Gods Church or kingdome in which first comes the husbandman and sowes good seede and then after comes the deuill with his tares Matth. 13. 24. and all this is euident in the Church of Galatia first planted by Paul and then seduced by false teachers The third thing is that Paul preached bearing about him the triall of God This triall is a worke of God whereby he discouers vnto vs and to the world either the grace or the corruption of our hearts Thus God tried Abraham Hebr. 11. 17. the Israelites Deut. 6. 1. and Ezechias 2. Chron. 32. 31. and Paulin this place The vse We must not thinke it strange when we are afflicted any way Nay we must looke for trialls and be content when they come 1. Pet. 4. 12. Iam. 1. 2. We are either gold in deede or gold in shew if in deede we must be cast into the furnace that we may be purged if we be gold in appearance we must againe into the furnace that we may be knowne what we are The best vine in the vinyard must be lopped and cut with the pruning knife that it may beare the more fruit Ioh. 15. Againe we must take heede least there be any hidden corruptions raigning in our hearts and we must labour to be indeede that which we appeare to be For we must be tried by God and then that which now lies hidde shall be discouered to our shame Lastly we must looke to it that there be soundnes of grace in vs that we may be able to beare the trialls of God and shew forth some measure of faith potience obedience The first signe of Reuerence in the Galatians is that they did not despise Paul in his base condition This is a matter of commendation in them and it is to be followed of vs. And he is a blessed man that is not offended at Christ Math. 11. 6. The second signe of reuerence is that they receiued Paul as an angel of God or as Christ Iesus Here first we must distinguish betweene Pauls person and his doctrine or ministerie And he is said to be receiued as an angel or as Christ because his doctrine was receiued euen as if an angel or Christ had deliuered it Secondly we must put a difference betweene an Apostle and all ordinarie pastours and teachers And to be receiued as an angel or as Christ properly and simply concerns Paul and the rest of the Apostles For to them it was said it is not you that speake but the spirit of the father in you Math. 10. 20. Againe he that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10. 16. The Apostles were called of God immediately taught and inspired immediately and immediately gouerned by the spirit both in preaching and writing so as they could not erre in the things which they deliuered to the Church and therefore they were to be heard euen as Christ himselfe As for other ordinarie teachers they are in part and in the second place to be heard as angels and as Christ so farre forth as they follow the doctrine of the Apostles Thus are they also called the angels of the couenant Math. 2. 7. And Embassadours in the stead of Christ 2. Cor. 5. 21. Here Paul notably expresseth the Authoritie and honour of an Apostle which is to be heard euen as Christ himselfe because in preaching he is the mouth and in writing the hand of God This authoritie is to be maintained and the consideration of it is of great vse The Papists say we know the scripture to be the word of God by the testimonie of the Church but indeede the principall meanes whereby we are assured touching the truth of Scripture is that the books of scripture were penned by men whose writings and sayings we are to receiue euen as from Christ himselfe because they had either Propheticall or Apostolicall authoritie and were immediately taught and inspired in writing and all this may be discerned by the matter for me and circumstances of the foresaid books Secondly they are to be blamed that call the Pope the spouse of the Church and Christ by annointment as Bernard did for thus is he more then an Apostle Thirdly here we see the goodnesse of God that doth not speake to vs in his maiestie but appoints men in his stead who are his embassadours to beseech vs to be reconciled to him Fourthly there must be fidelitie in teachers because they stand in teaching in the stead of Christ and therefore must onely deliuer that which they knowe to be the will of Christ. Fiftly They must haue a speciall care of holinesse of life because they speake in the name and roome of God Read Leuit. 10. 2. Sixtly the people are to heare their teachers with all reuerence euen as if they would heare the very angels of God or Christ himselfe Seauenthly the comfort of the Ministerie is as sure and certen as if an angel came downe from heauen or Christ himselfe to comfort vs so be it we doe indeed truely turne to God and repent Vers. 15. What was your felicitie that is you esteemed it to be your felicitie that you receiued me and my doctrine Ye would haue plucked out your eies and haue giuen them to me a prouerbiall speech signifying the speciall loue of the Galatians to Paul so as nothing which they had could be to deare for him If it had bin possible this he saith because no mā can pluck out his eie to doe another man good or thus no man can possibly giue his eie and the sight thereof to another In these words Paul sets downe the third signe of the loue and reuerence which the Galatians shewed to him and that is that they thought themselues happie by reason of Pauls Ministerie and would haue parted with their owne eies for his good Hence we learne that there is a felicitie after the time of this life and that is to receiue and imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell So saith Christ else where Luk. 8. 21. and 11. 18. Math. 7. 26. True happinesse stands in our reconciliation with God in Christ. And this reconciliation is offered and giuen vs on gods part by his word and promise and it is receiued of vs when we turne to God and by faith rest on the said promise To be in Gods kingdome is happinesse and this is the kingdome of God when we resigne our selues in subiection to his will and word The preaching of the word is the key of this kingdome Matth. 16. 19. and when it is receiued into our hearts by faith heauen is set open vnto vs euen in this life Ioh. 1. 51. The Philosophers therefore haue erred that place our happinesse in honours riches pleasures or in ciuill vertue Secondly our common people are deceiued who thinke because they deale truely and iustly before men that they are in as good a case as they that heare all the sermons in the world as though true happinesse stood in ciuill conuersation
