of the children of Ammon 8. Who from that yeere vexed and oppressed the children of Israel eighteene yeeres euen all the children of Israel that were beyond Iorden in the land of the Ammorites which is in Gilead 9. Moreouer the children of Ammon went ouer Iorden to fight against Iudah and against Beniamin and against the house of Ephraim so that Israel was sore tormented 10. Then the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord saying Wee haue sinned against thee euen because wee haue forsaken our owne God and haue serued Baalim NOw followeth a new reuolt of the people of Israel and this is handled to the 17. verse wherein the things to bee considered are these to wit a double repairing and returning by them to God when hee afflicted them by their enemies for their sin in forsaking him In their first seeking to him they had the repulse for their repentance was not sound In the second God deliuered them they seeking to him in repentance In the former note these foure things First their sinne which was a ioyning to the nations among whom they dwelt and this in the sixth verse The second is Gods punishing them euen by those whom they ioyned with in Idolatrie which is snewed in the next three verses The third point is their crying to God and lastly the fruite thereof in the tenth verse and so forward The fruite was diuers for first God denied to deliuer them to the fifteenth verse But at the second crying of the people to God hee deliuered them which is set downe in the next two verses vnto the seuenteenth Now let these things be looked into more particularly To returne therefore to the sixth verse and to begin with the peoples sinne it is said after the death of these two Iudges in whose daies they had enioyed peace fiue and fortie yeeres that the people fell againe to prouoke God as wee haue heard their fathers did And how by committing Idolatrie after the manner of the seuen nations that are here mentioned For both that was liking to the flesh and besides they thought those nations that did so liued in more abundance and in more pleasure then themselues did for many delights to tickle the flesh forward they adioyned to their false worship to draw away their hearts from seruing the true God aright whom it is said here that they forsooke Thus much for the summe of this verse and therein of their sinne And here are diuers things to be considered First it teacheth that we should not greatly marueile that so many in this our age giue themselues to Popish religion seeing Idolatrie hath in most ages been so common by reason that it hath so many player-like toyes and bables of sights to bleare the eye and sonets to deceiue the eare that it maketh them thinke they be in a peece of paradise while they embrace and are made drunke with such fond conceits when indeed they be thereby caried as it were fast asleepe to hell There is nothing that moueth or delighteth them in all the word of God rightly vnderstood but only blind deuotion in their false religion wherein they haue been nuzled vp and then a fond and fantasticall conceit that they shall goe to heauen thereby As for the authoritie and warrant of their Masse and other trumperie in the beginning of the world nay in our Sauiour Christs time and many hundred yeeres after there was no shred nor ragge of it vsed or knowne especially to any such end whereas the true seruing of God was alwaies as now it is euen from the beginning And how prone people are to worship God with ease for so farre they like whether it be sound and true or counterfeit it may be seene not onely in Poperie which is coyned for the purpose to deceiue the simple with strong delusions but also in our religion which for the outward manner of it is holy pure and good and consisteth in hearing prayer and the vse of the Sacraments for the substance thereof And yet many of them who allow it as the true manner of worshipping God what doe they for the most part but draw neere to God with their bodies but their hearts are farre from him As if they would say they would gladly goe to heauen but they would haue an easie way thither but to serue God in spirit and truth which is the direct way thither they cannot bend themselues thereto whereas there is as great delight in the worshipping of God aright and that by the Lords allowance and promise which in the two former kindes of popish and the other of only outward worship are wanting as great delight I say and as sound in true performing it so farre as fraile flesh may attaine to as there is reward promised thereto which is vnutterable In this verse also may bee seene what fruite this people yeelded to the Lord of their long enioyed peace euen as wee haue seene their fathers did and that was how they fell to lasciuiousnes and forgetting of God a sufficient watch-word whereof they had giuen them before by Moses Now for the laying out of this sinne both in them and our selues how fearefull and great it is let vs onely consider of it thus Seeing this point hath been largely handled already if the diseased person pained with the stone or strangury or the famished and hee that is in penury or the man that is in exile and banishment if these I say might be set free from that which oppresseth them what would they not readily offer and couenant to doe in the seruice of God yea and that much more feruently then other men Therefore how grieuous is their sin let all men iudge who may in health in wealth at ease and in outward peace doe this I meane serue the Lord which is the thing that he requireth of them and yet they