exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable to all things c. 1. Tim. 4. 8. 2 Although the Congregation of the faithfull séeme to be but a small flocke of shéepe vpon earth set in the middest of Wolues although it be slaundred and chastened with many euils yet doth the glorie of God appéere vppon and in it when hée is present with it which said Beholde I am with you vntill the ende of the worlde Mat. 28. 20. 3 And men are often-times deceiued in their iudgement concerning the Church when they followe the reason of fleshe and bloude and not the light of faith As the Iewes made great accompt of Solomon his temple because it was famous by reason of the fine building and greatnes thereof also for the hangings the siluer and golde which was therein so many are desirous to haue a Church flourishing with ciuil power riches the fauour of princes and other earthly commodities and they abhorre the same when it groneth vnder the Crosse But the iust shall florishe like a Palme-trée And as that our holy apostle saith If wee haue hope in Christ in this life onely wee are the most miserable of all men 1. Cor. 15. 19. 31. Lect. 1. March 1580. Verse 5. Beholde now strengthen thy selfe Zerubabel saith the Lord strengthen thy selfe also Iehosua thou sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and strengthen thy selfe all thou the people of this land saith the Lord and worke because I am with you saith the Lord of hostes THis verse containeth the proposition and the first argument of the confirmation The proposition is exhortatiue Let the Iewes strengthen them-selues and let them builde the Temple with all diligence possible Ob. Why did God commaunde the Iewes to builde the seconde Temple séeing that the sonne of GOD saith The houre commeth when-as yee shall worship the father neither in this mountaine neither at Hierusalem Iohn 4. 21. I reason thus It was to no ende to builde a temple there where no man shoulde worship in time to come for temples are the houses of praier Mat. 21. 15. But in time to come no man shoulde worship at Hierusalem Ergo. c. An. I answere there is a fallacie in the maior proposition in that the reason is fet from that which is no cause as if it were a cause There is in these sayings no cōtrariety because they are not both spoken concerning one thinge The temple at Hierusalem and the Leuiticall Gal. 4. Heb. 9. 10. sacrifice were to serue for the instruction of the olde people which were vnder the tuition of the lawe and yet but vntill the time of reformation But the meaning of Christ his words is this that not the place but the spirit truth are that which maketh the praiers commendable and acceptable in the sight of God accordinge to that saying GOD is a spirit and they that doe worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 24. The first argument drawen from the efficient causes The prophet beginneth with the efficient causes and first of all with the instrumentall causes namelie with the consideration of the Captaine the high Priest and of the people of the Iewes and that by a preuenting of an obiection Ob. That which cannot be brought to passe by mans industrie and labour is not to bee inioyned any man least he take in hand that which he cannot doe But the Iewes were not able to builde the temple after their retourne from Babylon being oppressed with famine pouerty and the malice of their mighty neighbours Therefore there was no cause why they should be commaunded to builde the temple Ma. Against this argument doth the prophet set a demonstration You must ought to haue a greater regarde vnto the commaundemente of God then for the imbecillity of secondary causes to neglect the same Mi. But God commaundeth you to buylde the Temple Con. Wherefore yee must neither linger nor loiter in the woorke of the Lorde neither yet is it lawfull for you to neglect the same Aphorismes contayning instructions 1 Wee must not bee so inquisitiue about the commaundements of God that wee must aske whether we ought to obey them or no. 2 For this ought to bee sufficient for vs that wee are taught and tolde what God will haue vs to doo 3 For this is with-out all doubt we must obey God 4 And this is blockish incredulitie to waxe so dull through imbecillitie of the secondary causes that thou doost neuer so much as once thinke vpon the powre and might of the first cause 5 God graunt therefore that wee may all thinke vpon that oracle The power of Christ is made perfect in our weakenes 2. Cor. 13. A definitiue methode touching the spirit of strength 1 The genus is the gifte Rom. 12. 6. Hauing diuers giftes according to the grace which is giuen vs. 1. Cor. 4. 7. What hast thou which thou hast not receiued 2 The principall cause is God 2. Tim. 1. 