Euery worde of God is the word of a great person and euery part and parcell of it is the Decree of a King nay of the King of Kinges to whom all Kinges and Princes are subiect and must rise vppe from their Throne when they appeare before him whose Throne is the Heauen and though they bee Lordes of the Earth they must resigne their Crowne vnto him that hath the earth for his footestoole and therefore the greatest regard and respect must be giuen vnto it For a Heb. 2 2 3. as the Apostle teacheth Hebr. 2 2 3. If the word spoken by Angelles was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receyued a iust recompence of reward how shall wee escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lorde and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him Woe vnto them therefore that reiect the food of their soules and surfet of this heauenly Manna and do not hunger and thirst after the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby Neither let any obiect Obiection If God did speake we would heare and if he did call wee would answere if hee did threaten wee would feare and if hee did teach we would obey but so long as all proceedeth from man as sinfull as our selues wee cannot be so affected Answere This was the Obiection of the Reprobate rich man in the Gospell who albeit his Brethren had Moses and the Prophets yet hee would haue Lazarus sent from the dead vnto his Fathers house to testifie vnto them b Luke 16 28 29 30 31 Lest they should come into that place of torment But what was the answer of Abraham If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neyther will they be perswaded to amend their liues though one arise from the dead againe If we reason on this manner with the rich man and put on his affection let vs also take heede lest wee haue that recompence of reward that the rich man had He supposed that extraordinary meanes would worke extraordinarie effects and vndoubtedly procure the conuersion of those to whom they were sent but therein hee was vtterly deceyued and if wee were not Fooles and blinde we would not follow so foule and fearefull an example Wherefore to informe our iudgement aright and reforme our affection we are to obserue two points first we must acknowledge that it is Gods mercy to speake vnto vs by men like vnto our selues and subiect vnto the same infirmities and passions that we are who applyeth himselfe to our weakenesse and respecteth our capacity who are not able to abide his presence who is so glorious in holynesse fearefull in praises doing wonders We see this in the Israelites at the deliuerie of the Law when the voice of God sounded in theyr eares they ran away and could not abide it they feared to be consumed at once cryed out vnto Moses c Exod. 20 19 Talk◠thou with vs and wee will heare but let not God talke with vs lest wee dye When the Lord reuealed a part of his glory sitting vpon an high throne the angels couered their faces were not able to abide the beauty brightnes of his maiesty the lintels of the doore cheeks moued the house was filled with smoke the Prophet himselfe said d Esay 6 5. Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwell in the middest of a people of polluted Lippes for mine eyes haue seene the King the Lord of hostes In like manner if God should appeare vnto vs and vtter his voice from heauen we should feare and quake and fall downe as dead men and cry out with great astonishment Alas we shall dye beecause we haue seene and heard the Lorde as many of the Fathers did then we would make request to haue the Ministers of the worde speake vnto vs whom now we despise and whose word wee contemne as base and contemptible It is therefore to bee accounted and receyued as a notable token of his great mercy toward vs that he sendeth vs to school to learne of our Brethren to whom wee may freely and familiarly resort for counsell in our doubtes for comfort in our afflictions for knowledge in our ignorance for instruction in godlinesse and for resolution in all our wants Secondly we must labour to perswade our owne hearts that it is his word which we heare and his Ministers that speake vnto vs and that it is our duty to heare them as the Lord himselfe whose Messengers they are whose calling is from him and whose mouths he hath opened to speak his word with boldnesse as it ought to be spoken Let vs craue this mercy at Gods hands to resolue vs of this point and to settle our consciences in the full assurance of it This will be a forcible means to make vs heare it and regarde it as Gods owne ordinance ought to bee heard and regarded And vntill wee haue learned this Lesson we can neuer reuerence the preaching of the worde as is required of vs either for the aduancement of Gods glory or the comfort of our owne soules Let vs therefore perswade our selues of this and set it downe as a principle and firme conclusion that as the words of the Prophets and Apostles are of great authority euen the word of the eternall God most vndoubtedly to bee receyued and most assuredly to bee beleeued so likewise the words of all Gods true and faithfull Ministers truely expounding and faithfully giuing vnto vs the naturall sense and meaning of the Scriptures and gathering sound doctrine out of them for the instruction and edification of the people of God grounding all they teach on the sure foundation of the Prophets and Apostles the words I say of Gods Ministers in these dayes are no lesse to be esteemed and acknowledged the word of God himself then if Esay or Ieremy thē if Paul or Peter or any of the rest did write or speak vnto vs. For the Scripture standeth not in words letters or syllables but in the sense vnderstanding So long then as the Minister vttereth not the conceits of his own brain nor deliuereth the traditions and precepts of men but holdeth himself to the doctrine of the Scripture which is the touchstone to try truth from falshood to descern the word of God from the word of man hee is no otherwise to bee heard and the Gospell no otherwise to be receiued from his mouth then if some Prophet of God or Apostle of Christ were among vs. For wee must not haue the Faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons but when the same faith the same truth the same word is preached both by the former Prophets and Apostles and by the ordinary Ministers of the Church of the times wherein wee liue if it should bee receiued when it is published by them and reiected when it is deliuered by these a
those workmen that builded the Arke for others but were drowned themselues Let vs then labour after the especiall comfort consisting in the deliuerie of the whole will of God that though our hearers perish and go vnto destruction yet wee may find peace and comfort to our own harts This was it which the Apostle rested in hee preached Christ not onely as a Sauiour to theÌ„ that beleeue but as a Iudge of them that contemne him he saith We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued in them which perish to the one we are the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life for we are not as many which make merchandize of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake wee in Christ 2 Cor. 2 15 16 17. Thus doth the Prophet Esay prophesie concerning Christ bringing him in on the one side complaining of the contempt of his preaching and on the other side comforting himselfe that his worke was approued of God I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God Esay 49 4. If we be found faithfull we shall be partakers of this comfort blessed shall that seruant be whom his master when he commeth shall finde so doing So then this duty serueth to comfort such as haue taught the word of God not only truely but wholly and onely so that they are able to appeale to the consciences of their hearers to witnesse with their sincerity Thus did the Apostle Paul in many places In the 20. chap. of the Acts vers 18 26 he saith Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men Where he maketh them witnesses of his diligence in preaching and of the discharge of his duty in his calling and therefore they could not deny it Thus he speaketh in his second Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 3 v. 1 2 The like manner of speaking dealing hath beene vsed by the Prophets and Apostles as appeareth in sundry places yea by Christ Iesus himselfe Samuel cleareth himselfe before the people Behold heere I am beare record of me befere the Lord and before his Annointed 1. Sam. 12 3. So Christ speaketh Which of you can accuse me and rebuke mee of sinne Iohn 8 46. This is a great and singular comfort to all the Ministers that in truth shal be able to auouch to their people this their diligence vprightnesse and to say in the face of the Congregation Ye know that I haue done my duty I take you to record that I haue admonished you I haue blown the Trumpet and taught you the way of saluation This is expedient and necessary for the Minister to vtter of himselfe both in respect of the godly and vngodly of the godly that their soules gained to the faith might cleare him and God haue the glory Of the wicked his aduersaries that they might be left without excuse that their mouthes might be stopped they haue nothing iustly to lay against him But contrariwise when the people haue beene ignorant and without instruction thorough the want of performance of this duty this should bee as great a greefe and anguish of spirit and bring as great trouble of conscience to consider his negligence and want of loue to their soules that were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ Thirdly this serueth to confute and conuince Vse sundry errors and to correct sundry euill practises and corrupt abuses First it meeteth with many errors and heresies of the church of Rome which maintaineth the sowre leauen of false doctrine and poysons the truth of God with their owne inuentions And seeing the Minister is to set downe but the truth of God we must learne to detest apocryphall additions and their humane traditions both which are a derogation to the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures For touching the Apocryphall Bookes which they haue lifted vp into the chayre of estate and giuen them equall power and preheminence with the Canonicall Scriptures they are but base counterfet coyne and no part of the Churches treasure they haue drosse mingled with them are not pure and perfect mettall They were not endited by the Spirit of God nor penned by the Prophets 〈◊〉 3 16. Pet. 1 19. the Lords Secretaries as the Scriptures were which haue God for their author and the holy Prophets for their Penmen Againe they were neuer committed of trust to the Iewes nor receiued of them into the Arke as not onely the fathers but the aduersaries themselues confesse and acknowledge but the ancient Church of the Iewes receiued and approued all the Canonical Booke Rom. 3 2. God did commend them to their care committed them to their custody for this was one chiefe priuiledge of the Iewes that they were credited with the Oracles of God And howsoeuer they shewed their ignorance in false interpretations yet they discouered no vnfaithfulnesse in wilfull corruptions additions alterations or manglings of any Bookes for then they should haue beene charged with this â—â—h 5 21. as well as with the other Lastly they containe sundry things that disagree from the true Scriptures of God likewise from theÌ„selues as might be declared and demonstrated by many particulars Seeing therfore these bookes called Apocrypha were neyther penned by the Prophets nor deliuered to the church of the Israelites neither are free from diuers contradictions we conclude that the Church of Rome hath no warrant to equal them with the holy Scriptures make them of like credite and authority with the Scriptures Againe 〈…〉 Ses 4 they offend in teaching humane traditions in making a word vnwritten equall with the word written and holding the Scriptures to be vnperfect maimed lame not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation not fully enabling the Minister to discharge his Calling But the holy Scriptures are perfect absolute and all-sufficient to teach the truth to conuince errors 〈◊〉 3 16 17. to correct vices and to instruct in righteousnesse yea to make the man of God perfect and throughly instructed in euery good worke and are of strength ability and sufficiency to make him wise to saluation Lastly they are accursed that adde any thing that take away any thing froÌ„ that which is written Deut. 4 2. Prou. 30 6. Reuel 22 18. and therefore no such vnwritten verities are to be taught or preached to the people as the matter of our Sermons or the instrument of our faith or the means of our saluation Moreouer it serueth to redresse and amend sundry corrupt practises too common and familiar among the Ministers of the Gospel Some in stead of building vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus
precepts and examples to teach vs the way wherein we are to walke Lastly we must haue the doctrine of the Scriptures plentifully dwelling in vs not in the mouth but seated in the heart that we may be able to stand in the truth to continue vnto the end to rise vp being fallen We are euery houre subiect to be tempted of the diuell his tentations are many and strong hee is an expert and experienced captaine he looketh where we are weakest he is a spie that commeth to search and see the nakednesse of our soules And therefore we must be able to draw out the spirituall sword put into our hands vpon euery occasion that we may put him to flight This is the way to resist him this is the way to ouercome him Iam. 4. We haue the example of our Lord Iesus Christ the head of his Church he said It is written he handled this sword at euery tentation Math. 4 4. to teach vs to furnish our selues plentifully with the doctrine thereof that so we may remember to apply the same to euery present purpose 17. And these were the sonnes of Leui by their names Gershon and Kohath and Merari 18. And these are the names of the sonnes of Gershon by their families Libni and Shimei 19. And the sonnes of Kohath by their families Amram and Izehar Hebron and Vzziel 20. And the sonnes of Merari by their families Mahli and Mushi these are the families of the Leuites according to the house of their fathers Hitherto we haue spoken of that numbring of the Leuites which is generall the particular followeth which is both propounded and concluded the former beginning heere continueth to the end of the 37 verse the latter is comprised in the 38 and 39 verses This particular reckoning vp of the Leuites is perfourmed by setting downe such sonnes or issue as were begotten immediately of Leui himselfe then such as descended of his sons and lastly such as proceeded of his sons sons The sonnes of Leui were three in number Gershon Kohath Merari Gen. 46 11. Exod. 6 16 These are described according to the number of their families so that of Gershon came two families the Libnites and the Shimeits Of Kohath came foure families the Amramites the Izeharites the Hebronites and the Vzzielites Of Merari were spread two families the Mahlites and the Mushites In this diuision is laid downe before vs a description of the genealogy or generation of the Tribe of Leui by their names and by their families wherein is set downe both what children Leui had and what were his childrens children insomuch that many did spring and spread themselues as branches out of that roote This we also finde set downe afterward chap. 26 Numb 26 â— and in other places of the word of God and yet it may seeme vnto some very vnprofitable and to minister little or no instruction at all to the Church of God Besides the Scripture speaking of Genealogies doth oftentimes cal them endles and fruiteles and brand them with this note to minister occasion of strife and contention rather then of godly edifying which is in loue 1 Tim. 1 4 and Tit. 1 4 and 3 9. But we must know that the Apostle condemneth not all Genealogies All Geneâ—gies not coâ—demned forasmuch as the Scriptures are full of them and the Iewes kept publike and priuate records of their tribes and families Numb 1 18. Nehem. 7 62. This was obserued vntill the desolation of the City and the Temple Paul was able to proue himselfe of the stocke of Israel Phil 3 5. of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew of the Hebrewes by lineall descent if any had doubted of it The first booke of the Chronicles is full of such genealogies so is Ezra and Nehemiah and few historicall books of the old Testament without them Hence it is that the Apostle ioyneth foolish Questions and Genealogies together where he condemneth not the mouing of euery question in handling the word or conferring of it for both Christ asked his Disciples many things Mat. 16. and there are many questions godly and profitable whereof we may enquire and reason which breed sound knowledge wholesome instruction and fruitfull edification to the hearers He is marked out as with a note of folly that rashly and headily beleeueth euery thing Prou. 14 15. And therefore the questions that are to be suppressed he calleth foolish questions that is idle superfluous vaine and vnnecessary seruing to no vse or profit The same title as a brand set vpon the head of them is to be stretched also to Genealogies foolish genealogies must be staied such as are of no moment such as serue to nourish vaine glory and serue not to the benefite of the faith of the Church But such as the Scripture setteth downe are very profitable sometimes to teach vs the accomplishment of Gods promises sometimes to giue light to other Scriptures sometimes to shew the continuance of the Church from age to age sometimes to discouer the enemies of true religion which often driue it into a corner of the world and sometimes to manifest the true Messiah that the scepter departed not from Iudah till his appearing But to omit this heere we are to consider and to compare the curse of Iacob with the blessings that wee see descend vpon this tribe Simeon and Leui instruments of cruelty in the destruction of the Sichemites haue an heauy curse laid vpon them by their father Gen. 49. Yet God raised out of the same these honourable families and turned the curse into a blessing as he promised to that tribe for their zeale in destroying the idolaters â—octrine 1. â—od chuseth â—eake and â— likely â—eanes maâ— times We learne from hence that God many times chuseth his seruants as his instruments to bring worthy things to passe euen out of low and meane degrees He chuseth weake meanes and vnlikely in the eyes of the world and maketh them his instruments to worke his will This doth Hannah confesse she was contemned and reproched by her aduersarie which caused her in the anguish and bitternes of her soule to pray to the Lord but hauing experience of his mercy toward her she saith The Lord maketh rich Sam 2.6 7 â— and maketh poore he bringeth low and lifteth vp he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the throne of glory So hee dealt with Ioseph he brought him out of prison and lifted vp his head aboue the Princes of Egypt Gen. 41.40 Thus he speaketh to the Israelites Deut. 7.7 8. and putteth them in minde of their naturall condition The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor chuse you because yee were moe in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which hee had sworne vnto your fathers hath the
holy grouÌ„d Exod. 3.5 Iosh 5.15 This we shold al consider wheÌ„ we meet together in one place and carefully remember that the place in which we assemble is holy ground and therefore we should take heed we doe not abuse it Obiect But is that ground wherupon Temples or Churches stand more holy then other I answer Answ no it is not in it self there is no more holinesse in it then in other but in respect of the assembly therein gathered together and of the exercises of religion therein performed it is for that present more holy and better to be accounted and esteemed then all other places and peeces of ground whatsoeuer This made the Prophet say Psal 84.10 A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse We see how carefull all men are whensoeuer they goe abroad and come into any publike place and presence of men to adorne the outward man decently lest being seene in an vnseemely manner they be condemned and despised especially if they be to appeare before some great person as we see in Ioseph Gen. 41.14 When they brought him before the presence of Pharaoh he shaued himselfe and hee changed his raiment and so came vnto him How much more then should wee looke to our selues to the inward man to the heart that we come not carelesly contemptuously before him that searcheth the hearts and reines If any aske how we may prepare our selues and behaue our selues Obiect that we may be accounted fit to come before Gods presence I answere Answer we must practise three duties first wee must embrace true godlinesse and righteousnesse and cast out of our hearts as filthinesse out of our houses all impiety and vnrighteousnesse The gates of Gods house into which hee will enter are the gates of righteousnes and none shall enter into them but the righteous Psal 118.16 Open to me the gates of righteousnesse I will goe into them and I will praise the Lord this gate is the Lords into which the righteous shal enter When Iacob went to Bethel to build for God an altar and to worship him first he clensed his house of idols and commanded his houshold to be cleane Gen. 35.2 â— therby shadowing out the purity of their harts To this purpose doth Dauid testifie Psal 26.6 that he would wash his hands in innocency and then afterward he would compasse his altar So then so often as we intend to come to the house of God we must rid our hearts of wickednesse as it were our ground of weedes and so sanctifie them that they may be fit vessels to receiue heauenly graces They that doe otherwise shall neuer reape any benefit by the holy assemblies of the Saints let them resort thither neuer so often Secondly we must not onely shunne and shake off things vngodly and vnlawfull in themselues but euen such things that in time and place may be followed and are commanded to be done of vs to wit the care of earthly things and thoughts vpon the matters of this world These haue their time but their time is out of time when the time serueth to serue the Lord and we are to sanctifie a Sabboth vnto him These indeed haue their place but they haue no place in the place of Gods worship and therefore must be displaced out of our hearts before we come to the house of God A vessell full of myre and puddle cannot receiue any sweet and wholesome liquor though ye powre it vpon it all the day long and if our minds and hearts be forestalled with the cares of this life and the cogitations of earthly things they are no way capable of heauenly things they are full fraught and stuffed already and so leaue no roome or receit for better things These are ranke thornes that choke the word Lastly we must consider that we haue to deale with God and not with man and be ready to receiue without contradiction or resisting without mincing and mangling whatsoeuer is deliuered vnto vs by the Ministers of God and from the warrant of Scriptures This must be the end that we aime at when we come into the Church Antâ—m Faâ—â—â— comment 〈◊〉 Eccle. 4. to heare the word of life to learne the way of saluation and to embrace the doctrine of trueth and saluation It was the manner of the Priestes and Leuites to interprete the Law and the Prophets were wont to preach their Sermons to the people gathered together in great multitudes in the Temple Ierem. chap. 7. verse 2. where Ieremy is commanded to stand in the gate of the Lords house 〈◊〉 2 7. and proclaime there this word Let vs therefore prepare our hearts to obedience by setting before vs the presence of God present by his word present by his grace present by his Sacraments present by all his ordinances and by his blessing vpon his ordinances Thus doth the Prophet prophesie that the people call one to another and say Come ye and let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord â—â—y 1 3. to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs he doth not say the Ministers but the Lord himselfe will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his paths A notable meanes to worke much good in vs and the cheefest way to touch our hearts with feare and reuerence knowing that we haue to do with Gods word nay with God himselfe Thus did Cornelius consider Acts 10 33. when he saide to Peter We are all heere present before GOD to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Let vs examine our selues by these few rules and by them we shall know whether we come aright or not to the house of God with due reuerence and preparation Let not the Minister sowe among thornes but grub them out of the ground of your hearts that so yee may bring foorth fruites with patience Secondly obserue from the law of contraries Vse 2 that Satan is present in all places of Idolatry wickednesse impiety and prophanenes For as God is present where he is worshipped so is the Prince of this world that â—uâ—eth in all the children of disobedience present also where he is serued Thus speaketh Christ our Sauiour to the Church of Pergamus Reuel 2 13. I know thy workes where thou dwellest euen where Satans throne is So then where vngodlinesse is set vp and maintained there is Satan present nay there he is president there is Satans seat and there he keepeth â—esidence O that all wicked and vngodly persons were throghly perswaded of the truth of this point and that they would diligently weigh with themselues that Satan is oftentimes neere theÌ„ euen at their elbowes when they thinke him to be farre from them and thâ—mselues out of gunshot as we vse to speake and free from all danger For if he will intrude himselfe and winde in himselfe among
5 verses 28.29 They haue well saide all that they haue spoken they were ready to heare all and do all that Moses should speake vnto them But if we fall to stint the Spirit and teach the Lord to speake prescribing the Minister what he shall say and restraining our hearing what we will heare wee shall neuer heare fruitefully we shall neuer practise conscionably what we haue heard Thus much concerning the protestation of Balaam Verse 27. Balak saide vnto Balaam Come I pray thee I will bring thee vnto another place if so be it will please that God c. Heere is offered to our considerations the profession of Balaam Hee pretendeth Religion and the helpe of God and professeth to do all things in the Name of the true God yet was voyd of all Religion and sincere dealing and doth all things by the working of the diuell abusing the glorious and fearefull Name of God to malicious mischieuous purposes Doctrinâ— Many prâ—fesse God that seruâ— the diueâ—â— Hereby we learne that many in the world professe piety and godlinesse in the tongue that haue none in the heart They professe GOD outwardly but serue the diuell inwardly This appeareth in the Iewes who albeit they would not heare the preaching of the Prophets rebuking them in the Name of the Lord yet had oftentimes in their mouthes The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord this is the Temple of the Lord Ier. 7 4. Thus the Prophet Esay reproueth them in his time This people come neere vnto me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but haue remoued their heart farre from me and their feare toward mee was taught by the precept of men Esay chap. 29 13. So many that were professors and teachers of the truth as Christ testifieth yea workers of myracles and crying vnto him Lord Lord yet shal not be acknowledged of him as belonging to him The Samaritans called and accounted themselues the true worshippers Iohn 4 2 and pretended the tradition of their fathers and hated the Iewes as false worshippers yet themselues worshipped they knew not what All heretiques will boast they teach Gods truth all hypocrites will say they embrace the faith all carnall and loose professors will challenge sincerity all Papists will cry out they are the Church the successors of the Apostles and the true Catholiques yet are no true Church but in shew no true Catholiques but in name no true successors of the Apostles but in place In the dayes of Christ the Iewes gloried that they were the seede of Abraham Iohn 8 44 the sonnes of the Couenant the heyres of promise they pleaded they were the first borne of God yet he proueth to their faces that they were the very limbes of the diuell And the Church of Smyrna had such among theÌ„ as vaunted they were Iewes Reuel 2 9. that is the people of GOD but were in truth the Synagogue of Sathan All which examples conclude the certainty of the former doctrine and verifie the saying of Salomon Prou. 30. There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet are not washed from their filthinesse The truth heereof will farther and more Reason 1 fully appeare vnto vs if we enter into the consideration of the causes and reasons of it The first is pride selfe-loue which so ouercome their hearts and blinde their eyes that they cannot see their owne wickednesse and wretchednesse which are so hud-winked with palpable ignorance of God as that they cannot iudge of themselues and their owne misery as they should We see the coniunction of these in the King of Moab and his Chaplaine the false Prophet that albeit they pretend the holy Name of God yet through loue of themselues on the one side and ignorance of God on the other they cannot see that their whole proceeding is an vtter renouncing of God This reason the Prophet Dauid pointeth vnto when he saith The wicked hath made boast of his owne hearts desire and the couetous blesseth himselfe though hee contemneth the Lord for the wicked is so proud that he seeketh not for God hee is in prosperity God spareth him in mercy and hee imagineth presently that he is iust and holy pleasing God Psal 10 3 4. Reason 2 Secondly the heart of man is many times deceitfull He can speake with his tongue that which he meaneth not in his heart nor hath any sence or feeling of in his owne soule but beguileth with lying lips and a double toong Many are vnder their profession hypocrites and haue hypocriticall hollow hearts speaking that which they did not minde For the nature of an hypocrite is to appeare outwardly like a painted Toombe 〈◊〉 8. as if there were nothing in him but singlenesse and simplicity of heart and vntill his corruption breake out as filthy matter out of a sore which assuredly it will do at some time or other seeing there is nothing couered that shall not bee reuealed Luke 12 2. there is none more conformable then he in the outward exercises of the Word Prayer and the Sacraments They draw neere with their lips they listen with their eares they stretch foorth their hands thus they prepare and make ready their mouthes to pray their eares to heare their hands to receiue This appeareth in the proud Pharisie Luke chapter 18 verses 11 12. He came into the Temple to pray he thanked God for his blessings hee fasted twice in the weeke hee gaue tythe of all that he possessed yet he worshipped God in vaine and departed to his house without profit or comfort Now let vs handle the vses of this doctrine Vse 1 First wee learne heereby for our instruction that outward profession is not enough to assure vs of our saluation or to fit vs to Gods kingdome for the diuell might go as farre as the best of those that rest in the shew of godlinesse who can turne and transforme himselfe into an Angel of light 2 Corinth 11 verse 14. A wolfe may put on a sheepes skinne yea the Parrot and Ape can imitate and therefore trust not to thy faire shewes and externall appearance if thou proceed no further It is not sufficient for thee to be baptized to bee made partaker of the word of God of the Table of the Lord and such priuiledges of the Church this is to trust in lying words that shall not profite Ier. chap. 7 verse 4. The case and condition of many professors is no better then of the heathen Infidels as of the Turkes and Sarazins I meane of such as content themselues with the bare name or profession of Christianity and therein satisfie themselues nay it is a great deale worse as our Sauiour teacheth Math. chapter 11 verses 21 22 23. that Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum shall be punished more seuerely then Tyre and Sidon then Sodome and Gomorrha What comfort in the things of this life can any man take to beare the name of land and another to
Thirdly there are some that extend this Vse 3 Law to all the Iewes in generall as if they were all forbidden to take a wife any where saue in theyr owne tribe But if wee marke the words of the Law we shall finde that they are not to be vnderstood of men but onely of women and not of all women neyther but of such as are heyres and receiue a possession for want of issue male These might not marry out of theyr tribe but others which had none inheritance were left free to marry where they pleased whether in theyr tribe or out of theyr tribe because this is rendred as a reason of the Law that the inheritance might not remoue from one tribe to another verse 9. It was lawfull for them to take a wife of the nations round about them that was not of the seed of Abraham when there was no danger by a contrary religion as appeareth by many examples Mathew 1 3 5 so was it permitted to them to make choyce of a wife out of another tribe that was not to inherite her fathers possession And this was neyther forbidden in the Law nor yet obserued by the Iewes To marry in their owne tribe was neither forbidden nor obserued Exod. 6 23. The Law did not restrayne theyr marriage because it medleth onely with those that were heyres and forbiddeth the possessions of the tribes to be confounded and mingled together If then the Law did not abridge them wee may well suppose and presume that they did not obserue it For not to speake of former examples Moses married not a wife of his owne tribe neyther of any tribe but a Cushite that is one of the Midianites which inhabited Arabia of which see before chapt 12. Aaron also his brother married Elisabet she was the daughter of Aminadab and the sister of Naasson which was of the tribe of Iudah Numb 1 7 and 7 12 Ruth 4 20. So Iosabeah the daughter of the king Iehoram of the tribe of Iudah was married to Iehoiada the high Priest 2 Chron 22 11. Elizabeth the wife of Zachariah the Priest the father of Iohn Baptist was of the daughters of Aaron Luke 1.5 and was the cousin of Mary Luke 1 36 but it is certaine and without all controuersie that Mary was of the tribe of Iudah Luke 5. But it will be obiected Obiection that the Leuites being dispersed among the other Tribes had a dispensation from the former Law and therefore they might marry wiues of diuerse tribes from themselues but it was otherwise with the rest Answ I answer first it is vaine to distinguish against the Law where the law doth not distinguish if then they had any priuiledge let them bring forth the charter and shew their euidence or else we cannot beleeue them Againe albeit the Leuites were scattered heere and there yet many of them dwelt together and there were whole Cities in a maner of the Priests 1 Sam. 22 19. and therefore if they had pleased or had thought themselues charged in this case they might haue hadde choise of wiues of their owne tribe Lastly this was no better obserued by other Tribes then by the Leuites For Dauid of the tribe of Iudah married Michal the daughter of Saul who was of the tribe of Beniamin 1 Sam. 18 20 27. 9 1. Likewise the eleuen tribes hauing in a manner destroyed the Beniamites in a battell professe among themselues that they might not giue them of their daughters beecause they had sworne Cursed be he that giueth a wife to Beniamin Iudges 21 18. declaring thereby that they were not restrained by any law but by their oath and to what end did they make such an oath if they had beene before forbidden by the law of God without their oath Many such like examples might bee brought foorth to shew that this Lawe did not simply restraine the marrying in other Tribes Vse 4 Fourthly from hence we may conclude an argument against the vulgar edition of the Scripture which in this place doth manifestly corrupt the text and bringeth into manifest error for it readeth the text thus All men shall marry wiues of their owne tribe and kindred The Latine translation false all women shall take them husbands of the same tribe both the which beeing generally taken may well be taken for vntruths Whereas the originall neuer speaketh of men marrying out of their tribes neyther of all men generally but of those onely that are theyr fathers heyres Bellarmine that must help at a dead lift De verbo Dei lib. 2 c. 12 answereth That these two are all one and doe not differ which argueth an hard forehead rather then a sound answer for hee blusheth not to affirme any thing when he is put to his shifts We cannot therefore receiue that interpretation for authenticke and canonicall which is directly repugnant vnto the doctrine of the Scripture and the continuall practise of the Iewes And as for those that would haue the Hebrew text amended by the Latine translation it is no better then to goe about to bee madde with reason For where the truth is there can be no error and where no errour is what need any correction To conclude this point Paul de Sancta Maria et iscop Burgensis in addit ad cap 36 Numb I will oppose the testimony and iudgement of Paul de Sancta Maria a great byshop and sometimes Chancellor vnto the King of Castile directly against Bellarmine one Papist against another whose words are these In this precept our translation swarueth very much from the Hebrew verity c and the reason of the Law beareth witnesse to the trueth of the Hebrew for this was the end thereof that the diuision of inheritances that was to be made might remain perpetually amongst the Tribes so that nothing of the land which fell to bee in the lot of the Tribe of Iudah might returne at any time to the lotte of Beniamin and so of the rest Therefore the Law was giuen of those onely which did succeed in their fathers inheritance that the Tribes should not bee shuffled or mingled together because thereby the inheritance would passe from one tribe to another which was against the ordinance of God but other women which had brethren and consequently did not succeede in the inheritance of their father were not forbidden by this Law but that they might marry with whom they would of any other tribe because it appeareth euidently that from hence would not follow the confusion of the lots Neither do we reade of any dispensation that the Tribes of Leui and Iudah had to ioyne in marriage one with another for there needed no dispensation where was no prohibition c. This testimony is cited by Drusius Lastly obserue touching the Iewish inheritances Vse 5 that at the yeare of Iubile the inheritance solde or morgaged returned agayne to the owner as we may reade Leuit. chapter 25 verses 8.9 This fell out euery fiftieth
Moses setteth downe in this place the particular number of euery Tribe then the generall summe of the whole gathered together into one the which amounteth vnto 603550. persons that could draw the sworde This may seeme very strange vnto vs that so small an handful of 70. soules should multiply so greatly in the space of 216. years But herein we are to consider the truth of God ioyned with his power who because hee is true of his word and able of his power performed that to this people which he promised long before to their Fathers For wee must fetch the cause of this extraordinary increase a little higher and obserue that God had passed his promise long before to Abraham that albeit hee were olde and his wife both old and barren yet he would blesse him with a great seed posterity as the dust of the earth as the stars of heauen and as the sand on the sea shore which could not be numbred as Ge. 12 3. I wil make of thee a great Nation I will blesse thee make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing And chap. 13 14 16. 15 5. 17 2 4 5 6. Rom. 4 17 18 Heb. 11 12. Lift vp thine eies now and looke from the place where thou art Northward and Southward Eastward and Westward I will make thy seede as the dust of the earth so that if a man number the dust of the earth then shal thy seede be numbred Likewise Chap. 15. he brought him forth and said Look vp now vnto heauen and tell the Starres if thou be able to number them and be saide vnto him So shal thy seed be So Chap. 17. I will make my Couenant betweene me and thee and I wil multiply thee exceedingly Neither shal thy name anie more be called Abram but Abraham for a Father of many Nations haue I made thee I will make thee exceeding fruitful wil make nations of thee yea Kings shal proceed of thee The same promise is likewise renewed to Iacob Gen. 46 2 3. I am God the God of thy father feare not to go downe into Egypt for I wil there make of thee a great Nation Thus did God speake from time to time to the Patriarkes and thus did he promise to blesse them did renew the promise for their farther assurance and consolation Behold heere the accomplishment of the same promise and the verifying of it to the full Ps 105 24 37 for he increased his people exceedingly made them stronger then their oppressors yea hee brought them forth with siluer and gold and there was none feeble among their tribes Frō Doctrine 4 hence we gather this doctrine God will performe all the promises that he maketh to his people that al the promises of God made to his children shal in due time be accomplished so that he wil not faile nor falsifie the worde that is gone out of his mouth The truth heereof appeareth by sundry consents of Scripture This is it that Ioshua declareth chap. 21 44 45. The Lord gaue rest vnto Israel round about according to all that he had sworne vnto their Fathers there stood not a man of all their enemies before them for the Lord deliuered all their enemies into their hand There failed nothing of all the good things which the Lord had said vnto the house of Israel but all came to passe Where he sheweth that as God promised to defend his to defeat their enemies and to giue his people peace so hee failed them not but fulfilled his promise In the Booke of the Kings mentioning the siege of Samaria we reade that in the great famine wherein the City was pressed 2 King 7 1 18 the Prophet Elisha prophesieth that to morrow this time a measure of fine flowre shall be sold for a shekel two measures of Barly for a shekell in the gate of Samaria And howsoeuer this seemed vnpossible to such as were blinded with vnbeleefe looked vpon ordinary meanes that shewed themselues before them who feared not to say Though the Lord would make windows in heauen this thing could not come to passe yet it did come to passe nothing was left vnperformed for the people went out and spoyled the campe of the Aramites so that a measure of fine Flowre was at a Shekell and two measures of Barly at a shekel according to the word of the Lord. True it is God somtimes promiseth that which he doth not by and by accomplish because the promise is for the appointed time but in the end it cometh and shall not stay In the beginning of the world it was said immediately after the mans fall Gen. 3 15. I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed her seede he shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele Many yeares passed ouer the heads of Gods people before this was performed yea many Kings and Prophets and righteous men desired to see these dayes that longed for the comming of the Messias and the consolation of Israel Gal. 4 4 5. but when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Law c. God promised and Noah prophesied and the Scripture hath published Genes 9.27 that God shold perswade Iapheth that he may dwel in the tents of Shem so that the Gentiles should be conuerted vnto the faith and wonne by the ministerie of the word not by the force of the sword to embrace the Gospell This promise was long deferred yet in the end truly verified when the Apostles were called to preach vnto them prepared for it by the gift of tongues and enabled to go through the worke as appeareth at large in the Acts of the Apostles The old and new Testament do giue testimony one to another The old Testament containeth many and sundry prophesies and what is the new but an accomplishment of the same All these allegations as a cloud of witnesses confirme this point that God as he maketh his promises in mercy so in iustice and righteousnes he accomplisheth the same Reason 1 Neither let this seeme strange vnto vs. For first consider with mee who it is that maketh the same not man who is deceitfull but God who neuer failed or falsified his word He is true in all his sayings and faithfull in all his doings he is as ready to performe as he is to promise and neuer repenteth or recalleth that which is gone out of his mouth This the Apostle as a faithfull witnesse testifieth Rom. 3 3 4. Psal 36 6. and 57 11. and 89 33. What though some did not beleeue shall their vnbeleefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid yea let God be true and euery man a lyar as it is written That thou mightest bee iustified in thy words and ouercome when thou art iudged The reason vsed in this place is this God is true in his word
