24 25. We are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set foorth to be a propitiation thorough faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past thorough the forbearance of God The Apostle to the Hebrewes declareth that Christ was to offer vp himselfe once and not often as the High-Priest entreth into the high place euery yeare with blood of others For then must hee often haue suffered since the foundation of the world Heb. 9 26. but now once in the ende of the world hath be appeared to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe By all which testimonies it appeareth that Christ is our Aduocate and hath wrought our peace and attonement and thereby made an end of all other sacrifices The reasons are plaine First because God Reason 1 thereby is well pleased and his wrath appeased so that hee accounteth his death as a full price and sufficient ransome paid for them So the Euangelist witnesseth that a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Math. 3 17. And in the Epistle to the Ephesians the Apostle saieth chap. 5 verse 2. Walke in loue as Christ also hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweete smelling sauour It is noted in the booke of Genesis that when Noah being come out of the Arke builded an Altar and offered burnt offerings the Lord smelled a sweete sauour Gen. 8 21. which was not the smoke of the sacrifice that ascended for what sweetnesse could there be in that but it was the sweet precious sacrifice of Christ for which his wrath was appeased being shadowed by that ceremony Reason 2 Secondly Christ tooke the whole burden of our sinnes vpon his shoulders presenting himselfe before God in our person and offering vs to God in his person so that he tooke vpon him our vnrighteousnesse and imputed to vs his righteousnesse This the Prophet Esay did most cleerely prophesie off chap. 53 verses 4 12. Surely hee hath borne our greefes and carried our sorrowes and powred out his soule vnto death c. He bare the sinnes of many and made intercession for the transgressors And the Apostle teacheth that in Christ we are reconciled to God For hee hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5 21. And in the Epistle to the Colossians chap. 2 ver 14 15. he setteth out the fruite of Christs death that he hath forgiuen vs our trespasses hath put out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs he tooke it out of the way and fastened it to his Crosse hee hath spoiled principalities and powers hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same Crosse This was notably prefigured and foreshewed in the rites of the Law For when any propitiatory sacrifice was to bee offered for the people the Priest was to present the beast before the Lord to lay his hands vpon the head of the beast and to confesse the sinnes of the people vpon it and so it bare their iniquities the truth whereof is Christ himselfe Thirdly there could otherwise bee no remission Reason 3 of sinnes so that it is the blood of Christ in the suffering of the Crosse that purgeth away our sinnes as Hebr. 9 verse 22. Almost all things in the Law are purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission and therefore it was necessary that Christ should purge and purifie vs by his blood The greatnesse of our sinnes could not otherwise bee pardoned nor the person that is offended satisfied they are infinite and so require a sacrifice of infinite price and value No treasures no riches no creatures no sacrifices no ceremonies could do it it cost more to saue a soule and to redeeme the captiues and prisoners that are holden by Satan in slauery to do his will Knowing that we are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vain conuersation receiued by the tradition of the Fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot 1 Pet. 1 verses 18 19. Fourthly nothing but the death of Christ could quench the scorching wrath of God as Reason 4 a consuming fire kindled against vs counteruaile his seuere iustice Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes hauing shewed that the blood of Bulles and Goats could not possibly take away sinnes addeth immediately after When hee commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou ordained mee Heb. 9 5. Our sinnes haue a bloody face in the sight of God and we are enemies vnto him so that the robes of the Saints must bee dipped in the blood of the Lambe Reuel 7 ver 14. All the nitre and sope and Fullers earth in the world are weake and vnsufficient and haue not power and strength enough in them to do it So that we must say with the Prophet Psal 50 7. Purge me with Hyssope and I shall bee cleane wash me and I shall bee whiter then snow Thus then we see that Moses mentioning heere the Ramme of attonement whereby an attonement is to be made for sinners teacheth vnder this type this certaine and vndoubted truth that Christ our Sauiour hath by his blood made an attonement betweene God and vs therby reconciled vs vnto his Father The vses of this doctrine are of great weight and importance First it offereth to our considerations Vse 1 this meditation what sin is how it is to be esteemed It is a most fearefull and greeuous thing the wrath of God against it is exceeding great so that nothing in heauen or in earth could satisfie for sinne but the death of Christ Iesus the Sonne must dye for the seruant or rather for the enemy for we are by nature the children of wrath as well as others The iustice of God would not spare him though he were his onely and welbeloued Sonne but forasmuch as he was to beare our sinnes in his body he must die for ir Rom. 8 32. He spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him to the death for vs all We are not therefore to be lightly carried into the practise of sinne but to be much greeued at it to striue with all our force against it and to endeuour to ouercome it and among other things this is not the least that should trouble vs that we haue by sinne brought such misery and shame vpon the Sonne of God Wee ought to lament for this and to bewaile it euery day For if we had not sinned and by sinne beene depriued of the glory of God he had not taken vpon him the shape of a seruant neither beene humbled to the death of the Crosse We doe daily cry out
him into prison and Ioseph could by no meanes satisfie his master nor blot out the wrong opinion he had conceiued of him The like we might shew touching Saul toward Ionathan his sonne and Dauid his seruant that were notwithstanding loyall faithfull vnto him He conceiued in minde that all had conspired against him 1 Sam. 22 8 29 4. yet there was none would shew him that his sonne had made a league with the sonne of lesse there was none sorry for him or sheweth vnto him that his sonne had stirred vp his seruant against him to lie in waite to take away his life from him These two innocent men had made indeed a league together but not against the King their father a league of amity not of conspiracy neither had they giuen the least cause of suspicion to be so hardly cēsured and sinisterly iudged off yet who could remoue out of his minde that iealousie or perswade him that they intended no hurt or mischiefe against him In like manner dealt the proud men with Ieremy Ierem. 43 3. they charged him to haue spoken falsely and that the Lord had not sent him to charge them not to goe downe into Egypt they suspected that Baruch had set him on against them to deliuer them into the hand of the Caldeans that they might put them to death and carry them captiues into Babylon This was the deuise of their owne braines the imagination of their owne harts yet what could Ieremy doe against it or which way could he stay them from suspecting thus Whē as Paul hauing appealed to Caesar had escaped shipwracke and was come safe to Melita the Barbarians seeing a viper fastned on his hand Acts 28 4. said among themselues This man surely is a murtherer whom though he haue escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth not to liue Thus we see that albeit we do not commit any crime worthy to be accused or censured yet we cannot hinder those that are credulous from misdeeming and mistrusting of vs. It lyeth in vs wholly to giue no iust cause of suspicion but lyeth not in vs wholly to preuent suspicion For euil persons may suspect what they please without ground and foundation without reason and occasion The Magistrates censured Paul to be a troubler of the Citty Acts 16 20. the Iewes traduced him to be a polluter of the Temple Acts 21 28. and a Preacher against the Law Tertullus accused him to be a pestilent fellow and a mouer of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens Acts chap. 24 verse 5. Thus he is suspected and how could he auoide it Wherefore good men depend not vpon the opinion of other men but stand vppon their owne innocency they do not rise or goe downe stand or fall as it shall please other men to conceiue of them for that were to walke vpon other mens feete or to leane vpon the staffe that resteth in another mans hand that may deceiue thē but they builde their house vpon the foundation of their owne vertues and haue or at least ought to haue matter enough within them to commend themselues It must not seeme strange to the godly when they feele the bitter fruits of these suspicions It hath euermore fared thus with them This then ought not to make vs wauer or to weaken vs in our profession but rather encourage vs to walke through good report and euill report and to furnish vs to passe through fire and water life and death knowing that God is able and will in the end bring our cause into the light and make the innocency of our persons and the iustice of our cause manifest to the glory of his Name to the comfort of our hearts to the confusion of his and our enemies as we shall shew afterward Thus he dealt with Ioseph after he had tried his patience by suffering for well doing Psal 105 18. Gen. 3◠21. for though he were laid in irons and his feete hurt with fetters yet the Lord was with him and shewed him mercy gaue him fauour in the sight of the keeper of the prison to whom no doubt he shewed his vprightnesse and cleered himselfe of that wickednes which was laide to his charge So also he dealt with Dauid with Ieremy and the rest of the righteous This doth Dauid intreat oftentimes when he was laden with the reproches of his enemies when he was bitten with the teeth and smitten with the tongues of the malignant Psal 7 3 4 5 6 Thus we see if suspition were cause sufficient to condemne and censure any no man could stand in iudgement but equity should be turned into iniquity truth into falsehood innocency it selfe should receiue a checke and counterbuffe Let not then the wicked triumph as if they had gotten the victory and giuen the godly a foile when they can alledge against them how many waies of how many persons they are suspected for that as much may bee suspected of them when as nothing at all can be proued by thē It is not the suspicion or the accusation or the condemnation or the execution that maketh a man guilty of euill or to deserue death but the offence that is committed worthy of punishment If then they be free from crime they are happy when they are iudged vnhappy and may reioyce and be glad when their enemies haue cause to weepe and waile Vse 3 Lastly let Magistrates and all that are in authority whether in the common-wealth or in the family put this in practise For seeing euery one should be tried before he be censured and that examination must goe before condemnation let them not receiue euery cōplaint and accusation but let them do iustice and iudgement defend the poore and fatherlesse releeue the weake and oppressed rid them out of the hand of the wicked Let this be the end of their gouernment to sing mercy and iudgement and diligently to consider the causes that come before them To this purpose there is required of them two things wisedome and patience without which they shall neuer proceed aright in taking away euill but sometimes plucke vp good corne instead of weedes or suffer thistles to grow instead of wholesome herbes Wisedome is required to finde out particular offences to know the number the nature the measure the proceeding in them the encrease of them and all circumstances as we see Eccl. 7 20 21. This will teach vs when to correct and when we may deferre correction in hope of amendment it being the discretion of a man to deferre his anger Prou. 20 30. And albeit the blewnesse of the wound clenseth away euill yet a man ought not to giue scope to his anger neither yet exceed measure Secondly there is required patience that we be not too hot and hasty vpon those that haue offended but to quiet our mindes and heare their answers what they can alledge for themselues as Iob
dead are there and that her guests are in the depth of hell Such naughty women are called euery where in this booke strangers though they be too familiar and well known and thrust themselues into the company of others because they should be strangers vnto vs and not of our acquaintance There is nothing more common in them then to entice young men by wanton gestures lasciuous words and plausible perswasions to dalliance and delight It is a great fauour of God to be preserued from their baites and kept from their snares yea it is a farre greater mercy to be secured from harlots then to be kept from the pestilence they shew greater wisdome that shun and passe by their houses and company then they that forsake places persons that are infected with some dangerous and deadly disease Euery one is forward to beware hee come not neere any pest-house for feare of his life but if we assemble into harlots houses we run in danger of soule body It is an easie matter to fall into a pit where a man may be drowned but it is not so easie to get out of it The wanton woman is as a deepe ditch and a narrow pit and a dangerous hole whereinto a man may slip hastily at vnwares but he shall hardly come out from thence or deliuer himselfe without the speciall goodnesse of God pulling him as it were out of the fire and setting his feete in safety For as a theefe lurketh in a denne or wood to get a prey so doth she lye in waite and vseth baites to steale away the hearts of men and thereby preuaileth mightily with many in the world Among all dangers this is not the least that Salomon speaketh of â— 2 19. None that goe vnto her returne againe neither take they hold of the pathes of life These words do not absolutely deny repentance to them that are falleÌ„ or shut the gate of mercy against them that haue sinned but the meaning is that few yea very few escape destruction returne to saluation because they sildome repent It is a very rare thing to see a penitent adulterer they leaue the sinne when it leaueth them because they can follow it no longer but they do not repent of it they do not sorrow for it they do not flie from it Hence it is that you shall hear many old men whose strength is decaied whose bodies are withered whose feet are already entred in a manner into their graues laugh heartily at the remembrance of their tricks of youth and talke wantonly filthily of the prankes which they haue plaied so that from the abundance of the heart â—h 12 34. the mouth speaketh and their corrupt communication testifieth that they neuer soundly repented of their vncleannesse No maruaile therefore if the wise man peremptorily declare that few or none of those that are giuen ouer to this lewdnesse of life do come to repentance for albeit some few find grace yet in comparison of such as run on headlong liue securely to the end in their wickednes they may worthily be said to be none at all They are so blinded besotted that they cannot see their own filthines they are so dull and deafe that they cannot heare those that admonish them nay they hate those that reproue them The Apostle Paul exhorting the Corinthians to flye fornication â— 6 18. which was most common in those daies â—â—es to a â—fornica and esteemed a slight or no sin at all vseth many notable reasons of great weight importance worthy to be considered of vs. One reason or motiue is this that our bodies are the Lords and must be seruiceable vnto him â— 6 13. The body is not for fornication but for the Lord. Wherfore hath he giuen to vs our body but that we should serue him in our body We are not to yeeld our members as instruments of vnrighteousnes vnto sin â—6 13. but we ought to yeeld our selues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and so make our members as instruments of righteousnes vnto him First therefore the Apostle reasoneth froÌ„ the end of our creation Secondly the Lord Iesus is ordained appointed to be the Redeemer Sauiour not only of the soule but also of the body therefore he saith the Lord for the body 1 Cor. 6 13. Fornication and sanctification cannot stand together but are contrary one to the other so that they cannot abide in one subiect Christ came into the world to this end that he might redeeme our bodies by his death out of the power of the diuell and sanctifie them by his Spirit If then we giue our selues as seruants to obey the lusts of the flesh wee make void the glorious worke of our redemption wherein mercy iustice and truth kissed one another For herein we see the truth of Gods promise accomplished Gen 3 15. that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpents head and the truth of his threatning fulfilled that man offending shold die the death Herein we may behold the wonderfull iustice of God that because man had sinned man must be punished for otherwise he had not bin a iust God Lastly hereby appeareth the vnspeakable mercy of God toward mankinde who albeit his iustice were such that rather then sin should goe vnpunished he would punish it in his Son 1 Pet. 2 24. Esay 53 12. who bare our sins in his body and made intercession for our transgressions yet found out a way how to redeeme vs when we cast our selues headlong into all misery and made our selues subiect to the greatest thraldome that euer was We are deliuered from the hands of our enemies sin the world and the diuell that we should be holy vnto him that hath called vs. The third motiue is drawne from the glorious resurrection of our bodies as the former was froÌ„ the gracious redemption of our bodies If we would haue them liue with him for euer that shall raise theÌ„ vp we must abstaine from filthy lusts which defile the body therfore the Apostle saith God hath both raised vp the Lord 1 Cor. 6 14. wil also raise vs vp by his own power The author of this great benefit and wonderfull worke is God which passeth and exceedeth mans reason Hence it is that he putteth vs in minde of his power because he is almighty If it were not vnpossible vnto him to create our bodies out of the dust of the earth why shall it not bee possible to raise them out of the dust againe Nay if he were able to make theÌ„ of that which was nothing inasmuch as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 11 3. that the things which are seene were not made of things which doe appeare how much more shall he bee able to giue to euery one his body which he had before Again he teacheth that God hath raised already the Lord Christ froÌ„ death to life therefore
this chapter is this God hath instituted the way and meanes how the vnclean shal be cleansed wherby to assure themselues that no infirmity shall separate them from the fauour of God The parts of this Chapter are two The contents of this Chapter the first is touching the water of clensing or separation so called because such as were separated for any vncleannesse were sprinkled with it the second touching the persons that were to vse it and to be cleansed by it Touching the water we are to know the matter wherof it was made of the ashes of a redde cow without spot without blemish without yoke And the rites vsed about the heifer before it was offered and also following the offering all which may bee learned in the words themselues The persons that were to vse this water of separation are the vncleane which are of two sorts first by touching a dead body of any man Secondly by approching and comming neere to the tent where the dead lyeth c. It is dangerous to be neere any vncleane person which pointeth out the danger of euil and teacheth to haue no communion with it Whosoeuer neglecteth this law and beeing vncleane seeketh not to be clensed shall be cut off from the coÌ„gregation verse 13 20. declaring that we should not suffer sin to rest vpon vs though we fall into euill and cannot keep our selues vpright yet we must not lie in sin neither giue it any entertainement no not for a time But to passe ouer particulars obserue the scope and drift of this chapter which is to proclaim the mercy of God to such as confesse and forsake their sinnes â—ctrine â— penitent â—ons shal be 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 fauour The Doctrine then is this that all penitent persons shall bee receiued into Gods fauour so that no euill shall come nere them Esai 1 17 18. It skilleth not what our sins are or how great they haue bin but how true and sincere our repentance is Ier. 50 20. 1 Iohn 1 9. Ezek. 36 25 26. This truth is farther confirmed by many examples as Manasses 2 Chro. 33 12 13. the sinful woman that had many sinnes forgiuen her Luke 7 48. the penitent Theefe vpon the crosse Luk. 23 41 42 43. To those that put Christ to death the Apostle Peter preached repentance and many of them beleeued and were saued Actes 2.37 Reason 1 The grounds of this are first that no sinner should despaire with Cain 1 Tim. 1 26. or be damned with Iudas Iohn 6 70. or be reiected with Esau Heb. 12 17. Reason 2 Secondly Christ Iesus hath satisfied for vs all Esay 53 5 6. Rom. 8 33. he is our suretie and hath paid all our debt for vs whatsoeuer could in iustice be required of vs. God the father is the creditor we are the debters Christ is the surety sin is the debt hell is the prison into which we deserue to be cast But as the creditor cannot come in with any after reckonings nor put the poore debter into prison when once the debt is satisfied by the surety so the Lord will not lay any thing to our charge nor send vs to hell as to prison forasmuch as his owne Sonne hath laide downe his life as the full price of all our iniquities whereby his wrath is appeased and his iustice satisfied Vse 1 The vses First we learne how it commeth to passe that the sin against the holy Ghost is said to be the vnpardonable sin the sin that shall neuer be forgiuen neither in this life nor in the life to come Matth. 12 32. Marke 3 28 29. 1 Iohn 5 16. not because God cannot forgiue it for his mercy is infinite and greater then all our sinnes but because such as commit it can neuer repent Such as were once lightned with the knowledge of the truth haue receiued the heauenly gift haue bin made partakers of the holyghost haue heard the good word of God with ioy and tasted of the powers of the world to come if they fall away it is vnpossible they should be renewed againe by Repentance seeing they crucifie to themselues the son of God afcesh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6 4 5 6. 10 29. These are not onely malicious and obstinate offenders but desperate sinners that dash themselues in peeces against the rocke they know the truth and saluation to be by no other then Christ yet they reiect and renounce saluation by him These are like desperate murtherers that hang themselues or cut their owne throates True it is that many weake Christians languishing vnder the burthen of sinne are oftentimes afraid they haue committed this sin but whosoeuer feareth he hath committed that sin I dare pronounce no euill against that soule For I take this to be a certaine rule that Whosoeuer feareth he hath sinned against the holy Ghost hath not committed that sinne neither can commit it but is altogether free from it Such as are so forsaken and giuen ouer of God to fall into it are not afraide of it but rather boast of it glory in it and liue and dye with it The feare to offend this way is but the shadow of it and not the substance and this shadow is a notable preseruatiue to keepe them from it and it from them and therefore shall hurt no man no more then the shadow of the sword can cut in peeces which hath no edge But those wretched sinners that sin this sin do it to despite God to his face would if they were able pull him out of heauen they tread vnder their feete the Son of God and count the blood of the Couenant wherewith they were sanctified as an vnholy thing and do despite vnto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10 29. Secondly it reproueth the Church of Rome Vse 2 and quencheth the fire of Purgatorie which they haue kindled They finde it to be gainefull merchandize and a fire that heateth all their kitchins and therefore as Demetrius and the rest of the craftsmen which receiued no smal gaine by making siluer shrines for Diana were zealous for idolatry because thereby they had their wealth so are the Romanists zealous for their Purgatory knowing that if that fal their whole craft is in danger to be set at nought Actes 19 24 27. And if they did not find aduantage by it they would soone giue ouer the defence of it For it is directly against the Scriptures which make onely two places heauen and hel Lu. 16 23. and two sorts of persons such as beleeue such as do not beleeue Mar. 16 16. And as this is a meere fiction deuised in the idle brain of superstitious men so is their doctrine of praying for the dead no whit better We reade Leuit. 4 3.13 22. of sundry sacrifices appointed for all sorts of people For the Prince for the Priest for the Congregation for sinnes of ignorance of knowledge ch 5 6. but we reade no where of any for the dead We reade
betweene sinne and sinne both in nature and in the punishment due vnto them some are greater some lesser some worther of greater punishment and some of lesser yet the least sin committed in thought and motion deserueth euerlasting death and separation from the gracious presence of God if he deale with vs according to the rigour of his iustice and looke vpon vs without the satisfaction of Christ The writers and teachers of the Popish Religion publish to the world that wee hold the sottish Paradox of the Stoikes that all sinnes are equall The Papists slander vs 〈◊〉 make all siâ— equall the contrary whereof is manifest in the harmony of the confessions of our Churches And why do they slander vs with this dotish doctrine or vpon what foundation doe they ground this accusation forsooth because we hold that all are mortall But this is a weake consequent and will not proue the point for which they alledge it All men are mortall euen Princes as it is said in the Psalme 82.6 shall we hence conclude that the people are equall to Princes because they are alike subiect to mortality In the breach of the seuenth commandement there are sundry sortes of vncleannesse and incontinency forbidden as fornication when men defile themselues with filthy harlots and concubines adultery betweene them that are married incest committed with such as are neere in consanguinity or affinity the sinne of the Sodomites Who leauing the naturall vse of the woman burne in lust one toward another man with man working filthinesse Rom. 1.27 reuenged with fire and brimstone from heauen Gen. 19. Among all these seuerall kindes there are degrees of sinne one is greater then other adultery worse then fornication incest then adultery and Sodometry then them all and all these by the confession of the Papists themselues are mortall and yet by their owne confession also one is more heinous and horrible then the other If then their conclusion bee good against vs that we hold all sinnes to bee equal because we teach that they are mortall how should it not stand as strong and firme against themselues that they also hold all these sinnes to be equall fornication as bad as incest and adultery as heinous as Sodometry because they teach that they are all of them mortall The like absurdity wee might easily inferre against them in the rest of the commandements and that out of the Roman Catechisme But to vnderstand this point the better let vs consider that our Churches teach no other doctrine then the Scriptures teach that as all sinnes proceede out of the same fountaine of corruption and infidelity so all of them make vs guilty of eternall death and damnation vnlesse we obtaine pardon by faith in the Mediatour Christ Iesus Luke 12.47.48 All sinnes whether committed of ignorance or knowledge deserue stripes either many or few and these stripes are no other then eternall punishments as appeareth by the wordes of the Apostle 2 Thes 1.8 so that they which know not God neither beleeue the Gospel shall be punished in hel because according to the opinion of the Papists themselues when the Lord shall come in flaming fire to iudge the quicke and the dead Purgatory shal vtterly ceasse and be no more the prison dores shall be broken the fire shall be quenched the place shall be emptyed and the poore soules shall be discharged then shall be a gaile deliuery they shall be quit by Proclamation To vnderstand this the better we must know that sinnes may bee said to bee mortall or veniall three wayes â—s may â—d to bee â—ll or veâ—â—hree â—s First in regard of the euent Secondly in regard of the cause Thirdly in regard of the nature of the sinnes themselues They are veniall in regard of the successe or euent which doe obtaine pardon and when forgiuenesse followeth them though they be in themselues most greeuous as 1 Ioh. 5.16 where the Apostle calleth those onely sinnes vnto death whose reward certainely is eternall death and those not to death which may bee forgiuen howsoeuer in their own nature they merit damnation Thus we may say that Dauids adultery and murther were veniall sinnes because howsoeuer in the nature of them they were deadly yet were they veniall in regard of the euent because Nathan said vnto him The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye 2 Sam. 12.13 â—ss ordin in â—r 11. No sinne is veniall so long as we follow it and no sinne is mortall when once we forsake it Pro. 28.13 All sinnes are made veniall by repentance no sin is veniall without repentance Secondly sinnes may bee said to bee veniall in regard of the cause from whence they proceed whereupon they sooner obtaine pardon because they are not done of malice and a setled purpose but of ignorance and infirmity as Paul sheweth this to bee the cause why his sinne was veniall vnto him and why he obtained mercy and forgiuenesse because he did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 And in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke it is said the Priest shall make attonement when a priuate person or the whole Congregation hath committed any thing through errour or ignorance and it shall be forgiuen them for it is ignorance Numb 14.25 These sinnes springing from this fountaine are damnable in themselues from hence it came that Paul was a persecuter and a blasphemer but the Father of all mercies and compassions gaue him pardon because hee sinned of ignorance and infirmity So then his sinnes were veniall in regard of the euent and of the cause But sinne considered in the nature of the thing it selfe is not veniall but deserueth temporall and eternall punishment Now the Papists themselues teach â— Popish 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sinne that sinne is truely and properly called veniall when it is so in it owne nature and deserueth onely a temporall punishment either in this life or in the life to come so that if God would examine it and enter into iudgement with it according to his most rigourous and seuere iustice hee could not punish it with eternall death for as much as in it owne nature it deserueth pardon or at least some slight or temporall punishment And of these the controuersie is betweene the Church of Rome and vs and not of those that are veniall by the euent or by the cause But the Scripture teacheth vs that all sinne is the transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 This is a true and perfect definition of sinne for euery transgression of the Law is sinne and euery sinne is a transgression of the Law From whence wee reason thus Euery transgression of the law is worthy of death Euery sinne is a transgression of the Law Therefore euery sinne is worthy of death The first part is plainely proued by many places Gal. 3.13.10 Deut. 27.26 Matth. 5.22 whereby it is manifest that the Prophet the Apostle and Christ himselfe speake generally without limitation that whosoeuer committeth any
and out of which he is shortly to depart Or will he be patching that Tent and Tabernacle which hee hath pitched for a day or two We dwell in earthly Tabernacles as in houses of clay 2 Cor. 5 4. 2 Pet. 1 14. What wisedome then is it to bestow daies and moneths and yeares in plotting plodding for the world for riches and the vanities of this life Let vs also prepare and prouide before hand for the day of our dissolution that such as God hath blessed with this worlds good set their houses and their estates in order as the Prophet in this regard warneth Hezekiah Esay 38 1. Set thine house in order for thou must dye And we may learne this necessary practise of Ahitophel though liuing in wickednes and dying in despaire of whom the Scripture saieth wheÌ„ he saw that his counsell was not followed he went home vnto his City put his house in order hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 17 23. This duty is to be thought vpon in health as that which deepely concerneth our selues and our posterity When we haue rightly disposed the things of this life let vs prepare for a Nunc dimittis let vs commend our spirits into the hands of God let vs resigne vp our selues willingly to death when we must enter into a particular iudgement For so soone as the soule is departed and separated from the body God holdeth his Sessions to which we are summoned by his messenger death to come into his presence to receiue in part according to our workes whether they be good or euill Euen as we see in the affaires of this life how Iudges and Iustices keepe their sessions and assises wherein malefactors brought out of prison are arraigned so God holdeth his time of iudgement and iustice to reward euery one according to his works We haue all a cause and case to bee tried the greatest the weightiest the worthiest that euer was handled not touching siluer gold not concerning house or land not of titles or inheritances but of the euerlasting saluation or daÌ„nation of our soules for euer and therefore it standeth vs in hand to be well armed thoroughly appointed that we come not as the foolish Virgins without oyle in our lampes or as the vnprepared guest without our wedding garment We see in temporall Courts when men haue a cause to be tried and an action to be determined either of goods or good name how carefull they are before hand to reade Euidences to produce witnesses and to search Records that the suite may passe on their sides how much more carefull ought wee to be to answer before the eternall Iudge where no man shall be admitted to appeare by his Atturney but all must come in their owne persons none shall be suffered to put in sureties This wil be a great day wheÌ„ the whole world shall appeare together at once high and low Prince and Subiect noble and vnnoble according to the description that Iohn maketh I saw the dead both great small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the booke according to their works Reuel 20 12. And was buried there Hitherto of the death of Miriam now of that which followed her death to wit her buriall See heere when life was departed what they did with the body they committed it to the earth The Doctrine from hence is this that it is a necessary duty to bury the dead Doctrine A commendable duty 〈◊〉 bury the dead This appeareth by many examples of the godly which haue practised this duty Gen. 23 4. Abraham the father of the faithfull bought a possession of burial of the Hittites who by the sight and light of nature had their Sepulchers therefore answered Abraham Gen. 23 6. 35 29 50 12 13. Thou art a Prince of God among vs in the cheefest of our Sepulchers bury thy dead none of vs shall forbid thee his Sepulcher but thou maist bury thy dead therein So ch 25 8 9. when Abraham yeelded the spirit and died in a good age and was gathered to his people his sonnes Isaac Ishmael buried him in the Caue of Machpelah in the field of Hephron where Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife The like we see done to Isaac when he gaue vp the ghost being old and full of daies his two sonnes Esau and Iacob buried him Now as Iacob did to his father so his children do to him according as hee had commanded them for his sonnes carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the Caue of the field of Machpelah which Abraham had bought The like may be said of Moses Deut. 34 5 6. for albeit the people buried him not neither knew of his Sepulcher lest they shold abuse it to idolatry yet rather then he should want buriall he was buried of God The men of Iabesh Gilead are praised of God and rewarded of Dauid because they buried King Saul and his sonne and aduentured their liues to do vnto him their last duty 2 Sa. 2 5 6. The same might be said of the rest of the Patriarks Prophets Iudges Kings Gouernours and Priests yea of Christ himselfe whose buriall albeit he were able immediately to haue raised and restored himselfe to life is set downe in the Gospel that his death might be confirmed and his farther humiliation manifested These examples teach that it is a christian and commendable duty of the liuing to be performed to the dead of children to bee performed to their parents and of the people of God one to another to commit the body of the deceased to the graue to put dust to dust and so to couer earth with earth And no maruaile For first among all creatures Reason 1 man is most loathsome and vgly when life is departed As in his birth and bringing foorth into the world of all creatures hee is most fraile and feeble without strength to stand without helpe to defend himselfe so being dead he is most fraile filthy and deformed He that a litle before gloried in his beauty comelinesse feature proportion is now become the mirror and spectacle of a deformed and mishapen carkasse Such a confusion and wracke hath sinne wrought and brought into our nature This made Abraham to say to the Hittites I am a stranger a forreiner among you giue me a possession of buriall to bury with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23 4. This is noted in Lazarus who hauing lien buried but foure daies his bâ—dy stanke Iohn 11 39. Reason 2 Secondly buriall is promised as a blessing from God and the want of it threatened for a plague and iudgement God offereth it as a mercy to Abraham â—5 15. that he should be buried in a ripe age and to Iosiah that he should bee put in his graue in peace â— 22 19 and
