and enter into the way of saluation Acts 16 34. Abraham is noted to bee the Father of the faithfull and we see hee was not without a faithfull seruant not onely faithfull to his master but faithfull to God and therefore also to his master This is noted as the chiefe cause that religion so much prospered at Thessalonica when the Gospell was preached and published there the Noblemen did embrace it Acts 17. If the raine once fal vpon the mountaines it will quickly water the vallies that are beneath like the precious oyntment powred vpon the head of Aaron that ran downe to the skirts of his garments Ps 133 2. When the Gospel was preached at Berea and such as were of noble birth tooke hold of it and they that were honorable by calling embraced beleeued it then not a few but many in number followed after them with all readinesse Actes 17 11 12. I am not ignorant that diuers of our latest and lernedest Expositers vnderstand the words otherwise Bez◠〈…〉 Act◠〈…〉 â—iâ—â—n 〈◊〉 Testa Mâ—â—◠〈…〉 and thinke they are called Noble not in regard of their birth or blood but of their beleefe as indeede true Piety is true Nobility and true Religion is the truest Honor. Howbeit I rather vnderstand the word in his proper and naturall signification for these causes First it is not needfull to flye to a figure when the proper signification of a word standeth and contayneth nothing vnder it either against the doctrine of faith or the instruction of life or the truth of the historie Secondly Luke vseth this word in this signification as also others for such as are noble by birth and not otherwise as Luk. 19 12. 1 Cor. 1 26. Thirdly the Euangelist hath relation to that which hee noted before in this chapter where he saith That not a few of the cheefe women beleeued verse 4. that were at Thessalonica howbeit they were more noble that were at Berea who searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so Lastly in these words a reason is rendred how it came to passe that the Gospell tooke such good effect and gained so many soules to God Caâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 in Aâ—â—â— 17. euen because the Nobility and honorable personages gaue their names to Christ were not ashamed to professe it The multitude followed their example as commonlie they do imitate the actions of their Leaders The Poet could say 〈◊〉 Totus Componitur orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita regentis The people cast their eyes vpon their Rulers neither are they ordered so much by their lawes as they are by their liues O that they which are in authority would consider this that the eyes of all men are vpon them O that they wold seriously bethink with themselues what good they might do by embracing religion and by countenancing them that are truly religious or if this will not enter into them and that their honors do so dazle their eyes that they cannot see the truth hereof O that they would at the least learne what hurt they do what backwardnes they cause what coldnesse in Religion they procure and what floods of wickednesse they bring in Doubtlesse if they did at any time meditate on these things and weigh in indifferent ballances either the one or the other it were enough to turne nay to breake their hearts and to put greater loue and zeal into them of Gods glorie For if the Gouernours of a Family bee luke-warme it may be easily obserued that their children which follow them their seruants which attend vpon them and all the rest of the house which are guided by them are neither hot nor cold And if it fall out that the Heads of the house be prophane and irreligious there is nothing to bee perceyued in that whole family but notable fruites of infidelity swearing blaspheming breach of the Sabbath contempt of the word brawling contention and all kinde of wretchednesse and wickednes If Saul begin to persecute Dauid he shall get many diuellish Doegs to snarle at him 〈◊〉 22 9. 〈◊〉 26 1. 〈◊〉 19. and finde many hollow-harted Keilahites to betray him haue many pestilent Ziphites offer themselues to discouer where hee hideth himselfe in strong holds all as his seruants to helpe him forward in his wickednes If Caiaphas sit in iudgement to arraigne condemne Christ 〈◊〉 26 69. 〈◊〉 14 66. 〈◊〉 â—2 25. 〈◊〉 9 17. all his seruants and his maides will bee ready in the hall and at the doore to set vpon his disciples and to follow the humor of their master so that euen the damosel that kept the doore could not let Peter alone but must assault him How then can we but acknowledge that it is a very happy thing to inioy godlye Magistrates and Christian Gouernours how much encouragement Inferiours haue by theÌ„ and how sweet a liberty they finde cannot be expressed O that we could learne to prize value this blessing as we ought It is not a generall benefit to be found in all places the godly haue oftentimes much disturbance and suffer many taunts and checkes euen for their profession sake in prophane places liuing vnder prophane persons For albeit all Magistrates and men in authority though their office be not great are set vp for the punishment of euil dooers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2 14. yet oftentimes they turne the edge of the sword the wrong way Rom. 13 3. and are a terror to good works but not to euill Lastly hauing receiued so great merâ—y froÌ„ Vse 3 God and continued among vs to haue such as are cheefe ouer the people to be cheefe also in piety and to go before them in all good â—onuersation whether they be such as bee in the house or out of the house it is our duty to fal downe before the Lord and to acknowledge this blessing Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnes and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men Psal 107 8. So did Hiram the King of Tyre reioyce greatly when he heard that Salomon was annointed King in the roome of his Father and said Blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto Dauid a wise sonne ouer this great people 1 Kin. 5 17 The like we see in the Queene of Sheba when she had seene his workes and heard his wisedome she said Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel 1 Kings 10 9 because the Lord loued Israel for euer therefore made he thee King to doe iudgement and iustice And doubtlesse if wee knew the want of such Princes as our brethren and sisters in former times did when they were shut vp in prisons and burned to ashes we would acknowledge the necessity of performing this duty It is recorded in 2 Chro. 17 7. that Iehoshaphat who is renowned
arise from hence we haue considered diuers things before We see how Balak and Balaam proceede in their diuellish purposes if God had suffeted them and not crossed them Hee reuealed his wil to Balaam who spake moued by Gods Spirit and thereby declareth that he speaketh not onely to his owne children but sometimes teacheth wicked men to make them without excuse and therefore he wil not leaue his owne people destitute of instruction that desire to feare his name But of this wee haue spoken before chap. 22 9. Verse 2. Balaam lift vp his eyes looked vpon Israel and the spirit of God came vpon him Moses shewing the prophesie that Balaam vttered describeth it by the author thereof the Spirit of God came vpon him In this part of the title he saith That the things deliuered in this prophesie which were vttered for the Churches sake were hid kept secret before they were reuealed and manifested by God This prophesie containeth not a doctrine that is common or communicated by the light of nature to men but a declaration of such secrets as God reserueth hid to himselfe in his owne counsel which no liuing creature could knowe otherwise then as it pleaseth God to disclose it by a gracious participation of it This teacheth vs this truth That the things of God can no man know but by the Spirite of God Doctrine The things of God are vnknowne til he reueale them The mysteries of saluation and doctrine of godlynesse are secret and vnknown of men and Angels before they be of God reuealed This our Sauiour teacheth Peter hauing made a confession of Christ Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Matth. 16 17. And expounding the parable of the Sower to his disciples he sayth To you it is giuen to know the mystery of the kingdome of God but vnto them that are without all things are done in Parables Mark 4 11. The Apostle teacheth that the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neyther can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned And the same Apostle speaking of the gospel Rom. 16 25. Eph 3 9. calleth it A mystery reuealed which was kept secret from the beginning of the world So the Apostle Iohn handling hidden visions and teaching the Church the things that must come to passe hereafter called that Booke The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him Reuel 1 1. The truth of this appeareth because they Reason 1 were hid in the treasury of Gods wisedome which is vnsearchable and not to be sounded by any creature and therefore the Apostle calleth them A secret hid in God Ephe. 3 9 so that the Apostles and holy Prophets of God could deliuer nothing of his counsell before he had reuealed it to them So the Lord speaketh Numb 12 6. Heare now my words If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I wil be known vnto him by a vision and will speake vnto him by dreame The calling of the Gentiles seemed strange to the very Apostles before it was reuealed to Peter Who would euer haue imagined that God would haue redeemed man by such a wonderfull meanes the greatest wonder that euer came into the world by giuing his Son and that vnto the death to ransome and redeem a church by his own blood Acts 20. This no creature in heauen or earth would euer haue thought vpon if God had not reuealed it by his word and assured it by his Spirit Secondly this receyueth further strength Reason 2 for the confirmation of it because the wisest and subtilest that were in the world were herein ouertaken and proued fooles for by al their wisedome though neuer so great they were not able to reach vnto it nor to looke into any the least part of it The Apostle speaking of the mystery of the Gospel reuealed by his ministery alledgeth the prophesie of Esay where the Lord threatneth to destroy the wisedome of the wise and to cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent and after he saith Where is the wise hath not God made the wisedom of the world foolishnes 1 Cor 1 18 19. The Vses remaine to be learned of vs. First Vse 1 for knowledge wee see that the mysterie of godlines reuealed to the world by God in the Gospel is a most worthy glorious mystery greatly to be admired and reuerenced vnto vs that are called it is the wisedome of God and the power of God So the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1 2◠Great is the mystery of godlines which is God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. It seemeth farre otherwise to the foolish world it appeareth to thē a base and vile thing as Paul complaineth in his time We preach the Gospel euen Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke vnto the Grecians foolishnes 1 Cor. 1 23. A stumbling blocke to the Iewes because they dreaming of an earthly king of this world to free them from the bondage of the Romanes and thinking they should be Lords of the earth were offended at the low estate of Christ comming in the shape of a seruant foolishnesse to the Grecians because it seemed foolishnes to the wise Philosophers among the heathē to look for life from death to beleeue in him that rose from the dead and that such as are dead shall rise againe How many are there amongst our selues that are offended at the simplicity of the Gospel that it is not accompanyed with miracles that it is brought vnto vs in earthen vessels These are they that esteeme the Manna as light meate and therefore loathe it But let them alone to loathe this Manna that loathe faith Christ and heauen it selfe yea their owne saluation Secondly for obedience wee must obserue Vse 2 that when these secret things be reuealed vnto vs of God we ought to endeuour to learne them to vnderstand them to publish them speake of them to others Whensoeuer God hath a mouth to speake we must haue an eare to heare Therefore Moses saith Deut. 29 29. Secret things belong vnto the Lord but the things reuealed belong to vs and our children to do them So the Apostle Paul when God had reuealed Christ vnto him and ordained him a teacher vnto the Gentiles saith I was not disobedient to the heauenly vision but shewed to Iewes and Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and do works worthy amendment of life Acts 26 19 20. This serueth to reprooue all such as refuse to looke into these reuealed things of God but dwell in blindnesse and ignorance Of this sort are the greatest number in our assemblies They are wise enough to look into their own profit but they care not for the wisedome that is of God They are brought vp in the church but know not the Doctrine of the Church They are alwayes learning
