no necessity it was a temporall practise in those times when the gift of healing was in the Church instead whereof we have prayers both in private and in publike Congregations The Grace of Baptism we hold sufficient for the whole life to sanctifie it and in the Elect of God it is not it cannot be lost The true Sacrament of Confirmation is the Lords Supper for that representeth to us the body that was broken for us and the blood that clenseth us from all our sins that is often repeated to call us to repentance and to strengthen our Faith If we flatter our selves that the act of receiving doth sanctifie us that is a deceiving of our own hearts for the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit that quickeneth We know that it may be eaten to condemnation if there were carnall presence of Christ none could eat of it but he must be joyned so with Christ as he could not perish Lastly for the Sacrament of orders they deceive themselves in the pride of their hearts thinking that God hath given them the Kingdome of Grace and of glory to bestow where they will We are the Ministers of God sent forth as Gods Embassadours to carry his pardon to such as are penitent the pardon doth set forth who are capable of it we are the Ministers of God to make tender of the means of Grace to such as are capable of them We cannot make a man capable either of Grace or Salvation yet none can have either but by our Ministry except God will shew his Prerogative and say Ecce ego creabo rem novam in terra Behold I create a new thing upon earth Humility deals truly with us for it I be humble I am content with that I have and think it more then I deserve I do not envy either greater graces in others or higher places for I know mine own weckâ—dnesse and my sins are ever before me and therefore I think it happy with me and acknowledge it a great mercy that I am not consumed I do not glory in mine own knowledge but with Agur the son of Jakeh I say and confesse Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not the understanding of a man Prov. 30.2 3. I have neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge of the holy I do not glory in mine own righteousnesse but looking to mine heart within and into my wayes without I say with Saint Paul of Sinners I am cheefe An humble man hath this advantage of a proud man for he cannot fall his estate may grow both higher and fuller but his heart keepeth one point of elevation and is fixed at that he never graspeâ—h for wind to hold it he hunteth not after opinion he doth not flatter himself with vain hopes Well may an humble man suffer from others but he will keep so good a watch upon his own heart that that shall never deceive him by any information of self-wisdome But I commend a Virtue that but half keeps a living man in the earth saith the gallant true but as the root is deep embosomed of the earth which makes the Free bear a storm the better But this keepeth men from putting forth themselves where they may exercise their other virtues I but it joyeth all well-affected that Church and Common wealth aboundeth so in choyce that there is no need of me And those whom pride putteth forth have an evil edition 2. Their next confidence was in the siituation of their dwelling resembled to an Eagles building her nest in the clefts of a rock on high So there meets to make up their confidence strength and height of dwelling That is their confidence and that is dispersed in the fourth verse Thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. This opinion of the strength of an impregnable habitation hath deceived many After David had reigned seven yeeres in Hebron The King and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites the inhabitants of the land 2 Sam. 5.6 which spake unto David saying except thou take away the blind and the lame thou shalt not come in thither Thinking David cannot come hither The Hebrewes have made a figurative construction of these words namely that the Jebusites did preserve two Images the one of Isaac who was blind the other of Iacob who was lame these two Isaac and Iacob made a Covenant with Abimilech in which League they comprehended the Iebusites therefore the league must be broken which was made with Isaac and Iacob if they did come thither to remove the Iebusites But this is vain and fabulous The true meaning is that the Iebusites did think their hold so strong that so long as there were any men therein though blind and lame they would be able to defend the place against David But that hope was dispaired for ver 9. David dwelt in that Fort and called it the City of David c. The like Example we have of Babylon Here her in her ruffe and in the pride of her heart Thou hast said in thy heart Isa 14.13 I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my throne among the stars of God I will sit also upon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most high Which pride of heart smarted in them for it followeth yet thou shalt be brought down to Hell to the sides of the pit I deny not but this is litterally to be understood of Babylon Dr. Reynâ—â— on Obed. but it troubleth me that any learned man of our dayes should charge so many great judgements as have applyed this to the of the Angels with unskilfull application thereof I know The learnedst and gravest judgements have gone that way as far as we have any thing written of the fall of Angels And men of yesterday do not well to impute unskifulnesse to such expert Scribes But in the posthumous writings of great learned men the publisher may shuffle in some of his own brann amongst their Wheate For understand this either literally of Babylon or allegorically of the Angels that fell either of them thought their dwellings impregnable and therefore safe Jerusalem called the joy of the whole earth was compassed so with mountains that the prophet to expresse the safety of the Church resembleth it to Jerusalem As the mountains are about Jerusalem Psa 125 2 so is the Lord round about his people c. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount-Sion ver 2. Yet we know how it was destroyed David was gone far that way in presuming upon the safety of his person and state Dixi nunquam movebor I said I shall not be removed thou Lord of thy goodnesse hast made my mountain so strong All which examples and all experience meeteth in one point of Doctrine that it is a vain confidence to trust in the strength of our state and dwelling on earth A full
