sufficient abilitie that he can doe it Reason 1 many indeed would prouide for their Family in a more liberall manner then they doe if they were able but meanes is wanting It is not so with God hee hath meanes sufficient to him is nothing wanting Secondly as he is able so he is willing his loue is Reason 2 great vnto his houshold and therefore he will doe it Some there are that though they haue abilitie yet they haue no will and therefore doe it not but in our God is both and therefore we may conclude with Dauid Psal 23. Nothing shall be wanting that is good The first Vse is for reprehension and that two-fold first of such as being in the place and roome of Stewards doe scant the houshold of that liberall prouision which the Master alloweth thus doe the Papists who bragge and boast that they are the faithfull Stewards in the house of God yet by their leaue sacriligiously rob the Family of Gods allowance prouiding for the people such a poore thinne dyet as is not able to keepe life and soule together for whereas God hath appoynted for his Church large fare and a feast of fat things both the Word and Sacraments to be taught and administred and charged that as faithfull stewards euerie one should haue their portion They depriue them of some and corrupt the rest giuing them Gall for meat and Vinegar to drinke as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 69.21 For the Word behold their dealing they keepe it from the people and locke it vp in an vnknowne Tongue Harding condemning it as hereticall for them to haue it in the vulgar Language charging vpon paine of damnation Quest Why the Papists keepe the Scriptures from the people that none read it without speciall licence But what may be the reason of this may some demand Why do the Papists thus coffer vp the Scriptures and keepe the people from reading of them The true cause Surely the true cause is this that their workes of darkenesse may not be discouered Should this light be set into his Candlesticke their rotten wares would lye rotting vpon their hands they would want vent for for their filthie Merchandize of Pardons Masses Indulgences and the like therefore to haue the better sale like deceitfull Tradesmen they care not for the light or like vnto theeues they put out the candle that they may rifle more safely in the darke Their pretended Reasons Psal 19 7.119.130 2. Tim. 3.16 I confesse they alledge other causes of this their dealing they say it is darke and obscure hard and knoâ—â—ie yea a breeder of heresies and maker of strifes and manie peruert it to their owne dectruction But I am sure the Holy Ghost saith it giueth wisdome to the simple and will guide them in the way as also that it is profitable to improue and not to impayre the truth it is as a hammer to bruise errours and not to breed them and what if some doe peruert it shall therefore all be depriued of it then away with preaching for to some it is the sauor of death 2. Cor. 2.16 2. Cor. 11. Luke 2.34 Rom. 9.33 1. Pet. 2.7 Away with the Sacrament for to manie it is a seale of damnation yea and with Christ himselfe for to many he is a Rocke of offence Now then because some abuse it shall wee take away the right vse of it Is it a good reason to proue that no Vines must grow in Lacedemon because some drunkards did abuse them to excesse or because some abuse a Sword therefore let none weare any Were it not crueltie in a Nurse to refuse to giue children milke for feare of dropping vpon their Clothes and crueltie in a Mother to take bread from her children for feare the dogge may snatch it Is it lesse crueltie in these to keepe the Word from the people vnder these pretences Obiect But may some say this seemeth to be a slander for they permit the people to read the Word and haue translated the Testament into their vulgar Tongue so that any may vnderstand True it is the curses of the people haue beene so manie Answ for their ingrossing vp this graine into the mustie garners of their Bishops houses that now within these few yeares to stop the peoples mouthes they haue vented some of their corne but it is such mustie mildewed and blasted graine so corrupted with Apocriphall additions and humane traditions that their sinne is no lesse now in poysoning then it was before in staruing But yet may some say they take paines in preaching Obiect Answ Dr. Boys on the Festin Ps 3. Dr. Bassinet and what is wanting one way they supply another Let the words of a learned man be an answer to this In former times it was as great a wonder to heare a Bishop preach as to see an Asse to flye as one of their owne side in a publique Oration before the Bishops assembled in Aninion did testifie What doctrine Papists teach Now indeed they preach more then heretofore but their Doctrine sauours of policie more then of pietie tending rather to King killing then soule sauing Their Diuinitie tracts are worse then their humane learning and their Sermons are the worst of all Diuinity being stuffed with lying legends and not according to the wisdome of Gods Law The Iesuites saith my former Author alluding to the words of Seneca in their preaching are male Agentes as making merchandize of Gods holy Word Magna vitae pars elabitur malè