can by no means be brought to it But this I leaue to be further considered as euery one shal see cause But more particularly in that it is said they forsooke the Lord it may be marueiled at that they should forsake him whom they had loued and serued before But by this we may see what force there is in sinne to besot and make drunken them who giue ouer themselues thereto be it whoredome the loue of the world or any other For it is able to bereaue them of sound reason to turne away their delight from prayer and all good practise and to forget the ioy that they had in both sometimes and yet to blindfold them so that they shall not suspect any danger to be toward them for al this while they may merrily serue their humour therein Sampson and other went farre this way And let the best of vs feare lest we be carried away of our lusts to loue and like where wee ought not and tempt we not God but let vs resist the beginnings of euill wee know little what
before men are fitted and framed to heare the Lord speake vnto them but being bitten with sorrow they are glad to cling to him But alas what commeth of the most of these his corrections and sharp dealings with such Nay for that I can say no more but this that the most of them doe but bow for the time as a bulrush with the winde their goodnesse being as the morning dew and so it goeth away and they cry out onely while the rod is held ouer them and afterward they returne againe to their old byas And so did these heere and so doe many seeke the Lord for a time and yet turne aside againe as a broken bow But if such as be thus cast downe as these were when God afflicteth them so that one would think they would neuer lift vp their bristles against him any more if these I say doe yet waxe bold and kicke vp their heele against him what shall we thinke of them who relent not at all for their euill doings no nor for Gods heauie hand vpon them but harden their harts as the dog which biteth the staffe that beateth them What then yee will aske is to bee done if groning vnder mens burthens of sinne and punishment haue no good effect All the remedy heere is this that men in such cases finding out their sins doe also seriously consider of the foulenesse of them and the woe that they bring with them and so tread them also vnder their feet and beleeue better things to bee comming from God toward them euen mercy and forgiuenesse which onely are able to crush their sinnes in peeces afterwards as well as to make them kindly and truly acknowledged and cried out of while the smart taketh hold of them This be noted of their groning Now behold what the Lord did when they did thus complaine and cry out he had compassion on them and raised them vp Iudges that should deliuer them out of the hands of their oppressors and spoilers and he did so and was with them and it repented him that he had so suffered them to be oppressed He doth oft as he did to Ahab pitty sinners when they smarting for their faults cry out of them but he doth not receiue them to mercy except they truly forsake them which I say for our instruction that wee may know that the Lord is easily to be entreated of vs waiting indeed our repentance And when we do but giue signes of disliking our sinnes for the time he stayeth his heauie hand from pursuing vs what would hee doe thinke we if we came home to him with all our hearts But so we must know on the other side that hee in so dealing with vs heapeth hot coles vpon our heads add maketh vs vnexcuseable when wee hauing such faire encouragement at his hands shall yet keepe a loofe from him and shew vnfaithfulnes when we haue made couenants with him of amendment But heere commeth in their misery as in this verse is to bee seene that when he did all this to them that heere is set downe yet for all his pitying them and shewing so great kindnesse toward them yet their Iudges who called them from Idolatry were not heard nor regarded of them They considered not what a benefit it was to enioy such although they cried in the anguish of heart for helpe in trouble Now in that this was a common thing with them after their deliuerances thus vnthankfully to deale with the Lord in not obeying their Iudges for so they are charged heere to haue done and in the chapters following is to be seene that they did so by this briefly let vs learne that men are rarely the better for their deliuerances out of their troubles howsoeuer they crie to God in the middest of them Whereas a man would thinke it should be the thing most regarded of them and they should be oft in considering both how irkesome and vncomfortable it was to them when they lay in affliction as in paine of body by sicknesse or disease or in pursuit by enemies or in any other distresse also what a gracious liberty it was and what ease to them when they were deliuered yea and with all this they should yeeld rare thankesgiuing to God for the same especially seeing it is the end of all deliuerance euen the greatest and withall this that we may serue the Lord euer after without feare Againe another thing is not to bee omitted in this verse that in stead of hearkening to and obeying God and their Iudges they fell againe directly to Idolatry and so forsooke the God of their fathers and most brutishly bowed themselues to their Idols which were but blocks and could doe nothing for them A deceiueable pleasure they tooke therein as mans nature is very prone to serue God after a grosse and false manner yea and the holy story sheweth that they did quickly fall to this and turne out of the way to teach vs how soone