which our humble men like very well of wherein he went very farre beyond them he a Kings sonne every one that came neare him and did him obeysance he put forth his hand tooke him and kissed him there was no outward signe of true humility but he had it low countenance curtesie c. yet we see he tooke a dangerous way for as it is in the next vers he stale the hearis of the Israclues to him from his father So many are humble in show to those that they will seeme to beare a good will or friendship to whereas in their hearts they have warre and privily shoote it out and God will severely punish it But the true signes are these 1 In speech Basils eschelica not delighting to talke of high matters of matters of State as Bernard noteth very well upon Gen. the reason of the writing of the Scriptures of base matters as of shepheards falling ouâ— about wells is to delude the vanity of men to shew us an example not to attempt high matters but that every man might have a mind affected according to his estate without thinking of a higher condition and yet of a lower this Phil. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ieâ— 45.5 〈◊〉 seekest thou things for thy selfe seeke them not c. I both know how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Ie. 45.5 this quaerere grandia seeking of great things as God misliketh it in Baruch Our sins must â—ver be before us conâ—eaâ—y with the proud If any evill come to any we are ready to draw a cause from their evill lite but wee never thinke of out own estate and we have no leasure They were Davids Juniper coales tacul Dâ—mire quia tu feâ—â—siâ— And it is of two sorts I when he hath ofâ—entded God to pray that thogh it please him privily to lay never so great a plague on him yet that it may not publikely redound to the dishonour of the Church 2 As if a man should stand thus resolute that though he cared not what became of him yet that his Church might speed well and no evill and hurt come unto it The seeking of glory at mens hands so it is a certaine argument of no true humility 2 From the commonest of mans thoughts a mans commonest mediation is either to consider of that evill that is in others or that good that he may do â—o others the prâ—uds mans meditation a wise mans object is â—omal ena mala sua illa ut aemuletur haec ut emendet atque corrigat The good that is in others and the evill that is in himselfe that he may emulate them and amend himselfe Psal 51.3 For I knowledge my fault and my sinne is ever before mee but it is a common fault among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving reasons of our brethren 3 An insallible signe posse tractare contumeliosum to be able to suffer obirectations and detrectations of sundry Psal 38.13 It is Davids argument As for mee I was like a deafe man and heard not and as one that is dumb which doth not open his mouth 14. I became even as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth there are no reproofes 2 Sam. 16.11 12. his humility at the malicious upbraiding of Shimei Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath biddem him It may be the Lord will looke upon mine affliction and do meâ— good for his cursing this day 1 Pet. 2.23 Christ when hee was reviled held his peace 4. The fourth is the surest when a man is thus affected if he being a sinner desireth God that his glory by him be not impeached and prayeth that that reproach that commeth by him may not redound to his Church nor to the opening of the mouth of the wicked Psal 69 6. Let not them that trust in thee O Lord God of Hosts be ashamed for my cause Let not those that seeke thee be confounded through mee O Lord God of Israel 2 But especially this that though a man were never so certaine of his owne damnation yet to wish well to the Church of God and that God may be glorified though we be firebrands of hell 5 Rule Ioh. 5.44 How can yee beleeve when yee seeke glory each of other c. Not to consent to any that seeketh to give glory one to another and to have it and to deprive God of his Glory And Psal 15.4 to be most abject and vile in his owne eyes and that the proud man be most contemptible in his eyes Therefore we are not to seek it of men but to looke for it froÌ„ God alone and to returne it to God alone and if not that yet that the man that is proud may be most contemptible in our eyes Where this is it is a necessary signe of grace approaching evidentissimum signum appropinquantis gratiae humilitas as it is Prov. 15.33 and beofre honour goeth humility and on the contrary side where there is pride there is a fall also presently at hand Hope NOw as out of knowledge apprehending Gods justice came feare and humility so out of it apprehending mercy commeth Hope for if we conferre that strength that is in us with the streight rule of Gods justice it will seeme impossible to us to attaine salvation by any performance of our owne Now after Humility it followeth as it is Hosea 2.15 That the valley of Achor shall be to us the gate of hope i. When we are first brought into the valley of mourning feare cometh and despaire then hee will open the gate of hope and so instead of the first i. the spirit of bondage to feare we shall receive in measures and degrees the spirit of adoption to hope and that after this manner 1 By conference of our owne strength with the streight rule of Gods righteousnesse we find our duties impossible to us to be performed in that measure that is required But our Faith knoweth that a thing may be possible to us two wayes 1. If we may attaine to it our selver 2 If we may have it by another And the former effect of faith i. â—eare having his object Gods justice serveth for nothing but to shew that it is impossible to us as of our selves that so as it is Rom. 3.19 every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be found culpable before the Lord. Yet we are not left cleane in despaire for though it be impossible to us of our selves if yet it be possible by another if he may be found there is hope For Faith thus reasoneth as the Psalmist doth Psal 89.47 Hath God made all men for nought If then why then falleth not his wrath all at once and why are we not in his wrath all at once swept away and searching further for the cause of this why we are not consumed and in a
speaking there of the tongue he saith it is full of deadly poyson What is that he sheweth in the next verse With this we curse men that are made after the likenesse of God this is poyson Col. 3.8 Ephes 4.31 it is condemned And there is an acquittance from curses without a cause Prov. 26.2 that they shall doe them no hurt against whom they are that come of envie and rancor The other where equality is there as the first begotten wrath as the Heathen saith is no gentlewoman she hath a daughter like to her selfe they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sedition if it be in the heart it is called discord if it come out it is called contention that is indecens acrimonia taking of parts Rom. 1.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of debate Rom. 13.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in strife 2 Cor. 12.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debates Gal. 5.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 variance seditions Iames 3.16 they are condemned as things against the law and 1 Cor. 11.16 he saith if you will needs fall to it you shew your selves that you are not of the Church for we have no such custome nor the Churches of God for as Solomon saith Prov. 20.3 It is the Churches honour that is she taketh it an honourable thing to goe from contentions Heb. 12.2 it is said of our Saviour Christ that he did endure the contentions of a great many And as nothing is more to be wished then peace in good things so nothing is more to be wished also then discord in evill things Discordia in malis discord in things that be evill is as good as concordia in bonis Disâ—â—â—ita in malis iâ— as good as â—â—ncâ—â—â—dia iâ— bâ—nis concord in those things that are good as Acts 23.6 Paul seeing one halfe of the company of the Pharisees part and the other of the Sadduces cried out in the middest among them that he was judged for the hope of the resurrection from the dead and so set them together and by that meanes escaped himselfe And not onely Paul but Christ he came to set discord Now with this there is another Ephes 4.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crying brawling and it is that the Lord complaineth of Esa 5.7 he came and looked downe and there was nothing but yelling and roaring vices bare downe all but there was no justice As for Christ Matth. 12.19 non contendet non clamabit his voice shall not be heard in the earth but these that doe Acts 22.23 when Paul said he would goe to the Gentiles seeing they had refused him they made a great shout and rent their garments and flung dust upon the aire this should not be nor sharpnesse of speech nor loudnesse of voice should move And if not these then much lesse the third contumelia ravling and yet that taketh hold soonest as the Heathen man saith promprissima viráicta contumelia railing is a most ready and easie revenge that in Matth. 5.22 fall into this same Racha vaine and light brained when as a man ad contristandum commeth to debase a mans gift to grieve him the other to lose his friendship the other may mislike him Rom. 1.30 1 Cor. 6.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despightfull and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revilers are condemned because the Saints of God are grieved yea and thereupon they complaine heavily see the Prophet David Psal 69. a great world of his calamities in that respect Ier. 20.10 they railed on him on every side Psal 79.10.13 1. Thes 2.2 at Philippi they were shamefully handled yet they went on to Thessalonica and preached there the Gospel notwithstanding And in these three especially it standeth when we doe murther with our tongue in hatred There be two more proceeding of contempt if he be a Superiour Acts 9 1. Paul breatheth threatnings and 1 King 2.14 it is Roboams style My father chastised you with rods c. I will make my little finger c. and Solomon saith Prov. 29.11 a foole in government prosundit spiritum suum sheweth all his power at once you shall have all at once and as was said before as Prov. 8. a man must not commit government to one that is furious for he that doth give him authority doth as one that putteth a pellet in a fooles Crosse-bow and when it is put in he shooteth at him and Prov. 27.3 hee saith Stones are heavie sand is heavie but a fooles anger is more heavie Prov. 17.12 hee saith he had rather meete a Beare robbed of her whelps then a furious man and as 1 Pet. 4.23 testifieth of Christ that although hee had twelve legions yet when hee suffered hee used 1.0 threatning And a second thing and it is the right fruit of contempt Scornfulnesse Psal 123.4 the faithfull their soule was ever filled with the scornfull reproofes of the wealthie 1 Sam. 31.4 Saul desireth his harnesse-bearer to kill him not that c. but lest the Philistims should kill him and mocke him and so consequently he counted the delusion of his enemies worse then death it selfe Prov. 22.10 therefore this is the wise mans counfell Ejice derisorem cast out the scorner and contention will cease Eph. 5.4 and Prov. 12.18 he condemneth them there too they are an especiall meanes to contristate the soule and to bring downe the countenance of good men when they shall see themselves a derision even to the abjects and made as the Apostles 1 Cor. 4.9 thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spectacle to the world Consider the mirrour of patience Iob 30.1 this is one thing that of all other grieveth him that the very abjects came against him and Ier. 20.9 the same and 2 Chron. 36.16 it was the lot of the Prophets and Matth. 27.27.31.41 they had their fill of Christ scorning him first the servants then Pilate then Herod and after Herods Souldiers and then the high Priests and all that went by had their fill of him Then afterward as before commeth caedes manus the dealing with the life and limmes of our brethren and if it be of moe they are called mockes 2 Cor. 12.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tumults in Common-wealths and not onely that but they grow Prov. 17.11 seditions that is a plaine rebellion the renting of the civill body and not onely that but the renting of Christs body in the Church 1 Cor. 1.11 These in the countenance eyes and tongue are signes Meanes Prov. 3.30 there be such as will strive though there be no cause given and they are there condemned but on the other side there be some that give cause and that irritation is an especiall meanes of anger A woman 1 Sam. 1.7 every yeare when Elkanah went up to the house of the Lord with his family she upbraided Anna with her barrennesse and she continually vexed her soule Prov. 30.33 he saith there Even as the churner bringeth forth butter so this provocation is the ordinary means of wrath Eccles 7.8 it is said
est sua peccata patriae suorum quantum fiori potest tegere all of nothing So for a man to come to this that he wil not conceale his fathers mothers or friends faults to speake against his owne country and countrymen yea against himselfe is against the nature of man cannot be wrought in man but by a supernaturall cause This we see the holy men in the Scriptures did It is naturall to every man so farre as he can to cover his owne faults and the faults of his Countrey and friends Moses when no necessity bound him confessed that he came of a cursed stocke spared not his brother Aarons fault in making the Calfe but committed it to writing spared not his sister Miriam in the cause of murmuring no not his owne fault in murmuring against the Lord at the waters of strife Numb 11.11 dispossessed his owne children and would not have them to succeed him in the Magistracy a very unnaturall thing but preferred Ioshua yea he put by his owne Tribe and the Tribe of Iuda and preferred Ephraim This is not able to agree with the naturall man but must come from an higher cause Therefore the writers of these bookes must be inspired by God 10. Whereas the whole drift of the greatest Philosophers and most learned men was to teach how Kings should enlarge their Kingdomes and to be in credit with Princes and great men this teacheth that life is the contempt of life It teacheth the contempt of the world and worldly honours The Prophets they never sought to be in favour with Princes but were so farre from that that they answered them not so much to that they asked as to that they should have asked therefore this is supernaturall Therefore the true way and from God not from man Against the Iewes The next point as God is a Spirit so must his worship be spirituall so we finde in the Scriptures not onely forbidding of images and shadowes but also a flat negative And as in the case of Gods unity though false religion may agree with the true in the first point yet not in the second so in this regard howsoever they exclude images yet they fault in this that all their worship is ceremoniall bodily and rituall consisting in matters of ablution and outward types And though there be types in the old Testament yet he proclaymeth every where that he abhorreth them for he will have a contrite heart and onely the circumcision of the heart Therefore as man is bodily and his notions fall into the compasse of the body so as that worship that commeth from him is bodily whereas the worship that commeth from God is spirituall 2. To this may be added that of Miracles and Oracles to confirme this religion as the other did in confirming their religion They were not done in corners but in the sight of Pharao in the middest of all his servants 2. Againe they were not frivolous but they that have felt them have got good by them 3. They are not imitable nor expressible by the art of man as the dividing of the red Sea the causing the Sunne to stand still in Ioshuahs time the making of Ahaz Diall to goe backe 10. degrees both which Areopageta saith are in the Persian Oracles The raining of Manna from Heaven Iannes and Iambres were not able to imitate Moses For Oracles of the Gentiles they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philippise Oracles speake as King Philip