Sina came from mount Sina where the law was deliuered to the Israelites And gendreth to bondage that is it makes all them bondmen that looke to be iustified and saued by the works of the law For Agar or Sina here the translatours are deceiued supposing that mount Sina had two names Agar and Sina but this opinion of theirs hath no ground and the words are thus to be read Agar is Sina Here Agar signifies not so much the person of Abrahams handmaid as that which is said in the former historie of Agar For the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Sina must be considered as a place where it pleased God to publish the law And the wordes thus considered haue this sense Agar is Sina that is Agar figures Sina two waies First in condition for as Agar was a bondwoman so Sina in respect of the law was a place of bondage and in this respect also it is called Sina of Arabia which was a desart out of the land of Canaan Secondly in effect for as Agar bare Ismael a bondman to Abraham so Sina or the law makes bondmen And it answereth Sina answereth to Ierusalem that is as Agar figures Sina so Agar figures Ierusalem and by this meanes Sina and Ierusalem are like and stand both in one order Now Agar figures Ierusalem two waies in condition and effect In condition for as Agar was a bondwoman so Ierusalem or the nation of the Iewes refusing Christ and looking to be saued by the law are in spirituall bondage In effect for as Agar brings forth Ismael a bondman so Ierusalem by teaching the law makes bondmen Therefore Paul saith in the last place of Ierusalem and shee is in bondage with her children The vse These things are said by allegorie Here the Papists make a double sense of scripture one literall the other spirituall Literall is twofold Proper when the words are taken in their proper signification Figuratiue when the holy Ghost signifies his meaning in borrowed tearmes Spirituall senses they make three One allegoricall when things in the old testament are applied to signifie things in the new testament The second is Tropologicall when scripture signifies something touching manners The third is Anagogicall when things are in scripture applied to signifie the estate of euerlasting life Thus Ierusalem properly is a citie by allegorie the Church of the new Testament in a tropologicall sense a state well ordered in an anagogicall sense the estate of eternall life These senses they vse to applie to most places of the Scripture specially to the historie But I say to the contrarie that there is but one full and intire sense of euery place of scripture and that is also the literall sense sometimes expressed in proper and sometimes in borrowed or figuratiue speaches To make many senses of scripture is to ouerturne all sense and to make nothing certen As for the three spirituall senses so called they are not senses but applications or vses of scripture It may be said that the historie of Abrahams familie here propounded hath beside his proper and literall sense a spiritual or mysticall sense I answer they are not two senses but two parts of one full intire sense For not onely the bare historie but also that which is therby signified is the ful sense of the h. G. Againe here we see the scripture is not onely penned in proper tearmes but also in sundrie diuine figures and allegories The song of Salomon is an Allegorie borrowed from the fellowshippe of man and wife to signifie the communion betweene Christ his Church so is the 45. psalme The booke of Daniel and the Reuelation is an allegoricall historie The Parables of the old and new Testaments are figures or allegories When Dauid saith Psal. 45. 4. Ride on vpon the word of truth meeknes and iustice he describes a Princes charriot by allegorie The Guide is the word the horses that draw it are three Truth meekenes iustice And thus the throne of God is described by like allegorie Psal. 89. v. 14. the foundation of the throne are righteousnes and equitie the maine bearers to goe before the throne are mercie and truth It may be demanded when doth the scripture speake properly and when by figure Ans. If the proper signification of the words be against common reason or against the analogie of faith or against good manners they are not then to be taken properly but by figure The words of Christ Ioh. 15. 1. I am the true vine my father is an husband man If they be taken properly they are absurd in common reason therefore the words are figuratiue and the sense is this I am as the true vine and my father as an husbandman The wordes of Christ Take eate this is my body 1. Corinth 11. vers 24. taken properly are against the articles of faith He ascended into heauen and sits at the right hand of God And they are against the sixt commandement Thou shalt not kill And therefore they must be expounded by figure thus This bread is a signe of my bodie The like is to be said of other places they must be taken properly if it be possible if not by figure Here then they are to be blamed that make the vse of Rhetoricke in the Bible to be a meere fopperie For to this purpose there is a booke in English heretofore published As also they of the familie of loue are iustly to be condemned who in another extremitie turne all the Bible to an Allegorie yea euen that which is said of Adam and of Christ. They are two Testaments they are that is they signifie and so Agar is Sina a mountaine in Arabia that is signifies Sina Thus the Rocke in the wildernes is Christ 1. Cor. 10. 4. that is figures Christ. Like to this is the Sacramentall phrase This is my bodie that is to say this bread signifies my bodie Great is the madnes of men that hence gather Transsubstantiation or the real conuersion of bread into the bodie of Christ. They might as well gather hence the conuersion of Agar into mount Sina The two Testaments are the Couenant of workes and the Couenant of grace one promising life eternall to him that doth all things contained in the law the other to him that turnes and beleeues in Christ. And it must be obserued that Paul saith they are two that is two in substance or kind And they are two sundrie waies The law or couenant of workes propounds the bare iustice of God without mercie the couenant of grace or the Gospel reueales both the iustice and mercie of God or the iustice of God giuing place to his mercie Secondly the law requires of vs inward and perfect righteousnes both for nature and action the Gospel propounds vnto vs an imputed iustice resient in the person of the Mediatour Thirdly the law promiseth life vpon condition of works the Gospel promiseth remission of sinnes and life euerlasting vpon condition that we rest
