heerein a speciall worke of Gods prouidence preseruing his owne truth and reseruing it to all posterity Few are found in the world to affect or regard the pure and sincere word of God in comparison of the multitude that seeke after humane wisedome and labour to know the nature of â—irds of Beasts of Fishes of Trees and of earthly things which delight the outward senses and rauish the vnderstanding of naturall men yet see how those bookes of Salomon that handle meere matters of humane Pâ—ilosophy which the wise men of the world hunt after are vtterly lost whereas the diuine bookes which he wrote by inspiration lesse regarded and more contemned are notwithstanding by the watchfull eye of God remaining and are reserued for the comfort of the Church for euer Lastly we reade of the Prophesie of Enoch Obiect 4 in the Epistle of Iude verse fourteenth who prophesied of the second comming of Christ in power and great glory with thousands of his Saints which Prophesie also seemeth to be among those bookes which are lost I answer Answer this could bee no Apochryphall Booke of holy Scripture for Moses was the first Penne-man or Scribe that wrote the holy Scripture whose fiue bookes are perfect and contained in them sufficient instruction for that CHVRCH whereas that Prophesie did not nor indeed could not Secondly it cannot appeare that this Prophesie was euer written Iude ver 14. It is said he prophesied foretolde the end of the world by the Spirit of God in that most corrupt age that hasted to destruction to the end that such as were ordained to eternall life might beleeue and the rest being hardened might bee made without excuse but it is no where said It was written It is said to bee a Prophesie but no word or mention is made of the writing of this Prophesie so that it seemeth the Apostle learned it by tradition from the father to the sonne as the Apostle Paul setteth downe the names of the sorcerers that withstood Moses and Aaron Neither let the Church of Rome lay the foundation of vnwritten traditions vppon this ground-worke seeing we deny not al vnwritten traditions conueied from hand to hand but only such as are made rules of Gods worship matters of faith and parts of religion necessary to saluation To conclude therefore seeing the prouidence of God the fidelity of the Church and diligence of the faithfull is so great that the whole body of the Canonicall Scripture hath beene kept entire and perfect without losse or lacke of any part or parcell of it of any booke or sentence we must detest the blasphemous shufflings shiftings of the Church of Rome that make the Scripture to be a maimed lame and vnperfect doctrine Censu Colon. dial 6. Concil Trident. sess 4. not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation whereas the Apostle teacheth that the whole Scripture inspired of God is able to make vs wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Verses 10 11 12 13. And the Children of Israel departed thence and pitched in Oboth c. Here we haue painted and portraied out as in a Table certaine stations and iournies of the Israelites wherein wee may behold as in a glasse the prouidence of God protecting theÌ„ and the obedience of the people following him We see how they remoue from place to place in the wildernesse they are neuer long at one stay but either they went forward or backward as the sea continually ebbeth or floweth Now as the Land of Canaan was a figure of their rest in the kingdome of heauen so their wandring vp and downe in the wildernesse did figure and represent the condition of their life to bee vaine and transitory in this world Doctrine The faithfull are forreigners and strangers in this life We learne from hence the state of the faithfull what it is we are pilgrims and strangers in this life we are as guests lodging heere for a night but by and by we must depart and be dislodged we haue heere no continuing City This the faithfull haue in all ages confessed Iacob being brought into the presence of Pharaoh saith The whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty yeares few and euill haue the daies of my life beene Gen. 47 9. But we may say the daies of our pilgrimage are threescore yeares and ten if haply we reach so farre to which not one amongst an hundred cometh few indeed and euill we may truely call them This Abraham pleadeth Gen. 23 4 Gen 15. â—3 wanting a place of buriall to interre his dead I am a stranger and a forreigner among you giue mee a possession of buriall with you Thus he confesseth it went with him in Canaan neither was his estate any better elsewhere This the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth though a great King Psal 39 12. Heare my praier O Lord and hearken vnto my cry keepe not silence at my teares for I am a stranger with thee 1 Chr. 23 15 and a soiourner as all my fathers our daies are like a shadow vpon the earth and there is none abiding So then we see what our life and condition is wee are altogether vanity like grasse that soone withereth wee are as tenants at the will of the Lord our age is as nothing it passeth as a tale that is soone told it is as an hand-breath quickly measured surely euery man in his best estate is altogether lighter then vanity it selfe The reasons First all our daies are stinted Reason 1 and limitted as they are short and vaine so they are vncertaine and vnknowne The strongest natures and constitutions that seeme to be framed setled as a sure building to continue for many yeares yet are soone cut off are no more We see this confirmed by the daily experience of many examples as in Vzzah suddenly smitten 2 Sam. 6 7 in Iobs children quickly ouerwhelmed Iob 1 19 in Ananias and Sapphira presently destroyed Acts 5 5 10 in the rich man that had his soule in one night taken from him Luke 12 20 and in a continuall beholding the hand of God striking as pleaseth him If then vncertainty be an apparent argument of vanity we may conclude from hence our life to be vaine transitory inasmuch as God reuealeth not when or where or how we shall die and bee taken out of this life We know not when we shall die at euen or at midnight at the Cocke-crowing or in the dawning When we lie downe we know not whether we shall rise againe when we arise whether wee shall lie downe againe except we be laid in our graue and make our bed in the dust Moreouer we know not where we shall die at home or abroad When we go out of our houses wee know not
Iames 2 1. wee should haue the faith of Christ in respect of persons which is forbidden condemned by the Apostle Hence it is that our Sauiour speaketh to his Apostles b Math. 10 20 Luke 10 16. It is not you that speak but the spirit of your Father that speaketh within you And to the 70. Disciples and in them to all his true Ministers to the end of the world He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee and he that despiseth me desp seth him that sent me For this cause the Thessalonians practising this point are commended by the Apostle that they esteemed and receiued the doctrine deliuered vnto them c 1 Thes 2 13. Rom. 1 16. Not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God which is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth They are the Embassadors of God sent out of him to call vs to repentance and therefore their word or rather the word of GOD spoken by their mouth is to be heard with reuerence marked with diligence and practised with obedience The writer of this book was Moses Thus much touching the chiefe and principall Author of this booke as of the other Scriptures to wit God nowe followeth the lesse principall or instrumentall namely Moses The Lord could if it had pleased him haue written this booke as he did the morall Law contained in the ten commandements with his owne finger without the ministery of mortall man but it stood with his will and Heauenly pleasure to inspire his worde into the hearts of some holy men set apart for this purpose and to make their pen d Psalm 45 1 as the penne of a swift Writer The writer of this Book as also of the three former and of that which followeth was Moses faithfull in the house of God of whose stocke parents birth preseruation banishment and return into the land of Egypt from whence he brought the children of Israel wee reade at large in the Booke of Exodus Him God hauing set apart from his mothers womb to be the deliuerer of his people doth call as it is a Psal 78 70 7â— 72. saide of Dauid and tooke him from the Sheepfolds euen from behind the Ewes with yong brought he him to feede his people in Iacob his inheritance in Israel so he fed them according to the simplicity of his heart and guided them by the discretion of his hands Him also did God chuse to be one of the Scribes to penne a part of his word the first and most anâ—ient Scripture sufficient to guide that people into all truth necessary to be beleeued of them For as Princes and Noblemen haue their principal Secretaries whose persons and pennes they vse to what purposes they please so hath GOD his selected instruments to write his will and to endite what things he reuealed vnto them by whose Spirit they were wholy guided and directed that they could not erre b 2 Pet 1 21. for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost Such a one was Moses the first chosen vessell of God to pen publish his word that it might bee knowne and conueyed vnto all posterities to him c Num. 12 8. Deut. 34 10. God spake mouth to mouth and by vision and not in dark words like to him there arose not a Prophet in Israel whom hee knew face to face These Prophets of God may rightly bee called second Authors of the Scripture all of them Gods Secretaries but Moses as his principall Secretary This consideration of Gods choosing men to be as his organs and instruments to put his Vse 1 whole will and word in writing doth offer to vs diuers good vses which briefly wee will run ouer First it conuinceth all those that thinke and gather that neither this book nor the other foure were written by Moses as now they are left vnto vs but by Esdras or some other more auncient Scribe that liued before his time Adde heereunto d Iren. lib. 3. cap 25. Tertul. lib. de bab mul. clem Alex. lib. 1. strom Hieron aduers Helu Euseb in Chronic. that manie of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church maintayned that when Ierusalem was assaulted sacked by the Chaldeans all the bookes of Moses and other Scriptures were burned together with the Temple and were afterward written againe and brought to light through the help of the diuine memory of Esdras who remembred al that was written in the former copies But this coniecture so much stood vppon by the Ancients be it spoken with their patience and pardon is no better then a fable may bee conuinced by euident demonstration of vndoubted reasons True it is the fourth of Esdras telleth in sober sadnesse this dreame e Esdr lib. 4. c 4 23. cap. 14 21. but euery one knoweth that booke to bee Apochryphall almost as full of lies as leaues insomuch that the Church of Rome ouer bold to adde to the Canon yet f Bel. de verbo Dei lib 1. cap 20. lib. 2. cap 1. are ashamed of this booke to make it Canonicall And we neuer read that the Babylonians euer attempted this sacriledge and if they had it seemeth vnlikely and vnpossible that euer they coulde bring it to passe the bookes beeing dispersed into many mens hands and extant in sundrie copies in sundry places The Assyrians which were sent as certaine Colonies to inhabite in the waste roomes of the ten Tribes the Kingdom of Israel being ouerthrown by Salmanasar when they were disturbed and destroyed by Lyons that tore them in peeces g 2 Kin 1 7 27 were instructed by one of the Priestes in the Law of Moses and no doubt had it among them Antiochus a most bloody tyrant commaunded the bookes of the Law to be cut in peeces burned so many as hee could finde yet did the faithfull preserue them safe and sound with the danger of their owne liues 1 Mach. 1 59. Besides it is not to be imagined that Ezekiel and Daniel continuing in Babylon the seuenty yeares of the captiuity wanted the word law of God all that time to say nothing of Ieremy the Prophet and Gedaliah the Prince were they all so carelesse or forgetfull that in the ruine of the City and spoyling of the temple they would neglect the Law and not saue one booke out of the fire Was there neuer a godly man left that was mindfull of the booke of God But what place is there lefte for any such surmise and suspition seeing the prophet Daniel had both the prophesies h Dan 9 2 11 of Ieremy the Law of Moses Moreouer it appeareth by the testimony of Ezra himselfe the Scribe of God i Ezra 6 18. that the people beeing returned from their captiuity had the Law of Moses amongst them before
Ezra came into Iudea which no doubt Zorobabel and Ieshua brought with thē Heereunto agreeth the saying of Christ our Sauiour k Ioh 5 46 47 If ye had beleeued Moses ye wold haue beleeued me for he wrote of me but if ye beleeue not his writings how shall ye beleeue my Wordes Whereby wee see that the very writings of Moses himselfe were then read and to be read in the Church Thus also speaketh Philip to Nathaniel l Iohn 1.45 We haue found him of whom Moses did write and the Prophets Lastly to this purpose is Abraham brought in by the Euangelist speaking to the rich man m Luke 16 29 They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them All these testimonies to which wee might adde a surplusage of many others do directlie teach vs that we are not to doubt or to cal in question the ministeriall or instrumentall authour of this booke but acknowledge it to be not Ezra nor anie before or after him but Moses himselfe who was the first penner of it Vse 2 Secondly it is our duties carefully to reade the scriptures and diligently to be conuersant in them being thus published For wherefore were they put in writing Was it not that we should peruse them study them oftentimes search them with carefulnesse This was the purpose and intent of God Ioshua the successor of Moses in the gouernment of the people and General of the host of Israel had weightie affaires of Church Commonwealth to look vnto yet he is charged n Ioshua 1 8. not to suffer the book of the Law to depart out of his mouth but to meditate therein day and night that hee might obserue and do according vnto all that is written therein forasmuch as thereby he should make his way prosperous and haue good successe in his affaires and enterprises To this end Christ willeth vs to search the Scriptures not to reade them carelesly or cursorily but painfully and diligently as they do that digge for Mines of siluer and golde that go deepe and spare no labour to come to that which they seeke after So then there is required of vs study and prayer to God to open vnto vs the mysteries of his word otherwise our reading will be in vaine Vse 3 Thirdly this serueth to conuince the position and practise of the church of Rome who forbid the people the reading of these books and nuzzle them in ignorance the mother of superstition and blinde deuotion Moses deliuered the Law when hee had written it to the Priests and commanded them o Deut 31 1 3. to gather the people together men women and children the stranger that was within their gates that they may heare and learne and feare the Lorde theyr God and keepe and obserue all the words of this law that their children which haue not known it may heare it and learne to feare the Lord their God as long as they liue in the Lande The Scriptures are the onely weapons which we must fight withall against our spirituall enemies and without them wee lie open vnto them to take away our liues and to destroy our soules Wherefore we are commanded to take vnto vs p Eph 6 17. The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God When Christ was tempted of the diuell in the wildernesse hee resisted him and ouercame his tentations by no other weapon then this saying q Math 4 4 7 10. It is written This example of Christ our Lord and Maister must be followed of vs we must take this sword into our hand and be able to handle it as men of knowledge that we may be able both to defend our selues and to offend our aduersaries If we be thus armed the day is ours the field is won the victory is gotten we cannot be ouercome But if we presume to fight without it if wee leaue it behinde vs as souldiers that would go light we shall neuer returne without some dangerous or deadly wound Let vs not therfore be so fool-hardy as to go into the battell without our armour We are all warriours we must fight the Lords battels we haue enemies that seeke our destruction against which we must be watchfull being strong in Faith Lastly this reprooueth the cursed crew and damnable sect of the Manichees and their Vse 4 off-spring the Anabaptists a pestilent sort of brainsicke Heretiques sicke indeed as well of pride as of folly which spew out open and odious blasphemies against God and stick not to affirme that it was not the true God but the Prince of darknesse that spake to Moses and so would thrust him out of the church because he hath a veile ouer him alledging or rather deprauing the words of the Apostle r 2 Cor. 3 There remaineth vnto this time the same couering vntaken away in the read ng of the olde Testament which veyle in Christ is put away from whence they gather that Moses with his couering is by Christ quite abolished But this is to corrupt not to interprete The couering indeede remaineth but to whom Is is to vs who behold as in a mirrhor the glorie of the Lord with open face Not to vs but to the Iewes who hearing Moses read and cleauing to the letter of the Law doe despise the Gospell which is the ministery of the Spirite and willingly put out their owne eyes Neyther doth the Apostle say that Moses is taken away by Christ but the couering of Moses which is done not by the abolishing and abrogating of Moses but by the lightning of the Iewes by their conuersion to Christ a 2 Cor. 3 16. For after their heart shall bee turned to the Lord the Veile shall be taken away Againe they obiect that Moses was a seruant Heb. 3 5. But the seruant abideth not in the house for euer it is the Sonne that abideth for euer Iohn 8 35. therefore the Sonne beeing come the seruant is to bee cast out of the house that is Moses out of the Church otherwise wee should paralell and make equall the seruant to the Master A most fond collection and such as ouerthroweth themselues For if this be true that the seruant hath no place in the presence of the Maister then not onely the Prophets and Apostles but all Pastors and Teachers yea the Anabaptists themselues with such as seduce them who glorie to be seruants of Christ must be thrust out of the Church that the seruants departing may leaue the house empty for the Master Again the words of Christ are maliciously wrested against Moses who is expresly honoured by the Lord himselfe to be a most faithful seruant which are spoken against him that is the seruant of sin For thus the words lye in order Verily verily I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sin is the Seruant of sinne and the Seruant abideth not in the house for euer c. Therefore wicked seruants such as these frantique heretickes are shall not abide
in the house of God but good faithfull seruants b Hebru 3 5. such as Moses was in all his house shal continue in the house Lastly it is no sound consequent to conclude that the seruant is not to be heard because the Master is rather to be heard neither is this to equall or prefer the seruant before the Master to heare the seruant beare witnesse of his Master For we are taught that he heareth the Lord that heareth the seruant as the Ambassador of his lord The Title of this Booke Hitherto of the Authour and writer of this booke now let vs come to consider the second point which is the Title or inscription being called the book of Numbers The Hebrues haue a threefold maner which they vse in the entituling of bookes For their custom is to call name the bookes either of the first words in the booke as the fiue books of Moses and the Lamentations or of the authors and persons spoken of in them as the Prophets as Iob Samuel Ruth Ezra Ester Nehâ—miâ—h or els of the matter and principall part handled as the Kings the Chroniâ—lâ—s and such like The Iewes call this booke by two names the first by the first word where-with it beginneth Vaiedabber that is and he spake The second Bemidbar that is in the wildernâ—sse either because this word is also vsed in the beginning of this book or else because herein are expounded and expressed such things as were done dispatched in the wildernesse the space of more then 35. yeares The Grecians and Latines whom wee in English follow doe call it The booke of Numbers by reason of the often numbering that is vsed in it aboue other bookes For as the c first booke of Moses is called Genesis The reasons of the names of the bookes of Moses because it containeth the creation of the world and the generation of the first Fathers and as the second is called Exodus that is a departure because the first part thereof is spent in shewing the going of Israel out of Aegypt wherein they were helde in bondage and as the next is named Leuiticus of the Tribe of Leui because it setteth foorth the Office and function of the Priests and Leuites together with the Sacrifices and Ceremonies belonging thereunto their Feasts and solemnities the purifications and differences betweene cleane and vncleane beasts so doth this booke beare the Title of Numbers because beside the Historie of the peregrinations and murmuringes of the people he numbreth them vp particularly vnder seuerall Regiments and rangeth them in order for their better proceeding and trauailing in their iourneyes in the Wildernesse The Reasons why this Booke hath this name aboue all other are these First Causes why this Booke is called Numbers beecause there is comprized heerein a double numbering of the people One in the Desart of Sinai which is described in this Chapter the other in the Plaine of Moab ouer against Iordan mentioned in the twenty sixth chapter of this Booke Secondly by reason of the numbering of the Leuites who were consecrated to the Office of the Priest-hoode and separated for the Ministery of the Tabernacle which is reckoned vp in the fourth chapter Thirdly the Booke may haue this Title in regard of numbering vppe particularly the gifts and Offerings which the Princes of the Tribes at the consecrating of the Tabernacle and the Altar offered of which we reade a large rehearsall in the 7. chapter Last of all for the enumeration and numbering vp of the 42. places of abode where the children of Israel pitched their Tents after they wer come out of Egypt described from iourney to iourny in the 33. chapter Thus we see the causes rendred wherefore this booke hath the inscription of Numbers giuen vnto it Let vs see what vses may be gathered from Vse 1 this Title which is made peculiar and proper to this booke First we learne that the holy Scriptures of God giuen by inspiration are distinctly to be retained in the Church without mixture and confusion For to what end and purpose are the titles giuen but for difference distinction sake to know the one from the other Thus is this booke by this Title discerned from euery other booke of the old new Testament The Church must haue a speciall care of this point seeing the Scriptures d Rom. 3 2 are committed as a Treasure to their trust therefore it is required of them that they be found faithfull and answere the credite that is reposed in them The Church of the Iewes was careful in this point did not content themselues to preserue the Scriptures whole entire but retained them seuerally and distinctly that one booke might be known from the other If a body had all his parts without addition a Hor de aâ—t poet of any strange member or detraction of any that is naturall yet if the partes were hudled and confounded together that the arme did grow out of the legge and the legges bee wrapped about the necke and no limbe remaine distinct from the other but all shuffled together it were a deformed mishapen body and no member could performe his office â—f all parts of the world were so confounded that the Elements were hudled in one rude lumpe or vndigested Chaos that fire were iumbled together with the earth and the aire with water what place were there for anie creature Or what profit could these elements yeeld In like manner if the whole volume of the Scriptures which is as a bodye consisting of many distinct members were put into one confused heape albeit no part were lost yet the comelinesse and profit and beauty of them were taken away For the body b 1 Cor. 12 4.9 20. is not one member but many for if they were al but one member where were the body but now there are many members yet but one bodye So the Scripture is not one booke or one part but it hath many bookes and sundry parts to make it a perfect and a complete body and all must remaine in their proper place that they may be knowne one from another This appeareth by the words of Christ conferring with the Disciples going to Emaus and expounding vnto them the doctrine of the Gospell more perfectly c Luke 24 44 when he saide vnto them These are the words which I spake vnto you while I was with you that all must bee fulfilâ—ed which are written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes Whereby wee see he diuideth the Scriptures into three partes the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes so that they were distinguished one from another so that the old Testament is diuided into three parts This is farther confirmed vnto vs in the Sermon of Paul preached at Antiochâ—a where he saith d Acts 13 33. God hath fulfilled the promise made vnto the Fathers vnto vs their children in that he raised vp
Iesus euen as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my Son this day haue I begotten thee From hence it appeareth plainly that as the bookes themselues were seuered the one from the other so likewise euery part of one and the same booke kept his order and the proper station wherein it was set by the first Author This reprooueth all confounding and vnfit vsage of the holye Scriptures mingling one booke in another the old Testament with the new that the distinct parts cannot appeare The Turkes receiue the Law of Moses and some other parts of the old Testament but so disfigured deformed so corrupted and confounded with their horrible superstitions and the abhominable impieties of their wretched Alcoran that it ceaseth to be the Scripture of God and is turned into a most detestable idoll Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to keep the scriptures whole and sound without intermingling one part with another that the comely proportioÌ„ of euery part may appeare to euerie one that looketh vpon them whereas if we shall confound booke with booke and part with part wee shall lose the beauty of them and turne them into a mishapen and deformed monster which were monstrous impiety and presumption Secondly by this Title we learne that all Vse 2 the works of God are made in number weight and measure and created exceeding good in regard of the goodly order and comely beauty of euery one of them For that which is said of this booke is true also of the other Scriptures and verified of all the rest of the workes of God Where no order is there is all tumult and confusion A good Father of a family taketh order in his house that euerie one do his dutie A wise Pilot in a Shippe looketh that euery one know his place and so manageth it with discretion A prudent and prouident Magistrate appointeth order in his Citie and Commonwealth and ordaineth lawes to keep men in vnity The order of the heauens and the setting of times and seasons teacheth vs the wisedome of the Creator who gouerneth all things aboue and beneath by a wise and wonderfull disposition So that hee is called by the holy Apostle e 1 Cor. 14 33 The God of order and not of confusion True it is it cannot bee denyed we see it with our eyes there is great confusion and much disorder in the world but from whence doth it come who is the author of it and to whom shall wee ascribe it Not vnto God who hath made all things good and gouerneth all things well And if not vnto God to whom but to the spirit of the diuell the vglinesse of sinne which haue altered the workmanship of God and blemished the glorie of his creatures The wiseman in the Booke of Ecclesiastes leadeth vs to this consideration f Eccle. 7 3 1 Loe onely this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought many inueÌ„tions If then there fall to bee any disorder in the creature we must not accuse the Creator but the corruption of man is to bee blamed from whence it proceedeth It is sin that hath turned all things vpside downe and brought a spectacle of all miseries as Moses sheweth Gen. 6 5. The Lord sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginatâ—ons of the thoughts of his heart were onely euil continually Thus wee learne to magnify all Gods works and to acknowledge from what spring and fountaine as well order as disorder do proceede God is the God of peace and of order and requireth that al things be done honestly and in order It is Sathan thâ—t is the author of strife contention and confusion who laboureth to bring all things out of order But of this wee shall haue occasion to speake more in the second chapter where Moses describeth the order of the Tents and the names of the cheefe Heads and Captaines of the Israelites Vse 3 Thirdly seeing there is diuine numeration in this Booke let vs reade it diligently bee more and more in loue with it and with the rest of the Scripture which haue the same author handle the same matter resemble the same forme respect the same end and worke the same effect in the hearts of men Manie there are that come to the Church and professe themselues members of the same that are most ignorant in the Scriptures which are the helpes of our Faith the keyes of our comfort the meanes of our saluation and are able to make vs wise to eternall life Some know no difference betweene them and other Bookes but make them all alike containing some things true and some false Others are so ignorant that they know not the number of the Canonicall books nor the argument of them nor the order how they stand which plainely bewrayeth that they are little conuersant in them Others when they heare any book or chapter of the booke read vnto them full of names either of men or places or of both of which sort are sundry in this Booke they slake their attention they thinke it belongeth not vnto them they perswade themselues there is no profit to bee learned by it But wee must know and vnderstand that the whole Scripture was giuen by inspiration and came by the will of God When such parts and parcels of the word are read vnto vs the vse wherof we see not the purpose whereof wee vnderstand not let vs obserue these few rules and directions following First let vs condemne our own ignorance and sit in iudgement vpon the darknes of our owne hearts who of our selues are able to vnderstand nothing except it bee reuealed from aboue It is the saying of Christ to Peter after his worthy confession that he was the son of the liuing God a Math. 16 17 Blessed art thou Simon the son of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heaueÌ„ And the Apostle witnesseth as much b Rom. 8 7. 1 Cor. 2 10 14 The wisedom of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can bee Likewise in another place God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit but the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The manner of many in reading the Scriptures when they come to that which passeth theyr capacity is to condemne them not themselues But if we would profit aright and benefite our selues by them wee must set this downe as the first rule and as a principle of our faith that the fault is in our selues and in our owne weaknesse Secondly it is required of vs to be of humble spirit which is a thing much accepted of God Such onely are right hearers and such God requireth vs to bee when wee heare him come and speake vnto vs. This
Moses setteth downe in this place the particular number of euery Tribe then the generall summe of the whole gathered together into one the which amounteth vnto 603550. persons that could draw the sworde This may seeme very strange vnto vs that so small an handful of 70. soules should multiply so greatly in the space of 216. years But herein we are to consider the truth of God ioyned with his power who because hee is true of his word and able of his power performed that to this people which he promised long before to their Fathers For wee must fetch the cause of this extraordinary increase a little higher and obserue that God had passed his promise long before to Abraham that albeit hee were olde and his wife both old and barren yet he would blesse him with a great seed posterity as the dust of the earth as the stars of heauen and as the sand on the sea shore which could not be numbred as Ge. 12 3. I wil make of thee a great Nation I will blesse thee make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing And chap. 13 14 16. 15 5. 17 2 4 5 6. Rom. 4 17 18 Heb. 11 12. Lift vp thine eies now and looke from the place where thou art Northward and Southward Eastward and Westward I will make thy seede as the dust of the earth so that if a man number the dust of the earth then shal thy seede be numbred Likewise Chap. 15. he brought him forth and said Look vp now vnto heauen and tell the Starres if thou be able to number them and be saide vnto him So shal thy seed be So Chap. 17. I will make my Couenant betweene me and thee and I wil multiply thee exceedingly Neither shal thy name anie more be called Abram but Abraham for a Father of many Nations haue I made thee I will make thee exceeding fruitful wil make nations of thee yea Kings shal proceed of thee The same promise is likewise renewed to Iacob Gen. 46 2 3. I am God the God of thy father feare not to go downe into Egypt for I wil there make of thee a great Nation Thus did God speake from time to time to the Patriarkes and thus did he promise to blesse them did renew the promise for their farther assurance and consolation Behold heere the accomplishment of the same promise and the verifying of it to the full Ps 105 24 37 for he increased his people exceedingly made them stronger then their oppressors yea hee brought them forth with siluer and gold and there was none feeble among their tribes Frō Doctrine 4 hence we gather this doctrine God will performe all the promises that he maketh to his people that al the promises of God made to his children shal in due time be accomplished so that he wil not faile nor falsifie the worde that is gone out of his mouth The truth heereof appeareth by sundry consents of Scripture This is it that Ioshua declareth chap. 21 44 45. The Lord gaue rest vnto Israel round about according to all that he had sworne vnto their Fathers there stood not a man of all their enemies before them for the Lord deliuered all their enemies into their hand There failed nothing of all the good things which the Lord had said vnto the house of Israel but all came to passe Where he sheweth that as God promised to defend his to defeat their enemies and to giue his people peace so hee failed them not but fulfilled his promise In the Booke of the Kings mentioning the siege of Samaria we reade that in the great famine wherein the City was pressed 2 King 7 1 18 the Prophet Elisha prophesieth that to morrow this time a measure of fine flowre shall be sold for a shekel two measures of Barly for a shekell in the gate of Samaria And howsoeuer this seemed vnpossible to such as were blinded with vnbeleefe looked vpon ordinary meanes that shewed themselues before them who feared not to say Though the Lord would make windows in heauen this thing could not come to passe yet it did come to passe nothing was left vnperformed for the people went out and spoyled the campe of the Aramites so that a measure of fine Flowre was at a Shekell and two measures of Barly at a shekel according to the word of the Lord. True it is God somtimes promiseth that which he doth not by and by accomplish because the promise is for the appointed time but in the end it cometh and shall not stay In the beginning of the world it was said immediately after the mans fall Gen. 3 15. I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed her seede he shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele Many yeares passed ouer the heads of Gods people before this was performed yea many Kings and Prophets and righteous men desired to see these dayes that longed for the comming of the Messias and the consolation of Israel Gal. 4 4 5. but when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Law c. God promised and Noah prophesied and the Scripture hath published Genes 9.27 that God shold perswade Iapheth that he may dwel in the tents of Shem so that the Gentiles should be conuerted vnto the faith and wonne by the ministerie of the word not by the force of the sword to embrace the Gospell This promise was long deferred yet in the end truly verified when the Apostles were called to preach vnto them prepared for it by the gift of tongues and enabled to go through the worke as appeareth at large in the Acts of the Apostles The old and new Testament do giue testimony one to another The old Testament containeth many and sundry prophesies and what is the new but an accomplishment of the same All these allegations as a cloud of witnesses confirme this point that God as he maketh his promises in mercy so in iustice and righteousnes he accomplisheth the same Reason 1 Neither let this seeme strange vnto vs. For first consider with mee who it is that maketh the same not man who is deceitfull but God who neuer failed or falsified his word He is true in all his sayings and faithfull in all his doings he is as ready to performe as he is to promise and neuer repenteth or recalleth that which is gone out of his mouth This the Apostle as a faithfull witnesse testifieth Rom. 3 3 4. Psal 36 6. and 57 11. and 89 33. What though some did not beleeue shall their vnbeleefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid yea let God be true and euery man a lyar as it is written That thou mightest bee iustified in thy words and ouercome when thou art iudged The reason vsed in this place is this God is true in his word
the Lyons brake their bones in pieces and tore them in sunder that had cast Daniel into the denne Dan. 6 24. Thus shall it bee with all persecuters that plot the ruine of the Church They may gather themselues together but they shall be scatterd they may pronounce a decree but it shall not stand they may digge deepe to hide their counsels but they shall be discouered come to nothing Hee hath not made his Church a prey vnto their teeth but hath vtterly destroyed them and made hauocke of them that they became dung to the earth and a prey to the fowles of heauen They then are greatly to be reproued who behold euery where and at all times the workes of God both of his mercy toward his people and of his iudgements against his enemies and yet are neuer moued to glorifie his Name nor to walke in obedience before him In the middest whereof I dwell Wee haue heard the strength of the reason and how necessarily and demonstratiuely it concludeth The presence of GOD with vs is a forcible meanes to pricke vs forward and to prouoke vs to holinesse of life and to all well-doing Now let vs consider the words in themselues without the consideration of others Wherein we see hee giueth his promise for his presence or setteth downe plainely vnto theÌ„ that he is continually among them to wit the holy God among his holy people â—ine â—euerâ—â—resent 〈◊〉 peoâ— This teacheth vs that God is euermore present with his people he is in the middest of them he is neuer absent from them He watcheth ouer theÌ„ for their good he neuer slumbreth nor sleepeth hee neuer forsaketh them that he should bring them into danger This appeareth in the example of Ioseph Gen. 39 21 23. The Lord was with him and shewed him mercy and gaue him fauour in the sight of the keeper of the prison Where hauing shewed that God was with Ioseph he expoundeth and expresseth what his presence was and wherein it consisted and how it was manifested Hee was cast into prison and lay in great misery yet did not God forsake him but was with him euen in prison God abhorreth not the loathsome prisons into which his seruants are cast He commandeth vs to visite his Children that are put in prison much more therefore will he do it himselfe This is set downe in the praier of Dauid for Salomon his sonne Arise and be doing and the Lord be with thee 1 Chron. 22 11 16. and in the prayer of Salomon at the dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8 57. The Lord our God be with vs as he was with our Fathers let not him leaue vs nor forsake vs. This also is that mercifull promise which he maketh to his people Exod. 29 45 46. I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God and they shall know that I am the Lord their God that brought them foorth out of the Land of Egypt that I may dwell among them I am the Lord their God Heereby doth the Prophet comfort himselfe Psal 23 4. Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare none euil for thou art with me thy rodde and thy staffe doth comfort me This is such a principle as is so plaine that it needeth no farther confirmation that wheresoeuer two or three are gathethered together in his Name he is in the middest of them Mat. 18. I will propound a few reasons and that Reason 1 breefely First he will saue those that are his His presence is not a vaine presence neither is he an idle beholder of things that are done but his presence is to prosper and to saue The end of his beeing with vs is the saluation of vs. This is the reason that God giueth to his people and the promise of deliuerance after long trouble Ier. 30 11. I am with thee saith the Lord to saue thee though I make a full end of all Nations whither I haue scattered thee yet will I not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure and will not leaue thee altogether vnpunished And to the same purpose he speaketh in the 42 chapter Bee not afraid of the King of Babylon of whom yee are afraid be not afraid of him saith the Lord for I am with you to saue you and to deliuer you from his hand We must not therefore dreame of a presence that effecteth nothing hee is not one that standeth still and doth nothing as he that is in a dreame but rather willeth his people oftentimes to stand still while he worketh all in all Secondly they haue good successe in their Reason 2 lawfull labours and honest endeuours so that he maketh the workes of their hands prosperous Except the Lord do builde the house watch the City the labours of the builder and the cares of the watchman profit nothing at all This reason is rendred in the example of Ioseph Gen. 39. God was with him and hee made all that he had to prosper So it is said in the booke of the Iudges The Lord was with Iudah Iudges 1 19. he draue out the inhabitants of the Mountaine In like manner we reade concerning Dauid 2 Sam. 5 10. Dauid went on and grew great and the Lord God of hosts was with him Seeing then God saueth his people in times of danger and prospereth the workes of their hands that they vndertake in his feare it followeth that he is continually with them Let vs now come to the vses that arise from Vse 1 hence First for the encrease of a sound faith in God in whom we are to trust we may conclude that seeing God is with his seruants therefore they shall not fall downe or take the foile but shall prosper and preuaile He leaueth them not to themselues he withdraweth not his strength from them he deliuereth them not to the lust and pleasure of their enemies This is it which he telleth Ioshua after the death of Moses Iudg. 1 5. There shall not any be able to stand before thee all the daies of thy life as I was with Moses so I will bee with thee Whensoeuer we prosper in our waies finde the blessing of God to haue beene with vs in our actions let vs not ascribe it to our industry and pollicy to our owne diligence and endeuours but acknowledge from whence it springeth and proceedeth it is because God is with vs. This is a notable comfort vnto vs to consider that the gates of hell shall neuer be able to preuaile against the Church to deface it and to roote it out and to destroy it If the Church faile God shall faile with it If this be vnpossible so is the other If the church should faile Christ must also faile and all the benefits of his death and passion which can neuer come to passe forasmuch as he died not in vaine but will make his death auaileable in all the members of his body
the world This is it which the Prophet teacheth Psal 111. The works of his hands are established for euer and euer and are done in truth and equity If then all his works abide and continue from the glorious Creatures in the heauens to the silly worme creeping in the earth much more the holy Scripture must abide without decaying or diminishing as the durable Cedar without rotting and consuming which is not onely his handy-worke but a masterworke chiefe aboue all others as the Diamond among pearles of great price And if the least and lowest creature in the world hath beene in his kinde continued hitherto and shall be continued to the end by the mighty hand of God vpholding and supporting all things that he hath made much lesse shall the Scripture perish and fall away which bringeth greater glory to God and greater gaine to his people Thirdly the Scripture was written for these ends and purposes for instruction and admonition for teaching and confutation for comfort and consolation that so the man of God may be absolute 1 Tim. 3 16 17. Neither was God deceiued in his purpose and intent so that it must remaine continue being written for those endes and vses But what errour can be conuinced what comfort can be receiued what vice can bee corrected what truth can be published what grace can be commended to the Church out of those books which are supposed to be lost Let vs not therefore doubt of Gods prouidence and so shake the faith of the Church thereby Fourthly we see the old Testament hath reserued entirely the Genealogies of the fathers which are not absolutely necessary to faith and saluation as also the whole body of the ceremonies set downe in Leuiticus and other places of the Law which notwithstanding were shadowes of things to come why then should we not presume that the same his prouidence hath also watched ouer other books which more properly belong to our practise and times and so more fitly might informe vs against ignorance teach vs in our religion warne vs in dangers and comfort vs in afflictions And if we haue no word missing or sentence wanting in such bookes as are left to the Church that there should need a void roome or a desunt nonnulla or an Asteriscus and some little starre to giue warning of some defect as we see it is in many prophane writings Dionys Halâ— carâ—as Plutâ— Tuâ—â— Poâ—â—â—â—â—pian Lâ—â—â— and otherâ— and those of the best note how should we be induced to beleeue that whole volumes of the old and new Testament are vtterly lost neuer to be repaired Lastly let vs heare the testimony of the Scripture it selfe obserue what it can say and doth witnesse for it selfe Moses an old and ancient witnesse teacheth Deut. 29 29 that secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may do all the words of this Law But how do they belong vnto vs that are not reserued for vs Or how shall our children be directed by them that cannot be found in their daies or in the daies of their fathers before them Or how shall either father or sonne doe that which they cannot know Heereunto Dauid accordeth Psal 119 152. I haue knowne long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer And our Sauiour giueth his holy consent vnto this heauenly truth saying Truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iote or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things be fulfilled Mat. 5 18 and 24 35. So then we must hold the durablenesse and continuance of the Scripture in the Church which is the pillar of truth that it cannot faile or fall away as is prooued at large in the answer to the Preface of the Rhemish Testament But before we proceed to the Doctrines of this diuision it shall not bee amisse to answer the obiections that are raised and mooued against this point touching the perpetuity of the whole Scripture and of euery part of it First wee finde often mention made of the bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah and Israel â—ect 1. â—ngs 14 19 â—5 7 11 Iosh 10 3 â—am 1 18. of the booke of the iust such like which are lost If then these be lost and by no meanes to be found how shall we truly say that the whole Scripture doeth continue I answer â—sw these bookes were neuer Canonicall Scriptures but ciuill stories and chronicles of the Commonwealth matters not of the Church whereunto the Reader is directed if he be desirous to reade and know the History more at large whereas the Prophets doe onely touch so much as serued for the edification of the Church and the building of it in faith toward God For as all ciuill Nations haue the Chronicles of their fore-fathers and auncestors actes Ester chap. 6 verse 1. Ezra 4 verses 15 19 so had the Iewes their ciuill Histories such were those wee now speake of which were good and profitable bookes of men but were neuer committed or commended to the care of the Church to be preserued and maintained â—ect 2. Againe we reade in sundry places of the bookes of Nathan and Gad the words of Samuel the works of Ahia of Shemaia of Isaiah and other Prophets which likewise seeme to be lost as well as the other wee named before I answer â—er they seeme so to such as do not duely consider of them which indeed are not lost but contained in the olde Testament in the bookes of Samuel and of the Kings which were not written by any one Prophet but by diuers Prophets at diuers times euen in the seuerall ages wherein they prophesied albeit their seuerall names bee not to euery part expressed as appeareth 2 Chron. chapter 26 verse 22 where the Spirit of God testifieth that Esaiah wrote the actes of Vzziah first and last meaning that he wrote them in the second booke of the Kings and in his Prophesies and not pointing out any book which now is lost both the former bookes remaining as a treasure to the Church As then we confesse these bookes mentioned in this obiection to bee of another nature then those expressed in the former so they haue beene preserued and euer shall bee preserued in the Church and be as it were laide vp in the Arke thereof Thirdly it may bee obiected that many Obiect 3 worthy bookes of Salomon are lost which hee wrote I answer Answ his workes are of two sorts first sundry bookes of Humanity and of Philosophy naturall and morall secondly bookes of Diuinity written as he was moued and inspired by the Spirit of God The first sort of humane and earthly things which the Church might best spare without perill or impeachment of faith haue long since failed as it is thought in the captiuity the rest which are parts of the Canonicall Scriptures do abide And marke