a well ordered course and good things are forgotten and laid aside This as it may bee obserued in this people that they soone waxed wearie of their good beginnings so also it is apparant in others that come after them who though they haue good example before their eyes to goe before them therein yet they are soone carried another way especially when the chiefe persons are gone who delighted in well doing And yet further to lay out their sinne it is set forth by an apt and fit similitude of fornication euen as holinesse to God is in the Scripture oft times compared to chastnesse in marriage For as the whoremonger is drunken and besotted with his lewd companions so that he can regard no counsell neither can see it to be his discredit to be linked in with such an one neither is moued with the wasting of his goods which is caused thereby euen so the spirituall whoremonger which is the Idolater is as blind as his Idoll and cannot bee disswaded from it but an Image and Crucifix ouerswayeth him when the worshipping of God in spirit and truth is tedious and vtterly vnsauoury to him The reason of all this which I haue said of him and of all such at this day who aggrauate their sin in the like manner is this that men regard nothing but their ease vain pleasure haue no consciences to performe their promises vowes made to God in the time of their affliction Againe they being either void of faith vtterly or hauing receiued some small measure of it and being slow negligent in the meanes vsing daily and duly whereby it should be confirmed they hauing also others to ioyne keepe company with them in doing as they do it easily commeth to passe that they so soone decline and their promise which they made to God of repentance doth vanish like the sparkles THE SIXTEENTH SERMON VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 19. 20. 21. VERS 19. Yet when the
feare that God doth not marke vs for his enemies Which miserable condition the vnbeleeuers are alwaies in vnlesse they be hardened which is far worse as I said before for if his anger be kindled but a little as it is euer toward them a great deale happie are they that feare him I would not therefore bee a bad person if there were any way to shun it euen for this cause whereas yet all the terrors heere are but a glimps of those that follow afterwards And contrarily why should not the godly be content to beare some hardnesse heere seeing they are freed from the greatest terrours if they know their liberties both heere and heereafter But somewhat like this I spake of in Eglons example before Now I should proceed to speake of Barak hauing begun with Debora and said of her that which is occasioned by the text but I should haue no time thereto in this sermon therefore an end heere THE TWENTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WE haue heard of Deboras message to Barak in the two former verses Now followeth Baraks answere to her message in this eighth verse If saith hee thou wilt goe with me I will goe else not This answere of his seemes to yeeld little to Gods commandement sent to him by Deboras ministery neither to ascribe any thing to Gods promise and therefore shewes how he profited not by those two strong peswasions to leade to duty mentioned before but proues that hee ascribed more to her presence then to Gods promise which what could it be lesse then a great blemish in him as may bee seene by his amending his fault afterwards Whose faith is so highly renouned among the worthies in the epistle to the Hebrues Beside she was offended with him for his so answering and therefore it was doubtlesse infidelity in him If it bee asked why then is hee afterward so highly commended for his faith I answere that when the message came first to him the thing enioyned him from God by Deboras message seemed to be most full of difficulty For he was commanded to make commotion and to rebell against him that was King ouer them to wit this Iabin who was very great and mighty he was also charged to gather an armie of men together though hee was but a priuate man himselfe These things therefore for him to take in hand and that against such a fierce and strong captaine as Sisera was it made him afraid to set vpon such a worke and especially while he was vnexperienced in so great a triall and difficulty and this was the cause why hee could not beleeue except shee went with him that God would deliuer him with his men of warre into his hand But afterward weighing better the commandement of God and his promise God by his spirit assisting him hee beleeued the words of Debora and obeyed and so obtained the victory by faith as it is said in the forementioned place to the Hebrues And how vsually this falleth out and commeth to passe euen to the godly that at the first they doe stagger and doubt and beleeue not by and by and that through the strong reliques of the old Adam there is no man of God but hath proofe and yet for all that afterward they being strengthened by the spirit of God recouer themselues againe and beleeue confidently This is apparent in Dauid euen after he had beleeued saying O Lord wash mee throughly cleanse me for I am wholly filthy And againe Create in me a new spirit as if the old had been vtterly lost Also in Moses when he was first commanded to goe to Pharaoh how fearefull he was at the hearing of the message and how hee shrunke backe but afterward how boldly did he execute the same and deliuer it vnto him Euen so the best of vs when we heare of the death of our deare friends or of great losses that are befallen vs also