or countries reformed on the suddaine No this is a worke which must first be performed by seuerall persons and so brought into families and so into townes and so into countries For otherwise let neuer so good lawes be enacted for common welths neuer so pure orders in any Church the labour is no lesse then lost But especially let the Minister looke to this that first himselfe then his house and then Gods house be reformed Vse 2. Here is a note to knowe a true professor by not to deeme him as he appeareth abroad but if thou wouldst haue the iust length of his foote follow him home from Church see how wisely he walketh in the midst of his house see whether his house be a Church how his children are ordered whether his seruants be like Cornelius his seruants and in a word whether he and his house at home serue the Lord. Doctr. 2. He that would haue the blessing of gratious children he must beginne at religion planting it in them as their tender yeares will beare training them in the institution and reformation of the Lord seasoning them with the words of pietie distilling and by little and little dropping into them seeds of holinesse and the feare of God and prouiding that they might if it were possible sucke in godlines with their mothers milke For this is the way to haue his house a little Church and house of God besides the approbation of his owne faithfulnes And that this is the dutie of parents we might be plentifull in Scriptures and reasons but briefly let euery father consider 1. that he is one cause of his childs euill he hath helped him into sinne and hath begotten him in his owne image the heathen could say that there are two maine causes in a lewd father of a lewd child 1. the euill nature and disposition of the parent 2. euill education now seeing the best of vs bring too much miserie vpon them by the former we had neede be meanes by the latter to drawe them out of it 2. This is a good ground of all other nurture and discipline teach them all the doctrine of manners all tongues together with all arts sciences yet let thē want this one discipline thou leauest them to the curse of God the ende of their liues is peruerted and in stead of beeing the staffe and ioy of thine age they shall perhaps become thy greatest scourges True it is which Salomon vttereth and which euerie parent in some measure shall say My sonne if thy heart be wise I shall reioyce whereas by the iust iudgement of God many lewde sonnes neuer come to knowe or performe dutie to parents because parents haue had small or no care to teach them dutie towards God 3. Marke how the Lord looketh vpon this dutie and accordingly blesseth or curseth fathers and children Abraham was to be a mightie nation c. and the Lord would not hide his secrets from him because he knewe he would teach his familie Gen. 18. On the contrarie Ely otherwise a good man how seuerely was he with his whole house corrected for neglect of this duty see the historie 1. Sam. 2.29 4. Euery Christian must extend his care euen to posteritie and be a meanes to leaue his children the true worshippers of God in the places where he hath liued or shall liue abroad in the world for as if we would haue the Church of God and his truth continue amongst vs we must then bring it into our houses so if we would haue it continue after vs when we are gone we must leaue it with our children that they may continue it in their houses also Quest. But wherein especially doth this dutie consist and how may we performe it Ans. It standeth in two things 1. in acquainting them with the grounds of truth necessarie to saluation and this must be done by priuate catechising 2. by bringing them to the publike assemblies so soone as they are able to sit either fruitfully or reuerently and in both these watch ouer their profiting Thus maist thou and oughtest to teach euen a child in the trade of his way Obiect But this is a vaine thing to trouble children alas what would you haue children to doe Answ. But although it may seeme to be fruitlesse while they are young yet will they remember it saith Salomon they are old teach thy child to speake well while he can but speake and when he will conceiue afterwards the sense and meaning of it 2. Thou shalt not loose thy labour for by this meanes thou shalt displace at least restraine naturall folly which is bound vp in their hearts if thou dost nothing else 3. Looke vpon the examples of godly parents Hannah brought Samuel to Heli his instructor so soone as he was weined 1. Sam. 1. Salomon was but a tender child when Dauid his father taught him and said let thy heart hold fast my words Eunica the mother of Timothie taught him the Scriptures of a child and what excellent fruits and testimonies appeared in these of their timely instruction Vse Let euerie parent resolue of the timely instruction of their children that as he hath begotten them in the flesh he may be a meanes to beget them in the faith also that as he is the father of their bodies he may also become after a sort the father of their soules also and let the mother be a nurse to the soule of her little ones as of their bodies and both fathers and mothers vse meanes that as their children waxe in bodily strength and stature so also they may growe to some strength and age in Christ Iesus But this dutie is not discouered in the fruits of it nay the practise of our youth without and on the Sabbath pointeth with the finger to that rule that is within doores throughout the weeke and if to profane the Sabbath sweare raile curse game contemne superiours be notes of faithfull children there is a number such but if these be things better beseeming the education of infidels it is a shame for professors of the Gospel to haue them so rife amongst them And what other is the next cause of the generall profanenes and dissolutenes of our age surely because men content themselues to send their children to Church and yet some scarse that and many that for a fashion that if they can meete with knowledge of God or religion there so it is but they banish it out of their houses And how infinitely doe we hereby disadvantage our selues The Papists confesse that all the ground we haue got of them is by catechizing and it is to be feared we shall loose our ground againe for want of it Iulian himselfe cannot deuise a readier meanes to banish Christian religion then by pulling downe schooles and places of education of children by chatechising And when lost the Church of Rome the soundnesse of religion but when they put downe chatechisme and set vp idols
so of such Christians as turne Iews againe beware of the concision and betake vs to the circumcision which worshippeth God in the spirit and haue no confidence in the flesh no confidence in the lawe Get Christ close him by faith in the heart he is the Lord and accomplisher of the lawe vnto righteousnesse and thus hast thou enclosed thy righteousnes as a ring encloseth a Iewel Say with that Martyr onely Christ onely Christ. 2. Seeing Popish doctrine hath not saluation but carrieth men from Christ it ought not to be tolerated where it can be abolished for the scepters of Christian Princes must hold vp the scepter of Christ the Prince of peace and as it is no good religion in Princes to set vp a religion that would abolish Christ so neither is it good policie in regard both of their treacherous positions and practises For as they teach that hereticall for so they call Protestant Kings may be depriued of life much more other royalties and temporalties so is their practise proportionable in deposing kings and Emperours practizing hellish treasons and iustifying the murdering of Princes And therefore howsoeuer we should seek to pull the poore seduced ones of them out of the fire yet if they be incurable themselues haue taught vs how we should deale with them or rather neither make nor meddle with them by the tenour of the oath taken of the old leaguers in France the forme of which was this Si ad haereticorum partes de flexero si amicitiam si foedus si matrimonium cum eis faxo si opem fidemve do si ave si vale dixero illa die fulmine ferito God make vs as wisely resolute to preserue the puritie of the truth amongst vs as they are cautelously circumspect to barre it out from themselues then should they goe farre inough and stay long enough before we should entreat their returne Whose mouthes must be stopped The phrase is metaphoricall and betokeneth such an euident conuiction of errors by weight of reason and euidence of the Scripture as wherby the aduersarie of the truth is struck dumb and hath no more to say then if he had his mouth shut vp Quest. But how should we shut their mouthes for such commonly rage against the truth and ioyne mallice to error and so prostitute themselues in impudencie as that they will euer haue some shew of words at least to pretend against the truth Ans. This precept is first and properly directed to the Minister of God who by all his endeauour must take away all the defence of such errors and then confirme the contrarie truth by such sure grounds and arguments as that all men may see they haue no sound reason much lesse Scripture at least interpreted by Scripture for their defence And thus when the Church shall heare what such persons can say for themselues it will appeare to be but vaine babling and multiplying of words flowing not seldome from such as are euen damned of themselues in their owne conscience And this practise is agreeable to that of Christ himselfe who sometimes by the Scriptures Matth. 22.34 sometimes by reason Luk. 20.25.26 Giue to Caesar sometimes by a like interrogation and question Luk. 20.7 The Baptisme of Iohn sometimes by posing and parling Matth. 22.46 so set vp and silenced the Pharisies Sadduces Herodians and others as none could either answer him or durst aske him any more questions But when men are thus confuted by argument ouerthrowne with the sword of the spirit and confounded by the power of truth and yet still proceed to trouble the peace of the Church and the faith of the Saints then may the Church and must proceed by censure and admonition to enioyne them silence the which if yet they will not heare they ought by the Church to be driuen from the societie of the faithfull if they prooue gangrenes they must be cut off Doctr. The dutie of euery faithfull Minister is when occasion is offered timely to oppose himselfe against seducers and stop the mouths of false teachers wherein also the Church ought to backe and strengthen him For 1. the example of Christ must be our president who most boldly and freely vindicated the law from the corrupt glosses and expositions of the Pharisies and that in his first sermon 2. In regard of the particular members of the Church that they may be preserued in soundnesse from starting away and forsaking of the truth Hence did our Sauiour Christ not seldome vtter holy things before dogges and swine that is the Scribes and Pharisies and malicious Iewes because of those that stood by that they might be confirmed against their corruptions And this is made one ende of the precept the madnesse of the false Apostles must be made manifest that they may preuaile no longer 3. In regard of the false teachers themselues fooles saith Salomon must be answered least they be wise in their owne conceit neither shall the labour be wholly lost vpon them for it shall be a meanes either to conuert them and bring them to the knowledge of the truth or else so to conuince them as they shall be made excuseles And further the Church must strengthen euery Ministers hands in this contending for the faith and so manifest her selfe to be the ground and pillar of truth which is committed to her trust and safekeeping against all gaynesayers Vse 1. This ministeriall dutie requireth a great measure of knowledge and a man furnished with gifts of varietie of reading and soundnesse of iudgement euen a man who hath a storehouse in his brest First he must be well read and skilfull in the Scriptures that by them in the first place he may be able to shut the mouth of the aduersarie partly by the expresse texts of Scripture partly by harmonical parallel and sutable places as by the mouth of many witnesses partly by the analogie of faith arising out of the whole bodie of the Scripture partly by the proprietie of the speach in the fountaine and partly by the apt knitting of the context that there may be full concent with it selfe the antecedents and consequents yea more he must be furnished with varietie of reading euen in the workes and writings of men that he may be able in good sort not onely to apprehend the state of the questions and originall of controuersies but also that he may refute his aduersarie partly by the concent of the Church in all ages and partly by the helpe of things that are granted and confessed on both sides and partly by the contradictions which the patrons of errors cannot but vnawares flip into for it is true of a lyar or a patron of lies that he had need of a good memorie Secondly to all this knowledge is required a sound iudgement that he may be able to inferre good and necessarie consequents vpon the graunting of the truth he standeth for and on the contrarie the absurdities and
deliuered from that for then the light would discouer them so as the simplest could scarce lie open vnto them and therefore they must first insinuate themselues and then by addition and sowing of their owne both depraue and denie the truth 2. The verie nature of error beeing the child of darkenes is to flie the light and as the adulterer watcheth for the twilight so doth he that adulterateth the truth Vse 1. Not needing to applie this doctrine against the Iesuites who like so many swarmes of frogges and locusts are sent out of the bottomles pit and creepe euery where into houses especially ignorant corners to beguile the simple Let it teach vs this wisedome to know whom we admit into our houses Many dangerous men there are of corrupt mindes who dare not nor will speake againâ—â— a doctrine deliuered to a mans face nor before such as can iustifie it but behinde a preachers backe can traduce it and before the weake and simple offer impeachment vnto it of these there are not a few who whether they be Popishly or profanely addicted must be wisely discouered and remitted for their entertainment to such as themselues 2. We must in our priuate houses cleaue to truthes publikely deliuered and beware least any deceiuer defeate vs of such a treasure The Lord might free his Church in an instant of all seducers but he suffereth such hurtfull men 1. to trie the faith of his and their loue to the truth whether they will abide with him in temptation 2. to rouse vs out of securitie that the more gins and snares are laid for vs we might be the more circumspect for thus the Lord left the Cananites in the Land vndestroied to exercise his people for which with other endes he seeth it meete that these tares should growe together with the wheate vntill the haruest 3. As these wicked ones are suttle to corrupt the truth and disperse their errors namely by infecting and subuerting houses so should we on the contrarie learne to be wise in our generations and know hence that the way of fortifying and spreading the truth and banish error is by instructing and enforming our houses And surely truth will neuer flourish in the Church and in publike till it be more heartily and with better welcome entertained in families We wish good lawes and by Gods blessing many there are for the Church but were there none to our hands euery Christian should be a law to himselfe and all that is within his gates Let vs make good orders and obserue them in our families and thus our houses shall become Churches And by whetting the truth vpon our children and seruants they shall be able to teach their families after vs and so we shall propagate the grounds of true religion euen to after ages The third point of the danger is that they subuert whole houses not one or two persons in the houses but whole houses Where note the infection of error which is therefore compared to a gangrene or running tetter which let it take any one part and destitute it of heate and vitall spirits it proceedeth on vnto all and no way is there to cure the person but by cutting off the member Our Sauiour Christ calleth the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisies leaven for the spreading of it So also if the error be in manners let Peter dissemble a little and a number will fall with him yea and Barnabas also will be drawne into the dissimulation Vse 1. Teaching Masters of families to become more wary of themselues for on them dependeth the good estate of the whole family if they be ouerreached the whole family is seduced if the deuill hold in his power the Master of a familie he knoweth little good will be done in that house except the Lord preserue some Ioseph in Potiphars house or some Saints in Neros court to iudge and condemne the rest both here at the great day 2. They must be watchfull ouer their families to keepe Popish and prophane persons out of doores least they corrupt the rest We know little what mischeife a little leauen doth but the deuill knoweth well inough and therefore he seeketh to thrust into euery societie and familie some wretch or other not to hinder good things only but to spread euill and mischeife that if he can Christs owne companie shall not be without a Iudas Wâ—ll knoweth he that one swearer one drunkard one contemner of God and his word will doe more mischeife in an house then many religious persons can doe good Let heads of families not take their seruants hand ouer head not caring what their seruants are or are not so they will be droyles and drudges but for their owne sake for their children sake and for the more prosperous successe of all their businesse make such choise of their seruants as they may truely say with Ioshuah I and my house will serue the Lord and with Ester I my maids will fast 3. When Satan or his Ministers goe about priuily to bring vs out of tast with the word or the preachers and professours of it be wise to espie his malice betimes and timely preuent him for otherwise he will speedily subuert thee and thy house for he doth his mischeife by degrees and if thou yeeldest thy selfe but a little to harken to his whistle God in iustice may yeeld thee wholly and thy house to delusion Thus haue we seene the dangerous effects of these false teachers which beeing so great must encrease the true Ministers 1. diligence Act. 20.28 2. faithfulnesse against them Gal. 2.11.14 Now we come to the declaration of this latter effect by the instrumentall cause false doctrine and the finall which is couetousnes or filthy lucre Teaching things which thy ought not that is either impious doctrines which derogate from the glorie of God extenuate the merit of Christ or else loose and licentious doctrine rather giuing patronage to corrupt manners then any way improouing them And all these they teach for filthy lucres sake Doctr. Where the heart is set vpon gaine it will haue falsehood to feed it True it is in all sorts of men and callings which is here said of false teachers filthy lucre and falsehood are inseperable companions The Prophet Micha telleth vs that the Preists that teach for hire and the Prophets that prophecie for mony while they bite with their teeth that is while they haue to bite and feed vpon all is peace to the feeders but if a man put not into their mouthes that is satisfie not their appetite and desire they prepare warre against him as if he were an enemy to God and man The like affirmeth Ezekiel of the false Prophets who polluted the Lord among his people for handfulls of barly and peeces of bread would sew pillowes vnder euery armehole by which type they signified ease and prosperitie to the people and made vailes for euery head
