True it is That our Saviour said I receive not testimony from man that is I need no mans testimony for John gave witness to Christ no more doth the Scripture in it self For Christ was the light whether John witnessed to it or no so is the Scripture the Word of God whether the Church bee witness or no. But wee admit the Church to give witness but not authority see it in a familiar example A man owes mee money I have a bond and witnesses hee denies it I produce the bond and the witnesses that clear the matter and affirm the bond to bee his act and lawful do these now make the bond true or the debt good or onely clear it so to bee for if they should not witness the debt and bond were true Even such is the witnesse of the Church to the Scripture 2 The voice of the Spouse is inferiour to the voice of the bridegroom and howsoever a man may bee moved by the Church to hear the Scripture if hee bee unconverted as Augustine being a Maniche yet a man indued with Gods Spirit and the gift of faith esteems the Scripture for it self above all the words of all men as Christ himself at length was of far more authority than the woman of Samaria when the men thereof said to her Now wee beleeve not for thy word but because our selves have heard him So as when wee have the Papist asking us as every one of them doth when the Word hath put them to their shifts But how do you know Scripture to bee Scripture but by the Church wee must answer by the Scripture taking with us the help of the Church and especially by the Spirit of God revealing the truth unto us for the sheep of Christ hear his voice and follow him And when wee aske the Papists how they know the Church to bee the Church or where it is some say it is here some there some hold us off with one mark some with another but at last they come to know the Church by Scripture and that is the Church which the Scripture saith is the Church so in all other questions that must bee the determination which the Scripture determines 3 The Church cannot bee judge because it must bee judged by Christs voice and not bee a Law unto it Common-wealths must receive Laws from the Prince and not the Prince from his people and as it is in bodies politick so in the mystical body of Christ And as in the natural body the head ruleth the members not contrarily so is it here 4 How absurd is it to affirm that that which is subject to error must bee judge and superiour to that which is free from it But the Church may erre even the true Catholike Church on Earth may erre and doth when it departeth never so little from the Scripture although it cannot depart from the foundation nor incorrigibly erre for every man may erre and therefore that which consists of every man even the Apostle was compassed with infirmity Besides the main difference between the Church militant and triumphant is that one may erre the other is quite freed from error II. The second judge and decider of controversies appointed by the Church of Rome are the Doctors and Fathers but how corruptly for 1 They consent not among themselves and seldome agree in the same sense 2 They borrow all the light and truth they have from the Scripture as the stars from the Sun 3 All their doctrin must bee judged of by Scripture and only so far received as they agree with it 4 They all present their writings to bee examined by Scripture and so many things in them are truely judged erroneous even in the best of them If I speak let none hear me but if God speak woe to him that hears not It must not go for current This saith Augustine Aug. Epiâ—â— 48. ad Vincent Donatistam or that saith Donate but This saith the Lord. 5 The Interpreter of Scripture must bee divine and infallible as it self is and certain but the Interpretation of Fathers is humane infirm sometime according to passion or contention so as often even by Bellarmines often confession they speak minus cautâ— the best of them wrote Retractations and other things being old than they did being young Seeing therefore there is no stability in Doctors let Christ bee acknowledged of us the chief Doctor of his Church Matth. 23.8 One is your Doctor even Christ III. Their third judge and decider of controversies are Councils which say they is the Church representative but these are as unfit to be Judges of the Scripture as the former For 1 Even the general Councils disagree among themselves in interpreting Scripture as might bee seen in a number of places 2 The Popes Canon Law it self affirmeth that all the Councils except the four general namely the Nicen Anno 332. Ephesius Anno 450. of Chalcedon Greg. lib. 2. Epâ—st 210. Anno 456. and of Constantinople Anno 386. may erre and although it blasphemously equal the four Councils to the four Evangelists yet wee know that even these have erred For that Nicene general Council determined there should be at any case but one Bishop in one City which is against the Scripture Act. 20.28 Philip. 1.1 The twelfth Canon of that Council condemned all kinde of war among Christians The thirteenth Canon holds the necessity of the Eucharist as the necessary viaticum or provision of a Christian at his departure Also it erred in the matter of Ministers marriage stayed by Paphnutius And the Constantinopolitan Council gave all equal honour and authority to the Bishop of Constantinople with the Bishop of Rome which the Papists themselves generally hold to be a great error and yet perhaps was none Aug. lib 2 de baptism contra Donatist c. 3. And the consent of Ancient Fathers is that Plenaria Concilia universal and Oecumenical councills may err be mended by later Councils 3 There was a true sense and interpretation of Scripture in the Church before any of these general Councils The first general Council was the Nicene wherein were three hundred and eighteen Bishops gathered by Constantine the Great against Arrius but this was not till the three hundred twenty eighth year after Christ and was there not all that while the gift of interpreting and judging of Scripture that now we must seek a new means erected so many hundred years after the Apostles 4 The Councils themselves determined by the Scriptures of the Scriptures as the first Nicene general Council where Constantine enjoyned and accordingly they determined all according to Scripture It seems in those daies the Scriptures were above Councils and since Councils and Decrees of men got wings to fly above the Scriptures it was never well as one of themselves speaketh Well may we now say with Nazianzen who therefore avoyded all meetings of Bishops quod nunquam ullius Concilii bonum foelicem exitum vidisset yet he
any true wisdome had it from the Scriptures to which wee must still hold our selves both as the ground as also the judge of consent 4 If any Father or Fathers shall by a common error by word or writing condemn any point of our doctrin without the authority of the Scriptures we will willingly dissent neither do wee give credence to any Doctrin because the Fathers have taught it but because that which they teach is founded in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles 5 Wee cannot hold consent to bee a note of the true Church unless it be in the true doctrin and therefore wee justly blame sundry of the learned Papists who make unity a note of the Church but make no mention of verity at all for the strong man may hold all at peace and unity whilest Paul and Barnabas having the truth may bee at oddes between themselves On which conditions as wee are able to justify our whole Religion by antiquity and consent of the most ancient Churches and Fathers so also hath it been and may bee made as clear as the light that the Doctrin of the Church of Rome wherein they dissent from us is a stranger and novelty never known to the Prophets and Apostles nor the purest Churches after them neither had it ever that which they brag of the consent of the ancient Fathers neither do they consent in it among themselves The force of consent wherein it staâ—deth Secondly Note hence what is the force and work of consent of the Church in Doctrin it is not to work Faith for that is in the next words tyed to the word and witness of the Prophets and Apostles which is called the word of Faith because it is by Gods Ordinance a means to work that Faith by which it self is beleeved but to move the heart and prepare the way to Faith For it cannot bee that any spiritual grace such as faith is can bee wrought by any but super-natural means of which kind no outward â—estimony if it come backed with the voice of all the Churches in the world can bee for all this is but an humane witness simply and in it self considerâ—â— If they say the Churches testimony is a Divine testimony I answer so far as it carrieth with it the agreement of the Scriptures and Holy Ghost speaking therein it may bee said to witnesse a Divine truth And thus in no other respect can the voice of the Church bee called a divine testimony than the preaching and writing of some other teacher in the Church who delivereth nothing but what is agreeable to the Scriptures From this ground it followeth that the doctrin of the Church of Rome is wicked and derogatory to the Glory and Majesty of the Scriptures in that they stifly after conviction avouch and maintain that the authority of the Scriptures depend upon the testimony of the Church some of them blasphemously saying that they have no more credit than Esops Fables further than the Church giveth it unto them which is to say that God must not bee beleeved for himself and as if the Kings word should have no credit or command but from his guard In reading the prophets thou must be led still nearer unto Christ 3 Hence note That in our reading of the Prophets wee must still bee led further unto Christ for as all the Scriptures so the writings of the Prophets were reserved for this purpose and set apart by God to bee the ordinary outward stay and foundation of the faith of the Church And if our Lord Jesus himself whilest hee was yet in the flesh present with his Disciples did for the confirmation of their Faith in his Doctrin Life Death and Resurrection interpret unto them the writings of the Prophets how much more need have we now in his bodily absence to read with diligence these same writings to help us forward being so wavering and staggering in our faith and the attendent graces of it And hereunto answereth that commandement Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures namely Moses and the Prophets that is do not onely procure these writings to your selves nor onely read perfunctorily but diligently and studiously search to finde out the chief scope and matter contained therein which lyeth not in the crust or shell but within in the very bowels of them and this kernel himself in the next words sheweth to bee himself and life eternal through him And why must wee thus search the Scriptures of the Prophets himself rendereth the reason the very ground of our exhortation because they testify of mee This is the natural scope of them to bring men to the acknowledgement of the persons offices and benefits of Christ Thou losest all thy labour in searching the Scriptures if thou searchest any thing but Christ if thou hast not and holdest him not in thine eye if thou givest over searching before thou hast met with him and then thou hast met with him in the Scriptures not when thou Historically knowest something of him which thou didst not know before nor when thou art able to discourse or diâ—pute of deep points of Divinity but when thou commest unto him as the context sheweth when by the quickening of thy faith and repentance thou layest faster hold upon him for life everlasting Alas how few searchers of the Scriptures thus search them to say nothing of them who search them not at all but cast them aside as refuse waters of whom wee may renew the woful complaint of Christ against the Jews who when hee had exhotted them to search the Scriptures presently addeth But ye will not come to me that ye might have life Joh. 5.40 The second point is The scope of all the Prophets witnesse and this is to bring men to beleeve in the name of the Son of God which is by faith to receive Christ as hee hath described and propounded himself in the Word and Promises of the Gospel For although the Apostle might sooner have said that whosoever beleeve in him yet hee useth this phrase rather of beleeving in his Name thereby secretly to refer us unto the word of the Prophets and Apostles which testify of no other name to bee saved by but onely the name of the Lord Jesus For our better clearing of this point wee will consider 1 What this saith is 2 The benefit of it 3 The marks and signs of it 4 The use First What this Faith is It is a supernatural gift whereby every beleever apprehendeth and applyeth unto himself Christ and all his merits unto salvation Faith what it is I say it is a gift nay the Scripture saith that it is the gift of God Phil. 1.29 and it is given you to beleeve as also to suffer And that it is supernatural all the commandements wee have to beleeve plainly evince for were it natural we should need no commandement to do it Further it is such a gift Opera naturalia non indigent pâ—aecepto as whereby wee
our own justification out of the deep with David yea out of the Whales belly with Jonah and in darkness with Job to see light 2 To see things invisible to make things absent present yea God absent present and to set him continually at the right hand Moses feared not the wrath of the King because he saw him that was invisible Heb. 11.17 Elisha being in Dothan feared nothing when his servant cryed out because his eyes were open to see the Angels as fiery Chariots protecting him 3 Faith is never so working as in perillous times because then there is most need most use of it then it sets it self a work and mingles it self with the promises of God by which it quickens and puts life unto a man when he is half dead as Psal 119.49 Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickned me Now it bestirres it self to make Gods faithfulness and truth his shield and buckler Notable is that example of the three Children Dan. 3.16 17. who were in present danger of their lives and cast into an hot Furnace In this danger now their faith bestirres it to provide for their safety not by any yeelding or blanching or buckling to the unjust command but by furnishing their mouthes with a resolute answer Be it known unto thee O King that wee will not worship this Image and by preparing their hearts through their confidence in God who was able to deliver them rather to yeeld themselves to the fire and raging flames than to any part of that commandement And were faith and Gods fear working in the heart it would destroy false fears and infidelity which Satan prevaileth in mightily causing men to seek help by unlawful means if the lawful bee never so little set out of sight Command these stones to be made bread Here is an inference upon the former words If thou be the Son of God upon a true ground Satan raiseth a dangerous consequence Christ was the Son of God true Must he therefore needs make stones bread Satan inferteth mischievous conclusions upon true premises Doct. It is an ordinary temptation of the Devil to inferre mischievous conclusions upon true premises God had no respect to Cains Sacrifice as to Abels Whereas now Cain should have offered of the best as Abel did and have brought faith with his offering by which Abel offered a better Sacrifice Heb. 11.4 Satan inferres upon it Therefore kill thy brother Saul received no answer of God that was true but that therefore he should goe to the Witch of Endor was Satans inference both against the Law of God and Sauls own law God is a merciful God a true premise and the scope of all the Scripture but that Jonah should therefore fly to Tarshish and not goe to preach the destruction of Ninivie was a Satanical inference A man must pity himself and doe what he can to repel evil from him and avoyd danger but that Christ should therefore not goe up to Jerusalem to suffer was a dangerous consequence of Satan in Peters mouth whom therefore Christ calleth Satan Reasons 1 Satan is cunning and seeketh by mingling good and evil truth and falshood to justifie that which is false and to draw it on with the truth If hee should never speak truth he could never deceive half so much therefore hee speaks many truthes to give credit to his lyes and the same hee hath taught all his agents Do we think that a false teacher or heretick could doe any great hurt if he should not lay his leaven in a lump of truth would not every man at first reject him if he should bring never a true doctrin but therefore that his heresie may spread like a gangrene he comes with a fair pretence of many truthes which cannot be denied Doe wee think that the Church of Rome should have so prevailed in the world or that Antichristian state should have been endured or could any Papist bee suffered in ours or any well-ordered Country if they did not colour all their abominations and false religion with some general truths if they should not in word and shew hold and recite the Articles of faith and principles of our religion concerning God in unity of essence and trinity of persons concerning Christ the Church c. were it possible that any Christian state could bear them while indeed and in truth they reverse the whole foundation of religion and are limbs of Antichrist No their deceit is a mystery and walks in darkness and the mask and vizards of truth with pretence of holiness hath held the Swords of Princes from them which else had long since been sanctified in their overthrow 2 Satan can doe no other who cannot speak truth for truths sake for being a Lyar from the beginning he loves not truth and therefore if hee speak truth it is to corrupt the truth or to stablish some lye Lying is the Devils mother tongue Joh. 8. 