receiued Thus he dealt with Dauid whom hee greatly fauoured and aduanced to the kingdome when he fell into grieuous sins 2 Sam. 12.9 10. Thou hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the sword and hast taken his wife to bee thy wife and hast slaine him with the sword of the children of Ammon Now therefore the sword shal neuer depart from thine house and I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne house So soone as Salomon set vp idolatry and wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord he stirred vp aduersaries vnto Salomon 1 King 11. â— 14. and afterward rent the greatest part of the kingdome out of the hands of his sonne This serueth to conuince all such prophane persons as presume of Gods patience and abuse his mercy to all loosenesse and licenciousnesse saying God is mercifull and yet continue in their sinnes But we must know that as he is mercifull so hee is iust as his mercy is toward the penitent so his iustice is toward the obstinate who spareth not his owne people that forget his Law and therefore will deale more fiercely against strangers Vse 3 Thirdly measure not the fauour and loue of God toward our selues or others by outward blessings or outward crosses by prosperity or aduersity which come alike to the godly and vngodly Nay oftentimes the wicked flourish when the faithfull are in great misery as Psal 73.3 4 5. So Salomon teacheth Eccle. 9.2 Therefore Christ our Sauiour correcteth the wrong iudgement of the disciples supposing that such as Pilate slew were the greatest sinners of all the rest that dwelt in Ierusalem because they suffered those things Luke 13.1 2 3. If then we would find sound comfort in our hearts and feele vnfained testimonies of Gods fauour towards vs wee must not seeke for them in outward blessings or in want of outward blessings both which are common to the godly and vngodly but in ioy in the holy Ghost in remission of sinnes in repentance from dead workes in the spirit of adoption in faith in Christ in peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding As for other things place not thy heauen and happinesse in them if blessings come receiue them thankefully if crosses learne to beare them patiently Fourthly wee are hereby put in minde to Vse 4 search our owne wayes to suruey our owne hearts and to prooue by the touchstone of the word our owne thoughts words and workes that we haue conceiued spoken and done what we haue iustly deserued if God in iustice should proceede against vs examining seriously our owne life mourning bitterly for our sinnes past and turning vnfainedly vnto God with all our hearts This duty is vrged by Ieremy the Prophet Lam. 3.39 40 41 42. This is the marke that God shooteth at this is the end that he respecteth euen by his afflictions to bring vs home to himselfe not to destroy and confound vs for euer Heb 12.5 10. Let vs not dispise the chastenings of the Lord nor faint when we are rebuked We haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs for a few daies and we gaue them reuerence should wee not much rather be in subiection to the Father of spirits who chastneth those whom he loueth and scourgeth euery sonne whom hee receiueth Fiftly let vs labour to strengthen our faith Vse 5 by the word and Sacraments and by such ordinary meanes as hee hath appointed for that purpose Hereunto the Apostle exhorteth 1. Cor. 11.30 To examine our selues and so to eate of that bread and drinke of that cup declaring that the iudgements of God were broken in among the Corinthians insomuch that many were weake and sicke among them and many slept Wherefore whensoeuer wee find the hand of God sore and heauy vpon vs it is our duty to seeke strength of faith by the vse of the word and Sacraments whereby wee shall learne to find out the true cause of those iudgements and submit our selues vnder his hand that striketh vs as a father For the Scriptures serue to direct vs the Sacraments serue to comfort vs Psal 116. â— Without which the Prophet had perished in his afflictions Lastly seeing God chastiseth his when Vse 6 they offend then most assuredly the wicked that are not his shall not escape his reuenging hand If he correct the flocke of his own pasture the children of his owne houshold the citizens of his owne kingdome and the members of his owne body fed at his owne table in this life and made heires of heauen in the life to come really possessing that inheritance with what plagues punishments torments will he visit the rebellion of aliants and strangers If the Lord deale sharply toward these to whom he is a mercifull Father and gracious Sauiour and whom he often preuenteth with his liberall blessings Surely his reuenging wrath full of rage Psal 21.8 2 King 21. shall find out all his enemies whom he wipe will away as a man wipeth a dish turneth it vpside down This is that which Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbs Behold â— 11.31 the righteous shall bee recompenced in the earth how much more the wicked and the sinner There remaineth a day of iudgement when they shall be punished as they deserue either in this life or in the life to come With this the Apostle Peter sweetly accordeth 1 Pet. 4.17 18. The time is come that iudgement must begin at the house of God if it first begin at vs what shall the end be of them which obey not the Gospel of God And if the righteous scarcely bee saued where shal the wicked and the sinner appeare Where we see that God will scourge whip his owne children for their frailties and infirmities appearing in them But he correcteth the godly in mercy the vngodly in anger the godly as a louing father the vngodly as a iust Iudge the godly to amend them the vngodly to condemne them the godly albeeit humbled and cast downe with one hand are comforted and raised vp with another whereas the punishments that fall vpon the heads of the vngodly are but the beginnings of sorrow and as the flashings of hell fire Now the earth is not properly the place of vengeance and iudgement For we must vnderstand that God hath appointed three places earth heauen hell for three seuerall purposes â—ree places 〈◊〉 need for ree seuerall â—poses the earth to be a place of working the heauen a place of rewarding hell a place of punishing earth as a shop of labour heauen as a pallace of glory hell as a prison of torment Notwithstanding rather then sinners should escape and sinne goe vnpunished the Lord wil call a priuy or petty Sessions euen in this life and make the earth his gaile or house of correction If then God will visit their transgressions with such heauy strokes Alas what shall become of al prophane persons vnrepentant offenders obstinate sinners such as contemne God and his word euery
to all men how to carry this whole history and make one part to agree with another The first conclusion is that Balaam was a lewd and wicked man The first conclusion True it is if we looke into his bare and naked words without the matter and examine his sayings without his practises he may seeme a very faithfull and right religious man yea a most worthy and notable Prophet He hath God alwayes in his mouth and at his fingers ends he will not resolue the messengers before hee haue asked counsell at the mouth of the Lord if hee might haue an house full of siluer and gold he cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord his God to do lesse or more he telleth them he can deliuer nothing vnto them but what he receiueth of the Lord. But if we consider the matter aright and try his fayre speeches by the touch-stone of his foule life and measure his wretched actes with his wicked counsels we shall easily discern in his smooth carriage a deepe dissembling and the Lord to be sparingly in his hart that was abundantly in the mouth He had a prophane minde euill meaning louing the wages of vnrighteousnesse and being carried away with desire of money which is the roote of all euill to curse the people of God as the Apostle teacheth therefore he was rebuked by a dumb beast for his iniquity Hee also was Balaks schoole-master and instilled the greatest mischiefe that might be into his heart informing him how to subdue the people of God and teaching him how to lay a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel Reuel 2. to draw them to spirituall and bodily fornication when he saw that by his charmes hee could not preuaile against them And albeit the Israelites were encreased as the Fish in the Sea and as the Stars of Heauen wherein were many thousand persons that could not discerne betweene their right hand and their left hand yet he was ready and willing to curse where GOD had not cursed And as a wretched death followeth a wicked life so the iustice of GOD found him out lurking among the Midianites Numb 31 8 to verifie the threatning of the Prophet As he loued cursing so it fell vpon him and as hee loued not blessing so was it farre from him as hee cloathed himselfe with cursing like a raiment so it entred into his bowels like water like oyle into his bones Psal 109 17 18. Thus we see as his life was so was his death a curssed beginning a fearefull ending God swept him away by a violent sodain death together with those that set him on worke that as they conspired together so they might be consumed together If then he be a wicked man that intendeth to curse the people of God that hath his heart possessed with couetousnesse that loueth the wages of vnrighteousnesse that layeth a baite and snare to entangle men in euill that seeketh to draw vpon them the wrath of God and after all is slaine by the sword of those whom hee intended to destroy himselfe falling into the pit which he had digged for others then the first conclusion holdeth as a certaine truth that this Balaam whatsoeuer vizard of piety and holinesse he pretend and put on in outward shew was indeed a very lewd and wicked man The second conclusion The second conclusion is that Balaam was no true seruant of God but an open Idolater This confirmeth further and giueth strength to the former point As he was lewd in his life so he was corrupt in his religion one of the idolatrous Gentiles an aliant from the Common-wealth of Israel a stranger from the couenant of promise For whether he were one of the Midianites as some imagine or whether he were one of the Aramites as we declared before whether hee were sent for neerer or further off the conclusion holdeth that hee was none of the Israelites Rom. 9 4 to whom pertaineth the adoption of Sonnes the Arke of the Couenant the Tables of the Law and the seruice of God Moreouer when he was come into the presence of Balak Numb 22 41 and 23 1 2 they both went vp into the high places of Baal where that abhominable Idoll was worshipped where no doubt they serued Baal in the Idols Temple Besides it is apparent in the whole history following that he ioyned with Balak in his idolatrous sacrifices If then hee had not beene one of the Idolaters he would not haue gone to that Idoll nor haue erected new Altars contrary to the will of God who would onely be serued in the place that himselfe had appointed The third conclusion The third conclusion is that Balaam was a very witch and wizard a false Prophet but a true sorcerer famous or rather infamous for his diuellish magicke which he practised among the wicked and idolatrous Nations Such a one was Simon that sorcerer mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 8 9 10 11 and 13 6 8 who vsed witch-craft and bewitched the people of Samaria saying that he himselfe was some great man to whom they gaue heed from the least to the greatest saying This man is that great power of God and they gaue heed vnto him because that of long time hee had bewitched them with sorceries Such a one also was Elimas who was likewise a Sorcerer a false Prophet the childe of the diuell and an enemy of all righteousnesse withstanding the preaching of the Gospel hindring the hearing of the word and peruerting the straight waies of the Lord. So had this Balaam throgh his enchantments and superstitious artes obtained a great name farre neere among the Infidels so that they resorted to him as to an Oracle and esteemed him as an Angel of God being able to helpe or to hurt to further or to hinder to blesse or to curse whomsoeuer he pleased Such were wont to be in great fauour and credite with Kings and Princes as appeareth by the enchanters of Pharaoh Exod. 7 11 22 and by the Sorcerers and Astrologians of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2 2 who were oftentimes called into their presence and brought before them as men in whom their speciall delight was their confidence reposed These men howsoeuer they were magnified in Princes Courts and had an honourable name among the Nations that knew not God yet were prophane Prophets of prophane men the very chaplaines of the diuell practising charmes and coniuring which by the iudiciall Law of God was death Exod. 22 18. Thus the Scripture calleth him a Sorcerer in plaine termes and expresse words Iosh 13 22. Balaam the sonne of Beor the soothsayer did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slaine The word which the holy Ghost there vseth is Chosem which signifieth one that diuineth by diuination and fetcheth answers from the diuell whom they tooke to be God and it is one of those eight sorts of witches and practisers by diuels mentioned in the 18
them to the sight to mooue pitty in the seer Seeing therefore iudgements be the wages of sinne make vs fall before the enemy and bring vpon vs many calamities let al such as lye vnder any chastisement alway search ouer their wayes and descend into their owne consciences to see how they haue moued him to wrath and prouoked him to be their enemy This we see in the example of Ioshua wheÌ„ he saw the men of Ai preuaile ouer them and the people of God to turne their backs when he saw they were destitute of Gods defence who would no longer go out with theyr Armies he sought to finde out the true cause he humbled himselfe before God and neuer ceased vntill the sinner were apprehended examined condemned and executed Ioshua 7 7. The like practise doth the Prophet prescribe Lam. 3 39. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands vnto God in the heauens saying Wee haue sinned and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared This is the right way to stop the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his iudgements Manie haue fought out other wayes to weaken the force of the enemy aad to preuent the iudgements of God as in time of warre by arming themselues by hiring of soldiers by drawing confederates in time of dearth by robbing stealing lying defrauding shifting such like in time of pestilence by seeking to Witches and Wizards by taking themselues to flight and such other wayes But the Prophets and holy seruants of God in such times when wee lye open to wrath haue called vs to Repentance stirred vs vp to prayer mooued vs to humiliation and acknowledgement of our sinnes which haue deserued such chastisements Let vs all practise this counsell and wisely consider with our selues what the lord hath against vs and wherefore hee is angrie with vs that so wee may bee reconciled vnto him and brought into his gracious fauour againe Vse 3 Lastly this serueth as a notable aduaÌ„tage for the seruants of God when they haue any dealings against wicked men we haue comfort and encouragement from hence that wee shall assuredly preuaile against them because we haue to do with weak and naked men that are out of Gods protection If two goe into the field to fight and one of them be vnarmed and haue no weapon to defend himselfe he lieth open to the lust of his enemie to be wouÌ„ded and spoyled of his life who taketh comfort to see his aduersary come out against him without his armor So is it a blessed and comfortable thing to the children of God when they are constrained to meddle with euil men which are the enemies of God and of his trueth they haue comfort in God both in that themselues are vnder the couerture of his Armour and protection and in that theyr enemies are naked men and lye open vnto euerie iudgement This is it which is afterward remembred vnto vs in this booke where Ioshua and Caleb comforted the people agaynst the Canaanites saying If the Lord loue vs hee will bring vs into this land and giue it vs which is a land flowing with milke and hony but rebel not ye against the Lord neither feare ye the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not Numb 14 9. Abijha the king of Iudah made this his great comfort going against a mighty army and spake to this effect vnto their enemies 2 Chro. 13 10 12. Where wee see that such as turne vnto God with all their hearts and worship him aright haue God their Captaine and Protector he is their buckler and defence but such as are enemies to God and his people Numb 14 1â— 43. are those that receiue many blowes and take many knocks on their heads and yet want a shield to safegard themselues but lye open to euery danger and cannot looke for victory they haue no armour of proofe to defend themselues This is a wofull and wretched condition yet so is it with all the vngodly who haue banished the Lord far from them For as he is farre from them in the practise of their life so hee will not bee neere them in the time of their distresse Let vs then make much of this comfort and lay it as precious balme vnto our hearts let vs be assured when wee haue to deale with the world or to wrastle with Gods iudgements if we haue the testimony of a good conscience that God is our defence and deliuerance wee shall not need to be dismayed nor feare what man can do vnto vs. For there cannot be a more notable encouragement in danger or in death theÌ„ to haue assurance of the prouidence and protection of God The Prophet Dauid greatly comforted himselfe in the sweete meditation of this presence of his hand Psal 23 1 4. and 27 5. 31 20. Let vs therefore be bold and of good courage in the causes of the Lord for where he is there is safety from danger peace from distresse and assurance neuer to be ouercome There dyed foure and twenty thousand The falling into idolatry and whoredom brought a great plague vpon the people not onely to the destruction of many of the Princes among them but to the ruine of many thousands of the people See here the greatnes of the plague and what hauock was made when wrath was kindled God did not spare them but executed his fierce indignation vpon them How great a iudgement was this and how were they weakned by it Hereby we learne That the wrath of God against sinners is vnspeakable Doctrine Gods wrath â—eing moued â—n full of rage greeuous and terrible His wrath beeing moued is full of rage and worketh great desolations and destructions in the world This is it which Moses setteth downe in his song Deut. 31 22. Fire is kindled in my wrath shal burne vnto the bottome of hell and shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines c. This hath the Lord euer shewed in the examples of his iustice When the old world multiplyed their sinnes and abused the patience of God that abode in the dayes of Noah his wrath consumed men women children beasts fowles creeping things and all that had the breath of life vpon the face of the earth Gen. 7 21. So when the â—odomites exceeded in lust of the flesh in pride of life and in security of heart The Lord rained vpon them Brimstone and fire out of heaueÌ„ and ouerthrew the Cities of the plain and all the inhabitants of the Cities and that which grew vpon the earth Gen 19 24. The history of the manifold murmurings and rebellions of the people of Israel in the wildernesse is a plentifull witnes of this truth When they lusted for flesh and loathed
1050 8 It is the duty of Magistrates to do iustice fol. 1057 9 Euill men proceed from worse to worse fol. 1061 10 Actions vnlawfull are made lawfull fol. 1060 11 When sin is punished God is appeased fol. 1070 12 Sin depriueth vs of Gods protection fol. 1074 12 Gods wrath being prouoked is full of rage fol. 1077 14 The faithfull bring a blessing vpon their houses and posterities fol. 1980 15 It is lawfull sometimes to reproue desperate sinners by name fol. 1084 16 God beginneth to chasten his owne Church and children fol. 10â—0 17 The people of God may take armes fol. 1093 18 The seducers and the seduced shall bee punished together fol. 1100 CHAP. xxvi 1 Irreligion prophanensse and impiety make places and persons infamous and reprochfull fol. 1104 2 It is a most wicked impious thing to oppose authority and to withstand gouernment fol. 1108 3 It is no disgrace for godly children to descend come of vngodly par nts fol. 1109 4 It is hard to shun and breake off society with wicked men c. fol. 1112 5 God prouideth for all his people fol. 1113 6 It is a sinne to decline from the pure worshippe of God set downe in the word fol. 1117 7 An whole multitude cannot cleere it selfe from Gods iudgements when he sendeth them fol. 1118 CHAP. xxvii 1 In all wrongs and iniuries wee must resort to the Magistrate fol. 1120 2 Wee may make our selues guilty of other mens sinnes fol. 1123 3 Sin is the cause of death all misery fol. 1125 4 Propriety of goods is Gods blessing fol. 1127 5 Many want outward signes that are partakers of the inward grace of the Sacraments fol. 1130 6 Many are punished temporally that are not coÌ„demned eternally Ibid. 7 God is the Creator and maker of the soule fol. 1132 8 Kings and Princes haue and hold their places callings immediately from God fol. 1134 CHAP. xxviii 1 The first and cheefest care is to bee had of the Church matters of religion fol. 1135 2 Of the morning euening sacrifice c. fol. 1136 3 Of the Iewish Sabbath and the vses to vs fol. 1140 4 Of the new Moones and the vses to vs. fol. 1143 5 Of the Passeouer and the vses to vs. fol. 1146 6 Of the feast of first fruites or Pentecost fol. 1149 CAP. xxix 1 Of the feast of Trumpets with the vses fol. 1150 2 Of the feast of fasting or afflicting the soule together with the vses thereof to our selues fol. 1152 3 Of the feast of Tabernacles the vses to vs. fol. 1155 Chap. xxx 1 Lawfull vowes are to be performed fol. 1159 2 Great is the iurisdiction of parents ouer their children fol. 1166 3 The husband is the wiues head fol. 1169 CHAP. xxxi Sundry Doctrines directing warres and warriers 1 Before men go to battell an hoast of men must be mustered and gathered together fol. 1173 2 An army leuied must be sent out Ibid. 3 An army must be sent out by publike and lawfull authority Ibid. 4 He against whom we wage warre must be known to be an enemy fol. 1174 5 Al sinne must be auoided carefully by such as are emploied in warre Ibid. 6 Wicked men though they be suffered long yet at length God taketh vengâ—ance of them fol. 1176 7 Princes Potentates and great men lye open to iudgements as well as others fol. 1177 8 Sins of omission and neglect of duties which men are bound to perform are displeasing to God fol. 1179 9 Euery mans death and destruction cometh from himselfe fol. 1181 10 Things in themselues vnseemly to bee vttered are modestly to be spoken of fol. 1184 11 The Lord as he wil destroy the wicked so he wil do it fearfully and seuerely fol. 1186 13 For benefits receiued we returne praise to God fol. 1188 14 It is our duty to returne thankesgiuing to God speedily fol. 1189 15 It is our duty in extraordinary blessings to returne extraordinary thankes ibid. Chapter xxxii 1. The loue of this world is dangerous fol. 1191 2 The Ministers of God must reproue sharply and earnestly zealously and powerfully fol. 1194 3 It is a greeuous sin to giue offence to others or to discourage our brethren from wel-doing fol. 1197 4 It is an vsuall thing with the Lord to punish the sins of parents with the sins of their children 1200 5 We must haue a fellow-feeling of the miseries afflictions of Gods people fol. 1203 6 The onely cause of iudgement is sin fol. 1205 7 It is the duty of all Gods children to put foorth their hands to helpe the Church fol. 1206 8 The relikes of idolatry to bee vtterly abolished and all occasions that might draw vnto it to be taken away fol. 1209 Chapter 33. 1 God preserueth his Church in the midst of dangers and deliuereth it out of slauery and boÌ„dage fol. 1212 2 The 42. Mansions of the Israelites in the wildernesse fol. 1214 3 No familiarity is to be vsed with idolaters fol. 1219 4 Coldnes in Gods cause is a greeuous sin fol. 1222 CHAP. 34. 1 God setteth bounds to euery mans possession and limiteth what he shall haue fol. 1225 2 The estate of Gods people is such that some among them do alwayes stand in need fol. 1229 3 Faith apprehendeth and applyeth all Gods promises as present fol. 1232 CHAP. xxxv 1 The Ministers must be prouided for fol. 1237 2 All men by nature are proue to reuenge fol. 1240 3 Murther is an hainous sinne in the sight of God fol. 1244 4 To do lawfull things without a calling is vnlawfull fol. 1247 5 GOD will haue no innocent person put to death fol. 1252 6 Inferiors ought to reuerence their superiors fol. 1255 7 Lawes touching the inheritance of the Israelites fol. 1257 CHAP. xxxvi 1 The marriage of Cousen-germans is lawfull fol. 1267 A Commentary vpon the Fourth Booke of Moses called NVMBERS Generall Obseruations out of the whole Booke by way of Preface or Introduction BEfore wee come to the Exposition of this Booke of Moses and to the handling of the particular points contained therein it may not be thought vnprofitable or vnnecessary to prefixe somewhat by way of a Preface that our mindes may bee enlightned and our hearts prepared and our iudgements setled for the better conceyuing and receiuing of that which followeth Now as in the Booke of Genesis Moses hath deliuered the creation of the world together with the originall and first beginning of the church laying as it were an happy foundation as wel of the one as of the other and in Exodus hath handled the publishing and promulgation of the Law together With the miserable thraldome and bondage of the people of God in Egypt and in Leuiticus hath particularly expressed the sacrifices and oblations as Types of the sacrifice and oblation of Christ the promised Messiah together with the inauguration of Aaron and his sonnes and the consecration of the Tribe of Leui so in this Booke of Numbers
and spake vnto you but yee would not heare nor answere I saide Obey my voyce and I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walke ye in all the wayes that I haue commanded you that it may bee well vnto you but they would not obey nor encline their eare but went after the counsels and stubbornnesse of their wicked heart went backward and not forward I haue sent vnto you all my seruants the Prophets rising vp early euery day and sending them yet would they not heare mee but hardened their neckes and did worse then their Fathers Thus hee layeth open their sinne therefore no maruaile if that hee threaten to stretch out his hand against them so that the famine should pinch them the sword shoulde slay them the pestilence should waste them the dogges should teare them the wild beasts destroy them and the fowles of the heauen deuoure them Secondly as it reproueth those that refuse to heare The second reprâ—ofe so it condemneth such as onely heare and go no further these rest in it as if they had done their duty and as if no more were required at their hands But know this and marke it that outward seruice separated from inward obedience is not respected but reiected of God This naked hearing is an halting with God which he cannot suffer If we keepe from him the heart he careth not for the eye or the tongue or the eare This is it which the Prophet saith When ye fasted and mourned in the fift and seauenth Moneths Zach. 7 5 6 7 euen these seuenty yâ—ares did ye fast vnto me Doe I approue it Should ye not heare the words which the Lord hath cried by the ministery of the former Prophets when Ierusalem was inhabited and in prosperity and the Cities thereof round about her when the south and the plaine was inhabited To like purpose is Esaiah bold and saith What haue I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices Esay 1 11.12 13.14.15 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rammes I desire not the blood of Bullocks when ye come to appeare before me who required this of your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no moe Oblations in vaine Incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabboths c. they are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them and when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mâ—ne eyes from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare Were not these his owne ordinances Did not hee appoint the solemne times of his worship and command sacrifices and oblations to be offered vnto him Yes he set them in his Church and was the Author of them but they perfourmed them in an euill manner without faith without repentance without loue without conscience and therefore as they did them God loathed them So may it be saide of our common and customary hearing remoued from faith obedience Who required it at our hands The Lord cannot abide it he cannot suffer it it is a burden vnto him that he cannot beare God ioyneth hearing and obeying together and cursed is hee that maketh a diuorce betweene them This doth the Prophet Ieremy denounce against all hypocriticall hearers chapt 11. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Iere. 11 3 4 5 Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Couenant which I commanded vnto your Fathers c. He protested vnto them and their Fathers rising early and saying Obey my voyce yet they would not obey nor incline their eare but euery one walked in the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart thus they made a conspiracy against God and hee brought his curses vpon them Thus our Sauiour teacheth it shall bee with many in the last day that saw his person and heard his doctrine they conuersed and continued with him and were partakers of his miracles and ministry who shall then begin to say We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes Lu. 13 26 27. but he shall say I tell you I know you not whence ye are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Woe shall then bee to all such hearers and cursed shall their state and condition be These haue an heauier account to make then such as neuer were hearers and neuer had so great mercy offered vnto them Hence it is that Christ pronounced sundry woes against Bethsaida Corazin and Capernaum who had the worde and other meanes of saluation offered vnto them yet liued without repentance and are pronounced to bee worse then the Sodomites For the greater mercies are abused the deeper iudgements are deserued Let vs sette this Capernaum a Citty in Galile before our eyes and looke vpon it as in a glasse that therein we may behold our selues The Lord Iesus was brought vp there and because hee did so much frequent it and was conuersant there many thought hee had beene borne there so that it is called his owne City Mat. 9 1. Secondly the miracles which he wrought there were many he healed the seruant of the Centurion and a man that had an vncleane spirit Math. 8 5. in so much that the Nazarites as it were enuying and repining thereat that that place should be preferred before them saide vnto him Whatsoeuer we haue hâ—ard done in Capernaum do it heere likewise in thâ—ne owne Country Luc. 4.23 thereby implying that the greatest part of his miracles had not beene done among them but among the Capernaites Thirdly there he began to preach saying Repent Math. 4.13.17 Mark 1.14 Iohn 6 59. Luc. 4.31.32 for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand and there he preached of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood likewise hee taught on the Sabboth day in their Synagogue with power and authority so that they were astonied at his doctrine In all these respects and priuiledges partly of the presence of his person partly of the working of his miracles partly of the preaching of his Gospel Christ pronounceth that they were lifted vp to heauen Mat. 11 23.24 highly aduanced aboue many other Townes Cities that wanted the seeing and hearing of him but because they became vnthankfull and to all these did not ioyne true obedience hee denounceth against them that they should be brought downe to hell the reason hereof is rendred in the next wordes For if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day but I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee An heauy doome and a most fearefull sentence and yet most iust and righteous if it bee weighed in the ballance of iustice The sinnes of Capernaum greater then of Sodome Gen. 19 3. Rom 1 27 28. Ezek. 16. Sodome indeede was guilty of vncleannesse and
testifie in the end their consent by saying Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 Hence it followeth that he must not whisper to himselfe or vtter a prayer in a low voyce but he must speake with a loude voyce that hee may bee heard and with a distinct voyce that hee may be vnderstood Secondly when the action of singing is in hand it must bee performed by many and not by one alone For as one is to pray for the rest so all are to ioyne together in praising God with the Congregation Coloss 3.16 Ephe. 5.19 teaching admonishing themselues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spiritual songs singing with a grace in their hearts to the Lord and making sweet melody vnto him Thus did the whole Church in Hezekiahs time 2 Chron. 29.28 Thirdly this must alwayes be obserued in teaching and exercising our selues in the Word that onely one speake at once and that the rest be silent This is the Apostles rule 1 Cor. 14. If any thing be reuealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace 1 Cor. 14.30 31. for ye may all prophecy one by one that all may learn and all may haue comfort But if many should speake together and vtter their voyces at one time no man can take profit no man can receiue comfort so that many voyces sounding together hinder edification bring confusion which ought carefully to be auoided in our assemblies For where disorder is there is not the God of order Now as our Church meetings must haue all things done in order so must they be decent Decency is that seemelinesse which some things of their owne nature bring vnto diuine actions which is not of the substance or essence of the thing nor necessarily required to the being of it but rather to adorne it to procure the greater reuerence vnto it as for example in the celebration of the Lords Supper to haue a faire Table a faire Cloath a faire Cuppe the finest Bread the best Wine which of their owne nature ioyned to the Sacrament doe bring some great respect to the action and serue to stirre vp deuotion in the hearts of the Communicants Order is opposed to confusion decency to vanity pompe ostentation and vncleanlynesse all which ought to be farre from the Church of God Both these are seene in a house well gouerned An house is said to bee decent when all filth that may offend the sight or other senses is purged out and all things are found in a seemely sort and maner without riot and excesse likewise to bee in order when it is diuided and distinguished into superiors and inferiors and euery one doeth his dutie when there are setled times and seasons of dining of supping of labouring of lying downe and rising vp whereby the peace and tranquillitie thereof is preserued The Church is the house of God as we shewed before and therefore therein must be decency that the place be cleane the vessels pure and that all the actions of Pastor and people both publike and priuate may bee finished grauely without all lightnesse modestly without filthinesse soberly without superstition as it were in the presence of God and his elect Angels also order that all things may be done in fit time that there be some to teach and others to heare that there bee set times distinct for preaching praying singing baptizing and Communicating whereby all disorder is preuented and the profit of the Church is procured Order must be in the Common-wealth To leaue the Church and to come to the Common-wealth God looketh for this duty at the hands of all Magistrates that as the principal end of Magistracy is to maintain order and to banish all disorder so they must proceed orderly in their places They beare not the sword in vaine their office is to punish euill doers and to weed them out of the city of God But it is not enough for them to minister Iustice except they consider the order that God hath set downe They must haue the feare of GOD alwayes before their eyes and haue a speciall care for the aduancement of Gods glory which will be as a guide to direct them not onely to correct sinne but in what manner to doe it For greeuous offences must not be punished slightly slight offences grieuously but there must bee a due proportion betweene the offence and the punishment that the greater faults may bee punished with the more grieuous punishment They therefore that obserue another order beginne at a wrong end and consequently haue not that successe they desire neither meet with that blessing that they looke for If a man would stop the course of a streame hee must not looke to the channels but begin at the fountaines If he stoppe the spring the course of the riuer will in short time be dryed vp The foundation of all true obedience is the first Table all vnrighteousnesse among men proceedeth from the neglect of the duties that belong to God The Apostle writing to the Romanes declareth that because the Gentiles dishonoured his name and prophaned his worship and stained his glory hee gaue them vp vnto their hearts lustes to worke vncleannesse with all greedinesse Rom. 1.24.26 and so committed all kind of wickednesse condemned in the second Table The commandements of the first Table are the first and great Commandements Matth. 22.38 and therefore the chiefest care of all ought to be to see them performed A reproach or disgrace offered to a Prince is greater then to a subiect as his calling is higher and his person worthier so an offence committed against God is more hainous then an offence against Prince and people It is therefore a foule disorder and great confusion to punish the offences committed against our selues and to winke at the sinnes committed against God to punish thefts murthers rapes and such like enormities as touch the persons of men or the state of the Common-wealth and neuer to reuenge the dishonour done to God and the diminishing of his glory the aduancement whereof ought to bee more deare to vs then our owne liues If then the swarming of sins against the second table proceed from the swaruing and departing from the first Table we must consider that the cause of the abounding of theeues murtherers adulterers drunkards and such like malefactors proceedeth from the indulgence and slacknesse of punishing such as dishonour God liue in the open contempt of his glorious name Wherefore if we would haue the number of these enormities lessened and the Common-wealth purged of such pestilences as indeed these wretched persons are the plagues of all societies the edge of the sword and force of punishment must be turned directly and principally against Atheists Idolaters blasphemers periured persons prophaners of the Sabboth contemners of true religion and scorners of the seruice of God The Lord our God who is iealous of his honour and will not giue his glory vnto any other put it into the hearts
heauen is not giuen but to those to whom it is prepared of the Father Matth. 20.23 and 25.34 But election is not of works but of grace and therefore is called the election of grace Rom. 11.5 This appeareth Ephe. 1. Ephe. 1 5.6 He hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will c. No man could be saued except Christ had come and had satisfied the iustice of God for the sinnes of the world by his precious blood for there is no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued Act. 4.12 but all his benefites proceed from grace and the euerlasting loue of God toward vs as Ioh. 3. Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the word that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life No man can be saued except he be effectually called to Christ and his Gospel outwardly by the word and inwardly by the Spirit but whence proceedeth this grace but from grace as the Apostle testifieth 2 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 1.9 Gal. 1.6 He hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was No man can be saued except he hath faith in Christ for the iust shall liue by faith Hab. 2.4 and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11. But from whence haue we faith By grace as the Apostle witnesseth Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2.8 By grace ye are saued through faith that not of your selues None can be saued except he be iustified as Psa 34.15 16. The eies of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry but the face of the Lord that is his anger and indignation is against them that do euill to cut off their remembrance from the earth But our iustification commeth from grace as Rom. 3. Rom. 3.24 We are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus No man can be saued except being iustified by faith he be also sanctified and renewed by the spirit of regeneration for except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3. But whence haue we this but from the grace of God as the Apostle expresseth Tit. 3. Tit. 3.6 The bountifulnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared and according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour No man can be saued without good workes and a carefull and constant endeuour to walke in them for we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephe. 2.10 But how are wee inabled to performe them but by the grace and free gift of God as Ezek. 36. Eze. 36.26 â—â— A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh and I wil put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my iudgements and doe them The like may bee saide of remission of sinnes No man can be saued without continuall forgiuenesse of sinnes for into many sinnes and offences we fall daily Iam 3.2 But this is giuen vs through his grace onely as the Prophet teacheth Esay 43. Esai 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake that is for no deserts of thine but thorough grace and fauour and will not remember thy sinnes and Ephe. 1.7 We haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Lastly no man is saued except he perseuere and continue in faith in loue in Christ in repentance in Christ and in all good works as Matth. 24. he that endureth vnto the end he shall be saued and Reuel 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life but from what root and fountaine proceedeth this gift and from whence hath it his beginning The Apostles and Prophets tel vs most plainely and directly as Iere. 32.39.40 Ier. 32.40 â— I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer I wil put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Phi. 1.6.29 and 2.13 God that hath begunne his good worke in his Saints will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Now as we haue said of all the rest so we may say of eternall life Rom. 6.23 that it is the free gift of God and therefore all his giftes and our saluation come not from our our merits but from his mercies not from our deseruings in whole or in part but from his free fauour in Christ Iesus Let vs come to the reasons and consider Reason 1 aright the causes hereof First of all God wil haue the praise and glory of his owne works and will not giue and grant ouer the same to another But if the graces of his Spirit were well deserued of vs and not freely bestowed vpon vs wee had matter of reioycing in our owne selues and of boasting against God The Apostle hauing shewed that the righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the Law saith Where is then the reioycing Rom. 3.27 and 4.2 It is excluded And touching Abraham thâ— father of the faithfull he sayeth If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Likewise writing to the Ephesians chap. 2. By grace ye are saued through faith Ephe. 2.8.9 and that not of your selues it is the gift of GOD not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe So then he giueth all his gifts freely that he may haue the whole praise of his mercy But so much as we take to our selues so much hee loseth of his glory Reason 2 Secondly he knoweth we haue nothing of our owne we craue our daily bread and drinke at his hands We are beggers and destitute of all good things and neuer are able to supply our owne wants Our owne penury is such that we haue nothing to boast off but our misery pouerty blindnesse nakednes and wretchednesse We were saith the Apostle dead in trespasses and sinnes â—he 2.1 2. wherein in times past we walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience We are vnable to thinke or to doe any thing it is God must worke in vs the will and the deed it is he must draw vs before we can runne after him or come