hereticall seducers vnder this title seeing they tread the sâ—me steps of the old Puritane heretikes the memorie of whom let it be accursed for euer No no the beleeuer is â—aught daily to pray Lord forgiue vs our debts with the Publican Lord haue mercie on mee a sinner he accounteth his owne righteousnesse as a stained clout well knowing that if he should challenge righteousnesse from himselfe that his owne cloathes would defile him yea let them take much snow and nitre yet of themselueâ— can they neuer be cleane but that Christ becommeth as purging fire and fullers sope vnto them Now if any yet thinke it vnreasonable to ascribe both puritie and impuritie to the same soule the answer is the Scripture hath taught vs how to conceiue it 1. Ioh. 1.7.8 The blood of Iesus Christ purgeth from all sinne yet if any say he hath no sinne he deceiueth himselfe It is indeede Gods grace and fauour to account the beleeuers his doue and vndefiled and in regard of that perfect robe of righteousnesse he couereth them withall to adde that there is no spot in them but it is grace in them to acknowledge and vtter of themselues that which Christ did of his disciples ye are all cleane but you had neede haue your feete washed seeing that this purging is not wrought all at once in vs but by degrees and that in this life there remaineth alwaies some impuritie to be purged Vse 1. Let none dare to scoffe at the godly vnder this title or any other which the Lord vouchsafeth them hearest thou the Lord accounting his Church as pure as the sunne and perfect and vndefiled in their way calling them his holy ones and saints and thinkest thou this a sufficient ground to scoffe at them or doest thou shewe thy selfe one of this number or rather is it not the part of an Ismaelite and a cursed wretch to scoffe at the sonnes of blessing for the blessings sake nay rather seeing the Lord thus honoureth his seruants and testifieth his loue in passing by all their imperfections as though there were none let such as haue taken occasion to scoffe at Christians from that which is their onely approbation before God euen ioyne themselues to the people of God that as the liberties of Gods people in Persia made many of their enemies become Iewes so those that haue been enemies and readie to offer them violence seeing the fauour of God towards them may be mooued to become friendly vnto them 2. If the deuill doe raise any scoffing Micholl to scorne our sinceritie while we solace our selues before the Lord and if the sonnes of men will not cease to turne our glorie into shame Let not those that feare God be daunted nor giue ground much lesse flie backe for any tearmes of contempt but account this their priuiledge before God a badge of Christs profession and their honour before all the world and thus encourage themselues to striue on to further puritie both of heart and life 1. Of heart because the inside must first be made cleane and 2. of life for when the soule is purified it must worke in the life in obeying the truth through the spirit Thus the Christian man beeing like a cleare chrystall glasse with a light in the midst which must needes appeare through euery part of it hauing within him the light of grace holdeth it forth although in the midst of a froward and wicked generation The reasons to mooue vs hereunto are sundrie 1. In regard of Gods account and estimation of such as shall choose such cleane paths to walke in as we haue heard what neede a man care if all men condemne him so God iustifie and approoue of him and his wayes 2. Hereby onely a man becommeth capable of Gods graces who powreth not his gratious liquors into any fustie or filthie vessell but if any man purge himselfe he shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified and meete for the Lord and prepared vnto euery good worke 3. All the promises of God are made only to such Dauid breaketh out into a resolued conclusion Psal. 73.1 Surely God is good to Israel to the pure of heart Let his trialls be what they will let his person be neuer so meane let his name be neuer so reproched the Lord respecteth him that is of an holy conuersation there is no difference between Iew and Gentile rich and poore with God so the heart be purified Such are only fit to approach God in prayer who can lift vp pure hands and so offer that cleane offering prophecied of to be lifted vp in euery place God heareth not sinners saith the blind man And the exhortation is let vs drawe neare God with true hearts in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Heb. 10.22 Nay more the studie of puritie hath the promise of blessednesse of the blessed vision of God for who shall ascend into the mountaine of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place Euen he that hath innocent hands and a pure heart Seeing then that without it no man shall see God and that all vncleane persons shall be kept without the gates of the Citie let this consideration added to the expectation of such prâ—â—ises mooue vs to cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full holines in the feare of God 2. Cor. 7.1 4. This course is a note of a true beleeuer who as in other things so herein is made conformable vnto Christ in purging himselfe as he is pure the scope of the place is to shew this to be a marke of our adoption when knowing our selues subiect to sinne yet we desire and endeauour by all good meanes to cleanse our selues daily propounding herein before vs Christ as a patterne of imitation 5. Lastly let vs be prouoked to a greater care of holines seeing the Lord hath not beene niggardly in affoarding vs meanes aboue many by the which we might be clensed He hath giuen vs his word plentifully wherby faith might be wrought vs to the purifying of our hearts He hath sent out his Sonne whose blood through the eternall spirit offred without spot by himselfe vnto God purgeth our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God he hath giuen vs of his spirit to renew vs by whose blessed dewes we might be besprinkled as with pure water so as we might be iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God He hath sent out his chastisements and afflictions in such greeuous manner as our Fathers neuer saw the like by which as by rubbing and beating and wringing many might be purified and made white He hath sought to purge his floore by sundrie fannes of afflictions by plague and pestilence famine and dearth violent and vnseasonable winds and weathers and by the angrie distemper of
according to Christs institution that the whole worship of God be purged from humane traditions and superstitions that the Church discipline be executed according to the word of God that not onely thefts murthers adulteries forceries which euen heathen kings haue rooted out of their countries be punished but also blasphemies cursings atheisme heresie drunkennes Sabbath-breaking c. In a word we yeelde vnto the soueraigne power soueraigne authoritie to driue all sorts of men Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill to all those duties religious or secular which God hath laid vpon them and according to their care herein haue they beene commended or disallowed in the Scriptures Now that Princes should not command but according vnto God the Lord hath appointed them meanes as 1. The booke of the lawe to be by them continually to iudge of all matters according to the mouth of the Lord and to frame and execute their lawes according to the same 2. The ministerie to explane and lay open and put them in mind of their dutie out of that booke For these two Magistracie and Ministerie serve one an other as the left hand the right But here Ministers must take heede that they take no more vpon them then to aduise and aduertise from the Lord seeing this is one maine difference betweene Magistracy and Ministerie that although one haue an eye to the other in that Magistracie must stablish the Ministerie and the Ministerie direct Magistracie yet neither of them may execute the other Moses and Aaron must communicate their counsels and labours but both must knowe their owne standing After them Iosuah must ioyne with Eleazer Dauid the king must take advise of Nathan and Gad the Prophets Iosiah with Huldas so long as Iehoidah the Priest liueth to direct Ioas he prooueth well but after his death he waxeth worse And Vzziah will seeke the Lord in the dayes of Zachariah the Priest but afterward degenerateth and groweth verie naught and vnlike vnto himselfe Thus as formerly we haue stablished the regall power ouer all persons Ecclesiasticall as wel as others so now haue we also ouer all causes Ecclesiasticall as well as Ciuill with this onely exception vnder Christ who must still be acknowledged the soueraigne Lord and King of his Church to rule it by his own word and lawes according to which direction while they square their gouernement as Moses did all in the temple by the patterne shewed in the mount happy are the people happie is their gouernement happie are themselues in their administration but thrice happie shall they be in their account Quest. But all this while you onely bind the Prince to the lawes of Christ in gouerning the Church doe you giue him no power to make Ecclesiasticall lawes and constitutions of his owne Answ. Yes but concerning this point I thus conceiue that Ecclesiasticall lawes are of two sorts 1. Such as prescribe both the matter and manner of the worship of God and the whole substance of Church gouernement which are all the lawes of Christ himselfe made to his hand 2. Other Ecclesiasticall lawes which remaine for the supreame power to make are of two sorts 1. Either edicts for the authorizing and commanding the excution of the former lawes for the building and repairing of the Church that it may be a louely spouse of Christ. Or 2. such constitutions as are circumstantiall and in things meerely indifferent which may varie according to the variablenes of times places and dispositions of Churches and here he hath power to make Church-lawes of his owne so as the rules of the word be not transgressed concerning things indifferent And I thinke this a truth not denied by any In performing both these latter Kings and Queenes are called nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to the Church Now follows the second ground to be laid for the resoluing of the former point namely that seeing Kings are of power to doe what they list although not euer lawfully in regard of the lawes of God or nature yet safely in respect of his subiects who may not violently resist their persons or proceedings for who shall say vnto him what doest thou in this regard they may and sometimes doe command vnlawfull and vniust things and inflict grieuous and heauie burdens vniustly whether must obedience and subiection be yeelded them or no Ans. The conclusion is It is neuer lawfull to resist or rebell or vse any violence against a lawfull Magistrate for this were to rise vp in armes against the ordinance of God and consequently against God himselfe The Apostle Peter indeede calleth it an humane ordinance or creature but not in regard of the author as if it were deuised by man but of the ende because it is ordained of God for man as the proper subiect and for his profit as the proper ende of it And therefore though Popish Friers and factors stand within Corahs tents with poisoned daggers digging out the life-blood of Christian Princes and especially the Iesuites those cursed Shebaes which make no bones by themselues and others most treacherously to slay their kings and masters yet Dauids heart smote him when he made but a slight assault vpon the skirt of Sauls garment because he was the Lords anoynted teaching vs by his example another lesson then by violence to helpe our selues if we could doe it out of the vniust commandements and executions of those whom God hath set in eminence and authoritie aboue vs. But here we must take direction how to carie our selues towards lawfull Magistrates commanding or imposing vnlawfull things For consideration must be had whether the command bind vs to doe or to suffer and beare any vniust thing If the former enioyning vs to doe that wherof we haue not good ground to do it of faith here the supreame power of all must be obeyed and the prince only in and for the Lord for so Cesar must haue Cesars as God may haue Gods Daniel and his fellowes deliberated not to answer the King but boldly and readily professed that they would neuer worship his Image they would submit themselues to his furie but durst not to his commandement The Martyrs in Queene Maries time whose mention and memorie is honourable resisted not nor rebelled they willingly and ioyfully gaue their bodies to the flames but still professed against the idolatrous worship and doctrine established by law In Ieroboams time those which could conforme themselues to the edict of the calues were doubtles counted obedient and had the grace of the times and it went hard with others that durst not saue their labour but repayred to the Temple still but the Lord condemneth and accursed such wicked obedience and bringeth euill vpon all Israel for it No power on earth can make the conscience safe in the doing of a thing vnlawfull although in a thing indifferent conformed to the rules of the word the Princes law is a binder It is a weake speach therefore to say I do this and that
indeed his bowells were not straitned toward Titus and the Church committed vnto him seeing he wisheth the verie fountaine of grace to be opened vnto them for this word as we shewed in the beginning signifieth both the free loue and fauour of God towards vs in Christ as also all other spirituall blessings flowing from that fountaine such as are remission of sinnes reconciliation with God iustification sanctification life eternall and all the meanes tending thereunto 3. That beeing an Apostolicall prayer it might also be a meanes of obtaining and conuaying vpon them the grace requested and although he had made the same request for them before yet it is no vaine repetition for partly he prayeth for the encrease and further feeling of this grace for them and partly teacheth vs thereby that it is the only blessing to be prayed for the cheife if not only grace which our selues are to labour for and which we must by all meanes endeauour that others may haue their portion in with vs. 4. To shew that all our greeting must beginne and end in grace and that our formes of salutation should fauour of grace and not be profane gracelesse or formall as the most are 5. Beeing a Minister of grace he beginneth and endeth with it and teacheth Ministers that their first and last action of the day and of their Ministeriall dutie should be the commending of their people vnto the grace of God in their praiers and besides if ordinarie letters much more other more weightie actions of men must be vndertaken and performed with praier and praise Secondly in that he saith Grace be with you he sheweth that howsoeuer this Epistle was inscribed to Titus alone yet was it intended to be of common vse to the whole Church and therefore we haue not vnfitly applied the most of the doctrines to the vse not of Ministers only but of all sorts of men so farre as they concerned them Last of all in that he saith grace be with you all he meaneth all the elect and only they for only they are effectuall partakers of this sauing grace called often elsewhere the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the treasurie and fountaine of it The wicked are indeede endued with excellent gifts of Gods spirit but they want this grace of God in Christ which is the only foundation of our election to the grace of life of our effectuall vocation to the grace of God wherein we stand and of that assured hope of that heauenly inheritance which he hath purchased of his grace By this grace we are happily reconciled vnto God and adopted to be heyres of grace hereby also we haue receiued the word of grace which is made fruitfull to the planting and watering of all other sauing graces in vs and so to the furthering and finishing of the whole worke of our saluation in glorie This grace be euer with vs and all them that loue the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ to their immortalitie Amen So shall it be And so be it To God the Father of lights and to Iesus Christ that eternall word together with that annoynting euen the blessed spirit the only one true and wise God who hath happily led vs through these labours be all praise and glorie in all the Churches for euermore Amen A SHORT VIEWE OF SVCH Doctrines as are enlarged with their reasons and vses A Man may sometimes lawfully change his name Pag. 4. Such names are to be giuen to children as may put them in minde of some good dutie Pag. 4 The name of a seruant of God is full of honour Pag. 6 The chiefe offices in the Church are for the service of it Pag. 10 God hath some who are elect and other are not Pag. 11 The elect haue a faith by themselues Pag. 13 The faith of the elect is ordinarily wrought by the ministerie of the word Pag. 16 The doctrine of the Gospell is truth it selfe Pag. 18 The knowledge of the truth is the ground of faith Pag. 19 The truth intertained in truth frameth the heart vnto godlinesse Pag. 21 The ende of the ministerie is to drawe vp mens mindes from earth to heauen Pag. 24 True faith neuer goeth alone but as a Queene attended with many other graces especially with hope Pag. 27 Life eternall is the beleeuers by free promise Pag. 30 God is truth itselfe and cannot lie Pag. 33 The free loue of God appeareth in that whatsoeuer he doth for his elect in time the same he decreeth before all time Pag. 39 The doctrine of saluation is more clearely manifest then in former times Pag. 43 The Lord effecteth all his purposes and promises in due season Pag. 44 Saluation is to be sought for in the preaching of the word Pag. 48 The office of preaching is an office of trust Pag. 52 Whosoeuer entreth into the ministerie must finde himselfe pressed by the calling and commandement of God Pag. 53 Ministers may be more or lesse in the commendation of their calling as the disposition and necessitie of their people require Pag. 55 Gods calling to grace is free and powerfull Pag. 56 Ministers ought to be spirituall fathers in begetting children to God Pag. 58 Faith is one and the same in all Gods elect Pag. 62 Euerie man must be carefull 1. whome 2. to what 3. how farre he commendeth an other Pag. 65 All are not naturall sonnes that are so accounted 66 The free and euerlasting grace of God is the foundation of all blessings spirituall and temporall Pag. 69 True peace is the fruit of Gods grace and mercie Pag. 71 Whosoeuer is called to labour in the Church must by all his care further the worke of the Lord. Pag. 75 He that would Christianly and comfortably carrie himselfe through his calling must euer haue the ende of it in his eie Pag. 76 Churches must not be condemned as no Churches for want of some lawes or gouerment if they ioyne in the profession of the truth Pag. 80 No Church is hastely brought to perfection Pag. 81 There is continuall bending of good ordinances euen in the best estate of the Church Pag. 83 Such an absolute necessitie of a setled ministerie there is where a Church is planted that without it religion cannot possibly thriue or continue Pag. 86 The ordering and gouerning of the Church is not left arbitrarie no not to an Evangelist but Apostolicall direction must guide him Pag. 89 How able soeuer a man is to teach if he be of a scandalous life he is vnfit to be chosen a Minister Pag. 92 Marriage of Ministers is a lawfull and holy ordinance of God Pag. 97 Polygamie was euer blameworthy euen in the best Pag. 103 He that would reforme others abroad must begin at home Pag. 110 To haue the blessing of gracious children thou must beginne at religion Pag. 111 The carriage of a mans children is a great credit or disgrace to his profession especially of the Minister Pag. 113 Riot is an hatefull vice to be
praises which vnbeleeuers are as heauie vnto as a beare to the stake because they wāt the spirit which crieth in the hearts of Gods children abba father Fourthly it hath a liuely hope accompanying it it causeth watchfulnesse and waiting for yea and reioycing in the hope of the appearing of the Lord Iesus Rom. 5.2 beeing iustified by faith we reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God Secondly we may hence gather a cause why some beleeue some beleeue not it is not because some will and some will not whatsoeuer free-will-men presumptuously auouch the Holy Ghost telleth vs it is not in the willer nor in the runner but therefore men come to the faith because they are elected Act. 13.48 And why did not the Iewes beleeue the heauenly doctrine of Christ himselfe the reason is giuen Ioh. 10.26 Ye beleeue not because ye are not my sheepe most true is it here the elect haue obtained sauing faith the rest are hardened Rom. 11.7 The third conclusion is that this peculiar faith of the elect is ordinarily wrought in them by the ministrie of the word this beeing noted here that the end of the ministrie is to bring the elect vnto the faith Iob. 33.23 If there be a messenger or interpreter one of a thousand to declare to man his righteousnesse now this righteousnesse is no other then the righteousnesse of faith for this ende were the Apostles called furnished and sent out into the world to teach men faith on the Sonne of God as appeareth in their commission Mar. 16.16 Goe into all the world and preach the Gospel to euery creature he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued to this purpose is it that Paul affirmeth of the great mysterie of Godlinesse that it must first be preached vnto the Gentiles and then beleeued on in the world Vse 1. If this be the principall ende of the ministerie let ministers herein employ their first and principall paines to bring men vnto the faith wherein they shall imitate our Apostle not onely here but in his other Epistles who first dealeth in the causes and meanes of saluation and then instructeth in Christian manners as one whom the wisdome of God had taught that if the inside be not first made cleane and the heart purified by faith whatsoeuer actions can proceede from men be they neuer so glorious yet indeede they are no better then glistering sinnes he hath the right way of teaching in the schoole of Christ that first layeth for his ground faith in Christ and then buildeth thereon all his precepts of Christian Philosophie 2. The Minister ought to propound before him Gods end in performance of euery ministeriall dutie and that is by enlighting conuerting confirming comforting to bring and stablish men in the faith Which iustly reprehendeth such as forgetting themselues their dutie and people out of the pride of their hearts busie themselues in finding out obscure and darke mysteries tying hard knots to vntie them againe not much vnlike the dogge which refuseth soft meate to gnaw vpon bones and all this to get the praise of nimble heads and sharpe wits whereas the true glorie of a Minister is the number of those that are begotten to the faith who are gathered by the plaine euidence of the word in the words not which mans wisdome but which Gods spirit teacheth 3. The Lord hauing set out the ministrie for this vse let euery hearer acknowledge herein Gods ordinance and yeeld