1 Sam. 28.17 18. Lying the Devils mother tongue Satan in the habit of Samuel spake many truths as that the Lord had rent the Kingdom from him and given it to David because he had so spoken hee would doe it and because Saul obeyed not the voyce of the Lord nor executed his fierce wrath against the Amalekites and that the Lord would deliver him and the Israelites into the hand of the Philistims the next day c. But all this was to feed Saul in his delusion and hold him in his sin as though he were Samuel as vers 17. the Lord hath done it even as he spake by mine hand and vers 19. to morrow shalt thou be with me c. So in the New Testament we have the Devils confessing Christ to be the Son of God the Holy One the sum of the Gospel and Paul and Silas to be the servants of the high God Act. 16. but both Christ and his servants put them to silence and would not have them to speak the truth because it was to deprave and slander the whole truth as though Christ and his servants had been in league and agreement with the Devils and so their doctrin had been not Divine but Diabolical Thus Satan like a Bargeman looks one way but â—owes another 3 Satan sees how our nature is easily carried away through a general shew of good or truth to take in with it error and falshood hand over head without trial or discerning For though our blessed Saviour would not confound stones and bread yet we easily take stones with bread and Serpents with Fishes The whole Masse-book is but an heap of Idolatrous prayers and Ceremonies but yet because there is some shew of good in it many Scriptures and some tolerable and good prayers with many devotions it is wholly received without trial of millions given over to delusion 4 Satan the Prince of darkness can transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 and
he hath told thee thou shalt meet him And this desire if it bee sincere will vent it self in earnest prayer to be taught of God Teach me thy statutes O open mine eyes that I may see the wonderful things of thy Law And it hath a promise to bee answered Joh. 14.21 I will love him and shew my own self to him 3 Hee must have a conscionable indeavour and industry to obey that part of Gods will which he revealeth unto him Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrin be from God or no. III. The third part in the answer is the matter of it a testimony of Scripture It is written Christ might have oppressed the Devil by his Divine power but being as man to be tempted he would as man overcome 1 To magnifie mans nature 2 To torment Satan the more and 3 To teach us how to overcome him And by this his practice he gives to understand that Doct. 1. The Word is a principal weapon of our Spiritual warfare Reasons The word written is a chief part of our spiritual armour to foyl Satan by yea indeed the principal weapon of our spiritual warfare is the VVord of God 1 Ephes 6.17 Take unto you the sword of the Spirit which is the VVord of God and therefore as a sword it serves 1 To defend us 2 To wound Satan 3 To cut asunder all his temptations so it did serve Christ here Neither is it a Carnal weapon but the sword of the Spirit that is a Spiritual weapon as the fight is spiritual not made by man but tempered framed sharpned and put into our hands by the Spirit of God himself for whose VVord else is it or whence hath it power but from Gods Spirit Revel 1.16 It is called the two-edged sword which goeth out of the mouth of Christ because it is sharp and piercing to wound all his enemies it pierceth to the very bones and marrow VVith this sword he slayes the wicked Isa 11.4 with this he visits Leviathan and slayes the Dragon that is the mightiest enemies of his Church Isa 27.1 with this sword he consumes Antichrist 2 Thess 2.8 and with this sword he soyls the Devil here with the same he slayes corruptions and Satanical temptations in the hearts of his own children 2 This part of our armour was signified by the Shields wherewith Salomons Temple was hanged Cant. 4.4 and by the smooth stones whereby David smote the Phitistâ—m 1 Sam. 17.40 here the Sons of David and Davids Lord smites the Goliah of Hell with a deadly wound Sauls Armour is here refused worldly weapons wisdome and subtlety and one stone is taken from the fountaines of holy Scripture out of the bag of his holy memory and by it Satan falls Yea it is the armory of the Church whence all other parts of Christian armour are to bee had 3 All the contention and fight of Satan is to fasten some error and falsehood upon us now therefore the onely fence from error is to bee girded with the girdle of truth now the title of truth is often given to the word of God Psal 19.10 The judgements of the Lord are truth and Joh. 17.17 Thy Word is truth to shew that so long as wee hold to the word wee are sufficiently armed against all falshood and error both in judgement and practice And the like may bee concluded from that it is called light discovering and chasing before it all mists and darkness The word a compleat armour 4 The Word is a compleat armour covers every part of the soul gives fence and direction to the minde understanding memory thoughts all the affections and all the faculties of the soul it covers every part and member of the body teacheth the eye to look the ear to hear the tongue to speak the feet to walk It directs us in all our conversation and actions of life towards God and men even to all conditions of men superiours equals inferiours poor and rich further it guideth us in all conditions of life in all times in all places in all ages prescribing rules to children and men young and old in all exercise and use of things indifferent as meat drink apparel recreation in a word in all things concerning this life or the life to come So as here is a sufficient defence for all occasions 5 Never did any man receive any hurt from Satan or his own corruptions or from this evil world but either because hee did not draw out this sword or did not â—ightly use it What other was the cause of the deadly wound of our first Parents and ours in them but that they drew not out this sword of Gods word but suffered the Serpent to wring it out of their hands How could Peter have been so greivously wounded in the High Priests Hall but that hee forgat the word of Christ which had admonished him of it the power of which was such as it healed his wound as easily as it had done Malcus his ear which hee had struck off and therefore wanted no power to have preserved him if he had remembred it What a fearful wound befell Lots wife because shee cast off this armour and forgate the Word charging her shee should not look back The like of Solomon all his wisdome could not sence him if hee cast off the word of God which had charged him not to meddle with out-landish wives but neglecting that must fall by them Vse 1. This is a confutation of Romish Teachers who disarm men of the Scriptures and wring this special weapon out of the peoples hands Papists by suppressing the scriptures wâ—ing the weapon out of mens hands common people may not have the Scripture in their vulgar tongue for this saith Harding is heretical But this place is sufficient to prove the contrary whence I conclude thus The weapons whereby people are senced from Satans temptations are not to bee taken from them but the scriptures are the weapons of defence against Satans temptations and again if all the common people bee assaulted and wounded and all have to do with Satan then all have need of this fence and cover against this most capital and deadly enemy But the assault is made against all and Satan seeks without exception whom hee may devour and therefore all without exception need the fence of the Scriptures And further whosoever turn the people naked unto all Satans temptations and disarm them so as they cannot but bee overcome are guilty of all the wickedness of the people to which Satan draws them and also of their destruction unto which they be drawn But Popish Teachers by destituting the people of the Scriptures turn them naked into temptation and disarm them and therefore are guilty of their sin and damnation But this practice of theirs is 1 Against the Scriptures This practise 1 against the scriptures for God would therefore have the scriptures written and commended to men in
Parents 1 Cor. 7.14 In communion in one kind 6 If they will administer the Communion but in one kinde Against this their sacrilegious practice wee have Christs institution and the example of the Apostles besides the Primitive Church Vse 3. This mighty effect of the Word in the right use of it shews the Scriptures to bee of God and the authority of God and not of man as the Papists teach us not of the Church of Fathers Counsels Popes in Peters fictitious chair or the company of Cardinals What writing of man can have authority over mens consciences as Gods Word hath Or who will beleeve the Church that will not beleeve the Scripture Is not the Word Truth and all men lyars and subject to error Now shall that which is not subject to error bee subject to that which is subject to error Vse 4. Whatsoever writing doth indeed confirm error is not Canonical Scripture for this confutes all error in practice and in judgement therefore Apocryphal Books are not Canonical and divine Scripture 1 because in every of them there is some repugnance to the Scripture 2 because they were not written by any Prophet nor in Hebrew not 3 given to the Jews as Gods Oracles as all the Old Testament was Rom. 3.1 2. 4 because Christ and the Apostles cited not any of them This I speak not against the books which contain in them many good Morals and in my judgement mâ—â—â— of all humane Histories bee best used but against the Papists who would thrust upon us Invocation of Saints and Prayer for the dead c. from their authority Vse 5. See hence the Reason why Satan and all his instruments were ever enemies to the true Preaching and professing of the Word namely because in the right use it is the onely hammer of the Kingdome of darkness Hee storms not at frothy and foolish delivery or at professors that are loose and ungirt and can take liberty for any thing they list Onely faithful Preachers and Professors that rightly preach and profess bear the burden of Satans and the Worlds malice Christs innocency and the Apostles power could not fence them from it Use 6. Lastly acknowledge it a singular priviledge of the Church so beset with enemies to have so sufficient and perfect a word 1 written that all men might have the benefit of it 2 Preached and rightly divided according to every mans particular necessity It is a great comfort that poor as well as rich base as well as noble have a share in it in an equal large manner The chief priviledge of the Church of the Jews was to keep Gods word in the letter Psal 147.19 20. and Rom. 3.2 but it will bee our preheminence above them if wee lock up the true sence of it in our hearts Job 22.22 and Prov. 22. It is a sure stay and a shield to them that walk uprightly No theef nor robber can steal it no it cannot bee taken away with our lives It is Maries good part which was never taken from her neither can bee from us being a perpetual freehold IV. Now followeth the fourth thing in this allegation of Christ to wit the parts of the Divine testimony 1 Negative Man lives not by bread only 2 Affirmative But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God First Of the sence of the negative part Man that is a meer common and ordinary man and much less I that am the Son of God Liveth not that is preserveth not the natural life of his body By bread is meant all necessary and ordinary means of meat drink rest sleep physick recreation for so it is also used in the fourth petition of the Lords prayer Onely here bread is not opposed to other means of sustenance as flesh fish c. but to Gods blessing without which it cannot sustain our bodies But by every word that is every thing a common Hebraisme verbum for â—es and more specially for the decree and ordinance of God appointed to sustain man so the words following imply That commeth out of the mouth of God that is whatsoever God hath decreeed commanded or promised that it shall preserve life Now the sum of Christs answer in more words is this Thou sayest I must now have bread to satisfy my hungry or else I cannot live but thou speakest like thy self If my Fathers word bee to sustain mee without this means I shall live thereby without bread my Father is not tyed to ordinary means for preserving of life who is all-sufficient and Almighty and doth what and how hee will And this cannot bee doubted of seeing it is written in Deut. 8.3 by Moses that when the Israelites were in the wilderness as I am hungry and having nothing to eat no more than I have hee fed them with MAN forty years to teach them that man liveth not by bread onely for they had none but by every word and means which himself appointed Besides if I should distrust my Fathers providence and turn all these stones into bread yet if his word come not to give vertue and life unto them all this would not help all this bread would bee no better than stones as it was before And therefore I will still expect his word and not turn stones into bread at thine The negative part affordeth us this lesson that Doct. Outward and ordinary means are not of themselves sufficient to sustain and preserve the life of man Luke 12.15 mans life standeth not in abundance Outward means not sufficient to sustain the life of man If wee make an induction of all the chief means either of the being or well being of mans life wee shall easily see their insufficiency 1 Bread is a special means appointed to strengthen the heart Psal 104.15 1 Bread but yet there is a staft of bread which is another thing than bread and this being broken wee shall not bee strengthened but fade in the middest of bread Hence is the sentence accomplished against many Lev. 26.26 Ye shall eat and not hee satisfied The Lord gave the Israelites Quails in the wildernesse enough to maintain six hundred thousand footmen for many daies but a secret poison was in it that the more they had the more they dyed as of an exceeding great plague so as the place was called the graves of lusting Numb 11.33 Yea although our bread did not grow out of the earth but fell from heaven as Mannah did yet our Saviour saith Job 6.49 Your Fathers did eat Mannah in the wildernesse and are dead 2 Clothes are a special means to preserve a man in natural heat 1 Clâ—thes but yet raiment of it self cannot keep him warm Hag. 1.6 Ye clothe you but yee bee not warm and of David in his age it is said that they covered him with clothes but no heat came to him 1 King 1.1 3 Physick 3 Physick is a remedy appointed by God to regain health and strength distempered or decayed but Asa