7. For God hath not giuē vs the spirit of feare but of strength of loue and of soundnes of minde 3 The fellowe labourers are all the faithfull Therefore the prophet saith Strengthen thy selfe Zerubabel c. 4 The subiect A faithfull heart Psal 27. 14. Tarie thou the Lords leasure and bee strong and let thy heart be established I say tarie thou the Lords leasure 5 The forme is the acte it selfe driuing out vaine feare and staying vpon God with a sure confidence 6 The ende Couragiously to goe forward in the woorke of the Lord that these thinges may be brought to passe which are acceptable to God and profitable for the Church 32. Lect. March 2. The definition of the spirit of strength THe spirite of strength is an excellent gifte of God whereby the hearts of the faithfull are so strengthned that all vaine feare being driuen away they take in hand the woorke of the Lord couragiously and finishe the same ioyfully that those things may bee done which are in the sight of GOD acceptable and for the Church profitable Quest Why doeth God require at our hands this adiunct which no man can obtayne vnlesse he haue it from heauen according to that saying A man can receiue nothing vnlesse it shall bee giuen him from heauen Iohn 3. 27. Ans Det saith Augustine quod iubet iubeat quod vult Let him giue that which hée commaundeth and let him commaunde what he will And agayne In praeceptione disce quid debeas habere in correptione tuo te vitio non habere in precatione a quo petere debeas id quod debes habere In the commandement learne what thou oughtest to haue in reprehension that thou hast it not through thine owne follie in prayer of whome thou must aske that which thou must haue Furthermore these thinges which are subordinate are not contrarie And agayne these men which are regenerate must stirre vp the giftes of God in the number wherof is the strength of the heart For they
that is through his grace by the redemption wroughte by Christe Iesus we cannot doubt of our vocation Rom. 8. 29. 30 and election gone before neither of our sanctification following after For whom God knewe before the same did hee also predestinate that they should bee made like vnto the image of his sonne that hee mighte bee the firste begotten amongst manie brethren * Rom. 8. 29. 30 And whom hee did predestinate them also hee called whom hee called them also hee iustified whom hee iustified them also he glorified Howsoeuer our outward man bee vexed with aduersities and manifolde miseries yet are wee in good case when as wee perceaue that God of his infinite goodnes hath wrought in vs an effectuall saith a working loue and suffering hope most sure testimonies 1. Thes 1. 3. 4. of our election and that hee will neuer forsake this his excellent worke but that hee will crowne pullish and fully finish the same The sixt benefit is the hope of resurrection eternall life We know that we are trāslated frō death to life we beleeue that Iesus Christ is the resurrection the life that we which 1. Ioh. 3. 14. beleeue in him shall liue although we die * Ioh. 11. 25. Therefore being sure that wee shall be made partakers of eternall life wee reioyce in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience patience experience experience hope which maketh not ashamed because Rom. 5. 3. 4. 5. the loue of GOD is shed abroade in our hearts through the holie spirite which is giuen vnto vs. * And seeing that the thinges Rom. 5. 28. which wee nowe suffer are nothinge comparable to the glorie to come which shal be shewed in vs I thinke wee ought to suffer ouercome these thinges with a stoute courage For the time shall come when the Lord shall wipe away all teares from our eyes and shall giue vs these things to enioy which the eye hath not seene the care hath not heard neither haue they euer entred into the mind of man which God hath prepared for those which loue him vnfainedlie * 1. Cor. 2. 9. Isay 64. 4. I thinke I haue pointed out as it were with my finger the fountaines from whence the principall consolations doe spring wherevnto the rest which I shall annex hereunto oughte to bee referred Notwithstandinge I will briefely touch the subordinate places that the godlie mindes may see how excellentlie it was said of Paul the apostle Like as the suffrings of Christ doe abounde in vs so likewise our consolation aboundeth through Christ And let 2. Cor. 1. 