Gospel I answer he could doe no otherwise If a priuate man shall erre he must first be admonished and then the Church must be told of it If he heare not the Church then iudgement may be giuen that he is a Publican and not before much more then if the Church shall erre there must first be an examination of the errour and them sufficient conviction and after conuiction followes the censure vpon the Church and iudgement then may be giuen and not before And Paul had nowe onely begun in this Epistle to admonish the Church of Galatia Great therefore is the rashnes and want of moderation in many that haue beene of vs that condemne our Church for no Church without sufficient conuiction going before If they say that we haue beene admonished by bookes published I say againe there be grosser faults in some of those books then any of the faults that they reprooue in the Church of England and therefore the bookes are not fit to conuince specially a Church And though Paul call the Galatians Churches of God yet may we not hence gather that the Church of Rome is a church of God The name it may haue but it doeth in trueth openly obstinately oppugne the manifest principles of Christian religion If any demaunde what these Churches of Galatia are I answer that they were a people of Asia the lesse and though they were famous Churches in the daies of the Apostle yet now the countrie is vnder the dominion of the Turke This shewes what God might haue done to vs in England long agoe for the contempt of the Gospell This againe shewes what desolation will befall vs vnlesse we repent and bring forth better fruits of the Gospell 3. Grace be with you and peace from God the father from our Lord Iesus Christ. 4. Who gaue Here is laid downe the second part of the Preface which is the Salutation propounded in the forme of a praier Grace and peace c. Grace here mentioned is not any gift in man but grace is Gods and in God And it signifies his gratious fauour and good will whereby he is well pleased with his elect in and for Christ. Thus Paul distinguisheth the grace of God from the gift that is by grace Rom. 5. v. 15. and sets grace before the gift as the cause of it Here comes the errour of the Papists to be confuted which teacheth that the grace which makes vs gratefull to God is the infused gift of holinesse and charitie whereas indeed we are not first sanctified and then please god but first we please God by grace in Christ and then vpon this we are sanctified and indued with charitie Peace is a gift not in God but in vs and it hath three parts The first is peace of conscience which is a quietnesse and tranquilitie of minde arising of a sense and apprehension of reconciliation with God Rom. 5. v. 1. The second is peace with the creatures and it hath fiue branches The first is peace with angels for man is redeemed by Christ and by meanes of this redemption sinfull man is reconciled to good Angels Coloss. 1. 20. The second is peace with the godly who are all made of one heart and mind Isai. 11. 9. The third is peace with our selues and that is a conformitie of the will affections and inclinations of mans nature to the renewed minde The fourth is peace in respect of our enemies For the decree of God is Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Againe all things turne to the good of them that loue God The fift is peace with the beasts of the field God makes a couenant with them for his people Ose. 2. 18. The creatures desire waite for the deliuerance of Gods children Rom. 8. They that trust in God shall walke vpon the Lyon and the Bafiliske Psal. 91. The third part of peace is prosperitie and good successe whatsoeuer the righteous man doth it prospers And all things prospered in the house of Potipher when Ioseph was his steward because he feared God Gen. 39. 1 2. To proceed Paul sets downe the causes of grace and peace and they are two God the father and Iesus Christ. And here it must be remembred that the father and Christ as they are one God they are but one cause and yet in regard of the manner of working they are two distinct causes For the father giues grace from none but himselfe by the sonne and Christ procures grace and peace and he giues it vnto men from thefather Furthermore Christ is described by his propertie Our Lord and by his effects in the next verse The vse Whereas Paul beginnes his praier with grace we learne that Grace in God is the first cause and beginning of all good things in vs. Election is of grace Rom. 11. v. 5. Vocation to saluation is of Grace 2. Tim. 1. 9. Faith is of grace Phil. 1. 29. Iustification is freely by Grace Rom. 3. 24. Loue is by grace 1. Ioh. 4. 9. Euery good inclination is of grace Phil. 2. 13. Euery good worke is of grace Ezech. 36. 27. Eph. 2. 10. Life euerlasting is of grace Rom. 6. 23. To auoide any euill is the least good and euery good is of God It may be said that will in man is the cause and beginning of some good things Answer In the creating or imprinting of the first grace in the heart will is no cause at all but a subiect to receiue the grace giuen After the first grace is giuen will is an Agent in the receiuing of the second grace and in the doing of any good worke Yet this must be remembred that when will is an agent it is no more but an instrument of grace and grace in God is properly the first middle and last cause of grace in vs and of euery good acte Hence it followes that there be not any meritorious workes that serue to prepare men to their iustification and that the Cooperation of mans will with grace in the acte of conuersion whereby we are conuerted of God is but a fiction of the braine of man Lastly this doctrine is the foundation of humilitie for it teacheth vs to ascribe all to grace and nothing to our selues Secondly we learne that the cheife good things to be sought for are the fauour of God in Christ and the peace of a good conscience Consider the example of Dauid Psal. 4. v. 7. Psal. 73. v. 24 25. and of Paul who accounted all things dung for grace and peace in Christ. And the peace of good conscience is as a guard to keepe our hearts and minds in Christ. Phil. 4. 7. The fault of most men is They spend their daies and their strength in seeking riches honours pleasures and they thinke not on grace and peace After the manner of beasts they vse the blessings of god but they looke not at the cause namely the grace of God Our dutie Aboue all things to seeke
