A conflict of the flesh and spirit and therein by practise the power of the spirit geting the vpper hand Rom 7. 23. 7. A sowing to the spirit by the vse of the meanes as of the word prayer c. 8. A purpose vnfained vpon strength receiued of vowing ones selfe whollie to the glorie of God and good of our brethren 9. A resignation of our selues into Gods hands 10. An expecting of the daily increase of our soules health our bodies resurrection 11. The forgiuing of our enemies 12. An acknowledging of our offences with a purpose truely to leaue them 13. A delight in Gods Saints 14. A desire that after our death the Church of God may flourish and haue all peace 15 A spirit without guile that is an vnfained purpose alwayes to doe well howsoeuer our infirmities put vs by it These are sure notes of our election wherein if anie bee short yet let him but see into his heart if he desire and long after these graces and remember Nehem 11. Psalm 10â— 18. Psalm 119 6. 40. 37. A TREATISE OF A CONTRACT BEFORE MARIAGE After prayer hee spake as followeth THat none of vs might doubt whether there bee iust occasion of this manner of our meeting or no wee are to call to minde euen from the Heathen that the light of nature taught them that there was a solemne promise to be made of the parties that should bee maried before they were to be ioyned in marriage and that was called the espousage and therefore we were the more to be blamed if we should neglect so good a custome especially being commended to the chosen people of God as we may gather of his words for we reade that the Lord God made a law concerning the espoused persons that if they were vnfaithfull of their bodies they should be condemned as adulterers euen as well as the maried parties Mary also was affianced vnto Ioseph before the solemnising of their mariage And the vse of the Church standeth with good reason for that the neglect of it is an occasion that many are disappointed of their purposed mariages because some of them through inconstancie goe backe It is very meete also that they should haue some instructions giuen them concerning the graces and duties that are required in that estate that they may pray vnto the Lord and so be prepared and made fit to be publikely presented to the congregation afterwards Now further as concerning the nature of this contract and espousage although it be a degree vnder mariage yet it is more than a determined purpose yea more than a simple promise For euen as he which deliuereth vp the estate of his lands in writing all conditions agreed vpon is more bound to the performance of his bargaine than he that hath purposed yea or made promise thereof by word of mouth although the writings be not yet sealed euen so there is a greater necessitie of standing to this contract of mariage than there is of any other purpose or promise made priuately by the parties These things obserued I purpose as God shall giue me grace to giue some lessons how you must prepare your selues to liue in the estate of mariage I will for the helpe of your memorie deale in this sort and order first briefly going through the Articles of your faith and then through the Commandements noting some especiall duties fit for this purpose As concerning your beleefe in God the Father you know brethren you must beleeue in him as being creator of all things and also the gouernour and preseruer of the same you must also vnderstand that he created man according to his own image and gaue him the preheminence gouernment of the woman for the helpe of the man that he might be furthered in the seruice of his God So you must much more look that you be not hindred from the Lord by your wife for there are many whilest they desire mariage so long as their hope is deferred they are carefull in the discharge of their dutie but afterward once enioying those things they looked for they waxe more negligent than they were before greatly dishonouring God by their vnthankfulnes And it may be the onely fault of man if he be not helped by his wife to grow in godlines for I thinke that euen Euah in moning her husband Adam to eate of the forbidden fruite had been an helper vnto him to bring him acquainted with the malitious enmitie of Satan against them both if according to the great measure of graces he had receiued from the Lord he had bin more faithfull in obeying the will of God and had wisely rebuked his wife And againe although the woman was the occasion of sinne yet the force of sinne to the corruption of mankind came into the world by the sinne of the man For so the Apostle saith Rom 5. As by one man meaning Adam sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men for as much as all men haue sinned So much more the grace of God and the gift of grace which is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many And in the 3. of Genesis we reade that the eyes of the woman were not opened vntill the man had eaten of the fruite but so soone as he had eaten the eyes of them both were opened they knew that they had sinned Therefore I gather thus much that rebuke should haue preuailed more to conuert her than her mouing of him to transgresse should haue been able to peruert him I speake not to excuse the woman for I know the Lord was displeased with her and for that cause hath laid a special punishmeÌ„t vpoÌ„ her in the painful bringing forth of children But that I might shew the great charge that lieth vpon the man to stay the corruptions of the woman by reason of the authority which the Lord hath giuen him ouer her which I would haue you brother diligently to consider of And you my sister must take profit by calling to minde that this was one end of your creation that you should glorifie God in being an helper to your husband therefore take heede that you be not a hinderer vnto him to trouble him or to vexe his heart whereby he should be lesse fâ—uitfull in his calling but be you cheerful towards him so that although he should haue little comfort in al other things yet he may finde great cause to reioyce in you And this you must know that as it is required of your husband to seeke for wisedome to be able to gouerne you so the Lord requireth of you to be subiect vnto him remembring also that as God hath inioyned you silence in the congregation so you must seeke for instruction at his mouth in your priuate chamber Another thing I would haue you both to coÌ„sider of in this point of your beliefe is faith in Gods prouidence And marke that well I shall say vnto
some when one is vehement say he is an Heremite too precise for vs to follow he had neede of a new world some if the Preacher be comfortable thinke he is a clawbacke and seeketh for liuing some say if they heare one for the peace of the Church tolerating some ceremonies that he is a time-seruer and man-pleaser if they heare one zealous and vnwilling to giue any little credit to superstitions then they say he is factious if he be young and vehement then they say he will grow wiser and colder in time if he be old and still faithfull then he wants wisedome and is but a doting foole But wisedome is iustified of all her children if doctrine be vsed we learne if perswasion we are moued if threatnings we are humbled if promises we are comforted if lenitie we thinke God calleth vs in mercie if seueritie God calleth vs out of securitie and so we profit by all in something though by some in more things and oftner 51 We are said to be alwaies in God his presence and yet we are said to be in God his presence in the time of God his worship The fathers are said to walke with God they were as children alwaies looking on their father to see what hee would haue them doe God being present with them though inuisible to nature yet visible to faith Yet we are said to be in God his presence in his worship because more neerely we bring our selues before him And sure it is that the more we are in his presence whiles we are in any holy exercise the more shall we be in his worship euen in our ordinarie callings Againe the more carelesse we are in his worship to bring our selues into his sight the more carelesse of his presence shall we be in our ordinarie callings 52 This is not the priuiledge of God his children not to be