men but the one hanged himselfe the others were smitten with sudden death at the voyce of Peter as with a thunderbolt so that they fell downe and neuer rose vp againe A iust reward of all such as haue a conscience gilt or rather guilty of the horrible sinne of hypocrisie If a man goe about to deceiue his neighbour how is he spoken against but if he goe about like a wretch to cosin his master or his father how doe all men point at him as a varlet and abhorre him as a beast God is our Master our Father our Husband our King all Titles of honour are due vnto him and too litle for him forasmuch as no dignity or excellency or superiority can be giuen vnto him but his Maiestie and honour surmounteth them all shall we then goe about to deceiue and circumuent him though wee could carry it away cunningly and not bee espied Know therefore that he detesteth all such wickednesse more then man doth the deceitfulnesse that is practised against himselfe The first example of hypocrisie that wee haue in the Scripture Gen 4 5. is Caine he came to the worship of God with his brother but because his heart was not vpright God had no respect vnto him nor to his offering no more then if hee had cut off a dogges necke Esay 66.3 or had offered swines flesh but reiected both his person and his oblation The like he speaketh to the Israelites that pleased themselues in outward ceremonies and turned the worship of God into a lie Ierem 7.8.9.10 11. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit will yee steale murther and commit adulterie and sweare falsely and burne incense vnto Baal and walke after other Gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my Name and say Wee are deliuered to doe all those abominations Is this house which is called by my Name become a denne of robbers in your eyes Behold euen I haue seene it saith the Lord c. Where wee see we cannot deceiue the eye of the Lord with a lie he knoweth our wicked hearts and will finde vs out to bring vs to shame in this life and to destruction in the life to come We may not dally with him wee cannot deceiue him notwithstanding all our windings and turnings and altering our selues into all shapes he will finde vs out to the contempt of our persons to the shame of our faces and to the astonishment of all that behold vs. Secondly seeing it is a speciall duty belonging Vse 2 vnto vs to yeeld obedience to the whole will of God and to all his commandements we haue from hence a preseruatiue from the poyson that is cast out against vs as it were dung in our faces to make vs deny the faith renounce our Religion and start backe from our most holy profession For seeing we must performe perfect obedience and not limited as we thinke good we haue direction how to serue him that hee may accept of vs and bee well pleased with vs. If then Satan the master of all mischiefe and the author of all confusion raise vp cursed instruments brought vp as cunning schollers in his owne schoole to scoffe at vs and to scorne at our obedience we must comfort our selues in the Lord and commit our selues to the word of his grace knowing that it is God who requireth this intire obedience at our hands and delighteth in such sacrifice as is without blemish Let it not trouble vs that we heare such slanderous words such false reportes and diuellish lies cast out against vs let vs commit our causes to him that iudgeth vprightly who will iustifie vs in the ende and condemne our enemies Let vs be able to say with the Prophet All this is come vpon vs Psal 44.17 yet haue we not forgotten thee neither haue we dealt falsely in thy couenant These are the dayes of sinne wherein iniquity hath already gotten the vpperhand and such as are truely religious are made a prouerbe God requireth of vs that we be pure but who are in greater disgrace then such as study after purity and true holinesse If we labor to leade our liues according to the Lawes of God wee shall bee vpbraided with Puritanisme and as the enemies of Daniel could finde no accusation against him Dan. 6.5 except they finde it against him concerning the Law of God so doe our enemies deale with vs when they can catch no aduantage against vs they picke a quarrell with vs about the Scriptures and our profession as if it were a shame to reade the Scriptures or a disgrace to follow after holinesse of life The Apostle teacheth Phil. 2.15 and 4.8 that wee must bee blamelesse and pure as the sonnes of God in the middes of a naughty and crooked nation among whom wee are to shine as lights in the world Philippians chapter 2.15 And againe Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are of good report think on these things Our Sauiour the author of our saluation and the finisher of our faith Matth. 5.8 pronounceth that the pure in heart are blessed Paul willeth his scholler Timothy to keepe himselfe pure and to take heed lest hee make himselfe partaker of other mens sinnes 1 Tim. 5.22 1 Tim. 5.22 and 2.8 and 3.9 He commandeth all men to pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting and to haue the mystery of faith in a pure conscience And in the second Epistle 2 Tim. 2.22 he chargeth him to fly the lusts of youth and to follow after righteousnesse faith loue and peace with them that call on the Lord with pure heart Heere we see what God requireth of vs and what he speaketh vnto vs this is his voyce that ought to sound euermore in our eares Be blamelesse be pure be the sonnes of God in the middes of a naughty nation blessed are the pure haue pure consciences pure hands pure hearts whatsoeuer things are pure and of good report thinke on them True it is there haue alwayes beene hypocrites in the Church Prou. 30.12 and there is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse Pro. 30.12 What then shall we whip their faults vpon the backes of those that are of no kinne vnto them For the faithfull though they haue in them many frailties and infirmities yet are washed by the blood of Christ and by the Spirit of God from their sins that they haue no dominion ouer them and exercise no kingdome in them Was it euer allowed in any court of Iustice and iudgment to take one for another to accuse one for another to condemne one for another It is the Law of God Ezek. 18.4 that euery soule should beare his owne sinne that neither the father should beare the iniquity of the sonne nor
opinion of their exceeding great knowledge and wonderfull gifts which no man seeth or can see in them but themselues that are deceiued by selfe-loue suppose they need not frequent the hearing of the word as if it were for nouices or ignorant persons only that know nothing Hence it is that they flattering themselues in an ouerweening perswasion of that which it is to bee feared is not in them say What can they teach vs that we knew not before Can they make vs goe from the many wiser then we came vnto them Or can they deuise any new points of religion or set vp new Articles to bee beleeued that wee neuer heard off before I answer we go not about to broach any new doctrine neither doe wee coyne any new counterfeit faith Gal. 1 8. If we or an Angell from heauen teach any otherwise then the Fathers beleeued from the beginning we are accursed We teach Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for euer Hebr. 13 8. The ende of the preaching of the word is not chiefely or principally to plant knowledge whereas these make it the onely end If a man had all knowledge and could speake with the tongues of men and Angels yet ought hee to come diligently into the house of God and to attend carefully to his word For albeit we haue knowledge for the time present yet wee may forget our knowledge so as that which we hold this day we may let slippe from vs to morrow And there is nothing which wee know but we may know it better and more fully and distinctly Besides the word serueth to kindle our zeale and to stirre vp our affections as it were to blow the coales by kindling the sparkes that the fire goe not out Lastly The third reproofe they are reproued that extoll to the skies the Kingdomes and Commonwealths of the heathen as the onely prosperous florishing and happy Nations which indeed excelled in outward glory and thereby dazeled the eyes of many yet indeed were no better then assemblies and companies of men destitute of religion and consequently of saluation Their peace and prosperity their wealth and dignity were all carnall and momentany rising out of the earth and sinking downe into the earth againe their praise also is of men It is the maintenance of true religion that maketh a people truely happy and the meanes of spreading abroad true religion is the ministery of the word there is no way to know it to practise it but by this Such as imbrace it are truely wise such as forsake it and reiect it haue no wisedome in them Ier. 8 9. No kingdome or State can flourish no Common-wealth can prosper no Prince no Potentate no people can bee wise or blessed in their gouernment but by honouring and obeying of Almighty God as he hath commanded Hence it is that Moses saith I haue taught you statutes and iudgements Deut 4 5 6. euen as the Lord my God hath commanded me c. Keepe them therefore and do them for this is your wisedome and your vnderstanding in the sight of the Nations which shall heare all these statutes and say Surely this great natioÌ„ is a wise vnderstanding people Likewise the Lord promiseth that this obedience to the precepts of God without adding or diminishing should make them blessed euery way in the fruite of their bodies of their fields of their cattell Deut. 28 3 4. and in euery thing that they put their hands vnto whâ—ras if they did not keep the Law of the Lord their God his iudgments and statutes which he had commanded them he threatneth to bring all curses vpon them as famine and hunger nakednes and pouerty dissolution and captiuity vntill hee had cast them out of the Land which he had giuen vnto their fathers Deut. 28. All Cities Commonwealths are to be the hostes of the Church and dwelling places for the faithfull without giuing entertainment to the truth Gospell they are as Lanthornes without a light or as the Firmament without the Sunne There is no kingdome no towne no family no person that can attaine vnto happinsse and true blessednesse except they worship the Lord aright according to his word If we be with him he will be with vs he will honour those that honour him and despise those that despise him 1 Sam. 2 30. It is true religion that establisheth our seates and maketh them prosperous contrariwise impiety and superstition and false worship are the certaine ruine and destruction of the Nation that imbrace them But it will be obiected Obiection What say you of the kingdomes of the heathen Had they not large Dominions Were they not the Monarchies of the world did they not greatly prosper in this world I answer Answer it is true they wanted not outward peace honour dignity wealth pleasures dominions and largenesse of Empires howbeit the cause of their prosperity was not their idolatry and false worship this is to alledge a false cause in stead of a true forasmuch as their detestable abhominations and horrible prophanations of the seruice of God were the causes of their finall ouerthrow which neuer ceassed to call and cry for vengeance to God vntill he with his thunderbolts from heauen had striken them downe to the ground The true causes of the prosperity of Pagans and heathen are these The causes why heathen Common-wealths flourished Matth. 5 44 the first is the great mercy and goodnesse of God who doth good to the vnthankfull and vngodly hee letteth his raine to fall vpon the fields of the iust and vniust and causeth his Sun to shine vpon the godly and vngodly the Christian and the heathen And albeit he be prouoked euery day and therefore may iustly poure downe the full viols of his wrath indignation vpon the earth yet hee is a God of patience and long suffering waiting for the conuersion of men so that if they repent not both they are made without excuse and the iustice of God is cleered when hee iudgeth This is one cause why hee suffereth them to flourish Another is that he may giue theÌ„ the greater ouerthrow For the higher their heads and hornes are lifted vp the more is their fall when they go to ruine The greater their sin is the greater must their punishment be God hath made himselfe knowne among them and not left himselfe without witnesse Acts 14.17 in that he did good and gaue them raine from heauen fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with foode and gladnesse He gaue much vnto them and therefore required much of them againe Thirdly it was his pleasure to prouide for his Church that liued and soiourned among them that they might be as Innes to lodge them and as Cities of refuge to entertaine them wheÌ„ they fled vnto them from the auenger of blood He gaue them peace that the Church also might enioy peace among them he made them to flourish that his people that liued with
serueth not onely to soften the waxe but to harden the clay Hence it is that many are made worse by the word â—atth 13.15 but that falleth out through their owne corruption not through the nature of the word Hence it is that the Lord saith Make the heart of this people fatte and make their hearts heauy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and conuert and be healed Esay 6.10 â—say 6.10 Be it therefore that none are commonly worse then common hearers who heare indeed but doe not vnderstand and see indeed but doe not perceiue yet is the word to be preached and published though it be the sauor of death vnto death in those that heare it It is as the raine or snow that falleth from heauen which returneth not thither againe but watereth the earth and maketh it bud and bring forth that it may giue seed to the sower and bread to the eater so is it with the word that goeth forth out of the mouth of God it doth not returne vnto him voide but it accomplisheth that which he pleaseth and prospereth in the thing whereunto he sendeth it Esay 55. â—say 55 10.11 Lastly the wickednesse of euill hearers ought to be no barre against the preaching of the word forasmuch as euill persons are oftentimes wonne by the Gospel Publicans and harlots are brought by it to the kingdome of God Matth. 21.31 â—atth 21.31 Many of these that crucified the Lord of life and put our Sauiour to death were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Act. 2.37 â—ct 2.37 They gladly receiued the word and were baptized so that in one day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules The like we might say of the Iailour notwithstanding his cruelty and persecution of the Apostles he came to them and said Sirs what must I doe to be saued Act. 16 30. â—ct 16 30. Who preached vnto him faith in Christ by whose Ministry hee was conuerted Shall we then reason as these men doe Hearers are wicked and as bad as others that heare not therefore away with the word out of the Church pull down the chaire of Moses and downe with all preaching let vs haue no more hearing and let the sound of the word be buried for euer O foolish reason O damnable conclusion Nay wee may inferre contrariwise Such as heard long are sinful stil therfore let them heare more cheerefully and let the Minister deale more roundly with them Let them be told and taught that God will take an account of their hearing according to the meanes he hath afforded vnto them that by the word they shall be iudged at the last day and that as much hath beene committed vnto them so much shal be required at their hands againe that they are to heare the voyce of God while it is called to day and are to take heed they neglect not the accepted time and that as Christ hath knocked long at the doores of their hearts so they know not how suddenly he will depart from them Verse 4. And Nadab and Abihu dyed before the Lord c. We haue already declared how God immediately after the ordering of the Armies of the Israelites describeth the tribe of Leui that was exempted and priuiledged out of that muster and multitude and of what family Aaron came Now wee are to shew what became of his sonnes who albeit they were the sonnes of one man yet they neither liued nor dyed after one manner For the two eldest Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.4 Num. 26.60 presuming to offer incense to God and to burne it with strange fire were themselues consumed with fire there went a fire from the Lord and deuoured them and they dyed before the Lord with sudden death Thus by the same thing wherein they offered they perished strange fire brought downe a strange iudgement to declare the iustice of God against sinners but of this point we shall haue better occasion to speake farther in the fift Chapter Thus it fel out in the family of Aaron his two sonnes dyed by fire euen they dyed before their father 1 Chron. 24.2 and had no children to whom the Priesthood might descend therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the Priests office When the Leuites did offer sacrifice in the Tabernacle God sent fire from heauen Leuit. 9.24 to consume the sacrifice whereupon he commanded the Priestes that the fire should be kept euermore burning vpon the Altar and neuer be suffered to goe out Leuit. 6.13 Which the Gentiles also obserued by a foolish imitation So then their transgression against God consisted in these two things First they vsed strange fire contrary to the commandement of God whereas they should haue taken it from the Altar Leuit. 1.8 Leuit. 1.8 Secondly they entred into the holy place which was not lawfull for the high Priest himselfe to doe but vnder certaine conditions and at a certaine time Leui. 16.1 2. Leuit. 16.1 2. Exod. 30.10 Exod. 30.10 Heb. 9.7 Heb 9.7 Thus then as they sinned openly so God punished them openly and made them publike examples vnto others that should succeed them and come after them in that office as he speaketh Leuit. 10.3 Then Moses said vnto Aaron This is it that the Lord spake I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified Babingâ—on Leuit ch 10. obser 6. It was but yesterday as it were that Aaron and his sonnes had a famous and a glorious consecration into the greatest and highest dignity vpon earth but these sonnes so lately exalted and honoured now lye destroyed before their fathers face to his ouermuch griefe and anguish not by any ordinary and accustomed death but by fire from heauen for their sins and breach of the Law and commandement of God We learne from hence that Godly parents haue Doctrine 2 oftentimes vngodly and disobedient children Godly parents haue oftentimes vngodly children Such as are reformed themselues haue children vnreformed We see this in Adam the first father he had not onely Abel the righteous who obtained good report that he pleased God but also Caine who was of that euill one and slew his brother 1. Ioh. 3. 1 Ioh. 3.12 Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good Noah a iust man and perfect in his generations Gen. 6.9 had cursed Ham as well as blessed Shim Gen. 9.26 We see this in Abrahams house the Father of the faithfull who rereceiueth this commendation froÌ„ the mouth of God himselfe Gen. 18. Gen. 18.19 I know him that hee will command his children and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do iustice and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that which hee hath spoken of him yet he had in his
wayes but by taking heed thereto according to his word Psal 116.9 No man can be saued except he feare God forasmuch as the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1.7 whereas fooles despise wisedome and instruction But none can possibly come to the feare of God but such as earnestly endeuor to know God as we see Pro. 2.1.5 My son if thou receiue my words and hide my commandements with thee c. then thou shalt vnderstand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God None can be saued that are foule and filthy in their liues and impure in all their wayes for no vncleane thing shall enter into his kingdome but where there is no knowledge of GOD there the mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse the throat is an open sepulcher the feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their wayes and therefore the Prophet saith I haue hidden thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Psal 119.11 If his word dwell in vs we haue a bridle to restraine vs from euill doing and when we are ready to breake out into sinne it pulleth vs backe and saith vnto vs Doe it not It layeth before vs the wil and wrath of God it teacheth vs what we ought to doe and telleth vs the danger if we doe it not It is our duty therefore to pray to God to giue vs the vnderstanding of his word and to resolue with our selues to performe whatsoeuer we reade in it If then we haue a warrant for that which we doe out of the word we haue comfort in our callings but if we follow the motion of our owne braines and haue no other light but of our owne nature to direct vs we liue in darkenesse Such as haue the light of the Sunne do trauell safely in respect of their bodies 2 Pet. 1.19 so if we haue the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles as a light that shineth in darke places we are in the safe way to saluation and are certaine we cannot misse of a perfect direction touching all the duties of our callings 17 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and vnto Aaron saying 18 Cut ye not off the Tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Leuites 19 But thus doe vnto them that they may liue and not die when they approach vnto the most Holy things Aaron and his sonnes shall goe in and appoint them euery one to his seruice and to his burden 20 But they shall not goe in to see when the holy things are couered lest they die The particular duties of the Kohathites being declared the reason is added and rendred in this diuision and then he passeth to the duties of the next familie Heere then Moses sheweth the cause why the Priests ought to couer all the Sanctuary and the appurtenances so that they ought not to be handled of the Kohathites vntill they were couered lest such as presumed to pry into them or to meddle with them otherwise then became the dignity honour and estimation of them were stricken with sudden death and so perish in their sinnes Thus God restraineth the curiosity of mans nature and teacheth it to be wise according to sobriety We are wont to contemne the duties of our owne calling as vulgar and common and to search into the things that belong not vnto vs yea the more we are forbidden to meddle the more we are desirous to be medling The reason in this place is framed thus If the vnreuerent handling of holy things procure the wrath of God and our destruction then we must take heed to the charge belonging vnto vs. But the vnreuerent handling of holy things doth so Therefore wee must take heed to the charge belonging vnto vs and not curiously meddle with other things Thus doth God hate and his soule abhorre the contempt of holy things when men giue way to their owne affections and through curiosity search farther then God alloweth Obiect Before we proceed to the doctrine a question may be asked out of these words why God permitteth the Priests onely to handle the instruments of the Sanctuary but forbiddeth the rest of the Kohathites vpon whose shoulders he layeth the burden to beare them so that he bindeth their hands from touching of them and restraineth their eyes from beholding of them vnder a great penalty lest they die I answere Answer this was done for diuers causes in respect of the ordinances themselues in respect of the other Tribes in respect of the Leuites and in respect of the Priests themselues First of all it was prescribed to procure greater reuerence vnto these holy ordinances of God among the people For when they should see how carefully they were to be handled how circumspectly to be couered and how orderly they were deliuered from one to another it serued to touch the hearts of all men with a reuerent regard and opinion of them and to deliuer them from the contempt of men Secondly when the rest of the Tribes of Israel should behold that many euen among the Leuites themselues albeit they were to minister to the Priests to do the seruice of the Tabernacle and to draw neere vnto God aboue the rest of their brethren yet euen they were kept from the touching of the Sanctuary I say the rest of the tribes were more humbled by it were touched with a feeling of their owne vnworthines and were mooued to giue honour to the Priests of God and those that were appointed to be their teachers Thirdly all occasion and matter of enuy was quite banished and taken away when the rest of the Leuites heard with their eares and saw with their eyes that their brethren the Kohathites had a charge so ful of dāger put vpon them and committed vnto them For God threatneth to destroy all such as presumed to touch any thing that was forbidden them An example whereof we haue in the men of Bethshemesh whō the Lord smote with a great slaughter because they looked into the Arke 1 Sam. 6.19 which sheweth the greatnesse of their sinne Lastly the Priests themselues the sonnes of Aaron were admonished to take heed lest through their negligence and carelesnesse they destroyed their brethren forasmuch as if any thing remained vncouered it would turne to their destruction Heereupon two other questions Questions may arise first how it standeth with Gods iustice to punish the Kohathites for the fault of the Priests and whether the sons of Aaron should escape whose fault it was if ought remained vncouered I answer Answer the fault is not the Priests alone nor the Kohathites alone but they partake together in the sinne and should suffer together in the punishment as they are threatned Exod. 28.43 We see it also in the example of Nadab and Abihu who were consumed with fire because they offered strange fire before the Lord Leuit 10 1 2. But most plainely Num. 18.3 The Lord said vnto Aaron Thy brethren
reasonable creature and euery reasonable creature is a man If then by sinne the law of the eternall God bee broken we see how it toucheth him neerely so that his Maiestie is offended and his iustice violated Secondly euery sinne is liable to iudgement Reason 2 against whomsoeuer it be committed it is punished of God he taketh the matter into his owne hand as Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men which hold the trueth in vnrighteousnesse And chap. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doth euil of the Iew first and also of the Gentile To this purpose speaketh the Apostle Iames cha 4.12 There is one Lawgiuer that is able to saue and to destroy He punisheth sinne in whomsoeuer he findeth it and letteth not the transgressour escape scot free that so he may be acknowledged to be a iust and vpright God that hateth wickednesse and loueth righteousnesse For he will shew himselfe iust as well in his reproofes and threatnings as in his iudgements and corrections Now he could not correct all sinne except all sinne were committed against him And if he should he should be an vniust iudge through too much rigour and seuerity as the Apostle concludeth in the Epistle to the Romanes cha 3.5 6. Is God vnrighteous which punisheth I speake as a man God forbid for then how shall God iudge the world Forasmuch as hee which is to iudge all the world in righteousnesse and trueth cannot but deale iustly and vprightly Gen. 18. Thirdly as he punisheth all sinne so he only Reason 3 can forgiue sinnes This is that which the Prophet setteth downe Thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe Esay 38.17 And to rhis purpose speaketh Micah chap. 7.19 He will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depthes of the sea If then it belong to God alone to forgiue sinnes it followeth that they are committed against him Fourthly the loue of our brethren is made Reason 4 the fufilling of the whole law and the tryall of our selues whether we loue God or not This the Apostle maketh plaine Rom. 13.8.9 10. Owe no man any thing but to loue one another for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the law for this Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe loue worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore loue is the fulfilling of the Law In setting downe the summe of the whole Law Christ and his Apostles oftentimes passe ouer the first Table and make no mention of the duties thereof He calleth the most weighty and principall matters of the Law iudgement mercy and fidelity Matth. 23.23 and when the yong man in the Gospel asked the question what commandements he must obserue that he may enter into eternall life he sendeth him not to the first Table but to the second and saith vnto him Thou shalt not kil thou shalt commit adultery c. thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Matth. 19.18 He might haue taught that he should haue no other God but the true God of Israel and that he must loue him beleeue in him and put his trust and confidence in him but the obedience heereunto stood for the most part in the inward affection of the heart or in outward ceremonies The affection of the heart doth not appeare outwardly and the outward ceremonies of his worship are oftentimes counterfeited thorough hypocrisie but the workes of charitie are witnesses of true righteousnesse Our outward workes toward men are signes of our inward piety toward God so that he will haue our faith toward him to be knowne by these fruits Wherefore forasmuch as we haue plainely shewed and firmely prooued that all sinne is a transgression of Gods Law that he is a punisher of sinne rewarding euery one according to his workes that he onely can forgiue sinnes and that he tryeth how we performe our duty toward him by our loue and charity toward our brethren it followeth necessarily that howsoeuer men are many waies and oftentimes greatly wronged yet therein also God is most highly offended An obiection answered Now albeit the doctrine may seeme sufficiently strengthened by these consents and reasons yet some scruple and doubt may remaine in vs except we shall remooue one obiection For in that prayer which the Lord taught his disciples we are taught to aske forgiuenesse our sinnes at the hands of God forasmuch as we also forgiue our debtors Luk. 11.4 The creditor is God the debtor is man the band or bill is the Law the debt is sinne the prison is hell Hereupon the question may be asked Obiect how all sin can be made to be committed against God seeing we are also said to sinne against men and to bee indebted vnto them for debt and sinne are vsed indifferently the one for the other If then we be said to sinne against God onely how are wee said to trespasse against our brother and our brother to trespasse against vs Luke 17.3.4 Answer and how are we saide to forgiue one another I answere in euery trespasse that we doe against our neighbour we are to consider two things first the iniury done to man secondly the offence done against God The losse and damage that man receiueth either in his body when he is wounded or in his substance when it is purloyned or in his good name when it is abused he may forgiue and remit but the sin against God and his Law God onely can remit and release If a man be slandered and thereby receiue much hurt he may pardon that as we see in Dauid who flying from his sonnes rebellion was cursed with an horrible curse by Shemei one of the family of the house of Saul hee accused him to be a bloody man 2 Sam. 16.7 and reuiled him as a man of Belial yet hee put it vp and would not be reuenged of it neither suffer others to take away his life Neuerthelesse as his vile slanders and false surmises were forbidden in the ninth commandement and were breaches thereof he did not neitheir could he forgiue he hath nothing to do with that nay all the men in the world are not able to make it no breach of the law and consequently no sinne against God If a man cause a blemish in his neighbour he may forgiue the blemish he hath receiued as Stephen his persecutors that stoned him to death and prayed for them but he cannot blot out the staine that the sin maketh in his soule nor forgiue the breach of the sixt commandement If a man haue his goods stollen he may pardon the theefe but he cannot remit the theft for as much as the eighth commandement will take hold of him
all holinesse and righteousnesse Hence it is that God tollerated many things among his people which he neuer allowed simply as appeareth in the case of diuorcement 〈◊〉 4 1. and many other of like nature So hee suffered the next of kinne to pursue him to death that had slaine his kinsman if he were taken out of the City of his refuge but God neuerthelesse did neuer approue of this to set vpon the person that had done him no harme neither aloweth any to follow the rage of his choler and to execute the malice of his heart so that this law hath no place among vs. For we must marke this as a certaine rule that ciuil gouernment cannot change any thing in the ten Commandements or set downe any thing to the preiudice of them Many things were permitted vnto the Iewes because of the hardnesse of their hearts Math. 19 8. but from the beginning it was not so They then that would put away their wiues for euery cause might as well alledge the law of giuing them a bill of diuorcement as others produce the auenger of blood to iustifie the prosecution of priuate reuenge forasmuch as the one is a breach of the seauenth Commandement the other is a breach of the sixth Commandement And thus much in answer of the obiections Thirdly we are put in mind of this duty Vse 3 that seeing all sin is committed against God we should be afraid to sinne against him and ought aboue all things to take heed of his wrath and indignation We are rather to chuse any course or take any way then runne into his displeasure Thus it was with Ioseph of whom we spake before he was content rather to be slandered vniustly and accused falsely of his leud and lasciuious mistrisse yea to be imprisoned and punished by his ouer-credulous master then he would make a breach in his owne soule sin against God Let a man once perish his conscience the wracke is not easily made vp again It is like a water-course which is not easily stopped It is better to fall into the hands of men then of God for he can make our innocency knowne and the vprightnesse of our cause to appeare that it shall break out as the light and shine as the Sunne at noone daies as we shall shew more euidently in the end of this chapter True it is the greatest sort of men make it a common matter because it is common they account it a small and light matter to sin against God When they heare that by cōmitting euill they sin in Gods sight and prouoke him to anger they regard not much those threatnings they make a mock of sin and feare not the euent of it not considering they play with a serpent that will in the end sting thē vnto death when it hath wrapped them fast as it were in fetters that they can by no meanes escape We must account no sin to be in it owne nature little as a mote but esteeme of it as a great beame albeit there be difference betweene them and some be greater then other This cogitation once taking place in vs How we may vnderstand the greeuousnesse of sin Eph. 5 3. will make vs feare and tremble at the naming of it The Apostle speaking of fornication and vncleannesse and such like euils saith Let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Saints For the Scripture laieth hold on our straying thoughts and wandring motions of the minde though we neuer giue assent vnto them but labour to remoue and repell them so soone as they arise in vs and abhorre them and our selues for them These first motions and lusts are a breach of the Law Rom. 7. and deserue condemnation how much more therfore the transgressions of our whole life that are much more abhominable Besides we are taught not onely to looke into the glasse of the law to see the heinousnesse of our transgressions but also to consider the punishments due vnto them in this life and the life to come for thereby we are subiect to all woes and miseries and death it selfe as we may see by the examples of our first parents of the old world of Sodome of Pharaoh and his hoste of the Iewes that were carried captiue and many of Gods owne people that by infirmity haue fallen and felt sore chastisements from his hands as appeareth in Moses and Aaron in Dauid in Hezekiah in Iosiah in Salomon and sundry others Lastly we may behold the grieuousnesse of sin in the example of Christ our Sauiour who albeit he were without sinne and none iniquitie was found in his mouth yet bare he in his body our sinnes and felt that burden which would haue crushed vs in peeces and broken all our bones in sunder forasmuch as he apprehended the wrath of God in his soule which caused him to sweat water and blood and to cry out vpon the crosse My God Mat. 27.46 my God why hast thou forsaken me Such then as neuer feare to offend God haue no feeling of Gods iustice no feeling of Christs suffering no feeling of the vilenesse of sin no feeling of their owne punishments that hang ouer their heads shall without repentance seaze vpon them to their finall damnation Let vs awake cut of our deepe sleepe and take care of our saluation let vs take heede we grow not senselesse and hard-hearted Let vs learne to know our selues better and consider what we haue done Let vs feare to offend God and stand in awe of his iudgements so that if we sinne against him we may be well assured to be punished for it But some will say Obiect God is gracious and mercifull he will not plague vs and strike vs though we sin he is not hard as many would make him doth not the Scripture tell vs that he is mercifull and shall we not beleeue the Scripture to be true Let them say what they will I will beleeue the Scripture Answer I answere in saying thus thou doest nothing but deceiue thy selfe and dally with the word of God and indeed doest not beleeue it to be true For if thou diddest acknowledge God to be the author of it thou wouldest submit thy selfe to euery part of it thou wouldest not embrace what thou likest and refuse what liketh thee not Thou mayest as well say in plaine English that part of the word of God is false and there is no trueth in it and I will sinne without controllement of it nay while thou reasonest in that prophane manner thou sayest in thine heart Tush God is not God but an idoll that sitteth still that hath eyes and seeth nothing that hath hands and doeth nothing that hath eares and heareth nothing True it is men are ashamed to vtter these reprochfull wordes and to belch out of their filthy mouthes such horrible blasphemies but if we will rippe vp to the quick their former presumptions we shall find their case and condition to be little better