would have them and that they were very ambiguous and needed Delio natatore the Swimmer the Interpreter Apollo to expound them Therefore Porphyry said that their Oracles commonly had Posticum a backe-dore These doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philippise are not doubtfull need no Delius natator the Swimmer the Interpreter Apollo Last most of the heathens Oracles came not to passe but in the Scriptures they came all to passe some three hundred yeeres before some 500. some a thousand some three thousand as the dilatation of Iapheth which happened not before the calling of the Gentiles And this for confirmation both of the old and new Testament common to the Jewes aswell as to us those that follow are proper to Christian religion 1. Aug. 23. de eivitate Dei out of Porphyrie de regressu animae of the regresse of the soule the greatest enemy that ever the Church had That it is no true religion that doth not yeeld a sufficient purgation to the soule of man Moreover he addeth there that the Platonists received from the Chaldees that the purgation of the soule of man cannot be nisi per principia but by the principles we know that Plato his principles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the father the mind love an enignaticall speech of our Trinity But this i. the purgation of the soule of man no religion teacheth but ours for it teacheth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word tooke upon him sinfull flesh to purge away the sins of man therefore ours the true all the rest are meerely bodily for all their exorcismes and sacrifices are bodily and not spirituall and so withall the God of the Christians is not like to the heathen gods for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who loveth man i. he delighteth not in cutting mens throats or burning them to afhes as their divels had virgins babes old men young men good men offered up to them And the sacrifices of beasts in the old law were onely used for two respects 1. That they might be types of those things that are in the Gospell 2. To be an admonition to men to shew them that they have deserved to be thus killed and sacrificed God was so farre from having men to be sacrificed to him that he himselfe came downe to give himselfe a Sacrifice for our sinnes And what greater love can be then for a man to give his life for that he loveth for his friend therefore no greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love to man then this In a witnesse two things required 1. Skill 2. Honesty 1. Ioh. 1.1 Now for the Gospell 1. For the witnesses In a witnesse two things required 1. Skill 2. Honesty First for the skill There is never a one of them but can say we write and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which we have heard which we have seene with our eyes which we have looked upon and which our hands have handled Not as Homer Plato and the rest that had their things from other and by report And withall the writers of the Scriptures writing them when the world bare greatest hatred against them and yet never any durst write any booke against Moses in his time or against the Gospell in these daies And de probitate testis concerning the honesty of a witnesse The honesty of a witnesse there can be no better reason given then that Tacitus giveth That they testifie best quibus nullum est mendacii pretium that have nothing for their labour
of the holy Ghosts phrase i. idiome dialect or stile For the Holy Ghost useth divers idiomes that are not to be found in other writers as the crucifying of a mans flesh the mortifying of his concupiscence c. Therefore we must be perfect in these and as Heb. 5. v. last Habere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have our senses exercised that we may know the Holy Ghost when he speaketh Often we shall meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is being interpreted the Holy ghost in Greeke referreth us to the Holy ghost in Hebrew And these are the remedies for the right understanding of the words There are two others for whole sentences or Chapters 5. Is that the Fathers call Oculus ad scopum the eye to the marke As what was Gods intent in setting downe the Law in giving a prophecy in doing a miracle c. As Paul to Timothy against those that made an evill use of the Law reasoned from the end of the Law So saith Hilary E causis dictorum sumenda est intelligentia dictorum From the causes of things that are spoken the understanding of them is to be taken 6. That which the wise men of the Jewes say We must looke all about us before us behind us beside us c. i. the diligent weighing of the antecedentia consequentia antecedents and consequents and every other circumstance To these six circumstances may be referred the rules of Irenaeus lib. 2. ch 46,47 Aug. 2.2 3. ch That every one of these meanes serve not for every thing but to divers things divers instruments are applyed And here against Stapletons errours who taketh some one thing which would be resolved by some one of these and objecteth it to another of them whereby it cannot be resolved Because one of these are not necessary to such a thing therefore not necessary at all 2. That we attribute not the interpretation of the true sence to each one of these Naught not for that he thinketh them simply naught but insufficient but to all together Whereas Stapleton concludeth them all to be naught because sverally they will not suffice naught not for that he thinketh them simply naught but insufficient His second argument To every one of these there is a place left ad contradicendum for contradiction 2. Being used singularly they will not suffice But we know the first argument to be none And 2. that every one of these hath his peculiar office The meanes that Papists use to understand the Scriptures Now they beside Prayer set downe these meanes the interpretation of Fathers of Councels the practise of the Church the definitive sentence of the Pope They say all these are true infallible and sufficient For the assertions of the Fathers and Councels as a doubt may be found in the Scriptures so in their exposition upon the Scriptures For the practise of the Church and sentence of the Pope A question may be made whether the Church is the true Church and so there is yet place for doubting For the second inconvenience as we unfeinedly acknowledge that all their meanes are commendable as they include the use of our former meanes If ever they did well it was by using our meanes on the contrary If ever they erred they erred in one of these But take their meanes all together without the other they will misse For the Fathers They will have all the Fathers meet in one exposition of one place which is a vaine speculation of theirs For there is not one place of an hundred that all the Fathers expound 2. In expounding they keepe not lightly the literall sense except it be in the controversies that were in their times but in their Homilies and writings followed sensum Tropologicum the Tropologicall sense drawing out divers doctrines and applications necessary for manners So saith Augustine against Julian That in controversies that fell not in their time the Fathers loquebantur obscurè controversià nondum motą in caeteris loquebantuąr securè controversią nondum notą spake obscurely the controversie not yet moved in the rest they spake securely the controversie not yet knowne Basil epist 14. saith of Dionysius a Father multa loquebatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spake many things controversally in his vehemency of disputation against the heretickes of his time quae non defenderet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he would not defend determinatively And in sundry things the Fathers must be taken to have spoken per modum contradicendi non docendi in way of contraedicting not of teaching But they themselves are at strife among themselves Cardinall Cajetan saith in the second Councell at Tent that if he knew a good and true exposition of any place in the Scripture and that might be drawne out of the place he would hold it contra torrentem against the current of all the Doctors and Bishops so also Andradius and they themselves use to deny Fathers in their schooles Non 〈◊〉 at honest dispensatio sed 〈◊〉 dissimulatio Hicron It was not a true dispensation but a dissimulation But now they leane to that which the most part doe say Augustin in epist II. There is a question betweene him and Jerome whether Paul in reproving Peter did meane sincerely i. reprooved him indeed or did dissemble Jerome holdeth that he did dissemble Augustine that he meant simply And though Jerome oppressed him with divers Fathers authority yet he regarded them not at all but thought that he reprehended him indeed ut ad Calat 2. and we know Augustines part carrieth it away And Jerome in the expounding of the Psalmes saith That he had set downe divers things that were not holden in those daies Augustine refuseth Cyprian an ancient Father his opinion and preferred Tironius a Donatists opinion upon a place of Scripture because he knew it was the sounder And he hath set seven rules out of him de doct Christiana against that of Stapleton that would have us to regard non quid dicatur sed quis dicat not what is spoken but who speaketh 2. In the exposition of these words Tu es Petrus suprahanc Petram thou art Peter and upon this Rocke almost every one of the Fathers at least most part of them and best expound it of Peters faith yet the Papists understand it Non de side sed de persons Petri not of the faith but of the person of Peter Here they disagree themselves from the Fathers And Stapleton saith it was lapsus humanus a humane failing In the division of the Law they goe cleane contrary to the greatest part of the Fathers for whereas the Fathers divide the Commandements as we doe the Papists make the two first one and the tenth two 2. They have no Father to countenance them in this but Augustin 2. For the practise of the Church great doubtfulnesse i. in the cause of the primacy all the Christians of the East-Church have refused it onely the West Churches held
is 1 Ioh. 2.27 that God will supply the inward annointing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the anoynting which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you in all things and is truth and is no lie So there shall be no defect on his part we must looke to our owne duty whether we be willing or no and it appeareth by the Commandement laid upon us that we are not willing for a good man that 's willing is a law to himselfe but we have a Commandement to provoke us to knowledge In which as in every Commandement we consider 1. That that 's commanded 2. That that 's forbidden The affirmative and the negative The affirmative there is first cōmanded knowledge and not every knowledge Quia hic praecipiatur What here commanded but that which is Col. 3.16 a plentifull and rich knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A rich measure so great as we can attaine unto for our vocation Non solùm scire sedetiam bene scire Not onely to know but to know well Neg. 2. things forbidden The rule in divinity is Peccatum est non tantùm appetitus malorum sedetiam desertio meliorum Sin is not only a desire of evill things but also a forsaking of better Ignorantia Ignorance The common accusation of the papists is Ignorance is the mother of devotion Rationes contra ignorantiam Reasons against ignorance So where fulnesse is commanded we must not only not be empty but full also not only emptinesse is forbidden but also scarsity Therefore 1. ignorance is forbidden 2. A light knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fleeting knowledge a superficiall skill For ignorance the Church of Rome is charged for justifying of it though it cannot be found that they are patrons of ignorance but only faulty in the 2. part If any thinke ignorance justifiable let this perswade him to the contrary 1. A sinne it must needs be else as it is Levit. 4.2 there should not have beene a sacrifice for it yet there if any had offended through ignorance a sacrifice was cōmanded to be made for him And Psal 79.6 If it had been a light offence David had made a very uncharitable prayer to God that he would powre out his vengeance on them that know not his Name Powre out thine indignation on the heathen that have not known thee and upon the Kingdomes that have not called on thy Name It s not only sin but also the cause of sin cause of punishment for sin 1. It s cause of sin as Hose 4.1 he saith that the Lord had a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land for that there was no mercy and the reason of that was because there was no true dealing and the reason of both these was because there was no knowledge of God And streight after he telleth them of their destruction for it So Ro. 3.17 when he had shewed all the enormities of the heathen his conclusion is because the way of peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have not known 2. It s the cause of punishment for sin as Esa 5.13 he saith that the captivity of Babylon was because they wanted the knowledge of God And it s not the cause of punishment but as its the cause of sin and that is set forth to us in Pro. 14.22 Do not they erre that imagine evill There is no sin but there is an error therefore planting of perfect knowledge would be a cutting away of many sins and Aug. saith Non erratur nisi ignorantia There is no sinning but through ignorance Doth not Salomon say Do they not all erre that work wickednes Therfore that sin may be diminished knowledge must needs be planted Ignorance is by the learned made threefold 1. That which they excuse Ignorantia 3◠Ignorance threefold and think God regardeth it not Act. 17.30 That God did wink at the times of ignorance i. marked them not They use to call it an invincible ignorance and its first in children before they have the use of reason And 2. in those that want the use of reason that are borne and continue so And 3. in those that by disease or any such thing are bereft of the use of it and that ignorance they say is not imputed to them They adde a fourth also i. where the means cannot be had But if a man having the love of God in the heart set himselfe to seeke he shall be sure to find them God hath even by revelations made them known even to those men that have made a conscience of keeping the rules of nature The other kinds are faulty 2. The 2. is affected ignorance David saith Ps 36.3 Noluerunt intelligere ut bene agerent They would not understand that they might doe good And it s in those specially that are skilfull that know that they are in a sin and are not willing to come out of it They doe quasi nectere sibi quaestiones they draw one question in the necke of another that they do not know a definition of it Aug. saith well of them Vbi non est dolus in inquisitione ibi non est peccatum in inventione Where there is no deceit in the inquisition there is there no fault in the invention Many would come to him and aske him many questions and tell him that they could not finde any reason in that that he affirmed to have no darknes at all nor hardnes in it and he would say dolose quaerebas dolose inveniebas you did inquire deceitfully ye did find deceitfully This is the conclusion when a thing is made plain unto us and we will not have it plaine and so not see it we fall into this kind of ignorance The 3. they call supina ignorantia retchlesse and carelesse ignorance the cōmon fault in these daies This is when a man habet à quo discat non vult discere hath from whom he may learn and will not learn And as in these times when almost the whole Land are guilty of it if they be ignorant so if it be in the springs of knowledge it is most retchlesse ignorance It s in those that either through negligence or slothfulnesse to know or through shamefastnes to enquire will not know And this for ignorance 2. The other is light knowledge Light knowledge which is full now in our daies contrary to that rule of the Apostle Ro. 12.3 God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith And that measure of faith is expressed Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome Not only the whole absence but the absence of the measure of faith is condemned When a thing is commended to us in a measure not only the not having of it at all but also the not having of the measure is a fault And not only that but it s also required that according to our yeeres our
