course ten thousand a moneth hée had twentie thousand that bare burdens and fourescore thousand Masons in the mountaines hée had thrée thousand and thrée hundred men that ruled the workmen The holy Ghost maketh mention that it was built in the 480. 1 Kin. 6.1 yeare after the people of Israell came out of Egypt 2 Cro. 4. and in the fourth yeare of King Salomons reigne It contained thrée roomes that were specially dedicated The first roome was called Salomons porch or hall of the Iewes wherein was an Altar of brasse for burnt offering Therein was the fire of God continually maintained There the common people offered burnt offerings morning and euening of such things as were brought There Christ taught there Peter wrought miracles The second part or roome of the Temple was called Holy because none might enter into it but the Priests who were many and they were distinguished into 24. Orders In it was an Altar of Gold whereon was burnt Incense for a swéet sacrifice morning and euening There were the golden Candlestickes and the Lampes burning day and night there were two golden cups with Frankinsence and that fine and costly vaile which at the death of Christ was rent from the top to the bottome The third part or roome was called the Holy of Holiest In it was the inner house or Oracle made with Sethim wood and Cedar couered with gold within and without Into this place none entered but the high priest and that but once a yeare to offer for the sinnes of the people Whereby was figured the propitiation of Christ once for all In the middest thereof was the Arke the two tables of the Law the pot of Manna Aarons rod flourishing the Booke of Deuteronomie Gods oracles and his answeres Neare thereto was an Ile that did pertaine to the Gentiles and to all people cleane vncleane therfore it was called the court of the Gentiles There was the treasurie for the poore there the widow offered her mite There the woman was discharged by Christ which was taken in adultery Par. What difference or oddes I pray you was there betweene the Temple and the Tabernacle Past Indéede if you compare the Tabernacle the Parts Roomes Furniture and Ordinances thereof with the Temple you shall finde little oddes or difference The first part or roome of the Temple and Tabernacle had relation analogie and reference to the people of the old world before the floud and thence to the giuing of the Law The second part of the Temple and Tabernacle had reference analogie and coherence to the Church and Synagogue of the Iewes with all their lawes and Ceremonies prefiguring Christ The which people properly did appertaine vnto God And the shadowing of the Mercie-seate signified their defence The third part or roome of the Temple and Tabernacle had relation and analogie both to the Iewes and Gentiles which were to be saued and to be brought by Election and Grace vnto the marriage of the Lambe Christ Iesus which thing was signified by the throwing downe of the partition wall and by the renting of the vaile Thus the Temple and the Tabernacle being one in substance and thrée in vse may well be compared to the holy and blessed Trinitie Par. Where was the Temple built Past It is plainly recorded 2 Chro. 3.1 that this famous building was on mount Moriah where Adam was created Gen. 2. neare the Garden of Eden where Adam fell where Isaac was offered where Sem or Melchisedech dwelt and ruled with peace and iustice like the sonne of God The which place was first called Salem vpon Isaacs offering Ierisalec and now Ierusalem Par. Declare vnto mee briefly concerning the dedication of the Temple Past King Salomon and all the men of Israell assembled according to their degrées and they brought vp the Arke of the Lord from the house of Abinadab into the Citie of Dauid 1 King 8. which is Zion and they brought the Tabernacle of the congregation and all the holy vessels that were in the Tabernacle those did the Priests and Leuites bring vp Then hée and the people offered vnto the Lord innumerably And a cloud filled the Lords house for the glory of the Lord was there Toward the which King Salomon turning himselfe and lifting vp his hands and eyes vnto heauen desired the Lord to dedicate that place to the honour of his name and that it might be to be comfort of his people that called vpon him in that place And when hée had ended his prayer he stood vp and blessed the people The first Particular concerning the Kings of Israell and Iudah Parishioner I Would gladly know the stories of these Kings and their Prophets in their order Past First 1 Kin. 12. you must vnderstand that immediately after the death of King Salomon the same great and renowmed kingdome of the Hebrewes 1 King 11.11.12.13 was diuided into two parts according as the Lord had fore-spoken But after 490. yeares were expired it was ioyned together againe Ezec. 37.16.17.18.19 20. according as the holy prophet Ezechiel had fore-told Par. Declare vnto me the manner of this diuision or ruine Past Ieroboam 1 King 11.26 to 40. the sonne of Nebat an Ephradite of Zereda Salomons seruant according to the word of the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet Ahijah the Shilonite had ten Tribes of Israell that held and tooke part with him that he should be king who placed his seat and pallace in Samaria and his kingdome was