tempted neither is it a difference betweene the godly or vngodly to be tempted or not tempted but God his children pursue it not in the greedines of their affections but they either sin not or he drawne by delay vnto sinne God his children before feare to sinne the wicked before lay platformes of sinne the godly in sinning finde some paine the wicked a pleasure the godly thinke of their sinne with shame and griefe the world put their sinnes in a new die by speaking and doing of them with glorie and gladnes the wicked blaspheme God in sinning the godly rebuke themselues for sinnes the godly are fiercely and violently pursued of temptation the wicked are soâ—â—ishly and voluntarily infatuated by temptation the godly powre out their spirits to be cured in temptation the vngodly powre out their spirits to be strengthened in sinnes Abraham laughed Sarah laughed Abraham reioyced by faith in their promise Sarah derided by vnbeliefe the thing that was promised Zacharie questioneth with the Angell Mary questioneth with the Angell Zacharie doth it in vnbeliefe Mary doth it to be confirmed in the meanes for her faith 53 It is wonderfull how some delighting and lying in a sinne will correct the selfe same sinne in others and cannot abide it in their owne children and yet it hath been obserued that politike dames ciuill housekeepers cunning whores secretly bathing their bodies in filthines could not abide a waÌ„ton looke or vnchast behauiour in their children Howbeit these secret sinnes as all others in time haue blurted out And let such sinners know that God will still giue them some to be as a glasse to see their owne sinnes in them as it were face to face Thou complainest against thy sonne thy seruant or against thy inferiour but doest thou gouerne him hast thou taught corrected and reformed him hast thou gone in and out in godly life before him hast thou taught him publikely as well as priuately and at home as wel as abroade If thou hast though thy sonne be a reprobate or thy seruant a castaway thou hast at the least though not coÌ„uerted his hart yet striken him with confusion of conscience 54 It is both the fault and the folly of many that being rebuked of a sinne like beasts following the drouer or puppits following the play maister say they doe but as others doe wherein they rather accuse themselues of a new folly than excuse themselues of their old fault For thinking they doe well because they doe as others doe they strengthen rather than weaken the sin by ioyning to sinners and increasing the multitude of sinners in that kinde whereas on the contrarie if they for themselues would leaue the sinne the number of offenders would grow the lesse and then the number of well doers being greater than the number of euill doers would make them ashamed of themselues and though not for conscience sake yet for shame the sinne would be the sooner left In regard whereof a godly father hearing of an heresie like to spread in the Church got as many to subscribe to the true part as could be gotten which he did for this cause that the aduersaries seeing a few holding with them and many standing against them might suspect their cause and be the more ashamed of their defence And experience proueth that sinne is like to die shortly which is nourished of none but starued of all and that sinne is like to preuaile which is entertained of the most and withstood of the fewest we must beware of following a multitude to sinne 55 Looke wheresoeuer in Realme Citie towne or household there is any remnant of the Lords seede although it sustaineth for a while some iniurie as Noah in the old worlde Lot in Sodome Ieremiah among his people and Abraham with his yet as they are preferued from many iudgements by these men so their eyes shall see them fall in the end The world is not couered with water vntill Noah be prouided for in the Arke Sodome is spared vntill Lot be deliuered and the Lord euen rebuked Kings for his seruant Abrahams sake If this were so in the infancie of the Church whilest it was in one or few families how much more will the Lorde gouerne and preserue it now vnder the kingdome of Iesus Christ if peaceably wee waite vntill the arme of the Lord be reuealed vnto vs 56 It is an euill signe when gentlenesse makes vs worse and wanton more bold in disobedience more remisse in obedience and it prognosticateth good to bee made by gentlenesse more free in obedience more afraide to disobey This being as true in the spirituall estate hath caused the Lorde to cause some to beare the yoke from their youth and who are more pliable to the word Others againe not tasting of any crosses which haue beene more vntractable to all good duties Among many pawnes of God his loue this is one chiefe when God his blessings breede in vs humilitie and carefulnes among manie tokens of euill this is one when God his benefits breede pride and fluggishnes And this is a triall of
that before the foundation of the world was laide the foundation of our saluation was made before we sinned the remedie against sinne was found before the maladie the Lord had prepared a medicine before wee were damned he had purposed a way how wee should be saued In respect whereof seeing we are rather to reioyce in this that our names are written in heauen than if wee had power without hurt to treade on Scorpions or had spirites subdued vnto vs Luke 10. 19. 20. wee conclude with the Prophet Psalm 65. 4. Blessed is the man O God whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee The substance of this blessednes is our redemptiō in Christ Iesus which is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1 29 by whose blood we haue the forgiuenes of our sinnes Ephes. 1. 7 and by whose Spirit when we haue beleeued the Gospel wee haue the earnest of our inheritance Ephes. 4. 14. The excellent price whereof is set out vnto vs herein in that being filthy in the blood of our sinnes he washed vs with his owne blood Heb. 9. 14. in that hee being iust suffered for vs being vniust 1. Pet. 3. 18. in that we being of no strength vngodly he died for vs Rom. 5. 6. in that we being enemies through sinne were reconciled by him to God the Father Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore seeing he is Blessed whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Psalm 32. 2. let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome as though it made him happie nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither let the rich man glorie in his riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that hee knoweth the mercie of the Lord wherein consisteth our saluation Ier. 9. 23 24. And let vs all learne the meaning of the salutation of Elizabeth to the virgin Marie Luk. 42. Blessed art thou because the fruite of thy wombe is blessed The formal cause is the illumination of God his spirit making vs capable of the former mysteries sealing them to vs with such assurance in our hearts that wee dare boldly crye Abbafather that wee dare boldly say If God bee on our side who can stand against vs Such blindnesse folly and incredulitie possesseth vs by nature that of our selues we can neither see into these mysteries of our saluatiō nor beleeue the thing we see concerning our comfort vntill we haue receiued of this Spirit which cōmeth from aboue For none commeth to Christ vnlesse the father draw him and how draweth he but by inlightening the hearts of his elect by the holy Ghost Ioh. 6. 44 Wherefore seeing these things are not reuealed vnto vs but by the Spirit 1. Corinth 2. 14. we end with that blessing of the Lord Iesus to Peter Matth. 16. 17. Blessed art thou Simon thou sonne of Ionah for flesh and blood hath not opened this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen The instrumentall cause is partly within vs as faith partly without vs as the word and the appurtenances accompanying the same as Prayer the Sacramēts the discipline of the Church Faith being the ground of things which are hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene Heb 11. 