spend our strength in vaine and for nothing yet our iudgement is with the Lord and our worke with our God Esay 49 4 5. In the meane season let our labour be answerable to the greatnesse of our calling that so we may be worthy of that honour Vse 4 Lastly seeing the function of the Ministery is of great excellency and dignity we must vnderstand that great gifts are required in the Ministers and they must in a good measure be qualified thereunto This vse doth the Apostle make 1 Tim. 3. The office of a Minister is a worthy worke therefore he ought to be of blamelesse conuersation and apt to giue instruction to the people He must shew both integrity of life and light of doctrine which is as the Vrim and Thummim that the Priest did beare on his brest-plate of iudgement Exod. 28 30. It is the best harmony that can be made when life and doctrine agree together otherwise we are as iarring cymbals Hence it is that the Prophet speaking of the Couenant of life and peace made with Leui Malac. 2 6 saith The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lippes c. and he did turne many away from iniquity The Ministers are called by Christ both the light of the world and the salt of the earth In like manner Paul exhorteth the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20 28. Take heed vnto your selues and to all the flocke ouer the which the holy Ghost hath made you Ouerseers 1 Tim 4 16. to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood They must take heed to themselues by liuing well and to the flocke by feeding well with wholesome food They must shew themselues patternes of good workes Titus 2 7 8. If the calling were meane meane gifts would serue to furnish them that are chosen and exalted to that calling but seeing it is great we ought to labour after great gifts and to be adorned with worthy graces They that watch ouer soules ought to haue a quicke and sharpe sight that they may descry the crafty wiles and guiles of Satan They ought to haue a wonderfull care of their duty that are to attend the flocke of God day and night and be able to teach all and to deale with all sorts of men as Math. 13 52. He must be a Scribe taught of God No young scholler a workman that needeth not to be ashamed who see and try his worke diuiding the word of truth aright They must be able to seeke out that which is lost able to strengthen the weake able to heale the sicke able to binde vp the broken No skill is sufficient for these works to be the Lords husbandmen to dresse and husband the Church that it become not an vnfruitfull and barren wildernesse No skill in vs is sufficient to make vs the light of the world Math. 5 the salt of the earth the builders of Christs body the coworkers of God 1 Corinth 3 19 the Embassadours of Christ 2 Corinth 5 20 the Stewards of the house Titus 1 7 the fathers of the Church 1 Corinth 4 15 the fishers of men Math. 4 19 the Ministers of the Spirit 2 Corinth 3 6 the builders of the Temple the Shepheards of the sheepe Eph. 4 11 the planters and waterers of the garden 1 Corinth 3 6 7 the watchmen of the City Ezek. 33 7. Heb. 13 17 the Trumpetters of the host and the stars of the firmament Reuel 1 20. Dan. 12 3. The City of God which is the Church is a more glorious and beautifull worke then is the fabrick or frame of the whole world besides On the other side see the misery of blinde guides and the mischiefe that commeth by dumbe dogs yea the desolation that cometh vpon the people that haue such Pastours or Shepheards they are altogether vnworthy of that calling No man will make him his horsekeeper that hath no knowledge nor skil in horsemanshippe nor any experience that way nor his Cooke that cannot tell how to dresse his meate nay not his swineheard that is no better then an Image or Idoll and cannot tell how to guide or gouerne them And yet behold the simplicity and sottishnesse of the world and wonder at it They regard not to commit the soules of men that are most precious to such as we wil not willingly commit an heard of bruite beasts to be kept Ezek 33 6. The watchman that is blinde and dumbe and the City that setteth vp such an one shall perish together and our Sauiour testifieth that if the blinde leade the blinde both shall fall into the ditch Mat. 15 14. Woe vnto such leaders woe vnto such as are thus led These make this a base calling as if Ieroboams Priests were fit enough that were taken from the lowest of the people CHAP. IIII. 1. AND the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron saying 2. Take the summe of the sonnes of Kohath from among the sonnes of Leui after their families by the house of their fathers 3. From thirty yeares and vpward euen vntill fifty yeares old all that enter into the host to doe the worke in the Tabernacle of the Congregation 4. This shall be the seruice of the sonnes of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation about the most holy things IN this Chapter we haue an other numbring of the Leuites howbeit it is in another kinde then the former in the former chapter For in the third chapter the Tribe of Leui is numbred according to the persons but in this chapter it is numbred according to their office and Ministery so that there is a great difference betweene this and the other True it is Difference betweene the numbring in this chapter and the former in them both this Tribe is numbred but not this Tribe onely nor all the same persons nor yet to the same end We saw before a generall enumeration of the families of the Leuites as they succeeded in the roome of the first borne who had beene separated sanctified to the worship of God to the Ministery of the word to the seruice of the Church and to the spirituall gouernment of the people so that as well the first borne as they are numbred But in this chapter onely the Leuites are numbred not all nor any of the first borne who were now freed and exempted and fully discharged from that ministration Againe in the former chapter all the Leuites are numbred from a moneth old vpward but in this onely such as were fitted by their yeares to vndertake and execute the office of the Ministery which lawfull age is heere defined and determined to begin at thirty and to end at fifty yeares Lastly that numbring in the former chapter was to another end and purpose then this There they were all numbred frō one moneth that it might be knowne what ouerplus there was of the first borne but heere they are accounted from 30. yeares old to 50. that
the conscience They haue not their names in vaine they are not idle sounds of vaine words but they offer the signification of some duty to be performed and leade to the consideration of some thing to be practised as Shepheards call to their remembrance to be busied in feeding watchmen to proue to them that they ought to haue a vigilant care of the City of God and to be on their watch tower Messengers that they must not doe their owne businesse but his that sent thē So they are called Elders 1 Tim. 5 verse 17 19. 1 Pet. 5 verse 1. Acts 14 verse 23. and 15 2. and 16 4. and 20 17. to imprint and engraue in their hearts the cogitation and consideration of the care wisedome sobriety and stayednesse that ought to bee in men of that calling all which gifts are for the most part proper to that age for dayes shall speake and the multitude of yeares teach wisedome Iob 32 verse 7. And therefore they are resembled vnto them not because they are so alwaies in age but because they should bee like vnto them and haue the properties and qualities of them Reason 2 Secondly the Ministery is an high calling of great weight and worthinesse of great excellency and importance standing vp not only in the place of the people to offer vp their praiers but in the roome of God to declare his will to the people If then the worke bee so worthy if the office be so weighty if the calling be so honourable then it followeth by a good and necessary consequence that such ought to bee well fitted and filled with wisedome grauity and sobriety that vndertake it This is the reason vrged by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3 1 2. He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke a Bishop therefore must be vnblameable vnreproueable Who is it that mindeth to build an house but hee will looke out a fit workman for his purpose Or who will commit the gouernment of his family to an vnwise Steward that knoweth not how to mannage the affaires thereof to giue euery one his portion in due season Thē much lesse ought the Church of Christ to be committed to vnwise vnlearned vndiscreete men that are ignorant both how to rule it which way to reforme it Thirdly such as are called to this office Reason 3 must be carefull to looke vnto their waies that their calling be not blemished and their Ministery reprehended so that they ought to beare themselues worthily and wisely Euery one in the profession must labour to adorne the Gospel and walke vnblameably in the middest of a naughty and crooked generation Philip. 2 15. It is required of wiues to be chaste and keepers at home that the word of God be not blasphemed Titus 2 5. and of seruants to count their masters worthy of al honour that the Name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken off 1 Tim. 6 ver 1. Much more then ought the Ministers to magnifie their office to beautifie their calling to watch in all things and to make full proofe of their Ministery 2 Tim. 4 verse 5. They ought to shine as bright and burning candles and as Christ saith they must bee lights of the world Math. 5. being set as a City vpon an high hill which cannot be hidden Hence it is that the Apostle saith Giue no offence in any thing 2 Cor. 6 3 4. that the Ministery be not blamed but let vs in all things approue our selues as the Ministers of God in much patience in necessities in distresses c. If onely our persons should be blamed and receiue a checke the matter were the lesse but the Ministery it selfe shall be reproched and the ordinance of God reuiled and therefore we ought to looke more carefully circumspectly to our waies that haue the eyes eares tongues of all men turned toward vs. Their eies are fixed vpon vs to behold our actions their eares are prepared to heare whatsoeuer they can of vs their mouthes are opened and their tongues vnloosed to speake euery where of vs so that we are set as vpon a stage can by no means couer our persons or our practises from the sight and knowledge of all men Lastly the Ministers is to vtter the word Reason 4 of wisedome whereby both himselfe and his hearers shall bee made wise vnto saluation The Apostle putteth Timothy in mind that he had beene brought vp in the Scriptures of a childe which are able to make him wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 verse 15. and Psal 119. the Prophet thereby was made wiser then his teachers then his enemies then the auncient Hereupon the Apostle Paul saith 1 Corinth 12 verse 8. To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit And in the first chapter of the same Epistle verse 23 24. Wee preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Grecians foolishnesse but vnto them which are called Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God Seeing then wee are to vtter the words of wisedome so called both because they are the words of the most wise GOD and because they are able to teach vs the truest wisedome we are to speak them as it becommeth them to be spoken to the end that in nothing we may be blamed or ashamed To conclude these reasons and to binde them all in a bundle together forasmuch as the Ministers of the Church are Elders both in name and nature and wee are to vtter the words of wisedome forasmuch as the Ministery that we haue obtained is a weighty and worthy calling and that it ought no way to be blotted and blemished of vs by any vndiscreete and vndecent carriage it followeth that such as are set apart to this work must be men of wisedome moderatiō of experience and excellent gouernment of themselues of their words of their gestures and of their waies whether they be publike or priuate whether they be open or secret whether they be at home or abroad Vse 1 We will now proceed to set downe the vses of this doctrine that we may be benefited and instructed by it First it serueth to reproue diuers sorts of persons that goe against this rule who albeit they be ready to receiue this truth and to approue of it in iudgement yet they transgresse it and crosse it notoriously in their practise The first reproofe Childrē made Ministers in the Church of Rome And here we are to meete with the shamefull abuse and detestable corruption that is too common in the Church of Rome where children and boies haue beene admitted and ordained to Ecclesiasticall dignities before they had any vnderstanding what the office requireth or how it can be discharged Thus hath the Byshop of Rome that challengeth to be the high Priest of the world the Vicar of Christ and the successour of Peter prophaned this calling and promoted
abhominable If we come wickedly and vnworthily to the Lords Supper we eate and drinke our owne damnation Let vs therefore examine our selues and prepare our hearts before we come that so wee may bee meete partakers of those holy mysteries Obiect Before wee come to the doctrine offered vnto vs in this diuision we are to answer one obiection that ariseth from hence For the question may be asked whether this charge heere spoken of were perpetually enioyned to the Leuites that they should carry the instruments of the Sanctuary and the Arke whether I say they were alwayes to beare the Arke Answer or not I answer this commandement was temporary It was their duty for a time vntill the Priests were encreased and multiplied in number that they were sufficient and enabled to carry it Deut. 31 9. But afterward all the examples of the histories mentioned in the bookes of Ioshua and the Iudges of Samuel and of the Kings do manifestly declare that it was the office of the Priests themselus Iosh 3 6. 1 Sam. 14 18. 2 Sam. 15 29. 1 Kings 2 26 and 8 3 4. For the most worthy things were to be handled by the more worthy persons thereby to testifie the worthines and dignity of the things themselues and to procure the greater reuerence and respect vnto them Wherefore the commandement enioyned in this place was for a season onely vntill there were a sufficient number of the Priests to do it 2 Sam. 6 3. The setting of the Arke vpon a Cart was Dauids infirmity though otherwise a man after Gods owne heart for Princes may erre the best of them may be deceiued They followed not the ordinance of God and caused it not to be carried on the shoulders eyther of the Priests or Leuites but followed the example of the Philistims who made a new Cart 1 Sam. 6 7 11. and laide the Arke of the Lord vpon the Cart so did Dauid and all the people they set the Arke of God vpon a new Cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab Againe we reade sometimes in the Scriptures that the Leuites did it 1 Chr. 15 2. Then Dauid said None ought to carry the Arke of God but the Leuites for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the Arke of God and to minister vnto him for euer Thus was Dauid made wiser by the former breach of Gods wrath among them whereby Vzzah was destroyed Howbeit we must vnderstand heereby the Priests that were of the Tribe of Leui as appeareth by the 26 verse of that chapter It came to passe when God helped the Leuites to beare the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord that they offered seuen Bullocks seuen Rams Where we see that such as did beare the Arke did also offer sacrifices but the Priests office onely was to offer sacrifice therefore they onely did carry the Arke For all the Priests were Leuites but all Leuites were not Priests The name of Leuites was a common name to all that belonged to that Tribe whereof some were called Priests other by the common name of Leuites But concerning those that executed the Priests office and were not of that Tribe they were no better then intruders and vsurpers Verse 5 6 c. And when the Campe setteth forward Aaron shall come and his sonnes and they shall take downe c. Moses mentioneth and setteth downe in this place the particular calling of all the Leuites what they ought to do and what they ought not to do wherein they are to busie themselues exercise their gifts and how they may approue themselues in their places as if he should bring euery one of them into their proper field that they were to till For euen as a master of a family appointeth euery one of his seruants their taske and worke that he will haue them do so doth the Lord our God deale with his Ministers and all his people he giueth them their peculiar office and sheweth how and wherein they must employ themselues We learne Doctrine 1 from hence that euery man whether out of the Ministery or in the Ministery It is the duty of euery one to know and learne the duties of his owne calling must learne and know the duties of his owne calling what charge God hath laide vpon him and what seruice he requireth at his hands At the giuing of the law in Mount Sion euery one had his standing place assigned vnto him which he might not passe for as God hath set bounds vnto the sea that though it rage yet it can go no farther then hee hath appointed he hath said hitherto it shall goe and it can go no farther so Moses is charged to deale with the people that they do not breake thorough vnto the Lord Exod. 19 12. Thou shalt set bounds vnto the people saying Take heed to your selues that ye goe not vp into the Mount or touch the border of it c. Thus also the Lord speaketh to Ieremy chapt 1 5 10. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest foorth out of the wombe I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a Prophet vnto the Nations The Prophet Ionah is reproued that being to go to Niniueh Ionas 1 3. rose vp to flye vnto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. Thus doth Paul speake to Timothy for hauing set downe before him the duty of his calling he saith 1 Tim 4.15 16. Tit. 1 5 and 2 15 and 3 â— Meditate vpon these things giue thy selfe wholly to them that thy profiting may appeare to all Euery one is taught to labour with his hands the thing that is good Eph. 4 28. and to withdraw himselfe from euery brother that walketh inordinately and not according to the doctrine receiued The reasons to confirme vs Reason 1 in this truth are many First we can neuer practise the duties of our callings except we know them This is the eie that leadeth vs to the doing of theÌ„ from the beginning to the ending of them The blind man cannot see his way Ioh. 13 17. If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them When once we know what duties are laid vpon vs we are already entred into the way to do them and performe them Reason 2 Secondly such as transgresse the bounds set before them shall surely perish and be punished When the people before the Law was giuen were limited how farre to passe Moses addeth â—d 19.12 whosoeuer toucheth the mount shal be surely put to death and the Apostle prosecuteth the threatening further 〈◊〉 12.20 If so much as a beast touch the mountain it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart So then the consideratioÌ„ of the punishment threatned denounced against all that breake the listes set vnto them which is farther confirmed by sundry examples of Vzzah and of Corah and his company ought so farre to preuaile with vs as to teach vs to continue in the workes
into that Church another Gospel euen a new Gospel Gal. 1 6. Such are they in these daies that hammer cockle and darnell vpon the anuill of their owne braines broaching strange positions long since buried raking them out of the graues or ashes of Pelagians and other forlorne heretikes These glory in their owne wits and account themselues happy that they can maintaine new assertions trouble the peace of the Church with them Secondly they are reprooued that scorne to take this course which Christ and his Apostles tooke to deliuer precept vpon precept heere a little and there a little They thinke it no way agreeable to their learning and high places to insist vpon one thing and to beate vpon the same matter who are like vnto a master that is greedy to teach his scholler faster then he can learne But hauing taken vpon vs the charge of soules wee must submit our selues to the slowe and slender capacities of the people and make it our chiefe end to profite theÌ„ And touching the people themselues it brandeth those with a note of fickle and itching eared hearers that loathing the olde wholesome doctrine of saluation turne their eares from the ancient truth and being like the Athenians mentioned in the Acts Acts 17 21. doe hunt after nouelties and onely doe like new doctrines new teachers new matters that they neuer heard off before lusting after change of diet like to their wicked fore-fathers that loathed the heauenly Manna wherof they had often tasted as a light meat they must haue variety and be fed with quailes to fill their delicate and dainty stomackes There is little hope to do any great good vpoÌ„ these nice and new fangled hearers that are ouergone and ouergrowne with a dangerous disease Of such the Apostle hath foretold 2 Tim. 4 3 4. The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their owne lusts shall they heape to themselues Teachers hauing itching eares and they shall turne away their eares from the truth shall be turned vnto fables Such were some of the Galatians who were bewitched by false teachers that they should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ had bin euidently set forth and crucified among them Gal. 3 1. Many such are in our daies in towne and city that surfet through plenty and wax wanton through abundance of Gods blessings Were not he an vnwise man that would leaue his old Physition to whom he hath bin long accustomed and who knoweth by long experience the state of his body and foolishly long after others that neither hee knoweth them nor they know him So is it exceeding folly to loathe the knowne Physition of thy soule that knoweth the state and condition of thy soule and consequently is most likely to do thee most good and to haunt after new teachers that may feede thee with winde in stead of sound and wholesome nourishment or at least though he teach soundly yet cannot speake so powerfully and apply his word so profitably and know thy necessity so fitly as thine ordinary teacher that hath the ouersight and charge of thy soule Vse 3 Lastly this admonisheth all hearers to bee content to be ordered in this manner and not to thinke amisse of their Ministers for deliuering vnto them knowne truthes which they haue read and heard learned and known long before For it is the old commandement the common and ancient faith which they must teach and teach againe which are the true Pastors He that bringeth in another Gospel then that which hath beene already receiued if it were an Angel from heauen let him be accursed Gal. 1 8. Wherefore whosoeuer findeth fault with them for these repetitions reprooueth Christ himselfe and checketh the holy ordinance of God These are they that while they would be thought wise become fooles they will take a course by themselues set Christ and his Apostles to schoole to learne as if the blinde should teach them that can see to hit the marke For if wee will consider the matter and iudge it aright the truth is more fit to be remembred and recommended to theÌ„ that do already know it then to those that are ignorant of it This is the duty whereunto Iohn doth prepare his hearers in his first Epistle 1 Iohn â— 21. chapt 2. Brethren I write no new commandement vnto you but an old commandement which ye haue heard from the beginning I write vnto you babes because ye haue knowne the Father I write vnto you fathers because yee haue knowne him that is from the beginning I haue not written vnto you because ye know not the truth c. We that are in the number of Gods people must learne to know our owne good and heare greedily diligently the same things which we haue heard and learned as they that haue eaten hungerly of one dish of meate to day come to it without any loathing the next day againe But some will say Obiectiâ—â— what neede haue we to heare the same things as coleworts twice sodden especially considering there is such variety and diuersity of matter for the Minister to insist vpon I answer Answer there are many causes to beare out this practise as wee noted before For who knoweth any thing as hee ought to know And who practiseth any duty as he ought to practise Who hateth any vice so fully and perfectly as he ought to hate it or is so armed and strengthned against the assaults and temptations thereof as is required Who is so fenced against errors and heresies but he may daily fortifie himselfe better and scoure vp his rusty armour Or who remembreth any thing so well as hee should and is not prone to forget what he hath once knowne and learned It may be we haue receiued to beleeue and obtaine Christ to repent and fight against sinne howbeit our knowledge our faith our obedience are imperfect our combates with Satan are mingled with much weaknesse and oftentimes wee are constrained to take the foile so that it is necessary that we should bee continually put in remembrance of these things The Apostle writeth to the Philippians Phil 3 1. that it greeued him not to write the same things there is more cause to speak the same things then to write them because the things spoken passe away and are soone forgotten whereas the things written remaine and continue Where are they then and how great is their ignorance shall I say or folly that when they heare one doctrine twice or peraduenture thrice doe repine and disdaine at it and thinke it not worthy to bee spoken and commended vnto them againe or themselues too worthy to heare of it againe but if it fall out to bee deliuered the second time by a meaner Minister then it was before inferiour in degrees or weaker in gifts then they abhorre it so much the more and cry out aloud that they are shamefully abused They reply Can he say
themselues For he saith in the place before named and mentioned Thou shalt not take the summe of them among the children of Israel that is while thou art reckoning the number and taking the muster of the other Tribes thou shalt not meddle with this Tribe who were exempted from the warres And the reason thereof is rendred Num. 1.50 Thou shalt appoint the Leuites ouer the Tabernacle of the Testimony and ouer all the vessels thereof and ouer all things that belong vnto it He calleth it sometimes the Tabernacle of the Congregation because the people assembled at it for the worship of God and sometimes the Tabernacle of the Testimony â—â—mb 17 8. â—â—abl annot Nume 1. because in the Tabernacle was placed the Arke and in the Arke the two Tables of the Testimony in which the ten commandements were written wherby God testified his will to the Israelites both what he would haue them doe and what he would not haue them to doe Verse 34. 35. And Moses and Aaron and the chiefe of the Congregation In these words beginneth the execution of the Commandement of God Moses numbring the Leuites according to their families and assigning to euery one of them their seuerall offices and charges This obedience of his is worthy of great praise inasmuch as in this description of the numbring of these families he remoueth farre from himselfe all suspition of giuing scope to his owne affections and therefore he signifieth that he did nothing of pride or partiality aduancing the Leuites before the other Tribes or preferring the family of the Kohathites before the rest of the Leuites but hath dealt in all things as became the true minister of God euen according to the commandement and commission that he had receiued of whom it is said afterward chap. 12. My seruant Moses is faithfull in all mine house â—umb 12.7 â—eb 3.5 euen as in the building of the Tabernacle he added nothing of his owne but did all things according to the patterne that was shewed him in the mount We learne from hence that whensoeuer we haue heard the word and had the will of God reuealed vnto vs we must yeeld Doctrine 1 obedience to the same The word heard must be obeyed It is a duty required of vs to practise so much of Gods trueth as is in mercy made knowne vnto vs. So did Noah Gen. 6.22 when he was commanded to make an Arke he did it as God commanded So did Abraham when he was commanded to circumcise himselfe and the males in his family Gen. 17. This is it that Moses teacheth the people after all his teaching and exhorting of them Deut. 10.12.13 Now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou keepe the commandements of the Lord his ordinances which I command thee this day for thy wealth And in the beginning of the next chapter Deut. 11.1 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and keepe his charge and his statutes and his iudgements and his commandements alwayes The Apostle Iames vrgeth this duty vpon those that are swift to heare and haue receiued the word with meeknes which is able to saue their soules chap. 1.22 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne soules Christ our Sauiour describing the good hearers by the good ground saith They bring forthwith patience some sixty fold some thirty fold Luke 8.15 Matth. 13.23 and some an hundred fold euery one some fruit no man is barren altogether To conclude this point it was the exhortation of Moses and of the Priests and Leuites Deut. 27.9 10 which they spake vnto all Israel Take heed and hearken O Israel this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God thou shalt therefore obey the voyce of the Lord thy God and doe his commandements and his statutes which I command thee this day So theÌ„ we must all know what is required of vs to wit to be doers and not bare hearers to be practisers and not talkers to be obeyers and followers not idle professors Maruell not at all at this For first to encline Reason 1 our hearts to walke in his wayes that we haue learned is an infallible signe that we truely feare God This we see in the example of Abraham God tempted him and said vnto him Take thy sonne thine only sonne Isaac whom thou louest and offer him for a burnt offering he preferred the commandement of God before the loue to his owne sonne God accepted his willing mind and therefore he heareth this comfort Lay not thine hand vpon the lad neither doe thou any thing vnto him Gen. 22.12 for now I know thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thine only sonne from me Not that he was ignorant before but because he made that knowne to himselfe and to others which before was known to him alone and not thoroughly to Abraham himselfe For what is in vs we know not certainly our selues vntill we be prooued Thus then we see that Abrahams notable obedience in so great a tryall was an euident testimony that hee truely loued God Reason 2 Secondly obeience is alwayes ioyned with recompence God-rewarding it to the ful who is a most rich pay-master No man shall serue him for nought If Laban could say thus to Iacob Gen. 29.15 Because thou art my brother shouldest thou therefore serue me for nought will not the Lord much rather say to vs because ye are my children should ye therfore serue me for nothing The Prophet Dauid setting downe the singular fruits and effects of the word of God saith By it is thy seruant made circumspect Psal 19.11 in keeping of it there is great reward Consider brefly how it was with Abraham of whom we spake before he receiued an hard commandement himselfe to offer vp in sacrifice his only sonne yet because he delayed not to put it in present execution he receiued a threefold reward first God deliuered his sonne from death secondly he commendeth the faith of the father and thirdly he repeateth the promise to him and confirmeth his faith in it Gen. 22. Reason 3 Thirdly if we hearken vnto him he will hearken vnto vs if we serue him he will not be backeward or behinde hand with vs to serue vs. This doth the Prophet Esay point out vnto vs chap. 58.9 Thou shalt call and the Lord shall answere thou shalt cry and hee shall say Here I am On the other side if we will not hearken to obey him he will neuer hearken vnto vs neither regard when we call vpon him The wise man bringeth in wisdome crying without and vttering her voyce in the streetes Pro. 1.24 25.26 Because I haue called and ye refused I haue stretched out mine hand and no man regarded but ye
soule that they may be preserued from sin from the infection of sin Now if any aske whether the disease of the leprosie be not contagious and therfore whether it be not expedient that all such as are taken and touched with it should be barred and banished from the society of men I confesse this is true and conuenient ought to be so but this was not the chiefe and principall end that God respected and therfore this is left to the Physitians and Masters of that profession to iudge according to the rules of art and experience God committed the matter to the Priests that they should order all things according to the directions giuen vnto them it had beene much safer to haue committed and commended the matter to such as had iudgement in that faculty Moreouer we must consider The leprosie of three sorts that as this disease was foule and filthy vgly and feareful so there are three sorts of it named in the law to wit the leprosie of the body the leprosie of the garments and the leprosie of the house so that it is most probable according to the opinion of the learned that the Iewes in a proper and peculiar manner vnknowne to vs at this day and vnknowne to the Iewes themselues at this day were troubled and tormented with this disease Euen as we that are cast into the last age of the world haue diseases that follow some sinnes which in former times were not knowne to the Physitians themselues And heereupon no doubt prophane writers tooke occasion to deuise sundry lyes and slanders against the whole nation of the Iewes as if it were hereditary vnto them and that all the posterity of Abraham were full of botches and blisters and itches and therefore were driuen out of Egypt by force Ioseph antiq lib. 9. lest they should corrupt the rest with their infection This forged surmise had ancient Authors to rest vpon Cornel. Tacit. Iustin lib. 38. and is as likely to proceed from the Egyptians themselues a proude and hauty people as from any other who being ashamed of the plagues that were sent among them and inflicted among them and desirous to blot out the memory of the reproch of their nation and of the vengeance of eternall God turned the iudgement of scabs blisters that fel vpon theÌ„ from themselues to the people of Israel as if they had infected them were for that cause compelled to banish them out of Egypt lest they should corrupt the whole countrey with their maladies But if this had bin the true reason of their departure why did they retaine them so long among them and in the end bestow vpon theÌ„ siluer and gold iewels and precious stones thereby spoiling themselues to enrich their enemies or why did they persecute them with such hatred at the red sea that themselues were drowned Furthermore among the curses that God denounceth to bring vpoÌ„ his people for the contempt of his word disobedience to his lawes Deut. 28.27 he threatneth to smite them with the botch of Egypt and with the hemrohds and with the scabbes and with the itch whereof they should not be healed Lastly if the people of God had beene haunted and vexed with any such filthy diseases the Lord would neuer haue established such sharpe and seuere lawes among them the like whereof were not to be found among forreine nations whereby such were separated from the company of men as had any loathsome and noysome vlcers and sicknesses following them yea if any suspition did arise they were seuered and sundered from the rest for a time vntill the trueth were throughly knowne and found out as appeareth at large in the booke of Leuiticus Verse 2. Command the children of Israel that they put out c. Heere we haue a plaine and expresse commandement of God charging Moses to put out lepers vncleane persons from the Congregation The Apostle Paul speaking of fornicators and incestuous persons that were vncleane liuers vncleane in body and in soule vseth the same word Put out such from among you 1 Cor. 5.13 thereby Doctrine 1 shewing what God intended by this Ceremony Obstinate sinners are to be cast out of the Church the substance whereof teacheth this truth namely that obstinate sinners are to be cast out of the Church All open offenders and vnreformed persons by the dreadfull and direfull sentence of excommunication as it were by the two edged sword of God are to be cut off from the fellowship of the Church and from all the priuiledges that belong vnto the faithfull This ordinance of God hath good ground vpon the separation mentioned in this place which was not commanded as a ciuill policy to keep the whole from the sick but as a part of Ecclesiasticall discipline inasmuch as the Priests the sonnes of Aaron had the whole knowledge of the cause as well the shutting of them out as the receiuing of them into the hoste as we shewed by sundry examples before There are that draw the originall of this Church-censure euen from Adam whom the Lord cast out of Eden and set an Angel at the entry of the garden who by shaking the blade of a glistering sword feared him from re-entring and suffered him not to touch or taste of that tree which was a Sacrament of life vnto him The like doe the Hebrew interpreters obserue touching Caine Gen. 3.24 whom the Lord cast out and banished from the face of God Gen. 4.14 as the lepers were cast out of the fellowship of men For what else is the face of God but the place appointed for his worship where he was wont to appeare to the Fathers and where Adam and his family met together to serue him and to sacrifice vnto him And al â—his was before the law when the sons of God were manifestly distinguished from the sonnes of men Gen 6.1 In the time of the Law we haue many ceremonies to this purpose We see that the vncleane were kept from comming to the Tabernacle from entring into the Temple from the partaking of the sacrifices and from eating the Passeouer Num 19. â— 20. and 9. â— So in another place the Lord threatneth that he shal be cut off from his people that being vncleane eateth of his sacrifice and that the sacrifice shal profit him nothing nor be accounted to him to take away his sinne but that it shall remaine vpon his owne head These are no obscure types darke shadowes but liuely pictures and patternes that represent vnto vs the nature of excommunication Let vs come to the new Testament Mat. 16.13 and 18.18 The vse of the keyes to open and shut and the words of binding and loosing come directly to this purpose And as this trueth is taught by precept so it is farther enlarged and warranted by sundry examples Abraham is commanded to cast out the bond woman her son Ge. 21.10 â— out of his family which was
iudgment vpon the vnbeleeuers and impenitent persons Great is the authority of Princes and Rulers of the earth They may banish from their kingdoms such as are offenders but they cannot banish and exclude any from the kingdome of God They may binde the hands and feet of the body but they haue no power to binde the soule and conscience The Magistrate may say Take his body but the Minister may say Let him be deliuered to Satan Lastly we see from hence that those Churches are deceiued that cast from them this holy ordinance of Christ Iesus they are as a body subiect to many diseases yet want a soueraigne medicine to cure them For albeit they haue the Christian Magistrate to assist them and to resist euils yet his iudgement is externall not internall he may punish he cannot amend and reforme Euery Church therefore ought to haue this remedy to take away euill out of Israel The second point in the description of excommunication is â—e second 〈◊〉 of the deâ—ption that it must bee executed vpon him that is a member of the Church For as it is the sentence of the Church so it extendeth onely to such persons as are professours in the visible Church and haue giuen their names to Christ and submitted themselues to the doctrine and discipline thereof This is expresly grounded vpon the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 5 11 12. If any that is called a brother be a fornicator or couetous or an idolater or a drunkard c with such a one eate not 2 Cor. 2 6. For what haue I to doe to iudge them also that are without Doe not ye iudge them that are within In like manner Christ in the Gospel prescribing this spirituall physicke to recouer dangerous sinners saith If thy brother trespasse against thee From hence we learne what person is to be excommunicated to wit such an one as was called our brother and registred in the number of the children of the church For how can he be excommunicated that is cast out of the communion who neuer was in the communion Wherefore it belongeth nothing at all to those that are out of the church as Turkes Persians Iewes Pagans and other Infidels that were neuer baptized in the name of the holy Trinity neyther had entrance into the church This censure concerneth such as are reckoned among brethren and not accounted strangers from the faith and aliants from the Common-wealth of Israel Hence it is that when Paul had written in an Epistle to the Corinthians that they should not keep company with fornicators lest they should thinke he wrote this of all the fornicators of this world he expoundeth himselfe that he vnderstood it not of all wicked persons in generall for then they must needs goe out of the world Verse 10. but of such as were members of the church and would needs be called brethren These are they that giue scandall to the enemies of God and his Gospel through them the Name of God is blasphemed the church is contemned slandered the word is reuiled the weake are offended and the rest of the parts infected and therefore deserue worthily ro bee excommunicated The church taketh care of all her children shee is as a carefull mother and tender Nurse that hath promised to bring them vp to see them rightly ordered and gouerned and therefore ought to vse all good meanes for their recouery that their spirit may bee saued in the day of the Lord. Againe we are put in mind heereby of the folly and corrupt dealing of the Church of Rome who directly crosse the doctrine of the Apostle and set themselues in the place and seate of God For as they haue defiled the most holy ordinances of God the word praier sacraments and worship of God so they haue horribly abused the institution of excommunication as wee shall see farther afterward The truth is they haue nothing to doe with excommunication they are fallen from grace they haue denyed the faith they haue defiled themselues with Idols they will not haue Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto theÌ„ they set vp their owne works seeke iustification by theÌ„ they will not receiue Christ to be their onely King and Priest they will merite saluation for themselues and therefore they are not a true but a false Church But excommunication is the Churches right it is none of theirs that are not the Church so that albeit they curse vs and banne vs euery yeare yet it hurteth vs not forasmuch as the curse that is causelesse shall not come But suppose they were the true Church and wee out of the Church who hold all that refuse to be subiect to the Popes supremacy to bee no Church at all how commeth it to passe that they dare excommunicate vs who neuer were of their communion and do not belong to their iurisdiction They teach we are out of the bosome of the Church and Paul affirmeth that the Church is not to iudge them that are without they are therefore abusers and prophaners of this ordinance euen by their owne confession Let them either admit vs to be parts of the true Church or else remit vs to the iudgement seate of God who iudgeth them that are without 1 Cor. 5 13. For as a Prince draweth out the sword against none but his owne subiects so is this censure to be drawne out against none but such as are subiect vnto it that is the Church If the Church proceed any farther it may be said vnto it Who made thee a Iudge and Ruler ouer them Lastly let not vngodly persons atheists that are out of the Church bee encouraged heereby to continue in sinne neither let any enuy their freedome and liberty because they are not to be touched with Church-censures but rather let them consider that they shall not escape scotfree they haue God the Father high possessor of heauen and earth a sharpe and seuere Iudge against them and all their euill deeds for theÌ„ that are without God iudgeth who wil giue to euery one according to his deserts Thus much of the second point The third part of the description Let vs go forward in the description The third thing necessary to be obserued in excoÌ„munication is that the person offending bee conuicted of some greeuous hainous crime either against the first or second Table of the law Hence it is that the Apostle nameth not onely whoremongers couetous drunkards railers 1 Cor. 5 11. and extortioners but also idolaters so that as well hereticks and worshippers of Images sorcerers and enchanters and such like brethren as drunkards and adulterers are to be excommunicated In like manner Christ himselfe expresseth not the seuerall kindes of sinnes for which the brother that offendeth is to bee excommunicated but contenteth himselfe to say onely in generall If thy brother trespasse against thee So the Apostle Paul teacheth Tit. 3.10 A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition
them might haue hope And the Prophet Dauid in sundry places setteth downe this effect which himselfe from time to time had found and felt in his troubles as Psal 19.8 The statutes of the Lord are right reioycing the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes and the 119. Psalme Psalm 119 24 is a plentiful store-house to furnish vs abundantly with matter of comfort Thy testimonies are my delight and my Counsellers and againe My soule melteth for heauinesse strengthen thou mee Verse 28 according to thy word This is the true way sanctified vnto vs to driue away heauinesse this means the children of God haue vsed haue found by experience and good proofe the force and effect of it It hath beene very auaileable vnto them and filled their bones with marrow and fatnesse To this end he saith afterward Verse 92. Vnlesse thy law had beene my delight I should then haue perished in mine affliction Thus doe the faithfull reioyce in his Testimonies as much as in all riches forasmuch as his statutes do reioyce the heart make wise the simple enlighten the eies and conuert the soule then which it is vnpossible to finde greater matter of comfort Two meanes of comfort To conclude we haue seene that there are two meanes to obtaine comfort the one is from the worke of God in our hearts by his holy Spirit which leaueth vs not desolate and destitute The other is the vse of the word which is sweeter then the hony and the hony-combe and more to be desired then much riches Let vs haue an heape of sorrowes cast vpon vs through enduring of the Crosse and let vs sinke neuer so deepe into afflictions the word of God is able to raise vs vp againe to cheere vp our hearts Verse 7. Then they shall confesse their sinne which they haue done Wee shewed before that Moses setteth downe three waies how this damage offered to men is to be blotted out The course which they ought to take to purge it away is first of all to make confession of their sinne to God forasmuch as where the confession of man goeth before there the forgiuenesse of God followeth after We cannot lye hid from him nor conceale our offences and therefore it is best to acknowledge them before him Doctrine Whosoeuer looketh for forgiuenesse must confesse his sinnes to God From hence we learne that whosoeuer looketh for forgiuenesse must confesse his sins to God This is the practise and property of a true penitent to lay foorth his sinnes to God both originall and actuall and to discouer them in his sight This we see in sundry examples remembred in the old new Testament When Dauid was reprooued of Nathan the Prophet who set his sins in order before him he answered 2 Sam. 12. I haue sinned against the Lord. The Publican going vp into the Temple to pray and standing afarre off would not lift vp so much as his eyes vnto heauen but smote vpon his brest Luke 18 13. saying God be mercifull to me a sinner The prodigall sonne hauing wasted his substance with riotous liuing when he came to himselfe he went to his father and saide vnto him Luke 15 21. Father I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne The like confession we reade in Daniel chap. 9 5 6 7. when he perceiued by the word of the Lord that the seuenty yeares were accomplished in the desolations of Ierusalem he praied vnto the Lord his God and made his confession Wee haue sinned and committed iniquity and haue done wickedly and haue rebelled euen by departing from thy precepts and from thy iudgements c. The like we might shew out of Ezra 9 5 6. and Nehem. 9. and many other places which teach that it is a duty required of vs to make humble confession of our sinnes vnto God Reason 1 The reasons are weighty and effectuall to enforce this duty First we shewed in the former doctrine that all sin is committed against God Howsoeuer we may hurt men and damnifie them in their bodies and goods yet the cheefest dishonor is done against God whose law is broken and transgressed as Psal 51 4. Against thee euen thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight If then the iniury done to man be an iniquity cōmitted against God we are bound to confesse our sinne vnto him But all the wrongs offered to our brethren are sinnes against God and therefore confession ought to be made vnto him Secondly we haue shewed also before that Reason 2 it is in Gods power onely to forgiue sins and free vs from the punishment due vnto sinne He onely can giue pardon for sinne Cypri Ser. 5. de Lapsis that carried our sinnes on his body The Scribes and Pharisies had greeuously corrupted the purity of doctrine by the leauen of their owne traditions yet they held soundly and sincerely this principle that God onely forgiueth sinnes They falsely interpreted the law of God and peruerted the true meaning of it by their gloses yet they reteined this truth that none can forgiue sinnes but God onely Mark 2.7 If then God alone can forgiue sins then we must confesse them vnto him But hee alone can forgiue sinnes and therefore we must confesse them vnto him Thirdly without confession of our sinnes Reason 3 there is no forgiuenesse nor hope of pardon for God cannot in iustice forgiue vs except in humility we confesse vnto him seeing without it wee haue no promise made vnto vs to finde fauour at his hands If we be not ashamed to vncase and vncouer our sinnes he will not be ashamed of vs but shew mercy toward vs as Prou. 28 verse 13. Hee that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy And the Apostle Iohn affirmeth the same If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse 1 Iohn 1 verse 9. The like remedy Paul deliuereth to the Corinthians who for their vnreuerent vnworthy partaking of the Lords Supper were some of them weake some sicke and some dead If we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged of the Lord. 1 Corin. 11 31. And the Prophet Dauid declareth the same by his owne experience Psal 32 verse 5. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquity of my sinne If then there be no forgiuenesse of sinnes without confession it followeth that it is our duty to confesse them before him Fourthly where there is no true confession Reason 4 of sinne there is no sound repentance for sin For the inward sight of sinne and humbling of our selues for it will open our mouthes cause vs to lay them open As then the confessing of them with
names and not in the Name of God They cannot say Thus saith the Lord but this I say vnto you not heare ye the word of the Lord but heare ye my word not that which God commandeth to obserue that do ye but keepe my word â—h 15 3. the commandements of men the traditions of the Elders the superstitions of the Fathers and such like humane ordinances wherby they make the word of God of none effect This carrieth no authority to the consciences of the hearers but it is as a sword that is blunt whose edge is turned that it cannot cut or enter into the flesh The word thus deliuered can neuer open the corrupt heart of man or do any good vnto the conscience If then we do not teach the flocke of God both by sincerity of doctrine and by innocency of life we shew our selues to be messengers of Satan not the Ministers of God to be false Prophets not true Teachers We are ioynt labourers with God and therefore he will be sanctified in all that come neere vnto him He feedeth the flock by our hands he conuerteth the soules by our Ministery and he saueth the hearers by our preaching and therefore we must not cause our office to be hated and contemned but by all meanes maintaine the dignity and authority of it to the vttermost of our power It is not only the corrupt doctrine but the euill life of the Ministers that maketh their calling to be vile and void in the eyes of worldly men If the persons that preach it be prophane they reiect Ministers Doctrine and Calling they set al at nought and let all alone And this is the deepe pollicy and subtilty of Satan wheÌ„ he dareth not openly oppose himselfe against the doctrine that is according to godlinesse nor encounter with the word of truth hand to hand he goeth to worke another way that he may cunningly vndermine it to which purpose he striueth to make it hatefull and contemptible by occasion of the Ministers and he duely obserueth their errors their faults and failings that with some colour he may cauill and so countenance his euill proceedings Christ our Lord and Sauiour did well and wisely foresee this and carefully did preuent this The treachery of Iudas was well knowne to the Iewes themselues hee betrayed his master forsooke the Apostles Mar. 26 27. ioyned with the Pharisies and in the end hanged himselfe This must needs bring a great scandall and much hinder the proceeding of the Gospel cause the Disciples to be euill spoken off and the truth it selfe to be reuiled Besides the Apostles might be afraid lest all their labour should be in vaine Wherefore to the end the Lord might adde strength courage vnto them and represse the slanders calumniations of the enemies of the Gospel and withall leaue a perpetuall direction vnto the whole Church that no man should refuse the purity of doctrine for the impurity of the liues of such as are the Teachers he vttereth and oftentimes repeateth this sentence Verily I say vnto you he that heareth you heareth mee Math. 10 40. Luke 10 16. Iohn 13 20. and he that heareth me heareth him that sent me he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me In these words he establisheth the authority of the Apostles doctrine and reprooueth all those that iudge of the doctrine by the Ministers and esteeme of the truth by the teachers For euen as Kings and Princes will not lose their right nor diminish the authority of their commandements albeit their Officers or Embassadors should exceed their calling and goe beyond the bounds of their commission in like sort whatsoeuer the Ministers of the Gospel shall be yet the word alwaies remaineth the same the promises and threatnings that are written in it shall be ratified by it we shall be iudged at the last day We must turne vnto it that shall not bow and bend to vs. For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flowre of grasse The grasse withereth and the flowre thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord endureth for euer 1 Pet. 1 24 25. To conclude therefore we must not cast our eyes so much vpon the Ministers that are the disposers of the mysteries of God as vppon the author of the Ministery which is the Lord himselfe neither be so carefull and attentiue to heare their voice as Christ himselfe speaking in them in whose Name they are Embassadors Doubtlesse they shall incurre the displeasure of God and receiue greeuous punishment whosoeuer are euilly affected to the Ministery of the word and their impiety shall detract and diminish nothing from the worthinesse of the doctrine it selfe which directeth vs to one God through our onely Mediatour Iesus Christ and teacheth vs to serue him with a true faith with a pure life with a loue vnfained Vse 4 Fourthly we ought from this ground of doctrine heere deliuered to giue them double honour and not withhold from them the wages of their worke and the recompence of their labours that is due vnto them but as euery labourer must haue his hire so ought the Ministers aboue the rest that labour in the word and doctrine to be maintained of the Church As the Church dependeth vpoÌ„ them for their allowance so they depend vpon her for their maintenance Thus the Pastour and the people do feed one another as a flocke of sheepe nourisheth the Shepheard who eateth the milke of them cloatheth himselfe with the wool of them and againe the Shepheard coucheth them into greene pastures and leadeth them by the still waters The people feed him with the bread of this life he feedeth theÌ„ with the bread of euerlasting life They minister to him in carnall things he to them in spirituall things They cannot lacke him in regard of their soules hee cannot be without them in regard of his body Thus then they do feed one another or at least ought to do If he receiue food of them and giue none vnto them againe he robbeth them of their goods and murthereth their soules If they on the other side receiue food of him so that they be taught of him and yet make him not partaker of a part of their goods they robbe him and cause him to depart from them and so become murtherers of their owne soules as if they did lay violent hands vpon themselues or rather as if they did famish themselues by refusing bread prouided for them inasmuch as where vision ceaseth there people perish Prou. 29 18. Nay the Lord accounteth of this sinne in another kinde and nature he chargeth such Church-robbers to be robbers and spoilers of God no lesse then they that stand by the high way and take a purse I doubt not but very many will be ready to scorne this comparison say What Do you liken vs to theeues Do you make no better of vs We are true
worke to take double wages They labour in one place and receiue recompence for their labour in two places If we should see a day-labourer worke diligently all the yere long with one man and at the yeeres end aske his hire at the hands of two men we would account it iniustice and deny to pay him These men that now we speake off who are like vnto Issachar compared to a strong asse couching downe betweene two burdens can labor but among one people Gen. 49.14 and yet they will haue maintenance of two Parishes If they obiect that they diuide their labours and take paines among them both I answer that helpeth not the matter forasmuch as while they are absent from them and come not among them they take as much of them as when they preach vnto them If the day-labourer of whom we spake before should worke halfe the yeere with them and require of them paiment for the whole yeere they wold not be so simple to grant it though they would be so shamelesse to demaund it These are they that make the calling of the Minister gainefull rather then painefull and sildome or neuer thinke of the account which they are to make for the soules committed vnto them and yet will be sure to haue the greatest maintenance that the Church or Churches can minister vnto them Vse 3 Lastly as this duty and doctrine serueth for the direction of the Ministers that as they looke to be maintained so all are not fit for this office because they must preach in season and out of season and not intangle themselues in matters and businesse of the world that they cannot intend to giue themselues to reading to exhortation and doctrine so it teacheth the people to haue a speciall care of their Ministers that they leaue them not destitute and distracted for want of necessaries They watch for our soules and therefore wee ought to prouide for their bodies We heard before that the Apostle willeth the Galathians Gal. 6.6 to communicate of their goods to their Pastours that labour among them Whereby it appeareth that in those daies so soone as the Gospel began to be planted the Ministers of the word began to be neglected in their daily ministration For as the word it selfe was contemned so were they also that preached it If the word it selfe be had in price and estimation the feete of them that bring glad tidings of peace will be beautifull vnto vs Rom. chapter 10. verse 15. And by this note wee may prooue our selues whether the word be precious vnto vs or not If we regard not the Ministers in what condition they liue among vs but leaue thē in a most poore necessitous estate it is euident that we make little reckoning of the word it selfe Where the Ministers are vilified and basely esteemed it is manifest that the horrible contempt of the word it selfe reigneth there And this is a notable policy of the diuell wherby he vndermineth vs and cunningly getteth ground of vs. For he defraudeth the Ministers of their maintenance that the Church may be spoiled of her Ministers He knoweth wel that if the Church should want the Ministers and haue them taken out of the way he might rage and rauen at his pleasure kill and murther freely as he listed Plutar. in the life of Demosthenes as if the wolues could get the dogges that kept the flocke into their hands they would destroy the sheepe without mercy The diuell is a cruell and sauage wolfe the Ministers are the keepers of the flocke and watch ouer it if they be any way remooued the diuell will suddenly prey vpon them and make hauocke of them Hence it is that the Lord saith in the book of Deuteronomy chap. 12.19 Take heed to thy selfe that thou forsake not the Leuite as long as thou liuest vpon the earth And in the 14. cha 27 verse he repeateth this exhortation againe The Leuite that is within thy gate thou shalt not forsake him for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee The Leuites were appointed of God to serue him and to teach his people that his Law might be knowne among them and therfore it was great reason they should haue wherewith to maintaine them A part of the inheritance belonged vnto them as they descended of the linage of Abraham howbeit God had put them from it to the end they should not be combred with earthly things neither troubled with tillage nor distracted with any other businesse but wholly giue themselues to the performance of their duties And the people also must doe their duties vnto them Great is the vnthankefulnes of this vnthankefull world The wretched Idolaters that worship they know not what spare no cost to maintaine their Priests wheras in the meane season such as serue God purely in their places are in no account and men are content not only to set light by them but vtterly to forsake them And what is the cause of this surely because they reprooue vs for our sinnes and suffer not euery man to doe what he listeth which made the Apostle say Gal. 4.16 Am I become your enemy because I tell you the trueth We all by nature desire liberty and cannot abide to be touched by Gods word we will not be reprooued Wee had rather maintaine such as would neuer speake word vnto vs then such preachers as exhort diligently and rebuke sinne powerfully and discharge their duties carefully How many are there that had rather nourish and keepe with great charge a great rabble of greasie Fryars and an whole Couent of idle Monkes to chaunt and houle all the day long then to finde one painefull preacher to speake vnto them as he ought to doe And how many are there if they might haue their owne choyce that had rather pay their tithes and giue their money to ignorant persons and idle bellies that can doe nothing or will doe nothing then to faithful Pastours that are according to Gods owne heart and might turne vs from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto eternal life Wherefore it is not without cause that the Lord would not haue the Ministers forsaken which publish true doctrine in his Name Neither doth this tend to the benefite of the Ministers either onely or principally but to the good of the people themselues For such as refuse to maintaine those that bring home vnto them the doctrine of saluation doe bereaue themselues of the food of their soules and the bread of life which is all one as if they should goe about to starue themselues for hunger When the Ministers teach this trueth of God that maintenance is due vnto them they are censured to preach for themselues and to seeke their owne profit and to pleade their owne causes howbeit this serueth for the common benefite of the whole people and the generall welfare of the whole Church of God that true religion might be maintained obedience toward God continued and the vnity
this apparent that God will one way or other make the innocency of his people to be knowne Reason 1 The reasons of this doctrine will farther confirme vs in the truth of it whereof the first may be from the office of God who is the Iudge of all the world Surely the Lord will not peruert iudgement to doe vnrighteously neither will he take rewards nor subuert a man in his cause Hence it is that Abraham making intercession for the Sodomites that those Cities might be spared saith Gen. 18 25. Bee it farre from thee from doing this thing to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be euen as the wicked be it farre from thee Shall not the Iudge of all the world do right And to that purpose reasoneth the Apostle Rom. 3.5 What shall wee say Is God vnrighteous which punisheth God forbid else how shall God iudge the world If then this title belong vnto him of right aboue all others then he will at last come foorth though he tarry long to pleade the cause of his seruants will bring their righteousnesse into the open light Secondly God is euermore an helper in Reason 2 time of need who albeit he suffer his seruants to be exercised and tried by slanders greeuous afflictions as we heard before concerning Ioseph yet he appeareth for their deliuerance and cleereth their names from reproch When they are in greatest danger then is hee neerest at hand and so giueth the issue with the tentation This doth the Prophet Dauid acknowledge Psalm 118.6 7. and 56 4 11. The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can doe vnto mee the Lord taketh my part with them that helpe mee therefore shall I see my desire vpon them that hate mee And this doth the Apostle teach vs to apply to our selues because euery one may boldly say The Lord is my helper Heb. 13 6. and I will not feare what man can do vnto me If then he haue promised to take our part and to helpe vs in time of need when we are oppressed with the euill speeches of our enemies he will not be farre from vs but succor vs and sustaine vs that we shall not fall Thirdly we know well that howsoeuer Reason 3 many things are couered heere in darknesse partly through hypocrisie in some and partly through ignorance and weaknesse that is in all wee are not able to enter into the actions of men and diue downe so low as to see with what purpose they do them yet the time shall come when they shall be discouered and manifested This is the generall rule deliuered by Christ our Sauiour Luk. 12 verse 2. There is nothing couered that shall not be reuealed neither hid that shall not bee knowne This is true not onely touching the hypocrisie of the wicked but also touching the innocency of the righteous for all shall be knowne in the end when the secrets of all hearts shall bee discouered From hence wee haue offered to our wise Vse 1 considerations very many profitable vses whereof I will point out the principall First we are put in minde from hence to commit all our waies and workes to God and to depend vpon him to bring to light the truth of our hearts Let vs put our trust in him and delight our selues in the Lord. Let vs possesse our soules with patience when we are slandered and traduced and resigne vp our selues to him that ruleth all things Let vs cast our eyes vpon his prouidence who careth for vs and watcheth ouer vs. The children of God when they see the prosperity of the wicked and how all things in this world for the most part goe well with them are sore troubled they begin to wauer and sometimes to fret murmure as if there were no God to gouerne all things This made the Prophet Dauid to say Psal 73 12 13 14. Behold these are the vngodly who prosper in the world and encrease in riches verily I haue clensed mine heari in vaine washed mine hands in innocency for all the day long haue I beene plagued and chastened euery morning But God will not forget vs or forsake vs if we trust in him we shall not be deceiued So often as we haue euill rewarded vnto vs for good and are ouerladen with the slanders of the vngodly we are ready to fret and fume and to seeke reuenge against them we haue many doubts arise in vs as if it were lost labour to worship God sincerely and to deale with our brethren iustly It is not the pleasure of almighty God that our righteousnesse should alwayes lye hid in the darke and as it were creepe into corners forasmuch as he will make it shine as the Sunne and bring it into the open light This is the vse that the Prophet teacheth vs to make Psal 37 5 6. Commit thy way vnto the Lord trust also in him he shall bring it to passe and he shall bring foorth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgement as the noone day Wherein he alludeth fitly vnto the night the darkenesse whereof the morning arising scattereth away Are we then hardly vsed are we shamefully intreated are we oppressed with slanderous things laid to our charge and doth God for a time hold his peace as if he heard them not or doth he shut his eyes as if hee saw them not Let vs not take it to heart or be discouraged this ought to trouble vs no more then when the darknesse of the night couereth the earth because we looke for the morning to appeare and the Sunne to shine When all things are darke that nothing can be discerned when we know not white from blacke nor chalke from cheese nor faire from foule we are not to be greeued or disquieted by it because we liue in expectation of the light which we know cannot be far Then we shall know one thing from another when all will shew themselues in their likenesse From this consideration we are admonished to cōmit our waies vnto the Lord who will make a notable issue of them by giuing iudgment on our side and deliuering of vs from the venime of the euill tongue He forbiddeth in the law Exod. 20 16. any to beare false witnesse in iudgment Now hee is a false witnesse that holdeth his peace when he may by his testimony releeue his brother iustifie his person cleere his good name or defend his goods or right his cause in any matter called into question as well as he that speaketh in a cause Exod. 23 2. to decline after many to wrest iudgement He hath made vs keepers of the credite one of another so that we may offend God and our neighbour as well by not speaking the truth as by speaking of an vntruth The law it selfe requireth such loue to be among vs that although we be not requested yet we should neuer be wanting to another but alwaies be willing and desirous to maintaine
countenance vpon vs thou wilt put gladnes in my hart c. And in another place Whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee God is the strength of my heart my portion for euer Let vs say with the Apostle I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord c. Behold the holy affectioÌ„ of this seruant of God he suffered the losse of all things that he might win Christ We are content to suffer the losse of Christ that we may win the world like to the Gadarenes Paul accounted the losse of these earthly things to be a gaine vnto him we account the gaine of Christ to be a losse He esteemed all earthly things in comparison of heauenly to be no better then dung wee do so minde earth and earthly things that we esteeme and prize spirituall things as dung in comparison of them This is the common corruption of our times we spend our daies and strength in seeking getting holding riches honours pleasures and such like so that wee haue little leysure to thinke vpon the grace of God and the peace of a good conscience And yet notwithstanding set downe this as a sure rule that we haue no promise to attaine any earthly blessings without these Againe God is most ready and willing to giue these if we were as willing to receiue them and certainly we should neuer want them if we were not wanting vnto our selues Lastly obserue that the true happines of a Christian man consisteth in the fauour loue Vse 3 of God and the peace of a good conscience Here is matter of great comfort and consolation to al Gods Children in the midst of al the miseries of this mortall life because whatsoeuer befalleth vs here though we lie vnder the crosse or rather a multitude of crosses yet neither death nor life nor Angels Rom. 8 38. nor principalities nor power nor things present nor things to come shall be able to make vs miserable or to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God being once in his fauour Hence it is that Salomon calleth a good conscience a continuall feast Prou. 15 15. This is the onely thing that maketh a man truely happy the feeling of Gods loue and the peace of a good conscience purified by the blood of Christ without this loue there can bee no peace without this peace there can be no happinesse Woe therfore be to all the vngodly there is no grace in them and there can be no peace for them Esay 57 20 21. who are like the troubled sea wheÌ„ it cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt For seeing they are not at peace with God they cannot be at peace with any of the creatures They cannot assure themselues to finde rest and quietnesse any where The Angels fight against them and are ready to destroy them The beasts of the field are their enemies The stones in the streete are ready to rise vp against them and euery creature is armed for their destruction conspire with their Creatour for their ouerthrow For no creature can be a friend vnto them that are not at peace vnity with God Nay they haue warre within their owne bosomes and bowels and themselues are set against themselues The estate of a wicked man is an vnhappy life though they be commonly accounted the most happy men in the world for the meanest and poorest seruant of God that liueth in his feare and dieth in his fauour is a thousand times more happy then he It is the grace of God that maketh blessed it is the want of grace that maketh wretched and miserable Iam. 2 23. Abraham beeing iustified by faith which was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse was called the friend of God but the vngodly wanting faith and the righteousnesse of Christ are no otherwise accounted off then as the enemies of God Ver. 25. And they shall put my Name vpon c. This is the second part of the blessing which as we haue said may be called the blessing of the blessing For by putting on of hands they must assure the people of Gods blessing ratifying indeed the words of their mouthes Now laying on of hands was vsed foure waies first Wherein imposition of hands was vsed in healing of the sicke Luke 4 40. Mark 16 18. Secondly in the ordaining of Ministers Acts 13 3. and 6 6. 1 Tim. 4 14. 5 22. This rite vsed in the new Testament was practised in the olde and indeed was borrowed from thence Thirdly in bestowing the gifts of the holy Ghost Acts 8.17 and 19 5. Fourthly in blessing of children and of the people Gen. 48 14. Math. 19 13. Mark 10 13 Luk. 18 15. Heere it was vsed in blessing the people as an vndoubted signe of Gods fauour so that as the Priests pronounced the blessing so God would assuredly bring those blessings vpon them Hence we do learne that the worke of the Ministery shall not be vnfruitefull Doctrine but shall serue for the benefit of the people of God being accompanied with the blessing of God The blessing of God shall accompany the Ministery of his word When Paul planteth and Apollos watereth God giueth the encrease 1 Cor. 3 6. The Gospel is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1 16. He did long to see them that he might impart vnto them some spirituall gift that they might be established verse 11. and thereupon acknowledged himselfe to be a debter both to the Greekes and to the Barbarians verse 14. When Christ sent out his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all Nations after his resurrection he annexed this promise to their preaching Loe I am with you alwaies euen vnto the end of the world Math. 28 20. and heereby was their doctrine made powerfull and effectuall The history of the Acts is a most plentifull store-house of this truth where we see how the Apostles conuerted Iewes and Gentiles men and women rich and poore noble vnnoble Captaines Souldiers Iaylours Deputies Proselites Persecutors Pharisies it being a most powerful instrument and mighty through God to pull downe strong holds to cast downe imaginations 2 Cor. 10 â—â— and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and to bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Iesus Christ As then it is saide of the Sunne Psal 19 6. that his going foorth is from the ende of the heauen and his circuit vnto the ends of it there is nothing hid from the heate thereof so is the sound of the Word and the Ministery of it gone into all the world Rom. 10 1â— and their words vnto the ends of the earth so that the sauing knowledge of the Gospel did lay hold vpon the Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the dwellers in Mesopotamia and in Iudea Cappadocia in Pontus and Asia c.
and enter into the way of saluation Acts 16 34. Abraham is noted to bee the Father of the faithfull and we see hee was not without a faithfull seruant not onely faithfull to his master but faithfull to God and therefore also to his master This is noted as the chiefe cause that religion so much prospered at Thessalonica when the Gospell was preached and published there the Noblemen did embrace it Acts 17. If the raine once fal vpon the mountaines it will quickly water the vallies that are beneath like the precious oyntment powred vpon the head of Aaron that ran downe to the skirts of his garments Ps 133 2. When the Gospel was preached at Berea and such as were of noble birth tooke hold of it and they that were honorable by calling embraced beleeued it then not a few but many in number followed after them with all readinesse Actes 17 11 12. I am not ignorant that diuers of our latest and lernedest Expositers vnderstand the words otherwise Bez◠〈…〉 Act◠〈…〉 â—iâ—â—n 〈◊〉 Testa Mâ—â—◠〈…〉 and thinke they are called Noble not in regard of their birth or blood but of their beleefe as indeede true Piety is true Nobility and true Religion is the truest Honor. Howbeit I rather vnderstand the word in his proper and naturall signification for these causes First it is not needfull to flye to a figure when the proper signification of a word standeth and contayneth nothing vnder it either against the doctrine of faith or the instruction of life or the truth of the historie Secondly Luke vseth this word in this signification as also others for such as are noble by birth and not otherwise as Luk. 19 12. 1 Cor. 1 26. Thirdly the Euangelist hath relation to that which hee noted before in this chapter where he saith That not a few of the cheefe women beleeued verse 4. that were at Thessalonica howbeit they were more noble that were at Berea who searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so Lastly in these words a reason is rendred how it came to passe that the Gospell tooke such good effect and gained so many soules to God Caâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 in Aâ—â—â— 17. euen because the Nobility and honorable personages gaue their names to Christ were not ashamed to professe it The multitude followed their example as commonlie they do imitate the actions of their Leaders The Poet could say 〈◊〉 Totus Componitur orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita regentis The people cast their eyes vpon their Rulers neither are they ordered so much by their lawes as they are by their liues O that they which are in authority would consider this that the eyes of all men are vpon them O that they wold seriously bethink with themselues what good they might do by embracing religion and by countenancing them that are truly religious or if this will not enter into them and that their honors do so dazle their eyes that they cannot see the truth hereof O that they would at the least learne what hurt they do what backwardnes they cause what coldnesse in Religion they procure and what floods of wickednesse they bring in Doubtlesse if they did at any time meditate on these things and weigh in indifferent ballances either the one or the other it were enough to turne nay to breake their hearts and to put greater loue and zeal into them of Gods glorie For if the Gouernours of a Family bee luke-warme it may be easily obserued that their children which follow them their seruants which attend vpon them and all the rest of the house which are guided by them are neither hot nor cold And if it fall out that the Heads of the house be prophane and irreligious there is nothing to bee perceyued in that whole family but notable fruites of infidelity swearing blaspheming breach of the Sabbath contempt of the word brawling contention and all kinde of wretchednesse and wickednes If Saul begin to persecute Dauid he shall get many diuellish Doegs to snarle at him 〈◊〉 22 9. 〈◊〉 26 1. 〈◊〉 19. and finde many hollow-harted Keilahites to betray him haue many pestilent Ziphites offer themselues to discouer where hee hideth himselfe in strong holds all as his seruants to helpe him forward in his wickednes If Caiaphas sit in iudgement to arraigne condemne Christ 〈◊〉 26 69. 〈◊〉 14 66. 〈◊〉 â—2 25. 〈◊〉 9 17. all his seruants and his maides will bee ready in the hall and at the doore to set vpon his disciples and to follow the humor of their master so that euen the damosel that kept the doore could not let Peter alone but must assault him How then can we but acknowledge that it is a very happy thing to inioy godlye Magistrates and Christian Gouernours how much encouragement Inferiours haue by theÌ„ and how sweet a liberty they finde cannot be expressed O that we could learne to prize value this blessing as we ought It is not a generall benefit to be found in all places the godly haue oftentimes much disturbance and suffer many taunts and checkes euen for their profession sake in prophane places liuing vnder prophane persons For albeit all Magistrates and men in authority though their office be not great are set vp for the punishment of euil dooers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2 14. yet oftentimes they turne the edge of the sword the wrong way Rom. 13 3. and are a terror to good works but not to euill Lastly hauing receiued so great merâ—y froÌ„ Vse 3 God and continued among vs to haue such as are cheefe ouer the people to be cheefe also in piety and to go before them in all good â—onuersation whether they be such as bee in the house or out of the house it is our duty to fal downe before the Lord and to acknowledge this blessing Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnes and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men Psal 107 8. So did Hiram the King of Tyre reioyce greatly when he heard that Salomon was annointed King in the roome of his Father and said Blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto Dauid a wise sonne ouer this great people 1 Kin. 5 17 The like we see in the Queene of Sheba when she had seene his workes and heard his wisedome she said Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel 1 Kings 10 9 because the Lord loued Israel for euer therefore made he thee King to doe iudgement and iustice And doubtlesse if wee knew the want of such Princes as our brethren and sisters in former times did when they were shut vp in prisons and burned to ashes we would acknowledge the necessity of performing this duty It is recorded in 2 Chro. 17 7. that Iehoshaphat who is renowned
God not so much because the Church affirmeth it but because we find them to be so as the sheep of Christ acknowledged the voyce of their Shepheard Christ Iesus speaking in them Vse 2 Secondly this assureth vs that the trueth of God shall remaine and continue for euer to the end of the world It may be sometimes brought into a narrow compasse and be much eclipsed that the light shall appeare to be but little but it shall neuer perish vtterly or bee rooted out of the earth For seeing the Church is appointed the keeper and continuer of the trueth as the candlesticke of the candle and that the Church shall abide for euer because the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Matt. 16.18 it cannot bee that the trueth should faile and decay as we see notwithstanding the enemies of Iudah and Beniamin the word is kept vncorrupt and inuiolable to this day God will neuer suffer his people to be robbed thereof but his speciall prouidence watcheth ouer it for our good This doth the Scripture it selfe witnesse touching the durablenesse thereof that the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the wordes of this Law Deut. 29.29 The Lord hath founded his testimonies for euer Psal 119.152 Our Sauiour speaketh more fully euidently and vehemently Heauen and earth shal passe away but my words shall not passe Mar. 13.31 againe Verily I say vnto you till heauen and earth passe one iotte or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled Matth 5.18 We know by experience that all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man as the flowre of grasse the grasse withereth and the flowre thereof fadeth and falleth away Peter 1 25. but the word of the Lord endureth for euer This we may see in the bookes of Salomon 1 Kin. 4.32 33. Hee spake three thousand Prouerbes and his songs were a thousand and fiue and he spake of trees from the Cedar tree that is in Lebanon euen vnto the hyssope that springeth out of the wall he spake also of beasts and of fowles and of creeping things and of fishes These bookes of naturall Philosophy were no doubt the most profitable bookes that euer were written in that kind he being endued with the greatest wisedome that euer man since the fall had Christ Iesus only excepted yet none of these are to be found onely those that pertaine to religion and godlinesse remaine safely reserued for all posterities This is the more to be considered wondered at inasmuch as there be infinite moe in the world that affect the knowledge of natural things rather then they doe spirituall and of earthly rather then they do heauenly yet they could not deliuer them from the ruines of time but they are buryed in the graue of perpetuall forgetfulnesse neuer to be raised or recouered These are dead and gone as if they had neuer been written wheras on the other side his holy writings hated of the most part of the world and carelesly regarded of the multitude euen of those that liued in the bosome of the Church haue notwithstanding as full a remembrance as they had the first day the Lord gaue them to his people This serueth to conuince those that thinke many of the bookes inspired by God to be lost thereby accusing the prouidence of God or at least the church of great carelesnesse and negligence of which crime notwithstanding it is not guilty Thirdly there is no light of trueth to bee Vse 3 found any where else able to guide vnto faith and saluation then in the true Church of God For all other places are places of darkenesse and nothing to be found in them but lies errours deceiuings superstition and the spirit of slumber Exod 10 23. As no light was to be found in all Egypt but in the land of Goshen and among the Israelites onely so no sauing doctrine that giueth light to the eyes of the minde is to be found out of the Church they that are in this state liue in palpable darkenesse and can see neither themselues nor others but lie in ignorance and wickednes as Iohn teacheth We know that we are of God 1 Iohn 5 19. and the whole world lyeth in wickednesse Such sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death till this light set on the Candlesticke be brought vnto them Matth. 4 16. The people which sate in darkenesse saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp Therefore to be out of the Church is to be in the state of damnation yea to be in the very dungeon of hell and the kingdome of darkenesse to be vnder the power of Satan the prince of darknesse as there was no saluation out of the Church Let euery man therefore seeke and endeauour with all care to ioyne himselfe to the true Church of God to be a member of the body of Christ that so we may attaine to the light of knowledge and the light of the eternall life Vse 4 Lastly it is a duty belonging to euery one to be an helper to the spreading abroad of the doctrine of godlinesse and to doe all for the truth but nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13 8. Euery man desireth to bee the messenger of good newes so should wee desire to publish to others and to continue to posterity the sauing knowledge of the Gospel For this is the foundation and ground-work of all true obedience The truth of God is as a precious treasure beset with many enemies that wold take it from vs against whom we must alwaies cōtend that we may keepe faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1 19. This truth is the instrument of the holie Ghost to worke all necessary graces in our hearts Rom 1 16. as beeing the power of GOD to saluation and it reuealeth vnto vs all things needful vnto saluation concerning things to be beleeued or things to be practised Hence it is that the Apostle Iude saith Beloued when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation Iude verse 3. it was needfull for me to write vnto you that yee should earnestly contend for the faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints The true treasure of the Church is committed to the Saints they are the keepers of the doctrine of saluation This is no small trust it is no smal charge that is giuen vnto them wee must therefore fight to maintaine it This must not bee a bodily fight but a spirituall combat and it consisteth of diuers duties Ioel 2 28. Euery man in his place ought to bee as a Prophet or a Preacher for wee are made spirituall Priestes both to pray and to preach We are bound to teach all that are vnder our roofe and iurisdiction that we may be as Gods blessed instruments to conueigh his truth to others It is the duty of