at the beginning of great sicknesse and paine arresting vs oh how doe we faint and distrust that we shall neuer submit our selues and yeeld obediently to them though God command vs straitly to doe so while we cast both our eyes on the burthen and crosse that is on the the things that are seene as the Apostle speaketh and while wee are not yet come to our selues to looke vp to God with confidence and to things not seene but eternall But when we weigh how they come from him that loueth vs and therefore cannot intend our hurt we then submit our selues to God and stay vpon him for grace to go vnder all and waite patiently for a good issue And because our hearts arise oft times against our brethren when we see these weakenesses in them and begin to iudge and thinke too hardly of them for the same the Lord therefore letteth vs sometimes see the same or other such in our selues that so wee may learne to beare with the infirmities of them And when wee haue experience of this it causeth vs to bewaile tenderly the weaknesses that we see in our brethren and with the spirit of meeknesse helpe to hold them vp rather then by and by to censure them ouer sharply for the same And it is to be deepely bewailed to see how farre off many are from duty in this behalfe though otherwise religious and such as loue the truth frō their herts are ouercome with deadly cōceits against their brethrē when they see they haue fallen by infirmity are strongly incensed against them leaue thē to themselues neuer telling them of it kindly as if they see thē ouercome of impatience teastinesse anger or if their zeale feruency in seruing God be slaked abated or that they be offensiuely taken vp of and carried away with the world These and the like I confesse are rust causes to raise griefe in vs and are much to be disliked of vs when we espy them in such as be well thought of by vs and they are blemishes in them not to be borne with or allowed but yet for all that when wee shall see such things in them wee must beware that wee censure them not too hardly for who hath giuen vs authority to iudge them crying out vncharitably that there is no religion in them For though it cannot bee denied but that the diuell hath by watching his opportunitie got aduantage ouer them yet they being not vntractable but only deceiued in their so offending and yet in other parts of their liues they holding their care to please God and labouring to keepe a good conscience we must not for some one such weaknes fall by and by to such hard iudging of them and to depart from them which is vtterly against charitie and dutie but to think that there being so many snares to intangle men it may easily enough be so with them as wee may see it to be with our selues if we be not blinded with
and the manner brutish They want and would haue to defray the hard world or to bestow vpon their lusts and to maintaine themselues in pride of life but neither worke they because they thinke it is a sin to be idle nor because they looke for any other fruite of their labour saue the bringing in of the peny They see not whose commandement it is that they should labour Genes 3. therefore they goe through it with vexation discontentment distrust endlesse carking and tying God to their girdle to giue what successe they desire which if they get they take it for granted that he loueth them if not they storme To the impure all things are impure and so are their callings they doe the workes of them commonly not to shunne noysome lusts temptation and the fruites of sloth nor to serue Gods prouidence neither to sharpen and fit themselues thereby to religious exercises and to good duties nor to auoide offensiue burthening of others nor to doe good and relieue them that want c. and so to obey God in all nay to speake the truth when they are in their shops at markets in their fields they are far from setting God before their eyes much lesse doe they beleeue that God is with them there to blesse them in their worke as well as when they are occupied in duties meerely religious Sinister ends and causes doe compell the most to yeeld some obedience to Gods commandement but doubtlesse if all were now men of worth and might liue of themselues we should haue few workers As we see by their words saying Oh such a man is happie Why because he need not worke nor toyle as we doe but liue easily and enioy the world at will And by this they bewray that they could bee content to doe so too if necessitie vrged them not to doe otherwise Therefore their labour is as displeasing to God as their idlenesse in a manner as they vse it A wofull thing ans not without the curse of God vpon such as will not learne a better direction that whereas some goe about their worke in faith beleeuing that because they are Gods beloued therefore God will giue them rest blessing and successe others rise earely sit vp late drudge and droile eate the bread of care and drinke the water of affliction yet either they thriue not or at least they are as much to seeke of soule-prouision I meane grace and hope of saluation at the end of their wearisome life as at the beginning whereas it shoud haue been their first work after they came to yeeres of discretion Which should teach vs wisedome and not to giue God a short and formal pittance of seruice when we be at Church on the Sabbath but seeing that great worke is to seeke with the most therefore to giue all their diligence thereto that is to make their saluation sure that all the sixe daies we may wholly giue vp our selues to other affaires without so much as minding