew themselves good outwardly which proceede not from a true roote as appears Hebr. 6.4.5 and 10.26 and 2 Pet. 2.20 c. Quest 4 What good things may be in him who is not truely good in heart and truely faithfull Answer 1 First he may lament his sinnes committed as Cain and Judas and Ahab did Answer 2 Secondly he may be true in his words and promises though he lose by it Answer 3 Thirdly he may be charitable to the poore and plentifull in charitable workes 1 Cor. 13.2 Answer 4 Fourthly he may professe the truth and joyne himselfe to the society of Gods children as did Simon Magus Acts 8. and Saul when he prophecied 1. Samuel Answer 5 Fiftly he may reverence the word of God as Herod did Mark 6.20 All these things a man may doe and yet not be a whit benefitted thereby unto salvation because they may be in an unregenerate man Quest 5 How may we know that we are the children of God Answer Labour for these things which follow for if they be in us we may be certainly assured of our filiation First let us labour to be truely begotten and borne anew of the holy Spirit John 3.5 Secondly let us labour to be baptized with fire Thirdly let us
What is meant here by being possessed Quest 1 For answer hereunto Answ the Reader may remember that there is First Obsessio quae est duplex Primò Corporalis visu auditu tactu Secundò Spiritualis tentationibus terroribus Secondly Possessio quae est duplex Primò Corporalis cum Sathan residet Secundò Spiritualis in Dâminio peccati 2 Tim. 2.26 How doth Obsession and Possession differ Quest 2 First Obsession is common unto all for the Answ 1 Devill can besiege any Secondly but none can be possessed by Sathan Answ 2 without a speciall leave given by God How doth the Devill impugne and assaile Quest 3 man First Tentando hee impugnes him by temptation Answ 1 unto evill and this he doth of himselfe Answ 2 Secondly laedendo puniendo by harming and punishing of him and this hee doth from God Thim Aq. 1.1 14.1.1 Quest 4 Whether is Obsession or Possâssion worse and if Possession then what kind of it Answ 1 First in generall those persons are most miserable that are possessed within Answ 2 Secondly more particularly there are three things or three sorts of miserable men to bee distinguished I. Some are afflicted by Sathan in their senses that is molested terrified or affrighted with some Diabolicall sights or noyse or touching or the like And this wee greatly abhorre and feare II. Some are possessed by Sathan in their bodies And although this be farre worse then the former yet we do not so much abhorre and feare it and that First partly because we are not sensible of it And Secondly partly because the mind is estranged III. Some are possessed by Sathan in heart and this is most perillous but most of all sleighted and neglected Quest 5 What may wee observe in the Allegoricall sense of this History Allegorically it shewes us our estate and condition without Christ Or Answ that we are under the captivity of Sathan untill Christ free us Iohn 8.44 Ephes 2.2 Iohn 12.31 and 14.30 a 2 Cor. 4.4 How doth it appeare that naturally wee are Quest 6 the Devils slaves Because sinne hath captivated Answ and enthralled us Rom. 3.23 and 5.12 and 7.14 Sinne is First the Devils Ensigne or Flag as in a ship or Castle overcome the Ensigne of the Conquerour is hung out so the Devill having conquered us hath hung out his Flag that is imprinted sinne in our nature Secondly sin is the law of Sathan Iohn 8.44 Ephes 4.27 and 1 Iohn 3.8 c. But Christ freeth us both from Sathan and sin Luke 11.22 Iohn 8.36 Rom. 16.20 Colos 2.14 and 1 Iohn 5.20 and Revel 13.4 How doth Sathan possesse naturall men or Quest 7 all men before they be freed by Christ First in generall as the peace of God abides Answ 1 in the heart of the faithfull Colos 3.17 so Sathan sits within and remaines in the heart of the naturall man wholly possessing wholly directing him Secondly more particularly Answ 2 Vntill we be freed by Christ Sathan possesseth us Answ First In intellectu in the understanding and that in three regards viz. First the natural man cannot take up or comprehend God or spiritual things b 1 Cor. 2.14 Indeed he may have some outward knowledge after his corrupt manner c Rom. 1.20 but he can know nothing spiritually or profitably Secondly the natural man is wise unto evil very crafty Adam can cover his nakednes with Fig-leavs Iosephs brethren subtilly hide their selling of him David craftily plot the murder of Vriah Thus by nature we are wise unto wickednes Thirdly the naturall man cannot beleeve the truth of God 2 Thess 2.9.10.11 Secondly In affectu in the affection as appears thus First the naturall man doth not love spirituall things hee regards not the word of God d Esa 53.1 but thinks it a hard saying e Iohn 6.60 Secondly the naturall man is mad upon sin selling himselfe to worke wickednesse and that with greedinesse f Ephes 4.18 and not ceasing to doe evill g 2 Pet. 2.14 Thirdly the will of the naturall man is violent and obstinate and head-strong and will not endure to be curbed Ier. 44.16 Thirdly In memoria in the memory as appears thus First good things are very hardly imprinted in the memory of the naturall-man Psalme 50.22 and 2 Pet. 1.9 Secondly evill things are greedily received into the memory and strongly retained by it yea hence comes a custome of sinning because the memory doth frequently suggest some evill Fourthly In sensibus in the senses as is thus most evident First they are easily carried unto outward objects the eye is easily perswaded to behold beauty or to look upon the sparkling of the wine in the Glasse and so of the rest of the senses Secondly the senses being transported by alluring objects do draw the judgement also along with them reason being once captivated is easily drawn away from God and led aside Fifthly In vitâ in the life we are naturally taken captive of the Devill at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 for he hurries the naturall man sometimes unto drunkennesse sometimes unto murder yea unto every kind of evill Sixthly In Ore in the mouth For First the Devill filleth the naturall mans mouth with blasphemous swearing lying lascivious and opprobrious speeches And Secondly the Devill doth exasperate the tongue of the naturall man against Religion making him sometimes dispute against religion and sometimes slander detract mock and deride the religious Seventhly In imaginationibus in the cogitations and thoughts they being evill and that continually Gen. 6.5 and 8.21 What must we doe to bee freed from Sathan who doth thus possesse us Que. 18 Pray unto Christ who is stronger then Sathan Answ that he would be pleased First to enlighten our understandings that we may perceive those things which are good And Secondly to change our affections that wee may love those things which are good And Thirdly to helpe our memories that we may retaine those things which are good And Fourthly to set a watch over our senses that we may delight in nothing but what is good And Fifthly to sanctifie our whole life words and thoughts that all we do speake or thinke may be good And Sixthly that he would be pleased to give us a true sight and knowledge of our selves and wants and to make us partakers of himself by a lively faith Sect. 2 § 2. They were exceeding fierce Quest 1 Whence was it that these two possessed men were so fierce Answ Not from themselves but from Sathan in them from whence we may observe Observ 1 That Sathan naturally is very cruell and bloody Reade Esay 5.29 and 14.16 17. Revel 9.7.8 9 10. and 12.12 Object 1 The Devill is somewhat crafty but not so cruell yea he is easily found out Answ So is a Lyon or Bear easily found by his prey yea as they seeke their prey so doth Sathan 1 Pet. 5.8 Object 2 But the Devill for the most part appeares in some vile base and
Psalme 73.18 and Iob 34.20 and Proverb 6.15 Esay 30.13 and 47.9 Ier. 51.8 and 1 Thess 5.3 Answ 3 Thirdly they say their time of torment was not yet come because they would not yet be punished Nondum maturum tempus ad poenam Calvin s They desire that they may be suffered yet a little longer to tempt the wicked and to try to hurt the righteous and not so quickly to be hurried unto judgement and eternall punishment Vers 30 VERS 30. And there was a good way off from them an herd of many Swine feeding Gordonus objects this verse to prove that the vulgar translation vulgarly called Hieromes is Authenticall and only to be adhered unto Object and not the Greeke Text In the Greeke it is said And a good way off from them there was a herd of Swine but in the Latine more truly saith Gordonus it is said Non longè and not farre off from them c. Nec dubito latinam lectionem incorruptiorem esse Neither doe I make question saith Maldonat but the Latine Text is most true becausâ both Saint Marke and St. Luke saith Erant autem ibi And there were there that is in that place and Saint Luke saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã on the Mountaine Luke 8.32 and Saint Marke saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã nigh unto the Mountaine Marke 5.11 which was certainely neer unto the Sea because the Swine run into it presently upon their possession as also because Christ permitted and consented that the devils should go into the Swine for this end that those who were present with him by the destruction of the hogs might know how many and how cruell the devils were which they could neither have knowne if the Swine had not beene there not have seene if they had not beene neer And therefore the Latine Bible which saith And not farre off from them there was a Herd of Swine feeding is to bee preferred before the Greeke Testament which here saith And a good way off from them c. First all Greek Copies saith Beza run thus Answ 1 and therfore one latine translation from a lame and uncertaine Translator is not to be preferred before them all Secondly there is no incongruity or absurdity Answ 2 or inconvenience in the Greeke text and reading and therfore no necessity of changing it If the Swine saith Maldonat had been farre off then those who were present with Christ could not have seene what was done let him here define ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã longè and see what space of ground it containes whether one mile or twenty for untill this be determined nothing can be concluded Are nothing longè a good way off but only those who are further then can be perceived by the eye I thinke the contrary and that that may be said to be longè which is within sight It is said Luke 15. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And when he was yet afarre off his Father saw him So Mat 26. Peter also followed Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Procul a farre off but I hope the Papists will not say out of sight And therefore I hold the Greeke text to be most authenticall and sincere Thirdly the severall words used by these three Answ 3 Evangelists signifie one and the same thing namely ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Saint Matthew useth and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Saint Luke useth and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Saint Marke hath for it is not likely that the hogs were mixed amongst the men that is that the Swine were feeding in the same place where Christ and the rest were but some space distant from them to wit not feeding in the very shore where Christ was or at least neer unto the Tombes but in the skirts of the mountaines Vers 31.32 VERS 31 32. So the devils be sought him saying If thou cast us out suffer us to goe into the Herd of Swine and he said unto them goe We have here the Devils petition and Christs concession omitting the former I will propound only two questions briefly of the latter Quest 1 Is Sathans prayer heard doth not the blind man say God bears not sinners Iohn 9.31 Answ 1 First the Lord may doe what he please and render no reason of his actions unto us Answ 2 Secondly Christ doth this to teach us that many things are given to many men not in love thus God in anger gave the Israelites Quailes in the wildernesse and the Benjamites victory Quest 2 How could it stand or sute with the mercy of Christ to grant this request of the devils or why doth he it seeing it tended to the destruction of so many creatures and to the losse and hindrance of so many men as had interest in the Swine Answ Christ did it for these reasons namely First because it was just and that both in regard of The Gergesenes and that in a double regard viz. I. For their trial whether they would patiently endure temporall losses for the gaining of Christ And II. For the justifying of their rejection who preferred their hogs before Christ Christ who destroyed nothing but his owne for the Father had given all things into his hands Psal 8.6 And therefore he may do what he wil with his owne Mat. 20.15 Secondly because it was honourable unto Christ or tended unto his honour and that in these three regards viz. First because hereby his power was shewed forth he being able to rule oversway and command such cruell and fierce devils and so suddenly destroy so many Swine Secondly to prove the truth of the Miracle for the departure of the devils shew that the men were truly possessed Thirdly because hereby the Miracle was more divulged and made known For if the devils being dispossessed had not thus entred into the Swine there had but a few known of it but now the Swine-herds run into the Citie the Citizens come forth unto Christ and the greatnesse of the losse makes it take the deeper impression in their minds Thirdly because it was profitable unto the Gergesenes for they hereby might learn the malice of Sathan who next unto man hates the creatures and by the destruction of these bruit beasts shews his malice unto mankind and knowing this they might learn to run unto Christ who had this commanding power over Sathan for helpe succour against him hereafter both in regard of their temporall and spirituall estates Fifthly because it was profitable unto the Demoniacks or men who were now dispossessed for they hereby might see what would have hapned unto them at the last if they had not been helped by Christ yea hereby learn to fear Sathans power to rejoyce and be thankfull for their deliverance from him and to serve Christ faithfully who had freed them all the dayes of their life Sixthly because it was profitable for us and all that shall heare or reade of it in the Allegoricall scope for two things in the Allegory may be observed to wit I. That the
commended in Scripture and weaknesse and doubting reprehended Now this certainty of faith which we say is praised doth consist in a particular application whereby a man promiseth unto himselfe that that thing which he hopes for shall certainly be fulfilled unto him Many are the examples which may be brought to prove this Argument that certainty of faith is commended First of all this woman with the bloody issue unto whom Christ here saith Be of good cheer or Confide be confident thy faith hath made thee whole Now what manner of faith was this Saint Mathew here tels us The woman said within her selfe if I may but touch the hemme of his garment Servabor I shall be whole And this certain confidence of hers we see Christ commends and praises Secondly it is said of Abraham that he beleeved God and it was counted unto him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.3 Now what manner of beleeving was this Saint Paul afterwards most clearly explicates thus vers 18 19 20 21. For Abraham against hope beleeved in hope that he might become the Father of many nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be And being not weak in faith he considered not his owne body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe He staggered not as the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform In these words is described an extraordinary confidence in the divine promises of God which Abraham beleeved should altogether be fulfilled yea fulfilled in him although if hee had consulted with flesh and blood he might have opposed objected many things and therfore there was not onely Confidentia objecti but also subjecti propter veritatem divinam Thirdly of Saint Paul who writing unto Timothy saith For the which cause I also suffer these things neverthelesse I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day k 2 Tim. 1.12 the meaning of the words is plaine for the Apostle herein doth describe the hope that he hath for the time to come by which hope he is sustained and upheld in the midst of so many and so great afflictions and calamities as lye upon him Here he saith he is not ashamed and Rom. 5.4 he saith Hope maketh not ashamed and therefore hee is certaine of the event Whence comes this certainty I know saith he whom I have beleeved and that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him that is I am certain that at the last day he will render and restore unto me what I have committed unto him to keepe And thus from these examples we may according to the truth hold and maintain a certainty of faith and a particular application of the divine promises unto our selves VERS 23 24. Vers 23. And when Iesus came into the Rulers house and saw the Minstrels and the people making a noise hee said unto them give place for the Maid is not dead but sleepeth And they laughâd him to scorne § 1. And when Iesus saw the Minstres Sect. 1 How manifold is the use of musick Quest 1 Two-fold namely lawfull and heathnish Answ Wherein is or hath Musicke been lawfully Quest 2 used Answ 1 First it hath been used by the godly sometimes in their joy and mirth as David ever and none testifieth in the Psalmes and as our Saviour intimates when he saith we have piped unto you but you have not danced Mat. 11 17. Answ 2 Secondly Musick hath been used lawfully in sacris in holy duties and divine worship as appears plainly by these places 2 Sam. 6.5 and 2 Chron. 5.12 and Psalme 71.22 Quest 3 Whether was the use of Musick at funerals a Jewish or Heathenish custome Answ Although it was sometimes used by the Jewes yet they borrowed it from the Gentiles for the understanding wherof observe that the Jewes at the buriall of their friends used two sorts of Ceremonies namely First some to testifie their sorrow of which in another place because the present text speaks not of these And Secondly some to augment their grief these were I. Minstrels who with their sad tunes inclined the affections of the people to mourning Now of these there were two sorts namely First some playing on pipes And Secondly others sounding Trumpets At the Funerall of Noble-men or old men they used a Trumpet at the Funerall of the common people or children they used a Pipe In this respect it is said here that Iesus when he raised Iairus daughter cast out the Ministrels II. Women there were which were hired at burials to sing for the same purpose viz. to augment their mourning and to incline the affections of the people to sorrow Now these women besides singing did likewise uââ some outward significations and expressions of sorrow to move the company and more strongly to affect them Call saith the Prophet for the mourning womân and send for the skilfull women Ier. 9.17 These women the Romans called Preficas quasim hoc ipsum praefectas Chiefe or skilfull Mourners Now these customes we reade no where commanded by God unto his people but were only borrowed from the practises of others Quest 4 How manifold was the use of Musick at funerals amongst the Gentiles Answ The Heathens had a four-fold use of Musick in their burials namely First Civill to honour and adorne Funerals whence also they used sometimes great pomp and did sing songs of the praises of the deceased persons as wee see in Tabitha Act. 9.39 Now this Cantus in generall was two-fold namely Encomiasticus and Threneticus Rhod. 27.26 Secondly Philosophicall to shew that when any is taken out of this miserable world there is cause of joy Let the Reader reade Alex. ab Alex. 128. 129. where hee shall see this confirmed by the example both of the Grecians and Thracians Whence we may learn That in the death of those who are good Observ we must rejoyce rather then mourn Why must we rejoyce in the death of our good Quest 5 friends or allies First because death is better to such then life Answ Eccles 4.2 c. Secondly because death is best of all unto such as appears thus I. This world is an evill world in it selfe Gal. 1.4 and evill unto the righteous 1 Cor. 15.19 II. So long as wee are here wee are strangers from the Lord that is absent from him 2 Cor. 5.2 c. but when by death wee are dissolved we shall possesse and enjoy him Philip. 1.23 Thirdly Solaminis their next use of musick was that thereby the minds of those who mourned might be lightned and comforted because we are prone to exceed our bounds in all things whether in joy or sorrow Fourthly Idololatricus they had an Idolatrous use of Musick at their