If they were demaunded what they thinke of the word and of God the author of the word they would acknowledge the Scriptures to be most true both the promises that are made and the threatnings that are contained in it they would confesse that God is a most iust God euen visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation yet it skilleth not what they speak with their tongues so long as we may euen openly reade the secrets of their thoughts and the imaginations of their hearts in their outward practises For touching the word of God it is most true and it cannot be denyed we reade oftentimes that God is also mercifull Rom 2.4 Ephe. 2. we reade of the riches of his grace and bountifulnesse of his abounding in compassions and reseruing mercy for thousands What then or what is all this to them shall we continue therefore in sinne that grace may abound ought not rather the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long suffering leade vs vnto repentance Shal we after our hardnes and hearts that cannot repent heape vp vnto our selues as a treasure wrath against the day of wrath and the iust declaration of the iudgement of God who shall giue to euery man according to his workes It is a good lesson which the Prophet teacheth vs that there is mercy with God not that we should presume of his mercy and runne into all excesse of ryot but to the end he may be feared Psal 130.4 Hence it is that Moses Deut. 29.20 strippeth all such as flatter themselues with hope of pardon and conceit of mercy and opinion of escaping from that foolish imagination He that blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie vpon â—im the Lord shall blot out his name froÌ„ vnder heauen These persons may call for mercy but he will not answere them in mercy they may seeke him early but they shall not finde him because they hated to be reformed and did not chuse the feare of the Lord Prou. 1.28 29. He is very gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse Psal 103.17 18. Howbeit it is to the penitent only not to the obstinate The Prophet saith The mercy of the Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting and his righteousnesse vnto childrens children to such as keepe his couenant and to those that remember his commandements to doe them Where we see the Scripture maketh a difference and diuision betweene man and man and giueth to euery one his portion so that albeit he be mercifull yet it is to those onely that keepe his commandements For although all be sinners and therby seeke to creepe away closely that way as it were in the darke that they might not bee espyed yet we must know this that some are repentant sinners for whom there is mercy in store some are obstinate sinners the Scripture hath no mercy for them but terrors threatnings and iudgements and punishments because vpon such wicked he will raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup for the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the vpright Psal 11.6 7. Now such as continue in the course of their sins are ready to beleeue that God is merciful but they beleeue not the Scripture that he is mercifull onely vnto such as repent they perswade themselues falsely that they may run on in euill wayes and yet find mercy at the latter end which is directly contrary to the whole doctrine of the Scriptures And yet these men aske shall we not beleeue the Scripture to be true Whereas they beleeue one part of the Scripture but they call into question another part they lay holde on his promises but they stop their eares against his iudgements nay they doe not so much as beleeue the promises aright neither will learn to whom they are deliuered in whom they shall be verified which sauoureth altogether of infidelity and vnbeliefe Besides as they derogate from the verity of the Scriptures so they deny God after a sort and turne him into a lie make him an idoll to stand stil and doe nothing For to imagine in our heart a GOD wholly compact of mercy that seeth sinne but will not punish it that knoweth who sinneth but will let him alone is to deny the true God who as he is merciful so he is also iust This the Prophet Nahum testifieth in the beginning of his Prophesie The Lord is iealous â—â—m 1 2 3 and the Lord reuengeth the Lord reuengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries and reserueth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slowe to anger great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked c. And heereunto accordeth the description of him Exod. 34 6 7. The Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiuing sinne and that will by no meanes cleere the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children and vpon the childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation Such then as thinke they may proceede and goe forward in their transgressions without controlement or punishment because God is a mercifull God do vtterly deceiue themselues make a snare to entrap their owne soules The wise man saith that to iustifie the wicked and to condemne the innocent are both of them an abhomination vnto the Lord Prou. 17 15. If then he hate it in all the sonnes of men how shall we imagine that the Lord will do or can do either of theÌ„ Let vs therefore so conceiue of God as hee hath taught vs in his holy word let vs not make a counterfeit god nor set vp an Idoll in our heart for he will be serued no therwise then he hath appointed To conclude we must know that whosoeuer denieth 〈◊〉 of the threatnings denounced in the word denyeth a part of the Scripture and as much as lyeth in him maketh God a lyar who will as well execute his judgements as performe his promises forasmuch as hee is faithfull in both And whosoeuer imagineth that God is onely mercifull consequently denieth his iustice hath not the true God for his God but committeth horrible idolatry in coÌ„ceiuing wrongfully of his Maiesty Vse 4 Fourthly seeing such damages and iniuries as are offered to our brethren doe reach to God are condemned as sinnes against him it should teach vs to looke to our own waies to practise iustice and equity toward them to take heed of all fraud forgery falsehood oppression whatsoeuer forasmuch as hee will take an account of vs and bring vs vnto a
Lord plagued him and his house with great plagues vntill hee had restored her If a bare purpose to commit adultery and that ignorantly called for iudgment vpon an heathen king how much more shall the liuing in this sinne bring moe stripes vpon vs that liue in the light of the Gospel haue the truth plainely reuealed vnto vs forasmuch as he that knoweth his masters will doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes The third crying sinne is the oppression of such persons as are destitute of helpe which is ioyned with cruelty as for example such as are widdowes fatherlesse strangers poore innocents whose cry God hath promised to heare and to helpe them This we heard before out of the booke of Exodus If you afflict them in any wise and they cry at all vnto me Exo. 22 â—â— Deut. 154. I will surely heare their cry and my wrath shall waxe hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widdowes and your children fatherlesse The Prophet Habakkuk prophesieth against such and painteth out their sinne in liuely colours chap. 2 9 11 12. Woe to him that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that he may set his nest on high that he may be deliuered from the power of euill c. The stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shal answer it One shall say Woe to him that buildeth a Towne with blood another shall make answer and stablisheth a City by iniquity These oppressers do sucke out as it were the blood and life of the needy that haue none to whom to cry out for redresse but in the eares of the Lord. They dare not buckle and encounter with the mighty for as when the pot of earth and of yron meet together the earthen vessell is dashed in peeces so when the mighty and the needy striue the poore man striueth against the streame and bringeth much misery vpon himselfe Their helpe is onely in God the Father of all consolation If men stop their eares against them and will not rescue them out of the snare of the fowler and the net of the hunter let them abide vnder the shadow of the Almighty and shroud themselues vnder his wings who wil couer them with his feathers and heare them in their afflictions The last crying sinne is the poore labourers wages that are wrongfully and vniustly deteined this also cryeth aloud and neuer ceaseth vntill God hearken to the cry of it Many thinke it goods well gained that can be gotten from the poore but they shall finde it fret as a canker and consume as a moth the residue of their substance Hereunto commeth that law of the Lord Deut. 24 14 15. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is poore needy c. thou shalt giue him his hire neither shall the Sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and setteth his heart vpon it lest he cry against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee Where wee see that this consideration of committing sinne against God ought to enter into vs to restraine vs from doing wrong against any especially the poore and needy brother or the stranger that is in the Land And to this purpose speaketh the Apostle Iames chap. 5 4. Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped downe your fields which is of you kept back by fraud cryeth the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of Saboth â—ld â—cryâ— Whereby it appeareth that there is a double kinde of crying one of iniquity and wickednes the other of the oppressed and afflicted If one of these ceasse yet the other shall neuer ceasse crying It falleth out oftentimes through the power and might of the greater sort that the poore dare not mutter or murmure if they begin to cry out and complaine their mouthes are soone stopped because their angry lookes make them afraid of their displeasure their seuere threatnings are too heauy a burden for them to beare but the other shall neuer giue ouer crying the sinne of the oppressors shall cry against them for vengeance as we see wheÌ„ Abel could not cry yet his blood cried and was heard Sinne hath a voice more shrill then the sound of a Trumpet for that be it neuer so loud vanisheth in the aire cannot pierce the Clouds whereas the noise that issueth and proceedeth from sin out-reacheth the Clouds entreth into the eares of the Lord of hosts What then Must we imagine that sinne is a bodily thing â—he cry â—e it that hath a mouth to speake a voice to cry No this cry is nothing else but the vnchangeable order of Gods iustice punishing sinne euen as at the instance and importunity of the innocent party a iust Iudge cannot but releeue the oppressed and punish the guilty and so doe iustice according to the office committed vnto him As if it were said blood will haue vengeance vncleannesse will haue vengeance oppression will haue vengeance fraud and deceit will haue vengeance God cannot but punish all these crying sins because he is a iust Iudge otherwise he were vnrighteous It is the nature of all sin to prouoke God to enter into iudgement with the sinner but especially these horrible and abhominable crimes mentioned before And as it is the nature of sinne to cry out to GOD for vengeance so it is the nature of God to punish sinne and to take vengeance of it Therefore they greatly deceiue both themselues and others that make him like to one of the gods of the Gentiles not to be offended at all or very little displeased with sinne and not to regard what men doe As if iustice were not essentiall vnto him or as if he could deny himselfe or as if he could ceasse to be God for as soone he may do these as the other But if it can in any sort agree to him â—ent Paâ— in Gen. 4. that he can bee not willing to punish sinne then he can also not hate sinne forasmuch as to hate is nothing else but to be willing to punish reiect And if it be incident to him not to hate sinne then also it will follow that hee can loue and like sinne If he can loue sinne he can deny himselfe and destroy himselfe he can like of the workes of the diuell which is vnpossible to do and horrible blasphemy to affirme Lastly seeing whatsoeuer is of the nature of sinne is against God it directeth vs what Vse 5 we are to do when we haue any way sinned and desire to haue peace of conscience we must not goe to Saints or Angels whom wee haue not offended who are not able to be reuenged of vs but it is our duty to call for mercy at his hands against whom onely wee haue sinned and to seeke to be reconciled to him whose lawes we haue transgressed and who is able to cast body and soule
them might haue hope And the Prophet Dauid in sundry places setteth downe this effect which himselfe from time to time had found and felt in his troubles as Psal 19.8 The statutes of the Lord are right reioycing the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes and the 119. Psalme Psalm 119 24 is a plentiful store-house to furnish vs abundantly with matter of comfort Thy testimonies are my delight and my Counsellers and againe My soule melteth for heauinesse strengthen thou mee Verse 28 according to thy word This is the true way sanctified vnto vs to driue away heauinesse this means the children of God haue vsed haue found by experience and good proofe the force and effect of it It hath beene very auaileable vnto them and filled their bones with marrow and fatnesse To this end he saith afterward Verse 92. Vnlesse thy law had beene my delight I should then haue perished in mine affliction Thus doe the faithfull reioyce in his Testimonies as much as in all riches forasmuch as his statutes do reioyce the heart make wise the simple enlighten the eies and conuert the soule then which it is vnpossible to finde greater matter of comfort Two meanes of comfort To conclude we haue seene that there are two meanes to obtaine comfort the one is from the worke of God in our hearts by his holy Spirit which leaueth vs not desolate and destitute The other is the vse of the word which is sweeter then the hony and the hony-combe and more to be desired then much riches Let vs haue an heape of sorrowes cast vpon vs through enduring of the Crosse and let vs sinke neuer so deepe into afflictions the word of God is able to raise vs vp againe to cheere vp our hearts Verse 7. Then they shall confesse their sinne which they haue done Wee shewed before that Moses setteth downe three waies how this damage offered to men is to be blotted out The course which they ought to take to purge it away is first of all to make confession of their sinne to God forasmuch as where the confession of man goeth before there the forgiuenesse of God followeth after We cannot lye hid from him nor conceale our offences and therefore it is best to acknowledge them before him Doctrine Whosoeuer looketh for forgiuenesse must confesse his sinnes to God From hence we learne that whosoeuer looketh for forgiuenesse must confesse his sins to God This is the practise and property of a true penitent to lay foorth his sinnes to God both originall and actuall and to discouer them in his sight This we see in sundry examples remembred in the old new Testament When Dauid was reprooued of Nathan the Prophet who set his sins in order before him he answered 2 Sam. 12. I haue sinned against the Lord. The Publican going vp into the Temple to pray and standing afarre off would not lift vp so much as his eyes vnto heauen but smote vpon his brest Luke 18 13. saying God be mercifull to me a sinner The prodigall sonne hauing wasted his substance with riotous liuing when he came to himselfe he went to his father and saide vnto him Luke 15 21. Father I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne The like confession we reade in Daniel chap. 9 5 6 7. when he perceiued by the word of the Lord that the seuenty yeares were accomplished in the desolations of Ierusalem he praied vnto the Lord his God and made his confession Wee haue sinned and committed iniquity and haue done wickedly and haue rebelled euen by departing from thy precepts and from thy iudgements c. The like we might shew out of Ezra 9 5 6. and Nehem. 9. and many other places which teach that it is a duty required of vs to make humble confession of our sinnes vnto God Reason 1 The reasons are weighty and effectuall to enforce this duty First we shewed in the former doctrine that all sin is committed against God Howsoeuer we may hurt men and damnifie them in their bodies and goods yet the cheefest dishonor is done against God whose law is broken and transgressed as Psal 51 4. Against thee euen thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight If then the iniury done to man be an iniquity cōmitted against God we are bound to confesse our sinne vnto him But all the wrongs offered to our brethren are sinnes against God and therefore confession ought to be made vnto him Secondly we haue shewed also before that Reason 2 it is in Gods power onely to forgiue sins and free vs from the punishment due vnto sinne He onely can giue pardon for sinne Cypri Ser. 5. de Lapsis that carried our sinnes on his body The Scribes and Pharisies had greeuously corrupted the purity of doctrine by the leauen of their owne traditions yet they held soundly and sincerely this principle that God onely forgiueth sinnes They falsely interpreted the law of God and peruerted the true meaning of it by their gloses yet they reteined this truth that none can forgiue sinnes but God onely Mark 2.7 If then God alone can forgiue sins then we must confesse them vnto him But hee alone can forgiue sinnes and therefore we must confesse them vnto him Thirdly without confession of our sinnes Reason 3 there is no forgiuenesse nor hope of pardon for God cannot in iustice forgiue vs except in humility we confesse vnto him seeing without it wee haue no promise made vnto vs to finde fauour at his hands If we be not ashamed to vncase and vncouer our sinnes he will not be ashamed of vs but shew mercy toward vs as Prou. 28 verse 13. Hee that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy And the Apostle Iohn affirmeth the same If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse 1 Iohn 1 verse 9. The like remedy Paul deliuereth to the Corinthians who for their vnreuerent vnworthy partaking of the Lords Supper were some of them weake some sicke and some dead If we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged of the Lord. 1 Corin. 11 31. And the Prophet Dauid declareth the same by his owne experience Psal 32 verse 5. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquity of my sinne If then there be no forgiuenesse of sinnes without confession it followeth that it is our duty to confesse them before him Fourthly where there is no true confession Reason 4 of sinne there is no sound repentance for sin For the inward sight of sinne and humbling of our selues for it will open our mouthes cause vs to lay them open As then the confessing of them with
sinner all men are sinners there is no man that sinneth not God be mercifull vnto vs this is the ordinary confession of euery man These are no better then words of course it is rotten at the roote it is blasted in the eare it is green in the leaues but beareth no fruite it is beautifull without but soule and filthy within it is formall in shew but fading in substance Wherfore that we may not deceiue our selues as a great part of the world do The properties of right confession we are to vnderstand the properties of true confession that wee may comfort our selues in them if we finde them in vs or else labour to attaine vnto them if we feele the want of them and seeke to increase in the knowledge of them if we haue already receiued them First of all wee must confesse to God our speciall and particular sinnes as the patient that would bee cured not onely telleth the Physition that he is sicke but acknowledgeth in what part and in what manner how long he hath beene sicke When men complaine to Magistrates of the wrongs that haue beene done them they will expresse in what particulars and in what sort they haue beene damnified Shall we not much rather seeke to the Physition of our soules and acknowledge to him how sorely we are sicke especially considering hee knoweth our diseases better then our selues If there were no other motiue to stir vs vp to this duty of confession this were sufficient because we cannot hide them from him We may conceale them from the knowledge of men but with all our craft and cunning with all our deuises and pollicies with all our fetches and falsehood we cannot conceale them from God whose eies pierce into the bowels of the earth and into the depth of hell This is that which the wise man deliuereth Hell destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the sons of men Pro. 15 11. So that there is nothing so deepe nothing so secret which can be hidden froÌ„ the sight of God Hence it is that Dauid confessed oftentimes that he had sinned addeth in what kindes in blood-guiltinesse Psal 51 14. 1 Chr. 21 8. and in numbring of the people so Paul confessed that he was a blasphemer a persecutor and an oppressor the chiefest of all sinners 1 Tim. 1 15. We see then to whom we must goe to confesse and in what manner we are to performe it which serueth to reproue those that when their sinnes are discouered and come to sight that they can no longer hide them doe submit themselues vnto men and stoope downe to them but neuer humble themselues before God whom they haue offended nor acknowledge how shamefully they haue broken his lawes We haue many false teares shed to blinde and bleare the eyes of men but they neuer seeke vnfainedly to reconcile themselues vnto him that is able to saue and to destroy Iames 4 12. Math. 10 28. and neuer stand in feare of him that can destroy body and soule in hell fire Let vs take heed of this hypocrisie which is a most vaine and fruitelesse kinde of humiliation of which we shall speake more afterward Secondly we must set out our sins in their right colours The second property as beggers that vncouer their sores to men that they may behold them and shew mercy We must be so farre from making our sinnes lighter and lesser then they are that we should enlarge them to the full and labour to make them appeare vile heinous as they are A notable practise of this we haue in Dauid Psal 51 5. he ascendeth vp from his present sinnes to his original corruption Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceiue me The like wee see in Ezra chap. 9 verse 6. when the people had transgressed by making affinity with strangers taking of their daughters for themselues and for their sonnes he fell vpon his knees spred out his hands vnto the Lord his God and said O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our trespasse is growne vp vnto the heauens We must confesse when and where and how we haue sinned We must confesse how much we haue dishonoured God and scandalized the Church and how long we haue liued and continued in our sinnes Wee must confesse that if he should condemne vs he should do vs no wrong but we must cleere him and the course of his iustice when he proceedeth against vs. Wee heard how Paul confessed his sin in the time of his ignorance that he had persecuted the Church of God extremely and made hauocke of it horribly Gal. 1 13. and therefore was not onely the least of all Saints but the greatest of all sinners Neither doth he in vttering this speech Pernar de vita solâ—tar make a lye or speak for modesty sake but as he thought in his heart esteeming no mans sinne like his owne nor vnderstanding another mans as he doth his owne nor feeling another mans as his owne Thus do the seruants of God deale with themselues with their sinnes and thereby shew that they were out of loue with themselues and their sinnes This reproueth those that content themselues with a word and away they cannot abide to stand long in their confession as if they were afraid to humble themselues too farre whereas we cannot make our selues too vile nor hate our sinnes too much Many confesse theÌ„ as if they meant presently to returne vnto theÌ„ like to the harlot that wipeth her mouth and saith I haue not committed iniquity Pro. 30 20. wheras we should hate theÌ„ with a perfect hatred as our vtter enemies that seek our destructioÌ„ Thirdly The third property our confession must proceed from the heart it must be sound at the roote otherwise the fruite will be blasted rotten corrupt and vnsauory as Prou. 4 23. Keepe thine heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life and chap. 23 26. My sonne giue me thine heart and let thine eies delight in my waies Thus it was with Dauid Ps 6.7 6. whose soule was troubled very sore I fainted in my mourning I cause my bed euery night to swim and water my couch with my teares and the more he was afflicted the more vnfainedly he came to God Such was the confession of the Publican when he smote his brest and said Lord be merciful to me a sinner When he laid his hand vpon his brest if it had bin possible he would haue touched and taken his hart to haue offred it vp to God If we bring vnto God onely an outward confession fetched no farther then from the mouth it returneth empty to vs againe and neuer obtaineth any blessing This lip-labour God hateth as a lame offering and a maimed sacrifice The hart is as salt that seasoneth euery part of the worship of God
all the water in the riuer Iordan or in the wide sea is not able to cleere him and acquit him of putting the Lord of life to death Now if we desire to know how wee may be accessaries to other mens sinnes and draw them as it were with cart-ropes vpon our selues it may be considered of vs in those few words Iussio consilium consensus palpo recursus Participans mutus non obstans non manifestans Whosoeuer is any cause of any vniust dealing is bound to restore such are they that command or counsell or consent to euill such as flatter any in their euill by commending them for it such as are abetters to them receiuing aiding helping and assisting them such as are companions of them and take part with them he that is dumbe and holdeth his peace as if he neither saw nor heard any euill committed albeit he see it with his eyes and heare it with his eares he that suffereth it to be done and doth not hinder it and withstand it being able to doe it Lastly such as seeke shifts and shelters by all meanes to couer euill and doe not disclose the same when they are priuy to it For he that hideth it doth shew therby that he fauoreth it and furthereth it so farre as he can By all these waies we are made partakers of other mens sinnes and not onely doth he trespasse and offend which executeth and practiseth any sinnes but he that is by any of the former meanes a cause or occasion of them Notwithanding among these there is some difference For flattery and counsell praising them that doe euil and counselling them to doe euill doe not alwayes oblige and bind to restitution but then only when it appeareth euidently that vniust dealing hath proceeded chiefly or onely from these causes where he that is principall in the action is principally bound to restitution to wit he that requireth cōmandeth then he that executeth it And concerning the rest to wit such as doe not bewray or not hinder or not reproue a theefe that stealeth are not alwaies bound to restore but then onely when an absolute necessity lyeth vpon them and no great danger follows by this negligence default Lastly it remaineth to shew this doubt whether a mā be boūd to restore by by or whether he may put off and delay the discharge of this duty No man is to delay restitution but by consent Euery one is charged necessarily to hasten restitution so soone as he is able and conueniently may do it God loueth a cheerefull giuer and restorer whereas delay in any good duty argueth an vnwilling minde It sheweth that we are not throughly resolued to do it It maketh vs euery day more vnfit then other It manifesteth that we are more then halfe willing to keepe it by vs still He that hath hired a poore seruant to doe his worke must giue him his hire before the Sunne goe downe Deut. 24 13. And as it is a sinne against iustice to take away another mans goods so it is likewise to deteine it with vs because the owner thereby is hindred from the vse thereof and so a double iniury is done vnto him but no man is allowed to stay any time though it be short in sinne Neuerthelesse if a man be not able to make present restitution he is to craue pardon and desire respit of him whom he hath wronged but without his consent that is damnified he hath no liberty to keepe euill gotten goods that is of ability to make restitution The counsell that Salomon giueth to the man that hath this worlds goods that he must giue speedily and not bid his neighbour come againe vnto him Prou. 3 28. if he haue at the present for him it must also serue as a good direction to him that hath gotten and ingrossed into his owne hands other mens goods he must not say I will restore them to morrow if he be able to do it to day If we be carefull to practise these things which now haue beene rehearsed we shall finde much comfort in them and assure our owne hearts that we haue truely repented of our sinnes Verse 8. If the man haue no kinseman to recompence the trespasse vnto let the trespasse bee recompenced vnto the Lord euen to the Priest In these words we haue an amplification of the former law by way of preuenting an obiection of which we haue spoken before or rather of many obiections together couched as it were vpon an heape For it may be asked What if the party be dead and gone from whom we haue taken The answer is Restore to his childe What then if he haue no child Restore to his brothers children What if he haue no brother or sister Restore to his next kinseman But put case he haue no kinseman at all Restore it to the Lord euen to the Priest As if he should say Though sometimes it fall out that thou shalt finde no kinseman yet thou shalt neuer haue the Lord to seeke neither the Priest whom he hath set ouer you The point then heere to be obserued is this that the Lord and the Priest are put as both one for it is in the originall To the Lord to the Priest so that the restitution to the Priest was a restitution to the Lord. Doctrine Whatsoeuer is done to the Minister◠done to the Lord. We learne from hence that whatsoeuer is done to the Ministers of the word God accounteth it as done vnto himselfe If we doe good vnto them wee doe good vnto the Lord if we do euill vnto them we do euill to the Lord himselfe We see afterward in this booke chap. 16 verse 11. when Korah and his company lifted vp themselues against Gods ordinance and the authority of Moses and Aaron he saith vnto them Thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord and what is Aaron that ye murmure against him They thought they had to do with his seruant but he sheweth they had to doe with the Lord. When the people required of Samuel that he would make them a King to iudge them like all the Nations the Lord said vnto him 1 Sam. 8 7. Hearken vnto the voyce of the people in all that they say vnto thee for they haue not reiected thee but they haue reiected mee that I should not reigne ouer them Their gathering together against the Prophet was a muster and mutinie and murmuring against God This is that which Christ spake vnto the seuenty Disciples and to the Apostles before them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10 16. Math. 10 40. Whereby we see that this is the dignity and authority of the Ministery which God hath established that how meane soeuer the persons of the Ministers are yet he so magnifieth their office that what is done to them is offered vnto him The reasons heereof are most
their repentance till it be too late â—nd â— Secondly it reprooueth such as liue cunningly and secretly in these sinnes of vncleannesse and thinke if they can hide them from the eyes of men and from the sight of the world all is well no hurt or harme shall befall vnto them and come vpon them If they professe Christian religion and resort to the Church and heare the word of God and present themselues to the Lords Table they suppose they liue in no danger they account theÌ„selues as good Christians as the best This is a course taken to deceiue our selues and such doe no better then make a couenant with death and a league with hell Esay 28. Hee hath deliuered many threatnings in his word against this sinne which must needs be accomplished because he is not as man that hee should lie It is in vaine therefore to flatter our selues with the foolishnesse of security or hope of secrecy or the ignorance of men or the darkenesse of the night or the solitarinesse of the place or the cunning of hypocrisie or any other meanes of concealement forasmuch as we haue to doe with God before whose eyes all things are naked and open This committing of sinne in secret and presuming to carry it away close because no man seeth vs is on the one side to turne God into an idoll making him to sit idle in heauen and on the other side to transforme our selues into Atheists as if God could be blinded and deceiued of vs. This made the Prophet to say Whither shall I goe from thy spirit Psal 139.7 8 11 12 13. or whither shall I flie from thy presence if I ascend vp into heauen thou art there if I make my bed in hell beholde thou art there c. If I say surely the darkenesse shall couer me euen the night shall bee light about me yea the darkenesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and the light are both alike to thee for thou hast possessed my reines thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe So then where the knowledge of man faileth and the hand of man ceasseth to execute punishment against this sinne Gods eye taketh notice of it and his iustice will cause him to proceed against it so that there is nothing couered that shall not be reueiled Luke 12. neither hid that shall not be knowne Many indeed are cunning hypocrites and can deceiue the faces of men but they cannot so colour their sinnes as to cozen God thereby who wil plucke off their vizards and wash away their paintings and open their disguisings that the hollownesse of their hearts shall be made manifest to all men The last reproofe is of the Church of Rome The third reproofe that erect a stewes in all places where Popery is professed and so warrant the tolleration of fornication The Law of God is manifest Deut. 23.17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there bee an whorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel God condemneth the thought and therefore cannot alow the fact of simple fornication for that were to make the spirit of God contrary to it selfe All enticements and prouocations vnto sinne are reprooued of which this is a principall How then can he that boasteth of his Holinesse warrant by the word of God the erection and continuance of his stewes albeit hee gaine thereby a yeerely rent into his coffers Or how could that monster and diuell incarnate Sixtus the fourth set vp a stewes of both kindes that is of men and women wherby he obtained some yeeres 20000 and some yeeres forty thousand duckats as a yeerely pension which those filthy persons payed for the free liberty of that sinne This was most base and beastly gaine though the man of sin thinke it sweet gaine that is gotten by worse then the excrements of Rome A man would thinke it most strange that they should open their mouthes in defence of open sinne and impiety and yet many among them are not ashamed to become proctours for the stewes It is well knowne how commonly the Priests themselues resort vnto such infamous places therfore no maruell if some of them shame not to open their mouthes in defence of their owne practise among which are two of no small note among them to wit Harding Hard. Consut pag. 162. and Parsons Harding in his pretended confutation of the apology of the Church of England calleth the stewes a necessary euill for the auoyding of a greater mischiefe and though being charged he dare not deny there bee twenty thousand of that generation in Rome that prostitute their bodies for gaine yet he excuseth them all and telleth vs that we are too yong to controlle the city of Rome in her doings The like we might say of Parsons for hee in his confutation of Iohn Nichols recantation hath thought it a matter well beseeming his labours to handle this point at large who is often said to haue been vnder the Chirurgians hand for this sinne and so to iustifie the doings of himselfe and of his fellowes I will set down their reasons that we may see know them and examine them and disproue them Nothing is so impious wretched that some men will not goe about to iustifie It is well knowne that a Diuine a great Diuine among them wrote a treatise in defence of Sodomy as these doe in defence of whoredome And this is the deep iudgement of God vpon those that not only restraine but vtterly forbid mariage to their Clergy 1 Tim. 4. which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of diuels to giue them ouer both to defend and practise all kinde of vncleannesse But let vs see their reasons wherby they would proue this euill to be necessary Obiect 1 First they alleadge the heate of the countrey and therefore not fit that Harlots should be banished from among them I answer Answer this is no sufficient warrant to set vp stewes no more then it is to marry many wiues It becommeth not a Christian man much lesse a professour of Diuinity to hold that where there is greatest heate there may be greatest whoredome This is the rule of Gods word that whersoeuer the greatest allurements and prouocations are to any sinne there ought to be more watchfulnesse to cut off all occasions And why I pray you might not they among the Indians iustifie the marrying and keeping of a multitude of wiues where the heate farre surpasseth the heate of Rome and of all Italy or wherefore doth God restraine the Iewes his owne people from whoring and committing fornication where the climate is as hot and much hotter then in Popish places where stewes are erected Doth whoredome defile the land and is it a necessary euill But enough of this reasonlesse reason whereof I thinke the Popish sort are ashamed if they haue any shame or any reason left in them A second argument is this that a ciuill Magistrate
consequently Obiect 2 the Pope may for the auoyding of a greater inconuenience tollerate and permit this sinne without fault and without being charged with any allowance of the sinne it selfe It is one thing to approue and another to allow a thing as God permitteth many wicked actes in the world which notwithstanding he detesteth I answer Answer the comparison is vnequall that I say not it is blasphemous It is the fearefull iudgement of God vpon his enemies to make such monstrous and mishapen conclusions God hath a royall prerogatiue aboue his law and is not subiect vnto it but to the righteousnesse of his owne will He permitteth the abominations that are committed that by his infinite power and wisdome he may turne all things to the glory of his mercy or iustice It is not so with the Magistrate he must bee obedient to the law of God and all his authority is to be subiect vnto it it is his office to punish knowne euill and not to permit it neither is hee able to turne euill into good by his suffering of it Besides it will not follow from hence to speak nothing of the Popes temporall iurisdiction and of the right he claimeth to be a temporall Prince neither can it any way iustifie his practise who raiseth rents and taketh fines for bawdry and therfore maketh himselfe no better then a bawde to whores and knaues forasmuch as he maintaineth them and they maintaine him They haue streetes and houses assigned vnto them where they shall dwell and he taketh their money whch they pay with ease and liue in brauery and excesse with the rest Lastly we may conclude from this reason that Magistrates if they list may permit all maner of wickednesse and suffer it to escape vnpunished and not be charged with the allowance of it For if this reason doe hold in one particular God may permit therfore the Magistrate may it is good in all which were to open a gap wide to all prophannesse Libertinisme Atheisme and Epicurisme A third argument Obiect is this a naughty thing may sometimes be necessary and being necessary and consequently impossible to be remooued it must needes be tollerated without fault as they goe about to prooue by testimony of Christ there must be offences Matth. 18.11 and of Paul there must be heresies 1 Corinth 11.19 Heere is a necessity of offences and heresies yet Christ and Paul were not in fault neither did they allow heresies I answer Answer first I would know whether they meane euery wicked thing or onely some wicked thing I suppose they meane not in generall that euery naughty thing is so necessary that it should be tollerated for then they must speake plainely with the diuels tongue and openly vtter his language Doe they then vnderstand it of some naughty and wicked thing that is necessary and so to bee tollerated Then the reason must be framed in this maner Some euill is necessary and therefore to be suffered but the stewes is some euil that is necessary and therfore the stewes ought to be tollerated Euery one meanly seen in the art of reasoning knoweth that the forme of this reason is starke naught and neither necessary nor to be suffered for of particulars nothing can follow Againe they peruert and corrupt the meaning of Christ and his Apostle Such things as cannot be auoyded may be accounted necessary according to the decree of God When he purposeth to try his children to haue them discerned from hypocrites oftentimes euils yea euen heresies breake forth from the corruption of men This is true we confesse and so much the places proue and inferre So then we must distinguish of tolleration which is of two sorts there is a tolleration of necessity and a tolleration of negligence The one is good as when a Magistrate hauing a subiect that committeth treason or such heinous crime that he cannot punish by reason of his owne weaknesse and his subiects power this he must beare of necessity because he hath no remedy so Dauid dealt toward Ioab when hee had slaine Abner with the sword 2. Sam. 3.39 I am this day weake though annointed king and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too hard for me the Lord shall reward the dooer of euill according to his wickednesse Where we see he tollerateth the euill which he could not remedy and referreth the execution of iustice vnto God that was of ability and power to punish it So may the Magistrate beare with patience for a certaine season not failing in his duty howbeit this must not be alwayes for when there is no such cause to suffer a knowne sinne to escape vnpunished he may not winke at it and beare with it There is also a tolleration that is euill which is done of negligence carelesnesse and ouermuch lenity and indulgence this is no necessary tolleration as when Eli bare with his sonnes in his old age did not chastise them for their offences this way doe they offend that punish not at all those that are to be punished or punish lightly such as are to be punished seuerely This tolleration of negligence cannot be implyed from the former places of Scripture seeing that to iustifie the wicked and to condemne the innocent are both of them equally an abomination vnto the Lord. Prouerbes 17.15 Lastly I would gladly vnderstand whether our aduersaries would reason thus Heresies must be therefore tollerate heresies and suffer heretikes to remaine therefore burne not heretikes confute not heresies but let them alone If they dare not reason thus why doe they presse vs with the like consequent if they will needs conclude after this manner what wrong haue they done to our brethren and how much innocent blood haue they shed in the late dayes of persecution O that this argument had beene coyned and vrged in Queene Maries dayes among vs or might now preuaile with the Spanish Inquisition then should not the soules of them that were slain for the word of God Reuel 6.9 10. and for the testimony which they held cry out with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth The last argument is this that the Protestants permit vsurie by their lawes and doe not punish Obiect 4 men for taking ten in the hundred which is done to meet with a greater inconuenience or mischiefe and so doth the Pope with his stewes Heereunto we may adde that which Parsons patcheth together after his trifling manner namely that we allow not the Catholikes absenting themselues from the Church and yet we make them pay for their recusancy I answer Answer to the first instance that if we punish not all byting gaine or suffer the poore to be oppressed we cannot be excused but are to bee blamed forasmuch as the word of God forbiddeth to oppresse the poore by vsury Exo. 22.25 Leuit. 25.35 36. Deu. 23.19 Touching the second instance or example