is an unguent it corrodeth not 3. Great is the danger of those that shall speak any thing but the word of God to Gods people or shall conceal any thing of that which is given them to speak So God saith to Jeremiah Thou therefore trusse up thy loiâ—s Jer. 1.17 arise and speak vnto them all that I command thee be not afraid of their faces lest I destroy thee before them And to Ezek. Eze. 3.18 If thou sound not the trumpet nor give warning to the wicked man of his wicked way his blood will I â—â—â—pire al thy hand This is not our own trumpet but the Lords ours giveth an uncertain sound the Lords trumpet awaketh men to the battell From hence both the Minister and the people have their lessons 1. The Minister We are taught to exercise our selves in the Holy studies of the word of God that we may be able â—o divide the word of God aright that we may wifely understand the word of God to be able to minister the word of God in due season The ignorant and unlearned man is no â—it man for this imployment to such saith God Because thou hast refused knowledge Hos 4 6 I will also refuse thee thou shalt be no priest to me For why should any dare to intrude himself into this great service to teach others in the Word seeing himself untaught for the priests lips should preserve knowledge and the people must seek the law at their mouth Mal. 2.32 Doth any man send a lame man of his errand or put his message into the mouth of a dumb man We are the Lords messengers Doth any man set an unskilfull man to build that knoweth not how to use his tools we are the Lords builders Doth any man set an unexperienced man to take charge of his sheep we are the Lords shepherds of his flock Jeroboam took the right way to destroy true Religion and to set up Idolatry He made of the lowest of the people priests of the high places whosoever would he consecrated him 1 Reg. 13.33.44 and he became one of the priests of the high places And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the earth Surely such ministers though they have the outward calling of the Church yet do they want the inward calling of God and being darknesse they possesse the place of light and they are blinde leaders of the blinde as Christ calleth them Two sorts of ministers are here excluded 1. Those that know not what the Lord saith and therefore use the Holy calling of the Ministery but as a means for their maintenance without care or conscience of feeding the flock of Christ and wo is to them because they preach not the Gospel they usurp the wooll and milk of the flock and have no right to the inheritance of God that is the tithes of the People 2. Those who know not understand not the word of the Lord yet trusting to their own naturall parts do boldly step up and usurp the chair of Moses and are imperitorum magistri teachers of the unlearned before they have been peritorum discipuli Schollers of the learned And these are the more dangerous of the two better an unpreaching Minister that readeth the Word of God distinctly then an ignorant preacher that presumeth ex puris naturalibus from his pure Naturalls to deal with those things which are too high and deep for him 2. Ministers are taught their great duty of faithfulnesse of which the Apostle saith Moreover it is required of stewards that a man be found faithfull He must say 1 Cor. 4 2. Thus saith the Lord. That is He must say 1. Quod dicit Dominus What the Lord saith is the truth 2. Omne quod dicit All that all the truth 3. Quomodo dicit In the same manner Thus. 1. For we may not go from our instructions to speak of our selves any thing but we must first receive from the Lord and then we must speak that It was Nathans errour when David did open to him his purpose for building of the Lords house that before he had understood the will of God therein he encouraged him saying Do all that is in thy heart and therefore he was sent again to him to unsay it 2. Neither may we suppresse any thing of that which is put into our mouths Act 4.20 the Apostle saith We cannot but speak those things which we have seen and heard And Saint Paul saith to the Elders of Ephesus I take you to record this day Acts 20.26 27. that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have concealed nothing but have revealed to you all the counsell of God For surely as God told Ezek It is as much as our salvation is worth to leave any part of Gods revealed will in Scripture untaught 3. Neither may we change the manner of Gods speakings for there is a form of Doctrine delivered to us and there is a form of words we must not only say This but Thus saith the Lord. For so Saint Peter admonisheth If any man speak 1 Pet. 4.11 let him speak as the oracles of God Not mingling humane fancies with divine Doctrines not mingling words of humane wisdom with Holy exhortations not mingling our own spirit of contradiction with our confutations of the adversary not mingling any of our own spirit of bitternes and passions with our just reprehensions of sin drawing against Satan and sin no other sword but the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Thus shall we be unto God the sweet savour of Christ 2 Cor. 2. i 3. in them that are saved We shall meet with many discouragements in this our office and we shall lose a great deal of labour but so did our Master it is his complaint Though never any were so sufficient for this service as he was Isa 49.4 v. 1. 1. For his calling The Lord hath called me from the womb from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name 2. For his fitting to that calling v. 2. He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft Yet he complaineth Then I said I have laboured in vain v. 4. I have spent my strength for nought and in vain Yet his comfort was Yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my work or my reward with my God Here some think that the limitation of us to Thus saith the Lord doth so restrain the minister of the word to the word of God that it is not lawfull to mention the names either of the ancient Fathers of the Church or of any Heathen writers in our sermons A point toucht somewhat to the quick by a great and learned Divine even upon this text in print To which my moderate and just answer is 1.
