quidam quo caeteri corrigantur exempla sunt omnium tormenta paucorum These few should be warning to others lest they also perish Againe are there but few who can remember the many thousands that God hath taken away and cut off by the plague of inferiours and servants and such like whose superiors had beene remisse towards them and yet say this befalleth but to few Or lastly who can think of many thousands who are lying broyling in hell and so cut off from the tents of Iakob by the Lord though man winked at them who happily if they had felt the severity of magistracy might have beene saved and yet say there is but a few And though many yet have escaped and doe or may escape though the plague renew upon us with their adulteries c. because this is but the poore mans plague or the servants yet who sees not that even for the rich and the masters the Lord hath a plague for them as Micha 2.3 and happily will it be for them if 1 Cor. 11. they judge not themselves That doth this or that shall doe this God will not presently smite them though they have committed this offence but he will waite for their returne if they continue to do it then will he cut them off Hence the patience of God to sinners waiting for their conversion vide Revel 3. and Isaiah 30. or rather I observe that though the Lord a long time spare the wicked yet he will visite them and pay them home in the end Isa 26.14 Both the master and the servant Both him that wakeneth and exciteth and him that is wakened and answereth the call meaning the whole house and family should be cut off Doctrine Gods judgements against the wicked rest not in them onely but also are extended to their families seed and posterity Isa 26.14 and destroyed all their memory Out of the Tabernacle of Iaakob That is take them out of the land of the living bringeth death upon them and putteth an end to their daies and letteth them be no longer among the living Though it may reach to their cutting off from heaven yea it containeth this whence Doctrine It is a judgement to the wicked to be cut off eyther naturally or violently untimely or in his ripe age Isaiah 26.14 and scattered them And him that offereth an offering Or him also that offered Though he offer noting the nature of men that when they are convinced of their sinnes they thinke to please God by outward things as sacrifices or fastings or outward hearing and multitude of prayers though they continue in their sinnes Doctrine It is the nature and practice of carnall and naturall men when the judgements of God are denounced against their sinnes and the wrath of God declared against them To take any course to free and deliver themselves from them and to appease his wrath rather then humble themselves and forsake their sinnes And sometimes by flying to humane helpes sometimes by religiousenesse as by offerings or fastings afflicting the body outward hearing and multitude of praying and such like It is manifest in these so in Saul 1 Sam. 15.14.15 And Hezekiah when he was led by nature and the common course of men 2 Kings 18.14 So in them Mich 6.6.7 and Isai 58.2.3 c. Reason Because it is naturall unto them they have it with other corruptions propagated from their first parents for thus Adam and Eve dealt with the Lord Gen. 3. Vse To see the policy of Antichrist and the Church of Rome who knowes not from how many things the Antichristian Church of Rome promiseth to her followers remission of sinne and so freedome from the judgements of God never once making mention of true repentance or forsaking of their sinne As the Sacrament of pennance almes-deeds forgiving of injuries and offences abundance of charity holy water sprinkled devout beating of the breast whipping of themselves pilgrimages all sorts of good workes And as the Rhemist in Math. 10. ver 12. Episcopall blessing for Christs death with them doth not take away daily sinnes but originall the sacrifice of the Masse doth that Sicut corpus Domini semel oblatum est in cruce pro debita originali sic offertur jugiter pro nostris quotidiaenis delictis in altari Thomas de sacra Altaris So as the body of our Lord was once offered upon the crosse for our originall debt so it is continually offered upon the altar for our daily sinnes And Catharinus in libro impresso Romae writeth * Christi passionem pro originali tantū peccato satisfecisse actualibus baptis antecedentibus missam vero satisfacere pro peccatis baptismum primam justificationem sequentibus Catharinus in libro impresso Romae That Christs passion made satisfaction onely for originall and such sinnes as went before baptisme but the Masse satisfies for sinnes committed after baptisme and our first justification Finally to say nothing of their Jubile and their Ladies Psalter and her Pantofle and an hundred such things And him that offereth an offering Though he offer an offering and thinke thereby to escape and appease Gods wrath yet shall he not prevaile nor escape Doctrine In vaine do men thinke to appease the wrath of God and to escape his judgements when he is angry and threatneth by any outward means as offerings fastings prayers and such performance