but onely by the Latin church as might be prooued by manifold testimonies if it were a thing necessarie to be stood vpon Neuerthelesse howsoeur this inscription cannot be defended yet it may be excused and tollerated as a title of distinction to distinguish them from the other epistles As we see the Iewes diuiding the olde testament into 4. parts the first they called the law or 5. bookes of Moses the 2. the former prophets viz Ioshua Judges 2. bookes of Samuel 2. bookes of the Kings the 3 the later prophets as Esay Ieremie Ezechiel and the small prophets the 4. they called Kethubim which in English is as much as the scriptures not as though those 11. bookes were more properly scripture then the Pentateuch of Moses or the bookes of the former and later prophets but onely for distinction sake they were so called And they are tearmed of the 70. and of the Greeke church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is holy writts not because they had a peculiar holines proper to them aboue other parts of Gods word seeing all scripture is equally giuen by diuine inspiration nor as though the amanuenses of these bookes were more holy then the other pen-men of the holy Ghost nay contrarily it is doubted by some of Salomon who penned three of these bookes whether he were elected or reiected whereas it is not doubted of the rest but onely as I haue alreadie said to put a note of distinction betwixt them and other bookes in naming of them as Hugo de S. Uict hath well obserued In this sense this title Canonicall may be giuen to these Epistles without danger but if we shall vnderstand it in any other sense we shall be so farre from beeing able to defend it that we shall not be able to excuse it The second title which is giuen them is that they be called Catholike which inscription is as vnfit as the former for they are so called as some would haue it because they were writteÌ„ and directed to the whole Catholike Church consisting both of Iewes and Gentiles But that is not true seeing Iames chap. 1. 1. directeth his Epistle onely to the 12 tribes that were dispersed and not to the Gentiles And Peter who was an Apostle of Circumcision 1. Epist. 1. 1. writeth onely to the strangers the Iewes that dwell here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia Others thinke they are tearmed Catholike for that they were not sent to one man or familie or citie or countrey but generally to the whole bodie companie and societie of the Iewes wheresoeuer dispersed ouer the whole earth But neither in this sense can they fitly or truly be tearmed Catholike forasmuch as two of these seuen viz. the second and third of Iohn were written to particular persons the one to the elect Ladie the other to Gains And by this reason the Epistle to Timothie that to Titus and Philemon may be called Catholike as well as these Againe be it graunted that they were all directed to all the Iewes yet I see not why the Epistle to the Ebrewes may not as well chalenge this title to be called Catholike as any of these seuen considering it was written to all the Iewes and onely to the Iewes Thirdly others affirme them to be called Catholike because they containe Catholike doctrine such as appertaineth to all men generally of what estate place condition or calling so euer they be But in this sense all Pauls Epistles may be called Catholike Epistles For whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that we through patience and consolation of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. 4. Secondly the word Catholike is not so ancient for Pacianus an auncient father saith it was not vsed in the Apostles daies His wordes are these Sed sub Apostolis enquies nemo Catholicus vocabatur esto sic fuerie vel illud indulge cum post Apostolos haereses extitissent diuersisque nominibus Columbam Dei atque reginam lacerare per partes sciudere niterentur nonne cognomen suum plebâ— Apostolica pâ—stulabat quo incorrupti populi distingueret vnitatem ne intemeratam Dei virginem error aliquorum per membra laceraret that is But thou wilt say vnder the Apostles no man was called Catholique well be it so yet admit this withall when after the Apostles there were heresies and men beganne to rend in peeces and diuide gods done and Queene by sundry different names did not the Apostolike people require their surnames whereby they might distinguish the vnitie of the vncorrupt people least the error of some should rend in sunder gods vndefiled virgin where we see Pacianus doth freely grant that this surname Catholike was not in vse in the time of the Apostles Which testimonie Baronius doth notably dissemble in shewing the originall of this name out of Pacianus affirming but not proouing it to be as ancient as the Apostles Now this errour hath not onely befallen the Latin and Greeke copies but the Syriacke likewise as may appeare in the title prefixed before the most ancient Syrian traÌ„slation where we shal find these words The 3. Epistles of the 3. Apostles before whose eyes our Lord was transfigured Iames Peter Iohn In which inscription be couched 2. soule errours First in that this translator maketh but 3. epistles of James Peter and Iohn whereas there are sixe he omitting the 2. of Peter the 2. and 3. of Iohn as also that of Iude as no part of holy scripture therfore the Syriack church as I haue alreadie said doth not receiue these Epistles into their Canon vnto this day The second is in that he affirmeth Iames before whom our S. Christ was transfigured in mount Tabor to be the author of this epistle For that Iames before whome Christ was transfigured in the mount was Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and brother of Iohn Matth. 17. 1. After sixe daies Iesus tooke Peter and Iames and Iohn his brother and brought them vp into an high mountain and was transfigured before them Which Iames could not possibly be the penner of this epistle for he was slaine by king Herode long before the destruction of Ierusalem and the dispersion of the 12. tribes Acts 12. v. 2. About that time Herode the kinge stretched forth his hand to vexe certaine of the Church and he slew Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword Therfore Iames the author of this epistile was Iames the sonne of Alphaeus For to faine an other Iames the brother of our Lord as some haue done is childish seeing it is plaine by sundry places of the N. T. that there were but two of that name mentioned in Scripture Iames the sonne of Zebedeus called Iames the greater and Iames the sonne of Alphoeus brother to Iude called the lesser and brother of our Lord. GRATIAS TIBI DOMINE IESV COMMON PLACES HANDLED IN THIS Commentarie The first figure shewes the page the second the line 1 HOw a man may
