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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09383	A commentarie or exposition, vpon the fiue first chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians: penned by the godly, learned, and iudiciall diuine, Mr. W. Perkins. Now published for the benefit of the Church, and continued with a supplement vpon the sixt chapter, by Rafe Cudworth Bachelour of Diuinitie	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Cudworth, Ralph, 1617-1688.	1604 (1604)	STC 19680; ESTC S114465	595,047	756

be vnderstood simply but comparatiuely and synecdochically Comparatiuely that there shall be farre greater knowledge vnder the new Testament then was vnder the old Isa. 11. 9. The Apostle saith not that there shall be no teaching at all for Christ hath giuen some to be Prophets others Pastors and teachers for the work of the ministerie and the edification of the bodie of Christ. Eph 4. 11 12. But that there shall be no neede of this kind of teaching to catechize them in the first rudiments as to teach them what God is Synecdochically not of perfect and absolute knowledge for we all know but in part 2. Cor. 13. 12. But of initiate or inchoate knowledge which shall be consummate in the life to come Further vpon this distinction it followeth that hearers are not to intermeddle with the publike duties of the ministerie for euery man is to abide in the calling wherein God hath placed him and therein to liue contented 1. Cor. 7. For no man may take vnto himselfe this honour but he that is called as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4 For albeit it be true which Ambrose writeth that in the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel founding of the church of the New Testament all Christians did teach and baptize indifferently yet afterward when the Churches were founded it was not lawfull neither is it now And though there be neither male nor female in Christ but we are all one in him Gal. 3. 28. namely in receiuing of the Gospel yet in dispensing of it there is great difference it beeing vnlawefull for a woman to preach or publikely to teach I permit not a woman to teach 1. Tim. 2. 12. Let women keepe silence in the Churches for it is not permitted vnto them to speake 1. Cor. 14. 34. Apoc 2. 20. This coudemneth the fantasticall opinion of the Anabaptists that all men may speake publikely without any difference according to the instinct of the spirit and measure of his gifts Againe when Paul saith He that is taught in the word c. him that taught him in the word c. he shewes what the dutie of the minister is that lookes to liue by his ministerie namely not to feed his auditorie with Philosophie or fables or lying Legends nor to preach Poeticall fictions Thalmudicall dreames Schoolemens quiddities Popish decrees or humane constitutions o● to tickle the itching eares of his auditory with the fine ringing sentences of the Fathers ●or what is the cha●●e to the wheate But he must preach the word of God for there is no word nor writing in the world besides that hath a promise to be the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. able to make men wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. 15. to giue an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Act. 20. To be liuely mightie in operation sharper then any two edged sword entring through euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit the ioynts and the marrow and to be a discerner of the though●s and intents of the hearts Heb. 4. 12. and that can make the man of God absolute to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 17. but onely this word giuen by diuine inspiration It beeing not onely the seed by which we are begotten and borne anew but the food by which we are nourished both milke for the babe that is a nouice in religion and strong meate for him that is of yeares and therefore beeing perfect nourishment the bread of life for him that is hungrie and the water of life for him that is thirstie what needes there any more Besides no word nor writing hath the propertie of fire saue onely the word of God to dispell the darknes of ignorance by enlightening the minde with the sauing knowledge of the truth and to h●at yea to enflame the affection with a zeale of Gods glorie by burning vp the corruption of nature Againe Diuinitie is the mist●is all liberall arts tongues historie c. are but handmaids to attend vpon her now when the mistris is speaking it is good manners for the maide to hold her peace To this word alone the Prophets were tied by their commission What I shall command thee that shalt thou say And the Apostles You shal teach what I haue cōmanded you Christ himselfe taught nothing but that which he had heard receiued of his father Ioh. 8. 28. Paul deliuers nothing but that which he receiued of Christ 1. Cor. 11. 