The sword of the Lord is filled with blood Isa 34.6 it is made fat with fatnesse c. for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the land of Idumaea Rejoyce and be glad O daughter of Edom Lament 4. that dwellest in the land of Vz the cup also shall passe thorow unto thee thou shalt be drunken and shalt make thy self naked As to the young man Rejoyce O young man Iron q. d. Make thee merry whilest thou mayest for thou art like to have sorrow and care enough Amos also foretold as much Thus saith the Lord. Amos. 1.11 For three transgressions and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pity and did tear perpetually and kept his wrath for ever Which causes are after in this prophecie alleaged But I will send fire upon Teman which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah Thus saith the Lord God Ezech. Cap. 25.12 because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance and hath revenged himself upon them I v. 13. will also stretch out my hand upon Edom and I will cut off man and beast from it and I will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury and they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord. Son of man set thy face against mount Seir Cap. 35.2 and prophesie against it And say unto it Thus saith the Lord God Behold O mount Seir I am against thee and I will stretch out my hand against thee and I will make thee most desolate c. I may say now as the messengers sent to bring Michaias to King Ahab said but in a Contrary 1 Reg. 22.13 Behold the words of the Prophets declare evil unto Edom with one mouth And now you see what reason this Prophet hath to say We have heard for God hath revealed this threatened judgement to his servants the Prophets and with one mouth they declare it From whence we are taught Doctr. 1. That the decrees of Gods judgement upon the wicked are constant and unchangeable Reason 1 1. For God is without variablenesse and shadow of alteration Hos 13.14 The word is gone out of my mouth it shall not return empty but it shall finish the thing for which it is sons repentance is hid from mine eyes God is not as man that he should repent he hath sworn in his wrath they shall not enter into his rest and The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Rea. 2 2. From the nature of the wicked against whom he threateneth judgement for they have hearts that cannot repent and therefore they heap up wrath against the day of wrath Gods hatred doth deprive them of all the means of grace and none can be effectuall in them or to them and he hath said I have hated Esau Sin is folly sinners are fools bray a fool in a mortar yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him therefore they are under the rods and scorpions of wrath and cannot avoid the same 3. From the faithfulnesse of his Prophets for the Prophets of the Lord that threaten these judgements from his mouth shall not be found liars seeing their Prophecies are no self-given notions but inspirations of his spirit which is the Spirit of truth You know how Jonah was troubled to be a messenger of judgement to Nineveh when he was perswaded that God would shew them mercy and so his Prophecie fall to the ground he could rather have looked on to see the utter destruction of Nineveh then that his Prophecie should be found unperformed therefore he went another way at first would not come to Nineveh when he had prophesied he went out of the city there expected the event of his Prophecie was angry that it succeeded not Quer. We finde that in that example God changed and repented him of the evil which he had threatened against Nineveh how then do we say that the judgements of God against the wicked be unreversable And God saw their works Ionâ—h 3.10 that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them and he did it not Sol. To this we answer That Gods repentance was no change of his minde or any alteration of his counsell or decree but a deferring of the execution of his judgement The change was in Nineveh and the repentance was in them they humbled themselves before God and they both did the works of mortification and they also beleeved God Cap. 3.5 this was not a justifying faith which is Credere in Deum to beleeve in God but an historicall which is Credere Deo to beleeve God And God would have his Church see that if Ahab humble himself and go in sackcloth if Nineveh give over evil works and repent them of their sins he will turn from the fiercenesse of his wrath all to encourage repentance But Jonah was a true Prophet of Gods judgement their repentance was not poenitentia non poenitenda a repentance not to be repented of for they resumed their evil wayes and Nahum doth renew the threatenings of Jonah and declareth the Lords judgements against Nineveh For the repentance of the wicked is but for a season and as it is temporary so it removeth judgement for a time but they returning to their sins he returneth also to the execution of his intended punishment So Ahab was forborn for a time upon his humiliation but he escaped not the hand of judgement for God cannot lie His Prophets speak sure words as the Apostle saith We have a more sure word of Prophecie 2 Pet. 1.19 to which you do well if you take heed as to a light c. Que. When Abraham had heard the decree of God against the transgressing cities did not he know that Gods decrees of judgement were immutable how then did he solicite God for the reversing of the same did he well in so doing Sol. Abrahams plea doth clear this point for upon the first notice from God of his intended judgement he pleadeth for Sodom not to turn away the wrath from the ungodly there but he saith Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked c. Gen. 18.13 The care of Abraham was for the place and for the persons of the righteous he doth not solicite God for the wicked there Again to pray for the ungodly and wicked to divert judgement from them when God hath revealed his displeasure against them is not unlawfull 1. Because Christian charity hopeth all things beleeveth all things 2. Because many of Gods judgements are temporall and his anger against the sons of men continueth not long so that we may
help of the wicked to execute the will of God upon Gods enemies yet they must be very carefull not to joyn with them in their wickednesse and idolatry We may use the help of Papists for the maintainance of the Lords cause but we must take heed that we fall not into the sin of Israel Psal 106.35 They were mingled with the Heathen and learned their Wickednesse and served their idols which were their ruine Let us not make the covenant with them that Ruth the Moabitesse made with Naomi Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God Ruth 1.16 The third Doctrine War is one of the punishments wherewith God doth punish his enemies And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my Covenant Levit. 26.25 Ezech. 14.21 It is one of the four sore judgements as God himself doth call it and it is first named used to cut off man and beast When Israel was by the favour of God put into possession of the promised land they sinned against God in contempt of Religion in idolatry theft and whoredom For which God punished them with war for the Aramites Philistines Midianites Moabites Canaanites and Ammonites fought against them and opposed them three yeers as appeareth in the book of Judges The misery of war is great as Moses doth expresse it They shall not regard the person of the old nor have compassion of the young they shall eat the fruit of thy cattell Deut. 28.50.51 they shall consume the profit of thy land they shall besiege thee within thy walls they shall drive thee to eat thy children the fruit of thy body during the siege and streightnesse wherewith they shall compasse thee in thy cities Reason 1 God hath a quiver it is full of arrows this is one of them Ezech. 