of canonicall Scripture 655. 20 Reasons why we must prouide for the poore 100. 35 The Gospell must be preached though all men be offended 396. 15. Preaching containes foure ministeriall actions 54. 17 Effectuall and powerfull preaching of the word stands in two things 160. 39. Preaching must be plaine 160. 11 Necessarie for all men 165. 20 The word must be dispenced in the infirmitie of mans flesh for diuers causes 323. 7 The benefits of preaching 326. 27 Prayer to Saints and Angels is carnall prayer 299. 29 Pray onely to God ibid. 300. 14 The right manner of seeking the praise of men 455. 1 Primacie is 2 of order of power 60. 18. Authoritie of the Church no principle 433. 39. Externall and bodily priueledges are of no moment in the kingdome of Christ. 382. 1 Gods promises lie as voide till the particular time of their accomplishment 204. 20 The promise made to Abraham is a couenant or testament and how 211. 30. Christ is the foundation of all the promises of god partly by merit partly by efficacie 313. 2 Why beleeuers are called children of promise 360. 8 Prouerbiall sentences are not at all times true in euery particular 550. 36. Gods prouidence vseth euill things well 348. 22 Subiectiō to punishment hath three parts 365. 13 There are seuerall degrees of punishments in hell 555. 556 R The workes of redemption exceed the works of creation 14. 19 Of the redemption of man from vnder the law 288. 19. c. Christ the onely redeemer 311. 9 Three markes of regeneration 241. 40. The gift of regeneration is neuer vtterlie extinguished 262. 29 What true regeneration is 377. 35 The workes of the regenerate are mixed with sinne and in the rigour of iustice deserue damnation obiections remooued 419. 9. 15. Of the reioycing of the Church vide Church Two groundes of reioycing vide glorying Reioyce signifying to glorie 517. 11 Obiection against reioicing in ones selfe vide glorying VVhat rules are to be obserued in the reioycing in the testimonie of a good conscience vide glorying False reioycing wherein it confisteth 519. 13 Reioycers are of foure sorts 519. 16 To reioyce in a mans selfe what 517. 18. The cheife principle in religion what 433. 24 Whether it be lawfull to compell men to imbrace religion 614. 5. The Magistrate may compell obstinate recusants to professe true religion ibid. 8. Obiections to the contrarie answered ibid. 25 Pauls manner in reproouing 18. 8 Libertie in reproouing with three caueats 103. 13 Why we vse not in preaching personall reproofes as Iohn Baptist did 393. 16 The manner of reproofe vide Restore He that is iniuried is fitter to reprooue him that offered the iniurie then any other 474. 39 Reproofes must not be deferred 460. 22. No wonder that sinners be loth to be reprooued 460. 37 A treatise of Christian reproofe 469. 31. Who are to be reprooued ib. 35 Reproofe belongs not to those that are out of the visible Church 470. The greatest Princes are subiect to reproofe 471. 15 Onely open skorners and persecuters of the word are not to be reprooued 472. 10 Men are to be reprooued for any sinne knowne ibid. 10 And for wrongs offered vs. 474. 20 Obiection against reproofes answered 47◠12 Who are reprooued 477. 1. 37. In fiue cases we are not bound to reprooue others offending 478. 13. In what manner are men to be reprooued set downe in ten rules 579. 37. The bitternesse of reproofe is to be allaied foure waies 483. 17 A man may reproue another foure waies 484. 8 In fitting our reproofe to the offence committed we must put a difference betwixt sinne finne 484. 28. In three cases we are not priuatly to reprooue but publikely to detect offenders 487. 15 The Pastour ought to be resident with his Hocke for two causes 337. 10. Restitution vide Satisfaction As oftē as our brother falls we must restore him 461. 5 Who are to be restored ibid. 17 Spirituall men are more for to restore those that are fallen then any other 463. 3 The manner how we must restore 464. 28. Reuelation is of two sortes 36. 11. Extraordinarie reuelation is foure waies 36. 15 The reuelation which Paul had is extraordinarie 36. 22 Reuolt what and the kindes thereof 18. 29 Remedies against reuenge 445. 8 Reward is double of honour and of debt 569. 37 Reward presupposeth not alwaies debt 571. 14 God giueth rewardes foure waies 571. 29. The phrases of speech of rewarding double or seuen fold what they signifie in the Scripture 552. 31. Pauls rule what it is 641. 33 The Papists rules Lesbian rules 642. 20. Monkish rules vaine and wicked 642. 28. We must be runners in the race of God 386. 19 We must runne well and to the end 387. 7. 22. S Of the institution of the Sabbath 315. 9 20. Sacraments conferre not grace by the worke wrought 254. 21 whether there be now in the church of God any sacrifice or oblation of Christ 161. 29 Whether the Saints may fall away totally and finally 586. 20 There is but one way of saluation 22. 5. Preuision of faith and good workes no cause of saluation 47. 20 The saluation of beleeuers is most sure 47. 27 The manner and way of our saluation 229. 21 The sanctification of the name of God hath two parts 72. 10 There is a double sanctification 193. 21. Satisfaction must be made for wrongs done 98. 39 Who must satisfie 99. 21 To whome 99. 28 What 99. 38 When 100. 9 In what order and manner 100. 15. Schisme and heresie differ vide Heresie The Papists schismatikes and not we 437. 21 For the auoiding of schisme and sedition two rules ibid. 29 Slanders vse to be raised vpon euery light and vniust occasion 395. 18. Scripture is both the glosse and the text 352. 36. 434. 3 Scripture hath sundrie senses according to the Papists 345. 35 When the Scriptures speakes figuratiuely and when properly 346. 30. The Scriptures by themselues are sufficient to saluation 24. 24 The Scriptures are as certen as if they had beene written by God 27. 5. The authoritie of the Scripture dependes not vpon the testimonie of the Church 27. 20 It is necessarie that men should be assured that the Scriptures are of God 31. 30 The testimonies whereby this assurance may be obtained 31. 35 In Scriptures there is diuine and infallible authoritie 353. 15. The meanes to decide controuersies 356. 29 Bookes of Scripture in the new testament haue a threefold difference 608. 9 Bookes of Scripture why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also Kethubim by the Iewes 659. 25 The Scriptures why called Canonicall 641. 38 Seditions what 435. 15 The separation of Paul from the wombe what it is 46. 35 To make a faire shewe in the flesh signifieth foure things 610. 33 Simulation what and the sorts 105. 36. Sinne where it takes place giues a man no rest till it hath brought him to a height of wickednes 43. 39. What a sinne of