sufferings of Christ must purge themselues of their olde leauen that is ought by vnfained and renewed repentance to be purged and washed from their wickednesse and vncleanenesse bring with them a cleere and good conscience an holy resolute purpose to serue the Lord in truth and sincerity in holinesse and righteousnesse The Israelites must haue no leauen in any of their houses and habitations while the Passeouer lasteth whosoeuer kept any was to bee cut off from his people Exodus 12 verses 8 15. and 13 3 7. Leuiticus 23 verse 6. Numbers 28 verse 17. Deuteronomy 16 verse 4. Ioshua 5 verse 11. 2 Chronicles 30 13 21. and 35 17. Ezra 6 verse 22. Ezek. 45 verse 21. Math. 26 verse 17. c. The Apostle expresseth the meaning heereof 1 Corin. 5. ver 7 8. Let vs keepe the feast not with olde leauen neither with the leauen of maliciousnes and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth purge out therefore the olde leauen that ye may be a new lumpe for euen Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. We therefore that professe our selues to be true Christians should at al times but then especially when we celebrate the remembrance of Christs death in the vse of the Sacraments prepare our selues in a most religious and holy manner that so we may come aright to his glory and our comfort When Iacob was appointed by God to offer sacrifice at Bethel he sanctified and prepared all his people Gen. 35 verses 2 3. All that came to the Passeouer were commanded to sanctifie themselues 2 Chron. 35 4. The Priests were commanded to sanctifie themselues and to prepare their brethren verse 6. This consisteth in two things in purging out of the olde leauen of sinne and in being a new lumpe endued with the gifts of sanctification that is to leaue off to do euill and to learne to do good And we must in doing good things prooue our selues in these few particulars what our knowledge faith repentance and charity is Knowledge is the ground and foundation of all the rest and therefore it is required of all to vnderstand the grounds and principles of our Christian Religion especially we must be acquainted with the doctrine of this Sacrament both with the signification of the signes and the graces sealed vp by them Faith also we must haue in vs which is in truth the first sauing grace it is the hand which we stretch out to touch Christ in whom all fulnes dwelleth of whose fulnesse we all receiue Col. 1 19 and grace for grace Iohn 1 16. without whom we can do nothing that is good Iohn 15 5. and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Hebrewes 11 6. This is the roote the fountaine the mother of all graces they are as the branches the streames the daughters of faith Hereby we apprehend Gods infinite loue and mercy in Christ Iesus and are perswaded that all our sinnes are pardoned and that Christ together with all his benefits is receiued Repentance which is a consequent of faith is a changing of the minde an earnest loathing of that which is euill and an earnest louing of that which is good We must learne to hate our particular sinnes we must mourne and lament in our inward bowels for them and we must iudge our selues lest the Lord enter into iudgement with vs and so we prouoke his wrath against vs and those that belong vnto vs and stirre him vp to bring greeuous plagues and fearefull iudgements against vs 1 Cor. 11 28 31. Wherefore nothing ought to bring greater greefe to vs then this to consider that we haue so heinously offended the Maiesty of God and as our sins pierced him so let vs pierce our owne hearts with this speare of repentance that we haue so wickedly mispent our time abused his benefits contemned his patience abused our creation calling redemption baptisme soule body word Sabbaths yea all the gifts and graces of God that we haue in deed and in truth ioyned and euen conspired with Herod Pilate Annas Caiphas Pharisies Souldiers passengers Iudas the rest of the Iewes in crucifying the Lord of life If any aske how can these things be The Prophet telleth vs He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities Esay 53 verse 5. The chasticement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed so that we must acknowledge that our iniquities were the nailes that pierced him and our transgressions the speare that wounded him We must labour to feele the greatnesse and horrour of our sinnes withall striue to fashion our selues after the image and likenesse of God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our liues Let vs prepare our hearts and bodies to be his Temple to dwell in and not make them as sinkes for Satan and all foule spirits Thankfulnesse is the next duty that is required that we may be able to say vnfainedly with the Prophet Dauid considering how great things the Lord hath done for vs Psalme 116 verses 12 13. What shall I render vnto the LORD for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. And vndoubtedly if they be no better then theeues robbers which receiue their corporall food and neuer lift vp their eyes to heauen which cannot be sanctified vnto them but by the word and prayer â—â—m 4 4.5 if such I say be vsurpers that take the creatures of God without thankesgiuing how much rather ought we to giue thanks to God for this heauenly food the nourishment of our soules The Israelites in remembrance of their Egyptian deliuerance were commanded to continue the Passeouer for euer 〈◊〉 12.24 should not we then much rather keepe our Christian Passeouer for our spirituall deliuerance from our spirituall bondage of spirituall enemies and say with the Prophet in a sweet feeling mediâ—ation of these mercies Blesse the Lord O my soule 〈◊〉 103.1 c. The last duty is charity toward our brethren the former cannot be truely in vs without this 〈◊〉 13.35 By this shall all men know that we are his disciples if we loue one another The effects and fruits of it are described It suffereth long â—or 13.4 it enuyeth not it is bountifull c. It is required in so strict a manner that if our gift be ready in our hands to offer vnto God yet if wee be at ods with our brother â—â—â—h 5.24 we must set it by vntill we be reconciled God is loue 1 Ioh. 4.16 Satan is nothing but malice and enuy If we come in loue we come to Gods Table if we come in hatred we come to the diuels wee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord 〈◊〉 10.21 and the cup of diuels we cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the Table of diuels Let vs not therefore deceiue our selues in thinking perswading our selues we
iudgement he will execute vengeance on his enemies and will reward them that hate him If a king heare of another coming against him with an huge and mighty host and consider that he is not able to encounter with him hand to hand while he is yet afarre off he sendeth embassage desiring conditions of peace Luke 14 32. This wisedome ought to be in vs. Let no man thinke to preuaile get the vpper hand by standing out against him He that continueth an enemy vnto him is an enemy to himselfe nay to his owne soule It is sinne that maketh this separation betweene God and vs Esay 59 2. We rise vp against him we rebell against the Lord 2 Chron. 13 6 and then the Lord riseth vp against vs. We cannot prosper so long as wee prouoke him with an high hand Let vs therefore repent vs of our euill waies How we may haue peace with God and turne vnto him assuring our selues that then he will turne vnto vs. Let vs humble our selues vnder his mighty hand and he will lift vs vp Let vs confesse our sinnes vnto him and we shall finde mercy for he is iust and mercifull to forgiue vs our sins There is no peace to be obtained but vnder these three conditions repentance humility and confession these as a trumpet sound the retreate of his iudgements they are as peace-makers betweene God and vs and are as a strong threefold cord which is not easily broken whereby his hands are after a sort bound from pouring wrath and vengeance vpon vs. Let thine enemies be scattered and them that hate thee flie before thee Marke in these words the title that he giueth to those that were ready to hinder their approch vnto Canaan hee saith not Let our enemies and them that hate vs be scattered but let thine enemies and them that hate thee c. Neuerthelesse if he had so praied the praier had beene lawfull but his words are more powerfull and effectuall whereby we see that the Churches enemies he calleth Gods enemies and sheweth that they hated not onely the godly but God himselfe So then the doctrine Doctrinâ— is this that the enemies of the Church in generall The eâ—eâ—â— of the châ—â—â— are the eâ—â—mies of 〈◊〉 or of any his faithfull seruants in particular are indeed and in truth the enemies of God himselfe Howsoeuer they may in the blindnes of their harts perswade themselues that notwithstanding their hatred to Gods deare children they may be the good friends of God yet they do but deceiue themselues for they are accounted his vtter enemies and such as inwardly hate him as Exod. 15 verses 6 7. speaking of the drowning of Pharaoh and his host in the redde sea Moses singeth that the Lord ouerthrew them that rose vp against him he saith not they rose vp against Israel And Deborah speaking of the destruction of Sisera Iudg. 5 verse 31 saith So let all thine enemies O Lord perish Thus the Prophet alluding to the common prayer of Moses in this place beginneth the 68. Psalme in this manner Let God arise let his enemies bee scattered let them also that hate him flie before him The like we see Psalm 83 2 3. Deut 32 It is plaine therefore that the enemies of the godly are Gods enemies though if they were asked the question they would vtterly deny it thinke themselues vniustly charged with it For first God is entred into a league and couenant with them to haue the same friends and the same enemies as if he should say Reason as Iehoshaphat said to the Kings of Israel 1 King â— 2 King 3 I am as thou art my people as thy people and my horses as thy horses This appeareth in the Couenant which God made with Abraham Gen. 12 3. I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and his he verifieth in all that imbrace the faith of Abraham Secondly wherefore are the vngodly persecuters enemies to Gods children or what hath the righteous done and why do they set themselues against them is it not for the Lords sake is it not for his truth and religion True it is they may haue and indeed haue other colours and pretences but religion is the cause of all the true feare of God as Psal 44 22 38 20. Rom. 8 36. as it is noted of Caine that he was of that euill one and slew his brother because his owne workes were euill his brothers good 1 Iohn 3 12. Woe therfore vnto them that set themselues against Gods people for they fight against Vse 1 God and he will fight against them for those that are his If they cannot preuaile against him for what is an arm of flesh to the Almighty then certainely not against the Church So long as God standeth the Church shall stand vpright the gates of hell cannot preuail against it Mat. 16. Zach. 2 Deut. â—â— Psal 17 Hence it is that the Prophet saith He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eie We may therefore conclude as a principle not to be gainsaid the sure and certaine destruction of all the enemies of the Church in asmuch as he will thrust through the loynes of them that set themselues against his sanctuary They may for a time prosper preuaile but in the end they shall be confounded and come to ruine Let them in time consider in what case they stand They thinke they haue to deale only with men ouer whom they may insult at their pleasure through their might and greatnesse but they shall find they haue to doe with God who is able to vphold his seruants O that they could consider this Vse 2 Secondly we may truely inferre the woful estate of those that defend not the cause of God and his children that do not stand with them but stand still as newters and looke on as idle beholders and suffer them to be borne down and trampled vnder the feet of proud men as myre in the street such as shrinke backe from them for feare of danger that may befall theÌ„selues For such as forsake the faithfull in their iust defence do in the height of their sin and in the pride of their hearts forsake the Lord himselfe and renounce him This made Dauid say 〈◊〉 50.51 RemeÌ„ber Lord the reproch of thy seruants how I doe beare in my bosom the reproch of all the mighty people wherewith thine enemies haue reproched O Lord wherewith they haue reproched the footesteps of thine Annointed As he bare the reproches of his enemies which were Gods enemies in his bosome so he prayeth that God would recompence their sin into their boâ—ome Therfore it is that Deborah saith Curse ye Meroz curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof 〈◊〉 23. because they came not out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty They did not ioyne with the enemies of God yet they are cursed because they sate
liuing God which made heauen and earth it had beene enough to perswade them to zeale and sincerity But this most diuellish doctrine was not hatched and broached in those daies these newters cunning polititians of the world were not then heard of they are of a later brood sprung vp in these last and worst times It is the commandement of God that we should not follow the multitude Exod. 23 2. But if it were enough to be feruent in that which we follow we might follow the multitude as well as others and the greatest parâ— which commonly is the worst part Lastly it is our duty to striue to enter at the Vse 4 narrow gate The multitude cannot make that which is euill to be good neither that which is good to be euill and therefore we may not forsake the trueth because the multitude forsaketh it A great number cannot make vnrighteousnesse righteousnesse and therefore they cannot make a false doctrine and false faith to be good Hence it is that Ioshua after a generall receiuing of the couenant of God and embracing the true religion of the Prophets and Elders which did professe the same doth solemnely protest to follow this rule that although al they which were a great multitude should goe after another religion and serue other god yet saith he As for me and mine house we wil serue the Lord Iosh 24.15 Obiect But it may be obiected Is that alwaies false which the multitude holdeth or that euer true which the fewest beleeue I answere No Answer For when the trueth is generally embraced if any priuate conuenticle start vp afterward with different doctrine from that true Catholicke doctrine commonly receiue it is a marke of a false Church not of the true It is not a multitude simply that can marke out the Church but a multitude teaching professing and holding the truth But this is a false conclusion Popish and sophisticall conclusions A few must not forsake the multitude which professe the truth Therefore a multitude is a marke of the trueth Or thus It is good in good things to follow a multitude Therefore it is simply good to follow the multitude This is no better then a plaine fallacy to draw that to bee simply true and in euery respect which is true onely in some respect Besides by the strength of this reason why may we not conclude a few also to be a mark of the Church For in the time of Christ and his Apostles when the whole land of Israel boasted of the Law and of the Temple of the Priesthood and of the sacrifices the fewest number were the best the greatest number the worst Ier. 18.18 Esay 8.12 16 c. Reuel 13.6 7 8. The true Prophets were in a maner generally resisted they were reputed as monsters among the people which had made a conspiracy against God When Antichrist should reigne and make war with the Saints and should ouercome and power should bee giuen him ouer euery tribe tongue and nation then a few were the true Church of Christ which keepe the testimony of Iesus that are written in the booke of the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and all other multitudes were schismaticall hereticall which rose vp with different doctrine from the Apostles Thus we see that neither few or many are simply the Church not few because they are few neither many because they are many but if a few hold the faith of Christ those few are the true Church and not the many that are against them on the other side if many dispersed throughout the world beleeue aright those many are the true Church must be followed the rest which are few declining from them and departing from the truth are a false Church and we must decline depart from them and ioyne our selues to the former multitude And as it is in matters of faith so is it in matter of life and practise When we see many walke in euill wayes that leade to destruction follow them not ioyne not with them neither let vs addict our selues to them but by all means keepe our selues from them Let vs not do as the most do when they do euill but as the fewest do when they do good Let no man be emboldned or encouraged vnto euill when he seeth the multitude that run that way neither let any bee terrified or hindred from godlinesse and embracing true religion by the fewnesse of the professors thereof If we walke in the right way it shall leade vs to life Obseruations to be marked touching the following of the multitude albeit wee haue none to goe with vs. Some account it a sufficient excuse to say I do but as others do I shall doe no worse then others I shall escape as well as others An euill the more generally it is embraced the worse it is to be accounted and the more it ought to be resisted and preuented The moe that go to condemnation the greater is the horror of the condemned the moe the more miserable shal their condition bee It shall exempt no man from punishment though he pretend hee was moued and enticed by others The multitude stirring vp Saul to spare Agag and the fatter Cattle could not preserue him or priuiledge him from the wrath of God albeit hee alledged it as a buckler for his defence 1 Sam. 15 21. If all the world taking example one from another should follow an euill and wicked way the faithfull are bound to maintaine the right and truth both in life and in Doctrine Noah was a preacher of righteousnesse when all flesh was corrupted and Lot kept him vpright in Sodom and reprooued their vncleannesse So did Paul in Athens Actes 17 16. his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City fully giuen to idolatry 30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses and saide Let vs go vp at once and possesse it for we are well able to ouercome it The former euill report brought vp of the Land is illustrated by the contrary testimony of Caleb hee resisteth both them and their report and his faithfulnesse is set against the vnfaithfulnesse of the other tenne He sheweth that the land might be possessed and stirreth vp the people to the atchieuement of it he assureth them of victory and good successe if they builded vpon the vnmoueable rocke of Gods power Now albeit Caleb alone be named Yet Ioshua also is vnderstood as chap. 14 6. who ioyned not with them but because he was the seruant of Moses Why Ioshua holdeth his peace hee would not stirre vp the rage of the people against Moses and himselfe but hee held his peace vntill a fitter season were offered in respect of God of Moses of himselfe of the people of the cause A word spoken in season is as apples of Gold with pictures of Siluer saith Salomon Pro. 25.11 In this example Caleb speaketh to the praise of God in the middest of the congregation honoureth God before
the multitude when he was dishonoured by others We learne hereby Doctrine God hath euer had some witnesses of his truth that God hath alwayes had some witnesses of his truth in all ages euen wheÌ„ it hath beene most of al oppugned and resisted as Reuel 11 4. Ier. 38 8 9. Luke 7 35. Wisedom is iustified of her children when others regard it not Nicodemus stoode vp and defended the cause of Christ when the Pharisies sought to condemne him Iohn 7 35. When the whole multitude had condemned Christ the penitent theef vpon the crosse confessed him to be the Lord of life Luke 23 42. and when they sate in councel vpon him to put him to death and gaue full consent to make him away Ioseph a good man and a iust consented not to the counsell and deede of them Luke 23 50 51. And how can it be otherwise For the truth Reason 1 shall neuer decay from the earth but be spread abroad from place to place and from generation to generation for euer Psal 119 89. We perish and decay for all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of the fielde but the word of the Lord abideth for euer 1. Pet. 1 24. God will haue this neuer to dye or decay neuer to wither or to be worne away Secondly hee hath the hearts of all men in his owne hand to turne them and change them at Reason 2 his pleasure as we see in Paul who persecuted the church and bound them in chaines which called vpon the name of Christ but the Lord sodainly appeared vnto him when the poore sheepe were neere to the shambles conuerted him and appointed him a witnesse of his truth To beare his name vnto the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel Acts 9 15. So sayeth Christ Luke 19 40. I tell you if these should holde their peace the stones would cry and therefore he can neuer be without some witnes to maintaine and defend his truth This teacheth vs that God is most glorious Vse 1 and powerfull he is a most mighty God and will be knowne in the earth Psal 8 1 2. with Math. 21 15. Acts 14 17. He chooseth manie times instruments in the eyes of the world vnfit and vnable for to accomplish any great worke that the power and praise may bee giuen to him We see how he worketh for the most part contrarie to the manner of men that the opinion of our owne excellency shold not ouershadow his power In war he saueth with few in the saluation of the soule which is one of the greatest workes he worketh by weake instruments and putteth his grace in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of vs euen as he commanded the light to shine out of darkenes 2 Cor. 4 6 7. So that wee may conclude with the Psalmist O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth Who hast set thy glory aboue the heauens c. Psal 8 1 2. Mat. 21 15. Vse 2 Secondly great and mighty is his truth preuaileth he hath alwaies had a church vpon the face of the earth and he neuer forsaketh it though multitudes conspire against it and swarmes of enemies set vppe lies yet it shall haue the vpper hand at last This is easie to be shewed in the middest of darknesse when the foggy mistes of popery had corrupted the aire and ouer-shadowed the truth yet God euermore raised vp some one or other that crossed opposed the strong faction that was maintained in the church of Rome Thisf were not hard to shew in many particulars touching the Canon of the Scriptures touching the sufficiency of the Scriptures touching the reall presence and transubstantiation touching the supremacie of the byshop of Rome and the infallibility of his iudgement touching Pardons and Indulgences and many other points which were neuer generally receiued no not in the Church of Rome The doctrine of Antichrist hath beene reprooued in all times by sundrie persons euen in the greatest darkenesse of the night of superstition for as it grew vp by little and little so was it resisted openly euidently to which purpose I could produce infinite testimonies which a man may reade at large in Catalogo testium veritatis set forth by Illyricus Vse 3 Thirdly be not discouraged when the truth is oppressed because God is able to maintain it and raiseth vp his enemies oftentimes to defend it and to speake for it and the professors and preachers of it Acts 5 34. He maketh the weake strong and the fearefull to be bolde in his cause so at the passion of Christ when all forsooke him euen his own disciples he opened the mouth of the theefe as we noted before vpon the crosse to confesse him as his Sauiour and Redeemer that was able to bestow vpon him the kingdome of heauen Luke 23. He will neuer want hearts to beleeue in him who can change the heart neyther mouthes to confesse him who out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hath perfected his owne praise Againe obserue that he saw what the greatest number of the spies and searchers out of the Land hath reported yet he is so farre from ioyning with them that hee maketh it plaine and apparent that they should be well able to ouercome all their enemies The Doctrine from hence is this Doctrine â—he euil of oâ—â—ers yea alâ—â—ough the◠〈◊〉 many may 〈◊〉 be followâ— of vs. The euill of others yea although they be many should not be imitated and followed of vs. We may not follow the example of euill men that go before vs in euil We see this in Micaiah an holy prophet when the Messenger sent vnto him bad him to say as the rest had saide and to flatter the King Let thy word I pray thee be like the word of one of them which declare good to the King 1 King 22 12 13 He refused to assent vnto it but saide As the Lord liueth what the Lord saith vnto mee that will I speake verse 14 So Ezek. 20. ver 18. Walke ye not in the statutes of your Fathers and keepe my iudgements Math. 23 6 7. Noah his family were iust in that vniust generation when the whole worlde had corrupted their wayes and the whole earth was filled with crueltie Gen. 6. Eliah was alone when idolatry had gotten the vpper hand in Israel 1. Kings 19 verse 10. 1 Cor. 10 6. The Reasons Whatsoeuer is in it selfe euill and vnlawful Reason 1 cannot bee made good and lawfull by anie example nor by many examples It cannot be warranted by the law of man much lesse by the law the pure law of God himselfe Secondly no greatnesse no companie no Reason 2 multitude can saue a man from iudgements due to the least sinne for though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not go vnpunished Pro. 5. and 11 21. If we could couer our selues vnder the might of
is euermore the companion of hypocrisie Fiftly to be confident in good causes and couragious especially in time of perill Prou. 10 9. 28 1. Whereas the hypocrite hauing a corrupt conscience is ouertaken with feare and trembling Esay 33 14. Prou. 28 1. Lastly to be constant and to perseuere to the end in good things to bee resolute neuer to giue ouer a continued course of piety vntil we giue ouer this course of life such bring foorth fruite with patience Luke 8 15. and shall neuer be remoued Psal 15 5. Whereas the double-minded man is vnstable in all his wayes Iames 1 8. his godlinesse and religion is as the morning dew Hosea 6 4. By these signes we may sift and examine our selues whether this grace of sincerity be in vs or not And as the gift is excellent so there are sundry motiues to stirre vs vp vnto it Sundry motiâ—es to 〈◊〉 vs to sincâ— For God is good and gracious vnto such as are pure in heart Psal 73 1. and 125 4 5. hee is the Sun and shield to them Psal 84 11. This is the life and substance of all other graces without it the best things are but counterfet and no better then sinnes against God Our faith must be vnfained and loue without dissimulation and our conuersion must be a renting of the heart Consider also that God is present euery where and knoweth all things Psal 139 7. Prou. 15 verse 3. Moreouer wee must meditate oftentimes vpon the iudgements of God which hee bringeth vpon the world but especially of the last iudgement in the end of the world and of our particular iudgment at the houre of death Ro. 2 16. Eccl. 12 14. The heart is the store-house keeper of the graces of God Pro. 4 23. Mat. 13 18 19. Lu. 6 45. Math. 23 26. therefore we ought carefully to looke vnto it CHAP. XIIII 1 And all the Congregation lifted vp their voice and cryed and the people wept that night 2 And all the Congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole Congregation saide vnto them Would God that we had died in the Land of Egipt or would God we had died in this wildernesse 3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought vs into this land to fall by the sword that our wiues and our children should be a prey Were it not better for vs to returne into Egypt WE haue seen in the former chapter the occasioÌ„ of this fourth murmuring arising from the report of the spies whereby the seed was sowne which in this Chapter groweth vp to an open obstinate mutiny The fruit was answerable to the seed the successe to the report And who can stay the streame driuen by so violent a winde and tempest When the arrow is once shot out of the bow it is too late to wish it may do no hurt where it falleth because where it hitteth it hurteth But to come to the present matter in hand the people giuing eare to these false reports dream of danger where no danger is like the sluggard that saith There is a Lyon without I shall bee slaine in the streets Prou. 22 13. To minds that are fearfull and perplexed all fansies and coniectures seeme things of truth Consider in this chapt two points first the generall murmuring of all that is of the greatest part of the people secondly the proceeing of God against theÌ„ for their murmuring Their murmuring is accompanied with impatience disobedience vnthankfulnesse blasphemy infidelity and tempting of God Psal 106 24 25 c. and it is set downe generally and particularly Generally they murmured against Moses and Aaron amplified by the effect 〈◊〉 cause 〈◊〉 the Israâ— wept all 〈◊〉 they wept all the night The cause why they wept is the feare of death and the sense of their sinne they supposed that they were led as sheep to the slaughter and brought into the wildernesse as to a place of destruction had forgotten the promise made 400. yeares before to their fathers Wee see heere how quickly and easily they obey euil persons that seduced them they listen with both their ears vnto them â—â—â—trine 〈◊〉 are natuâ— ready to 〈…〉 â—ken to â—cers and â—ers and forget what they had often heard and seen Caleb and Ioshua warned them but all was in vaine The doctrine This is the corruption of our nature we are prone to bee peruerted and ready to hearken to seducers to follow euill liuers and euill teachers while in the meane season wee are hardly drawne to hearken and attend vnto those that tell vs the truth without flattery or forgery Exod. 4 1. The prophet of God sent to prophesy against the Altar at Bethel is easily seduced and forsaketh the word of God 1 Kings 13 21. Our Sauiour complaineth of the peeuishnesse of the Iewes 〈◊〉 11 27. Wee haue piped vnto you and ye haue not danced we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not lamented c. And Iohn 5 43. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receiued me not if another shall come in his owne name him yee will receiue 2 Tim. 4 34. Gal. 3 1 2. and 5 7. Titus 1 11. Mat. 24 5. First because in the minde and vnderstanding Reason 1 howsoeuer there remaine certaine generall notions concerning good and euil as that there is a God that he is iust and a rewarder of them that do well that wee must honour our parents and not hurt our neighbors yet euen these are corrupt and serue only to take away excuse Ro. 1 19 20. and besides wee haue all receiued from Adam ignorance or want of knowledge of the things of God 1 Cor. 2 14. Ro. 8 7. Likewise disability to vnderstand spirituall things though they be plainly taught vnto vs Lu. 24 41. 2 Cor. 3 5. vanity of the mind thinking truth to be falshood and falsehood to be truth Eph. 4 17. 1 Cor. 1 21. Prou. 14 12. So then the originall or seede of all errors and heresies is in our nature Secondly satan is mighty and subtle he can Reason 2 transforme himselfe into an Angel of light he employeth many instruments in his worke to seduce vs as he did Eue which also worke mightily with strong delusions 2 Cor. 11 3. False Apostles are deceitful workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11 23 24 25. they come in sheeps clothing though inwardly they bee rauening Reason 3 wolues Mat. 7 15. 2 Pet. 2 1 2. Thirdly it is Gods deepe yet most iust iudgement vpon all that obey not the gospel to send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies This is a punishment sent vpon the vnthankfulnesse of men when they haue the light and yet shut their eies heare the sound of the Gospel and yet stop their eares and vnderstand the truth yet harden their hearts against the truth Mat. 13 14 15. 2 Thess 2 11 12. This serueth to reprooue and conuince the Vse 1
them with speed to their graues But all these iudgments before rehearsed belong only to the body do not stretch to the soule and conscience neuerthelesse the Lord ceasseth not to repay vs euen in this kinde also according to our sinne Hence it is that he threatneth to send strong delusions vpon men to beleeue lies which will not receiue and beleeue the truth 2 Thess 2 11. and they which will not beleeue wholesome doctrine but hauing itching eares get them an heap of teachers shall turne their eares from the truth and be turned vnto fables and beleeue lies 2 Tim. 4 3 4. Secondly whensoeuer we remaine vnder any Vse 2 iudgement of Gods hand whatsoeuer it be let vs labour for spirituall wisedome that we may be able to see and discerne what the sinne is which is the cause thereof For by the manner of the iudgement we may oftentimes finde out the manner of our sinne And doubtlesse these benefits will come thereof we shal be able to iustifie God and also to iudge our selues and thereby we shall escape farther punishments and plagues that God purposed to bring vpon vs. This way we shall make the punishment profitable vnto vs if we take it and lay it vnto the sinne as it were a salue vpoÌ„ the sore This will bring vs to remember many sinnes and to repent truely of them which otherwise we should not thinke vpon It will worke in vs a care to iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 31 22. This is no small benefit and comfort and therefore we should entertaine a ioynt-meditatioÌ„ both touching the sinnes that we haue committed and touching punishments that wee haue suffered that so we may to our farther good compare the one with the other Lastly as God dealeth with men in regard Vse 3 of their sinnes so he dealeth oftentimes with his childreÌ„ in good things for good things He will not onely reward our good works euen to a cup of cold water giuen to a disciple in the name of a disciple Mat. 10.42 but hee will reward according to our deeds blessing with the same blessing and mercy with the same mercy 2 Tim 1.18 Onesiphorus shewed meâ—cy vnto Paul he prayeth to God That he may find mercy of the Lord in that day Hee that is mercifull and liberall to the poore hath a promise that he shall neuer want Christ our Sauiour describing what is true blessednesse wherin it consisteth saith among other things Mat. 5 4. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy True it is God is able to reward such many other wayes but he promiseth and performeth this rather then any other to strengthen our faith in his word and to teach vs to acknowledge and confesse his own in that worke And heereby haue all such as are any way vnder the gouernment of others a notable encouragement in well doing that God will returne them a like measure of blessing according to that themselues haue done If we be truely seruiceable and conscionable in our duties toward those whom God hath set ouer vs we shall by a speciall blessing of God find in time to come those that shall be vnder vs faithfull also toward vs. He that will rule well must first learne to obey wel if we be not obedient to others for conscience sake let vs neuer thinke to finde others obedient to vs. Hast thou bin a dutifull childe to thy parents and obeyed them in the Lord Thou maiest well hope and expect the same at the hands of thy owne children hereafter Or hast thou beene a faithfull seruant to thy master according to the flesh seruing him with feare trembling in singlenesse of thy heart Thou maiest well look for the like seruice at the hands of others It is the common rule of christianity and that which the heathen themselues were not ignorant off Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you do you euen so to them for this is the law and the Prophets Mat. 7 12. On the other side they that are stubborne and disobedient children euill and vnfaithful seruants may iustly feare to haue the same measure measured vnto them againe They that are now yong men liue vnder the roofe and gouernement of their parents if they deale falsely and deceitfully with them how can they but thinke that God will make them reape a plentifull haruest of such darnell as themselues haue sowen scattered abroad They that are now children of their fathers mothers may in time to come themselues be fathers mothers of their children so haue others stand in the same place to them that themselues now stand to their parents If they mocke and scoffe at them for their infirmities as Ham Canaan did Gen. 9 22. Or contemne their wholesome counsels and holy admonitions â— 2 25. as the sons of Eli did Or if they beguile them or closely conuay away their money or any of their goods from them as Micah did from his mother â—7 â— 2. as many make it a slight and slender matter to steale from their parents as if all were their owne they can lay fingers vpon euen while they bee aliue and others giue liberty to take and embezell from them if it be but a little and no great sums Or if they think they liue too long that they may enioy their liuing as Esau did â—7 41 let them know that there is a iust God in heauen that will another day withhold his grace from their posterity that they shall finde their owne children ready to despise them and set them at nought to reiect their admâ—nitions threatnings to circumuent them purloine from them yea to gape for their death that they may haue their goods And when this cometh to passe then let them consider their owne sin as the cause of their childrens sinne and that their children do forget them to be their parents because themselues neuer remembred that they were children The like we may say of seruants they that are now seruants of their masters may also hereafter come to be masters of their seruants If then you shall deale wickedly with them in word or in deed you shall make a streight yet a iust equal law against your selues The Apostle giueth an excellent precept vnto such Tit. 2 9 10. Exhort seruants to be obedient to their owne masters and to please them well in all things not answering againe not purloining but shewing all good fidelity that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things Let such therefore looke to themselues that they bee not paide home in their kinde If they learne to giue stubborne and froward answers and to despise them that are ouer theÌ„ as Agar did Sarah Gen. 16 4. Or if they returne them sleeuelesse answers when they call them to an account of their doings as Gehazi did to Elisha who when he asked him whither he went or where
was with power Math. 7 21. Luke 4 32. and they were astonied at his Doctrine In his works and myracles Math. 11 â— Iohn 5 36. and 10 25. because they plainly proued him to be God The doctrine of Christ serued for faith the myracles serued for the doctrine forasmuch as they tended eyther to prepare the mindes of men to receiue the doctrine 1 Cor. 14 â— or to strengthen faith in the doctrine already receiued Iohn 14 11. Both these were committed to writing by the will and appointment of Christ himselfe to further the faith and saluation of the people to the end of the world The doctrine long since written is no otherwise to be regarded then the liuely voice of Christ if he were among vs we heard him preach to vs as the Iewes did and the myracles that are written are no otherwise to be esteemed â—ede no â—yracles â—me â—racles then if we saw them done before our eies so that wee need no other no new myracles to confirme the doctrine of Christ of his Apostles They were needfull when the Gospel was first planted and seemed strange in the world as it were in the infancy of the Church That truth is already plentifully confirmed except we should account it new euermore Hence it appeareth how found vnreasonable the Romanists are that require of the Ministers of the Gospel to confirme their calling by myracles For thus they reason Extraordinary callings are to bee confirmed by myracles but the planters of our Churches shew no myracles therefore their calling cannot be of God These are like to the Iewes of whom Christ speaketh Mat. 12 38. If I should aske of them what signes and myracles the Prophets shewed Nathan Iddo Obadiah Micah many others I think their best answer would be silence Wee reade expresly that Iohn the Baptist did no myracle Ioh. 10 41. yet was his calling extraordinary The rule that Christ giueth vs to discerne false doctrine from the true is this By their fruites ye shall know them Mat. 7 16. The doctrine that is taught is the true fruite they are known therfore by deliuering the doctrine not by working of myracles We teach no other doctrine then is set downe in the Scripture so that it is sufficiently confirmed by myracles already For if the doctrine of the Apostles be our doctrine doubtlesse the myracles of the Apostles are ours also which may not bee seuered and diuided from the doctrine it selfe 〈◊〉 defens This then discouereth the weaknesse of Turrian the Iesuite who is more ridiculous theÌ„ the rest that asketh the question how wee know that Luther was a teacher raised vp of God and what myracle he euer wrought as also when he telleth vs that if any should aske of them what signe they haue giuen to them of God they haue this myracle the Sacrament of orders A very vnorderly answer whereby it appeareth that he knoweth not what a myracle is For who can call an ordinary thing a myracle As well we may say the preaching of the word is a myracle yea we may better say that the wonderfull effects wrought by the Gospel are a myracle whereby faith is wrought in the hearts of the elect and eternall life begun in them If we will not beleeue the truth of the Gospel by beholding the glorious effects which it worketh in the consciences of men it appeareth euidently that we would not beleeue though we saw a thousand others yea though one should come from the dead vnto vs Lu. 16 31. 7 And Moses laid vp the rods before the Lord in the Tabernacle of witnesse 8 And it came to passe that on the morrow Moses went into the Tabernacle of witnesse and behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Leui was budded and brought foorth buds bloomed blossomes and yeelded Almonds We haue in these words the obedience of Moses in word and worke to the former commandement as also the performance of the promise that God made touching the budding of Aarons rod. Consider in these words Doctrine Obedience is required of al Gods seruant that it is the property of Gods children to yeeld obedience to his word so soone as the same is deliuered and reuealed vnto them All the faithfull are commended in holy Scripture in this respect The ten lepers that were commanded to shew themselues to the Priest prepared themselues immediately to go though as yet no cleansing or curing appeared in the flesh Lu. 17 14 15. they neuer consulted with flesh and blood they beleeue that Christ was true of his word able to performe in deed what he had promised in word Thus did Noah wheÌ„ God commanded him to build an Arke thogh he had many discouragements the greatnesse of the worke the length of the time the mockings of the wicked the danger of putting himselfe into it and committing of his life to the mercy of the raging waters yet none of these could terrifie him Heb. 11 7. but by faith hee ouercame them all Peter being commanded of Christ to let downe his net to take fish sheweth that he had wearied himselfe his fellowes all night neuerthelesse at the commandement of Christ he let it down hoped for an happy issue Lu. 5 4 5 6. Thus haue Gods childreÌ„ alwaies done let vs therefore beware of disobedience vnder what preteÌ„ce soeuer it be Saul had his excuse he could set a faire face vpon a bad cause but hee was punished with the losse of his kingdome 1 Sam. 15. Woe had it bene to Naaman who shewed himselfe discontented with the Prophet because he being before instructed of God had willed him to wash himselfe seuen times in Iordan he had gone away a leper as he came if he had not hearkned to the counsel of his seruants 1 Ki. 5 10 12. Moses was shut out of the land of promise because he obeyed not God in striking the Rock Psal 106 33. but spake vnaduisedly with his lips The Prophet receiued a commandement froÌ„ God that he should go to Bethâ—el reproue the idolatrous worship of the two calues that Ieroboam had set vp and that he shold neither eate not drinke in presence with the idolaters 1 Ki. 13 8 9. but because he did contrary to the commandement he was torne in peeces of a Lyon paying the punishment of his disobedience and teaching vs by his example obedience to God Againe Doctrine obserue that God performeth more then he hath promised He onely told Moses God is better then his word that the mans rod whom he had chosen shold blossome but it appeareth that for farther manifestation of the truth of his word and the dignity of Aaron he verified more for the Lord did not only cause it to bring foorth buds and to bloome blossomes but likewise to beare almonds We see then from hence that such is the goodnes of God that he performeth and bringeth to passe more then he promiseth to
