that may not be eaten Whereby we see why some of the beasts were said to be cleane and some of them vncleane namely because some might be eaten and some might not be eaten Lastly in the Booke of Genesis Chapter 9. Where the eating of flesh is most of all expressed and mentioned there seemeth to bee made no new grant in those particulars which in that place are remembred but onely the old priuiledges renewed as the fruit of multiplication the dominion ouer the creatures and the replenishing of the earth Wherefore seeing all these were in vse before it is very probable Gen. 9.3 that as the greene hearbes were eaten before so was the flesh of fish and of the beasts albeit there be not expresse mention of them made before Euery moouing thing that liueth shall be meate for you euen as the greene hearbe haue I giuen you all things These things being true the former sect of the peeuish and peruerse Nazarees are more strongly conuinced and ouerthrown forasmuch as they make that vnlawfull which from the beginning was vsed and practised as lawfull These were the sects among the Iewes which they inuented vnto themselues when they departed from the purity and simplicity of the word of God D. Willet Hex in Gen. 1. qu. 35. This we may reade largely and learnedly handled else-where Vse 3 Thirdly this reprooueth the hierarchy of the Church of Rome from the highest to the lowest their Popes their Cardinals their Abbots Monkes Fryers Priors Nunnes Iesuites and the rest of that race and rabble which are as croaking frogges or deuouring locusts that couered the face of the earth and ascended out of the bottomelesse pit of which the word hath not spoken any thing but quite ouerturneth that whole generation For to set the gouernement of the whole Church vpon one mans shoulder and to put all other vnder his feete is a burden able to breake his necke and to cracke his shoulders which no man is able to beare This man of sinne they make the head of the Church The Pope is not head of the Church and the vicar of Christ This is to thrust downe Christ from his dignity and to depose him from the headship of the Church or else they make it a monster of two heads or rather of many heads For this is an high honour peculiar to Christ to be the head of the body which is his Church Ephes 1.22 23. and 4.12.15 and 5.23 Coloss 1.24 and 2.19 And that for these causes First by way of excellency Secondly by reason of fulnesse of grace Turrecrema sum lib. 1. cap. 44. Thirdly because from him floweth all graces of faith and other blessings into his members He it is that gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists and some Pastors and teachers to build vp the Church to the end of the world These he thought to be sufficient without Popes and Cardinals that is without such heads and shoulders He called his Apostles and made them all equall none superiour none inferiour to other but commanded them indifferently to preach the Gospel to euery creature The Commission which he gaue vnto them was equall in feeding in binding in loosing in remitting and retaining none was before or after other as Luke 9. He calling the twelue Apostles gaue them power ouer all diuels and to heale diseases and sent them to preach the kingdome of God They had all of them the keyes of it equally committed vnto them But they wil obiect Obiect the words of Christ to Peter Matth. 16. I say vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will builde my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heauen whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Answer These words we acknowledge to be the wordes of Christ howbeit they are too weak a pillar to beare vp the Papacy First let vs speake of Peter and then of the Pope that claymeth to be his successor For if Peter himselfe in those words had no superiority or Monarchy bequeathed vnto him or sole regiment of the Church then hee could not leaue it as a legacy to the Bishop of Rome nor make him his heire of so faire a patrimony that he might claime authority and supremacy from him This is without all question and both sides yeeld vnto it that Peter could giue no more then hee had himselfe and the successour can haue no more iurisdiction then hee had into whose roome he succedeth Now touching Peter obserue this as another rule which also is receiued without cōtrouersie that nothing in this place is giuen to Peter but promised only as appeareth by the forme and phrase of speech that is vsed and by the words vttered in the time to come For Christ saith vnto him I will build my Church vpon this Rocke I will giue vnto thee the keyes of heauen the gates of hell shall not preuaile whatsoeuer thou shalt binde whatsoeuer thou shalt loose so that the manner of speaking in the time to come argueth that nothing is heere really granted but onely graciously promised to be granted He doth not say vnto him I do build my Church I doe giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen but I will builde I will giue Bellar. lib. 1. de Pontif. Roma cap. 10. This is so plaine that our aduersaries are necessarily constrained to yeeld vnto it So then I aske the question and demaund of them where this is giuen and how this promise is performed Whatsoeuer Christ promiseth his word is not yea and nay he cannot lie hee will not faile his people Obiection If any reply it is no great matter where we reade the promise to haue been performed seeing no doubt Christ meant to be as good as his word Solution I answere It mattereth much to vnderstand where it is forasmuch as there can be no better way to make tryall of the promise then to know the gift To which purpose they are wont to alledge two places and we are content to stand to both of them The one is in the Euangelist Matthew chap. 18.18 Verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Where we see Christ speaketh to all the Apostles and not to Peter alone or to him more then to any other but applyeth the same power of binding and loosing to euery one without exception or limitation The other place is in the Gospel according to Iohn chap. 20. where Christ standing in the middes of them saith vnto them Receiue ye the holy Ghost Ioh. 20 22.23 whose soeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them whose soeuer sins ye retaine they are retained In which words Christ also doth equally
sword it is the Schoole of Christ this is the rod as the Apostle calleth it it is the Temple of God this is as it were the whip to scourge out such as abuse it themselues it is the body of Christ this is as a medicine to cure the diseases of it it is the vine and sheepfold this serueth to keepe the foxes and wolues from it Secondly some obiect that it is not needfull Obiection 2 vnder a Christian Magistrate who is charged to punish such as liue dissolutely and disorderously inasmuch as he beareth not the sword in vaine Rom. 13. It belongeth vnto him to take away life or limbe according to the nature and quality of the offence What place then is there for excommunication and Ecclesiasticall iudgements I answer Answer Christ hath setled this as a perpetuall order in the Church Math. 18 17. If he shall neglect to heare them tell it vnto the Church but if hee neglect to heare the Church let him bee vnto thee as an heathen man and a Publican Where alluding to the custome of the Iewish Church hee sheweth also that the Christian Church cannot want this spirituall iurisdiction These thē are not contrary they stand well together neither doth the one hinder or ouerthrow the other Neither are we to thinke that Christ pointeth out the ciuill Magistrate when he saith Tell the Church as some suppose Erast thes but an Ecclesiasticall Senate Neither doth he meane when hee saieth Except hee heare the Church let him be to thee as an heathen or a Publican except hee heare the Magistrate that is of the same faith and religion with thee thou maist go to law with him as if he were an heathē or Publican and haue him before the Romane Magistrate that is prophane For Christ speaketh not onely to the Iewes that then liued but giueth a remedy to bee vsed at all times The promise that followeth whatsoeuer ye shall binde on earth c. belongeth not to one time or to one place or to one people nor to the ciuill Magistrate nor to ciuill wrongs but pertaineth to the conscience and had bin impertinently vnproperly added if Christ had spoken of seeking ciuill remedy against ciuill harmes and iniuries which will farther appeare by the reasons following First if by the word Church the ciuill Magistrate were to be vnderstood then the words concurring in the text touching binding and loosing and vsed elsewhere to the same effect touching opening and shutting remitting retaining of sinnes shewing the Churches power doe not signifie spirituall power but ciuill but they doe not so signifie neyther were euer so vnderstood of any vntill our times Secondly the authority heere spoken of was such as the Disciples present should somtimes in person exercise and execute for so Christ saith vnto them verse 18. Whatsoeuer ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen whatsoeuer ye loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen But these exercised not ciuill power but spirituall iurisdiction therefore this authority heere spoken of was spirituall not ciuill Thirdly Christs words are in this place imperatiue Tell the Church Whosoeuer saith that these words are but permissiue onely suffering men so to do and not imperatiue enioyning the same he goeth against the letter of the text and propriety of the words But Christ commandeth no man to prosecute his brother ciuilly offending him before the ciuill Magistrate He commandeth to forgiue him and to be ready to take another iniury rather then in law to pursue him Math. 5 40. Therefore this action here in this sort enioyned and required at the offended brothers hands in that Christ saieth vnto him Tell the Church is not a ciuill action but must needs be a spirituall duty whereby the offenders soule abiding in sinne and so in danger to be lost is to bee recouered if it may be by this meanes Fourthly the ground and matter of this action whereupon the whole is inferred is not ciuill for then it should more fitly haue beene named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an iniury but heere it is not so called but it hath the expresse name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne Therefore the remedy also is spirituall and the meanes to bring it to passe Likewise he teacheth a little before of offences spirituall and of the cure of them then he sheweth our duty of seeking and recouering euen one brother going astray Math. 18 12 13 14. comparing this to the seeking and recouering of a lost Sheepe straying from the flocke in the wildernesse which also is a spirituall affaire and businesse These things being thus laide together with the words immediately following and both compared together there is no shew of reason why it should not concerne the same matter with the former there being still one coherence and knitting vp of the argument and that most fitly in this discourse Lastly Christ was no ciuill Lawyer neyther set any ciuill Courts and courses of law neyther was this his calling But this was his office to giue order for his Church and to establish the gouernment thereof Neither was there any speciall occasion to speake of ciuill going to law here was no question put to him concerning any such matter so that he should thus haue answered nothing to the purpose Wherefore by these particular considerations we may conclude that to take the word Church for a company of ciuill Magistrates vsing ciuill not spirituall authority for a bench of Iusticers or a Senate of Magistrates hath no approbation of any author In prophane writers it signifieth a whole ordinary assembly of people met together for ordering ciuill affaires guided therein by some Magistrate They then are very much deceiued that take the word in a ciuill sense vnderstand it of ciuill proceedings Againe when the Apostle speaking of the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. willeth him to bee deliuered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh they expound it of an extraordinary punishment inflicted vpon him by the diuell whereby hee tormented his body Such a miraculous punishment was laide vpon Ananias and Sapphira by Peter and vpon Elymas by Paul But this is not the right interpretation true exposition of this place For albeit God oftentimes vse the diuell as his instrument both to chastise his children as we see in Iob and to punish the vngodly as we see in Saul so that the power of Satan is the power of God yet this is not intended by the Apostle Parae i◠1 C◠5. quest 1. as appeareth by the circumstances which may bee obserued in this chapter For first hee reprooueth the Corinthians that they had cherished a most wicked man among them and had not long before put him out as verse 2. Ye are puffed vp but he did not neither could he reproue them because they had not wrought a myracle because the gift which Peter and Paul had as the Apostles of Christ was not common to euery Christian nor
adorning the word with this worthy title that it is as a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in our hearts draweth from thence this exhortation that we must therfore take heed vnto it 2 Pet. 1 19. Who is it that is so simple or senselesse that he will take no heed to the light that shineth round about him Euery man looketh carefully to the light and taketh comfort at the sight of it The whole world lieth in darknesse guilty of ignorance subiect to damnation The Ministery of the word is ordained to bring men out of darknesse into a maruailous light Acts 26 18. to reueale to them the knowledge of their sins and to leade them as it were by the hand the way to eternall life Vse 5 Fiftly let all vnlearned and vnconscionable Ministers know that they ought to be as lights in the world to teach the people in season and out of season If they be without knowledge or without conscience they bee lanthornes without light The dispensation is committed vnto them 1 Cor. 9 16. woe vnto theÌ„ therfore that preach not the Gospel whether they cannot or will not whether they cannot through blindnesse or whether they will not through wilfulnesse Againe they offend who as if the word were deliuered in riddles and darke parables rather to worke in them admiration then to bring vnto them instruction do flye aloft far aboue the reach of the people and do not consider that the word is a light and therefore ought to be spoken plainely and euidently that all may see it and discerne it Happy are those lights I meane those Ministers that can humble and abase themselues descending to the capacity of the simple such shall finde greatest comfort of their labours and shall reape the greatest reward for their labours As for others they may please themselues but they please not God They may delight the eare they cannot descend into the conscience They build Castles in the aire but neuer lay a sound foundation of the faith neither shall they euer be able to say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 3 2. Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts knowne and read of all men Vnto these we may adde such as spend their daies and grow old and idle in the Vniuersities who neuer desire to come abroad to take paines neither consider that the Church hath need of them These stand all day doing nothing and will not be hired to labour in the Lords Vineyard They haue liued long in the schooles of the Prophets it is high time they come abroad and leaue their places to others He that ingrosseth corne into his owne hands and will not communicate it to others but keepeth it close to himselfe Prou. 11 26. is cursed of the people but he is pronounced blessed that selleth corne to others in the daies of famine Behold we liue in the daies of famine not of bread but of preaching and hearing the word Amos 8 11. In many places the word of the Lord is precious in these daies 1 Sam. 3 1. Let them therefore looke to it that tender either the glory of the Lord or the saluation of the flocke of Christ yea or their owne good that they do not bring vpon themselues the curse of God and man which haue stored theÌ„selues with much knowledge and learning and as it were filled their garners with abundance of corne yet will depart with nothing but keepe all to themselues and suffer the people of God to starue On the other side thrice happy and blessed are they that considering the necessity of the Church the ignorance of the people the ouerflowing of sinne and the commandement of God do bring foorth the corne which they haue gathered and imploy the gifts that they haue receiued that so none of these for whom Christ died should perish for want of food Let such therfore in no wise hang backe when they are thrust forward et them not say touching building of the spirituall house of God as the people said in building of the materiall Temple The time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built Hag. 1 2. but so soone as they are called let theÌ„ not stop their eares but answer with Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth 1 Sam. 3 9. and with the Prophet Here am I send me Esay 6 8. Let not these I say obiect that the time is not yet come to build the Lords house lest they heare as that people did Is it time for you O ye to dwell in your faire houses and sicled chambers and this house lye waste Now therefore sayeth the Lord of hostes consider your waies Hag. 1 4 5. And generally let all such as are entred into this calling beware they doe not hide their gifts Luke 8 1â— let them not thrust the candle vnder the bed or vnder a bushell but set it vpon the Table seeing they are made lights for others and not only for themselues Such haue an hard and heauy account to make hereafter much is giuen vnto them and therefore much shall be required of them Lastly here is instruction for all for euery Vse one should be as a burning candle a bright shining light and is bound to let his light so shine before men Math. 5 â— that they may see their good workes and glorifie their Father which is in heauen Euery man ought to bee enlightened with the knowledge of Gods word be willing to hold out the light to others But we cannot giue light to another except we haue the light of knowledge our selues Ignorant persons are darknesse and not light children of the night not of the day The Scripture is able to make a man wise to enlighten his eies to direct his steps and to saue his soule Bellarmine confesseth Bellar. de 〈◊〉 lib. 1. cap. 2 that the Scripture is a light but he telleth vs that the reason is not because they haue light in theÌ„selues but because they bring light when they are vnderstood This is a right fallacy of the consequent for heereby he maketh the effect to be the cause of the cause Sibra Lâ—â—â— princâ—p Câ—â—â— lib. 4 cap. â— and so inuerteth all good order turning the cause into the effect the effect into the cause For he would haue the Scripture therefore to be light or lightsome because being once vnderstood it doth enlighten the mind But this needeth no light to discouer the fraud falsehood thereof For it is not therefore called light because when it is vnderstood it doth enlighten giue light And whether we vnderstand it or no it skilleth not for the Scripture is in it selfe a bright shining light For as the Sunne is lightsome though all men were blinde and no man did see it so the Scripture is a light albeit men turne away their eies froÌ„ it that they will not see it In the mean season
A COMMENTARIE vpon the Fourth Booke of Moses 〈…〉 NVMBERS CONTAINING The Foundation of the Church and Common-wealth of the Israelites while they walked and wandered in the WILDERNESSE Laying before vs the vnchangeable loue of God promised and exhibited to this people The comely order established and obserued among them Sundry examples of his horrible iudgements against obstinate sinners The Fatherly chastisements and corrections of the faithfull offending and the dangerous plottings and diuellish policies of the Churches enemies are detected and discouered Wherein the whole body of Diuinity is handled touching matters Dogmaticall Of God of Christ of the Gospel of the Law of Sin of Faith and Iustification of the Scriptures of the Sabbath of Magistrates and of the Ministery of the Resurrection of Prayer and the lawfulnesse of set formes of Tythes and Impropriations of the Sacraments in generall and in speciall of Baptisme and the Lords Supper of Duelles and Duellists of Excommunication of Repentance and remission of sinnes of restitution of Warre and of the lawfulnesse of the marriage of Cozen germans Ceremoniall Of the calling of the Priests and Leuites and of the first borne of the waters of iealousie of the vow of the Nazarites of the daily sacrifice of the Iewish Feasts of the yeare of Iubile of the new Moones of afflicting the soule of the Feast of the Passeouer and Pentecost of the Trumpets and of the Tabernacles of the Vrim and Thummim of the seuen Lampes and the making of the two siluer Trumpets of the pillar of Fire and the Cloud of the meate Offering and drinke Offering with the vses of them all toward our selues together with a description of sundry waights and measures vsed of the Iewes Polemicall Or Controuersies betweene the Church of Rome and vs as of the Scriptures of the Church and the notes of it of the supremacy of the Byshop of Rome of the Masse of Purgatory of Free-will of Prayer in a strange tongue of iustification by Workes of the Sacraments of Vowes of auricular Confession of Reliques of binding and loosing of Temples of Tapers and wax Candles of Sanctuaries and of Images and Idolatry Heerein also the Reader shall finde more then fiue hundred Theologicall Questions decided and determined By WILLIAM ATTERSOLL Minister of the word LONDON Printed by WILLIAM IAGGARD 1618. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Walter Couert Knight one of his Maiesties Iustices of the Peace in the County of Sussex And to the Right VVorshipfull the Lady Iane Couert his Wife Grace and peace from Iesus Christ. I Vndertake Right Worshipfull in this Work to expound one of the Bookes of Moses a part of the Churches Treasury committed to writing by the hand of one of the best Worke-men and one of the greatest Prophets of the Church And howsoeuer sundry parcels thereof may seeme at the first view to offer vnto vs little profit as containing onely sundry names of persons and places which may be thought little to concerne vs yet as the whole Scripture giuen by inspiration is profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction 〈◊〉 righteousnesse that wee thorough patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope 2 Tim. 3 16 Rom. 1â— 4 so if we looke into this present parcell with a single eye and a pure heart voide of partiality and a preiudicate opinion we shall oftentimes finde much substance to lye hidden vnder shadowes and as it were rich Mines where the soyle may be taken to bee barren And as this booke beareth in the front of it the name of Numbers so it hath this peculiar aboue the rest that it layeth before vs the numbering of the people and the excellent and exquisit order that God commanded to be obserued among them in their tents in their marching in their remouing in the vnfolding and wrapping vp of the instruments of the Tabernacle and in the Priests and Leuites that attended vpon it All Arts and Sciences before they can bee learned must be reduced into order and method There is an order in God himselfe as wee see in the blessed Trinity for albeit all the persons bee coeternall and coequall and the essence it selfe of the Deity vndiuisible yet there is the first the second and the third person And as it is in God so it is in the creation and workes of God from the heauen of heauens to the center of the earth The elect Angels that do his commandements and hearken vnto the voyce of his word Psal 103 20 haue an order among them there are Thrones and Dominions Powers and Principalities Ephes 1 21. Col. 1 16. and an Archangel that at the last day shall blow the Trumpet 1 Thess 4 16. And as it is among the Angels so it is among the Saints the soules of iust men perfected albeit all haue enough and none of them any want yet there is a difference in the measure of their glory inasmuch as euery man shal receyue his owne reward according to his owne labour 1 Cor. 3 8. Dan. 12 3. The Starres are not all of one magnitude but there is one glory of the Sunne another of the Moone and another of the Starres for one starre differeth from another starre in glory so also is the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15 41 42. Gen. 1 16 17. Psal 136 7 8.9 Thus it is also in the workes beneath that God may euery where appeare to be the God of order 1 Cor. 14 33. Some creatures haue onely a being some haue being and life others Being Life and Sense and others besides all these haue reason and vnderstanding A Campe well disciplined is a perfect patterne of good order He that would order a battell aright saith Vegetius hath respect to the Sun to the dust Veget. Cap. 14. to the winde because the Sun and dust hinder the sight and a contrary wind weakneth the blow The Church of God is ruled by order while there are some to teach and some to heare Neither may any of these seeme strange forasmuch as there is a kinde of order euen in the place of all disorder and confusion euen in hell it selfe prepared for the diuell and his angels Matth. 25 41. Matth. 25 41. for there also are principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkenesse of this world Eph. 6 â—2 and among these one is cheefe and principall as it were an head ouer this body called therefore the prince of the diuels Matth. 12.24 So then we see that in the Creator and in the creatures in the Angels in the heauens in the campe in the church yea in the place of darknesse and desolation it selfe there is â—â—me order from whence sprang the common Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is There is nothing so profitable as order When Moses had receyued the law of God as from the mouth of the Law-giuer and published it among the people and had finished the Tabernacle of the Arke and Sanctuary hee mustered all the