they could finde in their hearts not to pray at all not to heare at all not to partake the Sacraments at all yea to breake out into open blasphemy and say with the Atheists and vngodly men Iob 21.15 Who is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profite haue we if we should pray vnto him Many are carried away with dulnesse and heauinesse of body mind an ordinary and dangerous abuse hindering the sauing knowledge of the Gospel This is a subtle slight and suggestion of Sathan whereof many complaine but few striue against and therefore spend the greatest time allotted and allowed for hearing the word in drowsinesse and sleeping and whereas they should raise and rouze vp themselues they hang downe theis heads and lay them on their seates and frame thâ—mselues to snort and sleepe rather then to heare and attend An vnfit and very vnseemely gesture for so high an worke If thou shouldst so behaue thy selfe to thy father or Prince speaking vnto thee wold they not take themselues â—â—e abused at thy hands Balaam chargeth Balak to rise vp and heare but these lye along vnciuilly or turne their backes vndecently or lay them downe vnreuerently contrary to the religious practice of the people when Christ preached at Nazareth on the Sabbaâ—th day Luke 4 20. The eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastened on him Many are talking and speaking to others when they should heare God speake and talke vnto them they remooue out of their places to place others and bring them in their sâ—â—tes True it is kindnesse and curtesie are commendable vertues But it is cursed curtesie which is so dearely bought euen with the losse of rhe least sentence and saying of the word of God Others are reading in the Church and bring with them books besides the Scriptures peraduenture of prayers or sermons or such like godly treatises if not of vnprofitable matters in them they exercise themselues spend the time whereas they should hearken to helpe their instruction and not reade to hinder their attention 〈…〉 But do you condemne reading will some say Is it not a good and godly exercise Do not men rather need to be encouraged then discouraged from that duty 〈…〉 I answer that reading is not to be condemned and no man ought to be discouraged from reading We do not reproue the worke done but the time wherein it is done A good thing done in season is twice done A thing done out of season is euilly done To al things there is an appointed time 〈◊〉 3 1 7. and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen there is a time to keepe silence and a time to speake there is a time to reade and a time to heare a time to pray and a time to receiue the Sacraments To pray by our selues 〈◊〉 6 5 6. or reade by our selues wheÌ„ we should heare together with others in the Congregation or to exercise the tongue wheÌ„ we should vse the eare or to speake to God when we should heare him speaking vnto vs cannot stand with the generall rules of Scripture appointed to direct vs in our publike assemblies Let all things be done to edifying Let all things be done honestly and in order 1 Cor. 14 5 40. The Apostle reprouing the disorders crept into the Lords Supper that when they should eate the Lords Supper euery man took his owne supper afore and tarried not for his brethren whereby it came to passe that some were hungry and others full saith Haue yee not houses to eate and drinke in Despise yee the Church of God and shame them that haue not 1. Cor. 11 21 22. Where he doth not simply coÌ„demne eating and drinking no more then Christ 〈◊〉 11 15. when he whipped out of the Temple such as made the house of prayer a denne of theeues condemned buying and selling but vsing them at an vnfit time Thus we see how it standeth vs all vpon to beware take heed of all abuses that take away reuerence hinder attention to the end we may with meeknesse receiue the word engrafted in vs that is able to saue our foules Vse 3 Thirdly this duty directeth vs vnto another duty namely to prepare our selues before we come ordring the affections of our minds and disposing the powers of our soules in such sort that they may be fitted and furnished for that worke When the people of Israel were to receiue the Law on Mount Sinai â—â—od 19 10 they sanctified themselues purged their conscience from dead works The Apostle hauing set downe the institution of the Lords Supper to the Corinthians and taught them that vnworthy receiuers eate to themselues iudgement and make themselues guilty of the body and blood of Christ â—hat is reâ—â—ed to fit 〈◊〉 prepare â—â—â—eâ—â—es to 〈◊〉 exercises 〈◊〉 our religioÌ„ willeth them to examine themselues and so eate of this bread drinke of this cup 1 Cor. 11 28 29 and not to come hand ouer head in prophane manner Now to this preparation sundry things are required First wee must bring with vs diligence to marke earnestly and obserue carefully the word of God deliuered which auaileth and aduantageth vs much for profiting thereby in knowledge and obedience Diligence maketh a rough way plaine bitter things sweet and hard things easie This Salomon prescribeth to the sonnes of God Prou. 2 1 2 3 4. My sonne if thou wilt receiue my words and hide my commandements within thee and cause thine heart to hearken vnto wisedome encline thine heart to vnderstanding if thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as for treasures then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord finde the knowledge of God This Christ commandeth Iohn 5 39. This also the Apostle requireth Iam. chap. 1 verse 19. We must vse labour and industry not vpon some sudden motion and pang nor by reason of some good company only or for feare of danger but in a continuall course earnest manner as worldlings vse to take paines to attain treasure and riches inasmuch as the heauenly treasures of a better life do farre surpasse all earthly riches that carnall men make their greatest happinesse We see how artificers and handy-crafts men follow theyr Trades who rise early and sit vp late who labour night and day who endure cold and heat to earne a little of this worlds good but where shall wee finde that Christian who so eagerly and earnestly followeth after the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Behold how Merchants compasse Sea and Land and sayle to the furthest parts of the world with danger of theyr liues to get the goods of the earth But greater is the gaine of godlinesse and heauenly wisedome and therefore we should redeeme the time to procure it and sell al that we haue of our owne to purchase it Mat. 13 44 45. Secondly wee must be touched with the feare and dread of Gods Maiesty for feare engendereth
the reason is rendred for what cause the Midianities were to be destroied to wit because they had a chiefe hand and were principall doers in the seducing of the people of God and drawing them into sin The Moabites and Ammonites were actors in this tragedy but the chiefe part was assigned to the Midianites The Moabites and Ammonites came of Lot by committing incest with his daughters Gen. 19 37 38. The Midianites came of Midian the fourth sonne of Keturah which she bare to Abraham Gen. 25 2. They ought being so neerely ioyned to the people of God to haue performed all duties of humanity and kindnesse vnto them whereas they sought their ouerthrow and wrought their destruction We heard before how the people of God were beguiled and punished heere wee may behold those threatened and afterward destroyed that did trouble them with theyr wyles as concerning Peor Before wee saw the chasticement of them that were seduced and ledde into sinne now they are threatned that were seducers Before we saw the iudgment that fell vpon them that followed now we may see the iudgements that ouertooke the Captains and Ringleaders From hence we learne Doctrine The seducers the seduced shall be punished together that the seducer and the seduced the Ringleader and they that are misled the deceyuer and the deceyued shall perish and be punished together The Lord will punish not onely false Teachers and such as leade the way vnto wickednesse but theyr schollers and disciples such as are brought to lewdnesse and euill by them This Moses declareth very euidently Deut. 13 15. If a false Prophet arise and draw an whole City to Idolatry Gods iudgements shall be not onely against that false Prophet but against the City so that not an Oxe or a Sheep should be spared they should perish and be destroyed together When Gamaliel gaue counsell to take heede to themselues what they intended to do touching the Apostles he bringeth in the examples of Theudas and Iudas Acts 5 36 37 which drew away much people after them but they perished all that obeyed them The Prophet Ezekiel denounceth That if the watchman seeing the sword comming did not giue the people warning nor admonish them of their wicked waies the wicked should die in their sinnes but their blood should be required at the watchmans hands We see this confirmed vnto vs euen from the beginning when the diuell abusing the tongue and body of the serpent had drawne our first parents into sinne the diuell was the principall author of this apostacy and falling from God the serpent was the instrument the woman did hearken to the diuell and was before her husband in the transgression Adam followed the counsell of his wife and yeelded to sinne against God through her perswasion The diuell was a seducer Adam was seduced Enah was both a seducer and seduced Gen. 3 1 2 3 for she was seduced by the diuell and a seducer of her husband deceiuing and being deceiued so that when God called them to an acount and brought them before the barre of his iudgement seate he punished not onely the diuel the serpent that were the authors but also Adam and his wife that were the followers Heereunto commeth the saying of our Sauiour Mat. 15 14. Let them alone they be the blinde leaders of the blinde and if the blinde leade the blinde both shall fall into the ditch not onely the leader but he likewise that is blindly led The Lord Iesus reproueth the Church of Thyatira that they suffered a wretched woman which called her selfe a Prophetesse and threatneth to punish not onely her Reuel 2 12 but those that were her disciples with great afflictions And afterward in the same booke they that receiued the marke of the beast are put out of the booke of life as well as the beast This truth will be more manifest vnto vs if Reason 1 we marke the reasons â—or first such as are misled and moued to heresie and wickednes in life oâ— doctrine in faith or manners in opinion or practise are culpable of the same sins and abhominations and therfore rightâ—ously to be puâ—ished and condemned with such as are the leaders and perswaders vnto the same The Lord himselfe rendreth the reason why those that were seduced should bee destroyed because they had forsaken his waies and commandements Deut. 1 â—â— They then that are seduced that are tâ—â—â—ed from the Lord that are thrust out of the right way wherein they should walke and commit abhominations against him as well as the seducers are culpable of the same sinnes together and therefore shall partake of the same punishment Reason 2 Secondly what is the reason that men are seduced Is it not theyr owne sinne and ignorance They are wilfully blinde they are not careful to learne and stand in the truth as they ought The Prophet Hosea speaking of false Prophets and of the people misled by them saith That they shall all full the people by day the Prophet by night with them Hosea 4.5 This is it which the Apostle vrgeth 2 Thess 2 10 11. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine First from hence we are to conclude that pretences or excuses shall not beare out the followers and fellowes of wicked seducers and lewd leaders from God his truth but they shall beare theyr sinnes and punishments themselues We see how ready many are to answer for themselues A lasse we are poore simple men we haue no learning wee know not the letters wee are not able to try whether the Doctrine bee good or bad true or false right or wrong we hope God will hold vs excused and not lay it to our charge These couerings to hide our shame as so many figge-leaues shall be pulled from vs and fall to the earth as weake and vnable to vphold themselues What did the vaine coloured shewes auaile Adam and Eue feeding themselues with vaine hopes Gen. 3 12 13 and excusing themselues with fayre pretences Adam saide The woman whom thou gauest to be with me deceiued mee and I did eaâ—e The woman saide The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate The Serpent might haue said the diuell entred into me preuailed ouer mee and abused me to be his instrument Heere are many delayes and deuices the man excuseth himselfe by the woman the woman by the serpent the serpent by the diuell but God cannot be mocked he will not be deluded and therefore none of them escaped all of them â—re punished as they were willingly and wittingly deceiued For the diuell had his iudgement the serpent had his iudgement the man and the woman had also their iudgment Let this be assuâ—ed to the consciences or all of vs
Word and Sacraments hee will haue his Ministers also vnder the Gospel sufficiently prouided not onely of sustenance and maintenance but also of houses and habitations fit for them that they might waite vpon their office without disturbance or distraction This teacheth vs Doctrine The ministers must be proâ—ided of all things necessary for them that the Ministers of the church must be prouided of food rayment of houses and dwellings and of all things necessary for theÌ„ This is proued at large in this place heere it is commanded in the booke of Ioshua it is performed and executed as wee may reade in Chap. 2.1 2 3 4 c. where we see particularly what Cities euery tribe gaue as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses The like we see in the prophesies of Ezekiel Chapter 45. verses 1 2 3 4 c. that when the Messiah is exhibited and the Gospel preached throughout the world the Land shall bee otherwise diuided so that part of it shal be assigned to the house of the Lord part shall belong vnto the Priests and to the Leuites verse 4 and 5. shewing thereby that the Ministers of the Gospel must bee maintayned By the law of nature euery man was bound to giue something for the furtherance of Gods seruice of such temporall goods as GOD had giuen him Gen. 14. verse 18. and 28. verses 20 22. Leuit. 27. verse 30 Numb 18. ver 28 Deut. 14. verses 28 29. 2 Chron 31. verses 4 5. It is noted touching the zeale of good king Hezekiah when hee had appoynted the courses of the Priests and Leuites euery man according to his seruice hee commaunded the people to giue the portion to the Priests and Leuites and by and by they brought in aboundance the first fruites of Corne and Wine and oyle and Honey and of all the encrease of the fielde and the Tythe of all things brought they in aboundantly Neyther doth this belong onely vnto the Reason 1 times of the Law but likewise of the Gospel For the ministery of the Gospel is much more glorious then of the Law and the calling of the Ministers of Iesus Christ is greater then of those that serued at the Altar for as Iohn was farre greater then any of the Prophets that went before him so hee that is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then hee as Matth. chap. 11. verse 11. If then the Leuites were so bountifully and liberally dealt withall whose seruice was to take end at the exhibiting of the Messiah then much more ought they whose ministery and seruice must stand and continue for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edifying of the body of Christ till wee all come in the vnity of the fayth vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ Eph. 4 12 13. Secondly that they may attend to the holy things of God be no way disturbed For seeing the Apostle giueth it in charge that they must giue attendaÌ„ce to reading to exhortation to doctrine 1. Tim. 4 13. how can they watch ouer the flock and giue themselues to these duties except they haue prouision made for them accordingly or how can they prepare a Table wel furnisht for the people in the church when they haue nothing to set on their tables in their owne houses Or deale bread vnto the hungry when they are hungry themselues or how can they fil the people with the food of the soule when the people suffer them to bee empty and to want the food of the body Lastly it is required of the Ministers that they should be giuen to hospitality as well as to teach 1 Tim. 3 2. the Apostle ioyneth both these together But how shall they shew worke of charity when they haue not to supply their owne necessity Or how shall they entertaine strangers when they are not able to maintaine their owne families Or how should they doe this good vnto the Church when they themselues want it in theyr owne priuate houses Vse 1 The Vses remaine First this reproueth the corrupt dealing of wretched and miserable people who detaine from the Ministers their liuelyhood whereby they should help themselues and releeue others The Popish sort thinke nothing too good for their priests and shauelings but we haue those that thinke euery thing too good for Gods faithfull Ministers their maintenance is too stately their diet too dainty their apparrel too costly their houses too lofty they could be content they were put to earne their liuing with the spade and shouell They will not willingly affoord them any thing and they thinke it well saued which is purloyned from them They are accounted the best husbands that can most cunningly and craftily go beyond them and such as can thrust a new custome though it were neuer heard of before vpon them to defeate and defraud them of that which is due vnto them doth account himselfe to leaue his land in the best state to prouide exceeding well for his posterity and to rid his demeanes of a very great bondage In former times tythes were counted as a debt to the Minister now it is helde a bondage or slauery to pay them And yet these are they that cry out with open mouth against the cruelty and couetousnes of the Clergy like Iudah that exclaimed against the incontinency of Tamar when himself was guilty of no lesse crime Gen. 38. Secondly it reproueth such Patrons as enrich themselues with the liuings of the Church who present other to the place but retaine to themselues a share out of the same These doe bestow the benefice but they keepe the benefite neuer considering that it is a snare to the man who deuoureth that which is holye and after vowes to enquire Prou. 20 25. Now that is to be accounted holy which is dedicated to holy vses whether it be to the worshippe of God to the maintenance of the Ministers to the furtherance of schooles and good learning or to the releefe of the poore and therefore the abolishing or diminishing of these is condemned as sacriledge against God Deut. 23 23. Their forefathers were liberall in furthering the worship of Images nay of the diuel himself imagining it to be the seruice of the true God they spared not to enrich those that were seducers and ringleaders to eternall damnation thogh they were also vnlearned and vngodly vnfit for that calling yet somwhat they gaue them out of baptizings and the other counterfet sacraments out of burials trentals masses months minds euery thing yeelded some see and stipend whereby they grew rich in the world whereas the children of these grudge to giue any thing to their learned and godly pastors which God hath in mercy bestowed as a speciall gift vpon the Church but giue theÌ„ cause to complaine of their wants of meere things necessary The Prophet Malachi is not afraid to pronounce that such vnconscionable dealing
Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God Our aduersaries teach that the Church is the supreame Iudge of the Scriptures and hath absolute authority to expound the same and by the Church they vnderstand the rabble of Priests and Iesuites and Cardinals and Councels and by them all at last the Pope whoe holds the Oracles of God shut vp in his brest whose iudgement also they hold to bee infallible so that he cannot erre Thus they will haue Scriptures Fathers Councels and the Church it selfe passe vnder the sentence of his Consistory Thus b Reason why the â—pists refuâ—â— the Scripâ—â—â—â— to be Iudâ—â— all controâ—â—â—sies they do partly because they know and their hearts condemne them that the greatest number of the causes controuersies debated between them and vs haue no foundation of the Scriptures to leane vpon and therefore must of necessity stagger fall downe c Andrad thod expliâ— vnlesse they bee supported by traditions and partly because they woulde make themselues Iudges in their owne cause which notwithstanding is against all Law of God and man For they disable the Scriptures from being the rule of our faith and cast them downe from the chaire of honour in which they were seated by the author of them and cast all power vpon the Church and then they define the d Bristo 〈◊〉 12. in maâ— Catholike Church to bee the Romane Church Rhem. annot in Rom. 1 8. and make the Catholike and Romane faith all one who seeth not heereby and smileth not at it that seeing the Church is made the rule of faith and their Romane Church the true catholike Church of Christ that they meane to stand to no iudgment but their own and bee iudged by no other Iudge but themselues and to receiue nothing for trueth but their owne opinions Indeed we cannot deny but they cast many shaddowes to blinde our eyes and pretend at euery word the Catholike Church but they meane nothing thereby but the Popes determination which verifieth in them the common Prouerbe Aske my fellow if I bee a theefe Thus they are made Iudges that are parties and partially referre all thinges vnto the tribunall of their owne iudgement Wee teach and affirme that the Holy Ghost and the Scripture it selfe haue chiefe authority to interprete the Scriptures the Scriptures must expound the Scriptures and out of themselues the meaning of them must be taken Our Sauiour teacheth a Iohn 5 47. that they which beleeue not Moses writings will not beleeue him The Apostle teacheth b Ephes 2 20 Wee are all built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himselfe beeing the Head-corner-stone in whom all the building is coupled together by the Spirite 2 Tim 3 15 and that the Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation Thus it is saide c Nehe. 8 8 that the Leuites read distinctly the Lawe to the people and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand it by the Scripture it selfe Thus did the men of Berea reade the Scriptures d Acts 17 11. and by them tried the Apostles doctrine whether those things were so or not So then we conclude that the iudgement of all men is vncertaine and doubtful that resteth vpon their sole authority and that the Scriptures are to bee expounded by the same Spirit whereby they were written for heereby onely we can know assuredly the vndoubted meaning of them and from hence we can appeale to no superior iudge Vse 3 Thirdly from this consideration of the Author of the Scriptures we haue a direction to the Minister what he must preach vnto the people not the inuentions of his owne braine not the conceits of his owne wit not the excellency of wordes not the entising speech of mans wisedome e 1 Cor 2 14 which Paul disclaimeth and disalloweth in his owne practise but he must come in the plaine eu dence of the Spirit and of power that the knowledge of God may be furthered and the conscience informed in the wayes of godlinesse He must deliuer nothing to the people but the pure and precious word of God hee must content himselfe with the simplicity thereof and bee able by the scriptures to warrant the doctrine that he deliuereth so that hee may truely say with the Prophets Thus saith the Lord. Thus doth the Apostle ground his doctrine as vpon a sure and certaine foundation f 1 Cor. 11 23 1 Corinth 11 23. I haue receiued from th Lorde that which I also haue deliuered vnâ—o you This doth the Apostle Peter require at his hands 1 Pet. 4. g 1 Pet. 4 11 If any man speake let him speake as the words of GOD. VVee see therefore what must be the matter and subiect of our Sermons and from whence as from a plentiful store-house we must furnish our selues not from Fathers or Councels or Doctors of the Church much lesse from Poets Philosophers Orators Historiographers to paint our exhortations with the flourishing colours of humane learning which may for a season tickle the eare and delight the outwarde man but can carry no weight to the Conscience nor transforme the inward man into the obedience of the will of God Such as seeke to please men that haue itching eares doe beate the aire and labour in vaine neither must they thinke to winne a souâ—e thereby to the knowledge of the Gospell This doth the Prophet Ieremy set downe chap. 23. h Iere 23 22 If they had stood in my counsell and had declared my words to my people then they should haue turned them from their euill waies and from the wickednesse of their inuentions Heere then we haue a direction what to do and in what manner to furnish our selues to the worke of the ministery wee must bee as good Stewards set ouer the Lords house to feede the family with bread not with wine with wholesome food not with chaffe that wee may discharge our duties with comfort and the people bee builded vppe in knowledge and obedience Lastly seeing God onely is the Author Vse 4 of the whole Scripture and of euery particular booke and branch contained therein which are the rule of our life and the foundation of our faith it belongeth as a speciall duty to the people of GOD to reade them to receiue them to study them to reuerence them to obey and keepe the doctrines deliuered in them forasmuch as they proceede from such an Author Wee learne to put a difference betweene the speeches of person and person and wee vse to giue better audience and greater reuerence vnto the word of a Prince then to others wee will not lose a worde willingly that commeth from his mouth and according to the Maiestie of the person so is our respect and so wee attend vnto him If one shoulde contemne a Prince and not regard him speaking vnto him hee would bee iudged worthy of death or of some sharpe and seuere punishment
vnderstand what the wil of God was they murmure not against it they enquire not the reason of it they stand not vpon their owne priuiledges there is no man thinketh better of himselfe then others nor offereth to breake the order transgresse the Law giuen vnto them But they did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses Verse 34. The former point that concerneth the Commandement of God is double First it is set downe generally in the two first Verses what belongeth to all the Tribes indifferently namely that they must encampe euery one by the Ensigne of his Fathers house then particularly what concerneth the tribes in speciall in the residue of the chapter Verse 1 2. And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Euery man of the children of Israel shal Campe c. Heere he beginneth to rehearse the order that was to bee obserued among them For there are two things which are most needfull in euerie thing that is done aright to wit number and order Wherefore after the description of their number he beginneth to direct them in the order which was to be kept among them We learne from Doctrine 1 hence to omit sundry impertinent collections and vnprofitable Allegations God delighteth to haue a comely order obserued in the Church Common-wealth which manie stand vpon seruing rather to please the eare then to profit the heart and to delight the outward man rather then to edifie the inwarde man I say we learne that God commandeth a comely order to bee obserued as well in the Church as the Commonwealth When Balaam the false Prophet mentioned hereafter in this booke sawe the Israelites thus ordered in their Tents as God appointeth in this place he was carried into an admiration of it Numb 24 5 6. How goodly are thy Tents O Iacob and thy habitations O Israel As the valleyes are they stretched foorth as Gardens by the Riuers side as the Aloe trees which the Lord hath planted as the Cedars beside the waters As if he should haue saide The Church of God consisting of this people is the verie picture and resemblance of most goodly order This speaketh the Prophet of the place that God had chosen to set his name in it Psal 122.3 4 5. Ierusalem is builded as a Citie that is compact together in it selfe whereunto the Tribes euen the Tribes of the Lord go vp according to the testimony to Israel to praise the Name of the Lord for there are Thrones set for iudgement euen the Thrones of the house of Dauid This Paul saw and obserued and commended in the Church of the Colossians Chapt. 2. verse 5. Though I he absent in the flesh yet am I vvith you in the Spirit reioycing and beholding your Order and your stedfast Faith in Christ These things to which we might adde and annexe sundry other testimonies are sufficient to shew vnto vs that God will haue all things in the Church and Commonwealth done in order The Reasons are euident For first God Reason 1 is the Author of order and not of confusion He appointeth in this Booke the order to bee obserued in their mansion in their peregrination in their possession of the Land The Apostle giueth vs this instruction touching God 1 Cor. 14 33 God is not the Authour of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saints Hence it is that we see an order in God himselfe euen in the holye and blessed Trinity though all the persons be coequall and coeternall yet there is an established order of the first person of the second person and of the third person not in regard of essence which is indiuisible yet for better order of teaching and instructing of vs to attaine to so much knowledge of his nature as the Scripture hath deliuered and we are able to conceiue Hence it is that the Father is first the Sonne is conceiued and deliuered in the next place and the holy Ghost proceeding from them both is expressed in the last place not thereby insinuating any inequality because none is in nature before or after other none is greater or lesse then other but onely intimating an order in existing or working as hee hath manifested himselfe in his worde vnto vs. As then God hath order in himselfe so he commandeth and commendeth an order to be vsed of vs. Secondly all wise men will order their affaires Reason 2 with wisedome and discretion and will dispose of them with seemlinesse comlinesse An expert Captaine that goeth against his enemies will keepe his Souldiours in good array whether he march or retire If he flye out of the fielde out of order one is readie to ouerthrow another and all are left to the mercy of his aduersarie Hence it is Veget. lib. 14 that they haue an eye to these things to the Sunne the Winde and the Dust that the Sunne be not in their faces that the Winde be not against them that the Dust bee not carried vppon them For the Sunne shining in their faces taketh away sight the Winde blowing contrary abateth their strength and the blow but helpeth the weapons of the enemy the Dust cast vppon them filleth and shutteth their eyes to their great hindrance A prouident house-keeper knoweth the necessitie commoditie and profite thereof in the administration of all his businesse and affayres Xenophon speaking of Socrates that nothing is so good as the right ordering of them The Philosophers in all their teaching shew vs this who haue broght the Arts and Sciences into Method and good order Common experience declareth that wee loue order when it is wanting wee doe wish and desire it when it is present we rest in it and at all times wee prayse and commend it Thirdly the Church is not a confused Reason 3 multitude shuffled and iumbled together where no man knoweth his place or his Office and one encroacheth vpon another but it is the house of the liuing God 1 Tim 3 15 the pillar and ground of truth Now in an house well ordered is to be seene the Maister as the Ruler the family subiect to his gouernment euery one imploying his proper gifts and no man vsurping the place and calling of another If this bee to bee seene in our priuate houses which haue a weaker foundation to beare them a lesse anker to holde them a feebler shore to vnderprop them and vnsurer means to containe and continue them how much more must we conceiue this of the Church of God Hebrewes 11. Esay 5 1. Ephes 5. which is the house that he hath builded the vineyard that his right hand hath planted the spouse of Christ which he hath loued the mountaine of the Lord which he hath prepared and the peculiar people which hee hath chosen Thus we see the doctrine sufficiently cleered and confirmed Let vs before we come to the vses diuert a little as it were out of the way and ordinary path to answer an obiection
albeit Iacob promised the crowne and kingdome to that tribe yet it is not by and by accomplished so that albeit his promises shall all be performed yet they are not straightway verified but are oftentimes long deferred True it is that the tribe of Iudah surmounted all the rest of the tribes at such time as God deliuered them out of Egypt yea Nahasson had the preheminence when the people were to be numbred when the Captaines of the tribes were to be chosen and when the offerings were dedicated in the Sanctuary Notwithstanding all this was but a darke shadow of the former prophesie for Iuda still remained without kingdome and principality Besides the former propheticall speech might seeme to many to carry little trueth or likelihood with it inasmuch as wee see God appointeth Moses of the tribe of Leui to be the gouernour of them After his death and decease Ioshua was Captaine and ruler ouer them who was of the tribe of Ephraim after him succeeded the Iudges who were extraordinarily stirred vp to iudge his people deliuer thē out of the hands of their enemies sometime of one tribe and sometime of another Then came Saul who was chosen king of the tribe of Beniamin all this while there is no mention of Iudah as if the prophecy were buryed in deepe silence and the birthright were vtterly forgotten yet in the end the Lord declareth that his word is not a iest and that Iacob though he were old yet did not dote when he foretold the same But to omit those things let vs obserue that God prouiding heere for the good of his people and the ordering of them appointeth officers and Magistrates ouer them and leaueth them not vnto themselues which would haue bene the occasion of all contention Thus we see how he appointeth a captaine and leader Doctrine 2 ouer euery tribe Magistrates and rulers are needfull to be set ouer the people of God From hence we may obserue that God giueth to his people rulers to fight their battels and to guide them in order and godlinesse Faithfull Magistrates are needfull for Church and Common-weath who are not onely a portion among beleeuers but the chiefe parts and stay of them in well-doing not onely in peace but in warre This we see plentifully proued vnto vs in the booke of Iudges where it is testified that the Lord raised them vp Iudges Iudg. 2 16 18. who deliuered them out of the hands of their oppressors and afterward when the Lord had raised them vp Iudges the Lord was with the Iudge and deliuered them out of the hand of their enemies all the dayes of the Iudge for the Lord had compassion of their gronings because of them that oppressed them and tormented them This is it which Iethro the father in Law of Moses saw to be profitable and necessary for the people when he admonished him to prouide men of courage fearing God men dealing truely hating couetousnesse Exod. 18.21 and to appoint such ouer them to be Rulers ouer thousands Rulers ouer hundreths Rulers ouer fifties and Rulers ouer tennes and to let them Iudge the people at all seasons This is it which Hiram acknowledgeth 2 Chron. 2. Because the Lord hath loued his people 2 Chron. 2.11 he hath made Salomon king ouer them This doth the Prophet Esay testifie chap. 22. Esay 22.20 22 In that day will I call my seruant Eliachim the sonne of Hilkiah the Key of the house of Dauid will I lay vpon his shoulder so he shall open and no man shall shut and he shall shut and no man shall open To these testimonies we might adde infinite others but in fo plentifull an argument these shall suffice to teach vs that the people of God stand in need of Rulers to go in and out before them and to order them in the duties of piety and honesty The reasons are euident First they are as the proppes and pillars of the house and Reason 1 the cause of good order among the people of God and the meanes to keepe them in all obedience On the other side through want of them many abuses are committed and much iniquity is practised While Ioshua liued and the Elders that out-liued Ioshua Iudge 2.7 the people serued the Lord all their dayes which had seene his great workes that he had done for Israel but when they were gone and gathered vnto their fathers the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim And againe chapter 4. Chap. 4.1 The children of Israel began againe to doe wickedly in the sight of the Lord after Ehud was dead And before Chapter 2. Ch. 2.19 and 8.33 and 17.6 and 19.1 and 21 25. When the Iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following other gods to serue them and worship them they ceased not from their owne inuentions nor from their rebellious way Adde vnto these the conclusion of this booke In those dayes there was no king in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes Whereby we see that so long as God blesseth a land with Princes and Magistrates it is stayed from ruine and destruction but when they are taken away it falleth Reason 2 to the ground and cannot stand vpright Secondly no society can continue without Magistrates neither defend it selfe If an hoste be without a Generall or a city without a Ruler or an house without a gouernour it needeth not forraine force to pull it downe and dissolue it it sufficeth in short time to destroy it selfe and from among themselues will men arise that shall bring it to nothing Parity is the mother of all mutiny and confusion whiles euery one vnderprising anothers value and vertue denyeth to be commanded and being wedded to selfe-loue esteemeth himselfe the best able and most worthy to command in all the company So then whiles men ouervalue their own worth esteem better of themselues then others contrary to the rule of the Apostle Phil. 2 3. they are cast away by the tempest of dissention and torne in peeces as a body without a head by mutual emulations These diseases of a diuided and distracted multitude without vnity and authority of gouernment caused the Lord to take order for his people that when they should come vnto the land which he had promised to giue them Deut. 17.14 and that they should possesse it and dwell therein they should set a king ouer them from among their brethren Wherefore seeing Magistrates are a stay to the people in all well-doing and the want of them is the occasion of all confusion we cannot but conclude them to be so necessary as that they cannot be wanted or spared Vse 1 The vses remaine to be taught and learned of vs. The first reproofe of the Anabaptists First it reprooueth the hellish and more then heathenish Sect of the Anabaptists that ouerturne this order that God hath setled
of God For Iohn describing the state of glory after this life saith I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty Re. 21 22 23 24 25 26 2â— and the Lambe are the Temple of it and this City hath no need of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it Happy are they that enter into this city where God is the Temple where God is the Sun where God is the Moone where God is all the light thereof and all the glory and defence therof It is a glorious thing in this life to be Kings and Princes and to sit vpon the throne of maiesty but when they shall inherite the kingdome of heauen they shall lay downe all earthly pompe and magnificence receiuing so great glory in that glorious city that the glory which they had as kings and Princes shall vanish away as the light of a candle at the shining of the Sunne The glory of the least of Gods Saints is so excellent that Salomon in all his glory was neuer arayed nor aduanced like one of these The end of all this is to teach vs that we ought to be euen rauished with an earnest and longing desire to dwel in this heauenly tabernacle and to labor to haue our hearts purged from an euill conscience knowing that no vncleane thing shall enter into it â—â—uel 21.27 neither whatsoeuer worketh abominations and lies Euery one will seeme desirous to dwell in the Lords Tabernacle and to come to heauen but they are loath to leaue their sinnes But let vs not deceiue our selues neither let vs sooth and flatter our selues in our euils if we follow our vngodly wayes with greedinesse and will not forsake our wickednesse we shall haue the doore of Gods kingdome shut against vs. 18 The standard of the Campe of Ephraim shall be toward the West according to their armies and the Captaine ouer the sonnes of Ephraim shall be Elishama the sonne of Ammihud 19 And the hoste and the number of them were forty thousand and fiue hundreth 20 And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh and the Captaine ouer the sonnes of Manasseh shall be Gamliel the sonne of Pedahzur 21 And his hoste and the number of them were two and thirty thousand and two hundreth 22 And the tribe of Beniamin and the Captaine ouer the sonnes of Beniamin shall be Abidan the sonne of Gideoni 23 And his hoste and the number of them were fiue and thirty thousand and foure hundreth 24 All the number of the Campe of Ephraim were an hundred and eight thousand and one hundreth according to their Armies and they shall goe in the third place We haue heard before how the Tabernacle of the Congregation was placed in the midst of the hoste and compassed about both in front and flanke standing strong in battelled in their aray ready to receiue a shocke if any enemies should offer to enter vpon them In these words is laid before vs the third company of this mighty Army the principall whereof was Ephraim and his Partizans are Manasseh and Beniamin appointed to march vnder his Ensigne and to be after a sort ranged vnder his colours It is not vnknowne to any that are meanely conuersant in the holy Scriptures that Ioseph and Beniamin were the onely children of Rahel the true and beloued wife of Iacob and that both Manasseh and Ephraim were the children of Ioseph and that the elder was Manasseh the yonger Ephraim who notwithstanding hath the first place of honour and preheminence assigned vnto him and Manasseh the first borne is compelled to be his vnderling What could Ephraim claime aboue his brother or what had Manasseh done to be put behinde It pleaseth God oftentimes to make the first last and the last first to thrust downe the elder into the place of the yonger and to aduance the yonger into the seate of the elder This appeareth in many places of the Booke of Genesis and is so ordinary and common as it need not to be set downe To insist onely vpon the present example we reade that when Ioseph brought his two children before his sicke father Gene. 48.14.18.20 Iacob stretched out his right hand and laide it on Ephraims head and his left hand vpon Manassehs head directing his hands of purpose neither could be drawne to remooue them but blessed them that day and said In thee Israel shal blesse and say God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh and he set Ephraim before Manasseh Thus Gods iudgement is oftentimes contrary to mans and he preferreth that which man despiseth A notable example whereof we haue in Samuel when hee was sent to anoynt Dauid King and had the eldest sonne of Ishai before him he said 1 Sam. 16.6 Surely the Lords anoynted is before him but the Lord said vnto Samuel Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature because I haue refused him for God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart Samuel was an holy Prophet of God yet he faileth in binding Gods grace to the ordinary course of nature Doctrine 5 We learne from hence God bestoweth his gifts and graces freely to whom hee pleaseth that God bestoweth his gifts freely both when he will and where he will and to whom he will He giueth as a bountifull and gracious father the graces of election adoption iustification sanctification and all other his benefites of his free loue and fauour He lifteth vp whom he will he passeth by he forsaketh he putteth and pulleth downe whom he pleaseth Some gifts are temporall and some eternall some earthly and other heauenly and of both sorts it may be truely said Who separateth thee 1 Cor. 4.7 and what hast thou that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it This is set downe in the song of Hannah The Lord maketh poore 1 Sam. 2.7.8 and maketh rich he bringeth low and exalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust lifteth vp the begger from the dunghil to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory This appeareth most plainly and euidently in the gifts of God Our whole saluation is of Gods free grace belonging to a better life and accompanying saluation The free grace of god in Christ is the fountaine from whence saluatioÌ„ floweth yea it is the beginning continuance ending of our saluation The truth hereof may be made plain by the particular rehearsall of the seuerall parts thereof if we consider our election redemption calling faith iustification regeneration loue good workes remission of sinnes and perseuerance in good things vnto the end No man can be saued and obtaine eternall life except he be predestinated and elected thereunto before the foundation of the world for the kingdome of