another 1 Thess 4 6. for God is an auenger of all such things This is it that Moses teacheth Deut. 23 7. Thou shalt not abhorre an Edomite for he is thy brother neither shalt thou abhorre an Egyptian because thou wast a stranger in his Land Thus the people of Israel complaine against the rich and cry out vpon the vnequall iniurious dealing of their brethreÌ„ vpon this ground Nehem. 5 â— because their flesh was as the flesh of their brethren the sons daughters of the poore as the sonnes and daughters of the rich Lastly this serueth to reproue conuince Vse 4 three sorts of men First it condemned all railing at and reuiling one of another all words of reproch and contumely as if they were our slaues and villaines which practise Christ reproueth Mat. 5 22. Secondly it meeteth with such as delight in contentions as the begger doth his sores nourishing dissention in the Church or Common-wealth contrary to the amiable name of brethren that ought to bee acknowledged among vs. All contention is irkesome but especially that which is betweene brethren All war is lamentable but especially ciuill warre where brother is diuided against brother sometimes the son against the father This victory should not be sounded with triumph but passed ouer with silence Therefore the Romane Captaines after a ciuil war Vaâ—er 〈◊〉 lib. 1. cap. â— neuer triumphed when they returned victors as we see in Cinna and Caesar in Silla and Marius So among all quarrels and controuersies those among brethren are most vnnaturall Wherefore the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 16 â— I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye haue learned and auoid them Ia. 3 14 â— So the Apostle Iames teacheth If yee haue bitter enuying and strife in your hearts reioyce not neither be lyars against the truth This wisedome descendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and diuellish For where enuying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of euill works Wherefore let vs learne to cut off all occasions of contentions euen from them that seeke occasions Thirdly this reprooueth all vnmercifull dealing towards those that are in necessity such as was in the Priest and Leuite toward him that fell into the hands of theeues was wounded WheÌ„ we see a poore man or woman destitute of daily food in misery and want of this worlds good we must thus thinke with our selues This man or this woman is my flesh my brother my sister as good by nature and in creation as my selfe hauing the same Maker and made of the same matter and bearing the fame Image of God as well as my selfe It is onely Gods goodnesse toward me that I possesse those things which he wanteth the same Lord requireth of me to my vtmost power to releeue and helpe him This is taught by Moses Deut. 15 7. Thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand froÌ„ thy poore brother Let it not greeue vs to giue and forgiue Let vs haue a coÌ„passionate hart a pittiful eie a liberal hand Remember it is an easie thing with God to bring thee into as low an ebbe though thou be now afloat as wee see it hath fallen out to many great Kings mighty Monarchs This is that charge which the Prophet giueth Es 58 7. Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that wander vnto thine house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Let this consideration moue vs to loue all meÌ„ vnder heauen and to shew the fruites of mercy vnto them in distresse as the Samaritan did to the poore wounded man Luke 10 33. Let vs pray for the conuersion of Iewes Gentiles as Stephen did for his enemies Ver. 15. Thou knowest our trouble how our fathers went downe into Egypt therfore I pray thee let vs passe This is the second reason before remembred drawne from the wofull experience of many miseries which they haue had in Egypt and out of Egypt Heere we see they alledge the afflictions endured in â—gypt to stirre vp the Edomites to pitty and to giue theÌ„ quiet passage This reason is thus contriued If we haue suffered many sorrowes and afflictions and beene euilly entreated in Egypt then pitty our poore condition and deliuer vs out of our distresse but we haue all suffered many sorrowes and afflictions c therefore pitty vs and giue vs passage Marke heere the force and strength of the reason â—â—rength 〈◊〉 reason he perswadeth theÌ„ to graunt them free passage moued with this consideration that the miseries of the Church haue beene many and as yet they saw no ende of them They were bound by all good means to procure their peace and seeke a blessed end of their present sorrowes that entering into the Land they might sit vnder their Vines Fig-trees 〈◊〉 4 1. and reason of the waies and word of the Lord without feare Now the want of this liberty and freedome to serue the Lord and the distressed estate of the oppressed Church is made a motiue to mercy in these Edomites to redresse their troubles and so the Israelites might haue beene eased themselues no way burdened â—â—ze â—â—â—es 〈◊〉 church 〈◊〉 zâ—â—le 〈◊〉 to pitâ—â—â— From hence we learne that the wants and miseries of the Church should moue the hearts of others to pitty them and to procure according to their power the remedy thereof Whensoeuer we see the people of God in affliction if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy we must be touched inwardly euen to the quicke and put too our helping hand to end their calamities as we are able This hath beene put in practise from time to time by the holy seruants of the Lord. When Nehemiah heard that the people returned from captiuity were still in great misery Neh. 1 3 4 Ierusalem troden downe the gates burnt with fire he sate downe and wept he mourned fasted praied before the God of heauen for the redresse of those euils and for a blessing vppon his holy endeuours The like affection we see in Mordecai Esteâ— chap. 4 8 16. when Mordecai saw what euill was concluded against the Church and that a commission was sued out at Shushan to destroy and massacre the people of God in one day he rent his cloathes and put on sackcloth he goeth to Ester hee chargeth her that shee should goe in to the King and make petition and supplication before him for her people She vndertaketh the cause of the Church with the hazard of her life she relieth vpon the all-giuing prouidence of God saying If I perish I perish I will go in to the King albeit it be not according to the Law So the Prophet teacheth
the stirring of vs vp to prayer We may now comfortably conclude to our owne consciences with the same Apostle I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God Let vs know then there is great vse of the crosse beeing assured that tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience â—om 5 5 4 5. and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Vse 2 Secondly we learne heereby not to promise to our selues worldly peace prosperity but prepare to endure the crosse before it cometh and know that the end of one crosse is the beginning of another while we liue heere We must not looke to finde heauen vpon earth we must not dreme of the victory before we fight We think of receiuing the prize but we wold not run the race We would put on the crown but we shun the crosse like those foolish husbandmen that would receiue the fruites of the earth but care not for the labour And surely the reason why we are many waies impatient vnder the crosse murmure vnder the mighty hand of God is because wee are vnprepared vnprouided to beare any storme or endure any triall We must not thinke to liue at ease and pleasure but know that whosoeuer taketh not vp his crosse cometh after Christ cannot be his Disciple So Paul teacheth Timothy Thou hast fully knowne my faith and my patience my persecutions which came vnto me but from them all the Lord deliuered me yea and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3 10 12. For as the head was first crowned with thornes so the members must not looke to liue in pleasures Lastly be not offended at the great afflictions Vse 3 that oftentimes we heare to befall the faithfull or we see to be vpon such as feare God let vs not maruaile and wonder at it as at some rare and strange thing much lesse should wee start backe from our profession for the persecutions and fiery trials that come vpon the Church Therfore the Apostle Iohn saith Maruaile not my brethren Iohn 4 13. though this world hate you nay rather we haue cause to reioyce that God vouchsafeth vs this honor not only to beleeue in him but to suffer for his Name This made Paul say Acts 21 13. being entreated that hee would not go vp to Ierusalem What do ye weeping and breaking mine heart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Doubtlesse if we were of the world the world would loue his owne but because we are chosen out of the world therefore the world hateth vs. It is noted to the euerlasting praise of the Apostles Acts 5 21. Heb. 10 33 34. Cast not away therfore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward God hath no need of vs to maintaine his glory he is able to maintaine it without vs therefore it is a great priuiledge and prerogatiue that God calleth vs out to suffer for his Names sake Besides such and so great are our infirmities that the Lord might worthily make vs suffer for our owne sins and bring shame and confusion of faces vpon vs according to our owne deseruings Now in that he mercifully passeth ouer our faults and frailties couereth our transgressions and maketh vs suffer taunts reproches persecutions for his truth and Gospel it is a great honour and dignity whereunto he exalteth and aduanceth vs and therefore our Sauiour saith Blessed shall ye be when men reuile and persecute you say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsly reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Mat. 5 11 12. Wherfore let vs not shrinke backe for trouble but reioyce in our sufferings and praise God for our afflictions Ver. 16. But when we cried vnto the Lord he heard our voice therefore let vs passe through thy Country Heere we haue the third reason vsed to the Edomites to perswade them to giue them passage drawne from an experience of Gods helpe who seeing their misery and hearing their gronings brought them out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Now it would argue great cruelty to forsake those and leaue them in their affliction The strength of the reason of whoÌ„ God hath taken the protection If then God haue helped vs do not you deny vs helpe but God hath helped vs therfore deny not vs your helpe Thus the gracious dealing of God is propounded for their imitation This is a forcible and effectuall reason teaching vs this Doctrine Doctrine The consideratioÌ„ of Gods loue to his children must moue vs to mercy that the consideration of Gods loue mercy shewed to his childreÌ„ must moue vs to mercy The truth hereof hath the consent and agreement of many other Scriptures Hereunto cometh the exhortation of Moses Deut. 10.17 18 19. The Lord your God is God of Gods and the Lord of Lords a great God mighty and terrible who doth right vnto the fatherlesse and widow loueth the stranger giueth him food and raiment Loue ye therefore the stranger for yee were strangers in the Land of Egypt Thus the Apostle reasoneth 1 Ioh. 4 9 11. God hath manifested his loue in sending his onely begotten Sonne into this world that we might liue thorough him Beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another Wher we see he perswadeth to brotherly loue in respect of the experience which we haue of the free loue of God toward our selues So our Sauiour concludes Lu. 6 36. Be ye therefore mercifull as your Father also is mercifull Hereunto cometh that which we reade in the Apostle Iohn in another place Hereby haue we perceiued loue that he laid downe his life for vs therefore wee ought also to lay downe our liues for the brethren 1 Iohn 3 8 16. There is nothing more effectuall to perswade brethren to vnity among themselues theÌ„ to know they haue a gentle father that loueth them all Nothing is able to binde faster those that are fellow-seruants in one family to seeke the mutuall good one of another then to consider they haue a good master carefull of the good of them all to giue them their portion in due season Reason 1 The reasons are euident First we are bound to follow the example of God which must be our direction and instruction This the Apostle teacheth Phil. 2 5 where he exhorteth to humility and lowlinesse of minde from the example of Christ Let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus And the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 11.32 hauing propounded the examples of the
in truth for heereby wee know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts It is not enough if we hurt no man it is required of vs to do good from the hart to feed the hungry to cloathe the naked to visite the sicke and to seeke all occasions of shewing our compassion vnto them Verse 17. We will not goe through the fields This is the fourth and last reason yeelded to the King of Edome to obtaine their purpose and passage through his country Wherein the Israelites promise a peaceable marching without doing wrong to any As if they should say We do not desire that our selues should be benefited The strength â—f the reason and you hindered our selues eased and you burdened our selues comforted and you greeued our selues to gaine and you to liue by the losse we couet no mans siluer nor gold we gape after no mans goods we will not take any possession of your country wee will not enter your fields we will not drink of your wels we will not inuade your vineyards we will not stay to take vp your places as our owne dwelling we will only make a thorow-fare among you keeping the Kings high way and not taking so much as a thread or shooe-latchet from any man to enrich our selues hauing learned not to do that to another which we would not haue done to our selues So theÌ„ the strength of the reason to mooue them to grant them free passage standeth in propounding laying before them their iust dealing toward them â—s good men â—eaâ—e with vs 〈◊〉 must our â—â—â—ng be toâ—â—â—â— them This may teach vs that as good men in loue and kindnes deale with vs so must we deale with them againe and with what measure they measure to vs it must be measured to them againe The Apostle describing the properties and effects of true loue affirmeth that It doth nothing vncomely it seeketh not her owne things it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh no euill Cor. 3 13 5 So our Sauiour hauing expounded the Commandements of the second Table compriseth the summe of them all in this saying Math. 7 12. Whatsoeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets And there is good vse to bee made of this point that we learne to be so affected to others as we wish and desire in our hearts to haue others minded toward our selues Now there is no man but seeketh his owne good and desireth to be respected when hee wanteth the helpe of others therefore let vs doe good to other men let vs abstaine from wrongs and iniuries let vs hurt no man but procure the profite and safety one of another and euery man be a rule to himselfe of iust and vpright dealing toward his neighbours performing that to others which we require to be done to our selues We will not goe through the fields nor the vineyards c. We will goe vp by the high way Hauing in the former Doctrine pointed out the strength of the reason The truth of the reason let vs now proceede to consider the words themselues by themselues wherein we see the solemne promise the people make to obserue the rule of charity law of equity to know their owne froÌ„ other mens goods to medle nothing with that which belonged to others We learne from hence that Gods people must offer no wrong Doctrine Gods people must abstaine from wrongs and iniuries nor violently intrude themselues vpon the possessions of other men In that the Israelites shew their innocency and harmelesse purpose the seruants of God must learne to abstaine from all iniuries fraud and oppression Hereunto cometh the commandement Deut. 24 17. Thou shalt not peruert the right of the stranger nor of the fatherlesse nor take a widowes raiment to pledge So Zeph. 1 â— I will visite all those that dance vpon the threshold so proudly which fill their masters houses with cruelty and deceit Likewise when the souldiers demaunded of Iohn the Baptist what they should do he said vnto them Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly Luke 3 14. and be content with your wages Thus the Apostle also teacheth shewing that loue suffereth long 1 Cor. 13 4 6. is bountifull enuieth not boasteth not it selfe is not puffed vp reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth And in another place Let him that hath stole steale no more but let him rather labour Eph. 4 28. and worke with his hands the thing which is good that he may haue to giue vnto him that needeth Thus we see this is a plaine and euident truth that no deceit defrauding of our brethren whether openly or closely whether in bargaining or out of bargaining must be vsed among the people of God And no maruaile For first we are called to better things It standeth not therefore with Reason 1 our profession to intrude vpon other mens substance and to vse vniust dealing in heart or deed being forbidden to steale or to hurt any man This the Apostle vrgeth 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 7. Let no man oppresse or defraud his brother in any matter for God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse We must euery one know the end of our calling which is that we should be holy vnblameable before him that hath called vs out of darknesse into his maruailous light Therefore brethren partakers of the heauenly vocation let vs walke so as we may adorne the Gospel of Christ and beautifie our profession of the doctrine of Christ If then any that is called a brother or a christian walke inordinately and liue wickedly if he circumuent any man if he oppresse his brother this must be charged vpon his person not vpon his calling be imputed to the man not to his profession as the manner of some is who are ready to catch the least aduantage to speake euill of the truth of God For our calling is heauenly and our profession is holy it will not beare out any vniust practise Reason 2 Againe God is a iust Iudge an auenger of all wrongfull dealing betweene man man It is God that distributeth this worlds good and the things of this life to whomsoeuer hee pleaseth He is the generall Lord of the whole world he hath the souereigne right in his own hand and hath in most excellent wisedome distributed and disposed to euery man his seuerall portion and no man lawfully enioyeth any thing but by the gift and giuing of God So theâ— whosoeuer circumuenteth his brother getteth any thing from him by fraud impaireth any way his wealth crosseth Gods ordinance inuerteth his order and will bring in a new and another diuision of the earth theÌ„ God hath made For whereas God hath saide This man shall haue this portion he shall haue this house this horse this land this money this corne this cattell the theefe
children partakers of his victory And the Apostle Paul confirmeth the same Rom. 16 20. The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder your feet shortly Wherefore albeit there bee in this life and wicked world many beastly minded men that spread their armes far and neare seeme euen to dazle the eies of others through their riches honors power friends aliance might credite possessions dominion ouer others so that none dare mutter a word against them yet the time is appointed cometh quickly that the godly shall sit in thrones of glory iudge these wicked wretches that haue beene enemies to the Church they shall stand at the bar like poore caitiffes and receiue froÌ„ Christ and his Saints the sentence of condemnation as 1 Corinth 6.2 3. Paul calleth the Saints of God to consideration of this prerogatiue and checketh them that they would submit themselues to the vngodly Doe ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world If the world then shall bee iudged by you are yee vnworthy to iudge the smallest matters Know ye not that we shall iudge the Angels How much more things that pertaine to this life If then the Lord bring the wicked downe and make them stoope to his seruants in these dayes of their pilgrimage wherein iniquity is often aduanced how much more shal we see our desire vppon our enemies when Christ which is our life shall appeare Col. 3 4. 1 Iohn 3 â— for then we shall appeare with him in glory and bee made like vnto him and see him as he is This the Prophet assureth the Church Mal. 4 2 3. Albeit therefore we be persecuted pursued in this life and finde no rest or refreshing any where yet there shall be a sudden change of our condition when we shall triumph with Christ ouer all principalities and powers that lift themselues vp against God who shal â—â—ue shame and contempt powred vpon them The coming of Christ shall lighten things hidden in darknesse and make a manifest difference betweene the godly and the vngodly Let vs waite for his glorious appearance let vs hold fast till he come that which we haue that no man may take away our crowne This Christ our Sauiour who hath ouercome the world assureth Reuel chapter 2. verses 26 27. Hee that ouercommeth and keepeth my worke vnto the end to him will I giue power ouer Nations and hee shall rule them with a rod of iron and as the vessels of a Potter shall they be broken And the Apostle Peter assureth vs that the Lord is not slack of his coming as some men count slacknesse but is patient toward vs that we should not perish but come to repentance But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night â— 3 8 9 10 in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp Then woe shall be to the wicked then they shall be cast down and neuer be able to rise againe then they shall howle and weepe and lament and neuer bee comforted againe whereas the godly shall lift vp their heads because their redemption draweth neere When it shall be a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation vnto them that trouble you but to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels 2 Th. 1 6. This therefore is a great comfort vnto vs giueth peace to our soules that he will deale with all the vngodly as Ioshua did with the Kings which he had conquered and subdued in battell For he commanded them to be brought out of the Caue where they were hidden and called for all the men of Israel and saide vnto the chiefe of the men of war which went out with him Come neere set your feet vpon the necks of these Kings and they came neere and set their feete vpon their necks and Ioshua said vnto them Feare not nor be faint-hearted but be strong and of a good courage for thus will the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight Iosh 10 24 25. So wil Christ Iesus deale with al our enemies who is the Captaine of the Lords host he will poure shame and contempt vpon them and therefore let vs not stand in feare of them to turne out of the right way and to forsake our profession but be stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alway in the work of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Thus if we be faithfull to the death we shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory Vse 3 Lastly obserue and marke how God magnifieth the Ministry and is able to enforce the wicked to the acknowledgement of himselfe and the true Ministers of his word and let this comfort vs in the midst of all contempts and disgraces of our God of our religion of our faith and of our persons Ah we Ministers despised by prophane men let vs marke and consider this and lay it vnto our hearts let vs beare their contempts contumelies thrown vpon vs. In their extremities they shall acknowledge vs they shall reuerence our Calling they shall magnifie our Office our Ministery and Doctrine they shall iustifie vs desire our prayers they shall stoope they shall stoope when it pleaseth God And let this suffice all true Teachers Preachers of the Gospel of Christ that the power of the truth is such as that it maketh the enemy bow the knee vnto it which before seemed to haue no ioynt to bend This is the time which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it when he giueth vs a comfortable experience of this doctrine that the enemies of God and our enemies are driuen to resort and repaire vnto vs and such as made iestes and songs of the word and of the Ministers of the word cry out O Ezek. 33 31. how beautifull are the feete of them which bring glad tydings of good things Rom. 10 15. There is none of vs all poore contemned men that labour in sincerity in the vineyard of God beare the burden of the worke and the heate of the day but sometimes God lifteth vp our heads and honoureth vs in the world that we should not sinke downe vnder the burden and maketh our mortall and greatest enemies beseech vs to be good vnto them and to helpe them in their extremities The people of Israel despised the ministery of Samuel would not hearken vnto him but when they saw the lightning and heard the thunder and felt the raine at that vnseasonable time They feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly and they saide vnto him Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that we die not 1 Sam. 8 7 and 12 18 19. Let this profitable meditation of Gods mercy toward vs deuoure and swallow vp all disgracing and defacing of
our Ministery and teach vs to waite patiently vpon the Lord who Prou. 16 7. wheÌ„ the waies of a man please him will make his enemies to be at peace with him and alter their hearts as pleaseth him This is a very great dignity and high priuiledge that God bestoweth vpon his poore and contemptible seruants reprochfull in the world 1 Cor. 4 9. a gazing stocke to the wicked accounted as the off-scouring of the earth a wonder to men and Angels this is their honour and preheminence they are magnified of God and respected of the wicked in their manifold miseries when God toucheth them in body or afflicteth them in minde or punisheth theÌ„ in goods or layeth his hand vpoÌ„ such as neerely concerne them in the flesh Excellent then is the estate of Gods children aduanced by him and a great honour vnto them that their enemies are brought vnder them are made to sue vnto them God is able to deliuer them from contempt and to giue vs for the truths sake a due regard and reuerence when he will So he magnified the ministery of Moses and Aaron as we heard before when Pharaoh could finde no comfort in his inchanters and sorcerers nor any helpe in his gods or Idols Exod. 9 28. he is forced to seeke comfort help of those despised Ministers messengers that were before hated of him for Moses must pray vnto God for him So he magnified the ministery of his Apostles so that the stubborn and stiffe-necked Iewes that could not abide the Gospel nor the Preachers of the Gospel being wounded in conscience came to Peter and the rest of the Apostles saying Men and brethren what shall we do Acts 2 37. The laylour mentioned in the 16 of the Acts v. 26 27 29 put the Apostles into close prison made their feet fast in the stockes but when the earth quaked the prison doores opened and euery mans bandes were loosed when once hee was waked out of sleepe and his conscience out of security he called for a light leaped in he came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas could finde no comfort but from them whom before he had cruelly entreated nor recouer himselfe from the gulfe of desperation into which he was entring but by their blessed ministery who ministred a word in due season to the weary soule to the heauy heart and to the conscience burdened and oppressed with sin So he magnified the ministery of Iohn the Baptist who was reuerenced of the couetous Publicanes of the violent souldiers and of the mercilesse people Lu. 3.10 12 14 so that they demanded of him What shall we doe Thus hath God dealt from time to time compelling the wicked to know and to acknowledge his faithfull Ministers to his great glory and our endlesse comfort It is a vaine needlesse feare in many that feare the fall and decay of the Ministery the vtter ruine and ouerthrow of the Ministers of the word There are many trades of this present life that will neuer decay nor weare out of vse So long as building planting sowing and tilling of the ground are in request there will be vse of the builder of the planter of the husbandman Who feareth the contempt of haruest men in the time of haruest Who feareth the discharge of watchmen while the City is besiedged Who feareth that no reckoning will be made of Shepheards so long as there are sheepe to be attended and wolues to bee feared The Ministers are the Lords builders the people are his building the Ministers are his husbandmen the people his husbandry the Ministers are the Lords haruest men the people his haruest to bee gathered into his barne This the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 3 9 Christ our Sauiour Mat. 9 37. So long therefore as God hath a Church to bee builded a Vineyard to be planted a Field to be tilled a Flocke to be watched an Haruest ripe and ready to be reaped we need not to be afraid of the decay and downefall of the Ministery For so long as men haue soules to be sued the meanes of saluation shall be continued We see this in the history of the Acts how diuersly it pleased the Lord to dispose of this his ordinance Where he had no people to be called he suffered not the Apostles to go thither Acts 18 10 11 but where hee had much people there he commanded theÌ„ to labor more and to tarry longer and suffered them not to depart so soone as they would Wherefore let vs bee bold and constant in the worke of the Lord and not feare to labour in his Vineyard knowing that our worke shall not be in vaine assuring our selues that he will hold vp our heads whom we serue and maintaine his own ordinance vnto the coming of Iesus Christ We haue spoken against the Lord and against thee we haue sinned The people of Israel being brought to true repentance by the former iudgment of the fiery serpents do not content theÌ„selues to confesse their sins in generall saying We haue sinned but they acknowledge the particular offence that had brought vpon them that particular iudgement As then they felt the iudgement in particular so they haue a feeling of their speciall and particular sin Doctrine We must wâ—nesse our repentance by acknowledging our parâ—cular sins thâ— trouble vs. This teacheth that howsoeuer we are to repent craue pardon generally for generall sins vnknown sins yet we most be most pressed perplexed touched and greeued with particular sins This truth appeareth liuely in the practise of NaamaÌ„ who being won to the faith by the experience which he had of the mercy power of God as also the Ruler was by the myracle shewed vpon his sonne Ioh. 4 53 he was touched with a feeling of his former idolatry and confessed his great blindnesse in the corrupt worship of false gods Hence it is that he desireth God to be mercifull vnto him that in going with his master into the house of Rimmon 2 Kingâ— 5 13 and he leaning on his hand he had worshipped that Idoll to the dishonour of God and the wounding of his conscience The words themselues will naturally beare this construction For we must vnderstand them of the time past not of the time to come of his crauing pardon for that which he had done and not for that he would do He was a true conuert and testifieth his conuersion by acknowledging his former impiety and promising to forsake the same and to worship the true God hereafter This is indeed true repentance wheÌ„ we are ready and willing to acknowledge those particular sins and trespasses that lie heauy vpon the conscience and haue called downe particular iudgements vpon vs. We haue a notable patterne of this kinde of repentance in the Prophet Psal 51 1 14 thus do the people of Israel deale in their conuersion 1 Sam. 12 19 and many others 1 Tim. 1 13. 1 Cor. 15
possession To this Moses answereth that albeit it could not be denied and gain-sayed but that the Cities were in former time within the Borders and Territories of Moab yet Sihon had taken them away by right of warre and conquest of the sword so that now they were alienated from the Moabites and appropriated to the Amorites who possessed them and dwelt in them So then the Israelites offered no wrong to the Moabites but recouered the places to their owne vse out of the hand of the Amorites Neither did Moab lay any claime to them for many generations as Iephtah declareth Iudg. 11. And this is the right that Israel had to these Cities Thus we see what dealings passed betweene the Moabites and the Amorites before Israel came to these places both of them were idolaters both wicked men both grosly ignorant of the true worship of God and desperate enemies to the true Church one is ready to cut the throat of another and killeth one another in battell We learne from hence Doctrine God often punisheth one euill man by the hand of another as euil that God punisheth oftentimes one wicked man by the hand of another He raiseth vp and armeth one of them to destroy another to eate vp and consume another This truth appeareth in many other places of holy Scripture Chedor-laomer vsurping dominion ouer other Nations made warre against them Gen. 14 5 6.7 8. and tooke away all the substance as a prey booty out of Sodome and Gomorrha God in his prouidence causeth one euill man to slay another The Sodomites were exceeding sinners against the Lord. He raised vp an enemy not much better then themselues for their destruction The like we see in the example of the Midianites Who sheathed their swords in their owne bowels Iudg. 7 20 22 Indeed Gideon gaue his men at armes that went with him to that seruice Lampes Trumpets and Pitchers and thus he marched against his enemies they sounded their Trumpets they brake their Pitchers they lighted their Lampes then the hoast of the Midianites fled euery mans sword was set against his neighbour their own weapons were their owne bane their owne men were their owne murtherers and so they destroyed one another This the Prophet Habbakkuk Hab. 1 6. sheweth when the Law was dissolued Iustice oppressed cruelty practised and all wickednes was aduanced among them the LORD would worke a wonder among them He wold raise vp the Chaldeans against them a bitter and furious Nation to destroy them a people worse then themselues This is that which Esay the Prophet pointeth vnto when he saith Euery one shall eate the flesh of his owne arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and they both shall be against Iudah Esay 9 21. Likewise he prophesieth the destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians chap. 13 17. The destruction of the Egyptians by the Assyrians chap. 19. Yea he would set the Egiptians against the Egiptians so that euery one should fight against his brother and euery one against his neighbour City against City and Kingdom against Kingdom The reasons of this order and manner of Gods working are not hard to finde For first Reason 1 who shall limit him what meanes to vse and what persons to imploy in his seruice Dare any Subiect prescribe vnto his Prince whom he shall send Or shall a seruant teach appoint his master whom he shall entertaine to performe his busines Or will any Magistrate master take well such pride presumption Shall God then the King of Kings the master ouer all men be stinted and limited whom he shal vse As none can appoint him what he shall do or when he shall punish or whom he shall correct no more can we decree or determine the meanes and manner of his proceedings He appointeth the times and seasons of punishing he singleth out the persons to bee punished For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Or who was his Counseller Hee will finde out his enemies in their sinnes and he will chuse out the instruments of his owne iudgements He armeth many times men of euill hearts and of vncleane hands to doe his works diligently and to accomplish his waies feruently When the Lord would smite the house of Ahab and auenge the blood of his seruants the Prophets Iehu is annointed King ouer Israel made the Rod of the Lord who performed his word and will to the full hee slew Iehoram 2 King 9 7. 10 31. cast downe Iezabel and slew the Priests of Baal yet notwithstanding all his zeale which he pretended for the Lord his heart was not vpright before him neither regarded hee to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel neither departed hee from the sinnes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne As then the worke is the Lords so is the workman and as the iudgement is his so is the instrument which hee chuseth and fitteth to effect the same without the prescription appointment of any other Reason 2 Againe albeit they be wicked and vngodly men infidels and idolaters that hee imploieth to finish his worke to bring his decree determination to passe yet he frameth their harts to serue his prouidence as seemeth good in his heauenly wisedome He hath the hearts of all men in his hand euen of Kings to turne them about to be instruments of his will If then he can change the hearts of enemies no maruaile if he vse them as his seruants So he vseth the seruice of the diuels and euill spirits and maketh them to do his will and against their will further the saluation of his children whō they purposed to bring to despaire and damnation as appeareth in the History of Iobs Iob 1 and 2. tentations Albeit they be not his faithfull seruants to do his wil cheerefully yet they are his slaues to serue him by constraint and compulsion This the Apostle Iohn declareth in the destruction of that great whore which is drunke with the blood of the Saints with whom the Kings of the earth committed fornication namely that they gaue their power and authority to the Beast but they shall hate the whore make her desolate eate her flesh and burne her with fire for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to doe with one consent for to giue their kingdome vnto the Beast vntil the words of God be fulfilled Reu. 17 15 16 17. Nothing is done without the will of God He holdeth in his hands the hearts and purposes of Princes and great men vpon earth and directeth them by a secret motion to worke what hee pleaseth whether they know his will or know it not the whole action commeth of him and from him For howsoeuer it might seeme hard and harsh that the Angel saith it was GOD that put it into the harts of Kings to aduance the Papacy which was the work of the diuell to seduce the world yet after
him and asketh him what the men were that came to him not that God was ignorant and needed to be taught or in structed what those persons were but to draw from him a voluntary confession of the matter which being truely opened and declared God forbiddeth him to go to the Moabites because they had a mischieuous purpose and to curse the Israelites because they were a blessed people WheÌ„ he perceiued to his great griefe that God had concluded and determined to continue his mercy and blessings vpon his people which no deuice of man could diminish no works of the diuell could abolish the morning being come he returned an answer to the messengers and sent them backe without their long-hoped desire excusing himselfe that he could not goe with them as himselfe desired and as they had deserued at his hands and hauing his minde wholly fixed on his reward he saith Ioseph 〈◊〉 lib. 4 cap 6. Returne backe to your Lord as for me I desired nothing more then to accompany you but the Lord hath stopped and restrained my purpose and will not suffer me to go with you or to helpe you Wherein obserue how this couetous hyreling false Prophet being willing to vndertake the worke because of the wages and to promise his best helpe that he might finger the hyre behaueth himselfe fraudently and vnfaithfully as hyrelings do mincing the matter and reuealing one part but concealing another part of the reuelation giuen him of God For whereas God had said Thou shalt not goe thou shalt not curse the people because they are a blessed people denying vnto him as well his purpose of going as his promise of cursing he declareth the former but dissembleth the latter he sheweth to the Princes and Gouernors that GOD restrained him from going but hideth this that the same GOD had forbidden him to curse the people together with the reason of it That they are blessed lest the messengers should be offended and his expected hyre denyed deteyned This is the summe and substance of this diuision But before we enter into the handling of the Doctrines offered heerein to our considerations to the end we may cleerely see into the meaning of the whole history it shall not be amisse for vs to answer certaine doubts and difficulties that arise as well from the purpose of Balak as from the person of Balaam Some of reuerent account in the Church Caluin 〈◊〉 in 4 â—ib 〈◊〉 interpret this history otherwise then can stand with the circumstances of the Text and the proportion of faith in other Scriptures For they suppose that Balak sought helpe of the true God reuerenced his Prophet and had the seed of religion remaining in his heart If this were so why doth he not himselfe fly to God by prayer And why doth he not stirre vp his people to prayer Why do they not all as one man ioyne in supplications and intercessions to be helped of God Why did he require Balaam to come with cursings and bannings against Israel if there were any sparke of true piety left in his heart Againe it is imagined that Balaam was a Prophet of God and endued with the spirit of Prophesie to whom GOD vsed oftentimes and ordinarily to appeare so do make him as it were a meane betweene the true Prophets and the false Prophets therby God making himselfe knowne among the Infidels and neuer leauing himselfe without witnesse Such were the Sybils thought to be liuing among the Gentiles and giuing testimony to the truth of God But we know no such meane betweene true and false Prophets â—â—swer For whosoeuer is not a true Prophet is a false Prophet and whosoeuer is a false Prophet cannot be a true Prophet of God He that is of God is a true Prophet he that is of the diuell is a false Prophet Neither doth the deliuery and vtterance of some truth make a true Prophet for then the diuell should be a true Prophet who sometime speaketh the trueth albeit to a sinister end For he confessed the Messiah to be the Sonne of God â—arke 1 24. thereby to darken the Doctrine of Christ and to discredite the power of the Gospel raising a suspition that he hath some familiarity friendship with Christ by drawing men to doubt of the truth of our redemption inasmuch as the diuell is a lyar from the beginning 〈◊〉 8 44. the father of lying And touching the Sybils they carry not any certaine credit and authority being all or the most part forged foysted in 〈◊〉 13 2 to win credite to the word of God which needeth not the lyes of any to vphold the truth and authority thereof For they are brought in speaking more clearely and euidently more plainly and particularly of Christ and his kingdome then any of the Patriarkes or Prophets then Moses or any that liued after him Esay is worthily accounted to bee an Euangelicall Prophet prophesying distinctly and determinately of the passion sufferings of Christ yet it is as nothing in comparison of that the Sybils expresse 〈◊〉 Sâ—billine 〈◊〉 â—â—nterâ—â—ffe Iâ—â—a â—saâ—o Ex◠〈…〉 11. touching the name and nature of Christ touching his originall off-spring touching his death and resurrection touching Antichrist and other enemies of the Church Now shall we thinke that God would reueale more to them then to his owne Prophets and the sonnes of the Prophets to such as liued out of the Church more then to all that were brought vp in the Church and sucked the sincere milke of the Scriptures and had the most sureword of the Prophets 〈◊〉 1â— to the which they did take heede as to a light that shineth in a darke place Besides we cannot hold this Balaam for any true Prophet but for a false Prophet 〈…〉 such as Simon the Sorcerer mentioned in the Acts Notwithstanding all the goodly glozes that he maketh to winne himselfe credite and estimation whereof wee shall speake more afterward Furthermore others thinke that Balaam meant his own false gods when he saith Tarry heere this night Obiect and I will giue you an answer as the Lord shall say vnto me And againe Returne into your Land for the Lord hath refused to giue me leaue to goe with you but that he was preuented of his purpose by the true God appearing vnto him But this coniecture is ouerthrowne by the expresse words in this place For the word is Iehouah Answer a name alwayes in Scripture giuen to the true God onely and neuer applyed to any false gods yea the true God was knowne by his name among the Gentiles and by it was discerned distinguished from the Idols of the Nations which indeed are no Gods Now that we may attaine to the true meaning of this Scripture and resolue of the right interpretation thereof I will set downe certaine rules and conclusions which concerne the matter in question which being fully determined and throughly descided the truth will euidently appeare