himselfe after he had set his house in order The meanes of the wise men brought to nought More plaine in Esay 19.11 the meanes of the wisemen are brought to nought the wise counsellors of Aegypt the Lord in fatuavit eos the Lord hath made them give foolish counsell and Psalm 20.7 8. Some put their trust in Charriots and some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God They have stumbled and are fallen but we are risen and stand upright And as here are cursed by God the ordinary meanes as cloth food Physick wisedome c. So God to shew how little he dependeth on his secondary causes doth oft times bring his purpose to passe without meanes There is no defect of vertue in the Lord though there be a defect of meanes in nature Yea and sometimes contrary to the nature of the meanes as Iosh 6.20 in the fall of the Walls of Jericho it is attributed to the blast of Rammes hornes The like is Judg. 3.13 by the tale of a dreame of a Barly loafe tumbling from above into the host of Madian and overthrowing one of the Tents and the exposition thereof Gedeon with three hundred men with Trumpets in their hands and empty pitchers and lamps within their pitchers very unfit weapons for the warres put to flight all the Madianites and made them to runne upon themselves so 2 Kings 7.6 the whole host of the King of Syria was put to flight none pursuing them but a pannicus terror a pannick terrour came upon them on the sudden which was by a certaine imagination that they thought they heard a noyse of Chariots and Horses and a noyse of a great army that the Hittites and the Aegyptians came against them to helpe Israel And seing then God giveth meanes when he will and worketh without them when he will wee must trust in him whether wee have the meanes or no A Protestation of the Prophet David and therefore that wee should be like affected as David was Psal 3.6 though he were in the midst of 10000. men of warre compassed about with them on every side yet he would not feare but as it is in the end of the 4. Psal lay him downe and sleepe trusting in the safety of the Lord How the children of God ar◠to stand affected when they have no meanes and as Exod. 14.13 Moses counselleth the children of Israel when the Aegyptians pursued them with their Chariots though their enemies were behind them and the Red sea on the one side and the Wildernesse on the other that there was no way for them to escape yet to stand still and to put their trust in the Lord and they should see the power of the Lord as they did So Rom. 4.19.20.21 the Apostle being to shew a patterne of true faith setteth downe before us Abraham that had no meanes either in his wife or in himselfe his wife was barren 1. by nature and 2. by age himselfe 100. yeares old past the age of getting children yet neither considering the deadnesse of Sarahs Wombe nor of his owne body held fast by faith the promise of God nothing doubting of the same which God tooke not from him therefore he received the blessing in Isaac The naturall man if once his meanes begin to faile either he falleth into despaire or else flyeth to indirect and evill meanes And as wee must thus trust in God when wee see no meanes so must wee be sure to be farre from the way of the wicked Who if God once faile then do they not only lose their hope they have in his meanes but cast him away too and berake themselves to his enemie and his evill meanes Such meanes are of those who in despaire of their health leave God and his lawfull meanes and flye to Sorcerers c. Esa 8.19 it is shewed there There is a restraint for seeking meanes at sorcerers hands that it is condemned 1. Chron. 10.13 the casting away of Saul out of his kingdome and out of the favour of God and his damnation both in body and soule is ascribed to that that he sought and asked counsell of a Familiar Beside these if any do that which Esay saith Esa 29.15 of them that turne Devises and digge deepe their counsells that men may not see them but they know that it is but a turne and a wrong Devise and therefore Woe is pronounced against them and God knoweth the deepe fetches of policie of such men as thinke they deceive God as they deceive men Over reachers in bargaining this is common so Esa 8.12 there is another meanes confederacie a suppressing of those that have gifts and that is their strength for bringing to passe of lewd things an unlawfull meanes and condemned Another to make vantage of a mans oversight as the money that many can get by that meanes when they have once got it it is their owne wee must rather harken to his counsell 1. Thes 4.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no man go beyond and desraud his brother in any matter to be able to circumvent a man in dealing it is condemned And when none of these meanes will serve then our last refuge is that Jer. 18.18 come this Jeremie troubleth us wee must have a devise against him and that is this let us smite him with our tongues that is let us raise up some slanderous reports of him let us slander him and so he shall not be better thought off then wee and so none will give eare to his words But there is a bitter prayer of the Prophet against them which God no doubt heard vers 19. to the end of the Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beleife in healy things If in compassing of earthly things we can beare we shall also beare in the compassing of heavenly things whether the means be with us or not with us Wee returne now to that wee said in the beginning hereby wee shall know if it please God to blesse us with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith in heavenly matters i.e. if in the compassing of earthly things and in our earthly dealings wee can put our trust in the Lord wee must not be Leo in villa Prov. 22.13 and think that our hornes can cast downe much and so consequently that wee need not meanes but if the meanes be with us wee can trust in the Lord so if wee have them not yet to put our trust in God Another thing is they can be without them themselves in respect of themselves they are very confident but if it once come to semen nostrum either flesh or profit there is a distrust and it is to be feared that many that might have beene saved in the state of single life have fallen from God and hazarded their owne salvation by mistrusting that God will not as well provide for their children Many for their children have brought themselves into hazzard of their salvation as
uses also for first either they are spurres and provocations to do good and secondly if wee doe good to be our comforters to cherish the thoughts of the heart so there is a beginning of blisse here The first of them is Feare toward God the reason because the word of God being the object of faith Timor inter affectiones prima the prime affection is feare Because the affections have their prius posterius their first and last Looke what object is first that affection is first according to this conclude because Gods justice was first proclaymed therefore feare first to be handled There is a faith in Moses i. e. the knowledge of Gods justice 1. Moses his feare And these 2. are properly attributed to feare Why God set justice first to be apprehended Whether wee take it whole and in grosse or the five books of Moses before the foure Gospells or in the very beginning wee see our faith apprehendeth in the order of the word that in what day soever thou shalt eat of the fruit of the tree thou shalt die before the other the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head So the Justice of God offereth it selfe first to be handled which justice the knowledge that is by faith apprehending armed with the other eight attributes to make it seeme more fearefull considering it with them and the conscience telling us that man hath taken of the forbidden fruit necessary it is that feare come out of this consideration and consequently be in us for our transgressions It is that which before was said Joh. 3. â—6 si crederetis Moysi crederetis mihi if yee beleeved Moses yee would beleeve mee first Moses must be beleeved and then Christ The first is a faith in Gods justice There is a most manifest example of this Jonah 3.5 crediderunt Deo timuerunt they beleeved God and feared which is nothing else but a faith in Gods justice They of the later writers giving to faith 6. motives make the two first and especiall these 2. contritionem a grinding to powder by feare by that knowledge the law being apprehended Psal 119.120 the Prophet telleth us what is the true object of feare My flesh trembleth for feare of the O Lord I am humbly afraid of thy judgments this effect is of faith in the justice of God The reason why it pleased God to set justice first to be apprehended and feare is that before any matter be brought to passe that that hindreth must be taken away Have God wee cannot because Esa 59.2 there is a separation betweene him and us and as it is said Ephes 2.14 there is a great partition wall betwixt therefore wee cannot have him Causae prohiâ—entes expellentes pâ—â—catum The causes which hinder the growth of sinne are 1. Timor feare Now as wee should looke for him that should breake downe so if wee will have it broken downe it is expedient that wee should not build it higher therefore wee must cease to heape sinne upon sinne and looke for Christ to breake downe that which is already built That that causeth us to cease from sinne is the feare of God Prov. â— 13 expulsor peccati timor domini the feare of the Lord teacheth us to hate evill not saying as it is Rom. 6.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What shall we say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound therefore this is the reason why God commandeth feare because it makes to leave sinne There are besides this two other reasons and two other affections but it pleased God to make choyce of this here for not onely feare but shame and griefe or paine cause men to leave an evill thing but they that are moved neither with shame nor griefe with feare are moved For shame Psal 83.16 the Prophets prayer is Fill their faces O Lord with shame 2. Pudor shame that they may seeke thy name for griefe Esa 28.19 vexatio dabit intellectum if a man smart for it experience will teach him understanding 3. Dolor griefe Puder tollitur multitudine peccantium dolorem tollit aut certe mitigat volupâ—â— terrena But wee know that in multitude of offenders there is no place for shame therefore that cannot prevaile seeing the world is full of offenders and for paine we have terrenas consolatiunculas some few worldly pleasures to beate it out or at the least to season it but feare which it pleaseth God here to require at our hands is that when these faile it faileth not as we see it hath prevailed in evill men yea in beasts Gen. 3.10 Adam walked up and downe in Paradise with comfort enough though he had Fig-leaves and was naked his humbling came not to any perfection till he heard the voyce of the Lord comming toward him Acts 24.25 Felix the Deputy being a very ill man and an Heathen we see he fell into a trembling on a discourse of Pauls concerning justice and temperance and other vertues and especially of the judgements of God This were somewhat but that it moveth beasts also and that beast in which there is most brutishnesse Numb 22.23.25 27. Balaams Asse being in feare of the Angel of the Lord that stood in the way while there was roome enough on both sides ranne aside out of the way when there was no roome 〈◊〉 that one might passe by another he rubs the Prophets foote against the wall and when there was no way at all to escape the Angel of the Lord he falleth downe flat under him and though he were sore beaten yet he could not be made to runne upon the Angels sword no stripes can drive an Asse where he seeth danger to be to runne into that danger but he will be sooner killed with stripes then move Yet beyond these as that Iam. 2.19 that howsoever all other things are not brought forth out of the Devils yet feare commeth of their faith Daemones credunt contremiscunt the Devils beleeve and tremble therefore this must needs bee a most forcible meanes and he is far gone and in a very fearfull case that feareth not You will happily say but God speaketh much of love that were a better way to be brought by love to obedience and beliefe Objection Responded It is true It is a farre better way but the case is so that love will not prevaile with us for he that doth love a good thing Solution must have a knowledge of it and by his knowledge a taste of it and if his taste be infected as in a Fever they that are troubled with it are delighted with nothing but that which seemeth good to the corrupted state and if wholsome meate be offered them yet they love it not If the love be infected there is no love of that which is profitable unlesse it agree with their corrupted taste and consequently cannot be brought by love to taste of the wholsome meate yet this reason will be
place where I should smite thee and in Ier. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not sorrowed thou hast consumed them c. and chap. 2.30 he had corrected their children but they sorrowed not There is no doubt but the same examples are among us and no doubt but God calleth before him and arresteth them with these his Sergeants but they are no whit called nearer to the Lord nor amended These men are usually compared to Simon of Cyren Luke 23. which was violently caught and was forced but to beare the Crosse whereupon not he but Christ should be crucified Now these men that carry a Crosse but are not crucified on it themselves they are in the same case that he was a Crosse they beare but profit not and the reason because they ascribe it to a cause beside God and that is it that the Divines call caecum tormentum or caecus dolor a blinde torment or griefe a griefe they have on the sudden and they are not able to say for this and this cause this heavinesse is come upon them Purblinde Christians that cannot looke up to the hand that striketh nor discerne the intended end of their chastisement 〈◊〉 if any alteration befall them they ascribe it not rori gratiae but humori naturae not to grace but nature and so consequently they get them terrenas consolatiunculas some poore earthly delight as Bernard saith pleasures and friends and so drive it away If the effect be not within them but come from without them then nothing is more common then this insurgere in instrumenium August to hack the staffe omittere percussorem to let God goe which is a great oversight by reason of two concurrences for we must note that affliction is just on Gods behalfe on the behalfe of the instrument injust as the calamities of Iob they were therefore just because they were of God cui nil nisi justum placet that delights in nothing but what is just More plaine Matth. 