5. them remember that I doe here chiefly intreat of the remedies of the consolations whereby the afflictions are cured which wee ought to suffer for Christs sake for the truths sake and for the churches sake Let this bee the seauenth place of consolation that the truth is inuincible This is a fatall thinge for the truth to haue the vpper hand when it is gainestoode And therefore whenas the sworne enimies thereof do endeuour with all their might and maine to oppresse the truth shee thrusteth forth her head shee showeth her-selfe she commeth abroade and triumpheth The truth cōmeth to light not onelie by the preaching of those which beare witnes with the truth but also it is made more manifest by the lyes of those which are enimies therevnto a verie marueilous matter yet is it most true Let the enimies of the heauenly and immoueably veritie be ashamed of their wrangling cogging and lying although the whole worlde subscribe vnto them and giue thē their consent On the contrary part let the witnesses of the trueth take a good courage to them For whie Bernard saith very well Veritas magis elucet impugnata The truth the more it is resisted the more clearely it shineth To speake the truth is voyde of daunger as saith Nazianzenus To resist the knowen truth doth exceede Idolatrie as Augustine saith very grauely The eight place is this that God by the meanes of his enimies doth good to those which are his Therefore must we not regard what they pretend what they respect but what God who is most wise and a friend to all mankinde doth in the meane season intend Let them curse vs yet shall the Lord blesse vs. Let them make insurrection against vs yet shal they be confounded and the seruants of God shal be Psal 109. 28. glad ioyfull Let them imagine euill against vs yet the Lord doth turne it to good for vs. Gen. 50. 20. The nynth place is drawen from the consideration of the light of the church If in this last age of the Church there were in the same no faithfull pastors and teachers at all neither any such as might fight in the fore front of the battle against such as are enimies vnto true Christians and set them-selues against Christ his merites and person then mighte wee singe that woefull songe Wee see not our Psal 74. 9. signes there is not any more a Prophet and there is none with vs that vnderstandeth any longer* But through Gods great goodnes there are those yet aliue whom the thing it selfe doth testifie to bee furnished of God with manie notable giftes of the holie ghost and to be raised vp to defend the puritie and sinceritie of the heauenlie doctrine and to refute vaine babling and false doctrine Therefore let vs not doubt but stedfastlie beleeue that God careth for vs and that hee is present with vs. For hee furnisheth his church with so great giftes not in vaine it is not for nothing that hee setteth captaines and vnder-captaines ouer his holie armie The tenth place is fet from the comparing of those together which doe resist the truth those which stand in defence of the truth Although the former sort of these men haue their fauourers and followers no lesse then th' other for there were not wanting in times past flatterers which did licke the spittle of Dyonisius the tyraunte and said that it was sweeter then the sweete wine yet notwithstanding it falleth out often-times that certaine of these men being wiser then their fellowes marking the filthie life of their Captaines and guides their vanitie delitiousnes scurrility vaine-glorie their desire of wordly goods and the fragilitie of those commodities where-vnto they doe leane giue place vnto the latter opinions which are wont to bee the better and sounder The best most valiant souldiers of Christ haue neede some-times to vse an holy and religious kinde of silence which not-withstanding may not bee preiudiciall vnto the confession and profession of the truth they haue alwaies neede to haue an inuincible cōstancie and then most of all whenas the furie and out-rage of their aduersaries is armed with the aide of the arme of flesh But a time there is whenas the Iayes hauing made an ende of chatteringe the Swannes doe with a merie noise and pleasant songe celebrate the victorie of the truth
Comparisons are odious yet what man is hee which being well in his wittes doth not see howe farre inferiour these Censurers are to the cleare windowes of the church the light bearers thereof which in their hands beare the cleare shining lighte of the truth whether hee looke into their godlines and humanitie or learning eloquence or finallie their deseruinges of the church and their most excellent monuments of godlie witte I will not speake of this that they which haue suffered and doe as yet suffer great aduersitie which haue preferred Christ farre before riches their countrie and all prefermentes are worthie to bee had in greater estimation then they which liue in the middest of all maner pleasures The eleuenth place is the consideration of the almightie power of God in rulinge and guidinge the course of thinges and seasons If at anie time wee see the affayres of the church not onelie afflicted but euen almost past all hope then let vs repeate that saying of Dauid And I said this is my destruction but Psalm 77. 