In which fortie yeares he overthrew them and made an end of them with their sinnes Fortie daies and fortie nightes was the raine vpon the earth when all the inhabitants Gen. 7. 12. of the old world except Noah and his family were drowned In those fortie daies and fortie nights the Lord wiped away all wickednesse and crueltie wherewith the earth was corrupted Forty daies are limited to the people of Niâ—eveh for repentaunce And in that space they repented for they beleeved God as it is in Ionah and proclaimed a fast and put on sacke-cloath Ion. 3. 4. 5. from the greatest of them even to the least of them And to speake according to naturall observation it is noted in mankinde generally that an * Plin. nat hist lib. 7. in proâ—m infant doth seldome or never laugh before he be fortie daies old Here we may see that man â—ath iust cause to bee alwaies sorie and to mourne for his sinnes which are the cause of all the miseries of this life When God establisheth perfect righteousnes vpon earth forty of daies and nightes are spoken of as when Moses was called from the sight of the people he was with the Lord in mount Sinai forty daies and forty nights Exod. 24 18 34. 28. in which he fasted miraculously that so the law of God which hee was to deliuer vnto the Israâ—lites might receiue the more honor and authority And againe fortie daies and 1. King â—9 〈◊〉 fortie 〈◊〉 E 〈…〉 h at the calling of the Lord continued â—â—sâ—ing because hee was the minister that should restore the law to the former perfection thereof And our saviour Christ is said to haue fasted Maâ— 4. 2. â—uke 4 2. 〈…〉 and fourtie mightes before hee beganne his publique life and preaching The end of which fast o◠〈…〉 le as * Vpon the harmony of the â—â—aÌ„gell Mat. 4. 〈◊〉 M. Câ—lvâ— doeth well obsetue was that it should bee a seale to the doctrine of the Gospell which as it is more glorious then the lawe of Moses so was it to bee adorned with miracles and rate signes And after he had suffered his passion and was â—â—sen againe hee was seene of his Apostles by the spice of forty daies Act. 1. 3. In which fortie daies he confirmed vnto them the verity of his â—uâ—â—ection Thus we see where vnto this number forty is vsually applyed in holy scriptures For as teâ—â—e is a perfect and absolute number and all supe 〈…〉 numbers doe arise either by adding vnto teâ—â—e oâ— els by multiplying of ten so the multiplying of ten in this number forty declareth vnto vs the louing kindnesse and mercy of God who giueth vnto men such space of daies or of yeares either to see the confirmatioÌ„ of his truth and his workes or to amend and turne vnto him before they bee destroied for their sins and transgressions And here we may learne that our departing from iniquity our faith and obedience to the worde of GOD must bee effectuall earnest and vnsamed and wee must persevere in the same not for one day but fortie dayes or fortie yeares that is so long as the LORDE vvill haue vs to remayne in the vvildernesse of this world Nowe the cause why the LORDE was displeased with his people fortie yeares was sinne For the Apostle sayeth vvas hee not displeased vvith them that sinned vvhose carâ—â—â—ses fell in the vvildernesse The roote and beginning of all sinne is the naturall corruption or originall sinne vvherein all menne are vvrapped from their mothers wombe and vvherevvith mankinde hath beene infected euer since the fall of Adam This corruption bringeth foorth fruite vnto death by transgressing the law of God We sinne three maner of waieâ— three maner of waies that is in thought worde and deede according to the wordes of our saviour Christ affirming that those thinges which desile a man come from the heart For out of the hearte saith hee come Mat. 15. 19. eviâ—â— thoughts These are sinnes and defile thâ— whole man Murthers adulteries fornications theftes These are sinnes in deed False testimonies slaunders These are sinnes committed in word And now all these transgressions and every one of them as they are committed of men are called actuall sinnes And they are Three sorts of actuall sinnes of three sortes One is counted a sinne of infirmitie into the which the godly and regenerate men of God doe commonly fall through the weakenesse of the flesh Of this kinde of sinne speaketh Paule when he saith the evill which I vvould not that do I. And Rom 7. 19. 1. 〈◊〉 1. 8. of this Saint Iohn saith If we saie that wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. The second is a sinne of ignorance committed through lacke of knowledge when hee that sinneth knoweth not that he doeth evill Such was the sinne of Paule before his conversion when hee liued a Pharisâ—â— and persecuted the Christians notwithstanding he had zeale and in his life was vnrebukeable Phil. 3. 6. touching the righteousnesse of the law And of this sinne after he was conuerted hee saith I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe 1. Tim. 1. 