in Christ that they may haue some rule whereby to trie the spirits consonant to the analogie of faith and the doctrine of the orthodoxe Fathers of the Church which Paul calleth the forme of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. and The forme of doctrine Rom. 6. 17. and a patterne of wholesome wordes 2. Tim. 1. 13. which formes of doctrine were in vse in the primatiue church in the Apostles daies as it is manifest Heb. 6. 1. where the Apostle sets downe the principall points of the Catechisme calling them the doctrine of the beginning of Christ. And after the Apostles we find that they were vsed by the learned Fathers both of the Greeke and Latine Church Clement Alex. had his Pedagogue Cyril of Ierusalem his Catechisme and Mystagog bookes Origen that famous Catechist his books of principles Theodoret his Epitome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lactantius his Institutions Augustine his Enchiridion Hugo de S. Victore his books of the Sacraments or mysteries of christian religion And it were greatly to be wished that as in other reformed churches beyond the Sea they haue a set Catechisme which all men follow and in the church of Rome one approoued by the Councell of Trent so there were an vniforme Catechisme inioyned by publick authoritie to be vsed in all Families Schooles and Churches in this land that we might all with one mind and one mouth iudge and speake the same thing Now as Catechismes gathered out of plaine and easie places are necessarie for the simple so Commentaries are as necessarie for the vnderstanding of such places as are more abstruse and difficult Our Sauiour Christ the great Doctor of the Church hath by his owne practise giuen vs a president hereof in expounding the lawe Matth. 5. in expounding all hard parables to his disciples a part for the text saith that he vnfolded or expounded them vnto them Mark 4. 33. That he interpreted vnto them in all the scriptures the things which were written of him Luk. 24. 27. That he opened vnto them the scriptures v. 32. And they haue bin alwaies so accounted in the Church of God For the Iewes as we know had their Perâ—shim the Greeke church their Scholia the Latin Church their Glosses with other Paraphrases Expositions Neither was it euer called in question by any saue by the phantasticall Anabaptists who rest onely vpon immediate reuelations And some preiudicate Papists who hold the consent of all Catholikes to be the true Scripture both the glosse and the text the written word but inkie Diuinitie and a dead letter And certaine arrogant spirits who with Nestorius skorne to read any Interpreters But how Commentaries ought to be written it is not so easie to define there beeing such difference as well in regard of the manner of writing as of the measure For besides that the Popish writers make foure seuerall senses of the Scripture commending Ierome to excell in the Literall Origen in the Allegoricall Ambrose in the Anagogicall Chrysostome in the Tropologicall they haue aboue fiftie seuerall waies of expounding the Scripture as their owne writers doe record In the measure we finde some too tedious as the two Alphonsi Tostatus and Salmeron who vpon euery small occasion digresse from the text or rather take occasion to enter into infinite friuolous questions which breede strife rather then godly edifying which is by faith For there is not so short a Chapter in the Bible vpon which the former mooueth not aboue eight score questions whereupon his volumes growe to that bignesse that one contracting his Commentarie vpon S. Matth. and drawing it into an Epitome yet could not so abridge it but that it contained aboue a thowsand pages in folio in the largest volume smallest character The other is so short with his 12 volumes vpon the Euangelists that he might well haue contracted leaues into lines and lines into letters Which tedious discourses and impertinent excursions from the text serue for no other ende but to cast a mist before the eyes of the reader and drawe as it were the vaile of Moses ouer his face so that he cannot see the meaning of the holy Ghost Others on the contrarie are too short and compendious offending as much in breuitie as the former in prolixitie by name Emanuel Sa the Iesuit whose Commentaries vpon the Bible are shorter then the text it selfe like to those of Apollinaris of whome Ierom writeth that a man which readeth them would thinke he red Contents of chapters rather then Commentaries But as for the manner the literall sense which our author here followeth is the onely sense intended by the Spirit of God the Allegoricall Tropologicall Anagogicall beeing but seuerall vses and applications thereof For the Scripture consisting in the sense not in the letters is profitable to teach and improoue as Paul saith whereas from the Allegoricall sense no necessary argument can be taken as their owne doctors confesse either to confirme or confute any point of doctrine therefore much lesse from the Tropologicall or Anagogicall And as for the measure in regard of breuitie or prolixity the golden meane hath alway beene iudged by the learned to be the best which is not onely to giue the bare meaning paraphrastically but to make collection of doctrine and application of vses yet breefly rather pointing at the cheife heads then dwelling long vpon any point Some are of opinion that a Commentor is onely to giue the literal sence of the place without making further vse of application or instruction To which I could easilie subscribe if all the Lords people could prophesie or if all were able to handle the word of God the sword of the spirit For as to an expert Musitian who is acquainted with the concords or rules of discant it is as good a direction to haue onely the ground as if he had euery point pricked out vnto him beeing inured to the diuision vpon euery point as it falleth out in the ground So to him that is acquaynted with the word of God a short and concise handling of the Scripture may be as good a direction as if euery point were discoursed at large But because all readers are not strong men in Christ some beeing but babes who must haue euery thing minced and cutt small vnto them before they can receiue it Neither all teachers expert prompt Scribes like to Ezra nor mightie in the Scripture as Apollos such as are able to diuide the word a right and applie it fitly as they ought Some beeing deceitfull worckmen peruerting it to their owne destruction in pressing the two dugges of the Scripture the Ould and New Testament that in steed of milck they sucke nothing but blood Others vnskilfull casting wild Colloquintida into the pott of the children of the prophets beeing too hastie to learne and too ignorant to know of them selues what they should haue gathered Therefore to help the