God or godlinesse For the Lord will haue vs serue him religiously as well in actions ciuill not religious of their owne nature as holy and this is the scope of his third Commandement which tieth the seruice of God to euery part of our liues in our common course of liuing as well as the second doth to religious duties and therefore must be extended to our particuler callings as being the greatest part of our time and wherein our liues are most taken vp But I will proceede in the next Sermon and here an end Now to proceed where I left THE THIRTIE EIGHT SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WHile Gedeon was thus hard at worke and labouring the Angell came and spake comfortably vnto him as if he had bin praying or in the like exercise and not to terrifie him To teach vs that our businesse and works of our callings are no lets to vs frō hauing cōmunion and fellowship with God neither doe hinder his presence and comfortable being with vs. And the same may be said of our callings themselues ordained by him bee they meane and base or waightie Therefore the Lord was with Iacob in his iourney and in the way when hee was going from his brother Esaus wrath and rage And so hee made the Gospell effectuall in Lydia by Pauls preaching she being then a seller of purple and rich and not yet truly conuerted to God And the Lord blessed the two tribes in their calling and habitation saying Reioyce Zebulon in thy goings out that is in thy prosperous voiages on the seas and thou Ishachar in thy dwelling in tents meaning in thy quiet keeping at home about thy traffique and businesse And by this which I haue said let vs marke that if it be not long of our selues our lawfull callings and businesse are no hindrances of vs from the seruing of God holily and religiously as some thinke they be but that from them we may goe to prayer or the like exercise in good manner euen as wee may from these to them Although I may truly say this that for not well learning it few can ioyne these wisely and rightly together because their affections and delights are set too egerly towards that which sauers of the earth and of gaine which is the cause that measure is not commonly kept therin Dauid saying that he had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tents of the vngodly which he would not haue said if mens attendance vpon the basest worke in their lawful callings had been an hindrance to them from Gods seruice may by his words stay and comfort many weake Christians who thinke that they are much letted from the duties of godlinesse euen by the very vsing of their callings because they be not spirituall as prayer and the like exercises are But to end this let the vse of that which hath been said be thus much vnto vs that wee euer labour to be so innocent well gouerned in al our earthly businesse and workes of our calling that we may not driue the Lord from vs but haue him alwaies with vs by the spirit of truth direction and comfort as we haue heard he hath been with other and was here with Gedeon in their earthly affaires for that is the vsing of them aright and in their kinde The next thing in this verse is this that though the Lord sent his Angell to Gedeon for his owne reliefe and comfort and also the peoples yet wee see this was not done till they were brought neere to extremitie all helpe of man was past and they had no other refuge vnder God but to prouide for themselues by flying from their dwellings to saue their liues As for example Gedeon whose father was in some authoritie and therefore none of the poorest yet was at this point euen thrashing a little corne by the aide and nourishment wherof he and his might flie from the
curtesie to Abner as Zibas fidelitie to Mephibosheth It is an equall ornament to a christian say they what they can that mislike the olde fashion to be a plaine dealing and a plaine spoken man for both argue he is a plaine hearted man He that carieth with him an heart and an heart carieth about him a tongue and a tongue an hand and an hand all double and dissembling all abominable to the Lord as Salomon faith For though the clouen footed beast was cleaner then the whole-houed yet the clouen hearted and clouen tongued man is more vncleane to him then the single heart and the vniforme tongue In which respect the Iewes were brought vp to hate doublenesse and falsehood by the forbidden types of Plowing with two kindes of beasts wearing two kindes of stuffe and sowing two kindes of graine to wit at the same plough in the same garment and in the same field But wee at this day haue both abrogated ceremony and substance too for the most part and though as in other points so in this we hold that generally the equitie of morall commandements is eternall yet in particular this plaine hearted and faithfull communicating and dealing of men together is abolished as if it had been a meere ceremony True it is men haue not quite forgotten ceremonies in this dutie but their new found ceremonies haue eaten vp the old substance sheere euen as the leane kine deuoured the fatte in Pharoahs dreame I meane this the affected apish or complementall speeches of the most men haue quite consumed the trueth simplicitie and honestie of the heart that should bee found among them I mislike not seemely and courteous speech if it carrie with it the colour and temper of the heart but I meane that which Salomon speakes of in the Prouerbs when the words are soft as butter and oyle sweete as honey but the heart is sharpe as a sword and bitter as wormewood and hath seuen abominations in it