13. The third kind of sinne is a sinne of malice or a sinne of disobedience to the trueth of God when they that haue experience of Gods fauour and goodnesse towards them and know his word to be the rule of righteousnesse will not for all that forsake their owne waies to followe it and to obey it Such was the sinne of Saul when he did not 1. Sam. 15 9 obey the wordes of Samuel being commanded to destroy the Amalekites and all that appertained vnto them This sinne of disobedience was the sinne of the children of Israell for the which the Lord was displeased with them fortie yeares who knowing the goodnesse of God to bee more extended towardes them then any other nation of the earth did notwithstanding disobey his voice and tempte him â—enne tymes as the scripture witnesseth Num. 14. â—2 And therefore they were reiected of the Lord that they should not enter into his rest and were punished in the wildernesse with horrible plagues where their carkeises fell for an example and a terrour to all that should haue thereof This sinne of maliciouse frowardnes disobedience to the word of God is of all other most fearefull is therefore called rebellion 1. Sam. 15. 23. wickednes idolatrie compared with the sinne of witchcraft And of this kind of sinne Iohn saith hee that commiteth sinâ—s of 1. 10. 3. 8. 9. the deuill And whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not This is therefore the sinne that we must beware of We see how fearefully it was punished in Gods chosen people And their punishments as Paule witnesseth being written to admonish vs might if they were 1. Cor. 10. 〈◊〉 well weyed terrifie the stubborne froward generation of this age and might moue those that preferre the
Canaan These thinges being so alleadged by the Author of this Epistle to warne the Hebrews and in them all other people to whom the same gospel is revealed to the end that they might heereby receiue instruction to bee the more careful to heare the voice of Christ the prince of all the Prophets and the end of the law to every one that beleeveth Now he proceedeth to applie the exhortation of the Prophet more particularlie according as the time of Godes calling requireth And by this word brethren he declareth his tender affection toward them and the earnest desire that he hath to winne them to Christ Where we are to know in what sense they are called brethran Not according to nature as Iacob and Esau were 4 Soâ—tes of brethren brethren nor â—or consanguinitie sake as all the lewes vvere brethren neither are they called brethren by imitation or for their agreement in evill as Simon and Leui are Gen. 49. 5. called brethren in euill because they hadde consented to slaie a man and in this sense malefactours and vvicked menne imitating one another and consenting to doe evil are brethren But according to trueth the Hebrewes are â—heere called brethren for all the faithfull are brethren by grace It appeareth in many places of this Epistle that much people of the Ievves vvere converted to the Christian faith and had received the doctrine of the Gospell and acknowledged CHRIST IESVS for their Messias And also it is recorded in the Actes of the Apostles that manye thousande levves Act. 21. 20. did beleeue Yet the chiefest of them and for the more part the vvhole nation vvere obstinate and persisted in the blindnesse of their owne hearts and also those that beleeved vvere all zealous of the lavve of Moses retaining with the gospel the Circumcision the sabbath day the purification and other ceremonies of the lawe And therefore as the doctrine of the holy Ghost in this scripture is most forcible to perswade the vnbelieuing to receiue the grace of God in Christ so is it most necessarie to keepe and strengthen the weake members in the sinceritie of the Gospell and to teach them to forsake the ceremonies and earthly rudiments now abrogated and taken away by the death of the Messias Thus we vnderstand that as brethren by grace and indued with Christian faith he exherteth them to be ware of an evill heart of vnbeliefe There is no defection or falling away from the liuiâ—g God where there is not an evill heart And therfore where the Prophet speaketh of the prouoking and apostasie of their fathers in the wildernesse it is added with all they erre ever in their heart There Psal 95. 10. Hebr. 3. 10 is the roote of evill and insidelitie euen the heart The holy Prophet saith the heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all thinges who can Ier. 17. 9. know it Heere we see that naturally in the heart of man there is nothinge but wickednesse and obduration and this is the cause that the children of men are accustomed to do evill and to delight in sinne For such as the tree is so is the fruit thereof And so long as this obduration possesseth mans heart his voluntarie religion is nothinge but Hypocrisie his outvvarde shewe of obedience is but dissimulation vvhen hee offereth his praiers and intercessions it is but lippe labour like the people which drew neere vnto Christ vvith their mouth and honoured him vvith their but their hearte faith he is farre from 〈◊〉 and therefore they worshipped him it vaine Simon the Sorcerer as it is in the Actes Act. 8. 