themselues with all submission vnto the ministerie and the word there preached that thereby they may haue faith wrought in their hearts God will haue men taught on earth and not from heauen by man not Angels or dead men let this meanes be despised nothing in heauen or earth can do thee good fast pray afflict thy soule forget not to distribute doe all the good thou canst but yet all this while despise the word offered and thou hast forsaken thine owne mercie nay more come to the ministerie heare the word read preached ioyne in the prayers and Sacraments of the Church if thou commest without the submission of thy heart whereby thou art become as prepared ground to couer the seede vnto increase all is in vaine for what is Paul what is Apollos what is the minister be he neuer so choise and excellent except he be the Minister of thy faith and so what is the ministerie to thee if it be not the ministerie of thy faith 4. Euery man may hence examine himselfe whether in the vse of the ministerie he finde sauing faith begotten wrought in his heart and by examination some may finde their vnderstandings more enlightened their iudgements more setled their practise in some things reformed but a very fewe shall finde Christ apprehended and rested in vnto saluation seeing so fewe there are that liue by faith in the Sonne of God for of all the sinnes that the spirit may and shall rebuke the world of this is the chiefe because they beleeue not in Christ. Howsoeuer many are in some things bettered by the ministerie yet very fewe haue attained this principall ende of it which is to put men in possession of true faith and by it of saluation And the knowledge of the truth which is according to Godlinesse The Apostle beeing called to beget faith in the elect magnifieth and extolleth this his calling from the difficultie of the worke for it is not to bring forth by his trauell any blind perswasion of faith which beeing too naturall to men would rise of it selfe fast enough without any such manuring but such a faith as is peculiar to the elect as before we heard In the which least men should be deceiued as easily and willingly the most be he taketh paines to set downe the whole nature of it in particular And first here we haue the ground of faith which is knowledge and because the truth of faith cannot find footing vpon follies or fansies nay nor vpon euery profitable knowledge he teacheth what kind of knowledge he speaketh of and that is the knowledge of the truth that is of the Gospel beeing a word of truth yea truth it selfe so called by way of excellencie or eminencie as though no other truth deserued that name or because this carrieth the onely vndoubted truth with it And further because many thinke all cocksure and that they cannot faile of faith if they be able to discourse of this truth he teacheth vs that it is not euery knowledge of the truth he meaneth but such a one as is according to godlinesse that is such as frameth the heart of the possessor to true Godlinesse Whence naturally arise these three conclusions First that the doctrine of the Gospell is the truth it selfe Secondly that the knowledge of this truth is the ground of faith Thirdly that where it is aright it frameth the heart to Godlinesse First the doctrine of the Gospel is truth it selfe 1. because the author of it is truth
same Chapter verse 29. denieth that God can repent whom he had heard a little before repenting that he had made Saul King The like in Balaams confession Numb 23.19 Yet it pleaseth God in the Scriptures to set out himselfe to our weaknesse not as he is in himselfe but as he can be knowne of vs for as man speaketh like a man vnto God so God speaketh like a man vnto man who else could not be vnderstood of man We must therefore meeting with such speaches hold these grounds 1. That all those things which we cannot doe without motion and change of our selues the Lord doth them without motion and change of himselfe 2. That God may change his action but not his counsell and will for before all worlds he did so decree to change his action When he deposed Saul to stablish the kingdome in Dauid he did from all euerlasting dispose so to depose the one and set vp the other so as here was no change in God himselfe but in the thing formerly determined so to be changed In like manner the Lord promiseth many things to his children which he seemeth after vtterly vnmindfull of he threatneth things which neuer come to passe as Hezekiah with death but presently retreates it the Ninevites with destruction after fortie dayes but destroied them not yea he seemeth to faine by vttering things cleane contrarie to his minde as when he biddeth Moses let him alone that he might destroie the Israelites whereas he neuer meant to destroie them To which in generall I answer 1. That all promises are made with condition of faith and repentance as also with the exception of the crosse 2. That all threats are made with exception of conuersion and repentance in neither of which the condition is expressed often but euer included and beeing added to that threatning against the Nineuites and against Abimelech Gen. 20.3 dissolueth the obiection 3. That the Lord neuer changeth his counsell and secret will but sometime his reueiled and that then when it includeth some condition depending vpon some euent which condition had it not bin included in the denunciation against Ezechias the decree of God had beene absolute and so not revocable neither by the prayers or repentance of that good King as it was 4. That the Lord may denounce a thing which yet he neuer decreed to doe and yet neither lie nor faine as in deliberatiue propositions such as that was against the Israelites Let mee alone for had Moses taken it for a simple interdiction I see not how he could haue without sinne proceeded on in his intecession for them but he perceiued the Lord carrying this matter as one in a deliberation what he might best doe in it Againe although the Lord cannot speake contrarie to his will yet he doth and may speake something diuerse and besides it as here both to teach Moses what it was that withheld his wrath euen his prayer which was whetted hereby as also to quicken the people to speedie and vnfained repentance Obiect But in the Scriptures we meete with many parables and hyperbolicall speaches which neuer were nor can be true as the conference among the trees and that the world were not able to containe the bookes of Christs words and workes which we see not how they can stand with the truth of God Ans. In the Scriptures are some speaches diuerse and some contrarie to the truth and yet neither lies nor sinne For God speaketh sometime by 1. contraries as by ironies or speaches of derision which are not alwaies vitious in man neuer in God but carrie with them most seuere reprehensions against sinne 2. sometimes by parables in which not falsehoods but by fained things vnfained truthes are taught and deliuered 3. sometimes by excesse of speach speaking of infinite and incomprehensible things so as we may comprehend and affect them But in all such formes of speach we must hold these conclusions 1. That they tend to the instruction and edification of the Church 2. There can be no purpose on Gods part to deceiue as in a lie but to profit by a more powerfull and forcible manner of teaching the truth 3. He intendeth nothing but the truth it selfe for he conceiueth not one thing in his minde and vtter another but onely omitting the proper speach in figuratiue and tropicall he more elegantly powerfully and profitably explaneth the same truth Thus hauing prooued and cleared the doctrine we descend to the vses of it Vse 1. If God cannot lie then whatsoeuer his Ministers promise or threaten from him and out of his word is aboue all exception seeing he hath spoken it who cannot lie deceiue or be deceiued which should stirre vp euery man to giue glorie vnto God as Abraham did by sealing to his truth that is by beleeuing and applying vnto his owne soule euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God for whosoeuer thus receiueth his testimonie hath sealed that God is true then which no greater glorie can be giuen vnto him Whereas not to beleeue him on his word is as high a dishonour as any man can cast vpon him for it is to giue God the lie hee that beleeueth not hath made him a liar which in manners and ciuilitie we could not offer to our equall and which euen a meane man would skorne to put vp at our hands Hath God made thee any promise that he will be with thee in sixe troubles and in seauen hath he promised that he will dispose of all things to the best to thee that louest him hath he said that no good thing shall be wanting to thee that fearest him doe thou leane and hang vpon these promises and giue God the honour of truth by beleeuing him Thou wouldest trust a man whom thou thinkest will not lie though thou knowest he can lie and deceiue thee much more maiest and oughtest thou the high God who is as farre from the power as the will and as farre from both as from ceasing to be God Yea but I see no meanes no hope but all things are rather cleane contrarie to the promise and the common order of things carried against it Be it so yet must thou depend vpon the naked promise which is true and not lying as Iohn speaketh of the annointing Thus haue the seruants of God done before vs Hezekiah knew not what to doe but his eies were to the Lord Abraham hoped aboue hope yea then when all meanes failed and the order of nature was set against him did be not doubt of the truth of the promise but gaue glorie vnto God the victorious conquest of whose faith is often in the Scriptures recommended vnto our imitation And this lessō must be laid vp in our harts especially against the times of our deepest distresses and afflictions by persecution or otherwise wherin if they be either more smart or more durable we shall not want Rabsakes who will not sticke to reuile
him in possession The Apostle gathereth a flocke of the wild beasts of the forrest the Pastor must staie to feed and attend vpon that flocke the Apostle must change his place vpon immediate commandement the Pastor may not for he must be readie at all assaies to feed the flocke depending vpon him 1. Pet. 5. he must alwaies present himselfe as a patterne and example vnto it 1. Tim. 4.12 except we will say that the ordinarie Ministerie of the Gospel is not as straitly bound to dutie as the ordinarie Minister of the law for the Priests must alwaies be readie in the Temple to answer all doubts as Ely 1. Sam. 1.9 to keepe in the holy fire and lights to receiue all sacrifices and oblations to renew the bread before the Lord yea and for this end was that institution that the Priests might not dwell farre from the Temple but their houses were builded close to it according to the patterne of Dauid 1. Chro. 28.13 Yet so as by the Churches call a Pastor whose gifts are found fit for such a purpose may be sent from his place if in the interim it be sufficiently prouided for either to gather a Church or reduce such as haue gone astraie See 2. Chron. 17.7.9 2. Note That Paul departing from Creta leaueth them not at sixe seauens neither neglecteth the busines and worke he had in his hands but leaueth Titus to perfect that which he had begunne Herein teaching vs that euery man whome the Lord hath called to doe good in his Church and whose conscience stirreth vp his care must finde in himselfe this holy desire that the Lords plow be euer followed his building euer reared his worke euer furthered by all but especially so farre as lyeth in his power by his owne meanes and that both in the places abroad as also where he liueth Paul careth not onely for the Churches where he becommeth but where he hath beene and this was the ground why he left Timothie at Ephesus 1. Tim. 1.3 and Titus here at Creta vpon which occasion he wrote both these Epistles So should euery man in his place whom God honoureth to be the beginning of any good thing imitate that worthy Nehemiah in his care RemeÌ„ber me O God blot not out my kindnes that is suffer not thy worship restored by my meanes in Ierusalem to be defaced and much lesse abolished In like manner if a man be called from his place so as he must leaue it to another his care must be that it be furnished with a fit man Eliah when he was to be taken vp walking with Elisha whom he knew was to be his successor by prayer obtained for him an hard request namely the doubling of his owne spirit vpon him Memorable is the speach and practise of Moses who when the Lord had bid him goe vp into the Mount and see the land and then die he neglecteth himselfe and forgetteth after a sort his owne present death and breaketh out into prayer for the people O Lord God of spirits appoint a man ouer the congregation 1. that he may be instructed to go in and out 2. least this people be as sheepe without a shepheard Neither would Christ himselfe the mirrour of grace ascend vp into heauen before he had appointed furnished men for the building vp of his bodie his earnest charge to Peter and in him to all the Disciples and their successours that if euer they louâ—d him they would feed his sheepe sheweth the care of this great shepheard of our soules Men need not be prouoked to prouide for their children while yet they are with them that it may be well with them after their departure and should not spirituall fathers doe the like for their children to whom they are tyed by a strayter bond Fearefully sinne they against this example who while they craple and couple liuings together that they may fill their owne bellies and haue there portion in the fleece and fat neither staie themselues to teach as they ought nor yet leaue any Titus behind them of whose sufficiencie we heard before to redresse things that remaine but offer the sheepe of Christ to the wolfe and sell soules for peeces of siluer and morsells of bread The men of God were wont to extend their care for Gods people with neglect of themselues euen to the time of their departure yea and after although they might seeme to be loosed by remoouall or at least by death but these feele no waight of such an heauie burthen which presseth them euen for the present 3. Note That the Apostle thus sending Titus he will haue him consider the end of his calling and placing both to prouoke himselfe to diligence as also to obtaine for him more libertie and authoritie in that Church where he had left him and it was no more then needed for to goe about to innouate and reforme a whole Iland hauing an hundreth cities in it and bring new offices and officers among them might both exasperate the one and altogether discourage the other to both seeme a thankles busines But now if Titus shall thinke with himselfe This is the end of my calling wherein God requireth my faithfulnes and if the Cretians shall conceiue within themselues for this end was Titus placed amongest vs both to settle things that are wanting and to reforme things that are amisse this consideration could not but mooue and perswade both of them to a mutuall and comfortable consent in the busines of Christ and a louing entertainment one of the other Which teacheth that that man who would Christianly and comfortably carrie himselfe through any calling must euer haue the end of it in his eye The Magistrate must set before â—is eie that he is the Minister of God for mens wealth and that therefore he must not carrie the sword for naught but necessitie lyeth vpon him to execute the iudgements of God The Minister must propound before him his end which is the gathering together of the Saints hence a necessitie is imposed vpon him and wo to him that not ayming at this end preacheth not the Gospel The priuate man must set before him the publike and common good and in his whole course aime at that The efficacie of which argument is such as that the Lord himselfe most vsually vrgeth it in stirring vp men to the right receiuing and vse both of spirituall blessings as also the holy fruition of temporall mercies How doth the Lord vrge his people to the pure vse of his holy ordinance of marriage otherwise then from the three ends of it 1. in that thence they must expect an holy seed 2. for auoyding of fornication 3. from the comfort of a fit helpe and a comfortable companion Mal. 2.14 compared with 1. Cor. 7.2 and Gen. 2.18 So as looke what Mordecai said of Hesters aduancement Who can tell whether thou art come to the kingdome for this time let euery man say
hearts God giues them ouer to beleeue and broach doctrines besides the word all their learning hindreth not nay rather armeth them to sticke fast to falshood and errors and to defend doctrines of much loosenesse and libertie Especially the iudgement of God is come vpon the Romish Church to the vttermost who because they lay this for a ground of their doctrine that this word is not of it selfe faithfull and certaine vnlesse the Church and Councels and the Pope authorize it to mens consciences and that any other word thrust vpon the Church by the former authoritie is euery whit as faithfull as this hence is their whole religion a mysterie of iniquitie and delusion hence comes in intercession of Saints worship of images prayer to and for the dead pilgrimages here purgatorie hereafter reuelations masses bread-worshippe propitiatorie sacrifices mixture of Moses and Christ which is a doctrine cutting them off from Christ who haue before cut off the authoritie and credit of the Scriptures which are the word of Christ which fearefull iudgement let it mooue euerie Timothie and Titus carefully to keepe the worthie thing which is committed vnto them 2. Euerie Minister is taught hence to hold him vnto this faithfull word for so he shall deliuer not things doubtfull and vncertaine but such as men may leane vnto rest and as we say write vpon And this is insinuated by our Apostle that that is a faithfull ministerie which holdeth it selfe vnto a faithfull word such as is the sure anchor of mens soules against which hell gates cannot preuaile Such was the ministerie of the true Prophets Ieremie saith of a truth the Lord hath sent me and bidden me speake these things of the Apostles who deliuered such things as they receiued of the Lord and commanded vs that if an angel from heauen or a deuill from hell should bring not a contrarie but a diuerse doctrine from that to hold him accursed yea of the Sonne of God himselfe who said my word is not mine but my fathers What horrible blasphemie then is daily practised in the Popish Churches whose teachers calling these faithfull words a nose of waxe send men to dumbe idols the teachers of vanities and lies yea to Apocryphall writers to fathers councels Bishops and Popes as though the Scriptures had lost all their faithfulnesse or as though the canons decrees summes and sentences of men were more stable then that eternall truth that shall out-last heauen and earth Was this a faithfull word in Pauls time and is it not so still doth the sonne of the eternall father pronounce of his fathers word that it is not onely true but truth it selfe and that not one iot of it can passe or faile and is it any other then the voice of Antichrist which shall say that it is no certaine word at least to me vnlesse the Church say so Shall the spirit of God call it a sure word of the Prophets and Apostles and a word of truth and shall we heare a wicked and lying spirit come out of hell and say that this stabilitie and truth dependeth vpon man whereas let God be true and euerie man a lyar and that if those men whom they tearme the Church change their minds or any sense in the Scripture so doth the holy Ghost also Let these owles flie the light of the Scriptures as such as loue to liue in darkenes carnall religion must haue carnall props like lips like lettice we say and such a Church such lawes As for vs let vs as it standeth vs in hand hold vs vnto this faithful word and not in stead of it deliuer the vnfaithfull words of men whether Philosophers or fathers or schoole-men And is it not good reason that we should be tied to this word when euen the Prophets and Apostles were Isai must take a role and write and binde the testimonie and seale the lawe among the disciples the commandement to Ieremie was preach the words that I shall tell thee In the newe Testament they must heare Moses and the Prophets Paul was separated to preach that Gospeâ— which was promised before by the Prophets and accordingly he witnessed that he spake nothing besides the things foretold by the Prophets Againe what ministeriall worke is it which this word doth not most naturally and happily effect for this is a sure instrument to beget faith Ioh. 17.20 and to confirme it Act. 15.32 to conuert soules Psal. 19.7 and to saue soules Iam. 1.22 Now vnto hearers this doctrine affoardeth also speciall vse of instruction 1. If it be so faithfull a word euerie man must attend vnto it 2. Pet. 1.19 we haue a surer word to which yee doe well that yee attend 2. To lay vp this word surely as beeing the sure euidence of thy saluation and of thy heauenly inheritance among the Saints Men locke vp their euidences or convaiances of land in sure and safe places delight often to read in them suffer no man to cousen them of them whatsoeuer casualtie come these are by all meanes possible safegarded and shall any man carelesly neglect such an euidence as this is without which he hath no assurance of saluation nor the tenure out of his idle conceit of one foote in heauen a lame man if he hold not fast his staffe falleth and whosoeuer looseth his part in the word looseth his part in heauen 3. Here is a ground of thankfulnesse in that the Lord hath not onely vouchsafed vs life and glorie and immortalitie when we were dead and when nothing could be added to our miserie but hath also giuen vs such a constant guid and direction therunto we might either haue groped after him in palbable darknes or haue had such direction as might haue affoarded vs lesse assurance and comfort but now beleeuers knowe assuredly that they were loued of the father before the foundation of the world and out of that loue chosen vnto life that the Sonne was sent to ransome them from sinne and present them iust before his Father that his spirit is sent out to regenerate them and to further and finish their sanctification that by his prouidence they are supplied in all their good that by his power they are protected from all their euills He might haue brought vs to heauen and neuer haue let vs know any of these comforts in earth yet would he not so slenderly leaue his Church but as our Sauiour noteth he hath spoken and written this word that our ioy might be more full which is one generall vse of the whole word of God Now what can we doe lesse then in way of thankfulnes 1. yeeld vp our selues to be directed by this faithfull word 2. Beleeue it in whatsoeuer it commandeth threatneth or promiseth in that it is such a faithfull word and hereby we set also our seale vnto it 3. Constantly cleaue vnto it in life and in death and not to be so foolish as