the couetous person that hath the greatest plenty is much more tormented with desire of more then he that is satisfied with a small portion or pittance of the things of this life It falleth out oftentimes that such as haue least charge lying vpon them are most ouer-charged with this as with a most heauy burden This is that vanity that Salomon pointeth out Eccle. 4.8 Ecclesiastes chapter 4. There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither childe nor brother yet is there no end of all his labour neither is his eye satisfied with riches neither saith he For whom doe I labour and bereaue my soule of good It is not abundance or masses and mountaines of gold and siluer that can quench this vnsatiable thirst but thereby it is rather encreased For as more wood put to the fire augmenteth the flame and the heat so the desire of many by addition of wealth is multiplyed He is fitly compared to the man possessed with an vncleane spirit Chrysost in Matth. 8. hom 29. in Mat. 26. hom 82. who wore no cloathes but had his dwelling among the tombes and mountaines no man could binde him nor tame him but he brake the fetters and pulled the chaines asunder and cut himselfe with stones Mar. 5.3 Luke 8.27 He was exceeding fierce but couetous men are farre worse He that was possessed was deliuered by the word of Christ and the diuell was driuen away and left his hold but they that are seruants or slaues to their money will not hearken vnto Christ they haue so much of this earth in their eares or rather in their hearts that albeit they heare him daily preached vnto them and sounding as a shrill or loude trumpet yet they beleeue not they yeeld not they obey not The man possessed spared not such as came neere him but they spoile and rauin as wel afar off froÌ„ them as hard by them they spare none whom they catch in their snares not friends not kinsmen not brethren they teare them and rent them in pieces whomsoeuer they can compasse Hee went naked but these clothe themselues sumptuously except such as grudge themselues apparrell with the spoiles of others as if they had taken them prisoners in the day of battel and make them goe naked or in threed-bare coates that come in their way He smote himselfe not knowing what he did but these smite and kill others secretly they grinde the faces of the poore and pull off the skin from their backes He abode among the graues and tombes of the dead but these are very sepulchers themselues For what is a tombe but a stone couering the body of the dead What then are not their bodies much more wretched and miserable then those stones which couer their dead soules dead in sinne and as stinking carcasses casting out a loathsome sauour And to this purpose Christ speaketh to the Pharisees Matth. 23.27 Matth. 23.27 Ye are like to whited sepulchers full of extortion excesse full of hypocrisie and iniquity This sinne hath diuerse branches vnder it according to the diuers practises of it first The branches of coetousnesse when men seek only or principally for worldly goods neglecting or not regarding spirituall graces in comparison of them Wee are charged to lay vp our treasure in heauen Matth. 6.19 20 33. where the moth cannot corrupt it nor theeues steale it We are commanded to seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse But whatsoeuer God require of vs the greatest sort doe what they list for as Esau sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Heb. 12.16 Religion 〈◊〉 regarded So doe prophane men sell their soules for old shooes and saluation purchased by Christ at a most deare rate for a song This may seeme strange vnto some but there is nothing will appeare more true if we consider the course of the world and obserue the liues of men This is the sinne of our age wherein the least profit and pleasure is cared for aboue true religion Euery drunken feast is cause sufficient with vs to intermit the worship of god Euery prophane meeting of prophane men is valued and prized aboue the word of the eternall God Euery feast that after a heathenish manner is yeerely solemnized giueth occasion to multitudes to prophane and pollute the Sabboth that ought to be sanctified with publike and priuate duties agreeable vnto it and to set that banket at nought to which God inuiteth vs by his Ministers Our thoughts our meditations our desires our delights are so taken vp with earthly things that though there be much preaching there is little profiting though there be much teaching yet there is little hearing little obedience The second branch of couetousnesse is to put our trust and confidence in the things of this life which is the idolatry of the heart as we noted before If we set our hearts vpon our goods we make them our God and the earth our happinesse Hence it is that Christ maketh it so hard a matter for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen as for a Camel to goe through the eye of a needle Matth. 19. Matth. 19. â—â— because they trust in their riches Mar. 10.24 Mar. 10.24 Likewise the Apostle chargeth Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded neither trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs richly all things to enioy 1 Tim. 6.17 The third branch is when we regard and respect onely our selues It is not enough that we doe no harme with them God requireth that we doe good Christ shall say at the last day I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate naked and ye clothed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not goe into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels That euill seruant that did not diuide his substance among his fellow seruants perished through his couetousnesse and he that receiued one talent and digged in the earth to hide it had it taken from him and heareth this sentence denounced against him Thou wicked and slouthfull seruant and vnprofitable Matth. 25. â— God bestoweth not his blessings vpon vs to fat our selues with theÌ„ as Oxen in a stall or as swine in a stye without all consideration of the Church or Common-wealth or of the poor but he hath made vs stewards and disposers of them to the glory of God and the good of others Verse 31. All they that were numbred in the campe of Dan c We see in this place that this last standard beareth the name of Dan whereby we see that God raiseth vp as a chiefe instrument in this mighty host one of the lowest sort one that was obscure in the family of Iacob which serueth to magnifie the mercy of God to depresse the pride of man Iacob in his last will and testament foretelleth the estate of this
riches and reioyce in it more then they that finde great spoiles Account the merchandise of it better then the Merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof more precious then Rubies so that nothing that we highly esteeme can be compared vnto it Prou. 3.13 14. Magnifie it as a treasure of that value that rather then thou wilt leaue it thou wilt be ready to forsake all that thou hast Matth. 13. There is nothing that more slaketh and shaketh off our deuout attention then to account the precious word of God vile and base in our eyes according to the corrupt custome of many in our dayes that preferre huskes fit to feed swine before the fat of wheat that is sent to nourish the sonnes of God Fourthly we must know that there is great hope of those that refuse not the meanes but submit themselues vnto it but none at all of those that vtterly refuse it What God may worke extraordinarily who sometimes feedeth by miracle from heauen as he did the Israelites Exod. 16.15 1 King 17.6 and Eliah in the wildernesse we cannot affirme and they that waite vpon such vanities forsake their owne mercy But of this point we haue spoken already Lastly it is our duty to lay vp the Word in our hearts that it may not be taken from vs but that we may practise it and profit by it For all our hearing must aime at profiting We must desire the sincere milke of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 that we may grow thereby Now it can neuer take root except we heare it with an honest and good heart Luke 8.15 If we haue it only running in our mouthes or swimming in our braines it is as the grasse vpon the house toppe Psal 129.6.7 which withereth afore it groweth vp wherewith the mower filleth not his hand nor he that bindeth sheaues his bosome Let vs therefore first of all giue our hearts vnto God pray him to reforme them and to open them that so we may attend to those things that are deliuered vnto vs. As for those that haue their mouthes open but their hearts empty of the word they are as sounding brasse or a tinkling cymball they may please themselues and deceiue others for a time but their hypocrisie shall be vncased their deceitfull dealing manifested and themselues prooued to be no better then vessels that make a noyse but are without all substance in them Verse 11 12. And I behold I haue taken the Leuites c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the commandement of God directed vnto Moses that he should present the Leuites before Aaron the Priest that they may minister vnto him now we are to proceede to the reason of the commandement where we see the cause rendred why they should be giuen vnto him because euen vnto this time the first borne had executed the Priests office being consecrated vnto God and preserued out of the common destruction when the first borne in Egypt were destroyed He putteth them in mind of Gods mercy toward them who might iustly haue destroyed them as well as the Egyptians if it had pleased him When we see a common desolation or destruction and our selues as a remnant taken out of the common calamity it ought to make vs thankfull vnto God and to acknowledge that wee holde our life of him in cheife Thus did Noah stand affected when he offered sacrifice to God after he was come out of the Arke and was preserued with his family from the flood of waters Thus doth Daniel Dan. 5.20 â—â— teach Belshazzar the king to humble his heart knowing the heauy iudgment that God brought vpon his father and tooke his glory from him We must profit by the examples of Gods workes both of his mercy and iudgement vpon others We learne from hence Doctrine that the first borne were from the beginning the Lords The first boâ— were sanctified to the Lord. and consecrated to serue him and to instruct others This dignity and preheminence of the first borne beganne among the sonnes of Adam and continued in his posteritie as well before as after the generall destruction of the old world the eldest euer succeeding in the kingly and Priestly office vnlesse for some open impiety or other secret cause best knowne vnto God and vnknowne vnto the Church hee were reiected so that there was euermore some excellency vntill that Israel came out of Egypt and the Church became nationall Hence it is that God saith to Caine the elder sonne of Adam If thou doe well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well sinne lieth at the doore and vnto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule ouer him Gen. 4.7 To this purpose Iacob speaketh to Reuben Gen. 49.3 Thou art my first borne my might and the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power Thus he was by priuiledge of birthright and thus was euery sonne by creation that first opened the matrice Luke 2.23 Whereby we see that in the family of the faithfull from the first man that God created vntill Aaron was sanctified to be a Priest vnto God in stead of the first borne the eldest of the family ordinarily had both the kingly and Priestly direction of the rest of his brethren As we saw this before in the house of Adam so it appeareth also afterward For when Caine the eldest sonne of Adam to whom the dignity of the first borne did pertaine was for his iniquitie reiected from that honour and excommunicated from the Church which was a spirituall kinde of banishment God raised vp Seth who being taught by his father touching the fall of man touching the punishments of sinne and the promised Sauiour assisted him while he liued in guiding his family and succeeded him after his death in the gouernment of the Church of God which was as a little flocke in comparison of the race of Caines posterity that married many wiues and encreased in great multitudes In like sort Enoch succeded Seth and dying â—ield of the â—rch lib. 5. â— â—et 2.5 â—â— 4. â— left that honour to Kenan Kenan to Mahalaleel c. These were preachers of righteousnesse and repentance some of them indued with the spirit of Prophesie to conuince that wicked generation These Preachers of God being contemned and despised in the world such entertainement haue his seruants euer found the flood came and swept them away Noah gouerned as a father the Church of God before and after the Flood and left the same dignitie and office to Shem his second sonne Iaphet his eldest sonne being put behinde for secret causes knowne vnto God euen as his father had committed it vnto him â—en 10.21 Thus we might proceed and goe forward to shew in succeeding ages of the Church how God continued this fauour to the first borne and thereby set as it were a crowne of honour vpon their head Hence it is that at the giuing of the
with his hands the thing which is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Secondly it is very comfortable to vs to be busied in them we must looke for a blessing vpon vs and them while we continue in them God appeared to Moses in a slame of fire out of the middes of a bush while he kept the flocke of Iethro his father in Law Dauid was chosen and taken from the sheepefolds to feed the people of God The Lord tooke Amos Amos 7. â—â— as he followed the flocke and said vnto him Goe Prophesie vnto my people Israel While the shepheards were attending their flocks by night and abiding in the fields an Angel of the Lord brought them tidings of great ioy which should be to all people that to them was borne that day in the City of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.10 11. The like we might say of Iacob while he was faithfull in his calling the Lord appeared vnto him He chose his Apostles as they were busie in their callings and painefull in them Gen. 31. â— Matth. 4â— 21 and â—â— Peter and Andrew as they were casting a net into the sea Iames Iohn his brother as they were mending their nets for they were fishers Matthew the Publican as he sate at the receit of custome he saith vnto him follow me who arose immediatly followed him Mat. 9. While we walke in our callings we may look for a blessing but when once we goe from them and either forsake our calling or busie our selues in other mens callings we can expect no blessing at his hands for when we leaue them he leaueth vs when we returne to them he returneth to vs. Thirdly euery one must iudge and esteeme his particular calling to be the best and fittest for him The Apostle confirmeth this by his owne practise and example Phil. 4 12. I haue learned in whatsoeuer estate I am therewith to bee content This will arme vs against all discontentment and murmuring against God and make vs quietly to keepe our owne standing When Absolon was not content with the place of a Subiect and to be accounted the Kings sonne but said O that I were Iudge among you 2 Sam. 15 4. then he sought his fathers kingdome â— 20 24. When the sonnes of Zebede contented not themselues with the calling of Disciples but were enflamed with the thirst of honour and desire of dignity to be the greatest in the kingdome of Christ then arose enuy and heart-burning among them It is altogether vnpossible that we should rest well pleased with our callings and conditions and not climbe aloft aboue the places wherein we are set except we set downe this as our rest that our calling such as God hath appointed is the fittest and meetest for vs. Lastly euery one is bound to glorifie God in his calling though it be neuer so meane or base Wiues are charged to be obedient to their owne husband that the word of God be not blasphemed Tit. 2 5 10. Seruants are commanded to please their masters in all things that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things Tit. 2 10. That the Name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed 1 Tim. 6 1. This ought to be propounded vnto vs and set before our eyes to make it the end of all our actions that whether we eate or drink or whatsoeuer we do we may do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. It is not the highnes or lownesse the greatnes or meannesse of our calling that God so much respecteth as the sincerity of the heart of him that walketh in his calling If it be not sound all our actions are corrupt We must not think that onely men of high callings are to giue glory vnto God it is a common duty required of all and woe vnto vs if we do it not The heauens declare the glory of GOD much more ought man endued with reason and vnderstanding 27. And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izeharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Vzzielites these are the families of the Kohathites 28. In the number of all the males from a moneth old and vpward were eight thousand and sixe hundred keeping the charge of the Sanctuary 29. The families of the sonnes of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle Southward 30. And the chiefe of the house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Vzziel 31. And their charge shall be the Arke and the Table and the Candlesticke and the Altars and the vessels of the Sanctuary wherewith they minister and the hanging and all the seruice therof 32. And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest shall be cheefe ouer the cheefe of the Leuites haue the ouersight of them that keepe the charge of the Sanctuary Now we come to Leuies second sonne We haue spoken before of Gershon of whom came the Gershonites It followeth to speake of Kohath for to him his posterity were committed the most honourable offices as we shal see afterward in the next chapter Touching whom we may obserue as we did in the former these particular points First the families that descended of him which are foure in number the Amramites the Izeharites the Hebronites and the Vzzielites verse 27. Secondly the number of the males that came of them to wit eight thousand and sixe hundred verse 28. Thirdly the place where they pitched to wit the South-side of the Tabernacle verse 29. Fourthly the ouerseer or superintendent of them namely Elizaphan the sonne of Vzziel verse 30. Fiftly the charge and function committed vnto them were the chiefe things within the Sanctuary verse 31. Sixtly the ouerseer of all these ouerseers and the chiefe of them that were the chiefe was Eleazar the sonne of Aaron who had authority ouer all the Priests and Leuites verse 32. He was vnder Aaron appointed to haue the ouersight of them that had the charge of the Sanctuary For Aaron himselfe was the high Priest and his eldest sonne Eleazar was vnder him as it were the second Priest euen as in the reigne of Zedekiah the high Priest was Seraiah the second Priest was Zephaniah as we reade in the second booke of the Kings chap. 25 18. The Captaine of the guard tooke Seraiah the cheefe Priest Zephaniah the second Priest and the three keepers of the doore See the notes on the Geneua Bible The second Priest is thought to be one appointed to succeed in the high Priests roome and to supply his place if he were sicke or otherwise hindred and letted by necessary occasions Of this family of the Kohathites came Moses and Aaron And albeit the Lord appeared in speciall manner to Moses called him to be a most excellent Prophet to whom he reuealed himselfe as it were face to face and chose him to be the Gouernor of a mighty