5.11 it is said that men shall be blessed when they shall be injuried of men persecuted and accused falsely so they shall receive injury from men but recompence from God The not distinguishing of these two breedeth a desire of revenge Psal 7.3 when David saith O Lord my God speaking in regard of the instrument of Saul and Doeg if I have done any such thing if there be any wickednesse in mine hands c. yet he ascribed this to God and though he ascribed it to God yet that thing argueth not but that he was injuriously dealt withall even as he doth ascribe that of Shimei to the same cause peradventure the Lord hath striken with his instrument As these two when we looke not high enough to the efficient cause so on the other side when we conceive not aright of the end that tribulation being of tribulus August Ideo mittitur aut ut detineat aut ut revocet which is sent to keep us in or to call us When they consider not this through these two they begin not to regard it and so get a numnesse of soule and consequently they gather a thick skinne 2. We come to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cause of it is most commonly from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fainting under the crosse either for want of due consideration of Gods justice or of his mercy that men cannot distinguish as 2 Cor. 4.8 betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betweene being shaken and cast downe the Apostle he could say they were often in trouble but never in perplexitie and cast downe When a man imagineth that God afflicteth him in his wrath and that he aimeth at nothing but his destruction whereas the chastisement of God is not to drive us to despaire but onely to bring us to a godly perplexity When a man cannot distinguish these then he falleth to have an heavinesse and that breedeth death Psal 42.6.9.11 he is cast downe and there is a question between him and his soule Why art thou so heavy O my soule c. but then we see he commeth to the other part Put thy trust in God for he is thy refuge he is the light of thy countenance and so standeth as Paul doth here which thing when it is not considered men first feele their courage die and as Prov. 18.14 fall into a wounded spirit which cannot be borne howsoever the spirit of an heathen man can sustain his infirmitie though the patience that appeared in the Heathen were great yet as the Prophet saith A wounded spirit who can beare Gen. 4.13 My punishment is greater than I can beare or if not into that then they fall to murmuring against Gods justice Gen. 4.13 Cains murmuring that they beare a greater punishment than they deserve as on the other side in regard of the mistaking of his justice they fall away so for want of a due consideration of his mercy they are of Sauls mind 1 Sam. 28.9 if God will not answer him neither by Dreames nor by Urim nor by Prophets then he will come to the witch if this fall not out then he will try by another way he falleth into another extreme he lyeth flat on the ground with a brutish kind of patience and is not moved These two they come either by a misconstruing of Gods justice or by a miscontruing of his mercy that because he correcteth like a Father he will condemne like a Judge The meanes in that it is truly said of Jerome that quot sunt causae for God Meanes common to us with the Heathen 3 the other proper to Christians ad puniendum looke how many causes he hath to punish us so many meanes are there to move us ad patiendum to suffer of the tryall of patience we have handled before It is sure that the examples of Scevola Rutilius Regulus c. among the Heathen they carried a shew of patience and we have their reasons if the heathen could say Sis asinus quemcunque asinum sors prospera fecit 1 The indignity to call downâ— a 〈◊〉 â—all man under any crosse whatsoever there ought to be in Christians a more heroicall courage seeing wee know the causes from whom and the end why and therefore this is one speciall reason that as in unreasonable creatures so much more in reasonable it is an ignominious thing and great shame to prostrate so excellent a vertue to these 2. That the 〈◊〉 of â—â—e mining of 〈◊〉 inâ—o a good â—â—â—â—ing if they could not amend it Seeing therefore we must needs do it let us do it with commendation 2. Againe this they saw that quicquid corrigere est nefas what cannot be amended it were best to make of the necessity of it some commendable action and turne it into a vertue as Act. 9.5 it was hard to kicke against the pricke that yeelding being necessarily laid even that that is laid upon us wee may do it with
a few dayes but there is a generall cry of the Israelites a little after they came out of Aegypt Fac nobis Deos visibiles make us gods that we may see to goe before us And this affection of mans nature to See was the beginning of all Paganisme and Idolatry So saith Lactant. Lib. 2. de Orig. Erroris Verentur they feare lest if they should not see what they worship they should be thought to worship nothing at all For Esa 36.7 such was the conceit of Rabshakeh touching Hezekiah and the people of Judah that they had no god at all because Hezekiah had taken away the Idols c. and there was no god to be seen The very same thing in Serapion They had a desire of visible gods Where are your gods You have no visible gods but onely bare Altars as you had in the beginning This desire of sense was the cause of all evill in the primitive Church Now then this was a speciall cause Secondly the other dependeth on the first Commandement For as in the first Commandement they had excesse worshipping what they should not so here in this Commandement they would not keepe a meane they thought they could never have Monitors enow to stirre them up to worship So they would not holde themselves to that meane that God himselfe had ordained viz. First verbum Scriptum the Scriptures Secondly Praedicatum the Preaching of the Word Thirdly the visible Word i. the Sacraments Fourthly the great Booke of the creatures of whom David saith Psal 19.1 Their sound is gone out into all Lands and their words unto the ends of the World These foure be Canori monitores Yet they would not content themselves with them thinking that there could be no Nimium in Religione cultu divino and consequently no superstition Thus they gave the honour due to God unto creatures which were not Divinae but Humanae Rom. 1.23 This is certaine that seeing God had such care of his people he would never have forbidden Images if they had been good for them to move them to the duties of worship it had been injury to them if they had been so good teachers no grosser people then they Let us ergo weigh this superstition against the Euchites and against the private Masse which came in by too much communicating and then they were weary of that and came to have it privately in their houses The writer of the Booke of Wisedome which hath as great authority as any of the Heathen Cap. 14. setteth downe the reasons how Idolatry grew before the comming of Christ one of them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire and love of sense insomuch as there was nothing excellent in sight but it was corrupted Rabbi Salomon of Labans Teraphim saith that they signifie nothing else but an Astrolobe or Mathematicall instruments of the Astronomers having the proportion of men as Dials c. And a Teraphim in the beginning signified nothing but an instrument used in Astronomy And the Syriake translation of it is a Mathematicall instrument Thus they were brought to turne them to Images So the Symbola amongst the Aegyptians are armes and Emblemes to distinguish countries as Isis a clod with grasse shewing that part of the country to be fertile and Ibis a dogge shewing the wooddy country and Images upon the tombes of the dead as the Statuae dedicated to Belus and Minos And the cause of it was because they too much addicted themselves to the senses as it is said in Wisedome Though there came an occasion that did helpe them forward in this viz. to please their Princes Belus for his vertues and Minos then living and then they came to be tyrannicall worshipping them at first of favour as Belus and Minos they were afterward by edicts of Princes constrained to worship them for necessity And this was before Christ about which we agree with them Now since the time of Christ they begin to straine a speciall thing in the controversie wherewith they thinke to dash us which is this Shew us say they when Images came up first And there is nothing more easie then to shew the beginning of Images For Ireneus who lived not long after the Apostles times the first two hundred yeares after Christ Lib. 1. Cap. 24.27 and Epiphanius 3.24 De haeresibus Haeresi 27. rehearsed a kind of Hereticks called Gnosticks one of whose errors is that they had Images of Christ Paul and Peter c. Which they said they received of Pilate and Ireneus saith that they had the Crosse which they faigned to have power against Devils and many operations and that the first founder of these was Carpocras commonly called Carpocrates and Ireneus Lib. 1. Cap. 1. against Valentine That the Valentinians were the first men that found out any divine vertues in the Crosse they attributed two vertues to it 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly Epiphanius lib. 3. Haeres 79. sheweth that the Collyridians Valentinians and others had Images of the Virgin Mary and he there speaketh against them that used to offer to her such outward gestures as were due to God and there hee speaketh against it very vehemently even as a man may doe And if they are able to shew more ancient Hereticks than these their Religion shall be true and ours false Thus were they at first There were foure occasions of the invention of them two came up in persecution the other two when the Church was in peace Aug. Lib. contra Adimantum Cap. 3. sheweth that both the forenamed Hereticks and also the Manichees had Images for a policy Aequiâ—res sunt simulachris ut misereantur They shew saith he themselves better friends to Images then we that they might make the Heathen idolaters in their persecutions more friends to them then they are to us So that it is a policy of them to gaine the more friendship of the persecutors and not be so cruelly handled as were the true Christians 2. After this that which is forbidden Levit. 19.28 that which is an especiall thing for the bringing in of Images It is forbidden also in the new Testament many men for the great love they bare to their dead friends to expresse their love and griefe and for remembrance would with hot Irons set markes in their face and other parts that it might continue as long as they lived which is forbidden by the Apostle 1 Thes 4.13 Yea some of them would set up Images to remember them Chrysostome saith that Milesius a Bishop of Constantinople very learned and godly dying was so beloved of the Citizens and Clergy as that when he was dead every man would get his picture in remembrance of him into their Parlors and Rings And so he first came into their Rings after into their Parlors but afterward as appeareth by the Epistle of Epiphanius ad Proepiscopos suos his Image was removed at last ad praetoria to the common places of judgement and the
Images of such men and from thence as appeareth by the fifth Canon of Carthage into the high wayes as Crosses in memory of such a one that dyed and from thence to the Church-yards then to the Chuch-walls then to the Church-porch and doore and so at last into the Church and to the Altar Here was magnum ex parvis sed ex pravis principiis And the like is to be feared of us for we have them in our Parlors already So we see the beginning and causes of Images in persecution first a desire to please secondly an inordinate mourning Now in the peace of the Church there fell out two other causes First because they would have their Church as rich as themselves For in the 2. Nicene Councell Sect. 4. is an Epistle of a Noble man of Syria that had built a Church for the Christians to one Nilus he had made the Wals white but not contented therewith thought thereupon to have all the creatures of God painted whâ—rein he desired his advice Who answered that his advice was there should be no such thing but that he would be contented with the simplenesse of the Christian Churches but if hee would needes paint he should write nothing but the story of the Bible and sentences of the Scripture For it is seemlyer then beasts c. So that one cause was by reason of their wealth they desired things pleasant to the eye Secondly another cause in the same place was that of Paulinus a Bishop of Nola in Campania that having occasion of a Journey into Syria and so into Aegypt and having none to preach to his people in his absence because he would his people to have some teacher in his absence thought good to paint on the wals the whole story of the Bible and did so that they might preach to them and so their Preachers and Schoole-masters were nothing else but painted wals But this is not any way to be commended in him and the effect was accordingly For it so came to passe that they grew to be ignorant and had no other teacher but the very wals And as Syrenus saith because their Pastors began to wax dumbe Images therefore their Images were their Pastors But it is certaine by the writings that to the dayes of Hierome there was none such So is the reason of the second Commandement A briefe recapitulation of what was said before The second Commandement was divided into first the charge secondly the penalty the charge of two sorts concerning the manner of Gods externall worship First Non facies c. Thou shalt not make Second Non adorabis c. Thou shalt not worship In the first is restrayned 1. Exemplum in these words Sculptile Imago 2. Exemplar or the patterne In things above or in earth or in the water c. The Exemplum of two sorts either particular and then most usuall Sculptile Yet so that whatsoever else there is of the same kind whether fusile or ductile or conflatile there are words in the Law for every one of them and therefore God was so manifold in setting downe all the words Or for taking away all quarrelling he hath set downe the common name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temunah and Col temunah all likenesse which condemneth the metaphysicall notions abstracted from all matter and in the matter all kind of likenesse whether Idols or Images true or phantasticall and all are comprehended in Temunah let Arias and Pagnine be their Judges For further exposition of this there was added out of Deut. 4.2 and John 4.23 the glosse of Moses and Christ concerning the generall restraint of this there were seven reasons remembred Now for the Exemplar we shewed it was necessary because there was nothing almost but the braine of Man had abused it which was declared by five things in Heaven sixe in the Earth and three in the waters Then we came to the particular question of Images handling these three points First what might be alleadged out of the Scriptures for them Secondly what reason there was for them Thirdly how at what time by whom and by what meanes they came into the Church For the first in their Rhemish Testament but one place found in all the New Testament Heb. 9.5 Vetus arca habebat Cherubim and that is taken out of the Old Exod. 25.18 and so confesse none to be in the New And in the Old that of the Cherubims and of the Serpent is all they can shew for them Unto which both our answer is ut ante chiefly that of Tertullian There were priviledges for them if they can shew the like priviledge for the Crucifixe or any other Image in the New Testament it is somewhat for them Generi per specieÌ„ non derogatur they have no expresse commandement for any Image Againe the ends of both are otherwise the Cherubim was not to represent God but to be a place out of the Church from whence God would give his answers Exod. 25.22 And the Brasen serpent being a point in Physick not in Divinity the end of it was health to the sting with serpents therefore they make nothing for the worshipping of Images But 2 Kings 18.4 when the Brasen serpent began pati abusum to be abused we see how he used it Which sheweth plainly how little affinity it had with this Commandement So the Cherubs should have been served if they had been abused by the people But God had taken order for them for none could come to them but the high Priests and that but once in the yeare Secondly for the reasons 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely in the Israelites but also in the Apostles and in Moses Exod. 33.18 he desired to see God and he had nothing shewed but his back-parts This being condemned 1 Cor. 3.3 and being not onely in regard of the people of God that this made them draw every thing to Idolatry but even in the heathen Aug. lib. 4. de Civit. Dei cap. 21. saith that Varro spyed it that it brought great inconveniences to Religion his reason quia facile contemaere divos in stoliditate simulachrorum It was also shewed 2. nimium is a broad way to superstition and it is a vaine assertion of theirs that there can be no nimium in Religion And Aug. in Psal 101. scorneth it and saith that if we doe so we may soone bring a rock into the Church because it did represent Christ too So for the time when and the Authors by whom Images began we have shewed out of Ireneus 1. that the Crosse came first from the Valentinians the Images of Christ and his Saints from the Gnosticks 1. Iren. 24. in Epiphan 27. heres Lib. 3. the Image of the Virgin Mary from the Collyridians August in his 13. Booke contr Adimant giveth foure reasons First the policy of Hereticks to claw the Heathen persecutors being themselves inclined to them Secondly too much mourning for the dead noted 1 Thes 4.14