1. doth so applie the promises of God to our proper and peculiar comforts that it sealeth vs vp to the Lord affoording a certaine testimonie to our hearts that we haue not in vaine receiued of the good spirit of God Now because there is a certaine kind of faith which Satan himselfe doth broach in his schoole and propounds as a principle to all his schollers seeing the Papists vrge faith in their vnwritten verities the Familists will haue it in their foolish reuelations The Turke requireth it in his dry speculations of Mahomet and the wizzard will seeme to demaund it in his deuillish incantations we must not beleeue euery spirit but trust to the word onely which is our sure load-starre and touch-stone and being it selfe firme doth make our faith in it most firme sure and vnchangeable This blessednesse to haue the Lord communicate himselfe to vs by his word is priuiledged aboue that praise which the woman gaue our Sauiour Christ Luk. 11. 27. as may appeare by his sharpe answer Yea blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Wee conclude then with the Psalmist Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord they will euer praise him Blessed is the man whose strength is in the Lord and in whose heart are his waies Psal. 84. 4. 5. If the Queene of Saba coūted those men happy that might stand before Salomon and heare his wisedome 2. Chron 9. 7. if Dauid thought it a high recompence and princelike benefit to preferre the sonne of Barzillai to sit at the table of Salomon how great is our happines to heare the wisedome of Christ how high is our blessednes to sit at the table of the Lord where not Salomon but a greater than Salomon is present where not Salomon but a wiser than Salomon speaketh vnto vs Behold then the causes of true blessednes which are our election redemption illumination sanctification all which are sealed vnto vs by the holy Ghost the spirit working faith through the word preached Christ Iesus so sending his Spirit to renue vs God the Father sending his Sonne to redeeme vs redeeming vs to call vs calling vs to iustifie vs iustifying vs to sanctifie vs sanctifying vs hee sealeth vs by his spirit and so by all these doth hee lay the sure ground-worke of our saluation and eternall blessednes Concerning the effects of blessednesse some are inward and some are outward the effects inward are partly in respect of our selues only partly in regard both of our selues and of others those in our selues are either concerning mortification or about our sanctification The first of these is both truly orderly couched in that sermon of the Lord Iesus Marth 5. where those men are set in the first ranke who are emptied both of the opinion of their owne wisedome and of all perswasion of their owne righteousnesse and of those it is said Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Now because many haue lost their hold in iudgement who haue not so throughly giuen ouer in affection in the next degree happines is promised to such who are so farre descended into the sight of their owne vilenes and sense of their naturall coruptions that they are not onely conuinced of an vnrighteousnesse inherent in their iudgements but also are much humbled for it in their affections of whom the Lord of comfort hath thus determined Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Further for that Sathan laboureth and preuaileth much in ouer comming exercised mindes with pettie shames a thing oft incident to afflicted consciences the next be atitude is allotted to them that are meeke in spirit
also in doing of good otherwise than we ought to doe To leaue sinne in it owne nature is a commendable thing but if we doe it for feare of punishment or for shame of the world rather than for conscience of sin it is not at all praise worthie The adulterer may restraine his loathsome and sinfull action not for that he feareth to defile himselfe with sinne in the sight of God but because he would not be knowne to haue sinned in the sight of the world the theefe may surcease from actuall theft for feare of the law and to auoide the gallowes but neither of these haue repented of their sin though after a sort they haue left their sin This is manifest in that they leaue not euery sinne as true repentance doth without all exception or dispensation but onely those bloodie faced sinnes which ciuill discipline censureth with shame and suffrings as murther treason adulterie and theft making no bones to commit sins as grieuous before God though not so punishable before men as are swearing prophaning of the Sabbath lying drunkennes such like which sinnes if they were worthy of imprisonment by law either men must change their accustomed course or all the prisons in the realme would not be able to receiue the offendaÌ„ts Such men learne the common statutes and penall lawes of the land the lawes of the Lord the statutes of the highest they will learne hereafter If they had a conscience of sin then it should be in vniuersall not in particular because one sinne is as grieuous to the Lord as another and no sin must haue a placard before his presence Other will leaue sinne because they haue beene in seruice so long and spent their body so much in sinne that now not that their action is lamed but because their abilitie is gone they for feare of some sickenesse will leaue it but if they might runne through a new body they would runne through their old course againe Others haue consumed all to feede and cloath sinne and therefore now because their purse constraineth them not because the law commaundeth them or the curse feareth them they count it for husbandrie to staie a while Others being somewhat politike thinking it good to get some profit that may giue longer life to pleasure hereafter for a while bridle in their wantonnesse whiles they haue gotten some sure hold of their inheritance and after so soone as they haue brought with sorrow their fathers olde age to the graue recompence the diuell with their hote pursuite of sin much more than they lost in their former sparing of sin Others when either for deadnes of nature or want of abilitie or feare of man they dare not or cannot commit sinne in their owne persons yet they drawe ouer as much pleasure as men in their case may doe by commending and chronicling of their owne sins past or by laughing in their sleeues at the artificiall sinning of some other present They can laugh at sinne hartily whereby they shew they cannot mourne for sinne hartily they make a mocke of it therefore bewray they haue little conscience of it and therefore they die in their sinnes howsoeuer they haue left their sinnes To deale carefully in Gods worship and faithfully with man are things both commaunded and commended and yet to doe them without zeale of Gods glory and with a care or our vaine glory rather to win credit to our selues than to gaine credit to the Gospell is neither commended nor commaunded And yet how many beguile their owne soules hreein it may appeare by so many frequenters of the word and so few fruitfull hearers of the word if they profit not it grieues them not if they remember it not they â—est at it if they cannot speake of it they scoffe at it and yet they thinke they be great protestants Many goodly and godly things we may seeme to doe before men and be thought to be petty Angels come out of the cloudes and yet being impoisoned at the hart with vaine glory the Lord hath no delight in vs our owne hearts euen in these glorious workes doe accuse vs our consciences doe controll vs and without repentance God that is greater than our conscience will in the end condemne vs Contrariwise be our action neuer so beggerly for want of abilitie neuer so deformed for want of beautie in the eyes of man yet if it commeth from a sincere heart sound and sincere in the eyes of the Lord it is acceptable and through Christ accounted righteousnes vnto vs. If then for sins sake we leaue sin and leauing sinne repent of sinne repenting of sin leaue sinne though the lees of it remaine in vs if for righteousnesse sake we labour for righteousnesse â—hough an essentiall righteousnesse be not inherent in vs though we do not all good we loue but in loue desire to doe it though we leaue not all sinne we hate but in hatred of it labour to resist it the good we do is accepted the good we desire to do is imputed the euill we leaue is discharged the euill we desire to leaue shal