wee preferre the godly alwayes when we can have choice that is if a man cannot have the counsell and advice of a good and godly Physitian or Lawyer he may then make use of a wicked but if both may bee had then the good is to be preferred And so of all other callings and trades if we cannot be provided of good we may make a shift with bad Fourthly wee must love others with a true heart This Christ himselfe requires of us in regard of our very enemies Matth. 5. Because this is the root of all the former particulars viz. a man will hardly live peaceably with a man except he love him a man will hardly helpe him who is in want and necessity or distresse except he love him a man will hardly make use of his neighbours helpe in his calling or helpe his neighbour in his owne except he love him And therfore it is necessary that we should love others with a true heart Fiftly to receive others into intimate friendship and familiaritie or to professe and acknowledge unto the world such or such to bee our intimate and entire friends And this is prohibited us in regard of carnall men But it will be here objected Many things Object 2 and causes and considerations require that wee should continue our former amity with such or such although they be but naturall and carnall men as for example First the consanguinity affinity and kindred that we have with them Secondly the vicinitie neighbourhood and brotherhood we have with them because they live neere us or they are of the same company or calling with us and are joyned unto us in some place or office Thirdly the offer and desire of friendship they desire our acquaintance and familiarity yea they offer many courtesies unto us and it is scandalous not to requite these kindnesses And therefore wee hope we may be intimate and entire with them although they show but little religion in their lives If these coards tie us unto them Answ or these occasions be offered of familiaritie with them then we must labour to be like Physitians because perhaps God hath called us to their acquaintance for this end that we must be a meanes to bring them to good or at least to restraine them from evill For First some justifie defend and maintain the sinnes of others at least connive and winke at them or seeme to approve or assent unto them But we must not doe any of these Secondly some are silent when their friends Object 3 sinne but we must reprove them If any heere object that their friends will be angry if they reprove them and therefore they forbear it Answer I answer they are not worthy to be pleased in this for we are therefore their friends that we may have liberty to admonish them and we must not continue familiarity with those who will not suffer us to discharge the office of friends in reprehending what is amisse Thirdly some slightly and lightly taxe the failings of their friends but quickly have done but we must continue incessantly to inculcate into their eares wholsome counsell and advice untill wee have reclaimed them from their wandring wayes Fourthly if we therefore desire by reason of some other bond to continue the bond of amity with carnall men we must thus labour to discharge the office of faithfull friends namely I. Speak reprove what we see in them amisse II. Do it candidely in love and meeknes III. But doe it plainely and evidently that hee may know what it is we taxe him for IV. Do it unweariedly continue to hammer him with our reproofes untill we have wrought him to our will V. If he will not hearken to advice counsell and reproofe then we must cast off his acquaintance and abstaine from his society at least familiarly and frequently Object 4 Concerning the third sort of unworthy companions namely hypocriticall professours it will bee objected Charitie is not suspitious 1 Cor. 13. And therefore why should I judge him to bee an hypocrite and for so judging of him reject his familiarity Answ 1 First certainly charitie does much both in judging charitably and covering carefully and hoping comfortably of others Answ 2 Secondly we must not speedily nor rashly beleeve suspitions and jealousies Answ 3 Thirdly but if it be evident that he doth but double with God then we must not preferre our privat affection before the truth for we must do nothing against the truth but for it 2 Cor. 13.8 Answ 4 Fourthly the truest charitie is to admonish and to chide him who doth evill for none loves a man so well as he who telleth him of his faults because hereby hee may bee saved and reduced from his wicked wayes but on the contrarie if wee should not counsell and advise then wee should be like those who perswade a sicke man that he is not sicke and so cause him to neglect seeking for remedie Object 5 Againe it will be objected Charitie covers a multitude of sinnes 1 Pet. 4.8 And therefore why should we shunne any mans familiarity because he hath some sinne in him Answ 1 First this position hath truly place in the godly For I. Although they sinne not 1 Iob. 3.9 to wit doe not give up themselves wholly unto sinne because the holy Spirit is their guide and governour Colâs 3.15 yet II. They fall often and sinne in many things yea III. They may remaine for a time in some particular sinnes either First through ignorance or Secondly through carelessenesse as David did in the matter of Bathsheba And therefore these things well weighed and considered makes charitie cover a great many of sinnes in the faithfull flocke of Christ Secondly but these sins are to be covered neither Answ 2 I. Iustificando by justifying either First the sin for that were false witnes condemned in the Ninth Commandment Nor Secondly the person sinning for that is a plaine respect of persons Nor II. Acerbi increpando by sharply reprooving the reproover or by recrimination many when they heare their friends sinne reprehended flie in the face of him that reproved him labouring to disgrace him by ripping up some sinne of his but wee must not thus cover our brethrens sinne But III. Procurando by procuring in humility and modesty pardon and a good opinion of our brother by lessening and excusing his sinne and by shewing the weaknesse of the flesh and corrupt nature in the best men Thirdly although wee must thus cover our Answ 3 brethrens sinne from the eyes of others yet wee must severely reprove it and lay it open both to the eye and understanding and eare of our brother who transgressed For I. It is a foolish yea an unchristian practise to silence our brothers sin and to forbeare to reprove it when we love him and afterwards in anger to reproach him for it and to cast it in his teeth yea II. The nature of true zeale and love is to speak when we see any thing in our
therefore ascribe unto a serpent all knowledge and worship it offering bread unto it and kissing it keeping alwaies one for that purpose alive Epiphan haeres 37. Quest 3 Are serpents in all things to be imitated Answ 1 First according to Augustine the serpent hath wisdome in bringing up her young in the making of her hole in the getting of her food in the healing of her wounds in the avoiding of things hurtfull in the foreknowledge of the change of times in the love of her fellowes And in these she is to be imitated Answ 2 Secondly but in the things following she is not to be followed namely I. Her high spirit is to be avoided And II. Her desire of revenge even when she is dying And III. Her flattery stinging when shee imbraceth And IV. Her treacherie And V. Her ingratitude stinging to death him that hath nourished her up And VI. Her poison And VII Her voracity in killing much more then shee can devoure And VIII Her generall hatred against all creatures destroying all that she can match Quest 4 How manifold is wisdome or how many kindes of wisdome are there because our Saviour bids us to be wise as serpents There is a double wisedome namely Answ First evill which is foure-fold namely I. Arrogant wisedome when men will undertake to judge of those hidden and secret mysteries which God hath reserved unto himselfe thinking themselves wise enough to render a reason of all the Lords dealings with men There is II. False craftie and lying wisedome which is diametrally opposite yea an enemy unto Christian simplicity Iohn 1 47. which must bee without fraud or guile There is III. Cruell wisedome Mortui non mordent dead men cannot bite and therefore it is good to kill Irish men never thinke a man slaine outright till his head be off and theeves never thinke themselves safe untill hee be killed whom they have robbed because if he be once murdered he cannot then accuse them whereas if such an one should live he might bring them to the gallowes Our Saviour doth not command us to be strong as Lions and Tygers but to be wise as Serpents and therefore this cruell wisedome is not allowed IV. There is a selfe confident wisedome when men hide their counsels and so craftily conceale their wicked plots that in wardly they boast and rejoyce that they shall prevaile these shall at last bee discovered and God in his appointed time will infatuate their devices Secondly good this is that wisdom which here Christ coÌmands and coÌmends unto us What is this good wisedome which Quest 5 we must labour for or wherein doth it consist The properties of this good Wisedome are these namely Answ First Mala intelligere to see perceive and understand evils and dangers for men must not be willingly blind but learne to foresee evils to come Secondly Malum non facere mala ignoscere Hier. s to doe evill unto none but to pardon and forgive those who offend and injure us Thirdly Suspicari to suspect evils from evill men especially those who hate us for Christ himselfe wee see would not commit himselfe unto the Iewes u Ioh. 2.24 Fourthly Tacere to keepe our owne counsel for it is lawfull to conceale some truths August A man is not bound by his owne babling to betray himselfe it being the part of a foole to utter all his mind Proverb 29.11 Fiftly Evitare to avoid perill and not to run into the Lyons mouth x 1 Mac. â 37 It is wisedome saith Hierome s Insidias vitare to avoid the trap gins snares and traines that are laid for us Sixtly Patienter ferre to endure patiently and contentedly the evils which lie upon us Musc s Seventhly Scandalum non dare so to live that we give no offence neither to the Iew nor to the Gentile nor to the Church of God Eightly sincerè profiteri to professe Christ and religion in sincerity not in shew in truth not in hypocrisie § 2. Be simple as Doves Sect. 2 What is meant by these words Quest 1 The meaning is be innocent and harmelesse Answer thinking evill of none neither intending evill or offence unto any in thought word or deed and yet we must be wise as Serpents who have great subtilty in saving and defending themselves from harme that is every one who looks to be saved might labour for so much wisedome as may preserve him from the hurt of false Prophets How many sorts of Simplicity are there and Quest 2 what Simplicity is it which is here enjoyned Simplicity is two-fold namely First evill foolish and contrary to wisdome and is two-fold namely Answ I. Negligent when a man doth not take heed to himselfe and beware First least he should be hurt and harmed by any Or Secondly least he should be deceived by errour Ephes 4.14 Or Thirdly least he should bee seduced unto sinne as Gen. 20.5 and 2 Sam. 15.11 II. Sluggish and idle when a man doth not labour First for knowledge and understanding as Hosea 4.6 Ephesians 5.15 And hence namely from ignorance comes errours and therefore the Papists and some others perswade men to neglect hearing reading studying and the meanes of knowledge because as hee that is altogether ignorant of the true way may be perswaded to take any path and made beleeve by every man hee meets that every false path is the right so those who are ignorant of the divine truth may bee seduced and quickly led aside by any into humane errours Secondly that is called sluggish and idle simplicity when a man doth not labour to strive and wrestle against sinne and his own corruptions Object If it should bee objected that David bids us to commit our wayes unto the Lord and and therefore what need we thus strive Answ I answer it is true we must commit and commend our selves unto God but yet we must fight against sinne and our inbred corruptions and that even unto blood a Hebr. 12.4 Secondly good sincere and an enemie to deceit and fraude And this is that Simplicity which is here commended and commanded Quest 3 What is this good simplicity which we must labour for or wherein doth it consist It consists in these four things viz. Answ First in a single heart Acts 2.46 Hee therfore who desires to have this Dove-like simplicity must not have a heart and a heart but must be sincere and single hearted Secondly in a tender conscience and a feare to sinne or offend God He therefore who desires this Dove-like simplicity must be of a circumcised heart who is sensible of the least sinne and of a cowardly conscience who feares to commit the least evill For this is the best simplicity Reade these places and to this purpose imitate the persons mentioned therein Genes 39.9 and Iob. 1.1 and 2 3 Rom. 16.19 and 1 Corinth 14.20 Phil. 2.13 Thirdly in a single tongue he therefore who desires this dovelike simplicity must avoid all lying and deceitfull speeches and take heed
the rules of Christian charity who knowes that the Church is disquieted and disturbed only by reason of some personall hatred against him and that the Church might have peace and his particular Congregation leave to enjoy as good a Pastor yea in every regard as able to edifie them as he is if hee were gone and yet rather than he will undergoe the trouble molestation and danger of exile will stay and suffer the Church in generall and his particular flocke to be disquieted and hindred from the peaceable enjoyment of the Word Rule 8 Eightly in fleeing persecution wee must respect the utility and profit of the Church that is I. If the Church by the retaining and keeping of a Minister may reape spirituall gaine and advantage then he is not to flee Or II. If the Church may reape comfort courage or benefit by the example of the Ministers constant and couragious suffering for the truth then I conceive that he is not to flee because a good Shepheard will lay downe his life for the good of his sheepe But III. If a Minister can have no leave to discharge his Ministeriall function no liberty to preach unto his flocke or to pray with them or to administer the Sacraments unto them nor any hope by his presence to benefit the Church or to gaine more soules unto Christ nor cause any occasion likely to be offred whereby he may propagate and further enlarge the kingdome of Christ without doubt then he may safely and lawfully flee for his life and shun persecution IV. If a Minister can see in likelihood that if some certaine time or brunt were over he might much benefit and comfort the Church but for the present there is small hope either of saving his owne life or doing good to his flocke hee may then for a while run unto the Wildernesse and hide himselfe in the Desart and shelter himselfe untill the showre bee over Now all these Rules belong unto the Ministers of the Gospel because the Text speakes only of their flight in the times of persecution Sect. 2 § 2. Vntill the Sonne of man come Quest 1 How doth Christ come Christ comes diversly namely Answ First he came unto us In carne in the flesh when he tooke our nature upon him This is past Secondly In gloria in glory when hee comes unto judgement Rom. 2.6 This is to come Thirdly In protectione in preservation and defence Behold I am with you unto the end of the world Matth. 28.20 that is by protection care and speciall assistance This Comming is alwayes and thus he is for ever present with his children Fourthly In donatione Spiritus he comes unto us by the donation of his Spirit and this is either extraordinary as he came to the Apostles giving singular and extraordinary gifts unto them Act. 2. or ordinarie and thus he comes unto all the faithfull in their regeneration when new and spirituall habits principles and graces are infused into them Fiftly In interno lumine In internall illumination enlightning the heart and opening the eyes for he enlightens every one that comes into the world Iohn 1.9 Now these two last are one and our only and true felicity Whence we might observe That true happinesse doth consist in the presence of Christ in the heart Observ when Christ came to Zacheus then came salvation to his house and consolation to his heart when Christ comes unto the heart of the faithfull then and never untill then comes joy unto their soules then and never untill then are they truely happy And therefore this we should desire first that is before and above all other things Psalm 27.4 and 42.2 Why are wee made happy by the fruition of Quest 2 Christ First because then and never untill then doe Answ 1 wee truely see A blind man would thinke himselfe a blessed man to enjoy his sight now wee by nature are blind and our eyes are opened and our understandings enlightned onely then when Christ enters into the soule And therefore happy are we when becomes unto us Psal 4.6 80.3.7.19 Secondly because the comming of Christ unto Answ 2 the soule doth represent the beatificall vision wherein our chiefest heavenly happinesse doth consist therefore thereby wee are made truely blessed Reade Psalme 16.11 and Psalme 98. and Matth. 5.8 VERS 24. The Disciple is not above his Master Verse 24 nor the Servant above his Lord. Christ by this title Disciple would teach us Observ That those whom he receives he will teach Reade for the proofe hereof Esay 54.13 Ierem. 31.33 c. Proverb 8.1 and 9.1 How Quest or how many wayes doth Christ teach his servants First he teacheth them by his Word Matth. Answ 1 28.19 Prov. 8.1 and 9.1 Secondly he teacheth them by his Spirit Psal Answ 2 143.10 and 1 Iohn 2.27 And without this the other is ineffectuall and therefore we must first labour to be taught by the Word and cleave close unto that Esay 2.3 it being the meanes of regeneration 1 Pet. 1.24.25 And then labour to be taught inwardly by the Spirit For without his gracious illumination wee can know nothing aright 1 Cor. 8.2 certainly humane knowledge must needs deceive us and misleade us and therefore we must not be instructed by that Tutour nor consult with flesh and blood concerning the things of our soules Rom. 8.6 7 8 and 1 Corinth 3.18 but labour that we may be taught of God The truth of this more particularly appeares thus namely First naturally we know not God aright but have these grosse and false conceits of him viz. I. We thinke that he sees not our sinnes Psalm 50.21 But the Spirit of God teacheth us that his eyes are over all the world and run too and fro through the whole earth from which lesson proceeds these things First a fearefulnesse to sinne for if God see us how shall we then dare to do evill Secondly a watchfulnesse over our waies in secret because God seeth all things therefore we dare not privately do evill or so much as conceive or imagine mischiefe in our hearts Thirdly because God seeth all things therfore the Spirit workes in us humiliation and godly sorrow for our evill thoughts Yea Fourthly hence comes alacrity and cheerfulnesse in the wayes of God and every good work because God sees them and writes them in his Book of remembrance Malach. 3. II. We think that God is like unto us as the Heathens conceit of their Gods as Saturne Iupiter Mars and the rest and that sinne is not so displeasing unto him as we say it is But the blessed Spirit teacheth us that he is of such tender and pure eyes that he cannot endure to behold any thing that is evill Habak 1.13 And hence the spirituall man is afraid to commit the least sinne Matth. 12 36. and 1 Thessal 4.6 III. We thinke that God may be deceived but the Spirit admonisheth us to take heed that we do not deceive our selves for our God will not
nor the fictions and fancies of our braine to be mixed with sacred truths Or II. That hee might give an occasion to publish to the whole Congregation that Jesus was the Christ and true Messias Whence learne Observ 3 That it is the office of a true Prophet to make Christ knowne unto all his people Rom. 10.18 and 15.17.20 For for this end was both the Gospel and the Fore-runner sent Esa 40. Quest 7 What is the end of preaching Answ It is not enough to hold out an houre or to discourse so long as the Glasse runs but to teach Christ Now here a double worke is to be done namely First Christus docâudus Christ is to be taught and this in the principles and grounds of religion 1 Cor. 2.2 Phil. 3.8 Iohn 17.3 Ministers must be carefull to build up their people in saving knowledge and sound doctrine Secondly Christus imprimendus Christ is to be imprinted in the heart and soule Gal. 4.19 and 2.20 Ministers must labour to bring their people unto Christ and to bring Christ unto their soules that hee may dwell with them and live in them and continue amongst them for ever and ever For this is the greatest and best work of all to have Christ live in us and abide with us Aliud est Christum sequi aliud tenere aliud manducare Bern. It is one thing to seeke Christ or to follow him for a man may seeke that he cannot find it is another to lay hold of him for a man may lay hold upon him and yet not bring him home to his house as the Church did Cantic it is another thing to eat him to enjoy him to be made Partakers of him to remaine and abide with him and to have him living within us And this is that which we must principally labour for Ephes 3.17 Iohn 14.23 and 2 Cor. 6.18 § 4. Or shall we looke for another Sect. 4 What was Iohns scope in this interrogation Quest 1 First Iohn himselfe did not doubt whether this Answer 1 were the promised Messias or not But Secondly his Disciples doubted of it And Answer 2 Thirdly the world much questioned the truth of it And therefore his scope here was I. To taxe the blockishnesse stupidity and Answer 3 slackenesse of the Pharisees And II. To confirme and fixe the minds of his own Disciples And III. To declare and make knowne unto the whole world that now they must no longer expect or wait for the promised Messias but take notice of his comming and learne to know him by his mighty workes and embrace him and his doctrine without which there can be no salvation Acts 4.12 VERS 5. The blind receive their sight Verse 5 and the lame walke the Lepers are cleansed and the deafe heare the dead are raised up and the poore have the Gospell preached unto them § 1. The blind receive their sight Sect. 1 Before I come to the particular handling of this verse I will propound a generall Question or two Qua quât in Christi responso animadvertenda Quest 1 Duo viz Responsi Christi Relatio generalis ubi tria Dixit illis non rejiâit licet malè affectos Ite renunciate ubi 1. Answ Non affirmat II. Remittit amplius docendos Quae auditis videtis ubi resert se ad opera sua Partesquarum altera respicit Quaestionem Seipsum In quà probat se esse Messiam Tum ex Operibus miraculosis utpote Cacos Clandos Leprosos sanando mortuos excit ando Verbis id est praedicatione Evangelij Quaerentes Discipulos Iohannis Beati qui non offensi per me seu qui non scandalizabuntur in me What was the end of Christs Miracles or Quest 2 Christs end in the working of his Miracles because every naturall Agent Agit propter finem propounds some end unto himselfe in all the actions which he performes and therefore much more Christ First the end of Christ Miracles was to demonstrate Answ 1 his person or to shew that he was the Christ promised Messias Because saith he I doe the works which no man by his owne power can doe therefore beleeve that I am the Sonne of God Iohn 15.24 Secondly another end of Christs miracles was Answ 2 to confirme his doctrine of which else-where Thirdly another end was to signifie Christs Answ 3 spirituall operations and workes Quest 3 Whether doth our Saviour in this verse speake of corporall or spirituall operations of curing and recovering those who were corporally blind Lame Leprous Deafe dead or of those who were spiritually thus diseased namely who were blind in understanding deafe in hearing of the word of Gods lame in their affections leprous with sinne yea dead in sinne Answ 1 First Iunius Lib. 1. Paral. 29. faith this verse is to be taken historically and literally and he gives these reasons for it namely I. Because we must not flee unto Allegories when the Text will admit and beare a true literall sense and interpretation II. Because the Prophets are wont to insert and mingle histories with Types for the greater assurance and confidence III. Because the nature of the Types is to be otherwise spoken of and predicated then squares or suites with their natures And IV. Because those passages of receiving the Gospell and taking offence thereat are necessarily to bee taken in a literall sense Answ 2 Secondly Calvin s Non dubium quin dicatur de spirituali à malis liberatione Without doubt our Saviour speakes here of a spirituall deliverance and freedome from evill and Tremellius s Esa 35.5 confesseth that there is an Hyperbole in these words Quia Christus agit tam in animis quam corporibus because Christ is conversant both about soul and body and operative also in both Answ 3 Thirdly there are three sorts of Prophesies namely I. Some meerly Typicall as I will send Elias Malach. 4.5 And they shall serve David their King whom I will raise up unto them Ierem. 30.9 Now this kind of Prophecies Are either First above nature as those who are spoken either of God Humanitus after the manner of men As wheÌ we are told of hands eyes armes and feet The creatures against their nature as the wildernesse shall rejoyce Esa 35. And the beame out of the Timber shall testifie against them Habac. 2.11 Now these are above nature and therefore meerly Typicall Secondly besides the dispensation of grace As my people shall sinne no more For this grace is not given in this life the best sinning in many things so long as they live II. Some Prophesies are meerly historicall as Senacherib shall not come into this Citie nor shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shield c. 2 King 19.32 So set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live Esa 38.1.2 And many the like III. Some Prophesies and predictions are of a mixt nature and these are two-fold viz. either First mixt secundum partes when one part is Allegoricall another Historicall