haue receiued the white stone and the newe name in it let him knowe that the foundation of God remaineth sure let him for his part set his seale vnto it by departing from iniquitie and he that thus daily purgeth himselfe shall bee a vessell prepared vnto honour 2. Tim. 2.19 3. We may not looke to liue here belowe amongst angels but if we willingly will not be deceiued we must make account of tares for such an heauen wherein dwelleth nothing but righteousnes cannot be looked for vpon earth And therefore the Anabaptists following the Donatists while they will abide no tares in their fields and floares themselues remaine no wheate no Church for these two must abide together vntill the haruest so as in the meane time where the one is not neither is or can be the other But we must looke vp and breath after that day of separation when the Lord Iesus shall make good that promise vnto vs Cant. 4.8 Thou shalt come with me my spouse from Lebanon and looke from the toppe of Amanah from the top of Shenar and Hermon from the dennes of Lyons and from the mountaine◠of Leopards where three promises are wrapped vp in one 1. of deliuerie out of the world Lebanon a part of it beeing put for the whole 2. of victorie for the Church shall be exalted as on the toppes of the highest hils and shall disdainefully and tryumphantly looke downe vpon her enemies who shall be put vnder her feete 3. of safetie from wicked lyonish cruel and bloodthirstie men and from leopards and hypocrites which haue as many contrary guises as the leopard hath spots The second point are the characters of an hypocrite The first of the fowre is in these words They professe they knowe God The hypocrite is a great professor of religion and hence commeth to be answerable to his name in seeming to be and sustaining the person that he is not as a clowne or knaue on a stage plaieth the part of a noble or king but is well knowne to be the next remooue from a rogue so these fellowes whom the Apostle noteth haue often in their mouthes the name of God and of Christ the title of the Chuch and pretend great knowledge of God and cunning in the Scriptures and other Ecclesiasticall writings yea further make a great shewe of faith and pietie and if bare profession would lead to heauen these could not be the least or last there And to make this a little more plaine an hypocrite can carrie himselfe so leuell and euen in his course as no man shall be able outwardly to accuse him or impute any thing vnto him no more then the disciples could accuse Iudas when euerie man said Master is it I but none of them said master is it Iudas Obserue him in his religion you shall heare him crying vnto God and saying my God I knowe thee challenging God for his God and thrusting himselfe vnder him as one of his people and holy ones many shall crie Lord Lord saith Christ and shall professe the knowledge of him to whom he shall professe that he neuer knewe them for his You shall see him outrunning all that is required at his hands he will bring many oblations not of sheepe and small beasts but many oxen and not in one place as God requireth but in many yea in so many as the altars shall exceede the number of the cities you shall see him cleaue to the Church heare pray nay heare gladly as Herod pray boldly as the Pharisie and receiue often the seede with ioy and yet be bad ground Looke to his outward carriage he will not faile in the practise of iust dealing he will abstaine from most sinnes as other men he will cling to good mens companie be pragmaticall and busie in performing many sightly duties he will be readie to plucke out his eyes for good Ministers as the Galatians for Paul and yet afterward fall quite from his doctrine You would verily thinke him to be a sheepe of Christ and so himselfe may happily take himselfe to be the child of God and in all this ledde by the motions of the good spirit of God whereas not a fewe vncleane spirits breath in him Ob. Alas will some here say what am I better then such a man as you speake of what am I other then an hypocrite if this man may be one I see my selfe come behind such as these and so haue lost a great deale of paines of hopes Ans. As Christ said to the young man vaunting of keeping all the lawes of God from his youth one thing is yet wanting so it is to this man which if thou hast thou as farre exceedest him as light doth darkenes though thou wantest a great deale of his appearance What this is the next note sheweth The second note is in these words But indeede they denie him that is all the religion of an hypocrite is onely an outward profession separated from the inward sinceritie of the heart All that we haue spoken of him is but a liueles forme of godlinesse in which the power of it is denied 2. Tim. 3.5 Men may be said to denie a thing three wayes 1. with the tongue 2. with the heart thus the Atheist denieth God Psal. 24.1 3. with the life or actions which is here properlie meant For aske the tongues and words of these men concerning their courses all wil appeare to be fish whole but aske their liues and you shall heare their workes which are farre more euident witnesses with or against a man then his words speake otherwise Or grant they doe many glorious workes to the eie yet euen herein after a sort God is denied in that they are lame and indeede carkases of good actions without any soule to quicken thē all is externall and in such workes they may be verie busie but spiritually they performe nothing Thus Christ chargeth the Scribes and Pharisies with hypocrisie in that they outwardly appeared righteous but inwardly were like the graues full of putrifaction and rottennes And if narrowly we examine the most glorious appearances of this kind of men we shall out of the Sriptures more euidently see the light of this truth which teach vs that there is a generation that draw neere God with their lippes but their hearts are farre remooued from him so as though he be neere their mouthes he is farre from their raines they can come with sheepe and oxen to seeke the Lord Hos. 5.6 but not with faith and repentance in their hearts and therefore shall they finde him If God delighted in outward sacrifices they would giue him many a one but that sacrifice of an humble and contrite spirit which is his delight they detaine from him Hence is all their righteousnesse compared to a morning dewe which maketh shewe as if it would water and moisten the heart of the earth but it onely standeth a little vpon the face or crust of
kin to the gowte for the one is of rich men the other of rich women neither of the poore ones for most part yet it is most kindly in the mother most prosperous to the babe and the refusall of it very preiudiciall to both besides if nature in euery bruit beast cannot crie lowd inough in some mothers eares grace in the presidents of the godliest women we euer heard of calleth for it Sarah hauing a promise of a sonne said who would haue thought that euer Sarah should haue giuen sucke it was taken for granted in those daies that she that bare a child should also giue it sucke and so did Sarah although her age might iustly haue required dispensation Who was nurse to Samuel but his owne mother and when the Lord would chuse a nurse for Moses the greatest Prophet that euer was whom did he deliuer him vnto rather then his owne mother Who did giue sucke vnto Christ but his owne mother looke whose wombe bare him her pappes gaue him sucke And what kind of women were they whom the Apostle would chuse into office in the church but such as among other notes of diligence honestie and grace had giuen sucke to their owne children 1. Tim. 5.10 Let women consider seriously not onely how vnnaturall but how vngodly a practise it is without iust ground on idle pretenses to depart from the steppes of these holy women thrusting forth their children sometimes to such as by whose negligence they are brought short home and sometimes which is worse to such who ought neither to giue milke nor yet liue by the law of God I meane such as by dishonestie haue filled their breasts but to whomsoeuer they come short of that loue which euen the bruite creatures cary to their young Secondly seeing the vnreasonable creatures can and doe performe this office of loue there must needs be more required in the loue of mothers toward their children the second dutie therefore of motherly loue is by instruction to frame them vp to godlines and this two waies 1. By deliuering them precepts of pietie so soone as they can conceiue them that if it were possible they might sucke in with the milke principles of grace and godlinesse Salomon wisheth the parent to teach a child while he is a child in the trade of his way and least mothers should turne off this dutie to the father as beeing his we reade of a bundle of instructions collected together which Salomons mother taught him Prov. 31.1 That it is a fruite of loue in parents see Prov. 4.3.4 and the recompence of Eunica her timely teaching of Timothie her sonne appeareth in the commendations which Paul giueth of him euery where 2. By becomming examples to them of godlinesse and pietie carefull what speach gesture behauiour passe from them in the presence of their children which if it be sober and religious it fashioneth their behauiour accordingly or if otherwise it soone and suddenly corrupteth them as we see the loosenes of many parents fearefully reuenged and visibly vpon their children Thirdly the third office of true motherly loue is seasonable and mercifull correction Prou. 13.24 wherein two extreames are to be auoided 1. too much indulgence for that is a cruell loue in the euent a child let alone to himselfe saith Salomon maketh his mother ashamed and maketh the father smart often as Hely and bringeth himselfe to ruine it is noted a cause of Adoniahs ruine and fall that his father would not displease him from his childhood that this is a fruite of parentlike loue see Leuit. 19.17 thou shalt not hate him to let sinne be vpon him and Prou. 13.24 he that spareth the rodde hateth his child but he that loueth him chasteneth him betime 2. Take heede of crueltie and too much seueritie which may prouoke their children both Parents must beware of abusing their authoritie either to vniust commands or by vnseemely reproaches and contumelies or else by vniust and immoderate stripes by all which meanes children whom louing meanes might perhaps haue reclaimed are both exasperated and alienated from the Parent and hardened also and made desperate in bad courses The fruite appeareâ—h in good Ionathan whom Saul euerie way prouoked 1. none must bring his deare and innocent friend Dauid to be slaine but he there was a most vniust commandement 2. he vniustly reuiled him calling him the sonne of an whoore 3. he wanted of his will that he slewe him not for he threwe his speare at him and then the text saith that he arose and went his way Fourthly the last dutie is heartie and daily prayer for their childrens prosperitie Iob sanctified his sonnes daily a dutie euinced by the commendable custome of childrens daily crauing the Parents prayer Vse Let women learne thus to loue their children and thus to loue al their children for the precept is indefinite excluding no one child from any one of these duties which meeteth with the practise of some women who loue not their children in iudgement but in affection which sometime is carried to the eldest sometime to the youngest with neglect of all the rest some one must be made the wanton and darling some other so rigorously intreated that they seldome see a cleare and vncloudy looke towards them some one shall haue a double portion and be so set vp as that all his brethrens sheaues shal not fal downe onely but be blasted before his sheaue this is not to loue children religiously as Iob did who offered sacrifice according to the number of them all and therefore let religious men and women shunne this corrupt â—ffection least it be with them as it was with the Patriarks who were neuer more grieuously crossed in any thing then in their darling children Discreete or temperate A vertue before required both in the Minister cap. 1.8 and in elder men cap. 2.2 and now in younger women beeing a grace requisite for all estates ages sexes and conditions of life requiring that the raines of affections be subiected vnto reason and moderated by iudgement not suffering a thought to be entertained and setled in the minde which is not first warranted in the word without which if the raines be slacked but a little the minde is suddenly vanquished taken and lead captiue of manifold lusts This grace then is the watchman and moderator of the mind keeping and guarding it from pleasures altogether vnlawfull and in lawful curbing and cutting off excesse and abuse It watcheth also ouer the affections of the heart and actions of the life resisting all light behauiour all childish carriage all vnquiet and troublesome passions such as are suspitions ielousies which are the fewels and firebrands of much mischeife and the distempers of flashing anger rage vniust vexation It suffereth not vndutifulnes to the husband vnnaturalnes towards the children vnmercifulnes towards seruants vntowardnes in her owne duties vnthankefull medling with other folkes affaires It is a procurer
the Scriptures see 1. Pet. 1.17.18 If you call him father passe the time of your dwelling here in feare knowing that you were redeemed c. And the reason is of great force for gifts and good turnes haue great power to hold mens harts to the bestower that a man is scarce his owne but as the borrower is a seruant to the lender so much more doth the giuer binde the receiuer but if the gift be no trifle but of great price and necessarie vse the receiuer is much more straitly bound then before Salomon saith that a gift prospereth where euer it goeth noting the great power that gifts haue to sway the heart to good or euill and this latter so effectually as they can make a man who hath eyes of his owne to shut them vp see with other mens yea force euen wise men to peruert iudgement Ioseph when he wrastled with the wicked attempt of his impudent mistris how did he fortifie himselfe against such a shamlesse motion hee considered that his Master had committed all into his hand and aduanced him aboue all in the house saue his Mistrisse how should I then saith he commit a fact of such indignitie against him for besides the wickednesse of it against God shamelessnes it selfe would be ashamed of it And as he was withdrawne from this sinne so by the same motiue would the Apostle draw on euery Christian to the performance of euery Christian dutie for hauing disputed of free iustification by faith and shewed both from what estate and vnto what condition beleeuers were brought he laieth this for a ground to build his exhortation vnto holy life Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God euen by these mercies of God be perswaded to gâ—ue vp your bodies a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God and fashion not your selues like vnto this world Vse In any temptation vnto sinne say to thy selfe as Ioseph what was I a bondman before I came to my master nay was I vnder damnation before as the bringing of saluation implyeth was I without God without Christ held vnder chaines of darkenesse was sentence passed against me not to die on a gibbet but to be held vnder euerlasting death with the damned hath the Lord by the word of his grace giuen mee a free pardon and deliuered me from all this wofull estate Oh how can I do this wickednes against such a master against my God who hath not onely freed me from my miserie but aduanced me to such dignitie as no man is in the house aboue me and made me not steward onely but heire with Christ to partake in the same glorie with him Oh I could neuer answer such vnthankefulnes Would God men in temptations would lay such considerations to heart and then could they not be so headlong carried into the common sinnes of the age of swearing drinking sabbath breaking vncleannes and such like Againe if the Lord make any suit vnto vs as he maketh many in the ministerie of the word the motions of his spirit and the counsels and exhortations of his children either to call vs forward in grace or recall vs from some sinne here is a strong motiue for the good speed of it euen the laying to our hearts the great things he hath done for our soules he can command vs nothing but we are sure he hath done farre more for vs say then with thy selfe oh I was attainted of high treason against God the King of glorie cast and condemned by the law my necke was vpon the block and the streak of death was euen a giuing and then did this great King send me a most vnexpected but a most welcome pardon he hath put away my offence abolished the staine of it and restored me by act of parliament kept in heauen to my blood nay more aduanced mee to an honourable office neere himselfe that none is in greater grace then I am shall this King now command mee any thing that shall seeme burdensome can he command any thing so soone but I must needs call to minde such free grace formerly bestowed Nay doth he enioyne me but some small peece of seruice for mine owne good and vrge me thereto with the remembrance of his former grace towards me Oh what an vnthankfull creature were I if so equall a suit should not preuaile with mee but goe vnrespected In a word let vs be glad of such a gentle schoolmaster which inuiteth vs by such allurements which if they be not of force to mooue and preuaile with men there remaineth nothing but that the terrors and curses of the law returne againe vpon them and these shall schoole and tame them well inough Now we come to the former of the lessons which grace teacheth namely to denie 1. vngodlinesse 2. worldly lusts By vngodlines is meant properly euery transgression of the first table namely all irreligion and open despight of God and his ordinances all negligent also and deceitfull seruing of him an inbred and mother sinne hauing so many sinnes sucking vpon her as there are wayes whereby any or all the fowre first commandements are transgressed And more indirectly the sinnes of the second table are included so farre as they proceed from the neglect of the former By worldly lusts are meant two things 1. the lust of vnlawfull things which tend to our owne hurt or our neighbours in bodie goods name c. 2. the vnlawfull or immoderate lust of things lawfull which are brought to three heads 1. The lust of the flesh that is desire to liue softly to fare daintely and deliciously euerie day and that the soule may take the ease and much more the fruits of these as vnchast desires lustfull and rouing affections and looks loose and vncleane words and practises 2. Lust of the eyes the couetous and crauing eye the euill eie which can see nothing but it wisheth it the excessiue seeking and holding of earthly things immoderate desire of riches Achan will haue the cursed Babylonish wedge and garment and Ahab will fall sicke on his bed for Naboths vineyard 3. Pride of life ambition thirst after preferments state credit popularitie blind selfe loue contempt of others boasting rash confidence c. All these are called worldly lusts because 1. they are not of the father but of the world that is either in the best vse of these things so affected they are of the world and respect the present life they are not diuine things but tend vnto the world wholly and are corruptible with the world which passeth away so as it were madnesse to place the kingdome of God in such things as meate drinke honours pleasures though neuer so lawfully vsed Or else these lusts are the desires of worldly men for naturally mens hearts feed vpon these lusts till grace worke some change in them that they can see God in Christ become their father who contenteth them with better and sweeter portions 2. They are