23. and taught nothing but that which Moses and the Prophets had written Act. 26. 22. Paul commāds Timothie to charge the Pastours of Ephesus that they teach no diuers doctrine either for matter or manner for substance or circumstance Yet here we must take heede of extremities for in some cases it is lawfull in preaching to vse Philosophie the testimonie of prophane writers and quotations of Fathers I. When we haue to deale with heathen men who will not be so easily mooued with the authoritie of the Scriptures we may conuict them by the testimonie of their owne writers as Paul did the Athenians Epicures and Stoikes by the testimonie of Aratus Act. 17. 28. and the Cretians by the testimonie of Epimenides Tit. 1. 12. II. In preaching to a mixt congregation where some are infected with Poperie or some other heresie and will not receiue the doctrine deliuered nor yeeld vnto the truth except it haue the consent of the fathers of the Church III. In handling of some controuersall point of diuinitie shewing that the doctrine we teach is no new doctrine but that which was taught in the Primitiue Church especially in speaking to the weake who haue not as yet left their old superstition wherein they were nuzzeled IIII. To cut off the calumniations of the malitious aduersaries who must needes haue their mouthes stopped by some other meanes then by the Scriptures V. In the necessarie vnfolding of the meaning of certaine places of Scripture which without Philosophie cannot be conceiued In such a case we may vse humanitie in descending to the reach and capacitie of the auditorie and so teach heauenly things by earthly things as our Sauiour Christ taught regeneration by the similitude of the winde Ioh. 3. Yet all these must be vsed first sparingly secondly when there is iust cause thirdly without ostentatiō fourthly deliuering nothing to the people the ground whereof is not in the word This shewes that the maine scope of the ministerie is to preach the word purely and to applie it powerfully to the consciences of men and it condemnes all deceitfull handling of the word and all huckster-like dealing in mingling wine and water together wheat and chaffe gold and drosse in peruerting it with aguish and sottish conceits in wresting it with allegories tropologies and anagogies and in wringing the text till they make it bleede and so as an ancient writer saith presse the two dugges of the Scriptures the old and new Testament that in stead of milke they drinke

our selues on Christ by faith Fourthly the law was written in tables of stone the Gospel in the fleshie tables of our heart Ier. 31. 33. 2. Cor. 3. 3. Fiftly the law was in nature by creation the Gospel is aboue nature and was reuealed after the fall Sixtly the law hath Moses for the mediatour Deut. 5. 27. but Christ is the mediatour of the new testament Heb. 8. 6. Lastly the law was dedicated by the blood of beasts Exod. 24. 5. the new Test by the blood of Christ. Heb. 9. 12. Here then falls to the ground a maine pillar in Popish religion which is that the law of Moses and the Gospel are all one law for substance and that the difference lies in this that the law of Moses is darke and imperfect and the Gospel or the law of Christ more perfect because he hath as they say added Counsells to precepts Againe the law they say without the spirit is the law properly and with the spirit it is the Gospel But all this is false which they teach For the two Testaments the law and the Gospel are two in nature substance or kind and the difference lies not in the presence or absence of the spirit And whereas the Papists make two iustifications the first meerely by grace the second by workes besides the two Testaments they must establish a third Testament compounded of both and it must be partly legall and partly Euangelicall otherwise the twofold iustification cannot stand For the law propounds onely one way of iustification and the Gospel a second The doctrine therefore that propounds both is compounded of both God did not approoue the polygamie of Abraham yet doth he vse it to signifie the greatest mysterie of our religion Here we see a great point of the diuine prouidence of God who ordereth and vseth well the things which he doth not approoue This is the foundation of our patience and a meanes of true comfort Ioseph thus comforts himselfe and his brethren that God ordered and disposed their bad enterprise to his and their good Gen. 45. 6 7. Here againe Paul sets downe two properties of the Testament of workes or of the law The first is that it came from mount Sina And here lies the difference betweene the law and the Gospel the law is from Sina the gospel from Sion or Ierusalem For there it was first to be preached and thence conueied to all nations Mich. 4. 1. Ezech. 47. 