11. of the Apostles beleeued and was baptised but he was not therefore the better for Peter said to him thine hart is not right in the sight of the Lorde VVherefore if you wil loue the Lorde your God you must loue him with loue out of a pure heart For that is the ende 1. Tim. 15. of his commaundement For the Lord iudgeth not as men doe after the outwarde appearance but as it is written the Lord be holdeth 1. Sam. 16. 7. the heart If the heart be not purged by grace all outwarde holynesse is but as painted sepulchers faire without and foule within or as greene grasse and faire flowres vnder the which lyeth a venimous snake that will sting you to death Christ telleth you that out of the hearte come those things that defile the whole man as evill thoughtes murthers Mat. 15. 19. 20. adulteries fornications theftes false testimonies slaunders and the like And for this cause his Apostle faith purge your heartes yee lam 48. wavering minded For while the heart is not purged there is nothing in man but a vvavering minde and as the same Apostle faith avvavering minded man is vnstable in all his vvaies He is carried from one vanitie to another he selleth himselfe to sinne from miquitie to iniquity Hee is content with Iudas to sell Christ and Christian religion for the gaine of this world and for the pleasures of sinne this is the fruite of an evill heart and vnfaithful which hateth to be reformed and will not obey the voice of the almighty The Prophet Zachariah crieth out against the people that would not heare the law of their God and saith they made their hearts as Zâ—c 7. 12. an adaâ—anâ—â— stone least they shoulde heare the lâ—we c. Their hearts were so farre from beleeving the word of the Lorde that for the hardnesse therof he compareth them to the adamant stone Plin. nat â—ist lib. 37. cap. 4. The adamant as the historiographers doe obserue is the hardest of all other stones It is so hard that no toole can breake it no fire can heate it yea nothing can overcome the hardnesse of this stone or soften it breake it but only the warme blood of the he Goat And surelie the hearts of the children of this world are rightly compared with the harde adamant which naturally are so hardened in sinne that without the dew of grace and the vertue of the bloode of Christ make them soft and renew them all our preaching all our exhorting and dehorting though we had the tongues of men and angels cannot soften nor turne the heart For as it is vvritten that vvhich is crooked can â—o Eccle. 1. 15. man make straight VVee see that the gracious and most powerfull wordes of Christ himselfe did nothing prevaile to winne tho hard hearted Iewes but ratheri hardened them in their contumacie and made them more perverse theÌ„ they were before because the vaile of vnbeliefe was laide over their hearts Beholde how great a roote of wickednes is the obduration and frowardnesse of the heart whence commeth the forsaking of life and health vttered in that desperate sentence against the counsell of the almighty departe from vs for vvee desire not the Iob. 2â— â—4 knowledge of thy waies Neverthelesse although most men haue not the heartes of brethren yet this doctrine must
among those murmuring people which obeyed the word of the LORDE as Moses and Aaron Caleb and Ioshua vnto those few we must haue an eâ—e and not vnto the multitude of sinners For the LORDE saith thou shalt not follovve a multitude to doe evill Exod. 23. 2. neither agree in a controversie to decline after manie and overthâ—ovve the trueth And therefore vvicked is that common saying vvhich hath beene alleadged of the Papistes communis error facit 〈…〉 s a common errour or consent in evill standeth for a law Notwithstanding that at all times and in all places the more parte of men which are evill giue euill examples to drawe others vnto sinne vvhich is the cause that Christ saith woe bee vnto the worlde because of offences for it must needes be that offences shall Mat. 18. 7. come c. Yet as the Apostle speaketh we are Heb. 12. 1. coÌ„passed about with a great cloud of witnesses or goode examples which we must imitate so loÌ„g as we liue in the wildernesse of this world We haue the Patriarchs the Prophetes and the Saintes of the old testament Wee haue Christ himselfe the authour and finisher of nor saith we haue the Apostles Confessours and martyrs in the time of the new testament for an example to suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake and in all thinges to obey the will of God And vvithin the period of these last fiue hundreth yeeres euen in the florishing time of Antichrist we haue those faithfull coâ—sesâ—ours though they were but few in number that we haue heard of which haue resisted Antichristian iniquitie euen vnto blood we haue them I say for an example of loue and long patience witnessing vnto vs that in those dayes of desolation and popish tyrannie all did not prouoke the Lord nor fall away from the right saith For as in the dayes of Elâ—ah when that 1. King 19. 