then that they enioy vpon the earth and can scarsely endure to heare of any exchange 3. These lusts are fitter for the course of nature vnmortified Ephes. 2.3 We had in time past our conuersation among the Gentiles in the lusts of the flesh but now c. which let such professors thinke off who frame themselues too much to the fashion of the world in meat drinke apparell sports and other things perhappes more vnlawfull then these For thus to walke argueth little or no conscience or feeling either of sin or grace and the gentlest name the Apostle giueth it is a sleepie walking Such may indeed carrie the title of Christians but the worke of Christianitie is not present where there is a fight of lusts against the soule but not of the spirit against lusts and much lesse where these furnaces are fed and fewelled and the flames are not daily dying and extinguished Vse 2. This teacheth that only true religion teacheth true mortification and suffereth not a man to walke after his lusts though he walke in the flesh yet he cannot walke after the flesh All false religions carrie indeed pretences of the spirit as Zidkiah smote Michaiah and said when went the spirit from mee to thee but the true religion only hath the promise and presence of the spirit which indeed mortifieth the deeds of the flesh Euery water in Iudea could not heale the lame but only the water of the poole of Bethesdah in which the Angel stirred Arbanah and Pharphar the riuers of Damascus although in shew much more excellent then Iordan cannot cure the leprosie of Naaman No more can euery religion or any but this which alone is from God cure the vncleannes leprosie of our soules The religion of the Pharisies was outwardly exceeding glorious and very strict yet Paul who had liued according to the most strict sect of them all professeth that before he knew Christ he was not crucified to the world At this day Poperie which carieth with it a great shew of humblenes of mind and beaâ—ing downe the bodie yet is farre from teaching true mortification for what doctrine the Turkish not excepted goeth further in clayming iustification and life as the merit of their owne obseruances yea take the strictest sort of them as their heremites anchorites c. that goe barefoote pine and imprison themselues lie on the ground couer their skinnes with sacke cloath c. are they not such as the former looking for heauen as a reward for the strictnesse of their liues doe they not then as one Philosopher said of an other contemne the pride of the world but with more pride Euerie shewe of humilitie is not true mortification for not onely the Epicures who were sold ouer to pleasure were enemies to Paul but those strait and seuere sects also of the Pythagorians and the Stoicks did mightily oppose him In a word among what sort of men doth the lusts of pride vncleannes Epicurisme and couetousnesse more raigne then in the teachers of that doctrine their Monks Prelacie Cardinalls and their father the Pope himselfe so as the truth is cleare that onely true religion in which the spirit delighteth to manifest himselfe is the teacher of true mortification And that we should liue soberly Now we are come to the second lesson which the doctrine of grace teacheth namely that such as entertaine it should lead their liues in the practise of three vertues contrarie to the former vices of vngodlinesse and worldly lusts the which as they are directed either against God or our brethren or our selues so the first of these prouideth against the disordered carriage of our selues in requiring sobrietie the second cutteth off hatefull and vncharitable lusts against our brethren in requiring iustice or right dealing man with man Christian with Christian especially the third represseth impious and vngodly lusts more directly against God himselfe in requiring godlinesse to shine out in the liues of professors For all these three must be practised in the due circumstance of time euen in this present world Doctr. 1. The doctrine of grace teacheth not onely to abstaine from euill but also to doe good and is the mistris of true sanctification in both the parts of it both the mortification of sinne as also quickning in righteousnesse For as it is in the lightning of a darke house first darkenesse must giue place and light must succeede so is it in the shining of this light of grace the night must passe and then the day must come the olde man must be cast off with his lusts and then the newe man put on That the Gospel is the teacher of both these it appeareth in the ende of Pauls conuersion who for this purpose was appointed a minister of the things he had heard and seene and sent to the Gentiles that he might turne them from darkenes to light and from the power of Satan vnto God and also in the whole scope of his doctrine and ministerie from the first to the last as himselfe professeth that when he taught first at Damascus then at Ierusalem after through all the coasts of Iudea and then to all the Gentiles he reduced all his doctrine in all these places to these two heads namely that they should repent and turne to God and then doe workes worthy amendment of life Hence is it that his Epistles are full of such exhortations as these cast off lying and speake truth euerie man to his neighbour walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Be not drunke with wine but be fulfilled with the spirit The same is to be noted also in the other Apostles 1. Pet. 2.12 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles and cap. 4.2 henceforth so much time as remaineth in the flesh wee should liue not after the lusts of men but after the will of God Vse 1. This doctrine confuteth profane Libertines who as Paul speaketh of some in his time because grace hath abounded continue in sinne they will be saued by such a grace as quitteth them from all holy life and conscionable obedience God is mercifull and Christ died for all here is grace but the fruit and effect of it is to cleaue vnto vngodlinesse and lusts and growe euerie day more foule and deformed then other Whereas the wisedome from aboue is pure and as he that calleth is holy so must he that is called be holy also in all manner of conuersation and if we cal him father we must passe the time of our dwelling in feare The dogges shall be without when as onely the vndefiled in their waies shall obtaine blessednesse 2. Such are iustly hence reprooued who take themselues to be tolerable schollers if sometimes they make shewe of obedience vnto God and his word that they may appeare to men to pray to heare to reade to giue almes c. and yet
vnwillingly or which I had rather not doe and if it be a sinne which I do it is the Princes sinne and not mine nay whatsoeuer action of thine wanteth faith is thy sinne besides although all thy externall condition is in the power of the Magistrate yet internall things as the keeping of faith and obedience and good conscience are not in his power but placed by God in the will and consent of the beleeuer to keepe or to loose Secondly but if the Princes commandement call vs to suffer any vniust thing as if he should laie tyrannicall burdens vpon bodie goods and outward estate these we must acknowledge subiected vnto him by God and therefore the ordinarie defence is prayer and patience by which the passion of vniust vexation will become iust and comfortable vnlesse for the time of the brunt of persecution we can conuey our selues from the furie according to that of Christ if they persecute you in one citie flie to another and Act. 8.1 the Saints were scattered by the persecution for by this meanes of preseruing our selues we preserue also the Church which otherwise would be destroied in vs but els we must meekly beare all vniust vexations and in such times take heed of medling with the seditious These two former grounds will become clearer by the explaning of some instances which we meet with in the Scripture and therefore it will be worth our labour breifly to inquire into some few of them And first whether Mordecay did with good conscience deny subiection yea reuerence to Haman seeing hereby he not only made light of a great man sent by the King but also of the Kings commandement who commanded Haman thus to be honoured as the reprehension of the Kings seruants noted in the text prooueth why transgressest thou the Kings commandement Answ. Mordecay was bound in conscience to obey neither of them in any thing contrarie to the word of God as this required honour was 1. Because it was more then ciuill for such the Persian Kings required as was at least mixed with that which was due to God else it is lawfull inough to fall downe on ones face before Princes 2. If it had beene but ciuill honour yet it had not beene due from Mordecay to Haman because Haman was descended from a nation which God had cursed and willed his people to hate and abhorre and neuer to seeke their peace all their daies but especially they were charged neuer to forget the inhumanitie of the Amalekites but vtterly to destroie them because they were the first that came out to warre against them after their comming out of Egypt If the honour had beene but ciuill and Mordecay of any other people then the Iewes to whom that commandement was directed and Haman of any other offspring then an Agagite that is of the offspring of the Kings of the Amalekites who were all of Agag surnamed Agags as it were the Pharaohs of Egypt and Caesars of Rome he would not haue denied this honour or if he had he had sinned The second instance is in Naboth of whom it may be enquired whether he could iustly denie Ahab his vinyard seeing the Kings hath power to take feilds and vinyards and giue them to his seruants 1. Sam. 8.14 and in outward things we must obey although to our detriment and losse Answ. Naboth iustly refused because God had forbid him so to do In Leuit. 25. the law is expresse that no Israelite might sell his feild but vpon condition of redeeming it and returning vnto it in the Iubely but Ahab did not so require it but either to purchase it out because it lay so fit for him or else to exchange it Now that this was the iust ground of his deniall appeareth in his answer God forbid that I should giue the inheritance of my Fathers vnto thee he knew well that if coppie-holders and tenants vnto men may not set let or alienate without their landlords consent much lesse might he against the expresse will and couenant of his Lord. Againe if it had bin only a losse and dammage vnto himselfe alone he would doubtles haue yeelded but no euill of sin must be chosen at all The third instance whether the people might warrantably resist Saul when he would haue put Ionathan to death seeing Saul had sworne his death and the Lord seemed by lot to designe him thereto Answ. This was a meane wherby it pleased the Lord to deliuer Ionathan at that time The deliuering of an innocent was good the question is of the meanes To which I adde that if it were by meanes of intercession and due respect and reuerence to the Kings person and place as the text seemeth to implie by their pleading for Ionathan the meanes also were good but if it were by mutinie or opposition or sedition yet this manner of the fact shall be condemned but not the fact it selfe As for the lot the Lord indeed noted thereby Ionathans fact but thereby conuicted him not of a fault for Ionathan heard not when his father charged the people with the othe the whole falt therefore rested in Sauls inconsiderate and rash othe The fourth instance is in Ioab both in not obeying one commandement of Dauid and in obeying another First whether he did well in slaying Absolon hauing such an expresse charge to spare him yea to vse him kindly Answ. Absolon iustly deserued death by the law Deut. 21.18 and iustly fell in his sinne but Ioab sinned in slaying him for although he was the generall of the warre and had power yet he forgate that he was a subiect and that in this one point his power was limited by him that gaue him his whole command Meete it was that Absolon should be punished but by Dauids consent and though Ioab thought it in policie the safest way to put him out of the way yet his father conceiued how fearefull his death would be if he should be cut off in his sinne and no doubt purposed otherwise by banishment or imprisonment to haue repressed him if he could no way haue reclaimed him But Ioab had no power ouer his life wilfully to slaie him when Dauid had excepted it and put case it was a falt to spare him it was Dauids and not his Quest. But whether did he well to obey Dauid in numbring the people beeing a thing which Moses and Ioshuah did without sinne and wherein the King was so peremptorie Ans. He sinfully obeyed Dauid euen as he did also in betraying Vriâ—h vpon Dauids letter he was a courtyer that conceiued himselfe to be at euery command although against his conscience as this was he knew that God had forbidden to number the poople without a speciall commandement or necessarie cause or without paying the halfe shekel appointed for euery ones redemption at euery time of numbring his speach in 1. Chro. 21.3 sheweth that it was not only against the law of God but the light of his owne
or detract from publike iustice or publike peace which are as the heart and braine of the common wealth which is an other common extremitie which carelesse and inconsiderate men fall into who beeing called to be seruants to iustice as to iuries fearing least in following the letter of the lawe they should be iniurious doe not remit and moderate but maime and wound the lawe and common wealth and either finde and execute no forfeits or penaltieâ— vpon some outragious offenders against whome the lawe should be whetted or such as rather turne to the disgrace of iustice then the administring of it Vse Let vs consider then whereunto we are here called euen to the practise of that propertie of wisdom which is from aboue which is peaceable and gentle and to buckle vnto vs as the elect of God tender mercie kindnes humblenesse of mind meeknesse long suffering forbearing one an other and forgiuing one an other The benefit will be exceeding great For 1. this wisedome teacheth vs to be soft in our speaches as they that knowe how a soft answer breaketh wrath a rare example whereof we haue in Iudg. 8.2 when the men of Ephraim were incensed against Gedeon and chid him sharpely because he called not them with him against the Midianites your gleaning saith he is better then our vintage as though he had said the glorie of the action belongeth as much or much more to you then to vs we Abiezerits did not halfe so much good by discomfiting the host as you did by pursuing after it and by this soft answer the text saith their spirits were abated ver 3. The like must we doe in our reasonings whether students or others whether by conference or disputation by word or by writing we must passe by some hastie words which flesh in the heate of it will be casting in to the hindering of the worke of edification for whereas men thinke it a point of pregnancie of wit to returne quips nimbly and giue his aduersarie as good as he bringeth we must knowe that heauenly wisedome teacheth no such thing 2. It teacheth vs softnesse in our whole conuersation and exercise of our personall and generall callings it suffereth not the Magistrate to be so sterne that an inferiour should come to him as a man that were to bring a bottle to an elephant which he is a fraid of which timiditie Augustus reprooued in a petitioner It suffereth not the Minister to be Lordly in his doctrine or discipline but compassionate and tender in both It suffereth not the father or master to be a lyon in his house but causeth them to gouerne sweetly and to dispense seueritie and waigh out correction as physicke to the children and seruants 3. It teacheth euen the superiour to yeeld some part of his right to his inferour as Abraham to Lot If thou take the right hand I will turne to the left nay as Christ himselfe beeing God and Lord of all yet for peace sake and to auoide offence did pay tribute vnto Caesar. Further how necessarie a vertue this is cannot but appeare to him that considereth how fraile our flesh and blood is how full of infirmities how lying open to offences how needefull of much forgiuenesse at Gods hand and mans and yet no forgiuenesse at Gods hand but on condition of our forgiuenesse of men for so is the petition in the Lords prayer nor at mans for what measure ye mete out to men shall men measure to you againe How sweete a grace it is appeareth also in that it preserueth the outward peace of a man and especially the peace of a good conscience that he can pray with a good heart with cheerefulnes performe good duties towards God and men in that also it winneth mens hearts to a man and maketh his good name like a sweet smelling oyntment and in that it so much tendeth to the honour of Gods name as it doth by drawing many to the loue and embracing of the Gospel of God which they see is so pure so innocent and so peaceable And hence it is that Paul would haue this grace to be knowne and manifested to all men for this ende Let so many therefore as professe the Gospel of peace hereby shewe themselues the sonnes of peace and because many sinne not onely in doing but in not suffering wrong let vs beware of pinching and wringing men by extremitie as such as are resolued not to pocket the least iniurie nor yeeld an inch of ground but if the offence be neuer so little are bent to make men heare of it againe on both sides as we say here is spirit indeede but of pride and malice and that spirit that beareth rule in the world and sonnes of disobedience Some men are of â—uch maligne constitution as that they haue nothing in their hearts â—eads or lippes but lawe and iustice euerie triâ—â—le euerie word euery peâ—â—â—e iniurie sendeth them before the Magistrate for reuenge against such aâ— perhaps are verie desirous of peace satisfaction and agreement and whereas law is a kind of warre and so ought to be the last procurer of peace it is the first course of many distempered spirits before euer their aduersarie be aduertised or warned of it But such persons forget that iustice and mercie are sisters and that iustice without mercy is but crueltie 2. here is lawe but no equitie for equitie is the breeder of vnitie and mother of peace but their law filleth the world with brabling contentions and 3. what is their lawe for most part but some quiâ—ke or tricke of lawe tending to extremitie of wrong and proouing in the end but cousenage and dishonest craftines as may daily appeare in a number of men who like the flesh-flies feede altogether vpon â—esters and wounds or like the souldier that cannot liue by peace but by warre not hauing that estate of their owne which their great thoughts and high conceits carrie them vnto nor yet Gods blessing vpon the little they haue would gladly pray vpon others and by some quirke of law hooke in that which equitie would neuer affoard them but the issue sheweth that all their pretences are but cloakes of their iniquitie Others plead why it is my right and why should I not haue it I will not loose it if the lawe will giue it me and when they haue a man on the hippe as we say and at advantage they follow him with all extremitie euen to the making of dice of his bones It is true that men that demand no more but their right are counted very honest men and it is esteemed but a reasonable thing if a man aske but his owne although he demaund all that but yet it is as true that he that is a strict stander for his right alwaies cannot but sometimes goe beyond the bounds of equitie which must yeeld some part of the right and of loue which seeketh not her owne that is not all her owne And whosoeuer thou art that