1. The second propertie of the law is that it gendreth to bondage because it maketh them bond men that looke to be saued and iustified thereby And this it doth by reuealing sinne and the punishment thereof which is euerlasting death and by conuincing all men of their sinnes and of their deserued condemnation In this respect it is called the ministerie of death 2. Cor. 3. 6. and Paul saith that after he knew his sins by the lawe he died and the lawe was the meanes of death vnto him Rom. 7. 10. Here is another difference between the law and the Gospel The lawe genders to bondage the Gospell genders to life For it is an instrument of the spirit for the beginning and confirming of our regeneration and saluation and so is not the law which is no cause but only an occasion of the grace of God in vs. Where as Ierusalem that now is is said to be in bondage as Sina and Hagar It is to be obserued that there is no Church in the world nor people which is not subiect to Apostasie For God had made great and large promises to Ierusalem Psal. 122. and 132. and yet for all this Ierusalem by refusing Christ and by establishing the iustice of the lawe is comne into bondage and depriues herselfe of the inheritance of eternall life Therefore it is a falshood which the Papists teach that the infallible assistance of the spirit is tyed to the Chaire and Consistorie of the Pope so as he and consequently the Church of Rome cannot erre Here againe we see what may be the future condition of England For it may be said of it hereafter England that now is is not that which it hath bin namely a maintainer of the Gospell of Christ. Therefore we must not be high minded but feare and now take heed of the first beginning of apostasie The holy Ghost Heb. 3. 12 13. set down the degrees thereof and they are fiue in number The first is the deceit of sinne the second is the hardening of the heart after men are deceiued by sinne the third is an euill heart which growes vpon hardnesse of heart the fourth is vnbeleefe whereby the word of God is called in question and the trueth thereof and after vnbeleefe followes a departure from God and Christ. That this may not be we must carefully avoid all the deceits of sinne as namely couetousnes ambition lust c. Againe as Agar figures the lawe so doth Ismael all iusticiaries that looke to be saued by the law Here then we see the condition of the world the greatest part whereof are Ismalites For the Turke and the Iewe looke at this day to be faued by their workes The Papist ascribes his conuersion not wholly to grace but partely to grace and partly to nature or the strength of mans will helped by grace And thus are they borne after the flesh as Ismael was And our common people though in shew they professe reformed religion yet indeed a great part of them are Ismaelites For they looke to be saued by their good seruing of God and by their good deeds and they little thinke on Christ and his merits And thus they depriue themselues of all title to eternall life Therefore it stands them in hand to condemne nature and the strength thereof and to renounce their owne workes and to rest onely on the promise of mercie for eternall saluation thus shall they be the children of the promise and heires of God Lastly in that Ierusalem is in bondage like Agar or mount Sina we see how vaine are the pilgrimages to the holy land how needlesse were the warres made for the recouery thereof 26. But Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Here Paul shewes what is figured by Sara namely the new Ierusalem which is the Catholike Church Heb. 12. 22 23. Reuel 21. 2. And it is here so tearmed because Ierusalem was a type thereof in sixe respects First God chose Ierusalem aboue all other places to dwell in Psal. 132. 13. And the Catholike Church is the companie of predestinate chosen to be a particular people to God Secondly Ierusalem is a citie compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of loue and order among the citizens Psal. 122. 3. In like sort the members of the Catholike Church are linked togither by the bond of one spirit Thirdly in Ierusalem was the sanctuarie a place of Gods presence and of his worship where also the promise of the seed of the woman was preserued