Indeed I confesse all haue not in them this cursed habit it commonly being the cloake of the malicious and politique whom a man may for the most part vnderstand to meane contrarily to that they speake but it is also a vanitie and affectation of many others to bee more full of shewes and courteousnesse then to intend friendship or goodwill Be it of malice or of vanitie it is naught if of the former diuelish if of the latter frothie and superfluous Sinnes stay not alway in the Court they come downe also into the countrey wherein many men are so hollow that their consciences tell them they deserue to be hollowly dealt with they haue vsed vndermining questions to others and so they haue answers as sinister indirect and forked So that now adaies if a man would haue a plaine answere from another he is saine to vse some slight or wile to get it out for if he speake plainly the other hath so many casts and conceits in his mind that he feares aduantage will be taken some way against him which can be no lesse then a token of a bad conscience If it be a matter that wee would communicate for redresse of any euill in towne familie or person we know not how to breake one with another about it the meaner to his better especially but if wee doe a slender regard shall be had of it Euen so in friendly meetings at table when we haue apparant cause offered of thankes by Gods benefits yet euen there it is harsh to heare any words sauouring of religion or tending to edification although giuing of thanks is the speech with which our table should by the Apostles commandement be seasoned but if there be not some to crosse them that offer occasion of such speech yet shall ye haue the most part winding away from seconding or giuing liking of it into other needlesse worldly or frothie speech euery one as he delighteth to talke And as our speech to men is many waies to be charged so is our commoning with God seldome and when wee haue any full of coldnes loosenes and wandring Manoah vnderstanding the man of God in that hee had said to his wife and seeing that she had rightly related the matter to him for the message which this man of God had done to his wife before and she had reported to him agreed with his second rehearsall thereof in all points hee resteth in that they say for so he answereth Be it as thou hast said or thus I beleeue it shall so come to passe although to manward it seemeth not likely So whē wee haue receiued any message from God and by examining and comparing one scripture with another for the confirming of vs therein we haue proofe what the will of God is which we were in some doubt of before we ought to cease discoursing and though wee were held in suspence as Peter was at the vision till we were resolued yet now wee should without contradiction or difficultie receiue it from God yeeld to it and rest in it Euen as before we know it we were according to the occasion offered vs to doe as Manoah did being vnresolued that is trie the spirit whether it be of God or no and to pray God to reueale it to vs and therefore as our Sauiour speaketh to search the Scriptures for further knowledge therein according to the example of the Beraeans who tried all things holding themselues to the truth as the Apostle counselleth the Thessalonians to doe We see that all naturall motions tend to a rest and quietnes wherein the perfection and end of the thing so moued consisteth And he that runneth a race attaineth not his purpose till he haue reached to the end of his course and then he resteth And because I am come by occasion of Manoahs resting in that particular which he sought and haue shewed that we also ought to doe the like I will say something of that which we ought to rest in after a more generall manner My meaning is this A Christians perfection and end which shall hereafter be full in the blessed rest of glorie the Sabbath of the Saints is begun euen in this life and that is when the minde soule and whole man is at rest that is enioyeth feeleth and possesseth that for which they much trauailed and tooke paines The rest of the minde is actuall resolution and certaintie of the truth against errour and doubting and this is the fruite of seeking knowledge The rest of the soule is perswasion and assurance of Gods fauour and his alsufficiencie being reconciled vnto vs and this is the fruite of seeking faith The rest of the whole man is his inward setlednesse being the fruites of faith repentance and sanctification and this is the end of seeking encrease and growth in grace Now because all these are but imperfect in vs here for we know beleeue and grow but in measure therefore we must seeke still to know beleeue
The Angel that resolued there should be no yeelding of gratuitie to him for which cause Manoah asked his name hee did not tell him and yet who can deny but Manoah asked it vpon good consideration namely that hee might shew himselfe thankfull to him as he thought himselfe bound to be Wherein he gaue cleere testimonie of his honest and single heart in desiring to take the opportunitie thereof vnto him afterwards for the kindnesse that was offered him Which is a necessarie duty though it be not regarded nor looked for of them to whom it is due But of this before Now that the Angell did shew as we see in this verse what hee was by deeds rather then by words he hath not onely left vs his example but also confirmed vs in that the Scripture teacheth both Minister and people concerning that matter And first of the former who being a publike messenger of God is called an Angel my meaning is not