agentibus maxima nihil agentibus rota aliud agentibus Senec. Epist lib. 1. Epist 1. Legant qui volunt inueniunt aut falli imprudenter aut fallere impudenter August The Friers in their preaching are nihil Agences vnderstanding neyther what they speake neither whereof they affirme for the most part all Papists in their preaching are aliud Agences either beyond the Text or behind the Text or besides the Text. Thus the Iesuites with their too much learning and the Friers with their too little wrest and wreath the Scripture to serue their owne turne As this is their dealing with the Word so the like is their dealing with them about the Sacraments for whereas Christ bequeathed both the Bread and the Wine to his Church and prepared a full meale for his people they barre them of their allowance giuing only the bread Math. 26 27. Mark 14.23 keeping backe the cup from them whereas Christ saith Drinke you all of this they say no onely you Priests drinke you of it But let vs heare their reasons Reasons which the Papists bring for withholding the Wine from Layitie Answered 1606. Answ Wee receiue not Christs bodie and bloud in the Sacrament as he lay in the manger but as he was nayled on the Crosse Christs bloud say they is in his veines now say they receiuing the bread which is the reall bodie we must haue the bloud also which is in the bodie Answer We receiue not Christs body in the Sacrament as he lay in the manger or as he is in heauen but as he was nayled on the Crosse and his bloud not
as it is in the veines but dropping from his heart and therefore in the Institution it is said This is my bodie broken for you and this is my bloud shed for you And further if this reason be good why doe they then drinke for what reason can they bring why they may not receiue the bloud in the veines as well as the people Secondly they say the Wine is in danger of spilling but there is lesse danger of the bread If this be not a silly reason what is or can be for shall Reason 2 we breake the Institution of Christ because such an inconuenience may follow Answere Christs institution may not be broken for some inconuenience that may follow Ob. The Wine that is spilt is no part of the Sacrament Sol. 1. Cor. 10.4 And admit that some were spilt it were no such heynous crime True it is that it is a fault against that holy comelinesse which ought to be regarded but no such fearefull sinne as they make it But is not the Wine that is spilt a part of the Sacrament how then can this be so small a sinne as you make it I answer Onely so much is consecrated as we receiue and no more is the Sacramentall signe for to proue this That water that the people of Irael drunke was sacramentall water And that only and no more I hope none will say that that which the cattle drunke was such also Reason 3 A third reason they bring is this Christ gaue it only to his Disciples and so doe they vnto the Ministers after his example Answ By this reason they may depriue the people of both for the bread was giuen to them Answ The people may aswell be denied the bread as the wine Marke 14.24 and onely vnto them but I would they would consider better of Christs words then would the controuersie soone bee ended This is my bloud c. which is shed for you and many Now who were those many Were they not such as should euer after belieue in him From whence wee reason To those for whom the bloud of Christ was shed the Cup must be administred But the bloud of Christ was shed for the people aswell as for the Minister and therefore it ought to be administred to the one as well as to the other In the fourth place they say there ought to be a difference Reason 4 betwixt the Cleargie and the Laity therefore the Ministers receiue both signes and the people but one as is fitting that difference might be made I graunt the Ministers calling is aboue the peoples Answ The Laity haue as great a part in Christs Passion as the Clergie Gal. 3.28 and so there is difference But if we regard their persons the people haue as great a part in Christ and his Passion as any of the Clergie Outward differences there are but in Christ there are none as our Apostle teacheth vs There is neither Iew nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Iesus And thus haue we seene their wicked and sacriledgious dealing with the Church of God in keeping from Gods houshold that large portion which God hath afforded for which they must one day giue a fearefull account vnlesse the Lord please to open their eyes and giue them repentance But now to our selues For are there not many amongst vs also who being set in the place of Stewards allowe to Gods houshold a thinner dyet then God himselfe doth affoord Oh that there were not such amongst vs who feede their sheepe in short pastures and lead their flockes by the still waters I speake it in another sence then Dauid did feeding them quarterly or monthly Psal 25. but scarce weekely can their voyce be heard cleane forgetting the rule of the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.2 preach in season and out of season Hence it commeth to passe that the sheepe belonging to their charge are like Pharaohs Kine so leane and euill fauoured and so weake as euery bush is