10. the chaunges are in the right-hande of the Lorde For how often did God deliuer his sainctes miraculouslie Howe often did hee deliuer his people out of the middest of death At the red sea in the times of Iosaphat Ezechias the Machabees As the glorie of the three witnesses was the greater after that they came out of the fornace at Babylon vn-hurt of Daniell when he was brought out of the Lyons denne so shall the glorie of the whole church and of the sincere Teachers of the truth bee greater whenas they haue passed ouer their sharpe warfare The twelfth place is the hope of successe The sayinges of the prophets are well knowen wherein we finde the most sweete similitudes of the Palme-tree and of the Olyue-tree Not-withstandinge I shall bee as a greene Olyue-tree in the house of the Lord I hope in the goodnes of the Lord for euer and throughout all ages And againe The iust man shal florish as a Palme-tree as a Cedar in Lybanus shall hee prosper They which Psalm 25. 8. are planted in the house of the Lorde shall florish Psal 92. 12. 14. in the courtes of our God And againe They shall florish in their old-age they shal be fat and greene that I may declare that the Lord my rock is iust and that there is no iniquitie in him The thirtenth place containeth the examples of the saintes which haue beene since the world beganne and especiallie of that sainte of saintes Christ Iesus Seeing that hee by his crosse and afflictions is entred into the kingdome of his father all the elect haue bene are and shall be like vnto him let vs well remember that saying of his The seruant is not greater then his maister If they haue persecuted 1. Reg. 19. 4. Ioh. 15. 20. mee they shall persecute you If they haue kept my sayinges they will also keepe yours I am not sayeth Elias the Prophet better then my fathers And truely it were a point of great impaciencie if they should refuse to suffer those things which they suffered whom those Captaines of ours doe freelie willingly acknowledge to haue bene both their superiors betters The fourtenth place is the fate and destinie of the church As it neuer triumphed but vnder the crosse so hath it often-times felt the discommodities which ciuill and longe peace doth bringe The church did florishe more and was more greatly encreased by the faithfull which were added there-vnto in the hot and vehement tenne yeares persecution moued by Dioclesian and Maximian Augg. then after-warde vnder Constantine the great his sonnes and vnder Valens whenas that most sacriligious and impious heresie of the Arrians did most violentlie rage against the very bowels of the church If any man doe looke into these times hee shall see that this thinge is true Doe not those churches most florish by reason of the light and sinceritie of doctrine and the zeale of the faithfull and doe not they enioy the most excellent teachers and pastors to whom it is geuen in Christe his busines not onelie to beleeue in him but also to suffer persecution for his sake Againe all men do see that those churches which do enioy ciuill peace and earthlie cōmodities are not occupied aboute the beating downe of Antichristianisme but about the resisting of peace-able men Our time alas for woe bringeth out too manie Minutij who if they were so wise as they ought to bee would knowe that they are to make warre not with Fabius but with Hanniball not of Carthage but of Rome The fiftenth place is verie excellent which is fet from the consideration of the workes of GOD which are miraculouslie brought to passe amiddest contrarie meanes God hath manie waies and meanes to bring thinges to passe both ordinarie and extraordinarie yet being all good and seruing to the accomplishing of his purpose and determination It seemed good to him of late yeares to scatter abroade certaine most florishinge Vniuersities Therefore wee see that men which did excell in witte learning eloquence and experience in great matters haue bene driuen away by certaine Drone-bees and haue bene dispersed as the Bees are scattered abroade with smoake But as in times past the dispersing abroade of the faithfull after the martyrdome of Stephen did greatlie profit the Samaritanes and others next adioyning vnto them when as manie being conuerted vnto Christ did cast awaie the heathenish Idotrie and Idolatrie vsed of the Samaritanes did ioyne them-selues vnto the true church so I hope in the Lord Iesus that it shall come to passe that thexile of these holie men both younge and olde shall greatlie serue to the spreading abroade of the truth the glorie of God and the restoring of the church Whenas in times past the Samaritanes were grieued at the restoring of Hierusalem and left nothinge vnassayed which might make to the hinderance thereof by the marueilous prouidence of God their intent fell out