10. wicked woman Iezebel hade persecuted the Lordes Prophetes and when the true worship of God seemed to bee vtterlie abolished oâ—t of the land seuen thousand were reserued though none of them was knowne ver 18. to Elâ—ah which had not consented to idolatrie so in the dayes of our forefathers many thousandes did obey the Gospell of saluation did not defile their garmeÌ„ts with Popish idolatrie and of them the Lord hath made some to bee knowne to the worlde and their memoriall to remaâ—ne as monumentes of his grace for our comfort and example And to come to examples neerer to our time to our selues I haue heard it credibli reported that when here in EnglaÌ„d within these * When this was preached iâ— was the yeare 1598. fiue fourtie yeeres many of the Saintes and true beleeuers did constantly suffer martyrdome for the testimonie of the word of God ther were here in Sussex whole parishes of men and women which for all the heat of that greeuous persecution in the The constancy of suâ—â—ex people in the prosession of the Gospell dayes of Queen Mary came not at the false church not bowed the knee to the idole of the Masse beside those that were martyiâ— which with their blood haue sealed the confession of their faith And as it is best knowne to them that professe religion haue long knowne this countrie there were also diuers which testified their loue obedience to the Gospell by assembling together at coÌ„uement times in woodes and â—â—liâ—aâ—ie places where they had the word of saith puâ—elie taught the sacramentes administered The Lord protecting theÌ„ from the cruelty of those daies These are as cloudes of witnesses for our example that we should follow their faith obedience to the word of God And now in our dayes notwithstanding that the love zeale of many doeth waxe colde and that the dâ—rnell and wilde oates doâ— over-growe the good corne that for the most parte wee canne see nothing but the multitude of luke-vvarme and irreligions people yet are there many faithfull witnesses sincere professoures of the Gospel of God among vs. But alas as the world is alwayes like it selfe we are so far from following the saith example of the Saintes that while they liue among vs we cease not to speake euil of them to persecute them â—hus we see that the Lord leaueth no time no not when it seemeth that the professors of his name are rooted out of the earth without worthy vvitnesses of his trueth whose steppes wee must tread in vnlesse we will runne in the broad waye that leadeth to destruction It followeth but with whome was hee displeased fourtie yeeres was hee not displeased with them that sinned vvhose carkeâ—ses fell in the vvildernesse Heere commeth the long suffering and bountifulnesse of God to be considered who neuer destroyeth any people nor any childe of man for their wickednesse before they be sufficiently warned and haue time to repent and to turne from their evill waies if they will Before hee brought a stoode of waters to drowne the olde worlde hee gaue them that then had sinned the space not of fortie but of three times fortie yeares â—or â—epentance Hee Geâ— 6. 3. burned not the cities of Sâ—dom and Gomorah with fire and brimstone from heauen Geâ— 19. 24. 25. 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 8. before hee had giuen them time to amend and warning from day to daie by righteous Lot And of that vngodlie woman Iezabell the Lord saith I haue giueÌ„ her space To what end to repent of her foâ—nication shee repented not so Rev. 2. 20. 21. here the holy Ghost saith that forty yeares he was displeased with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt So long endured hee their maners and intollerable rebelling against his word in the wildernesse Here we may learne as the Apostle warneth vs to walke circumspectly to â—edeeme Eph. 5. 15. 16. the time remembring also what hee saith of them that abuse the time of repentance despisesâ— thou the riches of Gods bountifulnesse and Rom. 2. 4. patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leâ—â—eth thee to repentance â—et a Christian therefore be careful to vse wel the time wherein he liuetâ— considering that while he is in this world he is in a wildernesse of innumerable dangers and temptations wheâ—e it be hooveth him to watch and to be circumspect or els he is in a desperate case heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath whosoeuer he be that despiseth Gods long patience Fortie yeares This number fortie is oftentimes vsed in the holy scriptures and is commonly applied to the time of repentanceâ— of abolishing of sinne and stablishing of righteousnes And it teacheth vs that the works of God are perfect and that when he beginneth he maketh an end As here fortie yeares he was displeased with the Israelites in the wildernesse according to the number of the Num. 14. 33. 34. daies in the which they had searched out the land of promise