them might flourish also If they had bin grieuously afflicted the Church must also haue tasted of the same cup in some measure Thus were the people of God commanded to pray for the peace of Babylon the place whither they were carried captiue which was giuen them as a Sanctuary and place of retire Ier. 29. Ier. 29 7 Seeke the peace of the City whither I haue caused you to be carried away captiues and pray vnto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye haue peace God giueth the Infidels prosperity and blesseth them with an extraordinary peace howbeit hee respecteth the good of his Church therein Lastly herein we are to consider also the iustice of God For the Lord purposing to execute his iust iudgments vpon the Kings of the earth for their idolatries oppressions violences tyrannies murthers adulteries and such like impieties hath raised vp from time to time some to serue him in the execution of his high iustice against them punishing those that are euill by others as euill as themselues For this cause to make way for the accomplishment of his decrees hee maketh some Nation to grow strong and mighty as the oakes of the forest and to flourish for a while as the Cedars in Libanus that he may vse employ them as a staffe in his hand to chastise the rebellions of the vngodly and when he hath poured out his wrath vpon them and executed his indignation to the full he casteth the rod into the fire raiseth vp another for the consuming of them The Assyrians The foure Monarchies ouerthrowne one another the first Monarchy of the world ruled in a manner all Nations for many yeares After them arose the Persians who subduing the Assyrians obtained the Monarchy and reigned likewise a long space many Kings succeeding one another in that royall seate Then came the Grecians who preuailed against the Persians as they before had done against the Assyrians made themselues Monarches and masters of them and almost of the whole world Last of all all these being cut downe and so grubbed by the rootes that the place of many of them is no more to be known the Romane Empire abolishing the former succeeded in the souereignty possessed the dignity first in Rome and after in Constantinople Thus the sword of one hath bin drawne out against another al hath bin ruled by the iust iudgment of God to punish those that neither loued nor imbraced the truth The like we might say of Tamerlane the Tartarian the scourge or God terrour of the world he was raised vp of God and had his time who whipped the Turks by him as they had serued others All these horrible tyrants prospered in the world but it had a sudden end because it was neuer wel grounded But to leaue them and to come home to our selues let vs learne what maketh vs to prosper what shall make our names great and our families to flourish when all other shall wither as the grasse that to day is greene and to morrow is cast into the Ouen it is the imbracing of true religion Bethlehem was in it selfe little among the thousands of Iudah â—ich 5.2 â—ath 2 6. yet it was notwithstanding exalted and aduanced because out of it came Christ to rule his people Israel The Temple of Salomon was of wonderfull glory and renowne yet the Lord telleth the people after their returne out of captiuity that the glory of the second Temple â—ag 2 9. euen of that latter house should be greater then of that former and in this place he would giue peace by him that is the Prince of peace In like manner hee telleth Iosua that if the book of the Law depart not out of his mouth but that he meditate therein day and night obserue to do according to all that is written therein then hee shall make his way prosperous and shall haue good successe in al his enterprises â—osh 1 8. Do we then desire to be happy Do we wish blessednesse Labour to bee truely religious and to haue the power of godlinesse dwelling in thy heart Aduance it And it shall aduance thee Prou. 4 8. and â— 4. it shall bring thee to honour when thou dost imbrace it This is the way to finde fauor and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man As for others that make a mocke of religion and doe not chuse the feare of the Lord that neuer regard to set it as a precious plant in their soules and in their houses they may peraduenture builde their nests on high for a time and make their children great vpon earth for a season but in the end their names shall consume as dung their roote shall bee rottennesse and their bud as dust that is suddenly blowne and borne away with a violent winde Vse 3 Thirdly must the ministery be established among all people vnder heauen Then let euery one of vs be careful for our parts to plant it among vs and to bring it home to the places of our abode In the most corrupt and ruinous times of the Church the people were carefull of this duty Micha in the booke of Iudges is saide to haue entertained and maintained a Leuite to instruct him and his family and said Now I know that the Lord will do mee good seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest Iudg. 17 13. It is noted in the Acts of the Apostles that when Paul and Barnabas were come to Salamis they preached the word of God in the Synagogues of the Iewes they had Iohn also for their Minister Euery place therfore ought to haue their proper Pastour as euery flock their Shepheard and euery City their watchman Dauid was carefull aboue all Princes to settle good order among the Leuites that God might be serued and the people edified He diuided them into certaine orders Acts 13 5. 2 Sam. 6.2 1 Chr. 23 6. that so their labors might be equally indifferently diuided for the benefit of all persons He was zealous in bringing home the Arke of God Iehosaphat sent out Leuites to instruct the people This is a duty that doth neerely concerne vs our families not onely to be content to heare it abroad and to resort to it in other places but to ioyne together to bring it home to our owne doores or parishes that we may haue prouision of food our selues and not be driuen to seek for it elsewhere A point wherin alas we are too carelesse and thereby make little conscience to seeke after knowledge For how many thinke themselues discharged froÌ„ hearing the word and attending to the ministery of it because they haue not the word ordinarily taught among them If it were setled among them they could be content to giue the Ministers the hearing but if they haue it not they neuer thinke it any part of their duty to resort to the places where they may be instructed 2 Kin. 4 23. as
so often as they prophane the Lords Sabbaths that so they might call it a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and learne not to follow their owne pleasures and pastimes nor to speake their owne words therein Verses 7 8. They shall keepe his charge and the charge of the whole Congregation c. Hitherto of the meaning of the words let vs now come to the doctrines arising from hence We see in this diuision that Aaron and his sonnes beeing consecrated to the office of the Priest-hood haue also the Leuites giuen vnto them to helpe them in that holy calling Moses is commanded to present them before Aaron the Priest that they may minister vnto him and all this is done by the authority and appointment of God Moses was a great Prophet to whom God spake face to face like vnto whom arose none before him nor yet after him neuerthelesse he durst not presume to do this vntill hee had receiued commission from God From hence we learne that God hath sole Doctrine authority to ordaine the Officers and the Offices of his Church It belongeâ— to God aâ—â— to appoinâ— Officers and Offices of â— Church No ministery is allowed and approued but that which hath warrant and direction from God We see this in the setting apart of the Tribe of Leui among all the rest to this office Leuit. 8. verse 2. The Lord saide vnto Moses Take Aaron and his sons with him and the garments and the annointing oyle c and Deuter. 18 verse 5. Exod. 29 4. The Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy Tribes to minister in the Name of the Lord him and his sons for euer This truth is noted oftentimes in the new Testament In the conference betweene Iohn Baptist and the Pharisies when he said plainely he was not that Christ nor Elias nor a Prophet they replied Iohn 1 25. If thou bee neyther Christ nor Elias nor of the Prophets why baptizest thou This had beene a weake argument and an vnlearned question if Iohn might haue executed some other function theÌ„ that which was ordinary in the Church and instituted of God Hence it is that the Baptist to establish his speciall calling and extraordinary function alledgeth the word of God Marke 1 verse 1 2.3 I am the voice of one crying in the wildernes Make straight the way of the Lord as saide the Prophet Esaias So that both ordinary and extraordinary offices haue their allowance out of the high Court of heauen When Christ asked the question concerning the baptisme of Iohn whence it was Whether from heauen or of men Math. 21 15 he meant thereby to confirme his ministery In like manner when he was teaching in the Temple the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people came vnto him and said Math. 21 verse 23. By what authority doest thou these things and who gaue thee this authority declaring that no man ought without authority and commission from God to execute any function in the Church so that no man should take this honour vnto him but he that is called of God as Aaron was We see then by the whole practise vnder the law that the Ministers thereof both ordinary and extraordinary had their calling from heauen not from the earth from God not from man And in the new Testament the Apostles had their calling from Christ â—th 10 1. Hee chose them he sent them out to him they gaue an account Hee appointed the seauenty Disciples and sent them two and two before his face into euery City â—k 10 1. Luke 10 verse 1. And when he led captiuity captiue he gaue Pastours and Teachers for the worke of the Ministery Eph. 4 verse 11. When a new Apostle was to be chosen in the roome of Iudas who purchased a field with the reward of iniquity and falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Peter alledgeth vnto the Church the word of God It is written in the booke of Psalmes Let another take his charge or office â—l 109.8 â—s 1 20. Albeit then the callings of the Ministery be executed by men and the Ministers that were to continue in the Church were chosen by men like to themselues yet the Office is of God so that as it was not lawfull to bring in any strange doctrine so it was not lawfull to teach the true doctrine vnder the names and titles of any other function then was instituted by God He that hath set downe the doctrine hath also set downe the Teachers of the doctrine hee that hath appointed what shal be taught hath also appointed who shall teach it and deliuer it to his people This is taught vnto vs by sundry reasons Reason 1 First obserue with me the types that the scripture vseth to expresse this point I will name these three for example the Arke the Tabernacle and the Temple The Arke was a liuely figure of the Church all that were out of it were drowned in the waters God leaueth nothing to mans wisedome or pollicy though neuer so wise or righteous but he appointeth to Noah the matter and forme the length and breadth and height of the Arke the wood and seuerall sorts of it Gen. 6 14 and as GOD would haue it builded so he appointeth the builder In the worke of the Tabernacle the Church is more expresly shewed â—xod 31 3. God stirred vp the spirits of those that should bee the workmen and left nothing to the will of Moses but set downe the pinnes the snuffers the boards the barres the hangings and the vessels all was finished according to the patterne that hee had seene in the mount where he talked with God Exod. 39 42. Heb. 8 5. Likewise touching the Temple which came neerer to the times of Christ Salomon was appointed to build an house to God who did nothing in it Chr. 24 19. Chr. 29 25. either touching the building of it or the vessels in it or the beauty of it but according to the forme and fashion that was enioyned him Againe the titles whereby the Ministers Reason 2 are called and the names whereby they are named doe enforce the acknowledgement of this truth they are called sometimes the seruants of God sometimes the builders of his house sometimes the sowers of his ground sometimes the watchmen of his City sometimes the Captaines of his host sometimes the Shepheards of his flocke and sometimes the Stewards of his family Shall the seruant attempt any thing of his owne head and exercise dominion without the appointment or contrary to the appointment of his master It is noted to the commendation of Moses that he was faithfull in al his house as a seruant to him that appointed him Heb. 3 5. The Ministers are builders and the people are Gods building 1 Corinth 3 9. It is in God therefore to make choise of the builders and to lay the whole plot before them They are the seedmen
Mat. 13 verse 3 the watchmen Ezek. 3 verse 17 the Leaders Heb. 13 verse 17 the Shepheards Eph. 4 verse 11 the Stewards Luke 12 verse 42. Shall the Ministers then being Officers onely vnder another to serue him presume to doe any thing in their owne name and not acknowledge their subiection vnto another Thirdly the Ministeries that are expressed Reason 3 in the word are all sufficient to bring the church to perfection and to make it a complete body as appeareth by the Apostle where he serteth downe the Officers that haue receiued guifts for the instruction of the Church of Christ Eph. 4 11 12 13. Christ gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the vnity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ If then these suffice for the bringing of the worke to perfection all other inuented by men are needlesse and superfluous and may be cut off as superfluous branches Lastly none can appoint new Officers or Reason 4 strange Ministers in the Church but he that can giue them gifts to discharge the Callings that they vndertake For what is an office with out strength and ability to execute it Eph. 4 10. but an idle name without the thing as it were an empty box without the oyntment But no maÌ„ hath it in his power to bestow any gifts to set vp a new office neither ought hee to set on worke the gifts that God hath giuen otherwise then he appointeth as it were to till the earth with another mans heiffer therefore it belongeth not to any man to institute any new Ministeries or to imploy them that are warranted contrary to the will of him that hath called theÌ„ and consequently it is God only to whoÌ„ it belongeth to chuse such as shal minister before him as the master appointeth his owne seruants that shall serue him in his house and do his businesse Vse 1 Let vs in the first place see what profitable vses arise from this doctrine First of all we learne that no man hath any authority or iurisdiction to peruert or euert that order that God hath set in his Church whether it be by deuising new Ministeries or by destroying diminishing of the old For as well do they erre in building that adde such as are not warranted as they that take away such as are established in the word It is a true saying worthy to be obserued deliuered by Christ our Sauiour Euery plant which mine heauenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted vp Matth. 15 13. It is the word of GOD that endureth for euer all mans deuices are as the flower of the field that fadeth in a moment There is nothing shall continue constant which standeth not by the strength of God The traditions of men howsoeuer they may seeme to be firmely rooted and strongly backed by the best deuices and pollicies that flesh and blood can deuise yet they are as chaffe which the wind driueth away and they shall not be able to endure It is truely spoken of Gamaliel though it be euilly applied Acts 5 38. Refraine from these men and let them alone for if this counsell or this worke bee of men it will come to nought The Church is the body of Christ wherein nothing is too much nothing too little 1 Corinth 12 12. For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is it in the mysticall body of Christ whereof he is the head In the naturall body of man if it should haue three legges or three â—ands or diuers heads it would be a monstrous body it would not reioyce or take pleasure in that excrescence or abounding of proud flesh Or if it had onely one legge or one eye it could not delight in it but would be greeued at the defect So is it in the body of Christ which is the Church God hath made it a perfect body he hath giuen it hands eyes to guide it selfe into the way of peace and to bring it vnto the kingdome of glory If wee will adde other eyes or other hands then God hath fitted or tye them that it hath from imploiment to the good of the body we do iniury to the body of CHRIST and make the Church disfigured and deformed If wee should see a man in our daies like to the gyant mentioned in the second booke of Samuel whose stature was exceeding great that should haue on euery hand sixe fingers and on euery foot sixe toes 2 Sam. 21 20. foure and twenty in number we would thinke it vncomely and ill-fauoured and no ornament vnto the body So is it with the Church which ought to haue her forme and feature in euery part It is for beauty and comlinesse compared to a company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots Cant. 1 verse 9 and to a rowe of Iewels It is saide to be beautifull as Tirzah Cant. 6 verse 4. and comely as Ierusalem that is compact together Psalme 122 3. It is saide to looke foorth as the morning to bee faire as the Moone cleare as the Sunne and terrible as an army with banners Cant. 6 verse 10. If then wee shall strippe the Church of any of her ornaments if we shall wound it and take away her veile from her Cant. 5 verse 7. If we shall giue her any new parts or rob her of any of her true parts we make her no longer beautifull and beloued to say of it as Christ doth Thou art all faire my Loue there is no spot in thee Cant. 4 verse 7. We make it deformed as a body that is eyther maimed or monstrous Eph. 5 26 27. This is the commendation of the Church that her glory is absolute perfect throughout all the parts of her and that it hath no spot no blemish no imperfection Such a glorious body is meet to be ioyned with so glorious an head as Christ is When we suffer the Church to be all black and foule full of wrinkles and withered deformities how should it be vnited vnto him Happy is that Church that hath all her parts and none but her parts like a body that retaineth the naturall lustre But if it want any members that it ought to haue or haue gotten an ouerplus that it ought not to haue they serue to no other vse but to disfigure the body and to disgrace the head The true naturall parts are much ashamed both of those wants and of those superfluities the which the more they are the farther is that Church from perfection Some Churches haue somewhat too much that ought to be pared away some Churches haue too little that ought to be restored and some Churches are
booke Let that once haue a free passage and none is so simple but he may soone discouer a packe of deuises who are wise in their generation and therefore they suffer none to reade it but such as it pleaseth them Separate some time to this purpose and thou shalt quickly see that to be most true which I say vnto thee â—ct If thou wilt say vnto me I cannot reade the Scriptures I was neuer brought vp vnto it â—er Be it so yet do not alledge this to excuse thy ignorance or to shift off from thee the knowledge of them forasmuch as euery one must know the Scriptures Recompence that want by much study and often meditation Let not the loue of the world thrust out of thy head heart the cogitation of better things Many that cannot reade are more prompt and ready in the Scriptures then such as haue that gift God will blesse them that endeuour to know him and his word and will one way or other supply their wants â— 6 6. Such as hunger thirst after knowledge shall be satisfied and replenished Acknowledge this want mourne for it and if it be possible though thou be old learne to reade It is neuer too late to begin to do well the benefit will easily make amends for the time bestowed vpon it Few there are but euery yeare spend more time in vaine either in grosse idlenesse or in much sleepe or in vaine company or in vnnecessary cares for the world which might this way be better imployed and redeemed The minde is all in all it is not any hardnesse in the matter it selfe that should discourage vs. He that hath once determined to do it hath ouercome the difficulty of it which standeth in resoluing and hath more then halfe attained vnto it But if we cannot or will not striue to come to this gift we must know that ignorance shall excuse no person and he that knoweth not his masters will cannot escape â—e 12 48. he shall be beaten If there be no knowledge of God in the Land he hath a controuersie against it and will cause it to mourne if it will not lament for their owne ignorance he will make them lament for the iudgements that shall fall vpon them Hos 4 1 2. But we cannot pleade ignorance through want of meanes we haue the meanes and are weary of them as Israel was of Manna we make account of it as a light meate and are wilfully blinded we haue the light among vs yet shut our eyes that we should not see Vse 4 Lastly it is needfull for vs to be carefull to take profit by reading the Scriptures that so we may haue direction in all our waies and learne how to please GOD and to abstaine from all things that do displease him It is not the bare hauing of the Scriptures with vs in our houses or a naked reading in them by our selues without farther consideration that will serue to direct vs in all the actions of our life but there is farther required of vs an applying of them an edifying of our selues by them that it may be seene how we profit in them This duty hath many particular parts or branches belonging vnto it Branches of this vse First of all we must haue recourse vnto God the Author of the Scriptures he onely is able to vnlocke them and so to bring vs into the secret chamber of his presence We ought to pray vnto him earnestly that he would vouchsafe to teach vs the way of his statutes to giue vs sound vnderstanding of his will to direct vs in the paths of his commandements We see this by the practise of the Prophet Dauid Psal 119 Psal 119 18. who craueth oftentimes to haue his eyes opened to behold the mysteries of his words and the wondrous things of his law Our eyes naturally are shut and we cannot conceiue them which are spiritually discerned Secondly we must keepe such order in the reading of them as may stand with our calling and state of life and take all opportunity to do it It were to be wished that we would set apart some part of euery day to be emploied in this exercise that so we might read ouer the whole Scriptures oftentimes and if at any time we be hindred by necessary occasions which happen to vs without our searching of them to redeeme the time afterward Eph. 5 16. and so to recompence that which we haue left vndone This is an holy restitution much pleasing vnto God Thirdly we must vnderstand to what ends and vses the Scriptures were written They were penned to teach that we may learne the truth to improue that we may be kept from errour to correct 2 Tim. 3 16. Rom. 15 4. that we may be driuen from vice to instruct that we may be setled in the way of well-doing and to comfort that in trouble we may be confirmed in patience hope of an happy issue Fourthly we are to remember that the Scriptures containe matter concerning all sorts of persons and things which may be reduced to fiue heads First touching religion and the right worshipping of God they teach how to serue him and what to beleeue touching God and touching mankinde That he is one in essence and three in persons Touching our selues that by creation we were made good holy and righteous By our fall we are become wretched by reason of sinne and not able to thinke one good thought or to stirre one foote forward to the kingdome of Heauen By regeneration we are borne againe and made the sonnes of God by adoption and by faith we lay hold on Christ our wisedome our sanctification our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1 30. our redemption Touching the Church we are instructed by them that it is the company of the faithfull that haue beene from the beginning we are led also by them to know the two Sacraments and what to beleeue of the generall iudgement that shall be of the godly and vngodly Secondly they informe vs touching kingdomes and common-wealths and touching the duties of Magistrates and Subiects how the one ought to rule and the other to obey and neither the one nor the other doe their duties for conscience till the word informe them Thirdly they handle matters touching families and houshold affaires in which are the husband and wife parents and children masters aâ—d seruants no duty required of them is omitted but contained in them Fourthly touching the priuate life of euery particular person how to behaue our selues in wisedome and folly in loue and hatred in sobriety and incontinency touching mirth sorrow speech and silence humility pride to imbrace the one and flye from the other Fiftly touching the common life of all men we learne in them how to leade our liues in euery estate whether we be rich or poore whether we be high or low we can be in no estate but we shall finde sufficient store of heauenly
Secondly touching the Merarites which are another of the familes what he saith of them verse 31 of this present chapter compare it with the 36 and 37 verses of the former chapter Lastly touching the Gershonites the 25 ver of this fourth chapter with the 25 verse of the third chapter and we shall see hee telleth them againe and againe what burdens they are to beare and what seruice they are to performe He might haue referred vs to that which hee had before set downe but he doth againe particularly rehearse and repeat it God forbiddeth needlesse repetitions in praier and condemneth much babling that bringeth no benefit with it therefore he vseth it not himselfe neither do any of the Penmen of the holy Scriptures who wrote as they were inspired by the Spirit of God the Author of them They were chosen vessels of God and as it were his Secretaries so guided by him that they could not erre in writing no more then in speaking of it We learne from this practise of Moses in this place Doctrine It is lawful for the Ministers to repeat the points that formerly they haue taught that it is lawfull for the Ministers and Teachers of the Church to make repetitions of things formerly taught and to deliuer the same points and parts of religion againe and againe both for matter and forme not thereby to ease themselues or to maintaine sloth in thē but for the benefit of the Church Moses in the booke of Deuteronomy repeateth to the people many things done before and expressed in the former bookes and therefore it is fitly called a repetition of the Law and there he rehearseth the ten Commandements againe Deut. 5. So do the Euangelists declare how Christ our Sauiour often repeateth the same things and preacheth againe the same points he had deliuered before and therfore his practise may well be our warrant and his example our direction Thus doth the Apostle Peter shew what he did and what he will do 2 Pet. 1 12. Wherefore I will not bee negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things though ye know them and be established in the present truth And afterward in the same Epistle he professeth that hee had written to them of those things whereof his beloued brother Paul had written in all his Epistles The Epistle of Iude is a repetition of those things handled by Peter in his second Epistle and is as it were an abridgement of it So the bookes of Chronicles do repeat many things before set downe in the bookes of the Kings albeit it be done with much accesse of matter profite to the reader as we shall see by diligent obseruation in the reading of them In like manner the Apostle Iohn wrote vnto them those things which they had beene taught before I haue not written vnto you because ye know not the truth but because yee know it and that no lye is of the truth 1 Iohn 2 21. This may plentifully appeare vnto vs in the comparing of the olde Testament with the new one strengtheneth and confirmeth another and sundry things are repeated in the new which are deliuered in the old We see the Gentiles in the Acts of the Apostles Acts 13 42. besought Paul and Barnabas that the same words might be preached vnto them the next Sabbath day which they had first offered vnto the Iewes All which examples as it were a cloud of witnesses do confirme the lawfulnesse of their practise that teach againe what they haue taught and deliuer the same points which before they haue deliuered and so bring forth out of their storehouse things both old and new for this custome could not be vsed without some accesse and addition of new matter according to the manner of God vsed in the holy Scriptures Reason 1 This is not done without cause and good reason For first men are commonly dull in hearing slacke in comming weake in remembring and slowe in practising They are as a tough oake that is not felled at one stroke as an hard stone that is not broken in peeces with one blow they are as marble that is not pierced with once dropping of water vpon it but requireth a constant and continuall falling vpon it according to the Commandement of God directed to his Prophet Ezek 21 2. Sonne of man set thy face toward Ierusalem and drop thy word toward the holy places and Prophesie against the Land of Israel For albeit we be often taught and plainely instructed heere a little there a little yet we cannot conceiue and carry away the things we heare The Apostle saith Heb. 5 11. We haue many things to say and hard to be vttered seeing ye are dull of hearing where he giueth this reason why he had need begin againe the first rudiments of Christian religion as it were to lay the foundation of the house againe before hee went forward with high mysteries euen in regard of their dulnes and slacknes in learning Reason 2 Secondly it is safe and sure for all hearers to haue often repetitions It hath his good vse and speciall benefit Many witnesses do make sure worke and confirme strongly and stedfastly the things taught Hence it is that the Apostle saith writing to the Philippians chap. 3 1. To write the same things to you to me indeed is not greeuous and for you it is safe That which is once spoken is through our infirmity and corruption as good as neuer spoken as one witnesse is no witnesse GOD would haue euery truth confirmed by two or three witnesses and forasmuch as the historie of the life and death of the doctrine and myracles of the resurrection and ascension of Christ is so maine a pillar of our religion in the knowledge whereof our saluation consisteth hee would haue it confirmed by foure authentike witnesses and Christ carried by them as on a fourefold Chariot in triumph like a mighty Conqueror that hath subdued all his and our enemies Thus doth God prouide most plentifull meanes to remoue our infidelity to take away our doubting and to remedy our infirmity Thirdly repetition worketh a deeper impression Reason 3 in vs and serueth to beate it into the conscience as well as into the vnderstanding It is necessary that we be stirred vp quickned to the practise of good things by the goad of repetitions This consideration made the Apostle say I thinke it meete 2 Pet. 1 13. as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you vp by putting you in remembrance Practise is an hard thing and rare We are not easily brought to performe such things as wee know If then once speaking take not hold on vs it may the second time beeing commended vnto vs againe Fourthly we ought not to forbeare from Reason 4 this course because our life is short wee know not how soone we may be called out of this world and giue an account of our Ministery how carefull wee haue beene to gaine
dominions to whom he pleaseth This is highly to abuse this high censure as they doe also other ordinances of God What is more comfortable then the Supper of the Lord yet they haue horribly and shamefully prophaned it nay they haue altogether abolished it and brought it to nothing by the abominable idoll of the Masse which they haue set vp in stead thereof Suppose this man of sinne had iurisdiction and authority to excommunicate for sinne yet from whence had he right to apply it to the deposition of kings and alienation of subiects and other temporall matters but from him that is the authour of sinne to wit the diuell Lib. 1. de Consider It was well said of Bernard to the Bishop of Rome Your power standeth in censuring crimes not in taking away possessions but a kingdome is a possession and therefore his power extendeth not vnto it Besides the committing of any heinous crime is not a sufficient cause to depriue them of their Crownes and Scepters When a priuate person is censured with excommunication according to the merit of his offence hee loseth not his substance he forfeiteth not either house or land he loseth no part or parcel of his possessions neither is there any cause why he should neither was there euer any such claimed or challenged or practised or assayed What then is the nature of this censure changed when the Bull roareth against Princes shal it take froÌ„ him his possession which it doth not from any other The law of God saith Thou shalt iudge the small as well as the great and not respect persons in iudgement Deut. 1.17 But according to the corrupt proceedings in their courts it were better to bee a priuate man then a Prince To ascend a step higher that we may pull downe the pride of Rome a step lower is it otherwise in the degrees of honour and dignity whereunto men are aduanced then with priuate persons when a Knight is excommunicated is he disgraded of his knight-hood hath he his spurs smitten off with a knife hard by the heeles hath he his coate of armes torne from his body Stowes Annal. in the reigne of Edw. 4. and other ornaments and ensignes of renowne and worship taken from him â—r doth the noble man forfeit his nobility lose his Barony or of a Baron is he made no Baron This was neuer attempted or heard off The lightning that descended from the Vatican neuer touched either the priuate mans possession or the noble mans honour how then should it goe worse with the king himselfe then with al his subiects that he should lose his royalty and not the Baron his Barony Moreouer it is the Apostles rule That God iudgeth those that are without the Church cannot giue sentence against such as are not of the Church 1 Cor. 5.12 13. as we noted before Some are in the Church and some are out of the Church The Church is the house and Citie of God the faithfull are his houshold seruants they liue and abide vnder his roofe they eat of his meate and therfore happy is their condition Such as are not of the Church are not of his house and therefore must perish as all they were drowned that entred not into the Arke and as all perished in the sacking of Iericho that were not in Rahabs house and therefore their condition is wofull and miserable as Reuel 22.15 These shall not goe vnpunished God shall enter into iudgement with them the Church hath nothing to doe with them God will proceed against them so that they shall not escape let vs therefore remit them to his seate of iustice But the Church of Rome holdeth that we are heretiks schismatikes and I wot not what else and so out of the bosome of the Church For so many as do not submit themselues to the Popes supremacy him they adiudge and condeme of heresie If then we be none of the Church they cannot smite vs with their censures nor thunder against vs with their excommunications wherby notwithstanding they haue especially raised vp their state to the top of greatnesse and haue laid such a burden vpon their heads that in time is likely to breake their neckes Excommunication then being a cutting off from the Church of such as are of the Church it cannot touch vs euen in their own iudgment whom they teach in all their bookes of Controuersies to be out of the Church Furthermore this is such a censure as neuer any of the Apostles nor their successors practised to meddle with such as were heathen Pagans or to touch their persons or to take away their possessions This is a barre or blocke that lyeth in the way to hinder the conuersion of kings that are Gentiles For who among them would willingly embrace the Christian religion who being before an absolute Prince should by his embracing the faith and receiuing the Gospel put his head vnder the Popes girdle and offer his necke to be led vp and downe in a string at the discretion of his good lord and master and be a king no long then it pleased him He shall make his estate much worse then 〈◊〉 his people as if the Church were a tender mother to priuate men but a step mother vnto Princes Againe God hath prouided by this ordinance that none should be censured but he only that hath committed the fault and that such as haue not offended should not be punished and chastened The kingdome is an inheritance and admitteth a successour of the same line If the father be dethroned and depriued of his kingdome and it be giuen away to another or left to him that can seaze vpon it the sonne cannot reigne by succession from his father albeit he be innocent he shall not inherite the kingdome albeit he be in no fault at all so that the son must beare the iniquitie of the father contrary to the Law of God Deut. 24.16 and the practise of the godly 2 Kings 14.6 The Prophet Ezekiel handleth this at large chap. 18. ver 20. The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe What iustice then is this to strike the innocent with the guilty and to binde them together as it were into one bundle It was well said of Abraham in his prayer to God Gen. 18.24 25. Peraduenture there be fifty righteous within the citie wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein That be farre from thee to doe after this maner to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be farre from thee shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right If this be farre from God it ought also to be far from the Church of God If the iudge of all the world will doe right shall he that holdeth himselfe to be the head of all the Church delight to doe open wrong But these
with suspicion of adultery when as oftentimes she is innocent I answere Answer that God dealt with his people two wayes sometimes he commandeth that which is simply and in it selfe good and honest and forbiddeth that which in it selfe and owne nature is euill as when he commandeth to restore and forbiddeth a witch to liue and infinite such like precepts Againe sometimes he winketh at some euils that could not be auoyded as it were bearing with an inconuenience to remedy and to preuent a mischiefe To the end they might sly from the greater he tolerateth and permitteth the lesser euill This we see euidently in the cause of diuorse Deut. 24.1 He suffereth them to put away their wiues vpon priuate grudge and dislike as he doth allow it simply in the case of adultery Matth. 5.32 and 19.8.9 Not that he euer approued of it but Christ saith it was for the hardnesse of their hearts howbeit from the beginning it was not so The like we might say of marrying many wiues a common custome among the Patriarkes and godly kings which was as a mighty streame bearing all things before it it was permitted but neuer allowed Mal 2.15 it was practised but neuer pronounced to be lawfull Sometimes therefore God giueth lawes as Lord and God to their consciences which did binde them for euer and sometimes as a Lawgiuer he tolerateth that which he could not take away as Princes doe such abuses as haue taken roote among their subiects and are growne to an head so that custome is turned into another nature For to beare with corruptions is one thing and to remooue them is another So in this place howsoeuer the iealous head of the surmising husband offendeth against God when vpon euery light occasion and suspicion he accuseth his wife that is innocent of adultery yet lest he being wayward and head-strong should rage and rise against his wife in fury and lay violent hands hands on her and so be his owne iudge and executioner it pleased God to remedy that mischiefe allowing them an ordinary meanes to make tryall of their wiues whether they were guilty or not guilty of vnfaithfulnes and falsehood toward them In the meane season God alwayes condemneth iealousie suspicion arising without iust causes forbids to receiue a false accusatioÌ„ not only against their wiues but against any their friends neighbors or enemies as we shall shew more afterward And the Priest in this case if he saw no cause of suspition that he could approue off no doubt both might and did put backe the husband and reiect his needlesse tryall and therefore he is commanded when he intendeth such a matter to goe first of all to the Priest euen as the leapers were sent to the Priest who did pronounce them either cleane or vncleane and was made a competent iudge in the matter So that al husbands were not altogether left to their libertie to accuse without cause to try without proofe and to suspect without occasion And albeit the same allowance be not giuen to the wife to make tryall of the suspected husband yea though the spirit of iealousie come vpon her yet the husband was warned hereby that he is no lesse guilty in the sight of God who would also find him out in his sinne and that he ought to deale with all meekenesse and moderation with his wife as it is noted touching the Pharisees when Christ said to them that would haue the woman taken in adultetery to be stoned Ioh. 8.7 9. Let him that is without sinne among you cast the first stone at her they which heard it being conuicted by their owne conscience went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen vnto the last Thus much touching the first Question Againe others may obiect and say What Obiect 2 needed this solemne meanes of purgation which was to be put in practise by so many seueral ceremonies some to be done by the husband some by the wife some by the Priest forasmuch as there was a neerer course and a more ready way to bring the matter to light For the high Priest hauing on his breast-plate might in all doubtful and difficult cases whatsoeuer haue asked counsell of God and giuen answer vnto men as Numb 27.21 Exod. 28.30 and in the bookes of Samuel This was practised oftentimes when the people of God were in distresse and vncertaine what to doe Whereas this law of tryall of the suspected wife was not often if at any time it was practised As for that which is read and found in the forged and counterfeit Gospel of Iames Daâ—â—d 〈…〉 that the blessed Virgin espoused to Ioseph had these bitter waters giuen vnto her and that she dranke of them and thereby cleared her selfe is no better then a grosse fable of some idle head hammered in the times of darknesse and vented abroad to deceiue the simple I anwere â—â—swer to the obiection that the hauing of one means is not the taking away of another True it is that it is needlesse to be done by more which may be done by fewer but repetition and iteration of moe meanes in Gods matters is not needlesse In earthly things we say commonly that store is no sore and that if a man haue two strings to his bow it is the better â—tle 4.9 so that in all things two are better then one A more plentifull prouision doth not hurt but helpe Howbeit it pleased God to adde this meanes also to diuers others to declare how greatly he hateth and detesteth adultery and that thereby he might terrifie all women and make them afraide to commit secret sinne through the reproach and infamy they were compelled to vndergoe if they should giue any suspicion of adultery vnto their husbands Obiect 3 Lastly the question must be asked what is meant in this place by the spirit of iealousie when it is said If the spirit of iealousie come vppon him verse 14. â—â—swer I answer it is an Hebrew phrase and manner of speaking noting thereby an eager and earnest desire a feruent and forward inclination vnto any thing which are deepely rooted in their hearts So that the Hebrewes cal all earnest inclinations and passionate affections by the name of the spirit as the spirit of lying 1 King 22.13 the spirit of giddinesse Esay 19.14 the spirit of drowsinesse Esay 29.10 the spirit of vncleannesse Zach. 13.2 the spirit of fornications Hos 14.12 the spirit of errour 1 Ioh. 4.6 In all which places it signifieth the exceeding forwardnesse and wonderfull pronenesse of mans corrupt nature vnto those euils as though the soule were wholly set vpon them and minded nothing else Againe by a figuratiue speech it pointeth out vnto vs the chiefe author and principall cause from whence it is deriued euen Satan the vncleane spirit the euill spirit the worker of all wickednesse the first father and founder and fountaine of all sinne whatsoeuer For euen as when we reade of the
condemn our churches our ministers our sacraments to be no true Churches of Christ no true Ministers of Christ no true Sacraments of Christ And concerning our Liturgie or forme of publike praier read and prescribed to bee read they account it Antichristian they vtterly detest it and account it abhominable no more acceptable to God then the offering of Swines flesh was vnder the Law which the Lord abhorred as if they had instead of his appointed sacrifices cut off a dogs necke And albeit we haue the examples of all other Churches vnder heauen as presidents that go before vs in this practise and albeit wee follow them as they followed Christ yet they wil not allow vs to be like to them nor wil permit that to the people of God which he here prescribed to the Priests yea albeit they haue no examples whom they can pretend to follow yet they wil be singular in their own conceits condemn al others that will not ioyne with them The 136. Psalme was sung in the congregations long after Dauids daies as appeareth 2 Chro. 20 21. what Did they therein offer vp swines flesh Hezekiah that godly king that set his whole heart to seeke the Lord whom the Lord healed of an incureable disease â— Kings 21 1. Esay 38 8. and wrought a miracle in the heauens to assure him of deliuerance from his enemies this good King so much regarded of God togither with his Princes commanded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the words of Dauid and of Asaph the Seer 2 Chro. 29 30 so they did according to the kings commandement sing praises with gladnes they bowed their heads worshipped 2 Chro. 29 30. Did the King and the Princes command the Leuites to offer vp swines flesh or was their seruice no better accepted then the cutting off of a dogs neck or did it any whit quench their zeale or slake their deuotion that the words were not their owne but penned long before by Dauid the Prophet and Asaph the Seer No they praised the Lord with gladnes of heart and humblenes of mind which they testified by this sign that they bowed their heads and worshipped Obiect But it will be saide This was a thansgiuing I confesse it was but if it be lawfull to vse a set forme of praising and thansgiuing Answer then also of praying and making petition because there is a like reason of both And that we may the better see their errour and themselues confesse they are deceiued let vs examine som of their obiections in this place the rest we will reserue vnto the 10. chapter Numb 10 35 36. where we shal haue farther occasion to search more into this point One obiection which Obiection 2 they alledge is this that this set seruice is to quench the spirit 1 Thes 5 19. and to limit him that teacheth vs to pray to tel him how farre he shal go and to appoint him his banks and bounds beyond which he may not passe whereas we shold pray as the Spirit moueth giueth vs vtterance To vse a set forme or if you list to call it so a stinted forme of praier Answer is not to stint the Spirit but to helpe the Spirit But doth the Spirit of God need the help of man Obiection 3 Is not he al-sufficient by himselfe of himself Answer He standeth not in need of vs but is most sufficient howbeit the Spirit in vs is weake the worke of the Spirit is vnperfect and is perfected not all at once but by degreee If all the true seruants of God had receiued a perfect measure of grace and if all that haue the Spirit of God had the same Spirit fully without any defect or infirmity they should not neede any humane helpes but haue sufficient store of their owne So then to the former obiection I answer 3. things First if hee that taketh a booke and readeth a set prayer did stint the Spirit then he that taketh the Scripture into his hands and readeth a chap. out of the old or new Testament and then staieth goeth no farther might as wel be said to stint the Spirit Or he that heareth another pray should stint the Spirit also because all such as heare the prayers of others are stinted what to heare All cannot neyther ought to bee speakers either in the priuate house or in the house of God 1 Cor. 14 40. this were to breake the order of decencie required in prayer now such as are hearers of others haue words after a sort prescribed vnto them and limited how farre to goe and yet cannot such hearers be iustly taxed to limit or to quench the Spirit Againe obserue that the Spirit of God is neuer stinted or curbed neither can rightly be said to be quenched so long as it is kept within his owne bounds that is the limits of the holy Scripture as it ought to be Hee then that prayeth the prayer of Christ or the salutation of Paul or a Psalme of Dauid which he hath premeditated before or committed to memory cannot be said to quench the Spirit except we will imagine that the Spirit can be against himselfe Lastly to quench the Spirit is to oppose against the voice of the Spirit Rom. 1 18. to crosse and contradict the Spirit and to with-holde the truth in vnrighteousnesse Therefore althogh a man doeth not speake euery thing that the Spirite putteth into his head and into his heart yet hee cannot be charged to quench the Spirit except he set himselfe against it that with a set purpose to gainsay and resist it As for example when wee craue of GOD to feed vs with food conuenient for vs Pro. 30.8 to make vs content to eate our own bread 2 Thes 3 12. though we do not expresly pray to God to keep vs from vsing vnlawful shifts vngodly meanes whereby we seeke to get into our hands the goodes of other men yet we cannot be said to quench the spirit except we refuse so to pray because wee purpose to liue and thriue by iniuries and oppressions by fraud and deceit then indeede we quench the Spirit because we controll the voice of the Spirit speaking to vs in his word Again they obiect Obiection 4 that the scripture techeth that we know not what or how to pray Rom. 8 26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we shold pray for as we ought c. but when we haue a set forme of prayer framed to our hands and the booke lieth before vs wee know then what to pray and neede not the helpe of the Spirit and therefore such cannot say with the Apostle they know not what to pray for as they ought This is a silly collection and indeede a meere cauillation I answer therfore 2 things Answ First by setting downe the meaning of the words We know not what wee should pray for as we ought to wit of our selues as 1 Cor. 2 14 15.