not be imputed True it is indeed no maÌ„ can say my hart is vpright I am pure if he measure himselfe by the rule of the law which thing whosoeuer seeth not by his manifold corruptions as yet he seeth nothing as he should see yet the children of God may say their hearts are right within them when by faith in Christ and a pure purpose to approue themselues vnto God their hearts are purified so as they labour for the death of sinne though the whole body of sinne be not slaine in them and labour for true righteousnesse though the man of righteousnesse be not fully fashioned in theÌ„ This doctrine then hath two especial vses the one to humble vs the other to comfort vs. Good cause we haue to be humbled by it seeing it teacheth vs that the cause of sinne is stil in our selues and cannot be charged vpon any other as the cause thereof For if our corruption were not neither Satan by feare and tyranny neither the world by preferment and glory neither the fleshly delights by subtiltie neither our enemies by their feares and tyrannie could euer preuaile against vs Christ Iesus was thrise vehemently assaulted yet because the Princes of this world could find nothing in him and all his temptations were as a little arrow shot at a brazen wall no corruption being in his heart no guile being found in his lips they nothing preuailed against him Adams heart was corrupted before Adams hand had sinned Sathan doth offer we doe yeeld vnto our temptations he is the occasion but we are the cause of our owne woe The fond sophistry and lying logicke of theeues is here to be withstood who thinke they wash their hands from all sinne by crying woe worth such a man that euer I knew him for had not he constrained me and
especially if we sorrow for it when we cannot fully forsake it and labour to forsake it because it is sinne 10 Those things neuer hurt vs which grieue vs but those things hurt vs which grieu 〈…〉 vs not A sure experiment it is whether that sinne wherewith we are tempted oftentimes â—hal get the dominion ouer vs or not If the oftner it tempteth vs the more we are grieued aâ— it and the more ground we get to the contrarie vertue it shal not raigne But if the first comming of sinne wrought a griefe in vs and by the after and oftner comming our griefe bee lesse and lesse it is much to be feared that in time it will preuaile and vtterly ouercome vs. 11 Vnlesse our sinnes be palpable and plainely laid before our eyes it is hard to bring vs to any shame and sorrow for them 12 We ought to grow in repentance as God groweth in punishments Gods children haue this priuiledge First they shall be called by the word Secondly if that will not seâ—ue they shall be called by Gods workes either of mercie or iustice in others Thirdly if they profit not they shall taste of them in themselues First by small measure seldome and a 〈…〉 ttle time if they be not thus bettered they shal haue them in greater measure oftner â—onger Fourthly if they neither profit not at all first or last or be euer vncontrolled and suffered to thriue in their sinne they are either much hardned or else bastards 13 Let vs make much of repentance for it is not in our power but in the Lord whâ—â— giueth when to whom and in what measure it pleaseth him 14 We can marke what men are spared and so flatter our selues but we marke not how they repent least we should disquiet our selues 15 Afflictions yeeld ioy in time to come when by them wee are the more weaâ—ie of sinne and more carefull of repentance 16 It is good to be afflicted that thereby we may be brought to know our sins like wise to know afflictions before they come that they do not ouerwhelme vs And theÌ„ is the ministery of the Law necessarie in the Church for afflictioÌ„s are but appendices of the threatnings for they that despise Gods threatnings care not for affliction and they neuer come but when we profite not by threatnings Againe the threatnings doe certainly moue and teach but afflictions do theÌ„ vncertainly this generall doctrine may be seene in the whole course of the Scripture also that the promises are neuer ministred before we â—â—e throughly humbled As in Adam Noe Abraham Ioseph Moses in many and in the children of Israel Dauid and others so that repentance and faith are ioyned together and repentance proceedeth of godly sorrow if wee be bold to comfort our selues afore wee bee thus beaten down our comfort is counterfâ—it and we do but deceiue our selues and this ordinarie working of God is ioyned with great equitie for if wee be not thus humbled our consciences touched with the guilt of sinne will still looke for punishment Againe the mercies of God are neuer so precious and deere as when they light on a troubled conscience And therefore Esay saith That the feeâ—e of them that bring glad glad tidings are pleasant to those that had been long in captiuitie Esay 52. 7. As Ioseph knowing the policie of Sathan who â—n sorrowe seeketh to bring vs to desperation comforted his brethren So Paul would not haue the incestuous person to be ouerwhelmed with griefe and when hee had made the Corinthians sorie hee doth comfort them againe So Nâ—hemiah after that the people had wept saide this is not a day of mourning So Esay vseth fearefull threatnings yet after is most plentifull in comforts As presumption must carefully be auoided that men may be brought throughly to feele their sinnes so must desperation also least that Sathan draw vs away for want of feeling the mercies of God and this is to cut the worde aright which all men must pray that it may be found in the Ministers It is not meant that Ioseph would not haue his brethieÌ„ sorrowful at all for why then vsed he the meanes thereunto before but he auoideth the extremities whereunto we are ready to fall and would not haue them so ouer sorrowfull Hee doth not vpbraid them for he had freely forgiuen them was cleare from reuenge but he nameth their sinne that they still may haue some feeling of it and so must we doe 17 A certaine woman being conuerted to Christianitie by a ciuill Iustice seeing him afterward slide from the faith and the saide Iustice going about to corrupt her after he had conuerted her She said Sir I heard you speake as the Lord in hearing you I heard you not so much your selfe but I learned of Christ by you I heard not I say you as man but I heard by you the Lord our God which is inuisible 18 It is no more maruel for a prophane person to be as senselesse in good things at the beginning of his conuersion then for one bound and brought vp in a prison to bee ignorant of the things of the world CHAP. LX. Of Riches and their abuse RIches and sinne haue some affinitie in regard whereof Christ saith in a compassion of their miserie whom wee so wonder at Oh how hard a thing is it for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ Adding which the world condemneth for a hard speech That it is as easie for a Cable to goe through the eye of a needles c Christ calleth riches thornes forewarning vs that we handle them well least we bee pricked with them They are euil commonly in either getting or in keeping or in vsing or in louing them It is an old prouerbe among the heathen the rich man is either vniust himselfe or his father Marke the euil Steward in the Gospel the gorgeous Rich man the Glutton that promised to himselfe abundance for many yeeres who possessed it not many houres When Christ catechised the Rich man he went away sadly He calles riches the Mammon of iniquitie Matth. 6. The glorie of a mans house Psal. 37. The blessing on the left hand Prouerb 3. And the fatnesse of the earth is as well the blessing of Esaâ— as of Iacob Demas loued the world Paul loued not the world Esay poore and Sabnah rich I put the question to the veriest reprobate let him answer me whether Esay be not now wise and Sabnah be not a foole Alas what will it profite a man to hoord vp any thing in such a chest as in foure dayes will stinke What if a man can reioyce in his wicked riches seuenty yeeres when he shall be grieued for them seuen hundred thousand yeeres when they shall say to the mountaiues fall on vs and to the hils couer vs 2 Riches dimme our eyes as a cloude that we cannot see farre with