twelue Patriarkes Andrew and Peter Iames and Iohn II. for those that are of affinitie Thus the kinsemen of Christ are called his brethren which the Helvidians not obseruing thought they had beene his naturall brethren by the virgin Marie thus Abraham and Lot are called brethren Gen. 13. v. 8 14. though Lot was but his brothers sonne Gen. 14. 12. Thus Iacob the nephew of Laban calleth himselfe his brother Gen. 29. 12. and so Laban calleth him v. 15. III. for men of the same countrey Thus all the Iewes are called brethren one to another Deut. 17. 15. From among thy brethrē shalt thou make a king ouer thee and Deut. 23. 19. Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother and Rom 9. 1. Paul saith he could wish himselfe anathema or accursed for his brethren that is the Iewes IIII. for those of the same religion 1. Ioh. 3. 16. We must lay downe our liues for our brethren Matth. 23. 8. One is your Doctor to wit Christ and all ye are brothren 1. Cor. 5. 11. If any that is called a brother be a fornicatour with such a one eate not To these we may adde a fifte acception for all those that are confederate or otherwise ioyned together by the bond of nature humanitie societie or friendship Thus Ahab calleth Benhadad his brother that is his friend 1. King 20. 32 33. thus Simeon and Leui are called brethren in wickednes that is confederate in euill Thus all men are called brethren one to another by reason of the bond of nature Gen. 9. 5. at the hand of a mans brother will I require the life of man In all countries those that associate themselues together in warre after a speciall manner are called sworne brethren Now we must not restraine the word brethren to those that are brethren by nature or by affinitie or by countrey neither inlarge it to all those that are brethren by the bond of nature but onely to those that are brethren in the fourth acception that is to say brethren in religion or brethren in the Lord though they be flase brethren if they be brethren at least in outward profession for reproofe beeing a part of Ecclesiasticall Discipline belongeth not to those that are out of the visible Church as to Iewes Turkes Pagans because our Sauiour Christ saith If he heare them not tell the Church and if he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as a heathen man and a Publican Which cannot be vnderstood of him that is a heathen or Pagan alreadie And Paul saith 1. Cor. 5. 11. If any that is called a brother that is a Christian be a fornicatour c. and then he addes in the next verse what haue I doe to iudge them that are without that is such as are no members of the Church to whom Ecclesiasticall Discipline reacheth not doe not ye iudge them that are within that is such as are of the visible Church such as doe subiect themselues to the censure and discipline of the church It belongs therefore to those that are of the Church at least in shew but specially to those that are of the same particular Church liuing vnder the same particular gouernment Albeit the case may so fall out that those of another Church professing the same religion with vs may be reprooued and censured yea one Church may admonish another for they beeing members one of another are to procure the good one of another as Paul teacheth by the similitude of the head and the members of the same bodie 1. Cor. 12. Therefore all that are in the bosome of the Church euen the mightie Princes and Potentates of the earth are subiect to reproofe if they doe offend thus Nathan the Prophet reprooued Dauid 2. Sam. 12. and Azarias the Priest rebuked Vzziah 2. Chr. 26. 18. Paul reprooued Peter to his face Gal. 2. 11. Therefore those men yea those Magistrates or Monarchs that cannot endure the least reproofe and will not yeeld their necks to Christ his yoke and their backs to therod of Ecclesiasticall censure are greatly to be censured for herein they contemne the ordinance of God Let thē consider that they are not better then King Dauid who hauing sinned patiently indured reproofe by Nathan Let thē remember how King Vzziah was stricken with leprosie for resisting god in the ministry And here the popish sort come to be taxed who exēpt their cleargie men as they call them frō all reproofs ecclesiasticall proceedings in thrusting them into some one monasteryor other lest their exemplarie punishment should be a blemish or disparagement to their order and profession whereas Paul would haue the ministers and Elders yea all superiours to be reprooued as well as others so it be done in order with due respect as after I will shewe Thus Paul biddeth the Colossians that they should say to Archippus Take heed to thy ministerie that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it Coloss 4. 17. II. We are bound to reprooue all that are in the Church to whome we owe dutie of loue but we are to loue our superiours as much if not more then others therfore we are bound to reprooue them as well as others III. There is greater reason we should reprooue them then others 1. Because they beeing in higher place are in greater danger of falling then others and therefore haue more neede of admotions and reproofes 2. Because they haue many that will flatter them but fewe or none that will or dare reprooue them It will be said all are not to be reprooued which liue in the Church for some be scorners who as Salomon saith must not be reprooued And our Sauiour Christ forbiddeth vs to cast pearles before swine Matth. 