we do not deny that the Scripture being vnderstood doth enlighten our mindes but it is not therfore lightsome because it is vnderstood of vs for then the light therof should wholly depend vpon our vnderstanding Thus if we vnderstand it it shall be lightsome but if we vnderstand it not it shal not be lightsome Nay which is much more absurd if one man vnderstand it it shal be light if another man vnderstand it not it shall not bee light thus at one and the same time it shold be both light not light The truth therefore is that the Scriptures are lightsome two wayes â—â—e holy â—â—â—iptures are â—o wayes â—â—â—â—tâ—ome First in respect of them selues secondly in respect of vs. In respect of themselues they are alwaies lightsome of theÌ„selues and haue light in themselues In respect of vs they are lightsome when we vnderstand them and receiue them and light by them But to returne to the former matter the Minister should be the principall light to hold out the Lanthorne to bring men to heauen and to worke in them repentance as Iohn the Baptist is said to be a burning and a shining light Ioh. 5 35. But euery one also in his place must be a light to shine in knowledge and obedience in doctrine and in life On the contrarie when men are as candles put out there falleth great hurt to the church The danger heereof may be discerned by common experience in an hauen towne if the Lanthorne be taken downe or the candle put out which should direct the ships in the night season into the hauen al the ships and the soules that saile in them are left to the mercy of the winds which are without mercy and so all perish by miserable shippewracke In like manner if men haue no light in their hearts to guide them into the hauen and harbour of the church and consequently of the kingdome of heauen they doe as much as in them lyeth betray their owne soules and drowne themselues in eternall perdition Verse 3. And Aaron did so c. The obedience of Aaron is here described and the Candlesticke set in the Tabernacle described It is saide to be of golde as Reuel 1. the most precious of all Minerals for two causes First because as Gold excedeth all other mettals so the Church exceedeth all other societies of men because in it saluation is only to be found Esay 46 13. all other beeing ordained to preserue this safe and sound Esa 45 14. 49 23. Reuel 21 24 26. Yeâ— it is the glory and honour the beauty and ornament of all other societies kingdomes cities townes houses and persons to be parts of the church inasmuch as otherwise they are parts of the world of the kingdome of darknesse yea aâ— dogs swine and vncleane beasts Ephes 22 11 12 13 c. Secondly because it is most precious deare to God and to Iesus Christ as gold is to man because it is an holye company sanctified by the blood of Christ whom it cost deare to redeeme it Acts 20. The Candlesticke in the Tabernacle was to hold the light for the direction of all that were therein from Euening to morning continually Exod. 27 22. It is the vse of euery Candlesticke to hold to keepe to preserue to continue and to yeelde forth the light to the benefit of others This doth mystically represent the church Doctrine teacheth that the church is as the Lords golden candlestick appointed to hold and keepe the light treasury of the Word for euer It is the office of the church to holde and keep the word for euer that it should neuer bee lost or embeselled from vs to the end of the world And as the Candlesticke was to hold the light to the first comming of Christ so is the church to preserue the truth vntil the second comming of Christ It is therefore the office of the church and of euery true member thereof to keepe in it and to publish abroad and to hold out to those that are in it the truth of Gods word to direct their pathes aright as Deut. 31 20. The booke of the Law after that it was written was by the Lord himselfe committed to the Israelites to be kept in the side of the Arke of the couenant The Prophet Esay sheweth That the Word should go forth out of Sion where it was kept into the middest of the earth Chap. 2.3 And the Apostle declareth that the Iewes had the Oracles of God committed vnto them of trust Rom. 3 2. and that to them appertained who were the onely church the adoption and the glory and the Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises Rom. 9 4. And Paul is said to haue written vnto Timothy that hee should know how he ought to behaue himselfe in the house of GOD which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar ground of the truth 1 Tim. 3.15 By all which testimonies wee are taught that the Church holdeth and bringeth the truth Esay 41 27. and conueieth it vnto vs and that wee can no otherwise receiue it or be partakers of it For further proofe heereof obserue with Reason 1 me the titles that are giuen vnto it It is a safe keeper or treasurer to keepe as it were vnder locke and key the holy Iewels of the olde and new Testament that they be neither corrupted by Heretikes nor destroyed by other enemies It is as a cunning Goldsmith to try euery thing Whit. de Scrip. quaest 3. Cap. 2. for as he discerneth pure gold from counterfet mettalles so the church discerneth true Scripture from false or forged books and writings It is as a crier to publish and make knowne the decrees of almighty God It is an Interpreter to expound the sence and to open the meaning of the Scriptures according to the proportion of faith set forth in other parts Secondly it is a great honor and wonderfull preferment that God giueth vnto the Church aboue al other societies and places of the world besides And indeede there can bee no greater honor then to be put in trust with such a treasure If a man should vpon trust commit vnto another a great treasure and make choyse of him to leaue it with him it is a signe he honoreth and respecteth him before and aboue others so is it betweene God and his Church he hath laid vp his trueth in his Church as in his store-house Ps 147 19 20. He hath giuen his word to Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with other Nations as for his iudgements they haue not knowne them This made the Apostle say What is then the preferment or aduantage of the Iew Or what profit is thereof circumcision much euerie day shewing thereby that God committing his Oracles vnto them did aduance and prefer them farre aboue all other Nations Thirdly the church is the house
habitation of God who is light it self in whom only is light properly to be found who dwelleth in light that none can attaine vnto 1 Tim. 6 16. Hee hath called his Church his rest and the place where his honor dwelleth Psal 132 13 14. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue desired it Vse 1 This condemneth the Papistes who stand from the verdict of this doctrine as men endited of two crimes and errors first they accuse the Scriptures left vnto vs in the Originals to be corrupted the old Testament by the Iewes the new by Marcion and other heretikes But it is a vaine surmise without proofe or probability touching the corruption of the original fountaines which notwithstanding the Romanists pretend thereby to make a way to bring in the Latine translation to be the pure authenticke Scripture and consequently to bee preferred before them which is as foolish and vnreasonable as to make the mistris to walke on foot like a seruant Franci Luc. in Epist ad Serlet and to set her handmaid on horsebacke therefore some of their own frends are ashamed of this vanity It is a shame they say to belye the deuill It is a crime to taxe the Iewes of a crime wherof they are not guilty It is wel knowne that howsoeuer they stand affected vnto Christ yet they alwayes were and now are very religious respectiue in keeping the text sound and sincere and cannot by any meanes be induced to choppe and change to adde or to diminish any thing And doubtlesse had they not bene trusty and faithfull would God haue trusted them with this true treasure yea though that Church were oftentimes corrupt yea sometimes an Harlot or an Apostat yet the ouer-ruling prouidence of God hath alwaies wrought in them a care and conscience this way both for their owne future happy estate and the benefit of posterity to come to keepe the ancient records euidences of the Scripture sound sure and sincere This appeareth further by the Sermon of Christ in the Mount reprouing the false interpretations of the Scribes and Pharisies who had very grossely corrupted the meaning of the Law Mat 5 21.27 31 33 38 43. 16 6. The church of the Iewes was neuer more corrupt then in the dayes of Christ yet could they neuer be touched nor be iustly charged with this horrible crime of offering violence to the holy bookes of Scripture And if they might haue bene endited of this detestable forgery â—hrist would not haue omitted this greater fault who often reprooueth them of lesser offences Besides our Sauiour willeth the Iewes to search the Scripture which the Prophets had left vnto them by diuine inspiration hee sendeth them vnto these as then they had theÌ„ to try the doctrine of the Pharisies by them Ioh. 5 39. Iohn 5 39. which hee would neuer haue done had they bene corrupted and themselues the corrupters of them Moreouer touching the Iewes seeing they were mortall enemies to Christ if they were minded to corrupt the Scripture they would haue corrupted for their own aduantage such places out of Moses and the Prophets as concerned Christ whome they hated but these remaine entire by which they are fully conuinced and confuted Andrad lib. â— defens Tridâ—â— Hieron epi. 7â— ad Marcell And therefore one saith well that such as holily and religiouslie handle the Hebrew Text do find therein more notable testimonies of Christ then in the Latine and Greeke Copies Now if the true Church had lost the pure and perfect fountaines of the Hebrew and Greeke Text how could it bee a faithfull keeper of his Will and Testament Howbeit GOD hath euer had a care of his word and truth euen then when he committed the same to the custody of the Church Another error of the Romane church is that they make the churches authority to bee our supreame ground and stay of our faith and set it farre aboue the Scriptures themselues These assertions are found in their writings touching the Scripture It is not authenticall without the authority of the church that the authority of the Scripture dependeth on the authority of the Church necessarily Ecchi â—â—cbirâ—â— Pighi lib. 1. de Hierar eccl cap. 2. that we are not bound to take them for Scripture without the authority of the Church that in respect of vs the church hath absolute authority to determine which is Scripture and which is not that the Church hath power to make a booke not Canonicall Stapl. to be Canonicall and one of them vttred this impudent and shamelesse blasphemy that the Scâ—ipture should bee of no more credit then Aesops Fables Hermaâ—â—m without the approbation allowance of the church Howbeit as wee must not take from the church hir right so we must take heed that we giue not to it more then is due and so rob God of his honour and glorie and derogate from the excellency and authority of the Scriptures They make the Church the light it selfe and not the Candlesticke to hold the light say that it also is called light I answer it is a borrowed light receiuing all the light it hath from the word as the Moone doth from the Sun They make it to be the authorizer of the word and hold that it is of no force or credit but is as a dead letter and inken diuinity without it This is no better then to hang the word and consequently Cal in infâ—â—â— lib 1. cap. 7. the promises of God the kingdome of heauen saluation it self vpon the pleasures of men wheras the church is founded and grounded vpon the word not the word vpon the Church as Peter is builded vpon Christ not Christ vpon Peter All the authority that the Church hath be it neuer so great it hath it from the Scripture for how do we know whether the Church erreth or not but by the Scripture The Church cannot giue vs faith whereby we beleeue in Christ and lay hold of eternall life it is the Scripture that worketh it by the inspiration of the holy Spirit The Scripture is the chiefest and the highest court from whence is no appeale but we may appeale from the iudgement of the Church to the Scriptures not from the Scripture to the Church The Church that is the company of the faithfull are not lords ouer our faith they are ruled by faith not ouer-rulers of our faith True it is the Church is a means to bring vs more speedily to know the Scriptures as the woman of Samaria was a meanes to bring the Samaritans to beleeue in Christ 〈◊〉 4 42. but as they when they had heard Christ beleeued not so much for her report as for that themselues had heard him speake so after the Scriptures are discerned and pointed out vnto vs as by the finger of the Church we beleeue them to bee the word of
God not so much because the Church affirmeth it but because we find them to be so as the sheep of Christ acknowledged the voyce of their Shepheard Christ Iesus speaking in them Vse 2 Secondly this assureth vs that the trueth of God shall remaine and continue for euer to the end of the world It may be sometimes brought into a narrow compasse and be much eclipsed that the light shall appeare to be but little but it shall neuer perish vtterly or bee rooted out of the earth For seeing the Church is appointed the keeper and continuer of the trueth as the candlesticke of the candle and that the Church shall abide for euer because the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Matt. 16.18 it cannot bee that the trueth should faile and decay as we see notwithstanding the enemies of Iudah and Beniamin the word is kept vncorrupt and inuiolable to this day God will neuer suffer his people to be robbed thereof but his speciall prouidence watcheth ouer it for our good This doth the Scripture it selfe witnesse touching the durablenesse thereof that the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the wordes of this Law Deut. 29.29 The Lord hath founded his testimonies for euer Psal 119.152 Our Sauiour speaketh more fully euidently and vehemently Heauen and earth shal passe away but my words shall not passe Mar. 13.31 againe Verily I say vnto you till heauen and earth passe one iotte or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled Matth 5.18 We know by experience that all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man as the flowre of grasse the grasse withereth and the flowre thereof fadeth and falleth away Peter 1 25. but the word of the Lord endureth for euer This we may see in the bookes of Salomon 1 Kin. 4.32 33. Hee spake three thousand Prouerbes and his songs were a thousand and fiue and he spake of trees from the Cedar tree that is in Lebanon euen vnto the hyssope that springeth out of the wall he spake also of beasts and of fowles and of creeping things and of fishes These bookes of naturall Philosophy were no doubt the most profitable bookes that euer were written in that kind he being endued with the greatest wisedome that euer man since the fall had Christ Iesus only excepted yet none of these are to be found onely those that pertaine to religion and godlinesse remaine safely reserued for all posterities This is the more to be considered wondered at inasmuch as there be infinite moe in the world that affect the knowledge of natural things rather then they doe spirituall and of earthly rather then they do heauenly yet they could not deliuer them from the ruines of time but they are buryed in the graue of perpetuall forgetfulnesse neuer to be raised or recouered These are dead and gone as if they had neuer been written wheras on the other side his holy writings hated of the most part of the world and carelesly regarded of the multitude euen of those that liued in the bosome of the Church haue notwithstanding as full a remembrance as they had the first day the Lord gaue them to his people This serueth to conuince those that thinke many of the bookes inspired by God to be lost thereby accusing the prouidence of God or at least the church of great carelesnesse and negligence of which crime notwithstanding it is not guilty Thirdly there is no light of trueth to bee Vse 3 found any where else able to guide vnto faith and saluation then in the true Church of God For all other places are places of darkenesse and nothing to be found in them but lies errours deceiuings superstition and the spirit of slumber Exod 10 23. As no light was to be found in all Egypt but in the land of Goshen and among the Israelites onely so no sauing doctrine that giueth light to the eyes of the minde is to be found out of the Church they that are in this state liue in palpable darkenesse and can see neither themselues nor others but lie in ignorance and wickednes as Iohn teacheth We know that we are of God 1 Iohn 5 19. and the whole world lyeth in wickednesse Such sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death till this light set on the Candlesticke be brought vnto them Matth. 4 16. The people which sate in darkenesse saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp Therefore to be out of the Church is to be in the state of damnation yea to be in the very dungeon of hell and the kingdome of darkenesse to be vnder the power of Satan the prince of darknesse as there was no saluation out of the Church Let euery man therefore seeke and endeauour with all care to ioyne himselfe to the true Church of God to be a member of the body of Christ that so we may attaine to the light of knowledge and the light of the eternall life Vse 4 Lastly it is a duty belonging to euery one to be an helper to the spreading abroad of the doctrine of godlinesse and to doe all for the truth but nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13 8. Euery man desireth to bee the messenger of good newes so should wee desire to publish to others and to continue to posterity the sauing knowledge of the Gospel For this is the foundation and ground-work of all true obedience The truth of God is as a precious treasure beset with many enemies that wold take it from vs against whom we must alwaies cōtend that we may keepe faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1 19. This truth is the instrument of the holie Ghost to worke all necessary graces in our hearts Rom 1 16. as beeing the power of GOD to saluation and it reuealeth vnto vs all things needful vnto saluation concerning things to be beleeued or things to be practised Hence it is that the Apostle Iude saith Beloued when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation Iude verse 3. it was needfull for me to write vnto you that yee should earnestly contend for the faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints The true treasure of the Church is committed to the Saints they are the keepers of the doctrine of saluation This is no small trust it is no smal charge that is giuen vnto them wee must therefore fight to maintaine it This must not bee a bodily fight but a spirituall combat and it consisteth of diuers duties Ioel 2 28. Euery man in his place ought to bee as a Prophet or a Preacher for wee are made spirituall Priestes both to pray and to preach We are bound to teach all that are vnder our roofe and iurisdiction that we may be as Gods blessed instruments to conueigh his truth to others It is the duty of
and his memoriall for euer to all generations but he must speak some such like words as if God were delighted with copy and variety of words or did hunt after letters and syllables or as if it were a fault to speak as God speaketh or as if Moses could better deliuer his message in his owne words then in the words of God Againe when the Prophets came from God to the people and brought their warrant and commission with them from him and cryed out Thus saith the Lord the meaning must be according to the conceite of these men God hath not commaÌ„ded to speak the same words nay hee hath forbidden and restrained them that they may not vse them This is most ridiculous both in respect of God and of the people For when God saith to the Prophets Thus ye shall speake to the people they make him say Take heede ye vtter not these words but speake freely to the same effect spare not and varie them at your pleasure And when the holy Prophets came to the people and as they were directed and appointed saide Thus saith the Lord it shall bee as much as if they should say vnto them If yee doe thinke that God hath spoken to mee these words which I am to deliuer you do much deceyue your selues hee hath spoken the like but not the same I may not speak to you from his mouth I must speake from mine owne mouth What can be more childish and foolish then thus to interprete yet all this is necessarily inferred vpon the answer of such as professe theÌ„selues to be our aduersaries Therefore when Christ saith pray thus it is as much by their interpretation as if he had said take heed ye pray not in the same wordes but vse the like of your owne abstaine from mine I giue you liberty to vse what other yee list your selues all which we see to beare no colour or shew of reason I would gladly know of such as are contrary to vs in iudgement practise whether it bee not lawfull to say this part of the prayer Hallowed be thy name If this bee lawfull is it not as lawful to adde the next words in the next place Let thy kingdome come and to this I haue heard they yeeld and confesse it lawfull If this be good why not afterward to adde the rest of the petitions is one more lawfull then another Or can one part be allowed and not the other Thus doe they confound themselues and giue vs an answer out of their owne mouthes â—biect Againe they tell vs that reading is one thing and praying is another and thereupon conclude that a man cannot pray reading I answer â—â—swer they differ indeed being diuers and sundry things so that neither is reading praying nor praying reading howbeit they are not contrary one to the other A man may reade and not pray he may pray not reade and yet he may pray reading and reade praying The like wee might say of speaking and kneeling Speaking is one thing and praying is another a man may speake and not pray he may pray and not speake and yet hee may pray speaking and speake praying So kneeling is one thing and praying is another a man may kneele downe and not pray he may pray and not kneele and yet hee may pray kneeling and kneele praying Wherefore euery reading of a prayer is not praying except withall there be a lifting vp of our harts to God I will shew this by a familiar example touching the Lords praier when we conclude our vnperfect prayers with it we make request to God and consequently pray vnto God But when wee publikely or priuately reade the sixt chapter of Matthew in which the Lords prayer is contained wee reade the words and heare them read yet wee confesse we pray not We haue then no intent to pray but to informe our selues in the will of God set downe in the Scripture So then praying and reading differ thus the one is a powring forth of the supplications and requests of the heart the other is a receiuing into the soule such things as are read These two wee may do easily at one and the same instant if y fault bee not in our owne nature more then in the nature of the things themselues Thirdly Obiection they pretend that stinted prayers cannot bee made as necessity requireth but they tie vs to our bookes and cannot be inlarged according to our wants I answer Answer there be things necessarie to be prayed for at al times and of al men which indeede are the most things that wee are to begge of the Lord of these there may be prescript formes for all times and persons as for other things the prayer is to be applied to the time and necessity For this wee haue the Elders of the Church to help vs to whom we are directed to send Lastly they obiect Obiect we must pray as the Spirit mooueth vs for the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8. I answer Aâ—sw euery one receyueth not such a measure of the Spirit as enableth him to this dutie We haue but the first fruites of it and must vse all good helpes to make supply of our wants as the sicke of the palsie when he could not go to Christ of him selfe was borne by his neighbors Mar. 2 3 4. We are like to a sicke man newly recouered who cannot walke without his staffe or leaning vpon the shoulders of another or except hee be stayed by the hand Many men haue grace in the heart who want wordes of vtterance to expresse it All weake ones need help to minister matter of prayer Wherefore the helpe of the Spirit standeth wel enough with outward helpes Neither let them reply that the Spirit is sufficient and that no other are mentioned for when the Scripture will set forth the worke to be his alone and the force and efficacie from him all other meanes are suppressed and depressed all helpes whatsoeuer are concealed and cast downe and may not come in acount or comparison with him Neuerthelesse fasting lifting vp of the eyes and of the hands kneeling and prostrating of the bodie are outward meanes to make the prayer more feruent and do not take away oâ— derogate any thing from the Spirit Secondly we are directed from hence to Vse 2 vse publike and priuat praiers more reuerently and religiously then commonly wee doe both prayers in the Church and prayers in families being warranted by the word though they be read out of the booke by the Minister of the Church or the master of the family For though the prayers bee common yet ought they not to be the lesse regarded There bee two sorts of people which be both in extreamities and iustly to be reproued The one son do so highly magnifie the common prayers allowed appointed by authority that they regard no other but brand them with the title of conceited prayers and so doe account the preaching of the word as
liuing God which made heauen and earth it had beene enough to perswade them to zeale and sincerity But this most diuellish doctrine was not hatched and broached in those daies these newters cunning polititians of the world were not then heard of they are of a later brood sprung vp in these last and worst times It is the commandement of God that we should not follow the multitude Exod. 23 2. But if it were enough to be feruent in that which we follow we might follow the multitude as well as others and the greatest parâ— which commonly is the worst part Lastly it is our duty to striue to enter at the Vse 4 narrow gate The multitude cannot make that which is euill to be good neither that which is good to be euill and therefore we may not forsake the trueth because the multitude forsaketh it A great number cannot make vnrighteousnesse righteousnesse and therefore they cannot make a false doctrine and false faith to be good Hence it is that Ioshua after a generall receiuing of the couenant of God and embracing the true religion of the Prophets and Elders which did professe the same doth solemnely protest to follow this rule that although al they which were a great multitude should goe after another religion and serue other god yet saith he As for me and mine house we wil serue the Lord Iosh 24.15 Obiect But it may be obiected Is that alwaies false which the multitude holdeth or that euer true which the fewest beleeue I answere No Answer For when the trueth is generally embraced if any priuate conuenticle start vp afterward with different doctrine from that true Catholicke doctrine commonly receiue it is a marke of a false Church not of the true It is not a multitude simply that can marke out the Church but a multitude teaching professing and holding the truth But this is a false conclusion Popish and sophisticall conclusions A few must not forsake the multitude which professe the truth Therefore a multitude is a marke of the trueth Or thus It is good in good things to follow a multitude Therefore it is simply good to follow the multitude This is no better then a plaine fallacy to draw that to bee simply true and in euery respect which is true onely in some respect Besides by the strength of this reason why may we not conclude a few also to be a mark of the Church For in the time of Christ and his Apostles when the whole land of Israel boasted of the Law and of the Temple of the Priesthood and of the sacrifices the fewest number were the best the greatest number the worst Ier. 18.18 Esay 8.12 16 c. Reuel 13.6 7 8. The true Prophets were in a maner generally resisted they were reputed as monsters among the people which had made a conspiracy against God When Antichrist should reigne and make war with the Saints and should ouercome and power should bee giuen him ouer euery tribe tongue and nation then a few were the true Church of Christ which keepe the testimony of Iesus that are written in the booke of the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and all other multitudes were schismaticall hereticall which rose vp with different doctrine from the Apostles Thus we see that neither few or many are simply the Church not few because they are few neither many because they are many but if a few hold the faith of Christ those few are the true Church and not the many that are against them on the other side if many dispersed throughout the world beleeue aright those many are the true Church must be followed the rest which are few declining from them and departing from the truth are a false Church and we must decline depart from them and ioyne our selues to the former multitude And as it is in matters of faith so is it in matter of life and practise When we see many walke in euill wayes that leade to destruction follow them not ioyne not with them neither let vs addict our selues to them but by all means keepe our selues from them Let vs not do as the most do when they do euill but as the fewest do when they do good Let no man be emboldned or encouraged vnto euill when he seeth the multitude that run that way neither let any bee terrified or hindred from godlinesse and embracing true religion by the fewnesse of the professors thereof If we walke in the right way it shall leade vs to life Obseruations to be marked touching the following of the multitude albeit wee haue none to goe with vs. Some account it a sufficient excuse to say I do but as others do I shall doe no worse then others I shall escape as well as others An euill the more generally it is embraced the worse it is to be accounted and the more it ought to be resisted and preuented The moe that go to condemnation the greater is the horror of the condemned the moe the more miserable shal their condition bee It shall exempt no man from punishment though he pretend hee was moued and enticed by others The multitude stirring vp Saul to spare Agag and the fatter Cattle could not preserue him or priuiledge him from the wrath of God albeit hee alledged it as a buckler for his defence 1 Sam. 15 21. If all the world taking example one from another should follow an euill and wicked way the faithfull are bound to maintaine the right and truth both in life and in Doctrine Noah was a preacher of righteousnesse when all flesh was corrupted and Lot kept him vpright in Sodom and reprooued their vncleannesse So did Paul in Athens Actes 17 16. his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City fully giuen to idolatry 30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses and saide Let vs go vp at once and possesse it for we are well able to ouercome it The former euill report brought vp of the Land is illustrated by the contrary testimony of Caleb hee resisteth both them and their report and his faithfulnesse is set against the vnfaithfulnesse of the other tenne He sheweth that the land might be possessed and stirreth vp the people to the atchieuement of it he assureth them of victory and good successe if they builded vpon the vnmoueable rocke of Gods power Now albeit Caleb alone be named Yet Ioshua also is vnderstood as chap. 14 6. who ioyned not with them but because he was the seruant of Moses Why Ioshua holdeth his peace hee would not stirre vp the rage of the people against Moses and himselfe but hee held his peace vntill a fitter season were offered in respect of God of Moses of himselfe of the people of the cause A word spoken in season is as apples of Gold with pictures of Siluer saith Salomon Pro. 25.11 In this example Caleb speaketh to the praise of God in the middest of the congregation honoureth God before
that the Lord hath sent me to doe all these workes for I haue not done them of mine owne mind 29 If these men dye the common death of all men Or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me 30 But if the Lord make a new thing and the earth open her mouth and swallow them vp with all that appertaine vnto them and they go downe quick into the pit then ye shall vnderstand that these men haue prouoked the Lord. 31 And as soone as hee had made an end of speaking c. In these words see the willing obedience of the people to the former Commaundement They were willed to separate from the Tents of those wicked they doe separate and depart from them by and by they gate them vp from their Tabernacles And Moses doth notably confirme them in their obedience by foretelling both the death Doctrine the maner of the death of these rebels We learn from hence God alwayes warneth before hee striketh that God neuer bringeth any greeuous iudgement vpon any people or nation nor vpon any priuat person but hee doth alwaies first forewarne the same and foretelleth it God alwayes teacheth before he punisheth and hee warneth before hee striketh Amos chapt 3. verse 7. Luk. 13 verse 7. 1 Kings 22 17. We reade that the world was once drowned by water and it shall be destroyed the second time by fire Of the first destruction we finde that he foretold it vnto Noah before euer hee brought it vppon the face of the earth Gen. 6. verse 3. Heb. 11. verse 7. 1 Pet. 3.20 And touching the second destruction of the world by fire GOD hath not left vs ignorant but in diuers places of the Scripture hath set it downe vnto vs 2. Pet. 3 7 10. Reason 1. The Reasons hereof are partly in regard of the godly and partly in regard of the vngodly Touching the first he would not take his owne people at vnawares because hee loueth them and would haue none of them to perish but would haue all come to repentance 2 Pet. 3 9. that so they might preuent his iudgements Amos 4 12. Secondly touching the vngodly and such as are not the Lords they shal thereby be made without excuse their mouths are stopped and the iustice of God is cleared they hauing nothing to answer for themselues or to accuse God of any vniust dealing Iohn 15 22. These men therefore must learne to accuse themselues because they had warning but they would not bee warned he would haue healed them but they would not bee healed Ier. 20 6. 51.9 1 King 22 25. Vse 1 Acknowledge from hence the great mercy and wonderfull patience of God whose maner is alwaies to giue warning before hee send iudgement This the Lord needeth not to doe for vpon our owne peril we are bound to take heed of his iudgements before they come yet so good is our God that hee onely deserueth this title to be called the good Lord as Hezekia calleth him 2 Chron. 30 18. The good Lord pardon euery one that prepareth his heart He wold haue vs preuent his punishments before they fall and to send out our prayers as Ambassadors to God to treate of conditions of peace with him He doth not play the part of a subtil enemy to steale vpon vs at vnawares forasmuch as before he striketh he alwaies forewarneth that thereby he might saue all those that belong vnto him and bring vpon others iust condemnation How graciously dealt he with Korah and his fellowes with Dathan Abiran How often did Moses warne them Who is it then that ought not to confesse that God willeth not the death of a sinner Or who can deny but that these malefactors perished most iustly Vse 2 Secondly when we see any ouertaken with any iudgement we must confesse that God is true as in his promises so also in his threatnings If his desire were not that we should preuent them doubtlesse he would neuer giue warning of them If he had a will and purpose to destroy vs he would not tell vs before hād both that he would bring them and shew vs the way how to auoide them There is no man that can iustly say that the silence of God and the holding of his peace is the cause of his security he causeth a trumpet to sound the alarme before hee set himselfe in battell array against his enemies For his manner is neuer to come with any iudgement but he alwaies sendeth a warning peece before Obiect But some man will say It was thus indeed in the time of the prophets but wee haue no Prophets in these daies to foret l things to come as in former times they had and therefore we haue no such direction I answer these men as Abraham did the rich man in the Gospel An wer that his brethren had Moses and the Prophets among them If they will not beleeue them neither will they be perswaded although one rose from the dead Luke 16 31. True it is that Moses and the Prophets were dead long before but his meaning is they had the bookes of the Law and the writings of the Prophets before them they were read preached in their Synagogues euery Sabbath day Acts 15 21. So I may truly say that wee haue Prophets among vs and all that contemne them shall know there hath bene a Prophet among them Ezek. 33 33. For we haue the holy Scriptures wherein are contained the workes of the Prophets and Apostles and beside these GOD hath giuen vs his Ministers that they should as it were put life againe into the dead Prophets that is that they should open declare vnto vs those things that are doubtful and obscure and therefore if any bee admonished by them that such such iudgments shal come and they threaten plagues according to the generall directions which they haue in the word Deut. 28 15 16. Leuit. 26.15 16. Let vs not withstand the Spirit speaking in them for it is the wonderfull goodnesse of God that he vouchsafeth to send them vnto vs and to tell vs before of his iudgements Lastly it is the duty of euery one to make Vse 3 good vse of the word of God to know that God looketh for attention and obedience at our hands that so he may not bee inforced to proceed against vs in iudgement O happy are they that seek the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is neere Esay 55 6. Such then as reiect the Ministery of the word reiect their owne peace and bring vpon themselues sundry iudgements The word goeth before to prepare our hearts and it is a two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of soule and spirit Heb. 4 12. But if we be so hard-hearted made of mettal tougher then brasse and iron Reuel 1 1 that this sword going out of the mouth of God cannot enter into vs hee
a true miracle But if it were a miracle men might discerne it by sense as all the miracles of Christ were discerned Let them giue vs an instance in any creature in heauen or earth where the Lord wrought any miracle which he did not subiect to the senses of man but heere is nothing that can be discerned by the senses for as much as the bread by the iudgement of all the senses remaineth and appeareth to bee the same in substance which it was before of the same quality quantity colour taste handling smelling vertue and nourishment there is not any one sense or all the senses together that can iudge otherwise of it then it did before therfore it can be no miracle No work is a miracle which cannot bee felt smelled seene tasted or perceiued Wherefore let the Church of Rome teach in their schooles write in their bookes preach in their Pulpits and decree in their Councels neuer so often that there is a miracle wrought in their Sacrament of the Altar yet because we can neither see nor touch nor taste nor feele any thing but the same that it was before we cannot beleeue them But they tell vs Obiect that though the outward forme and accidents of the bread remaine yet the substance of it is turned into the body of Christ which though we cannot perceiue by our senses yet wee are bound to receiue by faith I answer Answer that if the natural body of Christ were there present we might feele him as Thomas did forasmuch as Christ still retaineth his true body albeit it be now glorified Wherefore seeing there is no miracle in the Supper apparent to the senses there can be no miracle at all The difference which is is in the vse before it was common bread ordained for the nourishment of our bodies now it becommeth holy bread sanctified by the Lord not so much to feede the body as the soule To conclude then by this strange and new found miracle they ouerturne the doctrine of the Scriptures touching miracles For wheras we haue shewed that a miracle is a rare worke apparently to the senses wrought by the sole omnipotent power of God they make it to be an vsuall common and ordinary worke wrought by euery Priests pronouncing of fiue words yet so as no sense at all can discerne of it 12 And the children of Israel spake vnto Moses saying Behold we die we perish we all perish 13 Whosoeuer commeth any thing neere to the Tabernacle of the Lord shall die shall wee bee consumed with dying Hitherto of the first part of the Chapter heere followeth the second part to wit the repentance of the people crauing to bee deliuered from present death and from their sinne wherewith they had prouoked God to anger As if they had said We acknowledge that we deserue to die and perish through our sinnes neither did wee know so much vntill the plague that brake in among vs taught vs and the blossoming of the rod conuinced vs to our faces We presumed to meddle with the office of the Priesthood that belonged not vnto vs and therfore we deserue iustly and worthily to die But is there no place for mercy and forgiuenesse We may obserue from hence that this should bee the effect of all punishments which God bringeth vpon sinners to humble vs â—â—d explic â—â—m to make vs auoide sinne and to submit our selues to God with all obedience Againe we must neuer despaire of Gods mercy which is greater then our sinnes as a garment wider then the body and therfore more then able to couer the nakednesse thereof Thirdly we must acknowledge and confesse our sinnes to God because all sinne is committed against God him onely we haue offended Psal 51.4 Briefly also learne that the first degree of pardon is to know that our sinnes are pardonable this is as a sparke of light in a darke night and giueth hope of great mercy But to leaue these particulars this is the generall doctrine In all chastisements â—trine â—t is to bee â—owled iust in all chastiseâ—ts how grieuous and sharpe soeuer they be God is to bee acknowledged iust and righteous in laying them vpon vs Dan. 9.6 7 8 9 16 19. Ezr. 9.6.10 13 15. Psal 51.4 5. 2 Sam. 24.10 The reasons which are as the grounds of this truth are euident First because his punishments though many times they be greeuous burdens to beare yet are alwayes lesse then our deserts and offences Psal 103.10 He dealeth not with vs according to our offences Secondly our sinnes are the procuring causes of all the euils which we suffer Mic. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him So then the cause of all our sufferings is in our selues Thirdly in all his corrections and iudgements hee remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 Wee see this often in this book though the whole people sinned as one man yet iudgment came not vpon the whole but the mercifull God striketh some to admonish and amende others The vses follow First it reprooueth such Vse 1 as stand out with God and are ready to iustifie themselues and accuse God of ouermuch sharpenesse and seuerity These men neuer consider Gods manifold blessings and their owne vnthankefulnesse vnto him who reneweth his mercies toward vs euery morning Lam. 3.23 But we render vnto him euill for good and hatred for his good will We are like vnto stubborne children that murmure vnder the rod and cannot abide correction So it is with vs we can abide to sinne but wee cannot abide to suffer Wee regard not how much we prouoke him but we care not how little he punish vs. It is one of the hardest things in the world to iustifie God and to condemne our selues worthy of eternall death and damnation We see it from the beginning in our first parents they sought shifts and fig leaues to couer the nakednesse of their soules more then they did the nakednesse of their bodies as indeed there appeared much more deformity in the one then in the other and they had more cause to be ashamed of the nakednesse of their soules then of their bodies For sinne maketh vs naked of Gods protection and causeth him to depart from vs it taketh away our shield and defence and leaueth vs in the hands of our enemies We see also in the example of Achan Iosh 7. of Saul 1 Sam. 15. how hardly they were drawne to confesse their sinnes they heard sentence pronounced against them before they would pronounce sentence vpon themselues Let vs not tarry vntill God iudge vs but rather learn betimes to iudge our selues Secondly let vs humble our selues vnder Vse 2 the mighty hand of God 1 Pet. 5.6 and when he draweth out his sword let vs not say wee are righteous like the Pharisee that condemned another but iustified himselfe Luk. 18. rather let vs cry out in the eares of God Spare Lord Ioel 2.17 and confesse that it is