5.16.17 The reason hereof is because they that make no conscience of their duty to God nor of obedience to his Word have put themselves out of Gods protection and he is become their enemy The protection of God is the fence of the vine if that hedge be once broken up not onely the foxes will come in and devour the grapes but the wilde boar will also come in and root it up Reason 2 2. They that make no conscience of charity to their brethren in the just judgement of God are delivered into the hands of men and as one saith Nullum animal morosius so Nullum animal ferocius O saith David Let me not fall into the hand of man Let men fall softly and easily when they fall into thy hands so shalt thou fall gently into their hands for God is love and the mercifull man shall not want mercie But as in the naturall body sometimes it is wholesome to open a vein and let out blood so it is in the body politick the sword must sometimes draw blood to parge the body of noxious and offensive humours And wheresoever this punishment lighteth as Medicinall it amendeth many faults where it lighteth as a judgement of indignation it cutteth off evil doers from the face of the earth The uses of this doctrine follow Use 1 1. Let us consider the lamentable estate of those that professe the same faith with us who have no other outward means of safety to preserve their liberty and rights but by the sword against whom great and mighty Princes do say one to another Arise ye and let us arise against them in battell You know who is at this time thus endangered even some of the branches of that vine under which we sit The forward free and cheerfull offerings of your hands have testified your good affections to that rightfull cause let lifting up of your hands secute that free opening of them that is let your prayers sight for them and give God no rest till he hath setled Peace in these walls and prosperity within these palaces Surely they shall prosper that love it for our brethren and companions sake the worshippers of the same God the professourâ— of the same faith with us let us wish them now prosperity for the house of Gods sake which they seek to enlarge advance let us seek and study to do them good Use 2 2. Let us thankfully consider our own peace we are filij pacis children of peace born and brought up in times of peace the prophecie of Zechariah is fulfilled in our land We have old men and Women dwelling in our towns even men with slaves in their hands for very age Zech. 8.4.5 and the streets of our cities and towns full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof And that promise of God to the obedient is performed in us I will end poâ—â—â— in the land Levt 26.6 and ye shall sleep and none shall make you afraid and the sword shall not go thorow your land The happy dayes of the long reign of Queen Elizabeth of everlasting memory the mother of our Peace were crowned with peace and she left a legacie of peace in the Common-wealth in her succession Our Solomon her heir hath maintained peace under his happy government both at home and abroad What Nation is there now under heaven which saith Arise ye and let us arise against England in battell We may say this is the Lords doing Psal 46.9 and we must give him the glory of it for as David saith He maketh wars to cease he breaketh the Bowe and cutteth the Spear in sunder and burneth the Chariots in the fire The Use Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted in the earth Use 3 Seeing we have outward peace from forraine enemies and none riseth up against us in battell we must be tender of maintaining peace one with another take heede ye bite not one another lest ye be devoured one of another Better it were we had wars abroad then that we should fight one with another of us at home by uncivill contentions by fraudulent and cunning underminings by slanderous and lying calumniations or by any other uncharitable meanes of molestation to breed unjust warâ— amongst our selves For by this curst crosnesse we do provoke God to draw his sword against us Use 4 Seeing God hath delivered us from the calamity of war and given us the blessing of peace let us know that this is the fittest time for semination of the Gospel of peace this is the seeds time for the word of God In such a time was Christ born in the peaceable reigne of Augustus Caesar Then were swords turned into sithes and spears into plough-shares and so the noyse of our redemption and the sound of the Gospel went over all the world We see that those years of peace have made learning and arts flourish in our land and for the light of religion it never shined clearer then now and the light thereof still encreaseth Let us know that now God hath so fenced in his Vine in our Land and bestowed such cost on
come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me Adoni-Bezek confest this justice of retaliation executed on him for they took him and cut off his thumbs and great toes and he said Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and toes cut off gathered their meat at my table Ver. 23. Jude 1.6 as I have done God hath requited me So saith God to the Chaldeans Because thou hast spoyled many Nations Heb 2.8 all the remnant of the people shall spoyle thee And God made this judgement good against Amalek for they sought to destroy Israel and God by Israel destroyed them Samuel said to Agag their King As thy sword hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother be childlesse among other women 1 Sam. 1.5 33. so he hewed him in peeces before the Lord. Ahab slew Naboth and himself was slain 1 King 21.19 Jezabel shed Naboths blood Thus saith the Lord In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick even thy blood also The dogs shal eat Jezabel by the wals of Iezreel As Solomon threatneth They shall eate the fruit of their own way Prov. 1.31 and be filled with their own devises The Apostle calleth this righteousnesse in God It is a righteous thing with God 2 Thes 1.6 to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you The word is decomposite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifieth a retribution contrary to them that in the same they shal be Patients wherein they have been Agents From this fountain of justice cometh that Law judiciall Ex. 21.24 an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth which Law Christ did not abrogate but interpret and put it into the power of the Magistrate where it ought to be taking it away from private persons Vse Let us all lay this justice of God to heart and let us look for it at the hands of God that he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us our iniquities unrepented Let the Adulterer heare Job If my heart have been deceived by a woman or if I have laid wait at the doore of my neighbour let my wife grind to another Job 31.9 10. and let other men bow down upon her Let the cruel oppressor of his brethren look to be oppressed in himself or in his posterity If the daughter of Babel oppresse Blessed shall he be Psa 137.8 that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us It it Gods own word He that honoureth me him will I honour but he that despiseth me shall be despised Doctr. 