ryotous and ungracious courses to the destruction of themselves and others Nay as our Saviour said of Judas it had been good for him hee had never been born so may we say of numbers of graceless persons better they had never seen the Sun or enjoyed life than so to have consumed their lives in the service of sin and Satans temptations Vse 5. Lastly If we live by every word of God then let us be thankful to God for our lives and for his word of blessing upon the means and seeing our lives hang upon his word to prolong them or cut off the thread of them we must labour to live to him and his glory It becometh the just to be thankful A great unthankfulness were it to rebel against him by whom we hold our lives and all the comfort of them See we not how those that hold Land in Copy are willingly bound to sute and service to the Lord who is often but a mean man The Sidonians would not warre against Herod because they were nourished by his Land and shall we be in warre against our Lord by whose hand and word we live move and have our being And even this thanksgiving is his gift also for as the matter which so the grace by which wee are thankful is all from him so as we must depend on him both for blessings and for grace to be thankful Vers 5. Then the Devil took him up into the holy City and set him on a pinacle of the Temple 6. And said unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written c. WE come now to set down and expound by the assistance of God the second on-set of the Devil upon the Son of God by a violent and hellish temptation nothing inferiour to the former in the furious malicious and cunning contriving of it In the entrance whereof we must remove one rubb by the way concerning the order of this temptation wherein the Evangelists seem not to agree among themselves for whereas St. Matthew makes this the second St. Luke makes it the last and puts the last in St. Matthew into the second place And herein some learned men have stumbled and have devised simple shifts to reconcile the two Evangelists Some think that they write not the same History nor of the same temptations but of temptations urged at sundry times These are confuted by the very matter phrases and words which are in both the same and need no other conviction Others think and they of the learned Papists that in some ancient Books St. Luke observes the same order in the temptations with St. Matthew and that the difference crept in by the heedlesness of some Writer which is a needless devise of them who strive to prove the Canonical Scripture to bee corrupted in their Fountains that so their corrupt Latine Translation may prevail but both impeaching the watchfulness and care of God over the Scriptures as also the diligence and faithfulness of the Church which is pretended to suffer her self wholly to be abused by the carelesness or unfaithfulness of some one Scribe But the truth is that it doth no whit prejudice the truth of the Evangelical story that the Evangelists doe not stand so much upon order where it is not so necessary as upon the matter and the things themselves done which they faithfully report and in which they joyntly accord and agree as oftentimes they stand not upon words nor sometimes upon sentences but one delivers the same fact in one style of speech another in another form but so as one is so far from crossing another as he giveth thereby more light and certainty unto the other Quest But whether of these observed the right order as the temptations were passed Ans I am out of doubt that Matthew sets down the right order as they were done 1 Because he passeth his story by such particles as imply an orderly consequent as Then the Devil took him then he took him again then the Devil left him c. whereas Luke used the particle and in his passages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which noteth no certain order as the former doth his care was to relate the whole matter but was not so accurate for order 2 The coherence and dependance of this second temptation with the former shews that Matthew observeth the right method for Christ having by a testimony of Scripture confirmed himself in the confidence and trust in his Father Satan immediately seeks to make his advantage of Christs words and seeing hee will needs trust his Father he would have him trust him too much If hee need no bread being hungry he needs no stairs to goe down from the pinacle of the Temple the last temptation doth not so fitly cohere with the former as this second doth 3 After Christ had bidden Satan avoyd Matthew adds Then the Devil left him as being obedient to his word plainly shewing that that was the last temptation Luke hath it not in such dependance but thus And when the Devil had ended all the tentation he departed In the Combate note two generals 1 The preparation to it 2 The temptation it self The preparation containeth such necessary circumstances as by which the temptation might more easily prevail as 1 the time Then 2 The place first general the holy City secondly special a pinacle of the Temple 3 The manner how Christ was conveyed thither The Devil took him up and set him on the pinacle The temptation consists 1 Of the assault 2 Of the repulse The assault hath three things 1 The ground of it If thou be the Son of God 2 The scope or aim namely the sin or sins to which hee was tempted Cast thy self down 3 The argument or perswasion to enforce it For it as written He shall give his Angels charge over thee c. The repulse of our Saviour is by another testimony of Scripture not contrary to that which Satan alleadged but expounding it that he might in the right sense of it sence and secure himself from the temptation as after we shall see First of the preparation Then This particle shews not only the time of this temptation but also the order as I noted Satan having no success in the former renews his assault and would assay another way Hee had been kindly and gently used of Christ who had answered him courteously nay he had convinced him by Scripture that hee had nothing to say against it and yet he goes on in his malice as though he had had both great provocation and advantage Whence Doct. Note the property of wicked men ruled by Satan who by no means can be brought to lay off their malice towards Gods children Deal gently with them they are like Nettles the softlier toucht the sharper they sting Deal plainly with them and convince their consciences by the word that they have nothing to say for themselves yet being convinced they give not over no more than
dangerous and near of kin to obstinacy For till the truth of God come to his place again in the conscience it wil stiffen it self in error even to the death So as by this stratagem Satan usurps the conscience which is Gods right and so leads men at his pleasure 2 His malice sets him clean contrary to God in his proceedings God hath given his Scripture to save men by and therefore it is called a word of salvation now Satan would herein cross the Lord in perverting the word to mens condemnation The Scripture is in the Church as a Law to the Common-wealth to contain men in the compass of faith and godly life whence it is called Statutes and precepts and judgements But Satan seeks to enforce it as a Law to thrust men from faith and obedience The Scripture is a word of truth of holiness of wisdom every way resembling God the Author Satan therefore being the greatest enemy to Gods Image is the greatest enemy to the Scriptures and desireth to pervert them by establishing by them Errours Heresies false Doctrins wicked and foolish opinions and practices 3 His subtilty and policy is not inferiour to his malice for 1 He hath a special slight and trick of his own by pretending truth to impugn it and with Scripture to fight against Scripture which hee hath taught his special Factors Hereticks and Seducers for why else did Christ forbid the Devil to witness to him but that even that truth he speaks ever tends to destroy the truth And in the text why cites he the truth but to draw Christ into an error 2 He will gain to himself some credit by this practice for seeing speeches and testimonies depend much upon the credit of the speaker by his quoting of Scripture he would be taken as if the truth of Scripture depended upon or needed his witness 4 Satan must doe thus if hee will prevail against Christ or his Servants for Scripture in the true sense of it is no patron of sin nor ever stands on the Devils side Use Of all temptations beware most of them which come armed with Scripture for hardlier can wee espy the subtilty and danger of these than those which are directly against the Scripture And by temptations of this kind Satan mightily prevaileth in points both of doctrin and practice which it shall not be amiss to give some taste of and in both wee shall observe how Satan doth not so much use as abuse Scripture I. In matters of doctrin 1 For the establishing of the Head-ship of the Church in the Pope the ordinary Papists have found a Scripture in Joh. 21.16 where Christ saith Feed my sheep I answer First that place speaks not of any Head-ship or Spiritual government but of feeding by the Word and Sacraments which the Pope never doth Secondly it is a commandement not given to Peter alone but to all the Apostles who were equally Apostles with him but applied to Peter specially not to note any Primacy but secretly to check him for his three-fold denial whereby he made himself unworthy to be a Disciple Obj. But Peter saith he hath two swords and therefore the Pope hath both Spiritual and Temporal jurisdiction Sol. This is a place of Satans alleadging when that which is spoken literally is wrested into a figurative sense And where Peter is commanded Act. 10.13 to kill and eat the Pope may kill and slay and eat up whom he will or can Prince with people But this is a place literally to be taken and one part of the argument hangs with another as the dream of a sick man for the Pope if he be Peters Successor must feed the sheep nor feed on them But Bellarmine who would make the world beleeve his wit is thinner hath devised a farre more sufficient place 1 Pet. 2.6 Behold I put in Sion a chief corner stone elect and precious that is the Pope In his Preface to the Controversie De Rom. Pontif. and lib. 4. cap. 5. But what may wee think to reap from him that dares begin his Controversie with so high a blasphemy and lest wee should think it fell inconsiderately from him he takes it up again For doth not both Paul and Peter teach that this stone can be meant of none but of Christ doth not both of them adde He that beleeveth in him shall not bee ashamed must we now beleeve in the Pope And who is this living stone that gives life to all that are built upon him besides Christ himself None can arrogate it to himself or attribute it to another without high blasphemy Therefore I conclude this point boldly affirming that the Devil could not more impiously abuse this place than hath blasphemous Bellarmine 2 For the point of Justification by Works is alleadged that place of James 2.21 wherein they adde unto the text 1 A false gloss by works of the Law 2 A false distinction saying that they justify as causes whereas we grant that as effects they justify that is declare a man to bee justified So did Abrahams works declare him to be just and this is not the justification of the person which is onely by faith but of the faith of the person which is manifestly dead without them 3 In that great sacramentary controversy they alledge This is my body wherein Satan hath taught them to abuse Scripture in taking that literally which is figuratively spoken as often to writhe that into a figure which is spoken literally and whereas they exclaim against us for denying the words of Christ as Hereticks wee are far from denying Christs words but disclaim their false meaning which destroies the Scripture seeing Scripture stands not in words but in sense 4 To establish the false Doctrin of Free-will they furnish themselves with that place in Jer. 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is But what do they else but imitate the Devil in cutting off that part of the Text which makes against them for in the next verse it followeth The heart of man is deceitful above all things who can know it shewing that man in himself is utterly destitute of all grace 5 For the Jesuitical trick of equivocation or mental reservation they have Scripture and Example Joh. 1.21 they asked John if hee were a Prophet hee said No whereas he was one for Zachary called him the Prophet of the Highest and Christ said that there was not a greater Prophet than John therefore John equivocated Answ Whatsoever was the true meaning of the Question that John answered plainly unto If they meant to ask him if hee were that singular Prophet whom they fancied to come together with their Messiah hee truely answered No. If hee were any of the ancient Prophets who were long before Christ hee truely answered in that sense No. If hee were a Prophet by his proper office hee truely answered no. For howsoever he was by grace and power a Prophet being sent of God to
He was an eminent type of our Jesus or Joshua whose voyce speaking in the Scripture the Book of the Law we must attend unto in all things Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures and our Saviour said to the Sadduces Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures plainly affirming that the Scriptures rightly known were a sufficient fence from all errour Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Matth. 19.4 Christ by Scripture refuted the Pharisees abuse of that Scripture of Moses for putting away their wives Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony 1 This is true by reason of the perfection of the Scripture Psal 19.7 Reasons The Law of God is perfect so perfect as man and Angel are accursed that shall adde unto it Prov. 30.5 6. Every word of God is pure a shield to those that trust in him put nothing unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar It is a perfect Canon or rule which as a straight line shews the crookedness of that which is not strait It is a touch-stone and trial of all truths It is a perfect Law which is an universal Judgement to direct all and for all to bee led by which live under it It is perfect in the effect 2 Tim. 3.16 It is profitable to teach to improve to correct and instruct in righteousness and to make the man of God perfect Obj. The Apostle saith it is profitable but not that it is sufficient alone Ans We say not it is therefore sufficient because he saith it is profitable but because it is profitable for all purposes of teaching improving and makeing the man of God perfect therefore it is sufficient and perfect 2 In the Scripture we have the voyce of God speaking from Heaven than which voyce no voyce of man or Angel can be more clear or manifest Prov. 2. â— Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding His wisdom in the Scripture is above Salomons in answering all dark and deep questions and no caâ—e can be propounded which hath not there his satisfaction and determination Object But the Scriptures are a dumbe Judge and cannot determine Controversies Ans 1. We give earthly Kings leave to give definitive sentence and judgment in cases by their writing by which numbers who never heard their voyce but read the writing understand their meaning and shall we now call them â—â—mb Judges or shall we deny this priviledge to the King of glory to determine by writing but wee must blasphemously account him a dumb Judge 2 The Scriptures are not a dumb Judge but a speaking Judge Rom. 3.19 That which the Law speaketh it speaketh to them that are under the Law Heb. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yee have forgotten the consolation which speaketh to you as children Joh. 7.42 Doth not the Scripture say and what saith the Scripture so as it is a speaking Judge and gives to it self a mouth and a voyce and that a loud one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.27 the Apostle quoting the Prophet Esay saith Esay cries out concerning Israel c. 3 How doth their Speaking-Judge determine all Causes in Christendom delated unto him at Rome but by Writing and Bulls and Breves and yet hee scorns to be counted a dumb Judge 3 That is the noble and infallible Judge of all Controversies to which all flesh must stand which hath his authority of himself no way delegate but the Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it self to bee beleeved because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God from whom lies no appeal whose judgement can by no means within or without it self be corrupted whose voyce alone cannot erre or be led by passion affection or respect of persons but is an unchangeable truth as God himself is the Author of it In every Common-wealth the fittest decider of a Controversie in the Law is the Law-maker the King himself the same is also true in the Church 4 Christ himself decided all Controversies by Scripture so did the Apostles so the ancient beleevers brought all their doubts to the Scriptures after their example Vse 1. This serves to discover the wickedness of the Church of Rome who 1 That they may be Judges in their Causes and 2 To avoyd the light of Scripture which they see so direct against them flie the Scriptures as an incompetent Judge of the Controversies of Religion between us and in stead of the Scriptures they appoint us four Judges the authority of all which is superiour by thâ—ir doctrine to the authority of Scripture ¶ I. The first Judge is the Church for that say they is to judge of the meaning of Scripture and but for the authority of the Church wee could not know which were Scripture Ans 1. We ask what they mean by the Church They say the Catholick Church But that is impossible to be Judge upon earth because it is a company of all the elect in Heaven and Earth which never was on earth at one time Then they say the visible Church But what if the Church bee not visible sometimes as in Elias his time or be in the Wilderness Then they say the Roman Church which hath ever been visible these fifteen hundred years Now we know our Judge and how our cause is like to goe in which it is a party But 1 It is not the Catholike Church unless a finger can bee an hand or an hand the whole body or a part become the whole and falsly and ridiculously call themselves Catholikes 2 That is no true Church which disagreeth from Christ the Head as Augustine saith and is fallen off Christ by many fundamental errors as Idolatry Justification by works and the like which yet are maintained by Romanists 3 Wee hold that the Orthodox and true Church is 1 A witnesse and keeper of the Scriptures but a jewell hath his price and excellency from it self not from the keeper 2 Having the Spirit of Christ the Church can discern true Scripture from false and supposititious writings but this by the help of Scripture as a Goldsmith by the touch-stone can discern gold from other metals but hee makes it not gold but onely tries it so to bee 3 It is to publish and declare the truth of Scripture without adding or diminishing as an Herald or Cryer manifests the Kings pleasure but it receives no authority from him 4 The true Church is a ministerial interpreter as having the gift of Prophecy but tyed to interpret and judge of Scripture by Scripture Christ is a magisterial interpreter But that the Church on earth should have authority over Scriptures is too unreasonable 1 It is to prefer mens voice and testimony above Gods 1 Joh. 5.9 If wee receive mans testimony the testimony of God is greater Joh. 5. ult If yee will not beleeve Moses his writings how will yee beleeve my sayings as if hee should say If yee beleeve not Scriptures my testimony will do you no good
which is not God and consequently a man may not be present at false worship to give it the least allowance no not in gesture Whence they are convicted of dealing false with God who present their body at the Mass with a conceit that they can keep their hearts to God well enough For 1 Might not our Lord for a whole world have found by all his wisdom such a present help for him and by such a policy have over-reached the Devil himself who required only external bowing keeping his heart still unto God No our Lord knew well 1 That body and soul make but one man who must have but one God one Lord one Faith one Worship 2 That our bodies are the Lords as well as our souls 1 Cor. 6.20 created for his service as well as they redeemed by Christs bloud as well as they 3 That he that requireth the whole heart requireth also the whole strength which is of the body 4 That the soul cannot be in Heaven if the body be in Hell neither can he bow the knee of his heart to God that bows the knee of his body to Satan 5 That there can be no agreement between Light and Darkness God and Belial the Ark and Dagon cannot stand in the same Temple and the heart cannot at the same time be the Temple of God and of Idols 2 This is the difference between the Church of God and the Synagogue of Satan that the one is a chaste wise and spouse of Christ and keeps her to her husband alone and doth not admit others to the use of her saith the other plays the harlot with many Lovers and keeps not her saith and confidence to God alone but permits others to be fellows with him at the same time Now no man can take her for a chaste and undefiled Spouse that will give the use of her body to a stranger though shee plead never so confidently that shee keeps her heart to her husband The case here is the very same 3 Here is a number of sins infolded in this one action 1 Here is a manifest appearance of evil which we should flie 1 Thess 5.22 2 An occasion of offence to others to draw them in by our example and so farre as wee may a destroying of him for whom Christ hath dyed Rom. 14.15 3 A fight against faith and an allowance of that which a man condemneth Rom. 14.22 Blessed is he that condemneth not himself in that he alloweth His body allows that which his heart condemnes 4 Here is a denial of Christ whose faith he ought to confess and profess with his mouth which he would doe if it were in soundness hid in the heart 5 Here is a dastardly joyning with his Lords enemy for he that is not with him is against him 6 Here is not only an approbation but a communication in Idolatry a touching of pitch and a defiling of a mans self a most present danger of infection and defection from God 7 Here is an hypocritical show of that which the heart abhorres a divided man and divided manner of worship which God hateth who requireth the whole man 8 Experience shews that such as give up their bodies to Idols God in justice for the most part gives up the heart to horrible delusions 4 If we must avoyd an Heretick then much more an Idolater Wee must not only hate the doctrine of the Nicolaitans but avoyd it Many say they hate the Mass but I say then they would avoyd it for we separate our bodies not only our hearts from the things we hate And the commandement is to get out of Babylon We read in the Ecclesiastical History how St. John fled from Corinthus the Heretick and Polycarp from Marcion And those whom we may not bid God-speed or whom we may not invite to our own tables may we joyn with them in polluting the Lords table 5 Such persons keep not their hearts to God that present their bodies at Idolatry neither present they their bodies only for the Soul governs the Body the Will leads the Action the Understanding the Will and the Affections attend the Understanding Now where there is understanding judgement will and affections given to the Idol-worship is not more than the body given even the chief and highest faculties of the soul Of which wee can reckon no better than plowing with an Oxe and an Asse or sowing the same field with divers seeds which the Lord in the Law forbiddeth and therein refuseth the mixture of warrantable and unwarrantable rites in his worship God is a Spirit and truth and will not be worshipped in spirit and falsehood A dissembled worship is a mark of a true neutral of a plain Laodicean neither hot nor cold a Cake half baked on the hearth Quest But is it not lawful on some occasion to be present at Mass Ans In some cases a man may be present and not sin as 1 When he is there by violent compulsion being bound and cast in as into a prison so as hee cannot resist this is not his sin but theirs and it may be said as of Lucretia Two in the sin but one adulterer she resisted and was forced so was he 2 If in travel a man be in a fit place to see and observe their folly so as hee shew no reverence at all or approbation by bending his knee uncovering his head or otherwise Thus the Apostle Paul went into the Idol-temple at Athens as he passed by not to approve but to take occasion to confute their Idolatry Acts 17.23 3 A man may be amongst Idolaters to reprove and reprehend them as 1 King 13.1 a Prophet came to the Altar where Jeroboam was to cry out against it And Elias stood by Baals Priests mocking them while they danced and launced themselves 1 King 18. And the three fellows of Daniel stood by Nebuchadnezzars Image Aderant sed â—on adorarunt Pet. Martyr to protest that they would never worship it Dan. 3.1 4 Some hold that in politick imployment a mans calling necessarily requiring it he may present his body at Idol-worship as a Protestant may carry a sword before a Prince into the Temple of an Idol with two caveats 1 That neither by word nor gesture hee give any approbation of the Idolatry 2 That publick protestation bee made by word or writing that he presents not himself for religions sake but civil obedience I will say nothing against this last case for my part I like a great deal better that practice of the Protestant Princes at Augusta who brought Charls the fifth their Emperour along as he was going to the Mass but lest him at the Church-door and every man by his departure shewed what hee thought of that service Also when Valentinian brought Julian to the Temple of his Idols he that kept the door sprinkled his gown with the Idols-water as the Heathens used whereat Valentinian gave him a box on the ear If wee should thus present our selves what tumults
the Church as it was in the Ark so was it like the Ark of Noah against which the waters had a time to increase and a time also of decreasing What a night of trouble was the Church in all the while it was in Aegypt a stranger for four hundred years especially when they were oppressed with burdens and had their infants drowned in the river but a change came God sent and saved a Moses by whom hee will deliver his people but so as they must be acquainted with this continual enterchange in their estate they must be no sooner delivered out of Aegyps but be chased into the bottom of the Sea but there God makes them a way and no sooner out of the Sea but into the Wilderness and from thence the good Land takes them and in that good Land they never rested in one estate but sometimes had the better of their enemies and sometime for sin their enemies had the better of them as all the History of the Judges witnesseth In the time of the Kings how was the Church troubled and wasted in the time of Ahab and Jezabel when all Gods Prophets were slain and true religion was quite troden down But what a sudden change was there even when things were at the worst did the Lord bring a strange alteration by Elijah who slew all the Prophets of Baal and restored true religion How great misery suffered the Church in the time of Manasseh and Ammon but how happily was it changed by the piety of good Josiah in whom God made his people more happy than formerly miserable But who would have thought but that the Church had been utterly wasted in the seventy years captivity wherein it sate in the shadow of death Yet it was happily restored by Cyrus But when his godly Decrees concerning the building of the Temple were hindered by Cambyses his Son God stirred up Darius who favoured the Church and commanded the continuance and perfection of the work but not without many vicissitudes of stormes and calmes even after their return as appeareth in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah What a raging storm was that wherein our Lord and Head of the Church was put to death now the whole Church lay bleeding and dead with him But what a change was there the third day by his glorious resurrection In the Apostles daies how was the Church wasted when Saul had letters from the High Priests to carry bound to Jerusalem whosoever called on the Lord but when hee that breathed out nothing but slaughter and threatning was once converted then the Church had for a whilâ— rest and peace Act. 9.31 After the Apostles what a continual storm arosâ— against Christians which lasted three hundred years under the ten monsters of men those bloody men Nero Domitian Trajan Antoninus Severus Maxâ—minus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus and Dioclesianus whose rage was such as a man could not set his foot in Rome but tread upon the graves of Martyrs But after this night a fair Sun rose up in the East Constantine the Great who chased before him that horrible darknesse and brought a blessed calm But this lasted not long but his second Son Constantius far short of his Fathers piety with all his strength set up and maintained that Arrian heresy which his good Father had condemned in the Nicen Council by which as bloody persecution sprung up in the Church as ever was before which lasted almost eighty years until Constance the youngest Son of Constantine for up again the Nicen faith in the Western part of the World as Italy Greece Africk Illiricum and banished the former poyson After this what a black darknesse of Mahometisme possessed the Eastern part of the World under which it lies sunk at this day And as pitchy and palpable darkness of Antichrist and Popery occupied the Western part of the World But what a light did the Lord raise up in the midst of Popery his zealous servant Luther since whom the light hath mightily prevailed to the blasting of Anti-Christ and the consuming of him upon his nest Yet not this without a cloud for To speak of our own Church After the long darknesse like that of Egypt had prevailed and covered for many hundred years the face of our Countrey it pleased God that the light of the Gospel should peep into our Land in the daies of King Henry the eighth but yet much clouded and opposed almost all his daies In his Son Edward the sixt Englands Josiah it began to shine more brightly and a more thorough reformation was undertaken But this Sun-shine lasted not long but in Queen Maries daies the truth was again cast into the fire and the bodies of Gods Saints pitilesly destroyed God in mercy for his Elecâ—s sake shortened those daies and raised up our late Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory in all posterities who was semper cadem in the maintenance of the faith and left Christ sitting in his Kingdome and the truth triumphing over Popery and Anti-Christian falshood which by Gods mercy wee enjoy under our gracious King This hath been the changeable estate of the Church from the beginning and cadem est ratio totius ac partium the same truth discovers it self in the particular members As for example Abraham now a poor man in Egypt presently enriched and made heir of the Land of Promise now rejoycing in his Isaac and a while after stretching out his hand to kill his only Son who also herein was a notable type of the Church now bound and presently loosed and raised up after a sort from the dead Jacob was now afraid of Esau when he came in warlike manner to meet him with four hundred men at his heels but in a little season God lets him see a suddain change who had inclined his Brothers heart to do him no harm against his often former purposes to slay him Joseph is now hated of his brethren after a season honoured of them now sold as a slave to the Ismaelites afterward made a governour of Potiphar a Princes house now accused by his Mistresse and cast into Prison but after fetched out by Pharaoh and made ruler of all his Princes and the whole land of Egypt David sometimes cast down and God hath forgotten him a while after so confident in God that hee will not fear to walk in the vale of the shadow of death sometimes pursued by Saul as a traytor and rebel sometimes by Saul acknowledged his good Son and more righteous than himself and when Saul is dead and ceaseth his persecution his own son Absolons shall rise against him to depose him from his Kingdome And Jobs messengers of evil tydings still overtook one another And to spare further examples our own experience can teach us that for the most part wee have not rid our selves out of one temptation but another insueth such are our changes in this present estate And why 1 Satan goeth for a while from Christ himself Reasons his holy flesh in