of parts of his worship they remaining impenitent in their sinnes and keeping them still So is it here and manifest in that Micha 6.6.7.8 and Isaiah 58. à 2. ad finem Psal 51.16.17 Reason 1 Because God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in spirit and truth outward things onely cannot please him being different from his nature yea they that onely bring them worship him neither in Spirit nor truth but in body and outward things in hypocrisie and dissembling c. Reason 2 Because all offerings a man brings to God all outward service he performes to him is accepted not for it selfe but if it be it is for him or else rejected for him and not he for it for though men which are corrupt doe accept men for their gifts and disliking their persons yet feeling from their purses they will soone change their mindes and like of them whatsoever they disliked before shall be excused and lessened It is not so with God he accepts men not for their gifts but their gifts for them or else rejects them and their gifts Reason 3 Because they shew more contempt against the Lord then if they never sought him with any such meanes or came before him which is manifest thus A man hath offended his Prince for which he threatneth and menaceth him to execute or destroy him If he seek not to him at all by any outward means or come not to him when he is summoned it is but contumacy not contempt for he may doe it out of feare Now contempt and feare cannot stand together in one subject but if
the Apostle hath Hebr. 11.6 is here more if not without faith then not without knowledge Now what servant or child is it that obeyes and doth service to his father or master and knowes it is not acceptable and yet if he be told what way he may take to have it accepted will not so in this if there be any desire to please him labor not so much to doe as how to doe or to know what you doe and this not onely by siting at Gamaliels feet and hearing the Ministers but by reading the Scriptures and word of God your selves diligently and painfully Col. 3.16 for the Apostle so perswades Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome teaching and admonishing your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord not as Chrysost well saith that the word should be in you that is come as a stranger and stay for a night a season and gone againe but it must dwell in you and that not sparingly but copiously and abundantly Chrysost exhortation is not so necessary for these times and this audience to get them Bibles for they must have them in their hands and houses but to use their Bibles which most neglect Therefore as he de Lazaro Semper hortor hortari non desinam ut non hic tantum attendatis iis quae dicuntur verum etiam cum domi fueritis assiduè divinarū scripturarum lectioni vacetis Quod quidem iis qui privatim mecum ingressi sunt non desisto inculcare Chrysost Hom. 3. I againe and againe exhort you not only here to attend to the things that are spoken but when you are at home to read the Scriptures carefully which I use to presse upon them that are about me If this may prevaile a little more may that of Moses Deuter. 6.6 7 8. and that of Christ John 5.39 and the former of S. Paul But alas how may that complaint of Chrysostome be applyed Homil. 13. in John Quinostrūquaso repetit domi aliquid aut Christiana dignum opus aggreditur Quis Scripturarum sensus perscrutatur Nemo sane sed alveolos talos frequenter invenimus libros quam rarissimos Chrysost Who is it that when he comes home doth any thing worthy of a Christian who is it that seekes the meaning of the Scripture None at all we may ordinarily finde you at Tables or Dice but very seldome at your Bibles Doth not he describe many of our Christians and their familes and so that being without knowledge all they doe is unacceptable Let us labor then for this knowledge and be not Idols in the Church who have eyes and see not so much knowledge is required as there is capablenesse and meanes And if yee offer the lame Lame sacrifices forbidden signified the dislike that God had of such service as was done by halfes in body and not in minde è contra in hypocrisie for fashion and custome and such like Dorct Lame service which is done to God is unacceptable unto him whether it be done with the body without the heart or pretended to be done with the heart when the body goes another way when it is hypocriticall and dissembling or by parting or sharing with God it is abominable and not acceptable unto him therefore rejected he the lame sacrifices the ceremony leads to this substance the shaddow to this body 1 Kings 18.21 And Eliah came unto all the people and said how long halt yee between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be hee then goe after him And the people answered him not a word This God complained of Isaiah 29.13 Jer. 12.2 Ezek. 33.31 Act. 4.36 with 5.1 2. Math. 6.2 5. Reas 1 Because all and the whole is his both body and soule by his three-fold right of creation redemption and preservation or gubernation therefore he will have all or nothing can be accepted of him Reas 2 Because this is to make a