family which was the Church of God not onely Isaac the sonne of promise in whose seede the nations of the earth should bee blessed but Ismael that was borne after the flesh that mocked his brother persecuted him that was borne after the spirit and in the end was cast out of the Church Gen. 21.9 10. Gen. 21.9.10 Gal. 4.30 Gal. 3.30 And as it was with the father so was it with the son for we see this in the children of Isaac who stroue and struggled within the wombe of their mother Gen. 25.22 and when the time of her deliuerance came she brought foorth not only Iacob Gen. 32.24 who afterward was sirnamed Israel obtaining a farre more honourable name then all the Affricani or Germanici or Asiatici among the Romanes whose praise was wholly from the earth and a blast of the mouthes of mortall man whereas he wrastled with God in Peniel and preuailed but also prophane Esau Heb. 12 16. so branded as it were in the forehead by a marke of yron by the Spirit of God who sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage For the children being not yet borne neither hauing done any good or euil that the purpose of God according to the election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth It was said vnto her Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Rom. 9.11.13 Rom. 9.11.13 Samuel was a man that feared God exceedingly and gouerned the people vprightly so that he appealed to the people and to the consciences of all men to witnesse his innocency and integrity what wrong he had done them whose oxe he had taken and whose asse he had taken or at whose hand he had receiued any bribe to blinde his eyes 1 Sam. 12.3 1 Sam. 12.3 Yet when hee was old and made his sonnes iudges ouer Israel they walked not in his wayes but turned aside after lucre they tooke bribes and peruerted iudgement 1 Sam. 8.3 1 Sam. 8.3 Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart yet he had not onely Salomon that was beloued of God 2. Sam. 13.14 and 15.16 1 Kin. 1.5 but also incestuous Amnon ambicious Absolon and trecherous Adonijah the first defiled his owne sister and wrought folly in Israel the other two rebelled against their father and sought to take away the kingdome from him The like we might say of Eli who sate vpon a seat by a post of the Temple and by his residence on his charge and daily attendance to giue answeres to the people that came vnto him gaue testimony of his godlinesse yet his sonnes were the sonnes of Belial and knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 1 Sam. 2.12 To conclude for the examples that might be brought to this purpose are infinite who was more Godly then Iosiah who remembred his creator in the dayes of his youth and reformed religion betimes in his kingdome yet his children followed not the wayes of their father but did euill in the sight of the Lord according to all that their wicked forefathers had done 2 King 23.32 37. 2 King 23. Iere. 22.18 Iere. 22.18 To all these testimonies of Scripture if we adde also the testimony of common experience of all ages and times and places and persons we may gather that all the children of the faithfull haue not beene alwayes continued vnder the covenant of God nor followed the steppes of their faithfull parents to be like vnto them Now because this is a point diligently to Reason 1 be marked of vs let vs consider the reasons whereby it may be better confirmed vnto vs. First to shew the election of God which is the highest steppe of our saluation to stand vpon the free wil and purpose of God and not vpon ordinary succession or naturall generation or any causes in our owne selues to the end that all both parents and children should confesse that such as haue receiued this power and prerogatiue to beleeue in the Name of Christ Iesus are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1.13 Ioh. 1.13 This reason is noted concerning Iacob Rom. 9.11 that the purpose of God might stand according to election not of any workes but by him that calleth this was it that made difference betweene him and his brother Secondly that the best seruants of God Reason 2 may acknowledge that they can by no means conuey to their posterity the graces of God the gifts of sanctification repentance from dead workes which themselues haue receiued from God by supernaturall meanes and not by naturall they begetting naturally children of wrath as well as other men euen sinfull children tainted and defiled with originall corruption Adam begate Seth in his owne image that is in his naturall inclination to euil Gen. 5.3 Gen. 5.3 Hence it is that Dauid acknowledgeth he was shapen in iniquity and that in sinne his mother did conceiue him Psal 51. Psal 51. So then as the corne that is purged from the chaffe and made cleane bringeth vp corne againe together with the chaffe and as the father that is circumcised begetteth children that are vncircumcised so such parents as are sanctified themselues cannot leaue to their issue any sanctifying graces which must come onely from aboue from the Father of lights Reason 3 Thirdly God hath a purpose to shew his iustice in the destruction of the stubborne and disobedient as he doth his mercy in the saluation of those that are godly and obedient This is the reason rendred by the Spirit of God that albeit the sonnes of Eli were reproued by their father yet they hearkened not vnto his voyce because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 â— Sam. 2.25 God is determined to glorifie himselfe and his great Name in their destruction as they resolued and setled themselues their whole liues to dishonour him to their confusion Reason 4 Lastly the children euen of faithfull and godly parents doe oftentimes want the good meanes of a godly education and therefore no maruell if their hearts not being ploughed vp doe bring forth cockle and darnell in stead of good corne For the children of God doe themselues through humane frailty and infirmity sometimes faile in the performance of this duty They cocker them and are too choice and nice ouer them they dare not offend them or speake a word against them which ouerweening and suffering of them to haue their will too much God punisheth in their children whereof we haue a worthy example in Dauid toward Adonijah who exalted himselfe against his father saying I will be king and he prepared him chariots and horsemen and fifty men to runne before him The occasion of this presumption and rebellion is noted to be thus King 1.6 His father had not displeased him at any time in saying Why hast thou done so He failed toward him more then Eli did toward his sons for he said
are therefore deceiued that thinke the Apostle meaneth that they are legitimate borne in lawfull wedlocke for as much as the children of infidels are borne Legitimate and not base borne so that if hee were so to bee vnderstood hee should ascribe no more to the children of beleeuers then of infidels because before the conuersion of either of them their children were lawfully begotten and therefore no doubt but they remained so afterward The question in this place is whether a faithfull person that is marryed might lawfully dwell with the vnfaithfull He prooueth it ought to be so because the vnfaithfull person is sanctified by the faithfull so that their marriage is holy and pleasing vnto God which he confirmeth by an effect of their marriage because the children begotten in it are not vncleane that is are not Gentiles but Christians they differ from the seede of Pagans and infidels that are aliants from the Church Obiect If any aske what we are to thinke of the infants of such as are Christians â—nswer I answere we must iudge of them according to charity who haue interest in the outward couenant vntill by infidelitie when they come to yeeres of discretion they shall cut off themselues grounding our selues vpon the promise of God made to Abraham I will be a God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee Gen. 17.7 Neuerthelesse albeit some cut off themselues yet if the couenant be confirmed vnto some of them we haue cause to comfort our selues heerein Ioh. 4. The Apostle Iohn writing to the elect Lady reioyceth greatly that he found of her children walking in the trueth hee saith not indefinitely her children nor generally all her children but among her children that is some of thy children which inferreth that they did not all become faithfull although her selfe a most worthy and faithfull woman and had vsed no doubt the meanes of their conuersion and continuance vnder the grace of GOD. Wee must content our selues with that fauour which GOD sheweth vnto vs whether hee call many of our children or very fewe of them Vse 4 Lastly let all parents be carefull of their childrens benefite and seeke to doe them good and not euill all the dayes of their life We doe all by a naturall instinct loue them and are inclined to shew compassion vnto them and to seeke their promotion and preferment in temporall things Our Sauiour saith â—uke 11.11 â—2 If a sonne shall aske bread of any of you that is a father will he giue him a stone or if hee aske a fish will he for a fish giue him a serpent or if he shall aske an egge will he offer him a scorpion We will not giue them what we know will hurt them albeit they should earnestly desire it and request it of vs. We all desire to leaue an happy issue behinde vs and some are more carefull for them both liuing and dying then for themselues This dutie hath many branches for though all seeke to leaue them great and taking deepe roote in the world yet all doe not take the right course Some giue themselues that libertie that they are like to leaue them little in the world Wherefore the first branch is to beginne with our selues to seeke vnfainedly to feare God and to leade our liues according to his commandements This doth the Lord himselfe deliuer Deuter. 5.29 O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my commandements alwayes that it might be well with them and with their children for euer If parents themselues will feare the Lord and obey his will they haue a promise made to them and to their children but if they will not be the Lords faithfull seruants woe to them and their posterities also All parents that feare God aright doe not onely lay vp a good foundation for themselues but prouide well for their children after them and are profitable instruments to deriue Gods blessings vnto them aboundantly after their departure God hath promised and cannot deceiue to shew mercy to thousands of them that loue him and keepe his commandements Exod. 20.6 If then wee truely loue our children not onely their bodies but their soules and chiefly their soules which is the truest and soundest loue we must endeuour aboue all things to leade a godly life and to goe in and out before them by a good example Psal 101.2.3 We must behaue our selues wisely in a perfect way we must walke within the doores of our house with an vpright heart we must set no wicked thing before our eyes Contrariwise Wicked parents are the greatest enemies to their children such parents as feare not God themselues bring a downe-fall and ruine to their families and posterities and are the greatest enemies vnto their children How vnnaturall or rather how monstrous a thing is it for parents to bee instruments to bring children into the world and then when they haue brought them forth to bee the chiefe meanes to send them to hell How wofull and lamentable a thing is it to cast their progeny and posterity into the curse of God more bitter a thousand times then death and more cruell then to thrust them vpon the swords point It is noted in the Scriptures Leuit. 18.21 and 20.2 2 Kin. 23.10 and 21.6 and all men are ready with one voyce and one consent to acknowledge it as an horrible impietie in those parents forsaken of God and giuen ouer to fill vp the measure of their sinnes that spared not to make their children passe through the fire and to offer their sonnes and daughters to diuels Wee condemne this all of vs to the pit of hell as a foule and fearefull practise and yet how many alas how many in the world doe practise this nay that which is tenne thousand times worse then this For all such wicked and prophane parents as are carelesse and negligent of the foules health of their children committed as a precious treasure vnto them and doe giue them euill examples of all abominations doe giue them an easie passage into hell fire and doe make them no better then a sacrifice to the diuell Hence it is that the LORD saith Deut. 28.46 Because thou didst not serue the Lord thy God with ioyfulnes and a good heart for the aboundance of all things therefore these curses shall be vpon thee for signes and wonders and vpon thy seede for euer The second branch of seeking their good is to giue them good education and to plant in them the principles of religion that they may know GOD betimes So did Dauid to his sonne Salomon 1 Chron. 28.9 to know the GOD of his Father and to serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde So doth Salomon instruct parents to traine vp a childe in the way that he should goe Prou. 22.6 and when hee is olde he will not depart from it So doth Paul exhort fathers to bring vp their children in the nourture of