till the comming of the Messias and now the Catholike Church is in the roome of the sanctuarie in it must we seeke the presence of God and the word of life therefore it is called the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Fourthly in Ierusalem was the throne of Dauid Psal. 122. 5. and in the Catholike Church is the throne or scepter of Christ figured by the kingdome of Dauid Reu. 3. 7. Fiftly the commendation of a cittie as Ierusalem is the subiection obedience of the citizens now in the Catholike Church all beleeuers are citizens Eph. 2. 19. and they yeild voluntarie obedience and subiection to Christ their king Psal. 110. 2. Isai 2. 5. Lastly as in Ierusalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a register so the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life Reu. 20. 15. Hebr. 12. 23. Againe the Catholike Church dwelling here belowe is said to be aboue in heauen for two causes First in respect of her beginning which is from the Election and grace of God and from Christ the Mediatour of whose flesh and bone we are that beleeue Eph. 5. 30. The iustice whereby we are iustified is in Christ our holinesse and life flowes from the holinesse and life of Christ as from a roote Secondly the Church is said to be aboue because it dwels by faith in heauen with Christ for the propertie of faith is to make vs present after a sort when we are absent Heb. 11. 2. The vse This beeing so we are admonished to liue in this world as Pilgrimes and strangers 1. Pet. 2. 11. and therefore we must not set our loue vpon any earthly thing but our mindes must be vpon the countrie to which we are trauelling And whatsoeuer is an hinderance to vs in our iourney we must cast it from vs that we may goe lightly and if we haue any wrongs done vs either in goods or good name we must the rather be content because we are out of our countrie in a strange place and hereupon we must take occasion to make haste to our iourneys end that is to our own citie and last abode Thus did the Patriarches Heb. 11. 13 15. Secondly we must carrie our selues as Burgesses of heauen Phil. 3. 20. And this we shall do by minding seeking affecting of heauenly things by speaking the language of Canaan which is to inuocate and praise the name of God Lastly by leading a spirituall life that may beseeme the citizens of heauen Many faile in this point when they come to the Lords table they professe themselues to be citizens of the citie of God but in their common dealings in the world they play the starke rebels against God and his word and liue according to the lusts of their blinde and vnrepentant hearts Thirdly when Paul saith that Ierusalem which is aboue is free c. he shewes that the Catholike Church is one in number no more Cant. 6. 8. My doue is aboue and the onely daughter of her mother Ioh. 10. 16. One sheepefold There be many members but one bodie 1. Cor. 12. 12. Fourthly hence we gather that the Catholike Church is invisible For the companie of them that dwell in heauen by their faith cannot be discerned by the eie Iohn saw the heauenly Ierusalem descending from heauen yet not with the bodily eye but in spirit Reuel 21. 10. The things which make the Catholike Church to be the Church namely election vocation iustification glorification are inuisible The papist therfore erreth when he teacheth that the Catholike Church is a visible companie vnder one Pastour namely the Pope And the places which they bring to prooue the visibilitie of the vniuersall Church concerne either particular churches or the churches which were in the daies of the Apostles or againe they speake of the inward glorie and beautie of the Church Free that is redeemed from the bondage of death and sin and so from the curse of the lawe Of this freedome I will speak more afterward The mother of vs all shee is called a mother because the word of God is committed to the keeping of the Church which word is seed 1. Pet. 1. 23. and milke 1. Cor. 3. 2. and strong meat Heb. 5. 14. And the church as a mother which by the ministery of the said word brings forth children to God after they are borne brought forth shee feeds them with milke out of her owne breasts which are the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament Here a great question is to be propounded namely where we shall find this our Mother For it is the dutie of all children to haue recourse vnto their mother and to liue vnder her wing The aduocates of the Popish Church Priests and Iesuits say we must be reconciled to the Church and See of Rome if we would be of the Catholike church To this purpose they vse many motiues I will here propound seauen of them because heretofore they haue bin scattered abroad among vs. The first motiue The Church of Rome hath meanes of sure and certen interpretation tradition councels fathers we haue nothing but the priuate interpretation of Luther Melancthon Caluin c. Answ. Scripture is both the glosse and the text And the principall meanes of the interpretation of scripture is scripture it selfe And it is a means when places of scripture are expounded by the Analogie of faith by the words scope and circumstances of the place And the interpretation which is sutable to all these is sure certen and publike for it is the interpretation of God Contrariwise the interpretation which is not agreeable to these though it be from Church Fathers and Councells is vncerten and it is priuate interpretation Now this kind of interpretation we allow and therefore it is false that we haue onely priuate interpretations and that all the interpretations of the Church of Rome are publike Secondly I answer that we are able to iustifie our Interpretations of Scripture for the maine points of religion by the consent of Fathers and Councells as well as they of the church of Rome The second motiue We haue no diuine and infallible authoritie to rest on in matter of religion but they of the church of Rome haue Ans. In the Canonicall scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles there is diuine and infallible authoritie for they are now in the new Testament in stead of the liuely voice of God And this authoritie we in our Church acknowledge Secondly I answer that the church hath no diuine and infallible authoritie distinct from the authoritie of scriptures as the Papists teach but onely a Ministerie which is to speake in the name of God according to the written word The third motiue We haue no limitations of opinion and affection but they of the church of Rome haue I answer first we suffer our selues to be limited for opinion by the Analogie of faith and by the written word and so doth