Thirdly the wealth of the Church Fourthly idlenesse of the Ministers these were the causes of Images Now for the full handling of this question of Images we will see what can be further showed for them out of the Fathers and Councells Their Fathers are either true or counterfeit Truely alledged for them they have none but onely Basil and Eusebius And Basils sentence deceiveth Aquinas and the Schoole-men For where he saith that the honour due to the abstract redoundeth and is due to the patterne he goeth about to prove that Christ is equall with God as he is the Image of God and he speaketh there of this conclusion that Christ is to be worshipped with the same worship that is due to God the Father out of Heb. 1.3 where Christ is called Character substantiae patris If the Papists can shew us any such Image of Christ as Christ was of the Father we will accept of it and worship it 2. Euseb Lib. 10. Cap. 4. in his Panegyr to Paulinus that he is with us and in his Epistle to Constantia the Empresse set downe in the second Councell of Ephes the report he maketh there is only of an Image of Christ that was set up by some of the Gentiles for the miracle he wrought on the Woman of Syrophenissa Which maketh nothing for the Papists For it is absurd to say The Heathen did it therefore the Christians should doe so Their counterfeit Fathers are Athanasius Damasus Chrysostome Athanas in a certaine absurd Booke not his but going under his name concerning a Crucifixe that wrought miracles It is easie to be seen whether it is his or no. If there be any man that shall read it he will say at the reading of one of the first periods that it is farre from Athanasius nay that it is farre from a man of common sense Such another is of Damasus in his Pontificall in the life of Sylvester There is no more to be done in this case but that which is said Noveris oderis To know them is sufficient to make us hate them and never like them againe Read the Treatises themselves So may we say of Chrysostomes Liturgy as Juell noteth in it that there an Emperour is prayed for by name that lived sixe hundred yeares after Chrysostome was dead for they prayed for Alexis whereas Chrysostome lived in Arcadius his time Councells there are none for them but Concil Nicen. 2. in which were more unlearned and evill disposed men then in any that ever was For the gatherer of this Councell together was Jrene the Empresse she an Heathen borne daughter of an Emperour of Tartaria nuzzeled up in Paganisme from her birth till after matching with the Emperour Constantinus his Father was converted from her Paganisme to the Christian Religion and so consequently after his death because her sonne was too young to take upon him the Empire she tooke it in his name soone after her conversion Constantine at the first seemed not to stand against her but after when he came to any small judgement rather then hee would admit Images lost both his eyes for he was after put into prison and had his eyes pulled out Whereby we may see that she was a woman without naturall affection subject to that Rom. 1.31 and 1 Tim. 3.3 The chiefe speakers in this Councell were Tharrasius a Lay-man Bishop but of one yeare and Patriarch of Constantinople all his life before a Courtier and John Legate of the East Church of whom we need no other witnesse then him for whom he was Legate who testifieth he was a good devout man but of no great learning The like may be said of Theodosius and Constantinus These ruled the whole Councell and it may be truly said that in any one Councell there were never such a sort of simple men in respect of their gifts and more evill disposed in respect of their boldnesse and attempts presuming above their gifts There is not in all Durandus Scripture worse alleadged there are not in the Legenda more fabulous Narrations then in the second Nicene Councell There are in it such errors as they cannot defend Action 2. there is a plaine conclusion that the Angels are bodily substances Action 6. that Christ was borne the five thousand and first yeare of the World and in the third fourth sixth and seventh there is Anathema against Honorius the Pope for the Heresie of the Monothelites insomuch that they cry out the Councell is corrupted in all those places Lastly the councell is ranker on their side and saith more then they would Action 1. and 4. Non sunt duae adorationes sed una eadem adoratur prototypus idolum And Action 2. there is a worse then this Idem imaginibus honor debetur qui beatae Trinitati That is that the adorations of the Idoll and the prototype are not two but one adoration that the same honour belongs to an Image and the Trinity Now what they say on our side against Images First an heathen Elius Lampridius in vita Adriani saith that he in a good affection was content to build the Christians according to the manner of their Temples bare Temples without any Ornaments Which were after denyed by the Senate of Rome but it grew after into such contempt among the Heathen that thereof came a proverbe of them If any of the Gentiles had built them a bare Temple it was called Adriani templum And for Fathers First Ireneus 1.24 cha abhorreth them in the Gnosticks and Euchits they said they had the Images of Christ and Paul and Peter and of Pilate and that as he left them of the drawing of the skilfullest men in Jury This he disalloweth in them Secondly Clemens Alexandrinus in his Paraenesis goeth too far Nobis vetitum est omnino fallacem hanc pingendi artem exercere he is so farre from favouring Images that he will have all painting and painters taken away calling it the cheating art of painting and he alleadgeth this Commandement Thirdly Tertullian in Apologetico Nos adoramus oculis in coelum sublatis non ad imagines picturas intentis We adore with our eyes fixt on heaven not bent upon Images and Pictures Fourthly Origen Lib 4. contr Celsum Celsus nobis objicit quod non habemus altaria imagines prositemur inquit Celsus upbraids us That we want Altars and Images We professe we doe so quoth he Fifthly Arnobius Lib. 2. contr Gentes Objicis nohis imagines quid hae nisi vilissima fabrorum opera Thou objectest Images unto us what are those but the most base workes of Mechanicks Sixthly Lactantius Lib. 2. de origine erroris wholly there is nothing alleadged but you may find it there Seventhly Eusebius Lib. 10. c. 4. Epist ad Constantiam Augustam set down in the second Ephesine councell That she must now require no Image of Christ not as he is man because now his glory is much more then when he was in the Mount and yet then
this is the punishment of God upon Ministers that they shall fall into such a company that will not heare because they had dull eares themselves in hearing before and not onely that Pro. 28.9 but also to speake to a dull people The fifth Rule of signes The Commandemâ—nt it selfe is signum i. Mal. 1.14 a way to examine us God maketh there a very abject and as Augustine saith an unlawfull comparison to compare himselfe to a great King on earth and vers 8. he reasoneth If you should offer such a gift to your Prince would he accept thy person If we would heare him as we would heare a great Prince 1 Sam. 19.8 Jonathan to David To morrow is the day of the month you will be looked for for my Father will see your place empty And our place may be empty that is we may be absent for divers causes First 1 Sam. 19.14 sicknesse Lawfull causes of absence from Church for so Micholl answered to Saul for David Secondly 2 Sam. 20.28 the answer of Jonathan for David He went to Bethel for my family said he offereth a sacrifice to day so if a man be to offer a sacrifice himselfe he may be absent from Sauls sacrifice for it is best to be the principall agent in Gods service Thirdly Mat. 9.13 Misericordiam volo potius quam sacrisicium the workes of mercy to visit the sicke is lawfull c. because they be meanes ordained for the duty of charity therefore for such a duty we may depart and leave the other duty The second signe Judg. 9.7 the meditation of this talio Looke as you heare so you shall be heard Heare what I say and I will heare what you say It is a good signe if we can say Even as I heare even so heare me O Lord. The third signe Psalm 119.63 79. If we be companions of those that worship God and if those persons be more deare to us because they are reverent and zealous in Gods service and the other more odious because they be cold it is a good signe The sixth Rule Accessory to procure it in others Hierome on Numb 36.13 no man may be a curtaine in the Lords house unlesse he hath a hooke and a tache Quilibet verus Christianus est cortina patris to draw on another brother Psalm 42.4 Davids affection I remember it with joy John 1.41 45. of Andrew to his brother We have found that Messiah and of Philip to Nathaniel We have found him of whom Moses in the Law did speake c. 1 Cor. 11.33 the Rule spoken of before one to stay for another and one to bring another that they may by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same mind and one accord The contrary condemned and punished Acts 13.8 in Elymas for seeking to hinder the Deputy from receiving the Gospell he was stricken with bodily blindnesse c. Order is taken Com. 1. for the inward worship and Com. 2. for the outward now he proceeds to the Commination or Sanction which containeth a penalty on the breakers and a reward for the keepers of the Commandement Every Commandement sancitur praemo poena If it be asked why this Commandement is the first that hath this punishment set downe as the fifth Commandement is said to be the first with promise Ephes 6.2 We have three reasons for the justifying of Gods worke in it First because that as Deut. 25.2 the punishment must be proportionable to the fault and the sinne against the first Commandement is hidden and in the wombe in our hearts and bosomes that God onely can see it and view it therefore the punishment of it also is left to God and Acts 17.30 he is content to oversee it But this because it comes into the light of the Sunne and is to be seene of every body in this respect God hath more particularly pronounced a punishment against it 1 Tim. 5.20 that others may feare According to the rule of justice Malum ubi contingit ibi moriatur if the fault be open so shall the punishment also be if private so also And seeing this is committed in the sight of all therefore to be punished in the sight of all The second is that whereas every punishment is brought in Ut prohibeat impetum ad turpia and our impetus or inclination being marvellously whetted to the breach of this by profit and safety the best Oratours annexed to it I speake of that corruption wherein every head is full of new platformes that it will devise to it selfe and that we cannot be vile in our owne eyes as David was 2 Sam. 6.22 but of this that sometimes it falleth out as God foretold Revel 14.9 that the Beast getteth place and then he that will not receive the marke of the Beast in his forehead he shall neither buy nor sell and not that onely but hee shall be rent in pieces Here then is the motive that man can be content to leave God and bow downe to the Beast if they can be perswaded they may thereby enjoy temporall commodities and security of this life for come what Religion will they are ready for all And in regard of the comming with these reasons not onely of that the Devill counted a great thing Job 2. the saving of mens Skinnes but the Fleeces also peace and tranquillity so because this profit was annexed it was necessary there should be a punishment cohibere impetum hunc to stop our inclination Thirdly because we see Dan. 3.6 6.8 and Acts 4.18 Edicts and Commandements contrary given out i. for receiving of a false invented worship that men should at the sound of the Trumpet fall downe and worship the golden Image else to be cast into the middest of a hot fiery Furnace And that who so should pray to God within thirty dayes should be cast into the Lyons denne And an edict that the Apostles should speake no more in Christs name Therefore it was necessary that God should give a countermaund and a contrary edict And that as Princes say Qui secus faxit he that transgresseth shall forfeit this and this So God should say If you will not bow downe and give me this worship you shall forfeit you and your children after you and your childrens children shall be subject to mine indignation This for the reason why God hath made it a penall Statute The Sanction or establishment is divided into Commination visiting the iniquity c. Promise and shew mercy c. The preface was touched before in the beginning of the Law Of Jehovah thy God Now of fortis zelotes strong and zealous the two words that remaine they containe the certainty of bringing to passe that which he threatneth or promiseth here in this Commandement For mighty signifieth that there is no hinderance in performance of it He is able to doe it It falleth out that where men whose armes and hands are shortened conceive mighty wrath and indignation but there wanteth
that they wondred at it John 7.15 it is sure that Christ was learned in all and taught so After Christs instruction it was necessary 1 Tim. 1.13 to keep the true patterne 1. Cor. 4.13 to teach it and read it verse 14. to write it and Mat. 23.24 to meditate it to shew our progressus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to make our fruit knowne to all men 1 Tim. 4.5 1 Cor. 6.5 to be Wise and Learned and Paul denieth not of himselfe 2 Cor. 11.6 and Festus confesseth of him Acts 26.24 For though Peter and John were unlearned men yet Luke and Marke were learned when Christ chose them And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or free gifts are five Charismata doctoris quinque 1. Of Nature 2. Doctrine 3. Education 4. Exercise 5. Laying on of hands After in the Primitive Church when they were all moved against it Acts 13.1 it removed to Antioch and there were learned men and thence to Alexandria where Mark was cheife whence it were easie to bring it to us For the duty of the Teacher Offic. doctoris The Teachers duty Christ chose but one out of three so he must know and choose them that be fit for this as Lucas would discerne Joseph to be fit for a Nazarite For all be not apart Luke 10.13 so there must be a choice in the behalf of this Teacher For there must be a Cephas as Peter Mat. 16.22 in that he gave counsell and in his courage and willingnesse to heare of his Fault Gal. 2. And James and John were called the sonnes of Thunder Luke 9.14 And this is such a name as hath in it some signe and such as Job 23.33 Unus inter mille one of a thousand And thus a choice must be in the behalfe of the Teacher and the Learner The Learners duty Of the Learner for as Zach. 13.5 such as acknoweldge themselves neither to be Prophets nor sonnes of Prophets For Pro. 17. what should cost be bestowed on them that are not apt Pro. 26.1 And he that teacheth those Dolts is as if he should lift up a lame man from the ground for he will fall againe Therefore as Plato would have those that are to be of the Schoole or Common-wealth to be either Gold or Silver at the least for Pro. 27.2 and Jer. 6.28 they turned his bellowes and wearied his arme because they were but Brasse so that in vaine he melted them therefore Esay 28.9 Quem docebo Whom shall I teach knowledge Not such as must have precept upon precept and be ever in the Principles but those that can take stronger meates And if they cannot doe thus then must Zacharie say they are more fit to be Husbandmen The Popes opinion for choyce The Popes opinion of this choice which they have in the Canon is thus That it is better 〈◊〉 strict in it then otherwise for it is better to be a wiseman in the Church or Common-wealth without this dignity then to be foole with it The neglect of this choice Mal. 2. to take into this place of Prophecie all that commeth was the cause why the Sunne was darkened For thus the Prophets became Bardi stupid blockheads Jer. 23.13 without common sense o◠it Thus Prophecie faileth and so the people perish Signa eligendorum The signes of such as are to be chosen There be therefore three signes of them that are to be chosen Pro. 