7. 6. I answer that onely open scorners contemners persecuters of the word are to be excepted otherwise all wicked men are to be censured and rebuked For 1. Christ speaketh of manifest contemners of religion when he saith that they are like swine which trample pretious pearles vnder their feete and of persecutors when he saith that like dogs they returne againe and all to rend them 2. Christ beeing here vpon earth did not hinder the Pharisies Sadduces Publicans and harlots from comming to his sermons much lesse would he debarre them of this censure of the Church 3. The woman of Syrophenissa though called a dogge yet eateth of the crummes that fall from the childrens table Matth. 15. 27. 4. Paul did often admonish and rebuke the Corinthians though they were carnall and fleshly minded therefore all men though neuer so publike notorious offenders if they be not opē scorners or persecutors of the knowne trueth are to be reprooued Obiect Profane men which notoriously offend and scandalize the Church by their wicked liues haue no fellowship with Christ but are to be accounted as dogs out of the Church I answere 1. They are not to be counted dogs which doe acknowledge their faults the greatnesse of their

to suffer persecution for the profession of it nor lay downe their liues in the maintenance thereof Matth. 13. 21. As soone as tribulation or persecution commeth by and by they are offended Whereas we ought to haue the same minde that Paul had who knowing that bonds and imprisonment aboad him yet passed not for them neither was his life deare vnto him Act. 20. 23. and was not onely readie to be bound but to die also for the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 21. 13. The reasons which should make vs willing to take vp our crosse and follow Christ are these First it is a great mercy and fauour of God that we are accounted worthy to suffer any thing for his sake Act. 5. 41. The Apostles departed from the counsell reioycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name Secondly it is a meanes by the mercifull promise of God to procure and obtaine the blessings of this life Mar. 10. 30. Thirdly it hath blessednes annexed to it with a promise of assistance and helpe of Gods spirit 1. Pet. 4. 11. If ye berailed on for the name of Christ blessed are ye for the spirit of glorie and of God resteth vpon you which on their part is euill spoken of but on your part is glorified Lastly the ende of the crosse is glorie vnspeakable If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him Rom. 8. 17. Further whereas Saint Paul linketh together persecution and the preaching of the crosse we may see that the profession of the Gospel and persecution doe either goe hand in hand or doe follow one another inseperably for as many as will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. 12. Moses is said to haue chosen rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 25. Where we see that affliction is the lette and portion of the godly The reason hereof is two-fold The malice of the Deuil who is alway nibbling at the heele Gen. 3. 15. And the hatred of the malignant Church the deuils seede euer maligning the Church and people of God The deuill maketh warre with the remnant of the womans seede which keepe the commandement of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Apoc. 12. 17. The malignant Church persecuteth the Church of God as we may see in their types namely in Caine hating and persecuting Abel Ismael Isaac Esau Iacob Which they did onely because they saw their owne workes to be euill and theirs to be good 1. Ioh. 3. 12. And if it be demaunded why those that preach the word plainely and powerfully to the consciences of men in euidence of the spirit are so extreamely hated and maligned Ans. It is for no other thing but euen for the workes sake for which they ought to be reuerenced 1. Thess. 5. 13. and because they prophecie not good vnto them but euill 1. King 22. 8. that is preach not pleasing things by sowing pillowes vnder their elbowes and lulling them asleepe in the bedde of securitie but denounce the iudgements of God against them and so disquiet and trouble their guiltie consciences And what I beseech you is the reason why those that make conscience of sinne are so maligned of the wicked world and branded with the blacke names of Puritans and Precisians but this which our Sauiour Christ giueth Ioh. 15. 19. Because they are not of the world therefore the world hateth them Now all this commeth to passe by reason of that enmitie which God hath put betwixt the woman and the serpent his seede and her seede Gen. 3. 15. This teacheth vs first that we should suspect our selues that our hearts are not found nor our practise sincere when all men speake well of vs for true profession is alwaies accompanied with persecution Woe be to you when all men speake well of you Luk. 6. 