shall enter into my rest although the workes were finished from the foundation of the world 4. For hee spake in a certaine place of the seuenth day on this wise And God did rest the seuenth day from all his workes 5. And in this place againe If they shall enter into my rest 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter thereinto and they to whom it was first preached entred not therein for vnbeleefes sake 7. Againe hee appointed in Dauid a certaine day by To day after so long a time saying as it is saide This day if yee heare his voyce harden not your hearts 8. For if Iesus had giuen them rest then would hee not after this day haue spoken of another 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God 10. For he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his owne workes as God did from his 11. Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest least any man fall after the same example of disobedience Behold say they the Sabbath which Christians must obserue is to rest from sin I answere this is not proued For this was as well to the Iewes as it is to the Christians For it is said Psal. 95. To day if ye will heare his voyce 8. Harden not your heart c. This the Prophet wrote after Caleb and Ioshua had entred into Canaan whither though many entred not yet some entred so that they had euen that rest then as well as we haue now Wherefore it doth not follow because the resting from sinne is also enioyned to the Christians as a pure vse of the Sabbath therefore it taketh away the other Againe the resting of God from his workes cannot be a figure of resting from sinne no more than God his workes can be a figure of sinfull workes Now seeing the Lord here vseth an argument of proportion betweene his workes and our workes his ceasing from his workes and our ceasing from our workes because betweene the figure and the thing figured must be some proportion and resemblance I pray you what proportion is there betweene God his workes and our sinnes what analogie betwixt God his resting from his workes and our resting from sinne Againe that it cannot be here meant of the rest from sinne it is manifest because that which is here spoken is set downe to Adam Genes 2. 2. 3. at what time there was no sinne in the world and therefore no resting from sinne therefore no figure of resting from sin because all the learned herein agree that there were no figures before sinne Besides and fourthly the Apostle sheweth that this rest is meant of the kingdome of heauen For as Dauid spake this of the land of Canaan so the Apostle speaketh it of the kingdome of heauen Wherefore he concludeth Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest where we shall not onely rest from sinne but from all our ordinarie workes of our callings where shall neither be eating nor drinking nor marying nor giuing in mariage And as the people before were threatned that for their vnbeleefe and disobedience they should not enter into the land of Canaan so we are here threatned that vnlesse we studie and striue against these things we shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Howbeit although the Sabbath was not a figure vnto Adam of resting from sinne yet it was vnto him a signe that he should come to the kingdome of God where should neither be eating nor drinking nor marying all which seeing Adam had it is manifest that he was not in the kingdome of God as yet The Sabbath then did put him in minde that he should not alwaies be working but that he should be translated though not die for although he was created in innocencie yet not free from being translated to a better place at God his good time but as the Apostle saith he should haue been changed as were Enâ—ch and Eliah though after a more excellent manner We haue now the Lords day which assureth vs that as now by faith and hope we enioy the life to come so hereafter these two ceasing we shall more fully and perfectly enioy the same and as our Sacraments purely vsed shew a thing not to come but alreadie past so this day truly kept is a resemblance of a thing not past but to come For as on this day from the morning to euening we praise God if we keepe the day holie and yet withdrawne and interrupted with many by-thoughts and secret distractions so in heauen being freed from worldly carnall fearefull and manifold affections and troubles we shall more continually praise the Lord. What is then the alluding of this word rest This it is As God rested from his workes after he had made the world so we must rest from our workes What from the workes of sinne no from the workes of our callings and consequently from the workes of sinne much more So the analogie betwixt the Lord his rest and ours teacheth vs that we must rest from our ordinarie workes and this rest putteth vs in minde of that continuall Sabbath wherein when we cease from working eating drinking sleeping marying and all such workes as we are subiect vnto with corruption then also shall we vndoubtedly cease from sinne which kinde of rest in fulnes we must not looke for in this life This is a generall rule in Diuinitie to be obserued that of one place of Scripture there is but one naturall and proper sense although by consequence searching out the contraries the causes the effects and such like other things may be also gathered out of it If the words be more proper and naturall the sense is more proper and naturall if the words be borrowed and metaphoricall then is the sense borrowed and metaphoricall Now allusions are not so much for the proofe confirmation of the matter as for the amplifying and illustrating of the same For example 2. Corinth 13. 1. the Apostle saith This is the third time I come vnto you Where we must vnderstand how the Apostle had been with them once in bodily presence and twice wrote vnto them and yet he saith this is the third time I come vnto you He alludeth then to this as yee see O Corinthians in the law that two or three witnesses were sufficient to confirme the good and condemne the euill so I haue beene with you thrice which is sufficient to confirme the faith of the godly to leaue the vngodly without excuse Againe Rom. 10. 18. we reade But I demaund Haue they not heard No doubt their sound went throughout all the earth and their words into the ends of the world Here we see the Apostle alludeth to that Psal. 19. 4. which is meant of the day and the night This is then the allusion As the day and the night spread ouer the whole world so the Apostles were sent to preach ouer the whole world Againe Galat. 4. Paul alludeth
life or the callings of the Church For such is the corruption of mans nature that naturally they doe not loue the Magistrates that God hath placed ouer them but when the Magistrate hath gotten a good report by the due execution of iustice by his pitifull dealing with the poore and by his fatherly fauour to all that be good then will his subiects loue him then will they embrace him then wil they willingly commit their matters into his hands and then will they with faithfull and friendly hearts cleane and sticke fast vnto him To be short that Lawyer hath most clients that Physition hath most patients and that Merchant most customers whose vertuous and godly dealings haue gotten them a good report In the callings of the Church this also is true for if any preacher by the faithfull discharge of his dutie and by his godly life haue once gotten the fauour and friendship of men how gladly will men heare him how quietly will they be ruled by him in what simplicitie will they make known their griefes vnto him how careful wil they be to procure his good The Schoolemaster also that hath the name of learning to teach of discretion to rule of godlines to traine vp his schollers in the feare of God he neuer wanteth schollers but the most and best men of all will flocke vnto him Contrariwise if any of those be discredited through any euill name if the Magistrate be accompted an oppressor or a tyrant the Lawyer be reported to deale deceitfully if the Minister bee corrupted either in doctrine or life if the Schoolemaster be once knowne to be insufficient in learning vnwise in gouernment prophane and of no religion then will all men be afraide to haue any dealing with them Those things are