partly from the Prophets witness 1 For the Apostles they witnessed of such facts of Christ as argued him First a Prophet vers 37 38. Who went about doing good and healing c. for these Miracles served to confirm his heavenly doctrin Secondly a Priest vers 39. Whom they slâ—w and hanged on a tree which noteth his sacrifice Thirdly a King proved by three Arguments 1 By his rising from death vers 40 41. 2 By sending out his Apostles to preach v. 42. 3 By his coming to judge all flesh ver 42. 2 The same truth is confirmed by the witness of all the Prophets ver 43. In the Preface Peter maketh way unto his Doctrin three ways 1 By removing from himself an imputation of levity and sudden change of his mind which might otherwise have been objected against him for all men knew that he being a Jew had been very respective lest at any time he should come near an Heathen or Gentile such as Cornelius and his company were for so it appeareth by his answer in the Vision ver 14. yea and after his vision he was full of doubts whether he might adventure into their company till the Lord adds to his vision a voyce bidding him go in to Cornelius doubting nothing vers 20. Peter therefore most ingenuously in the first place acknowledgeth an error that had stuck by him namely in accounting now after Christs death and Resurrection whereby hee brake down all partition walls such as were uncircumcised an unclean company and like Doggs and Swine to whom holy things might not be cast and offered 2 That the Lord had removed this error manifestly teaching him both by vision and voyce that his grace did now extend it self over all sorts of men and therefore that he came not of his own head moved by remerity or rashness but upon good ground to teach even the Gentiles the mysteries of their salvation 3 He gets not audience only and attention but authority also to his Doctrine by shewing what a good conceit he had of Cornelius and his company that he had not now to deal with prophane and lewd persons but such as the Lord had sanctified to himself according to the vision and voyce What or whom the Lord hath sanctified account not thou prophane vers 15. Whence 1 We have in this holy man a Map of Humane frailty Observ 1. A Map of humane frailty in the Apostle in which wee may see how heavie the best are to their duties for was it not long before given Peter in charge to teach the Gentiles was not his commission large enough when among other Disciples he was dismissed by Christ himself to teach not only the Nations but all Nations Had not he heard often from the mouth of Christ and read in the Writings of the Prophets that the Gentiles must bee called in that the Tents of the Church must bee enlarged her Curtains stretched out and that their own sound must go over all the world yet Peter had forgotten all this and as though Christ had not been come or as if himself had never conversed with him he would still uphold the difference of peoples which his Mr. had destroyed confine salvation to the Jews only as if Christ had not been a common Saviour of Jews and Gentiles he must have new visions and voyces to lift him up to his duty or else he cannot be brought so much as to acknowledge it Let us look upon this example to condemn our own corruption by it yea to watch over it lest following as we are too proue the stream of it we be carried away from the most essential duties which by our calling either general or particular are by God enjoyned us Let the Popish guides also look upon this example and tell us whether Peter erred not 1 In judgement 2 After Christs promise 3 In a weighty matter forgetting his commission and calling yea and the calling and salvation of the whole body of the Gentiles all which he sailed in And then whether it be a sound arâ—und upon Peters person or any promise made to him to build their Popes immunity and freedome from error in matter of faith so long as he siteth in Peters pretended chair Secondly In that the Apostle Peter secretly implyeth an acknowledgement of his error A pattern of special grace in the same Apostle We have in him a worthy pattern of a special grace to be practised of us all namely upon better grounds to lay aside any error in judgement or practice although never so long held or stifly maintained of us before and not be ashamed to profess that we so doe which vertue is a sound fruit of humility and argueth a good heart which is in love with the truth for it self and esteemeth it above his own estimation the observing whereof would cut off infinite controversies which could never bee carried and continued with such burning heat in the Church of God if the contention were not many times more for victory than for truth and rather lest error should bee acknowledged than that truth should triumph over it Thirdly In this Preface every Minister is taught wisely to cut off and remove such leâ—s as might hinder his doctrine among his Hearers and contrarily to win by all good means such credit to his person as that he may preserve a reverent estimation of himself in the hearts of his people So did the Apostle here and not without cause seeing the acceptance of the person of a Minister is a great furtherance for the entertainment of his doctrine not that the faith of God ought to be had in respect of persons but because mans weakness carrieth him beyond his duty herein And again Satan and his instruments seek exceptions against their persons whose doctrine is without exception well knowing that where the person is not first received hardly will any doctrine from him bee embraced Matth. 10.14 He that receiveth not you nor your words Whence the Apostle Paul was constrained to be much and often in the justifying of his person calling and conversation because to hinder his doctrine the false Apostles by all these laboured to bring him into contempt Nay our Lord Jesus himself was forced often to averre his person to be Divine his calling to bee heavenly and his conversation holy and without sin because the Jewes were ever hence disgracing his doctrine because of the meanness of his appearance Now whosoever would retain reverence and authority among his people must shew forth 1 Conscience of his duty 2 Love to his peoples souls and bodies 3 A wise and unblameable carriage and conversation these things if he doe not he hath more disgraced himself than his people can Of a truth I perceive that God accepteth not of persons By person is not here meant the substance of man or the man himself but the outward quality appearance or condition which being offered to the eye may make a man more or less respected
necessarily followeth that the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifye the Gentiles through faith Gal. 3.8 that is a thing to come to pass almost two thousand years after must needs bee of God Again it followeth as necessarily that the Prophets in preaching and the Holy Pen-men of God spake and writ as they were moved by the Spirit of God and directed by the immediate assistance of God and therefore could not erre in any thing for they foretold directly such things which both for matter and manner came to pass many years after Jacob in his will foretold that the Scepter should not depart from Judah till Shiloh came this prophecy was not accomplished till above seventeen hundred years after the prediction for not much above twenty years afore Christs birth Herod became King of Judea killed the whole Colledge of the Jews called the sanhedrim wherein was the heir apparent of the Kings blood King Cyrus was named by the Prophet Esaiah an hundred years before hee was born Isaiah 44.28 and of him prophesied that hee should build the Temple The worthy King Josiah with his facts were declared three hundred fifty nine years before he was born 1 King 13.2 The Apostle Paul prophesyed of the destruction of the Romane Empire and thereby the rising of the Antichrist which was not accomplished till about the year four hundred seventy five after Christ For whereas the Roman Empire was divided into Eastern and Western the Western which onely hindred the revelation of Antichrist was in that year quite overthrown and Rome it self taken by the Gothes Joh. Funct in â—â—no praedicto and after this never had any Romane Emperour his seat of Authority in Rome These and the like neither man nor Angel could ever of themselves foretell and therefore the Author and Director of them must needs be God Observ 2. Secondly from hence also note The Antiquity of the Gospel in that it was Preached by the Prophets to the ancient Israelites and known for the substance of it not onely to the Apostles and ancient Christians and beleevers but to the Patriarks and Prophets yea even to Adam in Paradise to all whom Christ was preached the Lord of all and that blessed seed in whom all the Nations of the earth were to bee blessed This Doctrin although it bee called a new Testament Our religion is the oldest religion and Popery but a novelty is no new Doctrin Let the Papists make a vain brag of Antiquity and charge us with a new religion the truth is whereas the body of their doctrin was not known to the Prophets nor Apostles nor Beleevers for many hundred years after Christ our doctrin is that which God sent to the children of Israel and therefore is most ancient and true And to prove this that I say we will goe no further than our text That doctrin which preacheth peace by Jesus Christ is the doctrin which was sent to Israel which we professe at this day but so is not Popish doctrin which preacheth peace not by Christ but by our selves our merits and satisfactions and peace by the Popes Pardons Bulls and Absolutions and Indulgences now these with other dependences thereon being the main points and pillars of their doctrin were never preached to the children of Israel by any Prophet nor ever by any of the Apostles to the Church of God but have crept in one after another many hundred years since Christ and his Apostles Let their own rule stand in force therefore with good will if we cannot plead antiquity we will lay no claim to the truth Observ 3. Thirdly hence we note That there is but one way to salvation But one way to salvation and this was declared to the Children of Israel for substance as well as to us who went to Heaven by the same way which wee doe-There is but one Christ one precious Faith one and the same Gospel common to all times one common Salvation preached by the same Christ who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 who is the Lamb slain from the beginning not actually but by the efficacy of his Sacrifice the vertue of which to come they laid hold on to salvation as wee do upon it past and accomplished already Thus Abel beleeved and received testimony that he was just before God Heb. 11.4 Thus Noah was made heir of the righteousnesse which is by faith Heb. 11.7 Every religion will not save thr professors there is but one way and that a strait one that leadeth to life Wee come into the world one way we depart many ways so there is but one way to find life everlasting but many ways to lose it only Christ is the way by his Doctrin by his Merit by his example even the new and living way his bloud is ever fresh ever trickling down and ever living it quickneth them that walk in it and refresheth them with new strength never any rent the veil but he never any but he made a high way into the Holy of Holies in the highest Heaven never any came to the Father but by him neither was peace ever preached in any other name but his who is Lord over all blessed for ever Which is Lord of all Christ may be said to be Lord of all two ways 1 More generally hee is with the Father and Holy Ghost Lord of all things unto whom all Creatures by right of Creation even the very Devils are subject Thus he ruleth in the very midst of his enemies disposing of the wicked and their malice to his own glory In this respect he is both owner and possessor of all things Bagnal Adoâ— and a sustainer and maintainer of all things and that by his word Heb. 1.3 2 More specially he is Lord of all men whether Jews of Gentiles beleeving in his name even a Lord of his Church and in this latter sence Christ Lord of his Church Christ is called Lord of all in this place 1 Now Christ is Lord of his Church consisting of Jew and Gentile Reasons 1 Because God hath given the Church unto him for his inheritance Psal 2.8 I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance which being a Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles implieth that the kingdom of grace whereof Christ is appointed King in Sion consisteth of all Countries and peoples and is not bounded or bordered but with the ends of the earth and sheweth further that all these his subjects are given him of God to become his servants Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him 2 They are so given unto him as he must win them before hee can enjoy them He winneth partly by â—onquest partly by ransom hee both conquereth and casteth out the strong man that held them captive spoyleth him of his armour and weakneth his arm for ever as also he payeth a precious ransome for
all other mens And here is to be observed a plain difference between Christs anointing and all mens besides For whereas all other shadowed anoyntings were imperfect and some had more gifts bestowed and some lesse but none all nor all in one degree Christ was perfectly anoynted and even in his Human nature was adorned with gifts without measure for God gave not him the Spirit by measure Joh. 3.34 and not only with gifts but all gifts in the highest degree above all his fellows Psal 45. men or Angels in none of which ever dwelt the fulnesse of the God-head bodily as it did in him Coloss 2.10 2 Whereas all other received gifts only for themselves and could not by their gifts make others Kings as they were or Priests or Prophets Christ was so anoynted with the Holy Ghost and with power that he could impart his gifts to others in such manner and measure as they might become like unto himself that look as the oyl which was poured out upon Aarons head run down by his beard even to the skirts of his garment and so sweetned his whole body even so such abundance of grace was poured as out of a full horn upon Christ the head of his Church as it distilleth from him to the sweetning and perfuming of all his body to make the same acceptable in the sight of God This the Evangelist expresseth Joh. 1.16 Full of grace of truth and of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Coloss 2.10 In him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and yee are compleat in him Quest But when was Christ thus anoynted Ans The anoynting of Christ is two-fold 1 In respect of his gifts and with these he was anoynted by the very union of his two Natures into one Person in the Wombe of the Virgin from the first moment of his conception for being admirably conceived by the Holy Ghost his Humane nature was anoynted by the Divine uniting it self thereunto 2 In respect of his calling to the exercise of those gifts and this was then compleat when in the thirtieth year of his age at his Baptism he was solemnly inaugurated by a voyce from Heaven by the opening of the Heaven and the descending of the Spirit of God in a visible shape abiding upon him not that be wanted the Spirit before but that herein as in the former respect also a main difference might be put between his and the anoynting of all that went before who neither were anoynted in the Wombe nor by the union of the Deity nor by any other than material oyl whereas hee was anoynted with the Holy Ghost lighting upon him And this was that which was prophesied before of him Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because hee hath anoynted me that I should preach c. In the exposition of which place when Christ begun his Ministery in Galilee he said This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luk. 4.17 Hence we learn None can bee capâ—â—le of the Office of a Redeemer or Mediator but Châ—ist because none was so anoynted as he 1 That Christ was and is an all-sufficient Saviour and Redeemer for being to this purpose anoynted with the Holy Ghost and with power he cannot but be able fully to work and absolve the work of mans redemption This is not a work to be committed to any King or Emperour nor the greatest state and Potentate in the earth no nor to any Angel or Archangel in Heaven none of these are fit for it because none are capable of this anoynting with the Holy Ghost and with power but hee alone who therefore is able to subdue all the Devils of Hell though they come rushing upon him all at once to overthrow all the armies of Hell Sin Death and Damnation assaulting himself and members with all their might and force in a word able to make his enemies although principalities and powers never so mighty and never so cruel his very foot-stool 1 A greater King than Salomon is here who not only can tread down his enemies but give us strength also so to doe who not only can give us Laws but of his fulnesse grace to keep them God hath anoynted him King and set him upon his Throne and endued him with rare Gifts fit for government in all which regards wee owe unto him simple and absolute obedience 2 A farre more excellent Priest also than Aaron is here he is not anoynted to offer the bloud of Bulls or Goats but to offer himself a sweet smelling Sacrifice and that not often but once for all Heb. 8.6 neither doth he offer only this sacrifice but by this spirit and power with which he is anoynted he applieth it to his Church neither need he offer for himself as they because he was a holy harmlesse and undefiled High Priest Heb. 7.26 neither doth he only pray for his Church but meriteth also to be heard is never denied neither ever dyeth but liveth for ever to make intercession for them vers 25. 