3 There is no true love and peace between the ungodly Here hath been much confederacy between Edom and other Nations they were men of Peace they did eat and drink together yet even those turned perfidious to Edom and betrayed him Christ in his legacy of Peace said pacem meam do vobis non sicut mundus dat Job 14 27 My peace I give unto you not as the world giveth For Either it is pax adulationis the Peace of Adulation of which David saith Olâ—um peccatoris non confringet capat meum Ravennas note is that in all Sacrifices to God salt was used for God cannot be flattered when we say the most we can of him we come short Adulatio quam similis est amicitiae non imitatur tantum sed praecedit Poore men have the advantage of the rich in this for who flattereth them Sinners say we need not this waste why should we bestow it on them that cannot requite us We will save it and give it to them which are mighty 2. Or it is pax malae confederationis the peace of evil confederacie such as is between Thieves we will all have one purse these be as old Jacob said of Simeon and Levi fratres in malo brothers in evil St. Aug. calleth this ne fariam amicitiam a wicked friendship into their secret let not my soule come These tares bind themselves in bundles for the fire 3. Pax simulationis a dissembling peace when men hide malice under a shew of Peace that they may sub amici fallere nomen that they deceive under shew of friendship so â—udas kisseth and betrayeth Amasa entreateth and stabbeth 4. Pax temporalis a temporall peace when men maintain love and friendship and exchange great gifts and tender love and service to serve a turn So men set up the Ladders that they clime by as high as they can but when their turn is served they lay them along upon the ground This is the peace which the world giveth and there is no true friendship in it Pro. 17.17 for a friend loveth at all times Nec ullis divulsus querimoniis Suprema citius solvit amor die True peace is like the dew of Hermon none but the Elect of God have it My Peace I give to you it is not like the light of the Sun that shines on good and bad This is like the light that shined on Gosâ—en when all Egypt else was in palpable darknesse This is like the pretious oyle powred on Aarons head and running down to the skirts of his raiment Psa 133.2 3. for there the Lord Commanded the blessing and life for ever more Aristotle held that friendship contracted either by pleasure or profit could not hold for the cement and glew that should tye them together is but weak this continuation is but hujus ad hoc of this to that But the union of the faithful is hujus in hoc of this in that For they be incorporate in one body and they are made members of Christ and members one of another one flesh one body We see men in their greatnesse followed and served and petitioned observed and presented with choisest and richest gifts if we see them decline in favour or power we see them forsaken of their servants We see young prodigals frequented with company courted with complements feasted and swelled with all delights but when the fountain of this friendship is drawn dry and the means faile who calleth those men friends or seeketh their conversation This yet appeareth more plainly in the Idumeans of Rome that have long persecuted the true Church of God for though they have laboured ever since the first corruption of the Church to maintain their Hereticall opinions yet could they never be at any perfect peace amongst themselves And this ofter our Church may boldly make to them that there is no Tenet in our Religion we maintain against them but we wil renounce it if we do not find it averred by some one or most of eminent learning amongst themselves And because it will take up too much time to give instance in al particulars of our difference from the Trent Church For a taste let me refer so many as are desirous of better satisfaction to read that learned proofe of this truth in the Reverend Dean of Glocesters third book of the Church at the end of it where he nameth the agreement of our
them be as they that is equally culpable Upon this evidence we find the Church of Rome guilty of the Powder-Treason it was secretly animated and abetted by them and they prayed for the successe thereof 2. The cruelty of the eye this is twice here urged ver 12. v. 13. For the eye of humanity doth abhor the sight of Murther To look on and behold the wrongs done to our brethren in their life or goods is murther and theft Hagar was so tender that when her son Ismael was ready to perish for want of water she cast the child under one of the shrubs And she went and sate her downe over against him a good Way off Gem 20.15 16. 2 Sam. 20.12 as it were a Bow-shoot for she said let me not see the death of the child The sight of Amasa murthered and weltring in his blood in the way was a stop in the way of Joabs Souldiers and all the people stood still It was a grievous sight and troubled souldiers men used to acts and sights of death for Amasa was a worthy Captain They looked on in condolement not in rejoycing It is reported that after the Massacre of the Protestants in France on the Bartholmew-night following the Queene-Mother with many others went out to behold the dead carcasses and having caused the body of the Noble Admirall of France to be hanged upon a Gibbet they went out of the City to feed their eyes with that spectacle God will one day require the blood of those men at the hands of all those whose cruell eyes delighted in that spectacle For thou shouldest not have looked on thy brother in the day of his affliction with cruel eyes With compassionate eyes we may so it is foretold of the Elect They shall see him whom they have pierced and shall mourn for him Zech. 12.20 So Mary and Iohn saw Christ Crucified and Christ invited to that sight have ye no regard all ye that passe by see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow But when the ungodly of the earth perish there is joy as the Wiseman saith It is one of the comforts of the Church against the enemies thereof And they shall goe forth Isa 66.24 and looke upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me for their worme shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh And David saith Psa 92.11 Mine eye also shall see my desire upon mine enemies These be speciall executions of wrath upon the ungodly but the generall rule of charity doth convince that eye of cruelty which beholdeth the blood of man with joy shed on the earth and the law of piety doth sind that man guilty of marther that looketh on whilst an Egyptian smiteth an Israelite which Moses could not endure to see for as Seneca Oculi augent dolorem the eye encreaseth sorrow He slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand Exod. 2.12 This is no example for imitation for lookers on to become gamesters of a sudden How justifyable that fact of Moses was I will not now dispute the point is Moses could not look on and see wrong done to an Hebrew It is a cruel eye that can see a neighbour suffer injury in his person or in his goods and will passe by and not give him help It is a cruel eare that will suffer a neighbour to be scandalized in his good name and will not open a mouth to defend him If thine eye so offend thee Christ adviseth thee to pul it out and cast it from thee When Pilate had caused Christ to be cruelly whipped he