become a pillow for securitie in many which are Gods spurres in the â—â—anke of the godly to pricke them vp and rouse them from their drowsinesse and yet many determine hence and conclude without further ground the Lords loue towards them because of long and durable afflictions of which they could neuer come to make good vse nor take any profit by them whom God loueth say they he chasteneth and we are iudged of the Lord that we should not be condemned of the world and when they are exceedingly crossed in the world and indeed cursed in their counsell and attempts they thanke God they haue their punishment here in this life so secure themselues from all future paines But this is but a guile and stratageme of Satan to cast his poyson into the Lords cup and bane and destroie men with that which might be a speciall meane of their good euen a speciall prouocation to make them seeke reconciliation with God in Iesus Christ which many men who will not much murmur at affliction but generally can confesse it a fruit of their sinne little thinke of the affliction it selfe is a token of loue inough alreadie though no amendment accompanie it nor any sorrow for sinne feare of offending or diligence in good duties follow it Thus by all these meanes securitie eateth vp the soules of infinite professed Christians who are all miserably deluded and not yet gotten out of their naturall corrupted estate but for the present are the children of wrath The fourth and last sort of men who are deceiued and wander out of the good way are some that seeme to themselues and others to be very good Christians at least none of the worst and yet many of them little better then some of the former And these are of two sorts some are deceiued in regard of their sinnes others in regard of their graces or vertues Of the former sort There be some who because they are not carried to such sinnes as they see others they conclude presently that they are in the right way to heauen whereas there may be a worke of the word and spirit forcible against many sinnes where there is no sauing grace in the soule Hence is it that many 1. before sinne are vexed at it and affraid of it and are loth to be too bold with it but hating the punishment more then the sinne they goe through stitch at length as Herod against Iohn and Pilate against Christ. Others can auoide sinne as swearing drinking vncleannesse c. but haue a false finger that hath laid hold vpon some one or moe which shall bee dearer then to forgoe for naught so as all sinnes shall not be left nay they will in some cases be very commendable euen aboue good Christians in repressing corruptions and yet not bee clensed from their filthinesse Thus Haman could a long time refraine himselfe from Mordecay 2. After sinne many moe can deceiue themselues with a counterfeit repentance whereby they can feele it crie out vpon it and confesse it vvith griefe dâ—â—sembling Saul cursed Cain treacherous Iudas and hard hearted Pharaoh 〈◊〉 doe thus much and yet this is all the repentance of many vvho think that hereby they haue receiued a sound cure Hence haue vve many that after their sinne vvith a Lord haue mercie or saying ouer of a prayer vvith a forced sigh dravve a skinne ouer their consciences and for the time there is peace And others vvho haue spent their vvhole liues in oppression and grinding the faces of the poore euery pennie of vvhose vvealth is vvorse gotten then other if about the time of their death they giue a little trifle to the poore or be liberall for a sermon or set apart some small thing to some good vses they rest herein as a sufficient acquittance from all their vnrighteousnesse vvhereas they neuer thinke of â—â—tisfaction and restoring againe that they haue robbed according to the â—avv of repentance Let such punish themselues pray fast giue almes and yet the Lord vvill neuer a vvhit regard for here are no bands of vvicnednes loosed Others by some short humiliation in a seruile kinde of flatterie of God proceeding of slauish feare and selfe-loue vvill come and confesse their sinne and promise they vvill no more so transgresse but yet they dissemble with their double hearts for how many haue we knowne whose extorted righteousnesse hath been as the morning dew In their sicknes and distresse they haue humbled themselues but with the Iewes for corne and wine they haue howled and cried vpon their beds but they returned not to the most high they affected deliuerance not repentance nor further fawned vpon God then to get out of his hands By these wordly sorrowes infinite men deceiue themselues and rest in them as sufficient repentance The latter sort are they that deceiue themselues in turning their eyes from their sins to some vertues or graces which they find in their soules Hence haue we men that can be diligent in hearing the word and that gladly with Herod and thinke that enough to dispence with their holding of their Herodias some sweet sinne or other Others can reioyce and be affected as we haue knowne soft hearted Protestants that could melt at sermons into teares with great affection and yet haue made little conscience of their wayes but not mortifying the deeds of the flesh haue yeelded to their lusts the raines in all libertie Others can receiue the word talke of it yeeld a seemely obedience vnto it any man would say they were surely good Christians yet as bad ground they giue it not depth enough they giue it the vnderstanding and some affection but the will and the whole ioy is not carried vnto it If they talke of it it is but as such as onely haue tasted it with their tongues as cookes do their seruices but they haue not filled their bellie with it as they for whom it is prepared Their sightly obedience is like Herods who did many things because Iohn was a good man In a word they can be reuerent liberall to Ministers kind to professors forward in good motions can lend their hands or purses to helpe the godly out of trouble yet in all these commendable duties are like a deceitfull bow which being cast crooked let the eye aime neuer so right at the marke it casteth it quite besides all the way euen so all these proceeding froÌ„ deepe hypocrisie done not purely but sinister respects furthering them deceiue the soule keepe it farre from the happinesse of it I graunt that in a good heart naturall hypocrisie will be mingling it selfe in the bringing forth of such fruites but yet it swayes not the heart it is resisted and mastered so as the maine sway of a good heart is sincere choosing good things and doing them purely for God and themselues but thus it is not in the former Vse 1. All this so large a doctrine sheweth what a number of men and women
in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie and cap. 11.35 who gaue vnto him first that he should recompence Hence 1. vve conclude that if God should choose to saluation for any thing in man it could not be but man should be the first in his owne election and God should come after him yea it would ouerturne all the order of God in his most wise proceeding and would place his second grace before the first for whereas the first grace namely the election of such as the Father is to giue vnto the Son by him to be saued in all good order should precede the second whereby such as are elected before all time are in time giuen to the Sonne called iustified graced glorified and so saued The Popish doctrine of Gods foresight of faith or workes placeth this latter in Gods counsell before the former Secondly election is of grace Rom. 11.5 There is an election of grace but if it were of foreseene workes it were at least partly of desert and then should it follow 1. that it could not be of grace any way because not of grace euery way ver 6. 2. that all our owne reioycing should not be excluded Rom. 3.27 3. that if the Apostle should aske againe who separated vs our answer might be we partly separated our selues Thirdly our Apostle Eph. 1.4.5 affordeth vs three grounds more 1. from the time of our election which is before the fouÌ„dation of the world before we had done either good or euill or were in the world to doe it 2. In that he maketh our workes effects of election and therefore cannot be causes of it he hath chosen vs in him not because he foresaw that wee would be holy but that we might be holy and vnblameable as in cap. 2.10 we are his workemanship created to good workes and because it might be said that yet God might foresee who would receiue grace and who not and consequently who would vse the same aright in ordering their liues The third conclusion in the 5. verse affirmeth that God respected nothing out of himselfe or in vs past or to come but according to the good pleasure which he purposed in himselfe as Beza readeth it he choosed vs to partake of his grace Fourthly I would aske a Papist whether if the Lord did foresee any thing to bring vs to saluation by whether that was not the couenant of grace rather then the couenant of workes by the which neuer was or could any man be saued 2. In case God did foresee any worke which should be answerable to either of those couenants of grace or workes whether himselfe should not be the bestower of that grace and worke so as still not the worke if there were any but his grace shall be the first moouer 3. Whether God should be mooued if by workes by those before conuersion or after if they say by those after conuersion euen these saith the Prophet are as a stained clout If by those afore which their doctrine seemeth to tend to affirming that our vnregenerate wills haue a power to consent and coworke with Gods will and to prepare themselues to iustification then our text controlleth them which saith there was no such works at all which could mooue the Lord to take any pleasure in vs. Nay we were sinners saith Paul when God chose vs and such sinners as are described in the former verse blinded in mind rebellious in will and disordered in our whole conuersation Which shal serue for the ouerthrowe of all workes either preparatorie or foreseene or which any other way may obscure the free grace of God in our election and saluation Vse 1. To be sober minded and wise to sobrietie in the matters of Gods counsell inquiring into no reason further then his will which is euer iust although the thing may seeme strange and dazle our weak eyes the which one point would cut off many controversies and needles questions of sundrie diuines who in their platformes of election and reprobation will allowe the Lord no further libertie then themselues can deuise reason of for one the foresight of some good for the other of some euill which cannot but bring in an vniuersall reprobation because all are the sonnes of wrath by nature and God seeth them not out of this condition in themselues besides that the Lord shall be tied to conditions whereas he will haue mercie where he wil and whom he will he will harden 2. This doctrine is a ground of true humilitie for when all saluation from first to last is acknowledged to be of grace altogether out of our selues it shutteth all presumptuous mouthes who would gladly be sacrificing to their owne nets And this seemeth to be the Lords end in stablishing his free couenant that his people might remember and be ashamed and neuer open their mouth any more How carefull is he to take all such arrogant speaches out of their mouthes Deut. 7.7 and 9.5 Say not because of mine owne righteousnesse hath the Lord giuen vs this land and much lesse the heauenly Canaan and telleth them plainly that they were the least and worst of all people before the Lord put the difference betweene them and others And the whole Scripture sheweth how he hath set his affection on such as were still the most vnlikely and in all outward respects least commendable the youngest for most part when the first bâ—rne seemed to carrie away all the priuiledge Abel before Caine Iacob before Esau Ephraim before Manasseh Ioseph and Dauid before the rest of their elder brethren his manner was alwaies and is to hide that from the wise which he would reueale to babes by foolish things to confound the wise and by weake things the mightie and why 1. in regard of himselfe because his good pleasure was such no other reason but his owne will mooued him 2. in regard of vs that no flesh should reioyce before him 3. Hence we haue also a ground of thankefulnesse when we heare of such a free choise and that the Lord enquired not what we were or what we were worthy of but loued vs before we were or the world was when nothing could be conceiued either preuenting or meeting this goodnes of God And indeede neuer can we come to see the bottomelesse sea of this grace vnlesse we behold it in this glâ—sse which our Apostle setteth before our eyes of our free election and saluation meerely by grace the which once if we come to behold how can we but magnifie his grace confesse his name feare to offend him tender all obedience vnto him yea in way of loue and thankefulnesse giue vp our selues to liue and die in his seruice who hath so freely so highly advanced vs vndeserued loues are great binders It is in the mouth of euerie man towards them of whome they haue receiued vndeserued good turnes I can neuer make such a man amends for such or such fauours and yet this boundlesse loue
commanded not done of faith Answ. No for though both be condemned yet the iudgement of the latter is farre easier and the stripes farre fewer for it is easier for some then for others of them who are all condemned Vse 1. There can therefore be no iustification by workes as the Church of Rome teacheth if they can be onely the fruits of persons alreadie iustified 2. Neuer content thy selfe that thou doest good workes of charitie liberalitie mercie or deuotion publike or priuate vnlesse thou hast a ground in thy selfe that they are fruits of sauing faith which hath purified thy heart and so brought thy person and worke into acceptance for before this time let them seeme in thine eies neuer so bright glistring yet are they no other in Gods then shining darkenesse and beautifull deformities It is not thy honest meaning nor diligent deuotions nor good intents which bring acceptance to a worke but faith working by loue deceiue not thy selfe in that thou hast done that which thou wast commanded for it is the presence or absence of faith that putteth a difference in the same worke done by vertue of the same word Caine offereth sacrifice to the Lord so doth Abel Phineas is zealous for the Lord so is Iehu Peter weepeth for his sinne against Christ so doth Iudas also here is the same worke but not the same acceptance where is the difference now By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice then Caine and if Peters faith had failed so had his fact too as well as Iudases If thou prayest pray in faith beleeue and thou shalt receiue If thou hearest mingle the word with faith else it becommeth vnprofitable and so in other dutyes 3. This sheweth that numbers are vncapable of the doctrine of good works and therefore Ministers must be wise to propound it in the due season of it and first labour in rooting faith in mens hearts these fruits will easily rise Doctr. 2. Professors of the Gospel are aboue all other not only called to the practise of good workes but to be the first and forwardest yea lights and leaders vnto others 1. In regard of their present estate they are the children of their heauenly Father and therefore must resemble him and so walke as they may testifie themselues of this houshold of faith for what a dishonour were it to their high calling to be exceeded and outstripped of Infidells They are Gods workmanship created in Iesus Christ vnto good workes They haue receiued the spirit of grace which onely can make them fruitfull as good trees laden with the fruits of righteousnesse They are inlightened in the knowledge of Iesus Christ wherein it were a shame to be either idle or vnfruitfull and not to shine out as the lights of the world in holding forth the word of life in all godly conuersation Secondly that such as beleeue may be blamelesse and so put to silence the ignorance of foolish men for this is Satans olde policie whereby in all ages he hath turned away the hearts of many from the truth and whereof though he be discouered he disarmeth not himselfe at this day that when the Apostles themselues and the teachers in the Church succeeding them deliuered the truth of the doctrine of iustification by faith alone without the workes of the Law he would alwaies thrust in some professors into the Church that vpon this occasion did ruine the grace of God into wantonnesse and then raise a generall slaunder of the doctrine as though it were onely a doctrine of libertie euen as at this day the Papists slaunder vs as enemies to good works onely because we thrust them out of Christs chaire Now to auoid this ordinarie scandall the professors of this same doctrine must especially for the honour of God and his Gospel and their profession of it be carefull to become patterns in their liues of the faith they doe professe The fruit whereof shall extend it selfe yet further then the stopping of the enemies mouth euen to the winning of them or others that are yet without who by such godly conuersation shall be by little and little enclined to like the word and so be conuerted to the profession and practise of it at the length Nay this fruit is not onely reaped by others without but no small benefit redoundeth to the professors themselues who hereby make their owne election sure and iustifie to themselues and others that faith which iustifieth them before God 3. The danger of the neglect of this dutie vrgeth it he that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with moe stripes Tribulation and anguish shall be to euery sinner first to the Iew and then to the Gentile Why first to the Iewe because they were the professed people of God professors of the law possessors of the oracles hearers of the Prophets but despisers of the meanes of saluation they therefore shall be first and heauiest iudged Vse 1. If we professe our selues by faith to be set into Christ we may examine the truth of it hereby that then we cannot but be fruitfull trees of righteousnes beeing remooued into so sound a stocke and fruitfull a soile Whosoeuer then are not much and often in the workes of godlines loue and mercie may well suspect their estate 2. Whatsoeuer things are honest pure iust and of good report let beleeuers thinke on these things let them thinke that such precepts belong properly to them it beeing a truth that all exhortations in Scripture are first and directly made to those who in some measure are freed to acceptable thogh not full performance of the same whereby let beleeuers prouoke themselues to more diligence seeing vnbeleeuers cannot tell what way to beginne in them 3. Carrie a diligent eye and watch ouer thy life and euery action of it before thou entrest into any action examine whether it will glorifie God and dignifie thy profession or expose it to contempt and make that holy way euill spoken of 4. Watch opportunities to do good take them when they are offred before they slippe thee yea seeke them that thou maist euer haue something between thy hands to glorifie God and his Gospel withal 5. Craue wisedom at the hands of God wait at her gates heare counsell from her mouth lay vp the rules of the word for the ordering of thy heart and life thus shalt thou be able not onely to passe euerie day more innocently then other but become also a clearer patterne of weldoing and more conformable to this rule of our holy Apostle But how may Christ come and find a number of lazie Christians in his vinyard to whom he may say why stand ye idle all day long why did you not promise me you would goe into my vineyard work and do ye not or are you in so goodly a field and can you want worke haue yee done all your husbandrie about home in your own hearts
such doctrine as Ministers may not teach Nature desireth to change pasture often and the eare so farre as vncircumcised is Athenian itching after nouelties children would be in newe lessons before the old be halfe learned so Christians cannot away to dwell in that pure doctrine which would lead them in true godlinesse whereby often by the iudgement of God they forfeit their faithfull Pastors and in Gods wrath haue hirelings set ouer them that feede them with wind they desire fine words and profound matter and are wearie of plaine doctrines and they haue a pickt language and vaine speculations they aske and haue But no sooner is Manna loathed but quailes are rained but with vengeance it is flesh but a meat that rotteth in the mouth euen betweene the teeth Vse 3. In priuate conferences man with man auoid these vaine questions that all our priuate cōmunication may tend to edification fathers must teach their children with Abraham in Gods wayes children must depend vpon their fathers and aske them of such things see Psal. 44.1 Mothers must teach their young children the Scriptures as Eunicha did Timothie Masters of familyes should make their families petty schooles and nurseries of diuinitie we reade how Apollos a great man proceeded a doctor in Aquilaes house our priuate houses should be Churches or Chappels therefore such idle and vaine questions should find neither time nor place in these our priuate Churches Vers. 10. Reiect him that is an heretike after once or twise admonition 11. Knowing that he that is such is peruerted and sinneth beeing damned of his owne selfe The fittest dependance of these words with the former I conceiue to be this Paul hauing exhorted Titus both to teach the truth according to godlinesse as also to resist all such foolish and vaine doctrine as might do hurt in the Church of God Titus might obiect This indeede is my dutie wherein I entend to exercise my selfe with diligence but when I haue laboured and done all I can many there are who will not yeeld to the truth nor submit themselues to this ordinance of God how am I to carrie my selfe toward such Ans. The Apostle carefull to preuent all such things as he foresaw might be hurtfull to the Church giueth direction in these two verses how to proceede in this businesse also The former giuing direction and laying downe the dutie and the latter enforcing the same by moment of reason In the former are three things to be considered 1. the persons against whom Titus is to deale here called heretikes 2. The direction how he is to behaue himselfe towards them reiect them 3. The orderly manner of proceeding after once or twise admonition The latter verse containeth the reason of this seueritie because such persons are incurable and incorrigible which is prooued by two arguments 1. such a one is subuerted that is turned or cast off the foundation 2. he sinneth against his owne conscience beeing damned of his owne selfe that is he wittingly and willingly spurneth against that truth of which his conscience is by the former admonition convinced For the first who is an Heretike Answ. He that professing Christ yet inuenteth or maintaineth any errour against the foundation of religion and that with obstinacie For the opening of which description three things are to be noted First that an heretike must professe Christ. For Iewes Turkes or Pagans cannot properly be Heretikes although they fight against Christ and all religion in all the foundations of it These are more properly called Heathens Infidells and Atheists without God in the world But the person whom Titus hath here to deale withall is one within the Church and cast off from a foundation vpon which he seemed to stand Secondly he must maintaine an error in doctrine for if men erre in practise they are rather hypocrites and profane wretches and this error must be fundamentall that is ouerturning some ground or article of our faith for it will not make a man an heretike not to beleeue the fables of Saint Francis although Pope Benedict 4. so determine Nay if a man should hold something wherein the Scriptures are his aduersarie as that an oath is not to be taken and warre is not to be made by Christians such a one were in a grosse error but not presently sunke into heresie But if any man shall maintaine iustification by works a daily sacrifice for satisfaction for sinne or any other righteousnesse or worke to stand before God in besides Christ the defence of this will easily prooue heresie And hereby the Popish doctrine is clearely prooued hereticall Thirdly this error must be willfully and obstinatly mainteined for he must reiect admonition and striue after conuiction and this properly maketh an heretike For euery one that holdeth an hereticall opinion is not an heretike a man may by simplicitie leuitie or rashnes or gentlenes of nature be drawne into such an opinion but if admonished of his error he contend not but is readie to yeeld vp himselfe to the perswasion of truth he is no heretike For these three things make vp an heretike 1. error 2. conuiction 3. obstinacie or weddednes to his opinion Hence first note by the way what an heauie thing we charge him with whom we brand with the title of an heretike for we charge him to be one who resteth not in the wholsome word but maintaineth such an error as hath turned him off his foundation one that contemneth the iudgement of the Church despiseth wholsome admonitions continueth in his damnable opinion against the light of his minde against the check and accusation of his conscience and beeing condemned of himselfe heapeth vp sinne vpon sinne All which censure if we shall hastily passe we shall hardly auoid rash iudgement for if euery error in diuinitie presently made an heretike the Apostles themselues had beene no other then heretiks who at first were so erronious and ignorant in many things of the greatest moment in religion What a false witnesse then hath that Apostate Church of Rome passed against ours and all the reformed Churches whose teachers in all their sermons and writings stile vs by no other name then heretikes whereas they cannot shew wherein they haue conuinced vs to haue departed from the Catholike and Apostolike faith and much lesse that we haue with pertinacie and against our owne consciences maintained any falsehood Indeed if our rule be their Canon law which iudgeth him an heretike who speaketh against the Romish Church or obeyeth not whatsoeuer the Pope decreeth we cannot auoid that name Or if we should teach as they doe and that after conuiction that the Saints in heauen are mediators by their merit and prayer that prayer is to be made to Saints and dead men that we can be iustified by the merit of our workes by fasting prayer pilgrimage or any such obseruance that concupisence is no sinne in the regenerate that a man can perfectly fulfill the law that Saint Dominike