false God of him for it is a position full of truth that a true God as hee will not be worshipped with fained and counterfeit worship so not with partiall worship but he will have all or none whereas false gods will be content so they may have but a share But the true God is like the true Mother 1 King 3.26 will not have it divided Vse 1 This condemneth all presenting of the body before an Idoll or in Idols service under pretence of keeping the heart to God whether it be done by feare fancy or for profit and gaine This is to offer up a lame sacrifice to God such as he abhorres it is without any president or precept in the Scriptures nay the Commandements precepts lawes admonitions judgments of the Law and Prophets of the Old and new Testament are all against it commanding to fly Idols and Idolatry The companions of Daniel chose rather to bee cast into the fiery fornace then to bow to the Kings Idol The mother in the Maccabees and her children embraced death rather then they would eate swines flesh contrary to the law of God Infinite are the Martyrs of all times who have couragiously embraced death before they would doe any such thing who had been all very unwise and fooles if this would have served and God would have accepted such lame sacrifice Object But for all this a man may goe to masse and such superstitions may he not Answ No more to the one then to the other for this is the greatest Idol in the world and for it more abominable Idolaters are the Papists then any other for never any worshipped the thing it selfe as they doe the breaden God and the crosse but they worshipped God at it and in it as their old distinction hath been Object But we goe to make us abhorre it when we see their follie and vanity Answ This were as if a man should goe into a harlots house or stews under pretence to see and to abhorre whom shall he make beleeve that is his end if it were apparent yet what madnesse were it for a man to lay himselfe open to bee taken with such a danger He presumes of his strength nay he provokes God to take his strength from him and to let him fall into it as in Peter This is not the way to abhorre it But as he that would abhorre uncleanenesse or drunkennesse must not take that course to go to stewes or to frequent tavernes for that is to make him more in love with them but must labor for a chaste and sober heart and that will make him abhorre it so here for a religious and holy heart for it is not the seeing of evill that makes men abhorre it but the seeing of good If men labor for true grace they shall easily abhore sinne and in this as in all others evill must not be done that good may come Nay though never so much good would ensue yet when God
will inflict much evill upon them and punish them with all kind and variety of curses As here so 2 Chron. 7.13 Deut. 28.16 60 61. This he shewed in Ely 1 Sam. 2.8 c. and 2. 12 13. In David 2 Sam. 7. In Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.30 The tryalls of Job shew what he can doe when he will punish Reas 1 Because in blessing he can deale thus not onely take away the evill but showre downe many blessings upon them so in cursing for these are the two armes of God his mercy and justice neither is shorter nor longer than the other unlesse he be unperfect these are his treasures or he hath treasures of both neither fuller nor emptier than the other Reas 2 Because he is a true God and so infinite in all things he is not as the false gods of the Heathen who had little even their great god Jupiter who they thought would be soone drawne dry if he should punish much and many if send abroad apace his revenging arrows his quiver would be empty not so with God whose mercy is a treasure inexhaustible so his justice not as the Sea but as the fire the Sunne Chrysost Reas 3 Because it more manifests his displeasure and men are more sensible of it to be humbled by it either in truth or hypocrisie Vse 1 To stand in awe and feare God to feare to displease or provoke him who cannot onely take from us that we have but bring the contrary upon us many and strange and grievous plagues Men we feare and avoid to provoke them when they are of power and yet often we hold them at defiance because we know their worst is but to take our place livings credit or liberty from us at the worst but our lives and can then not hurt us but God can goe further not onely deprive us of that we have and all that is deare to us and take away life but lay crosses infinite upon us in this life and the life to come If men much more he is to be feared Matth. 