preached Or Secondly that it may be heard But Thirdly that the seed of the Word may bee received And Fourthly that it may grow up and increase and become truely fruitfull Quest 3 Whether should a Minister be grieved when hee seeth his Ministery unprofitable amongst a people and that his Ministerie is like to prove the savour of death unto them Answ Without doubt he should be grieved for Ieremie wished that his head were a fountain of teares Ier. 9.1 that hee might weepe for that people And Christ himselfe wept over Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 Object Against this this place will bee objected Christ himselfe gave thankes to God his Father that hee had hid these things from the wise of the world and revealed them unto babes Answ Christ is considered two wayes namely First as he was the Minister of Circumcision And Secondly as he was Mediator of the new Covenant Now as hee was the Minister of Circumcision and sent to teach the Iewes no doubt it was a great griefe to him when hee saw them so hard hearted that they would not beleeve But againe if wee consider him as Mediator looking up to Gods wisedome and decree he giveth God praise for passing by some and chusing others Paul looking to his charge wished that the Iewes might be saved but when in a second consideration hee looketh up to Gods will and seeth that his preaching was to make fat the hearts of that people as was the preaching of Esay then he resteth in this and rejoyceth that God is glorified Although the Spheares have their owne particular motions yet they all follow the motion of the first mover So although Christ and Paul be sorry at first for the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts yet they must follow the motion of the first mover God himselfe and rejoyce when he is glorified Quest 4 From the Text it may be demanded who can come unto the knowledge of this saving truth which Christ here saith is concealed from the wise and revealed to babes Although men are by the Gospel called to the knowledge of the truth yet onely the Elect doe attaine unto the same and that because they are effectually called by the Holy Ghost When I say that all men are called I meane by an outward calling which is especially by the publike preaching of the Gospel for by this no man is excluded from the knowledge of the truth but are rather both generally all and severally each singular person invited thereunto But by that inward calling which is by the Holy Ghost and therefore effectuall I say that only the Elect are called according to the Apostles golden chaine Rom. 8.29 Whom he hath predestinated them even them alone hee called by an effectuall calling And this is that which our Saviour here saith I thanke thee Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise that is of this world and revealed them to babes that is onely the Elect which are contemptible in the sight of the world See to this purpose verse 11. and 13. of this Chapter and Iohn 12.38 and 17.6 and 1 Corinth 4.3 and 2 Timoth. 3 7. Only therefore the Elect come to the saving knowledge of the truth who for that cause are said to bee of the truth and to heare the voi e of Christ and onely the Church is called the Pillar and foundation of the truth for they onely retaine the truth and of them only doth the Church consist and so only must know the truth Hill lib. 3. pag. 237. of the true knowledge of God § 3. Oh Father Sect. 3 Why doth our Saviour turne his speech unto Quest 1 God First because his speech is a thankesgiving Answ 1 and thankes are to be given unto God Secondly Christ directs his speech unto his Answ 2 Father to shew that he is the directer of the world and Church Arcana Dei judicia suspicit ut in eorum admirationem alios trahat Calvin s Christ admires the secret judgements of God that hee may draw others to the like admiration Thirdly our Saviour converts his speech unto Answ 3 his Father that hee may excuse the meannesse and low condition of his servants and that both I. In regard of the Pharisees and world who despised them for their low estate And also II. In regard of themselves who were discouraged by this contempt For hereby hee would have them both to know that this proceeded of and from the Lord as followes in the next verse Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Why doth Christ call God Father Quest 2 That he may shew how great reason hee hath to congratulate or rejoyce together with God Answer when he is conjoyned in so neere and strict a relation unto him as if hee would say I rejoyce that God is thus glorified for he is my Father Hence then observe That none can truely rejoyce in God Observ except he be joyned unto him by a new Covenant of filiation Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.7 and 1 Iohn 1.3 and 1 Corinth 1.9 Hos 1.10 Rom. 5 2. and 1 Pet. 1.8 And examples hereof wee have Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 and 1 Iohn 3.1 How doth the truth evidence hereof appear It appeares by these three particulars viz. First the promises are not given by name to Peter Iohn or Andrew but only to those who are received into the fellowship of sonnes and called the sonnes of promise Rom. 9.8 Galat. 4.28 Secondly God professeth himselfe to be an enemy to the enemies of his children and therefore he is not the helper of all but only of his Psalm 8.13 c. And consequently none can rejoyce in him but those only who are assured that by a new Covenant they are made his Thirdly naturally we hate the Lord and his Law the Commandements of God being as bonds and chaines unto us which restraine us from doing that which wee greedily desire And therefore wee desire to cast off this bond and yoke and had rather the Lord would suffer us to walke in our owne wayes though the end thereof be death then constraine us to walke in the pathes of this Commandements which leade unto life Wherefore untill by a new Covenant we be united unto the Lord we cannot rejoyce in him or his service Quest 4 How may we bee made the children of God that so we may rejoyce in him Answ 1 First Pacem operando by making peace and appeasing jarres and composing strife betwixt man and man brother and brother Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Mat. 5.9 Answ 2 Secondly Benedicendo by blessing those that curse us c. Love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully hate you and persecute you That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven Mat. 5.45.46 Answ 3 Thirdly Orando by praying unto God to give us that evidence and
that there is something in the wisedome of the flesh which hinders from faith For there are two things in him that learnes to wit I. A simplicity of beleeving And this is necessary in him that would learne according to that of Aristotle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Hee must beleeve what his Master teacheth and with Pythagoras his Schollers ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã our Master saith so must be of great reckoning and weight with him A Scholler can never learne well who calleth the truth of that in question which is taught or rather who will not beleeve that which is taught And herein humane wisedome hinders men from faith for it will beleeve no more in religion then is plaine and demonstrative by reason There is nothing true in divinity which is either false in reason or contrary to reason but yet there are many things in Religion which are above reasons reach and therefore are to be beleeved by faith because they cannot be apprehended or comprehended much lesse demonstrated by reason Now I say the naturall wise man will beleeve no more then he can take up by naturall reason although it bee taught and confirmed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from the word of God And thus humane wisedome hinders us from beleeving all those saving truths which the shallow shell of mans braine is not able to containe or comprehend II. In Schollers who desire to be great and good Schollers there is a certaine curiosity of disputing and propounding doubts and queres now this is commendable in humane learning but not in divine although it bee too frequent with those who are somewhat in humane learning and wisedome And unto such this is a great impediment because worldly or humane wise men despise the simplicity of the Gospel That great learned man yea the Philosopher Aristotle rejected the Pentateuch because Moses did only positively lay downe things and not demonstrate them from the principles of Philosophy Hence then wee may observe a third thing viz. Observ 3 That the Wisedome of the flesh is an enemy to regeneration Rom. 8.6 7. and 1 Cor. 1.26 and Quest 4 3.18 Is all wisedome as an impediment of faith and an enemy to a new birth condemned Answ No for wisedome is manifold First some say that there is a five-fold wisedome namely Naturall Morall Politicall Diabolicall and Spirituall Secondly some say that there is a double Wisedome to wit I. Honest and harmelesse And II. Crafty and fraudulent which as was said before consists in dissimulation and couterfeiting But this cannot be called Wisedome being neither Pharisaicall nor Philosophicall Wisedome Thirdly Wisedome indeed is two-fold viz. I. Spirituall and divine which comes from God above And II. Carnall and humane or Naturall which consists partly in a naturall towardlinesse ripenesse of wit and partly in an artificiall acquisition by study and knowledge How doth this naturall and spirituall wisedome Quest 10 diff r because they seeme indeed both to bee good They differ in the very foundations Answ For First naturall wisedome is built upon reason and judgement and our owne understanding Secondly spirituall wisedome is founded upon the will and word of God And therefore I. Spirituall wisedome is commanded and commended Deuter. 4.6 Acts 6.3 and 1 Corinth 2.6 and 12.18 and Ephes 1 8.17 And II. Worldly wisedome is sometimâs permitted and sometimes praised Solomon was wise naturally and Ioseph politickely and both commendably 1 King 2.6 Here observe that this naturall or worldly wisedome is twofold to wit lawfull and unlawfull and these two differ not Ré or Naturà indeed or in the very essenee and nature of them but onely Ratione in subjection unto the will of God And therefore if First it be subject to the will of God as a handmaid thereunto it is good c 2 Cor. 10.5 But Secondly if it will not be subject to the will and word of God then it is evill And therefore humane wisedome is a let unto faith and a hinderer of regeneration because it is very difficultly subjected to the will and word of the Lord For I. It is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 And II. It contemnes and despises Religion and that either First because it is but foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18 21. and 2.14 Or Secondly because it is an abject thing or a thing below him and too base for him to stoâpe unto because hee is wiser then the simple Gospell § 6. And revealed them Sect. 6 We may observe here that our Saviour doth not say thou hast preached them Observ but thou hast revealed them as Galath 1.12 and 2.2 To teach us that it is the Lord who reveales himselfe fully to his Children How doth it appeare that the Lord himselfe Quest 1 onely reveales himselfe fully to the righteous It appeares plainely thus viz. First from the texts of Scripture Answ 1 Cor. 2.10 and 2 Corinth 4 6. Ephes 1.17 Secondly because the knowledge of God is life everlasting Iohn 17.3 And therefore wee cannot acquire it of our selues or by our owne strength Thirdly because the word preached penetrates onely the Eares and it is the Holy Spirit who workes upon the heart Heb. 4.12 and makes the word profitable 1 Cor. 3.7 Fourthly the word is equally and alike preached both to the good and bad both to the wicked and righteous and the difference is onely within in the Spirit because without that the word is but a dead Letter And therefore it is not man but God who doth reveale spirituall and supernall wisedome and knowledge unto us yea Fiftly the Spirit is plainely called a Seeds-man or Sower Math. 13. And therefore it is evident that all grace and divine knowledge comes from the Lord. Quest 2 How many sorts or kinds of Revelations are there Answ There are three sorts viz. First Delusive or deceitfull and these come from Sathan 2 Corinth 11.13 and therefore we must not beleeve every Spirit nor every Revelation but try them 1 Ioh. 4.1 and 2 Thessal 2.11 Secondly miraculous and extraordinary Now these I. Were usuall under the Law to the Prophets and Secrs And II. For a while were retained or continued to the Apostles for the planting of Churches as we see from 2 Cor. 12.4 c. Ephes 3.3 But III. Ordinarily they are abolished and out of date Heb. 1.1 Thirdly Ordinary and these belong unto the Children and sonnes of God and may be called the Revelation of the Gospell Now this Ordinary revelation is the operation of the holy Spirit in the heart revealing unto the heart the certainty assurance of Christ First offered in the Gospell Quest 3 How many things are there observable in this Revelation Answ Three to wit First the workeman which is the blessed Spirit and promised Comforter Iohn 14. and 1 Corinth 2.10 and Ephes 3.5 And Secondly the meanes whereby he works which is the word 1 Peter 1.5.13 And Thirdly the Revelation it selfe and that is a particular worke whereby our
Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Sect. 1 § 1. But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven Quest 1 Concerning blasphemy against the blessed Spirit divers Questions will be made to wit What is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Answ 1 First some of the Ancients call it finall impenitency some hatred of all Christian and brotherly love and some desperation of mercy But these are improperly called blasphemy Answ 2 Secondly that sinne whereby the essence and person of the Holy Spirit is hurt or blasphemed certainly is not this irremissible sin and blasphemy for many Sabellians Eunomians and Macedonians Heretickes at first spake wickedly of the holy Spirit and denied his Deity but afterwards repenting found mercy and obtained remission of sinnes Answ 3 Thirdly neither is this unpardonable blasphemy a simple Apostacy from a knowne truth because hope of pardon is not denied to these Apostates neither is the gate of mercy eternally shut against them if they wil but repent This appeares from our Saviours prayers Father lay not this sinne to their charge and yet these for whom he prayes had called him Devill had said he had an uncleane spirit although they were convinced of his Doctrine and divine workes I argue hence thus Those who commit unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost are not to be prayed for But Christ prayed for those who spake evill of him and his Doctrine and workes against their consciences Therefore these had not committed that unpardonable sinne and consequently might have obtained mercy if they had but repented Answ 4 Fourthly Augustine serm 11. de verbis Apost saith it is Impugnatio finalis agnitae veritatis a finall opposing or resisting of a knowne truth Our Divines more largely and clearely define it thus Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is an universall apostacy and totall relapse inseparably conjoyned with an hatred of the truth Or thus it is a deniall and opposition of a knowne truth concerning God and his will and workes of which truth the conscience is convicted and which denying and impugning thereof is done of set purpose and with deliberation We have an example hereof in the Emperor Iulian who was a learned and an eloquent man and a professour of the Religion of Christ but afterwards fell away and turned Apostate and hence is called Iulian the Apostate and wrote a Book against the Religion of Christ which was answered by Cyrill Afterwards being in a battle against the Persians hee was thrust into the bowels with a dart no man then knew how which dart he pulled out with his owne hands and presently blood followed which hee tooke in his hand as it gushed forth and flung up into the Ayre saying Vicisti Gallilae vicisti O Galilean meaning Christ thou hast now conquered me and so ended his dayes in blaspheming of Christ whom he once professed w Theod. lib. 3. hist Ca. 25. Why is this unpardonable blasphemy called Quest 2 the sin against the Holy Ghost First not because the Holy Spirit may bee offended Answ 1 and the sinne not reflect upon the Father and Sonne for he who sinnes against the third person sinnes also against the first and second from whom he proceeds Secondly it is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Answ 2 because the manifestation of spirituall and supernaturall truth is a divine worke which worke is immediately wrought by the Holy Spirit and therefore although they who wittingly and willingly oppose this truth sinne against all the persons of the blessed Trinity yet after a more singular manner they sinne against the Holy Ghost because they blaspheme his proper and immediate worke in their minds and maliciously impugne and resist his proper grace and power Thus I say it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost because it is against the operations of the Spirit which are three namely I. To enlighten the Minds with the light of the Gospell and hence it is called the Spirit of Revelation Ephes 1.17 II. To perswade the Mind to receive and embrace those truths which are revealed by the Gospell Heb. 6. for this is to receive the knowledge of the truth III. To worke in a man a certaine perswasion of the goodnesse of those things which he beleeves and this is to taste the good word of God And therefore the sinne against the Holy Ghost is a contumellous and reproachfull rejecting of the Gospel after that a mans mind by the blessed Spirit is supernaturally perswaded of the truth and goodnesse of this word and will of God laid downe in the Gospel Quest 3 Why is this sinne against the Holy Ghost called unpardonable or a sinne which cannot bee forgiven Answ 1 First not because it exceeds in greatnesse blasphemy against the Father and the Sonne Answ 2 Secondly nor because the Father and the Son are lesse then the Holy Ghost For all the three Persons are coeternall and coequall Answ 3 Thirdly neither because the greatnesse thereof exceeds either Gods mercy or Christs merit For both are infinite the mercy of God is above all his workes and that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or price laid downe by our Saviour is of infinite value and Answ 4 worth Neither Fourthly it is called unpardonable because it is more difficultly pardoned then other sinnes are For every sinne is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a breach of Gods Law and therefore he can pardon if he pleaseth the greatest as well as the least Nor Answ 5 Fifthly because it is an inexcusable sinne for in many other sinnes men are altogether left without excuse which yet are frequently pardoned upon their repentance Answ 6 Sixthly but it is called a sinne which cannot be forgiven because simply all remission is denied unto it neither did any man ever obtaine pardon that committed it nor ever shall And that for these reasons to wit I. Because such are punished by God with such a finall blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart that they can never returne either to themselves or unto God by true and unfained repentance and therefore being excluded and debarred of repentance they must necessarily be denied remission because no penitencie no pardon Hence Saint Iohn forbids us to pray for such an one because it is impossible for such to be renewed by repentance Heb 6.5 II. Because such reject the only meanes of salvation as the sicke man who will not be cured For as that disease is incurable which doth so take away or destroy the power of nature that neither the retentive nor concoctive facultie can doe their duties So there is no cure for him who rejects the balme of Gilead no water to wash away his sin who tramples under his feet the blood of the Covenant and despiseth that all healing Iordan Heb. 6.4 and 10.20 and Act. 4.12 and cleare-purging and white-washing Fountaine no sacrifices to take away his transgressions who crucifieth unto himselfe the Lord of glory