separated froÌ„ it that were neuer of it or in it And touching the elect they can neuer fall from the grace of election the foundation of God remaineth sure 2 Tim. â— â— hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his so that it is vnchangeable Besides such are also engrafted into Christ and cannot be separated from his communion according the saying of Christ Iohn 6 ver 37. All that the Father giueth mee shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out And the Apostle Iohn 1 Iohn â— â— saieth They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of vs. If then the reprobate were neuer of this communion and the elect can neuer fall from this communion it may seeme that none can be said to be truely excommunicated that is to be separated from that spirituall communion which wee haue with Christ and with all the Saints by faith â— hope and loue I answer that which is affirmed of the elect and reprobate is most true neuerthelesse that which is concluded from thence is most false as the learned haue well obserued For first of all touching the reprobate that being hypocrites were once in the Church though they were neuer of the Church neither truely partakers of this spirituall communion of the Saints yet then they are saide to bee separated from it when they are manifested declared to haue beene alwaies strangers vnto it and separated from it as when Dauid praieth in the Psalms that they might be blotted out of the booke of life Psal 69 28. as if he had said declare it shew it plainely that they were neuer written in the booke of eternall election Secondly touching the elect the question is more difficult and yet the knot is not so intricate or intangled but it may be loosed For albeit they cannot be cut off from the grace of election because his gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11 29. neither can be wholly and altogether excluded from that communion which they haue by faith with Christ and by loue with the Church both by reason of the stablenesse of Gods promises and by reason of the efficacy force of Christs praier heard of the Father 〈◊〉 â—7 21 â— Luke 22 32. Yet in some sort in some respect they separate themselues as much as lyeth in them when they fall into greeuous sinnes as Dauid when he committed adultery and Peter when he denyed his Master The guifts of the holy Ghost are as a flame of fire kindled in vs such sinnes are as water powred vpon them to quench it and except GOD did grant his Spirit to dwell in them and preserue it as fire hidden vnder the ashes they would lose it wholly be quite and cleane excluded from this spirituall communion Notwithstanding our saluation is sure for his promise sake who hath promised to put his feare in our hearts that we should not depart from him and for Christs praier who praied for Peter all the elect that their faith should not faile Hence it is that he keepeth a remnant of grace in them and cherisheth the fire of his Spirit that it should not goe out so that the flame is slaked and the heat is diminished But in his good time he kindleth the fire and stirreth vp the heat somtimes by his word and sometimes by his corrections and therefore the Apostle willeth Timothy to stirre vp as coales 〈◊〉 1 6. the gift of God that was in him Dauid hauing experience hereof praieth vnto him to create a new heart in him and not to take away his Spirit from him Ps 51 10 11. Thus we see how the faithful are not wholly but yet in some part separated froÌ„ the communion of Christ because they are depriued of the sweet comforts that they felt before of the large measure of grace which they finde greatly diminished by the committing of sinne and continuing in it This is the spirituall communion The externall communion standeth in a common partaking together in the word in praiers in the receiuing of the Sacraments and in familiarity and friendship one with another as Luke speaketh of the Church of Christ after his ascension Acts 2 42. They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in praiers Excommunication separateth from all these But some will say Obiect doth excommunication take away all commercing and conuersing one with another May not one in any sort liue with such Or doth it dissolue all bands of nature and pollicy I answer Answer no. There are some bands so firmely and closely knit tied together that nothing can loose them and abrogate them Some duties are naturall some domesticall and some ciuill which no excommunication can diminish or dissolue or dispense withall The Apostle giueth this as a generall precept If thine enemy hunger Rom. 12 20. giue him meate and if he thirst giue him drinke If an excommunicate person be in want and in any distresse we must helpe him and minister vnto him such things as are necessary for his preseruation wee must not cast away all care of him and all loue vnto him forasmuch as God hath made vs keepers one of another Againe it is lawfull to buy of him to sell vnto him and to bargaine with him albeit we should not conuerse and commerce with him as with a friend Moreouer if we owe personall duties to such a one as is in the family with vs we caÌ„not shake them off vnder any colour or pretence of excommunication The wife must performe due beneuolence to the husband the children must obey their parents the seruants must count their masters worthy of all honour and contrariwise prouided alwayes that they do not ceasse to pray for theÌ„ to admonish them and to hate their sins and that they looke to themselues that they do not defend them in their wicked courses and ioyne with them in opinion for then we make our selues partakers of their sins Lastly let vs set before vs the ends of excommunication which also haue bin considered in part already One end of it is the good of the person excommunicated that if it bee possible he may be won Tit. 2 11. Rom 1 6. Christ deliuereth the doctrine of saluation the Gospel is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth For wheras Christ Iesus saith of himself Math. 10 34. that he came to send fire and sword into the world and that hee is appointed for the fall of many in Israel Lu. 12 46 2 34. that the Gospel is the sauor of death vnto death 2 Corinth 2 15. Yet this is not the proper end of Christ or the Gospel but as it were beside their purpose
weake man full of infirmities though otherwise godly and diligent in his office For when he saw how onely her lippes mooued 1 Sam. 1.13 14. but her voyce was not heard because she spake in her heart to God by prayer he thought she had beene drunken and he said vnto her How long wilt thou be drunken put away thy wine from thee See how ready he was to iudge amisse of her action and to call good euill This was also the sin of Iobs wife and of his friends they thought him to be an hollow hypocrite and a deep dissembler because they saw him strangely visited by so strange a visitation Iob 4.7 Thus did the wicked Iewes vsurpe authority ouer the Gentiles and censured them at their owne pleasures they said vnto them Esay 65.5 Stand apart come not neere me for I am holier then thou and yet they were greeuous sinners themselues as a smoake in Gods eyes and as fire that burneth continually So when the Apostles were filled with the holy Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the spirit gaue them vtterance others mocked them and said They are full of new wine Acts 2.13 This iudgement is iustly condemned being quite contrary to the rule of loue which doth interpret all things in the best part and is in nothing suspicious and therefore we ought not to iudge wrongfully corruptly and maliciously of those godly actions which we see the children of God to doe And if it shal fal out at any time as it may fall out many times that we be laden with the burden of such surmises and sinister suspicions of hypocrisie and a double heart yet we are not to be daunted and dismayed by them or to giue ouer our hold in the faith but know assuredly that this is no new thing and therefore no strange matter is befallen vnto vs. The dearest Saints and seruants of God haue felt this euill and haue had experience of this mischiefe of the tongue We must not looke for an higher estate or better condition then Christ and his Apostles had When he sought to destroy the kingdome of Satan and cast out diuels by the finger of God they charged him to doe it by the power of Satan Matth. 12.24 It were intolerable pride and presumption for the seruant to climbe higher then his Lord or the disciple to striue to be aboue his Master The second kind of iudging â—â—e second â—â—d of iudgeâ—ent is when men haue committed euill things which of themselues are worthy to be condemned and wee iudge them that haue so offended to be without all hope of repentance or recouery and to be cast off for euer to be out of Gods fauour and to be reprobates This is not onely to arrogate a mastership ouer them but to step vp into the seat and secrets of God For who hath reuealed that vnto vs or who hath been of his counsell The things reuealed in the word belong vnto vs and to our children but secret things to the Lord Deut. 29.29 That this iudgement is altogether forbidden may appeare both by precepts that restraine it by examples that condemne it Euill men must be instructed with meekenesse not condemned with rigour and rashnesse proouing if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the trueth and that they may recouer themselues out of the snare of the diuell who are taken captiue by him to do his will 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Likewise the Apostle setteth down the like commandement 1 Cor. 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkenesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall euery man haue praise of God Let vs to these precepts adde such examples as wee find in Scripture and out of many select and sort out some few Manasseh king of Israel is one of the most memorable obiects of Gods mercy he was a sorcerer and coniurer an idolater and murtherer he made his sonnes passe through the fire he dealt with a familiar spirit and vsed witchcraft he made Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem to erre and to doe worse then the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel 2 Chro. 33.6.9 yet when he humbled himselfe and prayed vnto God he was pardoned Mary Magdalene was a woman defamed and defiled with much sin out of whom were cast seuen diuels yet shee was conuerted and accepted Paul acknowledgeth himselfe not worthy to be called an Apostle or disciple of Christ he had beene an oppressour a blasphemer and a persecuter of the Church of God yet he was receiued to mercy because he did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 The Iailer mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles dealt very roughly with Paul and Silas and cast them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stockes but when God once touched his heart suddainely he called for a light and came leaping in and trembled saying Sirs Acts 16.30 what must I doe to be saued I will conclude this point with the example of the theefe that was condemned for theft and crucified with Christ he had spent all his dayes in his wicked and vngodly courses he was no better then his fellow they had one purse and determined to fill their houses with spoile and priuily laid wait for the innocent without cause and continued thus vntill the end of their liues yet God in mercy looked vpon one of them and called him to the state of grace as it were at the last gaspe and pulled him as a brand out of the fire saying vnto him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 A man would haue thought that these at least some of them had bene desperate persons forlorne men without hope of repentance or likelihood of saluation and yet behold how God that hath the hearts of all men in his owne hand turneth whom hee pleaseth into the right way and when it pleaseth him like the housholder in the Gospel in who called labourers into his vineyard at all houres of the day Mat. 20. The meditation of these things ought to stay vs from corrupt iudgement which argueth that we are destitute of true loue toward our brethreÌ„ to guide vs in all our dealings with them The third kinde of iudgement The third kind of iudgement is occupied about things indifferent The first was touching good things the second touching euil things The first is when good men are made hypocrites the second is when euill men are made reprobates The first is when good actions are made bad the second when bad actions are made worse then they are as if they separated and secluded from heauen The third is concerning indifferent things that in themselues and their owne nature are neither good nor euill In this we offend when men doe things indifferent which being things Lawfull may bee done either in faith