sinners he maketh them eyther in their sleepe to dreame of it or in frenzy to raue vpon it or in sickenesse to confesse it or vnawares to disclose it or in anguish of the minde to voyde it and vomit it vp verifying the words of the Prophet Esay chap. 66 24. Their worme shall not dye but alwayes gnaw vpon them with continuall torment As also Marke 9 44. Thus is Gods iudgement vpon them that they should feare all things who will not feare him that made all things If a man had all the pleasures treasures that heart could desire or delight in yet can they giue him no true comfort and contentment when the conscience is guilty of horrible sinnes These terrors are those Furies which the Poets faine Cicer. pro. Ros Amori Orat. in Pisonem which neuer suffer offenders to be at rest as we haue seene in the examples of Cain Belteshazzer Saul Absolon Iudas and others The noyse of the Thunder-claps Psal 29 3 4 5 7. which is the voyce of God hath so danted the vildest Atheists that they haue couered their heads hidden them selues vnder their beddes and beene ready to creepe into euery hole Thus wee see how the vngodly are punished in this life how they are arraigned as Malefactors at the barre how they lye confounded in themselues and how the testimony of euery mans conscience proclaymeth and cryeth out Psalme 58 11. Verily there is fruite for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth So that they shall sooner pull their hearts out of their breasts then God out of their minds And albeit the conscience of carnal men that neuer truly repented of their sinnes seemeth to be at rest yet it is as a wilde and sauage beast which lyeth asleepe seemeth tame and gentle but beeing raysed and rouzed vp flyeth in a mans face and snarleth at him Iosephs bretheren were not much troubled for their vice and villany in selling their brother at the present time but long afterward when they were afflicted with extreme famine and distressed in Egypt they remember the iniquity which they had committed and the cruelty which they had shewed and not truely repented of Genesis chap. 42. verse 21. Let vs therfore striue by all meanes alwaies endeauor to keepe a good conscience toward God and man and take heede how wee breake out into open sinnes prouoking God vnto anger wounding our owne soules offending our brethren diminishing the graces of God lessening our assurance of his fauour and greeuing the Spirit of God by whom we are sealed vnto the day of our redemption Verse 4. Therefore Moab said vnto the Elders of Midian Now shall this multitude lick vp all round about vs as an Oxe licketh vp the grasse of the field c. Hitherto of the occasion of the proceedings of the Moabites now wee are come to the plottings and conspiracies of the enemies of the Church the Moabites ioyning and combining themselues with the Midianites men as wicked as themselues See heere how the aduersaries of Israel associate themselues to destroy the Church though differing in Nation in Religion in Tongues in gods and Idolles among themselues not because Israel had offended but beecause they thirst after blood 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 â—â—rch â—â—â—ga 〈◊〉 themâ—â—â—â—â—yne â—her a◠〈…〉 Heereby wee learne this Doctrine that the enemies of the true Church howsoeuer they differ in iudgement and affection yet they are ready to ioyne and iumpe together against the children of God Notwithstanding the differences and diuisions amongst the enemies of God and his trueth they can ioyne hand in hand together to oppresse the Church This is noted in diuerse and sundry practises of the wicked in all ages of the Church The wicked Midianites Amalekites with those of the East not inhabiting in the land of Canaan but both Nations dwelling beyond the Riuer differing much in theyr courses and conuersations and seruing vaine gods and Idolles assaulted Israel came into their land to destroy it as is witnessed in the booke of Iudges chapt 6 3. So against Iehoshaphat a godly King that sought the Lord God of his father and walked in his Commandements Came the children of Moab and the children of Ammon and the inhabitants of Mount Seir to battell 2 Chron. 20.1 2 23. This likewise the Prophet Dauid teacheth declareth Psal 83 5 6 7 8. They haue consulted together in heart and haue made a league against thee the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelits Moab and the Agarims Gebal and Ammon c. Where hee noteth out the multitudes of the enemies which the Church had albeit at iarres among themselues and fighting sundry battels one against another yet notwithstanding consent conspire together to destroy Gods chosen This also is plentifully taught by many examples in the New Testament As Mat. 22 15 16. when the Pharisies had taken counsell against Christ how they might entangle him in his talke they sent vnto him their disciples with the Herodians So Herod and Pilate Luk. 23 12. agreeing like Cats and Dogges were made friends together and pleasure one another which had beene enemies one to the other to the end they might make a mocke of Christ Thus the hatred of godlinesse ioyneth the wicked together This is it which the Apostles confessed in theyr prayer Actes 4 25 26. 6 9 10 Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things The kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ for doubtlesse against thine holy sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilat with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together Moreouer when the Apostle disputed against the idolatry of the Athenians Act. 17 18. then certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and of the Stoicks banded themselues together against him albeit they were two contrary sects that neuer agreed and consented one strict in opinion the other loose in conuersation one placed their happinesse in vertue the other in pleasure making a mock of all Religion We see this true by common continuall experience Looke vpon the enemies of the truth there is no loue or liking among them one of another they dare not trust or beleeue one another yet they strike hands ioyne together against the faithfull like to Sampsons Foxes Iudg. 15 4. who albeit they looke seueral wayes with their heads yet they ioyne tayle to tayle to burne vp the haruest vineyard of the Lord. The Reasons are euident For albeit they be Reason 1 separated one from another and often spoile each other yet they vnite theÌ„selues in league together because they feare the faithfull and the decay of their owne kingdome They perswade themselues that the rising vppe and flourishing of the Church will be the pressing downe and frustrating of all their hope expectation This appeareth in the booke of Ester when Mordecai was honored of the king for his faithfull
exquisite and excellent thing in them but the inward and spirituall worship is neglected among them the Name of God is dishonoured the Sabbath is prophaned the Scriptures are abused the doctrine of faith and repentance is buried many open sinnes are maintained amoâ—g theÌ„ If that bee the true relâ—gion which giueth all glory to God the Popish religion cannot bee so whâ—ch giueth all glory to themselues and robbeth God of the honour due to his Name by their doctrine of merits by their works of supererogation which indeed is more then supererogation If it be the true religion that magnifyeth the Scriptures resteth in the perfection of them submitteth all persons causes vnto them and acknowledgeth them the sole and supreme Iudge of all Questions and Controuersies of religion then that must bee a false religio which patcheth other writings and traditions vnto them which in matters of â—octrine flyeth from them which preferreth the authority of the Church before them and â—enveth to be wholly ordered by them If that â—e the true religion which aduanceth the sufferings of Christ and resteth in his perfect Oblation once performed vpon the Crosse Heb. 10 1â— which acknowledgeth Christ to be the onely Sauiour and Redeemer of his people and â—eacheth to relye vpon him alone for our iustification then that must bee confessed to bee a counterfet religion which setteth vppe a mocke Christ and honoureth instead of him the cursed Idoll of the Masse whereby the remembrance of his death is shamefully eâ—uded and the people of God are miserably deluded Learne therefore that all zeale is not true zeale and to hate all euill albeit it haue the appearance of good and come masked vnder the vizard and habite of holinesse For counterfeit piety is double impiety Secondly let vs not bee carried away and Vse 2 seduced with euery vaine blast of false Doctrine but stand constant setled and vnmoueable as they that are builded not on the weak sand but vpon the firme Rocke that cannot bâ— remoued This the Apostle teacheth Heb. 1 9. Bee not carried about wiâ—h diuers and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart bee stablished with grace and not with meates which haue not profited them that haue beene occupied in them This vse is vrged by the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. 3 5. This know that in the last daies shall come perillous seasons for men shall bee louers of their owne selues c hauing a shew of godlinâ—sse but haue denied the power therof turne â—way therfore from such We see how easily the greaâ—est part are carried away with shadowes without substance and shewes without inward truâ—h They haue itching eares after new Teâ—chers and forsake the ancient Teachers that haue fed them with the milke of the word gained them to the faiâ—h of Christ Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to take heeâ— wee be not seduced and deceiued with â—aâ—e Pâ—ophets and to make a tryall of their doctrine by the truth of the Scriptures according to the counsell of Christ our Sauiour Math. chapter 7 verses 15. 16. Lastly it is our dutieâ— to learne to discerne Vse 3 the spirits and to be able to iudge of the Doctrine whether it be of God or not Christ commandeth his Disciples to beware take heed of the leauen of the Pharisies and Saduces Math 1 and 2 â— that is of their doctrine but in another place he chargeth them to heare the Pharisies obey their doctrine sitâ—ing in Moses chaire because they were appointed for the time to be the Teachers of the Church Now then if they must heare and do what they say and yet auoide their mixtures corruptions of sound dâ—ctrine it is required necessarily of the people to discerne betweene the Law of GOD and the leauen of the Pharisies being charged to cleaue to the truth and to forsake error This is that vse which thâ— Apostle Iohn vrgeth 1 Iohn chap. 4. verse 1. Deâ—rely beloued beleeue not euery spirit but try thâ— spirits whether they bee of GOD For many false Prophets are gone out into this world And in the second Epistle chap. 7 8. hee speaketh to the same purpose Many deceiuers are entred into this world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh looke to your selues that wee lose not the things which we haue done but that we may receiue a full reward Hereunto likewise cometh the exhortation of Eliah to all the people that were seduced by false Prophets 1 Kings 18 21. How long halt yee betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal bee hee then go after him And the Apostle Paul chargeth the Thessalonians to try all things and to hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5 21. This condemneth the Church of Rome of sacriledge that take from the people the key of knowledge and nuzzle them in ignorance as the mother of deuotion accounting it sufficient that they beleeue as the Church beleeueth and credite in all things theyr Pastours and Teachers and forbid them all tryall of the doctrine deliuered vnto them But the Scriptures require of them the spirit of discerning 〈◊〉 12 2. â—il 1 10. â—ph 5.15 17. and all iudgement that they may allow those things that are best and that they may bee without offence vntill the day of Christ to take heed that they walke circumspectly and wisely that they may vnderstand what the will of the Lord is and beware that they be not seduced And it is no excuse to the people beeing misled and misguided to say Thus haue I bene taught and instructed For when the blinde leade the blinde they both fall into the pit of destruction Mat. 15 14. So that if they embrace not faith vnto saluation but withdraw themselues vnto perdition they that follow false Teachers are sure to perish as well as they that leade them the way or rather out of the way and if the Watchman see the sword drawne 〈◊〉 33 8. and iudgement comming and blow not the Trumpet albeit the blood of the people shall bee required at his hands yet they shall also be taken away in their sins Verse 5. The Lord put an answer in Balaams mouth Heere is set downe the Author of his Prophesies He sought a cursing but God put in his mouth a blessing so that the spirit of Prophesie is sometimes giuen to wicked men as appeareth in Saul sundry others Wherefore it is said God put his word in his mouth not in his heart He hath God plentifully in his mouth but his heart was farre from him so that he speaketh not farre otherwise then his Asse spake before because God compelled him against his will to vtter that which he put in his mouth â—â—rine 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 â—â—â—eâ— to â—â—uiâ— oâ—â—e 〈◊〉 Heereby we learne that Gods truth is oftentimes enforced and drawne out of those that know it not nor beleeue it Prophane men of an euill spirit are constrained
and not through impatience accuse God neither impute the euill successes of our affaires to him but to our selues euen as he that stumbleth and falleth against a stone should not accuse the stone but his owne hastinesse and heedlesnes Now then if wicked men want the knowledge of God and the feare of his Name to guide them in the search and suruey of their owne wayes to enquire into the true cause of their euill successes wee cannot maruaile if they wander vp and downe in their owne imaginations and can neuer finde the fault to bee in themselues Secondly the vngodly are blinded with a Reason 2 selfe-loue and selfe-liking of themselues aboue God or his Word The loue of the creature or of our selues more then God or equall with God hindereth vs in good things and quite swalloweth vp the loue of our brethren and darkeneth the light of vpright iudgment that it cannot shine in our hearts The conceited person thinketh himselfe a wise man and imagineth his owne course to be the best vsing no aduice of others as if he himselfe were in all things sufficient of himselfe to see what is best for himselfe This Salomon excelling in wisdome teacheth to these conceited persons abounding in folly Prou. 12.14 The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he that hearkeneth to counsell is wise So in another place Prou. 18.2 A foole is not delighted with vnderstanding but with those things which are in his owne heart And againe Prou. 26.12 Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit There is more hope of a foole then of him These selfe-louing and selfe-liking fooles are delighted with their owne folly which they labour to publish and make knowne to all men and may worthily beare away the bell from all the fooles in the world For these are proud fooles that highly esteeme of their owne wisedome and scornfully disdaine the counsell and wisedome of all other men Seeing therefore euill men want the wisdome of God that is from aboue and abound with selfe-loue which descendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and diuellish we cannot greatly maruaile if wicked men will acknowledge no fault in themselues but wholly looke to second causes and lay the blame vpon the most High when they faile in their purposes Vse 1 The vses of this doctrine First of all wee learne this truth that no euil man can look for any good successe in the matters he taketh in hand but let him alwaies be sure to be crossed cursed of God Albeit thou lay in thine own conceit neuer so strong a foundation work neuer so wisely in thine own imagination yet if thou make not God thy Counsellor 〈◊〉 119.24 and his Word thy director thy wisdome shall be turned into folly and thou shalt be taken in the snare of thine owne hands For all sin against God bringeth with it the wrath of God and the euill life of a sinner drawes vpon his owne head sundry crosses and calamities causeth him to haue ill successe and raiseth vp infinite iudgments against him Whensoeuer we despise his word prophane his Sabbaths defile his Sacraments and practise any vnrighteousnesse against men and impiety against God then followeth and falleth vpon vs some sicknesse or trouble some crosse or affliction one way or another as the Apostle sheweth For your dissention and vnreuerent receiuing of the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11.30 many are weak and sick among you and many sleepe Now when the rod and scourge of God lyeth vpon the backe of transgressours and they feele themselues sore plagued either they accuse God as the authour of their trouble or murmure against his punishment or rest vpon second causes which are ordered by him who is the principall cause Vse 2 Secondly we learne that if we would haue God blesse vs and the lawfull labours of our hands we must be godly in Christ Iesus If we leade a sincere and sanctified life purge our hearts to be a peculiar people to God zealous of good workes wee haue a sure promise of good successe and strong assurance of a plentifull blessing to follow vs all the dayes of our life There is no good successe in any thing without Gods blessing And this is the cause why God blesseth vs not because wee blesse not his Name wee liue not as a people vnder his protection wee do not deny vngodlines worldly lusts liuing soberly righteously and godly in this present world hauing our conuersation in the heauens and looking for the blessed hope of glory and immortality Hereunto commeth the saying of Salomon Prou. 16 3. Psal 37.3 1 Pet. 5 7. Commit thy workes to the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed This is a worthy saying to redresse our weakenesse and distrust and to make vs rest and rely our selues on Gods good prouidence This also the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psal 127 1 2. All the fruit of our labours cares dependeth vpon the prouidence of God yea all our industry and studie shall be vaine and vnprofitable vnlesse he guide all our affaires To this purpose the Prophet speaketh in another place that the godly Psal 1.1.3 refusing the counsell of the wicked the way of sinners the seat of scorners shall bring forth fruite in due season so that whatsoeuer he shall doe shal prosper It is God alone that directeth the wayes and works of the faithful and without him is no good successe This wee see verified in Ioseph Gen. 39 2 3. The Lord was with Ioseph he was a man that prospered and was in the house of his master the Egyptian And his master saw the Lord was with him and that the Lord made al that he had to prosper in his hand The like the Scripture◠testifieth of Hezekiah that hee prospered in all his workes 2 Chro. 32 30 and 20 20. So Iehosaphat spake to the people Heare ye me O Iudah the inhabitants of Ierusalem put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall bee assured beleeue his Prophets and ye shall prosper Thus also the Lord exhorteth Ioshua after the death of Moses Iosh 1 8. We do all of vs desire the blessing of God vpon our labours and to haue good successe in our seuerall callings this is the pathway that we must walke in namely a godly life and conuersation without this his blessings shall turne into curses and wee shall neuer attaine the end of our hope This appeareth by the words which the man of God spake to the King of Israel saying Thus saith the Lord Because the Aramites haue saide 1 King 20 28 the Lord is the God of the Mountaines and not of the Valleys therefore will I deliuer all this great multitude into thine hand and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Lastly we are bound euery one to consider Vse 3 the true cause of euill successe to be in our selues When the hand of God is any way vppon vs that he plagueth
vs aboue other nations The more he hath honoured and exalted vs aboue others the more vile and odious we shall become he will poure shame contempt vpon vs he will make vs a mirrour and example of his iudgements to others vnlesse we bring foorth fruites answerable to so great goodnesse Who so is wise-hearted let him consider these things Verses 22 23 24. God brought them out of Egypt their strength is as an Vnicorne for there is no sorcery against Iacob Hitherto wee haue spoken of the spirituall blessings bestowed vpon the Church to wit the forgiuenesse of their sinnes the presence of the Spirit and the vse of the word Now followeth another priuiledge being an effect of the former that nothing shall hurt them they may fall into many afflictions but none shal be able to destroy them He alludeth in this place to the practise of the Vnicorne purging and clensing the water with his horne against the poison of venomous beasts From hence we learne Doctrine No attempt◠shall hurt th◠Church that no meanes and attempts shall hurt or ouerthrow the Church Whatsoeuer the enemies of God and his people imagine what counsell soeuer they take what mischiefes they deuise God will make them frustrate and of none effect This truth appeareth by sundry examples in the word of God When the Church of God was in Egypt the Egyptians said Let vs work wisely with them lest they multiply they vexed them with bondage they destroyed their children they oppressed them with burthens they plagued them with taskemasters and euery way they encreased their miseries Ex. 1 2 3. yet after all these diuellish practises they preuayled nothing against them This appeareth likewise in the ambition and pride of Haman Ester 3. and 7 and 9. He thirsted after blood but the plot he had contriued was disappointed and he fel into the pit which hee had digged for another the snare was broken and the Church was deliuered Infinite are the examples that might be produced to this purpose of the Churches dangers and deliuerances The Prophet Dauid handleth this argument at large in sundry Psalmes In the 91. Psalme verses 3 4 5 c. he assureth those that trust in God that into whatsoeuer dangers they fall they shall neuer miscarry nor be dismayed in theyr afflictions Where the Prophet meaneth that howsoeuer these afflictions may come to the godly yet they shall not bee able to hurt or hinder their eternall peace with God but he will make them and all things besides to further theyr saluation This is it which the Apostle teacheth at large Rom. 8 35 37. Thus we see that no attempts can hurt the Church inasmuch as God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and scattereth the deuices of the wicked Iob 5.13 as he turned the wisedome of Ahithophel into foolishnesse The Reasons of this Doctrine seruing for confirmation of vs are direct euident For Reason first it is God that watcheth ouer his to deliuer and to preserue them from all the dangers that go ouer theyr heads We shall not neede to feare hauing so good a keeper being assured of right good keeping He will alwayes protect vs by his great power and infinit goodnesse This the Prophet handleth at large Psal 121 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. So Moses declaring the cause that Balaams curses coniurations did not preuaile but were turned into a blessing sayth It was because the Lord loued his people Deut. 23 5. No policies can preuaile where there is such a keeper who being on our side what skilleth it who bee set against vs Reason 2 Secondly hee hath appointed the Angels also to guard and defend them to pitch their Tents round about them to bee ministering spirits sent out for their good which alwayes behold the face of their Father which is in heauen God is the cheefe watchman whom nothing can escape the Angels are second watchmen vnder God whom God hath deputed to that office to serue the necessities of the Church This the Prophet Dauid that sweet singer of Israel setteth downe Psal 91 10 11 12. Where the prophet proueth that no crosse or calamity shall come neere them or their dwellings to hurt them because not onely God himselfe will care for their defence but appoint the holy Angels as his heauenly messengers to preserue them Not that the helpe of God is not sufficient or that we should put our trust in their helpe but to teach vs for our comfort that we haue God and all the hoast of heauen as an army ready mustered marshalled to succour and sustaine vs in all our dangers Now it remaineth to consider what Vses Vse 1 may be made of this Doctrine First we must confesse to our singular comfort that great is the power and goodnesse of God which can neuer faile or forsake those that are his No counsell or wisedome or policy can escape his knowledge or encounter with his power we see this notably in this example before our eyes This false Prophet Balaam was an enemy of God and of his people he had set both his heart to couet and his tongue to saie all his purpose was to curse the people hee leaueth nothing vnattempted to compasse and contriue his enterprize yet we see all is vanity and commeth in the end to nothing Great therfore is the power and might of God We heard in verse 19. that he was constrained to say That God is not like to mortall men therfore we ought to be ashamed to call the truth or power of God into question wherein there is neither want nor weaknes All the power that is in men and Angels is nothing to the infinite power of God Let vs therefore acknowledge and confesse this might and maiesty of God let vs in all our dangers and calamities reuerence it and rest in it Let vs not measure it by ordinary meanes but know that he is able to work as wel without means and against meanes as by meanes The faith of Abraham is commended by the Apostle Ro. 4 18. Heb. 11 That aboue hope he beleeued vnder hope and that God was able of the ashes of Isaac offered vp in sacrifice to raise him againe to life 〈◊〉 2. Secondly wee may in assurance of his fauour conclude the blessednesse of the people of God and their happy estate and condition yea we may truly say with the Psalmist Psal 144 15. Blessed are the people that are so yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. None are harder assaulted none are better protected Their confusion is sought but they stand in the strength of God This is a great blessing to be shaken and yet to abide firme in stormes and tempests Happy are they that haue so vigilant a watchman as the Lord is That City is safe that kingdome is sure that house is quyeted that soule is secured that hath such a keeper What City vpon the earth sauing the City of
Iudea and to carry away the Israelites â—â—remy 25 9. ranging ouer the land raging with fire and sword and wasting the neighbour-Nations they spoyled the Kenites bordering vpon the Iewes which doth verifie the common Prouerbe It is some euil to be neere vnto euill And againe when thy Neighbours house is on fire it is high time to looke vnto thine owne and teacheth vs to esteeme as our owne the damage of our neighbour and to feare lest in the ruines of others our destruction bee conspired This calamity and captiuity was brought vpon them by Saneherib who comming to spoyle Israel spoiled them and as they were carried away out of their owne country together so they returned back againe into their Countrey together as wee reade in the holy history of the 1. Chronicles chap. 2 53. And thus as they tasted of the same misery so God made them partakers of the same mercy as they were afflicted together so also they were comforted together Thus much of the method and meaning of these prophesies The doctrines arising from hence are to be considered according to the seuerall prophesies and first touching the first against the Moabites Verse 17. I see that but not now I behold it but not neere there shall come a Starre out of Iacob c. In this prophesie Balaam foretelleth the future condition of the Moabites declaring both that they shal be destroyed and by whom For God wil raise out of the contemptible stocke of Iacob a bright Starre that shall refresh the Church with his sweete influence and giue them comfort against their enemies This we shewed to be performed in the dayes of Dauid afterward therefore he saith I see it but not now nor neere at hand This teacheth vs Doctrine The Church sometimes hath rest and glory That sometimes God maketh the Church to flourish in this life Howsoeuer God oftentimes bring trouble vpon his Church and affliction vpon his people yet at other times he giueth rest and peace and continueth theyr prosperity a long time This truth receyueth plentifull confirmation out of the booke of Iudges chap. 3.11 30. 5 31. 8 28 it is the maine drift and scope of it to shew how God in the miseries thereof prouideth a remedie and giueth rest round about from all their enemies God sometimes giueth them a time of breathing and recouering their strength and will not suffer the rodde of the wicked alway to rest on the lot of the righteous Psalm 125 3. We haue examples of this in the reigne of Salomon Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah and other godly Kings which were as strong props and pillars in Gods house a sure stay to the seruants of God in well doing he gaue them an outward estate that flourished both in wealth and peâ—ce This appeareth euidently in the booke of Ester Ester 8 1 16. after he had deliuered them from the mouth of the Lyon that gaped as it were after his prey to deuoure them the Church prospered the head of Mordecai was exalted comfortable letters were published and sent abroad for their safety and vnto the Iewes came light and ioy gladnes honor So the prophet Zacharie prophesying of their returne from captiuity saith That the streets of the City shal be full of boyes girles playing in the streets thereof Zac. 8 5. The booke of Iosuah is a notable storehouse of Gods mercy vnto his church giuing them rest from their enemies as hee had promised them so that none were able to stand before them Iosh 22 4. And as he dealeth with his Church in generall so hee doth with his seruants in particular as we see in Ioseph Moses Dauid and diuers other turning their mourning into ioy Psal 30 11. loosing theyr sack and griding them with gladnes The Reasons of this dealing of the Lord are many and most euident First his eares are Reason 1 open to heare the cries of his children he seeeth their miseries add putteth all their teares in his bottle of remembrance This is it which the Lord declared vnto Moses when he called him to deliuer his people out of the thraldom and bondage of Egypt Exod. 2 7. I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry beâ—ause of their Taske-masters for I know their sororwes GOD hath made a couenant of peace with his people hath a compassionate sense of their miseries and a feeling of their afflictions There is a notable agreement and vnion betweene God and his Children They in their crosses and calamities cannot but sigh and mourne and they cannot so soone vtter a groane but by by and by the Lord is touched with compassion This is euidently recorded in the booke of Exodus 2 23 where it is said The childreÌ„ of Israel sighed for the bondage and cried and their cry for the bondage came vp to God The prayers of the faithfull preuaile much with God if they be feruent He vnderstandeth the words of their mouth and the grones of the heart and in his good time will heare them graciously Reason 2 Secondly hee giueth vnto his Church oftentimes a sweet taste of earthly blessings to the end his people might haue all occasions and opportunities to serue him If they should alwayes beare the yoke vpon their necks and haue the heauy burden of affliction lying on their backs though they were strong in faith and had their hope fixed in GOD yet they would be soone dismayed and discouraged and ioyne with the wicked falling into the impieties of their persecuters But God is the sunne and the shield of his Church hee will giue grace and glory vnto it and withholde nothing that is good from them that walke vprightly Psal 84 11. He will comfort and defend them in their danger he will exalt them to dignity after their distresses least they should bee too much daunted and discomforted This is the reason vsed by the Prophet The rod of the wicked shall not alwayes rest on the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put foorth their hand vnto wickednesse Psal 125 3. Vse 1 The vses now are to be marked and obserued of vs. First acknowledge from hence with a sweet feeling the infinite loue compassion of God toward his people he delighteth not to be alwayes chiding and his anger endureth not for euer Hee will not haue his Church to be alwayes vnder the crosse but sendeth it some release For hee endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life c. Psal 30 5 6. Thus doth the Lord giue encouragements and comforts vnto those that faithfully serue and rightly worship him whereby hee not onely testifieth his owne loue toward them but allureth others by their example to trust in him and daunteth all their enemies that hoped to haue seene their destruction Such therefore as are not mooued to confesse the loue of God vnto his seruants and see not his kindnesse toward them haue
the rest of the multitude were spared and the plague ceased which was begun in the hoast as appeareth in the words following Now albeit these were most liuely arguments of the wrath and indignation of God yet the Israelites continued with an high hand and a proud heart to prouoke the most High to his face so that one not of the least lowest but of the principall and cheefest among them brought an whorish woman into the hoast to despite God his people and religion This man thought it not sufficient to goe out of his Tent to those strange women but broght one of thē openly without shame into the Campe before his brethren Verse 14. before Moses and the other Magistrates yea to fill vp the measure of his abhominations to the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation therby blaspheming God reproching his Religion enticing his brethren insulting ouer Moses and the whole assembly that cryed vnto God for mercy to stay his iudgement and to spare his people Loe such was the impudency of this Zimri that notwithstanding the tumults and hurly-burlyes in the hoast yet he is not moued to repentance eyther with the punishment inflicted vpon the malefactors or by the plague of God raging among his brethren or by the teares and supplications of the godly entreating for pardon lying prostrate at the doore of the Tabernacle but in the middest of all these iudgements neyther fearing GOD nor reuerencing man he seeketh to satisfie his filthy lust in the sight of the Sunne and in the open view of all his brethren euen of the whole hoast Verse 1. Now whilst Israel abode in Sittim Before we come to speake of the sinne of the people it shall not be amisse to consider the occasion whereby they fell into sinne Wee haue heard how Balaam being hyred to curse Israel could not for God stayed and restrained him who was greedy of the wages of iniquity Wherefore he counselled Balak to bring the people to destruction by procuring them to fall into some sinne Thus he layde a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel and thereby did draw them to spirituall and carnall fornication For whatsoeuer the Israelites heere committed they did through the counsell and procurement of Balaam From hence we learne that it is a particular note of false Teachers Doctrine It is a note of false teachers to lay stumbling blockes before men and false doctrines to set stumbling blockes before men to draw them to vncleannesse and wickednes eyther against the first or second Table or both I say false Teachers which are the instruments of Satan who he hath thrust into the church haue this speciall care to bring the seruants of God into wickednesse to draw them to idolatry and to destroy theyr faith To this purpose Moses teacheth Deut. 13 1. that false Prophets shall set before them this end to entice the children of God to serue false gods but true Idols This the Prophet Ezekiel noteth chapter 13.19 that they made Gods word to serue their bellies and taught carnall liberty sowing pillowes vnder euery arme hole polluting the Name of God for an handfull of Barley and for a peece of bread slaying the soules of them that should not dye giuing life to the soules that shold not liue crying peace where God proclaimeth open warre lying to the people that heare theyr lies The Scribes and Pharisies corrupted the law by false interpretations and expositions Math. 5 22. as appeareth in the Doctrine of Christ reducing the Law to the true meaning of the Law-giuer So the Apostle declareth that those rauening wolues which should creepe into the Church of God purpose to make hauocke of the people of God I know this that after my departing shall greeuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Acts 20 29. The Apostle Paul prophesying of the comming of Antichrist calleth the doctrine of Antichrist The mystery of Iniquity 2 Thess 2 7. It is the common practise of the Iesuites and Seminary Priests scattered heere and there in the Land to bring the people to Idolatry The Reasons of this truth are manifest Reason 1 First from the counsell of God for albeit no wickednes be in the most High yet it is his wisedome and power to draw good out of euill as he did light out of darknes that so they which are his may be tryed that their faith may be proued their loue to God and the trueth manifested and his children alwayes exercised that they may be made the more carefull and watchful and so finde by experience how they can stand out vnto the end of theyr dayes in all holy obedience This reason is laide open in the thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomy verse 3. where the doctrine hath his confirmation If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams and giue thee a signe or wonder thou shalt not hearken to the words of the Prophet for the Lord your God proueth you to know whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soule And the Apostle teaching that God hath appointed that heresies shall be in the Church annexeth this reason that the faith of Gods children seated in the heart may be made manifest There must be euen heresies among you that they which are approued among you might be knowne 1 Cor. chap. 11. Another Reason is in the malice of those Reason 2 wicked men themselues For this is the nature of the diuell and the property of diuellish men and the cruelty of them both they carry a continuall hatred to the truth and the professors of it they seeke to make a spirituall slaughter and hauocke of the flock of Christ Therefore the Apostle exhorting the Elders of Ephesus prophesyeth that greeuous wolues should rage against the sheepe of Christ yea of their owne selues should men arise speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them Act. 20 30. All wolues do account and finde by experience the blood of Lambes to be sweeter thē the blood of all other beasts and therefore they are sheep-byters rather then hog-byters or dog-byters The prophane and heathen are in the power and possession of Satan already he hath made sure of them his cheefest labour and endeuour is to circumuent and subuert the seruants of God So his instruments do hate the faithful as the wolfe doth the sheep the lambes are milde peaceable and simple the wolfe bloudy beastly and cruell therefore no maruaile if they seeke to suppresse the truth and to ouerthrow the seruants of God which are the professors and maintainers of the truth 2 Tim. 3 8. Now let vs apply this doctrine to our seuerall Vse 1 vses First we may assure our owne harts of this that so long as this world continueth the Church shall neuer bee without vncleane beasts to assault it eyther heretiques or false seducers or hyrelings that regard the fleece more then the sheepe the dignity more then
it may be smothered with the cloudy mystes and darknesse of the night yet it shall preuaile and breake foorth as the light in the open sight of all men that haue spirituall eyes to looke vppon it Seeing therefore the truth of God shining brightly hath alwayes beene resisted and that the true Prophets of God haue beene withstood so as they could neuer serue God quietly through the malice of Satan who continually goeth about to stop the course of sound doctrine let vs not be offended with false opinions it hath beene so from the beginning and will continue so vnto the ending of the world but rather labour to haue our hearts established in the truth that we be not carried about with euery blast as the waues of the sea and try all things holding fast that which is good 1 Thess 5 21. We must not refuse and reiect the truth of God because the father of lyes seeketh to hinder the free passage of it by broaching lyes among the people It is an euident signe that the truth is among vs because Satan sweateth so much against it and laboureth to poyson it with his owne inuentions Vse 2 Secondly seeing false Teachers are thrust vpon the Church to draw it into errour and falshoods this sheweth the great necessity of the Ministery of the word not onely to ingender true knowledge of repentance and obedience to God but also to continue men in the faith and to prepare them against heresies and false opinions And surely the mercy of God heerein is great vnto vs in commanding the sanctification of the Sabbath a duty so much neglected of master and seruant wherby we are charged to rest from our labours to assemble together in one place and to attend vpon the Ministery of the word For how many among our selues and elsewhere do neuer so much as thinke of God or of religion doe neuer heare of the danger of sinne of the necessity of grace of the reformation of theyr life but on the Lords day If there were not a set day appointed for these purposes and a solemne time of assembling our selues determined the greatest sort would become as rude and vnreformed as the Barbarians or the wilde Irish If then we would bee directed in the truth and supported from falling into errour we must submit our selues vnto the Ministery of the word Mal. chap. 2 verse 7. and be content to be guided by the ordinance of God This is it which our Sauiour speaketh reprouing the Sadduces who denyed the resurrection Are ye not therefore deceiued because ye know not the Scripture nor the power of God Mark chapter 12 verse 24. It is dangerous to rest where there is no bread to sustaine the body and to preserue life It is dangerous to dwell in a City assaulted by enemies hauing no watchman to giue warning of theyr approaching It is dangerous to haue a flocke of sheepe compassed about with wolues hauing no Shepheard to attend vpon them and to looke vnto them But of all dangers it is the greatest to liue where the bread of Gods word is not broken where the sound of Gods siluer Trumpet is not heard and where Gods flocke is not ledde in greene pastures The word is a Pearle of all Pearles which a wise Merchant would purchase at a great price rather then liue without it Where the preaching of the word ceaseth the people perish Prou. chapter 29 18. Where the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the ditch Matthew chap. 15 verse 14. Where the watchman bloweth not the Trumpet and the people is not warned Ezek. chap. 33 verse 6 both the Watchman and the people are taken away in theyr sinnes Where the Salt of Gods word doth not season the people with holy and wholesome doctrine Math. chapter 5 verse 13 they rot and putrifie in their corruptions As then we would be free from errour and not be carried away with false doctrine so it is required of vs to be careful in vsing the meanes that may bring vs to the truth and keepe vs from the pathes of falsehood And it shall be a vaine thing for any man to imagine himselfe to be able or likely to keepe himselfe pure and vndefiled from errour and heresie so long as wee despise the ordinary way that is allotted and appointed to preserue vs from falling into false opinions Thirdly seeing it is a note of a false teacher Vse 3 to lay stumbling blockes before men and to draw them to euill and entice them to wickednesse by this rule it will euidently appeare that Popish Religion is a most wicked Religion and the Teachers thereof false Prophets The Religion maintained in the church of Rome established in the Trent-councell defended by the sworne vassals of the Pope hath cancelled and disanulled the whole Law of God The church of Rome â—pealeth the whole Moâ— Law of boâ— Tables it hath abrogated and repealed eyther directly or indirectly eyther expressely or by consequent eyther plainly or in effect all the commandements of the Morall Law which God hath left to be a rule of righteousnesse to remaine in full strength power and vertue for euer This will easily appeare vnto vs if wee enter into the particular consideration of both the Tables The first Commandement chargeth vs to haue and to holde the true God onely for our God and to cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart But the Church of Rome resteth not in this one GOD they teach vs to make and acknowledge more Gods They make the Pope to be God which title both in plaine words is ascribed and in power attributed vnto him For touching the name wher by he is named the Canonists call him Our Lord God the Pope Others cal him The supreme God on earth a visible God the spouse of the Church 〈◊〉 dedicat 〈◊〉 â—â—incip 〈◊〉 praef de 〈◊〉 Rom. the corner-stone of the Church the head of the Church the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah the light of the world the King of Kings the prince of the Church Againe they aduance the Saints departed into the honor of gods praying vnto them and making them to hear our prayers to know our hearts to vnderstand our thoughts and to merit for vs at the hands of God which none can do but the Son of God They do notoriously make the blessed Virgin the mother of Christ 〈◊〉 â—â—cio beat 〈◊〉 to be as a god in expresse words call her a goddesse yea they do in effect equall her with Christ and ascribe as much to her as vnto him As Christ is called our Lord so they call her our Lady hee our King she our Queene he our Mediator she our mediatresse he like vs in all things sinne onely excepted so she deuoid of sinne he the onely meanes whereby we must be saued she our life our ioy our hope our help our comfort our stay in troubles Lastly to fill vp the measure of their sinne they make the