whether hee had a Mother or not Neither can it be said that this was done to tempt him for the Scripture expresseth no such thing and it doth usually when any such thing is done The nativity of Christ was never disputed or questioned and therefore this could not be said Thy Mother is without to tempt him Therefore it is more credible that by this enunciation they tempted his divinity to see whether hee could tell who were without or not Now Christ here taxeth the incredulity of his brethren Et Mater quoque ejus demonstratur non aequè adhaesâsse illi ut Martha Mariae aliae And therefore he denieth his Parents and his brethren as hee teacheth us to doe ours for Gods sake and worke VERS 50. Vers 50 For whosoever shall doe the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother sister and mother Sect. 1 § 1. Whosoever shall doe the will of my Father which is in heaven Quest 1 Why doth our Saviour adde here Qui in coelo which is in heaven Answ To teach us that those who are the children of God must labour endeavour that their conversation may be holy heavenly Observ Or that we must prepare our selves for heaven by a heavenly life we must labour that our conversation may be in heaven Philip. 3 20. And while we live on earth seeke heaven and heavenly things Colos 3.1 2. For hee that would be a Citizen of that heavenly Ierusalem which is above must live like a heavenly Citizen here on earth Quest 2 Why must wee thus earnestly labour for a heavenly life Answ 1 First because it is the will of God that those who are called his children should imitate him their heavenly Father in a sanctified and celestiall walking 1 Pet. 1.14.17 Answ 2 Secondly because wee are called hereunto 1 Thessal 4.4.8 or wee are made partakers of a heavenly calling Reade Heb. 3.1 And therefore wee should answer our calling by a heavenly life Answ 3 Thirdly because wee are made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet 1.4 And therefore wee should shew it by a Saint-like life Answ 4 Fourthly because heaven is the end of our hope and the aime of our expectation and therefore wee should be still like those who despise this world and seeke and desire another Citie which is above Hebr. 11.15 and 2 Cor. 5.2.9 Hebr. 12.18.22 Answ 5 Fift because our whole life is a certaine time of ripening unto Harvest so long as wee live wee must still strive to grow perfecter and riper in grace fitting and preparing our selves more and more for the inheritance of the Saints and that heavenly Ierusalem Rom. 8.17 Now our preparation consists in these things to wit I. In a patient bearing of the Crosse and suffering of afflictions II. In a true deniall of our selves and our owne wils and wayes III. In a couragious combating against sinne Sathan and the world and our owne corruptions b 1 Pet. 2.11 IV. In a constant course and practise of religion and religious actions unto the end § 2. Hee is my brother sister and Mother Sect. 2 In these words our Saviour shewes that we must preferre our spirituall kindred whence it may be demanded Whether did Christ himselfe Quest as hee teacheth us to doe that is whether did he love them bâst who were neerest to him in the Lord or those who were nearest to him in the flesh or those who were nearest unto him in the flesh and in the Lord As man he loved them best Answ who were neerest to him in the flesh and in the Lord but as Mediator he loved them only best who were nearest to him in the Lord when some told him here that his brethren and kinsmen stood without he said Who are my brethren and my kinsmen Those who doe the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother where wee see he respected those most who drew neerest to him in the Lord CHAPTER XIII Vers 3 4 5 c. VERS 3. c. And he spake many things unto them in Parables saying B holâ a sower went forth to sow And when he sowed some seeds fell by the wayes side and some fell upon stonie places and some fell among thornes and some fell into good ground Sect. 1 § 1. He spake unto them in Parables Quest WHy doth our Saviour speake in Parables Answ 1 First that the truth may bee hid from those who are unworthy according to that Mat. 7.6 Give not holy things to dogs Answ 2 Secondly that thereby occasion may be offered to those who are studious and desirous to know the truth to exercise their wits or to inquire the more diligently into the heart and depth of the thing propounded Answ 3 Thirdly that we may learne to understand divine and spirituall things by corporall and sensible Carthus s pag. 116 6. Sect. 2 § 2. Some fell by the wayes side some in stony places some among the thornes and some in good ground Our Saviour in this Parable shewes that both formall and faithfull Professors heare the word and that both bring forth some fruits thereof Hence a question or two may be moved viz. Quest 1 What things are common to the Hypocrite and sincere Professors or what fruits of religion may an Hypocrite doe and what not First they may have a certaine understanding Answ 1 of some divine truths but they ca not know it effectually for commonly they come without affection and goe away without care And therefore i we must take heed lest we deceive our selvs and our owne soules in a bare profession and light knowledge of the word and that we hear it with zeale and depart with care and profit II. We must beware of the great subtilty of Sathan who like aswift ravenous bird stealeth the word out of unprepared hearts or as theeves use to take away whatsoever they find loose or carelesly laid up Secondly hypocrites and carnall hearers Answ 2 may have some kind of delight in the hearing of the word and a glinse of the life to come but it is like to a blaze of a fire and is neither lasting nor firme Psal 4.7 whereas the joy of the godly is solid and sound and far above that which the worldly man hath in gold silver Psal 119.33 34. And II. the wickeds delight ariseth from a wrong end and motive as to satisfie some humorous desire to know something more then other c. whereas the joy of the godly is to know further to the end they may practise more Thirdly hypocrites may have some care to keepe that they have heard and yet the thornes Answ 3 of covetousnesse and worldly delights may overgrow the good seed and make it unfruitfull And therefore beware of covetousnesse and all carnall delights Answ 4 Fourthly carnall Professors or wicked men by meanes of the word may bee brought to confesse their faults Exod. 9.29 Answ
something more then Eares and the meaning is He that hath Eares prepared to heare let him heare Whence observe Observ That no man can heare profitably except his Eares be purged and prepared by God Acts 16.14 Quest 1 How doth this appeare Iâ appeares clearely thus namely Answ First because wee doe not care to heare till wee desire to know And therefore the Lord begets this desire and that I. By disturbing and rowsing the carnall peace of the heart as Acts 2.37 For when men once feele themselves to bee sicke then they seeke to the Physitian And II. By giving a taste of the sweetnesse of the word Ierem. 15.16 Secondly because by nature we are deafe as was shewed before Chapt. 11.5 § 4. of our selves we can understand and take up nothing and therefore the Lord helpes us and that I. By opening the heart as hee did the heart of Lydia Acts 16.14 And II. By giving a cleare understanding Colossians 3.16 And thus the Lord awakens our hearts by his word then makes us to feele some sweetnesse in the word then opens our hearts and enables us to receive and embrace the word And lastly teacheth us so to understand it that wee gaine and reape spirituall profit thereby and are edified and built up therewith more and more both in faith and obedience And therefore without him wee cannot heare profitably Quest 2 What is here required of us Answ We must labour and endeavour that wee may be prepared to heare the word of God Quest 3 How must we labour to prepare our selves to heare Answ 1 First in the Morning we must meditate when wee are to goe to the Lords house heare whether we are a going namely to the King yea the King of Kings speake unto us for our everlasting welfare and therefore let us prepare our selves for such a glorious presence and such a gracious audience as we are invited unto Answ 2 Secondly we must pray that the Lord would vouchsafe both to prepare us and also to corroborate and strengthen us to prepare our selves yea to teach us how to prepare our selves and to direct us in our preparation Answ 3 Thirdly we must purge the Mind and empty the soule of all thoughts and imaginations which may hinder us from hearing Answ 4 Fourthly wee must labour to beget in our selves a desire of learning these two things viz. I. That wee may perfectly know the state and condition wherein wee are And II. That wee may learne by certaine signes whether grace live in us and how grace increaseth in us Whence comes it that there are so many hearers who are neither changed nor benefited nor edified by the word Quest 4 Certainely it proceeds from hence Answ because they doe not endeavour to prepare their hearts For First without meditation before wee come unto the house of God wee can have no true reverence neither conceive of the word as the word of God and injunctions and counsell given unto us from him Secondly without preparation there can be no endeavour to profit by that which we heare nor labour to digest it and imprint it strongly in our memories Thirdly without prayer there can bee no hope of the co-operation of the Holy Spirit without whose assistance wee can doe nothing because wee doe not awake and stirre him up 2 Tim. 1.6 yea wee are unworthy of his aid if wee will not begge it for by a neglect of praier we seeme to thinke that hee is not worth asking for And Fourth for such a contempt and neglect God is incensed and in his just anger hardens such a hearer more and more making the word a meanes to harden and not to soften him § 3. Let him heare Sect. 3 Why doth not our Saviour say Let him beleeve Quest 1 or let him obey or let him devote himselfe wholly up unto the Lord but onely let him heare Because hearing is the meanes unto these Answ and unto all graces Hence thence observe That reverend and religious hearing Observ is the way unto true grace Deut. 32.2 Prov. 1.5 Psal 34.11 and 45.10 Examples hereof wee have in the Samaritanes Act 8.8 and in the Eunuch Act. 8.38 And in Cornelius and his friends and family Act. 10.34 and in others 1 Cor. 15.1 How doth it appeare that grace comes by Quest 2 hearing It appeares most evidently by these two Particulars namely First the Gospel is the meanes of grace Answ and that is communicated unto us by preaching or hearing for it is the Gospel which wee preach Rom. 10.8 and 1. Pet. 1.25 and Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is called the power of God unto salvation which is expounded of preaching 1 Cor. 1.18.21 Secondly it is evident from the end of the preaching of the Gospel which is to bring us from Sathan unto God and from darkenesse unto light Act. 26.18 and 1 Thessal 1.10 Now this is done by these wayes and meanes viz. I. By teaching us the danger wherein we are for naturally wee are blind and drowned in sleepe yea drunke and senselesse Proverb 23.34 c. presuming that all is well with us but the Gospel teacheth us that by nature wee are miserable Rom. 7.23 24. II. By shewing the remedy that is by preaching salvation by the blood of Christ III. By giving the light of understanding and enabling us to see the truth 2 Cor. 4.6 By nature wee thinke our selves to be wise and men of understanding but when grace comes then wee see that we know nothing as we ought to know Capnio thought the first yeare that he came to Athens that hee knew something the second yeare hee doubted of his knowledge but the third hee openly confessed his ignorance and acknowledged himselfe to know nothing And thus the more knowledge we have and the clearer our understandings are by grace the more sensible wee are of our ignorance As Simonides said to Hierom concerning God IV. By bringing us unto Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 and by forming Christ in us Gal. 4.19 namely by faith Rom. 10.15 And thus we see that first by the hearing of the word wee are taught And secondly we are perswaded And thirdly our miserable estate is discovered And fourthly the remedies are unfolded And fiftly our understandings more enlightned And sixthly faith infused and Christ formed in our hearts and wee brought neerer and neerer unto him Quest 3 How many sorts of hearers are there Many sorts namely Answ First unwilling and constrained hearers who onely are compelled by the Law to heare and otherwise would not heare at all Secondly treacherous hearers who heare that they may learne something whereby they may intrap him whom they heare And thus the Herodians heard Christ Thirdly scoffing and taunting hearers and thus some heard Paul Act. 17 18 32. Fourthly malevolent hearers who pervert all things they heare wresting them to their owne private senses yea are angry when the word reproves them and taxe the Minister with malice as though all his reprehensions proceeded from spleene
time and opportunity to tempt us unto that which is evill that the experience of these may make us avoid them the better Fifthly it is good for a man to be truely religious because such have peace quiet and spirituall security Matth. 11.29.30 Those who belong not unto Gods Church have care disturbance feare and trouble yea safety no where for the wicked flee when no man pursues them but unto the righteous there is peace and a sure resting place Sixthly it is good for a man to bee of Gods flock and one of his fold because such have internall joy comfort and consolation yea can rejoyce in the midst of affliction Now this spirituall rejoycing springs from these three roots to wit I. From humility in the understanding And II. From purity in the affections And III. From sincerity and truth in the performance of the good will of God For he that is humble and lowly in his own eyes and base and vile in his own conceit and pure in his heart and affections and sincere in his life and without hypocrisie in his obedience cannot but have a great deal of joy and rejoycing within Seventhly it is good for a man to be a member of Christs Church and a servant in this house because then he shall alwayes dwell in Christs presence and be in his sight Peter saith here Master it is good for us to remain where we are and why because Christ was there and because he was ravished with his glory So those who are of his little flocke shall alwaies enjoy his presence and see his face Eighthly it is good for a man to be a religious member of the Church because then he shall enjoy the society of the Saints Peter shewed the delight he had in the company of Moses and Elias by his desire to make Tabernacles for them and great is the comfort that the Children of God find in the society one of another but the joy they shall have in the fellowship of the Saints in Heaven passeth knowledge and exceedeth expression Ninthly it is good for a man to be a member of the spirituall Church because then he will not regard nor inordinately love the world Peter forgets the world and all the pleasures and delights thereof saying Master It is good for us to be here and those whose hearts are ravished and enflamed with the love of God and who are assured of a portion in the Kingdome of Heaven doe lightly regard the things of this world Tenthly it is good for a man to be in the fold of the true Church because then hee will die the more confidently and cheerfully whereas on the contrary the remembrance of death is bitter to of those who are without the wall of the Church Lastly it is very good for a man to be in the Church Militant because great shall his reward and glory be in the Church Triumphant but of this we spake before Chap. 16 26. And thus we see that it is good for us to be here viz. in Religion and the true Church § 2. Let us make three Tabernacles Sect. 2 The Papists say that the Pope cannot erre Argum. we deny this and prove the contrary by this Argument If Peter may erre yea did erre then the Pope which they say is his successor cannot be exempted from erring but is subject to erre But Peter erred therefore the Pope may That Peter erred St. Hierome proves from this place and that First because he was contented and sufficiently satisfied in the contemplation of Christs humanity whereas blessednesse is essentially placed in the contemplation of his Divinity which St. Peter then saw not Secondly because he sought and desired a mansion on earth whereas he should have desired a heavenly mansion according to that of the Apostle we have here no abiding City but we seek one which is to come Thirdly Peter erred because he was unmindfull of the rest of the Apostles whereas he should have wished them the enjoyment of the society of their Saviour as well as himself but contrarily he saith Master it is good to be here although there be but a fourth part of thy Disciples with thee Sect. 3 § 3. One for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Quest Whether do the blessed soules being separated from the bodies know one another Or whether shall the Saints know one another in Heaven Answ That they shall appeares by these reasons namely First Adam in his estate of integrity knew Eve as soon as he saw her Genes 2.23 Therefore in heaven much more shall the Saints know one another because their knowledge is there more perfect in degrees then Adams was in Paradise Secondly because Peter here having but a tast of the glorious estate and condition of the Saints in Heaven knows Moses and Elias and therefore those who are perfectly glorified shall much more know one another Thirdly the Saints in Heaven shall mutually love one another with a true and perfect love and therefore also shall know one another A man may love things which he never saw but scarcely things which he never knew Fourthly those who are in Hell are endued with such a knowledge that they can know this or that man Dives being in Hell sees that is knows Lazarus in Abrahams bosome and this knowledge is given them for an augmentation of their torment And therefore much more the elect and blessed Spirits know one another because that addes unto their happinesse and helpes to make it compleat Fifthly the near Relation the Saints have one unto another helps to convince this truth For what are they They are al Children of one father all Servants of one Master all members of one body and therefore undoubtedly they shall all know one another Sixthly but yet no carnall thoughts or imaginations must be had either concerning the knowledge or the love of the Saints in Heaven as though a man should know his wife or Children or friends better then others or love them better then others for this conceit savours of the flesh and flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of Heaven all things there being spirituall for as there shall be a new Heaven and a new earth so also there shall be new men and new affections and new loves which shal be perfect and without any dregs Verse 5 Vers. 5. While he yet spake behold a bright Cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him § 1. And behold a voice came from Heaven Sect. 1 It is not unworthy our Observation to mark That God revealed himself to his servants foure manner of wayes to wit Now of these three we have to treat of elsewhere First by the gift of Prophesie Secondly by ordinary inspiration of the Holy Spirit Thirdly by Vrim and Thummim light and perfection Fourthly by Bath-col per filiam vocis by a little small voice or an eccho whereby he