10.28 if Jacob was affraid of Isaacs curse Gen. 22.12 much more of Gods being reall things and not verball for so is mans onely he is but the mouth of God and sure they are they will light where he will lay them Vse 2 To instruct every man who finds Gods judgments that he is deprived of any good thing he hath to humble himselfe and seeke to God and search his owne wayes that he may turne unto him lest he bring curses upon him for as it is both just and usuall with God when men profit not by the lesse judgment to bring greater as a father when his sonne bowes not with a twigge to beate him with a greater rod so it is when men turne not to him by his private judgments to bring positive curses upon them as Princes who first withdraw their favours from Traytors confiscate their goods restraine their liberty and after lay upon them some fearefull punishment Hath God then taken any thing from thee that thou hast or that was beloved of thee as thy goods children or any such thing thinke seriously of it and impute it not to secondary causes though they may be greatly faulty but looke unto the Lord and turne unto him thinke not to make it good againe or recover thy selfe but thinke of the other curses God hath threatened and know these must come if the other doe not reforme thee yea though he love thee Physitians that desire the health of their patient if they can will happily recover it by injoyning them abstinence and fasting and a strict dyet if not they will to purging bleeding and such like so with God much more if he hate thee Vse 3 If thou be freed from any curse be not secure he hath variety of curses The contempt of his worship he hath threatened with the deprivation of it the taking of it way now it may be thought this would not much trouble them who thought it a wearinesse and could happily be content with it and in their corruption account it a blessing he therefore threateneth the punishng of it with positive curses and plagues Doctr. The contempt and corruption of Gods worship the means of it as of the Word and Sacraments and such like sacrifice and Prayer the Lord will sometime punish with the taking of it away and sometime with it and other fearfull curses and plagues both spirituall temporall which as it is here threatened so was it performed to this people who are now not only without the meanes of his worship but are under many fearefull judgments as any Nation in the world It is that was threatened Deuter. 28.47 48. 2 Chro. 36.16 17. Math. 21.41 1 Cor. 11.30 2 Thessal 2.11 12. 1 Sam. 2. Elies sonnes Acts 20.9 Eutychus Reas 1 Because most men finde no judgment in it at all to be deprived of that they love not as they account that no blessing to have that they delight not in and so as in this they will never be drawn to see the mercy and favor of God so not in that his justice and displeasure that they might come to the sight of their sins when as then those judgements open the eyes of their minde the better and cleare their spirituall sight the Lord doth it more to torment them and affect them Reas 2 Because these being most sensible men are by them usually made more carefull of his service either in hypocrisie as Ahab and Saul and others or in truth as Manasses Vse 1 This may teach us a point which few men have thought of but many have felt it the cause why God hath so afflicted us with with the plague and pestilence his curses have been upon us many have happily thought of many sinnes of their owne and others but few have thought of this sinne that therefore it was because the word was contemned amongst us and his worship corrupted by us such wearinesse in his service such great shews and nothing indeed such offering of sick lame and blind unto the Lord such offering of corrupt things unto him If this bee true that such are accursed of God then the other must needs be certaine The Philistims had the Arke of Gods presence 1 Sam. 5. But because they used not it as they ought therefore verse 6. they were smitten so had the men of Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6. but because they used not it as they ought therefore the Lord slew among them fiftie thousand threescore and ten men verse 19. The Gospell the meanes of his worship as the Arke of his presence hath been amongst us but we have not used it well therefore hath the hand of God been heavy upon us as upon the Philistims the number the Lord hath slaine hath surmounted the number of them of Bethshemesh If it were just upon them it is so upon us And though this be removed yet we cannot but feare that the curses of God hang over our heads
it encreaseth sin b 147 Liberality of Idolaters b 213 214 Long life a blessing b 29 30 Love the causes of it b 77 Love of God to his Church a 19 M Magistrates when they neglect to punish God will do it b 94. How they are to give judgement b 185 186 how to be obeyed a 63 82 Maintenance of Ministers b 215 216 221 224 225 226 227 232 233. What it is b 216 218. How necessary b 227 228. A blessing to such as maintaine them b 231 232 Marriage how children to submit to their parents in it a 69 God is the witnesse of marriage b 115. The description of marriage b 121 122. The author of it b 132. The end of it b 133 Marriage with contrary religion b 90 91 92. Vnfaithfullnesse in marriage is sinne against God b 112 Married persons their duty b 120 Masse whether one may be present at it a 157 Meditation of the word b 7 Mercy of God only keeps off judgements b 203 204 Mighty men cannot withstand God b 273 Mincha what it signifies a 199 Ministers must put difference between godly and wicked a 129 130. They sinne if censure not the wicked a 132. Contempt of Gods Ministers and his worship goe