the conscience They haue not their names in vaine they are not idle sounds of vaine words but they offer the signification of some duty to be performed and leade to the consideration of some thing to be practised as Shepheards call to their remembrance to be busied in feeding watchmen to proue to them that they ought to haue a vigilant care of the City of God and to be on their watch tower Messengers that they must not doe their owne businesse but his that sent thē So they are called Elders 1 Tim. 5 verse 17 19. 1 Pet. 5 verse 1. Acts 14 verse 23. and 15 2. and 16 4. and 20 17. to imprint and engraue in their hearts the cogitation and consideration of the care wisedome sobriety and stayednesse that ought to bee in men of that calling all which gifts are for the most part proper to that age for dayes shall speake and the multitude of yeares teach wisedome Iob 32 verse 7. And therefore they are resembled vnto them not because they are so alwaies in age but because they should bee like vnto them and haue the properties and qualities of them Reason 2 Secondly the Ministery is an high calling of great weight and worthinesse of great excellency and importance standing vp not only in the place of the people to offer vp their praiers but in the roome of God to declare his will to the people If then the worke bee so worthy if the office be so weighty if the calling be so honourable then it followeth by a good and necessary consequence that such ought to bee well fitted and filled with wisedome grauity and sobriety that vndertake it This is the reason vrged by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3 1 2. He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke a Bishop therefore must be vnblameable vnreproueable Who is it that mindeth to build an house but hee will looke out a fit workman for his purpose Or who will commit the gouernment of his family to an vnwise Steward that knoweth not how to mannage the affaires thereof to giue euery one his portion in due season Thē much lesse ought the Church of Christ to be committed to vnwise vnlearned vndiscreete men that are ignorant both how to rule it which way to reforme it Thirdly such as are called to this office Reason 3 must be carefull to looke vnto their waies that their calling be not blemished and their Ministery reprehended so that they ought to beare themselues worthily and wisely Euery one in the profession must labour to adorne the Gospel and walke vnblameably in the middest of a naughty and crooked generation Philip. 2 15. It is required of wiues to be chaste and keepers at home that the word of God be not blasphemed Titus 2 5. and of seruants to count their masters worthy of al honour that the Name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken off 1 Tim. 6 ver 1. Much more then ought the Ministers to magnifie their office to beautifie their calling to watch in all things and to make full proofe of their Ministery 2 Tim. 4 verse 5. They ought to shine as bright and burning candles and as Christ saith they must bee lights of the world Math. 5. being set as a City vpon an high hill which cannot be hidden Hence it is that the Apostle saith Giue no offence in any thing 2 Cor. 6 3 4. that the Ministery be not blamed but let vs in all things approue our selues as the Ministers of God in much patience in necessities in distresses c. If onely our persons should be blamed and receiue a checke the matter were the lesse but the Ministery it selfe shall be reproched and the ordinance of God reuiled and therefore we ought to looke more carefully circumspectly to our waies that haue the eyes eares tongues of all men turned toward vs. Their eies are fixed vpon vs to behold our actions their eares are prepared to heare whatsoeuer they can of vs their mouthes are opened and their tongues vnloosed to speake euery where of vs so that we are set as vpon a stage can by no means couer our persons or our practises from the sight and knowledge of all men Lastly the Ministers is to vtter the word Reason 4 of wisedome whereby both himselfe and his hearers shall bee made wise vnto saluation The Apostle putteth Timothy in mind that he had beene brought vp in the Scriptures of a childe which are able to make him wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 verse 15. and Psal 119. the Prophet thereby was made wiser then his teachers then his enemies then the auncient Hereupon the Apostle Paul saith 1 Corinth 12 verse 8. To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit And in the first chapter of the same Epistle verse 23 24. Wee preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Grecians foolishnesse but vnto them which are called Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God Seeing then wee are to vtter the words of wisedome so called both because they are the words of the most wise GOD and because they are able to teach vs the truest wisedome we are to speak them as it becommeth them to be spoken to the end that in nothing we may be blamed or ashamed To conclude these reasons and to binde them all in a bundle together forasmuch as the Ministers of the Church are Elders both in name and nature and wee are to vtter the words of wisedome forasmuch as the Ministery that we haue obtained is a weighty and worthy calling and that it ought no way to be blotted and blemished of vs by any vndiscreete and vndecent carriage it followeth that such as are set apart to this work must be men of wisedome moderatiō of experience and excellent gouernment of themselues of their words of their gestures and of their waies whether they be publike or priuate whether they be open or secret whether they be at home or abroad Vse 1 We will now proceed to set downe the vses of this doctrine that we may be benefited and instructed by it First it serueth to reproue diuers sorts of persons that goe against this rule who albeit they be ready to receiue this truth and to approue of it in iudgement yet they transgresse it and crosse it notoriously in their practise The first reproofe Childrē made Ministers in the Church of Rome And here we are to meete with the shamefull abuse and detestable corruption that is too common in the Church of Rome where children and boies haue beene admitted and ordained to Ecclesiasticall dignities before they had any vnderstanding what the office requireth or how it can be discharged Thus hath the Byshop of Rome that challengeth to be the high Priest of the world the Vicar of Christ and the successour of Peter prophaned this calling and promoted
sometimes through couetousnesse sometimes through fauour and sometimes through a respect they had to aduance their kindred such as are altogether vnfit for such high places Pelarg. in 4. cap. Numer Hence it is that Sixtus the fourth is iustly charged and challenged to haue instituted the sonne of Ferdinand King of Naples beeing a childe to Ecclesiasticall orders which the heathen for a reuerent respect they had to sacerdotall dignities would neuer haue done and gaue him the ouersight and circumspection of the Church of Tarentum Leo the tenth of the house of Medices being a childe of thirteene yeares of age was made Cardinal by Innocentius the eight Thus hath the chaire of Moses beene defiled if Moses chaire haply were then among them whereof wee may dispute and demurre not without iust cause The wise man saith in his Ecclesiastes chap. 10 16. Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a childe so we may say truely Woe vnto thee O Church where thy Minister is a childe that knoweth not how to goe in and out before the people This is a foule abuse and cannot stand with the institution of God well may such vnseasoned timber serue to build vp Babel but in the house of God it can haue no place It is as vntempered morter fitte enough to set together a false church Where the people are children caried about with euery waue and are without knowledge nay refuse the meanes of knowledge it is Gods iudgement to send theÌ„ children to be set ouer them that so one child may leade another by the hand children in age such as are children in gifts We conclude then that the popish Church is a childish Church and the Romane Byshoppe is a childish Byshop or else he would neuer haue ordained children to that calling and laid his hands vpon them and appointed them to such functions Secondly it reproueth such as hauing the ouersight of the Church to make Ministers The second reproofe do indeed commit a foule ouersight through carelesnesse and neglect of their duty and so thrust vpon the church such as are vnwise and vndiscreete who are as vnconscionable in executing as they were carelesse in chusing of them For albeit these that are thus ordained be not young in yeares yet they are yong in manners There are two sorts of young men and there are two sorts of old men Some are young in age others are young in conditions so that albeit they doe not make choise of little children yet they make choise of such as are little better whereas men of grauity and entire conuersation ought to be elected and not rash headed persons obtruded vpon the Church This was the cause why Paul left Titus in Crete that hee should ordaine Elders in euery City and for this cause he chargeth Timothy that hee should doe nothing through partiality neyther lay his hand rashly vpon any man lest he were partaker of their sinne For when as a man is ordained through fauour and friendship or other sinister and sinfull respect who hauing the doore of entrance opened vnto him maketh hauock of the Lords flocke partly by teaching corruptly and partly by liuing scandalously hee that doth ordain him is guilty of those crimes and himselfe may be charged to be a false teacher and an euill liuer For whosoeuer doth not hinder the sinnes of others but giue way vnto them that they passe forward is partaker of them he that beareth with them and winketh at them is as well guilty as hee that walketh in them Hence it is that hee exhorteth Timothy to keepe himselfe pure and vnspotted But peraduenture they will obiect Obiection they knew not what he was they were ignorant of his wickednesse and loosenesse Answer But this doth not excuse them because they ought not rashly to haue giuen him admission vntil they had made diligent search and inquisitioÌ„ Such as were to buy a bondslaue were wont to demand the Physition touching him to aske of the neighbours and to require a time to make tryall of him and therfore much more ought there if in any thing else to be aduise and deliberation taken when any is to be admitted to the calling of a Minister and no place left either for feare or fauour Basil Mâ—â—â— â— eyther for hatred or couetousnesse For iudgement is corrupted foure waies Sometimes through feare when we shake and shrinke backe from speaking the truth for feare of offending great persons So did Pilate wrest the Lawe and sinne against his owne conscience for feare of Caesar because they cryed out We haue no King but Caesar Iohn 19 12. if thou let this fellow goe thou art not Caesars friend Somtimes through couetousnes when we are corrupted through bribes and hired for money which blinde the eyes of the wise Exod. 23 â— and peruert the words of the righteous So did Felix gape after gaine and looked for rewards Acts 24 26. Hee hoped also that money should haue beene giuen him of Peul that he might loose him Sometimes through hatred and malice for as Naboths vineyard was Ahabs sicknesse a strange disease so he dealt corruptly with Michaiah because he hated him and could not abide him 1 Kin. 22 8 27. He put him in prison and fed him with bread of affliction and with water of afflictioÌ„ yet he had done nothing worthy of imprisonment or of death Lastly through fauour and friendship wheÌ„ we seeke to gratifie and pleasure our kinsmen or acquaintance as Pilate did to please Herod and for that care not what wrong we doe to others Wherefore the Lord would not haue the poore man countenanced in his cause Exod. 23 3. And Festus the Deputy saith It is not the manner of the Romanes to deliuer any man to die 〈◊〉 25 16. 〈◊〉 7 51. before that he which is accused haue the accusers face to face and haue licence to answer for himselfe All which corruptions of iustice if they ought to bee farre from the tribunals of earthly Iudges much more ought they to be remoued from the Courts and Consistories of the Church-officers whensoeuer the question is in hand of admitting any to the holy Ministery or of remouing any from the Ministery This is a capitall sinne and yet alasse there is not that conscience made of it that ought to be It is a sinne that draweth on many others as it were with cart-ropes It giueth encouragement to him that is ordained to goe forward in his sinnes when hee considereth by whose meanes he was admitted For thus he strengthneth and emboldeneth himselfe to go forward If I were not in good case such persons as sway the matters of the church would neuer haue giuen me entrance It heartneth and helpeth forward others of like quality to resort vnto them for spirituall preferment and promotion who say to themselues Why may not I get into the Ministery as well as such a one I am not worse and more vnworthy then he I cannot be a more beast
what is fit for the people to heare It is better to speake fiue wordes with vnderstanding then tenne thousand in a tongue that is not vnderstood 1 Cor. 14.19 as the Teacher of the Gentiles testifieth who spake languages and tongues more then all we We are commanded to lift vp our voyce as a trumpet to tell Israel their sinnes 8. but if the trumpet make an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to battell The Apostle alleageth it as a iudgement vpon the hearer not as a praise and commendation of the speaker â—r 14.22 Esay 28. With men of other tongues and other lippes will I speake vnto this people Our Auditours are all or at lest for the most part rude and ignorant and it is our duty to bow and stoope downe to their capacity and when we thinke we speake plainely we shall find oftentimes that we speake darkly and obscurely not plainely and familiarly enough Lastly let vs content our selues with the purity and simplicity of the word which is sufficient in it selfe to expound it selfe and able yea onely able to giue direction and satisfaction to the conscience It may be truely said that the Minster sitting in Moses chaire is as it were set vpon a stage whose smallest actions and gestures all the people behold and therefore albeit he be neuer so precise in the discharge of his calling the hearers that can see but the outward actions and not inward affections will iudge of the heart by the appearance and of the substance by the circumstances so that if any lightnesse or dissolutenesse appeare they by and by conceiue that all is amisse and little regard any thing that he doth deliuer and speake vnto them True it is this is their fault and infirmity howbeit we must prouide that we giue no occasion and cut off occasions from all such as are glad to lay hold on occasions Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty when we come to the house of God to take heed to our feet lest we depart from the Church as the foolish virgins from the gates of heauen We must learne how to prepare our selues that we may profit thereby as the Lord would haue the people sanctified before the Law was to be deliuered Exod. 19. This preparation to bee duly performed hath many particular parts as seuerall branches issuing out of one roote First it is our duty to come together into one place to heare the word and to call vpon his Name For albeit we must reade the Scriptures priuatly in our houses yet we must haue them publikely expounded and interpreted and albeit priuate prayer be not vnprofitable and priuate exhortations bee oftentimes auaileable yet our publike assemblies haue a more speciall blessing promised vnto them Matthew Chapter 18. verse 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the middes of them Before we can heare the word it is required of vs to come to the place of hearing Psal 34.11 and 122.1 The Centurion telleth our Sauiour that he had such seruants vnder his authority that if hee said to one Come he commeth Matthew 8.9 God our greatest Master vnder whose authority we are and he vnder the authority of none sendeth out his messengers and calleth his guests Come and eate of my meate Prou. 9.5 and drinke of the Wine that I haue drawne yet we seeme deafe and cannot heare senselesse and cannot mooue The vnreasonable creatures euen the wormes that creepe in the earth put vs to shame and serue to condemne vs when God in the beginning said Let there be light It was so Gen. 1.24 Let the earth bring foorth her liuing creatures after their kindes the earth did so When God intended to bring a plague vpon the Egyptians and called for the Grassehoppers and Caterpillers Psalme 105. verse 34. He spake and the Locusts came and Caterpillers and that without number When he asked for them they delayed not but went out to doe his will But GOD hath spoken many times to vs and we regard not his call and if we come sometimes at his bidding we thinke we haue done our duty and him a pleasure We must come constantly and continually Blessed are they that dwell in his house Psalme 84. verse 4. The Church is not as an Inne to soiourne in but an house to abide and dwell in that Christ may finde vs there but many preferre the Inne and Ale-house before it It is better for vs to be found in the Temple then in the Tauerne and in the house of prayer then in a denne of Theeues Let the zeale of his house eate vs vp Let vs consecrate the Sabboth as holy to the Lord and make it a day of holy rest not of vnholy and vngodly ryot Secondly as we must come diligently fo wee must attend carefully when we are come otherwise what benefite can wee haue or looke for by our comming The Prophet ioyneth these together and coupleth them as two friends in one chaine Psal 34.11 Come and hearken If it were enough to come and heare a voyce the oxe and asse might do that as well as we for they can apprehend an outward sound Therefore we must do more then that we must set our mindes vpon that which we heave or else we heare no otherwise then the beasts that are without vnderstanding This attention is a notable vertue it is a Iewel for the eare We see how many in our dayes delight to haue Rings and Iewels hanging at their eares and they account it a great ornament vnto them I will not say vnto them as the heathen Poet in scoffing manner answereth Plaut in poenulo that it is because they haue no fingers on their hands as if the fingers not the eares were made for rings but this I will say that if wee had the richest Iewels that the East or West could afford vnto vs if we haue not an eare boared through to the heart to heare the word of God they are no better then as Iewels put into a swines snout Happy is he that weareth this Iewell of attention a Iewell of infinite price and value this is to haue an hearing eare whereas all others haue eares and heare not Thirdly we must remember what we haue heard and not suffer it to slippe from vs. For what auayleth it to be attentiue for the time and so soone as we are departed to forget all thereby suffering the birds to picke vp that which is sowne that is Satan to steale out of their hearts that which hath beene taught them The Apostle Iames compareth such a man to one that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse Iam. 1.24 who goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was The word of God that saith O my people heare my Law Psal 78.1 saith also else-where My sonne forget not my Law Pro. 3.1 The Lord commanded the Israelites to binde his words vpon their hands for a signe that they
the kingdome of heauen we must looke for the crosse and persecution to follow vs forasmuch as al that wil liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 This vertue do those hearers want which in time of peace and prosperity will professe the same but when trouble ariseth forsake the faith and giue ouer their profession and embrace this present world But wee must learne better things we must build vpon the rocke that we be not shaken This maketh vs stand assured of Gods promises and breaketh the stroke of all afflictions that they cannot hurt vs nor be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord but maketh vs in the end to be more then conquerers through him that loued vs Rom. 8. so that we may glory in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Vse 6 Lastly it is our duty to labour to grow in obedience It is not enough for vs to bring forth some fruites but we must striue to perfection and to the greatest measure of fruitfulnesse This is laid before vs in the parable of the sower Mat. 13. some bring forth fruite an hundred fold some sixty and some thirty fold Let it be with vs as it is with worldly minded men that seeke to encrease their stock and store Seueral branches of obedience and to make it greater This dutie hath many branches as it were appurtenances depending vpon it First we are not to be discouraged though we attaine not to the highest degree greatest measure of obedience For such as are euermore growing haue not yet attained to the end of their growth There are diuers degrees of good ground and there are diuers steps before we can come to the toppe of any high thing The husbandman though he receiue not a crop of an hundred fold yet will thinke it well and count the ground good and his labour well bestowed if he might receiue sixty or thirty fold Wherefore albeit we be not the best ground yet we may be good ground as he may be a good seruant that is not best of al. No good ground shall be reiected it is the barren ground that he accepteth not If we beare any fruit he will make much of vs and worke in vs more obedience as Ioh. 15.2 Euery branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away and euery branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit So then there is fruit and there is more fruit First we must labour to bring forth fruit then we must striue to bring forth more fruit Secondly we must beware that we doe not decay in grace and so grow euery day lesse fruitfull then other This is contrary to that growth that ought to be in vs. This is the estate of many professors and sluggish hearers that were more forward and feruent many yeeres past then now they are at this present to whom belongeth the exhortation giuen to the Church of Ephesus I haue somewhat against thee Reuel 2.4 5. because thou hast left thy first loue remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first workes or else I will come vnto thee quickely and will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place except thou repent The Apostle writing to the Galatians was afraid of them lest he had bestowed all his labour among them in vaine Gal. 4. For as the Minister through want of teaching and vsing of his giftes becommeth vnprofitable to himselfe and the Church and suffereth his gifts to decay so is it with many hearers if we stirre not vp the giftes giuen vnto vs we shall grow cold and fruitlesse in good things Thirdly we must take heed to our selues while we are growing lest Satan cast his darnel among vs and make vs grow proud of our proceedings and measure the forwardnesse of our obedience by the backewardnesse of others disobedience This we are ready enough to doe and to esteeme highly of our selues The Apostle declareth that lest he should be exalted aboue measure through the aboundance of the reuelations 2 Cor. 11. â— there was giuen vnto him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted aboue measure We cannot so much as thinke one good thought We haue nothing whereof to be proud and highminded When any good worke is done in vs it is not we that doe it but the grace of God in vs. Fourthly it is required of vs not to disdain or contemne others that come farther behind vs both because GOD accepteth of their mediocrity though they haue not attained to the greatest measure neither are gotten vp to the top yet so long as they are climbing vp the ladder that reacheth to heauen they are in the right way and therefore we must take heed lest by our vnseasonable disgracing of them and carping at them we driue them out of the path wherein they walke 1 Cor. 4.7 Whatsoeuer we our selues enioy Wee haue receiued from the gift of God and we are indebted vnto him for it so that we are not to boast our selues as if we had not receiued it neither ought we to lift vp our selues aboue or against our brethren lest Gods hand in iustice pull vs downe which in mercy did set vs vp Fiftly it behoueth vs to vse all good meanes both to come to obedience and to continue vs in the fruits of obedience all the dayes of our liues God hath commanded no good thing but he hath appointed vnto vs the meanes whereby we shall attaine vnto it And he hath appointed no meanes in vaine but they are sanctified and blessed to those that carefully vse them to the bettering of their soules and the encreasing of his graces The first meanes commended vnto vs for this purpose is the sound preaching and the sauing hearing of the word which is of great force and effect to change our hearts and to worke obedience in them as Rom. 1.17 the Apostle Paul desireth to preach to them at Rome because by the preaching of the Gospel the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith Another meanes is prayer God hath bound himselfe by promise hee cannot goe backe from his word nor deny himselfe forasmuch as he is vnchangeable in goodnesse He hath spoken it and he will performe it that if wee aske we shall receiue if we seeke wee shall finde and if we knocke it shall be opened vnto vs. A third meanes to worke obedience may be meditation of the things that we haue heard an infallible testimony of our loue to the trueth and of our delight in it That which we often thinke vpon we loue much â— 19.15 O how loue I thy law it is my meditation all the day Such are pronounced blessed by the Prophet â— 2. that meditate in the Law of God continually for they shall be as