lest we fall into the irefull hands of God Heb. 30.31 for then we shall either be punished with temporall or eternall torments § 2. Cut it off pluck it out and cast it from thee Sect. 2 Is the body to be dismembred No Nââ mutilarâlum corpus sed fraenandus usus Quest 1 sââsâââ Calvin s Non praecipit damna corporis Hilar. s Non de membrorum compage disturbandâ Chrysostome s Quest 2 Why may not the body be dismembred and mutilated Answ 1 First because the members of the body want the sense of sin Potes cogere manum ut pecâet manus te cogere non potest Hilar. s Thou maist constrain thy hand and force it to sin but thy hand cannot compell thee unto evill Answ 2 Secondly Otiosum damnum corporis relictâ voluntate concupiscentiae Hilar. It is to no purpose to cut off an hand and pluck an eye out of the body so long as lust and concupiscence remain in the soul Answ 3 Thirdly Quia crimen non carnis sed voluntatis non oculus sed per oculum animus intuetur Chrysost s Because the fault when a man sins is in the will not in the flesh and it is not the eye that lustfully looks upon beauty but the minde by the eye And therefore unwarrantable was the practise of Leo the first who cut off his hand because by the kisse of a Matron he was inflamed and kindled unto lust Sabel 5.6 Sect. 3 § 3. For it is better for a man to enter into Heaven having but one hand foot or eye c. Quest Shall any be lame in Heaven Answ 1 First certain it is that there shall be no deformity in Heaven neither shall there be any wounds or lamenesse there Answ 2 Secondly some say that our Saviour speaks of the losse of these members in this life but it is here said It is better to enter into life not to remain or abide in life having but one hand c. And Mark 9.43 45 47. it is called the kingdom of Heaven and in both places is diametrally opposed to Hell Answ 3 Thirdly some say that our Saviour speaks comparatively as if he should say put case that thou shouldest be deprived of thy eye for ever yet it were better to have one in Heaven than two in Hell Answ 4 Fourthly we may safely and certainly answer that the speech is figurative and therefore the letter thereof is not too strictly to be pressed or urged Sect. 4 § 4. Than having two to be cast into hell fire Observ 1 We may learn hence that it is necessary that we be separated either from God or from sin or that either the sin or sinner must necessarily perish either sin must be cast off or the sinner must be cast into hell fire 1 Tim. 2.19 Mat. 7.23 Rev. 2.5 yea it is an excellent sign of a Saint and sanctified man to be totally separated from sin and the occasions thereof Object Against this it will be objected If this be a mark of a holy man then none are holy for these things can none do viz. separate themselves from sin and the occasions thereof Answ Although of our selves we cannot yet by Gods assistance we may and that two manner of waies namely First by a sincere purpose of heart Acts 11.33 Rom. 7.17 20. And Secondly by an increase of grace for thereby we shall be taught and enabled I. To sin more seldome every day than other And II. To check and reclaim our selves sooner from sin than formerly And III. To lament bewail and be more sorry for our sins and more condemn our selves for our iniquities than heretofore And IV. To love sinne lesse but hate it more then hitherto we have done And V. To love good things and godly duties better every day then other Why is this place so expresly thrice repeated Quest 1 that is both Mat. 5.29 30. and 18.8 9. and Mark 9.43 45 47 First it is repeated for the certainty of the Doctrine Answ 1 Observ 2 or to teach us That the condemnation of the wicked is most certain or That sinners shall certainly be cast into hell Mat. 5.18 and 24.35 Psalm 19.17 and 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 6.7 Psal 11.6 Rom. 2.8 12. How further doth it appear that sinners shall Quest 2 certainly perish First because Tophet was prepared for such Answ 1 as Heaven was prepared for the righteous and therefore the one is not more sure of Heaven than the other is of Hell reade Esa 30.33 Prov. 16.4 Rom. 9.22 23. Secondly it appears evidently that the wicked Answ 2 shall perish thus The Lord can as well cease to be as not to be just but he should not be just if he should not punish the wicked and make a difference between them and the righteous and therefore they shall never go unpunished 2 Thes 1.6 7. And therefore sinners must not delude themselves and think that they may sin and live for they must either leave their sins or lose life everlasting they must either turn from their iniquities or submit themselves to hell fire and everlasting death Must all adulterers and drunkards and sweaters Quest 3 and the like be cast into hell Certainly all such shall except they repent Answ for true Repentance onely approves Faith to be true Secondly this place is thrice expresly repeated Observ 3 for our instruction to teach us That the repetition and recapitulation of Answ 3 those things which are taught is commodious and profitable 2 Pet. 1.12 and 3.1 And that I. Because many often are not present when things are first taught and delivered And therefore a short recapitulation of those things can neither be displeasing to those who have heard them nor unprofitable unto those who heard them not II. Because many often are present which attend not and therefore a brief repetition will sharpen and quicken their attention We must sow and water if we desire that our labours may be profitable III. It is evident that repetition of what hath been formerly preached is very profitable because it is very hard for us 1 To understand divine Truths And 2 To beleeve all saving Truths And 3 To love all holy duties and things which are taught unto us And 4 To remember those things which are delivered and taught And 5 Seriously to mark and observe them Now it is necessary that all these should be done and therefore a brief rehearsal of what was formerly more amply delivered must needs be profitable unto all who desire to be understanding and good hearers IV. A short repetition is yet further profitable in a threefold regard namely First in regard of our selves for the hearing of that twice which nearly concerns us doth imprint it deeper and fixe it the surer in our hearts Secondly in regard of our judgment and understanding for those things which we understand not at all or not right or not sufficiently at the first hearing we shall understand the better by a second
Religion belongeth onely unto the Church that is to the chief Pastors and Bishops only of the Church He argues thus If all controversies be to be decided by the Church and referred unto the Church then it will follow that the Church is the Iudge of all controversies But the Antecedent is true that all controversies are to be decided by the Church and are referred unto the Church Therefore also the Consequent That the Church is the Iudge of all controversies Now he proves the Antecedent from these words Tell the Church and if hee will not hear the Church c. Therefore the Bishops and chief Pastors must expound the doubts in Scripture Bellarm. lib. 3. de Script Cap. 3 arguâs thus Our Saviour speaks here of private injuries but the place is to be understood also of publike injuries such as Schisme and Heresie are Now by this word Church is not meant the whole body of the faithfull but only the Pastors and Bishops and theâefore Heretikes and Schismaticks are not to be referred or turned over to the Congregation of the faithfull to judge and censure but to the Prelates of the Church because as a man hears and speaks by his head so the Church doth by her Prelates and consequently from the judgement of the Pastors there is no appeale their sentence and determination being the last and utmost judgement Answ 1 First Hunnius in eodem Colloquio Ratisbonensi did rightly distinguish this word Iudge for there is a double Iudge namely I. A Iudge who hath absolute authority of judging now if the Argument understand Iudge in this sense wee deny the Consequent for although it be certain that all controversies which arise amongst Christians may bee referred unto the Church that they may have her judgement yet it is most false that the Church is a Iudge which is absolute from all Law and may pronounce after her own will and so in effect be the chief and principall Iudge that is the very Rule of Religion and controversies II. There is a Iudge whose power is limited and restrained unto the Law and if the Argument speak of this Judge wee have nothing to say against it for wee deny not but that some yea all controversies may bee referred unto the Church to be examined and judged Answ 2 Secondly wee deny that the last and utmost judgement of controversies belong unto the Church her judgement being only Ministeriall Thirdly we must give care to the Church but Answ 3 with a double condition namely I. Wee must be sure that it be the Church of God as our Saviour himselfe expoundeth it ver 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name c. So that every Congregation is not the Church but that which is assembled in the name and authority of Christ And therefore it is necessary that we know that Church which wee hear to be the Church of Christ and that by the Scriptures for otherwise wee cannot know the true Church but by the word except it be the true Church we ought not to hear it at all II. Wee must not hear the Church although it be a true Church contrary to the Scriptures but only so long as shee teacheth the doctrine of Christ for otherwise an Angel from heaven is not to be heard Gal. 1.8 If the Pastors Prelates and Presidents of the Church shal prescribe those things which are approved or prescribed by Christ wee must hear them otherwise not for there have been many Bishops and Councels which have refuted âiver Heretiks and yet have erred themselvs in many other things Wherefore the Church is not simply to bee heard in whatsoever she saith or teacheth or to be beleeved and obeyed in all her decrees opinions tenents and commands but only then when shee speaketh and teacheth the truth of Christ For we are not to beleeve or credit the Church but for Christ and his words sake I find this answer given by Dr. Willet Synops 46. initio Whitak de sacra Script pag 31.7 Fourthly if the judgement of the Pastors and Answ 4 Bishops in a Councell bee the last and utmost judgement then not the Popes judgement only which the most of the Iesuits labour for Fifthly our Saviour speaks not here of the Answ 5 chief Iudge of all controversies or of the chiefe Interpreter of Scripture but only of brotherly correction and admonition which wâo contemnes are referred to the Church and if they will not heare the Church thây are to be excommunicated For the interpretation of Sâripture dependeth not upon the will and fantasie of the Pope Cardinals or Popish Councâls but must be tried by the Scripturâs themselvs Now the reason why wee deny that the Evangelist speaks here of the supream Iudge or Rule of controversiâs is because that which is meant and understood in this place to bee told to the Church doth belong unto all Churches viz. of Constantinople Ierusalem Smyrna Rome and the rest not unto all together but every one severally Now the Papists themselvs do not contend that every particular Church is the rule of all controversies Now that the place is to be understood of brotherly admonition and reproof appears thus namely I. Because the speech is of private offences between brethren as is plain from verse 15. If thy brother shall sinne against thee But private offences injuries and jars are not to be referred either to a Nationall or Generall Councell but unto the Ecclesiasticall society or jurisdiction of every place by whom the reasons on both sides may be weighed and known and judgement accordingly pronounced II. Because this is the first degree of publike or Ecclesiasticall judgment for the former degrees here named by our Saviour verse 15 16. are private to wit when the wronged Brother doth privatly alone admonish him that did the wrong or before some few Witnesses But it was scarsly ever heard of or at least done that either private offences or even publike and those which belong unto the Church should presently at the very first be referred unto the Church universall scattered through the whole world III. Because our Saviour speaks here of Excommunication as some are of opinion let him be as a Heathen c. But Excommunication and every kinde of Ecclesiasticall censure doth belong also to every particular Church Concil Nicen can 5. And therefore in this place by Church are to be undeâstood the Jurisdictions of particular Churches and not such a Judge as is absolute free and exâmpt from all Law having his own will onely for a rule I conclude this Objection with a double Argument If every Church which who so hears not be Argu. 2 to be accounted for a Heathen man or publican be the absolute Judge of all Controversies then it will follow that every particular Church is the absolute Judge of all Controversies but the consequent is absurâly false therefore also the antecedent Cham. t. 1. p. 26. Argu. 3 An obstinate sinner must be referred to
For he that shall come will come and will not tarry if he see deliverance Answ 1 to be better for thee then affliction is Answ 2 Secondly if he deferre his comming then thinke thou with thy selfe that his Kingdome is not of this world and that it is given unto his Subjects in this World to suffer Answ 3 Thirdly transferre and carry therefore the thoughts of thy heart unto heaven that thou maist be comforted and delighted with the remembrance thereof Consider this with thy selfe Here J am poore there shall J be rich Here J am sicke there J shall be sound Here J am contemned there J shall be honoured Here J am crowned with Thornes there J shall be crowned with glory for the remembrance of these and the like will expell all sense of humane sorrow Answ 5 Fifthly we must rejoyce also in death because the sting of it is taken away Hose 14.13 and because it brings us to the presence of this King and the possession of this Kingdome Answ 3 Thirdly the Subjects of this King or Kingdome must desire the propagation enlargement and promotion thereof The multitude here sing Hosanna to the highest as if they would say Grant oh eternall God that this thy King may be acknowledged and worshipped by all men And to this purpose wee are taught to pray Thy Kingdome come Answ 4 Fourthly the Subjects of this King must helpe forward this Kingdome themselves as much as in them is Thus some of the multitude here spread their garments in the way and those as is probable which had no garments to spare cut downe branches and strewed them in the way And thus according to our ability wee must doe good and thereby labour to advance and enlarge this Kingdome VERS 8 9. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way Vers 8.9 others cut downe branches from the trees and strewed them in the way And the multitudes that went before and that followed cryed saying Hosanna to the Sonne of David Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest The Papists upon Palme-Sunday Object have a solemne procession which is celebrated with carrying the Sacrament about and strewing of rushes and bearing of palmes and setting up of boughes and hanging up of rich clothes and the singing of the Quiristers and all this they would warrant by this practise of the multitude in the text Rhemist annot Matth. 31. § 1. First we say that their processions are horrible Answ 1 abusings and profanations of the Lords institution who ordained his supper to be eaten and drunke and not to be carried about in procession like an Heathenish Jdoll Secondly that which CHRISTS Disciples and Answ 2 the people did they had warrant to doe out of the Scripture but where are the Papists enjoyned this theatricall pompe The riding of CHRIST upon an Asse was before Prophesied of Zach. 9.9 And the Childrens crying out in the Temple Psalm 8.2 And the cutting downe of Palme branches was a Ceremony belonging to the Feast of Tabernacles truly accomplished by our deliverance in CHRIST But the Papists have turned the holy mystery of CHRISTS riding to Ierusalem to a May-game and Pageant-play To whom were the multitude opposite or contrary Quest 1 in this their practice To the Scribes and Pharisees Answ as is evident by these particulars The people cry First Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Secondly Blessed is the King of Israell and blessed is the Kingdome of our Father David which comes in the name of the Lord. Thirdly these desire the prosperity and flourishing estate of this King Fourthly these rejoyce and sing prayses unto God for sending of this King But the Pharisees cry First Cursed is he who commeth in the name of Beelzebub Secondly we have no King but Caesar and he that favours any other is not Caesars friend and therefore this man shall not raigne over us Thirdly these desire that this King were destroyed and all his glory laid in the dust Fourthly these disdaine the honour and esteeme of this King and are sorry for it Quest 2 Whereof were the Tabernacles and Boothes made wherein the people remained in the Feast of Tabernacles Answ Plutarch making mention of this Festivity saith That these Boothes were made principally of Ivie boughes Plut. Sympos 4. Problem 5. But the Scripture reckoneth up foure distinct kinds Levit. 23.40 which are thought to be I. The Citrine Tree II. The Palme Tree III. The Myrtle Tree IV. The Willow of the Brooke P Fag in Lev. 23. The Rabbines teach that every man brought every morning his burden of the boughes of these foure Trees otherwise he fasted that day And this burden they termed Hosanna Elias Thisbit Now in allusion hereunto the people here cutting down branches from the trees and strewing them in the way when our Saviour did ride into Ierusalem cryed saying Hosanna to the Sonne of David VERS 16. Iesus saith unto them Vers 16 have ye not read Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected prayse The Papists produce this place to prove Object 1 that prayers which are not vnderstood of the party praying are acceptable unto God and they reason thus young childrens prayers proceeding from the instinct of Gods Spirit be acceptable and so the voices of the like or of other simple folke now in the Church though themselves understand not particularly what they say be marvailous gratefull to CHRIST Rhem. annot Math. 21. § 4. Answ 1 First that all those who pray unto God by the instinct of his holy Spirit are acceptable unto him wee grant but this is as farre from the thing in hand as the Objection is from truth Answ 2 Secondly the children that by the instinct of Gods Spirit cryed in the Temple Hosanna in the highest spake in the Syrian tongues which they understood and also knew that they saluted our Saviour CHRIST as their Messias whose comming they were taught according to the Scripture to looke for although they understood not distinctly all mysteries of Christs office which none of his Apostles did thorowly know at this time Answ 3 Thirdly this is a grosse conclusion The children in the Temple spake in a language which they understood yea uttered those words which in part they understood also Therefore prayers not understood of the party praying are acceptable to CHRIST Object 11 But the Psalmist nameth infants and sucklings that can neither speake nor understand Answ The meaning is not that they prayse God with their mouthes or voyce but that the providence of God to his great praise is manifest out of their mouthes to whom he hath provided meat before they were borne and in that great weakenesse and ignorance taught them to take it for their sustenance and call for it in their crying voyce when they lacke it So that our Saviour CHRIST out of that text reasoneth from the lesse to the greater Jf God ordained
his praise out of infants and sucklings who can neither speake nor understand how much more then out of these who can speake and have some understanding Fulke Vers 19 VERS 19. And when he saw a Figtree in the way he came to it and found nothing thereon but leaves onely and said unto it Let no fruit grow on thee hence forward for ever And presently the fig-tree withered away Wee say that although the Jewish Church be now but like a withered tree yet it shall flourish againe hereafter Object Now against this it is objected CHRIST here cursed this fig-tree which represented the Church of the Jewes and said Never fruit grow upon thee henceforth And therefore it seemes that this tree and that Church shall never flourish againe Answ That Fig-tree which was here accursed by Christ never to beare fruit againe represented the Jewes who lived then and those who shall live till the conversion of the Jewes but when the wrath of God is come upon them to the full as the Apostles speakes then the Lord shall call them and their rod shall flourish againe VERS 22. And all things whatsoever yee shall aske in Prayer Verse 22 beleeving yee shall receive § 1. And all things whatsoever ye shall aske Sect. 1 in prayer Our Saviour in these words doth plainly point out this Observation unto us Observ namely That true and Lawfull prayer never wants his effect How doth the trueth hereof appeare Quest 1 Most evidently from these particulars to wit First from these places of Scripture Answ Psalm 22.24 and 50.15 Iohn 16.24 Iames. 5.16 and Ierem. 29.13 Amos. 5.4 6. Secondly from the trueth of God who is faithfull in all his Promises 1. Thes 5.24 Hebr. 6.10 Thirdly from the ordinance of God it being the meanes appointed by GOD for the obtaining of what wee want Iohn 14.13 and 16 24. and in this verse Fourthly from the mercy of God who is alwayes ready to supply our wants and onely waites untill wee pray Iames. 4.2 Fifthly from the force and efficacy of prayer whereof we spake before Chap. 6. Sixthly from an absurdity which otherwise would follow for if we have no certainty of the hearing of our prayers then we can have no confidence at all For I. Wee have none in heaven or earth to trust unto but onely unto God Psalm 73.25 II. Wee cannot see him for none hath seene him at any time III. Our onely way unto him is by prayer and therefore of all men wee are the most miserable if wee be unsure of his Love to helpe us or that hee will heare us and grant our requests But the contrary that is the assurance of the faithfull to be heard is evident from these places 2. Chronic. 14.7 and 15.2 15. Psalm 118.5 and. 120.1 Esa 38.5 Whence comes it that the prayers of many are Quest 2 not heard Jf we be not heard we must know Answ the reason is because wee pray not lawfully For God is neare unto all those who call upon him faithfully Psal 145.18 But more particularly if our prayers be not heard the reason thereof is one of these either First because wee are wicked and vnbeleevers for the prayers of such are abominable unto him but the prayers of the Righteous are his delight Prov. 15.29 Psalm 145.19 Or Secondly because our requests are not lawfull that is when either I. Wee desire those things which are not good as when we pray for revenge Or II. When we desire those things which stand not with Gods glory neither suite with our good Or III. When we desire those things which are not necessary but superfluous serving for the satisfying of our lusts Psal 50.15 and 120.1 and 116.3 4. and 18.6 Or Thirdly because we are not aright prepared to pray that iâ when either I. Wee pray without any meditation and examination at all not considering and pondering either how we must pray or for what Or II. When we pray with our sinnes upon us and in us as the people did Iosh 7. and. 1. Tim. 28. Or III. When we are not fit to receive such a grace as we pray for as for example we pray for a sight and assurance of the blessed Spirit in our hearts but we must not expect the assurance and apprehension thereof untill we have seriously undertaken to worke out the worke of our salvation yea vntill renovation holy affections zeale and the like graces be wrought in our hearts Or Fourthly because our prayers are not faithfull Here observe that unto a faithfull prayer these things are necessarily required namely I. Selfe-deniall and all selfe-confidence praying onely in the name of Christ Iohn 14 13. And II. A sure confidence and affiance in God that if we aske those things which are agreeable unto his will he will heare us Mark 11.24 Hebr. 10.22 And III. The aide and assistance of the holy Spirit for if we pray in the holy Ghost our prayers shall be heard Iude. 20. Or Fifthly because we begge things peremptorily and not with a subordination to the will of God Or Sixthly because we doe not persevere in our prayers but quickly grow weary And therefore if we desire that our prayers may be alwayes efficacious and fruitfull let us labour I. That our persons may be holy and pure And II. That our requests may be lawfull that is Let us desire First alwayes those things which are good in themselves And Secondly onely those things which may stand with Gods glory and our good And Thirdly onely necessary things And III. That we may be rightly prepared before we pray that is we must First meditate of our wants and the nature of him to whom we pray And Secondly wee must remove from us the Love guilt and pollution of sinne by repentance And Thirdly labour that we may be made vessels of honour that so we may be capable to receive those graces which we crave And IV. Wee must labour that our prayers be faithfull that is not offered up with any hope to bee heard for any merit or worthinesse that is in us but powred forth unto God by the assistance of the Spirit and with a sure confidence to be heard through the merits and mercies of Christ our Lord. And V. Wee must alwayes conclude our requests with a willing submission unto Gods will And VI. We must continue asking till we have received and persevere in prayer untill we have obtained what we want § 2. Beleeving Our Saviour here by shewing that Prayer is to Sect. 2 be offered up in faith may move this quaere What is the proper act of a true lively Quest and justifying faith The proper and principall act of justifying faith is a particular apprehension Answ and application of the free and gracious promises of God in the Gospell which are offered unto the faithfull in Christ the Mediator Now this particular and justifying faith includes in it a generall faith for if a man should doubt in generall of the truth of