euery where of prayers prescribed for the liuing Paul directeth the church how to carry themselues toward the dead but we haue no word of praying for them They that die in the Lord are pronounced to be blessed Reu. 14 verse 13. euen from the time of their death and dissolution and therefore come not into any fire at all whereas contrarywise if we may beleeue the Popish Teachers that blowe the bellowes it is made so exceeding hote that it scorcheth beyond measure all such as are cast into it and little difference betweene that fire and hell fire but in the continuance And if this tale were not handsomly tyed together and the furnace heated seuen times hoter then ordinary fire their kitchins would quickly wax cold But wherefore serue all the purgings mentioned in this place in other places of the Law of Moses but to assure vs that sinne is pardoned in this life and the punishment of sinne pardoned also so that nothing remaineth on our part to be satisfied for that were to renounce and deny the satisfaction of Christ But the Papists The Popish opinion of purgatory making Purgatory neither heauen nor hell but as it were a middle place betweene them both doe teach that such as die in veniall sinne are put in that prison to fry for a season vntill by the prayers of the liuing made to God but specially by almes deedes giuen to the Priests and Iesuites and by the pardons and indulgences of the Popes they be released But if Christ haue paid the price for our greatest sinnes how should we not beleeue that he hath much more satisfied for the lesser and they that beleeue not that he gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from the lesser how can they hope or haue comfort that he gaue himselfe for the greater Wherefore this fond distinction of persons of places and of sinnes cannot stand with the word of God And as for prayer for the dead Prayer for the dead doth no good it commeth as a pardon after a man is hanged or as Physicke to the body of him that is departed this life We know how God appointed sundry sacrifices in the time of the Law for all estates in the Church high and low one and other but among them all set downe in this booke and in the booke of Leuiticus we finde none at all no not one offered for the dead doubtlesse either God was very forgetfull of them or else this doctrine was not then hatched The liuing are commanded to pray one for another but neuer for the dead for that were to pray with the foolish virgins Lord Lord open vnto vs when the dore is shut Matth. 25.10 11. And doubtlesse the Church of Rome in this point haue a faith by themselues for not only we of the reformed Churches haue forsaken them The faith of the Greeke Church touching Purgatory but the Greeke Churches also renounce such a Purgatory as the Papists imagine for they deny any purging fire to be after this life such as is materiall and corporall For albeit some of them thinke that there is a middle condition wherein some remaine after death abiding in darkenesse without enioying the light of Gods countenance and are holden in a state of sorrow as it were in a prison vntill by the mercy of God and the prayers of the faithfull they be deliuered and incline to this opinion that the lesser sinnes of men dying in the state of grace are remitted and forgiuen after this life without any punishment at all of fire or any other kind by the meere grace and goodnesse of God yet notwithstanding they confidently pronounce that no Scripture or Councell hath deliuered a double punishment by fire after this life and therefore let all the Romanists and such as adhere vnto them take heed lest while they dreame of a temporary fire they mistake themselues and fall into the euerlasting and vnquenchable fire Matth. 3.12 and 18.8 Now to make this more plaine I will set downe such strong and important reasons as were exhibited to the Councell of Florence and are propounded by others D Field in â— Append. pâ— 25. whereby the foundation of that doctrine is shaken in peeces and falleth to the ground To this purpose obserue that as some little good in them that haue great and mortall sins hath no reward at all by reason of the preuailing euill which is found in them so small sins in them that haue great graces workes of vertue are not to be sharpely punished the better things ouercomming and ouerswaying them Againe the wils of men that are dead and departed hence are either changeable or vnchangeable there is no third can be imagined If they be changeable then they that are good may become euill and they that are euill become good so that neither the good shall bee vnchangeably happy nor the euill vnchangeably miserable but that the dead may fal from the top of happinesse to the depth of misery and contrariwise rise from the bottome of misery to the height of all happinesse If they be vnchangeable then they are not capable of any amendment for he that is corrected from going astray is set aright being brought to dislike that which he liked before and to loue that which he hated before and neither of them can be found in a wil that is vnchangeable Another consideration is drawne from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in the Gospel where Christ Iesus sheweth that the poore man so soone as he was dead was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome and the rich mans soule so soone as hee was dead was found in the torments of hell Luke 16.22.23 There is no middle place of temporal torment as there are but two sorts of persons so but two sorts of places one dying in the fauour of God the other out of his fauour so there are but these places heauen for the one and hell for the other Besides it is no way iust that the soule alone should be punished for the sinnes of the whole man but Purgatory presupposeth a sole punishment of the soule without the body which notwithstanding neuer sinned without the body If it be iustice in God to punish the soule for the supposed veniall sinnes how should it not sauour of iniustice to let the body goe scotfree and suffer nothing For what cause or colour can they suppose or surmise why the body which hath had part and fellowship in the sin and should haue part fellowship in the glory after the forgiuenesse of sinne should haue no feeling at all or suffering of the punishment that purgeth our sin Furthermore it is more proper to God to reward good things then to punish euill because he visiteth the iniquities of the Fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation but sheweth mercy to thousands Exod. 20 5 6. 34 7. Numb 14 18. Ier. 32 18. If then it be necessary to be
answer Answ be it that they are greeuous yet do not say they are greater then can be forgiuen For that is a greater offence against God then the committing of those sinnes that lye so heauie vpon our consciences Hence it is that the Lord saith Though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow and though they bee red as Crimson they shal be as wooll Esay 1 18. Doth not he much abridge and cut short the Princes power and mercy that shall say hee can pardon onely lesser and smaller offences committed against him but cannot pardon Treason and rebellion And doth not he shrink vp the sinewes of Gods power that is infinit and accuse him of impotency and weaknesse that chargeth him not to bee able to forgiue such as are the greatest offenders against him Nay as the mercy of a Prince is most of all seene in sealing a pardon vnto such as haue prouoked him in the highest degree so is the grace and goodnesse of GOD especially manifested in forgiuing those that are sinners aboue others that so Where sinne aboundeth grace may abound much more Rom. 5 20. Againe as well we might say in a pride confidence of our owne works that our good deeds are greater then he can sufficiently reward as in despaire to pronounce that our euill deeds are greater then he can pardon because as his mercie is greater then al our good workes so his power is greater then all our euill workes Who did euer come vnto him to intreate fauour and forgiuenesse at his handes that went away vnpardoned Paul testifieth of himselfe that he was the cheefe of sinners 1. Tim. 1 15. and the least of the Saints Eph. 3 8. yet he obtained pardon And wherefore euen because this example of Gods mercy shewed him should bee an instruction vnto the Church of God for euer that he will deale in like manner with all other that truely repent how great soeuer their sinnes be 11 He that toucheth the dead body of a man shall be vncleane euen seauen dayes 12 He shall purifie himselfe therewith the third day and the seuenth day he shall be cleane but if he purifie not himselfe the third day then the seauenth day he shall not be cleane 13 Whosoeuer toucheth the corpes of any man that is dead and purgeth not himselfe defileth the Tabernacle of the Lord and that person shal be cut off from Israel because the sprinkling water was not sprinkled vpon him he shall be vncleane his vncleannesse shall remaine still vpon him 14 This is the Law When a man dieth in a tent all that come into the tent and all that is in the tent shall be vncleane seuen daies 15 And all the vessels that be open which haue no couering fastned vpon them shal be vncleane 16 Also whosoeuer toucheth one that is slaine with a sword c. 17 Therefore for an vncleane person they shall take of the burnt ashes of the same offering pure water c. 18 And a cleane person shall take hysop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it in the tent and vpon all the vessels c. 19 And the cleane person shall sprinkle vpon the vncleane the third day c. 20 But the man that is vnclean and purifieth not himselfe that person shall be cut off c. 21 And it shall be a perpetuall law vnto them that he that sprinkleth the water of separation c. We haue shewed before how God appointed a red heyfer to be offered and of the ashes thereof hallowed water to bee made wherewith to sprinkle those that are vncleane by touching a dead body or by comming neere any thing belonging to the dead The heathen themselues had certaine purging sacrifices certaine holy waters whereby they cleansed and purified sometimes their land forces and sometimes their sea-forces and sometimes their cattle But that which God prescribeth to his people in this place is of another sort and to another end Moses therefore declareth what persons and what things are to be clensed verses 11 14 15. the time when verse 12. the punnishment of him that omitteth this clensing ver 13 20. the maner how to clense with this water verses 18 19. and how long this Law shall continue verse 21. So then the point that commeth to be considered in this chap. is the water of separation and the vse therof among the people of God Doctrine The water oâ— separation what vse it hath to vs. This thogh it concerned the Israelites onely and was to remaine among them touching the practise as a perpetuall statute yet it had an end in him that brought an end to all types and figures and hee that was buried in the earth for our sinnes buried with him in the graue these ceremonies Neuerthelesse as we haue often noted before there do still remaine diuers and sundrie morall vses from hence for our further instruction which binde vs to the end of the world The vses First of all this serueth to reproue the Papists who haue patched vp their religion with sundry shewes of ceremonies partly Iewish and partly heathenish And from an imitation of this water of separation commanded in this place to be vsed in sprinkling of the vncleane their tents also and vessels they haue brought in their holy water sprinkle and maintaine their superstitious blessing with crosses and their hallowing of waxe palmes ashes â— de culâ—t lib. â— 7. holy bread salt oyle and such like trash and trumpery beare men in hand that they haue power to driue away diseases and to cast out diuels These institutions are apish imitations of the Iewish rites a raising of them out of their graues where they lay buried and rotten long agoe and yet they seeke to quicken them and to put life into them againe Bellarmine handling this point at large deliuereth his opinion in two propositions the first that water oyle bread candles ashes palmes and such like are rightly blessed The second that they are rightly vsed to signifie and to worke supernaturall effects So then the question and controuersie arising between the Church of Rome and vs is this whether these creatures may be vsed not only to signifie but to work supernatural effects To proue this he alledgeth two testimonies out of this book â—b 5.17 the one out of the 5. cha touching the waters of iealousie that if they were drunken they brought to the adultresse certaine destruction for the water caused the curse to enter into her â—b 5.27 so that her belly did swell and her thigh rot The other out of this Chapter touching the waters of separation so called verse 9. and 13. because they were to be sprinkled with it who for some legall vncleannesse were separated from the holy Tabernacle and the company of others â—â—cl annot â—nc loâ— Piscat â—l in Nuâ—â—9 9 The Iewes were not hereby washed from their wickednesse that were sprinckled with this water
purpose of God was to saue them together and therefore he telleth them Except these abide in the ship yee cannot bee safe Act. 27.22.31 God is absolutely able to preserue our life without the taking of food or the labour of our hands or the apparelling of our bodies as the fowles are fed and the Lillies are clothed which neither sow nor reape Mat. 6.26 28. neither labour nor spinne yet he commandeth vs to labour the thing that is good In the garden of Eden in the time of mans innocency Adam was called to labour and after the fall it was saide In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread Gen. 2.15 and 3.19 till thou returne to the earth So God can nourish to eternal life without means of man otherwise we shold diminish his power yet he will haue his word preached in season out of season he will haue it heard and attended vnto with all diligence to begin and to encrease faith in vs and he sendeth a comfortable blessing vpon his owne meanes And therefore the Apostle teacheth Ephes 4.12 That Christ ascending vp to heauen and leading captiuity captiue gaue gifts vnto men for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery fitting teachers to their callings although he can saue without meanes The reasons follow First we are commanded Reason 1 to further Gods prouidence by lawful endeuors in our callings This is to vs most comfortable and giueth euident assurance of the blessing of God without which holy endeuor we want this comfort and assurance Thus the Apostle reasoneth directly 2 Pe. 1. The election of God in it selfe is sure for the foundation of God remaineth and hath this seal 2 Tim 2.19 20. 2 Pet. 1.5 6 9 10. The Lord knoweth who are his yet he requireth of vs to giue all diligence to increate in knowledge faith temperance patience godlinesse loue brotherly kindnesse If ye do these things ye shall neuer fall Reason 2 Againe the end why God hath giuen vs meanes and fitted vs to our calling is to serue his prouidence not to make vs idle in our selues vnprofitable vnto others Gods gifts are to some purpose they were not giuen and granted in vain we must not hide them in the earth but imploy them to their vse This the Apostle teacheth 2 Tim. 1.6 7. I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre vp the gift of GOD which is in thee by the putting on of mine hands for God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power loue and a sound minde And thus Mordecai reasoneth in his charge to Esther that she should goe into the king Eccle. 4.8 13 14. make supplication before him for her people Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time declaring that we haue not our callings singled out and fitted vnto vs to hide our talents in the earth but to employ them to encrease and aduantage The vses remaine First we must know that Vse 1 extraordinary courses are not to be looked after nor to be depended vpon we must leaue them to extraordinary times seasons which are now ceassed and not to be expected Many desire that God should shew among his people such great and miraculous works as hee shewed in bringing his people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and out-stretched arme and so feed themselues with fancies and are carried away after their owne imaginations God hath tyed vs to ordinary courses which are more for our comfort and therefore he that walketh plainely walketh safely Luke 16.27 28 29 30. This vse is concluded out of the parable where the rich man desireth to haue Lazarus sent from the dead to his fathers house to warne them lest they also come into the place of torment But Abraham answered They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them and when the rich glutton would haue other meanes If one come from the dead they will repent he said againe vnto him If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead and come vnto them Whereby our Sauiour sheweth that whosoeuer depends vpon extraordinary meanes visions or reuelations or dreames or the dead when God hath left vs ordinary wayes is to follow by-pathes of our owne to dig cesternes that hold no water and to trust in lying words that shall not profit God hath ordained to teach vs by the Ministery of his word and hath put his hidden treasure in earthen vessels whereunto we must attend as to a light shining in darke places This is the ordinary way and common meanes left vs to attaine saluation and eternall life Hereby then all ignorant persons are reproued and conuinced who neglecting this vsuall way to begin and confirme faith and the rest of the graces of God in vs say O if God would himself speak vnto vs from heauen or if wee might heare Christ preach vnto vs wee would repent and beleeue the Gospel as for men we know not whether they speake the truth or not Others say we haue the Scriptures in our houses we can reade them at home can they by all their teaching preaching make the word of God any better Besides if you vrge Sermons so much we haue Sermon bookes at home wee reade them and can serue God in our houses as well as they that run after Sermons Others also think they haue knowledge sufficient already that they need neither heare nor reade any more Lastly others obiect we haue good prayers and good homilies why should not men be content with them as the law prescribeth and enioyneth All these excuses are but fig-leaues to couer ouer their owne shame when once they are sifted and examined We answer to the first obiection many waies The first â—â—iection aâ—swered First we are not able to endure the dreadfull presence of Almighty God and therefore the faithfull haue cryed out Alasse wee shall die because we haue seene the Lord. Wee heare not the thunder without feare we behold not the brightnesse of the Sun without dazeling how then shold we heare the immediat voice of God or see his glory without confusion Againe if the Lord should speak from heauen and vtter his voyce from the place of his habitation he would speake no otherwise hee would teach no other trueth then the Prophets and Apostles haue deliuered And if wee should heare one of the elect Angels he wold set before vs no new points of religion hee would bring vnto vs no new article of faith and therefore the Apostle saith Gal 1. â— Though wee or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed But it is more comfortable and profitable to vs to be taught by men like vnto our selues then by the angels that are spirits we cannot abide their glory through weaknes of our flesh we cannot be
1 Cor. 8 1. lest our knowledge puffe vp and adde to our farther condemnation Therefore the Apostle writing to the Church of the Thessalonians being one of the most goodly and glorious churches that the Apostle planted who aboue the rest of the churches surpassed in knowledge excelled in faith abounded in loue shined forth in obedience yet he saith to them 1 Thess 4 1. and 5 20. despise not prophesie and we exhort you in the Lord Iesus that you increase more more as ye haue receiued of vs how ye ought to walke and to please God We are here in our race we haue not yet attained to the end of our iourny We see how men think they neuer haue riches and substance enough they alwaies account themselues poore and needy and are euer endeauouring to increase better their estate so it should be in true and heauealy Treasure wee should hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Mathew 5 6. Psal 143 1. wee should grow vp in grace and desire euermore greater strength assuring our selues that if we haue an appetite and thirst after the Wel of the water of life we shall be fully satisfied onely wee must vse the meanes that God hath appointed to attaine faith and other sauing graces as earnest prayer reuerent hearing of the Word diligent receiuing of the Sacraments beeing carefull to honor God for that which wee haue alreadie receiued and I am perswaded that hee which hath begun his good worke in vs will perfect the same vnto the day of Iesus Christ As for the peruerse and crooked generation of those that think they haue knowledge enough they manifestly bewray their want of knowledge For as such as haue attained and receyued the greatest knowledge doe finde in themselues the greatest ignorance so such as imagine themselues to be most richly replenished in all knowledge vnderstanding are indeed most sottish and ignorant in the matters of GOD like empty vesselles which make the greatest sound Hereby therfore we shall try our selues whether we haue attained any measure of acceptable knowledge if it worke and kindle in vs a desire of more knowledge if it light vs a Candle to see our owne ignorance and if it teach vs that still our wants are greater then our store The grace of God in the heart is like a grain of mustard seed small to see to at the beginning Matth 13 31. but being once placed planted in the ploughed ground of a fruitful heart it increaseth speedily and spreadeth it self far and neere The master deliuering his Talents to his seruants Matth. 25 25. saith to them Occupy til I come and not hide them in the earth And the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to stir vp the gift in him and to blow the coales lest the graces of God decay as fire is apt to goe out 2 Tim. 1 6. beeing kindled in greene wood The fourth obiection answered Touching the last obiection of hauing already good prayers and good Homilies I answer as they are hated of God and men that make dissention betweene brethren so such as magnifie praier to iustle out preaching which ioyne hand in hand together and walke as friends that are agreed are indeed enemies to them both Indeed we confesse the prayers of the Church are good as it is written My house shall be called the house of prayer Matth. 21 13. but these men little regard them saue to serue their owne turne for few of them make conscience to be present at the confession of sins or absolution of a sinner Nay if they stand at the Church doores they scarse afford vs their presence to come in and if they do we must be deeply indebted to them for their company Now wher they thinke to stop our mouths to choake vs with the Law they crosse the high Ordinance of God slander the good lawes of Princes and sin against their owne soules making the reading of Sermons and exhortations of equall dignity and preheminence with the liuely preaching of the word For first no people vnder heauen should want so far as is possible the preaching of the Gospell it is the commandement of God it is his ordināce necessary for the planting and continuance of a Church which cannot be saide of the other which also are appointed to giue place hold their peace as an inferiour institution when any is present to preach vnto the people Again the liuely preaching of the Pastor applyeth Doctrine and exhortation to the present circumstances and occasions of times and budding of new sins and broaching of new heresies so that according to their manifold windings turnings it is ready to meet them to strike at the very heart and head of them Thirdly there is a great difference in gifts of interpretation exhortation zeale vtterāce memory moouing of affections and such like as the very Heathen haue in another case and kind acknowledged For when the people after the reading of an Oration Cicero de to lib. 2. penned in the perswasible words of human eloquence greatly wondred it was replied Doe you maruaile hearing me reade it What affections would it haue wrought in you if you had heard himself with liuely voice vtter pronounce it As for godly and learned Homilies we doe not condemn or contemn them in the famine scarsity of teaching we know that a cup of colde water is better then no drink and halfe a loafe better then no bread yea as Salomon sayth Prou. 27 ◠the person that is full despiseth an hony-combe but vnto the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweet yet it is no disgrace or disparagement vnto them to giue place to the preaching of the word as a man may say the Peers Nobles of a kingdome are inferiour to the Prince without defacing of them or that siluer is baser thē gold without disgracing of it Thus much in answer of the Obiections that are made against the preaching of the Gospel being the ordinary meanes which God hath left vnto vs to further our saluation Secondly see Gods mercy to his Church Vse 2 his Decree is concluded his prouidence is determined all things are written in his Booke yet hee will vse men as his owne hand and instruments to doe that which himselfe could worke alone hee will haue them as Ioynt-workers 1 Cor. 3 ◠and as fellow-helpers with him This is a great honour and speciall prerogatiue as the Apostle sheweth We together are Gods Labourers ye are Gods Husbandry and Gods Building And againe 2 Cor. 5 ◠Wee are Ambassadours for Christ as though GOD did beseech you through vs wee pray you in Christs stead to bee reconciled to God It is a verie great honour and dignitie to represent the person of an earthly Prince whose breath is in his nostrils but it is a greater priuiledge and preheminence to stand in the roome of God They are greatly honored that sit in his seat whether in the
cometh and saith The churle shall not haue it or hee shall not haue so much I will part stakes with him and so turneth vpside downe the distribution that God hath made making himselfe wiser then God and bringing vpon his owne head the due and deserued curse of God For if the Lord pronounce him accursed Deut. 27 17. Prou. 22 28. Deut. 19 14. that remooueth the bounds and markes of his neighbour of ancient time set as the listes and limits of mens possession how much more accursed shall he be that changeth the bounds which God Dan. 7 13. the ancient of daies hath made in the world hauing giuen the earth to the sonnes of men Wherefore God maintaining his owne right and office sheweth himselfe a iust auenger of such pride and presumption as the Apostle reasoneth 1 Thess 4 6. Let no man defraud or oppresse his brother in any bargaine for the Lord is an auenger of all such things c. The vses are these First it teacheth vs to Vse 1 be content and well pleased with that estate wherein we are put and placed by the hand of God This will be a notable meanes to keepe vs from rushing violently into the possessions of other men Let vs not suffer our hearts and affections to ouerflow the bankes and bounds of our condition but rather shew our thankfulnesse to God for our present estate considering that how much or how little soeuer we haue we haue more a great deale theÌ„ we haue deserued Therefore the Apostle saith I haue learned in what state soeuer I am therewith to bee content Phil. 4 11. 1 Tim. 6 6 7. Heb. 13 5 6. Secondly we must be carefull to giue to euery Vse 2 one his own that we do no way oppresse the fatherlesse and the widow neither do iniury to the stranger lest they cry to the Lord he heare them and his wrath be kindled then saith the Lord I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse Exod. 22 22 23 29. Againe we must not vse false weights and deceitfull measures to enrich our selues by the spoiles of others Leuit. 26 35 36. Ye shall not do vniustly in iudgement in line in weight and in measure c. Now greater iniustice there cannot be then to turne the measures of iustice to be instruments of craft and subtilty Therefore Salomon saith Diuers weights and diuers measures buying with a greater and selling with a lesse or selling to the wise and warieâ— buyer with the greater and to the simpler sort that trust them too farre see not their fraud with a lesser thereby deceiuing others to enrich themselues both these are such an abhominatioÌ„ to the Lord as he wil not leaue vnpunisht Lastly we are from hence instructed to restore Vse 3 that which is wrongfully gotten otherwise we cannot truely repent of our oppression It is a bad practise vsed of many that grinde the faces of the poore as the Lyon roaring after his prey or the wolfe in the euening which leaueth not the bones till the morrow which do vse deuoutly to bequeath their soules to God presently giue their euill gotten goods to their heires and therefore God oftentimes bloweth vpon them so that being vnrighteously gotten they are vnthriftily wasted and consumed The reason is because with such goods they likewise bequeath the curse of God It is an euill practise of seruants to conueigh from their masters and of one man to purloine from another the substance that they haue If such will haue God pleased with them and heare their prayers they must make recompence and restitution of things wrongfully taken vniustly deteined as we haue shewed before at large ch 5. This offer did Samuel make 1 Sam. 12 3. Behold here I am beare record of me before the lord before his annointed Whose Oxe haue I taken Oy whose Asse haue I taken Or whom haue I done wrong vnto Or whom haue I hurt Or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eies therewith and I will restore it you The like wee see in Zaccheus Lu. 19 8. He stood forth in the day of his conuersion and saide vnto the Lord Behold halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold The performance of this duty is the pathway to life Ezek. 33 15. Restore and thou shalt liue The contrary leadeth to death they are worse then Micah the Idolater then Iudas the betraier of his master Iudg. 17 3. Math. 27 3 Wherefore it behoueth al oppressors to practise the counsell of the Prophet 〈◊〉 4 24. Let my counsell be acceptable to thee break off thy sins by righteousnes thine inquities by mercy towards the poore let there be an healing of thine error Otherwise there is no promise of pardon or hope of life or assurance of mercy if God haue made him able thereunto Verse 20. Hee answered againe Thou shalt not go through Then Edom came out against him with much people and with a mighty power We haue already handled the request of the Israelites now let vs consider the answer of the Edomites wherein we see they deny their petition and withall come out with an hoast of men to stop their passage The people of Israel spake kindly and did no way deale iniuriously against them to prouoke them but they answer roughly and currishly they deale also maliciously and cruelly against them â—trine 〈◊〉 enemies 〈◊〉 church malicious â—cruell We see heereby as in a glasse the nature of the enemies of the Church they are mercilesse malicious destruction and calamity is in their waies their feet are swift to shed blood the way of peace they haue not knowne Prou. 12 10.2 Kings 8 11 12. Thus dealt Hazael with Israel and Pharaoh was no better before him If all the pictures and patternes of mercilesse tyrants in the world were lost they might all be painted to the life in the histories of these two Exo. 1. 2. For one of them did set their strong cities on fire slew their yong men with the sword dashed their infants against the stones and rent in peeces their women with childe The other so enuied the growth and increase of the children of Israel that they threw their male children the fry and seed of the Church into the waters A like plot and practise against the Church wee reade in the Booke of Ester when Haman was exalted and his seate set aboue all the Princes that were in the kingdome hee sought to destroy all the Iewes without difference of sexe or age Ester 3 1 6 13. The booke of the Lamentations is plentifull in this point as Ch. 5 4 5 10. c. Reason 1 The Reasons are plaine and euident whether we respect the Church it selfe or the enemies of the Church Their malice exceedeth toward the Saints
as false and vnreasonable declaring as the truth was that Israel took not away that land which they claimed as their owne but wonne it from the Amorites by the law of warre and Verse 20 by right of conquest who denying them passage and moreouer making assault vpon them constrained them to draw out their swords to defend themselues by occasion whereof they obtained victory through the helpe of God and possessed their Cities And as they tooke them by force of armes so they held thē Verse 26 by prescription of time three hundred yeares So that he declareth that if any had right to those Cities or could lay any iust claime or title vnto them it should be the Moabites who were the lawfull owners of them before Sihon had encroched vpon them and taken them away from the first inhabitants But the Moabites hauing once lost them in battell neuer asked Verse 25 them of the Israelites neither laid any claime vnto them therefore much lesse should the Amonites to whom they appertained not by any iust title neither belonged any way vnto them either as owners by law or conquerers by sword and therefore they had no cause to dispute what right Israel had vnto that Land which now they possessed The second point heere amplified and enlarged is touching the well which by a diuine reuelation to them they had digged For when they departed from the Riuer Arnon they came into a dry place where they wanted water such as the wildernesse affoordeth many where the streames are swallowed vp in the hot sandes but at the speciall commandement of God they were directed what to doe as Peter was where he should cast his Net Luke chapter 5 verse 4 they digged and found water in great abundance and therefore they praise God by an effectuall song of thanksgiuing amplified by many rhetoricall figures as goodly flouers or as precious iewels to beautifie and garnish the same withall For first they eloquently by an Apostrophe turne their speech to the Well it selfe though a dumbe and senslesse creature and speake vnto it as if it had eares to heare and vnderstanding to conceiue Rise vp O Well confessing thereby the great power of God who contrary to the nature of all heauy and weighty things made the water to ascend whose property is to descend and exhorting with many acclamations and loud out-cries one another to the worke Secondly they set downe who were the labourers and workmen about the Well together with the tooles and instruments wherwith they laboured to wit the Princes and Nobles directed by Moses by whose ministery they receiued the Law and holpen with their staues and such like instruments wherewith they laboured fit for that purpose And this is the third myracle which God wrought in giuing them waters First in Rephidim immediately after they had passed ouer the red Sea Exod. 17. The second in the desert of Zin whē they came to Kadesh as we shewed before in the former chapter The third is that recorded in this place in the desert of the Moabites Afterward Moses reckoneth vp other places by which they passed as Mattaanah Nahaliel Bamoth and so that Valley which is in the plaine of the Moabites In this History of the passage of the Israelites from place to place a question Question ariseth what is meant by the booke of the warres of the LORD mentioned in the fourteenth verse For where is it now extant or what is become of it From hence also from such like places many conclude that sundry bookes of Canonicall Scripture are lost I answer Answer the word Sepher is taken diuersly and doubtfully it signifieth any publishing or rehearsing whether it be written or vnwritten whether it be set downe by the pen or vttered by liuely voice as also the word Tradition is taken for that which is deliuered eyther by word of mouth or by course of writing So then we cannot necessarily conclude It is rehearsed therefore it is written Nor thus It is written Therefore it is an holy booke and put into the Canon of the Scripture Let these three things be cleered and decided that it was a booke that it was an holy booke and lastly that it was a Canonicall booke and then wee shall easily be satisfied But Moses speaketh barely of rehearsing the warres not of writing them as if he should say Whensoeuer the warres ordered and disposed by the prouidence of God shall be spoken off this warre also and worke of his shall bee remembred which he hath wisely wrought and accomplished for his people against Vaheb King of the Moabites giuing part of his Country to Sihon that so his owne people might recouer the same out of his hands againe and reteine it as a possession for themselues as Iephtah telleth the Ammonites Iudg. 11 23 24 that they had held it by prescription of a long time peaceably without any molestation from the Moabites or desire of re-entry But if this had bene penned in a booke and reserued to posterity no doubt Ieptah would haue produced it as a sure witnesse to cleere the whole matter and to put it out of all doubt Wherefore this truth must be holden of vs that no part of the Canonicall Scripture No canonical Scripture is lost inspired of God is lost and perished I meane such as was committed as the Lords treasure to the Church for the perpetuall instruction thereof in faith and obedience so that no one oracle or sentence of God can fall away True it is 2 King 22 8. 1 Mac. 1 19. these sacred bookes may sometimes bee neglected and carelesly kept of men they may be furiously burned and despitefully handled by cruell tyrants that seeke the ouerthrow of all piety and religion but they can neuer be finally lost and wholly extinguished As he that keepeth Israel cannot slumber or sleepe so he that keepeth the holy Scripture the glory of Israel cannot slumber nor sleepe For first of all who is the author and enditer of thē but God and will not he preserue his truth and keepe it for the good of his Church in all ages Shal we make him vnable or vnwilling to defend and continue them If vnable we make him a weake and impotent God if vnwilling we make him enuious and malicious both which are farre from the pure and perfect nature of God and cannot stand with his essence Secondly all the workes of God remaine for euer and euer and are done in truth and equity Take a perfect view of all creatures vnder the Sunne which are the workes of his hands though they may be abolished and rooted out in one place yet they continue in another If thou wouldst ascend into the heauens or goe downe into the deepe if thou wouldst take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vtmost parts of the sea which of all the Creatures are now missing What place is void empty What hath beene that is not now being and extant in
Captaines and Moses himselfe disdained not to set their hands to worke No doubt many of the people ioyned with them as helpers forward but the principal men and heads of the families are heere named because they did direct strengthen and encourage others that were vnder them by their good example The doctrine arising from hence is this That publicke persons vnto whom God hath granted honor and principality Doctrine All Supeâ— must giue eâ—ample to â— Inferiors and preferred before their brethren are not only to informe their inferiors and giue directions vnto them by word but by their example and practise to go before them All superiors are to teach by example of life as well as by word of mouth their inferiors So then we are all from this example of the zeale of Moses and forwardnesse of the Princes of the Tribes to consider that it is required of cheefe personnes whose heads are aduanced aboue others to haue in them a zeale and forwardnes to further good things in others that so their care may be answerable to the place wherein God hath set them This is proued vnto vs in the example of Eliud one of the Iudges who hauing slaine Eglon King of Moab and knowing there was a greater worke behinde to do it is sayde he blew a Trumpet in Mount Ephraim he assembled the people and he went before them saying vnto them Follow me Marke here how he thought it not enough to shew the Children of Israel what was to be done and to direct them in the way but himselfe ioyneth with them nay goeth before them hee followeth not his owne ease hee seeketh not his owne pleasure he layeth not the burthen vpon them to keepe at home himselfe but being fitted called of God hee began the enterprize and looked for the issue from him His example not onely in speaking but in going before them was very auaileable The like we see in Dauid whose zeale for the Lords house had euen eaten him vp hauing an intent to cal the Arke home to Sion from the house of Abinadab he called the people together â— 6 1 5 he praised God with instruments of musicke he danced before the Arke and gaue a notable testimony how feruent he was and with what ioy of heart he went about it The like practise wee see in Salomons sonne who sate in his Throne when once the Temple was builded when the worke of the Lord was finished and when the people were assembled hee in their sight and hearing doth dedicate the Temple with a fruitfull comfortable and passionate prayer and intreateth the Lords gracious presence when in that holy place they should call vpon him 1 Kin. 8 22. The like forwardnes in the workes of the Lord wee finde in Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah Ezra Nehemiah Zerobabel Mordecai and sundry others these went before others in zeale and accounted it a shame reproch vnto them to be matched in goodnesse of those whom they ouer-matched and ouer-mastered in greatnesse This made Iosua say who was Gouernor of the people I and my house will serue the Lord Iosh 24.15 This made Dauid say Psal 101 2. I will walke in the vprightnesse of my heart in the midst of my house This made the Apostle say 2 Thes 3 7. speaking of the idle that walked inordinately and would not worke Ye your selues know how yee ought to follow vs for wee behaued not our selues inordinately among you vrging his owne example to prouoke and pricke them forward Reason 1 This truth will yet further appeare vnto vs when we shall consider how it is proued and vnder-propped by strength of Reason â—irst it is the Lords dooing to make them a distinct people and order by themselues Hath he aduanced them to no purpose had he no end in choosing them from among their brethren and setting them in degree of dignitie before them We know that all Gods workes haue som end which he respecteth he worketh nothing idlely euery action hath his special and proper end His separation of them to rule in the Land or Church is that they should execute the things that concern Gods glory with all zeale This we see in the booke of Ester ver 4 when she was desirous to shrink backe and not aduenture her selfe beholding the hazard of her life and the danger of death before her eyes except the king did graciouslie respect her and fauâ—urably hold out his golden scepter Mordecai presseth her with this reason Who knoweth whether the LORD hath brought thee to the kingdom for such a time And Nehemiah aimeth at this in chap. 6. ver 10 11. where being counselled to hide his head and to shut the doores of the Temple vpon him because the enemies would come sodainely vpon him and slay him hee opposeth his calling Should such a man as I fly Who is he being as I am that would go into the temple to liue I will not go in As if he shold say God hath promoted me to this place of honor hath brought vpon me the dignity that I neuer looked for and therefore I will aduenture to stand out in the discharge of the worke of the Lord inasmuch as promotion commeth neither from East nor West but from him Secondly such as are aduanced aboue others Reason 2 lye open to wrath and iudgement as well as others Albeit they bee great in the world and can plead with men yet they cannot pleade with the Lord seeing the greatest men lye open to the greatest punishments If therefore they would not kindle Gods wrath against themselues against their houses and against their posterities they must go before others in all godlinesse and instruct them by word and by example This is the reason that king Artashasht vseth Ezra 7 23. Whatsoeuer is by the commandement of the God of heauen let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heauen for why should he be wroth against the realm of the King and his children So in Num. 25 4 9. the Lord commaunded a thousand of the Rulers of the people to be hanged before him against the Sunne because they stayed not the people from ioyning themselues to Baal â—cor In like manner because Eli reformed not his sonnes but suffered them to run forward in their sins who through their extreme wickednes caused all Israel to abhorre the offerings of the Lord his house was destroyed 1 Sam. 2 31. his sons were slaine and himselfe brake his necke with a fall from his seate The Vses are these First of al see how comfortable Vse 1 it is to all inferiours when the Lord blesseth a land and people to giue them faithfull Rulers godly Princes zealous Nobles righteous Magistrates painfull Ministers by whose example and practise they are led and guided to all wel-doing It is an ancient saying Of what disposition soeuer Princes are â—laudianus the people will not be vnlike â—hem Experience in all ages and places teacheth vs
mad and franticke immediately after their reproaches and indignities shewed against the seruants of God and ran vp and downe iustifying those in words whom they had condemned in deed And scarce any of them escaped but the hand of GOD was strongly and strangely vpon them all before they dyed To tell vs and teach vs this trueth that the persecutors of the Church defiled with the blood of the Saints shall not alway escape vnpunished albeit for a time they doe preuaile The Reasons are these First because God Reason 1 is true in all his words iust in all his works He is a most righteous Iudge who will take his owne cause into his hands and be glorified in the confusion of his aduersaries It cannot therefore be that they should escape seeing GOD so tendereth them their blood is precious in his sight Matth. 23 35. Not one drop of it shall fal to the ground vnreuenged he hath said Psal 105 35. Touch not mine annointed do my Prophets no harm He hath put all their teares in his bottle such as touch them to do them hurt do touch the apple of his own eye Yea whatsoeuer iniuries wroÌ„gs oppressions and indignities are offered vnto them he accounteth them as done vnto himselfe This our Sauiour testified from heauen when Paul made hauocke of the Church and breathed out threatnings against the Saints saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Actes 9 4. They haue not to do onely with men they fight against God and therefore shall not preuaile This reason is vrged by the Apostle 2 Th. 1.6 7. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels Againe he is a gracious God and merciful Reason 2 to his people therefore in his good time hee will punish their enemies and those that hate them He is as pittifull toward his children as he is iust against all their aduersaries This the Prophet expressely handleth at large Psalme 136 1â— 16 17 18. c. He ouerthrew Pharao his hoast in the red sea for his mercy endureth for euer which smote great Kings for his mercie endureth for euer and slew mighty Kinges for his mercy endureth for euer as Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for euer and Og the King of Bashan for his mercy endureth for euer And gaue their Land for an heritage for his mercie endureth for euer euen an heritage vnto Israel his seruant for his mercy endureth for euer It remaineth to make vse and application of this Doctrine First it is a great comfort to the Church to consider how God is mindfull of vs in our distresses he doth not forget our afflictions he seeth the iniuries that are offered vnto vs as he surely saw the trouble of his people in Egypt and therefore we ought not to sinke downe in our miseries No chastising indeed for the present time seemeth to bee ioyous but greeuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised Heb. 12 11. So that in the midst of them we must reioyce Knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Rom. 5 3 4 5. Albeit hee make vs runne through fire and water hee will in the ende bring vs to a sweete place of rest Let vs not therefore be dismayed for tribulation all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution Let vs not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Which is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleeue Let vs waite for the day of our deliuerance assuring our selues that albeit the enemies of Gods people and Religion band themselues and assemble together against the Lord and against his Christ yet in the end he shall crush them with a Scepter of Iron â—m 2 2 9. and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell not leaue so great iniquity vnpunished Thus doth Moses comfort the people Exod. 14. Feare ye not stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egiptians whom ye haue seene this day ye shall neuer see them againe the Lord will fight for you therefore hold you your peace He will harden the hearts of the Egiptians and will get him honour vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his hoast and vpon all his Chariots and vpon his Horsemen to shew his power in theÌ„ and to declare his Name throughout all the world Thus doth God comfort Abraham Gen. 15 by foretelling that the same Nation which should deale so churlishly and cruelly with his posterity should not alway escape vnpunished but in the end he would recompence them according to their desarts Know for a surety that thy seed shall bee a Stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundreth years and shall serue theÌ„ and they shall intreate theÌ„ euill notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serue I will iudge and afterward shall they come foorth with great substance Gen. 15 13 14. As if the Lord should haue said vnto him I would not haue thee dismayed and discouraged O Abraham by these heauy tydings which I haue told thee that thy children shall be strangers in a strange Land and not onely strangers but be made seruants and bondslaues and not onely made slaues but be euilly and despitefully handled thus God by a Rhetoricall Gradation seemeth to augment his sorrowes rather I would haue thee strengthen thy faith against this tentation comfort thy heart with this cogitation that I will in the end punish that barbarous Nation and bring vpon it all those euils which it hath brought vpon thy posterity when they haue filled to the full the measure of their sins The truth of this promise is set downe in the booke of Exodus from the seuenth chapter to the fifteenth which we may reade and in reading consider that God is true in all his promises and Prophesies and will accomplish whatsoeuer he hath spoken for the confusion and destruction of his enemies Let vs therefore comfort our selues and comfort one another in these things that God will arise and his enemies shall be scattered Secondly let vs refraine anger and reuenge Vse 2 toward such as deale euilly with vs. It is the nature of flesh and blood to rise in choler to desire reuenge and not to put vp wrongs and iniuries We must be more then a lumpe of flesh if we will be the children of God We see that Stephen when he was stoned prayed for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7 60. The like wee see in Christ our Sauiour toward those that crucified him The consideration of this truth that God