able to entangle euery ditch ready to drowne euery blast of vaine doctrine able to blow away Oh that wee did consider that charge the Apostle giueth to him 2 Tim. 3. in him to vs that we would remember that woe that belongeth vnto vs for not preaching the Gospell Art thou a Steward art thou an Ambassadour why then doest thou not deliuer thy message why doest thou not distribute Gods food vnto his people how wilt thou be able to looke him in the face at whose barre one day all flesh must stand There be good iniunctions for the comely ceremonies of the Church saith one so likewise many good orders for the reuerent administring of the Sacraments Doct. â—oys and diligent preaching of the word let not the one bee true Canons while the other are made onely pot-guns And thus much for the first sort that come vnder the reprehension of this vse 2. Sort reprooued Now for the second and they are such as will not feed on Gods delicates It is Gods good pleasure to haue them well fed but they can be content with a sparer dyet they are affraid of growing too fat at the heart quarterly preaching is well and monthly preaching very sufficient but if it be once a day it is more then needes they can heare more in an houre then they can practise all their liues and I belieue them And as for the Sacrament to receiue that at Easter or at euery good time is enough in conscience But consider you vnwise amongst the people and you fooles when will you bee wise doth the Lord deale thus gratiously with thee and art thou so vnthankefull Doth the Lord prouide such plentie and darest thou call it wast Oh times Oh manners how heart-sicke are wee growne of peace and plentie What a surfet haue we taken of Gods good blessings a happie and a blessed cure were it to restore vs to our former daies of health but alas our disease is grown so desperate that Gods physitians know not which way to turne their hands or heads to helpe vs. It iâ— therefore to be feared that God himselfe will take the cure into his hand and as physitians prescribe abstinence when a surfet's taken so the Lord will dyet vs and bring vs againe to our former appetite by with-holding of the meanes as he long since threatned to his people Amo. 8 11 12.13 Be you therefore warned esteeme more highly of the Lords fauours lest you be depriued of them and those dayes come wherein you say for loe they will come without repentance surely there hath beene a Prophet amongst vs. EZâ—k 33.33 And now for a second vse is this so that God prouideth Vse 2 so liberally for his
chuse good strong to euill yea altogether auerse and rebellious no good so truely good but it abhorres it no euill so extreamely wicked but it hath an enclineablenes to embrace it no seruant so readie to do his masters will as it is to doe the workes of the Deuill no rebell so desperately set against his lawfull soueraigne as it against the Lord. And all our affections are vnruly and disordered As for the members of our bodies they are instruments to execute sinne conceiued as the Apostle doth euidently declare Our throat it is an open sepulcher our tongues are giuen to deceit the poyson of Asps is vnder our lips our mouths are full of cursing and bitternesse our feete are swift for the shedding of bloud Destruction and misery are in all our wayes and there is no feare of God before our eyes behold thy naturall estate and condition see what matter that will affoord of boasting What though thou hast many excellent parts gifts and graces bestowed vpon thee yet take heed thou beest not puffed vp with pride or vaine glory looke thou vnto the rocke whence thou wert hewne and that will afford matter enough for thy humiliation and of being vile in thy owne iudgement Vse 5 And now in the last place seeing wicked men are dead men being cold sencelesse heauie and as stinking carion let vs then auoid their companies Take no pleasure in conuersing with them He that keepes company with these may fitly be compared to those spirits that haunted the graues What hath the liuing to doe amongst the dead As thou therefore hopest to be separated from them at the day of Iudgement see thou now separatest from them in this world if not in conuersation for this cannot be yet in regard of loue and affection for that may yea must be And is now aliue That is Text. he is quickened by Gods blessed spirit and enabled in some measure to liue the life of grace The obseruation hence may be this He onely may be said to liue that liues the life of grace Doctr. He onely liues that liues the life of grace and no other They onely are liuing men that haue their soules quickned by Gods blessed spirit As for life of any other kind it is but a shadow of life and not worthie the name of life indeed Were this life to grow well waxe strong then would the trees of the field excell man which from little plants grow at last to be strong excellent Okes Or were this the onely life to see heare smell or the like In this the very beasts of the field would excell man who goe beyond him in these naturall faculties as the Dog in smelling the Hart in hearing the Ape in tasting the Eagle in seeing with many more Or if we glory in this that we liue the life of reason then how many