may be demanded Why doth the Lord punish transitory Quest and temporary sinnes with perpetuall punishment and eternall condemnation First because man sinnes against God in aeterno Answ 1 suo as long as he lives therefore he shall be punished by God in suo aeterno as long as he lives that is for ever and ever Secondly the staine blot guilt and pollution of Answ 2 sinne is eternall never to be wiped off and therefore the fire and torments of Hell are eternall Thirdly the sinne committed is an offence against Answ 3 an infinite God and therefore the punishment ought to be infinite and that not onely in bitternesse but in duration and continuance also Fourthly man by his sinne and fall lost a good Answ 4 which else would have beene eternall and therefore he hath justly acquired an eternall evill Fifthly the will of wicked men is eternall in evill Answ 5 for they would sinne for ever if they could and therfore it is just with God for ever to punish them Sixthly the principall faculties erre infinitly and Answ 6 therefore deserve infinitly and eternally to be punished For I. When the reasonable faculty prefers a finite thing before an infinite it erres infinitly in judging II. When the concupiscible faculty preferres a finit thing before an infinite it erres infinitely in desiring III. When the irascible faculty preferres a finite thing before an infinite it erres infinitely in adhering And therefore when men in their judgments and affections actions preferre evill before good sinne before grace Earth before Heaven and the Devill before God they erre infinitly and therfore deserve eternally to be punished Seventhly the wicked reprobate can never truly Answ 7 repent him of his sins coÌmitted and therefore God will never change his sentence or their punishmeÌt § 6. Weeping and gnashing of teeth Sect. 6 What are the torments of Hell Quest Intollerable colde and unquenchable heate Answ whence the holy Ghost here mentions Weeping and gnashing of teeth First weeping which comes from the moistnesse of the eyes is occasioned provoked by heat Secondly the gnashing of the teeth comes from cold August de gaud Elect damnat imp Or I. Weeping commeth because of that fire which can never be quenched And II. Gnashing of teeth because of that worme which never dies Or First weeping comes from sorrow And Secondly Gnashing of teeth from fury and rage Bernard Acts 7.54 Quest 2 Why will wicked men thus weepe for sorrow and gnash their teeth for anger and madnesse Answ Because their misery is unspeakeable their condition most miserable their torments intollerable their case deplorable and their paines irremediable For First they live so as alwayes a dying but so die as that they alwayes live And Secondly they which torment and inflict punishment shall never be weary and those who are tormented and punished shall never be killed And Thirdly at the day of Judgement when this weeping and gnashing of teeth shall begin they shall be deprived of all comfort and plunged into the pit of perpetuall paine For I. If they looke below them they shall see Hell which gapes for them II. Jf they looke above them they shall see an angry Judge who frowneth upon them III. If they looke within them they shall see a gnawing worme of conscience IV. Jf they looke without them they shall see the world and Elements on fire And thus nothing remaines for them but a certaine fearefull looking for of Judgement to come Vers 16 17. VERS 16 17. And the Pharisees sent out unto him their Disciples with the Herodians saying Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men Tell us therefore what thinkest thou Is it lawfull to give tribute unto Caesar or not Sect. 1 § 1. We know that thou art true Quest How many good properties of a good Master doe these Disciples observe and confesse to be in CHRIST Answ These three namely First that he is true that is a constant affirmer of truth and a stranger to lyes dissimulation and falsehood And Secondly that he teacheth the way of God in truth they call the Law and the Commandements of God the way of God and they confesse that Christ is a sincere and faithfull interpreter of them And Thirdly that he careth for no man that is as they will expound it that he regardeth not the person of any that is neither of Caesar nor Herod nor the Pharisees nor their Rulers And these are indeed three excellent good properties of a good Preacher and were truly in CHRIST Sect. 2 § 2. And teachest the way of God in truth Quest How manifold is truth and what truth is here meant There is a double truth to wit Answ First Veritas Christi the truth written and of this they speake in this place Thou teachest the way of God in truth Secondly Veritas Christus the truth begotten and of this Christ speaketh John 14.6 I am the truth Now Christ did the former Doctrinally and he was the latter Essentially Squire 2 Thes 2. Page 565. § 3. Thou regardest not the person of any Sect. 3 What is meant by this word Person Quest First sometimes it is taken for quality or estate Answ 1 and thus here Thou regardest no mans Person that is thou respectest not the quality greatnesse place or authority of any Secondly sometimes it is taken for a substance Answ 2 or for a thing subsisting by it selfe Ratione individuâ sed finitâ and thus Angels and men are Persons Thirdly sometimes it is taken for a substance Answ 3 subsisting by it selfe Ratione individuâ sed infinitâ et immensâ and such are the persons in the divine essence which are indeed distinct but cannot be disjoyned because they are of the same nature and essence yea they are the very divine essence it selfe § 4. Is it lawfull to give Tribute to Caesar Sect. 4 J wholly omit the explication and unfolding of this question because if the Reader would see it illustrated to the life and followed home together with the foure following verses let him reade Mr. Weemsè Of the Judiciall Law of Moses Lib. 1. Chap. 13. Page 49. unto Page 54. VERS 19 20 21. And IESVS said Vers 19.20 21. show me the tribute money and they brought unto him a peny And he saith unto them whose is this image and superscription They say unto him Caesars Then saith he unto them Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods § 1. And they brought unto him a Peny Sect. 1 What was this peny Quest This peny was their Tribute money Answ For the better understanding hereof observe That there were two sorts of pence in use among the Jewes namely First the common peny which valued of our money 7. d. ob and of this our Saviour speakes Chapt. 18.28 Secondy the peny of the Sanctuary
reward given to men according to their meede and therefore it is necessary that there should be a Resurrection Iustin Martyr Sect. 2 § 2. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures It is questioned betweene us and the Church of Rome whether the Scriptures be necessary or not and we affirme That they are necessary for the people of God the reading preaching and understanding thereof being the onely ordinary meanes to beget faith in us Argum. And this wee confirme from this place by this Argument That whereby we are kept from errour and doubtfulnesse in matters of faith is necessary but this is performed by the Scripture Therefore it is necessary Here two things are to bee shewed namely First that the Scripture keepeth us from errour this is cleare from these words yee erre not knowing the Scripture where our Saviour shewes that the ignorance of Scripture was the cause of their errour And Secondly if our knowledge were onely builded upon Tradition without Scripture we should then be doubtfull and uncertaine of the truth Thus St. Luke saith in his Preface to Theophilus I have written saith he that thou mightest be certaine of those things whereof thou hast beene instructed Whence wee conclude that although we might know the truth without Scripture as Theophilus did yet we cannot know it certainly without it § 3. But shall be as the Angels Sect. 3 The Papists teach us to pray unto the Saints and that we may be the easilier induced to learne this lesson they assure us That the Saints heare our prayers and because they feare we will not credit this without proofe therefore our learned Countreymen who can draw Quidlibet ex quolibet produce this place for the proofe thereof arguing thus As CHRIST proveth here that in heaven the Saints neither marry nor are married Object because there they shall be as Angels So by the very same reason is proved that Saints may heare our prayers and helpe us be they neare or farre off because the Angels doe so and in every moment are present where they list and neede not to be neere us when they heare or helpe us Rhemist sup § 4. First our Saviour CHRIST speaketh not of the Answ 1 soules departed at this time but after the Resurrection and therefore the Argument is absurd Secondly CHRIST doth not in all points compare Answ 2 the Saints after the Resurrection to Angels for then they should be invisible and without bodies as the Angels are but in that they have no need or use of marriage Thirdly it is false that the Angels may be present Answ 3 in every moment where they list for they cannot be in more places at once then one neither are they where they list but where God appointeth them Fulke Whether are or ought the Saints and faithfull in this life to be like unto the Angels Quest and wherein They should labour to be like the Angels Answ in these things namely First in rejoycing at the conversion of sinners Luke 15. And Secondly in reverencing the divine Majestie like the Angels who cover their faces before him Esa 6.2 And Thirdly in standing ready prest to execute the will of the Lord as the Angels doe Psal 103.20 21. And Fourthly in executing the will of God for the manner as the Angels doe that is with cheerefulnesse with sincerity and without wearinesse VERS 32. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Verse 32 Quest 1 How or in what regards is the Lord called Deus viventium the God of the living Answ 1 First Ratione causalitatis providentiae because he both created all perfect living creatures and also provides for all Now providence hath place onely in those things which have an existence or being in rerum naturá but when God pronounced these words unto Moses Exod. 3.6 the Patriarches were corporally dead and their bodies dissolved and therefore it was necessary that their soules should remaine and be alive Answ 2 Secondly the creature is referred unto God in a reall relation which is not founded but onely in an entity and being and therefore that whose God God is said to be must needs be really something and consequently those Patriarches who were not in regard of their bodies were in regard of their soules Quest 2 How may we prove or conclude the Resurrection of the body from hence Answ 1 First because the reasonable soule being the forme of the body and the substantiall part of man hath alwayes a naturall inclination unto the body neither hath a perfect subsiestnce in it selfe but doth desire to be in man now nature doth nothing in vaine and therefore the soule which for a time is separated from the body shall at last be eternally united and conjoyned unto the body Answ 1 Secondly because the reasonable soule cannot obtaine perfect felicity untill she have reassumed the body in regard of that naturall affection which she hath unto the body And therefore there shal be a Resurrection of the body Quest 3 How can this verse stand with Romans 14.9 For it is said Here God is not the God of the dead but of the living And There CHRIST died that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Answ Our Saviour here denies that God is the God of the dead that is that he will not give grace and glory to those who are corporally dead and shall rise no more and hence he doth evince the Resurrection of the dead by âhis argument Glory cannot be conferred upon dead men as dead men But glory shall be conferred upon Abraham and all the faithfull Therefore they shall not remaine alwayes dead or in an estate of death but shall rise againe at the last Hence the Apostle saith That CHRIST is Lord both of the living and of the dead that is of all the faithfull who either now live or are dead but shall rise at the last day and of dead shall be made living as it is said in the Creed Hee shall judge both the quicke and the dead that is those who now are dead shall live againe at the last day VERS 37.38.39.40 Vers 37 38. c. JESVS said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandement And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets § 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God Sect. 1 Whether can we love the Lord above all things Quest as wee are here enjoyned by nature or by grace We cannot love the Lord above al things by nature Answ and therefore grace is simply necessary thereunto as appeares thus First the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by his holy Spirit Rom. 5. and the fruit of the Spirit is love Galath
our duty in regard of these and other good meanes is to trust him no lesse when we have them then when we want them Iohn 13.15 Now from this Confidence proceeds hope 2 Chron. 20.1 and Isa 8.17 and Psal 27.14 which brings forth spirituall courage which courage consists in these things namely First in spirituall security Psal 3.5 6. And. Secondly in constancy in good things And Thirdly in patience in time of trouble and adversity as 2 Samuel 15.10 11 12. and Iames 5.11 and Hebr. 11.27 Thirdly we ought to have God in our Affections and that I. By loving him as Deuter. 6.5 Luke 10.27 and in this place that as we know and beleeve him to be good yea the chiefest good so wee love him above all and this love is then in truth in us when we love his word and Commandements Iohn 14.15.21.23 Psal 119.55.97 and discover our love in often thinking and speaking of God to his glory Psal 119.55 Acts. 17.28 Iames. 1.17 Malach. 3.16 and by desiring of his presence 2 Tim. 4.8 Psal 27.4 and 422. and by being zealous of his glory above all things and doing his will cheerefully Psal 16.3 and 119.97 â31 Contrary to this love is such a love of our selves and wordly pleasures as causeth us to leave those duties undone which God requireth of us 1 Ioh. 2.15 16. and spirituall slothfulnesse Revelat. 3.15 and inconsiderate zeale Luke 9.54 whereas the true love of God will move us with Moses and Paul to wish our selves accursed rather then that the glory of God should any thing at all be stained by us Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 II. Wee must have God in our Affections by fearing him above all other things because he above all others is most powerfull and just Matth. 10.28 Esa 8.13 Hebr. 12.28 29. Gen. 18.27 Iob. 31.23 Now this feare workes in us a care to approve our selves unto God in all things Proverb 8.13 Gen. 20.11 Rom. 3.18 and is a child-like feare Psal 130.4 Gen. 39.9 and 1 Peter 1.17 Opposites unto this feare are the servile and slavish feare 1 Iohn 4.18 and presumption 2 Samuel 4.5.7 Eccles 11.6 Deuter. 29.19.20 Iude 4. and desperation Gen. 4.13 and 1 Kings 19.4 Acts. 16.27 and 2 Cor. 2.7 Now this good feare of God is then in us when it is strongeâ to move us to good then the feare of men is to keepe us from good or to move us unto evill And when we doe not the good we doe onely or principally for feare of men but of God Now from this good feare proceeds Reverence of the Majesty of God in regard whereof we should carry such holy shamefastnesse in all our actions that no unseemely behaviour proceed from us that may any wayes bee offensive to him This holy Reverence was specially prefigured Deut. 23.12 14. Where men are enjoyned when they would ease themselves to goe without the Hoast and carry a Paddle with them to cover that withall which came from them because saith the Lord I am in the midst of them whereby the impurity and filthinesse of the Mind was forbidden more then of the body and the equity thereof reacheth also unto us Contrary hereunto is irreverence and prophanesse when men regard not how basely vilely and unseemly they behave themselves before God Quest 2 How is the love of God called the first Commandement Answ Because it is the Spring and fountaine of the rest Now it is the Fountaine of the rest in a double regard to wit First because it is the efficient and impulsive cause And Secondly because it is the finall cause or end which the rest propose which is for to declare our love towards God That is the love of God constraines us to obey him Quest 3 Why is the love of God called the great Commandement Answ 1 First because it is the end of all the rest of the Commandements and of our whole Obedience for therfore we ought to doe well unto our Neighbour because we love God and that we may shew our obedience to him thereby Answ 2 Secondly because that is the principall worship for which the Ceremoniall lawes were ordained and so is opposed unto the Ceremoniall worship which was appointed for this Morall law § 4. And the second is like unto it Sect. 4 Why is the love of our Neighbour called the Quest 1 second Commandement First because it containeth the summe of the Answ 1 second Table for if wee love our Neighbour as our selfe wee will neither murther nor hurt him Secondly because the love of our Neighbour Answ 2 must rise out of the first Table even from the love of God How is the second Table like unto the first or Quest 2 Why is it said to be like unto the first First because the second Table of the Morall Answ 1 law as well as the first hath a preheminence and excellency above the Ceremonials and therefore in regard of this dignity and priority it is like unto the first Secondly because the same kind of Punishment Answ 2 even everlasting Death is threatned against every transgression as well of the second as of the first Table Thirdly in regard of the coherence and dependance Answ 3 which the one hath of the other as the cause and the effect for a man cannot love his brother unlesse hee first have the feare of God whose Image he reverenceth in his brother Fourthly in regard of the Law-giuer which was one and the same of both Iames 4.12 And Answ 4 therefore as often as we sinne against our brother we sinne against our Father whose Lawes we transgresse and violate Fifthly the second Table is not like unto the Answ 5 first in order or quantity or dignity But Sixthly in regard of the subject matter or qualities Answ 6 which is Love in both and of the condition which is one in both for a true sincere and perfect Love is required both towards God and our Neighbour And Seventhly because as the Love of God is the Answ 7 head or chiefe of all those things which we owe unto him so the love of our Neighbour is the head of all those things which we owe unto him Here against the words of the text it may be Object 1 objected The second Commandement is like unto the first therefore the first is not the greatest The love of our Neighbour is like unto the love of God Answ because it appertaineth to the Morall worship which is described in the first and second Table The Answers of the former question solve this Objection and therefore I enlarge it not It may be objected againe If the second Table Object 2 be like unto the first then our Neighbour is to be made equall with God and is to be equally worshipped and loved First the love of our Neighbour is like unto Answ 1 the love which we owe unto God in respect of the kinde but unlike in respect of the degree Secondly the love of God and of our neighbour Answ 2
sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds from one end of heaven to the other The Jewes had a Feast called the Feast of Trumpets which differed from other new Moones in this In other new Moones they blowed no Trumpets but in this they blowed from the Sunne rising till night Shinâââin voce ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã What was the reason of this blowing and great noise of Trumpets The reason hereof in generall Quest J take to have beene to make their New-yeares day the more remarkable Answ because from it all their deeds and contracts bore date and their Sabbaticall yeares and Jubiles were cou ted thence But why it should be made remarkable by the sound of Trumpets or Corners there are three conjectures viz. First the Hebrewes thinke it was done in memory of Isaac his deliverance and that they did therefore sound Rams hornes because a Ram was sacrificed instead of him Fag in Levit. 23. Secondly Basil in Psalm 80. is of opinion that the people were hereby put in mind of that day wherein they received the Law in Mount Sinai with blowing of Trumpets Thirdly others thinke it was to put them in remembrance of the Resurrection which shall be with the found of Trumpets according to our Saviours words in this place He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet VERS 36. Vers 36 But of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaven but my Father onely St. Mark 13.32 addes Neither the Sonne of man § 1. But of that day knoweth no man Sect. 1 The Papists say Argum. that Antichrist shall raigne but three yeares and a halfe and shortly after that time the world shal end against which groundlesse opinion we urge this place thus Jf Antichrist should raigne but three yeares and a halfe as our Adversaries teach and that then immediatly the world should end then it is possible to assigne the time of Christs comming to judgement so soone as Antichrist is revealed But our Saviour saith here of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels yet Bellarmine takes upon him to set downe the very day of Christs comming to wit just 45. dayes after the destruction of Antichrist Sect. 2 § 2. No not the Angels nor the Sonne of man Object 1 Some of the Papists have objected this place for the proofe of their Aequivocation Our Saviour said to his Disciples that he himselfe knew not the day of Judgement but his Father onely which by consent of holy Fathers is to be understood that he knew it not ut significaret eis that he would tell them And thus Ambrose Chrysostâme Theophilus and Basil expound it And Garnet at his arraingment objected St. Augustine and wholy depended upon his judgement in the same exposition Answ 1 First we might vie Fathers with the Aequivocator who otherwise expounded these words but forbeare it only reciting the words of their owne Iesuit Maldonate Multi veteres patres Athansa Nazian Gregor Theodor. Cyrillus Autor operis imperfecti in Matth. docuerunt Christum quatenus hominem diem judicii ignorasse that is Many ancient Fathers have taught that as Christ was man he knew not the day oâ judgement Answ 2 Secondly that St. Augustines exposition which Garnât did onely select doâh imply no mentall Aequivocatioâ is amply proved by Bp. Morton in his modest Answerer âart 3. Chap. 11. Page 74 unto which place J referre the Reader because it is something long Answ 3 Thirdly the Papists say that their mentall reservation is then onely requisite when the hearer is incompetent and unfit to understand the clause reserved Now it were senselesse to imagine that the Apostles were not fit to understand or unfit to know that clause for our Saviour else-where saith It is not for you to know the times and seasons Acts 1.7 And why was not that ut vobis significem at this time also seasonable for them to understand Yes doubtlesse if that were the meaning of his words they understood it and then it was no concealed reservation and if it were not his meaning there was no aequivocation Answ 4 Fourthly the purpose of the Aequivocator is by his secret reservation To delude his bearer now this were blasphemy to say that Christ did aequivocate that is delude and deceive his Disciples If the Reader would see this Obj ction further answered let him read Bp. Mort. in his answer to the modest answerer part 3. Chap. 11. Page 75 76. Object 2 The ancient Arrians did frequently object this place to the godly for the proofe of theâr pernicious and blasphemous doctrine that Christ was not God they argued thus God knowes all things Christ knew not all things for he was ignorant of the day of judgement Therefore CHRIST is not God Answ 1 Our Saviour speakes here of his humane nature not of his divine for as he was man he knew not that day and houre but as he was God he knew it Sometimes Christ speakes to his Disciples as man sometimes as God as man he enquires where Lazarus was buried as God he knew it for he had before told his Disciples that Lazarus was dead As man he askes what men thought and said of him as God he knew for he was not ignorant of their very thoughts as is plaine from these Texts Iesus knew their thoughts and why thinke you evill in your hearts and the like Nazianzene answerâ further that Christ speakes Answ 2 this as divers other things for the honour of his Father whom he preferres before men No man and Angels No not the Angels and himselfe Nor the Sonne of man that all men might learne to honour the Father above all and to seeke his glory more then their owne Againe Nazianzene saith That to know signifies Answ 3 sometimes to make knowne or to make others to know and thus he thinkes that CHRIST knew not the day of Judgement that is he knew it himselfe but he would not make it knowne unto them But I conceive with Simler de filio Dei Lib. 2. page 112. a.b. that the first Answer is the truth viz. that Christ knew it as God but not as man How doth it appeare or how may it be proved Quest that âhrist at all knew of this day First Christ is the wisedome of the Father Heb. Answ 1 1. And therefore if the Father know that day and houre which the rrians deny not then he cannot be ignorant thereof Secondly Christ was in the Father and the Father Answ 2 in him Iohn 17.21 And therefore those things which the Father knew the Sonne could not be ignorant of Thirdly Christ knew the Father which of all Answ 3 things is the greatest yea as the Father knew him even so he knew the Father Iohn 10.15 And therefore we must not imagine that he was in regard of his Deity ignorant of the last day Fourthly Christ is the Author of time Iohn
unto the will of God Now what else could cause Christ in this manner to pray against his Cup and crosse but the exceeding feare and feeling of Gods heavie wrath and irefull indignation wherewith he was so amazed at the first and astonished that in his humane weakenesse he was carryed his Divinity now hiding and repressing it selfe to desire the passing of that cup which he was to drinke off for the Redemption of mankind If the Reader desire to see how this is opposed by Feverdentius and his exceptions fully answered I referre him to Dr. W. synops fol. 1096. Obser 4 Fourthly from this example of Christ we may learne that in praying it is lawfull to desire those things which may seeme to be divers from the will of God Thus Moses often prayed for Israel and Christ here for a removall of this Cup. Quest 2 How doth it appeare that we may warrantably pray for those things which seeme divers from Gods revealed will Answ The truth hereof will appeare as cleare as the Sunne to him who shall seriously consider and duly marke these particulars to wit First we know not what Gods secret will is and therefore we may pray against his revealed This we prove from David thus God by his Prophet Nathan had positively said The child shall dye 2 Sam. 12. And yet David prayed for the childs life and is condemned by none for thus praying because he knew not what the Lords secret will was Secondly if it were not lawfull to pray for those things which seeme divers from the revealed will of God then it were not lawfull to pray against afflictions or for the removall of evils for these are the operations of God and testimonies of his revealed will but this is lawfull as is plaine from Iames. 5.13 and Psal 50.15 Thirdly Gods resolution is often hypotheticall or conditionall as is evident from Ezech. 3.17 21. and Amos. 4.12 And therefore we may lawfully pray for those things which seeme divers from the revealed will of God Fourthly God oftentimes seemes to will those things which indeed he willeth not onely to prove us as is evident from Matthew 15.23 24 26. Luke 24.28 Exod. 32.10 Numb 14.10 And therefore we may lawfully pray for those things which seeme to be different from GODS will Fifthly the Lord sometimes seriously changeth his comminations for our prayers as appeares from Gen. 19.21 Esa 38.2 5. Ionah 3.10 Quest 3 Is there any mutation or change in God is not this plainly contradicted by Scripture 1 Sam. 15.29 Iam. 1.17 Answ Jt is most true that in the true internall will of God there is no mutation and change but we speake not of this but of the externall revelations promises and threatnings of God which are conditionall and consequently subject to mutation according to the accomplishment or non-accomplishment of the conditions Deus non mutat voluntatem Sed vult mutationem Greg. Sect. 3 § 3. Not as I will but as thou wilt CHRIST our blessed Saviour in subjecting his will to the will of God may occasion this Quaere Quest 1 To whom is the Will of man subject The Will of man is subject to three superiours namely First it is subject to reason And Secondly it is subject to the Magistrate Answ And Thirdly and above all it is subject unto God And therefore wicked wilfull men are justly punished by all these three And I. They are punished by the sting of conscience because they transgressed against reason And II. They are punished by the Magistrate because they disobeyed him And III. They shall be punished by God who will give them over to the tortments of hell And therefore we had need with our blessed Saviour submit and subject our wils to the will of God CHRIST in thus praying Not as I will Father us as thou wilt would teach us That it is much better for us to give our selves unto the Lord to be directed by him Obser then to draw him to our desires that is if the Lord from heaven should say unto us when we are in any want necessity or distresse choose whether I shall doe unto you as seemes best unto my selfe or as you your selves would and I will doe it we should with our Saviour in the text say Father not as we would but as thou wilt and as seemes best in thy owne eyes Reade for this purpose Matth. 6.10 Luke 1.38 and 1 Peter 4.19 Why must we rather submit our selves to the Quest 2 will of our God then draw him to our desires Or why must we rather desire that the Lords will may be fulfilled in us then our owne wils and desires satisfied First because God is infinite in wisedome but we are fooles neither knowing Answ 1 I. What will come hereafter or what a night or the time to come may bring forth whereas the Lord calleth those things which are not as though they were knowing as perfectly what will be hereafter as what is now Neither II Doe we know what is profitable for us for the present we often praying for those things which are hurtfull for us Matthew 7.9 Iames 4.3 But the Lord knowes what is good and what is evill for us And therefore great reason there is that we should submit our desires and wils to the will and good pleasure of our GOD And Secondly because we are weake in our judgements Answ 2 and of small discretion therefore it is best for us to give our selves unto the Lord to be directed by him As infants and idiotes would exchange a treasure for a toye so we naturally preferre the worst things most and most earnestly desire that which is lesse worth desiring and coveting more for that which seemes good in shew then that which is good indeed like our great Grandfather who solde the earthly parradise for an apple Thirdly because naturally we savour too much Answ 3 of earthly things therefore we ought to submit our wils to the will of God who is wholly divine and heavenly And Fourthly because we are for the most part Answ 4 transported by our passions and led away with our affections as for example I. We are often seduced by Revenge ready to call for fire from heaven when we are injured II. We are sometimes led away with carnall love as Abraham was to Ismael and Samuel to Saul 1 Samuel 16.1 Thus Ieremiah was prohibited to mourne for the people Ierem. 7.16 and yet notwithstanding this prohibition he weepes Chap. 9 1. III. We are sometimes transported too farre with zeale towards our brethren and friends as we see in Ioshua Numb 11.27 and in Iohns Disciples Mark 9.38 Iohn 3.26 But the Lord First is infinite in wisedome and knowes all things And Secondly is infinite in power and can doe all things And Thirdly is infinite in love and cares for his children And Fourthly is infinite in purity contemning earthly things And Fifthly is infinite in prudence and judgement and cannot be mislead or seduced by affection
Antiquity is not alwayes true it may bee said of Old and yet bee false Tertullian saith Quod antiquissimum verissimum Quest 2 that which is most ancient is most true And the Prophet directed by the Spirit of God commands us To seeke and aske for the old pathes where is the good way and walke therin m Ier. 6 16. How then doe we say that Antiquitie is not true We must distinguish betweene a double Antiquity namely Prima the first or Antiquissimum and this we grant according to Tertullian to be verissimum Answ for what is most ancient is most true Secunda the second and this is oftentimes false for thus wee may prove murder from Caine Drunkennesse from Noah ancient religions of the Heathens which were full of superstition yea sacrifices of humane flesh all which are of great antiquity And therefore our Saviour urgeth the Jewes to looke ad primam to the first Antiquity from the beginning it was not thus Matth. 19.8 Quest 3 Why may wee not assent unto Antiquitie although it be not most ancient Answ 1 First because at the best they are but humane authorities and therefore being subject to error we must be very wary how wee subscribe unto them this the Lord admonisheth his people of in these words What is the chaffe to the wheate where the Word of God is compared to wheate and the words or writings of men to chaffe Answ 2 Secondly because truth hath beene revealed unto the world by little and little and not all truths of old time and therefore neither every ancient opinion is true nor every recent tenet false as wee may see by an example or two The Apostle saith The God of this world hath blinded their eyes n 2 Cor. 4.4 Irenaeus Tertullian Augustine yea all before Hierome understood this of the Lord who is blessed for ever but Hierome expounds it of the Divell who is accursed for ever Now the first interpretation is more ancient but the second is more true as all expositors doe now acknowledge Moses saith o Gen. 6.2 The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire c. Iustine Origen Tertullian Philo Iosephus and divers others understood this of the sinne and fall of the Angels but now all agree that by the sonnes of God are meant not the Angels but the posterity of Seth who married with daughters of the posterity of Cain Here also the first opinion is more ancient but the second more true It was a common errour maintained by all before Augustines time that the Angels were created long before the world and he holding that they were created within the six dayes it was called inventum Augustini And yet hee which was later spake more true than those who were long before him Answ 3 Thirdly many of the ancient Fathers were Heretickes and therefore Antiquitie is not alwayes to be assented unto Tertullian and Cyprian were Montanists wherefore Hierome calls them Haeresiarcha Arch-heretickes Irenaeus Iustinus Papias Tertullian Lactantius were Ghiliasts Origen in many things so faulty that although he often doth hit the marke yet where he misseth none roves so far or erres so grossely as he doth In libris doctorum inveniuntur prava Anselmus In the writings of the Ancients are many slips Dum errorem destruunt in alterum incidunt Senensis While the Fathers laboured to avoid one errour they often fell into another Fourthly the ancient Fathers would not Answ 4 have us embrace their opinions except we finde them consonant unto the holy Scriptures And therefore without this tryall Antiquity is not to be our rule Nolo authoritatem meam sequaris Angust epist 112. ad Paulin. I would not have thee to follow my directions or to build thy faith upon my opinions Solis Scripturis canonicis hanc authoritatem timorem c. August epist. 19. but onely respect the authority of the Canonicall Scriptures and regulate both thy opinions and practise thereby May we not build our faith upon the ancient Quest 4 Fathers First the Papists sometimes say absolutely Answ 1 yes thus one of them Greg. a Valent. tom 3. pag. 291. d saith The Protestants in the questions of faith should enquire on what side the Fathers stand that it being knowne immediately without any other examination they might embrace that Doctrine which the Fathers of old judged to be true So another Brist Mot. 14. cries out what the Fathers beleeved I beleeve what they held I hold what they taught I teach what they preached I preach Secondly some of the Papists are not so lavish Answ 2 as these but limit their answer thus that which all the Fathers deliver with one consent is infallibly true and a sure Rocke for us to build our faith upon This seemes reasonable if it were not a stale to deceive us and a meere jugling tricke to bleare our eyes for wee must know what they meane when they say All the Doctors or the Fathers consenting in one are to be assented unto The meaning whereof is not that they know the judgement of all at any time unlesse it be very rare but this is it p Greg. 4 Valent. tom 3. f. 290. They are to be counted All the Doctors whose authority is such that the circumstances of their learning piety and multitude considered they alone may justly be regarded and the rest neglected as no body if they be compared with these And thus one or more Doctors erring may be pressed with the authority of the rest Here wee see one brave device that although they brag of all the Fathers and say they will refuse nothing wherein they all consent yet when it commeth to scanning they have no hope so much as to finde this consent of all but referre it to their owne discretion wisely to judge by circumstances who are all and what the consent is Another brave device of theirs is to give soveraigne authority to the Pope over the Fathers to explain their meaning to allow them dis-allow them purge them and fit them to their purpose If the Reader desire to see this clearly confirmed let him repaire to White his way to the true Church fol. 328. § 11. Thirdly some Papists of as good credit as the former answer this question negatively that they care not what the Fathers say neither doth their authoritie move them at all and therefore they will be sure not to build their faith upon them here first they speake of the workes and writings of the Fathers in generall thus Marsilius q Def. p. 413. saith He will receive whatsoever they bring consonant to the Scripture but what they bring dissonant from it he will reject upon the authority of the Scripture whereto he will leane Turrecremata saith r In c. Sancta Romana d. 15. n. 12. The writings of the Fathers binde us not to beleeve them in all their opinions but we may lawfully contradict them where they speak against the Scripture or
the truth And Possevine saith Å¿ Bibl. select lib. 12. cap. 23. Some things in the Fathers wherein they dissented from the Church are judged and rejected Secondly they reject the Fathers one by one ordinarily when they crosse Romes Doctrine Many examples the Reader may see heereof in our fore-named Authour White pag. 330. § 13. Thirdly the Papists basely slight the Fathers although many of them agree in one and the same thing as for example in the question touching the cause of predestination one t Sixt Senens bib lib. 6. annot 241. saith that Chrysostome Origen Ambrose Hierome Augustine Theodoret Sedulius Theophilact Oecumenius and Theodulus held the prescience of merits the which opinion was condemned in Pelagius And thus he rejects ten Worthies at once Another u Mich. Medin ârig sacr hom li. 1. cap. 5. sayth that Hierome Augustine Ambrose Sedulius Primasius Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius and Theophilact which are the chiefest of the Fathers in the question concerning the difference betweene a Priest and a Bishop held the same opinion which Aerius the Waldenses and Wickliffe did whom he counteth for Heretickes and chargeth the Fathers with the same heresie In the matter touching the baptisme of Constantine the great they v Baron an 324. n. 43. 50. et inde reject Eusebius Ambrose Hierome Theodoret Socrates Sozomen and the whole Councell of Ariminum saying they deserve no credit because not they that is the Fathers have written the truth but themselves that is the Papists have truly related that hee was baptized by Eusebius the Bishop of Nicomedia And thus wee see how the Papists esteeme of the Fathers or their writings when they sute not with their owne Tenets Fourthly the Workes and Writings of the Answ 4 Fathers are purged I should say rather polluted by the Papists and adulterated and corrupted and gelded and changed and therefore wee are not now by any meanes to build our faith upon them I intreat the studious Reader here to peruse Perkinsi Problema pag. 2. c. ad 44. And Censura quorundam Scriptorum Auctore Roberto Coco where he shall finde this answer abundantly confirmed Answ 5 Fifthly the Fathers in many things dissented among themselves and therefore wee cannot build our faith upon them because the foundation of faith ought to bee firme and infallible truth being but one Theophilus calleth Ephiphanius Haerefiarcham the grand Captaine and Father of Heretiques Gennadius saith that Saint Augustine was not farre off from being an Heretique Saint Hierome writing to St. Augustine sayth thus In Epistola tua quaedam haeretica esse judicavi I conceive that there are some hereticall opinions in your Epistle Saint Augustine wisheth Saint Hierome to acknowledge his errour and recant w Jewel Defense of the Apolo f. 37. 8. Sixtly the Fathers have erred in many things and therefore are not firme pillars to build our faith upon This a learned Papist doth acknowledge x âanus loc Thâol l. 7 c. 3. conclus 2. in these words The Canonicall Authors Answ 6 as being directed from above doe alwaies hold a perpetuall and stable constancie in their writings but the Fathers being inferiour unto them faiâe sometimes now and then contrary to the course of nature bringing forth a monster And another of them saith y Anselm Comment in 2. Cor. that in their bookes which the Church readeth many times are found things corrupt and hereticall Thus Hillary denied that Christ in his sufferings had any sorrow Refert Bellarm. de Char. l. 4. c. 8. Clemens Alexandrinus saith that Christ did not eate and drinke of any necessity but onely to shew that he had a true body and that hee and his Apostles after their death preached to the damned in hell and converted many z Strom l 6 and l. 3. Cyprian held rebaptization and Athenagoras condemned marriage Seventhly we Protestants doe not deny the Answ 7 Fathers but receive them with all reverence studying their writings and accounting their bookes as most excellent monuments of antiquitie but wee dare not make them rules of faith in themselves by which doctrines of truth are established but allow the Scriptures onely to be judge whereby wee trie both the Fathers and our selves Faith comes from the word of God not from the writing of men Rom. 10.14 and therefore the word not the Fathers must be the rule of our faith and by the proportion and Analogie of faith and truth therein contained all opinions are to be proved And therefore I thus conclude this question first that the Fathers may erre Secondly that many of them may erre together Thirdly that the learned of this present age in many things have more understanding then the Fathers had we being as Dominicus Bannes a Doctor of the Church of Rome said pag. 58. 59 like châldren standing on the shoulders of Gyants who being lifted up by the tallenesse of the Giants see further then they themselves Fourthly and lastly that therefore with reverence they may in some things be refused § 2. sbalt not kill Sect. 2 How many degrees are there of murther Quest 1 in the text Five namely Answ first Whosoever is angry with his brother by Anger here is meant all the interiour motions in the minde will and heart which are repugnant to brotherly love The second degree is to call our brother Raca that is to use some signes and gestures of an angry and malevolent minde either by the countenance or by some disdainfull words of reproach which breake forth or by some gesture of the body The third degree is to call our brother Foole that is when the mind and affections being throughly moved we breake forth into manifold opprobrious and evill speakings The fourth is when by some deede which externally we performe we harme the body or impaire the health of our brother The fifth and last is Homicide it selfe But of all these more particularly by and by Much might be spoken first of the Antiquity of this law it being given presently after the flood Whosâ sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed a Gen. 9.6 Secondly of the Antiquitie of the breach of this Law it being violated not many yeares after the creation b Gen. 4.11 when Cain killed Abell Thirdly of the generality of this Commandement Every one that takes the sword shall perish with the sword c Matth. 26.52 But I here forbeare referring these to another place Quest 2 What was our Saviours scope in the quoting of this Law Thou shalt not kill To teach them that they did not truely and rigthly understand it Answ expounding it onely according to the letter Quest 3 Why must not the Law be restrained onely to his literall sense Answ 1 First because the words are concise but the sense is prolixe the formes are short for the helpe of memory but the matters therein contained are long and many and that both in the Decalogue and in the Lords prayer and