thenceforth called the kingdome of Israell The other part of that famous kingdome Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon possessed which was the lesser part for onely two Tribes held with him His seat was at Ierusalem and his kingdome was called the kingdome of Iudah Thus you may sée two Kings in one kingdome which indéede is prodigious Par. Now declare vnto mee why the whole kingdome was thus deuided and so miserably distressed Past I will answer you with Gods owne words Because they haue forsaken me saith the Lord 1 King 11.33 and worshipped Astaroth the god of the Zidonians and Chemosh the god of the Moabites and Milcom the god of the Ammonites and haue not walked in my wayes to doe right in mine eyes and for the sinnes of Salomon Par. How did the one and the other of these kings behaue themselues towards God Past Ieroboam 1 King 12.26 to 31. the king of Israel thought in his heart and said If this my people goe vp and doe sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Ierusalem then shall the people turne againe vnto the Lord and so cleaue vnto Rehoboam the King of Iudah Whereupon the King tooke counsell and made two calues of gold the one hée set vp at Bethel the other at Dan. Whose priests hée made of the lower sort and basest amongst the people and he commanded all his subiects to goe thither and worship them as their gods The other part of the kingdome that
the repairing of the Temple And in short time there was found ouer and aboue the repairing such store of money as was sufficient to make bowles of gold and instruments of siluer in great abundance for the Temple At which time came Hazaell the king of Aram with a mighty army against Gath and intending also to come against Ierusalem Iehoash the King of Iudah tooke the hallowed things that his forefathers had prepared for the Temple and so he departed into his owne Land where he was slaine by two of his owne seruants And he was buried with his fathers in the city of Dauid after he had raigned forty yeares in Ierusalem Par. Who was the eight King Past Amaziah 2 King 14.1 to 21. the sonne of Ioash succéeded in the kingdome This King did behaue himselfe vprightly in the sight of God according to all which his father had done yet the people did sacrifice in the high places He slew them which had killed his father but not their children according to that which was written The fathers shall not be put to death for the children nor the children for the father but euery man shall die for his owne sinne Afterwards hée warred with the Edomites and slew many thousands And not being therewith content he also challenged the King of Israell who answered him disdainefully But Amaziah was wilfull and would not be quiet Whereupon the King of Israell in open field tooke Amaziah brake downe the wals of Ierusalem spoyled the Temple and the people of their treasure and then returned to Samaria Amaziah liued after that warre fiftéene yeares There was a conspiracy against him in Ierusalem whereupon he fled to Lachis and the conspiratours followed after him and slew him there and brought him to be buried at Ierusalem after he had raigned nine and twenty yeares Par. Who was the ninth King Past 2 Kin. 14.21.15.1 to 8. Azariah his sonne was made King when he was sixtéene yeares old He did vprightly in the Lords sight yet because the high places were not taken away where the people offered sacrifice the Lord smote him with Leprosie vntill his dying day and Ioathan his sonne gouerned the kingdome vnder him two and fifty yeares and so dyed Par. Who was the tenth King Past 2 King 15.7.32 to the end Ioathan the sonne of Azariah immediately after his father tooke the kingdome as lawfull heire He did vprightly in the Lords sight but yet he had not taken away the high places whereon they burnt Intense And then the Lord sent against him and Iudah Rozin the King of Aram and Pekah the sonne of Remeliah king of Israell And when hée had raigned sixtéene yeares he dyed and was buried with his fathers in Ierusalem Par. Who was the eleauenth King Past Ahaz 2 King 16.1 to the end the sonne of Ioathan raigned in his stead Hée walked in the wayes of the kings of Israell and made his sonne to goe through fire after the abhominations of the heathen and hée offered burnt incense Wherefore the Lord raysed the King of Aram and the King of Israell against him At which time he called not for Gods assistance but sent presents vnto the King of Ashur crauing his ayde whereunto the King of Ashur condescended He was twenty yeares old when he began his raign he continued 16. yeares most irreligiously and prophanely and so died Par. Who was the twelfth King Past 2 King 16.20.18.1.2.3.4 to 9.13 to the end 19.20 Hezekiah his sonne raigned and ruled so religiously so zealously and so faithfully as that the holy Ghost witnesseth none was like him amongst all the Kings of Iudah that went before him neither were any such after him And therefore the Lord God of heauen was with him which made him to prosper in all things that hée tooke in hand In his time euen in the fouretéenth yeare of his raigne Senacherib the King of Ashur came against all the strong cities of Iudah and tooke them Then Hezekiah sent vnto him desiring him to take those treasures which he had sent and to be at peace with him and