no gifte of perswading is read in any prophane author but the same is found in the Scripture as in a plentifull store-house yea with farre greater grace and excellency then any where else let vs acknowledge the maiesty of the word and reuerently esteeme of it aboue all other Writings Secondly seeing Poetry is a good gift to Vse 2 be reuerenced and receiued for the antiquitie and worthinesse it serueth to reprooue those that abuse this gift to the reproch of the Art it selfe and to the dishonor of the giuer And howsoeuer many among the Heathen excelled in this kinde and haue lighted a candle to others yet was this Art no where more disgraced and disgraded from the former glorie and ancient estimation thereof then amongst themselues For whereas Poetry at the first was vsed to expresse some memorable accident and record some great worke to posterity that it might bee better remembred and regarded they turned these vses into wrong ends changed the truth into horrible lies For â—e the works Homer Virâ— Oâ—d oâ—ers what are all the Poems of the Infidels vnbeleeuing Gentiles but a detestable mingling of histories with Fables of trueth with lies of deedes done with their owne dreames and inuentions And whereas of olde time there was no difference between a plaine story and an artificiall Poem but in the manner of penning and enditing the one being easie and euident the other curious and cunning more exquisite and laboured they haue set the one against the other and opposed them as contraries â— fâ—mil epi. â— lib. 1. Orator â—t de Art 〈◊〉 charging an historie to speake the truth all the trueth and nothing but the truth but discharging a Poeme of this burthen They require the foundation to be some deed done indeed and then build vpon it Fables and falshood so that the plaine song being a truth the descant shall be a lye Neither hath this Noble Science beene abused onely among the Gentiles but the remnants of it haue crept into the Schooles and defiled the pens of many Christians We must feek to restore its ancient honor and being a graue matrone wee must pull from her the Ornaments and deckings that do not become her Therefore let not yong men addicted to this Art abuse this gift but vse it to the praise of God and to the publishing of his works Let them in their Poems shew themselues Christians and manifest themselues to differ from the vnbeleeuing Gentiles that know not God Let all songs and Sonets of loue or rather Lusts all scurrilous iests and Satyricall Pamphlets be banished from vs which are not the faultâ— of Art but of the Artist not of Poetry but of the Poet not of the matter but of the man Let al inuocation of strange gods and heathenish inducing of many gods be odious to our eares speeches vsuall among many but not seasoned with salt as they ought to be Wee haue liberty enough to follow the verse without wandering into such licentiousnes wherunto the Apostle directeth vs Ephes 4 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths but that which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace vnto the hearers Lastly seeing the Art of Poetry is lawfull Vse 3 and lawdable let vs praise God and sing to him in spirituall songs penned by the Prophets and endited by the Spirit of GOD for the instruction and direction of the Church not onely in the booke of Psalmes but in other places of the Scripture And surely it were a worthy and profitable labour tending to the aduancing of the glory of God seruing for the comfort of the Church if all the songs of prayer and praises which are found in the Law and the Prophets were turned and tuned for the ordinary vse of our assemblyes and ioyned to the booke of Psalmes as the song of Moses of Miriam of Deborah of Esay of Hezekiah of Habakkuk of the Canticles and Lamentations together with some others in other places to bee found that wee might haue plentifull matter and perfect direction to lift vp our hearts and voices vnto God vpon all occasions that shall be offered vnto vs. Hereunto commeth the exhortation of the Apostle Paul Col. 3 16. Let the word of God dwell in you plentifully in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes Hymns and spirituall songs singing with a grace in your harts to the Lord. This duty of singing Psalmes is not proper to the Church and the publicke assemblies of the Church but an exercise of our Religion to be vsed publikely priuately whether we would giue thankes for some deliuerance or craue forgiuenesse of sinnes or desire restoring of health or craue the graces of Gods Spirit which wee want True it is there are many abuses of this part of Gods seruice as also in the rest yea euen in singing the Psalms of Dauid 1 Cor. 14 15 26. as vsing of an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding the spending of too much time shutting out thereby the preaching of the word and hindering other exercises of our Religion as we see it vsuall in the Church of Rome where the chanting of their Mattins and Masses hath iustled out the publishing of the Doctrine of the Gospel making the deed done to be meritorious auaileable for the forgiuenesse of sinnes singing many sinfull and superstitious things touching the intercession of Saints and such trumpery bringing in their broken Musicke that nothing can be vnderstoode any more theÌ„ if it were in a strange tongue an vnknown language whereas al things should be done to edifying in the Church of God Notwithstanding all these abuses we must maintaine the right and holy vse of singing in the Church and in our houses which is an exercise excellent in it selfe acceptable to God profitable to our selues and those that heare vs. The Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians Not to be drunke with wine wherein is excesse but to be filled with the Spirit speâ—king vnto themselues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord in their hearts Ephe. 5 18 19. Likewise the Apostle Iames chap. 5 13. Is any among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes This was the practise of Paul and Silas while they were in prison They praied at midnight and sing Psalmes vnto God Acts 16 25. Let vs follow these examples of godly men and take vp this exercise better then we haue done beeing a notable gift of God which duty albeit commanded by precept and commended by example is greatly decayed in all places and among all estates of men in stead whereof prophane songs and beastly Ballads are come in places filling and defiling all shops houses and meetings iustling out the other to the decay of Religion to the disgrace of the Psalmes to the corrupting of youth to the contempt of the word and to the dishonour of God They that spake in Prouerbs say
sinners he maketh them eyther in their sleepe to dreame of it or in frenzy to raue vpon it or in sickenesse to confesse it or vnawares to disclose it or in anguish of the minde to voyde it and vomit it vp verifying the words of the Prophet Esay chap. 66 24. Their worme shall not dye but alwayes gnaw vpon them with continuall torment As also Marke 9 44. Thus is Gods iudgement vpon them that they should feare all things who will not feare him that made all things If a man had all the pleasures treasures that heart could desire or delight in yet can they giue him no true comfort and contentment when the conscience is guilty of horrible sinnes These terrors are those Furies which the Poets faine Cicer. pro. Ros Amori Orat. in Pisonem which neuer suffer offenders to be at rest as we haue seene in the examples of Cain Belteshazzer Saul Absolon Iudas and others The noyse of the Thunder-claps Psal 29 3 4 5 7. which is the voyce of God hath so danted the vildest Atheists that they haue couered their heads hidden them selues vnder their beddes and beene ready to creepe into euery hole Thus wee see how the vngodly are punished in this life how they are arraigned as Malefactors at the barre how they lye confounded in themselues and how the testimony of euery mans conscience proclaymeth and cryeth out Psalme 58 11. Verily there is fruite for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth So that they shall sooner pull their hearts out of their breasts then God out of their minds And albeit the conscience of carnal men that neuer truly repented of their sinnes seemeth to be at rest yet it is as a wilde and sauage beast which lyeth asleepe seemeth tame and gentle but beeing raysed and rouzed vp flyeth in a mans face and snarleth at him Iosephs bretheren were not much troubled for their vice and villany in selling their brother at the present time but long afterward when they were afflicted with extreme famine and distressed in Egypt they remember the iniquity which they had committed and the cruelty which they had shewed and not truely repented of Genesis chap. 42. verse 21. Let vs therfore striue by all meanes alwaies endeauor to keepe a good conscience toward God and man and take heede how wee breake out into open sinnes prouoking God vnto anger wounding our owne soules offending our brethren diminishing the graces of God lessening our assurance of his fauour and greeuing the Spirit of God by whom we are sealed vnto the day of our redemption Verse 4. Therefore Moab said vnto the Elders of Midian Now shall this multitude lick vp all round about vs as an Oxe licketh vp the grasse of the field c. Hitherto of the occasion of the proceedings of the Moabites now wee are come to the plottings and conspiracies of the enemies of the Church the Moabites ioyning and combining themselues with the Midianites men as wicked as themselues See heere how the aduersaries of Israel associate themselues to destroy the Church though differing in Nation in Religion in Tongues in gods and Idolles among themselues not because Israel had offended but beecause they thirst after blood 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 â—â—rch â—â—â—ga 〈◊〉 themâ—â—â—â—â—yne â—her a◠〈…〉 Heereby wee learne this Doctrine that the enemies of the true Church howsoeuer they differ in iudgement and affection yet they are ready to ioyne and iumpe together against the children of God Notwithstanding the differences and diuisions amongst the enemies of God and his trueth they can ioyne hand in hand together to oppresse the Church This is noted in diuerse and sundry practises of the wicked in all ages of the Church The wicked Midianites Amalekites with those of the East not inhabiting in the land of Canaan but both Nations dwelling beyond the Riuer differing much in theyr courses and conuersations and seruing vaine gods and Idolles assaulted Israel came into their land to destroy it as is witnessed in the booke of Iudges chapt 6 3. So against Iehoshaphat a godly King that sought the Lord God of his father and walked in his Commandements Came the children of Moab and the children of Ammon and the inhabitants of Mount Seir to battell 2 Chron. 20.1 2 23. This likewise the Prophet Dauid teacheth declareth Psal 83 5 6 7 8. They haue consulted together in heart and haue made a league against thee the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelits Moab and the Agarims Gebal and Ammon c. Where hee noteth out the multitudes of the enemies which the Church had albeit at iarres among themselues and fighting sundry battels one against another yet notwithstanding consent conspire together to destroy Gods chosen This also is plentifully taught by many examples in the New Testament As Mat. 22 15 16. when the Pharisies had taken counsell against Christ how they might entangle him in his talke they sent vnto him their disciples with the Herodians So Herod and Pilate Luk. 23 12. agreeing like Cats and Dogges were made friends together and pleasure one another which had beene enemies one to the other to the end they might make a mocke of Christ Thus the hatred of godlinesse ioyneth the wicked together This is it which the Apostles confessed in theyr prayer Actes 4 25 26. 6 9 10 Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things The kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ for doubtlesse against thine holy sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilat with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together Moreouer when the Apostle disputed against the idolatry of the Athenians Act. 17 18. then certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and of the Stoicks banded themselues together against him albeit they were two contrary sects that neuer agreed and consented one strict in opinion the other loose in conuersation one placed their happinesse in vertue the other in pleasure making a mock of all Religion We see this true by common continuall experience Looke vpon the enemies of the truth there is no loue or liking among them one of another they dare not trust or beleeue one another yet they strike hands ioyne together against the faithfull like to Sampsons Foxes Iudg. 15 4. who albeit they looke seueral wayes with their heads yet they ioyne tayle to tayle to burne vp the haruest vineyard of the Lord. The Reasons are euident For albeit they be Reason 1 separated one from another and often spoile each other yet they vnite theÌ„selues in league together because they feare the faithfull and the decay of their owne kingdome They perswade themselues that the rising vppe and flourishing of the Church will be the pressing downe and frustrating of all their hope expectation This appeareth in the booke of Ester when Mordecai was honored of the king for his faithfull
not that a pit is digged and a snare to intrap them But behold how the Angel withstandeth reproueth and forbiddeth him againe to attempt any thing against his people We learne hereby Doctrinâ— God deliâ—reth from dangers 〈◊〉 knowne 〈◊〉 his peoplâ— Psal 22.9 that God deliuereth those that are his from dangers vnknowne to them and when they haue no power to deliuer themselues This the Prophet Dauid testifieth Thou didst draw mee out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my mothers brests I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly He prouided for his Church by selling sending Ioseph into the land of Egypt when they knew notâ—ing of the famine that was to come whereby he saued much people aliue Gen. 5â— â— neither were they any way able to saue themselues Herod the King inuented great mischiefe against the Messiah whereby also Ioseph and Mary were in danger he disclosed the secrer counsell of his heart to none 〈◊〉 13. but pretended worship towâ—â—d him yet wee see how God preserued them all from the imminent dangers which Christ through his tender age and his parents thorough ignorance of his bloudy purpose could not preuent by sending them out of the reach of Herod and commanding them to flye into Egypt The like we see in the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 12. where we reade of another Herod that slew Iames with the sword 〈◊〉 6. and put Peter in prison intending the next day to bring him forth to execution no doubt he kept his inâ—ent secret to himselfe yet by the earnest Prayers of the Church hee was deliuered from the imminent perill and the Church comforted In the dangerous voyage and shipwrack mentioned in the same booke wherein Paul was who had deserued well of al the Passengers had comforted them in their distresses and had assured them of safety yea they were all saued for his sake yet the vnmercifull vnthankful Souldiers consulted to kill him 〈◊〉 27 42 while he suspected nothing but the Lord deliuered him out of their hands and moued the hart of the Centurion to saue him Whereby we seâ— that the afflictions of the righteous are many some knowne to them and some vnknowne but the Lord in mercy is mindfull of them and bringeth them out of them all as hee did the Israelites in this place from the cursing and coniuring of this Sorcerer The Reasons seruing to confirme this doctrine are many First consider for this purpose the titles of God whereby hee is called for our comfort God is named a Father Will a father saue his sonne onely from the perils that he seeth before his eyes or will hee suffer him to runne into vnknowne dangers of fire or water which the childe could not vnderstand or vnderstanding could not preâ—ent but the father in his wisedome and prouâ—â—ence knoweth 〈◊〉 11. If we then that are euill know how to helpe our children how much more shall our heauenly Father that knoweth all things giue good things vnto hâ—s children God is called a shepheard will the Shepheard see the silly sheepe runne ignorantly into places of danger and not with his staffe bring them backe againe So the Lord watcheth ouer vs 〈◊〉 â—3 1 2 He will make vs rest in greene pasture and leade vs by the still waâ—ers so that his mercy and kindnesse shall follow vs all the dayes of our life Reason 2 Againe wee are garded by the Angels so that there are more with vs then are against vs. They are sent out to bee ministring spirits they incampe themselues about the Church for their protection Wherefore albeit we bee simple ignorant know not oftentimes the plots policies of our enemies yet seeing we haue such mighty helpers such safekeepers â—e must know that we shall not faile to be deliuered This the Prophet teacheth Psal 3â— 7 91.11.12 Thirdly God would stirre vs vp to bee Reason 3 thankefull and teach vs wholly to depend vpon him in all our dangers Now what is able more effectually to worke this in our hearts and to open our mouthes to the praise of our God then to haue a blessed experience of the comfortable presence of God for our deliuerance when wee neither know our owne miseries nor finde any meanes in our selues â—o rid our selues Therefore the Prophet promiseth being deliuered from the mouth of the Lyon to declare the Name of God vnto his brethren Psal â—2 20 22. and to praise him in the midst of the congregation Againe what may teach vs better to trust in him and to waite vpon him for our saluation then to consider his knowledge of our estate in the ignorance of our owne dangers Thus did Dauid behaue himselfe thus he did dwel in the secret of the most High Psal 91 2 3. and thus did hee abide in the shadow of the Almighty and being assured of his protection hee resteth in him I will say vnto the Lord. O mine hope and my fortresse he is my God in him will I trust he will deliuer me from the hunter and from the noysome pestilence The vses follow First this doctrine should Vse 1 direct vs and instruct vs to whom to go when we lie vnder the crosse For if God fore-see the dangers which wee ouer-see and keepeth vs from those perils that wee know not whither can we goe for helpe but vnto him Shall we goe to Saints or Angels Doubtlesse thou art our Father Esai 6â— 16. though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not Yet thou O Lord art our â—ather and our Redeemer thy Name is for euer Shall we trust in chariots or in horses An horse is a vaine thing to saue a man and shall not deliuer any by his great strength hope in the Lord Psal 33 17 and â—7 14 be strong aâ—d he shall comfort thine heart trust in the Lord. We cannot honour him more then when we depend vpon him and rest vpon his mercy This doth Ezra notably declare at the retuâ—ne of the Iewes from captiuity saying I was ashamed to require of the King an army Ezra 8 22. and horsemen to helpe vs against the enemy because we had â—â—oken to the King saying The hard of God is vpon all them that seeke him in goodnesse but his power hâ—â— wrath is against all them that forsake him e thought it fiâ—â—er far better to commit himselfe to the protection of God then by crauing these ordinary meanes to giue any occasion either to the weake brethren to doubt of Gods power or to obstinat enemies to blaspheme God and to say What is not the God whom ye serue able to defend you hee hath brought them out maliciously to slay them was not able to bring them againe into their land without our strength help Wherfore to stop the mouthes of the Gentiles to auoide all offences to strengthen those that were weak
Israel that hee had done great things for them saying How great things hath the Lord wrought This is the substance of this Prophecy now the conclusion followeth shutting vp the whole with an admiration and commendation of the power and glory of Gods people whose courage and happinesse shal be so great in subduing and subuerting their enemies that as the Lyon resteth not till he hath gotten his prey so they shall not put vp their swords and dwell in peace vntill they haue sheathed them in the bowels of their enemies and seene the destruction of them before their eyes The meaning of the words is not that they should be cruell and rauenous or to stir them to be barbarous and beastly in shedding mans blood and spilling it on the ground as water that cannot he gathered vp againe but to declare and assure that their harts were valiant and victorious so that they should be able to withstand all that did stand against them This was performed and accomplished in Ioshua and Dauid Psal 60 10. 2 Sam. â— 2 â— who fought the battels of the Lord and trod downe their enemies Iosh 23.10 One man of them did chase a thousand for the Lord their God fought for them as he had promised them but especially it was verified in Christ Reu. 5.5 who as the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda rose from the dead led captiuity captiue and hath put all things in subiection vnder his feete Verse 18. He vttered his parable and said Rise vp Balak and heare hearken vnto me thou sonne of Zippor This is the entrance of the Prophecy wherein he mooueth Balak to attention by three words rise hearken heare And when hee chargeth and commandeth him in the Name of GOD to rise vp he requireth of him to giue eare with meeknesse and reuerence This wee see in the booke of Iudges when Ehud appointed to bee a deliuerer of the people saide to Eglon King of the Moabites I haue a message vnto thee from God Iudg. 3 2â— then he arose out of his throne So when Samuel was to annoint Saul King ouer Israel to be gouernour ouer Gods inheritance he saide vnto him Bid thy seruant goe before vs but stand thou still now that I may shew thee the word of God that thou maist heare it with reuerence 1 Sam. 9 27. To the same purpose it is noted 2 Kings 23 2 Chro. 34 that when the Law of God was read Iosiah stood by the Pillar and made a couenant before the Lord. The like wee see in the booke of Nehemiah when Ezra the Scribe read the Scriptures to the people and gaue the interpretation of them All the people stood vp in token of their reuerence and attention Neh. 8.5 So in this place Balaam requireth Balak to rise and stand vp when he was to speake vnto him in the Name of the Lord as if he should say Albeit thou be a King and sittest in the throne yet I come vnto thee from the King of Kings thou rulest ouer thy subiects but thou must bee content to suffer God to rule ouer thee thou requirest silence and subiection to thy selfe but thou must hold thy peace hearken with all reuerence respect when he speaketh From Doctrine hence we learne All reuereâ—â— and attenâ—â— is due to tâ—â— Word Sâ—craments whatsoeuâ—â— the speakâ— be that the Word of God is alwaies to be heard with great reuerence wonderful attention Whensoeuer wee come to the exercises of Religion we must come with humility and humblenesse of mind albeit they be deliuered and brought vnto vnto vs by wicked vngodly men The truth of this doctrine is confirmed vnto vs by diuers precepts proued by many promises and sanctified by sundry examples out of the Word of God Touching precepts when Moses exhorted the people without adding or diminishing to obserue the Law he saith Deut. 4 1 34 12.13 Now therefore hearken O Israel vnto the ordinances and to the Lawes which I teach you to doe that ye may liue and possesse the land And afterward Gather the people together men women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates that ye may heare that ye may learne and feare the Lord your God and keepe obserue all the words of this Law and that your children which haue not knowne it may heare it and learne to feare the Lord your God This Salomon teacheth Eccl. 4.17 Take heede to thy foot when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they doe euill Hereunto accordeth the saying of our Sauiour so often vrged Mat. 13 9. Reuel 2 17 9 and 3 6. He that hath eares to heare let him heare Touching the promises made to such as come with such an affection we may reade in the Prophet Esay chap. 66 2 5. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words And againe Heare ye the word of the Lord all ye that tremble at my word Lastly touching the examples of the faithfull that haue gone before vs in the performance and practice of this duty wee haue a cloud of witnesses recorded vnto vs. The Israelites after their returne from captiuity are commended Neh. 8 2 3. that when Ezra the Priest brought the Law before the congregation both of men and women read therein from the morning vntil the mid-day the eares of all the people hearkned vnto the booke of the Law So when Samaria was called conuerted to the faith of Christ by the preaching of Philip Acts 8 5 6 10 11 it is said that the people gaue heed with one accord to those things which he spake hearing and seeing the miracles which he did as before they had giuen heed from the least to the greatest to the enchantments of Simon the sorcerer And in the sixteenth Chapter ver 14. the Spirit testifieth that Lydia heard the Apostles diligently whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended vnto the things which Paul spake The Apostle Peter writing to the dispersed Iewes testifieth this 2. Pet. 1.19 We haue a sure word of the Prophets to the which ye do well that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place vntill the day dawn the daystar arise in your harts All these precepts commanding promises assuring and examples confirming this doctrin do teach that it is our duty to stirre vp our attention and to be forward to learne Gods wil with all reuerence and readinesse when it is reuealed and deliuered vnto vs. Reason 1 The reasons heereof are plaine and euident For first it is God that speaketh vnto vs so often as his word is preached among vs. He is a most mighty and terrible GOD whom wee worship and in whose presence we stand hauing all power and Maiesty in him who is euen a consuming and deuouring fire
maketh all other blessings to be curses and iudgements vnto them that are destitute hereof therefore we must all call our selues to an account what account we make of it We should make it our meate and drinke a treasure for the obtaining whereof rather then want it we wold sell all that we haue but alas what thankefulnes hath it wrought in vs We are like vnto the Iewes they had this glorious light brought among them but they loued darkenes more then light because their works were euill If we be weary of this heauenly Manna let vs take heede lest the Lord grow weary of vs if we cast away his word he wil cast away vs and forsake vs for euer The Lord biddeth vs take heed to the sound of the Trumpet Ier. 6 17 let vs not answer presumptuously wee will not take heed let vs beware of securitie remember from whence we are fallen And let him that glorieth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth the Lord and his word to his saluation Ier. 9 24. Vse 2 Secondly it followeth that wheresoeuer God hath established this his ordinance there certainly hee hath a Church and chosen people and some that belong to eternall life for whose sake it is sent among them For as the Spirit of God is the soule of the church quickning it and giuing it life so the word is this soules instrument or the seed wherby it worketh and the onely essentiall marke thereof so that where it is sincerely taught 〈◊〉 â—2 and constantly professed there certainly is a Church Where it is not there is no true Church albeit it haue neuer so goodly and glistering a shew but a very carrion carkas of a church without the life of the Spirit but as an house without light as the world without the Sun as a kingdome without the Law The Prophet Esay calleth it the standard of God saying I will lift vp mine hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people they shal bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders Esay 49. verse 22 Where the Lord Iesus is compared to a King and Captaine and therefore all that will haue comfort that they are members of the church must range themselues vnder it as soldiers vnder the banner of their Chieftaine otherwise they remaine as men In darknes in the shadow of death as stragling and runnagate soldiers out of the campe and as dissolute men vnder no law to gouerne them For they are the vilest and basest that liue without it very dogges and swine They of the Church are Gods chiidren and the word is the Childrens food belonging to them onely When the Canaanitish woman would haue beene partaker of Christs Ministery Mat. 15 26. he answered It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto whelpes But other are as vncleane and filthy beasts This which now hath bene spoken serueth to ouerthrow two sorts of people first those of the Church of Rome which make other markes and notes of the Church as antiquity vnity vniuersality succession subiection to the Pope and such like counterfet markes of their counterfet church and leaue this which is the most certaine and inseparable note This proueth vnto vs plainly that these which most of all boast of the name of the Church are indeede neyther the Catholike Church nor any sound part thereof because they want the immortall seede to beget them the milke and meate of the word to feede and norish them yea it is accounted an high point of heresie to haue read the Scriptures and none is permitted to looke into them without a license so heinous a sin it is to haue the word Secondly it censureth condemneth the Donatists Anabaptists Brownists and those of the separation which condemne our Churches to be no Churches our Sacraments to bee no Sacraments our Ministers to be no Ministers and in effect our religion to be no religioÌ„ because we do not with them in matters accidental fully agree albeit we do consent in matters fundamental we lay Christ alone for the foundation on which we build our saluation we lay hold vpon him by faith only we preach Christ crucified truly by their owne confession powerfully They hold themselues to haue receiued faith among vs by our Ministery before they made this rent and breach in the Church and that the end of such fayth if they had dyed in it had beene the saluation of theyr soules See the books of Greenwood Iohnson Let them therefore return and cause others to return ioyne with vs in hearing the word preached seeing where it is rightly established there must of necessity be a true Church And albeit some of them haue written many of theÌ„ haue spoken against our Church yet let them follow the example of that sonne Matth. 21 29. who answered his father stubbornly that he would not work in his vineyard but afterward repented earnestly and went his wayes Vse 3 Thirdly all such as are this way honoured and blessed must be carefull to vse the word as an honour and a blessing by imbracing it by entertaining it by magnifying this blessing of God in truth and not in opinion in heart and not in face in workes and not in words that we may walke worthy the Gospel and of the Lord that hath called vs and shew our selues carefull to bring foorth the fruites thereof saying with the Apostle Rom. 10 10. How beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Hitherto rendeth the exhortation of the Apostle 1. to the Thessalonians ch 2 11 12. Let vs be carefull to keepe this treasure among vs lest the kingdome of God bee taken from vs. Otherwise instead of being the water of life to saue vs it will be a sea to drowne vs instead of being the sauour of life to life it will turne to bee the sauour of death to death instead of being meate to feede vs it will bee our bane to destroy vs instead of good tydings to refresh comfort vs it will proue the saddest and heauiest newes that euer came to our eares and that day the blackest day that euer came ouer our heads Thus our Sauiour threatned Capernaum which hee had honoured with his presence blessed with his preaching aduanced by his dwelling in it and lifted vp with his miracles Mat. 11 26. Thou Capernaum which art lifted vppe vnto heauen shalt be throwne downe to hell c. Look vpon the seuen Churches of Asia we see what is become of them Behold what the contempt of the Gospel hath brought vpon the Iewes the like hath not falne vpon any people since the beginning what mischeefe miserie did not fall vpon them It cannot bee denied but God hath blessed vs as much as euer he lifted vp the head of Capernaum and hath magnified his mercies and loue vnto
subiect vnto God But when he had nearkened to the olde serpent and disobeyed the commandement of God the whole course of Nature was turned he hid himselfe from the presence of God and feared the creatures which before hee ruled To conclude therefore seeing it is God who is the cause of our peace let vs rest vpon his prouidence and protection and seek earnestly reconciliation with God that wee may haue the inward peace of a good conscience which howsoeuer the world may striue to disturbe and hinder yet cannot take away from vs as our Sauiour Christ promiseth Iohn 16. verse 33 In me ye shall haue peace in the world yee shall haue affliction And againe Iohn 14 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you So that in regard of this spirituall peace of the faithfull coÌ„sisting partly in our peace with God which is the Fountaine and partly in our peace of conscience which is the fruite Psal 25 our soules are assured to dwell at ease in the middest of all troubles wee shall be comforted and by his prouidence and protection be secured howsoeuer our bodyes bee tossed and turmoyled For this spirituall peace not onely may stand but is euermore ioyned with crosses and persecutions Verse 24. Behold the people shall rise vp as a Lyon and lift vp himselfe as a young Lyon hee shall not lye downe till he eate of the prey c. In these words the estate of the Church is described after sundry conflictes in this life It hath many enemies that for a time rise vppe against it but in the end the Church shal rouze vp it selfe and arise as a Lyon who will not couch till hee haue taken and eaten his prey This shal be the strength of the people of God in subduing and ouercomming all theyr enemies This was begun by Moses prosecuted by Ioshua continued by Dauid and fulfilled by Christ Who ruleth in the midst of his enemies and shall bring all things in subiection vnder his feete Doctrine 〈◊〉 Church 〈◊〉 in the â—â—â—â—e vicâ—â—er all â—â—â—es Psal 110 1 2. From hence we learne That the Church in the end shall haue victory ouer all enemies that set themselues against it They dash themselues against the Rocke that shall breake them in peeces for howsoeuer they oppose themselues against the good estate thereof they doe but kicke against the goad as stiffe-necked hard-hearted beasts that haue not learned to beare the yoke of God nor to acquaint themselues with the wayes of godlinesse God will shew himselfe most powerfull in ouerthrowing and discomfiting the enemies of the Church This euidently appeareth by the history of the Church in Egypt in Babylon as also in the bookes of Exodus and Ester The Prophet Dauid declareth 〈◊〉 14 and 〈◊〉 8. that notwithstanding the rage of Gods and his enemies He that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision yea he shall crush them with a scepter of Iron and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell Psal 2 4 9. This Christ our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples when he sent them foorth to worke myracles and to preach the Gospel of the kingdome to be at hand he prepareth them for the Crosse he foretelleth them what they should looke for I send you as sheepe in the midst of wolues but beware of men for they wil deliuer you vp to the Councels they will scourge you in their Synagogues they will bring you before Rulers they will betray you to your enemies and ye shall be hated of all men for my sake but hee that endureth to the ende shall bee saued Matth. 10 16 17 22. Reason 1 The Reasons are euident For first the Lord Iesus is the King of his Church he hath the keyes of hell and death He openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth Reuel 1 18. Iohn 10 28. He is the Shepheard of his sheepe his sheepe heare his voyce he knoweth them they follow him he giueth vnto theÌ„ eternall life so that they shall neuer perish neyther shall any pluck them out of his hand He is the head of the Church and quickeneth all the members of his body by whom we haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Col. 1 18. Seeing therefore Christ Iesus is the King of his Church the Shepheard of his sheepe the Head of his body wee cannot doubt but he will defend his Church saue his sheepe keepe safe and sound the members of his body that none shall be able to destroy them or to take them out of his hand Reason 2 Secondly our weaknes is not hidden from the Lord he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust yea a winde that passeth and cometh not againe Therefore the Apostle saith that God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we are able but will euen giue the issue with the tentation that we may bee made able to beare it 1 Cor. 10 13. So the Prophet teacheth that the rod of the wicked shall not alwayes rest vpon the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put foorth their hand vnto wickednesse Psal 125 3â— declaring that the Lord appoints his for a time to be afflicted yet in the end they shall be deliuered and the wicked shall not be suffered in their oppressions The vses are now to bee handled First Vse 1 this teacheth for our instruction that the Church hath alwayes enemies in this world against which it must continually striue and fight There is no victory before the battaile there is no conquest before the fight We are all souldiers and warriours in this life to fight the battels of God we must not dreame of liuing euer in rest and pleasure Humility and misery must go before honour and glory the crosse commeth before the crowne we must wrastle before we can haue the garland 1 cor 9 24 25. wee must runne before we can obtaine the goale we must striue before we can haue the mastery we must labour before we can receiue the fruites we must fight before we can win the victory This is it which the Apostle sheweth vnto vs 2 Tim. 2 5 6 11 12. Thus it was with Christ first he suffered aduersity and then hee entred into glory first he endured the Crosse and despised the shame and then he was set at the right hand of the Throne of God Luke 24 26. Hebr. 12 2. This is the way let vs walke in it He is a foolish husbandman that will look to reape before he haue sowed The Disciple must not looke to be aboue his Master nor the seruant aboue his Lord. We must through manifold tribulations enter into the kingdome of heauen and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecutions This is our lot portion this is the cup which is prepared for vs to drinke
of we must prepare strength and courage we must get vs faith and patience that we may be able to hold out vnto the end Secondly this is a singular comfort to all Vse 2 the children of God and able to season and sweeten the bitternesse of the Crosse make vs to vndergo it with ioy and gladnesse WheÌ„soeuer therefore we shall be hated for the Gospels sake and suffer persecution at the hands of our enemies let vs comfort our selues with these meditations First afflictions shall not separate vs from God howsoeuer for the present they seeme not ioyous but greeuous yet afterward they bring the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Heb. 12 11. This the Apostle teacheth That neither tribulation nor anguish neither persecution nor famine neither perill nor sword shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 8 35. Secondly the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall be reuealed vnto vs Rom. 8 1â— which neither the eye hath seene nor the eare heard nor the hart of man conceiued True it is our afflictions are oftentimes great but the reward is greater our troubles are of great continuance of long durance but the glory to come is with out end when we shall be crowned and cloathed with immortality 2 Cor. 4 17 18. Our persecutions are many but the ioyes laide vp for the faithfull are infinite not to be numbred Thirdly all our crosses which wee beare and sustaine shall haue an happy euent and a glorious end for such as hold out to the ende shall be saued Mat. 10 22 32 39. Whosoeuer shall confesse Christ before men him he will acknowledge before his Father which is in heauen and whosoeuer shall lose his life for his sake and the Gospels shall be sure to finde it inasmuch as he hath committed it to a faith full keeper who is able to keepe that which hee hath committed vnto him against that day 2 Tim. 1 12. Fourthly we must consider that the same calamities nay farre greater haue happened to Christ himselfe and his Apostles to the Prophets and holy men of God remembred vnto vs in the Scriptures Now the seruant must not looke for a better condition then the Master Mat. 10 24 25 nor the disciple then his Lord nor the houshold then the Housholder nay we must nor dreame of a better estate theÌ„ our fellow-seruants haue had before vs. Fiftly the enemies in their greatest rage snarling like Dogs hurting like Serpents byting like Cockatrices deuouring like Lyons bloody like Wolues subtle as Foxes raging as wilde Boares as vnreasonable as Beasts yet can proceed no farther then to kill the body they cannot destroy the soule Math 10 28. nay they can exercise no power ouer the body except it be giuen them from aboue seeing the prouidence of God so ouerswayeth all things that not an hayre falleth from our head nor a sparrow to the ground without the will of our heaueÌ„ly Father These are great comforts that arise vnto vs in our troubles wherewith we should be wholly possessed that we murmure not against God On the other side this doctrine serueth to set downe the wofull condition of the persecuters and enemies of the Church they may prosper and preuaile for a time but in the end they shall not escape Math. 10 33 38 39. for the church and the members of the Church must haue the vpper hand when all their aduersaries shall be shamefully confounded This we see notably set before vs in the booke of Daniel he had many and mighty aduersaries that plotted his death and sought his ruine incensed the King against him and caused him to be cast into the Lyons denne But what was the yssue of these things Surely he was deliuered they were destroyed For by the commandement of the King these men which had accused Daniel were brought and cast to the Lyons they their children their wiues and the Lyons had the mastery of them and brake all their bones apeeces or euer they came at the ground of the den Dan. 6 24. This is it which Salomon teacheth Prou. 11 5 8. Looke vpon the examples of Pharaoh of Sancherib of Haman of Herod and sundry others in al which we see that the wicked shall bee a ransome for the iust and the transgressour for the righteous Prou. 21 18. This serueth to terrifie all vngodly meÌ„ to teach them not to set themselues against the godly that are more righteous then themselues Thirdly heere is matter giuen vnto vs of Vse 3 praise and glory to be giuen vnto God for the safety and deliuerance of his people It is the worke of his right hand and therefore the glory also must be his Our helpe cannot come by our owne strength nor we ouercome by our owne pollicy when we haue searched and examined all that is in vs we shall finde it to come short of working our deliuerance It is God onely that hath done it and therefore we must yeeld him the honour of all the victories that he giueth vs against our enemies When a man hath done vs any wrong or put vs to some trouble and we be deliuered from it we must assure our selues that it is God that hath giuen vs the vpper hand to the end our mouths should alwayes be opened to giue him thanks and we by our whole life shold acknowledge how much wee are bound and indebted vnto him This is it which Moses pointeth vs vnto â—eut 32 43 when he willeth the Iewes and Genetiles to praise Gods Name For he will auenge the blood of his seruants and yeeld vengeance to his aduersaries but he will bee fauourable to his Land and bee mercifull vnto his owne people Lastly as Balaam heere declareth that the Vse 4 Church hath sure and certaine hope of victory and shall rise vp as a Lyon in defiance of all their enemies so th s shall especially appeare in respect of spirituall enemies which fight against our soules This victory shal be finished and fully accomplished in Christ who as the victorious Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah with his foote of brasse shall stampe downe and trample vnder his feete by little and little the enemies of our peace and saluation This is it which the Apostle assureth the Saints of God Rom. chap. 16 verse 20. The God of peace shall tread Satan vnder your feete shortly This is a sweete and singular promise which should be as the Anchor of our soules both sure stedfast wheâ—ein it is vnpossible that God should lye that we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is heere set before our eyes True it is the diuell doth alwayes renew the battaile against the seruants of God he doth sift and winnow them as Wheat and as it were bruise their heele but his head is broken Gen. chap. 3 vers 15 he hath receiued his deadly wound and