26. Secondly that we must not be discouraged in our profession though there be neuer so many that make opposition or so mightie that raise persecution against vs. Though they tell vs as they did Paul Act. 28. 22. Concerning this sect we know that euery where it is spoken against or take vs vp with Nicodemus Ioh. 7. 52. Art thou also of Galile search and looke for out of Galile ariseth no Prophet In these blasts and stormes of temptatiōs we ought to make that saying of Christ our anker hold Blessed is he that is not offended in me Mat. 11. 6. Lastly that we thinke it not strange when we finde affliction or meete with persecution 1. Pet. 4. 12 13. 13 For they which are circumcised keepe not the Law but desire to haue you circumcised that they might glorie in your flesh Here the Apostle preuenteth and obiection which might be made against his former conclusion v. 12. For it might be said Paul did them wrong in standering them to vrge circumcision onely because they would auoid persecution when as they did it as zealous obseruers of the Law To this he answereth negatiuely that whatsoeuer they did pretend they intended no such thing And he prooueth his former assertion by two arguments and withall describeth the false Apostles by two other properties His first reason may be framed thus If they did vrge circumcision as beeing zealous of the Law and hauing conscience of the obseruing thereof they would keepe it themselues as well as compell others to the keeping of it But they keepe it not themselues Therefore they vrge it not in conscience to haue it obeied but for some sinister ende The second reason is this They that propound no other end to themselues in vrging of circumcision but vaunting and boasting in the flesh they seeke not the obseruation of the Law But these seducers vrge circumcision and other ceremonies that they might glorie in the flesh Therefore they seeke not the obseruation of the law So that here we haue two other properties of false teachers The first is to compell men to the obseruing of that which they will not obserue themselues For thus these seducers vrged the ceremoniall law Resembling herein the Scribes and Pharisies who bound heauie burdens and grieuous to be borne and laid them on mens shoulders whereas they themselues would not mooue them with one of their fingers Matth. 23. 4. The Popes and Prelates of the Romish Church are notorious in this kind in vrging men to make conscience of that which they themselues will not keepe to practise that which they will not performe and to beleeue that which they count false and fabulous For first they strictly require regular obedience to be performed of their nouices and others to their generals or gouernours specially to the Vicar of Christ and See of Rome whereas they will not be subiect to the higher powers as they ought Rom. 13. 1. nor obedient to gouernours as it is required 1. Pet. 2. 13 14. Nay their practise is notorious in these foure particulars

sinne and the merit of Christ for such a dogge was the Cananitish woman who was a true beleeuer 2. This is agreeable to S. Pauls practise who did admonish those among the Corinthians that were carnall and did not at the very first excommunicate thē or yet suspend them and so answerably he commands Titus that he should rebuke the Cretians sharpely or pecisely for their notable lying and idlenesse Tit. 1. 12. 3. Christ denieth not pardon to them that fall by recidiuation but would haue them forgiuen not onely till seauen times but till seauentie times seauen times and Paul speakes indefinitely in this place that we should restore him that falleth by occasion into any offence not specifying how often we should forgiue 4. We must distinguish betwixt the magistrates sword and the keyes of the Church notorious offendours when they repent are to be receiued into the bosome of the Church as sonnes of the church yet for all that they may nay they ought to be punished by the magistrate as the good the theife albeit a member of Christ yet iustly punished for his offence II. For what faults are men to be reprooued Men are to be reprooued for euery known sinne This is manifest from the end of reproofes which is the gaining of our brother that he perish not in his sinne but euery sinne is of this nature and qualitie that it bringeth death beeing not repented of therefore for euery sinne a man is to be reprooued Secondly our Sauiour doeth not restraine this precept to priuate iniuries because in that case we are to follow another rule Resist not euill Blesse and curse not Doe good to them that hate you c. Thirdly it is extended to euery sin because he which sinneth against God or the whole Church sinneth also against thee and euery particular member of the Church For euery Christian ought more to be