2. Pâ—t 2. 9. how to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment to be punished The heathen man as Iustine Martyr alledgeth Iust Mart. in hâ—de moâ—â—â—chia was not ignorant of this â—udgment of the reckoning to come for he speaketh plâ—â—ly therof Sâ—â—ustus et â—mpâ—us eadem conditione futu 〈…〉 rape â—urare frauda misce if after this life there be no difference betweene the iust maÌ„ the wicked then go to catch what thou canst steale deceiue make confusion of all thingâ— sâ—derrarenolâ— but be not deceyued for saith he there is aâ—iudgment in hel beneath which God that is Lord of al things will doe whose name is so dreadfull that I dâ—re not name him Thâ—â— and much more he alledgeth out of Philâ—moâ— other heatheÌ„ writers which by the light of nature did set forth not onely the ommpotency of God the immortalitie of mans soule but also the reward of vertue the punishment of sin after this life how that God which as one of them saith is the eye of equitie that seeth all thinges doeth beare with the euill deedes of men in this life for that they shall come into iudgment hereafter The doctrine of the holy Psalmist is of singular force to this purpose who for the instruction of others confesseth that his fâ—â—tâ— were almost gone that his steppes had wel-nigh slypt Psal 73. â—3 〈◊〉 5. when he saw the prosperitie of the wicked how they thriue in the world and are not in trowble ver 17. 18. 19. 20. as other men but when the Lord opened his vnderstanding he saw the ende of these men namelie that they are seâ—â— in slippery places and are suddenlie destroyed horriblelio consumed as a dreame when one awaketh Iob Iob. 21. 17. 18. testifieth the like both of their momentary prosperitie and of their sudden destruction The seruants of God haue here a singular comfort that they may not be discouraged with tribulatioÌ„ and aduersitie and that they may not at anie time stumble at Gods long patience and benignitie toward reprobate and vniust men seeing that he rewardeth everie maÌ„ according as his deedes shal be though Rom. 2. 6. Rev. 22. 12. he be not hasty in punishing and though he doeth not in this life punish all mens sinnes alike Heere also secure worldlings and such as are slow to beleeue the word of truth may be moued to feare Gods iudgments and by amendment of life to withdrawe themselues out of the sâ—are of the deuill vvhich as the Apostle saith are taken of him at his 2. Tim. 〈◊〉 26. will And now if neither the promises of entering into eternall rest nor the testimonies of Gods fearfull iudgments reuealed against sin and disobedience can moue vs to repeÌ„tance let vs yet make vse of Gods visitatioÌ„s wherwith we heare and see the iniquities of these our dayes to be visited as in all ages God sheweth diuers tokeÌ„s of his displeasure and indignation against the vnrighteousnes and vnbeleefe of men For euerie plague ev 〈…〉 calamitie sudden death burning with fire 〈…〉 ther strange sicknesses famine euerie stood of waters ruine of buildings vnseasonable weather euerie one of these and of the like aduersities as oft as they happen in the world are a sermon of repentance to all that see them or heare therof For whensoeuer God punisheth some kind of sinns or punisheth some men more seuerely then others that haue sinned euen that his punishment is a warning a memento to euery one of vs to looke to our selues and to call to reremeÌ„brance our owne sinns knowing that it is the same God that will take vengeance of eueâ—â—e sinne and transgression of men that he will strike with a more heauie hand if his warning and example of his iustice be not regarded Wherfore to come to our selues We see that beside the pestilence and many other â—ignes of Gods anger where with this land of late yeares hath bene visited the Lord hath now for the space of three yeares together sent scarsitie of bread famine and penurie among vs And shall we thinke that the poore and the helplesse who for the most-part suffer these thinges are sinners aboue the rest that haue not yet tasted of this cup if we thinke so we vtterly deceiue our selues For we are otherwise taught of the Lordes Prophet in these words when the land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse then will I Ezeâ— 14 13 stretch out my hand vpon it and will breake the staffe of the bread therof and will send famine vpon it We see that the Lords hand is after this maner stretched out and that the staffe of bread is broken We see and must needes know that the sinnes of the land are great and that the inhabitants therof from the greatest to the least haue not ob 〈…〉 the voice of the Lord to walke in all his waies and yet we see but some punished with the scourge of hunger and aduesitie The rest that are not yet touched are so farre from repeÌ„tance newnesse of life that as the Prophet saith they drinke wine in bowles and anoynt themselues Amos. 6. 