3 A more famous Prophet than Moses is here anoynted he was but a servant in the house this is the Son Moses was but the Instrument this is the Author of the word he delivereth Moses could teach but the ear this Prophet teacheth the heart Moses was a Minister of the outward Circumcision this Circumciseth or rather baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and with fire let not us therefore despise him that speaketh from heaven for if they escaped not which refused Moses that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Heb. 12.25 And can we want reason 1 In his anoynting we are commanded by a voyce from Heaven hear him Mat. 17.5 2 He delivereth the whole will of his Father we shall therefore be perfectly taught if we hear him 3 We may safely rest in his Doctrin because with him are the treasures of wisdome 4 In a word hee hath only the words of life everlasting and whither should we goe Joh. 6.68 Secondly hence we learn That seeing every beleever is anoynted with Christ Every Christian must partake of Christ his anoynting and in Christ we must all be careful to find this holy oyl running down from the head upon us the members 1 Joh. 2.27 The anoynting which yee receive of him dwelleth in you And indeed our very name of Christians putteth us in minde that we must have our measure of that oyl of grace which was poured on Christ without measure so as if we carry the name and title of Christ wee must see that the nature and gifts of Christians appear in our lives Revel 1.6 hee hath made us Kings and Priests unto God And it was long before prophesied of the Church of the New Testament that the sons and daughters of it shall Prophesie Joel 2.28 and all this by vertue of this anoynting Adde hereunto that Christ is not perfectly anointed till his Church bee for Christ
Preist for ever after the order Not his Priestly Office not after the order of Levi or Aaron but of Melâ—hisedeck without beginning or end of daies and this also the Lord had sworn unto his Son and could not repent that hee should bee a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 wherein the Priest-hood of Christ is advanced above all the Priests that ever were who having received their Office in time in time also ceased their office with their life but Christ his Priesthood was not limitâ—ed in any time but was every way eternal They were many who succeeded one another because they were not suffered to indure by death Heb. 7.23 But this man because hee endureth for ever hath no successor but an everlasting Priesthood They were made Priests after the Law of the carnal Commandement but hee after the power of the endless life vers 16. that is hee was not made a Priest by the Law namely Ceremonial which established for a time dying and vanishing things signified by the name of flesh but hee was made by the efficacy of the Word and oath of his Father which gave him endless life and perpetual duration so as neither death it self nâ—â— the grave could hold any dominion over him when they seemed to have clasped him fast in their bands which yet were powerfull enough to have held down any or all other men in the world besides himself and the Apostle to the Hebrews giveth a double reason why he must necessarily out-live death it self The former because hee must not onely make a perpetual oblation that need no repetition but also hee must live ever to make intercession Heb. 7.25 and that perpetually without which the Apostle implyeth that he had not perfectly saved his people This is most clearly proved Rom. 8.34 It is Christ who dyed yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us and Heb. 9.24 Christ is entered into the very Heaven to appear now in the sight of God for us which appearance of his in Heaven with his Merits hath the force of the most effectual prayer that ever was The latter is By dying Christ offereth and by rising hee applyeth his sacrifice to the conscience of beleevers that hee may not onely make one offering for sin as those Priests did many but that hee may alwaies live to apply it as they did not and see that his people have the benefit of it not onely before God for the appeasing of his wrath but also for the purging of their consciences from dead works to serve the living God as the same Apostle noteth Heb. 9.14 and in the last place to bestow upon every beleever the spirit of faith whereby they may apprehend and apply his sacrifice to their own salvation Neither doth it any whit impeach the eternity of Christs Priest-hood because four thousand years almost of the world were passed before hee suffered for howsoever the execution of it was not all those ages after the beginning of the World yet the vertue efficacy and benefit of it reached to the first Beleever that ever was in the World Adam himself whose faith in this seed of the woman saved him Abraham also saw his day and rejoyced and the Holy Ghost feareth not to call him the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 namely 1 In Gods Council and Decree 2 In the vertue and efficacy of his Sacrifice 3 In regard of Gods acceptation of it for Beleevers 4 In the types and shadows of it whereof the Ceremonial Law was full And much less doth that hinder it from being eternal in that after the day of judgement it shall cease when we shall stand no more in need of Priests or Saviours for howsoever the execution of this office shall then cease yet the vertue and efficacy of it shall last for ever and ever 3 Hee must bee also the perpetual Prophet of his Church Nor his Prophetical the unchangeable Doctor of his Church and the Apostle of our profession who must constantly send his Spirit to lead us into all truth raise up Teachers and hold them in his right hand for the gathering of the Saints untill wee all meet in the unity of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.13 so as it is cleared that no part of his Offices could admit that hee should abide under death and therefore necessarily in this second respect must rise again Thirdly It was necessary hee should rise again because hee was so to dye as that thereby hee must overcome yea and destroy death which hee had not done if hee had lain conquered of death still in the grave yea more hee must so dye as that hee must give eternal life to his sheep Joh. 10.28 and by his death merit it put and hold them in possession of it for ever all signified in the phrases following they shall never perish neither shall any take them out of my hands which could never have been accomplished it himself had perished and had been left in the hands and house of death But hence hath hee brought his Church strong consolation in that being risen from the dead hee hath fully overcome death satisfied for every sin of every Beleever and risen from under all that weight of sin and death which would have oppressed us for ever yea even himself if hee had left one of our sins that beleeve in his name unsatisfied for Out of this that hath been spoken cometh to bee answered that objection That seeing Christ by his death paid the price of sin unto God what need we more of him we can be but acquitted and discharged Ans The providing of the most soveraign Plaster is not enough to work a Cure but the applyâ—ng of it also Neither was it sufficient for Christ to perform the former part of his Priest-hood namely satisfaction for sin if he had not added the latter thereto which is the application of it This latter maketh the former ours and comfortable unto us And both these the Apostle affirmeth of Christ Rom. 4.25 Christ was delivered to death for our sins and is risen again for our justification where by justification is meant by a Metonimy the application of justice II. The second point propounded to bee considered of in the rising of Christ is the manner of it which will appear in three things the 1 Concerning his Soul the 2 his Body the 3 his whole Humanity standing of both First the Soul of Christ which on the Crosse was separated from the body commended into the hands of his Father and translated that same day into Paradise was by the mighty power of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost brought back into his dead body lying in the grave quickned it and made it a living body moving and sensible in it self and unto others Secondly
the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 and for this cause our Saviour was careful after his departure hence to send out his Spirit in more plentiful and abundant manner than before that hee might continually inspire his people with ardent desires after the beginnings of that life eternal unto which Christ himself is risen who then manifest themselves members of such an advanced head when this new life manifesteth it self in them Thirdly our perfect salvation is also hence fully assured us for if our Lord Jesus hath soyled all the powers of Hell Death and Darkness in himself when hee was yet dead how much more doth hee it for us his members being now alive if hee could drive back and disperse all spiritual enmitles even when hee was in Hell it self after a sort how much more now being ascended far above all moveable and aspectible Heavens Eph. 4.10 for wee must not behold the victory and triumph of Christ What or who shâ—ll separate us from the love of God seeing it is Christ that is dead or rather risen from the dead as performed onely in and for himself but as the ground and pledge of the victory and conquest of all the Beleevers in the World Look upon this Son of David prostrating the great Goliah of Hell for all the Israel of God casting out the strong man not only out of his but of our possessions that he might take us up for his own use spoyling him of his kingdome and weapons for us yea and in us And hence as out of a well of consolation wee shall draw this comfort to our selves that look as the gates of Hell could not prevail against him our head no more shall they ever be able to prevail against us his members although they never so fiercely and forcibly assayl us And it spiritual enmities shall not be able to cut us short of our Salvation much less shall temporal dangers for by vertue of this resurrection also even in the most troublesome deeps when the waves of sorrows overtake one another and go over our souls when with Jonas we are ready to say We are cast from the face of the Lord Jonah 2.4 even then we have hope to rise out of such evils and because out head is above in short time comfortably to swim out Adde hereunto that death itself nor the grave shall stand between us and home for this rising of Christ is both the cause and confirmation that we shall rise again If the head bee risen so shall also the members if Christ the first fruits of them that sleep be raised so shall also the whole bulk and body of beleevers if we beleeve that Christ is risen from the dead even so them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thess 4.14 and if the same spirit which raised Jesus from the dead dwell in us then he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies Rom. 8.11 for Christ hath not redeemed the soul alone from death but the body also else had this second Adam been interiour to the first if not able to save by his rising all that which was lost by the fall of the former Oh how would this meditation well digested sweeten the remembrance of death and the grave when a Christian shall consider that look how it was with Christ when his soul and body were separated yet both of them were united to the Deity which brought them together again even so I am taught by the Scriptures that when my soul and body shall bee separated yet shall neither of them be sundred from Christ my head but he will reunite them like loving friends that they may participate in his own glory How would this meditation bring the soul not only to be content but to desire to bee dissolved and bee with Christ accounting that the best of all Phil. 1.23 III. The third benefit befalling us by the resurrection of Christ iâ— that because Christ is risen we know it shall not only goe well with us but with all the Church of God the prosperity of which so many as would prosper must rejoyce in for hence it is that Christ calleth a Church out of the world which after a sort riseth even out ot his own grave hence is it that being ascended on high he gave gifts to men for the gathering and preserving of his Church hence is it that the Church shall alwaies have the light of the Gospel Pastors Teachers and the Ministry till we all meet to a perfect man hence is it that this Church shall bee defended from Wolves and Tyrants seeing â—one is stronger than he nor able to pluck any ot his sheep out of his hands Let the Church be pressed it shall never be suppressed Let the Kings of the earth band themselves and forces against it the Lord hath set his Son upon his holy Mountain and he shall crush them like a Potters vessel Let Hereticks and Antichâ—ist send armies of Locusts Jesuites and seducing vagrants to waste the Church and bereave it of the truth and light leading to life they shall only seduce such as whose names are not written in the Book of life and of the Lamb for seeing Christ is risen so long as hee who can dye no more liveth he will preserve his darling he will send out the Stars that are in his right hand for her relief who like Davids Worhies shall break through the Hosts of the enemie and bring the pure waters of the Well of Life as we are for ever thankfully to acknowledge in those worthy restorers of our religion Lastly let flouds of persecution rise and swell so as this Dove of Christ cannot find rest fo the sole of her foot one means or other Christ will use for her help for he will either send her into the Wildernesse or the earth shall help the Woman and drink in the waters that they shall not hunt her or he will provide for her one of the chambers of his providence as he did for Joash against the rage of Athaliah wherein she shall be safe till the Storm bee blown over These are the principal benefits procured us by Christs resurrection which belong not unto all but only to such as are risen with him Quest How shall we know that we are risen with Christ How to know that we are risen with Christ that they mat assuredly belong unto us Ans The Apostle setteth himself to resolve this question Col. 3.1 where he maketh the seeking of things above where Christ is and infallible mark of our rising with him for as when Christ was risen he minded not things below any more but all his course was a preparation to his ascension to which all things tended so now if thou be risen with him Heaven will be in thine eye and thine affections are ascended thither where Christ is if Christ were on earth thou mightest fix thy soul and senses here on earth and yet be a Christian