brought him forth to the people to shame him openly saying Ecce homâ— behold the man hoping that their eyes satisfied with that lamentable sight of his stripes would have cryed enough let him go But this gave their eye a new appetite to see more and they cryed out Pro 3â— 17 Crucifie him Crucifie him Those eyes that hunger thus Let the curses of Agur the son of Jakeh fall on them Let the Ravens of the valley pick them out and let the young Eagle eat them 3. The cruelty of the heart They rejoyce over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction This also is murther to joy in the destruction of our brethren though we put neither hand nor counsel to it This evidence doth pronounce the Church of Rome guilty of that murther in the cruell Massacre of Paris under Charles the ninth before mentioned wherin by a cunning pretence of friendship there were destroyed 30000 Protestants For after the Massacre there was a solemn Procession throughout the City and that this was the joy of the whole Church of Rome we may avouch it from the testimony of the head of the Church For Gregory 13 hearing of it caused all the Ordnance of his Castle of St. Angello to be shot off in token of joy and a Masse to be sung in St. Lucies Church for honour of the exploit And the Parliament of Paris enacted it that in honour therof every yeere on St. Bartholmews day should a solemn Procession be observed through the City of Paris The Cardinall also of Lorrain in a publike Oration magnified the fact and caused Monuments thereof to be erected Far be it them from us who carry the names of Christians to rejoyce at the sufferings of our brethren for this is murther Let Roman Christians teach Turks and Indians and Massagets to be barbarous let their mercies be cruel for so would they have joyed if their Powder-Treason had sped But as deare brethren let us put on the bowels of compassion and love and tendernesse Let not us rejoyce in the ruine of their persons that are executed for hainous prevarications of the Lawes of the kingdome but rather gush out rivers of waters for them that keep not the Law The punishment of sin is the joy but the destruction of the person of the sinner is the griefe of all them that feare God The heart is a Principall in murther for out of the heart cometh murther and an evil eye to look upon it It proceedeth from a corrupt and cruel heart when we passe by and regard not the afflictions of our brethren to relieve them as the Samaritan did but when we rejoyce over them as Edom here did and make our selves merry with their sins or their punishments our hearts are murtherers of our brethren and when he cometh that will one day make inquisition for blood he will remember the complaint of the poore The God of our Salvation is called the God of mercies and the father of all consolation If we be sons of this Father Be you mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull love as brethren comfort the heavy-hearted strengthen the weake bring him that wandreth into the way and let not thy brothers blood cry from the earth for vengeance against thee There is vox sanguinis a voice
Ghost bringing but a part and affirming that they brought all For Peter saith to Ananias After it was sold Acts 5.4 was it not in thine own power Yet in that communication it was not lawfull for every man to take what he would Acts 5 35. but the Apostles distributed to every one according to their need Surely if Edom and the Chaldeans had had as good right to the City of Jerusalem and to the goods therein as Israel had God had not laid this for an evidence against Edom that he laid hand on their substance God is Lord of all and he hath given the earth to the sons of men yet not in common nor in equall distribution Here the rich and poor meet together Pro. 22. â— and the Lord is maker of them both The Apostle learnt how to abound and how to want and God giveth to the rich things necessary in possession as to owners thereof during his pleasure he giveth them things superfluous that their cup may run over to the relief of others as to his stewards put in trust to see that their brethren want not And there be two vertues commended in holy Scripture which make men Proprietaries in the things of this world that is Justitia qua suum cuique tribuis Justice whereby thou givest to every one his own Misericordia qua tuum and mercie whereby thou givest of thine own The Use of this point is Let every one know his own and not lay hand on the substance of his brother Eph 4 28. and let him that stole steale no more but let him labour not all for himself but that he may give to him that needeth that the poore may grow up with him as he did with Job and that none perish for want of meat and cloathing Godlinesse must be joyned with contentment the law doth not only bind the hand non furaberis thou shalt not steal but it bindeth the heart too non concupisces thou shalt not cover not his house not his ground not his wife not his servant not any thing of his There be many wayes of theft I am limited to that of violent taking away of our neighburs substance for that only is here named and judged and that is either directly by invasion or secretly practised by oppression Oppression like other sins putteth on the habit of vertue and passeth for good husbandry but all stopping of the Wels wherof Isacc and his cattel should drink is oppression and theft and whatsoever is saved from the poor by it is the treasure of wickednesse and the wise man telleth us Prov. 10.2 The treasures of wickednes profit nothing we shall see it clearer when we come to Gods revenge upon Edom for laying hand upon his brothers substance 3 They are charged with insidiation for life Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crosse-way to cut off those that did escape Verse 14. Edom divided himself against Israel some entring the City to rob and spoyle their goods and to destroy them that abode there others attended without the City to cut off them who to save their lives did escape out of the City The Chaldeans that came from farre to invade Jerusalem were not so well acquainted with the wayes and passages for escape neere to the City as the Edomites their brethren and neighbours were therefore that cruell office they take upon them to declare their full malice to Iacob and to make up a complete destruction The history of those times doth make this plaine And the City was broken up 2 Reg. 25. v. 4. and all the men of warre fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls which is by the Kings garden now the Chaldees were against the City round about and the King went the way toward the plain At that time the Edomite knowing the secret wayes mingled himself with the Chaldees to cut off such as escaped In this passage note Note 1 1. The miserable calamity of warre how it maketh desolations and filleth all places with blood no safety from invasion in the City and none from insidiation without the City 1. When you hear of these things thank God for the peace of the Common wealth in which you live reckon it amongst the great blessings of God that you are borne in a time of peace and live in peace every one under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree every one enjoying the comforts of life without the noyse of invasion no leading into captivity and no complaining in our streets 2. Let us also think of the wofull calamity of that part of the Church wherein we have so great a part so much of the best blood