performed by and by we are not to prescribe to God his seasons hee knoweth when to strike and how to punish It is well said by the Prophet Hab. 2 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lie though it tarry waite for it because it will surely come it will not tarry For albeit God may seeme to vs to deferre the time or to forget his seruants yet he will try our patience and obedience as wee see in the place named before Heere is the patience and faith of the Saints Reuel 13 10. We must not make too much haste but wait for the accomplishment of those things hauing withall a liuely faith and full assurance to beleeue that in Gods appointed time they shall come to passe He is faithfull that hath promised and cannot lye he is true of his word that hath spoken and cannot deceiue Woe therefore vnto all those that deale vniustly and violently with Gods inheritance they touch his annointed and they that do them harme do touch the apple of his eye so that they cannot escape vengeance Ver. 28. And if the woman bee not defiled but be cleane then she shall be free In the former verse Moses hath shewed the punishment that shal come vpon the guilty person which punishment is sutable to the sinne committed thereby to cleere his owne iustice and to terrifie all persons from committing sinne In these wordes wee haue matter of wonderfull great comfort for the innocent person For howsoeuer GOD setteth downe diuers hard and heauy threatnings as greeuous burdens to be borne against all wicked and vngodly persons yet hee is euermore carefull of his children that they be not oppressed with sorrow and ouermuch heauinesse of minde forasmuch as hee hath a remnant that call vpon him Luke 7. wisedome is alwaies iustified of her children Behold heere a contrary effect and operation in drinking of these bitter waters according to the contrary condition of those that dranke of them Such as were guilty of the sinne of adultery they turned to their horrible destruction and became as it were rank poison their bellies swelled their thighes rotted and the parts which they had shamefully abused miserably perished But such as were indeed innocent suspected without iust cause and accused without due proofe and examined without sufficient triall of the fact committed through the iealousie of their vncharitable husbands and had kept the marriage bed vndefiled those bitter waters should not be bitter vnto them they should not hurt or hinder them at all neither worke any dangerous effect in them but rather bee wholesome and healthfull vnto them God himselfe the iust GOD and the maintainer of iustice will bring the truth to light that was hid in darknesse and turne the hearts of their husbands toward them so that they should liue in godly loue and charity together and see to their endlesse ioy and comfort the fruite of their bodies the hope of their houses the staffe and stay of their age I meane their children the heritage of the Lord. Wee learne from this first promise Doctrine that God maketh knowne the innocency of his seruants God wil mâ—â— the innocency of his seâ—uants â—roâ—â— For howsoeuer the faithfull may be falsely accused and haue many slanderous imputations laide vnto their charge yet God will make their cause to bee rightly knowne and discouer the truth in despight of their enemies This is confirmed vnto vs by many examples in the old and new Testament Ioseph being solde into Egypt was greeuously accused by his mistresse and cruelly imprisoned by his master impudency and incontinency in the one cruelty and credulity in the other Gen. 39 â—â— were the causes that he was put into prison in the place where the Kings prisoners lay bound his case might seeme now to be desperate and he to be for euer in displeasure and out of fauour and no hope left vnto him to be deliuered from thence where his feete were held in the stockes and he laid in irons Psal 10â— 1â— yet when the appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord had tried him hee made his cause knowne Gen. 39. The Lord was with Ioseph shewed him mercy and got him fauour in the sight of the master of the prison c. Whereby we see that at the first he was vsed hardly and had fetters of iron cast vpon him as an euill dooer but afterward hee was more mildely and mercifully handled when as his innocency was made knowne The like we might say of Dauid who in all his dealings toward Saul carried himselfe wisely obediently and vprightly as became the Kings sonne subiect and seruant yet he was persecuted from place to place and hated euen vnto the death and hunted as a Partridge vpon the Mountaines yea he found no rest for the soles of his feete like the Doue sent out of the Arke in the time of the flood and ouerflowing of the waters Gen. 8 9. But when Saul saw that the lap was cut off from his garment and the speare and pot of water that was at his head taken away he said to Dauid Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good and I haue rendred thee euill and thou hast shewed this day that thou hast dealt well with mee forasmuch as when the lord had closed me in thine hands thou killedst me not c. but my soule was precious in thine eyes 1 Sam. 24 18. and 26 20 21. So did God deale with Ieremy when he was slandered and falsely accused to be a conspiratour and to weaken the hands of the people and when he was cast into prison the Lord raised vp some to fauour him who made his case knowne and he was deliuered Christ Iesus was charged to be a blasphemer of God an enemy of Caesar an author of sedition and a disturber of the peace howbeit his greatest enemies that sate in iudgement of him pronounced him innocent and confessed that the Pharisees and Priests for enuy had deliuered him I will adde one example more and that shall be the blessed Virgin who being betrothed to Ioseph before they came together as man and wife shee was found to be with childe by the holy Ghost Math. 1 18 19 20. Then she began to be suspected of incontinency and Ioseph being a iust man and not willing to make her a publike example was minded to put her away seretly What then doth God leaue her destitute and him perplexed her in suspicion and him in his resolution to depart from her No for as she was innocent and not faulty of that crime so did he make her innocency and integrity knowne for whiles he thought these things behold an Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him in a dreame saying Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost All which testimonies make
is highly to be praised and his goodnesse to bee acknowledged toward vs whiles others are hardned in their sinne and freedom from punishment emboldneth them to their destruction 13 And Moses cryed vnto the Lord saying Heale her now O Lord I beseech thee 14 And the Lord said vnto Moses If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seuen dayes let her be shut out of the campe seuen dayes and after that let her be receiued in againe In these words we haue the prayer of Moses and the answere of God when we cry God heareth Where we see it is our duty to pray one for another to commend the causes of others vnto God When we see them in misery and affliction we must be intercessors for them We must doe it for our enemies and them that hate vs and haue done vs wrong So it was with Moses in this place Againe it appeareth hereby that the rebukes of parents are not lightly and slightly to be regarded of children when they threaten or shew an angry looke or a frowing countenance it should worke shame and sorrow in them 2 Sam. 14.24 Great is the authority of parents ouer their children and great should be the reuerence of children toward their parents of which we shall speake more chap. 30. They are ouer their children in the Lord and must gouerne them in his feare Neuerthelesse the authority of God is much more ouer vs then ours is ouer our children therfore his chastisements ought to goe neerer to vs and more to humble vs then the threatnings and chastisements of earthly parents Heb. 12.9 10. We haue had the fathers of our flesh which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence shall we not be much rather in subiection vnto the Father of spirits and liue for they verely for a few daies chastened vs after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might bee partakers of his holinesse The power of parents is a limited power for they must rule in the Lord and the obedience of children is a limited obedience for they must obey in the Lord Eph. 6.1 but the power of God is absolute ouer his children and our obedience to him must be in all things Besides we may gather that God heareth the prayers of his seruants diuers wayes sometimes hee granteth whatsoeuer we aske sometimes he giueth more then we aske sometimes he heareth in part that which we desire and in part heareth not part the granteth and part he denyeth and sometimes he giueth not the same which wee aske but some other blessing like it or greater then it and sometimes he granteth our petitions when he asisteth vs comforteth vs and giueth vs patience to beare that he layeth vpon vs of al which we haue sundry examples in the word of God And howsoeuer it pleaseth him to deale with vs and whether soeuer of these wayes he heareth our prayers wee must submit our willes to his will and rest our selues contented with that he sendeth Moreouer greeuous sinners and open and grosse offenders should bee shut out of the Church wherof we haue at large spoken before chapter 5. where we haue handled the whole doctrine in a maner of excommunication but when they be penitent are throughly humbled for their sins they must be admitted into the Congregation againe and receiued into the bosome of the Church to be partakers of the priuiledges thereof Howbeit through the corruption of Church officers and the abuse of the censurers of the Church â—e abuses of â—â—communiâ—â—â—ion some are cast out that ought to be kept in and nourished as obedient children of the Church Thus it befell to the blinde man he gaue glory to God being made to see but he was cast out of the Synagogue by the Pharisies Iohn 9 34 35. Hee was a worthy member of the church hee beleeued in Christ and worshipped him It is a comfort to all such as are thus intreated Againe others are kept in the church and fostered in it who iustly deserue to bee throwne out by the power of the keyes and to haue the spiritual sword drawn out against them so it was with the incestuous Corinthian that married his fathers wife 1 Cor. 5 1. hee deserued iustly to bee put away from among them yet they suffered this sword to rest in the sheath and purged not out that old leauen but suffered him to remaine among them 1 Cor. 5 1 7 13. Such remissenesse and negligence was found in the churches of Pergamus and Thyatira Reu. 2.14 15.20 Others that are iustly banished out of the Church for some notorious crime committed against God and offence giuen to the Church are notwithstanding vniustly kept out after their repentance and humiliation so it was with the penitent Corinthian he was much humbled for his sinne and offence 〈◊〉 taketh 〈◊〉 for reâ—ing the â—mmuni◠〈…〉 into the â—ch aswel 〈◊〉 putâ—ing 〈◊〉 out of â—hurch yet the Church was not so careful to receiue him in as a member againe as they ought to haue bene but as before they kept him in when he should haue bin reiected so now they kept him out when he should haue bene receiued 2 Cor. 2.7.8 9.10.11 And if any be thus dealt withall as many haue bene in former times let vs consider that our cause is not strange and singular it is no other then hath befaln sundry the deere children of God before vs. Let her be shut out of the Campe seuen dayes c. Notwithstanding the former prayer of Moses Miriam must be put out from among them Moses though he were much wronged yet neuer complained to God against his brother sister nor against their wrongs yet God will not pardon but punisheth for those wrongs For albeit he did passe ouer those iniuries yet God will not passe them ouer and though he did not cry to God yet their sinne did cry and God heard that crie The Doctrine is this that though Gods children pray not against their enemies that wrong them and oppresse them â—â—â—â—rine 〈◊〉 Gods 〈◊〉 put 〈…〉 yet their wrongs cry out aloud and God heareth and punisheth the doers of wrong The faithfull are of a patient nature and holde their peace when they are laden with cart-loades of iniuries and reproches neuerthelesse God will not hold his peace they are meeke as Moses was and put them vp but God will not put them vp nor suffer them to go vnpunished When Abel was slaine by the treachery of his brother he could not cry out but after his death his bloode cried out for vengeance Gen. 4 10. Heb. 11 4. and 12.24 Hab. 2 10.11 Iames 4.5 So did Naboths bloode cry for vengeaâ—â—â— when he was dead and that cry was heard And no maruell For it is the office of God to execute vengeance hee is the Lord the auenger Reason 1 that will not hold the wicked innocent nor cleere the guilty Exod. 34 7. Hee hath said Vengeance is