to the contrarie so that they were enforced against their will to further the same and also to beare the charges thereof at the commaundement of Darius the sonne of Histaspes And who is he that doth not see that euen at this time the mindes of the godlie learned are more more inflamed with the loue of the truth and with zeale to defend the same through that outragious obstinacie and vehemencie of their aduersaries most horribly defending their assertions so that the truth is farther broughte to the light thereby The sixtenth place that I maie of set purpose passe ouer manie other most comfortable places is the hope of the victorie and the ioyfull ende Truelie it is as certaine and sure that their Sophistrie and vaine-babling being refuted the truth shall haue the victorie as it is certaine that this world was created by GOD and is by him preserued And hereupon it is that the banner of the truth is often-times displaied to the great terror and astonishment
of holy scripture which setteth vpon his heart the way of his studie that I may vse the Hebrue phrase must consider and throughly marke these thinges 1 First the traueiler As a traueiler standing in a place where thrée wayes méete doeth earnestlie consider vppon the right way vppon a faithfull guide and vpon many other things so ought the studentes of holy Scripture often times and earnestly to thinke vppon the right way to learne vpon a guyde and vpon the helps whereof they shall stande in neede in this their iourney For it is wicked negligence and great ingratitude if a man doe not consider with himselfe what way hee hath taken in his studie and bée not moued with desire to knowe the trueth and if hée be like those of whom our Apostle speaketh who are alwayes learning yet can they neuer attayne to the knowledge of the 2. Tim. 3. 7. trueth * 2 The way The way of true doctrine doth distinctly comprehende the law and the Gospell On the contrary that is the way of lying which transformeth the Gospell into the lawe and addeth thereunto the inuentions of mans brayne Of the amplenesse hereof there is mention made in the 119. Psalme verse 96. In euerie perfection I haue seene an ende but thy coÌ„maundementes are exceeding broade All other kindes of learning haue their endes but Diuinitie reacheth so farre that wee which are in the way of faith doe know onely a part thereof 1. Cor. 13. 9. And the lawe is it which maketh our diseases knowen vnto vs the Gospell ministreth medicine to cure the same yet so that the one helpeth the other 3 Thirdly the guyde Christe Iesus is our guyde the way the trueth the life and our teacher On the contrary Sathan leadeth our mindes into error after they are by him bewitched let vs therefore heare Christe him let vs followe neither let vs thrust into his place Luther Mat. 17. Caluin or finally any mortall man howe learned and godly soeuer he bee For not euen the teacher of the Gentiles Paul woulde haue any of the faithfull to bee called after his name And most true is that which Galene saith touching these which are giuen to sectes that They 1. Cor. 3. are blinde and deafe so that they can neyther heare nor see these thinges which other men can easily perceyue 4 Fourthlie the end of the iourney Let him which entreth the study of wisedome begin with God goe forward with God and let him manfully stryue to come vnto God who is the chiefe good thing the chiefest wisedome forgetting those thinges which hee lefte behinde him In this our course wee are by a wonderfull periode brought backe vnto him at whome wee beganne But those which haue entred the waye of lying are turned backe from God vnto the creatures from the chiefest good thing vnto things which are euil and being caught in Satans nette they doe at length miserably perish 5 The laterall limites or bondes appoynted Wee must beware that we turne not aside Deut. 28. Ies 23. vnto the right hands or vnto the left* For wée must follow the way of trueth least wee erre and fall into the most cruell errors and furies As it is an vndecent thing for those men which stande without the dauncing place to daunce so is it a daungerous thing to start and steppe aside from the trueth a perâ—itious thing neuer to returne into the way of trueth 6 Sixtly the conduâ—â—rs in this way are those to whome it is saide You are the light of the Maâ— 5. worlde* As wee are much bounde to reuerence those which carrie before vs the light of the trueth so ought wee to detest those seâ—ucers who with their sophistrie and wrangling goe about to leade vs awaye into the bywayes of lying* Deut. 18 Mat. 1. 