that the Minister is liable to euery ianglers censure for his allowance of him or for his sufficiencie But let him get this Seale of his Ministerie which here the Angell bringeth out to wit the efficacie of working I meane both a powerfull teaching and a powerfull example and these shall be his iudges By these they must iudge of him who are able to iudge and they who iudge by any other rule are ignorant or malicious and therefore disabled to iudge And the best Ministers that euer were neuer refused this Canon of doctrine and life to be examined by Neither our Sauiour nor the Apostle Paul euer arrogated to themselues such libertie as to be receiued the one for true Messiah the other for a true Apostle vpon their bare word It might haue opened a gap to euery seducing spirit to haue stood vpon his owne worth and like Antichrist at this day to compell mens consciences to acknowledge him a successor of the Apostle because he out of the abundance of his owne sense boasted himselfe so So that base testimonies are inartificiall arguments all meere men being lyars but to trie the spirits whether they be of God is a needfull dutie they that are so tried haue no wrong done them neither can complaine if their charter bee demanded I meane the power of teaching and the power of godlinesse These workes admit no appeale though they be no miraculous works as the Angels here yet they are demonstrations In the 11. of Matthew Iohn Baptist sends his disciples to Christ in policie to resolue them of the truth of his mediatorship our Sauiour when they had done their errand doth not scorne them or disdaine to giue account of his calling But what manner of euidence giueth hee Goe saith he tell Iohn what yee haue heard and seene The blinde see the lame goe the poore receiue the Gospell q. d. If these workes will not euince what I am take mee not for him that I goe for So he tels the Pharisies If I gaue witnesse onely to my selfe I could not claime credit thereto but the workes I doe they beare witnesse of me and further I desire not to be embraced So Paul tels the Corinths ye are my Epistle written in your hearts c. q. d. The spirit of God coworking with my Ministerie to the begetting of faith a new heart and life in you hath sealed also this truth vnto you That I am a true Apostle of Christ against all gainesayers And it is the dutie of all Gods Ministers to adde this commendation and allowance vnto the outward calling of the Church their letters commendatorie I meane and licenses And if hereupon wee may bee receiued let vs not complaine as for them who vpon this testimony from God will not admit vs either our persons as factious Separatists or the power of our Ministerie as all vnbeleeuers and vngodly ones woe be vnto them for in not receiuing vs they despise him that sent vs. As for their censures we may appeale from them with our Sauiour saying I receiue not praise or dispraise of men I haue another Iudge And with Paul It is a slight thing with me to be iudged of such I passe not for your iudgement And secondly let all priuat persons that receiue the message of God by the Minister know their dutie also which is to declare what they bee by the good actions of their liues rather then by their talke and to bee examples to other in their conuersation and not in their communication onely So our Sauiour taught when he came to giue his life for vs here on earth If ye abide in me and my word in you then are ye my very disciples indeed Agreeable hereunto are his words in another place Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Neither let any man desire to bee taken for better then he is but submit himselfe to this touchstone which will bewray what mettall he is made of and for as much as the inward duties of faith and pietie are vnknowne to others let the workes of each mans calling say for him what he is let a good magistrate be content to lose the credit of his profession if he cannot maintaine it by vprightnes courage in punishing offenders defending the innocent being free from couetousnes parcialitie or iniustice Let the husbandman approue his religion by walking as a man of vnderstanding before his wife and she hers by submission in the Lord and reuerence towards him and so the other parts of the familie in their seuerall places And otherwise let them hold their peace as guiltie persons Thirdly this doctrine is to settle the best Christians to bee so still notwithstanding the taunts and mockes of the vngodly who bayte them with the names of hypocrites and men of singularitie seeing they declare that out by their good liues which they imbrace with their hearts and generally let all such take warning by this as onely haue a name they liue but are dead and who speake well but haue not hearts to doe thereafter and as for such as reproach and scorne them who honour their profession with a life answerable their iudgement sleepeth not It appeareth by that which is said here that as the Angell willed Manoah to doe euen so he did I meane offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord. Now where it is obiected that it was not lawfull for him to offer in any place but at Ierusalem and therefore that it was not lawfull for him to offer where the Angell met him I answere that it was lawfull to offer in other places while the Arke was carried about and was staied in no certaine place but after the building of the temple at Ierusalem then indeed that law tooke effect and it was not lawfull to sacrifice elsewhere but all high places were then to be taken away And this I say supposing