brethreÌ„ that are Christians by profession Saints by calling heyres by faith sons by adoption partakers of the same grace with vs yea as we see the gifts of God more cleerly to shine and more manifestly to multiply in them so our loue must encrease toward them As they goe forward or backward encrease or decrease as we see them zealous or cold or luke-warme so must our inward loue proceed or stay grow or slake toward them alwaies where God sheweth forth the abundance of his loue shed into their hearts we must most wisely bestow our loue according to his example which the nearer we follow the more conformable we are to God wherein standeth our happinesse Vse 3 Lastly it reproueth such as are vnappeasable and will neuer forgiue and forget the iniuries that are done vnto them Assuredly such shall finde iudgement without mercy as shew no mercy Who is there among vs that doth not daily euen with the ayre draw in the mercy of God It is his mercy that we are not all consumed If then hauing our selues receiued so great mercy we can returne in way of thankfulnesse no compassion to others we make a law against our selues and as it were stop and shut vp the spring of grace from flowing vnto vs. â—er 2 13. This the Apostle Iames teacheth There shall be iudgment mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy and mercy reioyceth against iudgement It standeth vs all therefore vpon not to rest in the bare and naked name of the sonnes of God but labour in the truth of the inner parts and in sincerity of our hearts to be like to him practising the exhortatioÌ„ of the Apostle 〈◊〉 12 13. As the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenes of minde meeknesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another c. There is no saluation without pardon and remission of sin Would we then haue saluation Do we desire forgiuenesse at the hand of God The meanes to assure vs that we haue attained it 〈◊〉 4 31 32. is to put away wrath all maliciousnesse and to be courteous tender-hearted one to another forgiuing one another if we desire to feele any true comfort to our own soules in the forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes When we cried vnto the Lord he heard our voice The truth of the former reason 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 setteth downe the loue of God to his people hearing their prayers sending his Angel and bringing them out of Egypt The doctrine out of these words considered in themselues is this Doctrine God loueth his people God loueth and fauoureth his owne people Howsoeuer they be hated of the world because they are not of the world but are chosen out of the world yet he setteth theÌ„ as a seale on his hart Cant 8 6 5 2. and as a signet on his arme Heereunto come the amiable and louely titles that Christ giueth to his Church calling it knocking vnto it saying Open vnto me my Sister my Loue my Doue my vndefiled for my head is full of dew and my lockes with the drops of the night So the Prophet expresseth his loue in the Psalme toward his people Albeit they were few in number yea Psal 105 12 13 14 15. very few and strangers in the Land and walked about from Nation to Nation from one Kingdome to another people yet suffered he no man to do theÌ„ harm but reproued Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme So Moses testifieth the same Deu. 7 6 7 8. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to bee a precious people vnto himselfe aboue all people that are vpon the earth The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor chuse you because ye were moe in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the lord loued you and would keepe the oath which hee had sworne vnto your fathers Ioshua 24 3. Psalm 78 70. Mathew 4 18 Luke 23.43 Acts 9 15. Thus God in great mercy brought Abraham from his Country tooke Dauid from the sheepfolds chose Peter and Andrew from their nets called Mathew from the custome conuerted the theefe vpon the crosse and turned Paul from a persecutour to be an Apostle beeing oftentimes found of them that sought not after him by all which testimonies and examples it appeareth that God doth shew himselfe good and gracious vnto his people The reasons are First because they are his Reason 1 sonnes and daughters This is an argument of great loue a testimony that he will not forsake vs for euer We are not onely the seruants and friends of God but the sonnes of God the spouse of Christ Indeed Christ is the naturall Son of God and the eldest brother by whom we are adopted to be the sons of God This reason the Apostle propoundeth 1 Iohn 3 1. Behold what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that we should be called the sonnes of God for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him Great is the affection of feruent loue that parents beare toward their children no heart of any can wel expresse it but he that hath bin a father himselfe to feele it Others may well speake of it but they are not able to comprehend it And yet all their loue is a cold frozen loue yea it is no loue indeed yea it is no better then hatred in comparison of the loue that the Father of heauen and earth beareth to his children whose loue to vs is wonderfull passing the loue of men and women This the Prophet teacheth Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee Es 49 15. Likewise Christ saith Mat. 7 9 10. What man is there among you which if his son aske him bread would giue him a stone Or if he aske fish will he giue him a serpent If ye then which are euill can giue to your children good gifts how much more shal your Father which is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him Reason 2 Againe he hath sent his Sonne into the world who came from the bosome of his Father and tooke our nature vpon him he endured the infirmities of our nature the shame of the crosse the wrath of his Father to bring vs into his fauour He was punished we are pardoned he was charged with our sinnes we are discharged from our sinnes he was crucified we are acquitted he was condemned we are iustified Thus the Apostle Iohn reasoneth Heerein was the loue of God made manifest among vs 1 Ioh. 4 9 10. because God sent his onely begotten Sonne into this world that we might liue through him Heerein is that loue not that we loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sins The naturall
their enemies We do oftentimes feare enemies and inuasion by enimies but wee feare not that which bringeth in the enemies and openeth them a free passage to spoile and destroy without compassion to wit sinne So long as wee walke with our God and are reconciled vnto him we are vnder Gods protection and hee is a Buckler round about vs 〈◊〉 3 3. we are in league with the stones of the streete and the beasts of the field For if God he on our side who shall be against vs Rom. 8 31. If then the Ministery of the word be as a brazen wall and the Ministers thereof stand in the breach betweene the liuing the dead to turne away the wrath of GOD when his iudgements runne through the Land Nu. 16 47 48 Psal 106 23 there is great cause to bee humbled when God pulleth from the Church and Commonwealth so great posts and pillars that helpe to hold them vp Againe it is a signe of Gods wrath heauie Reason 2 displeasure and a fore-runner of a farther iudgement When God tooke away the good and godly King Iosiah a nursing father of the Church that reformed religion in his young and tender yeres sought vnto the Lord 2 Kings 21 19 hūmbled himselfe before him and wept when hee heard the threatnings denounced against the land he spared not Ierusalem and the inhabitants thereof long after If there be a good Pastor in the church if a good Prince in the land if a good Magistrate in town or city if a good Master in a family and God take him away ther is cause to lift vp our voice by mourning weeping and great lamentation this being a token of Gods displeasure a sign of taking his former mercies from vs so that the seeing and feeling of Gods wrath in bereauing vs of such as might do good along time publikely or priuately ought to be no smal greefe to vs. The prophet teacheth that when God hath any vengeance ready to be poured vpon a people hee taketh away the righteous from the plague as he did Lot out of Sodome saying The righteous perisheth Esay 57 1. and no man considereth it in heart and merciful men are taken away from the euill to come Therefore when God taketh excellent and principall members from the rest of the body it is as a threatning alwaies to those that are left behind and an euident testimonie to them that they are vnworthy of their company and presence as the Apostle declareth That the world was not woorthy of those faithfull men that shined as lights in the midst of a froward crooked generation Heb. 11 38. So then it is a right mourning and wel ordered greefe when we lament the taking away of good men endued with the graces of the Spirit which haue liued in the feare of God and done notable seruice in the Church or Commonwealth Let vs apply this point to our instruction Vse 1 edification First it serueth to condemne the Stoicall senslesnesse and blockishnesse of such as take it to be a part of manhood courage to be affected with nothing to be greeued at nothing It is lawfull to mourne for the dead so did Abraham the Father of the faithfull for Sara Genesis 23 2. nay so did Christ the head of the church in whom was no sinne 1 Peter ◠22. neyther guile found in his mouth mourne for Lazarus 1 Thess 4 13. These lamented the dead but not the state of the deade which they knew to bee most comfortable to all the faithfull as the Apostle teacheth Reu. 14.13 Blessed are they that dy in the Lord for they rest from their labors and their works follow them In regard wherof Reuel 14 13. Paul warneth the Thessalonians concerning them that are asleepe that they sorrow not euen as they which haue no hope 1 Thess 4 13. True it is we cannot so renounce or reforme our affections but that there wil be alwaies somewhat worthy of blame and fault in vs in our mirth and mourning in our loue and hatred in our hope and feare in our anger and such like passions and we finde it the hardest thing in the world to keep the mean between excesse and defect betweene too much too little yet it is absurd to dreame of such a kind of dulnesse and stupidity as ouer-turneth humane nature and cannot be found in flesh and blood yea standeth not with the condition of mankinde as he was created or as he became corrupted For so long as man remaineth in this life he cannot bee voide of affections and perturbations or bee senslesse like stockes or stones albeit wise men are to moderate their passions that Reason remaine mistresse of the soule as it were the gouernor of the house Wherefore wee must know that Christian Religion doth not abolish naturall affections or pull them vp by the roots but onely doeth moderate them and keepe them that they ouer flow not the bankes and doth bring them in subiection vnto the will of God So the Apostle as wee heard before did not forbid the Church to sorrow for the dead but putteth as it were a bridle into their hands only restraineth immoderate sorrow Againe he doth not absolutely condemne and reproue al anger and indignation conceiued in the heart but represseth the excesse abundance thereof Ephes 4 25. as a wise Physitian that seeketh to purge the ouer-flowing of choller And in another place hee doth not condemne weeping in aduersity or reioycing in prosperity but hee requireth that they which weepe 1 Cor. 7 30. bee as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not Furthermore Christ our Sauiour doeth not forbid the louing of Father and Mother of wife and children of brethren and sisters as that which standeth with the law of God and man but onely ordereth it aright bringeth it into his compasse saying Hee that loueth father or mother more then mee Matth. 10 37. is not worthy of mee and he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Thus then we are taught to vse temperance and moderation in all the affaires of our life in speaking or holding our peace in ioy or in sorrow that wee giue not scope to our vnbrideled affections but alwaies order and dispose them as there is iust cause Vse 2 Secondly it condemneth such as are bereft of all sense and feeling of such greeuous iudgments of God Alas how can such assure thēselues to bee true members of Christs body For tell me Can a man lose a principall part of his body as his eye his hand his foot and not be greeued Or can a man be depriued of thē and make a sport of it as at a play or pastime Euen so such as in the suffering of the members of the Church do reioyce 1 Cor. 12 25.26