iudgement he will execute vengeance on his enemies and will reward them that hate him If a king heare of another coming against him with an huge and mighty host and consider that he is not able to encounter with him hand to hand while he is yet afarre off he sendeth embassage desiring conditions of peace Luke 14 32. This wisedome ought to be in vs. Let no man thinke to preuaile get the vpper hand by standing out against him He that continueth an enemy vnto him is an enemy to himselfe nay to his owne soule It is sinne that maketh this separation betweene God and vs Esay 59 2. We rise vp against him we rebell against the Lord 2 Chron. 13 6 and then the Lord riseth vp against vs. We cannot prosper so long as wee prouoke him with an high hand Let vs therefore repent vs of our euill waies How we may haue peace with God and turne vnto him assuring our selues that then he will turne vnto vs. Let vs humble our selues vnder his mighty hand and he will lift vs vp Let vs confesse our sinnes vnto him and we shall finde mercy for he is iust and mercifull to forgiue vs our sins There is no peace to be obtained but vnder these three conditions repentance humility and confession these as a trumpet sound the retreate of his iudgements they are as peace-makers betweene God and vs and are as a strong threefold cord which is not easily broken whereby his hands are after a sort bound from pouring wrath and vengeance vpon vs. Let thine enemies be scattered and them that hate thee flie before thee Marke in these words the title that he giueth to those that were ready to hinder their approch vnto Canaan hee saith not Let our enemies and them that hate vs be scattered but let thine enemies and them that hate thee c. Neuerthelesse if he had so praied the praier had beene lawfull but his words are more powerfull and effectuall whereby we see that the Churches enemies he calleth Gods enemies and sheweth that they hated not onely the godly but God himselfe So then the doctrine Doctrinâ— is this that the enemies of the Church in generall The eâ—eâ—â— of the châ—â—â— are the eâ—â—mies of 〈◊〉 or of any his faithfull seruants in particular are indeed and in truth the enemies of God himselfe Howsoeuer they may in the blindnes of their harts perswade themselues that notwithstanding their hatred to Gods deare children they may be the good friends of God yet they do but deceiue themselues for they are accounted his vtter enemies and such as inwardly hate him as Exod. 15 verses 6 7. speaking of the drowning of Pharaoh and his host in the redde sea Moses singeth that the Lord ouerthrew them that rose vp against him he saith not they rose vp against Israel And Deborah speaking of the destruction of Sisera Iudg. 5 verse 31 saith So let all thine enemies O Lord perish Thus the Prophet alluding to the common prayer of Moses in this place beginneth the 68. Psalme in this manner Let God arise let his enemies bee scattered let them also that hate him flie before him The like we see Psalm 83 2 3. Deut 32 It is plaine therefore that the enemies of the godly are Gods enemies though if they were asked the question they would vtterly deny it thinke themselues vniustly charged with it For first God is entred into a league and couenant with them to haue the same friends and the same enemies as if he should say Reason as Iehoshaphat said to the Kings of Israel 1 King â— 2 King 3 I am as thou art my people as thy people and my horses as thy horses This appeareth in the Couenant which God made with Abraham Gen. 12 3. I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and his he verifieth in all that imbrace the faith of Abraham Secondly wherefore are the vngodly persecuters enemies to Gods children or what hath the righteous done and why do they set themselues against them is it not for the Lords sake is it not for his truth and religion True it is they may haue and indeed haue other colours and pretences but religion is the cause of all the true feare of God as Psal 44 22 38 20. Rom. 8 36. as it is noted of Caine that he was of that euill one and slew his brother because his owne workes were euill his brothers good 1 Iohn 3 12. Woe therfore vnto them that set themselues against Gods people for they fight against Vse 1 God and he will fight against them for those that are his If they cannot preuaile against him for what is an arm of flesh to the Almighty then certainely not against the Church So long as God standeth the Church shall stand vpright the gates of hell cannot preuail against it Mat. 16. Zach. 2 Deut. â—â— Psal 17 Hence it is that the Prophet saith He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eie We may therefore conclude as a principle not to be gainsaid the sure and certaine destruction of all the enemies of the Church in asmuch as he will thrust through the loynes of them that set themselues against his sanctuary They may for a time prosper preuaile but in the end they shall be confounded and come to ruine Let them in time consider in what case they stand They thinke they haue to deale only with men ouer whom they may insult at their pleasure through their might and greatnesse but they shall find they haue to doe with God who is able to vphold his seruants O that they could consider this Vse 2 Secondly we may truely inferre the woful estate of those that defend not the cause of God and his children that do not stand with them but stand still as newters and looke on as idle beholders and suffer them to be borne down and trampled vnder the feet of proud men as myre in the street such as shrinke backe from them for feare of danger that may befall theÌ„selues For such as forsake the faithfull in their iust defence do in the height of their sin and in the pride of their hearts forsake the Lord himselfe and renounce him This made Dauid say 〈◊〉 50.51 RemeÌ„ber Lord the reproch of thy seruants how I doe beare in my bosom the reproch of all the mighty people wherewith thine enemies haue reproched O Lord wherewith they haue reproched the footesteps of thine Annointed As he bare the reproches of his enemies which were Gods enemies in his bosome so he prayeth that God would recompence their sin into their boâ—ome Therfore it is that Deborah saith Curse ye Meroz curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof 〈◊〉 23. because they came not out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty They did not ioyne with the enemies of God yet they are cursed because they sate
heare the fearefull iudgements of God daily and deseruedly threatned against vs for our sinnes and namely for the contempt of the Gospel in all places and among all persons there followeth little repentance and amendment of life nay it seemeth that God hath blinded our eyes and hardned our hearts Matth. 13 1â— lest we should returne and be saued What will folow nay what must necessarily folow whosoeuer hath halfe an eye may easily perceiue Yet see how we deceiue our selues with flattering words as Ier. 7.4 they said The veine â—onfidence 〈…〉 â—lish Goâ—pelâ—â—s The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord so wee can say Tush The Gospel the Gospel it can neuer be rooted out from among vs Popery shal neuer bee established any more But what doe we glory so much of the Gospel or why doe we put confidence in this tule For this Gospel shall bee a witnesse and giue in verdict against vs and as an vpright iudge condemne vs. And what is vnpossible vnto God what cannot his power what may not his iustice doe such as beleeue not the trueth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes 2 The. 2.11 12 shall bee damned Can we challenge to our selues any more then Gods owne people that had the law and the Prophets the Temple and the sacrifices the Arke and the Couenant or more then the Churches of Asia and other founded by the Apostles who seeth not a generall coldnesse a palpable deadnesse a fearefull declining and falling backeward generally in all places All which make a preparatioÌ„ to apostacy Papists euery where encrease and are winked at thâ—y haue beene threatned with enditements forfeitures and imprisonments but they liue at ease grow rich haue great friends and laugh all their enemies or opposites to scorne Such as haue beene zealous decay godly parents faile and a crooked generation ariseth after them ignorance aboundeth wickednes hath the vpper hand and he that setteth himselfe against euill maketh himselfe a prey Esay 59.15 Atheists swarme euery where and lift vp their hornes on high the people for the most part are fit for any change to professe Christ or antichrist to worship God in truth or in an Idoll 13 Then Moses said vnto the Lord Then the Egyptians shall heare it for thou broughtest vp this people in thy might from among them 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land for they haue heard that thou Lord art among this people that thou Lord art seene face to face c. To the former threatning is annexed an excellent prayer of Moses made in behalfe of the people We haue not many of his prayers recorded in Scripture but such as are left vnto vs are most worthy and heauenly testifying that he had the spirit of supplication in a plentifull measure and therefore no maruell being so excellent if they were also very effectuall Whereby we see it is not for nought that he is said after a sort to haue bound or chained the hands of God Exod. 32.10 and to haue preuailed more by his word then Ioshua by his sword by his prayers then the hoste of Israel by their weapons of warre Exod. 17.11 And in this place after that God had threatned to make a generall hauocke and destruction of this stubborne people as a man wipeth a dish and turneth it vpside down he standeth in the gap to turne away the wrath of God Psa 106 23. which otherwise as a mighty flood would breake in vpon them and beare downe all before it Whereby it appeareth that the words in the former threatning were not vttered definitiuely but conditionally to wit if Moses did not make intercession for them and stand betweene God and his people For if they had beene spoken simply or beene vnderstood to be spoken in that sort Moses ought not to haue prayed for them but to haue giuen place to the threatning and rested in the decree and determination of God submitting himselfe to his holy will and pleasure But he was stirred vp thereby to seeke and to sue for pardon for them and therfore he vnderstood the same conditionally The summe and effect of the prayer is The summe oâ— the praâ—â—â— of Moses that GOD would not destroy his people vtterly according as he had threatned and he moueth him to shew mercy toward theÌ„ by three reasons The first is drawne from the consideration of the enemies of the Church that they might haue no occasion to reproch the holy Name of God and to tread his glory which is higher theÌ„ the heauens vnder their feet taking occasion thereby to blaspheme him if he should destroy his people which he with a strong hand had brought out of Egypt Exod. 32.12 Deut. 9.28 and 32.27 The second reason is drawne from the nature and essentiall properties of God he is of long-suffering and great mercy c. The third is taken from the former works and examples of his great goodnesse wherein he moueth God to pitty them seeing he had oftentimes before shewed fauour toward them all which had beene vtterly lost if he should vtterly destroy them Out of these words as also out of all the reasons vrged by Moses in generall we learne Doctrine The meaâ—â—â— to reuoke Gods iudgements is 〈◊〉 and vnfaâ—â—â—â— prayer that the ordinary meanes and ready way to reuoke and call in Gods iudgements is true hearty and vnfained prayer whensoeuer his hand in any sort lyeth heauy vpon vs Ps 107.6 13 19 28. and 106.23 Iam. 5.17 18. Numb 12.13 1 King 8.33 35 37 44. The reasons First it is profitable to all Reason 1 things and is of force to obtaine euery good thing and if euery good thing then also to remooue euery euill thing from vs It obtaineth blessings of al sorts publike and priuate spirituall and temporall for our selues and for others touching this life and a better Ioh. 16.23 In that day ye shall aske me nothing Verily verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Where we see the generality of the promise confirmed by a vehement asseueration Secondly prayer Reason 2 obtaineth the pardon forgiuenes of sins Act. 8.22 Iam. 5.15 1 Ioh. 5.16 and sinne is the true and proper cause of all iudgements whatsoeuer if then it obtaine the remoouing of the cause it shall also obtaine the taking away of the effect For the cause being remoued the effect wil ceasse Thirdly it is so mighty Reason 3 that it is able to throw downe the fastest hold and surest possession that Satan hath gotten Paul hauing shewed that we wrastle not with flesh and blood that is not onely or chiefly with them but with principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse in high places prescribeth this as a meanes to subdue and ouercome them And Christ our Sauiour telleth his disciples Maâ— 17.21 Ephes 6 1â— that this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting If then it be able
Alâ—est 11 â—catech 15 in 2 Thes by most of the Ancients Lastly the conditions and qualities of Antichrist do bewray the same also Now hee is plainly described by the Apostle 2 Thess 2 4. yea so plainly as if then hee had bene alreadie come and reuealed to the world He is saide to bee an aduersary opposed to Christ yet not professed but disguised for vnder the maske and vizard of hypocrisie he oppugneth Christ and his truth and denieth the Lord Iesus to be that Christ annointed to be the only King the onely Priest and the onely Prophet of the church in all which the byshop of Rome will haue a share and communicateth them to others This high priest is no better then an apostate a star falne from heauen he lifteth vp himselfe aboue all that is called God that is all to whom the name of God is communicated and sitteth in the temple of God as god Fourthly a perfect papist that is such a one as acknowledgeth the Councell of Trent and is obedient to the doctrine of the Iesuites caÌ„not be a good subiect neither obey for conscience sake for he beleeueth the Popes sentence in excommunication to be good nay to be Gods sentence hee obeyes so long as pleaseth the pope and his instruments he keepeth not promise or oath with heretikes he receiueth pardons to free from loyalty and allegeance harboureth Seminaries looketh for a golden day practiseth the most diuellish deuices to establish popery entertaineth conference with his Princes sworne enemies and maintaineth that this proud prelate may depose Princes by his priestly power Lastly it is daÌ„gerous to Prince and State to permit them forasmuch as hereby they haue meanes to work and wreak their malice Recusants will conuerse with Iesuites most freely and Iesuites shall not bee kept to any good termes and behauior whereby the secrets of the land are disclosed home-bred foes are encreased good subiects are discoraged and meanes affoorded to hollow-hearted enemies to forecast and to fortify themselues Vse 2 Secondly this serueth to reproue diuers sorts that erre in practise offend against this rule And first of all such as seek reuenge and therby shew themselues far from true loue To reuenge wrongs is proper to God we must not intrude vpon his office neither vsurp his right Deu. 32 35. Ro. 12 19. Heb. 10 30. Psal 94 1. Pro. 14 29. If we practise this wee worke wickednes against him and prouoke him to work reuenge vpon our selues Is it a small offence for any subiect to vsurp the office of the Prince or of the Iudge in giuing sentence vpon any Such vsurpers are such persons against GOD. Againe it serueth to rebuke such as will not forgiue how can such perswade themselues to be members of the church and one body with their brethreÌ„ while they refuse to be one with them These doe make an heauy law against themselues Mat. 6 14 15. 18 22. 5 44. 1 Pet. 3 8. Thirdly such as haue no feeling of the troubles calamities of their brethren Heb. 13 3. much more such as adde affliction to the afflicted The captiuate Iews complain against the insolency and cruelty of the Caldeans Ps 137 3. they required of them in scorn and derision to sing in their hearing one of the songs of Sion and made themselues merry when they saw them heauie hearted The enemies of God and his people are vnmerciful haue no pitty Esay 47 6. God reprooueth for this Psal 102 19. Lastly all members of the church should liue Vse 3 in all loue peace and concord one with another Gen. 13. considering we are brethren and auoid all dissention and discord As in the naturall body we see how one member is readie to aid affect another and stand for the good of another so should it be in the mysticall body all should be vnited together As the subiects of one Prince that belong to one kingdome are subiect to the same lawes bound to maintaine mutuall peace one with another so if God be our king and rule in our harts by his word and Spirit and if wee belong to his kingdome wee must imbrace one another in loue Ephes 4 3. and endeuor to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace We must do nothing through strife and vainglory Phil. 2.3 1 Cor. 1 10. We must all speake the same things that there be no diuision among vs. Hatred is a fruit of the flesh Gal. 5 20. Galath 6 2. On the other side to walk in loue is to walk in the spirit and it is a fruite of the gospell 1 Cor. 13.1 14 1. If we haue neuer so excellent gifts all remaine vnprofitable without this Now The way to try whether the loue of the brethren be in vs. the way to trie whether this be in vs toward the brethren is to examine it by these foure rules First Christian loue must not begin for any worldly respects nor end for wordly respects and considerations but principally must be for and in God Carnal loue is begun for carnall respects and therefore soon withereth away We must loue our brethren principally because they are the sons of God and members of Christ Ioh. 20 17. They are his brethren and he accounteth them so and therefore if God be our Father and Christ our brother they also must be our brethreÌ„ This is expressed by the Apostle 1 Iohn 5 1. Euerie one that loueth him that begate loueth him also which is begotten that is whosoeuer loueth God the Father loueth also the sonnes of God Secondly true Christian loue must not bee outward in shew onely but inward in the heart 1 Iohn 3 18. To loue in shew is the loue of Caine toward Abel Thirdly wee must loue those that are our enemies and hate vs for if we loue them onely that loue vs what singular thing do we or what reward haue wee Math. 5 46 47. Lastly Christian loue must not be onely in time of prosperity but is chiefely tried in aduersity when most neede is This rule is set downe by the Apostle Iohn Whosoeuer hath this worlds goods and seeth his Brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him 1 Iohn 3 17. And Salomon sheweth that a friend loueth at all times and a brother is borne for aduersitie Prou. 17 7. In time of peace and plenty euery one will seeme a friend but not in miserie The poore is hated euen of his owne neighbour but the rich hath many friends Prouerbes chap. 14. verse 20. howbeit in time of neede is the true friend tried These rules must serue for our instruction wee must loue all those that are the sonnes of God by grace and adoption wee must loue al those that are the brethren of Christ by faith sanctification wee must loue them inwardly in truth and in heart wee must loue our enemies and not onely in
resurrection vpon this day Iohn 20. verse 26. Vpon this day did the holy Ghost descend and this was the first day of the creation Vse 1 The Vses follow The sanctifying separating and keeping of the Lords day is a morall duty charged vpon euery soule whatsoeuer wheresoeuer we be in what state and condition soeuer in bondage and exile vpon the land or sea in sickenesse or in health at home or abroad with our selues or with others whether we be high or low Prince or subiect master or seruant bond or free male or female all persons must know that this day must bee sanctified vnto the holy worship of God and be spent in the meditation of holy things It is not as some prophane persons haue saide that fauour of nothing but the world that rich men may keepe the Sabbath but poore men cannot for GOD will haue the poore keepe holy this day as well as the rich As with him is no respect of persons so in giuing his law hee respecteth not persons wee haue not one of the Commandements for the poore and another for the rich but they belong to all as he is God of all and will bee serued of all The Sabbath is morall And if this be not a morall duty then we should haue but nine Commandements that binde perpetually wheras they are often called the ten words Exodus chap. 34 verse 28. Deut. 14.13 and 10 4. and Christ sheweth he came not to destroy the Law but to keepe it and fulfill it Math. 5 17. Againe he saith Hee that shall breake one of the least of the commandements and shal teach men so hee shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen verse 19. he shall bee shut out of it and haue no place in it But it may be obiected Obiect we keepe not the same day that the Iewes did they obserued the seuenth day from the creation we the first day of the weeke Why then was this day changed and who changed it and whether may it be changed againe Answer I answer first touching the first the reasons of the change are to put a difference betweene the Iewish and Christian Sabbath which could not be so fitly done but by change of the day Why the Sabbath was chāged Secondly to keepe a memoriall of the day of our redemption for as the seuenth day kept a memoriall of the work of the creation so doeth this first day of the weeke of our Redemption as great a worke yea greater then the former for it was more to redeeme vs out of hell then to create vs out of nothing Esay 66 24. Thirdly to free the church from the sacrifices and ceremonies of the Iewes and to take from it they yoake that lay as an heauie burden on the neckes of those that liued in the time of the Law Actes chap. 15. verse 10. which neither they nor their Fathers were able to beare for when this day was changed it was no more tied to the Iewish Sabbath which was solemnized with many ceremonies belonging necessarily vnto it The Iewes were tied to a strict and rigorous kinde of rest they might not kindle a fire throughout their habitations Exod. chapt 35. verse 3. It was also a figure of the euerlasting rest of Gods children in the kingdome of heauen Esay 66 23. Heb. 4 9. It was obserued in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt which fell out that day Deut. 5 15. Exodus 11. It was tied precisely to the seuenth day from the Creation and celebrated with sundry set rites and ceremonies Numbers 28. verses 9 10. Neuerthelesse there is a Sabbath morall and perpetuall a time to bee set apart to the worship of God to the end of the world Who alter◠the Sabba◠The next Question is who altered it I answer Christ himselfe is the author of this change The Apostles often teach that whatsoeuer they taught they receiued it from Christ they learned it at his hand before either by word of his mouth or by reuelation of his Spirit but the Apostles enioyned the first day of the weeke to bee kept as a Sabbath of rest 1 Cor. 16 1. The Church euery first day of the weeke made a collection for the poore which followed the hearing of the word the offering vp of prayers and the receyuing of the Sacraments as a fruite of them Actes 2. ver 42. Wherein obserue by the way that the Sabbath was appointed for the benefit good and comfort of the poore not for their hurt or hinderance whereby as God is glorified so the poore are encouraged to tender their seruice to God this day and the mouthes of those carnal men are stopped that would haue the rich keep the Sabbath but not the poore If any say collections for the poore were lawful Obiect and might be made any day as well as on a Sabbath I answer Answ the Apostle doth not onely say that then collections were made but this was made an Apostolicall ordinance and institution to bee done that day especially for hee commandeth the Corinthians to obserue it that day as hee had ordained it in the Churches of Galatia 1 Corinth 16 1 2. So then because he gaue such order wee may conclude it to be an ordinance The Apostles also assembled themselues vpon this day for performance of diuine duties Actes 20. verse 7. They kept this day for a Sabbath neither kept they orderly any other sauing when they came into the Synagogues of the Iewes who were so addicted vnto the Law of Moses that they would meete vpon no other day Besides it is said of Christ that after his resurrection hee taught his Disciples whatsoeuer belonged to the kingdome of God as Actes 1. verse 3. but the alteration of the Sabbath belongeth to Gods kingdome The last questiō remaineth whether it be in the liberty of the Church to change the day againe I answer it is not For as it was not at the first chāged without the authority of Christ and his Apostles directed by Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath Math. 12 8. so it can receiue no farther change without him or them But if the Church had this power thē the Church might well be said to be Lord of the Sabbath Againe the times and seasons are in Gods hand Act. 1 6. but they should be left to the Church as a treasure to dispense if it might dispose transpose the Sabbath at her pleasure Againe one day to be kept in seauen is morall perpetuall otherwise if once we depart from this simplicity that we be not tied of necessity vnto it a mā may say that one day in seuē weeks or in seuen yeares is enough and so at length it shall be said we are not bound to meete together publikely aboue one day in an hundred yeares Therefore I set it downe as an vnchangeable rule that the obseruation of one day in seuen not in fiue or one in fifteene but one in seuen