Papists Many examples might be given of this which I passe by reciting onely one or two Albertus Duke of Franconia having slaine Conrade the Earle of Lotharingia brother to Lewis the fourth then Emperour and finding the Emperours wrath incensed against him for the same betooke himselfe to a strong castle at Bamberge from whence the Emperor neither by force nor policie could remove him for seven yeares space untill Atto the Bishop of Meutz by treacherie delivered him into his hands This Atto under shew of friendship repaired to the castle and gave his faith unto the Earle that if hee would come downe and parle with the Emperour he should safely returne into his hold The Earle mistrusting no fraud went out of the Castle gates with the Bishop towards the Emperour but Atto as it were suddenly remembring himselfe when indeede it was his devised plot desireth to returne backe and dine ere hee went because it was somewhat late so they did and having dined returne The Earle was no sooner come unto the Emperour but hee caused him to bee presently put to death notwithstanding he urged the Bishops oath and promise for his returne for unto that allegation it was answered that his oath was quit by returning back to dine as he had promised him And thus by this craftie perjurie the Earle was betrayed and the treacherous Bishop shortly after killed with a thunderbolt from heaven i Melanct. Chr. lib. 4. Cleomenes King of Lacedemonia making warre upon the Argives surprised them by this subtilty he tooke truce with them for seven dayes and the third night whilst they lay secure and unwarie in their tents by reason of the truce hee oppressed them with a great slaughter saying that the truce was made for dayes onely and not for nights The reason of this perjurie was because hee thought thus to take the city Argos but missed of his purpose for the Argive women being enraged for the death and slaughter of their husbands tooke armes like Amasons Tolesilla being their Captainesse and compassing their citie walles repelled Cleomenes halfe amased with the strangenesse of the sight Aâter this he was banished into Egypt and there miserably and desperately slew himselfe k Campofulgos l. 7. c. 3. I passe by the equivocation of Arrius who subscribing with on oath to the truth of the Articles which were presented unto him meant the Articles which he had secretly hid and conveyed into his bosome which were contrary unto the other for which by and by he voided his entralles easing himselfe and so miserably died These examples should make us feare all false and deceitfull oathes and learne to sweare in truth in judgement and in righteousnesse l Jer. 4.2.2 Why is all perjurie and forswearing and false Quest 8 swearing in generall such an odious sinne both unto God and man that men regard not and God punisheth such as use it First because it overthrowes all policie and Answ 1 trading and commerce no man knowes how to beleeve or deale with that man who makes no conscience of an oath and therefore the Egyptians did punish the purjured person with death because he had broken his faith plighted both with God and man m Diodo sic 1.6 An oath is for the end of controversies n Heb. 6.16 and therefore he who sweares falsely overthrowes the greatest testimonie amongst men Secondly because this prophanes the ordinance Answ 2 of God An oath is a part of Gods worship yea ordained by God for the deciding and ending of brawles and composing of jarres Exod. 22.11 and Numb 5.19 21. And therefore he who makes no account of an oath slights a principall and weighty ordinance of God and kindles the anger of God against hâm for it Lisander the Lacedemonian was wont to say that when the Lyons skin meaning fortitude power and valour would not serve it was needfull then to sowe unto it the Foxes case meaning subtiltie and fraud Yea so little reckoning made hee of forswearing himselfe that hee would often say That children were to bee cousened with trifles and men with oathes But we must take heede of this Maxime for whosoever useth it will finde at last that none is worse cousened by it then himselfe as this Fox Lisander did who warring against the Thebans was taken in a trap and slaine at the foot of their walls o Plutarâh Answ 3 Thirdly because perjurie abuseth the name of God and dishonoureth the Lord of hoasts by calling him to bee a witnesse of a falsehoode and of the perjurie And therefore the Lord will never let it goe unpunished Sect. 2 § 2. Thou shalt performe vnto the Lord thine oathes that is thy vowes Wee see how the Scribes and Pharisees doe here apply periurie to vowes whence two questions may arise What is a lawfull Vow Quest 1 It is a promise made unto God Answ by one who is free and upon mature deliberation whereby hee doth oblige himselfe to doe something which is good and fitting to bee done and in his power to doe and that for some good and religious end How many sorts and kindes of vowes are Quest 2 there Uowes are either of Answ Duety as the promises and vowes made in Baptisme and the Lords Supper and these are not properly Vowes neither agree with the definition expressed in the former question Libertie and Freedome and these are properly called Vowes Answ and are distinguished either According to the Manner of the vow and so they are twofold First absolute for grace given or favour shewed thus David vowed to have a religious care oâ the Arke for Gods care Answ 2 of him p Psal 131.2 Secondly conditionall for the obtaining of grace thus Iacob vowed to give the tenth of his Possessions unto the Lord if hee will bee pleased but to blesse and prosper him in his journey q Gen. 28 20. Thing Vowed And so they consist in a particular observance of our generall duties to wit either 1. In doing that which is good Or 2. In giving good things to others Or 3. In abstaining from sinne and the occasions thereof But of these else-where Vers 34.35 VERSE 34.35 But I say unto you sweare nor at all neither by heaven for it is Gods throne nor by the earth for it is his footstoole neither by Ierusalem for it is the Citie of the great King Sect. 1 § 1. But I say unto you Quest 1 Was not that well sayed which was spoken by the Jewes in the former verse And if so then why doth Christ oppose it or finde fault with it Answ Our Saviour blames them I. Because they taught not the whole truth concerning sweareing II. Because they taxed onely the more grosse kindes of swearing and externall sinnes but did not see the internall and more secrete First Christ here reproves and findes fault with the Scribes and Pharisees because they taught not the whole truth concerning the breach of the third Commandement Quest 2 Why is it
Wherein did the Monkes of old differ from the recent and present Popish Monkes Quest First the ancient Monkes lived solitarily out Answ 1 of meere necessitie that thereby they might be the safer and more secure from the rage of Persecutors But Popish Monkes live cloistered up not in woods and caves but in faire and rich Abbies not for feare of persecution but of paines not out of necessitie but out of sloath and idlenesse Secondly the ancient Monkes were not compelled Answ 2 to give all they had to the poore but the Popish Monkes must vow poverty although their Abbies be rich and well furnished both with riches revenues and provision Answ 3 Thirdly the ancient Monkes were not tied to any certaine rule nor to a Monasticall life by any solemne and perpetuall vow but might have changed that sort of life if they could conveniently and commodiously have lived otherwise But the Popish Monkes are tied to certaine orders and rules taking an oath for the observing of them and making divers solemne and perpetuall Monasticall vowes Answ 4 Fourthly the encient Monkes were Laicks but the present Popish Monkes are of the Clergie if without abuse of the word I may terme them so Answ 5 Fifthly the ancient Monkes did ascribe no merits to their manner of living but to the Popish Monasticall life they attribute the merit of condignity Answ 6 Sixthly the Monasteries of the ancient Monks for the most part were publike Schooles that is common places for learning and teaching But the Popish Monasteries for the most part are places of Gluttony Drunkennesse Idlenesse and all manner of filthinesse If the studious Reader would see the lives and manners of the present Monkes and how they differ from those of old time let him reade Alsted fol. 344. 345. Verse 10 11. VERS 10 11. And hee called the multitude and said unto them Heare and understand Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man Quest 1 What was the occasion of Christs speaking these words unto the multitude Argum. The occasion was this The Pharisees âame the Apostles because they eate with unwashen hands contrary to the Tradition of the Elders verse 2. Christ hereunto gives a double answer viz. First he answers to the Scribes and Pharisees that by their Traditions they have violated the Commandements of God verse 3. Secondly he answers to the multitude in this verse that it is not that which goeth into the mouth which defiles the man but that which commeth out c. Quest 2 How many things are considerable and observable in these words Two things to wit Answ First Invitatio Turbae Christs inviting of the multitude wherein are two particulars viz. I. Quos vocat whom hee calleth the multitude II. Ad quid vocat why hee doth call them namely First Vt audiant that they may heare Secondly Vt intelligant that they may understand Secondly Concio his Sermon wherein are these two parts namely I. Pars negativa the negative part in these words those things which goe into the mouth defile not the man II. Pars affirmativa the affirmative part in these words those things which come out of the mouth defile the man First Quos vocat whom doth Christ here call The multitude What may be observed from these words Tum Quest 3 vocavit turbam then hee called the multitude First From Tum then wee might observe Answ 1 two things namely I. That Christ doth not teach them untill first hee had confuted the adversaries of the truth And II. They being once confuted then by and by hee teacheth and instructeth them Secondly from vocavit hee called we might Answ 2 learne two things to wit I. That hee doth not answer being asked by them but hee calleth them who desired no such thing that they might learne the truth that is the multitude did not first come unto Christ desiring to be informed by him and then hee taught them but without their suing unto him hee invites them to come that they might learne II. That hee calleth the multitude that is all that so the truth may be made manifest unto all and his Apostles freed and quit by all from that aspersion which was cast upon them by the Scribes and Pharisees Thirdly from Turbam the multitude wee Answ 3 may note that Christ sleighting or passing by the proud conceited Pharisees taught the common people Or that Christ rather chose to teach them who were contemned and despised in the world Reade Matt. 11.25 and 1 Cor. 1.26 Secondly Ad quid vocat why doth Christ call the multitude that they may heare where wee see that something is required on their part namely to heare to teach us That if wee desire to know and understand Observ 1 our Masters will wee must use the meanes of hearing Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 and 6.3 For First preaching is the meanes to reconcile people unto God and to bring them by grace unto glory as appeares from 2 Cor. 5.19 20. and 1 Cor. 1.18.21 Rom. 11.6 And therefore this worke is strictly required at the Ministers hands Secondly on peoples behalfe hearing is the meanes to bring them unto knowledge grace faith and Christ Rom. 10.14.17 And therefore as Pastors are commanded to preach so are people to heare and as the one doth not performe his Masters will except hee be diligent and carefull in preaching so neither the other except hee be attentive and industrious in hearing Who are here blame-worthy and faulty Quest 4 First those who neglect hearing for every Answ 1 trifle and triviall occasion Secondly those who are wearie with hearing Answ 2 wishing stil that the Sermon were done Certainly both these are faulty and no wonder if such profit not by that which they doe heare Thirdly those are here guilty who forbid people to heare Our blessed Saviour saith My sheepe heare my voice Iohn 10. But the Popish Priests will neither preach the truth themselves unto their people nor permit those to come who would heare us Matth. 23 13. but directly prohibite them to come to our Church and preaching Here it is worth observing That the Popish Priests doe not forbid their people to keepe our holy daies or to observe our Faires or to come to our Playes Pastimes and Recreations yea they doe not forbid them to marry with us What then only they are forbidden to bee present with us in holy duties and the exercises of Religion namely I. They must not come to our Prayers II. They must not come to our Sermons III. They must not come to our Sacraments And why not Is it because wee herein are erronious No that is not the reason for they themselves say that our Common-prayers are drawne from their Missale and they will confesse that wee often preach the truth and yet they must neither associate us in these prayers nor this preaching What is the cause then that they may bee familiar and associate
themselves with us and yet must not joyne with us in holy duties Certainely the reason is because the devill knowes that this Sunne of the Gospel burnes and that the preaching of the word workes strongly both upon the affections and judgement and therefore hee prohibits all his servants to approach thereunto and perswades them to avoid our prayers and flie our preaching Thirdly Christ calleth the multitude Vt intelligant that they may understand they must not heare for a forme but they must so heare as that they may know and understand what they hear Observ 2 Whence wee learne That wee must prepare our understanding in the hearing of the word of God Or when wee heare wee must labour to understand what wee heare Colos 1.9 and 2.2 Deut. 4 6. Ignorance is the cause both of errours and disobedience whence it is said They rebelled because they knew not my Lawes Psalme 95. and yee erre not knowing the Scriptures Quest 5 Who are here worthy of reproofe and blame Answ The Papists and that for a three-fold cause namely First because they praise Ignorance saying To know nothing is to know all things Hosius Rhemist s 1 Corinth 14. And therefore no wonder if they erre Secondly because they teach an implicite faith that is to beleeve whatsoever the Church beleeves yea if they did not teach this then none would beleeve nor obey their religion who would beleeve them if it were not for this implicite faith who would adore a peece of bread or a stocke or their foolish and ridiculous relikes who would pray to Thomas Becket who would feare Purgatory who would buy their Indulgences at so deare a rate if it were not for this doctrine They say Ignorance is the mother of devotion or rather of rebellion and superstition And hence it is that the Turkes Alcoran forbids all disputations concerning Religion that so the errours thereof may not be knowne and discerned But Thirdly the Papists in some kind are worse then the Turkes for the Alcoran doth forbid disputations concerning Religion but it doth not forbid any to reade it or the lawes contained therein But the Papists forbid men to reade the Scriptures and Law of God although they confesse that they are the true rules of right living and the divine word of God Doctor Staâdish bad take away the damnable Bibles Molanus faith Salubritèr arcentur a lectione Scriptur arum It is for their good meaning the Laitie to be debarred and hindred from reading the Scripture in a knowne tongue An Italian Bishop said to Espencaeus Nostri deâerrentur à studio Scripturarum ne fiant haeretici Wee forbid and fright our people from reading the Scripture lest thereby they should become Heretikes Vide Reynold pag. 41. Thus they But the Apostles contrarily exhort us To let the word dwell plenteously in us Col. 3.16 because it is the best weapon against Sathan Ephes 6.12 yea the fountaine of life and the food of the soule yea the holy Fathers were of this mind also Cognitio non sufficientèr sed abundanter Hier. s Colos 3.16 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Chrys s Col. 3.16 Yea the same Father exhorts men to prepare Bibles at least the New Testament and to invite their neighbours also to reade the Scriptures Chrys hom 9. s Colos And therefore as Ex ungue konem so by this one particular wee may see how these children resemble these Fathers and how unlike they are to them notwithstanding all their bold brags and audacious boasts Quest 6 What is here required of us Answ 1 First in generall wee must so reade and hear that wee may understand what wee reade and heare Secondly more particularly these things are Answ 2 required of us to wit I. Wee must listen unto all that from God is spoken unto us wee must ruminate and ponder all wee heare in our hearts yea wee must apply it unto our hearts and measure our consciences by it II. Wee must lay up carefully what we heare and never suffer it to slip out of our memories III. Wee must labour daily for a more ample measure of knowledge that our understanding may be such that wee may have the body of divinity within us and be able to render a reason of our faith to every one that shall demand it Fourthly the negatiae part of our Saviours Sermon to the multitude is this that those things which goe into the mouth defile not the man What things goe into the mouth Answ 3 First poisoned and infected aire Answ 1 Secondly Pestiferous and obnoxious meat Answ 2 And Thirdly many impure things which doe Answ 3 both pollute and destroy the body And therefore wee must observe that our Saviour speakes not here de Corpere but de homine not of the body but of the Man that is the mind and Spirit Wherefore wee must distinguish of pollution which is either I. Corporall and this is the pollution of the Body Or II. Spirituall which is of the heart and conscience and this is the pollution of the Man Answ 4 Fourthly the meaning therefore of these words That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man is this That meat is nothing at all unto holinesse Hence then we may learne Observ 3 That in the moderate use of Meate their is nei-neither religion nor irreligion neither purity nor impurity Reade these remarkable places 14.17 and 1 Corinth 8.8 and 10.27 and Colos 2.16.20 and 1 Timoth. 4 2. Where the Apostle calleth it a Doctrine of Devills to forbid some meats as unholy because as no meat can make us the holier so none can make us more unholy to the pure all things being pure Titus 1.15 And therefore wee are exhorted to labour that our hearts may be established with grace and not with meats which profit nothing Hebr. 13.9 Quest 8 Who are here faultie Answ The Papists who make a difference of meats eating some upon their fasting dayes as Pure and abstaining from some as polluted that is when they fast they Eate some sorts of meat and think themselves not polluted by them and abstaine from some other sorts as unholy or of that nature that they should be polluted if they let them enter into their mouthes This Tenet being so diametrally opposite to this Truth of Christs I will treat something amply of their Fasts Quest 9 How many things are to bee considered in a Fast Answ I answer that in a Fast many things are to bee considered and observed namely First the law or Precept which is either I. Generall to wit as it was commanded and enjoyned by God both First in the Old Testament as in divers places of Leviticus and Numbers and Ioell 1. and 2. Secondly in the New Testament as Matth. 11.18 and 17.19 and 1 Cor. 7.5 and 9.27 and 2 Cor. 11.27 Acts 13.2.3 and 14.23 O II. The Law of fasting is more particular wherin these foure circumstances are included viz. Quantity quality Dayes and houres which Circumstances are not