affected for the sinnes committed against God or the bodie of the Church then for those that are personally and directly intended or done against himselfe therefore Christ speaketh not only of sinnes as they are priuate wrongs iniuries or damages but as they are dishonourable to the maiestie of God scandalous to the Church pernitious to him that committed them not onely as they offend him against whome they are committed It will be obiected that Christs commandement is to be vnderstood of those that wrong vs when he saith If thy brother sinne against thee I answer that phrase and forme of speech against thee is not meant onely of priuate wrongs offered vs as I haue said but of any sinne committed against God for in euery knowne sinne we are in a sort wronged 1. because we ought to be so zealous of the glorie of God that we ought to be more grieued when men sin against God then when they sinne against vs yea we must make Gods quarell our owne quarrell 2. Because he which sinnes in our presence doth or at the least ought to offend vs. As Hezechiah was offended when he heard the blasphemies of Rabshekah 2. King 19. 1. and Dauid whose eies powred out riuers of waters because men kept not gods law Psal. 119. v. 136. Lot who vexed his righteous soule in seeing and hearing the abominations of the Sodomites 2. Pet. 2. 8. For to expound these words against thee thou beeing priuie to it is farre from the meaning of the text neither can the phrase be shewed in that sense Now that men are to be reprooued for knowne sinnes committed against God of what nature qualitie and condition soeuer they be besides the former reasons it is manifest Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainly rebuke him and shalt not suffer sinne to rest vpon him Therfore a man is to be rebuked for euery sinne The Apostle whersoeuer he speaketh of reproofes neuer restraines it to one kind but extends it to all knowne sinnes 1. Cor. 5. he reprooues the incestuous person for his incest and excommunicateth him beeing impenitent So in this place if a man be fallen by occasion into any offence he saith not this or that offence but in generall into any offence whether in life or doctrine by euill example or otherwise against the first or second table Yet this is so to be vnderstood as that iniuries and wrongs offered vs are not to be excluded for euen for them also are men to be reprooued I. It is the purpose of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 18. to teach this very point for hauing taught Matth. 18. v. 6. that none should offend or scandalize his brother in the 10. verse he shewes what is to be done if any man did offend his brother by iniuring or wronging him to wit that he is to reprooue him II. He maketh him that suffered the wrong a witnesse not an accuser when he saith If he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word may be confirmed Matth. 18. 16. He biddeth him take one or two that so it may be confirmed by the testimonie not of one or two but of two or three therefore the partie offended is one of the witnesses III. If it were vnlawfull to reprooue men for iniuries offered vs what course should he take that is secretly wronged none beeing priuie to the wrong but himselfe and the partie offending Thus men would be imboldned to sinne seeing they could by no meanes be controlled and so men might frustrate the commandement of Christ. I adde further that he which is iniured is fitter to reprooue him that offered the iniurie then any other I. Because the offence both for stance and circumstance is better knowne vnto him then to any other II. Because the reproofe in all likelihood will take the better place when as the offender shall haue coales of fire heaped vpon his head when he shall see that the partie wronged is desirous of his good and readie to requite good for euill in seeking his amendement whereas he sought his hurt And whereas it may seeme that it sauoureth of reuenge to reprooue those that wrong vs I answer though many in reproouing reuenge themselues yet the one may be done without the other and the right vse of a thing is not to be neglected because of the abuse thereof Obiect Authors of heresies schismes dissentions are to be auoided Rom. 16. 17. therefore not to be reprooued Ans. Generall places of Scripture are to be expounded according to particular limitation in other places now that generall text Rom. 16. 15. is restrained and limited Tit. 3. 10. Auoid an heretikeafter once or twise admonition Obiect Paul commands the Corinthians that without any more adoe they should proceede forthwith to the publike censure of excommunication against the incestuous person and as it may seeme without any former reproofe 1. Cor. 5. besides he commands that we should not eate that is familiarly conuerse with notorious persons of scandalous life