7 Seuenthly the companyons Wée haue all those to bee our companions in this our voiage whome the same fellowshippe of faith hath coupled and linked with vs. And let vs not contemne the giftes and iudgemeÌ„ts of yâ— Phisitions the lawyers other the godly but let vs think that they are out companions in this our iourney and let vs praise those whome we see set foorth and stirre vp the giftes of God 8 Eightly the images of Mercurie Let vs They were wâ—â— in old time to set vp images oâ— Mercurie in places where three or two wayes mette which pointed out the way to euery seueraâ— place also giue due reuerence first of all vnto the writinges of the Fathers and secondly to the Testinionies of the best Philosophers concerning the workes of God and the nature of thinges For there is no cause why wee shoulde reiecte and speake against the one teaching according to the proportion of faith nor the other speaking those thinges which agree well with the workes of God and the order by him appoynted The progresse or going forwarde in the iourney Let the profiting in this bee manifest in all men Wée must consider howe wee haue profited and howe we doe profite as in innocencte of life so in the studie of wisedome And let vs consider with our selues that we are also stirred vppe and exhorted to doe our dueties by those expostulations and reprehensions for neglecting the doctrine and knowledge which are necessarie Are you yet without vnderstanding* And agayne You who in respecte of time shoulde Aâ—â— 15. 16. haue beene teachers haue neede to bee taught againe what bee the first principles Ieâ— â— 12. of the oracles of God* 10 The tenth thing is the victuall necessarie for the iourney The holy Bible is to vs in stéede of victuall necessarie for our iourney out of which wée may haue whatsoeuer is profitable to doctrine to reprehension to correction Tim. 3. 16. to instruction in righteousnes* 11 The eleuenth thing to bée considered is the lettes and hinderaunces which hinder this iourney Many thinges there bée which doe hinder the studie of holy Scripture as the desire of honour and riches vnstable teachers c. And therefore doeth Dauid pray Turne away mine â—sal 119. 37. â—7 113. eyes least they beholde vanitie* Before I was humbled I went astray I haue hated the vnconstant but I haue loued thy lawe Agayne if any man digge to himself cisternes neglecting the cleare fountaynes that is if any man doe forsake the reading of the Bible and spende all his time in reading the coÌ„mentaries and expositions of men 12 The twelfth thing is a light In this dark and mistie worlde wee are lightned by faith and the knowledge of Christ sette foorth in the Gospell Psal 119. Thy worde O Lorde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes 13 The thirtéenth thing is the talke and communication In this way wée must vse the same spéeches which the Prophetes and Apostles did vse speaking of diuine matters For straunge spéeches haue brought in newe doctrine concerning religion namely schoole diuinitie Therefore doeth Paul most
Sacrament of the bodie of Christ and therefore is the breade called the bodie of Christ by Metonymia hee which eateth this breade eateth the bodie of Christ sacramentallie To the end the yonger sort may vnderstand these thinges I say that the bodie of Christ is called his bodie sometimes properly sometimes metonymically As the bodie of Christ as it is called his bodie properly is giuen to be eaten of vs truly and spiritually so is it receyued of vs truely and spirituallie But the body of Christ as it is called the bodie metonymically that is the Lords bread if you respect the same as it is breade is eaten naturally and if you respecte it as it is the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ hee which eateth this bread eateth the bodie of Christ sacramentally But let it suffice to haue spoken thus much by the way For euen three wordes are sufficient in a good cause God graunt that all thinges may serue to his glorie and our instruction 45. Lect. Aprill 29. A declaration of the partes of the oracle concerning the censure of the religion and of life the Iewish people IF as Galene doeth thinke the Phisitions ought to behaue themselues in the cutting vp of the brayne as in a temple where the holy ceremonies are done decently orderly much more ought they which studie the holy Scriptures with great reuerence rightlie to cut in péeces and diuide the worde of trueth in the schoole of the holy Ghost Therefore I beséech the eternall GOD to sanctifie vs by his trueth and to giue vs grace so to enter into the secret corners of this oracle that we may thence gather and bring such thinges as may serue to the sanctifying of Gods holy name and our own saluation Moreouer if euery thing which is set in order be comelie as sayth Augustin then is the declaration of this oracle most comelie forasmuch as it is set in very good order Which we intend now to declare vsing a diuisiue instrument The partes of the Oracle are two in number a parable and an exhortation The partes of the argument wherein the Prophet proueth that the Iewes and their administratiō did displease God because they were vncleane are thus disposed 1 It contayneth an exordium concerning the persous which were their owne iudges verse 12. 