those workmen that builded the Arke for others but were drowned themselues Let vs then labour after the especiall comfort consisting in the deliuerie of the whole will of God that though our hearers perish and go vnto destruction yet wee may find peace and comfort to our own harts This was it which the Apostle rested in hee preached Christ not onely as a Sauiour to theÌ„ that beleeue but as a Iudge of them that contemne him he saith We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued in them which perish to the one we are the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life for we are not as many which make merchandize of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake wee in Christ 2 Cor. 2 15 16 17. Thus doth the Prophet Esay prophesie concerning Christ bringing him in on the one side complaining of the contempt of his preaching and on the other side comforting himselfe that his worke was approued of God I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God Esay 49 4. If we be found faithfull we shall be partakers of this comfort blessed shall that seruant be whom his master when he commeth shall finde so doing So then this duty serueth to comfort such as haue taught the word of God not only truely but wholly and onely so that they are able to appeale to the consciences of their hearers to witnesse with their sincerity Thus did the Apostle Paul in many places In the 20. chap. of the Acts vers 18 26 he saith Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men Where he maketh them witnesses of his diligence in preaching and of the discharge of his duty in his calling and therefore they could not deny it Thus he speaketh in his second Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 3 v. 1 2 The like manner of speaking dealing hath beene vsed by the Prophets and Apostles as appeareth in sundry places yea by Christ Iesus himselfe Samuel cleareth himselfe before the people Behold heere I am beare record of me befere the Lord and before his Annointed 1. Sam. 12 3. So Christ speaketh Which of you can accuse me and rebuke mee of sinne Iohn 8 46. This is a great and singular comfort to all the Ministers that in truth shal be able to auouch to their people this their diligence vprightnesse and to say in the face of the Congregation Ye know that I haue done my duty I take you to record that I haue admonished you I haue blown the Trumpet and taught you the way of saluation This is expedient and necessary for the Minister to vtter of himselfe both in respect of the godly and vngodly of the godly that their soules gained to the faith might cleare him and God haue the glory Of the wicked his aduersaries that they might be left without excuse that their mouthes might be stopped they haue nothing iustly to lay against him But contrariwise when the people haue beene ignorant and without instruction thorough the want of performance of this duty this should bee as great a greefe and anguish of spirit and bring as great trouble of conscience to consider his negligence and want of loue to their soules that were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ Thirdly this serueth to confute and conuince Vse sundry errors and to correct sundry euill practises and corrupt abuses First it meeteth with many errors and heresies of the church of Rome which maintaineth the sowre leauen of false doctrine and poysons the truth of God with their owne inuentions And seeing the Minister is to set downe but the truth of God we must learne to detest apocryphall additions and their humane traditions both which are a derogation to the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures For touching the Apocryphall Bookes which they haue lifted vp into the chayre of estate and giuen them equall power and preheminence with the Canonicall Scriptures they are but base counterfet coyne and no part of the Churches treasure they haue drosse mingled with them are not pure and perfect mettall They were not endited by the Spirit of God nor penned by the Prophets 〈◊〉 3 16. Pet. 1 19. the Lords Secretaries as the Scriptures were which haue God for their author and the holy Prophets for their Penmen Againe they were neuer committed of trust to the Iewes nor receiued of them into the Arke as not onely the fathers but the aduersaries themselues confesse and acknowledge but the ancient Church of the Iewes receiued and approued all the Canonical Booke Rom. 3 2. God did commend them to their care committed them to their custody for this was one chiefe priuiledge of the Iewes that they were credited with the Oracles of God And howsoeuer they shewed their ignorance in false interpretations yet they discouered no vnfaithfulnesse in wilfull corruptions additions alterations or manglings of any Bookes for then they should haue beene charged with this â—â—h 5 21. as well as with the other Lastly they containe sundry things that disagree from the true Scriptures of God likewise from theÌ„selues as might be declared and demonstrated by many particulars Seeing therfore these bookes called Apocrypha were neyther penned by the Prophets nor deliuered to the church of the Israelites neither are free from diuers contradictions we conclude that the Church of Rome hath no warrant to equal them with the holy Scriptures make them of like credite and authority with the Scriptures Againe 〈…〉 Ses 4 they offend in teaching humane traditions in making a word vnwritten equall with the word written and holding the Scriptures to be vnperfect maimed lame not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation not fully enabling the Minister to discharge his Calling But the holy Scriptures are perfect absolute and all-sufficient to teach the truth to conuince errors 〈◊〉 3 16 17. to correct vices and to instruct in righteousnesse yea to make the man of God perfect and throughly instructed in euery good worke and are of strength ability and sufficiency to make him wise to saluation Lastly they are accursed that adde any thing that take away any thing froÌ„ that which is written Deut. 4 2. Prou. 30 6. Reuel 22 18. and therefore no such vnwritten verities are to be taught or preached to the people as the matter of our Sermons or the instrument of our faith or the means of our saluation Moreouer it serueth to redresse and amend sundry corrupt practises too common and familiar among the Ministers of the Gospel Some in stead of building vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus
arise from hence we haue considered diuers things before We see how Balak and Balaam proceede in their diuellish purposes if God had suffeted them and not crossed them Hee reuealed his wil to Balaam who spake moued by Gods Spirit and thereby declareth that he speaketh not onely to his owne children but sometimes teacheth wicked men to make them without excuse and therefore he wil not leaue his owne people destitute of instruction that desire to feare his name But of this wee haue spoken before chap. 22 9. Verse 2. Balaam lift vp his eyes looked vpon Israel and the spirit of God came vpon him Moses shewing the prophesie that Balaam vttered describeth it by the author thereof the Spirit of God came vpon him In this part of the title he saith That the things deliuered in this prophesie which were vttered for the Churches sake were hid kept secret before they were reuealed and manifested by God This prophesie containeth not a doctrine that is common or communicated by the light of nature to men but a declaration of such secrets as God reserueth hid to himselfe in his owne counsel which no liuing creature could knowe otherwise then as it pleaseth God to disclose it by a gracious participation of it This teacheth vs this truth That the things of God can no man know but by the Spirite of God Doctrine The things of God are vnknowne til he reueale them The mysteries of saluation and doctrine of godlynesse are secret and vnknown of men and Angels before they be of God reuealed This our Sauiour teacheth Peter hauing made a confession of Christ Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Matth. 16 17. And expounding the parable of the Sower to his disciples he sayth To you it is giuen to know the mystery of the kingdome of God but vnto them that are without all things are done in Parables Mark 4 11. The Apostle teacheth that the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neyther can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned And the same Apostle speaking of the gospel Rom. 16 25. Eph 3 9. calleth it A mystery reuealed which was kept secret from the beginning of the world So the Apostle Iohn handling hidden visions and teaching the Church the things that must come to passe hereafter called that Booke The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him Reuel 1 1. The truth of this appeareth because they Reason 1 were hid in the treasury of Gods wisedome which is vnsearchable and not to be sounded by any creature and therefore the Apostle calleth them A secret hid in God Ephe. 3 9 so that the Apostles and holy Prophets of God could deliuer nothing of his counsell before he had reuealed it to them So the Lord speaketh Numb 12 6. Heare now my words If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I wil be known vnto him by a vision and will speake vnto him by dreame The calling of the Gentiles seemed strange to the very Apostles before it was reuealed to Peter Who would euer haue imagined that God would haue redeemed man by such a wonderfull meanes the greatest wonder that euer came into the world by giuing his Son and that vnto the death to ransome and redeem a church by his own blood Acts 20. This no creature in heauen or earth would euer haue thought vpon if God had not reuealed it by his word and assured it by his Spirit Secondly this receyueth further strength Reason 2 for the confirmation of it because the wisest and subtilest that were in the world were herein ouertaken and proued fooles for by al their wisedome though neuer so great they were not able to reach vnto it nor to looke into any the least part of it The Apostle speaking of the mystery of the Gospel reuealed by his ministery alledgeth the prophesie of Esay where the Lord threatneth to destroy the wisedome of the wise and to cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent and after he saith Where is the wise hath not God made the wisedom of the world foolishnes 1 Cor 1 18 19. The Vses remaine to be learned of vs. First Vse 1 for knowledge wee see that the mysterie of godlines reuealed to the world by God in the Gospel is a most worthy glorious mystery greatly to be admired and reuerenced vnto vs that are called it is the wisedome of God and the power of God So the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1 2◠Great is the mystery of godlines which is God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. It seemeth farre otherwise to the foolish world it appeareth to thē a base and vile thing as Paul complaineth in his time We preach the Gospel euen Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke vnto the Grecians foolishnes 1 Cor. 1 23. A stumbling blocke to the Iewes because they dreaming of an earthly king of this world to free them from the bondage of the Romanes and thinking they should be Lords of the earth were offended at the low estate of Christ comming in the shape of a seruant foolishnesse to the Grecians because it seemed foolishnes to the wise Philosophers among the heathē to look for life from death to beleeue in him that rose from the dead and that such as are dead shall rise againe How many are there amongst our selues that are offended at the simplicity of the Gospel that it is not accompanyed with miracles that it is brought vnto vs in earthen vessels These are they that esteeme the Manna as light meate and therefore loathe it But let them alone to loathe this Manna that loathe faith Christ and heauen it selfe yea their owne saluation Secondly for obedience wee must obserue Vse 2 that when these secret things be reuealed vnto vs of God we ought to endeuour to learne them to vnderstand them to publish them speake of them to others Whensoeuer God hath a mouth to speake we must haue an eare to heare Therefore Moses saith Deut. 29 29. Secret things belong vnto the Lord but the things reuealed belong to vs and our children to do them So the Apostle Paul when God had reuealed Christ vnto him and ordained him a teacher vnto the Gentiles saith I was not disobedient to the heauenly vision but shewed to Iewes and Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and do works worthy amendment of life Acts 26 19 20. This serueth to reprooue all such as refuse to looke into these reuealed things of God but dwell in blindnesse and ignorance Of this sort are the greatest number in our assemblies They are wise enough to look into their own profit but they care not for the wisedome that is of God They are brought vp in the church but know not the Doctrine of the Church They are alwayes learning
of the church rauishing as it were all his senses and so astonishing him that he is not able to finde words sufficient to expresse the glory thereof For heere we see he compareth the happinesse and blessednesse of the Church to the Valleyes Gardens Cedars and such like all to this end to shadow out vnto vs the value and worth of it that it farre surmounteth all other societies and is most precious deare in the sight of God Heereby then wee learne what is the Doctrine true Church The Churâ— is more excellent anâ— precious 〈◊〉 all other â—ces it exceedeth all other societies of men and is most precious and deare vnto God and vnto Christ We see then how from hence we learne that aboue all other companies and fellowships in the world the Church is most excellent and beautifull and of GOD most respected This hath plentifull testimony of other Scriptures The Prophet saith The Kings daughter is glorious within her cloathing is of broidered gold Psal 45 13. Hereunto come the titles and commendations giuen vnto the Church in sundry places dispersed in the booke of Canticles chap. 2 2. and 4 13. and 5 9. Shee is the Rose of the field the Lilly of the valley the fairest among women an Orchard of Pomgranats a Fountaine of Gardens a Well of springing waters the Spouse and Sister of Christ the beauty of the earth the glory of the world and being compared with other societies as a Lilly among Thornes like the Apple among the Trees of the Forrest It is a Citty whose walles and gates are of precious stones and the streetes thereof of gold Reuel 21 2 19. It is compared to a woman cloathed with the Sunne and had the Moone that is all corruptible things which are vnstable and vncertaine vnder her feete As the Doctrine by these euidences is Reason 1 made cleare so by the Reasons whereby it is proued it may be yet made much clearer For first it is more excellent then all other societies as gold aboue all other mettals because in it alone saluation is to be found and no where else When the vniuersall flood came and couered the face of the whole earth what place wouldest thou preferre before the arke in which Noah and his family were saued and out of the which all the world beside was drowned So saluation is taught and receiued in the Church damnation is to be found and felt out of the Church Can there be a greater priuiledge had then to haue our souls saued or a greater losse then the losse of our soules Wee reade in the Scriptures of many great and exceeding grieuous losses Iob lost all his camels and his asses his oxen and his sheepe his seruants and his sons all his goods and riches Saul lost his kingdome and his life But all these are pettie losses and damages in comparison of the incomparable and inestimable losse of the soule which is a perpetuall separation from the glorious and comfortable presence of God according to the saying of our Sauiour Math. 25 16. What shall it profite a man if he winne the whole world and then lose his owne soule Or what shall a man giue for the recompence of his soule The truth of this reason the Lord himself expresseth in the Prophet saying I will giue saluation in Sion and my glory vnto Israel Esay 46 13. The wealthiest country vnder heauen hath not this treasure the greatest Monarke in the world hath none of this merchandice the richest merchant that compasseth sea and land and trauaileth into the furthest part of the earth cannot bring home with him this pearle of vnualuable price it is only to be found in the city of God which is his Church for in mount Sion and in Ierusalem shal be deliuerance Reason 2 Secondly all other sorts and societies of men are appointed and ordained of God to serue and preserue this This is it which the Prophet Esay saith Esay 45 14. It shall be the honour of Kings and Princes to doe seruice to the Church and to promote the good of it It is the end for which God hath lifted vp the heads of rulers and gouernors aboue their brethren to promote the good of the Church and to aduance the glory of God This the Prophet speaketh of in the Psalme Psal 78 71. that God chose Dauid his seruant tooke him from the sheepefold and preferred him before his brethren euen tooke him and from behinde the ewes with yong brought he him to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel so he fed them according to the simplicitie of his heart and guided them by the disâ—retion of his hands The like we see in the book of Ester when the destruction of the Church was determined and contriued Mordecai said to Ester Ester 4.14 If thou holdest thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place but thou and thy fathers house shall perish and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time So what power strength ability or meanes soeuer God hath giuen he looketh for this duty and thankfulnes at our hands to seek the safety of Sion to aduance the glory of Ierusalem and to know that hereunto we are called Thirdly the beauty of all other cities and Reason 3 societies standeth in this that they are parts and members of the Church This is the glory of kingdomes and countries whereby they are beautified in that they belong to the true Church for otherwise all places are as cages of vncleane birds nay as lodges of vncleane spirits and all persons are as dogges swine as Tygers and vncleane beasts Hence it is that the Apostle describing what wee are by nature saith Eph. 2 12. Yee were at that time without Christ aliants from the commonwealth of Israel strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without GOD in the world If then it beautifie other places and persons it must needes be beautifull it selfe If it giue grace and glory to others that ioyne themselues to it it must needs be both gracious and glorious it selfe For whatsoeuer causeth a thing to be so must needes be so it selfe much more The vses of this doctrine are excellent as Vse 1 the nature of the Church is For first we conclude that they must needs be most happy blessed of God that are members of the Church For howsoeuer the world account them miserable grinning at them with their teeth nodding at them them their heads gaping at them with their mouthes hissing at them with their tongues and euery way contumeliously reproaching them with their words yet they are deare and precious in the account of God and in the reputation of Christ Iesus who bought them at a great price and redeemed them with the ransome of his owne blood 1. Pet. 1 18 19. Behold what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that we should be called
the sonnes of God for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him God is become our Father the Sonne is our Redeemer the Holy-ghost is become our sanctifier the Angels are become our attendants the Scriptures are become our euidences the Sacraments are our seales the creatures are become our seruants our afflictions are our instructions This the Apostle teacheth the Church 1. Cor. 3 21 22 23. They are blessed that haue their sinnes pardoned and not imputed vnto them as the Prophet teacheth but God saith to euery beleeuer Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee They are blessed that heare his word and keepe it but the sheepe of Christ heare his voyce and follow him They are blessed that delight in the Law of the Lord and in his Law meditate day and might but the godly make it their counsellour to be aduised by it This vse that now we stand vpon is directly vrged by the Prophet Psal 84. where hauing made his complaint that hee could not haue accesse to the Church of God to make profession of his faith and to profite in Religion hee breaketh out into this passionate exclamation being touched with an inward feeling of the want of those holy assemblies Psal 84 4 5. O Lord of hoasts how amiable are thy tabernacles thereupon concludeth the point which wee haue stood vpon Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and in whose heart are thy wayes Howsoeuer the vngodly that sauour nothing but of the earth want spirituall eyes to behold the beauty of the Church and account it no part of their happinesse to liue within the compasse and bosome of it yet the children of God haue taken nothing so neere to heart as when they haue bene driuen from the place of his worship The Prophet is grieued that the sparrowes and swallowes had better accesse and freer recourse to the houses of men to build their nests to lay their young and to rest and repose themselues then he had to the Lords Tabernacle and therefore preferreth their condition before his owne We see how the Iewes wept and pittifully lamented by the riuers of Babylon and hung vp their instruments on the willowes saying Psal 137 1 2 3 How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget to play If I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth yea if I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy No doubt they might haue prayed to the Lord in Babylon and in banishment as well as in Iudea and at Ierusalem the Lord heareth in all places and willeth that men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting 1. Tim. 2.8 but they mourned because they could not visit the Temple of God in Ierusalem there to make publicke confession of their sinnes and of their faith toward God They therefore plainely testify that they haue no feeling either of the weakenesse of their faith or of the greatnesse of their offences that glory in their owne shame and say they beare as good a soule to God as they which resort so often to the Church and delight to heare the preaching of the word and that they can serue God as well at home as in the Church These are led by another spirit then Dauid was who if he were a man after Gods owne heart Psal 42 1 2 3. hauing such an earnest desire after the seruice and worship of God and saying As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God surely these must needs be guided by the spirit of the diuell who so openly scorne all Religion and are at defiance with God robbing God of his honour committing sacriledge in keeping their tongues from the publick praises of God entring themselues off from the mysticall body of Christ condemning and contemning the congregation of the faithfull giuing offence to others by euill example and despiâ—â—ng the ordinance of God who hath appointed commanded the assembly of his people to meet together to acknowledge their sinnes to confesse their faith to pray for things necessary to praise him for his blessings receiued to heare the word expounded and to receiue the Sacraments deliuered so that such as flye from these doe fly from God himselfe they fly from their owne saluation they seeke a worship by themselues and they imagine an heauen by themselues But let them take heed their worship proue not a false worship and their heauen a false heauen and a true hell Secondly we must all labour to bee members Vse 2 of the Church rather then of any other place in the world We see how carefull men are not onely to be in great societies towns but to be of them to haue the freedome of priuiledged places and incorporations Act. 22 28. Yea to obtaine it purchase it with a great summe of money because it hringeth worldly commodity How much more should wee endeauour to be members of the Church whereby we are made free men and haue interest in the blessings of God yea wee become free denizens of the Kingdome of heauen How doe men esteeme their freedome to be of earthly cities If wee be part of the Church wee haue accesse to the truth Now if wee shall know the truth the truth shall make vs free Iohn 8 32 36. If we be belonging to the Church we haue our interest in Christ now if that Sonne shall make vs free then we shall be free indeed This made the Apostle say Phil. 3 20. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour If we become limbes of the Church of God wee haue the spirit that beares witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God now the Lord giueth his Spirit 2. Cor. 3 17 and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Such as are free of cities and incorporations haue diuerse priuiledges that others want obtaine many benefites that others want obtaine many dignities that others desire and haue their names enrolled among the free-men but how much greater is the preheminence of all those that are brought into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God being made parts of the Church which is the freest citty vnder the heauens This city of our God hath the priuiledges of the communion of Saints of the forgiuenesse of sinnes of the resurrection of the body to eternall life and all such as belong vnto it haue their names registred and enrolled in the booke of life What shall it profite thee to obtaine an earthly freedome in earthly cities and to be the seruant of sinne the bondslaue of the diuel and to want the freedome of the sonnes and daughters of almighty
GOD. The greatest freedome of the chiefest cities is but slauery bondage in comparison of the heauenly prerogatiues that properly belong vnto the Church of God The consideration hereof hath bene strong and powerfull in all those that are seruants in this house which are the Lords freemen This made the Prophet Dauid to testifie his holy affections in sundry Psalmes Psal 26 8 and 17 4 and 36 8 9. and 84 2 10. Where he sheweth that the spending of one onely day in the place of the publicke meetings and assemblies of the godly was more sweet comfortable and profitable to him then a thousand dayes otherwhere yea though the place in it selfe were neuer so pleasant and delightfull so that hee preferreth the basest office and meanest calling in the Church to keepe the doore to sweep the house to cut wood or draw water for the seruice and sacrifice of God then to dwell in the Vse 3 most gorgeous and glorious palaces wherein the workes of wickednesse are practised professed If the same mind be in vs that was in this Prophet let it be our desire rather to be of the meanest account and lowest reckoning in the Church and among the lowest Saints of God then to be in the chiefest roome in the highest place of honour out of the Church where nothing raigneth but prophanenesse and nothing is of price or regarded but wickednesse This will be a witnesse to our owne hearts that we are truely religious and are possessed with a loue of godlinesse when we preferre the loue of Gods house before all earthly things and are carefull to come to the exercises therein Lastly it belongeth to euery one to promote and procure the good thereof If it be the principall society it must be principally cared for It standeth al persons vpon Princes Pastors Parents Magistrates whatsoeuer in their seuerall places to seeke the peace and preseruation of this society and to further the good of Gods Church We see this in the Prophet Psal 122 6 after he had commended the comely order spirituall beauty of Ierusalem the true Church he saith Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee peace be within thy wals prosperity within thy palaces for my brethren and neighbours sake I will wish thee now prosperity because of the house of the Lord our God I will procure thy wealth No estate of man so high to exempt himselfe no calling so low to disable himselfe from seeking the good of his Church The greater our place is the more doth God require at our hands he hath committed the more to our trust and therefore will take the straighter account of vs. It is the end of their honour and aduancement not to lift vp their hearts aboue their brethren because God hath lifted vp their heads not to seeke their own profites and commodities onely but to aduance the honour of that God that hath aduanced them remembring that they are the ministers of God for the wealth and welfare of their people and assuring themselues that God wil honour them that honour him but such as despise him shal be despised 1. Sam. 2.36 Moreouer it is our dutie to labour within the compasse of our calling to bring other societies to this the Prince his common-wealth the Magistrate his incorporation the Minister his people the Captaine his army the housholder his family by striuing to make them Christian commonwealthes Christian incorporations Christian parishes Christian armies Christian families This was the care of all good and godly Princes Dauid Hezekiah Iehoshaphat Iosiah 2 Chro. 15.12 who made a couenant to seeke the Lord GOD of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soule This was the care of deuout captaines that feared God as appeareth by the Centurion and Cornelius Math 8 10. Acts 10 2. Gen 18 19. Iob 1.5 This was the care of all religious fathers and masters as we see in Abraham Iob Iacob and sundry others whose praise is in the booke of God And vnlesse this diligence be vsed and duty performed to those that are set vnder vs by the ordinance of God what comfort can wee finde in them nay what good can we looke for at their hands It is the knowledge of God and the power of godlinesse planted in the heart that maketh the subiect obedient the seruant trusty the childe dutifull and euery degree faithfull in his place and calling But where the feare of God doth not rule there subiects obey not for conscience sake there seruants are deceitfull serue with eyeseruice as men pleasers there children are vngracious and vnruly not obeying their parents in the Lord. So then it standeth vs vpon to set forward the good of the Church with all our power and then to bring such as belong vnto vs into the bosome of the Church that there they may haue fellowship with God and one with another Verse 8. God brought them out of Egypt their strength is as an Vnicorne hee shall eate the nations his enemies c. In the words before Balaam enlarged by sundry sweete similitudes the excellent condition of the Church shewing that the place of it was to be chosen aboue all other places and the people belonging vnto it to be ioyned withall aboue other people of the world Now in these words he expressed their happines and blessednesse in plaine tearmes and direct words declaring that albeit they were a weake people in the land of Egypt oppressed with burdens hurried with labours ouermastred with taskemasters vnexercised in fears of warre â—andering vp and downe in the wildernesse separated from other nations on the other side their enemies wer many in number mighty in strength rich in furniture yet GOD brought his people with a strong hand out of Egypt from all their enemies and sent his Angel before them to leade them in the wildernesse so that no city or nation could preuaile against them Hereby we learne that the enemies of the Church albeit great Doctrine The Church â—ath the vpper hand of enemies stronger then â—hey mighty and high minded yet are oftentimes brought vnder and troden on by the Church weaker then they Howsoeuer the Church be weake and want outward power yet it hath victory ouer the oppressors of it This we see plainly strengthened vnto vs in the booke of Iudges where we see that the Midianites and the rest of the league with them lay in the valley like grashoppers in multitude Iudg. 7 12 20 and their camels as the sand which is by the seashore yet Gideon and his hoast being as it were an handfull ouerthrew them by blowing their trumpets by breaking their pitchers and by holding their lampes in their hands This appeareth in the history of Shamgar Iudg. 3.31 who slew 600. men of the Philistims with an Oxe goad and in the history of Sampson being enclosed by his enemies who caught vp a Iawbone and said With the Iaw of an
Iudea and to carry away the Israelites â—â—remy 25 9. ranging ouer the land raging with fire and sword and wasting the neighbour-Nations they spoyled the Kenites bordering vpon the Iewes which doth verifie the common Prouerbe It is some euil to be neere vnto euill And againe when thy Neighbours house is on fire it is high time to looke vnto thine owne and teacheth vs to esteeme as our owne the damage of our neighbour and to feare lest in the ruines of others our destruction bee conspired This calamity and captiuity was brought vpon them by Saneherib who comming to spoyle Israel spoiled them and as they were carried away out of their owne country together so they returned back againe into their Countrey together as wee reade in the holy history of the 1. Chronicles chap. 2 53. And thus as they tasted of the same misery so God made them partakers of the same mercy as they were afflicted together so also they were comforted together Thus much of the method and meaning of these prophesies The doctrines arising from hence are to be considered according to the seuerall prophesies and first touching the first against the Moabites Verse 17. I see that but not now I behold it but not neere there shall come a Starre out of Iacob c. In this prophesie Balaam foretelleth the future condition of the Moabites declaring both that they shal be destroyed and by whom For God wil raise out of the contemptible stocke of Iacob a bright Starre that shall refresh the Church with his sweete influence and giue them comfort against their enemies This we shewed to be performed in the dayes of Dauid afterward therefore he saith I see it but not now nor neere at hand This teacheth vs Doctrine The Church sometimes hath rest and glory That sometimes God maketh the Church to flourish in this life Howsoeuer God oftentimes bring trouble vpon his Church and affliction vpon his people yet at other times he giueth rest and peace and continueth theyr prosperity a long time This truth receyueth plentifull confirmation out of the booke of Iudges chap. 3.11 30. 5 31. 8 28 it is the maine drift and scope of it to shew how God in the miseries thereof prouideth a remedie and giueth rest round about from all their enemies God sometimes giueth them a time of breathing and recouering their strength and will not suffer the rodde of the wicked alway to rest on the lot of the righteous Psalm 125 3. We haue examples of this in the reigne of Salomon Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah and other godly Kings which were as strong props and pillars in Gods house a sure stay to the seruants of God in well doing he gaue them an outward estate that flourished both in wealth and peâ—ce This appeareth euidently in the booke of Ester Ester 8 1 16. after he had deliuered them from the mouth of the Lyon that gaped as it were after his prey to deuoure them the Church prospered the head of Mordecai was exalted comfortable letters were published and sent abroad for their safety and vnto the Iewes came light and ioy gladnes honor So the prophet Zacharie prophesying of their returne from captiuity saith That the streets of the City shal be full of boyes girles playing in the streets thereof Zac. 8 5. The booke of Iosuah is a notable storehouse of Gods mercy vnto his church giuing them rest from their enemies as hee had promised them so that none were able to stand before them Iosh 22 4. And as he dealeth with his Church in generall so hee doth with his seruants in particular as we see in Ioseph Moses Dauid and diuers other turning their mourning into ioy Psal 30 11. loosing theyr sack and griding them with gladnes The Reasons of this dealing of the Lord are many and most euident First his eares are Reason 1 open to heare the cries of his children he seeeth their miseries add putteth all their teares in his bottle of remembrance This is it which the Lord declared vnto Moses when he called him to deliuer his people out of the thraldom and bondage of Egypt Exod. 2 7. I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry beâ—ause of their Taske-masters for I know their sororwes GOD hath made a couenant of peace with his people hath a compassionate sense of their miseries and a feeling of their afflictions There is a notable agreement and vnion betweene God and his Children They in their crosses and calamities cannot but sigh and mourne and they cannot so soone vtter a groane but by by and by the Lord is touched with compassion This is euidently recorded in the booke of Exodus 2 23 where it is said The childreÌ„ of Israel sighed for the bondage and cried and their cry for the bondage came vp to God The prayers of the faithfull preuaile much with God if they be feruent He vnderstandeth the words of their mouth and the grones of the heart and in his good time will heare them graciously Reason 2 Secondly hee giueth vnto his Church oftentimes a sweet taste of earthly blessings to the end his people might haue all occasions and opportunities to serue him If they should alwayes beare the yoke vpon their necks and haue the heauy burden of affliction lying on their backs though they were strong in faith and had their hope fixed in GOD yet they would be soone dismayed and discouraged and ioyne with the wicked falling into the impieties of their persecuters But God is the sunne and the shield of his Church hee will giue grace and glory vnto it and withholde nothing that is good from them that walke vprightly Psal 84 11. He will comfort and defend them in their danger he will exalt them to dignity after their distresses least they should bee too much daunted and discomforted This is the reason vsed by the Prophet The rod of the wicked shall not alwayes rest on the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put foorth their hand vnto wickednesse Psal 125 3. Vse 1 The vses now are to be marked and obserued of vs. First acknowledge from hence with a sweet feeling the infinite loue compassion of God toward his people he delighteth not to be alwayes chiding and his anger endureth not for euer Hee will not haue his Church to be alwayes vnder the crosse but sendeth it some release For hee endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life c. Psal 30 5 6. Thus doth the Lord giue encouragements and comforts vnto those that faithfully serue and rightly worship him whereby hee not onely testifieth his owne loue toward them but allureth others by their example to trust in him and daunteth all their enemies that hoped to haue seene their destruction Such therefore as are not mooued to confesse the loue of God vnto his seruants and see not his kindnesse toward them haue
common to all but peculiar to some It commeth not by inheritance but by grace Parents may leaue vnto their children their houses their lands their substance they may conuey vnto them their inheritance but they cannot conuey vnto them the gifts that accompany saluation Wherefore all parents that are faithfull are to intreate and craue of God the continuance of his couenant toward theyr children and to begge from his hands an holy and sanctified seede to his glory and theyr comfort Verse 14 15. The name of the Israelite thus slaine was Zimri the sonne of Salu and the name of the Midianitish woman that was slaine was Cosbi c. Wee heard before in the fixt verse how Moses hath layde open the shamelesse and impudent behauiour of this beastly adulterer who shamed not to bring the Midianitish harlot into the hoast and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel which were grieued to behold such horrible villany neuerthelesse we see in this place that Moses is not content in a generall manner to describe his wickednesse but singleth him out particularly by his name by his father by his tribe Neyther doth he content himselfe to set downe the Midianitish woman by her nation but calleth her by her name and further openeth the name of her father and her fathers house So then Moses hauing shewed who they were that brought the plague of God vpon the people he now descendeth to marke them out by their proper names and of what calling and profession they were Doctrine It is lawfull sometime to reproue by name From hence we learne that it is sometime lawfull and conuenient to reprooue by name speciall people and particular men that offend in the Church and to record them in writing A particular reproofe of particular offenders sometimes standeth with the word of GOD. So did Eliah deale with Ahab and Iezabel he told him that it was hee and his fathers house that troubled Israel This we see practised by the Prophet Esay against Shebna who being a notable fauourer of euill men and a great hinderer of good things is by name threatned to bee carried away with a great captiuity Esay 22 17. Thus doth Ieremy deale with the false Prophets and other obstinate enemies Ier. 28 12. Likewise our Sauiour Christ denounceth many fearefull woes against the Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites Matth. 23 13. which shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men deuoured widows houses vnder a colour of long prayer compassed sea and land to make one of their profession tythed mint and annise and left the waightier matters of the Law as iudgement mercy and fidelity So did Paul withstand Peter to his face because he was to be condemned Gal. 2 11. And when he saw in the Church such as put away faith and a good conscience and made shipwracke of the doctrine of Christ he giueth the Church notice and warning of them saying Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme 1. Tim. 1 20. And in another place hauing to doe with such as cast off the doctrine of godlinesse hee noteth the ring-leaders and principall authors Of this sort is Hymeneus and Philetus which as concerning the truth haue erred from the marke saying that the resurrection is past already and do destroy the faith of certaine 2 Tim. 1 17. In like manner he specifieth Alexander the copper-smith which had done him much harme 2 Tim. 4 14. So the Apostle Iohn warneth the Church of Diotrephes who loued to haue preheminence among them Al which examples of the Prophets of the Apostles of Christ himself do teach that it wil not alwaies be sufficient to reproue the errors and heresies of obstinat sinners but somtimes it is expedient to lay them open by their names and to signifie them to the Church by a particular discouering of them The Reasons of this practise are to be considered Reason 1 First because the Church should haue warning of thē that others might shun them and auoid their company So the Apostle nameth Alexander to prepare Timothy not to trust him It is good to know false bretheren lest they spying our liberty take the greater aduantage against vs. Hence it is that Paul chargeth Timothy to beware of Alexander who had withstood his preaching sore 2 Tim. 4 15. While we are familiarly conuersant with the wicked it will be hard for vs not to bee entangled in their sinnes For how can a man walke among thornes not pricke himselfe or how can a man touch pitch and not be defiled We must flye from such as from a deadly plague We must separate our selues from them lest the like vengeance fal vpon vs also Secondly they must by a speciall note bee made knowne to the Church that they may Reason 2 be degraded and brought to reproch The Apostle vsed this remedy thereby to shutte their mouthes and to stoppe them from speaking euill of almighty GOD and his truth which ought to be precious to vs. This naming of them is to set a marke of infamy vpon thē as if a man were boared in the eare or burned in the hand for a malefactor God will haue them and their wickednesse registred to their perpetual shame in the Church for euer that they should not be of any more credit to infect the good and to draw the weake vnto destruction The vnnaturall sauage dealing of the Amalekites toward their brethren the Israelites is by God expresly commanded to be recorded in a booke to their infamy and confusion The Lord saide vnto Moses Write this for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it to Ioshua for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen Exod. 17 14. So we haue in the Scriptures set forth the vncleannesse of Sodome the hard-heartednesse of Pharaoh the conspiracy of Corah the couetousnesse of Ahab the cruelty of Iezabel the disobedience of Saul the treason of Absolon the treachery of Iudas and other infamous beasts the record of their shame is in perpetuall memory and stinketh vnto this day The like we might say of all bloody persecutors in all ages since Christs time they haue theyr names and facts remembred in the Acts and Monuments of the Church Seeing therefore obstinate enemies must be both shunned shamed in both respects we learne that it is lawfull for the Ministers of God to point out some by name that they may be knowne otherwise the Apostles of Christ would neuer haue done it the Prophets would neuer haue practised it Christ himselfe would neuer haue allowed it Let vs apply this to our selues First it serueth as a bridle to restraine euill men especially all such as bring a publike detriment and hurt to the Church and are the cause of common Vse 1 mischiefes they shall to the shame of theyr persons to the reproch of theyr names to the infamy of their posterities be
the kingdome nor he in accepting of it inasmuch as they did it not out of any obedience to the will of God but they did it to ease themselues from the cruelty and tyranny that Rehoboam was likely to vse toward them and therefore they sinned because they had no commandement from God Let vs come to the vses First this confuteth Vse 1 the doctrine of the Anabaptists or Libertines that deny all authority as not fitting for Christians to beare They teach their owne dreames that neyther Christians should bee Magistrates nor yet subiect to Magistrates an horrible impiety in them and it would not be worth the time to shew how they wrest the Scripture to defend their owne errour which otherwise they nothing regard Secondly it serueth to taxe Popery and Vse 2 that out of their owne grounds for the Rhemists haue a rule vpon Iude verse 6 that they are heretiques that deny authority and they would father it and fasten it vpon vs because we deny subiection to the Pope But we retort it vpon themselues For neuer was there any that did cast off the yoke of authority so much as they haue done They haue put downe the mighty from their seates and trod vpon the neckes of Princes they haue dethroned Kings and armed the sonne against the father Vnder a colour of the holy warre they haue sent them abroad and betrayed them into the hands of the Sarazens and in their absence seized vpon their Dominions There was neuer heretique did so shrinke vp the sinewes and shake off the yoke of authority as they haue done It is a rule that they haue that Ecclesiasticall men ought to be free from all ciuill authority whatsoeuer and that Cleargy men must be exempted from subiection to the secular powers so that they not we are the heretiques that despise authority As for the Bishop of Rome wee owe him no seruice neyther may he claime iurisdiction ouer the vniuersall Church eyther by Scriptures Fathers Councels or imperiall Constitutions for many ages Vse 3 Lastly this serueth as an information to vs that wee auoyde all such proud and peeuish conceits as these to imagine there shold be no authority and bee prouoked to bee thankfull vnto almighty GOD that we do enioy authority seeing by it wee are freed from confusion and desolation from much mutiny and misery that otherwise would befall vs. For notwithstanding by the great goodnesse of God we haue authority such is the fury and fiercenesse of wicked men that they breake out into strange enormities and commit many feareful things by poysonings by stabbings by cousenages by oppressions by forgery and falsehood and such like mischeeuous and monstrous practises what then would they presume to do if there were no authority to bring them and their doings into question and to call them to an account for their audacious courses A man should alwayes haue his life in his hand there could be no peace or safety in our houses and habitations if there were no authority to rule to controlle to terrifie to punish and therefore how thankfull ought we to bee to almighty God for that authority which he hath set ouer vs and for the peaceable gouernment we enioy vnder our gracious Soueraigne Now this must withall be acknowledged of vs that no man can be truely thankfull for authority that is not willingly and cheerefully subiect to authority It is a friuolous and vaine thing to pretend thankfulnesse and yet not vndergoe the yoke of obedience with cheerefulnesse Verse 11. Notwithstanding the Children of Korah died not What became of Korah himselfe we haue seene before His name was famous in the Congregation but he became infamous through his rebellion and it is called the gainesaying of Korah to this day Iude verse 11. Notwithstanding marke heere that the sonnes of Korah perished not when their father perished and was punished who spake euill of them that were in authorty for it appeareth that they were preserued aliue and became afterward famous in the Church of God and honourable mention is made of them in the booke of Psalmes and of the Chronicles 1. Chronicles chapter 6 verse 22. Psalm 42 and Psalme 44 and Psalme 45 and sundry others afterward as 2 Chronicles chapter 20 verse 19. From hence ariseth this Doctrine Doctrine It is no disgrace for godlie children to descend of vngodly parents that it is no disgrace for godly children to descend and come of vngodly parents Howsoeuer sinne be a reproch to the parents themselues yet it taketh not hold of their issue except they walke in those sinnes Ezek. 18 14. If hee beget a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done and considereth doth not the like c. he shall surely liue Iephte is commended for a faithfull man that fought the battels of the Lord subdued the enemies of his people yet he was the sonne of an harlot Iudg. 11 1. Heb. chap. 11 verse 32. This farther appeareth in Saul and Ionathan the one of them the greatest enemy the other the greatest friend of Dauid the one sware his death the other his life the father to kill him the sonne to saue him and therefore it was no dishonor to him to haue such a father The like we might say of Ahaz a most wicked man and Hezekiah a most godly King one of the best sonnes of one of the worst fathers yet who accounteth the worse of good Hezekiah because he had wicked Ahaz to his father Ieroboam king of Israel set vp idolatry and caused Israel to sinne and therefore the Lord threateneth to bring euill vppon his house that the dogges should eate him that dyed in the City and the fowles of the ayre him that dyed in the field 1 Kings chapter 14 verse 10 so that they should all be swept away as a man taketh away dung till it be all gone yet God gaue him one good sonne whom in mercy he tooke to himselfe and saued as a brand out of the fire or as a Sheepheard taketh out of the mouth of the Lyon two legges or a peece of an eare Amos chapter 3 verse 12 and therefore it is said All Israel shall mourne for him for hee onely of Ieroboam shall come to the graue because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel The grounds of this truth follow First Reason 1 that election might stand wholly by grace forasmuch as almighty God sheweth mercy where and to whom hee will If religion should descend from father to son in a common and ordinary course of generation or propagation without any interruption it might be thought to bee a worke of nature not of grace and to proceede from parents not from almighty GOD. Therefore bee often breaketh off that course so that wicked parents haue sometimes good and godly children and contrariwise godly parents haue wicked and vile children that the purpose of GOD according to election might stand not of works