that was not throwne downe If then God spare not most holy places consecrated to his seruice thorough their sinne that abuse them let vs not doubt but our owne bodies shal be smitten by the hands of God except we keepe them pure and vndefiled The last motiue to keepe vs from this sin is to know that we are wholly Gods and not our owne to do what wee list or to dispose of our selues Wee are Christs therefore it is our duty to glorifie him by liuing chastly and continently He hath redeemed vs from the power of the deuill by paying the price of his precious blood as of a Lamb vnspotted God hath good right to challenge vs as his owne forasmuch as he bought vs at a deere rate and we cost him more then a worlde nay a thousand worlds of riches and treasures Christ gaue his life for vs a price far greater then all men ca◠conceiue For what can be imagined so precious as the dignity the maiesty the glorie of God which were all after a sort changed and diminished when hee tooke our nature vpon him and suffered in it the cursed and shamefull death of the crosse Therefore it is that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6 19 20. Ye are not your owne for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodye and in your spirit for they are Gods It is the propertie of Iustice to giue to euery one his owne and not to vse that which is another mans as his owne Our bodies are another mans right therefore we may not abuse them to filthines at our owne carnall pleasures Wee haue not authority ouer our selues to dispose of our selues therefore we are as another mans seruants We belong to Christ and to GOD therefore we must liue according to his will Christ hath bought vs with a great price and hath redeemed vs from hell from satan from death and from sinne therfore we be Christs we pertaine as a proper possession to him and no man can lay claime vnto vs. Let vs liue as becommeth his seruants our profession our calling and our redemption but they that follow after fornication serue his enemy forasmuch as our sinnes were the enemies that put him to death Vse 3 Lastly let all married persons liue chastly and keepe the vessels of their bodies in holynesse and in honor There is indeed a twofold chastity one of the single life the other of the married Chastity of single life is with al carefulnesse with fasting and prayer to keep their minds affections and bodies in holines Chastity in marriage is when the pure and holie vse of wedlocke is obserued Hence it is that the Apostle saith Heb. 13 4. Marriage is honorable in all and the bed vndefiled but Whoremongers and adulterers God wil iudge Matrimony is an holy league or couenant as it is called in the Scripture If a man forge or falsify a couenant that is made in bargaine and sale either by conueying some secret title or interest to himselfe or by suborning false Witnesses it is and ought to be sharpely and seuerely punished But behold by an vncleane life the chiefe and most holy Couenant that can be in the worlde is broken and violated A solemne declaration is made of the faith that the husband oweth to the wife and the wife to her husband they come into the church as it were into the presence and before the face of God they call vpon him to be a witnesse and Iudge if either of them keepe not promise yet oftentimes all this vanisheth away and commeth to nothing Hence it is that the Lord complaining against the people of Israel and conuincing them of whoring and such like wickednesse threatneth them that Therefore the Land shall mourne and euerie one that dwelleth therein shall bee cut off with the Beastes of the fielde and with the fowles of the heauen and also the Fishes of the sea shall bee taken away Hosea chap. 4. and the 2. 3. verses This sinne spreadeth farre like a foule and vncleane Leprosie The seuerall kindes of whoredome and catcheth hold of one part after another till the whole bodye bee defiled like to fire that being once kindled runneth from one place to another vntill all bee consumed There is an adulterie of the heart Math. 5 28. condemned by our Sauiour Christ which being once entertained is compared to a burning or boyling 1 Cor. 7.9 that so disturbeth and disquieteth the soule and the exercises of the soule that it cannot suffer a man to serue the Lord in a quiet mind and a pure conscience There is an adultery of the eyes which are as the windowes of the heart 2 Peter chap. 2. verse 14. as Saint Peter speaketh of fleshly minded men Whose eyes were full of Aduiterie This made Iob to make a Couenant with his eyes that they went not astray and caused him to go astray The looking after a woman to lust after her is called by Christ the committing of Adulterie And the Prophet reprooueth the daughters of Sion because they walked with out-stretched neckes and wanton eyes Esa chap 3 verse 13. There is an adultery of the eares the which wee fall into when wee listen vnto vnchaste and vncleane talke vttered by others when wee haue itching eares after it and are content to heare it and yet shew no dislike vnto it no hatred of it There is another adultery and that is of the tongue when wee take delight in vnchaste speeches and filthie Ribaldry by which the heartes of others are corrupted and our owne are manifested to bee corrupt already forasmuch as from the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12. What religion soeuer we professe it is in vaine wee deceiue our owne hearts except we learne to bridle our owne tongues Iam. 1 26. And the Apostle giueth this exhortation Ephes 4 29. that no corrupt communication should proceede out of our mouths but that which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers And in another place he teacheth 1 Cor. 15 33. that euill communications corrupt good manners Lastly there is an adultery which is outward in fact and is called sin finished all the former are as steps degrees leading to this and in the end bring it foorth as a birth which they haue conceyued For wherefore do vncleane persons nourish in themselues the adultery of the heart of the eyes of the eares and of the tongue but because they purpose to commit the outward acte when time and place and person and other occasions shal be offered vnto thē But wee must bee carefull to auoide all these kindes which should not bee named among Christians Ephes 5 3. as becommeth the Saints of GOD. No maruell therefore if this wickednesse bee punished of God with heauy iudgements as that which in an high degree sinneth against God The greeuousnes of the sin of adultery against our neighbour and against our selues
those men that accused Daniel and to cast them into the den of Lyons who had the mastery ouer them and brake all their bones in peeces or euer they came at the bottome of the denne Dauid sinned in committing of adultery with the wife of Vriah his faithfull seruant and destroyed him with the sword of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 11â— he is paied home and punished in his owne kind for God by way of rewarding and seruing him as he had serued others as a iust iudge doth raise vp euill against him out of his owne house His owne sonnes breake out into the same sinnes and he kindleth such a fire in his owne family that they rise vp against him and one against another Absalom spreadeth a tent and lyeth with his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel Amnon deflowreth his sister Tamar to reuenge this Absalom killeth his owne brother Experience teacheth vs that blood requireth blood so that the murtherer requireth vengeance of God albeit peraduenture he escape the hand of the Magistrate We see this in Ioab he shed innocent blood and escaped a long time as if it had bin forgotten but at length his blood was shed and his hoare head went not downe to the graue in peace This is it which Christ telleth vs 1 King 2. â— Matth. 7.1 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what iudgement ye iudge ye shal be iudged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you againe He that rashly and vniustly censureth others feeleth at one time or other the smart of it in the like kinde for God rayseth vp others iustly albeit they defame him vniustly that therby he may be recompensed This is that which Samuel bringeth into the remembrance of Agag the king of Amalek 1 Sam. 15.33 As thy sword hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother bee childlesse among women so he hewed him in pieces before the Lord. Neither need we goe farre to fetch examples of this trueth or turne ouer histories of ages past for we haue it sealed vp to vs in our daies and times wherein we liue I meane in those of the pretended holy league in our neighbor kingdome they confederated themselues to root out true religion and the professors therof out of the face of the earth they bend all their forces to effect it but the Lord that sitteth in heauen laugheth them to scorne and hath theÌ„ in derision he hath rewarded theÌ„ to the full and that in their owne kind he turned their weapons vpon themselues and sheathed their swords in their owne bowels as he dealt with the Midianites that slew one another Iudg. 2. â—â— The example of Haman is famous and well knowne he set vp a gibbet to hang Mordecai because he bowed not vnto him Ester â— â—â— howbeit himselfe was hanged vpon it and fell into the pit he had prepared for another but Mordecai escaped and was deliuered and aduanced who spake good for the King as appeareth in the booke of Ester Reason 1 The reasons are euident to be seene and easie to be found out First the iustice of God is thereby cleered and the mouth of iniquity stopped For what haue we to alledge or answer for our selues when God retaileth vs according to the sinne that wee haue committed Doubtlesse we haue no excuse or pretence or allegation for our selues but wee must confesse with our owne mouthes euen against our selues that God is righteous and we are vnrighteous This appeareth in the booke of Iudges in the example of Adonibezek being taken by Ioshua and the people hee had his thumbes and great toes cut off for he confessed that the iustice of God had found him out and requited him in his kinde according to his owne cruelty Iudg. 1 ver 7. Threescore and ten Kings hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off gathered their meate vnder my Table as I haue done so God hath requited me and they brought him to Ierusalem there he died If then God bee iust he cannot but measure all his actions by iustice for no vnrighteousnesse is found in him as he will make men themselues confesse Reason 2 Secondly the Lord cannot abide a measure and a measure they are an abhomination vnto God as Prou. 20 23. Diuers weights are an abhomination to the Lord and a false ballance is not good The Iudge of all the world cannot but deale iustly and truely This reason is expressed by the Angel of the waters Reuel 16 5 6. Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus for they haue shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke Where he concludeth that their blood must be shed that delighted to shed the blood of others because God is a righteous Lord. His iustice shineth among men in all places in that he recompenceth the wickednesse of men by a like punishment sent from him so that their punishment is answerable to their sinne Reason 3 Thirdly the vngodly are fully worthy of such punishment It is meete that malefactors haue their deserts how then can they complaine of iniquity or iniustice so long as they receiue their owne and he paieth them the debt he oweth them with their owne mony GOD will giue to euery man according to his workes Rom. 2. and giue their wages according to their merites This reason is also added in the former place of the Reuelation where the Angel chargeth them that they had shed the blood of the Saints and putteth them in minde that God had done them no wrong when he gaue them blood to drinke then he annexeth the reason for they are worthy â—euel 16 6. If then wee consider the deserts of men how great they are we cannot maruaile wheÌ„ at any time we behold the hand of God stretched out against them in this manner and recompencing them with such measure Fourthly let vs marke what God requireth Reason 4 at the hands of Magistrates in his Law to wit that they recompence like for like Moses saith in the Law Thou shalt pay life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe Exod. 21 24. Such a blemish as he hath made in any such shall be repaied to him Leuit. 24 20. Neither was this law repealed or disliked by Christ our Sauiour Math. 5 38. Forasmuch as in that place he onely condemneth the abuse of it by priuate persons according to their priuate affections and lustes of reuenge who are not Magistrates If then the Lord will haue the higher powers recompence the sinner according to the manner of his sinne we may not doubt but he that is aboue all will measure his workes according to the rule of iustice which is most equall Therefore whatsoeuer measure we mete Luke 6 38. Matth. 26 52. Esay 33 1. it is iust
wee should receiue the like againe that hee which taketh the sword should perish with the sword that he which spoileth should bee spoiled that hee which leadeth into captiuity should be led into captiuity Reuel 13 10. That what a man doth the same he should suffer that by what a man sinneth by that he should be punished that euill should hit the worker and the offender be pressed with his owne example This is the law of equity and equality that men suffer the same things of others which they haue offered vnto others Thus then wee may conclude this truth very strongly vpon the ground of these reasons that God punisheth men and women in the same things wherein they offended dishonoured him Let vs make vse of this doctrine which I Vse 1 purpose at this present breefely to point out because we shall haue fit occasion to handle it afterward in this booke First this ought to teach vs to set a watch ouer our selues to keepe out the practise of sinne that carrieth such a taile and traine after it The sinner shall neuer escape but finde a punishment answearable to his sinne This is a notable bridle to induce vs to abstaine from all manner of sin We see this in whoredome which is the point that is aymed at in this chapter Forasmuch as men are slacke and carelesse in punishing of it God bringeth vpon them that continue in this sinne and follow it with greedines such loathsome and noysome diseases as our forefathers neuer knew neither heard off If we bee wise to commit new sinnes shall not the wise God catch vs in our wisedome 1 Corin. 3 19. and be wise enough to finde out punishments that be proportioned according to our transgressions Let vs therefore watch ouer our hands and hearts ouer our tongues and mouthes ouer our eyes and eares and ouer all the members of our body lest to our great greefe and sorrow we finde and feele the fruite of our iniquities This is that which Christ in one particular pointeth out Math. 7. Iudge not that ye be not iudged c teaching vs that all such as censure others procure and prouoke iudgement vpon themselues so that we ought to keepe the doore of our lippes and gouerne our tongues aright This is one maine cause of slanders and defamations that are so common in the world the beginning of them for the most part is in the person himselfe that is defamed It is the ordinance and appointment of God in his wisedome prouidence that such as giue rash iudgement should haue rash iudgement giuen of them Heere is then a lesson to be learned to make vs beware of all sinne considering it hath such a penalty going with it or following it hard at the heeles and lying at the doores ready to enter vpon vs. If we did onely heare and vnderstand that God will certainely punish sinne that none shall be able to escape at what time he shall search Ierusalem with lights Zeph. 1 12. and visite the men that are frozen in the dregs of their euill waies were not this sufficient to withhold vs from it and cause vs to abstaine from all wickednesse For how can we hide our selues from him or how can we deliuer our selues from his presence He that made the eye shall he not see and hee that made the eare shall hee not heare But the doctrine that now we deale withall doth not onely teach vs that God will assuredly punish but that he wil punish vs according to our sinnes It is one part of iustice to punish and another to punish as wee haue sinned Both of them do serue to cleere God of iniustice and to stirre vs vp to consider that so often as we prouoke him to anger by our sinnes he sleepeth not neither hath his sword rusting in his sheath but draweth it out after he hath whet it and striketh the sonnes of men with a terrible stroke Nay that which is more when we transgresse his commandements walke stubbornely against him he holdeth the ballance in his owne hand that hee may weigh vs out our punishment with an equal weight and when wee haue filled vp the measure of our sinnes he will also giue vs a full measure pressed downe and running ouer Hence it is that the Lord threatneth Leuit 26 verse 24. that if we walke stubbornely against him he will also walke stubbornely against vs and smite vs yet seuen times for our sins If we set our faces against him and will not obey him Verse 17. he will set his face against vs will chastice vs seuen times for our sinnes in his sore anger and heauy displeasure and bring seuen times more plagues vpon vs according to our deseruings When we haue sinned against him and will not be reformed it might bring comfort or at least some ease if wee might be assured that our punishment should bee mitigated For the consideration of a slight and slender punishment might slake our care and endeuour of striuing against sin But we are taught that our transgressions against God and his afflictions vpon vs for them shall be squared one to the other A lesser sinne shall not haue a greater punishment neither shall a greater sinne haue a lesser punishment but with what measure we mete to him with the same it shall be measured vnto vs againe This doth our Sauiour Christ presse against the Iewes Math. chap. 23 verses 32 35. Fulfill ye the measure of your fathers that vpon you may come all the righteous blood that was shedde vpon the earth from the blood of Abel the righteous vnto the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias whom ye slew betweene the Temple and the Altar So then it standeth vs vpon to examine our selues and to consider how greatly we sinne and how greeuously wee offend the Maiesty of God If we adde sinne vnto sinne we may bee sure he will adde iudgement vnto iudgement A necessary point carefully to be marked of vs who haue receiued the mercies of GOD in greater measure then many others If they escape not that haue receiued little doubtlesse they shall not escape that haue receiued much If they shall bee beaten with few stripes that know not the will of their master they shall be beaten with many that know it and do it not Luke 12 ver 47 48. If Sodome and Gomorrha were destroyed with fire and brimstone which knew not the Law nor the Lord then Capernanm which was lifted vp vnto heauen must be brought down to hell For if the great workes done in it had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained vnto this day Mat 11 23. Vnto whomsoeuer much is giuen of him shall be much required aed to whom men much commit the more of him will they aske If we be not carefull to walke in his waies we are of all people the most vnthankfull so that as our blessings haue beene great our plagues and punishments shall
performed by and by we are not to prescribe to God his seasons hee knoweth when to strike and how to punish It is well said by the Prophet Hab. 2 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lie though it tarry waite for it because it will surely come it will not tarry For albeit God may seeme to vs to deferre the time or to forget his seruants yet he will try our patience and obedience as wee see in the place named before Heere is the patience and faith of the Saints Reuel 13 10. We must not make too much haste but wait for the accomplishment of those things hauing withall a liuely faith and full assurance to beleeue that in Gods appointed time they shall come to passe He is faithfull that hath promised and cannot lye he is true of his word that hath spoken and cannot deceiue Woe therefore vnto all those that deale vniustly and violently with Gods inheritance they touch his annointed and they that do them harme do touch the apple of his eye so that they cannot escape vengeance Ver. 28. And if the woman bee not defiled but be cleane then she shall be free In the former verse Moses hath shewed the punishment that shal come vpon the guilty person which punishment is sutable to the sinne committed thereby to cleere his owne iustice and to terrifie all persons from committing sinne In these wordes wee haue matter of wonderfull great comfort for the innocent person For howsoeuer GOD setteth downe diuers hard and heauy threatnings as greeuous burdens to be borne against all wicked and vngodly persons yet hee is euermore carefull of his children that they be not oppressed with sorrow and ouermuch heauinesse of minde forasmuch as hee hath a remnant that call vpon him Luke 7. wisedome is alwaies iustified of her children Behold heere a contrary effect and operation in drinking of these bitter waters according to the contrary condition of those that dranke of them Such as were guilty of the sinne of adultery they turned to their horrible destruction and became as it were rank poison their bellies swelled their thighes rotted and the parts which they had shamefully abused miserably perished But such as were indeed innocent suspected without iust cause and accused without due proofe and examined without sufficient triall of the fact committed through the iealousie of their vncharitable husbands and had kept the marriage bed vndefiled those bitter waters should not be bitter vnto them they should not hurt or hinder them at all neither worke any dangerous effect in them but rather bee wholesome and healthfull vnto them God himselfe the iust GOD and the maintainer of iustice will bring the truth to light that was hid in darknesse and turne the hearts of their husbands toward them so that they should liue in godly loue and charity together and see to their endlesse ioy and comfort the fruite of their bodies the hope of their houses the staffe and stay of their age I meane their children the heritage of the Lord. Wee learne from this first promise Doctrine that God maketh knowne the innocency of his seruants God wil mâ—â— the innocency of his seâ—uants â—roâ—â— For howsoeuer the faithfull may be falsely accused and haue many slanderous imputations laide vnto their charge yet God will make their cause to bee rightly knowne and discouer the truth in despight of their enemies This is confirmed vnto vs by many examples in the old and new Testament Ioseph being solde into Egypt was greeuously accused by his mistresse and cruelly imprisoned by his master impudency and incontinency in the one cruelty and credulity in the other Gen. 39 â—â— were the causes that he was put into prison in the place where the Kings prisoners lay bound his case might seeme now to be desperate and he to be for euer in displeasure and out of fauour and no hope left vnto him to be deliuered from thence where his feete were held in the stockes and he laid in irons Psal 10â— 1â— yet when the appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord had tried him hee made his cause knowne Gen. 39. The Lord was with Ioseph shewed him mercy and got him fauour in the sight of the master of the prison c. Whereby we see that at the first he was vsed hardly and had fetters of iron cast vpon him as an euill dooer but afterward hee was more mildely and mercifully handled when as his innocency was made knowne The like we might say of Dauid who in all his dealings toward Saul carried himselfe wisely obediently and vprightly as became the Kings sonne subiect and seruant yet he was persecuted from place to place and hated euen vnto the death and hunted as a Partridge vpon the Mountaines yea he found no rest for the soles of his feete like the Doue sent out of the Arke in the time of the flood and ouerflowing of the waters Gen. 8 9. But when Saul saw that the lap was cut off from his garment and the speare and pot of water that was at his head taken away he said to Dauid Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good and I haue rendred thee euill and thou hast shewed this day that thou hast dealt well with mee forasmuch as when the lord had closed me in thine hands thou killedst me not c. but my soule was precious in thine eyes 1 Sam. 24 18. and 26 20 21. So did God deale with Ieremy when he was slandered and falsely accused to be a conspiratour and to weaken the hands of the people and when he was cast into prison the Lord raised vp some to fauour him who made his case knowne and he was deliuered Christ Iesus was charged to be a blasphemer of God an enemy of Caesar an author of sedition and a disturber of the peace howbeit his greatest enemies that sate in iudgement of him pronounced him innocent and confessed that the Pharisees and Priests for enuy had deliuered him I will adde one example more and that shall be the blessed Virgin who being betrothed to Ioseph before they came together as man and wife shee was found to be with childe by the holy Ghost Math. 1 18 19 20. Then she began to be suspected of incontinency and Ioseph being a iust man and not willing to make her a publike example was minded to put her away seretly What then doth God leaue her destitute and him perplexed her in suspicion and him in his resolution to depart from her No for as she was innocent and not faulty of that crime so did he make her innocency and integrity knowne for whiles he thought these things behold an Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him in a dreame saying Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost All which testimonies make
4.2 1 Cor. 1.31 Lastly to bring the aduersaries of this doctrine once more to plead for vs against themselues They teach that no man can certainly know that he hath true merits without a speciall reuelation or that he shall persist and perseuere in them vnto the end whereupon we inferre and conclude that therfore we may not beleeue that we shall obtaine eternall life for our workes sake for that were to torture and torment mens consciences to set them vpon the racke that were neuer to giue peace to the distressed soule but to leaue it in doubt and perplexity wheras the Apostle gathereth the quite contrary from the doctrine of iustification Roman chap. 5.1 Being therefore iustified by faith wee haue peace with God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ But from the popish doctrine of iustification wee see there followeth no effect of peace no tranquillity or quietnesse of conscience because they are taught to stand in doubt of their reconciliation and attonement with God Fourthly this serueth as a great consolation Vse 4 to such as are carefull to doe good and to shew foorth good workes that they shall in time reape if they faint not This was good Nehemiah assured of and therefore accordingly he desireth God to remember him chap. 13 31.14 Remember me O my God for good and a little before Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deedes that I haue done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof And chap. 5.19 hauing declared his care to releeue the poore and distressed among the Iewes and his own conscience bearing him witnesse of his sincerity in this behalfe he prayed to God Thinke vpon mee my God for good according to all that I haue done for this people Obadiah had comfort by the workes of mercy shewed to the persecuted seruants of God who in the reigne of Ahab hid an hundreth of the Lords Prophets in a caue 1 Kin. 18.13 and fed them with bread and water and he had the fruite of it he was the first to whom glad tidings was offered in the daies of famine when heauen was shut vp that it yeelded no raine and was made an instrument to publish it to others No worke shall fall to the ground but come vp in remembrance to our comfort This is as true and certaine touching the workes of euery seruant of God as if the Angel that spake to Cornelius were sent vnto him to say vnto him Thy workes are come vp in remembrance before God Anâ— as God saith that he keepeth the tears of his children in his bottle so he keepeth the workes of his â—â—ildren in his booke This is and so it ought to be a great encouragement to vs in well-doing to consider that the number the greatnesse and the measure of all our good workes shall be registred and recorded by him It is spoken in deed for our capacity for God needeth no writings of record or bookes of account the meaning is he wil neuer forget our good workes but as certainely remember them as if he had put them all particularly in writing Hence it is that the Lord saith so often to the seuen Churches of Asia to whom hee commanded Iohn to write hee knew all their workes nothing was hidden from him nothing vnknowen vnto him Vse 5 Lastly seeing good workes are in so great account with God it is necessary that we learn what good workes are that are pleasing in Gods sight and how they are to be done of vs. For there is more required to a good worke then the bare deed done A good worke is a duty commanded of God What a good worke is performed by a regenerate person and done in faith ayming at the glory of God and the good of man Wherby we see that sundry points are required to make a worke accepted of God First of all the worke must haue the wil of God which is the rule of all goodnesse and righteousnesse to warrant the same that so we may doe them in an holy obedience vnto him For except he appoint them hee doth not approoue them and vnlesse he command them he doth neuer commend them Will-worship is abominable to God and euery where reiected when men thrust vpon God their owne inuentions in stead of his seruice Col. 2.22.23 Deut. 12.32 Euery good work is commanded in the word either expresly or generally God is in vaine worshipped when for doctrines the commandements of men are taught and obserued This reproueth the Romish Religion maintaining â— t a man may do good works which are neuer required or appointed of God and likewise the blinde deuotion and superstition of the people that if they in their worship haue a good intent and think no man no harme they doe a good worke Secondly gooâ— workes must be done by a regenerate person that is in the state of grace that is a member of Christ and borne againe by the holy Ghost If we bee not reconciled to God in Christ made acceptable through him wee are as euill trees that cannot bring forth good fruit whereas no man can gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Matth. 7.16 The person must please God before any thing that commeth from him can please him for he had respect to Abel Gen. 4.4.5 and then to his offering but not to Caine and therefore not vnto his offering Hence fal to the ground the workes of Turkes and Infidels and meere ciuill men who often abstaine from outward sinnes liue orderly among men and do works of mercy iustice liberality yet in them they are not good because they proceed from a corrupt heart The like we may say of the workes of all vnregenerate persons bee they neuer so beautifull in the eyes of the world they are but beautifull sinnes in the sight of God whether they eate or drinke or walke sleepe or buy or sell or come to Church or heare the word or pray or receiue the Sacraments the rule of the Apostle standeth for euer Vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Thirdly good works must be done in faith because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Now there is required in a man a twofold perswasion first an assurance that God hath willed and commanded it to be done for he that giueth almes and yet doubteth whether God would haue him to giue almes sinneth Secondly a perswasion in his own conscience of his reconciliation to God in Christ This is iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and doth fit and inable it to bring forth a good worke There is a double vse of this gift it maketh vs to begin the work well and when it is once done it serueth as a cloake or garment to couer the defects and imperfections of it applying the merits of Christ The last
his brother of Cham that mocked his father of Ananias Sapphira that dissembled with God of Iudas that betraied his master of Eutychus that slept at the Sermon of Paul by these and such like we must bee admonished to auoid maliciousnesse mocking hypocrisie couetousnes and drowsie affections when we come to heare We must learne good out of the euils which befell all these Cain and Cham were both accursed Ananias and Sapphira were stricken with sodain death Iudas hanged himself 〈◊〉 â— 11. and 〈◊〉 4. Mat. 27 â—cts 5 5.10 〈◊〉 20. and Eutychus was taken vp for dead If from these examples we do not learn some instruction doubtlesse it shall turn to our greater condemnation Thus much of their first murmuring Ver. 4 5 6 7 8 9. The second murmuring followeth which is the second part of the chap. handled to the end thereof wherein obserue 3 things First the peoples blasphemie against God lusting after flesh and loathing Manna Secondly the communication betweene Moses God touching their murmuring Thirdly the issue and euent of al containing the execution of Gods wil after the communication was ended The murmuring is amplified by that occasion by the manner by the substance and effect thereof and lastly by the greatnesse of their sin and offence all which are set downe at large both that the iustice of God in punishing of them might be cleered and his gracious goodnesse in sparing and pardoning of them might be manifested The occasion of this sin which is the first circumstance arose from the multitude of the Egyptians that came out of Egypt Exod. 12 38. and ioyned themselues to the people of God Now albeit they had left Egypt when they saw the plagues that fell vpon it yet they sauoured still of the Egyptian manners and longed after their Egyptian diet they lust after flesh and gaue great offence to the people of God they laid a stumbling block before them caused many of them to fall that they neuer rose vp againe Their sin is exâ—ressed in these words Who shall giue vs flesh to eate Then they remembred their former life in Egypt when they did fill their bellies with store of fish and did eat Cucumbers and Melons Leeks Onions and garlick which they preferd before the most heauenly meate and Manna bestowed vpon them in great plenty Nay they shew themselues to be so bewitched with these Egyptian trickes and besotted with the desire of their former food that their soules euen pined away and consumed euery day as if they had bin vtterly famished so that they cried out Wee can see nothing but Manna In this their sin that we may see it in his true colours iudge of it accordingly obserue these particulars First a manifest contempt of Gods ordinance for they do point it out as it were with the finger and say there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes Secondly they must haue their eyes satisfied as wel as their bellies filled It could not content them to haue their necessity supplied they must also haue their sight pleased such was their wantonnesse intemperance vnthankfulnes and loathing of that meate wherewith God did diet them Thirdly here is a notable tempting of God as Psal 78.18 they tempted God in their harts in requiring meat for their lusts they wold try his power what he could do he must waite vpon them and doe whatsoeuer it pleased them to enioyne and appoint vnto him Fourthly blasphemy against God and open contempt of him setting him at nought They spake against God they said Psal 78 18. Can God furnish a table in the Wildernes For could they more blaspheme God or flie in his face with opprobrious speeches then to charge and accuse him of pining away his people and staruing of them Fiftly a vilifying contemning of their deliuerance out of Egypt they had forgotten the bondage of their persons the cruelty of Pharaoh the beating of their officers the destruction of their children they renew their old complaint which they vttered more euidently Exod. 16 3. O that wee had dyed by the hand of the Lord in thâ— Land of Egypt when we sate by the fleshpots when we did eate bread our bellies full As if they shold say we care not for our departure and deliuerance out of Egypt we think not our selus any way beholding to God for it for then it was better with vs then at this present Sixtly they loath their present estate of present blessings though they had store of Manna and had not experience of any want yet they must haue their dainty and delicate food like tumultuous and rebellious subiects that alwaies are weary of the present state Thucid lib. 1. lib. belli pelopon Seuenthly they shew their intemperance and concupiscence lusting after the worse wheÌ„ they had the better of which the Apostle saith We should not lust after euill things 1 Cor. 10.6 as they lusted For this cause euen to lay open the greatnesse of their sinne doth Moses sundry waies describe this Manna Plin. lib. 12. nat hist cap. 9. by the similitude of it it was like Coriander seed by the colour of it as Bâ—elium that is like the gum of that tree For it is a tree of the bignesse of an Oliue whereof Arabia hath great plenty which yeeldeth a certaine gum sweet to smell Plaut in curcul Histor of the world l. 1. c. 3. but bitter in taste It is farther also described by the sundry vses of it by the taste of it and that it came to them without any labour or pain-taking except in the gathering onely for God did send it downe with the dew euery night as we reade at large Exod. 16. Out of this diuision thus sorted into his parts arise sundry instructions part whereof I will onely point out And first behold wonder and be astonished how quickly they sin againe They had bin chastened immediately before the fire entring vpon the hindermost of their tents Pelarg. comme in sacros Num. was scarse quenched the footsteps of that fearefull burning might yet bee traced out and the smoke thereof was fresh in their eies yet they fall to lusting and murmuring againe Doctrine Sinne is dangerous Quà data porta ruit Virgil lib 1. Obserue therefore and marke it well that the entertainment of sin is dangerous It is not satisfied with the first committing it goeth and groweth on apace the practise of one maketh way for another and openeth the gates wide to all wickednes WheÌ„ sin is suffred to take roote it buddeth by and by and beareth fruite which is more bitter then gall And no maruaile for God leaueth such Reason 1 to themselues that they commit sin with greedines Such is his iustice that he will withdraw from them when once they forsake him all meanes that should do theÌ„ good that they abuse them no longer and he will punish sinne with sin the first with a