thy selfe in the dust Mich. 1 9 10. He enioyneth theÌ„ silence lest the same thereof spread it selfe to their enemies to encrease their reproch and to multiply their sorrow For what doth more vexe vs double our misery then to see men so farre from pittying vs that they triumph ouer vs and laugh at vs This condemneth many that liue among vs in these daies of dissention that tender not the peace of the Church which ought to bee as deare vnto vs as our owne liues but publish the shame reproch one of another as with the blast of a Trumpet albeit our enemies and the enemies of our religion liue among vs. Abraham tooke vp the controuersie betweene him and Lot saying Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene me and thee Gen. 13 7 8. neither betweene my heard-men thy heardmen because the Canaanites dwelled at that time in the Land If we did aright consider this point that our enemies are among vs that are as whips on our sides and thornes in our eyes that seek the subuersion of the Common-wealth not the conuersion of the Church there would not be so many bad bitter inuectiues written as it were with gall and wormewood setting on fire the hearts of one against another as if we were enemies not friends strangers not brethren infidels not beleeuers These contentions are a stumbling blocke vnto the weake an hardning and heartning of the aduersary and an vtter estranging of vs one from another Let vs therefore follow those things that belong to peace and vnite our forces together as one man that we may seeke the building vp of the Church among vs and double our strokes vpon the backe of the enemy Vse 3 Thirdly let vs vse patience vnder the crosse lying as vnder Gods hand and in the midst of all our afflictions say with the Prophet I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 39 9. This we reade to haue bin worthily practised of Iob when the cup of affliction began to ouerflow chap. 2 10. Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill In all this did not Iob sinne with his lips This also we find expresly required Heb. 10 32 33 34 35 36. Where we see in the example of these afflicted Hebrewes that when our enemies insult ouer the Church we must not murmure tepine but be still and silent vnder the crosse and according to the counsell and commandement of Christ Luke 21 19 By patience possesse our soules and without this we shall neuer haue comfort and contentment in such afflictions as we are called to endure Vse 4 Lastly seeing God at sundry times and in diuers manners giueth those that are his into the hands of their enemies surely in the ende he will not spare the wicked he deferreth his punishments but he striketh at the last As he is longer in drawing his Bowe and making ready his Quiuer so his Arrowes when they come pierce the deeper and wound the sorer The higher his hand is lifted vp before it falleth the greater the blow is when it lighteth He hath a leaden foote and hasteth slowly but howsoeuer hee tarry till the appointed time yet surely he will come and will not stay but recompence the slownesse of his coming with the greeuousnesse of his punishing When hee will crush them with a Scepter of iron Psalm 2 3. and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell This Moses teacheth in his song concerning Gods benefits toward his people and their vnthankfulnesse toward him If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance toward mine enemies and will reward them that hate me and I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood Deut. 32 41 42. Let them not therfore triumph ouer the Church people of God and let vs waite a while and see the end of all her enemies how God hath set them in a slippery place We see in this History that albeit these Canaanites were as the rod of God to chastise his seruants for their security yet God in the end threw them in the fire and gaue them as a prey to his people as appeareth afterward The like the Prophet Dauid declareth Psal 137 3 7 8 9 that howsoeuer the Edomites and Babylonians flouted at the Church in affliction and they that led theÌ„ captiues required of them in mockage songs and mirth saying Sing vs one of the songs of Sion yet they escaped not the iust hand of a reuenging God according to the prayer of his people Remember the childreÌ„ of Edom O Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said raze it raze it to the foundation thereof O daughter of Babel worthy to be destroied blessed shall hee bee that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones And the Prophet Dauid being greeuoufly persecuted vnder Saul and hunted froÌ„ place to place as a Partridge in the Mountaines Psalm 141 â— assureth himselfe that flying to God in his afflictions and possessing his soule by patience he shall in the end behold God taking such vengeance on all his enemies rewarding them seuen fold into their bosome that he shall in pitty and compassion pray vnto God for them in their miseries True it is hee doth not alwaies recompence them presently so soone as they haue sinned because he is the God of patience waiting for their repentance bearing with the vessels of wrath and making them without excuse yet at the length hee will reproue them and set their sins in order before them Psal 50 21. Verse 2. So Israel vowed a vow Before the Israelites trusted in themselues now being ouerthrowne by the enemies they turne to God and learne obedience by the things which they suffered So then the present ouerrhrow giuen vnto them maketh them consider their owne weaknesse and driueth them to God in their distresse The doctrine froÌ„ hence is this that affliction is profitable to the Church â—ne â—on is â—ellent â—turne God it bringeth driueth vs vnto God The Church of God in generall and the seruants of God in particular which cannot profitably vse prosperity and beare themselues thankfully in the daies of peace do learne in aduersity to turne to God and are thereby brought vnto him Heereunto cometh the example of the Israelites Iudg. 3 8 9 10. When the wrath of God was kindled against Israel doing wickedly forgetting God and seruing their idols that turned to their ruine then they cried vnto the Lord and he stirred vp a Sauiour vnto them Hereunto also coÌ„meth the threatnings of Moses Deut. 4 27 28 29 30. 2 Chron. 15 3. To this purpose the prophet speaketh Psal 107 6 13 19 28. WheÌ„ they wandred in the Desert and found no City to dwell in when they were bound in misery and iron because they rebelled against the words of the Lord when they
they oppressed him with iniuries and banished him their country and yet behold they are constrained immediately to seeke peace of him and to make a couenant with him so that albeit they hated him and put him away from them yet the King his Captaine are glad to come vnto him Gen. 26 24 25 26. For they feared him and saw certainly that the Lord was with him The like submission we see in Pharaoh albeit he hardened his hart and often had contemned and reuiled Moses yet in the greeuousnesse of the iudgement he sendeth for Moses and Aaron and saith I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye vnto the Lord for mee that there be no more mighty thunders amd haile Exod. 9 27 and 11 8. Such an example is recorded 1 Kings 13 4 6 touching Ieroboam who albeit he regarded not the word of the Prophet but raged against him and stretched out his hand from the Altar saying Lay hold on him yet when his hand was dryed vp so as he could not pull it in againe vnto him he humbled himselfe greatly in the present feeling of this punishment and besought that Prophet to pray to the Lord his God and make intercession for him that his hand might be restored Thus Saul seeketh to Dauid 1 Sam. 24 21 22. Belteshazzar to Daniel Dan. 5 12 13. Zedekiah to Ieremy Ier. 37 3. The foolish virgins to the wise Mat. 25 8. Haman had conspired the destruction of the Church and thirsted after the bloudy massacre of the Saints of God whose death is precious in his sight yet in the end he saw mischiefe prepared for him he stood vp to make request for his life vnto Queene Ester chap. 3 9 and 7 7. Thus the saying and sentence of the wise man is verified Prou. 14 19. The euill shall bow before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous Neither let vs doubt of this truth or greatly maruaile at it For God hath planted imprinted Reason 1 such a maiesty in the person of those that are vnfainedly godly truely religious that the most desperate and despightfull wicked men feare their faces and reuerence their presence If then the vngodly feare them it is no great maruaile though they fal downe before them many times in submissiue manner But the vngodly do often feare them therefore it cannot seeme strange vnto vs if they do some reuerence vnto them This we see in Herod Mark 6.20 He feared Iohn Acts 4 21 and 5 26. knowing that he was a iust man and an holy and reuerenced him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly So when the people saw how God heard the prayer of Samuel they feared Samuel exceedingly 1 Sam. 12 18. Such is the force of innocency that it conuinceth the enemies in their owne consciences and driueth them to do homage and vaile their bonnet to the seruants of God Againe it is the will of God that all such Reason 2 as humble themselues should be exalted and the lowly in heart should be aduanced so also such as exalt themselues should be brought low and therefore it is no maruaile if GOD euen in this life doe many times for the manifestation of his mercy and iustice lift vp the heads of his owne children Luke 14 11. cast downe the wicked vnder their feet Hence it is that Christ Iesus was so much delighted with this sentēce so often repeated by him in the Gospel Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall be brought low but he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Math. 23 12. Luke 18 14. Vse 1 Now let vs make vse of this doctrine First seeing the vnfaithfull be oftentimes constrained to sue to the faithfull for their helpe as the rich glutton did to Abraham let vs all learne to plant true godlinesse in our hearts and to turne to the Lord with all our soules that we may haue our part and portion in this preheminence and let vs walke worthy of our places and of this priuiledge honour and dignity Seeing almighty God maketh vs spirituall Kings to rule and reigne Reuel 1 6. and often subiecteth the wicked vnder vs let vs not be slaues to our owne lusts and corruptions but rule with authority and dominion ouer them and labor to subdue sinne vnto vs. We see the Princes of this world will not dishonour and debase thēselues with base Offices We are Kings and Princes to God in this life let vs then walke worthy of this dignity as the Apostle vrgeth this duty from vs 2 Thess 1 10 11. The Lord shall come to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee made maruailous in all them that beleeue in that day wherefore we also pray for you alwaies that our God may make you worthy for this Calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power Where we see that after he had set downe the great glory that belongeth to Gods children at the comming of Christ he exhorteth them to walke worthy of their calling seeing it shall be glorious with Christ and the vngodly shall be brought to vtter shame contempt dishonour reproch confusion There is no way to bring any to true honour but to purchase to our selues true godlinesse Therefore the Lord said 1 Sam. 2 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised Old age is rightly honourable but it must bee found in the way of righteousnesse Prou. 16 31. This we see to haue beene in Iob chap. 29 7 8. When I went out to the gate euen to the iudgement seate and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete the young men saw me and hid themselues and the aged arose and stood vp the Princes staied their talk laid hand on their mouth Loe thus shall they be honoured that feare the Lord and therfore blessed is the estate condition of the godly Vse 2 Secondly seeing the wicked euen in this life are vrged to seeke mercy at the hands of godly men so that God here vpon earth bringeth downe their heads that before were lifted vp in great pride how much more shall this be verified in the life to come when the redemption of Gods children draweth neere their happinesse shall be perfected then they are appointed to triumph and to haue the victory ouer all their enemies tread the wicked vnder their feet For the true children of of God shall rule and ouer-rule the world and shall trample vpon the kingdome of darknes ouer hell death damnation the diuell the reprobate whatsoeuer setteth it selfe against their peace This the Lord from the beginning taught the Church Gen. 3 15. He shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The diuell shall tempt Christ assault his members but not ouercome them whereas Christ shall conquer the power of death and make his