often found true in peace and prosperitie but in aduersitie as in the time of warre in the time of sicknesse and in the time of want and pouertie they be found most true Will not all the poore comminaltie in the time of warre seeke some aide at that Magistrate who in the time of peace did good vnto them Nay rather will they not all with one consent come together to helpe and defend them euen with all their might and with life it selfe seeing that he hath vsed all good meanes to saue and â—efend their liues Contrariwise how many Kings how many Captaines how many Magistrates haue euen in their greatest neede been left and forsaken of their subiects souldiers because they haue too sharply and vnmercifully ruled them And which is more than this the subiects haue euen procured the death of their princes the souldiers haue laide violent hands vpon their captaines and the tenants haue been the first that haue sought the death of their Landlords because no pity no compassion no friendship and louing fauour hath been shewed vnto them Againe if Magistrate Minister Maister or any other man by executing the duties of loue haue wonne the hearts of the people and gotten a good name among them then in his sickenesse they wil pray for him they will visite him they will beare with him a part of his griefe Againe what can bee more comfortable to a man than this is this will glad him at the heart and this will turne his bâ—d in all his sicknesse In pouertie also he is soonest and most holpen which hath the best name and hath obtained through vertue most fauour with men For good men doe consider their owne case in him and therefore are most readie to helpe him yea euen the euill and vngodly men although they beare him no great good wil yet they are forced to helpe him partly because his godly life doth witnesse vnto their soules that he doth deserue to be holpen and partly because the Lord doth turne their hearts to fauour him The widow therefore that came to Eliah for helpe vsed this argument to perswade Eliah O man of God saith she my husband is dead and died in debt yet he feared God therefore helpe I pray thee seeing the creditors are come and immediately Eliah helped her On the other side if a man be euil reported of if he be an adulterer an Atheist an Idolater a riotous person or a man of hard dealing and if such a one be once brought into some low estate if he once fall into pouertie and neede then the hearts of men are shut vp against him no man will pitie him and all men will see and say his owne sinne is brought vpon him And thus hath the testimonie of the Prophets who did often threaten such kinde of punishments to vngodly men so that no man should say Ah my father or ah my mother but the whole citie should be glad of their departure This did the heathen people see in some part and therefore all of them did greatly desire a good name and as euery one of them did excell in strength and in courage or in wit or any kinde of knowledge so they did labour by that thing to get some credit to themselues And to conclude this point though a man haue many good things in him though a Magistrate doe feare God greatly though a Minister be excellent in many points though a Physition or Lawyer be skilful in their profession yet if they haue not a good name they can doe little good with their gifts All this doth teach vs that indeed to be true which Salomon here saith that a good name is to be chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour aboue siluer and gold Now the instructions which we may gather out of this place are chiefly two The first is that we ought not to hurt our neighbours aboue all things in their good name and therefore the Lord in his law hath ordained that he which doth such a thing should haue the same punishment which he purposed to bring vpon another Men would be loth to steale the goods of any man from him yet the name of a man is more worth than all things in the world therefore if any man by raising vp false reports doe impaire his brothers credit he doth hurt him and sinneth more grossely more grieuously than if he had taken away his lands or his liuing his corne or his cattell or any other thing that he hath And though the thing be false which he reporteth yet he sinneth neuerthelesse for after that time euen good men will be more suspicious and the wicked will not let it goe out of their mindes But if this be against a Preacher or professor of the Gospell then the sinne is the greater because God and his word becommeth dishonoured thereby The second instruction is that we must be carefull by all good meanes to get and maintaine our good name For if it be a sinne to discredit another man then much more is it a sinne to discredit our selues if we be charged to further the good name of our
or offer swines flesh which was counted an abominable thing among the Iewes or praise the thing that is vnright Lastly to this accordeth the Gospell and the Apostles Our Sauiour Christ Matth. 9 13. saith I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance not euery sinner but that sinner which condemneth sinne in himselfe and is wearie and laden with his sins Matth. 11. 28. Matth. 21. 32. our Sauiour Christ preferreth the harlots and Publicans before the Pharisies for they being pricked for their sinnes and conuicted did sorrow and heard Iohn preaching vnto them So then Christ giueth reliefe to those that want righteousnesse to them that feele themselues sinners ease to them which are burthened light to them which are in darkenesse life to them which are dead and saluation to them which condemne themselues The Apostle delareth 1. Corin. 14. how the Corinthians were moued with strange tongues but yet had not in admiration the word Besides hee sheweth by comparing the gift of tongues and prophecying together that if an Infidell or vnlearned man should come and heare them speake with strange tongues hee would say they were out of their wits but if he should heare them speake the word of God plainely hee would be rebuked of all men and iudged of all men and so the secrets of his heart should be made manifest he would fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely when hee feeleth his sinnes they rifle mine heart they shew my secret sinnes doubtles this is Gods doing God is in them I will follow this religion Wherefore in this appeareth the power of the word in that it citeth and summoneth our consciences before the tribunall of God and woundeth vs with a liuely feeling of Gods iudgement that he who before through securitie did despise sound doctrine may now bee constrained to giue the glorie vnto God This appeareth more plainely Hebr. 4. 12. where it is saide that the word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper than any two edged sword and it pierceth through and searcheth the most secret chambers of the soule and deuideth thought from thought and then all our holines shall seeme hypocrisie all our righteousnesse shall seeme as a defiled cloth we shall finde with Paul that in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no righteousnesse For mens consciences are colde neither are they touched and displeased with their euils so long as they be in ignorance but when the word of God pierceth into the vttermost corners of their consciences and telleth them that they haue to doe with the Lord they are throughly touched and begin to feare and entering into themselues examining their conscience they come to the knowledge of that which before they had forgotten Wee can neuer bee offered to God without his spirit Iohn 16. vers 8. For hee reprooueth the world of sinne and awaketh our consciences that those sinnes which before were hid should be made manifest Dauid did lie an whole yeere without this pricke of conscience and thought that all was well vntill Nathan came neither did he finde comfort of conscience vntill he had thus been pricked Iosephs brethren was thirteene yeeres and neuer remembred their sinnes vntill after such time the Lord laid it before them The Prophet Dauid Psalm 32. which he intituled a Psalme of instruction concerning the free remission of sinnes teacheth how we shall finde the same For many perswaded themselues that their