his people He receiued the treasures and yet neuerthelesse most tyrannously and trecherously he sent Rabsaketh with an huge army against him who most blasphemously railed at reuiled the King and the Lord God of heauen Then the King of Iudah and his Nobility went into the house of the Lord with their cloathes rent and with teares to pray vnto the Lord for helpe Then Esay the Prophet as being sent from God comforted them saying Be not afraid for thus the Lord hath said The King of Ashur shall returne into his owne land and there shall be discomfited So Rabsaketh presently returned and found it so indéede For the King of Aethiopia was come vp to fight against him Neuerthelesse Rabsaketh sent men with railing Letters vnto Hezekiah the King Which Letters hée spreads open in the Lords sight with many prayers and teares The Lord heard him at large and sent an Angell which destroyed the Assirian army and as he was in the Temple worshipping his idoll god two of his owne sonnes slew him About that time Hezekiah fell sicke vnto death and through his great intercession to God he recouered within thrée dayes and liued fiftéene yeares after as the Prophet Esay had said vnto him The Lord promised also to defend him from the King of Ashur And because he might be assured thereof he gaue him a signe in Ahaz diall of ten degrées backward At the same time came the King of Babels sonne with letters and a present to visite him whom he entertained very royally and shewed him all his treasures At which déede the Lord was angry and sent Esay to tell him that in time to come all his treasures and his people should be carried away captiue into Babilon He was fiue and twenty yeares old when he began to raigne and raigned nine and twenty yeares Par. What doe you specially obserue in these foure last recited Kings to wit Azariah Ioathan Ahaz and Hezekiah Past It appeares that almighty God did specially fauour them in that hée gaue them fiue Prophets of whom they might inquire for the Lords will Esay Ioel. Hosea Amos. Micha Par. Who was the thirteenth king Past Manastes his sonne 2 Kin. 20.21.21.1 to 19. He wrought wickednes in the Lords sight and liued in open view of his subiects after the abhominations of the Heathen whom the Lord had cast out before him For whatsoeuer his holy Fathers had done to the honour and seruice of God he wrought cleane contrary and gaue himselfe to witchcraft sorcery familiar spirits and such like He did leade the people from the Lord and he enforced Iudah to sinne and he shed much innocent blood Wherefore the Lord God of Israell said I will bring an euill vpon Israell that who so heareth it both his eares shall tingle I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance and I will deliuer them into the hands
a witnesse because the conscience is a thousand more then needes euen so repentance towards God that is deferred needes no witnesse because when it commeth the conscience doth accuse it doth witnesse it doth condemne it doth iudge and it is many times ready to execute As Honey doth make sowre things sweet euen so I must tell you that the sight of my sins doth make things that are in their nature sweet to others sowre to me As he that is in extreame heate will be glad with a little cooling as hee that is in extreame sicknesse will be glad with a little ease and as hee that is in extreame hunger will be glad of a little food euen so I good reuerend Sir extreamely tormented wth the waight of sinne miserably vexed with the guiltinesse of conscience and heartily frighted with the feare of Gods deserued iudgements wold be glad with a little comfort with a little ease with a little pittance or crumme of recreation For mee thinkes I see Birds swimme and Fishes flye all things are so crosse and so contrary vnto me Me thinkes I see the lake Troglodides thrise sweet and thrise bitter in one day and me thinkes I see the shoare Lepanthus in the morning sending forth a sweet pleasant calme but in the euening lightning and thundering Some perswade me that by faith onely I shall haue comfort in conscience and saluation which glads mee and is sweet vnto mee for a while others disswade me and say vnto me that I must obtaine it by Faith and Workes which presently dampe mee and are as hot thunderbolts vnto me I am as in a mismaze or labyrinth Ariadnes thread would winde mee out but conscience still puls me in As Diues being in hell did wish and desire that his brethren might be warned lest they also should come to that place of torments so I being thus perplexed doe heartily wish and desire Almighty God that not onely my naturall brethren but all people may be warned by Gods word that they may make conscience of his Sabaoths and that they may specially regard zealous men lest they be tormented in conscience as I am Tell me therefore tell me I humbly pray you tell me what shall I say what shall I doe or what way or course shall I take in hand to be reconciled to God to haue peace in my owne conscience and to haue assurance that my soule shall be receiued into the fellowship of the Saints in heauen amongst whom there are some that I most heartily desire to see A comfortable Confection for a sorrowfull Sinner Pastor YOu discourse so philosophically of naturall things as makes you séeme yet to me a naturall man in which discourse