together a 214. Best Ministers most contemned a 216 They must apply doctrine b 2 3 what their care must be concerning Gods worship b 8 9. A speciall Covenant is made with them b 24 25. They deliver whole truth b 39 they must not corrupt the word b 41 they must be holy b 42. They must preach so as to convert men b 45 they ought to be learned in the Scriptures b 48 It is a great corruption when they occasion men to sinne b 67 when they are contemned and hated justly b 70 71 what they are then to doe b 74 they are Gods Messengers b 166 to defraud them of their maintenance is sacriledge b 215 216 219 220 221 225. Ministery of man ordinarily used by God a 12 13. How to be esteemed a 13 14. None may take it upon him without a calling b 26. The efficacy of the Ministry b 291. N Nature teaches not to wrong any b 79. O Obedience due to God in all things b 4 5. How far due to parents a 62 63 64 66. How far due to Masters a 80 81 82. How far due to Magistrates a 63 82. Old men their duty b 30. Omission of duties b 208. 209. Oppression God not pleased with sacrifices of it a 222 224 225. Oppressors not heard of God b 110 Originall sin b 126 280. P Papists plea of bounty b 214 Parents to take care of childrens soules b 127 128. Passion a 25. Patience under affliction a 4 5. Patience in injuries b 108 109. Peace only to the upright b 45. People of God may be punished a 8 9 10. Their priviledges a 27. Person must be accepted before his praiers are a 189. Perfection whether in this life b 14. Perfididiousnesse a great sin b 82 83 Piety brings prosperity b 250. Plenty promised to the obedient b 31. promist to paiers of tithes b 231 232 233 Polygamie b 122 129 130. Popes may and have erred b 61 62 their Church robbing b 228. Portion how children to submit in that a 67. Poverty of Ministers b 226 227. Power of God a 37. Praise God to be praised for deliverances a 55. Praier not heard how great a judgement a 169 170. When the season of praier a 170. How we must pray a 172. What to pray for a 173. Praier to Saints departed a 175. Praiers of wicked not profitable a 178. Where to pray a 197 198. All need the praiers of others a 174. Praiers of Gods people accepted b 181 182. Preferring man before God how hainous a 160 163. Preist how the word used a 203. Professors their sin most hainous a 210. Prophanesse of heart how knowne a 145. Prophets 3. sorts a 12. Christ our prophet b 172 173 Prosperity b 158 159. Prosperity promist to piety b 250. No note of true Church b 241 242. Providence of God not to be questioned b 160. To deny it is pride against God b 244 245. Whence it is that men doubt of it b 247 248. Gods providence and protection a bond of service a 105. Publicke worship to be attended b 52 53. Punishment Gods owne people punisht a 8 wicked oft doe escape unpunished long b 256. Purgagatory b 178 179 235 R. Redemption of the elect b 277 Regenerate their workes holy a 205 Reigning sinne what b 278 Religion teaches to do no wrong b 80 81 Remembrance God remembers our waies b 262 Repentance onely removes judgements b 6 210 211 Reproofe a 133 134 Revenge the desire of it a 49 Reward to obedience b 33 Riches the way to attaine them b 32 234 whether fit for Ministers b 226 227 Wicked oft encrease in riches b 254 255 Righteousnesse cannot be without religion b 268 269 Righteousnesse inherent b 276 S. Sacraments their efficacy a 142 the Ministers of them b 28 Sacrifices of N. Test a 144 what Sacrifices required of Christians a 202 Sacriledge b 212 215 219 220 221 239 240 Sanctification of Gods elect b 275 276 Scoffing speeches whether lawfull a 167 Sencelessenesse under judgements a 3 4 Separation may not be from a Church for the abuses of it a 177 180 Servants their duty a 76 78 83 86 89 Service of God must be with best a 150 183 Sicke service a 159 T. Temple people not bound to it in prayer a 197 Tempting of God what b. 230 231 Tithes whether still in force b 216. 217. 218. Thoughts are known to God a 138 Toleration of Papists a 179 Truth all of it to be delivered b 39 V. Virginity how to be esteemed of b 136 Vowes to be observed a 234 235 Vsury b 85 W. Wages of hirelings not to be detained b 195 Wards the abuse b 198 199 Watchfulnesse required of us b 260 Widowes not to be opprest b 196 197 Wicked though flourish shall be destroyed b 272 273 Wife is husbands companion b 117 choice a of wife b 144 145 Witches not to be sought unto b 189 190 Word of God how to be preacht a 6 7. How to be heard a 7 must be applyed b 2 3. must be all delivered b 39. it must be heard publikely b 51 52. It must be sought after b 54 55 All things are good or evill as they are with or against the word b 84. Wicked not able to abide the preaching of it b 174 Workes no cause of justification a 189 Worship of God must be holy a 127 Where that is abused God is abused a 138 Worship of God removed for contempt a 229 Worship of God furthered by maintainance of Ministry b 227 228 Wrath of God a 44 45 Z. Zeale a 159 FINIS AN EXERCITATION VPON THE PROPHECIE OF MALACHY Wherein The Context is illustrate by a cleare Analyse The originall Text is examined Most translations extant are conferred The