performed more miracles then Christ and all his Apostles and was farre greater then Iohn Baptist we could not auoid but be heretikes indeed because these and a number such are contradictory to the canon of the Scriptures reuerse the foundation of religion and yet are obstinatly defended by them And further let men see hence how inconsideratly they cast the names of old heretiques to the blemishing of the liues and waies of many godly and worthy men as when Christian and religious men are tearmed by the name of Puritans an auncient sect of heretikes with whom these haue but small acquaintance The like may we say of that reproachfull title of Scismatikes who quickly degenerate into heretikes who rent the coate of Christ and make division in the Church sometimes for some opinion but more vsually about some orderly rites and ceremonies in the Church Now then to challenge men of scisme 1. the Church must be prooued to agree and to haue the vnitie of truth both for doctrine and rites 2. men must be conuinced by the word that the doctrine is the wholsome word and the rites and ceremonies are edifying orderly inoffensiue and not superstitious Obiect But some are so peeuish they will neuer be conuinced and satisfied Answ. The reason hereof seemes to be because the Church is sometimes a partie in such a question and therefore it were wisedome to bring vpon such parties the iudgement of other reformed Churches to make vp such a conuiction And then when all such good meanes are vsed if men separate from the Church let them lie iustly vnder the reproach of their sin But farre be it that euery one who carrieth a diuerse iudgement concerning some rites in the Church wherein he liues should presently become a scismatike for such a one may still cleaue in heart in affection and in personall presence vnto the Church and be farre from interrupting the vnitie of the Church Yea farre be it that euery departure from those that call themselues the Church yea in maine points of doctrine should be scisme Were Elias and Elizeus Scismatikes because they departed from Ieroboams worship were our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles scismatikes in departing from the doctrines of the Pharisies and Saduces No it was Ieroboam it was the Preists and Pharisies who pretended themselues to be the Church departing from the truth and so from the true vnitie that were the authors of Scisme herein And so for rites how can we stoppe a Papists mouth if we shall say that those men who depart from rites tending to the weakning of faith and doctrine or offensiue and superstitious are presently to be ranked amongst Scismatikes for haue not we our selues thus departed from an hundred Romish ceremonies and yet we say they are the authors of Scisme therein Let this rectifie our iudgements and keepe vs from rash censures in matters so capitall and so difficult If any Catholike spirit will still reproach vs as Scismatikes surely we will reioyce herein that we are not of them whose canon hath taught vs that if Christ and his Apostles would not subscribe to all their decrees they should escape no other tearmes but be reputed Scismatikes at the least if not burnt for heretikes Secondly note that there haue bin and shall be to the end heresies in the Church Christ was no sooner ascended but that blessed doctrine of his euen while the Apostles yet liued was oppugned by heretikes which seemeth to be the ground of this precept Nay no sooner was there a Church but heresie the disease and corruption of it beganne to discouer it self and truth gaâ—e only the start was before heresie yea the â—aâ—es came vp with the good seed in the feild of the Lord. The reasons of this doctrine are First so long as the causes of heresie remaine it selfe must needs continue but the causes shall be and euer haue bin in the Church and these are ignorance of God pride of heart selfe conceit ouerweening of gifts want of loue to Christ and his truth Satans mallice ambition couetousnesse flattery and many moe in a word so long as there is a mixture between good and badde there will be a fight between them Secondly the Lord in his prouidence suffereth false prophets and heretikes to rise vp among his people to prooue try them whether they will cleaue vnto him or no Deut. 13.3 they are the Lords fanne brought into his floaâ—e to separate betweene the faithfull and vnfaithfull whereby the wicked fall off as beeing thrust away from the Lord vers 7. and the godly who are by Satan and his instruments accused to be hypocrites are manifested â—ound at the heart and faithfull to the ende So the Apostle 1. Cor. 11.19 There must be heresies that those who are approoued of God may be knowne he saith not it is possible but necessarie that heresies be as fire to trie and purge the gold Thirdly the Lord in his iustice punisheth by such the contempt of his truth and the careles and vnaffected intertainement of his word For iustly are men who will not receiue the truth in the loue of it giuen ouer to strong delusions in the beleeuing of lies If Christ and his Gospel cannot be receiued Antichrist when he commeth with all lying wonders and preuailing errors shall If the truth in Michas mouth be contemned 400. false Prophets shall preuaile with their lie So haue we seene that where a faithfull Pastor hath beene lightly set by the Lord hath one way or other remooued him and after his departure sent in some grieuous wolfe or other that hath not spared the flocke Fourthly the wisdome of God permitteth it for although it seeme to poison vtterly destroy the truth yet indeede he turneth it to the clearing and confirming of it it beeing an occasion that the truth is further sifted into that as sparkles issue out of the striking of two flints together so the truth discussed and disputed becommeth more lightsome and more victorious yea the gold commeth no brighter out of the fire then the truth out of the triall of opposition and contradiction Vse 1. Whensoeuer Sathan according to his accustomed mallice against sinceritie stirreth vp any troubles to stay the course of the Gospel to obscure the shining brightnesse of Gods glorie and to bring confusion into the most wise orders and ordinances of God then the Lord so ouerruleth the matter as that he alwaies bringeth light out of darkenes glorifieth himselfe purgeth his floare prooueth his people quickneth their zeale and traineth them in humilitie and obedience Let vs not then be discouraged if our eyes see many trials and in them many fall off if we see the truth oppugned doctrines of libertie broached backed and zealously maintained for surely although the Lord herein may iustly correct our manifest contempt of the truth yet can he not nor will forget his owne glorie 2. We ought to be so farre from troubling or hindring
child the seruant to the master and the master to the seruant the kinsman to the kinsman nay in these nearer societies euen that entire familiaritie which the auncient ascribed to the identity of three things namely the house the bedde and the table must not be denied of those from whom it was due before this censure for he that was a brother before remaineth a naturall although not a Christian brother 4. This censure looseth not the bands of all spirituall societie but that notwithstanding it we may and must 1. loue the excommunicate in the Lord. 2. admonish and rebuke him 3. pray for him though not with him 4. vpon his repentance receiue him like a brother as before Quest. 1. Wherein then standeth this separation Answ. 1. From all those spirituall good things which the Lord communicateth in the Church as the word sacraments prayer for these are holy things and the priuiledges of the faithfull out of whose societie the other beeing cast out they are as swine to whom such holy things may not be cast and as dogges to whom the childrens bread belongeth not Obiect But if you shut them from the word you barre them from the meanes of their repentance Answ. Both the word and the nature of the censure shutteth them out of the congregation of Gods people and the practise of the auncient Church which suffered them not to enter within the doors of the Church The Iews permitted not the Publicans in their sinagogues but accounted them as Heathen neither would Ambrose suffer Theodosius the Emperour while he was excommunicate to enter into the Church of Milleyne But that now such persons are admitted to heare the word it is by an indulgence of the Church which I will not now stand to examine 2. From familiar conuerse in the outward life so farre as necessarily we are not bound vnto them as in the examples of the Primitiue Church I could be plentifull both in teachers and in beleeuing Christians Famous is the practise of Iohn the Evangelist towards Cerinthus when he found him in the bath and of Polycarp towards the heretike Marcion who as Irenaeus testifieth would flie from the place where the heretike stood or sate as fast as he could least he should here any heretical speaches Now the reasons why we are thus to auoid the excommunicate are these 1. That the offender may be brought to soundnesse of repentance for whatsoeuer power is giuen to the Pastors and Churches is giuen to edification and not for destruction 2. Cor. 10.8 And therefore such an offender must 1. haue his conscience terrified by beeing deliuered vnto Satan that is cast out of the Church out of which Satan ruleth and setteth vp his throne 2. Another end in regard of the partie is to shame him both by the publike rebuke of the Church in proceeding against him as also the auoiding of him as one of another societie 2. Thess. 3.14 Withdraw your selues that he may be ashamed 3. To worke sorrow in him for his sinne for the destruction of his flesh and fleshly corruption which is the ground of true repentance see 1. Cor. 5.5 4. To effect a desire to be reconciled first vnto God and then vnto the church against which he hath offended And thus 5. his spirit shall be saued in the day of the Lord. 2. There are other reasons in regard of the church First in generall that it heare not ill as a maintayner of vile persons and much lesse as if it selfe were a sinke or stie of filthy swine who professe themselues washed by the iustification of Christ and the sanctification of the spirit The Apostle Paul aymeth at this 1. Cor. 5.1 It is certainely heard that there is fornication among you and maketh this bad report the first ground of their proceeding against the incestuous person as though he had said these things ought not to be heard amongst you no not once named among Christians Secondly in respect of the speciall members 1. That they may be safe from the infection of such open and obstinate wicked ones which is also the Apostles reason 1. Cor. 5.6 A little leaven sowreth the whole lumpe a little sparkle kindleth an vnquencheable flame a little pitch defileth the whole man yea their verie word and much more their conuersation creepeth and corrupteth as a gangreene Worthy is it here worth our remembring how when the Emperour Theodosius senior was desirous to conferre with Eunomius the Arrian Bishop his wife Placilla the Empresse very earnestly disswaded him least he beeing peruerted by his speaches should beginne to like of his heresie 2. Least partaking with his sinne he should also partake of his punishment as all Israel did for Achan one rotten membeâ— not cut off endangereth the whole bodie and threatneth perill to the whole The iniunction of Moses hath here place Depart from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs least yee perrish in all their sinnes 3. For examples sake least any of the rest grow to the like boldnesse and obstinacie in sinne but rather by such separation be terrified therefrom 1. Tim. 5.20 Them that sinne openly rebuke openly that the rest also may feare All which ends beeing so necessarie as by the Scriptures they appeare to be we see what a maime it is in any Church when this rod is either not vsed or not aright Quest. But whether may priuate Christians auoid an open notorious sinner before the Church haue reiected him or what must we doe while the Church winketh and will not doe her dutie in casting them out Answ. We may and ought to auoid the familiar societie of scorners and open wicked men for the former reasons euen before the Church haue cast them out but not as excommunicate persons or members cut off that we abstaine from the word and sacraments because of such vntill the Church haue cast them out for else a way is easily beaten and paued to Scisme and rash separation And if the Church do not as she ought cut off such rotten members yet is no doore opened to personall excommunication seeing this censure is the common action of the whole Church and not of any priuate person or persons We must then beare them as we doe festered members with paine and sorrow yea and complaints to such as can helpe vs but not breake our patience for that which our selues cannot and others will not cure for vs. And thus as one very well answereth the like case shall we be blessed euen in hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse and the sinne shall not lie at our doores but where it is committed and abetted Quest. But it seemeth if heretikes must onely be avoided that it is not lawfull to put them to death Answ. This beeing a matter of fact is most properly belonging to the Ciuil Magistrate who wisely considering both of the qualitie of the person offending
as if he be a leader a seducer or wilfull in his error as also of the degree of his offence and error as if it be a direct ouerthrowe of the foundation or an high blasphemie or such as may turne to the ouerthrowe of pure religion established or the disturbance of publike peace or otherwise according to the nature of the fact may and ought to proceede to a proportionall degree of punishment whether by mulcts or imprisonment or banishment yea in the extremitie of euill to the extreame remedie euen of death it selfe for there is no remedie but if a soare prooue a gangreene it must be cut off True it is that the charitie of the Church must aime at the cutting off of errors rather then mens persons but if the nature of the error so require euen the last punishment by death as it is in the hand of the Magistrate so will it be most iust and proportionall That it is in the power of the Magistrate to cut off incurable and invincible heretiks is cleare 1. by precept Deut. 13.5 of slaying the false Prophet and Deut. 17.5 of stoning the idolater 2. by example of Moses Exod. 32.35 slaying 3000. of the Leuites for the idolatrie of the calfe of Helias 1. Kin. 18.40 who slewe 400. of Baals Priests when there was no Magistrate to do it so of Iosias 2. King 23.6 of Iehu 2. King 10.25 yea wicked Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that whosoeuer blasphemed Daniels God should die the death The same might easily be prooued out of Imperiall constitutions and iudgements of Fathers and Councels Now that this is the fittest punishment for some heretikes we may gather by the instance of Arrius whom Constantine the great banished indeed but how much better had it beene for the world if he had taken such a monster from the face of the earth how much better had that sparkle beene with himselfe extinct before it had come to set the whole world on fire and if he that reuileth his Prince deserueth death as a traitor how much more he that blasphemeth the name of God or any part of his truth Obiect But Christ biddeth vs beware of false Prophets but not to slay them yea wisheth to suffer both to growe together till the haruest And Paul neuer giueth other commandement concerning them then to avoid them and withdrawe our selues from them And Musculus expounding the place in 1. Cor. 5. concerning the incestuous person hath these words he commaundeth not to kill him but to remooue him from among them Answ. 1. Some such places are such precepts as are diâ—ected vnto the Churches whose weapons are spirituall and hath no such power of life and death ouer the bodie or outward man 2. Some other institute and informe the Pastors of the Churches how to carrie themselues towards such offenders as this in hand and the like to Timothie but intend not to speake any thing of the Magistrates dutie So Bullinger affirmeth that here Paul enformeth Titus and not Sergius Paulus how to carrie himselfe towards an incurable and desperate heretike 3. These precepts were deliuered when there was no Christian Magistrate to performe the dutie and therefore the Chuches were more carefully vrged vnto theirs 4. They must all be vnderstood with respect 1. of the qualitie of the persons and offences which must be distinguished 2. of the Church as whether such tares can be plucked vp without apparant hurt of the Church for else they must be let stand and so must that place be meant least ye also plucke vp the good wheat and this is agreeable also to the doctrine of the auncient who aduised rather to tollerate some lesser euill then that a greater good should be hindered or a greater euill occasioned Vse 1. Seeing excommunication is such a grieuous censure it is not to be inflicted rashly or for trifâ—les but delibeâ—ately in matters of waight and much moment yea heauily and not without inward griefe that the Church is vrged to such seueritie For 1. if it be a greiuous thing to be disfraunchized and cast out of a wel ordered common wealth how much more to be cast out of the church the commonwealth of Israel Which made some of minde that this censure is not to be vsed but in such cases as wherein the Iewish lawe condemned to the death the which strictnes in that it may seeme to confound the Iewish Iudiciall lawe with Euangelicall discipline howsoeuer I will not maintaine yet surely as Musculus well noteth I thinke it ought not to be vsed but in such cases as more expressely shut out of the kingdome of heauen and such as the Apostle mentioneth 1. Cor. 6. because it is a declaration of that which is by God done in heauen who for a non apparance or not paiment of a trifling fee thrusteth not out of heauen Secondly it must be vsed as a last and desperate remedy euen as the Surgeon trieth all gentle meanes before launcing seating or cutting off Thirdly it must be done with griefe and sorrowe of the whole Church euen as a member in the bodie cannot be cut off without extreame paine to the whole This is a fitter affection then anger couetousnesse or any other such sordid and base selfe seeking in dispensing the iudgements of the Lord. Fourthly It must be done verie sparingly in wisedome and moderation whereof we haue a notable patterne in the Church of Geneva wherein such was the power of the word and wisedome of the Pastors in restoring offenders by the spirit of meekenesse that in the space of whole tenne yeares as M. Beza himselfe confesseth onely two persons were stricken with this censure Now of the fearefull abuse of this censure whereby it is daily turned into an idle scarecrow sold and bought at a vile price I neede not speake any thing seeing the thing it selfe speaketh so loud would God it were as well reformed as it is by a number of the godly learned discouered Vse 2. If heretikes must be avoided then it followeth that Protestants ought to avoid all communion and mixture with hereticall Churches persons namely with that hereticall Apostaticall Church of Rome and the members of it To prooue it an hereticall Synagogue I shall not neede to spend time after those two famous lights our learned D. Whitakers and Reynolds the former of whome hath prooued that the present Church of Rome is no particular Church but hereticall and ouerturning the foundation and grounds of faith as by eighteene seuerall points he instanceth and concludeth that whosoeuer would be saued must necessarily forsake her as an antichristian and Satanicall synagogue The other in his fifth Thesis of his learned booke defendeth that the Romane Church is neither Catholike nor a sound member of the Catholike Church in explaining the tearmes whereof he saith that the newe Romane Church is tainted with a gangrene of most pestilent heresies which euerie