I obserue two speciall questions or rather obiections well worthy the answering One is your perturbations for sinnes committed the other is your doubt whether Faith Works or Faith onely iustifieth To the first I answere that your great griefes perturbations in soule and conscience are not arguments or notes of reprobation but rather of Faith of Iustification which is begunne in you For by how much you haue the sense and féeling of your sins by so much the more you haue the assurance of mercy as hée who hath the sense and féeling of his naturall disease hath some assurance that he is not in danger of death And by how much dangerous the disease of the body is found to be so much the more vehement and bitter a corosiue must be vsed but first a Corasiue then a Lenitiue Euen so Christ Iesus the holy Physitian heales the soules of great sinners by suffering them to call to cry to vexe to grieue and euen to roare with the surpassing greatnesse therof and afterwards when the extremitie and bitternesse of the passion is past then hée heares then hée grants and then hee receiues to mercy vsing therein the practise of a good naturall Physitian who ministreth not medicine to a maladye when it is raging and at the worst but when it is somewhat mitigated asswaged and abated And it is iustice with God to doe sometimes as hée is done vnto he cals cryes earely and late and man will not heare he offers mercy earely and late yet man will not estéeme of it No maruell then if man call and cry and God will not heare him if man call and cry for mercy and God will not by and by heare him Hope confidently in Gods mercy constantly and resolutely abide therefore and wait the Lords leasure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart You haue the example of Dauid of Ezekias of Peter and many others who called who cryed who wept and roared bitterly who hoped in God and were resolute at last the Lord heard them As for your other scruple or doubt concerning faith with workes or faith without works the places befitting this purpose are farre more then néede or conueniency will suffer me to vtter That faith onely iustifieth Paul hauing no good worke but rather being full of guile and crueltie as his owne story sets forth was iustified by faith only which makes him in great humility and thankfulnesse to preach the same in all that his Epistle to the Romanes and in many places of his other Epistles to the other Nations S. Iames in his Epistle catholicall writes no lesse when as he saith Iames 2.15 Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes meaning workes that follow a true iustifiing Faith and not workes annexed as iustifying with Faith S. Peter setting forth the excellencie of Faith saith 1 Pet. 1. that the triall therof is much more excellent then gold meaning a tryall in tribulations after iustification and not before S. Iohn approuing Iustification also by faith 1 Iohn 1. magnifieth the mercies of God in Christ and concludes all men vnder sinne The allowance of faith onely is manifestly proued by Christs owne examples who healed all manner of diseases vpon sinners by Faith onely and also forgiuing sinnes which was in effect the office also of Iohn Baptist Mat. 3. And againe the vse of ceremonies in the Law forced no farther for Iustification then to faith in the Messiah I must say in another sort if righteousnesse come by the Law that is to say if righteousnesse come by workes then Christ dyed in vaine and our Faith is of none effect And I must say as S. Paul said 1 Cor. 15. If there be no resurrection then are we of all men most miserable euen so if faith and workes doe iustifie then am I with you and with infinite thousands more of all men most miserable Gen. 11. As Nimrod with his builders were far wide when they thought with the strength of their hands to worke their way to heauen and the Pharisee when he boasted of his vprightnesse euen so are they that think to obtaine saluation by their workes farre wide and cleane out of the right way Like the
woman naturally descended from Lot who committed incest with his two daughters Par. Why then is Ruth here reckoned and accounted sithence she came of such an incestuous wicked man Past Shée is set forth in holy Scripture and the Booke entituled by her name to the open view of the world that the Iewes might sée the calling of the Gentiles by Iesus Christ to saluation for he lineally descended of Ruth who was a Gentile Therein God the Father declared that hée receiued poore sinners into fauour by reuealing of the Gospell vnto them and by vniting her and other of the Gentiles into the stocke and linage of Abraham Par. What is the matter contained therein Past It containes a piece of Dauids genealogie which by the Euangelists is translated into the genealogie of Christ that thereby men might know Gods predestinate decrée for the saluation of penitent sinners by Christ who long after should be borne of sinners The seauenth Particular concerning Samuell in the fourth Obseruation Par. Declare vnto me I pray you in briefe answeres concerning the Booke of Samuel and the Booke of the Kings Past According to the Latines there are foure Bookes to wit two entituled the Bookes of Samuel and two entituled the Bookes of Kings all which foure according to the Hebrew are only two reckoning both the bookes of Samuel for the one and both the Bookes of the Kings for the other The Writers thereof seuerally a piece or a portion were Samuel Nathan Gad Ahiah the Shilonite Iddo the Seer as may appeare by these words 1 Chron. 