Philosophers haue excelled man herein So then it is not the vegetatine life wherin trees excell men nor the sensitiue which beasts haue better then we nor yet the reasonable life which reprobates haue as well as we but it is the life of grace which is the life of a Christian which deserues to be counted life all other are not worthy of the name This life is that onely that makes vs liue without which our whole life is but a death hence is it that the Apostle sayth we are quickned so soone as grace doth appeare before which time we were but dead as formerly we haue heard and speaking of himselfe Ephes 2.1.5 Rom. 6 13. Gal. 2.20 hee sayth I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me he esteemeth this a life and no other Let this then teach vs throughly to examine our selues Vse 1 whether as yet we liue this life of grace Would we know whether we be aliue or dead then make a tryall whether thy soule be quickned by Gods blessed spirit yea or no and whether thou liuest the life of God Ephes 4 18. Spirituall life how discerned First propertie of life Life is actiue and stirring 2. Tim 4.18 Psal 123.2 Now this may be discerned by the properties of life and they are these First life is stirring it is not without some motion it is actiue and euer doing So where there is any life of grace there will be spirituall action and a practise of godlinesse in the life and conuersation The eyes will be directed towards the holy one of Israell And as the eyes of a seruant looke to the hands of his master so will thy eyes looke vp vnto the Lord till hee haue mercie vpon thee Thou wilt cause thine eare also to heare Wisedome Pro. 2.2 Pro. 19.20 yea thou wilt encline them to heare her counsell that thou mayst be wise in the latter end Psal 79.13 With thy mouth thou wilt declare the praises of the Lord from generation to generation and wilt not conceale his truth from the great Congregation Psal 40.10 Pro. 15.7 Eccle. 10.12 Pro. 10.21 Psal 26.6 Iob 31.7 Lamen 3.41 Psal 134.2 Nehe. 2.18 But with thy tongue thou wilt spread abroad knowledge and vtter the words of grace and cause thy lips to feed many Thy hands thou wilt wash in innocencie and suffer no blot to cleaue vnto them Then wilt thou lift them vp with thy heart vnto God in the heauens thou wilt lift them vp in the Sanctuary and blesse the Lord Thou wilt also strengthen them to doe good and by them minister to the necessities of the Saints Act. 20.34 Ephe. 3.14 Thy knees thou wilt bow vnto God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And thy feet shall delight to stand within the gates of Ierusalem Psal 122.2 Heb. 12.13 Straight steppes wilt thou make with them lest that which is halting be turned out of the way In a word euery member will be made as a weapon of righteousnesse Rom. 6.12 to serue the liuing God Eyes eares tongue hands feete all will be in motion and not idle Try then your selues by this first propertie is it thus with thee Art thou employed in Gods seruice dost thou find grace actiue and stirring in thee surely then it is a good signe of life but if it be so that there is no spirituall motion it is an euident signe of the want hereof An image made by mans art may liuely represent a man hauing eyes and eares nose and mouth as man hath yet I know for all that it hath no life in it because it stands still and stirs not So if I see a professor without practise in his life I must needs thinke he is an Idoll And assuredly what euer they seeme in the eyes of men they are in the eyes of God but as the carkases of Christians Without this spirituall disposition to spirituall exercises pretend what thou wilt thou art but the Image of a Christian looking somewhat like him but not quickned by his life A second propertie of life is this Second
vessell to honour Ieâ— 18.6 Jsay 45.9 and another vnto dishonour Behold as the clay is in the potters hand so are you in mine O house of Israel saith the Lord. Be thou content then with Gods dealing for Woe be vnto him that striueth with his Maker Let the potsheard striue with the potsheards of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou If thou wilt needes contest contest with man with a potsheard like thy selfe but beware of contending with the Lord thy maker Lay thou thy hand vpon thy mouth and be content though thou were assured which thou canst not be that God hath made thee a vessell of dishonour and ordained thee to damnation When then thou feelest corruption to arise and beginne to plead against Gods proceedings remember the Potters house and check thy selfe His dealings are alwaies iust and equall and if thou canst not see it condemne thy owne blindnesse and not them nor him for them Vse 4 And lastly this may serue for comfort to all such as finde themselues to haue a yeelding spirit quietly without murmuring or repining submitting themselues to Gods seuerest courses And though the Lord lay on them many a sore affliction and heauy crosse yet they still iustifie him and condemne themselues confessing that God is righteous but it is they who haue done wickedly And withall acknowledge it is his mercy that he sends no greater and layes no sorer iudgements on them And if at sometimes they feele for indeede