what not shall all be barred therefore from the heauenly Manna which is sweeter then the hony and the hony comb more to be desired then great heapes of riches which is much more profitable then is the finding of great spoiles The Scripture is a notable part of our spirituall armour Ephes 6 17. able to offend and to wound our enemy If a Captaine should go into the field with his souldiers and suffer them to carry with them no weapons but such as should serue to defend their owne bodies and forbid them such armour as should any way hurt their enemies if hee should permit them the shield but not the sword or allow them a Corslet but not the speare would he not bee thought and that iustly and worthily to betray thē into the enemies hand But thus it is with the Popish captains that must or at least will be accounted the onely masters of Israel they allow to the people after a sort the girdle of truth the brest plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith and the rest to defend themselues but touching the sword The two edged sword of the word Heb. 4 12 wherewith Christ our Sauiour resisted and we after his example must resist the deuill Matth. 4 4. they forbid them to gird that about their loynes as if it were like Saules armour 1 Sam. 17 39. which Dauid could not go withall because he had not proued it whereas indeede it is like Dauids sling the stone which he slang that smote the Philistine in the forehead and caused him to fall vpon his face to the earth verse 49. and therefore what doe they but treacherously betray the people of God and leade them naked into the field to be vtterly spoiled and so to fall before their enemies Secondly it confuteth those amongst our selues that say what neede so much teaching and preaching There are some that thinke themselues to bee wise men much wiser then their fellowes that sticke not to speake thus but this their wisedome is no better then foolishnes with God 1 Cor. 1.23 The preaching of the crosse I confesse is accounted no better then foolishnes but it is to them that perish whereas to them that are saued it is the power of God It is accounted a state-policie now adayes to defend litle preaching and lesse hearing But ignorance can vphold no kingdom True religion is the stay and pillar of a State Religion and the knowledge of it is the pillar and stay of a State and Common-wealth the want of it is the cause of tumults rebellions insurrections and seditions What was the cause of the rebellion in the North in the dayes of our late Soueraign of blessed memory was it any other then want of knowledge and of Preachers to plant knowledge in the hearts of the people but blessed be God they haue since bene better stored and that hath broght better quietnesse in those parts And what is the cause of the often risings rebellions and treasons in the kingdome of Ireland at this day but because they remain either Atheists or Popish or sottish wanting the meanes of knowledge to instruct and informe them better True Religion is a bulwarke and a Castle of defence to any kingdome the very chariots and horsemen of Israel 2 King 2.12 and godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come 1 Tim. 4 8. Wherefore they are prophane speeches of ignorant people or of idle teachers going about to maintain their ignorance and idlenesse who think that a sermon in a quarter is sufficient either for the Minister to preach or the people to heare If you marke or would examine what the people are that liue vnder such and for the most part you shall see they know nothing But the Minister must preach in season and out of season the duller the scholler is he should haue his lesson the more often repeated Such for the most part are the people slow in hearing dull in conceiuing weake in remembring bearing away what they haue heard Some there are who not onely are ignorant but defend their ignorance and thinke men neede not haue any knowledge in the Scriptures nor trouble themselues any way about it These doe imagine that it belongeth onely to the Ministers and other lerned men to know the Scriptures And it is fit hee should haue more knowledge then a priuate man because hee is appointed of God to teach the people but this exempteth not the people from it For take this as a certaine principle that the poorest simplest person must haue as much knowledge for matters of saluation as the Minister hath or els he shall neuer be saued Vse 3 Lastly let all men know men and women children and seruants that in their seueral places they are bound to exercise themselues in the Scriptures and daily to meditate in them that so thereby they may come to knowledg for without knowledge in the word it is vnpossible for any to bee saued The way for a man to get his liuing by his trade is not to exercise himselfe in it once in a weeke or to imploy himselfe to it once in a quarter but hee must vse it dayly and diligently or else he shall neuer liue by it or thriue in it So may I say in this case a man that hath a desire to be saued and to liue heereafter in a better life it is not sufficient for him to reade the Scriptures and to meditate in them now and then or when he hath nothing else to doe and to keepe himselfe from idlenesse but hee must obserue a constant and continual course in the searching and reading of them that by them he may come to knowledge by knowledge to faith by faith to obedience and by obedience to saluation Ignorance shall excuse no man at the day of iudgement He that knoweth not his Masters will shall be beaten Luke 12 48. Hosea 4 1 3. If we thinke to pleade for our selues and to alledge in our defence that we followed our callings to erne our liuings to maintaine our families it shal not serue our turnes this will not bee taken for currant payment Our particular and our generall calling agree well together God hath not ioyned them in euery man Our particular calling is to follow our businesse our generall calling is to know the Scriptures the one doth not abrogate the other inasmuch as God hath commanded them both what God hath coupled together no man shall put asunder Math. 19 6. CHAP. XVI 1 NOw Korah the sonne of Izhar the sonne of Kohath the sonne of Leui and Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliah and On the sonne of Peleth sonnes of Reuben took men 2 And they rose vp before Moses with certaine of the children of Israel 250. Princes of the assembly famous in the Congregation men of renowne 3 And they gathered themselues together against Moses and against Aaron and said vnto them Ye take too much
Church or in the Commonwealth This is a great comfort to al godly Magistrates that beare on their shoulders the burthen of gouernment of whom it is said 〈◊〉 22 6. I haue said ye are Gods and ye are the children of the most High to know that they beare the person of God and that hee vseth them as his vicegerents This is a singular comfort also to all godly and painfull preachers whom the Lord vseth as his Stewards and messengers of whom he hath saide Hee that heareth you heareth me which ought to be al-sufficient vnto vs to make vs walke thorough good report and euill report and ouerstride al the discouragements and discontentments that the vnthankfull world throweth vpon vs. Vse 3 Lastly we learne to forsake no work belonging to our calling yet still to trust in God to rely vpon him not to trust in the outward means â—â—ew 4 7. Our Sauiour Christ teacheth that they tempt God and prouoke him to wrath that refuse or neglect the ordinary meanes appointed for their life and preseruation Hee that is sicke and neglecteth the ordinary meanes of Physicke he that is hungry and refuseth the ordinary meanes of feeding or beeing in an high and dangerous place will not descend the common way but casteth himselfe down maketh a needlesse triall of Gods power and so tempteth God It is our part not to bee idle vpon his prouidence but to vse profitable helps for our safety and maintenance Our endeuours and labours are required in his prouidence who as he ordaineth the end so he appointeth the meanes leading and tending to the end Now whensoeuer God hath offered and afforded an ordinary meanes for our succour and saluation wee are bound to vse the same carefully and not seeke redresse remedy another way This serueth to conuince all such as waite vpon vanities and forsake their owne mercies which say Cannot God saue vs without so much preaching hath he no other meanes to worke our conuersion Hath hee bound himselfe to the Ministery of the word Indeed God hath not tied himselfe to this ordinance he can worke our saluation by other waies but he hath necessarily tied vs vnto it where he hath sent it vnto vs and if we thinke to finde it any other way wee shall toyle and trouble our selues in seeking and shal not obtain it God norished his people with Quails fed them with Manna and commanded the Rocke to giue them water in the wildernesse extraordinarily but when he had planted theÌ„ in the land of Canaan 〈◊〉 5 12. and giuen them Corne and prouision to liue ordinarily they must vse those helps or else perish and famish for hunger As he dealt with their bodies so hee dealeth with our soules If we neglect ordinarie meanes we may not looke for extraordinarie Moreouer this serueth to condemne the practise of such as reason If we be appointed to saluation it shal neuer be taken from vs whoÌ„soeuer we oppresse whatsoeuer wee commit howsoeuer we liue This is to couet the end but to neglect the meanes We desire saluation but we refuse to walk in the way that God hath chalked out vnto vs. Such as neuer vse the meanes make it plaine and manifest they were neuer ordained to the end Wherfore the Apostle saith God hath chosen vs that wee should be holy and without blame before him in loue Repentance Ephes 1 4. faith sanctification are the meanes and the way saluation and eternall life are the iournies end Al such as God hath ordained to eternall life he hath ordained them to vse the meanes to pray vnto him to heare his word to receiue the Sacraments to haue faith in Christ to repent from dead workes and heereby wee shall make our election sure 2 Peter 1 10 2 Tim. 2 19. The more we increase in the gifts of God the greater shal our assurance be Thus much of the necessarie vse of the meanes vsed by the people to further Gods prouidence and to come vnto the quiet possession of the land of Promise Verse 17. I pray thee let vs passe thorough thy Country Before we come to the consideration of the reasons let vs see what their request is of the Edomites which were a people lying Southward in respect of the land of Canaan toward the Desert of Arabia the dead sea and sprang of Esau as we heard before Now the Israelites were the Lords own people the visible Church of God vpon earth which is the foundation pillar of truth of whom he said 1 Tim. 3 15. Psal 105 15. Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme yet see here how they are brought to so low en ebbe as to ask a License to craue a Pasport and passage of their enemies Wee learne from hence Doctrine The Church destitute of helpe is often times driuen to craue succour of their enemies that the true church is oftentimes brought so low as to stand in neede of the helpe fauour friendship and good will of strangers that liue out of the church God doth so far make his seruants drink of the cup of affliction in the outward wants of earthly things that they must craue helpe of those that are their enemies This we see in Abraham Gen. 23 2 3. and 42 1 2 6. he had not a place to bury his dead out of his sight but was constrained to craue it of the Hittites So Iacob and his houshold were so sorely pressed with famine that they came and bowed to the Egyptians for a piece of bread 1 Sam. 25 6 7 8. and 22 3. So Dauid being in distresse in the wildernes was driuen to send to churlish Nabal to giue to him and his whatsoeuer came to his hand This miserie of the poor church the Prophet confesseth Lam. 5 6. As if they should say We are so oppressed by the Chaldeans that we are compelled thorough necessity to craue releefe of our greatest enemies So Ester a nursing mother of the Church begged her owne life Ester 7 3. and the life of the people of God at the hands of an Heathen King Thus we see that howsoeuer the faithful be right heires of the world the iust owners of all things in Iesus Christ yet sometimes for their necessary releefe in things of this life they stretch out their begging hands vnto their enemies as Lazarus did Reason 1 The Reasons are First in respect of God who wil try the faith and patience of his seruants how they can bear outward afflictions whether they will cleaue to him in their troubles not It is his wil and heauenly pleasure to try and proue the obedience of his seruaÌ„ts Not that he getteth or gaineth any knowledg which he had not before but by triall of his owne gifts to let vs see what is in our selues who are ignorant of the hidden corners of our own hearts Peter supposed himself to be constant and couragious till he was brought into
another 1 Thess 4 6. for God is an auenger of all such things This is it that Moses teacheth Deut. 23 7. Thou shalt not abhorre an Edomite for he is thy brother neither shalt thou abhorre an Egyptian because thou wast a stranger in his Land Thus the people of Israel complaine against the rich and cry out vpon the vnequall iniurious dealing of their brethreÌ„ vpon this ground Nehem. 5 â— because their flesh was as the flesh of their brethren the sons daughters of the poore as the sonnes and daughters of the rich Lastly this serueth to reproue conuince Vse 4 three sorts of men First it condemned all railing at and reuiling one of another all words of reproch and contumely as if they were our slaues and villaines which practise Christ reproueth Mat. 5 22. Secondly it meeteth with such as delight in contentions as the begger doth his sores nourishing dissention in the Church or Common-wealth contrary to the amiable name of brethren that ought to bee acknowledged among vs. All contention is irkesome but especially that which is betweene brethren All war is lamentable but especially ciuill warre where brother is diuided against brother sometimes the son against the father This victory should not be sounded with triumph but passed ouer with silence Therefore the Romane Captaines after a ciuil war Vaâ—er 〈◊〉 lib. 1. cap. â— neuer triumphed when they returned victors as we see in Cinna and Caesar in Silla and Marius So among all quarrels and controuersies those among brethren are most vnnaturall Wherefore the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 16 â— I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye haue learned and auoid them Ia. 3 14 â— So the Apostle Iames teacheth If yee haue bitter enuying and strife in your hearts reioyce not neither be lyars against the truth This wisedome descendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and diuellish For where enuying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of euill works Wherefore let vs learne to cut off all occasions of contentions euen from them that seeke occasions Thirdly this reprooueth all vnmercifull dealing towards those that are in necessity such as was in the Priest and Leuite toward him that fell into the hands of theeues was wounded WheÌ„ we see a poore man or woman destitute of daily food in misery and want of this worlds good we must thus thinke with our selues This man or this woman is my flesh my brother my sister as good by nature and in creation as my selfe hauing the same Maker and made of the same matter and bearing the fame Image of God as well as my selfe It is onely Gods goodnesse toward me that I possesse those things which he wanteth the same Lord requireth of me to my vtmost power to releeue and helpe him This is taught by Moses Deut. 15 7. Thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand froÌ„ thy poore brother Let it not greeue vs to giue and forgiue Let vs haue a coÌ„passionate hart a pittiful eie a liberal hand Remember it is an easie thing with God to bring thee into as low an ebbe though thou be now afloat as wee see it hath fallen out to many great Kings mighty Monarchs This is that charge which the Prophet giueth Es 58 7. Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that wander vnto thine house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Let this consideration moue vs to loue all meÌ„ vnder heauen and to shew the fruites of mercy vnto them in distresse as the Samaritan did to the poore wounded man Luke 10 33. Let vs pray for the conuersion of Iewes Gentiles as Stephen did for his enemies Ver. 15. Thou knowest our trouble how our fathers went downe into Egypt therfore I pray thee let vs passe This is the second reason before remembred drawne from the wofull experience of many miseries which they haue had in Egypt and out of Egypt Heere we see they alledge the afflictions endured in â—gypt to stirre vp the Edomites to pitty and to giue theÌ„ quiet passage This reason is thus contriued If we haue suffered many sorrowes and afflictions and beene euilly entreated in Egypt then pitty our poore condition and deliuer vs out of our distresse but we haue all suffered many sorrowes and afflictions c therefore pitty vs and giue vs passage Marke heere the force and strength of the reason â—â—rength 〈◊〉 reason he perswadeth theÌ„ to graunt them free passage moued with this consideration that the miseries of the Church haue beene many and as yet they saw no ende of them They were bound by all good means to procure their peace and seeke a blessed end of their present sorrowes that entering into the Land they might sit vnder their Vines Fig-trees 〈◊〉 4 1. and reason of the waies and word of the Lord without feare Now the want of this liberty and freedome to serue the Lord and the distressed estate of the oppressed Church is made a motiue to mercy in these Edomites to redresse their troubles and so the Israelites might haue beene eased themselues no way burdened â—â—ze â—â—â—es 〈◊〉 church 〈◊〉 zâ—â—le 〈◊〉 to pitâ—â—â— From hence we learne that the wants and miseries of the Church should moue the hearts of others to pitty them and to procure according to their power the remedy thereof Whensoeuer we see the people of God in affliction if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy we must be touched inwardly euen to the quicke and put too our helping hand to end their calamities as we are able This hath beene put in practise from time to time by the holy seruants of the Lord. When Nehemiah heard that the people returned from captiuity were still in great misery Neh. 1 3 4 Ierusalem troden downe the gates burnt with fire he sate downe and wept he mourned fasted praied before the God of heauen for the redresse of those euils and for a blessing vppon his holy endeuours The like affection we see in Mordecai Esteâ— chap. 4 8 16. when Mordecai saw what euill was concluded against the Church and that a commission was sued out at Shushan to destroy and massacre the people of God in one day he rent his cloathes and put on sackcloth he goeth to Ester hee chargeth her that shee should goe in to the King and make petition and supplication before him for her people She vndertaketh the cause of the Church with the hazard of her life she relieth vpon the all-giuing prouidence of God saying If I perish I perish I will go in to the King albeit it be not according to the Law So the Prophet teacheth
see in the booke of Kings 1 Kings 1â— in Hiel the Betheliâ—e according to the word of the Lord which hee spake by Ioshua the sonne of Nun. The like we see in Zachariah when resting in the power of nature and the strength of his owne body he beleeued not the Angel be was striken dumbe and could not speake vnto the people Luke 1 20. A memorable example also we haue in the streight siege of Samaria where a Prince answered the man of God and saide Though the Lord would make Windowes in the heauen could it come so to passe 2 Kings â— 19 20. And hee saide Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eate thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trod vpon him in the gate and he dyed The Reasons heere of are euident For first Reason the Nature of GOD is true and vnchangeable Heauen and earth shall passe but one iote or tittle of his word shall not passe but shall bee fulfilled This is that which is vrged afterward in this booke Chapter 23.19 1 Sam. 1â— God is not as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold repent Hath he said and shall it not bee done hath he spoken and shal he not accomplish it Seeing therefore God is vnchangeable with whom is no variablenesse or shadow of turning hee will let none of his words fall to the ground he is in one mind and who can turne him yea he doth what his minde desireth Reason 2 Again who can hinder him or say vnto him Why doest thou thus No might no power no policy can withstand him in his workes albeit men rebell neuer so much and resist neuer so mightily against him There is great power in Princes they are able to bring mighty things to passe and to crosse the attempts of others yet sometimes they are crossed and resisted themselues It is not so with the Lord our God 〈◊〉 33. Who is in the heauens and doth whatsoeuer he will He hath the hearts of all euen of Princes in his own hand â—â—b 21 1 as the Riuers of waters he turneth them about as pleaseth him This made the Apostle cry out 〈◊〉 11.33 â—5 â—9 19 O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Or who was his Counsellor Or who hath giuen him first and he shall be recompenced And who hath resisted his will So then whether wee consider the nature of God without change or the weaknesse of man without power wee may safely and truely conclude that all the threatnings which haue bene pronounced and denounced by the mouth of God shal be verified and performed without any altering or diminishing of them Vse 1 Let vs apply this to our selues and gather assuredly from hence the wofull estate of all wicked and vngodly men For seeing he doth not dally with vs or scare vs without cause so that all his threatnings faithfully denounced shall be vndoubtedly accomplished how shal they escape so great condemnation as lyeth at the doore and hangeth ouer their head Howsoeuer therefore they put away the euill day farre from them and liue as if God sate idle in heauen beholding all things but punishing nothing knowing all hearts and thoghts but not regarding the workes of men saying We haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at agreement 〈…〉 16. though a scourge run ouer and passe thorough it shal not come at vs for wee haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanity are we hid yet hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision For what followeth Your couenant with death shal be disanulled and your agreement with hel shal not stand when a scourge shal run ouer and passe through then shal ye be troden down by it This is that which the wise man saith Eccles 8.11 12 13. Because sentence against an euil worke is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the children of men is full set in them to do euill Though a sinner do euil an hundred times and God prolongeth his dayes yet I know that it shal be well with them that feare the Lord but it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes he shall bee like a shadow because he feareth not before GOD. And to the same purpose the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh Chap. 12 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. where the Prophet reprooueth two sorts of persons open deriders of Gods word as if it should neuer be performed and such as prolong the euill daies as if the plagues were for many yeares and should not come in their dayes But God expressely and directly meeteth with them both and bindeth them together in one bundle declaring and making it plaine to their consciences that when he speaketh the word it shall be done and when hee pronounceth a decree it shall stand Thus in all ages of the Church satâ—n preuaileth with the children of disobedience and draweth more to destruction by presumption then he is able to do by desperation Let vs not harden our hearts thorough the deceitfulnesse of sinne Esay 55 6. Let vs seeke the Lord while hee may bee found and cal vpon him while he is neere Secondly let vs ground our faith in the vndoubted Vse 2 performance of those iudgements that are yet to come as that the Lord Iesus at the appointed time will breake the heauens and will come to iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearance and in his Kingdome that the wicked shall rise againe and stand before the barre of Gods throne These things we see not yet accomplished for all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation HeÌ„ce it is that Mockers arise which walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3 3.4 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp Yea When they shal say peace and safety 1 Thess 5 3. then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman with child and they shall not escape Thus the Prophet Malachi prophesieth Behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen and all the proud Malachy 4 1. and all the wicked doers shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp and shal leaue them neither roote nor branch Thus then we see a day of iudgement is decreed and determined and remaineth for the appointed time but at last it shall come and not lye though it tarry wait for it shall surely come and not stay Thirdly wee must not be dismayed when Vse