wooden crosse as a god they call it the ground of our saluation and salute it by the name of theyr onely hope 2 The second commandement requireth that we worship the true God purely according to his most holy word and forbiddeth all false and forged worship of the true Iehouah The Church of Rome directly ouerturneth the intent and end of this Law by theyr imagery they teach it to bee lawfull to make images of the true God and to worship them with religious worship 3 The third Commandement prescribeth vnto vs to giue al honor and glorie vnto God that is due to his great name The Church of Rome teach men to giue this glory to some things else they holde that the people are to be barred from the free vse of the Scripture allow to sweare by Saints Angelles Crosse Rood and such like 4 The fourth Commandement appointeth the sanctification of the Sabbath The church of Rome keepe the dayes of Saints more duly and strictly more solemnly and precisely then the Lords day and abrogate the liberty of the sixe dayes 5 The fift Commandement establisheth the seuerall degrees amongst men The church of Rome challenge an immunity for their clergy and a freedome from answering before the secular power they deny that their holy father oweth subiection to Princes or Emperors They teach hee hath power to depose Princes Bel de pontif Rom. lib. 5. ca. 6 and to discharge their subiects from their allegeance and may dispose of all kingdomes at his pleasure Lastly they free Children from the obedience of their parents Bel. de Monach lib. 2. cap. 6. and allow them to enter into Cloysters and Monasteries without their counsell and consent 6 The sixt Commandement bindeth vppe our hearts and hands from all cruelty willeth vs to preserue life and shew foorth the fruites of mercy The Church of Rome open wide gappes for the free committing of murther and shedding of blood They giue Pardons nay promises of heauen to destroy and poison Princes they appoint sanctuaries and priuiledged places for wilful murtherers contrary to the law of God who wold haue such pulled from his Altar and no religious place to giue them succour or protection Exod. 21 11. 1 Kin. 2 31. And concerning the murthering of soules a great part of theyr Doctrine leadeth the highway to it and giueth them a deadly wound 7 The seuenth Commandement condemneth all impurity and vncleannesse of soule body and commandeth vs to possesse our vessels in holinesse and honour The Church of Rome shaketh the foundation of this Commandement Hard confutat of the Apologie Parson confut of Ioh. Nichols and crosseth the purpose of God therein by forbidding marriage by accounting it an vncleane life by establishing vowes of single life by tollerating and defending the stewes by giuing liberty for Incest by allowing the brother to marry his brothers Wife the vncle to marry his neece and lastly by forbidding such degrees as God hath not restrained to open a way for the Popes dispensations 8 The eight Commandement chargeth vs with the goods of our neighbour The church of Rome teach it to be lawfull to make sale of mens soules out of Purgatorie as cunning The common practise of the Pope nay cozening Merchants they set all things at offer and proffer they sell Crosses Images Prayers they sell the remission of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen for money yea they rob men of their inheritance defeating defrauding their posterity to maintaine their ydle bellies 9 The ninth Commandement forbiddeth all false witnes bearing The Church of Rome do beare false witnesse against God falsifying the Canon of the Scriptures and make God speake that which he hath not spoken They teach that neither faith nor promise nor oath must be kept with Heretickes they maintaine and practise the Doctrine of Equiuocation See the examinations of the priests Iesuites of mentall euasion and secret reseruation vnto themselues of an hidden sence contrary to the common vnderstanding of the same wordes thereby ouerthrowing al equity the course of iustice among men The tenth Commandement restraineth the motions of the mind and commandeth a pure heart toward our neighbour The Church of Rome teacheth that the motions without consent are no sinnes at all so that they expresly repeale this Commandement and euidently declare they neuer vnderstoode the meaning of it Notwithstanding these are those Teachers that boast themselues to bee the successors of the Apostles and to haue the onely right calling yet we see how corrupt they are in doctrine glorying in the naked name of the Church and ouer-turning the foundation whereon it is builded Vse 4 Lastly this teacheth sundry duties both to the Pastors and people committed vnto theyr charge First of all it putteth the Ministers in minde to looke to their flocks to take heed to them that they be not seduced Wee are all of vs naturally inclined to falshood and error and loue darkenesse better then light that so we may walke at liberty and not be controlled But our danger is greater by reason of false seducers which are deceitfull workmen and the instruments of the subtle Serpent by whom they are inspired This duty being so necessary in regard of the common danger of the Church is diuers times vrged by Christ and his Apostles Christ warneth his Disciples to be watchfull because of false teachers that should arise in the last dayes Matth. 24 24. The Apostle Iude testifyeth chap. 3 verse 4. that he gaue diligent heede to write vnto them of the common faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints because there were certaine vngodly men crept in which turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and denyed GOD the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ The Apostle Paul exhorting the elders of Ephesus propounding vnto them his owne example foretelling the danger that hung ouer their heads to wit that their faith shold be assaulted and their zeale tried by false teachers springing vp from themselues sayeth Take heed vnto your selues and to all the Flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood Watch therefore remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one night and day with teares Actes 20 28 29. So the same Apostle chargeth Timothy before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ Which shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing and in his kingdome to preach the Word in season and out of season because the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heap of Teachers turning from the truth and giuing heed to fables Secondly this serueth to instruct the people of God to be throughly furnished and well prepared against such seducers that they may be able to stand our against them and to resist
in this waightie and necessary busines This was the care of the good and godly kings of Iudah Dauid Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosiah and some others the first thing which they obserued was the reformation of religion the establishment of Gods worship and the sending foorth of the Leuites to teach the people If these means of instructions were vsed in Ireland Wales other places thoroughout the land for there is want hereof euery where if this way were taken in priuate families by the gouernors therof the people would not bee so tumultuous seditious and rebellious and seruants would not so breake out into swearing lying stealing stubbornnesse all vnfaithfulnesse We should not haue our Magistrates so continually troubled nor our prisons so much filled nor executioÌ„ so often done vpon malefactors For if we did prouide to haue them taught the feare of God we should finde them more dutifull seruiceable in their callings But how can we looke that they should bee faithfull to vs when they are vnfaithfull to God Or how should they feare vs when they are ignorant of the feare of the Lord or how should they be obedient to vs for conscience sake when they make no conscience of disobedience to God This serueth to reproue all those that punish seuerely the transgressions of the second Table and the trespasses done to themselues but are loose and negligent in punishing the breaches of the first Table These men begin at the wrong end A Physitian that would cure a disease must first take away the cause He that would dry vp any streame or running water must stop the head fountaine So the onely remedy and right order to purge the commonwealth family of treasons murders thefts and such like enormities is to be sharp and seuere against idolatry blasphemies contempt of true religion and of the seruice of God So then let vs in our places endeuor that they which are committed vnto vs may know the acceptable wil of God and haue it taught among them this will do them in soule body the greatest good this will make them most painful profitable to themselues leauing a blessing behind it For as they grow in godlines so they will increase in faithfulnes Verse 3. And Israel coupled himselfe to Baal-Peor Wee haue already seene the sinnes into which the Israelites did fall now let vs consider the occasion heere offered vnto vs whereby they were drawne into this spirituall and bodily fornication Psal 106 28. They coupled themselues to Baal-peor they frequented the company of the Midianitish women and vsed the familiaritie of euil persons so were brought not onely to allow of their sins but to fall into sin themselues Doctrine It is daÌ„gerous to the church to haue fellowship with the wicked This teacheth vs this truth that it is dangerous to the Church to haue fellowship with the wicked Wee are alwayes in danger of falling into euill the diuell is euer at hand ready to tempt the world to allure the flesh to entice but our estate is more dangerous when we ioyne with wicked men grow in a league with them This apeareth in the people of Israel who dwelt among the Canaanites Iudges 3 5 6. They tooke their daughters to bee their wiues and gaue their daughters to their sons and serued their gods This is it which is remembred in Psalme 106 35. They destroyed not the people as the Lord had commanded them but were mingled amongst the Heathen and learned their workes and serued their Idols which were their ruine Heereunto commeth the exhortation of the Apostle Ephes 5 7 11. Bee not companions with them And the Apostle Iohn setteth down 2 Ioh. 10 11. If there come any vnto you bring not this doctrin receiue him not to house nor bid him God speed for hee that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his euill deeds This will yet better appeare if wee marke the Reasons whereby it is confirmed First the godly and vngodly differ as things most opposite as fire and water as heauen and hell It is vnpossible to make an agreement betweene things that are so flatly contrary one to the other It is a vaine thing to attempt a reconciliation betweene extremities This reason the Apostle vrgeth 2 Cor. 6 14. Be not vnequally yoaked with the Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse Or what communion hath light with darknesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols This opposition being so great should be effectuall to draw vs to shake off wholly and reiect vtterly the company and society of the vngodly Secondly the godly are sooner corrupted Reason 2 then the vngodly are gained Nay one wicked man will sooner seduce an hundred in regard of the pronenesse of our nature to wickednes and our vnto â—ardnesse to the fruites of godlinesse then an hundred good men shall win one wicked man from his wicked wayes We see this in Salomon was not hee excellent in wisedome Neh. 13.16 beloued of his God and renowned aboue the Kings of Israel He thought to haue conuerted his wiues but his wiues peruerted him and turned his heart after theyr gods 1 Kings 11 2. This we see in Nehemiah who reprouing the Israelites after theyr returne from captiuity for ioyning with the Idolaters presseth vnto them the example of Salomon Did not Salomon the King of Israel sinne by these things yet among many Nations there was no King like him for hee was beloued of his God and God made him King ouer Israel yet strange women caused him to sinne To this purpose the Apostle compareth sinne to a leauen 1 Cor. 5 6 whose nature is in short time to leauen the whole lumpe Euill men can teach vs no good but much hurt commeth to vs by theyr infection Whiles the Israelites liued in Egypt they learned many Egyptian tricks and practised theyr fashions in worshipping the Calfe And common experience sheweth that they draw vanity and corruption vnto themselues that vse the company of vaine and corrupt men according to the saying of the Apostle Bee not deceiued euill words corrupt good manners 1. Cor. 15 33. It remaineth to handle the vses of this Doctrine Vse 1 First if wicked company bee dangerous much more is wickednes it selfe dangerous For wherefore are we to auoid them but for theyr wickednes sake We must not hate theyr persons but abhorre theyr impieties When the Apostle Paul had exhorted the Ephesians to bee no companions with carnall men he addeth Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitefull works of darknesse but euen reproue them rather If then such societies are to be forsaken much more the works of darknes whereby we are corrupted For as we are greatly to affect earnestly to desire the sweet fellowship of the godly for their godlinesse and goodnesse sake that we may learne to follow them so on
common to all but peculiar to some It commeth not by inheritance but by grace Parents may leaue vnto their children their houses their lands their substance they may conuey vnto them their inheritance but they cannot conuey vnto them the gifts that accompany saluation Wherefore all parents that are faithfull are to intreate and craue of God the continuance of his couenant toward theyr children and to begge from his hands an holy and sanctified seede to his glory and theyr comfort Verse 14 15. The name of the Israelite thus slaine was Zimri the sonne of Salu and the name of the Midianitish woman that was slaine was Cosbi c. Wee heard before in the fixt verse how Moses hath layde open the shamelesse and impudent behauiour of this beastly adulterer who shamed not to bring the Midianitish harlot into the hoast and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel which were grieued to behold such horrible villany neuerthelesse we see in this place that Moses is not content in a generall manner to describe his wickednesse but singleth him out particularly by his name by his father by his tribe Neyther doth he content himselfe to set downe the Midianitish woman by her nation but calleth her by her name and further openeth the name of her father and her fathers house So then Moses hauing shewed who they were that brought the plague of God vpon the people he now descendeth to marke them out by their proper names and of what calling and profession they were Doctrine It is lawfull sometime to reproue by name From hence we learne that it is sometime lawfull and conuenient to reprooue by name speciall people and particular men that offend in the Church and to record them in writing A particular reproofe of particular offenders sometimes standeth with the word of GOD. So did Eliah deale with Ahab and Iezabel he told him that it was hee and his fathers house that troubled Israel This we see practised by the Prophet Esay against Shebna who being a notable fauourer of euill men and a great hinderer of good things is by name threatned to bee carried away with a great captiuity Esay 22 17. Thus doth Ieremy deale with the false Prophets and other obstinate enemies Ier. 28 12. Likewise our Sauiour Christ denounceth many fearefull woes against the Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites Matth. 23 13. which shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men deuoured widows houses vnder a colour of long prayer compassed sea and land to make one of their profession tythed mint and annise and left the waightier matters of the Law as iudgement mercy and fidelity So did Paul withstand Peter to his face because he was to be condemned Gal. 2 11. And when he saw in the Church such as put away faith and a good conscience and made shipwracke of the doctrine of Christ he giueth the Church notice and warning of them saying Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme 1. Tim. 1 20. And in another place hauing to doe with such as cast off the doctrine of godlinesse hee noteth the ring-leaders and principall authors Of this sort is Hymeneus and Philetus which as concerning the truth haue erred from the marke saying that the resurrection is past already and do destroy the faith of certaine 2 Tim. 1 17. In like manner he specifieth Alexander the copper-smith which had done him much harme 2 Tim. 4 14. So the Apostle Iohn warneth the Church of Diotrephes who loued to haue preheminence among them Al which examples of the Prophets of the Apostles of Christ himself do teach that it wil not alwaies be sufficient to reproue the errors and heresies of obstinat sinners but somtimes it is expedient to lay them open by their names and to signifie them to the Church by a particular discouering of them The Reasons of this practise are to be considered Reason 1 First because the Church should haue warning of thē that others might shun them and auoid their company So the Apostle nameth Alexander to prepare Timothy not to trust him It is good to know false bretheren lest they spying our liberty take the greater aduantage against vs. Hence it is that Paul chargeth Timothy to beware of Alexander who had withstood his preaching sore 2 Tim. 4 15. While we are familiarly conuersant with the wicked it will be hard for vs not to bee entangled in their sinnes For how can a man walke among thornes not pricke himselfe or how can a man touch pitch and not be defiled We must flye from such as from a deadly plague We must separate our selues from them lest the like vengeance fal vpon vs also Secondly they must by a speciall note bee made knowne to the Church that they may Reason 2 be degraded and brought to reproch The Apostle vsed this remedy thereby to shutte their mouthes and to stoppe them from speaking euill of almighty GOD and his truth which ought to be precious to vs. This naming of them is to set a marke of infamy vpon thē as if a man were boared in the eare or burned in the hand for a malefactor God will haue them and their wickednesse registred to their perpetual shame in the Church for euer that they should not be of any more credit to infect the good and to draw the weake vnto destruction The vnnaturall sauage dealing of the Amalekites toward their brethren the Israelites is by God expresly commanded to be recorded in a booke to their infamy and confusion The Lord saide vnto Moses Write this for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it to Ioshua for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen Exod. 17 14. So we haue in the Scriptures set forth the vncleannesse of Sodome the hard-heartednesse of Pharaoh the conspiracy of Corah the couetousnesse of Ahab the cruelty of Iezabel the disobedience of Saul the treason of Absolon the treachery of Iudas and other infamous beasts the record of their shame is in perpetuall memory and stinketh vnto this day The like we might say of all bloody persecutors in all ages since Christs time they haue theyr names and facts remembred in the Acts and Monuments of the Church Seeing therefore obstinate enemies must be both shunned shamed in both respects we learne that it is lawfull for the Ministers of God to point out some by name that they may be knowne otherwise the Apostles of Christ would neuer haue done it the Prophets would neuer haue practised it Christ himselfe would neuer haue allowed it Let vs apply this to our selues First it serueth as a bridle to restraine euill men especially all such as bring a publike detriment and hurt to the Church and are the cause of common Vse 1 mischiefes they shall to the shame of theyr persons to the reproch of theyr names to the infamy of their posterities be
diuels Fish in the sea that is all soules in Purgatory Moreouer as this course of interpretation turneth the Scripture into Allegories so it ouerturneth the rules of Interpretation Saint Augustine in his famous bookes of Christian Doctrine handleth at large the manner how to expound the Scripture and what wayes are to be taken to find out the true meaning therof De doct chri lib. 1. 2 3 Hieron in Esai cap. 19 Where he teacheth that seeing the loue of God and of our neighbour is the end of the whole Scripture that must be a false interpretation which doth not build vp in this loue that we must expound the darke places by the plaine the fewer by the greater number that the study of artes knowledge of the toongs is necessary that we must expound Scripture by Scripture that wee must distinguish betweene precepts precepts betweene those that are giuen to all and those that were particularly directed to certaine persons that we must diligently marke all circumstances what goeth before and what followeth after that we must pray vnto him that is the Author of the Scriptures who onely is able to reueale the meaning of his owne word These rules are diligently to be considered of al those that come to expound the Scriptures As for hidden and secret sences we know them not we acknowledge them not we beleeue them not but leaue them to those that seeke an hidden diuinity and a secret religion deuised in their owne braines which will not abide the tryall of the light And thus much touching the true vnderstanding of this diuision and of ouerthrowing the false interpretation thereof now let vs come to the Doctrines that arise out of the same Verse 16. Againe the Lord spake vnto Moses saying c. We heard before the heauy wrath of God that fell vpon the Israelites the heads of thē were hanged the rest of the people were plagued with a sore plague there died in one day foure and twenty thousand But did the Midianites escape the hand of God that were the enticers of them who offered theyr daughters that they should commit fornication with them No they did not escape God giueth Moses charge to draw the sword against them and to destroy them Heere then we are to obserue the order which God obserueth in punishing The Midianites sinned first but the Israelites are first punished The Israelites sinned after the Midianites but the Midianites are punished after them From this course of Gods iudgements Doctrine God doth first chasten his owne people wee learne this Doctrine that God first chasteneth his owne people Howsoeuer he will not suffer the vngodly to escape nor to goe away without punishment but executeth his iust iudgments against them yet he will begin with his owne Church lay the rod vpon them in the first place He could if it had pleased him haue punished these Midianites first as the principal authors of all this mischiefe but he beginneth in iustice with his Church which were drawne to idolatry and adultery by them Thus the Lord dealt with Moses and Aaron when the people murmured through want of water repented of their going out of Egypt and rebelling against God assembling themselues in tumultuous manner against the seruants of GOD that had led them in the wildernesse and carried them in safety as vpon Eagles wings These were the first and chiefe in the offence yet because Moses and Aaron beleeued not the Lord to sanctifie him in the presence of the children of Israel they were first punished and not suffered to bring the congregation into the land which hee had giuen them Num. 20 12. This wee see further confirmed vnto vs in the latter end of the booke of Iob he had indeed offended God and spoken vnaduisedly with his lippes but his three friends had offended much more grossely then he for the wrath of God was kindled against them because they had not spoken of him the thing that is right like his seruant Iob Iob 42 7. Neuerthelesse Iob is rebuked first albeit he were the party that had lesse offended First God findeth fault with Iob and secondly hee findeth fault with his companions The holy history teacheth vs that Iehoshaphat ioyned in affinity with Ahab and went into the battell with him True it is he sinned grieuously in helping the wicked and louing them that hated the Lord for the which he is reproued of the Prophet yet many good things were found in him and he was righteous in respect of Ahab 2. Chron. 19 1 notwithstanding the wrath of the Lord began first to fal vpon him and he had perished in the fight being compassed by his enemies vnlesse hee had cryed vnto the Lord to helpe him who moued them to depart from him 2 Chron. 18.31 This is it which the Prophet Ieremy declareth at large shewing the order of the Lords proceeding in punishing such as sinne against him first he will rayse vp the Caldeans to chastice his Church and then the Caldeans themselues shall not escape I will send and take to me all the families of the North and I will bring them against this Land against the inhabitants therof and this whole land shall bee desolate and an astonishment and these nations shall serue the King of Babel seuenty yeeres when the seuenty yeares are accomplished c. Ier. 25 9 11 12. This is it which the Prophet complaineth of in the Psalme These are the wicked yet prosper they alwayes and encrease in riches Certainely I haue cleansed my heart in vaine washed mine hands in innocency c. Psal 73 12 13. And if we consider eyther the state of the Church generally or the condition of the members of the Church particularly we may in all times and ages see the truth of this doctrine and conclude with the Apostle Peter The time is come that iudgment must begin with the house of God 1. Pet. 4 17. Reason 1 The reasons will further open vnto vs the certainty of this truth and serue to cleare the iustice of God in obseruing this order For first as hee that honoureth the Lord shall bee honoured so they that despise the Lord shall be despised 2. Sam. 2 30. But none more dishonour GOD then his seruants offending against him whose sinnes presse him downe as the sheaues do a cart They open the mouthes of the vngodly to speake euil of God and his trueth If then Gods owne people the lot of his inheritance doe despise him and cause his Name to be blasphemed if they neglect his honour and turne his mercies vnto security and his grace into wantonnesse and so with a proud heart and an high hand set themselues against it can he beare it and wil hee not be reuenged on such a nation as this 1. Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2 24. There can be no greater despite done vnto a man then when his owne children rise against him and offer all villany vnto him So
much the rather because it is so generally neglected Nay it is not onely shamefully omitted but the contrary is commonly practised For how many are there that make a mocke at the miseries of the Church as Shemei did at the troubles of Dauid who cursed him when he should haue comforted him 2. Sam. 16 7. Thus are the deare Saints of God dealt withall thus they are reuiled and railed vpon with horrible taunts thus they are slandered and reproached with bitter imputations such as the diuell deuiseth and malice setteth abroach The bowels of their pity are breathings out of cruelty Their shewing of compassion is the adding to their affliction Their visiting of them in their aduersity is a casting vppon them of the greatest miserie These are the daies of the patience of the Saints which are filled with reproaches and giue their cheekes to him that smiteth them Lamen 3 30. Let them commit their causes to God who in his good time will looke vpon them for good and reward their enemies according to their workes Verse 17. Vexe the Midianites and smite them Heere is the commandement giuen by God to Moses and by Moses to the Israelites to execute vengeance vppon the Midianites because they drew the people of God into sin allured them to whoredome enticed them to idolatry and brought vpon them a most fearfull iudgement that entred in among them destroyed many thousāds of them This commandement giuen in this place is afterwards renewed and executed according to the direction giuen vnto them For inasmuch as they troubled Israel the Lord troubled them to be put to the sword so that their cities were burned their goods were spoiled their Women captiued their Kings destroyed and all theyr males massacred This is set downe more at large in Numb 31 1 2. where the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Reuenge the children of Israel of the Midianites and afterwards shalt thou be gathered vnto thy people And Moses spake to the people saying Harnesse some of you vnto war and let them go against Midian to execute the vengeance of the Lord against Midian Seeing then that they haue such a charge commission from God to destroy them we learne from hence That warre is lawfull Doctrine The people of God may lawfully make warre The people of God may lawfully make wars both offensiue and defensiue against their enemies The truth hereof appeareth in many places of the word of God This is charged vpon the people of God Deu. 7 2. 20 10 11 12 13. Whē the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the Land whither thou goest to possesse it and shall roote out many nations before thee then thou shalt smite thē thou shalt vtterly destroy them thou shalt make no couenant with them nor haue compassion on them And afterward in the same book when thou comest neere vnto a city to fight against it thou shalt offer it peace but if it will make no peace with thee but make warre against thee then thou shalt besiedge it and the Lord thy God shall deliuer it into thine hands and thou shalt smite all the males therof with the edge of the sword So when Amalek fought with Israel in Rephidim which was the first of the nations that encountered with thē after they came out of the land of Egypt Moses saide to Ioshua Choose vs out men go fight with Amalek so hee discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword Exod. 17 9. The like we see in Ioshua the Generall of the Lords hoast at the taking and winning of Ioshua so soone as the wall fell down at the sounding of the Trumpets and the shouting of the people they tooke the City and vtterly destroyed all that was in the City both mā and woman young and old with the edge of the sword Iosh 6 21. 10 13. This the Prophet teacheth when hee praised the Lord for deliuering him from the hand of all his enemies Psal 18 34 37 38. He teacheth my hands to fight so that a bow of brasse is broken with mine armes I haue pursued mine enemies and taken them and haue not turned againe till I had consumed them c. Reason 1 And howsoeuer these testimonies may seem sufficient to perswade this truth yet we shall be better confirmed therin if we consider the strength of reason to inforce the former truth First it is a title proper to God to bee called the Lord of hoasts and al warres lawfully vndertaken are called the battels of the Lord so that as God is serued in the day of battell so he is the Captaine and Leader of the Armie Hence it is that Moses saieth The Lord is a man of warre his name is Iehouah Exod. 15 3. This is it which Saul said to Dauid when hee promised to giue him his eldest daughter to wife Onely be a valiant sonne vnto mee fight the Lords battels 1 Sam. 18 17. And it is saide that many of the enemies of Gods people fell downe wounded because the war was of God 1 Chron. 5 32. Seeing then God is the Lord of hoasts a man of war the Captain of the army the onely author and sole giuer of victory wee must needs hold that warres are lawfull and may bee lawfully vsed and taken in hand Reason 2 Secondly as wee are taught the lawfulnes of war by the titles of God so we are farther assured of it by the speciall commandements which God giueth for the carrying of armes against common enemies as also by his gracious and mercifull promises made vnto his people for good successe and prosperous proceeding in their iust cause honest quarrel To this purpose tended the law of God charging Saul to smite Amalek and to destroy all that pertayned to him and to haue no compassion vpon them but to destroy them all 1 Sam. 15. Iudges 8 1 3. Likewise the Lord charged Ioshua to take all the men of war with him and to lye in wait on the backside of Ai to take it and to slay the inhabitants thereof with the sword Neither had the people of God onely the charge of a commādement but the comfort of a promise the commandement to warrant them the promise to strengthen and incourage them When Ioshua was to go against Iericho which was shut vp closed because of the children of Israel the Lord said vnto him Behold I haue giuen into thy hand Iericho and the king thereof and the strong men of war Iosh 6 2 3. And afterward when sundry kings gathered themselues together against the Gibeonites that had subiected thēselues to the Israelites the Lord said vnto Ioshua Feare them not for I haue giuen them into thine hand none of them shall stand against thee Iosh 10 8. Thirdly as the children of God haue prayed Reason 3 for the help of God in the successe of their busines and in the workes of their hands that they haue attempted and haue beene heard so when
the reason is rendred for what cause the Midianities were to be destroied to wit because they had a chiefe hand and were principall doers in the seducing of the people of God and drawing them into sin The Moabites and Ammonites were actors in this tragedy but the chiefe part was assigned to the Midianites The Moabites and Ammonites came of Lot by committing incest with his daughters Gen. 19 37 38. The Midianites came of Midian the fourth sonne of Keturah which she bare to Abraham Gen. 25 2. They ought being so neerely ioyned to the people of God to haue performed all duties of humanity and kindnesse vnto them whereas they sought their ouerthrow and wrought their destruction We heard before how the people of God were beguiled and punished heere wee may behold those threatened and afterward destroyed that did trouble them with theyr wyles as concerning Peor Before wee saw the chasticement of them that were seduced and ledde into sinne now they are threatned that were seducers Before we saw the iudgment that fell vpon them that followed now we may see the iudgements that ouertooke the Captains and Ringleaders From hence we learne Doctrine The seducers the seduced shall be punished together that the seducer and the seduced the Ringleader and they that are misled the deceyuer and the deceyued shall perish and be punished together The Lord will punish not onely false Teachers and such as leade the way vnto wickednesse but theyr schollers and disciples such as are brought to lewdnesse and euill by them This Moses declareth very euidently Deut. 13 15. If a false Prophet arise and draw an whole City to Idolatry Gods iudgements shall be not onely against that false Prophet but against the City so that not an Oxe or a Sheep should be spared they should perish and be destroyed together When Gamaliel gaue counsell to take heede to themselues what they intended to do touching the Apostles he bringeth in the examples of Theudas and Iudas Acts 5 36 37 which drew away much people after them but they perished all that obeyed them The Prophet Ezekiel denounceth That if the watchman seeing the sword comming did not giue the people warning nor admonish them of their wicked waies the wicked should die in their sinnes but their blood should be required at the watchmans hands We see this confirmed vnto vs euen from the beginning when the diuell abusing the tongue and body of the serpent had drawne our first parents into sinne the diuell was the principall author of this apostacy and falling from God the serpent was the instrument the woman did hearken to the diuell and was before her husband in the transgression Adam followed the counsell of his wife and yeelded to sinne against God through her perswasion The diuell was a seducer Adam was seduced Enah was both a seducer and seduced Gen. 3 1 2 3 for she was seduced by the diuell and a seducer of her husband deceiuing and being deceiued so that when God called them to an acount and brought them before the barre of his iudgement seate he punished not onely the diuel the serpent that were the authors but also Adam and his wife that were the followers Heereunto commeth the saying of our Sauiour Mat. 15 14. Let them alone they be the blinde leaders of the blinde and if the blinde leade the blinde both shall fall into the ditch not onely the leader but he likewise that is blindly led The Lord Iesus reproueth the Church of Thyatira that they suffered a wretched woman which called her selfe a Prophetesse and threatneth to punish not onely her Reuel 2 12 but those that were her disciples with great afflictions And afterward in the same booke they that receiued the marke of the beast are put out of the booke of life as well as the beast This truth will be more manifest vnto vs if Reason 1 we marke the reasons â—or first such as are misled and moued to heresie and wickednes in life oâ— doctrine in faith or manners in opinion or practise are culpable of the same sins and abhominations and therfore rightâ—ously to be puâ—ished and condemned with such as are the leaders and perswaders vnto the same The Lord himselfe rendreth the reason why those that were seduced should bee destroyed because they had forsaken his waies and commandements Deut. 1 â—â— They then that are seduced that are tâ—â—â—ed from the Lord that are thrust out of the right way wherein they should walke and commit abhominations against him as well as the seducers are culpable of the same sinnes together and therefore shall partake of the same punishment Reason 2 Secondly what is the reason that men are seduced Is it not theyr owne sinne and ignorance They are wilfully blinde they are not careful to learne and stand in the truth as they ought The Prophet Hosea speaking of false Prophets and of the people misled by them saith That they shall all full the people by day the Prophet by night with them Hosea 4.5 This is it which the Apostle vrgeth 2 Thess 2 10 11. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine First from hence we are to conclude that pretences or excuses shall not beare out the followers and fellowes of wicked seducers and lewd leaders from God his truth but they shall beare theyr sinnes and punishments themselues We see how ready many are to answer for themselues A lasse we are poore simple men we haue no learning wee know not the letters wee are not able to try whether the Doctrine bee good or bad true or false right or wrong we hope God will hold vs excused and not lay it to our charge These couerings to hide our shame as so many figge-leaues shall be pulled from vs and fall to the earth as weake and vnable to vphold themselues What did the vaine coloured shewes auaile Adam and Eue feeding themselues with vaine hopes Gen. 3 12 13 and excusing themselues with fayre pretences Adam saide The woman whom thou gauest to be with me deceiued mee and I did eaâ—e The woman saide The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate The Serpent might haue said the diuell entred into me preuailed ouer mee and abused me to be his instrument Heere are many delayes and deuices the man excuseth himselfe by the woman the woman by the serpent the serpent by the diuell but God cannot be mocked he will not be deluded and therefore none of them escaped all of them â—re punished as they were willingly and wittingly deceiued For the diuell had his iudgement the serpent had his iudgement the man and the woman had also their iudgment Let this be assuâ—ed to the consciences or all of vs
that seeing God hath created vs and giuen vs our being to serue him albeit we be reduâ—ed by others it shall not profit vs oâ— deliuer vâ— from iudgement Ignorance shall excuse no man it is the fountaine of all sinne it is the cause of all punishments Hos 4 1. Mar. 12 24. it is not enough for vs to say we are no seducers and deceiuers of others because if we be seduced and deceiued by others wee are partakers of their sinne and shal beaâ—e our iust condemnation Secondly seeing the poore seduced people Vse 2 shall not escape no more the the chiefe Ring-leaders and heads of the conspiracy against God it is our duty to search narrowly and view diligently that which is brought and taught vnto vs we must beware of seducers and Captaines that leade to lewdnesse of life or corruption of doctrine It behoueth vs to shew such loue to God and his truth as to withstand such as goe about to infect vs to shame them to bewray them to reprooue them to conuince them and to take heed that we be not drawne away with them eyther by their flattery or by their authority Hence coÌ„meth the exhortation of Christ Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are rauening wolues yee shall know them by their fruites Math. chap. 7. verse 15. By these the LORD our GOD tryeth vs whether we loue him with al our harts with all our soules He chargeth his people to seeke carefully to search earnestly Deut. 13 14. and to enquire diligently if there bee any such wickednesse There is no loue to God where his truth is not professed followed and maintayned The Apostle Iohn chargeth those to whom he wrote Not to beleeue euery spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God or not for many false Prophets are gone into the world 1 Iohn 4 1. But where is this ability to bee found And where shall we meete with those that are able to discerne of spirits Looke vppon the greatest part of our congregations and behold they are not able to make any tryall of truth from errour They are fit to entertaine any doctrine They know no difference betweene the mists of Popery and the light of the Gospel They embrace this Religion because it is established by authority defended by the Law professed by the Prince countenanced by the Magistrate embraced by the multitude freed from trouble controlled by none But aske them a reason of the hope that is in them and call them to an account of the faith which they hold Aske them what they beleeue and how they thinke to be saued they are taken speechlesse and not able to giue any reasonable answer And how can it bee otherwise in many places where such as should bee eyes to others are blinde themselues a naked ministery hath made a naked people an ignorant ministery hath made an ignorant people a simple Teacher hath made a sottish hearer For as Moses saw that the people were naked Because Aaron had made them naked Exod. 32 25 vnto their shame among their enemies so wee see the people without knowledge and vnderstanding because the Watchmen are blinde the Embassadors are dumbe the Shepheards are simple the Teachers are not able to instruct themselues The meanes to bring vs to this spirituall iudgment to try the spirits Rules to be obserued to enable vs to try the spirits are to obserue these few rules and directions following First we must haue the word of God to dwell plentifully in vs we must reade and search the Scriptures as Christ commanded Iohn 5 39 and the men of Berea practised Acts 17. They examined the Doctrine of the Apostles by the touchstone of the Prophets and are commended for it by the Spirit of God We must not take euery thing that is deliuered but search and try the things that are deliuered Secondly we must continue constant in the things which wee haue learned thence Thus the Apostle exhorteth Timothy who had beene brought vp in the Scriptures of a childe To perseuere in the things which hee had learned and was perswaded of knowing of whom he had learned them 2 Tim. 3 14. Thirdly we are to auoyd those places and persons where abhominations are set vp and maintained lest ioyning and partaking with them in their sinnes wee be also companions with them in punishments Thus doth the Apostle teach vs to giue a farewell to those places I heard a voice from heauen say Goe out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that ye receiue not of her plagues Reuel 18 verse 4. Fourthly we are to magnifie the Ministery of the word where it is planted and established we are diligently to attend vnto it and to heare it with all patience and reuerence to encrease in vs both knowledge and obedience to worke in vs faith a sound beleefe to bring vs to a true sight of our sinnes and to an vnfeigned repentance from dead works If these rules be carefully and wisely obserued we shall bee made able to try all things that we heare to refuse the euill and to hold fast that which is good Lastly we may from hence conclude the Vse 3 wofull condition of all seducers that seduce and deceiue the simple people they are sure to perish and to be destroyed It is a greeuous sinne not to embrace the truth of God but to erre from the wayes of saluation but it is more greeuous to draw away others and to plunge them into the pit of destruction They are accursed in the law which make the blinde to go out of the way and all the people were to say Amen Deut. 27 18. If we see a poore blinde man wandring hither and thither for want of a guide and groping to finde his way if wee lay stones or stumbling blocks before his feere to supplant him and cause him to fall downe all men are ready to condemne it of rigor and cruelty The very heathen which neyther know the Law nor vnderstand the Gospel could say Cicer. li. 1. offic that whosoeuer sheweth not the way to a trauailer and wayfaring man when he seeth him out of the right way is without all pitty and compassion as if one should refuse to suffer his neighbour to light his Candle that is gone out at his Candle that burneth But if a man should leade his brother beeing in a strange and vnknowne Countrey quite and cleane out of the way direct him of purpose into places of danger and thereby as it were blow out his Candle that burneth bright all men would haue accounted him a monster and vnworthy to liue vpon the earth If our brother want our helpe or counsell we are bound to do all good vnto him and it is a note of cruelty to shutte our mouthes or hands when they should bee opened as wee see in the examples of the Priest and Leuite Luk.