how the houre be spent so it be spent and respect not what they say so they haue said somewhat which is as fond a thing as if hee that buildeth an house should neuer regard with what stuffe he buildeth or hee that soweth whether he sow in the highway among the rockes and thornes or in his field Many there are that goe vp into the pulpit that neuer spend themselues nor waste their spirits nor decay their strength they are rather like those that are halfe asleep or stand vp to tell a tale or to vtter a dreame Whosoeuer is ignorant of the state of his people that neuer considereth hee speaketh to a deafe people that cannot heare but is carelesse in his place endangereth his owne soule and the soule of the people committed to his charge Hee then that would teach aright must put on zeale and be earnest in the Lords cause that so he may worke vpon their hearts and leaue stings in their consciences as Acts 2.37 while Peter preached they were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe Wee say commonly that cold coales heate no body It must therefore first come from his owne heart there must be heat there or else there shall neuer come any heate to others We see by experience that cold iron and hote can neuer be mixed together but before they can be tempered they must both of them be well heated in the fire so except the heart of the Minister and of the people be heated hee shall neuer fasten any thing vpon them or worke any good in them It is true it is the worke of the Lord to heate the soule as it is he that warmeth the body this hee doth by instruments the fire and the Sunne so hee doth the soule and conscience by his Ministers and by his word All parents are charged to whet the Law vpon their children Deut 6 7 if parents must do this to their children then much more ought the Ministers of God to be earnest in this duty If any aske wherein this earnestnesse and feruency consisteth I answer not barely in crying out with a loud voyce as many suppose For many men haue no voyce to speake loud and there are many that speake loud who haue little heate or zeale in them Some will be as earnest in alledging a bare testimony of Scripture as others can be in making application These doe it more out of vse or custome then from any feeling or touch of conscience in themselues Seeing then the earnestnesse that we require may be without the loudnesse of voyce and the loudnesse of the voyce may bee without earnestnesse wee must find it elsewhere to wit in the power of the Spirit that speaketh in him It is not the earnestnes of the voyce that is so much required albeit it falleth out many times where the heart is truly affected that there the voyce will be extended to the vttermost and yet euen in a weake voice proceeding from a weak body a Minister may truly shew the zeale of his heart as well as if the word were deliuered with a loud and powerfull voyce and God requireth no more then a man hath 2 Cor. 8 12. The Apostle saith that his bodily presence was weake among the Corinthians and his speach held as contemptible 2 Cor. 10 10 whereby it seemeth he was not one of the sonnes of thunder that had a great voyce neuerthelesse we find that the power and efficacy of the Spirit did both appeare and abound in him So then the Ministers of God must be zealous and feruent in their places that so they may the better discharge their consciences and also bring the more profit to those that are committed vnto them Vse 3 Thirdly it condemneth those that censure the Ministers of God for their earnestnes and zeale in deliuering the word of God Such persons as are ready to commend a seruant that is earnest in doing his Masters will with a good affection will condemne the Minister of God when hee deliuereth the word with such earnestnes These spare not to say to him as Paul did to Festus Act. 26 24 that they preach as if they were mad or beside themselues But if the answere of Paul will not serue and suffice these men who replyed to that accusation I am not mad most noble Festus but speake forth the words of truth and sobernesse Acts 26 24.25 let them take the words of the Prophet Hoseah chap. 9 7 the spirituall man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity The abundance of iniquity and the obstinacy of wicked men running on in their sinne as a violent flood that runneth ouer the bankes were able to make the Minister mad with crying to them to leaue their sinnes and to forsake their euill wayes when they are so set vpon them that say the Minister what he can and let him cry out as loud as he list they will not abate one haire or a pinne of their pride or remit one houre of their prophaning the Sabbath or drinke one draught nay not one drop the lesse or the couetous person giue one penny or halfe penny the more to relieue the needy members of Christ I say the consideration of this were able to make the Minister euen mad in deliuering of his message which God hath put into his mouth If a father should be beside himselfe for the wickednesse of his gracelesse children would not euery man pitty the father and spit in the faces of those children and hold them worthy of all punishment but what would they say to such children as should go vp and downe and boast themselues that they were the causes of their fathers madnesse Are there not some graceles hearers O that there were not too many that when they haue made their Minister as it were mad with reprouing them that will insult ouer them and glory among their companions that they haue made their Minister preach as if he were madde howbeit if it be for the glory of God and the benefit of his people they need not care nor esteem to be iudged of men or account it any disgrace from the mouthes of gracelesse people to be accounted mad we must walke through good report and euill report it skilleth not therefore though wee be reputed madde so it bee for a good cause for the beating down of prophaning the Sabbath of contempt of the word of oppression pride couetousnes and such like enormities There was not a man more meeke vpon the earth then Moses yet when he came from the mount and saw that the people had sinned he presently grew so angry that hauing the two Tables of the Law in his hand written by the finger of God he threw them downe to the ground and brake them in pieces The people of this generation account their Ministers for a lesser matter then this to bee mad and out of their wittes but while they cry out aloud that their contempt
discoraged to thinke they are none of his Or if a false fellow come forth and lay claime to our inheritance will that barre the true owner of his right or make him to let goe his holde What if a mad man out of his wits should say that the Crowne and Kingdome is his would we therefore thinke it is so indeed Or if some should shew false and counterfet pearles will the Goldsmith be discouraged and think that his also are naught and of the same stampe In like sort we may reason What though some do not beleeue or will not apply Christ vnto themselues What if satan haue deluded them with the spirit of errour and blinded them with the mists of ignorance shall wee therefore suffer our selues to be beguiled and to be brought to think that we haue no true knowledge or faith or that we ought not to apply Christ Iesus in particular to our selues To conclude we may be bold to auouch that the diuels haue as much faith as the papists teach and beleeue For the diuell can say and that truly I do beleeue I beleeue that remission of sinnes is sealed vp by Christ for saluation so that hee may beleeue as much as any Papist in the worlde holding the principles of their own doctrine forasmuch as the Romish faith is no other then historicall to beleeue the Scriptures and al things written in them to be true but they neuer come to the principal maine matter wherein the comfort of a Christian lyeth to make particular application of any thing to themselues Vse 2 Secondly it admonisheth euery man to examine himselfe and to try whether his faith be true or not this is the counsell and commandement of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13 5. as we heard before and how shall we better do it theÌ„ by making particular application of those things which ought to bee beleeued to beleeue that God is our God that the Lord Iesus is our Sauior that we are righteous by his obedience that wee haue the pardon of our sinnes that wee haue receyued the grace of sanctification and that wee shall be partakers of eternall life For as faith is the life of the soule so this application is the life of faith If we finde this in vs then certainly we haue a true a liuely a iustifying faith otherwise we deceyue our selues with a shadow and opinion of faith when in truth we are vtterly destitute of it And if men were brought to their tryall heerein it is greatly to be suspected and feared that not onely they in the Church of Rome but many that liue in the Church of God it selfe will bee found to want the true faith and to please themselues with a naked shew of it For some haue not a generall knoledge and therefore cannot haue so much as a generall faith Many albeit they haue a generall knowledge yet they will not nay they cannot in special apply Christ and his benefits vnto themselues because such is their simplicity or sottishnesse that they condemne this doctrine of applying Christ to themselues say it is to some a doctrine of presumption to others the pathway leading to desperation These are afraid to go so farre and dare not meddle with it They will hope well as the Papists do and thinke well but they cannot abide to heare of any particular application These are as men that are afraid of their good friends whose case must needs be lamentable and they stand in a dangerous nay I may say in a damnable condicion because without this application there can be no true faith and without true faith no saluation We haue experience of some in our dayes who out of a melancholy humor perswade themselues that they may not eate because they are vnworthy to touch their meate and by this meanes are the cause of their owne death and yet they thinke they may see it and talke of it but by no meanes may touch it This is the faith of many Christians among vs they thinke they may heare of the things that belong to saluation and reason of them but by no meanes they may apply them these mens case is very dangerous for they must needs perish eternally For as life is maintained not by looking vpon our meate or by speaking of it or by hearing of it but by taking and applying of it so the soule is sustayned and life preserued in it not by hearing of the promises of the Gospel nor by assenting vnto them but by applying of them vnto our selues When the Israelites were stung in the wildernesse with the fiery serpents and scorpions Deut. 8 15 insomuch that many dyed if any should haue saide I am not worthy to look vp to the brazen serpent and to fasten mine eies vpon it I know indeed that God hath appointed it as the only means and remedy to recouer them that are stung but I dare not presume to behold it because of mine vnworthinesse would we not thinke that it were iust that this man should perish So is it in this case many men know that God hath sent his Sonne into the world and that he dyed for the sinnes of the world yet many are so desperate that they talke and dispute of nothing but of their owne vnworthinesse and say they would apply Christ but they dare not they are such greeuous sinners Howbeit he that was worthy to take the booke out of the right hand of the Father and to open it Reuel 5 2 5 11 12 hath also made his children partakers of his worthinesse Reuel 3 4. They shall walke with me in white for they are worâ—hy His merits are become our merits and his righteousnesse is made ours 2 Cor. 5 21. Wherfore whosoeuer they are that eyther through the corruption of their owne hearts or through the tentation of Satan doe not truely apply Christ vnto themselues and his death to theyr saluation but make it a matter of presumption their condition is miserable and they are yet in the way to destruction and may iustly feare that the wrath and iudgements of God will ouertake them Lastly this point is very sweet and comfortable Vse 3 to euery one that is able though with much weaknesse and many infirmities in particular to apply the generall promises of God and the Gospel to himselfe because such shall be sure to finde God gracious vnto them and if they be stung by the old serpent they shall be healed because they can look vp to to the 2. ferpent that God hath set vp and appointed to be the healer and helper of them If they be hungry they shal be sure to be satisfied Christ is the true bread that came downe from Heauen Iohn 6 they eate him by faith and so apply in particular the generall promises to theÌ„selues This is it indeed that ought to encourage euery man to labour for this particular application not like hypocrites to content theÌ„selues with generall things as if they were