6. with the cheâ—â—â—e oyntments but no man is sory for the afflections of Ioseph Few do weepe or haue that Christian-like affection to weepe with them that suffer afflictioÌ„ And will you still coÌ„tinue in sinne and hardnes of heart shall not the afflictions of our brethren cause vs to feare to turne into the way of truth before that greater plagues be powred out vpon the land euen vpon euery soule that doeth euill and continueth in sinne and disobedience Euery maÌ„ may gather that the calamities of other men do testifie that the punishmeÌ„t of his owne sinns lyeth at the doore As to this effect the heathen Poet speaketh Et tua res agitur paries cum proximus ordet Horatius When thou seest thy neighbours house set on fire thou hast warning to looke to thine owne And for this cause the Lord sometimes cutteth downe the greene tree shewing therby what he will do to the vnfruitful fig tree that keepeth barâ—eÌ„ the grouÌ„d of the vinyard though he let it stand for awhile That no man therfore might sleepe in his sinns or thinke himselfe to be the better man because he seeth other men punished himselfe not touched Christ teacheth vs most plainely by the cruell slaughter of the Galileans made by Pilat by the fall of the Luk. 13. 2. 3. 4. 5. towre vpon the men â—n Siloaâ—â— that the worst men are not first punished but that if God shew such tokens of his iudgments vpoÌ„ some few all other meÌ„ except they amend shall nothing the rather escape his heauie hand for that they be borne with for a time When we see therfore that God haÌ„dleth some men seuerelie and in his iustice we ought to feare examine our selues what we haue deserued so to consider that the loÌ„ger
Lordes supper haue yee not houses to eate and to drincke 1. Cor. 11. 22. in So I may say to such meÌ„ if you wil pray alone and pray privatly haue yee not houses and privat places to pray in ought yee not at home and before yee come from home to prepare your selues to remember that going to church you go to appeare before the Lorde to heare his voice for the attaining of faith and to praise him with the congregation And for this cause as a learned painfull teacher in these daies hath writteÌ„ ought M. Perkiâ—s vpon the fourth commandement wee on the Sabboth day to arise early in the morning that wee may prepare our selues to the better sanctifying of that day And this preparation as he saith consisteth in private prayers and taking account of our severall sinnes but no man can be ignorant that privat prayers must be referred to privat places and time convenient For as Salomon saith to all thinges there is an appointed t 〈…〉 Eccle. 3. 1. But if you thinke that the temple or materiall house where we assemble our selues for diuine exercise can make your prayers more holy then your heartes from whence they proceed can make them yee are then indeede super 〈…〉 For the Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples built Act. 17. 24. with hâ—â—ds Neither is one place of the earth in respect of the place it selfe more acceptable to him then an other For now the temple at Ierusalem which was called the house of prayer hath an end And as the scriptures affirme you your selues if yee be true Christians are the temple of the liuing god 2. Cor. 6. 16 1. Cor. 6. 19 No place therefore as one father saith doeth sanctifie or make holy the man that is in it but rather the man the place yet for the defence of this evill custome of praying in preposterous maner some say it is a decent order for meÌ„ wheÌ„ they come into the church to kneele downe and pray The coÌ„trary is rather true for it is an affected disorder and betokeneth what of reuerence to the word of God his ordinance for some meÌ„ to be at their own praiers wheÌ„ the whole assembly doth either heare the word or pray otherwise with one accord This is not according to the rule oâ— the Apostle with one mind and with one â—onth to prayse God except they Rom. 15. 6. that wil pray by themselues when time and place serue not therevnto haue another God beside the father of our Lord â—esus Christ Where Luke writeth how the Apostles recemed the holy Ghost vpon the day of Pentecost he saith that then they were all with one Act. 2 1. accord in one place And for this cause hath Christ promised to be in the midst of them that Mat. 18. 20. are gathered together in his name assuring vs of his spirituall presence to be with vs if ther be vnitie of faith Christian concord in our assemblies And this vnitie is when as the Apostle exhorteth all speake one thinge are knit together in one minde and in one iudgment without distentions But for al this some meÌ„ 1. Cor. 1. 