who at sometimes shall not their owne rebellious passions to arise and the flesh begin to repine and murmur they will straight checke it and controll it not daring to harbour a thought or conceit of Gods hard dealing Let such as these know they haue a notable euidence of a sanctified soule and let them make much of it for this may comfort them in the midst of trouble For assuredly a great measure of grace hast thou attained vnto who art come thus farre Now further marke what a goodly colour this elder sonne hath for this his doing VERS 22. Loe these many yeeres doe I serue thee Text. neither transgressed I at any time thy commandement and yet thou neuer gauest mee a kid that I might make merry with my friends 30. But assoone as this thy sonne was come which hath deuoured thy liuing with harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted calfe GOodly paint vpon a rotten post Heere is a glorious varnish vpon a bad action Hee was indeede discontent and angry and would not come in but hoe giues the reason and doth alledge the cause Hence learne What sinne soeuer wicked men commit Doctr. Wicked men haue faire pretences for foule sinnes they haue some colour for it They haue faire pretences for their foule sinnes Saul when hee offered sacrifice contrary to Gods will being reprooued for it hee straight alledgeth a reason Because I saw that the peole were scattered from mee 1 Sam. 13.11 12. Cap. 15.15 and that thou camest not within the dayes appoynted c. I forced my selfe therefore and offered a burnt offering So for his sparing the sheepe and oxen and the best of the spoyle which with the Amalekites should haue beene destroyed he hath some colour 1 King 21.13 It was to sacrifice vnto the Lord. Thus Ahab and Iezabel couer the murther of Naboth with iustice against blasphemy Hee did blasphâ—me God and the King said those men of Belial which witnessed against him So Iudas pretended the poore and his great care of them when hee grudged his Master a little vnction Ioh. 12.6 when as indeede This hee sayd not that he cared for the poore but because he was a theefe and had the bag and bare what was put therein The like wee see in the cheefe Priests who taking counsell together for the putting of Christ to death haue for their couer the safety of the people Iob. 11.48 If we let him alone the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation And therfore it is expedient sayd Cayphus that one man should dye for the people Verse 50. and that the whole nation perish not Many other examples might be brought to prooue this Gen. 34.31 as that of Simeon and Leui against the Sichemites who had a pretence to couer that their cruell murther Exod. 32.1 Should hee deale with our sister as with an harlot So the Israelites touching their Idolatry Matth. 2.8 And Herod whose cruell intention wanted not a couer But these that haue been brought doe sufficiently prooue the poynt that hath beene deliuered Heare now the Reasons Reason 1 Wicked men would not be thought to be a indeed they are corrupt abominable neither would they haue their actions that proceede from them to bee esteemed as wicked and vniust Hence is it that they seeke for pretences and excuses as Adam for fig-leaues to hide their sinne and shame Reason 2 Secondly Reason is one of the principall faculties in man and therefore though oftentimes hee denies the rule of reason yet neuer will he absolutely deny reason without he will deny himselfe Hence it is that men will haue some reason though false reason before they will haue none for euery thing they doe bee it neuer so vile or wicked The vses follow First this serueth the reprooue many Vse Reproofe of two sorts who set godly shewes vpon their euill doings and varnish their sinnes with false colours As first the Papists First the Papist who set deceitfull colours vpon their superstitious practices As for their sacrilegious dealing in with-holding the Cup from the people they haue this colour The wine is in danger to be spilt and what needes the peâ—â—le to haue the cup is not his bloud in the veines say they and doe not the people receiue whole Christ body and bloud and all when they receiue the bread And so for their Idolatry in worshipping of Images thus they colour it we worship not the Image but God in the Image and Images are Lay-mens bookes very needefull say they for their encrease in knowledge The like colours haue they for their praying to Saints and Angels they honour them they say but as the friends of God and goe vnto them but as vnto Mediatours for it were great presumption for them to come to God themselues considering their owne vnworthinesse and therefore in humility they goe to these that they may entreat God and make intercession for them And these faire pretences haue they to couer their abhominable Idolatry And hence it is that the dregs of that religion are so settled in the hearts of many so that by no meanes they can bee rooted out and all because of this deceitfull varnish But to our selues Secondly the prophane Protestant D. Sclater 1 Thess 2.5 for who seeth not in what request this Art of colouring is Complexion makers wee haue as one saith well not onely for withered faces of ouerworne