hee would make good his owne promise and all the words of his mouth shold be found true notwithstanding the want of meanes and the abundance of mouths that were to be filled with flesh The people are sixe hundred thousand footmen c. Shall the flocks and the heards c Or shall al the fish of the sea be gathered together c Here is the distrust of Moses though some labour to discharge him of it and to free him from it Moses dâ— distrust as if hee had desired onely to know the meanes that God would vse according as the Virgin Mary desireth to bee farther informed of the Angel Luke 1 34 But this is disproued by the answere of God who setteth downe his own power not the meanes how hee would effect it Wherefore I think the learned Iunius in this place is deceiued Annot. i◠〈◊〉 locum et â—lys in Num. and we neede not to labor too curiously to cleere the faithful of the remnants of sinne other infirmities forasmuch as he and other the best of Gods seruants haue their failings in faith and obedience as we see in the examples of Abraham Lot Noah Isaac Iacob Dauid Peter Thomas Zacharie Doctrine Many are 〈◊〉 failings of 〈◊〉 Gods seruiâ—â— and which of them not 2 Chron. 15 17 16 12 Rom. 7 17 18 19. because wee know in part and we prophesie in part wee are yet in our iourney and walke in our way and runne in a race we are not yet attained to our iourneies end we haue not yet obtained the crowne Againe we proceede all from an vnclean fountaine Iob 14 4. There is a combat remaining in vs betweene the flesh and the Spirit Rom. 7 23. Gal. 5.17 and these are contrary the one to the other and can neuer be reconciled The Vses hereof are first to shew that we cannot keepe the Law but in many things we Vse 1 sinne all Rom. 3 22 23. and therfore are subiect to condemnation The Church of Rome teacheth that a man may keepe the Law but they are ignorant of the law and of the iustice of God of sinne and of themselues For may they compare with the faithful before named 2 Secondly we do all neede the benefit of Christs blood 1 Iohn 1 7 8. and are iustified by him Rom. 3 24. but if we could keepe the law or could be without sinne then Christ had dyed in vaine Gal. 2 21. 3 Thirdly they are deceiued which holde the Virgin Mary to haue bin conceiued without originall sinne contrary to the tenour of the Scriptures which layeth open sundry her infirmities contrary to her owne confession who acknowledgeth her selfe to haue needed a Sauiour Luke 1 47. For seeing shee was borne after the common course of the nature of man who shall exempt her from the corruption and staine of nature The concâ—â—ti n of the blâ—ssed virgâ—â— made equâ—â— to Christs And what need was there that Christ Iesus should be conceiued by the holy ghost if he might haue a pure conception free from originall sinne without it Wherefore they may as well say that the blessed Virgin was conceiued also by the holy Ghost as affirme that shee was conceiued without sinne and so communicate the property and prerogatiue of Christs birth to her For if she were conceiued without Originall sinne her conception was miraculous whereas the conception of Christ could bee no more 4 Lastly let vs not rashly censure others for sin Iam. 3 24. but admonish with meekenesse considering our selues Gal. 6 1 2. They are most sharpe and seuere iudges of others that forget their owne infirmities Moreouer marke here the ground of Moses his vnbeleefe it is drawne from the course of naturall reason 〈…〉 rea◠〈…〉 ene◠〈◊〉 â—ith and from the consideration of the want of ordinary means Obserue from hence that naturall reason and carnall Wisedome are oftentimes enemies vnto faith The yeelding too much to our owne thoughts the beholding of things with an eye of flesh doe often make euen the faithfull doubt of Gods promises We see this in Sarah Gen. 18 12. in Nicodemus Iohn 3 4. in Zachariah Lu. 1 20. Math. 16 23. 1 Cor. 1 23. Thus wee are prone euermore to trust vnto humane wisedome For the things of God are oftentimes foolishnesse vnto those that think themselues wiser then God 1 Cor. 2 14. Secondly the carnall reason that remaineth in the regenerate is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can be Rom. 8 7. for no man is wholly regenerate the best consist of two men for they are partly the olde man and partly the new man they are partly regenerate and in part they remaine vnregenerate The Vses Therefore we must not counsell with flesh and blood in the matters of God Vse 1 in the mysteries of faith Rom. 4 19 20. Gal. 1 16. Prou. 3 5. Let vs consult with the Scriptures and make the word of God our Counsellers and learne to submit all that is in vs to the wisedome of God The eye is not able to looke vpon the brightnesse of the Sun so the eye of our reason is dazled at the glorious things of the gospell of Christ which things the Angels desire to looke into 〈◊〉 1 12. This is the cause that maketh many shrinke backe when they see the greatest number to walke in the broad way that leadeth to destruction when they see the Church for the most part to consist of the poorer sort and religion to be chiefly embraced of them they are offended WheÌ„ they see wicked men to prosper for the most part they walke by reason and not by Faith by the light of the eye not by the light of the Scripture But wee are euen the best of vs fooles and blinde in the matters of God and we must know our selues to be fooles before we can learne the wisedome of God and submit our selues vnto it Maruell not therefore if few beleeue and obey Vse 2 Secondly the naturall man cannot please God Rom. 8 5 6 7 8. all his knowledge reason wisedome and vnderstanding cannot make him accepted Tit. 1 15. Hee is without faith which purifieth the heart and therefore all his workes are vnsauoury before him Wofull therefore is the condition of an vnbeleeuer whatsoeuer hee doth is sinne in euerie thought word and deede he sinneth waking and sleeping he sinneth euen in the actions of religion and euery worke encreaseth his reckoning and addeth to the account that hee is to make And as the faithfull man the longer hee liueth the more gracious and acceptable he is to God so the vnbeleeuer the longer hee liueth the more he addeth to the heape of his sinnes and the day of his reckoning will be so much the more fearfull and dreadful Gen. 15 16. For as the Ammorites were daily filling vp the measure of their sinnes and so hasting vnto iudgement so is it with the vnregenerate person The sooner he dieth and is
him that ruleth all things Vse 3 Lastly it reprooueth such as are contrary minded who neuer came neere where this grace groweth These offend diuers waies first by anger hatred cruelty and reuenge directly against the precept of the Apostle Ro. 12 19. Secondly by reioycing at the calamity of good men as Shemei insulted ouer Dauid when he fled from his sonne Absolon and was constrained to passe ouer Iordan for safety of his life So was it with the Babylonians Edomites ouer the Israelites Psal 137 7. Obad 12 13. Thirdly by enuying and grudging to see others prosper and to greeue at the sight of it But it will be said If we put vp iniuries Obiect we shall be accounted no better then fooles and cowards and be laughed at for our labor Answ Answer We must not regard the corrupt iudgment of man 1 Cor. 4 3. These that are wise in their owne eyes loue the praise of mē more then the praise of God Ioh. 12 48. Let vs seeke the praise of God which is indeed the true praise as for other estimation without this it is but a shadow of true glory if it bee so much And this is a certaine rule that it is no cowardize at all to obey God and to follow his commandements neither is it any point of wisedome to bee ready to reuenge Ier. 8 9. And tell me to what end serue Magistrates in the commonwealth to what ende serue masters in the family are they not set vp of God to end controuersies betweene man and man and quarrels betweene seruant and seruant It is no want of manhood for a subiect to complaine to the Magistrate and to say as the poore widow did in the Gospel Auenge me of mine aduersary Lu. 18 3. It is no part of a coward for the seruant to acquaint his master with the wrongs that are offered vnto him by his fellow seruant Obiection But it is hard for flesh and blood to put vp wrongs and to digest the iniuries which are measured vnto vs. Answ I will say more then that it is vnpossible for flesh and blood to do it Answer if we bee no more then a lumpe of flesh but withall I adde that flesh and blood in the matters of God are euill counsellers and if we haue no more in vs then these and no farther worke begunne in vs it is certaine we are not Gods children neither shall inherite Gods kingdome If we be not spirit as well as flesh wee are none of his 4. And the Lord spake suddenly vnto Moses vnto Aaron and vnto Miriam Come out ye three vnto the Tabernacle of the Congregation they three came out 5. And the Lord came downe in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the doore of the Tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam and they both came foorth Hitherto of their sinne now wee come to Gods proceeding against them consisting partly in a citation partly in a conuiction and partly in the execution of punishment vpon the principall offender First we see how the offenders are cited and summoned to appeare before the Iudge for GOD doth as it were send a processe for Miriam and Aaron to appeare and hold vp their hands at his barre to plead guilty or not guilty He calleth the parties offending and the party offended and wronged before him Albeit the Lord know all things yet he will proceed iudicially against them The doctrine from hence is plain that God neuer bringeth iudgements vpon any people or person Doctrine God neuer bringeth iudgment vpon any but hee searcheth and findeth sufficient cause but he doth first search and finde sufficient cause why hee doeth so Whensoeuer he cometh to iudgement hee will proceed vpon a manifest ground and vpon a iust and knowne cause he neuer doth it rashly but vpon deliberation Gen 3 13 14 and 11 6 7. and 18 31. Zeph. 1 12. The reasons are euident For first heereby Reason 1 the iustice of God is cleered for heereby it appeareth that whatsoeuer he doth inflict he doth it not through any malice to their persons but because they haue iustly prouoked him by their sinnes he doth it in loue to iustice and in hatred to sinne He that hateth a man will smite him before hee make any enquiry of the matter as they dealt with Paul they scourged him to know what hee had done and what was the matter of which hee was accused Acts 22 ver 24. It is not so with God Secondly the Lord requireth that all Magistrates should obserue this course Deut. 13 14. If then he charge them to enquire before they proceed to iudgement much more wil the Lord himselfe obserue the same order This teacheth vs that the iudgements of Vse 1 God must needs be acknowledged to bee alwaies iust though they be sharpe and greeuous yet they are euer righteous For we see he proceedeth vpon knowne causes he goeth not vpon vncertainties but seeth knoweth all things which appeare naked and open before him The heart of man is shut vp from the sight of men and they cannot possibly discerne what lieth and lurketh therein onely it is the Lord that discerneth the heart Psal 33 15 1 Iohn 3 20. The workman must needs know the worke and whatsoeuer is in the work much better then the worke it selfe God is the maker of the heart of man therfore cannot but proceed vpon iust knowne causes Secondly this stoppeth the mouthes of wicked Vse 2 men which are ready to accuse God of iniustice as those in Esay 58 3. where they complaine as if GOD did not see or regard them and Ezek. 18 2 3. they tooke vp a prouerbe saying The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes the childrens teeth are set on edge These thought that God punished without measure or rather without cause But as he knoweth all things so he neuer doth any thing but hee goeth vpon a sure ground he maketh enquiry first of all and afterward proceedeth to iudgment Many do so harden their hearts forget their owne waies that they cannot perceiue the iust proceedings and punishments of God If God once open their hearts to see the order which he obserueth they will confesse his iustice condemne their own folly Thirdly it teacheth and instructeth euery Vse 3 man that he should search his owne waies diligently when the hand of God is any way vpon him and consider that God proceedeth in all his iudgements iustly and vpon a sure and tried ground And if a man by searching and sifting his owne waies finde somewhat in himselfe worthy of such iudgement he must know that God knoweth much more by him then himselfe doth 1 Ioh. 3 ver 20. If the patient knoweth somewhat of his own disease the Physition knoweth much more then hee doth so is it in this case he that is a patient vnder Gods hand if he know any thing by himselfe he may well know that God knoweth much more if men by examining
the wound and it is he that must and can heale restore againe The mitigation of the punishment followeth which is restrained to seuen dayes amplified by an vnequall comparison drawne from the lesse to the greater from an earthly father to his children who if hee should shew any the least token of his anger and displeasure to his children they wold be afraid and ashamed for a season to come into his presence how much more then ought she to be ashamed to lift vp her head and to come vnto the hoste among whom the Lord dwelleth and walketh being stricken with his iudgement For by spitting in the face is ment any token of reproch or disgrace 〈◊〉 â—5 8 Therefore she was shut out and separate from the hoste seuen daies during which time the people iourneyed not till that one member as it were cut off were againe recouered restored to the rest of the body Thus much touching the order of the words to the end of the chapter â—â—â—â—rine 〈◊〉 â—rath of 〈◊〉 kindâ—â—â—ainst 〈…〉 â—ers 〈…〉 â— 2 3. 〈…〉 34.7 〈…〉 â— 4 〈…〉 â—9 2 〈…〉 â—1 2 3. First let vs come to the signification of the punishment the wrath of God was kindled Wee learne hereby that the wrath of God is kindled against offenders Deut. 32.22 41 42. The reasons hereof are euident First the nature of God is most pure and holy and hee hateth euill whersoeuer he findeth it Secondly sin maketh a separation betweene God and his people it hideth his face from vs that hee will not heare Thirdly he punisheth sin and executeth iudgement vpon the sinner yea hee spareth none no not his owne children that prouoke him by their sins much lesse others as we see in Adam in Caine in the old world in Sodome and Gomorrha in Pharaoh and the Egyptians and sundry others Vse 1 The vses remaine First we see that anger is not simply to bee condemned in man but the excesse or defect thereof when it is too much or too little It is a naturall affection graffed in man when it is mooued as there is iust cause 〈…〉 â— 5 it is an holy affection noted to bee in Christ he looked angerly vpon them mourning for the hardnes of their hearts And wheÌ„ he saw the buyers and sellers in the Temple the zeale of Gods house did euen eat him vp Now zeal is partly compounded of anger and partly of sorrow and partly of loue So must we be angry and greeued if there be any loue of God in vs at sin whersoeuer we find it Anger indeed for euery trifle or more then there is cause is sinfull as also not to be angry when there is cause But of this see farther chap. 16. Secondly feare to offend him that is a consuming Vse 2 fire Matth. 10.28 and is able to destroy body soul into hell fire Euery one must learne to know what it is that doth offend him It is the breach of his law he is offended by blasphemy by contempt of his word by swearing by idolatry by breach of the Sabboth and such like impieties forbidden in the first Table These sins for the most part men do little thinke vpon and because the lawes of men doe not take hold of them they regard them not one whit wheras God hath most seuerely punished theÌ„ and reuenged the dishonor done to his name The like we might â—ay of adultery drunkennesse malice couetousnesse and such like they are for the most part thought to bee no sins at all and slightly considered off whereas he is alwayes the same his law is alwayes the same his iustice is alwaies the same and his wrath is kindled against the children of disobedience Ephe. 5.6 Eccles 8.11 Psal â—0 21 Let no man make his mercy an occasion of sin neither turne his grace into wantonnes Lastly let vs giue our selues no rest till we Vse 3 be reconciled to God It is a fearefull thing to lie vnder his wrath Be not quiet vntill he be appeased toward vs the sword put vp into his quiuer Prou. 20.2 The wrath of a Prince is compared to the roaring of a lyon he sinneth against his owne soule that prouoketh him much more may this be said of God Vse therfore the means and remedies to call in his anger How Gods anger is to be called in send an ambassage of peace vnto him the procuring of our peace standeth first in seeking aboue all things the fauor and friendship of God When Herod was displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians they perswaded Blast us the kings chamberlen to stand their friend they desired peace because their country was nourished by the kings countrey We are nourished by God in whom we liue and moue and haue our being and therefore we haue more cause to come to him with one accord and seeke his fauour Secondly in repentance and turning from our euill wayes whereby we prepare our selues to meet him Amos 4.12 Thirdly in prayer and humbling ourselues before him Thus doth Aaron seek peace by stirring vp the spirit of Moses to pray for them and hereby did Moses procure their peace Thus did they stand in the gappe afterward when the hand of God had made a fearefull breach among the people and the pestilence had slain many thousands wherby they made a blessed atonement Num. 16.47 48. Lastly the procuring of our peace consisteth in beleeuing in Christ and laying hold vpon his merits and righteousnesse which was signified by the incense that Aaron offered when he stood betweene the liuing the dead Christ Iesus is our peace-maker who hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vs he hath reconciled vs vnto God so that by him we haue an accesse vnto the Father by faith we are ioyned to him and lay hold vpon him to eternal life Ephe 2.14.16.18 If we be earnest in seeking these meanes of peace we shall be safe for the danger of his wrath is gone and past Psal 2.12 11 And Aaron said vnto Moses Alas my Lord I beseech thee lay not the sin vpon vs wherein we haue done foolishly wherin we haue sinned 12 Let her not be as one dead of whom the flesh is halfe consumed when he commeth out of his mothers wombe Here we see as we noted before that God would not heare the offenders vnreformed speake vnto him neither abide any talking with them but Aaron is faine to goe to Moses to intreat him that by his intreaty and intercession vnto God the punishment of leprosie may be remoued which is amplified by a comparison of likenesse Doctrine God heareth not such as lie in their sinnes Ioh. â— 31 Psa 66.8 that she may not be as one dead whose flesh is halfe consumed We learn hereby that God heareth not their prayers that lie in their sinnes and are not reconciled vnto him Iob 42.7 8. Esay 1.15 Gen. 20.7 The reasons why God heareth them not
and continuance in euill dooing haue quite lost the feeling of sinne in their conscience Euen as a man that is possessed with a frenzy receiuing blow after blow hurt after hurt and wound after wound yet still goeth away laughing because he hath no feeling of himselfe Marke 5. verse 5. Euen so is it with wicked men they haue no feeling of their sinnes their consciences are dead and benummed 1 Timothy 4.2 Thirdly God giueth not repentance vnto them and they can haue no heart to it at all to bewaile and greeue for their sinnes Vntill Christ did looke backe vpon Peter with his Spirit as well as with his eye he had no heart at all to mourne and weepe bitterly for his sinnes Math. 26 75. Thus doth God punish their want of conscience and the feare of his name Behold from hence the difference betweene Vse 1 the godly and the vngodly As there is in the manner of their sinning so likewise there is a difference in the measure of their sinnes The godly do not continually lye in them and adde vnto them from day to day as the Sow that walloweth in the mire It is a most miserable and fearfull condition when men are so farre left of GOD and forsaken in his iustice to multiply and increase their sinnes till they haue filled vp the heape and measure of them so that one sinne toucheth another Hosea chapter 4. verse 2. We haue need continually to seeke vnto GOD and to desire him to stoppe the passage that we doe not proceede in them and augment them after the manner of wicked men and multiply one sinne vppon another This therefore is a very dangerous estate euen neere vnto destruction Secondly this giueth good and sufficient Vse warrant when to iudge a man to be a wicked person If he adde sinne vnto sinne and wee doe finde that hee hath giuen himselfe ouer to remaine and continue in sinne to be euen a slaue to sinne and satan wee may pronounce sentence and giue our verdict vpon him that such a one is a prophane person This we may boldly auouch and auerre without crauing any pardon as one Swallow maketh not a summer so one sinne maketh not a sinner But as we may iudge a man to bee of such a trade if we see him follow it earnestly continually constantly and in a manner to busie himselfe in nothing else if he rise vp early and continue at it vntill night so we way iudge a man to be prophane and wicked if wee see him make a trade and occupation of sin if we see him follow his sinne with greedinesse rising betimes and pursuing the same till night if we see him to be a breaker of the Sabbath a beastly druÌ„kard an vncleane fornicator or an open contemner of the word if he delight in swearing lying and such like sinnes we may iudge him to be a wicked and wretched man such an one as hath giuen ouer himselfe to adde and multiply one sinne in the necke of another It may bee such prophane persons may refraine their sinnes for a time while the hand of God is vpon them yet they are still to be holden as euill men for let God once remooue his hand by and by they fall to sinne afresh declaring plainly thereby that the heart was wicked vnreformed and wholly bent to commit sin albeit they abstained for a short season We see this in the Sodomites which came to Lots house with an intent and ful purpose to commit filthinesse God smote them with blindenesse that they could not do it Genes 19 11. because they could not finde the house yet they were neuer awhit the lesse guilty of that vncleannesse The like we might say of Pharaoh who did take away Abrahams wife into his house the Lord plagued him and his house for it that he could not execute any wickednesse Gen. 12.17 yet he was no lesse a sinner So is it with all wicked persons though they bee restrained by the hand of GOD yet are they not reformed but remaine as euil as they were before Thirdly wee ought carefully to resist the Vse 3 beginnings of sinne and to take heede of entertaining a custome in it Custome becommeth as the Blacke-Moores skinne and the Leopards spots Ierem. 13 23. and turneth into a second nature True it is a man may be drawne by infirmitie to fall but this must admonish vs to beware of continuance in sinne for thereby in short time wee shall become senselesse Sinne cleaueth fast on no man liueth and sinneth not but let vs not harbour it let it not runne too farre or too fast Resist therefore the first motions A little sparke nourished maketh a great flame a little Leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe To giue way to it is as the opening of the flood-gates or as the rolling downe a mighty hill there is no stay of the passage of it Learne to represse euill thoughts before consent if wee haue consented yet let vs not put it in practise and if we haue practised yet repent betimes and lye not in it Iames 1 14. The Apostle Iames maketh many degrees of sinne a drawing away a conâ—eption then the birth lastly death One sinne draweth on another vntill man become abhominable Hence it is that many make no bones of sin but swallow as many as are offered vnto them The common swearer cannot tell whether he doth sweare or not hee vseth it so familiarly and ordinarily that he maketh no scruple of it Lastly let the faithfull grow better better Vse 4 and learne to proceede from grace to grace and from faith to faith Rom. 1 17. and adde vertue to vertue 2 Pet. 1 5 6. and as hee that is vniust becommeth more vniust and he that is filthy becommeth more filthy so let him that is righteous be more righteous and he that is holy let him become more holye Reuelation 22 11. This is a certaine note of continuance and persuerance also of trueth and sinceritie Philip. 3. verse 12. Iohn 15 2. Let vs therefore make a beginning and enter into the practise of godlinesse one good worke shall draw on another and the longer that we continue in the exercise of pietie the more easie shall it bee vnto vs 1 Iohn chap. 5. verse 3. 6 And Ioshua the sonne of Nun and Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh which were of them that searched the land rent their cloathes 7 And they spake vnto all the company of the children of Israel saying The land which we passed through to search it is a good land The sinne of these persons is further declared in these words and the rest that follow They are admonished but they will not bee admonished rather they grow more obstinate and hard-hearted verifying the saying of Salomon Though thou shouldest bray a Foole in a Mortar amongst wheate with a Pestle yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him Prouerb 27 22. Heere wee haue an excellent speech of Caleb and Ioshuah verses 7 8 9.
and Aaron might learne together with all the people to put their trust in Gods promises made vnto them and to waite on him with patience The end therefore was not Gods satisfaction but their owne reformation and the peoples instruction And Dauid had many punishments that the mouths of the heathen might thereby be stopped who were likely to blaspheme God because of his sinne The truth is before forgiuenesse such iudgements are punishments of sinne but after forgiuenesse obtained August de peccâ—t merit remis lib 2. cap. 34. Origen in Gen. hom 16. they are the fights and exercises of the iust This is the difference betweene the afflictions of the faithfull and of the vnfaithful that which is to the iust the exercise of vertue is to the vniust the punishment of sinne That which is laid vpon vs after forgiuenesse in Christ is onely in respect of the time to come to weaken and weare away the power of sinne and in death vtterly to destroy it If any obiect that death is the wages of sinne and that yet it continueth after forgiuenesse I answer it is so indeed originalâ—y and naturally but to the faithfull it hath lost his sting the poison of it is taken away and turned into a medicine and is made the way to life and saluation Bern. in Cant. Serm. 26. That which was the gate of hell is made an entry to the kingdome of heauen Thus we see that the Popish satisfaction is weakely grounded and the gainefull fire of purgatory standing vpon the rotten and ruinous pillar of satifaction is vtterly quenched that though the Iesuites and their instruments labor to blow the bellows to kindle it againe yet they are not able to put any sparke of heat into it When the sinne is forgiuen the punishment is also remitted For this is a certain doctrine that when God pardoneth sinne he also remitteth the punishment For first the fault the punishment are relatiues which stand together and fall together admit of the one you yeeld the other take away the one you ouerthrow the other Againe when God doth not remit the fault he doth retaine the punishment who can deny this therfore on the contrary when he forgiueth the fault he doth not retaine the punishment The fault is a greater matter then the punishment if then God forgiue the fault which is the greater it may not seeme strange that he should forgiue that which is lesser and onely depending vpon the fault Besides when once a debt is discharged it were extreme wrong and iniustice to require the payment thereof againe but sinnes are debts Matth. 6.12 The obligation standing against vs is cancelled and the creditour is fully satisfied how then should we feare any arrest or imprisonment who shall sue vs or who can lay any thing to our charge In a ciuill court he were a very corrupt iudge who hauing acquitted cleared a man that stood as guilty from al offence would notwithstanding giue sentence that he shold be executed for this were as much as to pardon the theft and to hang the theefe They that are iustified by faith are at peace with God Rom. 5.1 and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 When God forgiueth the sinnes and transgressions of the penitent he remembreth them no more Ier. 31.34 hee blotteth them out of his sight he setteth them as farre from vs as the East is from the West Psal 103 he scattereth them as a cloud and casteth them into the bottom of the Sea The meaning of the words Mic. 7.19 But touching the pardon mentioned in this place the answer of God is to be referred to the prayer of Moses is proportioned out according to his request He desired that God would not vtterly root out that whole people as one man according as he had threatned his prayer is granted and God declareth that hee had pardoned them not absolutely but according to his word he requested they might not vtterly be destroyed he receiueth answer they shall not vtterly be destroyed And concerning satisfaction to God for our sinnes by our selues it is more then we are able to make it cost more to redeeme a soule and to pay a price sufficient for it For to satisfie is to yeeld a sufficient recompence to God for the transgressions that we haue committed against him This Christ our redeemer is onely able to doe and his satifaction is all sufficient Obiect But they tel vs that mans satisfaction is not a supplying of any want in Christs satisfaction Answer but an applycation of it to vs. A most foolish and witlesse conceit For when a man hath a medicine fully sufficient and auaileable for the curing and healing of a wound what needeth another medicine for the healing the same wound which he must apply and lay to the former medicine to make it good is not this applycation needlesse And if a surety vndertaking for vs hath discharged our debts it is very ridiculous to suppose that we must pay the debt againe that so our sureties payment may stand in effect We reade of the satisfaction that Christ hath made and we beleeue it but of a satisfaction applying his satisfaction we reade not and therfore we beleeue not which is no better then a cloake to couer their shame and soundeth harsh to the eare of reason it selfe But to passe ouer these things let vs consider the sentence pronounced against these men that all of them should die in the wildernes as they had all broken out into open wickednesse The doctrine Doctrinâ— sinne generally entertained bringeth a generall destruction Where 〈◊〉 is generaâ— entertainâ— it bringeâ— a generaâ— destructiâ— Gen. 6.5 〈◊〉 7.17 and 20 and 15 24 25. Deâ— 9.4 Iosh 〈◊〉 21. Hos 4. 3. Ze. 1 1â— when it is once come to the height in the maner and measure it causeth destruction to come vpon such persons The reasons follow This is agreeable to the course of Gods iustice that his iudgements may be answerable to the sinne A generall sinne deserueth a general plague Secondly as sinnes are resembled to sicknesses so punishments are to medicines which must be fitted to the diseases and not to a part thereof Reas 1 Now if vniuersall and spreading sins should not haue vniuersall spreading iudgments brought vpon them the plaster should be lesse then the wound the remedy much weaker then the disease The vses remaine First seeing God giueth sentence to bring Vse 1 desolation vpon this people for their common sinnes we haue great cause to feare that the day of our desolation and iudgement cannot be farre off For seeing it hath beene already prooued that we are growne a cold and carelesse people a lukewarme Church neither hote nor cold seeing wee are growne to the height of wickednesse Deut. 19 and haue added sinne to sinne as it were drunkennesse vnto thirst what can be expected in the next
place but that destruction be brought vpon vs If God haue destroyed other nations and rooted them out for the same sinnes that are found among vs what can be expected by vs but that wee hauing the same weight of sinnes should also haue the same weight of iudgement He hath made vs already to drink of many iudgments onely this remaineth that as yet we haue not dranke the dregges we haue not yet tasted of vtter desolation No nation hath brought forth worse fruits or shewed lesse thankefulnesse We haue iust occasion therfore to feare that the day of Gods visitation cannot be far off by the course of iustice and doubtlesse it is the nearer because we are growne sottish and sencelesse and haue put all feare thereof from vs. The land is generally full of retchlesnesse and security and this addeth to our sinne so that we may say as it is Ier. 6.28 29 30. They are all greeuous reuolters walking with slanders â— 9.28 they are brasse and yron they are all corrupt c. Thus was it with the Sodomits immediately before their destruction the Sunne was risen vpon the earth they thought there had beene a faire day comming but it was a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse for the Lord rained down fire and brimstone vpon them and all the wicked were as stubble So it was also in the dayes of Noah and so it shall be in the end of the world Vse Secondly it teacheth vs who are the greatest enemies to a state to a nation to a kingdome to a land to a people to our townes and cities to our families euen they that are the greatest sinners These are they that bring those dayes of desolation the dayes of darkenesse and gloominesse the dayes of wastnesse and confusion to wit such as sinne with an high hand that are obstinate and hardhearted and setled to continue in the dregs of them When Ierusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon Ier. 32.4 who were the chiefe enemies of the citie and kingdome doubtlesse not so much the Babylonians and their army as the citizens themselues they were such as lodged within not they that lay without 2 Chron. 36.16 Dan. 9.10 11. Nehe. 13.17 18. 〈◊〉 it is â—eakeâ—nd wa 〈◊〉 citie The strongest enemies were in the heart of the citie and they were they that did weaken it It is sinne that openeth the gates and throweth downe the walles and letteth in the enemie and maketh hauocke of all The sin of Achan made Israel to turne their backes to their enemies Iosh 7.8 according to the threatning Deut. 28.15.25 The contempt of the word prophaning of the Sabbaths whordome drunkennesse couetousnesse and oppression doe sharpen the swords of enemies and giue them assured hope of victory Hab. 1.3 4 5 6. If we sin against God with an high hand and breake out into all enormities it is in vaine to trust in our fenced cities and multitudes of men If our armies be neuer so strong if our cities were neuer so sure blocked if we had walles flanked with barracadoes and other fortifications that we feared not to haue them surprized by scalado yet if sin be suffered and fostered within it weakeneth all our force it maketh frustrate all our deuises it throweth our castles and citadels downe to the ground it filleth vp the trenches and maketh the way easy to batter our walles and to breake in pieces the towres thereof Sinne is as a Cannon that beareth all before it and where it beareth sway an hundred wals cannot keepe out the enemy Plaut in Persa And this the heathen knew and confessed But where Religion is entertained and godlinesse flourisheth there the citie is notably garded Deu. 4.6 and 28.1.7 Lastly such as haue any loue to their countrey Vse 3 and would haue the people freed from destruction and continue in peace and quietnesse let them shew it by their loue to the Lord and his Law and by seeking to bee at peace with him If we be reconciled vnto him that he hath no controuersie against vs he wil make euen our enemies to bee at peace with him This serueth to admonish vs all to take heede lest we adde sinne vnto sinne We account him an enemy and that iustly that conspireth and combineth with another to open the gates vnto him and to bring him in to destroy the citie and people such an enemie is sinne it taketh part with our enemies and they both ioyne together and tend both to one end to wit to ouerthrew our peace and safty Stay therfore the course of sinne that it grow not to haue the vpper hand Seeke not to be acquainted with it be not any meanes to spred it farther and to conuey it from one to another Marke then from this consideration who are indeed and in trueth the best Citizens and best townesmen in places where they liue Not alwaies the richest not alwaies the noblest not alwayes the strongest not alwayes the most politicke The best citizen is the godly man the best townesman is the man that feareth GOD and walketh in his wayes Such are the chariots and horsemen of the kingdome They are the strength of the land that are strong in the Lord. On the contrary side the worst citizens are the vngodly who pull it downe as it were with their owne hands What hath beene the ruine and ouerthrow of the most famous kingdomes in the world and what hath turned the noblest Cities into dust what hath brought infinite calamities of famine of the sword of the pestilence of fire of slauery and such like but the impiety of men so that the Lord hath beene compelled to reuenge himself of the very places which they possessed of the wals and buildings yea of the cattell and beasts that fedde thereupon Stand fast therefore in the most holy faith and let not sinne enter for when it commeth it layeth all waste from this commeth the ruines of countreyes of cities of houses and of particular persons 26 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and vnto Aaron saying 27 How long shall I beare with this euill congregation which murmure against mee I haue heard the murmurings of the children of Israel which they murmure against me 28 Say vnto them As truely as I liue saith the Lord I will surely do vnto you euen as ye haue spoken in mine eares The Lord as a iust Iudge proceedeth to giue sentence against these wicked men whose destruction was concluded They had gone backe from their obedience God charged them to goe backe againe toward the red sea so that they were forty yeeres before any of that people came into the land which might haue beene possessed in forty dayes This sentence pronounced by the mouth of God is either generall against the whole multitude or speciall against the first contriuers and principall authours of this rebellion The generall punishment is concerning themselues or their children Touching themselues as they had spospoken so the
any good consequent that though euery sinne in Gods iustice bee adiudged worthy of eternall death that therefore it doth equally deserue it See more of this chap. 19. Vse 2 Secondly from this doctrine receiued it followeth that the punishments of hell are diuers also according to the different desart of sinne Luk. 12 47 48. Math. 23 15 and 11 22 24. They that breake the law and teach others to do the like are twofold more the children of hell then others They are the children of hell that transgresse the law but they that lay a stumbling blocke before others and draw them out of the way are guilty of a farther sin and consequently of a greater punishment Sodome shall be cast into hell but Capernaum shall descend deeper and suffer more This must we lay to our hearts forasmuch as we are like to Capernaum not to Sodome Euery man must receiue at the last day according to his euill workes but Gods iudgements shold not be right if he did iudge sinnes to be equal and punish sinnes equally On the other side we may conclude that there are degrees of glory in the kingdome of heauen which serueth to stirre vs vp to labour to out-goe and out-strippe others considering that we shall receiue a greater reward It is a point seruing to animate and encourage all men in well-doing to know that the Magistrate shall receiue according to his care the Minister according to his paines and euery one according to his duty and obedience in the life to come Vse 3 Lastly hence is a direction for Magistrates seeing offences are different there ought to be a difference in punishment of malefactours All lawes should not be written with blood neither all punishments take away life But if lesser sins should be punished sharply great more remisly it were against the rule of reason and the law of equity Hence it is that Christ teacheth that among the Courts of the Iewes they alwaies punished according to the quality of the offence and did not make an equality among offenders Mat. 5 verse 22. Verse 31. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his couenant c. Here is the description of this sin whereby we see whervnto it tendeth being once entertained Doctrine We learne from hence Sin is come to the height when men are bold to sinne that men are come to the height of sinne when they commit sin boldly and boastingly proudly and presumptuously Esay 3 9. Numb 25 6. 1 Sam. 16 22. Ier. 3 3. Prou. 2 14. The reasons Reason 1 For this manner of sinning is without any signe of grace is done in contempt of God and his lawes as we see in this place Reason 2 Secondly this kinde of sinning doth cry to heauen and calleth downe iudgement so that he cannot but punish it seuerely Gen. 18 ver 20 21. This reproueth the sinnes of our times for Vse 1 as we liue in the light of grace so we are come to the light of sinne because some maintaine sinne and others brag boast of those sinnes that they haue committed and greatly delight in them Psal 52 3 4. Esay 1 23. 2 Pet. 2 15. The sinne of these men is so much the greater because heere we haue the coupling and combining of two sinnes together sinne and the loue of sinne Where there are two strong poisons mixed together there the party is in great danger that drinketh of that potion so it is in this case two sinnes being ioyned in one sinne impudency in sinning that person is much more guilty This boldnesse and impudency is also accompanied with impenitency for certainely he that sinneth with an high hand and with a proud heart caÌ„not repent and leaue his sinne he cannot be sorry for it and turne vnto God but lyeth vnder a great measure and degree of euill Secondly let such as are guilty of these bold Vse 2 and presumptuous sinnes breake them off by true repentance and by reforming such as are committed to their charge For euery sin must be repented off but greater sinnes must haue greater repentance for them therefore wee should labour to repent of all whether they be moe or few greater or lesse once committed or often that so God may passe by vs wheÌ„ his iudgements run through the world Take heed therefore of presumptuous sinnes Some are suddenly ouertaken these sinne Gal. 6 1. but not so greatly as they that runne willfully and violently into euill It is an euill to take the Name of God in vaine though it be in heate and in haste howsoeuer but it is worse to sweare and blaspheme in cold blood in common talke that without remorse The corrupt affection in these is worse then the action of sinne Such as once fall into drunkennesse cannot be excused but they sinne doubly and trebly that delight in drunkennes haunt drunken houses and keepe drunken company and nourish all occasions to bring themselues to commit sinne vpon sinne So it may be said touching the breach of the Sabbath he sinneth that pretendeth some necessity of some great busines and that he is vnwilling to absent himselfe froÌ„ the house of God and doth it sildome but he that maketh a common practise of prophaning the Lords day sometimes by saying at home in his chamber sometimes by walking abroad in his fields sometimes by lying in an alehouse sometimes by sitting at tables cards do offend much more and come into the number of presumptuous sinners Obiect But some peraduenture will aske the question How may a man know whether he sin with an high hand whether he be come to the height of sinne to sinne presumptuously To this I answer Answ it is no hard matter to discern thy estate by these notes â—w to know â—o sinneth 〈◊〉 an high â—ed First whosoeuer disliketh and hateth the word of God may iustly feare and suspect himselfe For he that cannot patiently endure to reade it or to heare it read or preached because it layeth open his sin and as a true glasse maketh his corruptions manifestly to appeare he certainely is a bold and presumptuous sinner So long as a man is content to submit himselfe to Gods ordinance and to be willing to heare his sinnes reproued so long there is hope of such a sinner Againe they sin purposely and proudly and presumptuously that are offended either with the Minister or with a priuate friend that reproues him for his sins These are louers of their sins and are resolued to dwell in them because they hate those that loue them and out of loue admonish them of their euill waies And if peraduenture they haue failed in the manner of their reproofe these by by conceiue that they haue sinned more in reprouing then themselues in committing the acte it selfe Thirdly they are passing apace to tht height of sinne that excuse and lessen their sinnes or else defend them such as say it is no such