sinnes are little sinnes and little sinnes are no sinnes Pride is cleanlines couetousnes is nothing but worldlines drunkennes good fellowship fornication a tricke of youth Thus men put visards vpon their vgly sinnes The Polititian that is of no religion saith that we and the Papists differ not in substance but in small circumstances and that if they erre it is but in small points But on the contrarie we are to esteeme euery sinne for a great sinne to humble our selues for the least sinnes and to bring our selues in subiection to God in the least of our actions Here we are taught by all meanes to maintaine the puritie of sound religion whatsoeuer befall vs. And for this cause we are to resist and withstand euery erronious opinion that shall be broched For it is the pollicie of the deuill by foisting in some one errour to depraue and confound the whole bodie of truth It may be saide how may we discerne errour from sound doctrine considering oftentimes they are like as leauen is like dowe Ans. Leauen is discerned from dow not by colour but by tast euen so they which are spirituall and haue the gift of discerning directed by the analogie of faith discerne truth from falshood For whatsoeuer is against one Article of faith or against any of the commandements of the decalogue is not sound doctrine but leauen Againe that which is said of false doctrine may be said proportionally of bad manners Here therefore we must be put in minde of three duties The first to resist and withstand euery particular sinne For euen one sinne is able to defile the whole life of man One flie is sufficient to marre a whole boxe of sweete ointment One offence in our first parents brought corruption vpon them and all mankind yea vpon heauen and earth He that makes no conscience of some one sinne is guiltie of the whole law Iam. 2. Secondly we must doe our indeauour to the vttermost to cut off euery bad example in the societies of men For one bad example is sufficient to corrupt a whole familie a whole town a whole countrie The example of one incestuous man was sufficient to corrupt all Corinth Therefore Paul saith Purge out the old leauen 1. Cor. 5. 6. The law of God is that blasphemers murderers adulterers c. shall be put to death the reason is that euill may he taken away out of Israel that is the euill of wicked example which beeing suffered spreads abroad and doth much hurt The barren figge tree must be cut downe least it make the whole ground barren Luk. 13. 7. Thirdly we are to withstand and cut off the first beginnings and the occasions of euery sinne We say of arrand theeues that first they beginne to practise their wickednes in pinnes and points For this cause idlenes fulnesse of bread in excessiue eating drinking and swilling â—iot and vanitie in apparrell are to be suppressed in euery societie as the breeders of many vâ—ces On the contrarie as one point of euill doctrine brings with it many other so any one little grace of God brings many other with it The entrance into Gods word giues light Psal. 119. 130. In this respect Christ saith The kingdome of heauen is like leauen hidde in three peckes of meale because Gods kingdome is set vp in the heart at the first vpon very small beginnings Matth. 13. 33. This must teach vs to vse the meanes of our saluation and not to be discouraged though we haue in vs but some small beginnings of Gods grace 10 I haue an affiance in you in the Lord that ye will be no otherwise minded but he that troubleth you shall beare his iudgement whosoeuer he be The sense In the Lord by the gratious assistance of God who no doubt will giue a blessing to my Ministerie No otherwise minded that is thinke no otherwise then ye haue done and ought to thinke and thinke no otherwise then I haue taught you He that troubleth you the Church is troubled three waies 1. by false doctrine Thus Ahab troubled Israel 1. king 18. 18. and the false Apostles trouble Galatia 2. By wicked example thus Aâ—han troubled Israel Ios. 7. 25. 3. By force and crueltie thus tyrants and persecutors trouble the Church Shall be are shall haue his due and deserued punishment partly in this life and partly in eternall death See this verified in the ende of the booke of English Martyrs in the desperate horrible and stinking endes of persecutors But yet this threat must be vnderstood with the Exception of repentance The scope The wordes are an Answer to an Obiection which may be framed thus It seemes by your former prouerb of leauen that you hold us to be a people corrupted and vnsauorie vnto God To this Paul answers by a distinction I hope better things of you but the false Apostles for troubling the Church shall surely be punished The vse When Paul saith I haue an aâ—â—iance in you he teacheth in his own example that we are to hope the best of men so long as they are curable It may be saide they that hope the best are sometimes deceiued Ans. They are onely deceiued in their iudgement and that in things whereof they haue no certen knowledge and they are not deceiued in practise For it is a dutie of loue to hope the best And they which vse to suspect the worse are oftner deceiued Againe it may be saide that we must iudge of things as they are indeede Ans. Iudgement of things and iudgement of persons must be distinguished Of things vpright iudgement is to iudge of them as they are and if they be doubtâ—ull to suspend Now our iudgement of the persons of men must be to take things in the better part as much as possibly may be Lastly it may be alleadged that we must loue our neighbour as our selues and that we despaire in respect of our selues Ans. We are to despaire in respect of our selues because we are priuie to our owne estate but we are not priuie to the estate of any other man and therefore we are to hope the best of them This shewes the fault of our times if any professing the Gospel fall vpon frailtie there are numbers of men that will make no bones of it to condemne them to the pit of hel for hypocrites but such persons are not carried by the spirit of Paul who hopes the best of them that fall Againe here we see how we are to put affiance in men We are to put affiance in God for all things whatsoeuer whether concerning bodie or soule but our affiance in men must be onely for such things as they are able to performe Secondly we must put affiance in God absolutely for himselfe and therefore we say I beleeue in God c. but all our affiance in men whatsoeuer must be in the Lord. When Paul saith that he had affiance of them in the Lord he shewes that renewed repentance is the gift of God And there