way spreadeth further and further and subverteth the faith of verie many and concludeth that no otherwise then the contagion of the most mortall diseases as the plague or leprosie or such like euen so the infection of Poperie is as diligently to be shunned of all the faithfull This truth out of the mouthes of such two worthy witnesses we may the better beleeue not onely for the strength of arguments they haue vsed as yet vngainesaied by any aduersarie but also in that we haue some of her owne children confessing her the mother of all heresies I will not light a candle to the sunne in the former point but briefly shewe wherein especially they are to be avoided and that for more perspicuitie in two questions Quest. The former whether Popish religion may be tollerated in a countrie professing the truth of Christian doctrine as ours by Gods blessing doth I answer No if by any lawfull meanes it may be banished For beeing an heresie which 1. disannulleth the death of Christ. 2. abolisheth the humane nature of Christ. 3. destroyeth the substance of the Sacraments 4. taketh away the solace of the elect of God 5. the honour of the sonne of God sitting at his Fathers right hand 6. almost all religion all these beeing the expresse words of D. Reynolds and prooued in that thesis it followeth that it may not be suffered in a countrie which can abolish and cast it out For 1. Euery worship must be sutable to him that is worshipped If he be diuine so must it if he be ciuill it must also be ciuill if he be simple pure without mixture so must that worship which is or can be acceptable vnto him 2. We know out of the word that Samaritane worship when men will feare God but worship him according to the rites of the countrie 2. King 17. vlt. was euer hatefull to God who will not haue his feild of the Church sowne with diuerse seeds nor plowed with an oxe and an asse The Iewes meddle not with the Samaritans but must hate the workes of the Nicolaitans And indeed to halt between two to be neither Gods nor Baals is to be of no religion at all and the Church of Laodicea sheweth that the Lord can neuer digest two contraries neuer so well mixed or wisely tempered in matter of religion 3. The approbation and blessing of God on those Kings gouernments and Churches who went through-stitch in pulling downe all the high places as Dauid Salomon Hezekiah But memorable was the worthy act of Iosia who made a couenant before the Lord and called all the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Preists Levites and all the people from the smallest to the greatest and caused them all to stand to it See 2. Chro. 34.31 ad sin But whereas others otherwise good Kings are reprooued and blemished because either they left the high places standing and proceeded not to a through reformation as Asâ— â— Kin. 15.14 Or if they did fully reforme their countrie yet that they did not so zealously hate Idolatrie but that they would enter into league and affinitie with Idolaters as Iehoshaphat Asas sonne Who lifted vp his heart vnto the waies of the Lord and took away the high mountains and groaues out of Iudah But yet Iehu is sent to reprooue him for his societie with wicked Ahab saying Wouldst thou helpe the wicked and loue them that hate the Lord A worthy commendation was it of the Angel of the Church of Ephesus that he could not beare them which were euill Rev. 2.2 4. Consider the danger and hurt in tolerating heresie in these particulars 1. It is a breach of Gods commandement Deut. 29.18 There shall not be among you man woman nor family nor tribe which shall turne his heart from the Lord to goe serue the gods of these nations There shall not be among you any roote that bringeth forth gall and wormwood 2. This mixture layeth open to Gods revenging hand and is called by no lesse title then Rebellion Iosh. 22.17 3. There is most apparant danger of infection for heresie is called in the Scripture leauen and a gangreene and here also consider the weaknesse of flesh which is as readie to be plucked away with euery error of the wicked as the most drie tinder is to receiue the sparkle of fire cast into it Hence also are Idolaters called stumbling blockes snares thornes whippes and destruction See Iosh. 23.13 4. This mixture in religion threatneth ruine vnto Church and Commonwealth it hindreth or corrupteth publicke iustice by partiallitie or too rough and exasperate proceeding it causeth distraction of affections and prepareth to tumults and massacres as the experience of many ages hath taught A kingdome or Church deuided against it selfe cannot stand Which Ieroboam well conceiuing that he might bring the people to vnitie in religion set vp two calues one in Dan and the other in Bethel How both Iewes and Gentiles wickedly resisted Christ and his Apostles vpon this same ground that two diuerse religions were vnsafe in one countrie and long could not continue but the one would eate vp the other the historie of the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles euidently shew From whom we may frame a good argument that if they were so vigilant to keepe out whatsoeuer might disturbe their errour how much more carefully should the truth be preserued in the puritie of it of all such as haue any care of the continuance of it nay more shall the mention of a toleration of our religion in Rome or Spaine be capitall and should we by connivence at their knowne Idolatrie giue them as good as a tolleration and so strengthen their hopes for an alteration These reasons if I should now in particular applie vnto the Romish Church for the further euidence of them I know better where to beginne then to make an end and should dwell too long on the question which I purposed rather to point at then fully to handle as more largely out of the Scriptures Fathers and councells I easily might But from them all as they lie in one word may be concluded that the toleration of Poperie in a reformed country where it may be cast out is vtterly vnlawfull The second Question is whether Protestants may marrie with Papists Answ. For the right resoluing of this question two things must be considered 1. Whether the person that now professeth Poperie will yeeld to be wonne to the embracing of true religion which if he do then caseth such a one to be a Papist and may be maried withall â—hus Isaac married Rebecca the daughter of Bethuel and Iacob the daughters of Laban who was an Idolater as appeareth Gen. 31.53 On the same condition Boaz married Ruth a Moabitisse woman but who was first conuerted to the Iewish religion And thus the Lord himselfe yeelded vnto the mariages with Heathnish women taken in warre but heauily after a sort and by indulgence but on no hand vnlesse they
deeds denie him but this is not that which is in our question which is of diuersitie in religion and not of infidelitie or hypocrisie where the same religion is professed the former is a barre of marriage but not the latter Obiect But then you will say that such marriages made ought to be dissoluedâ— I answer 1. that marriage is an externall thing and properly hindereth not faith and saluation of it selfe and 2. that it is not against christianitie to keepe contracts made with Turks and heathen 3. Besides in the Apostles dayes the faithfull beeing married to an infidell he was not to put her away 1. Cor. 7.12 if she would abide with him But as M. Zanchius after he had learnedly discussed this question and propounded reasons out of the Scriptures Fathers Councels and ciuill lawe that such mariages ought to be disanulled yet doubtfully leaueth it to the iudgement of the Church so will not I be too bold in defining this great question Vers. 11. Knowing that he that is such is peruerted and sinneth beeing damned of his owne selfe Hauing in the former verse shewed both the persons to be proceeded against called heretikes and the manner of proceeding against them namely after once or twice admonition to auoid them Now in this verse our Apostle discendeth to giue some reasons of this seueritie which are two in number First he is such a one as is subuerted or turned off the foundation Secondly he wittingly and willingly spurneth against the knowne truth sparkling and shining in his conscience and therefore is remedilesse and desperatly incurable For the former By beeing peruerted or turned off the foundation is not to be meant any falling off from the foundation of Gods election which abideth so sure as that not any one of Gods elect shall euer fall away as Hymencus and Philetus did but a falling off from some fundamentall points of Christian religion held and maintained by the Church whereof this partie yet seemeth a member As for example The maine foundation aymed at in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles is to teach that Iesus Christ God and man is the alone and perfect Sauiour of his Church and whosoeuer teacheth or holdeth any doctrine tending to ouerthrowe either of his natures or anie of his offices he is truely said to be turned off that foundation Againe the maine grounds of all our religion for matter either of faith or manners are the commandements of the law and promises of the Gospel and whosoeuer either directly or by direct consequent ouerthroweth any of the commandements of God or articles of our faith he is truly said to be turned off the foundation Now this cannot euery error in religion doe For to keepe our Apostles allegorie comparing the profession of religion to the building of a great house some errors are lesser and as it were besides the foundation such as may be thought as the breaking downe of some window some greater as the breaking downe of some side of the house and yet the house standeth although much defaced But some are such as ouerturne the whole house and rase the verie foundations of all such as is the doctrine of iustification by workes which point alone putteth men quite out of their estate in Christ and shutteth them out of the kingdome of heauen Gal. 5.2.4 Whence might be obserued how needfull a thing it is for euery one to be well grounded in points of Catechisme which is a thing most dangerously neglected by the most and beeing so grounded to looke well to themselues least they be turned off from them and so depart from the holy commandements for thus the end of such would be far worse then the beginning But we will come to the latter degree of this sinne Hee sinneth beeing damned of himselfe that is he wilfully sinneth or addeth sinne to sinne not only by maintaining an errour but 1. against the light of the word shining in his conscience 2. against the wholesome admonition of his faithfull pastor yea and of the whole Church the voice of which he will not heare 3. euen against besides other convictions that of his owne conscience whereby he is resolued to take part with the wickednesse of his heart and persist an heretike in his heresie This man if he had no other iudge is iudged and condemned of himselfe and sheweth that he is damned of himselfe Obiect But there is no man so monstrous and gracelesse that will persist in error against the light of his conscience Answ. Yes and this commeth partly by the naturall impuritie of conscience which can excuse not only intentions vnwarrantable but euen sinnes committed against the law As in the young man Mar. 10.20 who boasted that he though he had liued in the breach of all had kept all the commandements from his youth and 2. partly by the increase of that corruption through a sencelesse numbednesse and vnfeelingnes which springeth from a custome of sinne and 3. especially by the iust iudgement of God who striketh them with a reprobate sence by withdrawing euen the very light of nature from those who would faine put it out or deteine it in vnrighteousnesse and by deliuering them vp to strong delusions that they might beleeue lies who would not embrace the truth in the loue of it Now he that is such a wilfull offender and knowne so to be must be auoided But it is hard will some say to know any man thus to sinne Answ. Because we speake not now of the iudgement of certaintie which is proper to God whereby he alone can iudge of the finall estate of a man but only of the iudgement of humane wisedome which is giuen to the Church who iudgeth only for the present by the present fruits it is not so hard to doe for such a man hath beene brought to conference to the tryall of the Scriptures to the analogie of faith and to the admonition of the Church by which his reasons haue bin refelled his iudgement informed his conscience conuinced himselfe forewarned of his danger but he obstinately hath refused all these good meanes and persisteth in his error Where note 1. What patience the Lord vseth in his iust proceedings euen against the worst men whom he will not haue condemned nor cast out of the Church vpon suspicions or surmises no nor presently after an open sinne is committed but their must be a time between wherein the Church must rightly informe her selfe that she may know the nature and degree of the sinne before she turne her to any censure or sentence Yea and further the sinne beeing apparant she must not reiect any till all good meanes of reclaiming haue beene in vaine vsed Which may teach vs that to heape or hasten excommunications ipso facto or as it is often before the partie can come to the knowledge or suspition of any such proceeding is to swarue from the rules of the word and those weightie
auoided Pag. 114 Children ought to be obedient to their parents Pag. 117 Lewdnesse of children is often from want of gouernment in parents Pag. 118 Euery Minister ought to keepe the Lords watch ouer his flocke Pag. 121 A Bishop ouer others must first watch ouer himselfe Pag. 123 Euery Minister beeing Gods steward must haue a fit calling and properties answerable to that office Pag. 124 The nearer a man is to God in place the more carefull must he be of his carriage Pag. 129 Frowardnesse is euery where of euill report but in a Minister intollerable Pag. 131 Hastinesse to anger a foule blot in a Minister Pag. 134 To be giuen to wine odious in all especially in a Minister Pag. 140 A Minister of all men may not be a quareller or a man of a word and a blow Pag. 145 Couetousnesse in a Minister is a most base sinne Pag. 148 There is much filthy lucre in the world which euery Christian must abhorre Pag. 152 The verie phrase of Scripture speaking of riches should pull our hearts from them Pag. 155 The Minister for the honour of his place must not only be free from common vices but also shine in positiue vertues Pag. 159 The poorest minister must and may be harborous Pag. 163 Wisedome most necessarie to a minister Why. Pag. 172 Righteous dealing a shining ornament in a minister Pag. 175 Ministers must be arraied with roabes of holinesse Pag. 176 A temperate and equall course necessarie to a minister Pag. 179 The word of God is most certaine and infallible Pag. 182 The word is euery way fitted for the instruction of the faithfull Pag. 188 Euery man ought to be a learner of holy doctrine Pag. 194 The men of God in speaking of the word haue euer set some marke of excellencie vpon it Pag. 196 Ministers must set an edge on their doctrine by exhortation Pag. 197 Exhortation is then powerfull when it is grounded on wholesome doctrine Pag. 198 Ministers must resist resisters of the truth Pag. 199 A Minister ought to be a man of knowledge Pag. 201 The Scriptures fully furnish the man of God to euery ministeriall dutie Pag. 203 Errour in life is commonly a ground of errour in doctrine Pag. 206 They spend much labour in vaine who are disobedient to the doctrine themselues teach Pag. 207 The greater the danger is the playner must reproofe be Pag. 215 The Arch-seducers of the world are they of the circumcision who ioyne faith and workes in the act of iustification Pag. 217 Faithfull teachers must timely oppose themselues against seducers Pag. 220 Seducers secretly infect and creepe into houses Pag. 227 Errour is exceeding infectious Pag. 229 An heart set vpon gaine will feed it selfe by falshood Pag. 230 A minister may be plaine in his reproofes Pag. 233 A minister must ioyne wisedome to playnes in reproouing Pag. 234 The Gentiles had their Prophets so called to witnesse against their impietie Pag. 238 It is not simply vnlawfull to alleadge the saying of a profane man in a sermon Pag. 242 Falsehood in word or deed is condemned by the verie light of nature Pag. 245 The Scriptures call brutish men by the name of beasts Pag. 249 Many men are so degenerate that they haue cut themselues from the account of men Pag. 250 A life led in idlenesse is condemned by the light of nature and of the Scriptures Pag. 253 Idlenesse and intemperance are seldome disioyned Pag. 256 Euery truth is Gods and must be receiued whosoeuer is the instrument of it Pag. 258 Ministers must not be discouraged though they be to deale with a wretched and brutish people Pag. 259 No reproofe may be vngrounded but the cause must be iust and knowne so to be Pag. 261 Euery reproofe must be tempered to the nature of the sinne Pag. 263 The sharpest censure in the Church must ayme at the recouerie of offenders Pag. 265 Christians must not content themselues with spirituall life vnlesse it be attended with health and soundnesse Pag. 267 A speciall meanes of soundnesse of faith is to shut the eares against fables and fancies of men Pag. 274 A fearefull iudgement of God it is to be turned away from the truth Pag. 277 The Scriptures account Christians pure but not Puritans Pag. 283 All indifferent things must be vsed in 1. faith 2. loue 3. sobrietie Pag. 291 Divinitie of Scripture is prooued by discouering the inward thoughts of wicked men Pag. 309 A wicked man is euery way a most odious person Pag. 311 Before naturall vncleanesse be purged away euery thing is vncleane to a man Pag. 313 There will be euer hypocrites in the Church Pag. 317 There be many characters by which hypocrites may be known discouered Pag. 320 No example of man must turne vs out of a godly course Pag. 331 Ministers must feede their people with wholesome doctrine Pag. 333 Wholesome doctrine must be applyed to the seuerall ages and conditions of men Pag. 339 Olde men must first be taught their dutie why Pag. 342 Sobrietie especially enioyned vnto old men Pag. 345 Elder men ought to carrie a seemely grauitie through their course Pag. 346 Moderation of lusts and passions is a most seemely grace in an old man Pag. 347 Soundnes of faith especially required in the Elder Pag. 351 Euerie man must learne to repaire the decay of nature with soundnes of grace Pag. 352 Soundnesse of loue is iustly called for of olde men Pag. 355 Sound patience is more especially commended to the elder sort Pag. 358 Women are as straitly bound to the meanes of their saluation as men Pag. 362 The generall rule for womens behauiour is that it must become holinesse Pag. 365 False accusing specially forbidden to women Pag. 368 Drunkennesse in elder women a most hatefull sinne Pag. 370 It is a note of corruption to yeeld our selues seruants to the creatures made to serue vs. Pag. 371 Euerie Christian woman must cal on others with her selfe to a godly course Pag. 373 The fruits of the Christian carriage of the Elder women must appeare in the younger Pag. 375 Christian women must loue their husbands Pag. 377 Women ought to loue their children and how Pag. 382 A discreet carriage is a beautifull grace in a young woman Pag. 384 Chastity is an essential mariage dutie Pag. 385 Women ought to keep their own houses Pag. 389 Goodnes is required in women what it is how Pag. 390 Women must be subiect to their husbands wherein and why Pag. 391 Profession without practise causeth the holy name of God to be blasphemed Pag. 398 Young men must order their wayes by the word Pag. 404 The Pastor must sometimes entreate where he may command Pag. 408 Sobrietie is a vertue fitly commended to young men Pag. 410 Consent of good life and holy doctrine make a sweete harmonie in a Minister Pag. 413 It is possible for a man by grace to liue vnblameably Pag. 416 Faithfull Ministers shall not want withstanders Pag. 417 Resisters of