be in a combustion Thirdly as rebellion is an heape of manie sinnes so it ruineth many persons and therefore they iustly deserue first of all to be buried in those ruines themselues and to fall into the pit which they digged for another The life of one Prince is of more value then of many others Therefore the people suffered not Dauid to goe in person against Absolon but saide vnto him If wee flye away they will not care for vs neither if halfe of vs dye will they care for vs but now thou art worth tenne thousand of vs as 2. Samuel chap. 18. verse 3. And againe when Ishbi-benob which was of the sonnes of the gyants was like to haue slaine Dauid with the sword had he not beene presently succoured by Abishai who smote the Philistim and killed him his men sware vnto him saying 2. Sam. 21 17 Thou shalt go no more out with vs to battell that thou quench not the light of Israel The King is the Sunne and shield of the Land he is the light of Israel take him away and all is left in miserable and vncomfortable darkenesse Many mens liues depend vpon his life and the safety of thousands vpon his safetie Princes are the Fathers of the Country more dangerous for the subiect to kill one of them then for the childe to kill the Father as much more as the ruine of the commonwealth consisting of innumerable thousands of houses is worse then the fal of one particular and priuate house As then the Captaine of an hoast is worth many souldiers and the Gouernour of a ship many common passengers and Marriners so is the Head of the kingdome more of valew then many subiects Though many souldiers haue fallen in battell yet often the victory hath beene gotten sildome or neuer when the Generall falleth 1 Kings 22 35 36. And to this purpose wee may well apply that which is written though spoken to another end I will smite the Sheepheard and the sheepe of the Flocke shall bee scattered abroad Matth. 26 verse 31. Fourthly such as conspire against Princes haue bene punished oftentimes in their house in their lands in offices in death in buriall in name and in posterity For who knoweth not the custome obserued euen from the beginning as we may see also in holy Scripture Ester 8 1. 2 Sam. 16 4. 1 Kings 2.16 Ier. 22 8. Prou. 10 7. All dignities and preferments are taken away from such greeuous torments and tortures are laide vpon them a violent death is prepared for them an honourable buriall is denied vnto them their blood is stayned and tainted and the children vnborn feele the smart of it Vse 1 This putteth vs in minde of sundrie duties due to Kings and Princes First we must stand in feare of them they carry not the sword in vain Rom. 13.4 Iob 19 29. It is not put into their hands for a shew for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Therefore Salomon saith The wrath of a King is as the Messenger of death Prouer. 16 14. and like the roaring of a Lyon chap. 19 12. We must therefore feare the sword of Caesar and therefore haue Princes the sword of iustice born before them that the beholding thereof might put all persons in remembrance of this dutie Plutar. in 〈◊〉 Romes Among the heathen the Romane kings Dictators Pretors and Consuls had their Rods and Axes euermore carried before them to breed a terror of their authority in all that see them A good subiect as one saith feareth blame as much as paine and reproch as much as death The good subiect hath alwayes one eye vpon the sharpnesse of this sword that he doth not prouoke it and the other vpon the heynousnesse of this offence that hee neuer commit it This feare is the best porter at the Princes gate it serueth notably to keepe all traitors and rebels out of the kings Court and treachery out of the peoples heart It is as a bridle that curbeth all disobedience where it is not there is an easie entrance for traitors and treasons like the horse which hauing the bridle pulled out of his mouth rusheth forward into the battaile without order and gouernment Hence it is that Salomon ioyneth the feare of God and the fear of the King together Prou. 24 21. where the feare of GOD is which is the beginning of wisedome there will follow the feare of superiour powers ordained of God Another duty is to honour Princes whom Vse 2 God hath first honoured Rom. 13 7. Giue honor to whom ye owe honor So Exod. 20 12. and 22 28. 1 Pet. 2 17. Ester would not presume into the presence of the great King vntill hee held out his golden Scepter Chap. 5 1 2. Ioab though hee were Captaine of the hoast gaue Dauid the honour of the victorie 2 Sa. 12 27. Nathan the Prophet and Zadok the Priest made obeysance before Dauid with their faces to the ground 1 Kings 1 23. And Bathsheba the Queene bowed her face to the earth and did reuerence to the King and saide Let my Lord King Dauid liue for euer v. 31. Euery soule is bound to yeeld this honour if they would be honoured of God Thirdly we are to performe obedience Vse 3 whereunto a way is made by the former For if wee truely honour them wee will readily obey them euen for Conscience sake This is a dutie yeelded by the Childe vnto the Father by the Seruant to the Maister much more then ought it to bee yeelded by the Subiect vnto his Soueraigne as in Titus chapter 3. verse 1. and in the 1. Peter chapt 2. verse 13. This must bee performed readily sincerely and heartily Obiect But it may bee sayde That some are euill Princes wicked men contrary to God whence springeth all goodnesse are such to bee obeyed I answer Answer It skilleth not what their persons bee the full security and therefore it is iust with God to make vs feele his iudgements in our owne persons 41 And on the morrow all the Congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying Ye haue killed the people of the Lord. 42 And it came to passe when the Congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they looked toward the Tabernacle of the Congregation and behold the Cloud couered it and the glory of the Lord appeared 43. And Moses and Aaron came c. 44 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying c. 45 Get you vp from this Congregation c. In these words to the ende of the chapter we see another murmuring the day after the former The earth that had opened her mouth was scarse closed and the fire that was kindled was scarse quenched when they fell to a fresh conspiracy This is the nature of wicked men they are neuer at rest like the sea that is euer troubled Esay 57 20. This is the nature of sinne if it be not by and
euery where of prayers prescribed for the liuing Paul directeth the church how to carry themselues toward the dead but we haue no word of praying for them They that die in the Lord are pronounced to be blessed Reu. 14 verse 13. euen from the time of their death and dissolution and therefore come not into any fire at all whereas contrarywise if we may beleeue the Popish Teachers that blowe the bellowes it is made so exceeding hote that it scorcheth beyond measure all such as are cast into it and little difference betweene that fire and hell fire but in the continuance And if this tale were not handsomly tyed together and the furnace heated seuen times hoter then ordinary fire their kitchins would quickly wax cold But wherefore serue all the purgings mentioned in this place in other places of the Law of Moses but to assure vs that sinne is pardoned in this life and the punishment of sinne pardoned also so that nothing remaineth on our part to be satisfied for that were to renounce and deny the satisfaction of Christ But the Papists The Popish opinion of purgatory making Purgatory neither heauen nor hell but as it were a middle place betweene them both doe teach that such as die in veniall sinne are put in that prison to fry for a season vntill by the prayers of the liuing made to God but specially by almes deedes giuen to the Priests and Iesuites and by the pardons and indulgences of the Popes they be released But if Christ haue paid the price for our greatest sinnes how should we not beleeue that he hath much more satisfied for the lesser and they that beleeue not that he gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from the lesser how can they hope or haue comfort that he gaue himselfe for the greater Wherefore this fond distinction of persons of places and of sinnes cannot stand with the word of God And as for prayer for the dead Prayer for the dead doth no good it commeth as a pardon after a man is hanged or as Physicke to the body of him that is departed this life We know how God appointed sundry sacrifices in the time of the Law for all estates in the Church high and low one and other but among them all set downe in this booke and in the booke of Leuiticus we finde none at all no not one offered for the dead doubtlesse either God was very forgetfull of them or else this doctrine was not then hatched The liuing are commanded to pray one for another but neuer for the dead for that were to pray with the foolish virgins Lord Lord open vnto vs when the dore is shut Matth. 25.10 11. And doubtlesse the Church of Rome in this point haue a faith by themselues for not only we of the reformed Churches haue forsaken them The faith of the Greeke Church touching Purgatory but the Greeke Churches also renounce such a Purgatory as the Papists imagine for they deny any purging fire to be after this life such as is materiall and corporall For albeit some of them thinke that there is a middle condition wherein some remaine after death abiding in darkenesse without enioying the light of Gods countenance and are holden in a state of sorrow as it were in a prison vntill by the mercy of God and the prayers of the faithfull they be deliuered and incline to this opinion that the lesser sinnes of men dying in the state of grace are remitted and forgiuen after this life without any punishment at all of fire or any other kind by the meere grace and goodnesse of God yet notwithstanding they confidently pronounce that no Scripture or Councell hath deliuered a double punishment by fire after this life and therefore let all the Romanists and such as adhere vnto them take heed lest while they dreame of a temporary fire they mistake themselues and fall into the euerlasting and vnquenchable fire Matth. 3.12 and 18.8 Now to make this more plaine I will set downe such strong and important reasons as were exhibited to the Councell of Florence and are propounded by others D Field in â— Append. pâ— 25. whereby the foundation of that doctrine is shaken in peeces and falleth to the ground To this purpose obserue that as some little good in them that haue great and mortall sins hath no reward at all by reason of the preuailing euill which is found in them so small sins in them that haue great graces workes of vertue are not to be sharpely punished the better things ouercomming and ouerswaying them Againe the wils of men that are dead and departed hence are either changeable or vnchangeable there is no third can be imagined If they be changeable then they that are good may become euill and they that are euill become good so that neither the good shall bee vnchangeably happy nor the euill vnchangeably miserable but that the dead may fal from the top of happinesse to the depth of misery and contrariwise rise from the bottome of misery to the height of all happinesse If they be vnchangeable then they are not capable of any amendment for he that is corrected from going astray is set aright being brought to dislike that which he liked before and to loue that which he hated before and neither of them can be found in a wil that is vnchangeable Another consideration is drawne from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in the Gospel where Christ Iesus sheweth that the poore man so soone as he was dead was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome and the rich mans soule so soone as hee was dead was found in the torments of hell Luke 16.22.23 There is no middle place of temporal torment as there are but two sorts of persons so but two sorts of places one dying in the fauour of God the other out of his fauour so there are but these places heauen for the one and hell for the other Besides it is no way iust that the soule alone should be punished for the sinnes of the whole man but Purgatory presupposeth a sole punishment of the soule without the body which notwithstanding neuer sinned without the body If it be iustice in God to punish the soule for the supposed veniall sinnes how should it not sauour of iniustice to let the body goe scotfree and suffer nothing For what cause or colour can they suppose or surmise why the body which hath had part and fellowship in the sin and should haue part fellowship in the glory after the forgiuenesse of sinne should haue no feeling at all or suffering of the punishment that purgeth our sin Furthermore it is more proper to God to reward good things then to punish euill because he visiteth the iniquities of the Fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation but sheweth mercy to thousands Exod. 20 5 6. 34 7. Numb 14 18. Ier. 32 18. If then it be necessary to be
punishment lying euen at the doore Because ye sanctified not my Name before the children of Israel yee shall not bring this congregation into the land which I haue giuen them Hee doth not onely accuse and conuince them of sinne but amplifieth it by the effect that thereby hee was robbed of his glory and so excludeth them out of the land of promise We learne from hence that God chastiseth his owne children sinning against him â—trine chasti â—is owne â—on When his children forsake his lawes and walke not in his iudgements although he take not his louing kindnesse from them neither falsifie his trueth yet he will visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with strokes This we see throughly strengthened thoroughout the whole booke of the Iudges as chap. 4.1.2 When the people of Israel proceeded to doe euill in the sight of the Lord hee sold them into the hand of Iabin king of Canaan c. So when Ionah disobeyed the voyce of the Lord calling him to preach to Nineueh that great Citie and to cry against it for their wickednesse hee was cast into the Sea as an vnprofitable burthen of the ship â— 2 3 15 and swallowed of a Whale so that albeit he fled from the presence of the Lord yet his hand followed after him and ouertooke him When Dauid had trespassed in the matter of Vriah by adultery and murther though he were a man after Gods owne heart yet the Lord raised euill against him out of his house â—m 12.9 the sword of the enemy was shaken against him and his own wiues were defiled in the sight of the Sun â—b 12.10 When Miriam the sister of Moses withstood him in the pride of her heart through ambition and vaineglory albeit he accused her not but in meekenesse of spirit put vp the wrong being lowly in his owne eyes yet shee was striken with leprosie by the hand of God and shut for a season out of the hoast The like we might say of Salomon Asa Iehoshaphat Iosiah Hezekiah and many others all which seale vp this trueth to our hearts that GOD spareth not his owne people when they sinne against him Reason 1 The Reasons of this iust dealing of God are first to cleare his iudgement and iustice that we should know him to bee no respecter of persons but to hate sinne whensoeuer wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer he findeth it He is not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with him for he hateth all them that worke iniquity This the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth 51.4 Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maiest be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest If then we breake his statutes and keepe not his commandements when he searcheth with lights and findeth out our sinnes we must giue glory to God and make confession vnto him wee must pronounce righteousnesse to belong vnto him and vnto our selues open shame yea if he should destroy vs we must acknowledge him to be holy in all his waies and iust in all his workes who giueth vs to eate the fruite of our owne labours As then he is iust and righteous so he must punish sinne in whomsoeuer he taketh it and as he denounceth sore iudgements and greeuous plagues of great continuance and long durance so he executeth theÌ„ to manifest the truth of his owne word and maketh good his owne threatnings gone out of his owne mouth Againe God chastiseth his owne children Reason 2 lest they sinning with the men of this world whose portion is in this life should be condemned with the world For as in punishing of vs he respecteth his own iustice so he doth it in respect of our owne good and the great profite which thereby is brought vnto vs. If we should alwaies enioy health wealth liberty peace plenty and other good blessings of God according to our hearts desire we would waxe fat and spurne with the heele Deut. 32.15 forsaking God that made vs refusing the strong God of our saluation ioyning hand in hand with wicked men reserued to destruction Wherefore affliction is as the messenger of God to call vs backe from sinne to weane vs from the world to kindle in vs a desire of the world to come This the Apostle aimeth at 1 Cor. 11 31 32. If we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged but when we are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord because we should not bee condemned with the world The vses of this Doctrine are many First Vse 1 consider with me the cause why they keep the word and turne vnto him with all their harts why they run not on in euill as the horse rusheth into the battell as the vngodly do the reason is God calleth them backe by his hand his afflictions are remembrances vnto them and his corrections are their instructions This the Prophet Dauid found true in his owne comfortable experience Psal 119 67 71. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes The Children of Israel liuing vnder the Iudges and sinning against God making a couenant with the inhabitants of the land Iudg. 2. and 4. Deu. 4.29.30 taking their daughters to be their wiues giuing their daughters to their sonnes seruing their idols forgetting the true God and doing worse then their fathers the Lord sold them into the hand of their enemies whom they serued then they lift vp their voyces and wept then they called and cryed vnto the Lord in their afflictions and he deliuered them out of their distresse The same we see in Manasseh who for his euils that he commited like the abominations of the heathen was carryed away captiue put in fetters 2 Chro. 33.2 11 12 13. and bound in chaines and when he was in tribulation hee prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his father and prayed vnto him and God was intreated of him and heard his praier and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God But of this we shall speake more in the chapter following Vse 2 Secondly confesse from hence that great is the wrath and anger of God for sinne seeing he punisheth it so sharpely and seuerely in his children whom he hath engrauen as a Signet in the palme of his hand and whom he tendreth as the apple of his eye Marke how hee hath many times schooled his owne seruants offending When Miriam murmured against Moses and made other to murmure shee was striken by the hand of God with leprosie and albeit Moses made supplication for her yet the Lord answered Numb 12.10 13 14. If her father had spit in her face should she not haue beene ashamed seuen dayes Let her be shut out of the hoast seuen dayes and after she shall be
burthen vpon their consciences pressing them downe that they are found vow-breakers and haue broken their faith and promise made to God Let vs all remember that wee haue vowed to God our selues Deut. 23 21. and take heed we performe that which we haue vowed lest it bee imputed vnto vs for sinne Lastly it followeth from hence that such Vse 4 speciall and peculiar vowes as we haue made vpon particular occasions as euery one hath had cause in time of warre sicknesse necessity trouble and danger we must be carefull to keep and to pay our due and debt vnto God If wee feele our selues slacke and slothfull to good duties we may stirre vp our selues and binde ourselues by some earnest and faithfull promise to God If we be inclined to any vice we are to doe the like If a man haue fallen into whoredome and fornication hee may 2 Cor. 7.11 to bridle and halter his lusts vow neuer to delight in the harlots company If we haue fallen into drunkennesse wee may vow fasting and abstinence yea the abstaining from all hateful houses of drunkennesse being allurements prouocations to the same The oppressor may vow restitution and mercy to the poore Luke 19.8 Dan. 4.24 to stir vp his affection the better to performe it Now in al these we must beware and take heed that we be not rash in the words of our mouth nor hasty to vtter a promise before the most high What a reproach and blemish is it in such as will readily promise much to men and yet performe at leisure little or nothing Doe not all despise such persons But the fault and offence is more grieuous when there is a set and solemne promise made to God and not performed So then we that require true honest and iust dealing toward our selues and promises to be kept to our selues by a day haue wee done the like to God our Lord Let vs enter into our selues and examine our hearts a litle Wee are ready in sicknesse in want in great affliction and aduersity to vow and solemnely to promise if God deliuer vs to glorifie him to be thankeful and obedient vnto him to enter into repentance and amendment of life When a man hath loosely and lewdly spent his time in drunkennes riotousnes idlenes wantonnes enuy hatred contempt of God and his word if God strike him with greeuous sicknes that he feareth death as the messenger sent of God to seize vpon him then doth he tremble then doth he desire that God wold haue mercy vpon him and then doth he make vowes If God restore me to health againe and giue me life I will neuer bee the man I haue beene I haue beene giuen to drunkennesse I will neuer haunt the Ale-house I haue led a naughty life I haue dishonoured God and despised his word I will hereafter obey his voyce and attend to his word I haue hated the children of God I wil hereafter shew my loue to them renouncing my sinnes and liuing to Gods glory Oh what goodly promises are these and how well were it if men did so indeed and how were it to be wished that as they haue opened their mouth vnto the Lord so they would doe according as they haue promised But when God hath heard their prayers and restored them to health marke and yee shall finde that for the most part so soone as they are recouered and are able to craule out of the dores they returne againe to their former wayes 2 Pet. 2.22 as the dog to his vomite and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the myre What shall we say of these men Nay what may we not say of them Are they not couenant breakers and greeuous offenders against God They are like vnto Pharaoh King of Egypt when the hand of God was heauy vpon him and his people Exo. 9.27.35 then he humbled himselfe hee confessed the righteousnesse of God the wiâ—kednesse of his people and the heinousnesse of his sinnes Then Moses and Aaron must bee sent for in all haste to pray for him whom hee before despised in his heart and scorned in his talke yet so soone as the plague was ceassed and the hand of God remooued hee hardened his heart and would not let the children of Israel goe But hee dallyed so long with the iudgements of God Exod. 15.19 that he deceiued himselfe and in the end was drowned in the red Sea as the Flye that playeth with the candle vntill she be burned and consumed in the flame So when men haue beene terrified with the hand of God haue confessed with teares their vngodly behauiour and haue promised and vowed to God if he would restore them newnesse of life and repentance from dead workes and yet being restored and recouered being as vile in sinne as loose in life as beastly in behauiour as they were beforr God hath in iustice striken them againe for their vnthankfulnesse so as they haue dyed in fury and frenzy without any appearance of grace or assurance of mercy or remorse of conscience or acknowledgement of sinne or crauing of pardon or hope of forgiuenesse or signe of sorow or ioy of heart or consolation of spirit or purpose of amendment Matt. 27.3.4 but are wholly possessed with a shame of sinne and guilt of conscience and feare of iudgement and the flashings of hell fire Doth not this shew that Gods wrath is heauy against such vnfaithfull persons as breake their oath and falsifie their promise made vnto the Eternall who alwayes keepeth couenant with vs and will not alter the word that is gone out of his mouth Psal 50. â— O consider this ye that forget God lest he teare you in pieces and there be none that can deliuer you Contrariwise to conclude let vs follow the example of Dauid Psal 66.13 14. I will goe into thine house with burnt offerings and will pay thee may vowes which my lippes haue promised and my mouth hath spoken in mine affliction Verse 3. And the Lord heard the voyce of Israel Here is the fruit and effect of their prayer and humiliation shewing also the lawfulnesse and approbation of their vow God accepteth and respecteth them in their distresses From hence we doe learne that God heareth and granteth the prayers of his children Doctriâ— God heaâ— and granâ— the Prayâ— of his châ—dren For howsoeuer sometimes hee deferreth to heare and hearken to their prayers to exercise their faith to kindle their zeale in prayer to teach them whence good things proceed to sharpen their hunger to make them highly to esteeme the graces long begged and to proue them by delay yet in the end God heareth and helpeth he granteth and giueth the things which they aske according vnto his will This the Prophet declareth Esay 65.24 Before they call I will answer and while they speake I will heare And Psal 120.1 I called vpon the Lord in my trouble and he heard me And againe Psal 145.18 19.
them as Saul or deny them as Achan or defend them as Cain Therfore if we would finde pardon at the hands of God wee must confesse vnto him as Dauid did weepe for them as Peter did If we vncouer them he will couer them if we condemne our selues hee will iustifie vs. Therefore the Wiseman saith He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Prou. 28 but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Lastly wee see heereby that sinne endeth Vse not as it beginneth Albeit the foole maketh a mocke of sinne yet when the soule is tormented and the conscience oppressed with desperation and can finde no ease then a man ceaseth not to vtter his secret filthinesse to the shaming of himselfe and to the astonishment of the hearers Let vs not looke for Pharaoh or Saul or Iudas to come out of hell to warne vs. These things are written for our learning wee haue Moses and the Prophets let vs hearken to them When as terrours take hold vpon the soule wee cannot couer sinne any longer Prou. 1 Howsoeuer therefore sinne to the carnall man be sweete vnto the taste and Satan baiteth his hooke with profite on the one side and with pleasure on the other yet afterward it shall prooue more bitter then gall and worme-wood it shall wound the conscience as with a deadly dart and pierce the soule through with many sorrowes For albeit it beginne in sport it shall end in horror and despaire This wee see in the example of Cain Gen. 4 â— My punishment is greater then I can beare So Iudas when hee saw Christ condemned felt an hell in his conscience The money was pleasant and the gaine was sweete vnto him but it was as a two edged sword that woundeth incurably and as the teeth of a Lyon that biteth mortally It seemed vnreasonable to Gehazi that Naaman the Syrian should depaâ—t with so great a benefite by so little a consideration 2 King 5 23 27. And therefore followeth after him for a bribe and reward but with the reward he gained the leprosie that did cleaue vnto him and to his seede This is the deepe subtilty of satan before sin be committed he hideth the deformity of it from the eyes of men he maketh as if it were no sinne or a little and veniall sinne or a little punishment due vnto it or that there shall be time enough hereafter to repent of it hee be commeth a preacher of Gods mercy and pardon he telleth the sinner that God is gracious and mercifull Thus he couereth the greatnesse of sinne and hideth the greeuousnesse of the punishment and concealeth the wrath of God that is drawne vpon vs. But when hee hath once preuailed and ensnared the poore soule that hath swallowed the bait he openeth the eies which before he had darkned he rouzeth vp the conscience which before he had seduced he striketh the heart which before he had hardned hee vncouereth the fire of Gods indignation and iealousie which before hee had smothered Then he maketh sinne appeare as vile and vgly as he can then he layeth it open in his colours then he will make a small sinne appeare the greatest then he setteth forth the iustice of God due to the least sinne and all to bring the person that hath sinned to desperation Wherefore let vs flye from sinne as from the byting of a Serpent that we be not stung therewith to eternall death Knowing that the wages of sin is death Rom 6 23. 36 And when Balak heard that Balaam came hee went out to meete him vnto a Citie of Moab which is in the border of Arnon euen in the vtmost coast 37 Then Balak saide vnto Balaam Did not I send for thee to call thee Wherefore camest thou not vnto mee Am not I able indeede to promote thee vnto honour 38 And Balaam made answer vnto Balak Loe I am come vnto thee and can I now say any thing at all The word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speake 39 So Balaam went with Balak they came vnto the City of Huzoth 40 Then Balak offered Bullâ—kes and Sheepe and sent therof to Balaam and to the Princes that were with him 41 And on the morrow Balak tooke Balaam and brought him vppe into the high places of Baal that thence hee might see the vtmost part of the people In these words beeing the shutting vp of this Chapter is contained the last branch of Balaams going to curse the people We heard before of the wrath of God against this Wizard who would not be stopped from his desired iourney and therefore the Lord opened the mouth of the dumbe beast to reproue her master and afterward the Angel of God further to discouer the hollownesse and hypocrisie of his heart Heere we are to consider the meeting and comming together of the King and the false Prophet together with the entertainment he findeth at Balaks hands Herein we are to obserue two things First their talke and communication secondly the actions of them both In the first part contayning the speech that passed betweene them we are to marke that the King to honour him the more so soone as hee is aduertised of his approach neere to the borders of his kingdome he goeth out to meete him For no doubt he sent the Princes and messengers of the Moabites backe to go before to giue some notice and bring ioyfull tidings of his comming to their Lord. Therefore the King hearing the message and conceyuing no doubt in his minde the vtter ouerthrow of the Israelites stayed not vntill he came within his dominion but met him in the bounds and limites thereof and brought him home with him to go about his businesse When they are met note in their talke first the question moued by Balak then the answer of Balaam In the question we see that albeit he had basely deiected himselfe and crept lowly into the fauour of the false Prophet honoring him to his own dishonor going out to bring him in and after a sort casting his crowne and dignity vnder his feete yet on the other side hee gloryeth in his owne power and boasteth of his high dignity as if he had all the riches and honor in his owne hand Balaam doth not denie the fauour of the king placing him with his Princes rewarding him with his presents honouring him with his owne presence and sending for him from far but maketh a short answer vnto him truely albeit vnwillingly that albeit he were come at the kings desire and brought by his deserts yet it was not in his owne power what to do he could go no farther then the Rules and Principles of his Art would suffer him hee had called vp the God of the Hebrewes to forsake them and he must of necessity speake that which God should put into his mouth As if hee should say I cannot speake what I would but shall bee constrained to speak that onely which he willeth mee After the
idle thing to desire his last end to be like the righteous We see the vngodly liue and wax olde Iob 21 7 9 13. and grow in wealth their children prosper their houses are peaceable without feare the rod of God is not vpon them they spend their dayes in pleasures and sodainly they goe downe to the graue They are not afflicted with tedious diseases they are not tormented with long sicknesses they go away many times quietly as a Lambe their life is with greater delight their death is with greater ease then the life and death of the righteous But after this life beginneth the trouble and torment of the Reprobate Here they haue receiued their pleasures and the righteous their paines therfore these are comforted and the other confounded They must appeare before the iudgment seate of God they must come after this life to their triall they must all stand at the bar and pleade guilty or not guilty The consideration of this day of account immediately after the separation of the soule from the body made Balaam in this place cry out in the sight and feeling of the blessednesse of the Church Oh let my last end be like his From hence wee learne this principle of our faith Doctrine The reasonable soule of man is immortall That the soule of man is immortali hauing a beginning yet is without ending being seuered from the body it liueth in place either of ioy or of torment either it receiueth the reward of godlinesse or it is plagued and punished for wickednesse This appeareth by many testimonies of the word of God When the Lord had made mans body of the dust of the ground He breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a liuing soule able to liue of it selfe Gen 2 7 and by it self And afterward it is said Genes 5 24. with Heb. 11 17. Henoch walked with God and he was no more seene for God tooke him away to shew that there was a better life prepared and to be a testimony of the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body seeing hee was translated that he should not see death neyther was hee found for God had translated him Hereunto commeth the prayer of Simeon Luk. 2 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word he was ready willing to be loosed from the prison of the body and calleth death a departure from hence Likewise it is sayde in the Parable that Lazarus dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22.23 the rich man also dyed was buried and was throwne into the torments of hel And at the passion of Christ hanging on the crosse when the penitent theefe praied Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome hee said Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. Furthermore when the Lambe had opened the fifte seale Reue. 5 6 9. Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God for the testimony which they maintained Reason 1 The Reasons of this Doctrine are to bee known and considered of vs. First if the soule were not of an immortall Nature the godly of all other should be most wretched their life most miserable vnlesse they did beleeue that a time of refreshing should come from yâ— presence of God and contrarywise the condition of the vngodly should be most blessed and happy This the Apostle setteth downe 1 Cor. 15 19 20. And if the soule did not remaine after this life being separate from the body all Religion and piety were in vaine our preaching and your faith were in vaine Why are we in ieopardy euery houre and why suffer we affliction for righteousnes sake nay why do we not eate and drink for to morrow we must dye Reason 2 Secondly nothing that is immortall and transitory can cite a man before Gods Tribunall or terrifie for sinne vnknowne to any other But the soule of man accusing him for secret sinnes makâ—th him hold vp at his hand at the barre of Gods iudgement seate This we see in Belteshazzer when he saw the palme of the hand that wrote vpon the plaister of the wall of his palace Daniel 5 6. His countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his knees smote one against another Before he was thus awaked he contemned the true God and blessed his Idols but when God manifested a small token of his power and presence he did shake tremble euery ioynt of him for feare of that sight This is the iustice of God reuenging the sinne of men that they should tremble at his iudgements that wretchedly abuse his mercies The like example we see in Felix albeit he loâ—ked for a bribe and set iustice to sale at offer and proffer yet when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come he quaked and quiuered at that discourse and was not able to endure the mention of it Now if the soule were subiect to mortality and to perish with the body it would not it could not thus accuse man nor draw him before the iudgement seate of God Thirdly the soule of man can reason of immortality Reason 3 it is vnsatiable in seeking knowledge and is not changed or altered with the estate of the body it contenteth not it selfe to rest satisfied with any thing in this life The more it knoweth 1 Cor. 8 â— the more it coueteth desireth to know the more it is able to learn It desireth blessednesse and happines it respecteth glory and good estimation after death it hath many actions and operations aboue sense and the naturall appetite of the body as to loue God to feare God to put our trust in him to beleeue in him to imbrace religion to cleaue vnto God with full purpose of hart The senses of the body cannot climbe and ascend so high to know God and to meditate on heauenly things nay they cannot reason define diuide number or order any thing Therefore the soule that performeth these things is a spirituall substance like vnto Angels not subiect to death or mortality Now let vs come to the Vses of this point Vse 1 of Religion and principle of our Fayth First it serueth to confute condemn all Atheists Epicures Libertines Sadduces and the late vpstart family of loue raised out of the ashes of the olde Saduces Ioseph antiâ— 18 cap 2 â—bel Iudaiâ— cap. 7. which deny the immortality of the soule These defie all Religion and deny any spirits either Angels of God or spirits of diuels or soules of men all which standing at defiance against heauen and bidding battel to the Lord himselfe shall one day know that they had once giuen vnto them immortal spirits when they shall be cast into vnquenchable fire and endure euerlasting torments The Euangelist noteth out this damnable sect of