2 The first probleme or harde question concerning thinges which did not sanctifie and the exposition thereof consisting vppon a denyall verse 13. 3 The seconde probleme concerning these thinges which make a man vncleane and an affirmatiue exposition thereof verse 14. 4 The applying of the former parabolicall problemes vnto the Prophets purpose Wherin he teacheth that both the people of the Iewes and also all their worshippe which they did to God so long as the Temple was vnbuilt was vncleane for this cause was not acceptable in the sight of God ver 15. And we see that in all these there is a preuenting of an obiection which is this As if our sacrifices Sacramentes holie dayes and all our ceremonies which God hath appointed coulde displease the Lord the Temple beeing yet not built so that for their sakes wee must needes builde the Temple least God doe not allowe of them The Prophete aunswereth that all these thinges were prophane and not acceptable in the sight of God because that neglecting the temple which God woulde haue builded they woulde rather purchase and demerite his fauour by their ceremonies The exhortation The other part of the oracle consisting vpon an exhortation vnto a more narrowe consideration of the life dependeth vpon the former part and may be thus deuided 1 First it containeth a rehearsall of the former life and of those euils whereunto it was subiect and of the principall causes thereof For it becometh the godly to profite vnder the fatherly correction and chasticement of God and hereunto doeth the remembraunce and consideration of euils that are past not a litle auaile That they were punished it appeareth in the 16. vers The cause why they were punished is set downe verse 18. The Lord sayth hee smote the Iewes and he reproueth them because they did not repent 2 Secondly it comprehendeth a promise of a blessing which God will send vppon the Iewes after they haue taken in hande the building of the Temple In this place we will note two circumstances the one concerning the time the other concerning the persons for the Prophete declareth who will blesse and whome hee will blesse verse 19. 20. All these thinges tende to this end that we may knowe that all those are accursed which buste themselues so in holy ciuill and housholde affaires that they haue no regarde of the glorie of God and the edifying of his Church and that they are blessed which doe so administer holie things and thinges appertayning to this life that before all thinges they giue vnto God the thinges which are his and bende all their might to the building vp of the Church Ver. 12. Thus sayeth the Lorde of hostes aske now the priestes the Lawe The meaning of these wordes is this Propounde vnto the priestes which professe that they are leaders of the blinde a light to those Rom. 2. 19. 20. which are in darkenes teachers of the vnlearned maisters of infants bycause they haue a forme of knowledge and trueth in the Lawe such questions as are not contrarie to their profession but are questions of the Lawe and such as are proper to their profession c. 1. In this place we will note that when as the corruptions of religion are to be redressed wée must first begin at those which are teachers in the Church and not at those which are learners For vnlesse the teachers be brought into the way of truth the blinde shall lead the blinde 2. And when as their errors are to be conuinced we must vse a religious kinde of zeale and wisedome that they themselues condemninge themselues may giue glory to God and yeelde to the trueth For if the teachers be conuinced of error and do suffer themselues to be brought backe againe into the way of trueth the hearers will be easelie brought to the same 3. It is the duety of those which are teachers in the Church to answeare discreatlie when any question is asked them concerning the Law according to that saying The lippes of the priestes shall keepe knowledge and they shal require the law at his mouth because he is the messenger of the Lord. Let vs also thinke that this is spoken to vs which are students in diuinitie and are bounde to giue an accompt of our faith when it is demaunded of vs and let vs get to our selues the most excellent knnwledge of heauenly thinges both by studdie and also by prayer There is a mery iest of Cicero extant which he vsed toward Pompilius who would seeme to be a Lawyer when as he was altogether ignorant of the lawe For being called to be a witnes in a matter he answered Cicero that he knewe