16.7 First in the Ant is noted a naturall quality to provid without gaine which is called Solertia the duty of the active part of understanding together of it selfe As we see many of the Fathers Ambrose c. were very wonderfull men this way The second is 2 Kings 4.29 Docilitas To be able to conceive which is the duty of the passive part of the understanding to have cor latum a dilated heart to conceive so that Solertia the active part of the understanding may have matter to be occupied in Thirdly Eccles 11.6 Instanter operari to take paines which made Paul more excellent then all So that we have that cor latum and solertiam with this diligence to shew both at morn and at even and never to rest then are we fit to be chosen If we have not these there will rise between the Teacher and the Scholer Difficultas quaedam quae arguit errorem some kind of difficulty and consequently errour And if there be so in this first step it is like the errour in the first concoction which cannot be holpen by those that follow So for all that follow we must presuppose that the choice is made aright Then seeing some things have outward principles as res artificiosae things artificiall some inward as naturall things and some both as health And that these that are done extraordinarily are done without these Principles sometimes as health procured by nature it selfe without medicine so is Prophecie extraordinarily gotten without teaching And as in medicine it addeth nothing to nature but ministreth to it and helpeth it so teaching addeth nothing to the internall Principles of Prophecy that is the light of our hearts but helpeth it This light is that which John 1.9 is in every man and this teaching helpeth it by sensible things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and similitudes as by bringing conclusions into or by the right disposing of the medicine So that to make knowne that which is unknowne and bring to order that which is confused is the effect of Teaching Generally then for mutuall duties Mutua doctores discipuli officia Mutuall duties of Teacher and Scholer First we must be perswaded that this lumen this light commeth from God and therefore we must goe to Heaven for it Psalm 36.9 in lumine tuo lumen videbimus in thy light shall we see light c. 2 Cor. 4.6 his light must shine into our hearts And the way to this is prayer Psalm 6. toto and Psalm 119.66 Teach thou me c. Secondly we must have regard to the Commandement wherein it is that is his Law that is fuller of all knowledge and in better manner then all the works of the Heathen Thirdly we must Ephes 5.14 wake out of sleep that is sinne for wisedome will not come in cor malevolum into a heart malevolent by the avoyding of which the Fathers were farre more excellent then we in all their meditations though they had not so good meanes as we Thus as Aug saith there must be magister intus a teacher within us which Esay 30.27 stands behind us and tels us when we are right without which our study and care is bootlesse The Teachers duty Particular duties First of the Teachers set downe wholly Pro. 22.10 20. to make known to them to write it for them to counsell them in the practise of it But particularly this is done First by parables as did both Balaam and Moses and Matth. 13.3 by sensible things make knowne such things as are more removed
from the understanding Secondly this must have with it an order and no interruption as Luke 24.27 he began at Moses when he expounded unto them the Scripture and John 15.12 he had other things to teach them which he did not at that time because they were not capable of them Some must have stronger meat then others Now for this there be foure wayes to teach by 1. Precept Psal 119.31 Teach me thy precepts 2. Example Pr. 24.32 the field of the sluggard c. 3. Experience which we cal our Genesis Gē 30.27 4. Ex eo quod passus est Heb. 7.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Correction is good instruction Christ the most perfect paterne of a Teacher in all these and of all names he accepted of this to be so called 1. Concerning precept Mark 4.34 he expounds every parable privately 2. Example John 13.15 Exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an example 3. Experience hath taught them practice Mat. 16.13 John 4.2 in increasing in knowledge Mat. 17.14 in casting out spirits Mat. 10.1 in preaching of the first order of the seventy whereof twelve were after chosen to be Apostles The difference of these are 1 Cor. 3.2 that some are cheife builders which lay the foundation as were the twelve whereon the other must build as the seventy And thus then remaine distinctions in the Church by Christs first Order 4. Ex iis quae passus est for teaching by reproofe Mat. 15.16 know ye not c Mat. 16.12 in their ignorance of the leaven and v. 23. he reproved Peter for his counsell Mark 10.14 for keeping children from him Mat. 17.7 when the spirit resisted them Thus they learned by reprehension for so Pro. 17.16 as sharp words to the wise are better then whips to the foole Christ could teach by stripes also when it was needfull as Joh. 2.15 when they made the house of God dens for theeves And there is a theft in not labouring as well as in not praying we shall find all that are held up with sufficient allowance and yet idle to be such theeves Learners duty The Learners duty answering to this is Pro. 22.17 Bow downe thine eare c. and Lam. 2.46 it is set downe to be 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Studious in hearing 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to aske questions First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite to this is Heb. 5.11 dulnesse in hearing accompanied with dulnesse of heart Luke 24.25 Therefore this must come as Pro. 22.17 18 19. in aurem into the eare and then in cor into the heart and hence again ad labia unto the lippes and for weaknes of memory we must do as the Scribes write it in tables of paper and by oft reading bring it into the tables of the heart Proverbs 7.3 Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inquire Exod. 13.14.6.20 to shew it to all and Deut. 23.1 all commanded to aske John 16.17 Mat. 13.10 15.5 Every Scribe must have both new and old parables to teach them that enquire For they bought Christ by Interrogation to expresse many things which could not be left unexpressed without great doubt to the Church as Matth. 23. concerning the Kingdome of Heaven and John 9. in rendring the cause why he was borne blinde hee shewing the cause of all defects of nature 2 Sam. 20.8 We must enquire at Abel the towne of learning And withall we must add to this conference spoken of before Salomon likeneth it to two Irons one whetting on the other Pro. 27.17 2. Duty of the Teacher The second duty of the Teacher which Aug would have in his sonne is vitia morum magis quam verborum vitare the Solecisme in manners chiefely to bee avoyded Quintilian saith well Quid prodest si studiis prodesses moribus autem obesses potior ast bene vivendi quam optimè dicendi facultas What availeth it that thy instructions be profitable if thy example and manners be hurtfull it is farre more praise worthy to live well then to speake well Luke 10.20 It is our Saviours advice that we onely rejoyce in our salvation not in any other knowledge 1 Cor. 15.2 For without charity the foundation of all good manners all the tongues and knowledge are but as Brasse 1 Corinthians 13.1 Therefore Christ Si scitis haec beati estis si faciatis aliter non if yee know these things happy are yee if yee doe them and not else John 13.17 This did John rejoyce at John 3.4 The Scholers duty answering this Lam. 3.47 Is to perswade themselves it is a blessed thing to beare the yoke of Christ in youth Therefore thou must Rom. 12.11 redeeme the time If thou loose any of the Day take up as much of the Night Ephes 5.10 And Numb 6.13 that there is a day of Consecration and thou must study for it 1 Sam. 10.11 1 Tim. 3.6 hee must be no young Scholer for these are they that bring all out of course which take that upon them that they are not able to discharge Of these complaine the Prophets and the Fathers and themselves also fall into temptation 2. Also they must he willing to be directed not without leave to doe so much as bury his Father And this is it that maketh a Disciple in the estate of following that is to be enjoyned and not to depart without permission And then the Apostles counsell 2 Tim. 2.22 He must flie the lusts of youth one noted Tit. 2.6 by the opposite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sober minded How is that Esay 51.21 there is Ebrietas è vino a drunkennesse through wine and a drunkennesse that commeth not by Wine For Wine and company they that are given to it delight in it Pro. 23.20 21. avoid such The avoiding of such as are amatores pinguium lovers of commessations and of ease of slothfull and drunkards Dormitatio vestietur panais nunquam sapit amator vini sloth shall be covered with rags and the drunkard may not boast of wisedome The other that is not with wine in Esay to be drunken with his owne conceit and opinion it is in them that know least When a man hath a fume in his head and thinks he can doe as the drunken man that thinks he can overcome all the World Pro. 30.12 13. he speaketh there of a generation pure in their owne eyes not so indeed yee shall know them by their outward behaviour as by haughty eyes holding up the head shewing the breasts c. Pro. 11.2 With the lowly is wisedome It is the first discite of Christ Matth. 11.29 and John 13.16 expressed in example And it is his Maxime No Disciple is higher or to check his Master The heathen say they are protervi petulantes impudent and sawcy that doe so Deut. 32.15 the Holy Ghost saith If two be scholers and taught together and one of them had a conceit of himselfe and the other were a foole there were more hope of a foole to proove
a Scholer then the other Proverbs 26.16 It is incident to those that are nothing but Lumpes enformed by abuse that thinkes himselfe wiser then seven that can give a reason The conclusion of this part seeing Eccl. 7. there is a time to be silent and a time to speake the first is when he is a learner And Christ was conversant in hearing and inquiring not setting downe Positions of his owne so we must not be such as are conceited of their owne wisedome but such in whom wisedome doth dwell We must be humble contra Pro. 5.13 when a man will not heare his teachers he shall after say How hath my owne conceit rent mee in peeces as a mad Bull how hath it brought mee to nothing 3. Duty of the Teacher Come to the third It is tueri to defend according to the name of Tutors practised by Christ Mat. 9.14 and Mat. 12.2 15.2 defending his Disciples and thereby shewing that in every matter wherein they transgressed not he would stand with them Scholers duty The first duty answering this in regard of defence God saith The Nazarites Numb 6.14 15. shall bring besides every one what he is able 1 Sam. 1.22 Anna carryeth up her Sonne and three Bullocks c. that she might not be chargeable to Elie. 1 Sam. 9.7 Shall we come to the Prophet and bring him nothing was Sauls care when he went up to Samuel So Luke 2.29 we read the entertainment of Christ by Levi. Matth. 8.14 by Peter and likewise of a counsell that was held against the Hereticks fratricelli where it was concluded against them that Christ lived of his Stipend and not of begging as they make him and so of his Disciples and hee had of his owne and Judas had the Bagge The second duty is to minister to them 1 Sam. 2.11 Samuel to Elie coram Domino before the Lord 1 Kings 19.21 Elisha though elder then Elias yet ministred to him and 2 Kings 3.11 powred water on his hands the like we have in the Gospell of John towards our Saviour So Mat. 11.2 he sent two of his Disciples of his errand Mat. 26.17 he sent two of his Disciples to prepare him the Passeover Mar. 3.10 to provide him an Asse to ride on c. Iohn 4.8 to provide meat for his Dinner Thirdly there must be that resultans officium So Iohn 19.27 he chargeth some of his Disciples that were best able with the maintaining of his mother and more after his death they brought odours c. for his buriall Mat. 14.12 Iohns Disciples did the like and more they spake of him with praise and a perpetuall memory of him Luke 24.19 He was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people Therefore they must not be forgotten after death Death must not end the duty to them But there is another duty that is though we be not in charge to them if he be in the roome and calling of a Prophet we are bound to owe honour unto him and so 1 Sam. 9.6 as Sauls servant honoured Samuel so eo nomine as he is a Prophet he is to be accounted of them that bee not under his charge an honourable man as Gamaliel Acts 5.34 and this being performed 1 Tim. 2.2 we shall have men faithfull and such as are able to teach others that is the University shall bring forth such as shall be fit for the Church or Common-wealth The end of the erection of Schooles The end of the erection of Schooles is to bring forth men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able to teach 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able to governe the first in the Church the later in the Common-wealth first of the former The Ministers of the Church First they are called Fathers both ab Ecclesia Dei by the Church of God 1 Cor. 4.15 and also even among the Irreligious Judges 27.12 and after that cap. 18.19 And because as before all paternitie that is cometh from Christ and there was no other Fatherhood in him but only that he was the only Priest and Prophet of the New Testament reserving that that was before in the beginning said that God because he is fons omnis boni the fountaine of all good he must needs have this quality of goodnesse to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communicative and make others partakers of it which was the cause of the creation of the World even as it is called the Mysticall incorporation and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that coelestiall policie is partaker of all that goodnesse and glory that God hath The earth made for man with his three divisions Now God purposing to make this created World with the three divisions in it 1. Heaven as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His place of reward 2. Earth as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His work-house 3. Hell as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His prison To the end that men exercising here in the place of worke as they receive grace and increase the talent given them so they might be rewarded either with blisse in Heaven or damnation in Hell So the earth and all that is in it being a place of exercise All things made for the Church was made for the Church and Heaven for reward For this cause hath he ordained the whole World and consequently these former paternities the naturall to beget holy seed and all oeconomicall for education and this last the Fatherhood of the Families of the Prophets for instructing and making them fit for the principall paternitie to the worke of the Ministery So that those that follow are nothing else but Pales and Railes for the Church to make that this worke may the better goe forward In Ephes 4.12 is this order set downe All that Christ did his comming downe suffering c. all was first for the gathering of the Saints which was to be effected secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the worke of the Ministery and then the third to build them up in the knowledge of faith and vertues ver 13. they being 1 Pet. 2.5 living stones and consequently partakers of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the growth ver 13. unto the stature of Christ to be coupled with him here by a spirit and after in Heaven by presence This is the great work of all because it had all other works ordained for it 1 Cor 3.21 And so because ye boast in men ye labour your selves in vaine all things are yours Paul Apollos Cephas the World c. speaking to the Church that yee might be Christs Christ Gods and so consequently that union performed spoken off Eph. 4 1◠Then we see the institution and ordaining of and withall the end of all those that take on them to be these Fathers and so we see what we are to thinke of their worke There is nothing more plaine then this that both Families and Schooles and Common-wealths and the whole World was created to the worke