of this Land and Crown in danger of this cruelty and if either our persons or purses or our prayers to God may relieve them let us not spare to comfort their distresses as we would desire in like extremity to be comforted our selves 3. Let us learne to abhor the bloody religion of the scarlet Strumpet of Rome that maintaineth and abetteth these quarrels and kindleth those coales in Christendome which threaten conflagration 4. Let us observe all them that make contention and move the hearts of their brethren to schisme to alienate their affections from the peace of the Church lest this sire which beginneth but amongst thorns and brambles enflame the Cedars of our Libanus Note 2 2. See the afflictions of Iudah and Ierusalem and search the cause thereof Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah 2 Reg. 24.3 4. to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh according to all that he did And also for the innocent blood that he shed for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood which the Lord would not pardon Have not we provoked the God of mercies to awake his justice against our Land Did ever pride put on more formes of costly vanity and shamelesse disguise then our eyes behold Did drunkennesse ever waste and consume more of the necessaries of life which many poor Christians want then now Were the Prophets and Ministers of the Word rebuking the vices of the times lesse hearkned to then in our dayes Was there ever a more curious search into mens estates and lands or more advantage taken or more new inventions to get wealth then we have heard of Was the Church at any time more rent with Schismes and maymed by defections and separations and the faithfull Ministers more opposed with contradictions and depraved by unjust calumniations by those that usurp the appearance of great professors then now Did knowledge ever swel and puffe men up more then now The times are foul and the crimes thereof are clamorous why then should not we expect Iudahs punishment that live in Iudahs sins O sin no more lest some worse evill fall on thee 1. Let us break off these sins by repentance and seek the Lord whilst he may be found and seeing the light
shall be done to thee c. And after Metaphorically he expresseth the retaliation As thou hast drunk upon my holy mountain hereof we observe the change of the manner of speech that is here used we shall cleere the Text from that difficulty that hath distracted interpreters so that they have failed in the right meaning of these words For whereas before the Prophet speaketh to Edom here he bringeth in God himselfe speaking to Ierusalem comforting them in the declaration of his just judgement against her enemies for he saith to Iacob As thou hast drunk upon my holy mountains so shall all the heathen drink continually By the Metaphor of drinking which is referred to that which is called the cup of the Lords indignation of which David saith In the hand of the Lord there is a cup the Wine is red c. By this figure then the cup of affliction is understood the phrase was used after by our Saviour Let this cup passe from me again If thou wilt not let it passe but that I must drink thereof thy will be done We use that phrase to drink of the cup of God So the threatning runneth in this sense that as the people of God upon Gods holy mountaine have drunk of the cup of Gods wrath and have had their draught thereof which was but for a time So shall all the heathen drinke and their judgement shall not have end they shall drink continually there shall be no end of their affliction they shall swallow down the wrath of the Lord untill they be utterly destroyed for they shall be as though they had not been In which words is contained 1. A judgement against the Heathen 2. A consolation to the Church In the judgement observe 1. The certainty thereof the day is set 2. The propinquity of it it is neere 3. The extent of it to all the heathen 4. The equity of it as thou hast done 5. The certainty of it they shall drinke c. 6. The duration of it continually In the comfort note 1. He speaketh of it as of a judgement past and gone at ye have drunk thereof 2. He calleth their dwelling though thus punished My Holy Mountain 3. He revealeth to them his severe vengeance against their enemies 1. Of the judgement 2. Of the certainty The Lord hath set down and decreed a day for vengeance threatnings of woe at large do move but little but when the punishment is denounced and the day set for the execution thereof this cannot but pierce and draw blood And being here called the day of the Lord that is a day designed by the Lord for this execution it is more quick and penetrating There is no sin which is committed on earth but God hath both made a Law against it to forbid the doing of it and he hath declared his judgement against it yet hath he given us the light of his word or the light of the Law which his finger wrote in our hearts to declare it to us and he hath given us time also to repent and amend it and he is patient and long-suffering in his expectation of our amendment But where it is not amended he doth set down a day for the execution of his just judgement for he will not he cannot suffer his truth to faile His patience and mercy will take their day first and his justice will also have her day Saint Iames advertizeth us Let patience have her perfect work Jer. 1. â— We have a faire example of God for this For he will not let the work of his patience be unperfect he will forbear us till the very day of his justice designed for punishment Though all the masters of Assemblies all the Ministers of the word be continually striking at this naile we cannot drive it into the head to make men beleeve that God hath set a day for punishment of all our sins The promise of grace to the penitent doth so comfort us generally that we hope we shall have time enough to put off that day by our repentance and then again we often take that for repentance which is not it For it is not enough to remember our sins with a God forgive me Repentance is a putting off of sinne an hatred of it and a change of life and manners every sorrow is not such But were it that this day were thought upon with that feare and trembling that is due to it it would put sin out of countenance and the sinner out of hope The sinner that beleeves not this doth make God a lyar whose word of truth hath revealed the certainty of this day to us 2. It armeth the lusts of the flesh against the soule for who is he that liveth without fear that will bridle his affections or stop the swift current of nature in himself but runneth into sinne as an horse rusheth into the battaile But when we do consider upon every sin that we commit that the day of the Lord shall declare it the day of the Lord shall punish it this maketh us afraid of our secret sins for feare of shame and of all sins for feare of punishment The certainty that this day will come the uncertainty when it will come is the greatest motive to hasten repentance that may be 2. The Propinquity it is neere If our Consciences be convinced of the certainty of this day and the judgement thereof Sathans next allusion is to flatter us that it is afarre off and shall not come yet and there will be time enough to repent us of our sin If we tell you indefinitely that it is neere yet you may hope not so neere but that we may prevent it For the Apostle hath told his brethren long-agoe of the last day The end of all things is at hand But it is 1600 yeers since 1 Pet. 4.7 and where is the promise of his coming But let not that comfort thee in sin for even that day is neer seeing time is nothing to eternity but thy day wherein God shall visit thy sinnes with his judgements may be much sooner If we had Commission to tell you it is but forty dayes and the next day is the day of the Lord as Jonah did peradventure it would warn you but we have no Commission to say it is so it is a good proofe that it is neere when none can promise that this very day shall not be it Yet we see there were some that took the day of their death neere themselves cras moriemur yet they made evil use of it Edamus bibamus as the Epicure Dum vivimus â—rvamus For the sensuall and carnall man maketh that evil use of his neere end to live more sensually Post mortem nulla voluptas In every particular mans case St. John doth admonish us all well Now also is the Axe layed to the root of the Tree I learn a parable of Christ Do but consider thine own field and see the Com that grows upon it and observe