10 because they will not seeme to do otherwise then they haue bene accustomed can cavill say that because praier is good it is good to pray alwaies therfore they wil repeate their praiers when they may be seene of meÌ„ and when other men pray not These are like the Heretickes which were called Euchites Euchits or Psalliapistâ—s for that they were woÌ„t to spend much time in praying and to repeate their praiers as it is recorded of them so hastely and with swiâ—tnes of tongue as if God had beene to be serued with lippe labour This is contrarie to the rule of the Apostle Iames which saith let everâ—e man be swifte to heare slow to Iam. 1. 19. speake And the sonne of Sirach saith to the same effect â—e swift to heare good thinges For Eccl. 5. 1â— shall the naturall men of this world be swift ready to hear the couÌ„sel of a lawyer or advocate in some earthly matter shall not Christians be more careful ready to he are the counsell of God which is able to make them wise vnto salvation Yet some will say that when they pray they are carefull to serue GOD and they meane well and therefore they will do it at church and regard no time But as one hath truely said a good meaning doth not excuse an evill act and this we may see to bee most true if wee remember the punishment of Vâ—zah who without doubt meant well in that he put his hand to the arke of God and helde 2 Sam. 6. 6. it because the oxen which drew it did shake it But because he had no warrant from God so to do the Lord smote him that he died in that place And it is probable that Saul meant well in his owne opinion when he spared the fat beasts and the best of the sheepe and of 〈…〉 15. 〈◊〉 the oxen of the Amalekites because he would sacrifice them vnto the Lord. But what saith the oracle of God to him hath the Lorde as ver 22. great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to harken is better then the fat of Rammes Beholde here how acceptable a sacrifice it is to harken to the voice of the Lord. And contrariwise learne of Salomon how abhominable the praier of them is which will pray and wil not heare the law of the Lord he that Pro. 28. 9. turneth away his â—are from hearing the law even his praier shal be abominable Let no man therfore harden his heart and preferre superstition before truth that his praier be not abominable but acceptable beeing offered in due season and proceeding from faith knowledge which is by hearing and hearing by the Rom. 10 17. word of God As the ministery of the newe testament is principally divided into the ministration Act. 6. 4. of the word and praier so in the time of teaching the minister is the mouth of God vnto the people and in the time of publicke praiers he is the mouth of the people to offer their sacrifice to Godâ— and he that despiseth or regardeth not these things despiseth not man but God For these very words of the text if yee heare his voice harden not your harts declare vnto vs that when we heare that doctrine wihâ—h teacheth vs faith in the son of God and repentance from dead workes it is God that speaketh vnto vs by the moâ—th of men and he requireth at our handes that sâ—lâ—ng as it is saâ—a to day that is so long as we may heare the voice of the new couenant of grace we be more neere to heare it then to giue the sacrifice of fooles For ought
same Moreouer let no man flatter himselfe thinke that he is safe from Gods iudgmentâ— if he hath noâ— so tempted God as the Israelits did in the wilderâ—es or if he hath not so murmured against his ministers as they did but let him rather coÌ„sider whether his faith and obedience hath bene so tried as theâ—â—s was whether without murmuring distrust he hath gone through the fire water of temptation which they were brought vnto for their triall according as the scripture witnesseth thou shalt remember all the way Deut. 8. 2. which the Lord thy God led thee this fourtie yeare in the wildernes for to humble thee and to proue thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no. Here we see that the Lord exercised the Israelits with great daungers and many difficulties of the terrible wildernes for to humble them and to know whether with sound and faithfull heartes they would cleaue to him abide his triall If thou hast not then bene exercised with diuers temptations as they were or if thou aâ—t not yet come into the day of triall perswad not thy selfe that all is well with thee because thou standest when none doth sight against thee Say not like the church of the Revel 3. 17 â—aodiceans that thou art rich because thou knowest not thy wretchednes pouertie and that thou hast neede of nothing because thou seest not thy nakednes It is an easie thing to ouercome where theiâ— is no battell to promise to thy selfe the victorie before thou aâ—t tried That lesson of the King of Israel is worthy to be remembred let not him 1. King 10. 