euery day is particularly remembred to the end of the Chapter And lest they should bring little vnto GOD and thinke to please him with a small pittance as many hold it well saued which can be saued from the worship of God he stinteth them what they shal bring and setteth downe the number of bullockes rammes and lambes which they should offer euery day This feast beganne vpon the fifteenth day The Iewes haue mingled this day with many superstitions The Lord set downe particularly vnto them what they should doe and left nothing to their owne choise howbeit they haue found out many inuentions and traditions would not content themselues with the simplicity of the Scripture But the right vse thereof is expressed in sundry places of the Law Leuit. 23 34. Deut. 16 13. Why it is called the feast of Tabernacles It is called the feast of Tabernacles because during the dayes of this feast they were to liue in tents or Tabernacles it being a memoriall of Gods preseruing of them in the wildernes where was no house for them in which to rest and inhabite This was a most holy feast to remember them when they had no dwellings and therefore Moses doth so largely dwell vpon the solemnities of it then they were especially enioyned to reade the Lew at this feast when all Israel was to appeare before the Lord Deut. 31 10 2. Chron. 8 13 Ezr. 3 4. Nehem. 8 14 15 Ioh. 7 2. This feast is now abrogated and belonged not to the Gentiles that were conuerted to the faith after the passion and ascension of Christ Coloss 2 17. Acts 15 10. Heb. 10.1 Notwithstanding wee must consider the inward signification of this ceremonie and see what vses remaine thereof to our selues And therefore the Prophet Zachary chapter 12 16 describing the calling of the Gentiles to the true God and their gathering into the true Church setteth it forth according to the manner of Gods seruice vsed in the Law that they should goe vp from yeare to yeare to worship the Lord of hostes and to keepe the feast of Tabernacles alluding to the ceremony of the Law as our Sauiour doth Matth. 5 23 24 meaning that they should worship GOD according to his commandements and not after their owne fansies First wee learne heereby that it is a duty Vse 1 belonging to all to remember the dayes of their troubles and afflictions from which GOD in great mercy hath deliuered vs. Hence it is that GOD doth put his people in remembrance so oftentimes of their deliuerance out of Egypt yea euen when they were setled in safety and planted in the land of Canaan they must call to minde that they were sometimes strangers in the land of Egypt Deuteron 4 20 and 6 12 20 21 22 and 10 19 and therefore GOD wrote this with his owne finger in the Law Exod. 20 2 that they should alwayes haue before them the iron fornace how he brought them forth to bee vnto him a people of inheritance We are ready to forget our former condition when GOD hath giuen vs rest and as the wise virgins themselues slumbred Math. 25 5 so wee are very proue to security when once hee hath remoued our sorrowes and sufferings from vs. So then the Lord GOD would haue his owne people yeare by yeare to depart out of their houses and dwell in tents that is vnder the open firmament in arbors made of boughes and branches I will not stand to recount the foolish and apish toyes Iewish superstitions in obseruing the feast of Tabernacles which the Iewes at this day take vpon them to obserue as that their Cabbines bee not too close but made full of holes they are careful diligent to prouide that the boughs be not too thickly plotted together they must haue loop-holes to see the stars whereas in the meane season they little consider whereunto God ment to direct them what lesson he meant to teach them so that wee might say vnto them as Paul somtimes did to the men of Athens I perceiue that in all things ye are too superstitious Acts 17 22. Thus doth the Euangelist taxe them for the holines that they put in their often washings Mar. 7 3 4. The Pharisies and the Iewes except they wash their hands oft eate not holding the tradition of the Elders and when they come from the market except they wash they eate not and many other things there be which they haue taken vpon them to obserue as the washing of cuppes and pots and brasen vessels and of tables In all which it may be truely saide of them that they lay the commandement of God apart and obserue the traditions of men But in this feast the purpose of God was that they should call to minde both where they were and where they had beene that albeit they were at rest and ease in the land of Canaan yet they had not alwayes beene so for GOD had carried them as it were vpon Eagles wings and led them in a strange and miraculous maner in the wildernesse for forty yeeres Thus ought wee to consider what wee haue beene in times past as well as what wee are at the present and thereby be prouoked to serue and glorifie him in time to come Thus doth the Lord deale with Saul 1 Sam. 15 17 When thou wast little in thine owne sight wast not thou made Head of the tribes of Israel c. Thus hee dealeth with Dauid 2. Sam. 12 7 8. Thus hee sendeth his Prophet to tell Ieroboam what hee was and to call him backe to the consideration of his first beginning 1 Kings 14 7 I exalted thee from among the people and made thee Prince of my people Israel and rent the kingdome away from the house of Dauid and gaue it thee and thou hast not beene as my seruant Dauid which kept my commandement and followed me with all his hart and did onely that which was right in mine eyes but hast done euill aboue all that were before thee for thou hast gone and made thee other gods and molten images to prouoke me and hast cast me behinde thy backe c. Wee ought also to consider what wee haue beene in regard of temporall deliuerances and in regard of spirituall deliuerances from the bondage of sinne Ephes 2.1 2 3 4 11 12 13 for their deliuerance from the slauery of Egypt did figure out our deliuerance by Christ from the bondage of sinne Satan and hell it selfe Vse 2 Secondly obserue from this feast that GOD euermore preserueth his Church euen when it is oppressed with greatest dangers and troubles nay then his power and mercy is made most manifest his power shineth brightest in our weakenesse and his mercy appeareth most of all in our misery The people of Israel had notable experience heereof in the wildernes when they remoued from place to place and had no leysure to builde neyther had they stuffe wherewith to build They were a wonderfull multitude of people by
reason whereof it may seeme incredible that God should preserue them and theyr children in Boothes and Tents without houses to couer and keepe them We know that houses serue to defend from colde and heate from winde and weather and many other discommodities yet did GOD nourish and maintayne them without any houses and therefore his goodnesse was to bee acknowledged in that behalfe It had beene no better then a plaine mockery or may-game to haue come to Ierusalem and there to punish themselues and dwell a while in Cabines and to shift places except it had beene to some ende and they had beene taught to magnifie the Name of God and to put theyr trust in him For all ceremonies did ayme at some instruction All ceremonies serue for instruction that the faithfull might thereby be edified and learne to liue in the feare of God otherwise they are not onely vnprofitable but also abhominable in the sight of God So then wee must acknowledge where and whence wee haue our deliuerances and learne to giue God praise as also for the fruits of the earth that we haue receyued Thirdly though the feast of Tabernacles Vse 3 be not any longer in vse that we should bee bound to the keeping of it yet the doctrine arising from it concerneth vs as much as euer it did the Iewes Our keeping of this feast must not be for a weeke or twaine but all our life so long as we liue vpon the earth Wee must acknowledge that we are Pilgrims in this world Hebrewes chapter 11 verse 16 if we be not strāgers in this present world we haue no part in the kingdome of heauen If then we will haue God to accept and auouch vs for his children wee must assure our selues that this life is nothing to vs but a way or rather indeede a race toward our heauenly Country It is not enough for vs to go faire and softly as the most do but wee must alwayes runne apace pressing forward with all our strength and force holding on our way and straining our selues to attaine to the ende of our course For this is certaine except we vse might and force we shall neuer get one steppe forward but we shall retire foure back for it We are of slowe pace and creepe as it were vpon all foure and Satan vseth many meanes to hinder vs and therefore wee must fight as good souldiers of Iesus Christ against all such impediments Albeit therefore God doe house vs and harbour vs in this world yet it is as hee did to his people in the wildernes so that he would not haue vs to nestle heere nor to be entangled in the snares of it neyther to make it our euerlasting resting place but to be ready to flye vpward not to bee as swine looking downe to the ground but rather as Larkes mounting vpward from the earth Some haue heere no resting place at all but are tossed and turmoyled vp and downe as waues of the sea and so Paul speaketh of himselfe 2 Cor 7 5 others neuer remooue out of the place where they are borne but liue peaceably among their owne people and continue at home in their own house without any trouble to themselues or others yet must all account their chiefe resting place to be in heauen out of which wee shall neuer be remoued and when once we are clothed with it as with a garment wee shall neuer be vnclothed or dismantled to be found naked 2 Cor. 5 6. Heb. 11 13. Thus it was with all the Patriarkes and holy fathers from the beginning of the world and so it ought to be with vs. Vse 4 Lastly we are heereby put in minde of the shortnesse of this life wee are heere for a season and by and by neare gone And albeit wee make our houses neuer so strong and build them vp with bricke and stone to continue yet our bodies are all as Tabernacles alwayes decaying For what is our life but a vapour and what are our bodies but dust and ashes Wee may well frame our houses of square stone and make vs palaces of marble but our bodies cease not to bee of this clay and what is all flesh but grasse and what is all the glory of man but as the flower of the field which flourisheth to day and to morrow withereth away The rich men of this world build them towers and castles that top the skye and lay their lands about them Psal 49 11 2. Sam. 18 18. and call them oftentimes by their name as Absolon did his piller their building is sound and substantiall and able to endure many yeeres and standeth out against all weather for many generations and at the end of them is as firme and fast as at the first day But in the meane season what are the Tabernacles of their and our bodies but a simple cottage or cabbine euer defaying and declining hauing his foundation in the dust A man may easily erect such building as shall remaine but can wee build our bodies so as they may be of any long continuance and make our houses of clay to be as pillers of marble what shall it profit vs to build faire houses and pleasant gardens fruitfull fields and to forget the frailty of our bodies which must shortly fall into the dust and be consumed to ashes Let vs therefore learne the doctrine of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5 1. If our outward man decay we haue a building prepared for vs in heauen And wee must say with Peter I must shortly put off this my Tabernacle as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me 2 Pet. 1 14 when this lodging of ours shall decay wee shall dwell in an house incorruptible Our bodies are but as arbours made of green leaues which are of no continuance one blast of winde is strong enough to blow them away Esay 40 6. Euery man hath some disease or other about him that will not suffer him to endure long our humors are not so equally tempered where the best constitution is but one of them threatneth destruction to the other and striue which of them shall preuaile and ouercome howbeit all is one to man for whether of them soeuer doe gaine man receiueth the losse euen the losse of his life And if he had no disease or distemper yet waite but a while Cicer. de senect and age it selfe will be a disease and as the messenger of death vnto him that euen without sicknesse hee slideth away as the fruite of a tree when it is ripe falleth downe of it selfe though there bee no hand to plucke it or winde to shake it or theef to steale it or tempest to driue it When we diligently consider this then wee haue indeed learned to keepe this feast of the Tabernacles spiritually To conclude therefore Who keepe he feast of Tabernacles aright let euery man beware that he seeke not his owne ease ouermuch This is one rule that wee doe not pamper or cocker