giue to these maintaine them both in idlenes wickednes As then we see vnto whoÌ„ we ought not to giue so we must know to whom we ought to giue To whom we â—â—ght to giue These are poore widdowes and fatherlesse children 1 Tim. 5 16 such as are poore strangers such day laborers as worke hard for their liuing all the week and yet cannot either thorough weaknesse of their body or greatnes of their charge get things necessary and sufficient for them and of these we shall alwaies haue with vs to the end of the world Mat. 62 11 Such also as are falne into decay by ineuitable losses 〈◊〉 15 11. Leu. 23 35. Lastly such as are weake and impotent whether through age or other blemish whether in their feete or in their hands or other parts that thereby though they bee willing yet they are not able to take paines for theyr liuing Acts 3.2 6. but amongst all these they are especially to bee respected that are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6 10. If we be careful and mindfull of these God will recompence vs againe and pay vs home seuenfolde into our bosomes whatsoeuer we haue giuen both in temporall spirituall and eternall blessings Lastly it is our duty to acknowledge Gods Vse 3 great mercy toward vs in the blessings of this life that hee hath giuen to vs that which hee hath denied to many others and when he giueth vnto vs a comfortable vse of these blessings wee must confesse we haue them not by our owne labor and industrie but by his speciall goodnes towards vs Psal 127 1 3. and therfore we ought to sanctifie our daily pains with daily prayer and begin and end our labors with remembring him that remembreth vs and so praise his goodnes that enableth vs to get goods and this shall make our labour sweet and pleasant and the yoake that lyeth in our neckes to be light and easie Againe as God giueth them so he giueth a blessing with them a blessing with a blessing that is bread and the nourishment of bread For a man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Deut. 8. Moreouer as he giueth outward blessings so he can take them away when it pleaseth him euen in a moment Iob 1 Luk 12. 22 And the Lord saide vnto Moses Get thee vp into this mount Abarim and see the land which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel 13 And when thou hast seene it thou shalt bee gathered vnto thy people c. 14 For ye rebelled against my commandement c. Here followeth the second part of the chapt touching the successour of Moses in the gouernment of this great people wherein obserue the occasion the calling of Ioshua The occasion is double the death of Moses at haÌ„d his request to God to appoint a man to be set in his place Touching his death he is willed to go vp to mount Abarim and to behold the land that God had giuen to the Israelites for God had foreshewed that he should see the land with his eies though he did not tread on it with his feet when he had seene the land he should dy as Aaron his brother before him chap. 20 24 amplified by the cause they had not sanctified the name of the Lord at the Waters of Meribah of which we haue spoken before Touching the prayer and request of Moses he desireth of the Lord that he wold appoint a fit Ruler ouer his people to succeed him in this gouernment that might be able to beare this great burthen For hearing the vnchaÌ„geable determination of God humbling himselfe vnder his correcting hand chastising his transgression he is not afraid of the sentence of death being at hand and seeing it before him neither doth he craue to haue the stroke thereof prolonged and delayed neither is he troubled with excessiue cares for himselfe and his children and posterity as the manner is of worldly minded men that mind nothing but the earth and earthly things when they must go out of the world shall haue their mouth full thereof but all his care was for the future benefite of the people to leaue them in good estate after his departure This should teach vs after his example to be readie to leaue the world whensoeuer God calleth vs not to staÌ„d in feare of death but to be willing to goe to God knowing the we shall go to an inheritance immortall that fadeth not 1 Pet. 1. and we must all likewise be carefull to leaue our houses places in good state when we are gone of which we haue spoken before chap. 20. Moses was the deere seruant of God yet sinning hee is punished The Lord himselfe receyued his soule and buried his body Deut 34 6 13. He was in high fauour with God liuing and dying an excellent Prophet to whom God spake face to face yet hee was not suffered to enter into the land of Promise Doctrine Many want the outward signes that are partakers of the truth of the Sacraments Wherby we see that many want the Sacraments that are partakers of the truth and substance of the Sacraments He entred into the heauenly Canaan that was not permitted to enter into the earthly Some are admitted vnto the outward signe that neuer receiue the thing signified so was Iudas to the Passeouer as well as Peter and the rest of the Apostles yet he was neuer partaker of the Lambe that taketh away the sins of the world Iohn 1 29. On the other side some take not the outward signe that neuerhelesse partake the inward grace The vses heereof are to teach vs that the outward Vse 1 and inward parts of the Sacraments are not necessarily ioyned together so that hee which partaketh the one should also partake the other and therfore the outward sign doth not simply conferre grace Secondly it condemneth the Church of Rome that holdeth that children dying without baptisme are not saued whereas saluation is not alwayes annexed to the signe so that though infants want the outward washing yet to them may belong the kingdom of heauen Mark 10 14. Lastly it serueth as a great comfort to such as desire to come to the Sacraments yet are hindred sometimes by sicknes and somtimes by other ineuitable occasions that procure their absence forasmuch as we see in this example of Moses that we may bee partakers of the truth of the signes and yet bee barred or banished from the signes themselues In such cases as these God accepteth the will for the deede 2 Cor. 8 12. Againe Doctrine Many are temporally punished that are not eternally condemned we learne by the examples of Moses and Aaron that were not suffered to enter into Canaan a figure of the heauenly Canaan this truth That many are temporally punished which are not eternally condemned Many are chastised in this life not onely with diseases and sicknesses but with death
bound her soule 7 And her husband heard it and held his peace in the day when he heard it then her vowes shall stand c. Now Moses intreateth of such vowes as were made by those that are vnder the authority of others as children vnder their parents concerning which the father hath authority to disanull them Hereby the power of all parents is so magnified and aduanced that a vow made immediatly to God is frustrate there is a meere nullity of it except they confirme it They haue power to make it good and they haue power to make it voide Doctrine Great is the iurisdiction authority of parents ouer their children Heereby wee learne that great is the authority and iurisdiction of parents ouer their children by the Law of God and Nature The very heathen haue this truth shining in their hearts that parents are to be honoured and that their authority should be inuiolable Exod. 20 12. Eph. 6 1 2. Ierem. 35 6 7 8 c. Gen. 27 8 43. and 28. 2. When the father sayth Goe the child goeth when he sayth Arise he ariseth when he sayth Come he commeth Christ our Sauiour giueth testimony of his perfect obedience whom all both men and Angels stand bound to worship and to whom euery knee must bow of things in heauen of things in earth and of things vnder the earth Philip. 2 yet hee was subiect to his parents and went with them Luke 2.51 1. King 2.19 The reasons are euident Reason 1 First the precept of honouring parents hath the first place in the second Table and is set before all other so that next vnto GOD we are bound to reuerence them to whom we are most bound and it is the foundation and band of obedience to all the rest of the commandements that follow For if men doe not stand in awe of the Magistrate the father of the Common-wealth and the Captaine of the people all the other would soone be violated 2 Kings 20 5. Againe the Apostle teacheth that this is the first Commandement with promise Eph. 6 2 it hath a speciall promised annexed of long life Thirdly children receiue great and manifold blessings from the hands of theyr parents and gouernours and likewise are freed from many euils and dangers that otherwise they might fall into Fourthly patents giue life and breath and beeing after a sort vnto them for children receiue all these from thē Fiftly parents are honoured by sundry titles and names the which are giuen to God himselfe Matth. 23.9 One is your father which is in heauen therefore call no man your father vpon earth Obiect 1 Touching this impregnable and inuincible truth sundry questions may be asked and diuers doubts to be remooued As first seeing their authority is so great why doeth our Sauiour speake of hating father and mother as Luke 14 26 If any man come to me and do not hate his father and mother he cannot be my disciple Answ I answer Christ speaketh in that place comparatiuely that is wee must not regard them in respect of himselfe whom wee ought to loue aboue all and so it is expounded Mathew 10 37 Hee that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me To loue our parents next after GOD is piety but to loue them more then God is impiety Wee hate them therefore when we loue them lesse then God in comparison of whom we should hate our liues Obiect 2 Secondly Christ forbiddeth vs to call any man father as we haue heard before Matth. 23. Answ I answere Christ condemneth not the name or appellation giuen to men simply for then he should be contrary to himselfe where he alloweth the title to earthly fathers Math. 7 9. Marke 7 11 and the Apostle should bee contrary to his master 1 Cor. 4 15. Therefore he meaneth that no man is or can be our Father as God is to wit that we should trust in them and make them the authors of our life and the giuers of all good things that come vnto vs. Obiect 3 Thirdly what if our parents be euil persons and vngodly ought we then to obey them yeelde vnto their authority who are by their wickednesse vnworthy thereof Answ I answer It skilleth not whether they bee good or euill touching our obedience For euill parents are our parents and euill Magistrates are Magistrates and euill Ministers are Ministers Seruants are commanded to bee subiect to theyr masters not onely vnto them that are good and gentle but to them that are froward 1 Peter 2 18 so ought children to yeeld obedience vnto their fathers though they be euill Hence it is that God saith generally in the Law Honour thy father and mother not honor them when they are good onely But it will be farther obiected What if they Obiect 4 be excommunicate persons may they then be obeyed or should children then do any dutie to their parents and is not that to set light by that censure I answer Answer Excommunication rightly vsed is indeede the most greeuous iudgement that can bee inflicted in this life both in respect of the soule and of the bodie and is as it were the messenger of death It is a great punishment to be banished from a well ordered City much more to be thrust out of the Church which is the Common-wealth of God and of his Son Christ Dauid did greatly lament his estate and condition when hee wanted the holy assemblies of the faithfull among the Infidels and could not come into the presence of God with his people and did thinke himself driuen away from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord 1 Sam. 26 19. Who would not tremble and be afraid to bee deliuered vp vnto Satan 1 Cor. 5 6. the enemie of God The children of Israel were deliuered ouer to Nebucadnezzar and other wicked tyrants to be afflicted and they bewailed exceedingly such bodily captiuity Psalme 137 1 2 how much more fearful then ought the excōmunicate person to esteeme it to be deliuered vp not to wicked and vngodly men but to satan himselfe The prince that ruleth in the hart of the children of disobedience Notwithstanding all fellowshippe and familiarity with them is not denyed to vs. It is lawfull for the family to conuerse with the gouernors of the family though they be excommunicate persons The wife may not deny due beneuolence nor the childe dutifull obedience if he bid them go they must goe or to come they must come neither are they by such behauiour culpeable or guilty of their sinne of which we see more before chap. 5. Fourthly if the sonne be a Magistrate Obiect 5 the father a priuate man it may bee demanded whether he be to yeeld obedience to his father I answer Answ though the father must obey the sonne as hee is a Magistrate yet in another respect the sonne must obey the father as he is the father so that neytner is the sonne to bee depriued of the honour and
3 we see the wicked prosper and florish spredding themselues as the greene Bay tree for loe God hath set them in slippery places Psal 37 53. and casteth them downe in the end vnto desolation they are suddenly destroyed horribly consumed as the chaffe which the winde driueth away and as a dreame when one awaketh This tentation hath ouertaken the children of God and caused them oftentimes to shrinke back when they saw the prosperity of the vngodly Psal 73 2 3. Hab. 1 4. and on the other side the troubles of the godly hath made them to reason within themselues of the prouidence of God But shall not the King rule his owne kingdome or the Master gouerne his own house as pleaseth him And shall not we giue the Lord leaue to dispose of all things in heauen and earth after the good pleasure of his owne will Hee fatteth the wicked against the day of slaughter he leaueth them without excuse and maketh his blessings as a witnesse against them Contrarywise the children of God although they suffer afflictions yet afflictions to them are not euill but try their faith as the furnace doth the gold Senec. de diui prouidentia c. 8 Let vs not deceiue our selues in iudging and esteeming of good and euill That is good which maketh vs better that is euil that maketh vs worse The workes of the flesh adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnes idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennesse couetousnesse and such like are manifestly euill These God keepeth from his deere children and his deere children from them that they reigne not in them The Israelites in Egypt liued vnder hard masters and carried many heauy burthens and sent vp many passionate sighes to God with deepe grones of spirit whilst Pharaoh and the Egyptians tooke crafty counsell together and sported themselues in the miseries mischiefs which they had brought vpon them But whose condition was the more happie let the red Sea testifie from which the Israelits were deliuered Exo 14 27 29 in which the EgyptiaÌ„s were drowned Dauid taken from the sheepe-folds tasted of many sorrowes being in perils among the Amalekites in perils in the Wildernesse in perils of his owne Nation in perils of his own seruants in perils among false bretheren and was hunted from place to place as a Partridge in the Mountaines 2 Sam. 31 4. whilst Saul sought his life and enioyed the pleasures and treasures of a kingdom But whose estate was the more happy let the end and yssue of them both determine the one liued in glory ended his daies in peace the other sheathed his sword in his owne bowels and so dyed in despaire The Apostle Iames willeth vs to take the Prophets for an example of suffering aduersity and of long patience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made Iam. 5 10 11. for the Lord is very pittifull and mercifull Lazarus a poore begger destitute of succour and friends lying at the rich mans gate hauing his minde as full of cares as his bodie was of sores whilst the rich glutton was clad in purple gorgiously and fared deliciously euery day But whose condition was the more blessed and happy of them twaine let this tell vs and teach vs for our instruction that Lazarus when he died had the holy elect Angels to attend vpon him to carry his soule into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22 23 that is to say into the kingdome of heauen Matth. 8 11. the rich man also died his body was buried his soule was carried cast into the torments of hell Where the worme neuer dyeth Marke 9 44. and the fire neuer goeth out the one vnsufferable the other vnquenchable both infinite Let vs not therefore rest in beholding the present face of outward things but possesse our soules with patience in a sweet meditation of Gods prouidence considering that it shall in the end bee well with all them that feare the Lord and that howsoeuer the wicked do prosper in the world increase in riches yet if we enter into the Sanctuary of God Psal â—3 â— we shal see they are set in slippery places they are lifted vp on high and therefore their fall shall be more fearefull seeing all the threatnings of God must without faile fasten vpon them Lastly seeing the menaces and threatnings Vse 4 of God must bee performed this serueth also to assure vs that the gracious promises of God made in mercy to his people shall in truth and righteousnesse bee accomplished The Lord that is alwaies the same as hee is true in his threatnings to the vngodly so wil he be found true in his promises toward the godly For seeing no part of his word shall passe away that he will not falsifie his trueth Psal 89 â— nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth one part serueth to confirme another his threatnings are ratified by the assurance of his promises and his promises are established to bee surer then the heauens by the assuraÌ„ce of his threatnings So then let vs learne to depend vpon God to trust in him knowing 2 Cor. 1 that all his promises are yea and Amen vnto the glory of his name Let vs rest in him for the pardon of our sinnes for the hearing of our prayers for the feeding of our bellies for the resurrection of our bodies for the inheritance of euerlasting life hauing a strong assurance of faith that the Lord is iust and true in all his promises This is a notable comfort and consolation to all the childreÌ„ of God to cause vs to set our hope in him hauing a patient and constant expectation of all things that by faith we haue beleeued saying with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I also suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day Verse 25 26. Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and cause Aaron to strip off his Garments and thou shalt put them vpon his sonne Heere is deliuered how Aaron yet liuing his sonne is inuested and installed into his Office with the ceremonies and solemnities thereunto appertaining at the appointment of God to shew the continuance of the Priesthoode to take away al occasions of dissentions from the people Thus we see the good estate of the Church is prouided for by Moses before Aaron dyed Doctrâ— The Châ— must be in good after coâ— parture and went the way of all flesh The Doctrine hence is that the good of the Church must be regarded of vs to leaue it in good case after our death and departure I say it is a principall duty required of vs when wee must leaue the worlde to prouide for the
continuance of the Church and truth of God that it may flourish after vs and not dye with vs or bee buried in the earth for euer This appeareth by the Apostle Peter I will endeuour alwaies that yee also may be able to haue remembrance of these things after my departure 2 Pet. 1 15. Heereunto accordeth the care of the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy Watch thou in all things suffer aduersity do the worke of an Euangelist cause thy Ministery to be throughly liked of for I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departing is at hand 2 Tim. 4 5 6. This we see many waies in Moses who would not leaue the people without a guide as sheepe without a Shepheard and therefore praied for a fit Gouernor Let the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh appoint a man ouer the Congregation â—â—b 27 16 who may goe in and out before them And therefore it is said Deut. 34 9. that Ioshua the sonne of Nun was full of the spirit of wisedome For Moses had put his hands vpon him and the children of Israel were obedient vnto him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses â—â—ro 2â— 9. Likewise Dauid at the point of death exhorteth the Officers of his kingdom and Salomon his sonne which was to sit vpon his Throne to know the God of his fathers and to serue him with a perfect heart with a willing minde assuring him that if he seeke him he will be found and threatning him if he forsake him that God will cast him off for euer Reason 1 And great reason it is wee should haue this care and consideration of the good beauty of the Church For the Church is our Mother who hath conceiued and brought vs forth to liue a spirituall life to God wee haue sucked her breasts and through her we haue here begun our heauen happinesse What vnkindnesse and vnthankfulnesse were this to leaue her destitute who hath trauailed in paine of vs vntill Christ be formed in vs and to withdraw all duty and endeuor from her touching her condition to come Were it not a note of an vnnaturall a lewd a shamefull childe to forsake his owne mother who bare him in her wombe nourished him with her brests dandled him in her lap refused no base seruice for his good cared for him wheÌ„ he could not care for himselfe in whose eyes he was tender and deare were it not I say a note of great infamy to leaue her in misery or as a prey to the enemy 〈◊〉 19 16 27. We see the Lord Iesus Christ being on the Crosse prouided for his Mother committed her to the care of the Disciple whoÌ„ he loued In like manner the Apostle requireth this duty 〈◊〉 5 â— 16 If any faithfull man or faithfull womaÌ„ haue widowes let them minister vnto them And if there be any that prouideth not for his owne hee denieth the faith and is worse then an Infidell Whosoeuer therefore hath beene brought vp in the bosome of the Church begotten by the immortall seed of the word nourished at the Table of Christ and taught to looke for an eternall inheritance in the heauens can neuer assure himselfe to bee the true childe of his mother but rather a base and bastardly brood vnlesse he shew it by the continuall care hee hath of the safegard and protection of the Church Gal. 4 2. which is the mother of all the faithfull Besides greeuous and greedy wolues enter Reason 2 vpon the labours of faithfull and painfull Pastours to make hauock of the Church and to seduce the people of God For Satan is neuer idle though neuer well occupied and as a reuerent father once said Latimer he is the most diligent Bishop in his Diocesse he neuer resteth but alwaies compasseth the earth too and fro Iob 2 2. and walketh therein He hath his instruments which he setteth on worke that poison the church with the leauen of false doctrine and sowe the Lords field with the Darnell of their diuellish deuices Therefore the Apostle exhorting the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20 28 29 30 saith Take heed to your selues and to all the flocke wher of the Holy Ghost hath made you Ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood for I know this that after my departure shall greeuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to draw Disciples after them Now it remaineth to see the vses heereof Vse 1 First we learne from hence the conâ—inuance of the Church vpon the earth and the perpetuall remaining of it so long as the earth endureth and so long as the Sun abideth a faithfull witnesse in the heauens Though it bee sometimes driuen from place to place and abideth not in one stay and state like the Moone that sometimes shineth in the full Aug epist 48. sometimes in the wane and sometimes in the eclipse Reuel 12 6. as the woman constrained to flie into the wildernesse where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there and as the reigne of Ahab when Elias thought himselfe left alone as a Sparrow vpon an house top 1 King 19 10. Psal 102 7. yet there alwayes hath beene a Church from the beginning and euer shall bee a Church to the end from Adam the first to the last man that shall stand vpon the earth This the Prophet teacheth Psal 72 5. 102 26 27 28. Let the enemies fret and storme let them rage roare neuer so much they labour in the fire and sweate in vaine they shall perish fall down but the Lord that is able of stones to raise vp Children vnto Abraham holdeth vp the heads of his people that they stand as an house built vpon the Rocke the raine falleth the floud cometh the winde bloweth and beateth vpon that house yet it abideth firmely and falleth not for it is grounded on the Rocke Math. 7 24 25 like the bush that burned with fire but was not consumed Exod. 3 â— Secondly seeing our care must be that the Vse 2 truth of God may liue when we are dead and remaine after our departure It is the duty of all the Ministers of God to preach the word of God in season and out of season 2 Tim. chap. 4 verse 2 3 to be instant in reproouing rebuking exhorting with all long-suffering and doctrine yea to do these things with all their power seeing there is neyther work nor wisedome in the graue whither they go For alas how shall they minde the future good of the Church after their death that mean not the present good of the Church in their life Wherefore let vs take all occasions opportunities to promote the Gospell Act. 20 27 28 Let vs keepe backe nothing that is profitable but reueale to the people the whole counsell of God knowing that
but they haue the wil of God reuealed and the Lord speaking vnto them in his word This word they must teach nothing but this word and all that is reuealed for our saluation in this word A witnes that is broght in to giue euidence betweene man and man in any hard matter that riseth in iudgement betweene blood and blood Cicer. Epist famil lib. 5. betweene Plea Plea is sworne to speake the truth and all the truth and nothing but the truth So should it be with all Pastors and Teachers which are as the Lords witnesses they must deale fully and faithfully they must boldly speake that which God in his word hath reuealed publish vnto his people all that which he hath deliuered vnto them This is it which the Lord spake to Ieremy hanging backe when God called him excusing wheÌ„ God separated him refusing when God had chosen him Say not I am a childe for thou shalt goe to all that I shall send thee and whatsoeuer I command thee shalt thou speake Ier. 1 7. 1 Kings 22 14. Likewise when our Sauiour sent out his Apostles into the world he charged them with this as a part of their commission Teach them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you Math. 28 20. And the Apostle speaking of the Supper of the Lord saith I receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you 1 Cor. 11 23. And afterward confirming the faith in the Corinthians in the article of the resurrection hee saith First of all I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued how that Christ died for our sinnes and rose againe according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15 3. Thus doth the Apostle clear himselfe being falsely charged by the Iewes I obtained helpe of God and continue vnto this day witnessing vnto small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Acts 26 22. Yea this was the vsuall manner of all the Prophets preaching vnto the people to come vnto them in the Name of God Heare ye the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord. Reason 1 The Reasons for confirmation heereof follow to be marked of vs. First this appeareth from the sundry titles as names of their Office that are giueÌ„ vnto them in the Scriptures to put them in minde of the duties of their callings They are called Workemen because they should do the Lords businesse 2 Tim. 2 15. and finish the worke whereunto hee hath called and ordayned them They are called Builders because they should build vpon the foundatâ—â—n Psal 118 â— The foundation is precious euen Iesus Christ who is pure and perfect gold and they must build vpon it gold siluer and precious stones not hay not stubble not timber lest they suffer losse when the fiery triall shall come Thus the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 3 12. According to the grace of God giuen to me as a skilfull Master-builder I haue laide the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let euery one take heed how he buildeth vpon it Sometimes they are called Pastors Shepheards Eph. 4 11. Ier. 3 15. because they shold make the Sheepe of Christ to rest in greene pasture and leade them by the still waters Sometimes they are called Messengers because they are Mal 2 7. 2 Cor. 5 20 or should be Gods mouth and messengers vnto the people and in stead of God himselfe to them Should not the Embassadour deliuer the message and al the message of his Lord and Master Dare hee chop and change dare he adde or alter dare he inuent deuise any thing of his owne No he will not depart or decline from his commission but faithfully dischargeth the trust reposed in him The Ministers are the messengers of God and Embassadours of Christ and therefore it is required of them that they be found faithfull in the execution of their office Hence it is that the Prophet saith The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts So the Apostle speaketh Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God All which Titles do tye vp the Minister of God to deliuer onely the message of God and do not leaue him at liberty to teach what he list Secondly to the end the faith of the hearers Reason 2 may be certaine stayed vpon the power of God not vpon the wisedom of men which is but a broken Reede a weake Pillar and a rotten foundation to beare them vp This is the reason that the Apostle Paul vseth 1 Cor. 2 after he had shewed that he spake vnto theÌ„ the wisedome of God in a mystery euen the hid wisedome which God had determined before the world vnto our glory hee giueth this reason That your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2 5 7. God would not haue his people left in vncertainties nor fed with chaffe nor carried about with euery winde and weather of doctrine but builded vpon a sure Rocke stand vpon a certaine foundation But there is no sound feeding for the soule but by the word which is the power of God to saluation all other foode is as dust and drauery All the fine deuices of the wit deliuered in the perswasible words of mans wisedome that tickle the outward eares and delight carnall men sauoring wholly of the flesh and not of the Spirit are no better then huskes fitter to feed swine then to nourish the sonnes and daughters of God â—o eternall life The word of God is a sharpe two edged sword 〈◊〉 1 16. 〈◊〉 4 1â— the word of man is as a leaden knife or a wooden dagger which may well threaten but cannot strike or if it strike it cannot enter The word of God is a consuming fire Ier. 5 14 and 23 29 like to God the author of it able to enflame mens hearts with a loue of God when it is beleeued the word of maÌ„ is as a painted fire which carrieth a shew but hath no substance or strength eyther to waste the stubble or to refine and purifie siluer or gold The word of God is the Lords Fan to winnow the people Math. 3 12 separating the bastardly brood of Abraham from the true sonnes venting the hypocrites from the beleeuers and scattering with the powerfull blast thereof the reprobates from the elect all other wayes means that are vsed are too weake feeble to work this separation of the chaffe from the wheat And therefore all such as are the Lords Fanners that would publish their doctrine not to please the eare but to open the doore of the conscience must vse no other instrument then this word of God which hath this force and effect Reason 3 Thirdly God will destroy those that doe
not deale faithfully with his people Such as either hide the truth or withhold it in vnrighteousnesse such as conceale or corrupt the word to please mē vndergo the curse of God and bring vpon themselues the heauy wrath of God This appeareth in that charge which the Lord gaue to the Prophet Ieremy chap. 1 17. Thus the Lord dealeth also with the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 3.18 and 33 6. So the Apostle saith A necessity is laide vpon me and woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9 16. Vse 1 The vses of this doctrine are now to bee handled First of all it followeth that they must know the Scriptures they must not bee young Plants Idol Shepheards blinde guides dumbe dogs sleepy watchmen vnsauory salt which is good for nothing but for the dunghill if for the dunghill Luk. 14 35. Mat. 5 13. It is a shame for a guide not to know the way for a Seer to be blinde for a Messenger to bee dumbe So then all Teachers should make conscience to furnish themselues as wise Scribes and good Stewards with profitable competent knowledge spending their dayes in getting the vnderstanding of the Scriptures that they may minister a word in due season and be able to feed their fellow-seruants with wholesome food leading them to the fountaines of life So then the knowledge of the word of God and the gift of interpretation cannot be separated from the function calling of the Minister and God doth disclaime and disauow such as are without knowledge that they shall be none of his Pastors Teachers Thus he speaketh by the Prophet Hosea chap. 4 6. Because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me Who would not maruaile if a Prince should appoint a Messenger or Embassadour to goe to a people which had no legs to goe no tongue to speake no language or reason to deliuer his message Who then can be so absurd as to thinke that the wise God the Lord of Lords and King of Kings would appoint any to be as his mouth and the Messenger of his will which cannot teach and deliuer his will Who is it that hath an house to builde that will chuse such Carpenters and Masons as haue no skill to lay a stone or to hew their timber or to handle their Tooles Who will retaine or entertaine a Shepheard to keepe his sheepe an husbandman to till his ground a Captaine to leade his army a Steward to prouide for his family a labourer to do his work that is altogether ignorant and hath no knowledge to do these things Now God is more prudent and prouident then mortall man and therefore he will reiect and refuse all such as are not able to discharge the Office committed vnto them through ignorance God requireth knowledge in all the people much more in such as take vpon them to be the Teachers of the people which should not onely haue knowledge themselues but teach knowledge to others that they do not perish for want of knowledge The Spirit of God mentioneth this to bee one of the cheefest causes that religion perished among the ten Tribes and that Idolatry was erected and continued among them euen vntill they were carried away to perpetuall captiuity in that Ieroboam made of the lowest and rudest of the people 1 King 13 31 and 13.33 Priests of the high places who would might consecrate himselfe to that calling The condition of the Iewes was neuer more dangerous and desperate and neerer to destruction and desolation then when they had blinde watchmen and such Priests set ouer them as had no knowledge which made the Prophet Esay call for all the beasts of the field to deuoure them and all the beasts of the Forrest to eate them vp giuing this as the reason For their watchmen are all blinde and haue no knowledge Esay 56 9 10. Hence it is that the Prophet Malachi teacheth That the Priests lips should preserue knowledge the people seeke the Law at their mouth for they are the Messengers of the Lord of hoasts Mal. 2 7. This therefore sheweth and condemneth the grosse and greeuous sinne of many amongst vs that occupy the places of Pastors and cannot feede that run before they were sent take vpon thē to be lights and yet are darknesse These can haue no comfort in their calling because they were neuer designed or called of God to this place For whomsoeuer he calleth to any function hee enableth in some measure to discharge the duty which hee hath required of them They indanger their owne soules the soules of many other for when the blind leade the blinde both fall into the ditch Greg. hom 11. in Ezekiel and one saith truely that we murther the soules of such as we see runne the way of destruction when we are carelesse and hold our peace Vse 2 Secondly it behoueth all the Ministers of the word of God to make conscience to deliuer the truth and all the truth vnto the people howsoeuer it be taken according to the example of the Apostles Peter and Iohn answered vnto them and saide Whether it bee right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge yee for we cannot but speake the things which we haue seene and heard Acts 4 19 20. And Paul exhorting the Elders and Ouerseers of the Church of Ephesus setteth before their eyes his owne practise that he had kept back nothing that was profitable but had shewed them all things necessary to saluation I take you to record this day that I am pure frō the blood of all men for I haue concealed nothing but haue reuealed vnto you all the counsell of God Acts 20 20 26 27. If we be carefull and conscionable in doing this duty faithfully to God and his people we shall reape and receiue more sound comfort thereby then by the powerfull effect of our Ministery True it is all painfull Teachers esteeme nothing more nor so much as of the people whom they haue gained to God and godlinesse accounting them their ioy their crowne 1. Th. 2 19 20. and their glory and yet we may reape more true comfort and consolation by discharging our duties carefully then by sauing soules and by turning many to righteousnesse if we could winne whole kingdomes to God For we may saue others from death and conuert a sinner from going astray out of his way and yet after this our selues become reprobates wee may be the sweet sauour of life to life to others and not our selues to God Thus was it with many Priests of loose licentions life vnder the Law Thus it was with Iudas who wrought miracles preached the Gospel and conuerted soules as wel as the rest of the Apostles yet was the sonne of perdition And thus no doubt it was with the Scribes and Pharisies that sate in Moses chayre and taught the people what they should obserue and doe like vnto
arise from hence we haue considered diuers things before We see how Balak and Balaam proceede in their diuellish purposes if God had suffeted them and not crossed them Hee reuealed his wil to Balaam who spake moued by Gods Spirit and thereby declareth that he speaketh not onely to his owne children but sometimes teacheth wicked men to make them without excuse and therefore he wil not leaue his owne people destitute of instruction that desire to feare his name But of this wee haue spoken before chap. 22 9. Verse 2. Balaam lift vp his eyes looked vpon Israel and the spirit of God came vpon him Moses shewing the prophesie that Balaam vttered describeth it by the author thereof the Spirit of God came vpon him In this part of the title he saith That the things deliuered in this prophesie which were vttered for the Churches sake were hid kept secret before they were reuealed and manifested by God This prophesie containeth not a doctrine that is common or communicated by the light of nature to men but a declaration of such secrets as God reserueth hid to himselfe in his owne counsel which no liuing creature could knowe otherwise then as it pleaseth God to disclose it by a gracious participation of it This teacheth vs this truth That the things of God can no man know but by the Spirite of God Doctrine The things of God are vnknowne til he reueale them The mysteries of saluation and doctrine of godlynesse are secret and vnknown of men and Angels before they be of God reuealed This our Sauiour teacheth Peter hauing made a confession of Christ Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Matth. 16 17. And expounding the parable of the Sower to his disciples he sayth To you it is giuen to know the mystery of the kingdome of God but vnto them that are without all things are done in Parables Mark 4 11. The Apostle teacheth that the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neyther can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned And the same Apostle speaking of the gospel Rom. 16 25. Eph 3 9. calleth it A mystery reuealed which was kept secret from the beginning of the world So the Apostle Iohn handling hidden visions and teaching the Church the things that must come to passe hereafter called that Booke The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him Reuel 1 1. The truth of this appeareth because they Reason 1 were hid in the treasury of Gods wisedome which is vnsearchable and not to be sounded by any creature and therefore the Apostle calleth them A secret hid in God Ephe. 3 9 so that the Apostles and holy Prophets of God could deliuer nothing of his counsell before he had reuealed it to them So the Lord speaketh Numb 12 6. Heare now my words If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I wil be known vnto him by a vision and will speake vnto him by dreame The calling of the Gentiles seemed strange to the very Apostles before it was reuealed to Peter Who would euer haue imagined that God would haue redeemed man by such a wonderfull meanes the greatest wonder that euer came into the world by giuing his Son and that vnto the death to ransome and redeem a church by his own blood Acts 20. This no creature in heauen or earth would euer haue thought vpon if God had not reuealed it by his word and assured it by his Spirit Secondly this receyueth further strength Reason 2 for the confirmation of it because the wisest and subtilest that were in the world were herein ouertaken and proued fooles for by al their wisedome though neuer so great they were not able to reach vnto it nor to looke into any the least part of it The Apostle speaking of the mystery of the Gospel reuealed by his ministery alledgeth the prophesie of Esay where the Lord threatneth to destroy the wisedome of the wise and to cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent and after he saith Where is the wise hath not God made the wisedom of the world foolishnes 1 Cor 1 18 19. The Vses remaine to be learned of vs. First Vse 1 for knowledge wee see that the mysterie of godlines reuealed to the world by God in the Gospel is a most worthy glorious mystery greatly to be admired and reuerenced vnto vs that are called it is the wisedome of God and the power of God So the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1 2◠Great is the mystery of godlines which is God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. It seemeth farre otherwise to the foolish world it appeareth to thē a base and vile thing as Paul complaineth in his time We preach the Gospel euen Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke vnto the Grecians foolishnes 1 Cor. 1 23. A stumbling blocke to the Iewes because they dreaming of an earthly king of this world to free them from the bondage of the Romanes and thinking they should be Lords of the earth were offended at the low estate of Christ comming in the shape of a seruant foolishnesse to the Grecians because it seemed foolishnes to the wise Philosophers among the heathē to look for life from death to beleeue in him that rose from the dead and that such as are dead shall rise againe How many are there amongst our selues that are offended at the simplicity of the Gospel that it is not accompanyed with miracles that it is brought vnto vs in earthen vessels These are they that esteeme the Manna as light meate and therefore loathe it But let them alone to loathe this Manna that loathe faith Christ and heauen it selfe yea their owne saluation Secondly for obedience wee must obserue Vse 2 that when these secret things be reuealed vnto vs of God we ought to endeuour to learne them to vnderstand them to publish them speake of them to others Whensoeuer God hath a mouth to speake we must haue an eare to heare Therefore Moses saith Deut. 29 29. Secret things belong vnto the Lord but the things reuealed belong to vs and our children to do them So the Apostle Paul when God had reuealed Christ vnto him and ordained him a teacher vnto the Gentiles saith I was not disobedient to the heauenly vision but shewed to Iewes and Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and do works worthy amendment of life Acts 26 19 20. This serueth to reprooue all such as refuse to looke into these reuealed things of God but dwell in blindnesse and ignorance Of this sort are the greatest number in our assemblies They are wise enough to look into their own profit but they care not for the wisedome that is of God They are brought vp in the church but know not the Doctrine of the Church They are alwayes learning
but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth He that setteth his sonne to schoole will look he should learn somewhat and not euer stand at one stay We are trained vp in the bosome of the Church which is the Schoole-house of Christ wee must therefore euery day be profiting and going forward God accepteth not of those that looke backward or stand at a stay hee will know them that seek more and more to know him Thirdly it is our duty to beg and craue at Vse 3 Gods hands the knowledge of his will who openeth the eyes of the blinde and giueth vnderstanding to those that seeke it We haue a gracious promise to be heard Mat. 7 7. in the prayers and petitions that we make vnto him Hence it is that the Prophet Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and endued with a singular portion of Gods Spirit craueth the enlightning of Gods Spirit and desireth still to be taught of him Psal 119 verses 18 27 31 73. Thus doth the Apostle pray for the Ephesians chapter 1 verses 17 18 that God would giue them the spirit of wisedome and enlighten their mindes to know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches are of his glorious inheritance in the Saints A notable direction for all of vs how to behaue our selues when we come into the house of God and tread in his Courts namely not to rest vpon our naturall gifts nor to trust in our mother-wits which are too short and shallow to reach vp to the height and to sound the depth of the mysteries of God How many are there in the world of an high reach and of a deepe conceite in the matters of the world that attaine to no measure of knowledge in the matters of God Talke with them of the things of this life they are able to discourse with great insight many of Gods children inferiour to them few equall with them none can go beyond them They can contriue and dispatch businesse of the world with great facility you cannot speake to them of any thing of this nature but by and by they apprehend it and conceiue it But enter communication with them of heauenly things of the knowledge of God of faith in Christ of the saluation of their soules they can conceiue nothing they are as blinde as Beetles they are simple and ignorant as little children that know not the right hand from the left This should offer to our wise carefull cōsiderations a double meditatiō First it serues to humble those that haue these gifts of nature and are wise in their owne conceit and to make them equal with those of the lower sort seeing all their gifts which Nature hath adorned them withall are not able to set them one foot forward toward the kingdome of heauen nay being vnsanctified they are further off from saluation then others of smaller gifts This made the Apostle say Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God and the Lord knoweth that the thoghts of the wise be vaine 1. Cor. 3 18. Where hee teacheth euery one to be ready to deny himselfe and his carnall wisedome whose beginning is from the flesh and whose end is death to the end wee may be truely wise in heauenly things pertaining vnto euerlasting life Secondly this serueth to comfort the children of God that want the worldly wit of naturall men and are not able to diue so deepe into earthly things as they though they be simple in matters of this world yet if GOD haue giuen them a taste of the glory of the world to come let them rest in spirituall knowledge and giue God the praise that hath opened the eyes of their mindes and inlightned their hearts to haue a feeling of it This our Sauiour taketh occasion to practise and to offer praise and honour to God in a sweete remembrance of this dealing of God I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes it is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Math. 11 25 26. Though wee be simple in the world yet if wee be wise in GOD though weake in the world yet if we be strong in GOD though wee be accounted as fooles and silly ones of the sharp wits of the world yet if wee haue learned Christ Iesus know the exceeding measure of his loue toward vs let this be our comfort and consolation that God hath abundantly recompenced the want of those outward things by giuing vnto vs an happy and holy aduantage in heauenly things And indeed all those are learned that are taught of God and they vnlearned that are not taught of him althogh otherwise they abound in other knowledge Such as haue learned Christ Iesus and him crucified and so are become new creatures in him they are learned though they know neuer a letter in the booke For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge Col. 2 3. He that hath not learned Christ is vnlearned Althogh otherwise he be neuer so learned for if he be not regenerate and borne anew but committeth sinne with greedines he hath not seene him neither hath knowne him 1. Ioh. 3 6. Wherfore let vs al learne from hence to depend vppon God for his blessings vpon vs especially when we enter the Lords courts and come to heare his word let vs confesse that we are not able of our selues to vnderstand his will and desire him to open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia Act. 16 14. for otherwise wee shall depart away as ignorant and blinde as wee came wee shall neuer soundly rest in the truth that is deliuered but alwayes be ready to carpe and cauill at it to wrangle and reason against it saying How can these things be And then it may be said vnto them as Christ speaketh to the proud Pharisies who gloried in their owne insight thought all men blind beside themselues If ye were blinde ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth Iohn 9 40 41. Let vs then be ready to renounce our worldly wisedome and to deny our selues and begge the assistance of Gods Spirit to be our inward teacher and instructer that so we may heare with profit and comfort Vse 4 Lastly learne to be thankfull to God foreshewing this grace and mercy to vs his vnworthy seruants when he reuealeth and maketh knowne vnto vs the hid things of God touching our saluation without which wee haue liued in darknes in the shadow of death and in the estate of damnation Hee hath not vouchsafed this mercy vpon all but hath passed ouer many thousands in the world which know not truth from errour nor light from darknesse hee might haue passed