thy selfe in the dust Mich. 1 9 10. He enioyneth theÌ„ silence lest the same thereof spread it selfe to their enemies to encrease their reproch and to multiply their sorrow For what doth more vexe vs double our misery then to see men so farre from pittying vs that they triumph ouer vs and laugh at vs This condemneth many that liue among vs in these daies of dissention that tender not the peace of the Church which ought to bee as deare vnto vs as our owne liues but publish the shame reproch one of another as with the blast of a Trumpet albeit our enemies and the enemies of our religion liue among vs. Abraham tooke vp the controuersie betweene him and Lot saying Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene me and thee Gen. 13 7 8. neither betweene my heard-men thy heardmen because the Canaanites dwelled at that time in the Land If we did aright consider this point that our enemies are among vs that are as whips on our sides and thornes in our eyes that seek the subuersion of the Common-wealth not the conuersion of the Church there would not be so many bad bitter inuectiues written as it were with gall and wormewood setting on fire the hearts of one against another as if we were enemies not friends strangers not brethren infidels not beleeuers These contentions are a stumbling blocke vnto the weake an hardning and heartning of the aduersary and an vtter estranging of vs one from another Let vs therefore follow those things that belong to peace and vnite our forces together as one man that we may seeke the building vp of the Church among vs and double our strokes vpon the backe of the enemy Vse 3 Thirdly let vs vse patience vnder the crosse lying as vnder Gods hand and in the midst of all our afflictions say with the Prophet I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 39 9. This we reade to haue bin worthily practised of Iob when the cup of affliction began to ouerflow chap. 2 10. Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill In all this did not Iob sinne with his lips This also we find expresly required Heb. 10 32 33 34 35 36. Where we see in the example of these afflicted Hebrewes that when our enemies insult ouer the Church we must not murmure tepine but be still and silent vnder the crosse and according to the counsell and commandement of Christ Luke 21 19 By patience possesse our soules and without this we shall neuer haue comfort and contentment in such afflictions as we are called to endure Vse 4 Lastly seeing God at sundry times and in diuers manners giueth those that are his into the hands of their enemies surely in the ende he will not spare the wicked he deferreth his punishments but he striketh at the last As he is longer in drawing his Bowe and making ready his Quiuer so his Arrowes when they come pierce the deeper and wound the sorer The higher his hand is lifted vp before it falleth the greater the blow is when it lighteth He hath a leaden foote and hasteth slowly but howsoeuer hee tarry till the appointed time yet surely he will come and will not stay but recompence the slownesse of his coming with the greeuousnesse of his punishing When hee will crush them with a Scepter of iron Psalm 2 3. and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell This Moses teacheth in his song concerning Gods benefits toward his people and their vnthankfulnesse toward him If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance toward mine enemies and will reward them that hate me and I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood Deut. 32 41 42. Let them not therfore triumph ouer the Church people of God and let vs waite a while and see the end of all her enemies how God hath set them in a slippery place We see in this History that albeit these Canaanites were as the rod of God to chastise his seruants for their security yet God in the end threw them in the fire and gaue them as a prey to his people as appeareth afterward The like the Prophet Dauid declareth Psal 137 3 7 8 9 that howsoeuer the Edomites and Babylonians flouted at the Church in affliction and they that led theÌ„ captiues required of them in mockage songs and mirth saying Sing vs one of the songs of Sion yet they escaped not the iust hand of a reuenging God according to the prayer of his people Remember the childreÌ„ of Edom O Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said raze it raze it to the foundation thereof O daughter of Babel worthy to be destroied blessed shall hee bee that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones And the Prophet Dauid being greeuoufly persecuted vnder Saul and hunted froÌ„ place to place as a Partridge in the Mountaines Psalm 141 â— assureth himselfe that flying to God in his afflictions and possessing his soule by patience he shall in the end behold God taking such vengeance on all his enemies rewarding them seuen fold into their bosome that he shall in pitty and compassion pray vnto God for them in their miseries True it is hee doth not alwaies recompence them presently so soone as they haue sinned because he is the God of patience waiting for their repentance bearing with the vessels of wrath and making them without excuse yet at the length hee will reproue them and set their sins in order before them Psal 50 21. Verse 2. So Israel vowed a vow Before the Israelites trusted in themselues now being ouerthrowne by the enemies they turne to God and learne obedience by the things which they suffered So then the present ouerrhrow giuen vnto them maketh them consider their owne weaknesse and driueth them to God in their distresse The doctrine froÌ„ hence is this that affliction is profitable to the Church â—ne â—on is â—ellent â—turne God it bringeth driueth vs vnto God The Church of God in generall and the seruants of God in particular which cannot profitably vse prosperity and beare themselues thankfully in the daies of peace do learne in aduersity to turne to God and are thereby brought vnto him Heereunto cometh the example of the Israelites Iudg. 3 8 9 10. When the wrath of God was kindled against Israel doing wickedly forgetting God and seruing their idols that turned to their ruine then they cried vnto the Lord and he stirred vp a Sauiour vnto them Hereunto also coÌ„meth the threatnings of Moses Deut. 4 27 28 29 30. 2 Chron. 15 3. To this purpose the prophet speaketh Psal 107 6 13 19 28. WheÌ„ they wandred in the Desert and found no City to dwell in when they were bound in misery and iron because they rebelled against the words of the Lord when they
teacheth Eccles 5.3 4 5. Vse 1 Let vs apply this to our selues First from this example wee may learne the doctrine of vowes what is to be holden of vowes what is not to be holden For we see heere what a vow is namely a free and solemne promise made to God touching such things as please him tending to the glory of his Name the profit of our brethren or the repentance and saluation of our soules Secondly we see who may vow to wit such as are free and at liberty nor vnder the power and iurisdiction of others Thirdly to whom vowes are to bee made not to Saints or Angels but to God only and to him alone they are to be performed according to the saying of the Psalmist Psal 76.11 As he onely is to be prayed vnto and from him we are to looke for all good things so to him only we must vow and offer to him the calues of our lips Fourthly it appeares what wee may vow to God not things vnlawfull vnpossible and vnwarranted by the word of God not things whereof we are vncertaine whether they please God or not for who would offer to a Prince or promise to him such things as he knoweth he will not accept or doubteth whether he will accept thereof Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom 14.23 Exod. 23.31 as the Apostle teacheth But such things as the Scripture warranteth being the true rule of all right wayes such was this vow in this place Lastly wee see that vowes thus made are carefully to bee kept and religiously to be performed hauing an eye to the party with whom wee haue to deale For as they are to be made with reuerence so they are to bee performed with care and diligence otherwise wee doe fowly and falsely abuse the Maiestie of God and take his Name in vaine All these considerations and conditions teach vs that vowes are not in thēselues vnlawfull and to be condemned so as they be restrained and bounded in the compasse of the law of God and not suffered to wander after our owne fancies Secondly it serueth to beat downe all false Vse 2 doctrine and erronious opinions touching vowing which are many and to rectifie our iudgements by teaching what vowes are lawfull what vnlawfull First if they be made of any thing flat against the word of God they cannot binde or tye vs to the performance thereof for all the force and power of binding vs is to bee borrowed and deriued from the word of God Wherefore it must bee agreeable to the will of God and whensoeuer it is against the word of God it hath no strength or efficacy to constraine or command They which would haue murthered Paul and had conspired together by a solemne league of agreement Act. 23.12 did make a solemne vow not to eat nor drinke vntill they had executed their diuellish purpose and put the Apostle to death But who now dare say that they were bound in conscience by their vow or that God liked of it For this were all one as if they would make God a companion of their murther Therefore Dauid vowing the slaughter and destruction of Nabal and his family 1 Sa. 25.22 32 reuoked it at the wise counsell of a discreet woman Secondly they must not hee made by such persons as want sufficient reason iudgement discretion and vnderstanding as children fooles or furious persons for these cannot be made with freedome of conscience nor can be said to be taken vp by a mans owne accord in as much as the mind cannot truely discerne what is done as is proued at large in the thirtieth chapter of the booke of Numbers and the fourth verse Thirdly it condemneth such as vowe hauing no power or authority in themselues to bind themselues such vowes cannot binde being made against the law of nature For all lawfull vowes must be made with consent of their superiors so long as they are vnder the gouernement of others Exod. 20.12 as appeareth by the fift commandement Honour thy father c. Fourthly they must be so made as they may stand with Christian liberty for we may not in any sort make such things absolutely necessary as God hath left free vnto vs snaring the conscience and abridging the liberty which Christ hath purchased contrary to the commandement of the Apostle Gal. 5.1 Fiftly it reproueth such as vow things vnpossible and out of the power and liberty of the makers thereof to doe or not to doe so that a vow made of a thing vnpossible is no vow at all but an intollerable presumption and a wilfull tempting of God As if a man should vow to walke vpon his head or to fly in the ayre Iosh 10.12 Exod. 14 21. or to stay the starres as Ioshua did or to diuide the sea as Moses did wherein we haue no assurance of any extraordinary gift of God Sixtly they must not be against a mans generall or particular calling that is neither against his calling as he is a Christian neither that speciall calling wherein he liueth If they be made against the one or the other they are vnlawfull As if the Minister should vow to doe the office of the Magistrate in executing iustice vpon Malefactors or the Magistrate vow to discharge the function of the Minister in preaching the Gospel or if a man should vow to liue in no calling in the Church in the Common-wealth or in the family but walke inordinately with scandall and offence Seuenthly it conuinceth all such vowes as are rash heady sudden idle and vnaduised and requireth on the other side that they bee made with aduice meditation and deliberation For rash vowes bee not lawfull albeit the things vowed may bee done lawfully Therefore the Wiseman saith Eccles 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart bee hasty to vtter a thing before God for God is in the heauens and thou art on the earth therefore let thy words be few If we make a promise vnto a man like to our selues we will haue this consideration and thinke with our selues whether hee will accept of it or not whether his will be to like of it or not We must not therfore mocke with God and make lighter account of him then of a mortall man whose breath is in his nostrils They ought not to be made without iudgement and aduisement for that were a defiling of Gods seruice and an abusing of his Name Now as they ought not to be made rashly but with sobriety so ought all our vowes to bee of great moment and importance and therefore wee are forbidden to vow idle and trifling toyes to obserue as is vsuall in the Church of Rome where one voweth a pilgrimage to the Saints another voweth to fast and eate no flesh at such a feasts Euen wherof one is superstitious the other diuellish As for their pilgrimages it is a wicked corruption and an idolatrous seruice which God reiecteth For albeit vnder the Law it
Come to Heshbon let the City of Sihon be built and repaired c. The end of this Song made of the people of GOD was to keepe a perpetuall memory of the victories that God gaue to the Israelites and to teach the posterity to come how they came to be owners and possessours of these Citiss We learne from hence That it is the duty of the faithfull to remember and publish the works of God Doctrine It is our duty to remember publish the great works of God whereof we are partakers or witnesses Whensoeuer GOD sheweth any of his works of mercy or iudgement toward our selues or others toward soule or body we must not hide them and bury them in forgetfulnesse but spread them abroad and make them knowne to others This appeareth in sundry places of the word of God The Prophet teacheth this duty Psalm 105 1 2. Praise the Lord call vpon his Name declare his workes among the people Sing vnto him sing praise vnto him and talke of all his wondrous works And Psal 107 8. Let them confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works among the sonnes of men So likewise Psalm 111 2 3. The works of the Lord are great and ought to be sought of all them that loue them his worke is glorious and beautifull and his righteousnesse endureth for euer So Psal 66 16 5 he prouoketh all men to heare what God hath done for him Come and hearken all ye that feare God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule and in the same Psalme he reproueth the dulnesse of men that are cold in the consideration of the works of God Come and behold the works of God he is terrible in his doing toward the sonnes of men When the Shepheards had found the word of the Angel true and seene the Babe laide in the Cratch Luke 2 1â— They published abroad the thing that was told them of that childe to the great wondring of all those that heard it And when the man out of whom a legion of diuels was departed besought Christ that he might tarry with him Iesus sent him away saying Returne into thine owne house and shew what great things God hath done to thee so hee went his way and preached throughout all the Citty what great things Iesus had done vnto him When Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch from whence they had beene commended to the grace of God to the worke which they had fulfilled hauing gathered together the Church They rehearsed all the things that God had done by them and how he had opened the doore of faith vnto the Gentiles Acts 14 27. The practise of this duty Christ commanded to the man that he had dispossessed Mark 5 19 20. Goe thy way home to thy friends shew theÌ„ what great things the Lord hath done vnto thee how he hath had compassion on thee so he departed and began to publish in Decapolis what great things Iesus had done vnto him and al men did maruaile All which precepts and examples teach vs that it is not enough to haue receiued Gods benefits and to be mindfull of them our selues but also we are bound to make others according to our places to profite thereby and to praise God for them agreeable to the words of Peter and Iohn to the councell Wee cannot but speak the things which we haue seene heard Acts 4 20. The Reasons of this Doctrine are diuers Reason 1 whether we consider God or our selues or the faithfull with whom we liue First in respect of God inasmuch as it standeth vs all vpoÌ„ to set forth his glory with al our strength and might This is the chiefe and principall end that we must ayme at in all our waies to seeke to gaine glory to his great Name according to that generall precept of the Apostle Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe do all to the glory of God So when God doth make knowne to vs the workes of his owne right hand this must be one motiue to stirre vs vp to spread them abroad that thereby his Name may be glorified and his sauing health published among all Nations Acts 11 1â— as we see the practise in the Apostles Secondly in respect of our selues For this is a notable signe and token of a true and liuely faith that we beleeue the works of God and lay them vp deeply in our hearts when we hide them not vnder a bushell nor couer them in the ashes but lift vp our voice as a Trumpet to declare to others what our selues haue learned This the Prophet testifieth in his owne practise I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing I beleeued and therefore did I speake Psalm 116 verses 9 10. This is not peculiar to the Prophet onely to testifie his faith by the words of his mouth but is made generall and common to others by the Apostle 〈◊〉 4 13. Because we haue the same spirit of Faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore I haue spoken we also beleeue and therefore speak Such as do not beleeue the words and workes of God can neuer be fit instruments to giue notice of them to others but such as doe in heart beleeue them cannot but with the tongue confesse them thereby to assure their owne hearts and to confirme their owne faith more and more Reason 3 Thirdly we must haue respect to others For as Christ speaketh to Peter when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren so when we beleeue the workes of God wee must labour to bring all other to a sound faith and right iudgement It is our duty to hunger and thirst after the saluation of others and being called to the profession we must toll the bell to others There is no man that hath bene truly acquainted with the workes of God and hath in conscience bene conuinced of the vndoubted truth thereof but ought to bee as a publike Cryer and as the Lordes Herald to blaze them and publish them abroad for the good of others This is the reason that mooued the Prophet Dauid to make such often so many protestations 〈◊〉 1 71 to speak of al his wondrous workes to tell his maruellous workes to publish the praises of the Lord his great power This is the reason that Peter immediately after his deliuerance out of prison came vnto Mary where many were gathered together in praier to intreat the Lord for the enlarging of his liberty saying vnto them Go shew these things vnto Iames and the rest of the Bretheren Acts 12 â—7 So then whether we do consider that it is required of vs to seeke the glorie of God to testify the assurance of our Faith or to win our brethren wee must acknowledge that it is a speâ—iall duty laide vpon vs to publish the workes of God whereof any of vs be witnesses of the truth whereof we are conuinced Indeed Christ
idle thing to desire his last end to be like the righteous We see the vngodly liue and wax olde Iob 21 7 9 13. and grow in wealth their children prosper their houses are peaceable without feare the rod of God is not vpon them they spend their dayes in pleasures and sodainly they goe downe to the graue They are not afflicted with tedious diseases they are not tormented with long sicknesses they go away many times quietly as a Lambe their life is with greater delight their death is with greater ease then the life and death of the righteous But after this life beginneth the trouble and torment of the Reprobate Here they haue receiued their pleasures and the righteous their paines therfore these are comforted and the other confounded They must appeare before the iudgment seate of God they must come after this life to their triall they must all stand at the bar and pleade guilty or not guilty The consideration of this day of account immediately after the separation of the soule from the body made Balaam in this place cry out in the sight and feeling of the blessednesse of the Church Oh let my last end be like his From hence wee learne this principle of our faith Doctrine The reasonable soule of man is immortall That the soule of man is immortali hauing a beginning yet is without ending being seuered from the body it liueth in place either of ioy or of torment either it receiueth the reward of godlinesse or it is plagued and punished for wickednesse This appeareth by many testimonies of the word of God When the Lord had made mans body of the dust of the ground He breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a liuing soule able to liue of it selfe Gen 2 7 and by it self And afterward it is said Genes 5 24. with Heb. 11 17. Henoch walked with God and he was no more seene for God tooke him away to shew that there was a better life prepared and to be a testimony of the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body seeing hee was translated that he should not see death neyther was hee found for God had translated him Hereunto commeth the prayer of Simeon Luk. 2 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word he was ready willing to be loosed from the prison of the body and calleth death a departure from hence Likewise it is sayde in the Parable that Lazarus dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22.23 the rich man also dyed was buried and was throwne into the torments of hel And at the passion of Christ hanging on the crosse when the penitent theefe praied Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome hee said Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. Furthermore when the Lambe had opened the fifte seale Reue. 5 6 9. Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God for the testimony which they maintained Reason 1 The Reasons of this Doctrine are to bee known and considered of vs. First if the soule were not of an immortall Nature the godly of all other should be most wretched their life most miserable vnlesse they did beleeue that a time of refreshing should come from yâ— presence of God and contrarywise the condition of the vngodly should be most blessed and happy This the Apostle setteth downe 1 Cor. 15 19 20. And if the soule did not remaine after this life being separate from the body all Religion and piety were in vaine our preaching and your faith were in vaine Why are we in ieopardy euery houre and why suffer we affliction for righteousnes sake nay why do we not eate and drink for to morrow we must dye Reason 2 Secondly nothing that is immortall and transitory can cite a man before Gods Tribunall or terrifie for sinne vnknowne to any other But the soule of man accusing him for secret sinnes makâ—th him hold vp at his hand at the barre of Gods iudgement seate This we see in Belteshazzer when he saw the palme of the hand that wrote vpon the plaister of the wall of his palace Daniel 5 6. His countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his knees smote one against another Before he was thus awaked he contemned the true God and blessed his Idols but when God manifested a small token of his power and presence he did shake tremble euery ioynt of him for feare of that sight This is the iustice of God reuenging the sinne of men that they should tremble at his iudgements that wretchedly abuse his mercies The like example we see in Felix albeit he loâ—ked for a bribe and set iustice to sale at offer and proffer yet when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come he quaked and quiuered at that discourse and was not able to endure the mention of it Now if the soule were subiect to mortality and to perish with the body it would not it could not thus accuse man nor draw him before the iudgement seate of God Thirdly the soule of man can reason of immortality Reason 3 it is vnsatiable in seeking knowledge and is not changed or altered with the estate of the body it contenteth not it selfe to rest satisfied with any thing in this life The more it knoweth 1 Cor. 8 â— the more it coueteth desireth to know the more it is able to learn It desireth blessednesse and happines it respecteth glory and good estimation after death it hath many actions and operations aboue sense and the naturall appetite of the body as to loue God to feare God to put our trust in him to beleeue in him to imbrace religion to cleaue vnto God with full purpose of hart The senses of the body cannot climbe and ascend so high to know God and to meditate on heauenly things nay they cannot reason define diuide number or order any thing Therefore the soule that performeth these things is a spirituall substance like vnto Angels not subiect to death or mortality Now let vs come to the Vses of this point Vse 1 of Religion and principle of our Fayth First it serueth to confute condemn all Atheists Epicures Libertines Sadduces and the late vpstart family of loue raised out of the ashes of the olde Saduces Ioseph antiâ— 18 cap 2 â—bel Iudaiâ— cap. 7. which deny the immortality of the soule These defie all Religion and deny any spirits either Angels of God or spirits of diuels or soules of men all which standing at defiance against heauen and bidding battel to the Lord himselfe shall one day know that they had once giuen vnto them immortal spirits when they shall be cast into vnquenchable fire and endure euerlasting torments The Euangelist noteth out this damnable sect of