if it be not white and ready for the fickle observe thine own wayes and works and see if they do not tell that the day of the Lord cannot be farre off There be that put this day far off from them that is by flattering themselves in their sins they make themselves beleeve that they shall not yet come to punishment Repentance only lengtheneth this day and suffereth it not to approach to us Such an one feareth not in die malo in the evil day 3. The extent of this judgement over all the Heathen Meaning heâ—e all those that have joyned together in warre against the Jewes See Jer. 25. Here is a Quaerie Did not God stirre them up against Jerusalem In this Prophecy he declareth how Jerusalem was chastened by the Heathen and doth not the Holy story say Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Iudah 2 King 24.3 Iudah well deserved this punishment and God justly inflicted it and the heathen were the rod of God wherewith he chastened Iudah yet this execution done upon Iudah by the heathen was impious in them for they made warre against Gods Church and sought the ruine of Religion it was covetous they robbed Ierusalem it was cruel they delighted in the blood of the Lords people it was proud they insulted over them It is true that these heathen do not go without God to invade Iudah true that he sent them to punish the transgressions of his people true that they are the rod and sword of God for so David confest that God bade Shimei to curse him The Lord hath sayed unto him curse David 2 Sam. 16.10 As in the Creation God separated the waters from the face of the earth and called the gathering together of the waters Seas yet David sayes God hath set them their bounds which they cannot passe nor return to cover the earth Yet they would cover the earth Surely the wicked are resembled to the Sea in every consideration the Church may be compared to the dry land God holdeth the wicked in that they cannot droune this dry land yet this they would do for there is a naturall antipathy in the heathen to the Church of God When the Church sinneth God openeth a gap and letteth his Sea break in he suffereth the wicked to scourge the Church when it defaulteth for both their sakes that he may execute his judgement upon both and as Augustine saith Vtitur Deus malis bâ—â—â— In the story of the Iudges we read how the Concubine of Micah the Levite was abused to death in Gibeah which being complained of to the rest of the Tribes by the Levite they sent unto Benjamin to deliver up to them those men of Belial that had done the villany Jud. 20.13 that they might put away the evil from Israel But Benjamin would not heare their Brethren but prepared to put themselves in Armes and to go out to battail against the children of Israel The children of Israel arose and went to the house of God ver 18. and asked counsel of God and said which of us shall go up first to the battaile against the children of Benjamin And the Lord said Iudah shall go up first They went and Benjamin destroyed that day two and twenty thousand men The children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord untill even and asked counsell of the Lord saying ver 23. Shall I go up in battaile against the children of Benjamin my brother And the Lord said go up against him They did so the second day and the children of Benjamin destroyed of Israel eighteen thousand men Here was nothing done without consulting of God God bade them go and yet they prospered not yea they lost in all forty thousand men There is no cleere expression in this story to declare why God punished Israel with this great effusion of blood Plain it is that Gods purpose was to punish Israel and first the Tribe of Iudah but the Text sheweth 1. That the cause of this warre was a just provocation there was villany done in Israel 2. That the end of this war was godly for it was to remove evil from Israel 3. That they did nothing herein without Gods expresse warrant for they began to take counsell of the Lord. Yet before God would revenge the fault of the Benjamites upon them by Benjamin he punished the Tribe of Iudah first and then the rest of the Tribes with losse of so many men and effusion of so much blood And I must tell you that I find not the reason thereof exprest It may be that the Holy Ghost hath suppressed it that we might rest in the feare of God and not search further it is enough for us to know what God doth and not why for as Augustine saith Iudicia Dei occulta esse possunt injusta non possunt esse Gods judgements may be secret but never unjust And we must be very tender how we call God to accompt for what he doth for God is whatsoever his will is of which we must not seek to know more then is revealed for that is prying into the Arke and costeth death God is accomptable to none for what he doth The third day he gave Israel a full victory against Benjamin by Benjamin He first scourged Israel and by Israel he after destroyed Benjamin and left of them but six hundred men So may we say of this example in my Text God useth the heathen to scourge his Church and after destroyeth the heathen in his just but secret judgement Yet let me tell you what some learned judgements have conceived of that great example of justice in that story of Israel and Benjamin Rabbi Levi saith that Israel might provoke God at first because they came to God to aske who should go first against Benjamin and did trust to their own strength and did not beseech God to give them victory Rabbi Kimchi saith it was because that Israel had suffered Idolatry in Dan and had never taken the cause of God to heart to aske counsell of God against them iâ—â— but now in a private injury done to a Levite they were provoked and sought revenge 3. Others conceive that this was the cause They came too slightly to God at first for they did only bluntly enquire who should go first against Benjamin Not whether they should go or not Not enquiring by what way he meant to punish their brother But the second time they went up to the Lord they wept till even and then they asked counsell Shall I go up again in battaile against my brother Yet even then being commanded to go they lost eighteen thousand men True but they came not the second time with that preparation which became them that would sight the Lords battails to remove evil out of Israel for the third day they mended all Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto the house of God and wept ver 26. and