sinnes are forgiuen when they be not He also sheweth that vntill trouble of minde did driue him to particularize and confesse his speciall sinnes to God he found no comfort Manasses did eate the bread of sorrowe and did drinke the water of griefe and vntill hee had lamented and sorrowed for his sinnes he felt no rest nor peace The woman of Samaria Iohn 4. was pleasant and iested with our Sauiour Christ vntill her sinnes were opened and then shee began to answere with more reuerence For vntill shee was willed to call her husband shee thought all was safe but after hee had tolde her that shee had plaied the adulteresse shee acknowledged him that hee was a Prophet Wherefore wee may see by this which hath been spoken that the word of God only pricketh our consciences as plainly may here appeare by the Iewes who cared not for the Apostles nor made any conscience vntill their hearts were pricked In the second place we must note that they were rightly pricked For many oftentimes are pricked which kick against the pricke and hauing their consciences galled by the word they murmure either against the preacher of the word or against the word it selfe Here then is the difference betweene the godly and the wicked the one is pricked and is made more carefull in a godly conscience the other more hardened than before But this is a godly sorrowe when wee loue the man that rebuketh vs and reuerence the word the more being by it reprooued in our conscience Doe wee loue him then that rebuketh vs then we heare profitably Let vs examine our selues in this sort I see God hath wounded me by him he is the instrument whereby God doth humble me I wil therefore loue him Contrarily if we be often touched and amend not we are in danger of Gods wrath Many indeede are pricked with pouertie many with sicknes and some with other like afflictions but few with their sinnes which is the cause of their pouertie sicknes and other afflictions Let vs then learne a willingnes to offer our selues to be taught and to bee pricked for sin as these men were The wicked also are pricked sometimes but it is rather for feare of punishment than for conscience to displease God as were Caine and Iudas Some men are pricked and to put away their sorrowe they will goe sleepe they will goe play they will goe sport they will get to merrie companie and passe away the time and so as they terme it they will purge and driue away the rage of melancholie they neuer goe to any preacher to aske of the Lord or at the mouth of his spirit they neuer respect prayer nor seeke any comfort in the word of God But to put away sorrow on this sort is to call it a againe and to feele it more freshly either in the houre of death or in hell Contrariwise if our sorrow doth driue vs to prayer or to the word of God it is good As for the wicked and prophane worldlings though as the Wiseman saith Ecclesiast 11. he spend all his dayes without any euill yet his darkenes will be greater than his light his sorrow greater than his pleasure his losse greater than his gaine his trouble greater than his vanity in hell Let vs not then so carnally shake off this godly sorrow for the word will send vs often an vnquiet spirit that wee may seeke to bee quiet in Christ. To examine our selues herein Haue we heard the
tell you the word is true and this is mine onely comfort O Lord that though the wicked rage thy promise for euer is vnchangeable Proued true What could deceiue it could the Serpent in Paradise No. What could wash it away could all the flood in the deluge No. What could consume it could all the firie furnace of Gomorrah of Egypt and of Babylon No Looke from the first father of all Adam vnto this day and how many seruants the Lord hath died and sound pure so many examples wee haue of the purenes of the word This then we see is a word pure by proofe We esteeme greatly of armour of proofe which neither the speare could pearce nor the shot of gun batter nor dart in any battaile could bruise oh how hath the word encountered with Sathan and with all his adherents How many darts of the worldlings hath it sustained and neuer yeelded but as a sword of proofe hath not onely striken off the heads of Sathan and of all heresies and schismes but also hath mightily preuailed against powers and authorities and principalities in heauenly things When wee haue an approued medicine we thinke it a thing of great price being such a one as neuer failed but wheresoeuer it was laid it wrought the feate so here is a tried medicine for the soule which neuer did deceiue any that vse it a right This is a most rare medicine and soueraigne salue For neuer sore was so great in mans soule neuer maladie so grieuous neuer corruption of sinne so fare gone neuer was there any wound of conscience so desperate which either this did not cure being vsed or might haue cured if it had been vsed This hath been tried and is approued by all the sicke soules that euer were since the beginning of the world to this day whereof some were deliuered from many sores of their conscience many euen rescued from the depth of their sorrowes We count him a tried friend and approued which in no troubles that euer did befall vs shrunke from vs and failed vs but stood vs in all stead possible but whom I pray you hath the Lord euer deceiued vs that put their trust in him or in whom hath the word of the Lord euer failed which wil stick with vs to the end which will saue vs from all euils accompany vs in all dangers recouer vs in all infirmities pitie and relieue vs in all miseries which will saue vs from hel and will speake for vs before the ludge and pleade our cause and euen whilest life lasteth will still stand vs in stead Wherefore seeing the word of God hath in it such excellencie that it taketh vp all the delights of Gods children and the contempt thereof taketh vp all the sorrowes of the Saints of God seeing for being eaten vp with the zeale of Gods word whatsoeuer we lose in the outward man we gaine and are recompenced for it in the inward man contrarie to the eating zeale in all other things whatsoeuer seeing the neerer wee come to God in his word and the further we go from our selues though we were thrown to the ground wee should be reedified seeing if we were tried in the furnace wee should finde such an happie exchange that as the gold wee should lose no weight but become more pure seeing it only reneuth vs in trouble and we cannot more discredit the word of God than euer to suffer it to be contemned or not sufficiently esteemed as becommeth a thing of such perfection glorie eternitie and exact righteousnes seeing it is such an armour of proofe so tried a medicine so approued a friend let vs craue of God that he would open our eyes and cleere our vnderstanding that we louing it for these causes may zealously be set on fire and truly be grieued to see it contemned Thus we see how exact how pure how comfortable how euerlasting the word is Thy righteousneâ— saith the Prophet is an euerlasting righteousâ—â—â— Psal. 11. thou haâ—â— O Lord set downe a perfit righteousnes which hath been is and shall be for euer one and most constant thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer thy hand is not shortned more than it hath been thy word neuer could be accused onely let vs say Lord increase our faith let vs say Lord giue vs the like faith of thy seruants and wee shall haue like graces with them though not in so large measure as they had Vers. 141. I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy precepts HIs meaning briefly is this Lord seeing thy word is so pure I loue it for it owne cause though nothing come withall if thou wilt bestowe any thing else of thy seruant I thanke thee if not I loue it still yea though I should suffer discredit for it I am content For I loue thy word because it is a pure word and worthie to be loued with what crosse soeuer it be accompanied As the common prouerbe is Trueth may be blamed but trueth can neuer be ashamed and iniquitie may be ocuered for a time but yet iniquitie one day shall bee discouered It cannot be denied that it is a singular blessing which is said of our Sauiour Christ to grow in fauour with God and man and to be loued of both as it is reported of Samuel because as it is Eccles 7. 