And we see plainely Gen. 9.3 whatsoever liveth and moveth they are given to man to bee food most plainely Lawfull to â—ilâ— Beasts 1 Cor. 10.25 Quicquid in macella c. Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles eate it And indeed reason it selfe in Law sheweth it plainely For where there is no Ius societatis a Law of society there is not societas juris a society in Law But they have no society with us because they want reason And secondly to use all things for the end they were ordained for is no sinne but the lesse perfect things are for the more perfect therefore herbs for beasts and beasts as being lesse perfect for man Onely in these two cases 2. Caveats the holy Ghost forbids to kill beasts first when it turneth to the detriment of our neighbour the sinne is not to kill the beast but to endammage him by it And secondly that we kill them not in the impotencie of our wrath exacting that power or understanding of him that is not in him Aug. he saith men are so foolishly bent they must have facilitatem motus things work to their mind If the poor Pen through their negligence and perversenesse did not write as they would have it capit collidit he taketh it and dasheth it So in beasts if they doe not as we would have them then we shew our impotencie Psal 36.6 Gods mercie he preserveth both man and beast and Prov. 12.10 man must be like to him in this point he shall be mercifull to the soule of the beast he rideth upon In this regard he shall not kill the beast The second division of man 2a Divisiâ— We will take him first as he is a member then as a head of a society There is a slaughter 1. Sui ipsius of a mans selfe 2. Alierius of another man of his neighbour Because we see the Heathen as we read of Lucretia Seneca and Cato that though they would never have beene brought to kill others A man may not kill himselfe yet they durst lay hands on themselves and were therefore highly thought of amongst the Heathen But Christian Religion teacheth us that it must not be so and that no man hath power of his life for these causes 1. We must needs understand Non occides thou shalt not kill so because as was said before the generall rule of the Law is Siâ—ut te ipsum as thy selfe Then non occides alium sicut non occides teipsum thou shalt not murther another even as thou shouldest not kill thy selfe So the proportion is against the Law of charity and nature Against the Law of nature it is we are so linked to our selves that nature first maketh alimentum individuum the nutriment to satisfie the stomack before she giveth propaginem speeiei supplement to the other members shewing that to every man belongeth a care how to preserve himselfe 2. Because that every man that liveth in a society or Common-wealth is a part thereof and so is not his owne but societatis or reipub the societies or Common-wealths therefore hee cannot injure or kill himselfe but he must needs bring detriment to the whole company whereof he is And consequently by the Law of the Heathens they forfeit the goods to the Exchequer as they doe by the the Law of the Christians though it be somewhat otherwise So the Common-wealth will take some revenge of him because in that action there doth concurre some dammage to her 3. Because our life is the gift of God 1. Sam. 2.6 so consequently it is God that giveth life and bringeth death therefore we must not dispose of the gift of God without the minde of the giver Rom. 12.4 rather because the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.23 he saith we are bought with a price we are his servants that bought us Then commeth that in Rom. 14.4 Quis tu qui jud cas servum alienum Who art thou that judgest another mans servant so Quis tu qui intersicis servum alienum Who art thou that killest another mans servant Matth. 8.32 It s said that the very swine would not have runne into the Sea but that they were carried of the Devill else they of themselves would not therefore as Aug. reproving the deed of Razis 2. Maccab. 14.37 and so consequently the authority of the writer that commendeth him for it in that place and the Papists dis-allow the thing So it is a fault to thinke that any man may kill himselfe whether he doe it that he may fugere molestias temporales hoc enim modo saith he incidunt in perpetuas to avoid temporall evils for by this meanes they fall into eternall neither ut evitet peccatum alienum ne incipiat habere gravissimum proprium to shun the sinne of another lest he become guilty of a most grievous one himselfe nor pro suo peccato for his owne sinne for there is time of repentance neither ne peccer lest he fall into sinne as the woman did in the Primitive Church sic enim incidit in peccatum certum ut evitaret incertum for so he commits a certaine sinne to avoid an uncertaine one And indeed he proveth out of Rom. 3. that we must not doe it for any cause 2. Come to the next in alium Manslaughter looking into mans nature we must not kill any other The reasons Man-slaughter besides the generall reason Quod tihi fieri non vis Matth. 7.12 c. Whatsoever ye would that men should not doe c. And besides the other of Gods Image no man must kill another Esa 58.7 he saith when thou seest a naked man cover him and despise not thine owne flesh because we are one flesh This Esa 9.20 is made a strange judgement that they should bee brought to such extremity that every man should eate the flesh of his owne arme But Gal. 5.15 this is done and if they bite one another and prey one upon another according to discords contentions and hatreds and so consume themselves unnaturall sinne Iohn 8.44 By this meanes we come to be primogeniti Diaboli Murtherers primâ—geâ—iti Diaboli Santans first begotten because he was the first murtherer Gen. 3.4 By this nequaquam moriemini yee shall not die he brought in a moriemini death and so brought them to it Gen. 4.10 It is said that the bloud of thy brother cryeth unto me because it is peccatum clamoris a crying sinne Bloud-shed that will cry and come up to Heaven and will not cease till God take revenge Other sins they may be as if he heard them not but his eares shall be open to this for this is somewhat more straight Deut. 21.8.9 A man found lying dead in the fields and no man knoweth who killed him God saith This order shall they take The Elders and Judges of Israel shall come forth and mete to the Cities that are round about him and the Elders of the next City shall take an Heifer out of the
desire to have remission of sinne no otherwise then as we forgive our brethren whereby the love of our brother is continually increased And this prayer is breviarium fidei it teacheth us to beleeve those things which we pray for Lastly our perfection in obeying the Law and in beleeving those things which we ought to intreat with such a hope by prayer Legem implendi legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi THE SIXTH SERMON LUKE 11.2 And he said unto them When yee pray say Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come Let thy will bee done even in earth as it is in Heaven c. IT is the answer of our Saviour Christ to that Disciple of his which in the name of the rest desired to be taught a forme of prayer Concerning prayer among other things already noted we te to know that it is the doctrine of the Fathers that God not prayed unto on our parts and his holy Spirit not yet possessing our soules hath notwithstanding promised that he wâ—ll poure his Spirit upon all flesh Ioel 2. as it was poured upon the Apostles after Christs Ascension Acts 2. Namely that Spirit which he cals the Spirit of Grace and Prayer Zach. 12.10 When he thus vouchsafeth to send the Spirit of Grace into our soules then from thence there doe runne two streames into the two severall faculties of our soule that is the Spirit of Grace hath a working on our Vnderstanding by the light of Faith and secondly in our Will by inspiring us with holy desires of which holy desires the interpreter betwixt us and God is Prayer For that as the Apostle speaks Our requests are made knowne to God by prayer and supplication Phil. 4.6 Now as prayer is properly the effect of Grace so whatsoever wee obtaine of God by prayer it is the gift of Grace which prayer is therefore our reasonable service of God because we doe therein acknowledge not onely our owne wants and unworthinesse but also that as God hath in his hands all manner of blessings to bestow upon us so if we sue to him for them he will with hold no good thing from us Psal 84.12 Before we can pray for good things it is required that we doe conceive a love of them which if it be in us then we shall not onely bee inflamed with a desire of them which is an effect of love but shall be stirred up to pray for them But it is the peculiar worke of the holy Ghost to shed in our hearts the love not onely of God Rom. 5. but of all other good things which work he performeth not in all in differently for he is compared to the Wind that bloweth where it will Ioh. 3. But those whom it pleaseth the holy Ghost to inspire with a love and affection towards good things they doe not onely desire them but withall doe pray earnestly for them unto God for as it is the worke of Jesus Christ the eternall Word to enlighten every one that commeth into the world so it is the office of the eternall Spirit to inspire our hearts with holy desires In this answer of our Saviour we are to consider three points first a time limited for prayer secondly the contents of the word Oratio thirdly what is to be noted out of the word Discue Touching the time limited for prayer we have heard already that there are three uses of prayer one was the use of dignity and persection when men doe converse and enter into familiarity with God by abstracting their mindes from humane affaires and sublevating them into Heaven by a continuall meditation of God and things pertaining to the life to come which because it is peculiar to them that have already attained to some perfection we must say of it as Christ did of another matter Qui poâ—est capere capiat Matth. 19. Our weaknesse is such as cannot by any meanes come to this use yea the infirmity of the Disciples themselves was so great that albeit Christ had so many other things to tell them of yet they were not able as yet to beare them Iohn 14. Therefore we are to consider the two other uses which doe more neerely concerne us whereof the one is the Vse of necessity which standeth either upon feare or upon want and when necessity lyeth upon us in either of these respects they are so forcible that they make all flesh to come unto him that heareth prayer Psal 65. Of feare the Prophet saith Lord in trouble they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thychastening was upon them Isa 26.16 And the want of outward things is so vehement a motive as when nothing else can move men to prayer yet they will assemble themselves before the Lord for corne and oyle Hos 7.14 These two the one being as Solomon termeth it Plaga cordis 1 Reg. 5. the other Defiderium cordis Psal 5. doe point to us two times of prayer namely when either we are oppressed with misery as the effect of sinne or disquieted with our selves with the conscience and guilt of sinne it selfe which is the cause of all our miseries Touching sinne the Prophet saith While I held my tongue my bones consumed away but after he had confessed his sinnes unto the Lord and craved pardon he forgave his wickednesse And because it is not his case onely for as much as we have all sinned his counsell is in this behalfe pro hoc orabit omnis pius Psal 32. Which being done as the Prophet speaketh the weakest of them that is every sinner shall be as David Neither are we of necessity to pray that God will forgive the guilt of our sinnes past but that he will prevent us with his grace against temptations of sinnes to come for in this regard our Saviour Christ would have his Disciples occupie themselves in this holy duty Orate Pray ye that ye enter not into temptation Luke 22. For the effect of sinne which is adversity Then is prayer necessary in the time of affliction when outwardly through the malice of our enemies we are in misery In which case the Prophet saith when the ungodly for the love he bare to them requited him with hatred Then he gave himselfe to prayer Psal 109.3 Or else inwardly by reason of crosses which it pleaseth God to bring upon us against which the onely remedy is to use prayer as the Apostle exhorts Iames 5. Is any afflicted let him pray A timore iuo concepimus spiritum salutis Esa 26.8 That is for feare And when we consider our owne wants the troubles that are upon us though for a time we hold our tongues and speake nothing yet a fire will kindle in us we cannot long be silent but the desire of our heart must have a vent by prayer as the Prophet had experience in himselfe Psal 39. So that as well the feare of danger to come as present want and affliction will leade us to prayer But
when we are rid of all adversity yet there is another use of prayer which is the Vse of Duty We are to pray not in regard of our selves but in obedience to God who commandeth prayer to be made by us as a part of his service and duty which we oweto him Prayer made of duty is of two sorts both in regard of time and place Iob in the Law of nature tels us that it is our duty Invocare Deum omni tempore Iob 27.10 and our Saviours charge unto his Disciples is that they should semper orare Luke 18. which the Apostle interpreteth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 5. But this cannot be performed of us by reason of our infirmity therefore we must expound this otherwise and as Saint Paul speakes we must speake after the manner of men propter infirmitatem Rom. 6. and so we are commanded to pray alwaies the meaning is that it is our duty to appoint certaine houres for prayer for as Augustine saith Semper orat qui per certa intervalla temporum orat the reason of this exposition is for that our service to God must be a reasonable service Rom. 12. and the preaching of the word must not be done negligently for it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. which cannot continually be performed of man without some respect Touching the set times appointed to the service of God in the Law it is appointed and required that there should be both morning and evening sacrifice day by day and that upon the Sabbath there should be twice so long service as upon other dayes Numb 2.8 This publike service was performed by the Jewes among whom the booke of the Law was read foure times a day Nehem. 