and wee in comparison of him as dust and ashes as vile and base vassals This is the reason vsed vrged by the Wiseman Eccl. 5 1. So the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5.20 We are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that yee be reconciled to God Our Sauior sending out his seuenty disciples and giuing them in charge how to behaue themselues saith Luke 10 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Thus doth the Apostle giue testimony to the faith and obedience of the Thessalonians that when they receiued of him the preaching of God 1. Thess 2 13. They receiued it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the Word of God which worketh in them that beleeue So then to be cold and carelesse herein is a plaine disgrace and meere mockery of God worse then mocking and misusing of father and mother He that hath to doe and to deale with an earthly Prince will bee circumspect in his behauiour how much more ought wee to behaue our selues with all reuerence in hearing the Word hauing then in speciall manner to deale with God who is the author of it and the worker by it Reason 2 Secondly wee shall be iudged by it at the last day being the rule of our faith and of all our actions It is a letter written from God published by his Sonne sealed by his Spirit witnessed by his Angels conueyed vnto vs by by the Church which is the pillar ground of truth This is that which our Sauiour Christ teacheth Iohn 12 47 48. Seeing then 1 Tim. 3 15. it shall be the Iudge by which wee must be tried and the word whereby our soules shall be saued it worthily claimeth and challengeth at our hands the greatest attention to be yeelded vnto it Thirdly negligent and contemptuous hearers shal be grieuously and seuerely punished Reason 3 according to the nature and quality of their sinne The Prophet Ieremy hath a generall rule holding in all things warranted and done by Gods appointment and confirmeth this by a strong reason when he saith Ier. 48 10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligētly This is more particularly touched and taught by the Apostle to the Hebrewes chap. 2 2 3. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first beganne to be preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him To this purpose Christ himselfe denounced and deliuered the greatest threatning of most grieuous iudgments to fall vpon all negligent hearers Math. 10 14 and 11 21 24. Willing his Apostles to shake off the dust from their feet as a witnesse against thew telling them that it shall be easier in the day of account for Tyre Sidon for Sodome Gomorrah then for them So then whether wee consider the person of God that speaketh or the power of the word that iudgeth or the punishment of death that falleth vpon carelesse contemners wee see that wee are all bound to come to the exercises of Religion with all reuerence and attention Let vs now gather some vses that follow Vse 1 from this doctrine First we learne from hence that euery one which commeth to heare the word of the Lord must be perswaded that though it be a poore weake sinfull man subiect to the same passions that we are which is the minister and messenger to deliuer whatsoeuer we heare yet notwithstanding we stand and appeare before the great God of heauen and most mighty Iudge of the world to bee informed and reformed of him and to receiue his word which is able to saue our soules Cornelius the captaine comming with his kinsfolke family friends and whole retinue made this vse which now we vrge saying Acts 10.33 We are all heere present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Hee doth not say we stand heere before thee but we are all present before God nor to heare onely the Apostle but all things that are commanded thee of God to deliuer vnto vs. Thus Paul commendeth the Galathians Gal. 4 14. that they receiued him as an Angell of GOD yea as Christ Iesus It is the high ordinance of God to put his heauenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4 7. That the excellency of that power might be of God and not of vs. Would it not argue an intollerable daintinesse and nicenesse of a wanton stomacke to refuse good wholesome meate because it is brought in platters of pewter or dishes of wood not in vessels of siluer or gold So is it an euident argument of loathing the heauenly Manna when we haue the precious word of God in respect of persons and heare it not for the words sake but according as we fancie and affect the teacher verifying the saying of Salomon Prou. 27.7 The person that is full despiseth an hony combe but vnto the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweet This serueth to reproue those which come to the hearing of the word as to an ordinary matter and neuer haue any thoght or meditation of Gods presence to keep them in aw but come to heare some newes or some new man vse the practice of the Iewes condemned by the Prophet Ezechiel chap. 33.31.32 They come vnto thee as the people vseth to come my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouths they make iests c. Vse 2 Secondly this serueth to condemne all abuses vnseemly gestures and vnreuerent behauiour when we come into the house of God True it is the diuell if hee can preuaile will keepe vs from hearing the word and suggest vnto vs matter of profit or pleasure to stop stay vs from resorting vnto the place of Gods worship but if hee cannot so farre obtaine his purpose he will goe with vs and accompany vs thither When we are neerest to that which should doe vs good and further our saluation Math. 13 19 he is ready at our elbow to hinder the word and to worke our destruction Hence it is that many are present in body that are absent in minde forgetting that they haue to do with God and with the meanes of their sanctification They haue their hearts wandring about worldly matters they finde no ioy they feele no delight they taste no sweetnesse they perceiue no comfort nor gladnesse wrought in them in these exercises of their faith but they are rather a burden vnto them and take them as a weight and wearinesse lying heauy vpon them Many come for custome of the time for fashion of others and for feare of punishment whereas if they might be left free to themselues and to the liberty of their owne will
brethren his vnkles Lastly if his father haue no brethren the inheritance must descend to the next kinsman whatsoeuer he be of his tribe and family Here a question may bee asked whether this law binde in conscience all Nations and persons for euer Quest And many things may be saide of it and for it as most equall and the voyce of nature it selfe Neuerthelesse all things considered Answ I rather take this law to be among the Iudicials that do not necessarily tye all places persons to the performance of them Hence it is that it is saide afterward verse 11 that it is a statute of iudgement and to whom not to all Nations but to the children of Israel so that though some of their iudiciall and politicall lawes do binde yet all do not as we see in Exodus where they are handled in the 21 22 23 chapters Secondly this law appointeth that the inheritance must of necessity passe from one to another from the father vnto the childe c. without any interruption if then this order must hold as a perpetuall ordinance for euer it should be vtterly vnlawfull to sell a mans inheritance for any cause or vpon any occasion or to buy a mans inheritance because the Iewes were as well tyed to that and if they did it must returne to the owner again at the yeare of Iubile as wee reade in many places of the Law of Moses Leuit. 25 23 24 Numb 36 8 and it appeareth farther in the practise of Naboth 1 Kings 21 3 when Ahab required of him his Vineyard eyther by way of sale or exchange he answered The Lord forbid it mee that I should giue the inheritance of my fathers to thee Thus doth God ordaine that euery mans Land should keep and continue within his owne tribe and not passe from tribe to tribe which would bring much confusion and an intermingling of one tribe with another all which were peculiar to this people Thirdly God ordained it as a statute also in Israel that the eldest should haue a double portion of all that a man hath because hee is the beginning of his strength therefore the right of the first borne is his this is grounded vpon the same reasons that this is yet who accounteth this precisely imposed vpon all as a morall ordinance Nay M Dod exposit on 5. Command some of good note and name in the Church are of opinion that they should receiue the best portion that are best and inherite most that haue most grace in theyr hearts and therfore they take not this precept to be as a president to binde all posterity And if this do not necessarily binde why should the former Fourthly the words of the law in this place do not seeme to mee as a law of annexing the inheritance to these that it should not be lawfull to alter this course It is saide if a man dye and haue no sonne or if he dye and haue no daughter then shall the inheritance descend thus and thus but this hindreth not but a man while he liueth may by will or otherwise make conueyance of his estate and this law is nothing against such conueyance Lastly we find that the Israelites themselues did sometimes giue inheritance to their daughters euen while they had heyres males as appeareth in Caleb Iudg. 1 15. 1. Chron. 2 18. Salomon was not the eldest sonne of Dauid yet hee succeeded his father in his kingdome and had more then all the rest To conclude if grace must haue the first place vertue must make the heyre then nature must giue place to grace But to leaue this doubt Doctrine Propriety of goods is the ordinance of God let vs come to the Doctrine for heereby wee learne that the propriety of goods is the ordinance and blessing of God he hath appointed that men should haue theyr possessions peculiar to themselues in this life So did Abraham buy a possession for buriall and paied for it currant money among Merchants Gen. 23 16 he layde no clayme to it before he had purchased it as if it had beene no lesse his thē any other The Patriarkes chalenged as proper to themselues the Welles which by theyr owne labour and industry they had digged and complained of wrong and violence when they were taken from them Gen. 26. To this end did God appoint that euery Tribe should haue inheritance giuen them by lot Hence it is also that wee reade that the faithfull haue had possessions and retained their possessions and are saide many of them to bee exceeding rich to haue possession of flocks possession of heards and great store of seruants and others are saide to become great to haue siluer and gold and iewels Gen. 26 24 as Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Obadiah and infinit others In the New Testament wee reade of Iohn the Euangelist of Ioseph of Arimathea a Disciple of Christ who honoured the buriall of his Master of Lazarus raised vp by Christ his two sisters of Simon the leaper of Ioanna of Susanna and these liued in the daies of Christ and had possessions After his ascension many beleeuers solde theyr possessions Tabitha was full of good works Cornelius the Captain gaue much almes to all the people Philemon and Philip and sundry others all which professing and some of them preaching the Gospel are no where commanded to abiure their possessions and to renounce their houses and lands neyther did they betake themselues to a supposed community knowing that priuat possession and Christian profession stand together and do not one ouerthrow the other as hath bene plentifully declared elsewhere Reason 1 The grounds of this doctrine are very apparent First God approueth of buying and selling or else the first Christians might not haue solde their possessions and taken money for them and they did alienate them from them not because they could not lawfuly be possessed but because the poore should be releeued Act. 4 34. The Lord likewise giueth rules in the Law for the right ordering thereof Leuit. 25 15. Secondly God commandeth almesgiuing to the people as an holy and Christian dutie which he also promiseth to reward to a cuppe of cold water Matth 10. and euery where he commendeth the releeuing of the wants and necessities of their poore brethren threatneth the contrary Deut. 15 11. Thirdly hee forbiddeth stealing and wronging one of another in temporall things and hurting one an other in their goods Exod. 20 15. As also the defrauding one of another Mark 10 19. Lastly euery man hath his children proper to himselfe euery man knoweth his owne children and can say These are mine these are not mine Now children are part of their fathers goods as appeareth Iob 1 As then they are proper vnto euery man so also ought other goods that euery man may know his owne Vse 1 This reprooueth the Anabaptists that would bring in a communion or rather a confusion of all things who while they goe about to
our owne flesh in the lusts thereof Rom 13 14. If wee should giue the bridle to our flesh it is as a bottomlesse pit that will neuer be filled Secondly such as are planted commodiously in this world must beware that they doe not forget the world to come and they that enioy the earth at will must remember the kingdome of heauen wherein they must onely place the toppe of their happinesse If wee seeke heauen vpon earth we shall neuer finde it in the next life Thirdly let vs vse this world as though wee vsed it not reioyce as though wee reioyce not and weepe as though wee weped not considering that the fashion of this world vanisheth away 1 Cor. 7 30 31. Heere can bee no certainety nor assurance of any thing but in health we haue one foot in sicknesse and in life wee bee at the brinke of death In ioy and gladnesse wee are neere to the house of sorrow and affliction Lastly wee must account of euery day as our last day what is present wee see before our eyes but what is to come wee see not we know not The rich man builded and planted and plotted for many yeares and promised to himselfe a long life vpon the earth but it was saide vnto him This night shall they take away thy soule from thee c. Luke 12. CHAP. XXX 1 ANd Moses shake vnto the heads of the Tribes concerning the chilâ—ren of Israel saying This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded 2 If a man vow a vow vnto the Lord or sweare an oath to bind his soule with a bond hee shall not breake his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth The contents of this chapt and the diuision of it NOw Moses commeth to speeke of such Lawes as are voluntary that is of vowes whereof he setteth downe two sorts one concerning men the other concerning women and sheweth in what persons they are ratified and in what persons they are frustrated Touching the man which is the head of the woman he is charged not to falsify his word or his oath lest hee prophane the Name of GOD which he hath taken in his mouth but to performe his promise that he hath made as Psal 15 4 he shall dwell in the holy hill of GOD that sweareth to his owne hurt and changeth not Touching the woman she is ordinarily and by the Law of nature vnder the power and authority of another Wherfore touching their vowes we must giue iudgment according to the place which they hold and the calling into which they are entred For the woman that taketh an oth or maketh a vow either is in the power of her father or in the power of her husband or in her owne power or else in the power of one when shee vowed and in the power of another when she is to performe it A woman in her fathers power is bound to performe that which shee hath sworne or vowed but conditionally if the father allow of it eyther by his word or by his silence so that the vow standeth if he approue of it eyther by speaking or by holding his peace Qui tacet consentire videtur For heere the common prouerbe is verified Hee that wittingly willingly holdeth his peace doth closely secretly giue his consent But on the other side if the father dislike and disallow the vow she is freed because she is not free And if the woman be married and at the disposition of her husband it followeth by proportion of the former Law that if her husband approoue her vow eyther openly or secretly directly or indirectly by speaking or holding his peace so soone as he heareth it or heareth of it shee is bound to keepe it but if he consent not but disallow and disavow it her vow is voyde and she is to aske pardon of her rashnesse If she be a widow and set free being at her owne liberty and not vnder the iurisdiction of father that bestowed her or of the husband to whom shee was bestowed in marriage she is bound to performe her vow The Apostle teacheth that the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liueth but if hee be dead shee is loosed from the law of her husband Rom. 7 2. As shee is free to vow so he is bound to pay that which he hath vowed because the promise was voluntary and free and there is none can make it voide Lastly the widow must not thinke her selfe discharged by her new or second marriage but the time of making her vow to wit in her widowhood must be considered and remembred But such as are cut of the fathers power or by death of the husband set free must pay their vowes to the most High without denying or delaying or diminishing what they haue solemnely and aduisedly vowed From hence we may learne how to answere sundry particular questions touching the vowing of men and women Obiect And first the question may be asked what if it be the vow of a sonne or of a daughter vnder their father or one any way vnder the power of another as of a seruant vnder his Master shall that vow be good or such person be bound to performe it I answere Answ a vow must be of things in our owne power but hee that is in the power of his father and of his master is not at his owne hand his will dependeth vpon the wil pleasure of another and therefore Ionathan telleth his father that Dauid had asked leaue of him to goe to Bethlehem 1 Sam. 20 28 for their family had a sacrifice to offer in that citty If then being the seruant of Saul he would not presume to go before he had obtayned leaue of the Kings sonne doubtlesse such vowes are to be held vnlawfull vnlesse his gouernour confirme it or he that hath vowed ratify it when he commeth to be at his owne hand Againe it may be demanded whether such do not sin Quest as vow being in the power of others in not performing their vow True it is they ought not to haue vowed but hauing made the vow do they not sinne except they performe it Answer I answere they sinne in vowing but they do not sinne in their not performing of it wherefore Moses saith afterward The Lord shal forgiue her he meaneth not her forbearing to performe the vow forasmuch as if she should performe it she should set at nought her fathers power authority which God by no meanes will suffer and consequently adde sinne vnto sinne but God will pardon her rash and vnaduised vow which shee had vttered The doctrine from the first words is this Doctrine Vowes to be made to God lawfully or vnlawfully to be preserued that vowes made to God lawfully are to bee performed Deut. 23.21 Psal 76 11 and 66.13 and 50 14 Deu. 12 17. This is further confirmed vnto vs by sundry examples of the