3. A good name is better than a good oyntment and Prou. 22 1. is to bee chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue gold neither can there come a more grieuous crosse to a liberall nature and stout person than want of it Howbeit to search out the cause of discredit wee must alwayes enter into it whether our conscience telleth vs that wee suffer as well doers not as ill doers For euen the very Heathen said that a mans conscience is as a theater in the world Wherefore if wee suffer discredit iustly because of sinne it is to be lamented but when we haue faith in Gods promises and a good conscience flowing from our faith though we neuer so much bee discredited it is a small thing Great is the loue of our selues and great is the care which we haue to maintaine our credit For many will bee content to hazard their liues which cannot bee conteÌ„t to endanger their good name For if a man liue bereft of his good name he had almost as liue bee bereft of his life And therefore Heretikes as the Familie of loue giue in precept that they should rather die than suffer the credit of their sect to fall And no maruell for they see no better life neither do they feele any true comfort of God in their prosperitie neither can they truly call vpon him in their trouble Thus we see how a name is esteemed in the world This then is a true argument of zeale euen when wee are despised and suffer discredit still to beare good affection to the word For many are liuely and quicke
being come to put away figures all that maintained such daies moneths and times which the Iewes obserued as they were Iewes should obscure Christ. The Iewes had their solemne assemblies and conuocations Leuit. 23. 2. certaine times in the yeere the first and last dayes whereof they kept as Sabbaths to the Lord of which Paul here speaketh and therfore he saith ye obserue Sabbaths he saith not a Sabbath for which assuredly he is not here grieued with them For Paul had planted this day among them as appeareth 1. Corin. 16. 1. Concerning the gathering for the Saints as I haue ordained in the Churches of Galatia so doe ye also Where we may see that ancient custome of the Primitiue Church which was that after the word read for the space of an houre after the â—â—â—mon ended and the Sacraments administred many did vse to giue not of constraint but of good will to the poore Now seeing he had appointed the Lords day in Galatia it is not like that hee would so sharply haue reprehended them for his owne ordinance as to say vnto them that he feared their backsliding from the trueth by it but rather of those Iewish holie daies which being peculiar vnto the Iewes had their beginning and their ending with them And if wee say that that day should not be kept for a ceremonie but some other that were not to abrogate but to change the ceremonie as he that stripping himselfe of one sort of clothing and for pride inuesteth himselfe with a new sute putteth not away but chaungeth his pride or as hee that of a filthie lecher is become a couetous miser riddeth not himselfe from sinne but changeth from one sute of sinne whereof he is weary to some other The Papists therefore though they haue not the same daies yet hauing newe daies in their stead haue not abrogated but altered Iudaisme Iustinus Martyr affirmeth that they had no holy day but one in the Primitiue Church He speaketh then flatly against the ceremonies which by the eternitie and perfection of Christ his sacrifice are abolished Heb. 9 and 10 Our first father Abraham when hee beleeued receiued circumcision as the seale of his faith to which Baptisme is subrogated vnto Christians The particular signe that appertained to the posteritie of Abraham is gone but the water in Baptisme doth appertaine to all in a generall equitie Likewise as the Sabbath did put them in minde of their deliuerance it is gone but as by it we remember Christ his resurrection wee retaine it To conclude the Apostle meaneth not in this place that Sabbath but those holy daies of the Iewes which being the beginning and ending the first day and last day of their feasts were Sabbaths The third reason Coloss. 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath daiâ—s 17. Which are but a shadow of things to come but the bodie is in Christ. This is also vnderstoode of the Iewish distinguishing of meates and daies For the Colossians were troubled with false Apostles as were the Galathians And what is the reason that they were so encombred with Iewish obseruations Forsooth the religion of Christians which rather consisteth of pure simplicitie than pompous solemnitie hath but the word barely preached the Sacraments without vaine shewes administred prayers in humilitie offered and therefore it seemeth not so polished so glorious and so garnished as the Iewish religion which did drawe the greater part of men after it Thus our fathers seeing the Iewish religion so vernished and the Gentiles religion so pompous and Christian religion ful of simplicitie drew the Gentiles from the simplicitie of Christianisme and brought in this heape of ceremonies Wherefore here Paul telleth them that these things were but instructions for a time and pedagogical and therefore did not so appertaine vnto them as they should neede to trouble their consciences about them though they obserued them not Let no man condemne you saith the Apostle in such Iewish ceremonies as for the not obseruing of them they should count you no Christians Heere is the same drift of the matter which was of the former here the Apostle descendeth from generals to particulars there he ascendeth from particulars to generals Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day which was an octonarie for eight dayes long did the feasts of the Iewes last or of the Sabbath daies hee saith not of the Sabbath for hee meaneth those Sabbaths which were appertenances of the former holy daies not that holy Sabbath which was common to the â—ewes with all other the people of God And whereas in the former part of the verse it is said Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke hee sheweth that the Iewes had certaine beasts and birds vncleane and drink-offerings which were forbidden them howbeit vnto Christians all things are pure But some will say what neede wee now to fast who will censure vs I answere the Lord himselfe For albeit wee that are Christians are not to bee charged as the Iewes were with one speciall day yet as the Iewes with all God his people did humble themselues before the Lord either for the remouing of some iudgement which presently did lie vpon them or for the preuenting of some perils which were towards them or for the obtaining of some grace which they wanted and yet without all obseruations of daies so wee must ioyne with them And therefore whosoeuer refuseth the exercise of humbling either priuately or publikely the same is to bee controlled by the word If any bee commaunded publikely by the Magistrate whether the cause be iust or not iust wee are to obey if the cause bee iust it is not the commaundement of the Magistrate but of God and who so breaketh this is surely to be condemned The similitude here annexed of the Apostle is very fit for as the skilfull painter first portraiteth and then painteth with fresh and liuely colours that which before more rudely and obscurely hee did frame and fashion with a blacke coale so these rudiments more darkely did represent that which now is liuely described vnto vs the truth of all things in Christ. The bodie is Christ as if hee should say yee haue receiued Christ and the things which he hath prescribed and though yee haue not the Sabbaths and holy daies of the Iewes yet haue yee the true Sabbath pure holy day which Christ hath left vnto you Here then the Apostle is so farre from abrogating of the Sabbath that hee maketh no mention nor includeth any meaning thereof in these words And thus much for the reasons which they thinke they haue gotten out of the epistles of Saint Paul Now let vs consider of that place which is in the epistle to the Hebrues chap 4 verse 3. For wee which haue beleeued doe enter into rest as he saide to the other As I haue sworne in my wrath If they