9.3 For private devotion the Prophet saith In the evening in the morning and at noone day will I call upon thee Psal 55. and Daniel was for praying three times a day cast into the Lions Denne Dan. 6. In the new Testament this duty of prayer was by the practise of Saint Peter limited to the third houre Act. 2.15 to the sixth houre Acts 10.9 to the ninth houre at which time Peter and Iohn went up to the Temple together to pray Acts 3. whose diligence and care ought to stir us up to the like Further the Disciples desire to be taught a right forme of prayer not onely as here as a Christian but as an Apostle and Minister sent forth to preach the Gospel whereby we learne that prayer belongeth not onely in generall to every Christian but more particularly and specially to those that have any Ecclesiasticall authority over others So that is an opinion very erronious that we have no other use of the Apostles of Christ and their Successours but onely for preaching whereas as it is a thing no lesse hard to pray well then to preach well so the people reape as great benefit by the intercession of their Pastors which they continually make to God both privately and publikely as they doe by their preaching It is the part of the Ministers of God and those that have the charge of the soules of others not onely to instruct the flock but to pray for them The office of Levi and his posterity as Moses sheweth was not onely to teach the people the Lawes and Judgements of the Lord and to instruct Israel in the Law but also to offer Incense unto the Lord Deut. 33. Which Incense was nothing else but a type of prayer made by the faithfull Psal 145. Therefore Samuel confesseth that he should sinne no lesse in ceasing to pray for the people then if he were slacke to shew them the good and right way 1 Sam. 12.23 This duty the Ministers of God may learne from the example of Christs owne practise who went out early in the morning to pray Marke 1.35 So he prayed for Peter that his faith should not faile Luke 22. also from the example of the Apostles who albeit they did put from them the ministration of the Sacraments yet gave themselves continually to prayer and the Ministery of the word Acts 6.4 In which regard Paul saith he was sent not to baptize but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.17 which they did refuse to doe not as a thing impertinent to their office but that they might with more attention of minde and fervencie of Spirit apply themselves to make intercession for Gods people Thus much they are to learne from hence that the Priests are Angeli Domini exercituum Mal. 2.7 If Angels then they must not only descend to the people to teach them the will of God but ascend to the presence of God to make intercession for the people and this they doe more cheerefully for that God is more respective to the prayers which they make for the people then the people are heedfull to the Law of God taught by them For this cause the Priests are called the Lords remembrancers Esa 62.6 because they put God in minde of his people desiring him continually to helpe and blesse them with things needfull for God hath a greater respect to the prayers of those that have a spirituall charge then to those that are of the common sort Thus the Lord would have Abimelech deale well with Abraham and deliver him his wife because he is a Prophet and should pray for him that he may live Gen. 20. So to the friends of Iob the Lord said My servant Job shall pray for you and I will accept him Iob. 42. This office was appointed to the Priests in the Law Levit. 5.6 orabit pro iis sacerdos Thus Ezechia sent for Esay so saies he Lift thou up thy prayer Esa 37.4 Men as they are Christians ought to pray three times a day as David Psal 55. but as they are Prophets and have a speciall charge they must pray to God seven times a day as the same David Psal 119. This day of prayer made by the Priests in the behalfe of the people was so highly esteemed that they tooke order that prayer should be made continually and because the same Priests are not to doe all one thing but to pray therefore some were appointed for the first watches others for the second and others for the third watches that so while one rested the other might pray whereof David speaketh when he saith Mine eyes prevent the night watches Psal 119. So Christ speaketh of the first and second watches Luke 22. Touching Davids diligence in performing of this duty for the good of the people he saith At midnight I will rise up to give â—hankes to thee Psal 119. So did Paul and Silas rise at midnight to sing praise to God Acts 16. And it were to be wished that the like order were taken in the Church that the sacrifice of prayer were continually offered among Christians as it was in the Synagogues of the Iewes Secondly in regard of the place we are every where to lift up pure hands 1 Tim. 2. and so the
as man eateth and drinketh every day so he drinkes iniquity like water Iob 15. Thirdly vve runne into such debts as vve are not able to discharge for if vve vvere vve needed not to say Dimitte nobis Forgive us our debts but Have patience with me and I will pay thee all Matth. 18. To signifie to us the greatnesse and number of our sinnes one vvas brought that ovved 500. pence and another that ovved 50. Luke 7. and another that ovved to his Master ten thousand Talents By vvhich vve perceive that vve cannot make satisfaction to God therefore hee must remit them The consideration vvhereof ought to vvorke in us humiliation First that as Iob sayes our hearts doe not excuse us and that vve seek not to justifie our selves that as God requireth we confesse our mis-deeds Levit. 26.40 that we acknowledge our sinnes to God and hide them not Psal 32. For if we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull to forgive our sins 1 Iohn 1. Secondly that vve doe not onely confesse but be sorry for them Psal 38. that vvhile vve are in danger to God for our sinnes vve goe and humble our selves and intreat him and suffer not our eves to sleepe till we be sure how we may obtaine forgivenesse Prov. 6 3. The consideration of sinne made David forget to eate his bread Psal 102. so greatly was he disquieted till he was assured of pardon For the second point if our sinnes be debts they must be payed Owe nothing to any but we are not able to answer one of a thousand Iob 9. and for the penalty of malediction we are not able to endure it Psal 90. Who knoweth the power of his wrath therefore our prayer must bee to God that our misery may prevaile more with God to move him to compassion then our unworthinesse to stirre up his indignation and that he will Cancell the hand-writing Col. 2. which thing for that he is full of the bowels of compassion Ier. 31.20 hee is moved to doe when he seeth us sorry for our sinnes howbeit his justice must be satisfied else his mercie cannot take place but Christ by his death having done that God saith of the sinner Deliver him for I have received a reconciliation Iob 33. Qui circumcisus est debitor est totius legis Gal. 5.3 But Christ was circumcised and therefore fulfilled the law for us ad ultimum quadrantem to the utmost farthing and not onely so but he saith of himselfe Exolvi quae non rapui I restored that which I tooke not Psal 69.4 He not onely perfectly fulfilled the Law but suffered the curse of the Law which he had not deserved with this condition Sinite istos abire Let these goe Iohn 18. that is hee was content to be the reconciliation for us that he might draw us out of the hands of Gods justice The estate of our debts may be compared with the Widewes state that was left in debt by her husband 2 King 4. for as the Lord blessed her Oyle in such sort as she did not onely pay her debts but had enough to live on after so Christ is our Oleum effusum our Oyle powred out that is of power not onely to satisfie Gods wrath for ous sins but also to give us an estate in the Kingdome of Heaven and for his sake it is that we may be bold to pray for remission of sinnes and are taught to beleeve that for his merits our sinnes are forgiven so that is true Legem operandi legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi the Law of prayer stablished both the Law of obeying and beleeving Our of Dimitie arise three things for our comfort First that even these sinnes which we commit after Baptisme after our calling and when we are come to the knowledge of the truth are remissible In teaching the Apostles to pray he assureth them of this favour that the same party that saith peccata nostra our sinnes is taught to say Pater noster Our Father Our comfort therefore is that still we are the children of God though great sinners for though we lose the dutifull affection of children yet God cannot lose Viscera patris the tender bowels of a Father David to a rebellious sonne could not but shew a fatherly affection Doe good to the young man Absolon 2 Sam. 18.5 So though the prodigall sonne had offended hainously yet the Father is ready to receive him Luke 15. Secondly another comfort that albeit we commit sinne daily yet he will daily forgive us for God should mocke us saith Augustine if bidding us pray for forgivenesse he should for all that shut up the bowels of his mercie he bids us pray for pardon of our sinnes putting no difference whether they be peny-debts or Talents whether fifty or a thousand if we aske forgivenesse he tels us be is ready daily to remit them Thirdly that be our sinnes never so great so great as cannot be satisfied by us yet he will forgive them propâ—er seipsum for his owne sake Isa 45. Christ hath made himselfe a satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world 1 Iohn 2. We must labour how we may soundly apply his satisfaction to our selves and among other meanes whereby we apply the satisfaction of Christ to our selves prayer is one They shall confesse their iniquities then I will remember my covenant Levit. 26.40.41 He shall pray unto God and he will be mercifull unto him Iob 33.26 I confessed my sins unto the Lord and thou forgavest the wickednesse of my sinne Propter hoc orabit omnis sanctus Psal 32. For this cause shall every one that is holy pray c. By vertue of this prayer Solomon saith that the people having committed any sinne if they come into the house of the Lord and pray for pardon God who is in Heaven will heare them 1 King 8.47 But this is more plaine in the new Testament Matth. 18. Did I not forgive thee quia rogasti me and to Simon Magus Pray to God if he will forgive thee the thoughts of thy heart Acts 8.22 that is if we confesse and be sorry for our sinnes and aske pardon he will forgive us How long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth to thee Psal 66. But we must be of the number that is meant by Nobis that is of the Apostles that is such as are baptized into Christs death Rom. 6. We must die unto sinne as he died for sinne Vt sicut is demisit peccata so we must dâ—mitiere peccata he hath suffered in the flesh and hath ceased from sin so must we 1 Pet. 4. We must have a care that hereafter we fall not into sinne more then our infirmity compels us For sinnes of infirmity Gods grace is sufficient 2 Cor. 11. But if we willingly sinne after remission there is no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 10. We are therefore to crucifie the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof if wee will be Christs and receive benefit by
we marke the foure gradations that it hath we shall finde it to be a very fit place As first before he could come to the Pinacle he must goe out of the Wildernesse into the City Secondly not any City but the holy City Thirdly into the Temple of the City And fourthly out of the Temple up to the Pinacle First having got him to leave the Wildernesse he brought him into the City that there he might say unto him You see such and such grave men how they behave themselves why should you seeke to be holier than they This was a good civill temptation he brought him not to Cesarea or Samaria but even to Jerusalem the holy City for that addition is given it Luke 4.9 and Dan. 9.24 Thirdly he brought him into the Temple where even the very ground was holy Fourthly not to any other place of it but the very top and Pinacle which was over the Sanctum Sanctorum Who would not tread hard there and take upon him being in such a place where if a man will be carryed away with example he may see Ananias the High-Priest renting his cloathes at the hearing of things that sounded like blasphemy Mark 14.63 and yet buying his Bishoprick for money who will not then be bold to doe the like And Herod a Prince such a one as heard John Baptist Preach yea and with much delight to commit adultery Marke 6.20 who would feare to doe the like There he may see the Pharisee under shew of great holinesse tything Mint and Cummin and under colour of long prayers devoure Widowes houses bringing in by extortion and sending out by excesse Matth. 23.14.21 And so in this City one may see some men both great frequenters of Sermons and yet great Usurers Gentlewomen mis-shapen in their attire Seeing this who will not be as bold as they the place being so holy And being thus warranted by example surely we must needes commend the devils wit for his choyce Out of this arise two notes First against some phantasticall spirits who say Can that be an holy City where there be dumbe dogges There were so in Jerusalem Esay 56.10 Where the leaders be blinde Matth. 15.14 They were so where Judas ministred the Sacrament where there is divâ—sion and debate amongst themselves Phil. 4.2 Can this say they be the holy City And thereupon upon they forsake the fellowship Heb. 10.25 Whereas they notwithstanding the former abuses and notwithstanding the eleven Tribes were Apostates did yet name it the holy City Secondly on the other side we are to be instructed though a man be on the battlements of the Church yet hath he no sure footing or cause to be secure but rather to feare the more for even there doth the devill stand at his elbow watching his overthrow There is no place we see priviledged from temptations no Desert so solitary but the devill will seeke it out no Pinacle so high but the devill is a Bishop over it to visit and over-looke it To conclude though in Jerusalem sits the abomination of desolation whereof Daniel spake yet it is the holy City still And though the place be never so holy yet is that no cause of priviledge but even there may sit the abomination of desolation Both are proved out of Matth. 24.15 The second thing that we observed in the circumstance of place is that the Devill assumpted Christ which to those that are weake as Gregory also collecteth may be offensive in giving them to thinke that the devill had such power over Christ as to carry him whither he listed But when they shall consider that even the limbes of the devill haled and harrowed him to and fro from Annas to Caiphas from Caiphas to Pilat from Pilat to Herod and from him backe againe to Pilat and how spitefully and contemptuously he was used in all these places and at last carryed to execution what marvell will it be to see him as Augustine speaketh In monte duci à capite qui à membris traditur c. These things doe indeed as all other his sufferings set forth the greatnesse of the love of God toward us Of God the Father that he would give his onely Sonne yea appoint him this worke of our salvation and give the devill such a power over him Luk. 22.53 Of God the Sonne that he would be content to suffer such indignity Phil. 2.7 as to be obedient to the death of the Crosse The reason of all these his sufferings as also that he would be baptized of John a weake and sinfull man was as himselfe declareth it to fulfill all righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 So here he was to suffer it else Gods righteousnesse would not have beene fulfilled nor the worke of our salvation And as he suffered this Assumption so afterwards Luke 9.51 his second Assumption was to goe to Jerusalem to suffer and so at the last he came to his third and last Assumption to be received up into glory 1 Tim. 3.16 And by the very same steps and degrees must we be assumpted And this is the assumption of suffering which brought him to glorifying The third thing is that our Saviour followed whereby we are to marke not so much his courage that he durst encounter with the devill in any place wheresoever he list to carry him and that he was not onely the God of the vallies but a God of the mountaines also contrary to their surmise 1 King 20.23 That I say is not so much to be marked as that our Saviour would at all stand upon a Pinacle There be some that would make us beleeve it is a sin to stand upon a Pinacle but then if that had beene so Christ would never have stood there And since Christ stood there it is no more sin for any man else to stand there than it is to stand in the Wildernesse for it is lawfull for us to follow his foot-steps and to tread wheresoever he hath trod before us yet such places be not priviledged For as it is true that many mens table and wealth is their snare Psal 69.22 even so the good gifts and graces of God be turned to a mans hurt as knowledge may serve for a quill to puffe him up and make him swell 1 Cor. 8.1 Nay even that godly sorrow which is so much to be wished for hath in it matter of temptation lest men be swallowed up with two much heavinesse 2 Cor. 2.7 The Scriptures themselves we see are subject to the abuse of the devill whereby it should follow that they are to be refused if every thing be refused which brings matter of temptation But as Augustine saith Non est laus stetisse in pinaculo sed stetisse non cecidisse In every place to answer the devill is praise-worthy Indeed it is dangerous for one that hath a light and giddy braine for such as are drunke Esay 51.22 though not with wine to stand so high Job could stand there without falling for he had