apart to their several offices by laying on of mens hands upon them even so God laid his hands on these that is Christ immediately by his own voyce called these to be witnesses unto him which was one of the priviledges of the Apostles 2 The Apostle in the words expresseth himself by limiting them to themselves to us namely Apostles who ate and drunk with him not only who before his death lived as it were at bed and board with him but after hee rose from the dead that we might not be deceived in our witnesse of him 3 To us whom be commanded to preach and testifie namely to the whole world these things together with his coming again to judgement Now for the further clearing of this publick witnesse of the Apostles wee will consider three things 1 That these twelve were appointed by Christ himself to this witnesse which the Apostle Peter plainly concludeth Act. 1.22 where speaking of one to be elected into Judas his room he saith he must be chosen of one of them which have companied wâ—th us all the time that the Lord Jesus was conversant among us beginning at the Baptism of John unto the day that he was taken up implying that whosoever was not thus qualified he was not fit to be made such a publick witnesse with them of his resurrection because to the making of an Apostle was necessary either an ordinary converse with Christ upon earth or else an extraordinary sight of him in Heaven by which latter Paul who made an honourable accesse to that number proved himself an Apostle Tâ—e second thing is how they were furnished to this witnesse By what means the Apostles were furnished to their witness and this was suâ—â—y ways 1 By their senses they ate and drunk with him that is were in a familiar sort conversant with him after he rose again 2 By word of mouth he gave them charge and commandement to doe it of both which wee are to speak in the text 3 By a Sacrament or sign of breathing upon them he confirmed them to their vocation saying As my Father sent me so I send you 4 By adding thereunto the thing signified for he opened their understandings and made thâ—m able to conceive the Scriptures and unfold all the Mysteries therein so farre as was behoveful for the Church 5 By bestowing sundry other great gifts upon them sending the Holy Ghost upon them in the likeness of fiery Tongues whereby they received the gift of Tongues he gift of Miracles of casting out Devils of healing the Sick by imposition of hands of preserving from poyson and deadly things of the Apostolical rod whereby death it self was at the command of their word either to take place as in Ananias and Saphira both struck dead with the word of the Apostle or to give place as in Dorcas who by a word of the Apostle was raised to life being dead By these means the Lord put into the hands of the Apostles great power to give witnesse of the resurrection of Christ Act. 4.33 The third thing is By what means they witnessed or gave testimony to Christ Ans Because they were to bee authentical and faithful witnesses to all the world and that both in the age wherein they lived as also in all the succeeding ages to the end of the world therefore was it necessary that they should give witnesse two wayes 1 By zealous and painful preaching by voyce while they lived 2 Even after their death by the holy Doctrin left behind them in their Works and Writings and thus doe they still remain publick witnesses to us on whom the ends of the world are come Doct. Hence observe that the office of the Apostles was to give testimony unto Christ after a peculiar manner Acts 1.8 When the Holy Ghost shall come upon you yee shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem Judea Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth I say they were to bee witnesses after a peculiar manner for these reasons The Apostles were to bee peculiar witnesses to Christ and why 1 To distinguish their witness from ours who are ordinary Ministers for every Minister is called of God to give witness to Christ but properly to speak they are rather Preachers and Publishers of things witnessed than witnesses or if witnesses yet herein they differ from the Apostles that they are not oculate or ear-witnesses nor such sensible witnesses as they were for this is an Apostolical speech and manner of preaching not derived to ordinary Pastors and Teachers to say That which wee have heard and seen and our hands have handled that we testify unto you 1 Joh. 1.1 2 They were all faithful witnesses and faithful men endued with faith and full beleef of the things they wrote and testified as all ordinary Ministers are not Whence the Evangelist John professeth of them all that they knew the testimony to bee true Joh. 21.24 True for the matter for they delivered the whole Counsel of God and kept nothing back that was fit to be known and true for the manner they all speaking as they were moved by the Spirit of God 2 Pet. 1.21 and therefore exempted from all error in their witness as we are not 3 And hence followeth that their witness is to bee beleeved as infallible being the witness of such as with their eyes saw his Maâ—esty vers 16. who did not at any time deliver any thing which they either heard not of Christ or saw him not doing or suffering but all other ordinary Ministers are so far to bee beleeved as they consent with these and so far as they testify no other thing than what these oculate witnesses have left in writing Object But Christ needeth not the witness of any man hee hath a greater witnesse than John or than any Apostle therefore there is no use of the Apostles witness Answ Christ hath indeed three greater witnesses than the witness of his Apostles namely 1 His Father that sent him beareth witnesse of him 2 The Scriptures if they bee searched testify of him 3 His works that hee did bear witnesse of him Joh. 8.18 5.39 5.36 but yet howsoever in regard of himself hee need no other testimony of man that wee might beleeve and bee saved hee useth the witness of men 〈◊〉 John and the Apostles and of this Divine Testimony in the mouth of the Apostles may bee said as Christ did of the voice from heaven Joh. 12.30 This voice came not because of mee but for your sakes In divine things we must lean upon a sure word Vse 1. From this Doctrin wee learn how necessary a thing it is in causes of Faith to lean upon true and certain things and not upon tottring traditions or unwritten verities which are the main pillars of Popish Doctrin Oh how good hath our God been to this Church and Land of ours in giving us a surer word of the Prophets and Apostles to become a light unto us in
To beleeve the resurrection is an hard point what an hard thing it is to beleeve the resurrection from the dead yea if wee should hear it Preached from the blessed mouth of the Son of God himself The Disciples of Christ had often heard him teaching them particularly of his resurrection the third day they had seen him accordingly risen yea they had handled him with their hands yet unless hee condescend to admit them as familiarly to eat and drink with him as before they scarcely beleeve neither can wee think the Disciples flower of heart to beleeve than our selves are who are ready to say in any thing that our eyes see not with Mary How can this be But that neither they nor wee should sink down in this weakness hee hath pleased to condescend to our infirmity to remove all scruple from them and us in this main article of our religion His wisdome saw how necessary it was that they who were to bee witnesses unto him should bee enabled with much perswasion both by lively voice and by writing to assure all other beleevers of the certainty of his Resurrection till his return to judgement and therefore to all the other means of manifesting himself hee added this to sit down among them to eat and drink with them not to feed himself by that meat but their faith and in them the faith of the whole Church For what is it that more confirmeth and strengtheneth our Faith than the boldnesse and liberty of the Apostles both in their Sermons and Writings and whence is this but from their own full perswasion of the truth which maketh them bold and whence is this perswasion but from certain sense and undoubted knowledge arising from their familiar converse with him after his resurrection Vse 1. To strengthen this our weak Faith by this consideration conceive with thy self that Christ ate and drunk with his Disciples that thy Faith might bee nourished as well as others and in that they saw him heard him handled him ate and drunk with him and being faithful witnesses have Preached and by writing avouched the same to all the world thy Faith must bee as fully assured as if thine own eyes had seen him thine own hands handled him and thy self had sit with him at the Table while hee ate and drunk among them yea so often as thou hearest or readest or thinkest of any of these things so often must thou bee renewing and adding something to thy Faith in this behalf as every new apparition or manifestation of Christ added something to the faith of his Apostles 2 In that our Lord after hee was gloriously raised from the dead would still for those forty daies depart from his glory abasing himself to converse with sinful men yea to eat and drink corruptible creatures of which his incorruptible body had no need and would still humble himself to condescend to the weaknesse of his Church wee are to learn the same lesson towards our Brethren to be of a yeelding disposition ready to depart with some of our right for their good and edification and carry our selves as weak to the weak and become all things to all men to save some Vers 4â— And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that he is ordained of God a Judge of quick and dead A Third argument to prove that Christ is raised from the dead and so is indeed the true Messiah and Lord of his Church is that he gave Commission and Commandement to his Apostles to become Preachers and witnesses as of other points so especially of this that howsoever hee was adjudged to death according to that judgement executed and laid as one foyled by death for the space of three days yet he is now gloriously raised again and appointed of God the Judge of all that ever have lived doe or shall live to the end of the world In the verse we have three things to be handled 1 That preaching is a reverent and necessary ordinance of Christ himself And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie 2 The object of this ordinance or what wee must preach namely Christ that he is c. 3 What particular doctrin concerning Christ must more especially be preached that he is ordained of God a judge of quick and dead In the first of these are two branches to bee cleared 1 That preaching is the ordinance of Christ. 2 The necessity which will easily bee deduced from the former That Christ instituted this holy ordinance is plain Matth. 28.19 Goe preach to all nations baptizing them c. the which commission that it was extended beyond their persons to such as should in after ages succeed them appeareth by his last words and behold I am with you to the end of the world Preaching the ordinance of Câ—rist And that the ordinary teachers are no lesse the gift of Christ than the Apostles themselves is as plain Ephes 4.11 he therefore gave some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and some Teachers Neither must this trouble us that both in this place alleadged as also in some other it is attributed to the Father to send and give Pastors according to his own heart Jer. 3.15 25.4 and sometime to the Holy Ghost Acts 20.28 Take heed to your selves and the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you over-seers 1 Cor. 12.11 and all these things worketh even the self-same Spirit distributing to every man severally even as he will For 1 All those external works are common to all the three persons and where any one of them are named in any action done without themselves no one of them is excluded but all the three must be included 2 The Divinity of Christ is not obscurely proved in that the same glorious actions of the Father and the Holy Ghost are ascribed also unto him as from Heaven whither he ascended to give several gifts for the work of the Ministery 3 That we might better instruct our selves in their several order and manner of working the self same action for the Father is the Fountain and the first Author of all these gifts the Son properly is the distributer and giver for the Father worketh all in us by the Son and both of them by the communication of the blessed Spirit even as the Sun by his beams sendeth light and heat unto the inferiour creaturâ—s Object But this ordinance of preaching seemeth not to be Christs because it was long before his Incarnation and now remaineth after his ascension when hee cannot call men as he called the Apostles while he was on earth Ans The Ministry of the Gospel in the proper acception of it hath two things to be considered First the being of it Secondly the vertue and efficacy of it The being of it as it was the Ministery of the New Testament wherein glad tidings were published to all Nations was temporary beginning in the time of Christ and shall
seeing God doth not extraordinarily save men where the ordinary means are afforded or offered the neglect of this means is to despite great salvation and to make themselves unworthy of life eternal And from the evidence of truth I avouch against every soul that turneth his ear from hearing the word preached that hee despiseth the pardon of the King of Heaven hee refuseth life and salvation offered hee chooseth death and forsaketh his own mercy Joh. 10.27 hee is no sheep of Christ for then would hee hear his voice Joh. 8.47 and if hee were born of God hee would hear the words of God Secondly The object of this Ordinance or what wee must Preach Christ the matter of our preaching and that is Christ The scope of the whole Scripture is Christ and it is wholly resolved into him The Law that is a School-master to Christ for by convincing of sin and making the sinner exceeding sinful it leadeth him forth of himself to seek salvation in Christ The Gospel preacheth nothing but Christ and him crucified for sin 1 Cor. 2. Wee preach Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God Hence is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ Mark 1.1 and the word of Christ Col. 3. not onely because it is from him being God aâ— an â—â—hâ—â—ent cause and preached by him as the chief Teacher of his Church but also for the material cause which is Christ The Apostle Paul calleth it the word of Truth nâ—t onely for the truth of it but because it publisheth that eternal Truth Jesus Christ as also the word of the cross not onely because the cross ordinarily attendeth the faithful preaching and profession of it but because the matter of it is Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. Quest What is it to preach Christ Answ It standeth in two things To preach Christ wherein it stande h 1 In plain manner to preach the docttrin of Christ concerning his Person his Natures his Offices and the execution of them from his incarnation to his ascension 2 In powerful manner so to apply this Doctrin to every hearer that every one may feel a change to follow both in his heart and life For to teach onely the History of Christ his Doctrin his Miracles his Life his Death is not the full teaching of Christ for thus the unbeleeving Jews know Christ and the Infidel Turks can easily come to this knowledge of him But to reach Christ as the truth is in Christ is to apply every particular to the heart of a sinner that hee may bee framed to conversion and repentance which is the most difficult labour of the Ministery and most to bee striven in Many Teachers who can choose hard Texts and make learned discourses and shew much dexterity of wit reading and humane literature have not thus learned Christ themselves not can after such a lively manner teach him to others And pitty it is to see that whereas so great an Apostle as Paul who wanted not Arts Tongues and humane Learning desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified among the Corinths themselves it should bee the study of many men to shew the knowledge of any thing rather than of Christ and how they may paint out themselves rather than Christ in their Preaching Is not the end of preaching to make Disciples of Christ Mat. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was it instituted to please the ear or to prick and pence the heart Let the Minister therefore strive to ransack the hearts of men with whom hee is to deal that discovering their secret things they may fall down and say God is in him indeed Let him think hee hath spoken the word of Christ when hee hath both taught him and led his hearers unto him And this will not bee done but by the plainnesse of words and evidence of the Spirit It is thought a reproach to preach a plain Sermon whereas indeed that is the best Sermon which teacheth Christ most plainly 1 By true interpretation of Scripture 2 By wholesome savory and proper Doctrin gathered thence 3 By sound application of that Doctrin for the information of mens judgements and reformation of their lives where Christ crucified is thus held out there need no wooden Images nor Pictures nor the real sacrifice of the abominable Mass to put men in mind of him 2 Hearers may hence learn to judge of themselves whether they have heard aright or no. And then have you heard well when you not onely know that which you did not before but when you beleeve more love more hope more and are more changed than before When you find our Sermons as the glass wherein you see and discern the true estate of your souls when you are cast into the form of this Doctrin when your Lusts stoop and yeeld to this Scepter of Christ without this no knowledge is saving but all our preaching and your hearing tendeth to damnation if yee know these things blessed are yee if yee do them Joh. 13.17 The Apostles commanded in special to teach the doctrin of the last judgement Reasons The third point is what is the particular Doctrin which the Apostles and wee in them are so straitly enjoyned to preach and that is the Article of Christs comming again to judge the quick and the dead And surely it is not without reason that our Saviour should wish them to insist in this doctrin above others 1 Because this being the last work of Christ remaining to be done after his ascension it could not be so easily beleeved as those things which were â—â—reâ—â—y done and accomplished being still in fresh memory and so much the less deniable by how much they were still fixed even in the sences of all those who were eye-witnesses of the same And therefore hee would have his Apostles careful to help the weakness of mens faith in the expectation of his return to judgement by much and often beating upon it as a point that needeth more instance and perswasion than such as being past and so sensibly confirmed by many hundreds and thousands as they were are far more easily apprehended and beleeved 2 The Scriptures teach that the remembrance of this judgement to come is a notable means to quicken the godly in their duty to work in them a reverent fear and shake out security which breedeth hardness of heart therefore did the Apostle Paul considering the terrors of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 provoke both himself and others unto their Duty and no marvail seeing the children of God have even at the consideration of more particular judgements been stricken with the fear of the Almighty The Prophet Habakkuk when hee heard but of judgements to come saith That his belly trembled his lips shook and rottennesse entered into his bones Habak 3.16 And David being a noble King hath these words my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Psal 119.120 A special example whereof wee have in that famous
judgement and punishment of that sin but that now at this present time hee would bee pleased to appease his great anger so justly conceived and desist from that great judgement of the utter destroying of them threatned v. 12. as may appear both by the arguments used by him as by that hee expresly noteth the manner of this foâ—giveness vers 19. as thou hast forgiven this people even from Egypt till now and forgive them even according as thou hast spoken v. 17. but how the Lord had after they came out of Egypt forgiven them appeareth Exod. 32.35 when they had made a calf and the Lord wished Moses to let him alone that hee might consume them yet by Moses intercession the Lord did not consume them but plagued them with a great plague and destruction and yet the holy man prayeth hee would forgive them as hee had done from Egypt till now And what was it the Lord had said which Moses taketh hold on namely in verse 34. of that 32. of Exod. Go now bring the people unto the place which I commanded thee behold mine Angel shall go before thee but yet in the day of my v sitation I will visit their sin upon them So as this place rightly interpreted yeeldeth no patronage to any such Popish and wicked collection Further for the second objection That death remaineth though the sin be pardone Though death remain after sin is pardoned both the fault and pun shment is removed I Answer it remaineth not as any satisfaction to the justice of God to beleevers nor as a punishment of sin to such as have their sins remitted but it hath lost his sting which is the guilt of sin and is become a remedy rather than a punishment physick rather than poyson an end of their misery and an entrance into a better life So as it still abideth firm against all such detestable devises of Popery that remission of sins carrieth with it the removal of all the guilt and punishment of sinne to such as have their parts in the same And it is lastly to bee observed in this description that I say the guilt and punishment of all sin is taken away for if any bee not remitted they bee either greater sins or lesser to remit the lesser and not the greater what were wee the better how could our salvation bee effected or perfected how could grace bee every way grace or do wee pray for remission of lesser and not of greater also seeing our selves must forgive our Brethren not only lesser offences but even the greatest Aâ—ain to remit the greater and retain the lesser were to say that the Lord is either not sâ— able or so willing to forgive lesser sins as greater Shall a maâ— frankly forgive a debt of thousands of pounds and will he not forgive also to the same party a few pence The Popish Church confidently avouch A bundle of Pâ—p sh blasphemies that many sins need no remission as concupiscence which they say is not prop rly a sin albeit indeed it is the mother sin of all And all the heap of their venial sins which they say are not against but besides the commandement because they are not attended unto or deliberately done with full consent oâ— reason because they cannot hinder the habâ—â— of vertue but the act of it and that a very little nor turn us from our end but hinder so much as it is our progress unto it and because they though themselves displease God yet they make not God displeased with the party committing them for they can stand with grace and have not properly and simply the reason and respect of sin or offence therefore are they not to bee punished with eternal but only temporary punishment These need not the blood of Christ nor Grace nor confession in particular nor absâ—lution nor any new habit of charity but these are easily wiped away with a little holy water or any meritorious work or by the Sacraments received or by general Confession or by a small humiliation as knocking the brest fasting almes the Lords Prayer an ave Maria or by entring into a consecrated Church or by a Bishops blessing or if all these help but a little presently after death they are all consumed in the fire of purgatory Oh horrible blasphemies derogatory to the blood of Christ which purgeth us from all sin and to the truth of the Scriptures which teach us that when wee had nothing to pay our Master forgave us our whole debt Matth. 18.32 But I have followed them too far were it not that the discovery of their impieties may bring some profit to suâ—h as are not so well acquainted or exerâ—ised in their writings Thus much of the description of this Grace The second thing propounded is what it is to receive remission of sinnes which because it implyeth a gift or oblation therefore we must know that pardon of sin is offered generally to all in the word of grace publikely preached and conferred unto beleevers not onely in the beginning of their conversion but through their whole life Now to receive this remission How remission of sin is received is when a capable that is a contrite heart by Faith which is an hand taking in receiveth Christ and all his benefits among which remission of sins is the chief Preached and published in the Gospel And this it doth on this manner 1 Upon a touch of sin and sence that without this gracious pardon there is nothing bâ—◠〈◊〉 pâ—rdition the heart beaten down beginneth seriously to meditate of the promise of m rcy in Christ and of the means of deliverance from this woful estate 2 It desireth to beleeve and wisheth that mercy to belong to it self it sendeth groans to God it hopeth for pardon and weakly applyeth the general promises of grace 3 After such desires and groans of the heart the Lord most gratiously answereth by his Spirit and by little and little settleth and quieteth the heart perswading it that Christ himself and consequently reconciliation with God doth indeed belong unto him so as he resteth in that assurance Thus the Lord will not only give us mercy but letteth us know that he doth so that our joy and peace and boldness in him might be more full Thirdly the persons receiving this remission are all beleevers Whosoever beleeve in his name whose faith intitles them to the main promise of life and all other depending thereupon Beleeve in the name of Christ why they must beleeve in his name For 1 There is no other name to be saved by In him alone is the matter of our salvation seeing remission is obtained by his bloud Ephes 1.7 2 Hee alone is God and man both which natures are necessary to our Surety by the former he hath power by the latter a right to us not only more general of propriety as the Father and Holy Ghost also have but more special of propinquity being our brother and first-born of our
a dark place and a sure ground whereon wee may build the truth and certainty of our Faith and religion that wee need not bee carried about with every winde of corrupt Doctrin These witnesses being sensible faithful and so extraordinarily assisted neither would not could deceive us yea and writing in such a time and the same age in which the things were done if they had written any false or corrupted thing all that lived at that time could easily have confuted them And therefore as Moses when hee had written the Book of the Law Exod. 24.7 called all the people to bee a witness of the truth of it even so the Apostles writing the books of the Gospel and finishing them appealed to the men of that age for the truth of them as John the last of them all in the last end of his book saith wee know that is all this age knoweth that this witnesse is true 2 This Doctrin giveth us direction how to carry our selves to the present Ministry for some man may say as the Devil once did Paul I know and Cephas I know but who are you Surely even wee are sent by Christ as well as the Apostles Eph. 4.11 Hee gave some to bee Apostles some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers Where it is evident that he that giveth the Apostle giveth the Pastor also Wee being then called by Christ to teach this doctrin in the Church Ordinary Ministers must be received as Apostles while they teach things heaâ—d seen by the Apostles whatsoever our own unworthiness bee yet to contemn us shall be the contempt of Christ himself yet wee being men subject to error as they were not must hold us to our rule which is Apostolical Doctrin for as the Apostles have faithfully performed their parts so our part and duty is faithfully to depend upon them and then not to depend upon or depart from us is to depart from Christ and his Ordinance Wee that are Teachers reserve to every Christian his priviledge which is not to receive every thing from us hand over head nor any thing at all on our bare words but to try our spirits to search the Scriptures as the Bâ—reans They have â—r ought to have their Bibles we wish them to look and enquire there whether our Doctrin be true or no and by this note shall they know it what it is according as wee shall bee able to shew the Apostles the ear or eye-witnesses of it for else are they not bound to beleeve it Let any man come with a conjeâ—tural or probable truth or any traditionary doctrin and cannot shew which of the Apostles heard or saw it in Christ no man is bound to beleeve it as necessary to his salvation But if any come and can back his Doctrin thus from the Apostles it is all one as if the Apostles did utter it Let every Minister if hee would bee beleeved tread in the steps of the holy Apostles and see hee bee able to clear that all he speaketh bee spoken in their Language bee seen with their eyes or heard with their eares which hee is sure so to bee if it bee contained in their writings Hereof the Evangelist John giveth a notable president The Word saith hee was made flesh Joh. 1.14 here was a great mystery and a main principle of Salvation but how knoweth hee it is hee sure of it yea that he is and therefore addeth we saw the glory of it Again it were to bee wished that hearers would take up their duty which is in reverent manner to come to their teachers in things doubtfully delivered and ask the question I beseech you tell me which of the Apostles heard or saw this from Christ which you have taught us that I may beleeve it for they delivered nothing else To which rule would Ministers and people frame themselves it would bring the Scriptures into request which for most part are least set by in many Sermons it would make men more careful of their Doctrin and thrust out an infinite deal of trash and foolish conceits of froathy brains which make it a chief part of their reputation to see with any eies save the Apostles and speak with any tongues save theirs by which means it commeth to pass that Gods own voice is least heard in Gods house in Gods business and among Gods people 3 Hence note also The Lord Jesus chose mean and weak men for his witnesses Why. What mean and weak men did the Lord choose to bee his witnesses to all the world not great Rabbies not Rich not Worldly-wise who are not so expedite and ready neither to preach nor receive the Gospel but poor simple and mean men For these reasons 1 That the conversion of men might not bee ascribed to eloquence arts power or wisdome of the world but this treasure is put in earthen vessels that all the power and glory of the work may redound to God who commonly in weak and foolish things putteth forth his admirable strength and wisdome 2 That there may bee held a difference between Civil and Ecclesiastical power the one is outwardly glorious and stately the other mean and lowly the Ministry which ever brought most men to God was least pompous and which came the nearest to the simplicity of Christ and his Apostles and on which the Sun of the World for most part as little shineth as it did on Christ himself and his Apostles 3 It made more for the glory of Christ and his Apostles of Christ in that hee chooseth illiterate and unlearned persons and presently maketh them wise learned and intelligent able by the wisdome of God to put tâ— silence the most Learned and exercised Adversaries they can meet withall Earthly Kings and Princes not being able to give such gifts are forced to advance such as are wise and experienced already and set over their business the wisest most learned and most noble that they can finde Christ need choose none such but honoureth himself in choosing foolish and ignoble things to make them wise and noble and every way fitted to his work Again herein hee honoureth also his instruments who being in themselves mean and contemptible yet upon their calling received such a portion of the Spirit as that they drove the wisest and most learned into admiration and daunted the greatest and most powerful when they saw that no power or glory of this world could draw or hinder them from the Execution of that Office to which they were deputed Hence was it that the wise and mighty Act. 4. seeing the freedome and wisdome of Peter and John in speaking knowing them to bee unlearned men they wondred and knew they had been with Jesus and seeing the man standing with them which had been healed they had nothing to say against them How great glory won Christ hereby to himself and his servants 4 By this choise of his hee putteth a plain difference between his Kingdome and the Kingdome of Antichrist His