12. how is it then that he omitteth this miracle Doubtlesse if he had receiued so great miraculous a benefit he would not haue forgotten it neither indeede could without note of vnthankfulnesse which was farre from that deuout and religious man Furthermore the setting vp of this miracle of the new-found fire hid in the pit and after discouered by the Priests and kindled by the Lord is the weakning and shaking of a great mystery and foundation of the Christian religion For it is written that the Iewes were stirred vp by the Prophets to proceed cheerefully in building of the Temple because the glory of that latter house should be greater then of the former Hag. 2 9 which prophecy is agreed vpon to be fulfilled in that Christ was borne while the second house stood which he made famous and renowned by his presence by his doctrine by his miracles Luke 2 46 7 8. There also did the Apostles begin the preaching of the Gospel which taking his beginning from Sion and Ierusalem was spread abroad from thence into all the earth Many were the priuiledges and prerogatiues of the Tabernacle framed by Moses and of the first house builded by Salomon they had the fire from heauen the Arke of the Couenant the pillar of the cloud the Vrim and Thummim and the succession of the Prophets but the second house built after their returne from captiuity wanted all these therefore while it stood the Messiah must come being greater then all these that through his presence who was to be the ruler in Israel Mic. 5 2 the glory of the latter house might be greater then the former and so the prophecy should be fulfilled But if this story were true which is broached by the writer of that book the latter Temple should bee more glorious and famous through this miraculous fire then the former For in the former the sacrifices were onely consumed with fire that fire was sent from God and nourished by the continuall ministery and attendance of the Priests but in the latter temple they should haue had not onely the same fire with the other but the fire preserued by a wonderfull miracle that in a contrary element Fire burned â—nto water water into fire yea heere are many miracles heaped together for as that fire was preserued in water so of that thicke water into which it was changed was the fire kindled againe 2 Macab 1 22 and that which is more when the sacrifice was consumed Nehemiah is said to haue commanded the water that was left to be powred on the great stones whereby was kindled a flame which was consumed by the light that shined from the altar verse 31 32. And this is so apparent that the Iewish Rabbines that haue the vayle before their eyes or rather before their harts haue acknowledged the truth herof that the 2 house had not that fire which the former had contrary to the opinion of that writer And yet notwithstanding the euidence of the former reasons and the confession of the Iewes themselues hee sticketh not in the next chapter to alleage the Prophet Ieremy as if he had commanded them that were carried away to take with them the Tabernacle the Arke and the fire as hath beene signified 2 Maccab. 2 1. But to leaue all these assertions deliuered with warrant let vs come to the doctrine offred to our considerations in the destruction of the 2. Doctrine It is a sin to decline from the worship of God sons of Aaron because they offred strange fire to wit that it is a sin impiety which the Lord leaueth not vnpunished for any man in the outward worship of God to decline from the Law of God He appointed to burne euery sacrifice with fire taken from the Altar which was continually kept and nourished for that purpose They altered Gods ordinance and are therefore striken suddenly from heauen so that it is a great sinne for any Church or particular person to swarue from the Law of God in the worship of God as appeareth by many examples testimonies of holy Scripture 1 Sam. 13 12 13 14. 2 Chro. 26 16 17 18. Math. 15 9. Col. 2.20.21 22. The grounds are plaine first because the Reason 1 word of God is the rule of all things that wee are warranted to do and more generally it is the rule of Gods worship so that to decline from this rule to the right hand or to the left must needs be a great sinne which GOD abhorreth Deut. 12 8 13 32. In an art to vary from the rules of the art is a great errour thr carpenter and mason are guided by their line and leuell the Law of GOD is the square and rule of his worship the more closely wee keepe our selues to this rule the more warrantable are our workes if wee decline and depart from it wee wander in errour and the farther we goe from it the more we are out of the way Secondly that starting and swaruing from the Law reprooueth and checketh the wisedome of God who is Wisedome it selfe Pro. 9 1 as if we were able to direct him and knew what belongeth to his worship better then himselfe An artificer in his worke cannot abide to bee checked and controlled by those that know not so well what belongeth vnto it as he doth Iam. 4.12 so the wise GOD the supreme Lawgiuer cannot endure that men should decline from the order which hee hath settled and established in his worship and prescribed vnto them in his Word and therefore he accounteth it a great sinne and impiety in any that attempt the same This reprooueth the Church of Rome Vse 1 which is as a body infected with many diseases and running sores For their whole worship in a maner is an apostacy from God full of dangerous wounds that cannot be cured as wee may see by their worshipping of images prayer in a strange tongue communion vnder one kind and an hundred such like horrible corruptions which are so many prophanations of the worship of God These men set the Law of God at nought and thinke themselues wiser then he and preferre their owne traditions before his commandements and so worship him by the precepts of men Math. 15.6 which is a vaine worship and maketh his Law of none effect Secondly it serueth as a direction to the Vse 2 Church what they receiue to godly Magistrats what they establish by their authority that in the worship of God they alwayes set the law of God before their eies allow nothing but that which is grounded vpoÌ„ the rules of the same that they adde nothing to it take nothing froÌ„ it For this cause the King must write him a coppy of the Law in a booke that it may be euer with him that he may reade in it all the dayes of his life and learne to feare the Lord his God Deu. 17 18 19. This was taught to Ioshua chap 1 8 and
I answere Answ the Lord hath giuen them other bookes to reade when he sayth Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5 39 hereby they shall be led into all truth and be sure to be preserued from errour and euill But as cunning and crafty theeues when they meete with a poore simple foole or a little child doe take theyr treasure or money from them â—nd giue them babies and pictures to play withal to keepe them quiet from crying or complayning so doe the Popish sort deale with Gods people they take from them the rich treasure of the holy Scriptures whereby all theyr iugling and deceit would be discerned and giue them puppets and images to be their play-fellowes which are the doctrine of vanity Ierem. 10 15. Zacharie 10 2 and they are teachers of lyes Habakkuk 2 18. Neyther let them reply that the Prophets condemne the images of false gods and that they make the images of the true God For wee shewed before that this cannot serue their turne forasmuch as the commandement forbiddeth the images of the true GOD Deuteron 4 12.15 Acts 17 29. Againe they obiect Obiect that they doe not worship the images themselues but so farre as they haue relation to the Saints whereof they are images I answere Answer the Israelites so often reproued for worshipping of images did withall professe that they worshipped not the idols themselues of wood or stone but God in them as in making the golden calfe they had a respect to GOD who brought them out of Egypt Exodus 32 3 4. And the mother of Micah witnesseth that shee had dedicated the siluer vnto the Lord to make a grauen and molten image Iudges 17 3. So Ieroboam hauing made the golden calues sayth Behold O Israel thy gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt 1 Kings 12 28 for hee meaneth the image and similitude which representeth the true God Hos 2 26. And not onely the Israelites who could not be so sottish as to beleeue that the calues which themselues had made and had lately made had freed their fore-fathers out of captiuity but the Gentiles themselues excused their idolatry in this maner as Austine witnesseth I doe not serue and adore that stone which I see but I serue him whom I doe not see And who is that a certaine diuine power which is inuisible which hath the charge ouer that image August in Psalm 9 6. As for other obiections drawne from the Cherubims and the brasen serpent wee haue spoken of them sufficiently before chapt 21. Lastly wee haue from hence occasion offered Vse 3 vnto vs to laud and magnifie the Name of God that hath freed vs from the darknes of idolatry and the danger of Idolaters except wee will runne into the same againe He hath placed vs where wee haue the Gospel like the Israelites in Goshen and hath opened our eyes to see those follies Let vs not with vnthankfull hearts desire to returne againe into this seruitude The Lord hath chosen to dwell among vs and hath planted his Church in our kingdom let vs labour to approue our obedience in his sight lest hee take the light of the truth from vs and bestow it vpon a people that wil bring forth the fruits thereof So long as the true worship of God continueth among vs our countrey shall be famous and renowned On the other side all places lose their honour and dignity when once they are defiled with sinne and consecrated to idolatry Gilgal was famous many wayes for many memorable things that happened there yet through idolatry there practised it became so infamous that the people of Iuda are forbidden to resort thither The like might be said of Beth-el which in former times was the house of God but was afterward for the same cause turned into Beth-auen an house of vanity Hos 4. Ierem. 7 12. Psalme 78 60. What shall wee then say of the Popish pilgrimages to Rome or to the holy land but taxe them of ignorance and superstition For be it that these places retayned theyr ancient dignity and maintayned the Religion of God in his purity yet should there bee no reason to go thither to worship forasmuch as all difference of places is taken away Ioh. 4 23. Ierome trauayled himselfe to the holy land and liued there and yet he sayth It is no commendation to haue seene Ierusalem but to haue liued well at Ierusalem this is praise worthy And Bernard after him Wee must not seeke after the earthly but the heauenly Ierusalem not by pilgrimage on foot but by bettering our affections Epist 319. ad Lelbert Abbat And if God require not of vs to resort to such places though they enteâ—â—ayned the truth then doubtlesse much lesse to trauayle so farre vnto them being now degenerate wholly dedicated and deuoted to Antichristianity and idolatry in which respect they are now become reprochfull hatefull and infamous to God al goodmen For we are not to esteeme them as they were but we must take them as they are that is full of superstition and consequently dangerous to come at them But if yee will not driue out the inhabitants of the land from before you it shall come to passe c shall be prickes in your eyes c. In these words we see the threatning which God denounceth against the carelesnesse and negligence of this people in the execution of that commandement of God The Lord will doe vnto them as hee had thought to doe vnto theyr enemies From hence wee learne that coldnesse and caresnesse in the seruice of God is a great and greeuous sinne Want of zeale in the cause of God Want of zeal in Gods cause is a grieuous sinne to be newters or indifferent men not caring or regarding which end go forward is a foule and fearefull sinne before him Iudges 1 21 27 29 31 33 2 2 3. 1 Kings 18 21 and 2 Kings 17 33. Gal. 3 1. Reuel 2 4 3 15 16. Gal. 5 7 Such are the greatest number of our professours Some would reconcile the Papists and vs that is light and darknesse Christ and Belial the Temple of God and idols Some serue theyr turnes by theyr profession so long as they may gaine and grow in credit vnder it Some professe religion as they professe the Lawes of the kingdome to wit as a ciuill thing and matter of good policy to keepe the people in subiection and obedience being ready to change as the time and state changeth Some hate them that are faithfull and forward so much that they can abide no zeale in religion nor in obedience that terme them madde fooles and giddy headed spirits which desire to feare God and to walke according to his word O miserable persons that which GOD hateth is commended and that which hee commandeth is reuiled and euill spoken of The grounds It is as naturall to a man Reason 1 to sinne as it is to draw the aire as experience teacheth in all subiect to humane infirmity
people of GOD Doctrine Some among Gods people do alwayes want some among Gods owne seruants do alwayes want and stand in need Deut. 15 7 11. Matth. 26 11. and 11 5. Acts 2 45. and 4 34. and 6 1. 1 Cor. 4 11. 2 Cor. 8 1. and 9 1 2. and 11 27. Acts 3 6. Reason 1 The grounds are apparent that they should learne alwayes to depend vpon GOD and to call vpon him and not to put confidence in the flesh This the Apostle expresseth touching his troubles and the rest of the Apostles 2. Cor. 1 8 9. We were pressed out of measure aboue strength insomuch that wee despayred euen of life yea we had the sentence of death in our selues That we shold not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead If the faithfull did neuer stand in neede of Gods helpe they would forget God and themselues and the next life If the childe did neuer want any thing he would not know his father from another but would quickly forget him and so likewise it wold be with vs toward almighty God Reason 2 Secondly God will neuer haue those that haue plenty abundance to be without obiects vpon whom to shew mercy that his gifts may be tryed which he hath giuen them For why doth God suffer the poore to bee in the Church but onely to offer occasion to vs to do good as Marke 14 7. Ye haue the poore alwaies with you and whensoeuer yee will ye may doe them good but me ye haue not alwaies We neuer want persons vpon whom to exercise our pitty and compassion whensoeuer wee will Therefore when we see one man poore and another rich let vs not ascribe this to fortune but consider the prouidence of God therein which disposeth al things in that manner God maketh tryall what is in vs and would haue the poore to be his collectors or receyuers to take away all excuse from vs that we should not say We knew not to whom to do good and therefore the Lord saith The poore shall neuer ceasse out of the Land Deuteronomy 15 verse 11. Thirdly as hee will haue the gifts of such Reason 3 as haue receyued what to giue to be tryed so he will haue their patience proued that bee in need which could not bee if they did not suffer For where there is no paine there can be no patience and therefore the Apostle teacheth that Tribulation bringeth foorth patience Romanes 5 verse 3. And this serueth much for the glory of God and the good of them that are in necessity Fourthly that wee should not settle and Reason 4 nestle our selues heere nor make the earth to be our heauen nor our treasure to be our god but that we shold seeke for another life where shall be no want no misery no necessity but God shall be all in all This meeteth fitly and fully with the church Vse 1 of Rome that make temporall felicity a note of the Church to liue in pompe and glory of the world This wee see handled at large by Cardinall Bellarmine among the notes of the church De not eccles lib. 4. cap. 18. but it is so far from being a note of the Church that it is rather a note of the Church of Antichrist And the Spirit of God foretelleth in the booke of the Reuelation that this should bee the voyce of spirituall Babylon chap. 18 7 8. She saith in her heart I sitte a Queene and am no widow and shal see no sorrow Loe how we are warned before hand in what sort the Romane Church shall aduance it selfe in regard of temporall happinesse and of good successe But when that shall come to passe which the Scripture prophesieth in the same place that how much shee hath glorified her selfe and liued deliciously Reuel 17 16 so much torment and sorrow she shall suffer so that her plagues shall come in one day death and mourning and famine and when the kings of the earth who haue liued deliciously with her shall hate and detest the whore and make her desolate and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire and when the people of God that are called to come out of her shall reward her euen as she rewarded them and double vnto her double according to her works and in the cup which she hath filled shall fil to her double what shall become of this temporall felicity whereof they glory so much where shall this note be found among them which now they cry out to bee wanting among vs Doubtles then they will tell vs of new notes and disclayme the old which they now maintaine at this present for their own aduantage For what hath the state of the Church beene vpon the earth from the beginning The posterity of Caine liued in greatest felicity Gen. 6 1 encreasing in strength in glory in might and in multitudes while Abel was killed by his brother and Adam liued childlesse And after the flood God suffered his people the posterity of Abraham to soiourne as strangers in a strange Land and to be euilly intreated foure hundred yeares Gen. chap. 15 ver 13 while the Canaanites liued in peace and pompe and yet the Church was among that poore distressed company and not among the Canaanites Therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet I haue forsaken mine house I haue left mine heritage I haue giuen the dearely beloued of my soule into the hand of her enemies Ier. 12 7. The kingdome of Christ is not of this world neyther doth hee promise to the children of the kingdome the pleasures delights of this world The Saints of God finde not the best entertainment vpon the earth and therefore Christ saith Iohn 16 20. Verily I say vnto you that yee shall weepe and lament but the world shall reioyce and ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy And afterward verse 33. In the world yee shall haue tribulation but bee of good cheere I haue ouercome the world All the felicity and happinesse of Gods seruants is a promised and a reserued happinesse we heare of nothing here but crosses afflictions Hence it is that Espenceus one of the popish Writers affirmeth In 2 Tim. p. 103. that Crux est ecclesiae nota that is The Crosse and therefore not temporall felicity is a note of the Church And againe he telleth vs that Christ foretold of labour and sorrow as he saide to his Disciples They shall scourge you in their Synagogues but the false christs prophesied of prosperity If such bee false christs then by the verdict and sentence of this man Bellarmine must needs be a false prophet for he dreameth of nothing but of felicity prosperity True it is the Church sometimes hath rest from enemies and enioyeth externall peace but besides that this lasteth not long they that are out of the Church haue for the most part a greater portion of this blessing And all these outward things riches
established by Arcadius and Honorius the Emperors God lib. 5 tit 4 de nuptiis that the marriage of cousin germans shall be allowed and the children borne of them shall bee holden legittimate and succeede their fathers in theyr inheritance And heereunto doe the ancient Councels also accord Epann Concil about the yeare of Christ foure hundred ninety seuen Concil Turon 2. in the yeare fiue hundred and sixty Now the first that did forbid the marriage of cousin germans was Theodosius the Elder as many testifie and that by the counsell and aduice of Ambrose Lib. 8. Epist 66. which hee calleth the Theodosian Law and in his time Austine testifieth it was in force This is wholly or at least for the most part taken out of Zepperus The next witnesse to be produced is Amand Polanus professour in the vniuersitie of Basil in Syntag. Theol lib. 10. cap. 53. who teacheth that the sonnes and daughters of brethren and sisters may lawfully marrie by the law of God whatsoeuer the Popes canon law say to the contrary as Iacob married Rahel his cousin german Of the same iudgement also is Chemnitius in his Examin Chem. exam part 1. For he sheweth that the prohibition of this degree is meerely humane established for no other cause but that the prohibitions of God might bee kept with greater reuerence and where such prohibitions are they ought to bee obserued which is not denied of vs howbeit that is not our case where no such prohibitions are I will annexe to these one forraine testimony more that is of Zanchius a man of eminent note who proouing that the incestuous marriages betweene the brother and sister De oper creat part 3 lib. 4. c. 2 whether they be borne of the same father and mother or of one of them onely are vtterly vnlawfull as also betweene the Nephew and the Aunt and the Neece and her vncle he hath these words The marriage betweene the sonnes and daughters of naturall brethren is lawfull as all the learned and godly agree without any controuersie for as much as we neuer read the same forbidden in holy Scripture in any place but rather allowed by many examples which were neuer condemned by any man And albeit he wish that in all such places as is a restraint heereof men should be subiect to the Magistrate according to the Doctrine of Christ yet hee spareth not farther to deliuer his opinion in this manner For my part I could wish for many causes and those of no smal moment and importance that marriages might simply bee made by warrant of the word of God that whatsoeuer God himselfe hath left free and made lawful the same might also be left vnto men as lawfull I speake freely that which I conceiue of this matter These are the forraine testimonies which I thought good to alledge at this present to which it were not hard to adde infinite others who because they speake the same things and run the same course that the former doe I will not trouble the reader and my selfe any farther in rehearsing of them I will conclude the whole with one more that is our owne countrey-man M. Perkins Mast Perkins a very iudicious godly learned Diuine as any that this age hath brought forth who in a Treatise prouing that a reprobate may in truth be made partaker of all that is contained in the Religion of the Church of Rome and that a right papist by his Religion cannot go beyond a reprobate sayth thus To go further by Gods word they which are distant 4. degrees in the transuers equall line are not forbidden to marry together as cousin germans thus the daughters of Zelophehad were married to their fathers brothers sonnes This example as I take it may be a warrant of the lawfulnes of this Marriage howsoeuer the church of Rome do ouerthwart the Lord in it Let me adde one thing more and then I will end Whereas wee are aduised by many in this question to haue due consideration of offences that may arise in making such matches I would wish also and desire all those that are contrary minded to haue good consideration of such offences as may bee giuen by two earnest disprouing the vnfitnesse and inconueniency of such matches and especially by leauing in doubt and suspence the lawfulnesse of them forasmuch as betweene parties of very good account both in calling and Religion there haue beene and are many matches in this Land of that kinde that betweene high and low rich poore noble and vnnoble which haue beene vndertaken and finished by the iudgement of the godly and learned so that it were not hard to produce sundry examples of Emperors Kings Princes Dukes Earles Barons Knights Gentlemen other of all sorts which now to bring in question for the offensiue conceits of some were more offensiue to the truth to the Church to the learned and to men of all conditions yea more dangerous to the state of those parties and preiudiciall to theyr yssue then any man of iudgement or godlinesse would approoue Thus much of this point of this chapter and of this whole booke The Lord almighty the author of all number of whose vnderstanding there is no number Psal 147 5 who hath ordered all things in measure number waight with whom our dayes are determined and the number of our months are set Iob 14 5 by whose onely mercy wee haue receyued strength to finish this booke of NVMBERS containing the iourneys of the Israelites through the desert from Mount Sinai vnto the plains of Moab by Iordan neere Iericho and admonishing vs of the state of the Church in this life lying vnder the crosse and at length receiuing deliuerance from the Ancient of daies grant vnto vs that being numbred among the children of GOD we may haue our lot among the Saints and be in the number of them that are sealed out of all the Tribes of the children of Israel Reuel 7 4. and so rest for euer in the heauenly Canaan among the soules of iust men perfected and the innumerable company of angels Heb. 12 22. Vnto him be praise and glorie in the Church Amen FINIS Gentle Reader let me intreate thee to amend these faults which otherwise may leade into errour PAg. 18. Col. 2. line 6. had made pag. 79. col 2. l. 37. the iudgement pag. 80 c. 1. l. 1. desired p. 137. c. 1. l. 60. rule and p. 140. c. 1. l. 56. censor p. 167. c. 2. l. 5. not to do p. 206. c. 2. l. 22. vnprobable p. 301. c. 1. l. 26. the Cushite p. 394. c. 2. l. 18. the Cushite p. 422. c. 1. l. 5. his iudgements p. 451. c. 1. l. 30. tender p. 473. c. 2. l. 36. profitable p. 536. c. 2. l. 28. the staffe p. 588. c. 1. l. 47 a double A Table of the principall Contents of this Booke the Figures note out the Page the Letters the Columne If no Letter be
1214 Iudgement corrupted p. 218. Iudgements are instructions to others 526. none can be free from them that sin p. 474 b. Iubile why instituted p. 1259. Iubile Popish p. 1262 b Iustification by faith p. 815 b. 817 b. K Kingdom of God first seeke 61. it is required of all 226 b 258. it is the root of obedience Ibid. Kings and Princes our duty to them 664 why we are to pray for them p. 666. Knowledge all must haue 647. little is in the Romish Church ibid. Knowledge of God twofold 23 a it must be sought 27 a wherein it consisteth p. 27 b. L Land diuiding why the high Priests helpe was vsed therein p. 1232 a Law how giuen to the iust p. 182 a Law how we may go vnto 1123 how it may bee vsed lawfully ibid. Lawfull to lay vp 101. sometimes to reprooue by name 1084. rules to be obserued in it p. 1085 b. Lawfull things not to be done vnlawfully p. 1249. Learning a great gift 707 a. without conscience a great plague 707 b with it it doth great good ibid. Lent p. 1151 b. Lepers not suffered in the host p. 256 b Leprosie of three sorts p. 757 Lesse the thing is the greater the sin p. 638. Leuites what their office was 144 b why numbered from a month old p. 166. Leuiticall Priesthood passed from one to another p. 771. Liberall dyet prouided for Gods children p. 531 b. Liberality commended 95 Obiections hindering it 96. how we are encouraged vnto it 393 Time of death not fittest for a p. 449 a. Life of diuers sorts 49 a it is maintained by God 747 without meanes ibid. Lords things are in 3 respects p. 145 b. Loue 750 it must be to all the creatures 758 b such reproued are without it p. 759. Loue of brethren 629 b how to try whether in vs what fruites it hath p. 182 a. Loue of God to his must moue vs to mercy p. 757 b. M Machabees no Scriptute p. 1116 Magistracy a great burthen p. 534. Magistrates must doe iustice 58 b. 60 a. punnish breaches of the first Table ibid. they are needfull for the people p. 63 b 534 a. Magistrates must further the preaching of the Word 202 their office 366 428 429 430. to them we must seeke in wrongs 1211 They must be vpright 958 b. 1122 draw others by their example 432 how qualified 1122 b feared for doing euill 1059 b zealous in the cause of God p. 1072. Magistrates haue their calling immediately from God 1134 papists are enemies to them ibid. Master a Magistrate in his owne house p. 1242. Magistrates duty p. 1256. Maintenance of the Ministery p. 446 193 b. Malice of enemies vnsatiable p. 1044. Manichees p. 7 b. Manna what p. 531. Manslaughter done of ignorance a sin p. 1248 a Mariage in May 1144 of cosin germans p. 1263 Mariage not to be enforced p. 1257 b. Mariage in their owne Tribe neither forbid nor is obserued p. 1258 b. Masse 1138. discommodity thereof p. 1220. Masters must reproue their seruants p. 541. Matters of God vnknowne till he reueale thē p. 984 Matrimony p. 387. Meanes to keepe vs from sin p. 577 743. Meanes extraordinary not to be looked after p. 744 Meekenesse p. 367 560 b. Merit p. 451. Ministers must be proved 474 b. how practised among papists 475. they are Gods Trumpets 503 what is done to them is done to God p. 328. Ministers must deliuer Gods word 970. teach orderly 13 a. 168 b. workes of their calling 49 b Idle are reproued 48 b. 189 345 770. are worldly 49. swallow many liuings 50 a motiues to their duty 126 b. they must looke to themselues p. 51 b. Ministers must be diligent in preaching 192 haue a care of all the flocke 199 b. 699. what Titles they haue 213 b. men of grauity 216 b. they must teach with reuerence 231. come prepared 232. not reproue sinne in iest ibid. must be vnderstood 233 a. 700. continue in teaching page 236 237. not broach new doctrine ibid. Ministers must be vnblameable 467 b. they are Gods seruants 73. when not regarded GOD dealeth with men 612. they are in special fauor with God 651. such as are of meanes must bee regarded 706. 708 b. Gods gift p. 695. Ministery must be planted among all people it is of absolute necessity 120. 671. not base 160 a. it is a charge 188 b. an high calling 206 b. how it may be desired 208 a. the contempt of it ibid it is blessed of God 434. when despised God is despised 653 b. their danger that want it 672. how to promote it p. 697. Ministery shall neuer decay 804 the end is edification p. 707 a. Ministers must be prouided of all things necessary for them p. 1237. Miracles what 688 b. transubstantiation no miracle 960 b. God onely can worke them 679 b. 906 b. they are wrought openly 688. Miseries of the Church must moue pity page 753 755 Miseries of our Brethren wee must haue a fellow-feeling p. 1203. Monkish vowes p. 420. Morning sacrifice p. 1136 1137. Moses whether free from doubting p. 538 b. Moses his wife who 549. what his sinne was p. 725 Motiues for Ministers to be diligent in their calling p. 1239 b. Multiplication of the Israelites p. 39. Multitude no note of the Church 177 b. See Vniuersality wicked boast therof 582. commonly they are worst 581 b. they cannot make euill to be good p. 583 b. Multitude lye open to iudgement 1118 b. They must be reproued 119. Murmuring 243 b. 730 b. 523 b. how to preuent it 524 b. remedies against it p. 732. Murther an heinous sin in the sight of God p. 1244 N Names of the faithfull knowne to God p. 20. Nature content with little p. 98 b. Nature God worketh aboue p. 905 b. Naturall estate p. 887 b 874. Naturall reason enemy to faith p. 539. Naturally we hearken to seducers 591. wee waxe weary of Gods gifts p. 794. Naturally all men are prone to reuenge p. 1240 b. Nazarites the sorts of them 415. meaning thereof p. 1164. Necessity dispenseth with holy duties 486 a. we are not of our selues to make it p. 487. a. Neglect of Gods worship p. 489 b. 490. New man p. 1145. New Moone See Feast Non-residency 190 191 345. how coloured p. 200 711. Note of the Church not outward glory p. 1051 b. Nouations p. 793 b. Booke of Numbers authorized out of the New testament p. 2. Numbring of the people 1103. how vnlawfull p. 29 O Oath when vnlawful 370. whose oath may be refused 372. what it is 374 b. the authour of it 375. the parts ibid. the forme and ends ib. 376 b. the properties p. 377 a. Obedience required of all 29 a 683 b. grounded vpon knowledge 33 b. rules directing it 36. it must be yeelded to all 109 b. the popish not to be vowed p. 155. Obedience to the Word required 247 b. it agreeth to our profession p. 148. Obedience to God p. 254 a. Obiections against laying
propound to themselues an euil end as either vaine glory to be esteemed of others or the merit of the work that they may be rewarded of God and do not referre them to his glory But not he that commendeth himselfe is approued but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10 18. Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts then shall euery man haue praise of God 1 Cor. 4 5. Wherefore all their workes are as the apples of Sodome which are faire in outward appearance and yet are rotten and corrupt So may vnbeleeuers do sundry workes that are beautifull in outwarde shew but they are like vnto painted Sepulchers which appeare glorious to the sight but they are within full of dead mens bones and all vncleannesse For their heart which God especially beholdeth and searcheth is foule filthy and can no otherwise be made cleane then as it is purified by faith Let all men therefore take knowledge of their naturall condition that they are of themselues abhominable and to euery good worke reprobate vntill they be borne again and regenerate by the Spirit of God The third reproofe The third reproofe is of such as notwithstanding the necessity of the word to direct our actions which without the light of it to shine in our hearts cannot please God yet regard not the knowledge of it but contemne both it and the meanes that leade vs the way vnto it This is an horrible sinne to forsake our owne saluation and as it were to cut our owne throats or to cast our selues wilfully into the middest of the seas It is a greeuous sin to be ignorant of the Law of God not to know what he commandeth or what he forbiddeth but it is more fearefull to despise knowledge offered and so as it were to despite the Spirit of grace what remaineth for such but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries Heb. 10 27. Such can haue no comfort or consolation in any of their actions For as the eye is the light of the body and directeth the rest of the members in all things they go about or else the feete might carry them into some pit of destruction so is the word of GOD our Lampe or Candle Psal 119 105. whereby we see how to walke and direct our selues into the way of peace we know what we ought to do and from what to refraine And as the body runneth violently into an heap of dangers where the eye is blinde and can perceiue nothing vntill it fall headlong into them so is it with such as regard not the knowledge of the scriptures but say vnto GOD as may appeare by their practise Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Iob 21 14. This world is as a wildernesse full of Lyons Bears Tygers and other rauenous and venemous beasts or as a sea standing out with rockes replenished with quicksands We can no sooner step out of doores but we shall be assaulted one way or other nay we our selues are tentations vnto our selues For rather then we should lacke tempters we tempt our selues like vnto a State that wanting forraine enemies falleth out within themselues and by ciuill warres destroy one another So is it with vs when we are free from open enemies we become enemies to our selues If then we want the guidance and gouernance of the word we are in danger to be ouercome and to take the foile Our Sauiour willeth vs as we heard before to search the Scriptures because in them we thinke to haue eternall life and therefore without the knowledge of thē we deceiue our selues if we dreame of eternall life So in another place he maketh the ignorance of them to be the cause of all euill and error in iudgement as Marke 12 verse 24. Are ye not therefore deceiued because yee know not the Scriptures Obiect But some peraduenture will say it belongeth to the Ministers onely to search them it is their office to looke into them I answer Answer it is a duty belonging vnto all persons to know them Christ exhorted the people to search them It is required of all to haue them dwell in them plentifully Colossians 3. If we would be preserued from error we must know them if we desire saluation we must search them if we would be able to resist the tentations of Satan we must be armed with them They are as the will and Testament of Christ whereby he hath bequeathed vnto vs an heauenly inheritance and a most rich possession and therefore it behoueth vs to reade the will to know how we hold it Thou wilt obiect Obiect they are hard and I am simple they may leade me into errors as many haue fallen into strange opinions by reading of them Art thou simple thē thou art the rather bound to reade them for they were written Answer Prou. 1 4. to giue vnto the simple sharpenesse of wit and to the child knowledge and discretion The whole Church is commanded this duty both Iewes Gentiles were there no simple men and women among them Neither oughtest thou to be afraid to be ledde by them into error for they were written to preserue thee from error and to leade thee into all truth It is the vnstable that wrest them to their owne destruction Reade them with humility with reuerence and praier Be thou lowly in thine owne eies and take heed of a proud spirit be conuersant in them with reuerence Esay 66 ◠learne to tremble at his word craue the assistance of Gods Spirit to guide thee and to open thine eyes that thou maiest vnderstand his secrets and thou shalt not need to stand in feare of being carried into error And touching the hardnesse of them be not discouraged from the reading of them Some things indeed are hard to be vnderstood but there is nothing hard in one place but it is made easie in another and it shall he made easie to vs by diligent meditation in them Besides all things that are necessary to saluation are plainely set downe that the people may vnderstand them It is the lying spirit of the diuell in the false Prophets of Antichrist that cryeth out The Scriptures are hard and full of knots the people may not reade them Beleeue not euery spirit 2 Thes 2 3. but try the spirits whether they be of God or not for many false Prophets are gone into the world 1 Iohn 4 verse 1. They are blinde leaders of the blinde they play fast and loose with the people as Iuglers do with the simple and cast a mist before their eies that they should not espy them They leade them into error and then take the light from them whereby they might be conuinced It is the great policy of that great Antichrist and man of sinne not onely to forbidde the reading of our bookes but the free vse of Gods
There was no king like him ouer all Israel neuerthelesse euen him did out-landish women cause to sinne This was the cause of the great wickednes of Ahab who solde himselfe to worke euill in the sight of God because he tooke Iezabel to wife 1 Kings 16 31. And wherefore did Iehoram forsake the steppes of his godly father and commit grosse idolatry but because hee linked himselfe in an idolatrous stocke and married the daughter of Ahab 2 Kings 8 18. Mal. 2 11. Ezra 10 1 2 3. Lastly they are to be reproued who are present with their bodies before the abominable idoll of the Masse whether it be of a fansie or for fashion whether of curiosity or for feare of punishment and to bow downe to an image thinking to be excused if they reserue theyr hearts to God Discommodities of being present at the Masse whereby they robbe God of his glory they giue scandal and offence to the weake brethren they spoyle the Lord of his right they cast themselues wilfully into desperate danger they depriue themselues of a good testimony of their owne saluation and lastly they deny the Lord IESVS and his truth before men and therefore must take heed that he deny not them before his Father in Heauen Math. 10 33. Obiect Neither let them think this any defence or comfort vnto them that they reserue their hearts to God Answ and for his pure worship For if this were true then were the holy Martyrs of God simple fooles that were content to endure all torments yea to lay downe theyr liues for a testimony to the truth rather then giue the least outward approbation to idolatry Then were those three seruants of God greatly deceiued who chose rather to be cast into the fiery fornace then bow downe to the idol that was set vp Dan. 3 18 we are bought with a great price and therefore we must glorifie God in our body and in our spirit for they are Gods 1 Cor. 6 20. Rom. 12 1. Mat. 4 9 Exod. 20 4. 1 Ioh. 5 21. What husband would endure that his wife should prostitute her body to commit whoredome albeit she should pretend and protest that shee reserued her heart chast and pure for him only Then how much lesse will the Lord admit such a bad and blind excuse when they that professe themselues to be his spouse shall commit spirituall whoredome with idols in their bodies Secondly we must learne from hence that Vse 2 it is impiety to worship images with any kind of worship whatsoeuer For if we be commanded to abstayne from familiarity with them that be idolaters much more are we charged to abstayne from idols and from all worship of the idols It is a greeuous sinne to giue the honour of God whereof he is iealous to any but onely to himselfe To robbe God and thereby to enrich another must needes be acknowledged to be a sinfull and wicked practice much more then is it a sinne to giue the same to such base stuffe as stockes blocks and stones and images Not to honour the king is wickednesse To giue the honour due to the King to his Peeres and Nobles must needs bee a greater sinne and offence but to giue it to a base and contemptible person must needs be greater wrong and wickednesse then any of the rest So is it in this case for men not to honour God is euil Idolatry much abuseth the dignitie of man to giue his honour to any mortall man is more sinfull but for a man made after the image of God to giue it to base and senselesse idols is most wicked of all which are the workes of mens hands The basest image-maker that liueth is farre better then the image that liueth not as the workeman is better then the worke And what a grosse and senselesse thing is it that the liuing image of the liuing should performe worship or seruice to the dead image of a dead Saint It were much better therefore and lesse absurd to worship him that made the image who is the creature of God then the image it selfe which is the creature of man So then we oght carefully to take heed to our selues that wee worship not any image or idol with any worship whatsoeuer It is not lawful for a subiect to worship his Prince or for a sonne to worship his father with any religious worship much lesse lawfull is it then for a man to worship such things as these that haue eyes and see not eares and heare not feete and walke not neyther doth any sound passe from them A man would be much ashamed to be found or seene worshipping a tree that groweth a bird or beast that liueth much more then ought we to be ashamed of this grosse kind of worship that we should bow downe to such things as are beholding to vs for theyr forme and fashion so that there is farre more reason that the image should worship his maker then the maker worship the image that hee made Let vs learne to feare GOD and reuerence his worship and flye all kinde of worshipping of images whatsoeuer to abhorre the same as the imiattion of the Gentiles and the very excrements of Antichrist himselfe Whosoeuer they be that practise such impiety in these dayes of grace are fallen from grace It may be that in time of danger and persecution a man may be forced to doe that which goeth against his conscience to saue life but for a man to stand out in these times and to approue such maner of worship he is certainly fallen from Christ and deserueth iust condemnation and destruction and therefore let no colour or pretence or perswasion whatsoeuer draw vs away to the committing of this sinne but let vs labour to keepe our selues pure by cleauing to the worship and seruice of God and by giuing honour and glory vnto him Obiect But they tell vs that they worship not the image of any false God The Scripture indeed cryeth out against the images of false gods and such as are no true Saints but wee for our parts worship nothing but the Images of the true God and of true Saints I answer Answer there is a great difference betweene the Images of true Saints and of false Saints but there is no difference at al in the action it self forasmuch as it is idolatry to worship the Image of the true God as well as of the false And the reason is because it is to giue worship to that which by nature is no God at all Paul and Barnabas were true Saints yet if the men of Lystra had worshipped them they had sinned against GOD as much as when they worshipped Iupiter and Mercurius which were no other then fayned gods Acts 14 12. Therefore that distinction falleth to the ground Deut. 4 15. Obiect Esay 40 18. Rom. 1.23 1 Cor. 10 20. Deut. 27 15. Psal 97 7. But some of the Papists tell vs that images are Lay mens bookes to looke vpon