11. that gâ—rdâ—th his harâ—es boast himselfe as hee that putteth it of And that of the Apostle is a notable warming let him that thinketh hâ—â— 1. Coâ— 10. 1â— standeth take heede least he fall Thirdly specially let vs here learne that if such sinnes iniquities as are equal to the sinns of the Israelits in the wildernes be not visited with the like plagues as theirs were they shall not therfore escape vnpunished For there is a iudgment to come the Lord hath sworne that the vnfaithfull vnrighteouse which disobey his word shall not enter into his rest This is a sure testimonâ—e that putteth away all doubt for if anoath for Heb 6. 16. confirmation among men be an end of all strifâ— as are the wordes of the Apostle how much more doth it take away al occasioÌ„ of doubting when the Lord almightie bindeth himselfe with an oath The interrogation which the Apostâ—e vseth in these wordes to whom sware hee that they should not enter into his rest doeth more significantly expresse the punishment of not obeying And here is also vsed a figuratiue kind of speech wherby lesse is said theÌ„ 〈◊〉 vnderstood wherby we gather that there are dreadfull punishments ordeined for all obstinate vnbeleeuing sinners For what ensueth from not eÌ„tering into the rest of immortality but to haue thy parte portion with them which are shut out of the citie of â—od what part haue they the holy Ghost declareth in these wordes the fearfull and vnbeleeuing and the abominable Revel â—1 8. murtherers wheremongers sorcerers and idolaters and all â—â—ers shall haue their portion 〈◊〉 the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the seconâ— death This is the wages of sin disobedience although the time of payment be deferred vntill the haruest of this world yet this cuppe of vengeance is prepared for all the workers of iniquitie which shall not enter into rest And therefore as one father saith he that doeth euill ought to feare the more if he be not punished in this world for then hee is to drinke the deeper of Gods wrath in the iudgment to come These things being most true let it not greeue thee that art a true Christian though sinners doe flourish for a time and though thou see the vncleane conuersation of wicked and profane people to abound in the earth and yet in the meane while thou thyselfe doest suffer affliction and art tried with diuerse adueâ—sities Remember for all this that God is good to Israel and the damnation of his enemies sleepeth not It cannot be denied but that many of those sinnes which God in former ages did so 〈…〉 ly punish for an example vnto the world do now reigne in the worlde and yet are 〈◊〉 visited vvith the like seueritie and puniâ—hment because as we reade God hath 〈…〉 a day in the which he will iudge the Acts 1â—â—1 world 〈◊〉 rightousnes And therefore as it is well obseâ—â—ed of Chrysostome many of those sinnes for the which the world was drowned in the dayes of Noah are day he committed in the world yet â—od bringeth not Geâ— 7. â—1 2â— 23. a â—loâ—d to drowne the world as he did then because there is a â—â—ood of wrath ordeined for them in the world to come Many of those sins for the which Sodom Gomorrah were consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen are still practised in the world Gen. 19. 24. 25. and yet the Loâ—d raineth not fire out of heaven to destroy them that do such thinges because he hath appoynted for them the â—iâ—e that â—hall neuer be quenched Many are they which speake against Gods word and persecute his church as Pharaoh did yet Exod. 14. 27. 28. are not choked with the sea water as Pharaoh and his â—eruantes were because the bottomlesse sea of perdition is reserued for them Many do murmur against heauen dislike of Gods ordinaÌ„ce as the Israelits did in the wildernes and yet are not destroyed with firy serpents with other plagues as Num. 21. 5. 6. they were because the worme that neuer dieth shall hereafter torment them Many there be which take bribes giftes vnlawfully as Gehazâ— did yet they are not stâ—ikeÌ„ with the foule disease of leprosie as he was 2 King 5. 27. because they shall be plagued after this life where there shall bee weeping and gnashinge of teeth And againe many do lye dissemble in matters of religion as Ananias Sapphira Act. 5. 5. 10. did and yet are not punished with suden death as they were because death immortall euerlasting waiteth for theÌ„ These thinges are thus applied of * Chrissostom 1 Chrysost in Act. Apo. c. 5. hâ—m 12. for this cause when the Apostle Peter saith that God spared not the angels that had sinned but east them downe into hell that 2 Pet. 2. 4. 5 6. he spared not the old world that he turned the citâ—es of Sodom Gomorah into ashes hee doth not say that God did then with the like punishmeÌ„ts cut of the false teachers of whom he speaketh such as walkâ— like the Sodomits after the flesh in the lâ—st of vncleannesse but he gathereth therby that the Lord knoweth