29.29 The acts of Dauid are they not written in the Booke of Samuel the Seer in the Booke of Nathan the Prophet and in the Booke of Gad the Seer Par What was this Samuel Past Hée was the sonne of Elkanah an Ephrahite whom Hannah his Mother obtayned at the Lords hands by prayer when she was in reproach amongst all Israell by reason of her barrennesse She dedicated him to the seruice of GOD in the Temple who proued a most faithfull and a most constant Prophet of the Lord vnder King Saul Par. What doth the first Booke of Samuel containe Past It principally containes the story of King Saul Par. What doth the second booke of Samuel containe Past It containeth principally the story of King Dauid The eight Particular concerning Saul Par. These three Kings to wit Saul Dauid and Salomon who by succession held the famous and renowmed kingdome of the Hebrewes when it was yet whole and entire I would pray you to set mee downe their stories particularly Past It is true these Kings in their time were the most renowmed of any that euer followed after them and they were the first that euer was ouer the people of God 1 Sam. 9.10.11 Saul was the son of Kish of the tribe of Beniamin which was a great prerogatiue to that tribe being the least and the last By séeking of his fathers Asses which went astray hée came by Gods prouidence vnto the place where Samuel the Lords Prophet dwelt Samuel séeing him and knowing Gods will concerning him hée entertained him amongst the best of the people and the next day he annoynted him King ouer the people of Israell and because it should not séeme incredible hée gaue him thrée speciall tokens by the which hée should know that the Lord God had so appointed all which tokens came to passe that same day Samuel hauing also assembled the people he told them that the Lord had appointed them a King euen in his wrath because they refused to be guided and gouerned by him and he presented Saul before them at which time they cryed and said God saue the King And immediately Samuel hauing declared what dutie did belong vnto the King from his subiects the Lord touched the hearts of a band of men who hereupon followed the King to the wars against Nahash the Ammonite in the behalfe of Iabesh Gilead that desired helpe of the Israelites The spirit of the Lord came vpon Saul he was turned into another man that is to say hée by the same Spirit became more wise and more heroically valiant then hée was before and in qualities méete for a King Par. How came it to passe that Saul was sent to seeke the Asses His Father being a man of great reputation and riches hee had many others no doubt to send Past It was the diuine and secret prouidence of God that the Asses went astray and that Saul should séeke after them whereby he might be brought as it were by the hand vnto the place where Samuel was and for that purpose which his holy Maiestie had determined That which Almighty GOD hath done herein was not to declare vnto men what hée could doe but what hee would doe for the better stay of faithfull men vpon his promises and prouidence and withall to teach all men that when any matter happeneth to the good of the godly hée should not attribute it to his owne endeuour or paines nor yet to the fayned Gods as by Fortune and Chance but euen by a secret diuine rule bringing great and mighty things to passe by weake and small meanes And that the very guiding â—and of GOD was in it appeares plainly for God told Samuel â—aying To morrow about this time I will send thee a man of Beniamin named Saul him shalt thou annoynt to be gouernour ouer my people Israell Par. Why was God displeased with his people of Israell for asking a King sithence they had none Past Almighty God was not angry with them simply for asking a King 1 Sam. 8.4.5.6.7.8.9 to 22. but because hée himselfe had gouerned them and guided them alwayes before without a King to wit by Patriarches by Chiefetenants and Iudges Vnder whose gouernment they alwayes prospered so long as they obeyed the Lord in any measure And in that time in which they desired a King they were gouerned by Samuel a holy man and the Prophet of the Lord they desired a King euen in wantonnesse and pride of heart and not in regard of any want Therefore the Lord said to Samuel 1 Sam. 1. to 11. Heare the voyce of the peopple they haue not cast away thee but they haue cast away mee As though he had said thy gouernment was my gouernment or as I commanded thée they doe not reiect thée in this but me therefore heare them and tell them what manner of man he shall be vnto them Par. Doth God appoint ouer any Nation such kings and rulers as shall tyrannize and deale roughly with their subiects Past When as the people are not thankefull vnto him for a good King and when they doe not humbly acknowledge the benefit thereof then hée vsually plagueth them with wicked tyrannous Kings Par. How did Saul behaue himselfe towards God hauing receiued such a speciall fauour as to be made a King ouer such a great Nation Past After he had raigned two yeares ouer Israell 1 Sam. 15. he did that which