Virgin Againe the Apostle wisheth that all men were euen as he himselfe 1 Cor. 7 7 but he addeth in the next words Euery man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that Besides in those words he speaketh directly to the widowes and them that are vnmarried verse 8 and hee hath an expresse commandement verse 10 I command not I but the Lord let not the wife depart from her husband And euery one must abide in the calling to which he hath bene called verse 24. To this purpose hee saith verse 27. Art thou bound to a wife seeke not to be loosed And in the words going before he exhorteth al married persons not to defraud one another except it bee with consent so that with consent he alloweth a separation howbeit he addeth immediately for a time and after he willeth them to come together againe lest Satan tempt you through your inconstancy verse 5. Moreouer Christ himselfe teacheth Math. 19 6 What God hath coupled together let no man put asunder but maried persons God hath coupled together therefore they may not be separated nay they may not separate themselues neyther can they without breaking the ordinance of God and the institution of mariage Hence it is that it is called The Couenant of God Prou. 2 17 not onely a couenant betweene themselues but such as God is therein interessed and therefore it lyeth not in theyr power to dissolue that couenant Lastly Obiect Bel. de Mâ—nach cap. 38. they maintaine that if the mariage be onely contracted and not consummated or finished one may lawfully leaue another without consent one of another to vow single life to colour this they pretend that it is lawfull to passe from a state of life lesse perfect to that which is more perfect and so they define a vow to bee a promise to God of some better good But this is a false surmise Answ For how doth hee vow a better good who in the vow of continency burneth with carnall and fleshly lustes and is scorched in the flames of his own concupiscence as the Apostle teacheth directly It is better to marry then to burne 1 Cor. 7 9. In the time of the Law the vow oftentimes was sacrifice the common duty belonging to all beleeuers was shewing of mercy how then was the speciall vow better then the common duty forasmuch as God saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6 6. And how can they be saide to vow a better good that vow voluntary pouerty and beggery when Christ himselfe saith It is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Act. 20 35. Or how can the blind vow of the Iesuites touching obedience to their superior be a tying of themselues to a greater or better good seeing the Scripture saith Bee ye not made the seruants of men 1 Cor. 7 23 forasmuch as they make themselues slaues to the rules and precepts of an Order altogether deuised by meÌ„ So then wee must know that single life is not alwaies nor in all a perfecter state of life then marriage and it is to bee presumed that such as are contracted to others haue not that gift for otherwise what needed such contracting The next point in a lawfull vow What conditions are to be obserued in vowes is to consider what are the conditions of it which may better appeare by the contrary prohibitions wherein consider both how to make them and how to pay them First it must bee made by him that is free in his or her owne power and not vnder the iurisdiction of another so that the vow of the wife that is vnder her husband of the sonne and daughter vnder their parents of the seruant vnder his Master cannot bee allowable but is voyde and frustrate Obiect If any aske Is it not lawfull for the wife or the sonne or the daughter or the seruant to vow to serue the Lord except the husband the father the mother the master giue their consent Is the power of these greater then the power of God or is the worship of God subordinate to the will and pleasure of superiors or may they hinder their inferiors from seruing the Lord I answere Answ the worship of God is not bound and tyed to vowes and inferiours may serue the Lord fully and faithfully and walke before him in faith obedience prayer and loue without the band of vowes The obedience and subiection which he hath laid as a duty vpon inferiours is more acceptable to him then any vow whatsoeuer Secondly vowes must be made onely to God not to other creatures as wee shewed before and therefore they offend that vowe to Saints departed for they cannot make such to bee vowes to God Thirdly they must bee of things possible for it is foolish if not impious to vow that which wee are not able to performe Fourthly they must bee godly and religious vowes not of such things as are forbidden of God Fiftly they must come from a free heart performed willingly and cheerefully to GOD. Sixtly wee must place no opinion of merit therein as the Romanists doe but tender our duty and thankefulnesse to God Lastly they must be aduised and of great importance These considerations we must set before vs in making a vow in paying and performing thereof we must consider first it must be performed fully wholly not maimed or to halues Therefore Moses in this place saith He shall do all that is gone out of his mouth verse 2. It is not enough for vs to do a part and to leaue a part vndone but wee must do it perfectly These are like to Ananias and Sapphira who vowed vnto God the whole price of their possession but when they came to performe their vow they kept backe apart thought to please GOD with another part Acts 5 3. The manner of many is to bee large in promising but to be sparing in performing This is a token of lightnesse and inconstancy and more displeases God then if they payed nothing at all because it is ioyned with hypocrisie Secondly wee must pay our vowes without delay we must not put off the time Genesis 33 1 Eccles 5 3 Deuteron 23 21. Delay in all duties is dangerous and bewrayeth an vnthankfull heart For as he that giueth quickly giueth twice so he that giueth leysurely it is all one as if hee gaue not at all Thirdly we must performe our vowes from our heart willingly cheerefully not grudgingly or mutteringly like the bad debter that payeth indeede the money hee borroweth at the appointed day but not with a willing minde and therefore hee had rather hee were not bound to pay it and knew how to auoyd it God requireth a cheerefull giuer therefore such payment of vowes as otherwise is is not allowed and approued of God Thirdly What is the right maner of vowing wee must learne what is the right manner of vowing wherein also obserue how it was wont to be
serpent that was lift vp on the pole but such as were able in particular to looke vpon it and assented and beleeued the promise that they should be cured and restored by it Christ calleth himselfe The liuing bread of which we must eate but what is eating saue an application because whatsoeuer a man eateth or drinketh that he applyeth vnto himselfe and receyueth it to be his so touching faith whatsoeuer a man doth beleeue the same he doth apply vnto himselfe or else it can be no truth fayth but a counterfeyt faith Marke the grounds of this point First true Reason 1 Faith standeth of two parts whereof one is an acte of the vnderstanding the other is an acte of the wil according to the saying of the Apostle Roman chap. 10. verse 10 With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse The mind informeth vs to see and know God and his sonne Christ and the promises made in him the heart seeketh desireth and loueth that which it knoweth which cānot be without a particular application Secondly euery man is commaunded to beleeue Marke chap. 1. verse 15. 1 Iohn chap 5. verse 15. Now it is not enough that we beleeue except wee also make application or else we beleeue no otherwise then the diuels beleeue for euen they beleeue God Christ Iames chap. 2 verse 19. But to make particular application of Christ as to say Christ is mine and I am his and haue remission of sins by his death is more then any or all the diuels in hell can do The Angel that was sent to be the first preacher of the Gospel saide to the shepheards Luke 2. Behold I bring you tydings of great ioy which shall be to all people for vnto you is born this day a Sauiour that is to you that beleeue for except they had beleeued it and applyed it to themselues they could neuer haue conceyued any ioy at all nor receyued any benefite at all by it Thirdly the promises of GOD howsoeuer they are deliuered in generall tearmes yet they are particular also and euerie one is bound to gather a patticular to himself out of the generall As in a Proclamation albeit it bee conceiued and published in generall words yet the matter is that which belongeth to euery one in particular and must be so applied as if his owne name were set downe in it Marke 16 26. Iohn 3 16. The Gospel is as a Princes proclamation offering pardon and forgiuenesse and though the promises of God be generall yet they doe containe a particular because that which is spoken to all beleeuers is spoken vnto euery one that is a beleeuer and that which is spoken to all penitent persons must bee applyed to euery seuerall penitent soule Fourthly God hath ordained the Sacraments in the Church to be the seales of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4 11 and that they should be deliuered particularly to euery man thereby to assure him of grace and mercy in particular When men once come to know that Christ offereth remission of sins by his death by the receiuing of the Sacraments particularly we come to apply Christ and his merits to our selues so that the deliuering of them vnto vs is thus much in effect Thou beleeuest these generall things then draw neere and take this vnto thy farther comfort that thou mayest bee assured that the promises of righteousnesse doe belong vnto thee as if indeede thy name were particularly specified therein All these things being considered it followeth necessarily that the generall knowledge is not sufficient but a particular application is necessary to saluation Vse 1 This serueth for confutation of an errour of the church of Rome denying that a man may particularly beleeue that God is his God or that Christ is his Sauiour or that remission of sinnes belongeth vnto him and why so Forsooth because in the Gospel all runneth in generall and it is not there written that such and such are Gods and shal haue benefite by Christ But where there is a general as for example Whosoeuer beleeueth and repenteth shal be saued there is the particular also If thou beleeue thou shalt be saued and the faithfull by vertue of this do beleeue and are saued by this their application The Apostles said to the Gaoler Acts 16 31 Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Christ thou shalt be saued and thy house If the Keeper of the prison had replyed Sirs how doe you know that I shall bee saued by Christ Is my name written in the booke of God that I may bee assured it is written in the booke of life Would not they haue told him that his particular name was included in the generall albeit it were not expressed The Papists doe presume to giue absolution vpon confession and yet they do not find any man in the Gospel particularly named When Christ our Sauiour saith Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted Iohn 20 23 they are not afraide vpon this generall to giue absolution to particular persons and to tell them that their sins are forgiuen And will not these men be so fauorable to vs as to suffer vs from a generall to infer and gather a particular as well as themselues to wit that when Christ saith Whosoeuer beleeueth in me shall not perish but haue euerlasting life the Minister may speak to the conscience of this or that man particularly Beleeue thou in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt haue eternall life But Bellarmine goeth farther and obiecteth Obiection That this is not a simple promise but conditionall if they repent and beleeue then they may indeede apply these things to themselues and bee assured of them but a man cannot haue any certainty of these things that they do beleeue and repent and therefore they cānot in particular apply them to themselues Answ I answer this is to builde one error vpon another and to dawbe them both with vntempered mortar For wherefore doth the Apostle command euery man to try and examine him selfe whether he be in the faith and haue Christ Iesus dwelling in him 2. Cor 13 if after this proofe hee cannot know what his estate and condition is This is a certaine rule whosoeuer truly beleeueth knoweth that hee beleeueth though no man knoweth it but himself He that is the Lords hath a new name written Reuel 2 17. which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it But he which hath receyued it knoweth it as wel as he knoweth he liueth For no man doth know the things of a man saue the spirite of man which is in him euen so the things of God knoweth no man saue the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2 11. So then euery man both may and ought to haue assurance of his own saluation and therefore this we beleeue let them teach and write what they will For what if a franticke man should run vp and downe boast that all the wares which come to such a Port or hauen are his shall the Merchant be
Lord would doe they should not come into the land their carcasses should fall in the wildernesse and touching their children they should wander in the wildernesse forty yeares The fathers themselues had murmured against Moses and Aaron verse 2. this doth God account as chiefly done against himselfe You haue murmured against me He accounteth the disobedience shewed to the Ministers that bring the word as a disobedience against himselfe the authour of the word as Luk. 10.16 to teach vs to submit our selues to Gods holy word albeit it be deliuered to vs by man Doctrine like vnto our selues The doctrine when once the Ministers of God are no longer regarded When the Ministers of God are not regarded God taketh the matter into his owne hand when they cry early and late and we stop our eares God himselfe taketh the matter into his owne hand When God sent Noah to preach repentance to the old world and they repented not he commeth against them to their destruction Gen. 6.1 4. Come thou and all thine house into the Arke for yet seuen daies and I will cause it to raine vpon the earth forty dayes and forty nights and euery liuing substance that I haue made will I destroy from off the face of the earth So 2. Chro. 36.15 16. Ierem. 7.13 14. and 14.15 16. Zach. 7.11 12. This is the course of the Lords dealing first hee preacheth by his Ministers then he punisheth with his iudgements The reasons Reason 1 First because the word offered and brought vnto vs being contemned they shew contempt against God himselfe and in despising his word they despise the Lord himselfe Ioh. 13.20 and therefore no maruell if he be constrained to take the matter into his own hand and to deale with them himself that they may know what he can doe who regard not what his seruants speake Reason 2 Secondly God loueth those that are his owne and he is entred into a couenant with them and cannot but continue his loue vnto them Ioh. 13.1 now these that he loueth hee chastiseth Heb. 12.6 and if they will not bee warned by his threatnings he will make them seeke vnto him by his corrections and punishments Iob. 33.16 Vse 1 This teacheth the Ministers of God how they may stay themselues in following the duties of their calling among so many discontentments that they meet withall both in the hearing and practising of the people For albeit their labour spent early and late cannot preuaile yet the Lord himselfe will take the matter into his owne hand and deale with them himselfe The word which wee bring is not our owne it is the Lords we are but as the Apothecaries boxe that holdeth the precious oyntment if then he be patient toward the contemners of it much more ought wee to be patient and commit the cause to him whose cause it is Peter being a Fisherman before his calling Matth. 4.18 had toiled all the night but had taken nothing yet when Christ bad him continue his labour he was ready to cast downe the net into the sea Luk. 5.5 and at length he enclosed a great multitude of fishes The Ministers are made the fishers of men Matth. 4.19 to catch them with the angle of the word and to take them in the net of the Gospel Matt. 13.47 And albeit we doe oftentimes toile and moyle and take nothing because men are growne so wily as to passe by the net and can by no meanes abide to come neere it yet we are not to be discouraged the master of the net commandeth vs to labour in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 and if a multitude of them will not be taken in this net Christ Iesus will take hold of them another way to wit by the net of his iudgements Albeit therefore we doe not see such profit of our paines and labours as wee expected and desired yet let vs be content and commit the successe of all to him that sent vs hee will doe that for vs which we cannot doe for our selues hee will take them in hand that hath their hearts in his owne hand and reforme all that belong vnto him bring euerlasting confusion vpon his enemies that shall neuer bee forgotten Ieremy chapter 20. verses 8 9. Secondly it serueth to terrifie all that obstinately Vse 2 set themselues against the word of God because God wil take the matter into his owne hands If his word cannot bee a fire to burne vp all corrupt affections in vs Ier. 23.29 God will himselfe be a consuming fire Hebr. 12.29 If his word bee not as an hammer to breake in pieces our rocky and stony hearts he will be an hammer that shall beat vs to shiuers and grind vs to powder Matthew chapter 21. verse 44. Let all such know that albeit they escape the mouth of the Minister yet they shall fall into the hands of God himselfe which will be more fearefull vnto them for he is able to destroy both body and soule in hell Matth. 10.28 Indeed he is patient but he will not beare long with the contempt of his word and though hee seeme not to heare at the first yet in the ende he will make it manifest that hee heareth those which would not heare him Let vs therefore hearken vnto the word with diligence and attention while it is offered vnto vs. Lastly let euery one make conscience of hearing the word and be admonished by it otherwise most certainely it will fall out he shall be forced to take vs into his owne hands and to deale with vs himselfe This should moue vs to reforme our selues and to amend our liues by the Ministery of the word that so we may escape the hands of God and not lie vnder his correction Is it not better for children to be admonished by their fathers seruants then to fall into the hands of their fathers Is it not better for men that liue in leud courses to be admonished by a friend then to fall into the hands of the Magistrate and to go to the stocks for correction so in this case it is farre better for men to be reformed by the word of God brought vnto them by the Minister then to fall into the hands of the liuing God to be iudged by him This did Eli teach his children 1 Sam. â— 25. If one sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge him but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreate for him Our condemnation shall be so much the greater because we will not be admonished by his word Let vs therefore be wise in this point Some children are so wayward and peeuish that no words will serue them speak vnto them neuer so much they will not heare neither will they regard And Salomon saith well A whip for the horse a bridle for the asse and a rod for the fooles backe Pro. 26 3 and of children he saith Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a childe but the rod of correction shall driue
it far Pro. 22 15. So is it with al those that are stubborne and refractory they esteeme words as winde they neuer lay them to their hearts they must be brought low by strong hand and they must feele the smart of their sinnes before they will be humbled We see this in Pharaoh and his people they had oftentimes heard Moses and Aaron speake vnto them in the Name of the Lord Exod. 5 1 8 1 9 1 13 10 3. But what did all this worke in him but as so many hard strokes vpō the anuill which make it harder so Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go Exo. 8 15 so that God is constrained to enter into iudgement with him and he that would not giue eare to the word was constrained to giue place to the waters for he and his host were drowned in the red sea Thus was it also oftentimes with the Israelites that refused misused the Prophets they euer brought vpon their heads some iudgement or other 33. And your children shall wander in the wildernesse forty yeares and beare your whoredomes vntill your carcases be wasted in the wildernesse 34. After the number of the daies in which ye searched the Land euen forty daies each day for a year shall ye beare your iniquities euen forty years and ye shall know c. In these words Moses farther describeth the sentence of God against these rebels the punishment rested not only vpon their own persons but slowed downe to their children like a violent tempest that first falleth vpon the Mountaines and after descendeth into the vallies Note heere first of all how God dealeth with these mutiners and with their off-spring The spies had bin 40. daies in searching the Land and for their wickednesse they shall wāder 40. yeares in the wildernesse a yeare for a day A dram of sin hath a pound of sorrow A day of pleasure hath a yeare of paine Doctrine Obserue from this Sinne and the punishment of sinne are proportionable Gen. 19 5 24. that in iudging and punishing of sinnes God oftentimes punisheth in proportion so that the iudgement is answerable to the sinne Of what kinde the sinne is of the same kinde is the punishment Gen. 42 21. God sent vpon Sodome a punishment like to the nature of their sin they burned in vnclean and vnnaturall lust one toward another and the Lord sent fire from heauen to burne them vp The people in the wildernesse with their viperous and venemous tongues spake against God and Moses his seruant and the Lord sent venemous and fiery serpents to sting and to bite them Numb 21 5 6. So Dauid sinned greatly in numbring of the people through the pride of his heart and vaine glory in his owne greatnesse God could haue punished him many other waies but he meeteth with him in the same kinde he diminisheth the number of his people exceedingly by the pestilence in whose strength he much trusted The reasons follow First God hath many waies to punish sin Reason 1 yet it pleaseth him to send his punishments according to our sinnes thereby to strike vs with inward remorse and to worke a deeper impression in the conscience For when he punisheth after this manner rather then after any other the iudgement it selfe doth more effectually force the sufferer to acknowledge Gods iustice in plaguing of him in that sort This we see in Adoni-bezek who was serued himselfe as he had serued others he had cut off the thumbes and great toes of threescore and ten kings which gathered their meat vnder his table the Israelites serued him with the same sauce they also cut off his thumbes and his great toes this measure repaied vnto him caused him to say As I haue done so God hath requited me Iudg. 1 7. The punishment presenteth the sinne as it were visibly before his face and when God dealeth thus with a man it oftentimes bringeth him to thinke of those sinnes which otherwise he would neuer haue remembred so that thereby he may iustly acknowledge that it is iustly come vpon him Secondly this maketh men not onely to Reason 2 iustifie God whose iudgements are alwaies iust but maketh thē also to iudge themselues and thereby they oftentimes preuent the more heauy iudgments of God He doth it for their good iudgeth no mā twice 1 Cor. 11 31. if he be wise to iudge himself Thirdly God hath giuen a law Reason 3 by y◠law he requireth a proportionable punishment for sinne Leuit. 24 19. This course will the Lord take who is the supreme Magistrate so often as it pleaseth him albeit he do not tie himselfe to that law Vse 1 This serueth to warrant vs that wee may lawfully expect iudgement from God in proportion vpon men for their sinnes For that which hath bin may be and that which the Lord hath done he will certainely do it againe so that we may promise and perswade our selues that they shall in the end be paid home to the full with due proportion of punishment according to their sinnes In the destruction of Ierusalem we reade that the enemies came vpon them the same day that they put Christ our Sauiour to death euen then I say came the sword vpon them and recompenced them in the same manner by putting them to death How many are there which haue sometimes beene seruants though now they are masters and beene faithlesse to their masters what hath followed haue they escaped nay hath not God met with them in the same manner by giuing to them faithlesse seruants deceiuers purloiners and theeues that haue wasted and spoiled their goods as they in former time did their masters How many in our daies haue bene stubborne and disobedient against their parents in their youth neuer doing them reuerence nor yeelding to them any obedience mocking at their age and other infirmities Haue not these monsters bene punished Yes God hath paid them home with the like and sent them dissolute children disobedient such as grow weary of them and thinke they liue too long minding their patrimony more then regarding their parents How many are there that haue abused and wronged their former wiues and hath not God vsually plagued them in the same sort in giuing them a second into their bosome which hath embraced the bosome of strangers and dealt wickedly and falsely with them 2 Sam. 12 11. Iob 31 9 10. God could haue met with thē by other means and punished them a thousand other waies but it pleaseth him to make his punishments answerable and carrying a likenesse with the sinne for which it is inflicted so that they are punished by that thing by which they haue sinned against God Couetous persons which get their goods by fraud and oppression are themselues or their heires many times oppressed and deceiued and brought to beggery Gluttony surfetting and drunkennesse are oftentimes punished with dropsies and many grosse and corrupt humors distempering their bodies and bringing