Reason 1 God he is the common Iudge euen the Iudge of all the world who hath said Vengeance is mine I will repay and therefore his iustice doth effect it and bring it to passe This the Apostle declareth It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 2. Thess 1 6. So the Prophet teacheth Hab. 1 13. That he is of pure eyes and cannot see euill nor behold wickednesse to allow or approue it Secondly it is most agreeable to the precise Reason 2 rule of equity that there should be a proportion betweene the sinne and the punishment that euery one should receiue like for like and drinke such as he hath brewed God commandeth it to the Magistrate as a law in his proceedings Exod 21 2â— that there should be an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth hand should go for hand foote for foote burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe and life for life If God impose this vpon Magistrates much more will he himselfe do it He that requireth equity in Iudges and Magistrates wil much more shew himselfe iust and equal This is it which the Lord enioyneth touching spirituall Babylon Reuel 18 6 and 16 5 6 and 13 10. Reward her as she rewardeth you and giue her double according to her works and in the cup that she hath filled to you fill her double c. So then whether we consider the iustice of God or the rule of equity we see that God punisheth as man sinneth he rewardeth according to the manner and measure of his offence The vses follow to bee considered Will Vse 1 God thus repay and retaile Then let euery one looke to haue his sinne brought vpon his owne head and to be rewarded fully according to his owne works The equity of this is acknowledged of Iob chap. 31 9 10. If my heart haue beene deceiued by a woman or if I had laide waite at the doore of my neighbour let my wife grinde to another and let other men bow downe vpon her The like we may say of all other sinnes looke not to escape the hand of God but feare to commit sinne being thus punished Hast thou beene a bloody beast looke for blood againe Hast thou bene cruell Cruelty extortion shall both wring and waste thee He that smiteth with the sword shall perish with the sword there shall bee iudgement mercilesse to them that are without mercy On the other side in doing good and exercising loue to others looke for loue and good from God and man This made Nehemiah pray to God to remember him in kindnesse according to all that he had done to his people Neh. 5 19. This made the Apostle craue mercy at the hands of the mercifull God for Onesiphorus because he shewed mercy vnto him and refreshed him in his necessity 2 Tim. chap. 1 verse 16. The widow of Sarepta sustayning the Prophet relieuing him with part of that poore pittance that was left her receiued an ample recompence during the time of the famine to her and her sonne being miraculously sustayned 1. Kings 17 14. Obadiah fed an hundred Prophets of the Lord and hid them in caues from the wrath of Iezabel the Lord shewed mercy vnto him againe so that he was the first that had the Prophet directed vnto him to reueale the remouing of the present iudgment from the land So then the consideration of this dealing of God against sinners is a terrour to the vngodly teaching vs to auoyde sinne and the dangerous society of sinful men lest partaking of their sinnes wee partake also with them in the punishment Ierem. 51 6. And likewise serueth as a great comfort to the godly assuring them to finde the fruit of their loue and to receiue mercy at his hands who leaueth not a morsell of bread and a cup of cold water giuen in faith out of an heart vnfaigned vnrewarded Secondly it iustifieth GOD in his actions Vse 2 and proueth that there is no iniquity with our God This doth Elihu set downe vpon this consideration Hee will render vnto man according to his worke and cause euery one to finde according to his way And certainely God will not doe wickedly neither will the Almighty peruert iudgment Iob 34 11 12. So then the Lord bringeth his iudgements in this manner to passe that the mouth of the wicked should be compelled to iustify God and to condemne himselfe when he receiueth measure for measure as hee hath done When Iudah had ouercome Adonibezek and had cut off the thumbes of his hands and feete hee did acknowledge it to be iust and that the hand of God had found him out and repayed him according to his deserts for saith he Seuenty Kings hauing the thumbes of their hands and feete cut off gathered bread vnder my table as I haue done so GOD hath rewarded mee so they brought him to Ierusalem and there hee dyed Iudg. 1 7. GOD suffereth them long to escape and to runne on in their euill actions but in the end he repayeth them and rather in their owne kinde then in another that it might appeare to be his handy worke and not a matter that fell out by chance or casualty vpon them So doth the Church reioyce that the Lord had done vnto them as they thought and intended to doe vnto the Church Vse 3 Thirdly wee are in this respect and consideration to waite for the performance of this promise and to looke with faith and patience for the iustice of GOD in recompencing and rewarding the wicked with the like to fall vpon themselues wherewith they haue plagued his people Wee see this duty performed by the seruants of GOD in the Prophet Esay before remembred for hauing declared that the spoyler shall be spoyled and the destroyer shall be destroyed they say O Lord haue mercy vpon vs wee haue waited for thee be thou which wast their arme in the morning our helpe also in time of trouble Esay 33 2. To the same purpose speaketh the Church in the Psalme O daughter of Babell worthy to be destroyed blessed shall hee be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs blessed shall hee bee that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones Psal 137 8 9. Let this duty be practised and performed of euery one of vs although wee see the wicked proceede and go forward in his wickednesse as if hee had made a league with death and a couenant with hell yet it behooueth vs to possesse our soules with patience and albeit hee spread himselfe like a greene Bay tree yet in the end his leaues shall wither his branches shall bee cut downe and his root shall rot GOD will draw him foorth in his good time vnto iudgment and proportion his plagues and punishment according to his sinnes Lastly this doctrine ought to warne vs to Vse 4 take heede that wee abuse not any of Gods blessings or any of his creatures to any sinne or excesse
wooden crosse as a god they call it the ground of our saluation and salute it by the name of theyr onely hope 2 The second commandement requireth that we worship the true God purely according to his most holy word and forbiddeth all false and forged worship of the true Iehouah The Church of Rome directly ouerturneth the intent and end of this Law by theyr imagery they teach it to bee lawfull to make images of the true God and to worship them with religious worship 3 The third Commandement prescribeth vnto vs to giue al honor and glorie vnto God that is due to his great name The Church of Rome teach men to giue this glory to some things else they holde that the people are to be barred from the free vse of the Scripture allow to sweare by Saints Angelles Crosse Rood and such like 4 The fourth Commandement appointeth the sanctification of the Sabbath The church of Rome keepe the dayes of Saints more duly and strictly more solemnly and precisely then the Lords day and abrogate the liberty of the sixe dayes 5 The fift Commandement establisheth the seuerall degrees amongst men The church of Rome challenge an immunity for their clergy and a freedome from answering before the secular power they deny that their holy father oweth subiection to Princes or Emperors They teach hee hath power to depose Princes Bel de pontif Rom. lib. 5. ca. 6 and to discharge their subiects from their allegeance and may dispose of all kingdomes at his pleasure Lastly they free Children from the obedience of their parents Bel. de Monach lib. 2. cap. 6. and allow them to enter into Cloysters and Monasteries without their counsell and consent 6 The sixt Commandement bindeth vppe our hearts and hands from all cruelty willeth vs to preserue life and shew foorth the fruites of mercy The Church of Rome open wide gappes for the free committing of murther and shedding of blood They giue Pardons nay promises of heauen to destroy and poison Princes they appoint sanctuaries and priuiledged places for wilful murtherers contrary to the law of God who wold haue such pulled from his Altar and no religious place to giue them succour or protection Exod. 21 11. 1 Kin. 2 31. And concerning the murthering of soules a great part of theyr Doctrine leadeth the highway to it and giueth them a deadly wound 7 The seuenth Commandement condemneth all impurity and vncleannesse of soule body and commandeth vs to possesse our vessels in holinesse and honour The Church of Rome shaketh the foundation of this Commandement Hard confutat of the Apologie Parson confut of Ioh. Nichols and crosseth the purpose of God therein by forbidding marriage by accounting it an vncleane life by establishing vowes of single life by tollerating and defending the stewes by giuing liberty for Incest by allowing the brother to marry his brothers Wife the vncle to marry his neece and lastly by forbidding such degrees as God hath not restrained to open a way for the Popes dispensations 8 The eight Commandement chargeth vs with the goods of our neighbour The church of Rome teach it to be lawfull to make sale of mens soules out of Purgatorie as cunning The common practise of the Pope nay cozening Merchants they set all things at offer and proffer they sell Crosses Images Prayers they sell the remission of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen for money yea they rob men of their inheritance defeating defrauding their posterity to maintaine their ydle bellies 9 The ninth Commandement forbiddeth all false witnes bearing The Church of Rome do beare false witnesse against God falsifying the Canon of the Scriptures and make God speake that which he hath not spoken They teach that neither faith nor promise nor oath must be kept with Heretickes they maintaine and practise the Doctrine of Equiuocation See the examinations of the priests Iesuites of mentall euasion and secret reseruation vnto themselues of an hidden sence contrary to the common vnderstanding of the same wordes thereby ouerthrowing al equity the course of iustice among men The tenth Commandement restraineth the motions of the mind and commandeth a pure heart toward our neighbour The Church of Rome teacheth that the motions without consent are no sinnes at all so that they expresly repeale this Commandement and euidently declare they neuer vnderstoode the meaning of it Notwithstanding these are those Teachers that boast themselues to bee the successors of the Apostles and to haue the onely right calling yet we see how corrupt they are in doctrine glorying in the naked name of the Church and ouer-turning the foundation whereon it is builded Vse 4 Lastly this teacheth sundry duties both to the Pastors and people committed vnto theyr charge First of all it putteth the Ministers in minde to looke to their flocks to take heed to them that they be not seduced Wee are all of vs naturally inclined to falshood and error and loue darkenesse better then light that so we may walke at liberty and not be controlled But our danger is greater by reason of false seducers which are deceitfull workmen and the instruments of the subtle Serpent by whom they are inspired This duty being so necessary in regard of the common danger of the Church is diuers times vrged by Christ and his Apostles Christ warneth his Disciples to be watchfull because of false teachers that should arise in the last dayes Matth. 24 24. The Apostle Iude testifyeth chap. 3 verse 4. that he gaue diligent heede to write vnto them of the common faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints because there were certaine vngodly men crept in which turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and denyed GOD the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ The Apostle Paul exhorting the elders of Ephesus propounding vnto them his owne example foretelling the danger that hung ouer their heads to wit that their faith shold be assaulted and their zeale tried by false teachers springing vp from themselues sayeth Take heed vnto your selues and to all the Flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood Watch therefore remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one night and day with teares Actes 20 28 29. So the same Apostle chargeth Timothy before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ Which shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing and in his kingdome to preach the Word in season and out of season because the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heap of Teachers turning from the truth and giuing heed to fables Secondly this serueth to instruct the people of God to be throughly furnished and well prepared against such seducers that they may be able to stand our against them and to resist
the Apostle Iohn noteth in the Nicolaitanes Reuel 2 14 20 who maintained the doctrine of Balaam counselling Balak to lay a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel perswading to eate of the things sacrificed to Idols and alluring vnto fornication This he reprooueth in the false Prophetesse whom for her leud qualities he calleth Iezabel who deceiued the seruants of God to make them commit fornication and to eate meates that were sacrificed vnto idols Thus it fareth with the Nations that know not God they are ignorant of the duties which are due vnto men The Turkes that haue seated their Empire in the East and made a mixture of all Religions to the end they might draw some of all sorts vnto themselues doe professe and practise most abhominable vices euen by the doctrine of their Alcoran 〈◊〉 chap. 41. ◠3. where that false Prophet Mahomet alloweth a man to haue foure wiues and to keepe fifteene Concubines he forbiddeth any to be accused of adultery vnder foure witnesses and accounteth those most holy men which accōpany with beasts The Church of Rome defiling the worship of God by detestable idolatry as grosse as the Heathen committed and in some part exceeding all the idolatry of the Heathen in that they worship a breaden god maintaine filthinesse and vncleannesse sundry waies First in the tolleration of the Stewes flat against the Commandement of God Deut. 23 17. There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel neither shal ther be an whorekeeper among the sons of Israel This tolleration is a flat occasion to many young men and women that otherwise might abstaine from this kinde of wickednes And what monstrous impiety is this when father and sonne Brother and Brother Vncle and Nephew shall come to one and the same harlot one before or after the other Secondly they deny marriage as an vnholy thing to their holy Cleargy and thereby open a gappe to all kinde of pollutions contrary to the expresse word of God that a Byshop should be the husband of one wife and that marriage is left free and accounted honourable in all and the bed vndefiled 1 Tim. 3 2. Heb. 13 4. Thirdly not to stand further in ripping vppe these enormities in this place their Law alloweth the marriage of any persons beyond the fourth degree 〈…〉 whereby in some cases followeth incest Al these testimonies and examples being thus layde together doe teach vs that corruption of manners and lewdnesse of life doe alwayes accompany defects and defilings in the true Religion Let vs come to consider the causes to make it more plaine and euident vnto vs. First such Reason 1 is the iudgment and iustice of God punishing one sin with another giuing ouer such as make no conscience to know or acknowledge God into a reprobate sence and appointing them to be vessels of shame and dishonour This is the reason which the Apostle directly handleth Rom. 1 25 26. They turned the truth of God into a lie seruing the creature and forsaking the Creator which is blessed for euer Amen for this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections for euen their women did change the naturall vse into that which is against nature and likewise also the men left the naturall vse of the woman burned in their lust one toward another and man with man wrought filthinesse and receiued in themselues such recompence of their errour as was meete Where we see the Apostle charging the Gentiles with turning the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and so regarded not to serue him declareth that God gaue thē vp to their hearts lustes and deliuered them vp into a reprobate minde so that they committed vncleannesse they defiled their owne bodies betweene themselues did those things which are not conuenient So the same Apostle in another place teacheth That God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might bee damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 2 Th. 2 11 12. This dealing is righteous in God being a punishment for sinne howsoeuer it be wicked in the committers Secondly the first Table containeth the great and chiefe Commandements and the second is like vnto it Math. 22 38. So then all prophanenes is as a bitter and poysoned root infecting farre and neere and as a Tree that ouershadoweth all good hearbs that they cannot grow vp or prosper Our Sauior Christ making the summe of the first Table to consist in louing God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our minde calleth this the first and the great Commandement as the fountaine and foundation of the other So the Apostle Iohn making the loue to God and to men necessarily to concurre and accompany one another saith If any man say I loue God and yet hate his brother he is a liar for how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene loue God whom he hath not seene 1 Iohn chapter 4 verse 20. And hence it commeth to passe that where men haue not the feare of God and the knowledge of his Name they become abhominable in all their doings Thirdly the diuell ruleth worketh in such as make no care to know God but walke according to the course of this world in superstition in idolatry The Apostle sheweth this to be the cause why they had their conuersation in times past in the lusts of the flesh in the fulfilling of the will of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the Children of wrath as well as others Because they were ruled by the Prince that ruleth in the aire the spirit that worketh in all the children of disobedience Ephes 2 2 3. Let vs now proceed to the Vses First we Vse 1 learne from hence that wee may iustly feare all iniurious vniust and vncleane dealing and looke for fraud and oppression where there is no true Religion established and professed When Abraham went down into Egypt with his wife and afterward soiourned in the land of Gerar among the Philistims where was no true knowledge of the true God hee thought thus with himselfe Surely the feare of God is not in this place they will slay me for my wiues sake and thereby was moued to deny the protection of his wife and to say shee was his Sister Gen. 12 12. 20 11. This is to be expected looked for from all such places and persons that haue in them no religion of Christ no godlines of life no feare of God we must prepare our selues to endure all hard wrongfull dealing at their hands Wee see this in the example of the Sodomites toward Lot Gen. 19 9. in the inhabitants of Gibeah toward the Leuite and his wife Iudg. 1◠22. For where the feare of God ruleth not there is no vertue no truth no mercy no honesty no sobriety no conscience They refraine not violence
There is no way to turne away his wrath from them and their kingdomes but by turning vnto God and by entreating him to spare them As their places are great so their sinnes are great and many times draw many to follow after them If they would blot out their offences against GOD and call in his iudgments gone out against them they must shew their subiection to him and giue him the reuerence that is due to his holy Name Lastly our trust must not bee in man our Vse 3 confidence must not be in Princes who cannot deliuer their owne soules from the sentence of death nor discharge themselues of the punishment which they haue deserued much lesse can they giue safety and assurance vnto others This is that duty which the Prophet Esay concludeth in the second and third chapters of his Prophecy where threatning that God will take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah the stâ—y and the strength the strong man and the man of warre the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged the captaine of fifty and the honourable and the counseller and the eloquent man hee sayth Cease from the man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be esteemed Esay 2.21 3 1 2 3. Whereby we see that we must not put our trust in weake man nor ralye vppon him to be our defence but put our whole trust in God alone Hee that putteth confidence in him shall be blessed and bee like the tree planted by the riuers side Ier. 17 7 whatsoeuer changes and alterations others do find in the world hee shall continue in a fruitfull and flourishing condition The staying of our selues on mans power ariseth from the forgetfulnesse of our duty toward GOD who hath commanded vs to trust in him with all our heart Prou. 3 5 and hath promised that If we stay vpon him he will giue vs our hearts desire Psal 37 4. This trust we shall attayne vnto if we vse these means the meditation of mans weakenesse that cannot helpe vs the consideration of Gods power that is able to strengthen vs and the experience of his mercy that hath deliuered other of his children from great afflictions If these things as helpes to our faith bee laide vp in our hearts wee shall bee assured to build vpon a good and certaine foundation that shal neuer be remoued Verse 5 Then Moses saide to the Iudges of Israel Euery one slay his men that were ioyned vnto Baal-peor The wrath of God was so fierce against â—hose that sinned that he commanded them to be destroyed To this end wee see Moses as the chiefe Magistrate taketh order that the guilty should not be suffered to Lue but suffer punishment according to their offences From hence ariseth this doctrine Doctrine Magistrates must punish Maiefactors that Magistrats are appointed of God to gouerne mankind in the ciuill affaires of this life to be the hand of GOD for punishing and cutting off the wicked and for the supporting and maintayning of the godly It is the duty of Magistrates to doe Iustice vpon euill doers and to giue comfort and countenance to the faithfull This is it which Dauid promised vnto God when hee should bring him vnto the kingdome and set him vpon the throne I will sing mercy and iudgment vnto thee O Lord will I sing Psal 101 1. This is the charge that hee giueth to Salomon his sonne concerning diuers men as appeareth 1. Kings â— 6 for he telleth him hee should remember the bloud of battell that Ioab shed in peace and therefore not suffer his hoare head to goe downe to the grâ—ue in peace The like direction he giueth him to shew kindnesse vnto the sonnes of Barzillai the Gileadite and to let him be amongst them that eate at his table because they came vnto him when hee fled from Absolom This direction did Salomon precisely follow he slew Ioab Shemei and Adoniah and set vp godly men in the places of such as were remoued from their offices being more able then his father was All the precepts that are giuen vnto them to execute iustice tend directly to this point whosoeuer sheddeth mans blood must not be spared but haâ—e his blood shed by the Magistrate Gen. 9.6 If a man sayth Moses cause any blemish in his neighbour as he hath done so shall it bee done to him breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth such a blemish as he hath made in any such shall be repayed to him Leuit. 24 19. These examples and precepts serue to teach vs this truth that the end of Magistrates appointed of God ouer his people is not to rule as they list not to be idle and doe nothing not to tyrannize or to be highly accounted of not to lift vp their hearts or to please themselues in the titles of honour giuen vnto them but to doe good in helping the good and punishing the euill Reason 1 The reasons to enforce this doctrine are to be weighed considered First they haue to these ends and purposes the sword of Iustice committed vnto them not to let it rust in the scabberd but to remooue all such as the land for their outragiousnesse is not able to beare For when they grow obstinate in their sinnes enemies to God plagues to the godly burdens to the earth and an infection to all with whom they liue they must be cut off as rotten members swept away as filthy dung and purged as euill humours out of the body This is it which the Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Romanes There is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God he is the Minister of God for thy wealth beareth not the sword for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Rom. 13 4. So then they are Gods Lieutenants in his stead the iudgement is Gods and not mans For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of reward 2. Chro. 19 7. Deut. 1.16 17 so that it is required of them to heare the controuersies that come be-fore them indifferently to iudge righteously to heate the small as well as the great and not to stand in feare of the faces of men Reason 3 Secondly they are as bulwarks of brasse as wals of defence as maintayners of peace among men For albeit men be of one self same nature yet they cannot abide one another vnlesse they be held in as with a bit and bridle Wolues know one another in the woods the Lyons know one anothet in the forrests so doe other wild and sauage beasts in the fields but men haue such a corrupt and sauage nature that hardly they can loue another or suffer the company one of another vnlesse they had rulers Magistrates set ouer them This the Apostle teacheth He is the Minister of God for thy wealth Rom. 13 4. And the Apostle Peter Hee is sent for
vncleannesse and filthinesse and pursued them into their filthy stewes and brothel-houses where he thrust them both thorough reuenging the dishonour done to God the scandall laide vpon his people A worthy example for all Magistrates to follow to be sharpe seuere in punishing sinne and taking away euill out of the citty of God Thus the plague was stayed and the anger of God turned away after that iustice was executed and so many thousands at one time and for one sinne swept away But heere two questions arise which are to be discussed before we proceede any further the first touching the fact of Phinehas the second touching the number of the dead heere remembred Touching the fact of Phinehas Obiection it may be thus obiected How can it be lawfull in him being a priuate person to exceede rhe bounds and lists of his calling Hee was of the tribe of Leui and of the family of the Priests to whom it belonged not to draw the sword For as the other tribes were not appointed to the seruice of the Altar so the tribe of Leui was not called to the execution of iustice Besides there are generall rules directing all priuate men and generall Lawes restraining them from shedding of blood as he that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed hee that smiteth with the sword shal be smitten with the sword loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you The seruant of God must not striue but must be gentle toward all men suffering the euill and instructing them with meekenesse that be contrary minde 2. Tim. 2 25. How then can we iustify this act of Phinehas departing from these holy rules of Gods Religion I answere Answer there is a double kinde of calling an ordinary calling and an extraordiry calling the one necessarily distinguished from the other For God doth oftentimes giue vnto his seruants a new and special vocation and addeth it vnto their former function Hence it is also that some workes are ordinary and some are extraordinary Ordinary workes must be guided and directed by ordinary rules such as those are which wee haue set downe before Extraordinary workes proceede from a special motion of Gods Spirit warranting them and making them albeit going against the common rules lawful cōmendable and necessary Such was the fact of Moses smiting the Egyptian Exod. 2 12 the fact of Samuel hewing Agag in pieces 1. Sam. 15 35 the fact of Eliah slaying the Priests of Baal 1. King 18 4 the fact of the Israelites spoyling the Egyptians and such like Exod. 12 35 who had an inward motion like to the commandement giuen to Abraham to kill his sonne These actions albeit warranted to the doers Luth in Gen. cap. 29. are not to be drawne into example and imitation vnlesse we haue the inspiration of the same Spirit and therefore Christ our Sauiour answereth his Disciples that would haue called fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes Yee know not of what spirit ye are for the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues but to saue them Luk. 9 55. Now that this fact of Phinehas is of the same nature it appeareth both because the plague ceased by it and Gods wrath kindled against his people was appeased so that the action is both commended rewarded This the Spirit of God teacheth in the Psalme Phinehas stood vp and executed iudgement and the plague was staied and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse from generation to generation for euer Psalm 106 30 which is not so to be vnderstood as if he were iustified before God by this one acte because whosoeuer will bee iust by the Law is bound to keepe the whole law according to the tenour of the law Do this thou shalt liue Gal. 4 12 20. One good worke doth not serue or suffice to make a man perfectly iust and righteous in the sight of God seeing hee that continueth not in all things written in the booke of the law is accursed So then we must know that the Psalmist meaneth that this fact was lawfull and allowed For hauing set down the vengeance that Phinehas tooke vpon this adulterer and the adultresse hee preuenteth the Obiection which might be made Was not this horrible and damnable murther in him who being a priuate man had not the sword of iustice committed vnto him and being one of the Priests of the Lord was to meddle onely in matters belonging vnto God and not in ciuill things who was to draw out the censures of the church not a materiall sword to strike offenders No saith the Prophet it was not murther it was a righteous and commendable acte he beeing stirred vp by Gods Spirit inasmuch as it proceeded from faith and aymed at the glory of the great Name of God Wherefore this place is falsely alledged and peruersly wrested by the Church of Rome to ouerthrow iustification by faith alone and to establish iustification by good works For there is a double iustification one of the worke the other of the person The Prophet speaketh in that place of the iustification of the worke which albeit in the sight of men it might seeme sauage inhumane yet God did accept of it account it as a good and iust work which pleased him being done in faith which purifieth the heart Acts 15 9. He speaketh not of the iustification of his person which was by apprehending the mercy of God in Christ by beleeuing not by doing Thus the Apostle in the fourth chapter to the Romanes verses 4 5. maketh a double kinde of imputation saying To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauor but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse Thus much of the first question touching the acte of Phinehas whether it were lawfull or vnlawfull whether it were priuate reuenge or publike iustice The second Question is touching the number that dyed in this plague Obiect wherein appeareth some difference and disagreement in outward shew betweene the old Testament and the new For Moses in this place verse 9 sayeth There died foure and twenty thousand But the Apostle Paul alledging this iudgement of God mentioneth onely Three and twenty thousand 1 Cor. 10 8 subtracting one thousand from the former number which Moses added I answer some reconcile these places thus that the Scribes or Penmen fayled in copying out the books of Pauls Epistles which shold haue written foure twenty thousand where they wrote three twenty thousand But this is shifting rather then reconciling cutting the knot with a sword rather then loosing it asunder with the hand inasmuch as all the copies generally with full consent as it were with one voice agree in the former reading Others suppose and surmise that it might bee a slip of memory in the Apostle according to humane infirmity But this answer is worse then the former and these are
gift he hath receiued Rom. 12 3. Peter when he saw the high Priests seruants to lay hands on Christ drew the sword and cut off the eare of one of the messengers but he is reproued by his Master and commanded to put vp the sword againe into his place Because all being priuate persons without a calling that take the sword Math. 26 51 shall perish with the sword Whosoeuer hath receyued a speciall calling God giueth an assurance of it to his owne heart and leaueth no scruple or doubt in him of his calling so that to aske the question of others whether a man may haue such a calling or not is an euident argument that hee hath not receiued any such calling For albeit we cannot iudge of the callings of others yet may we of our owne know that which no man knoweth beside our selues The Disciples thought amisse of Peter the Apostle for going to Cornelius For when he was come vp to Ierusalem they of the circumcision contended against him because he went in to men vncircumcised and had eaten with them Acts 11 2. vntill they had heard him giue a reason of his doing make an apology for himselfe then they held theyr peace and glorified God And so is it with those that sit in iudgement of other mens callings condemne those things whereof they are ignorant Verse 8. He thrust them both through then the plague ceased frō the children of Israel The sins of this people into which they fell were very greeuous and the iudgements of God that fell vpon them were heauy and answerable to their sinnes Some of them to fill vp the measure of their iniquities to the ful brought their harlots into the host of GOD euen among them that the Lord theyr GOD had chosen to be an holy Nation Deut. 14 2 and a precious people vnto himselfe aboue all the people that are vpon the earth When these were punished and the publike scandal taken away God is pacified the plague is remoued the people are deliuered Doctrine When once sinne is punished God is appeased From hence this Doctrine is offred to our considerations that when sinne is punished God is appeased So soone as euill is taken away the iudgements of GOD are called in VVhen the old world was destroyed by the flood of waters which God sent vpon the earth and all flesh perished in whose nostrils the spirit of life did breathe then GOD entred into a new couenant with the remnant that was left and Noah offering a sacrifice the Lord smelled a sauour of rest and said in his heart I will henceforth curse the ground no more for mans cause neither will I smite any more all things liuing as I haue done Gen. 8 21 22. So long as Achan was vnpunished the hoste of Israel could not prosper but turned their backes before their enemies but when he was found out and stoned to death with stones and burned with fire the Lord turned from his fierce wrath gaue vnto his people the victory Iosh 7 26. When he had plagued the people that caused Aaron to make the calfe that he made whereby they committed foule and grosse idolatry and turned God into the similitude of a bullocke that eateth grasse he was reconciled vn them and well pleased with them Psal 106 19 20. So when Corah Dathan and Abiram were destroyed and God visited their rebellion with a strange visitation his anger continued no longer against them When Miriam had bin shut out of the host 7. daies punished with leprosy the wrath of God was appeased she restored to the hoste againe Nu. 12 15. VVe know how the wrath of God was kindled against Israel against Dauid for numbering the people so that he sent a pestilence among them from the morning euen to the time appointed whereof there died 70000. men then the Lord repented of the euill and said to the Angel that destroyed the people It is sufficient hold now thine hand 2 Sam. 24 16. All these places of Scripture are euident proofes of this Doctrine that so soone as execution is done vpon malefactors the sword of Gods iustice is put vp and his wrath ceaseth Reason 1 And the Reasons heereof are plaine For first what is it that separateth betweene God and his people and causeth a diuorce and diuision betweene him them Is it any thing else then sinne When sinne therefore or the sinner are taken away he hath no more controuersie against them This is it which the Prophet Esay testifieth cha 59 2. Your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare for your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity And in the fourth chapter of the Prophet Hosea ver 1 2 conuincing them of swearing and lying of killing and stealing and whoring he declareth That the Lord had a controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land and would cut off euery one that dwelleth therein If then it be sin that causeth iudgement and sharpeneth the point of the Lords sword against the world against a kingdome against a citty against a family against euery particular person when the cause is remoued the effect shall be restrained and whē the sinner is reformed the wrath of God will be appeased for so soone as we turne vnto him his indignation shall be turned away from vs. Secondly when sinne is punished it bringeth Reason 2 downe a blessing with it For so long as vngodly men lye in their sinnes without punishment and runne on in theyr wickednes to the dishonour of God to the reproach of his Name to the offence and infection of others and to the confusion of theyr owne faces so long the wrath of God is kindled his hand is stretched out still But when they are eyther plagued of God or punished of men he blesseth the places which before hee scourged rewardeth the persons by whom iustice hath beene administred We haue a notable example heereof in the punishing of the Idolatry of the Israelites for worshipping the molten Calfe he willed the Leuites to consecrate theyr hands that day Exod. 32 29 euen euery man vpon his sonne and vpon his brother that there might bee giuen them a blessing The Lord had laide this as a punishment vpon Leui and his posterity To diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel Gen. 49 7 but he turned this curse into a blessing when the Priesthood was translated to this Tribe to teach Iacob his iudgements and Israel his law that no corner of the Land should be without instruction So in this place when Phinehas rose vp executed iudgement vpon the adulterer and the adulteresse the Priesthood was confirmed vnto him and his posterity verse 12 13. If then the execution of iustice bring a blessing from God who is so delighted with it that he will neuer leaue it vnrewarded it must needs testifie
diuels Fish in the sea that is all soules in Purgatory Moreouer as this course of interpretation turneth the Scripture into Allegories so it ouerturneth the rules of Interpretation Saint Augustine in his famous bookes of Christian Doctrine handleth at large the manner how to expound the Scripture and what wayes are to be taken to find out the true meaning therof De doct chri lib. 1. 2 3 Hieron in Esai cap. 19 Where he teacheth that seeing the loue of God and of our neighbour is the end of the whole Scripture that must be a false interpretation which doth not build vp in this loue that we must expound the darke places by the plaine the fewer by the greater number that the study of artes knowledge of the toongs is necessary that we must expound Scripture by Scripture that wee must distinguish betweene precepts precepts betweene those that are giuen to all and those that were particularly directed to certaine persons that we must diligently marke all circumstances what goeth before and what followeth after that we must pray vnto him that is the Author of the Scriptures who onely is able to reueale the meaning of his owne word These rules are diligently to be considered of al those that come to expound the Scriptures As for hidden and secret sences we know them not we acknowledge them not we beleeue them not but leaue them to those that seeke an hidden diuinity and a secret religion deuised in their owne braines which will not abide the tryall of the light And thus much touching the true vnderstanding of this diuision and of ouerthrowing the false interpretation thereof now let vs come to the Doctrines that arise out of the same Verse 16. Againe the Lord spake vnto Moses saying c. We heard before the heauy wrath of God that fell vpon the Israelites the heads of thē were hanged the rest of the people were plagued with a sore plague there died in one day foure and twenty thousand But did the Midianites escape the hand of God that were the enticers of them who offered theyr daughters that they should commit fornication with them No they did not escape God giueth Moses charge to draw the sword against them and to destroy them Heere then we are to obserue the order which God obserueth in punishing The Midianites sinned first but the Israelites are first punished The Israelites sinned after the Midianites but the Midianites are punished after them From this course of Gods iudgements Doctrine God doth first chasten his owne people wee learne this Doctrine that God first chasteneth his owne people Howsoeuer he will not suffer the vngodly to escape nor to goe away without punishment but executeth his iust iudgments against them yet he will begin with his owne Church lay the rod vpon them in the first place He could if it had pleased him haue punished these Midianites first as the principal authors of all this mischiefe but he beginneth in iustice with his Church which were drawne to idolatry and adultery by them Thus the Lord dealt with Moses and Aaron when the people murmured through want of water repented of their going out of Egypt and rebelling against God assembling themselues in tumultuous manner against the seruants of GOD that had led them in the wildernesse and carried them in safety as vpon Eagles wings These were the first and chiefe in the offence yet because Moses and Aaron beleeued not the Lord to sanctifie him in the presence of the children of Israel they were first punished and not suffered to bring the congregation into the land which hee had giuen them Num. 20 12. This wee see further confirmed vnto vs in the latter end of the booke of Iob he had indeed offended God and spoken vnaduisedly with his lippes but his three friends had offended much more grossely then he for the wrath of God was kindled against them because they had not spoken of him the thing that is right like his seruant Iob Iob 42 7. Neuerthelesse Iob is rebuked first albeit he were the party that had lesse offended First God findeth fault with Iob and secondly hee findeth fault with his companions The holy history teacheth vs that Iehoshaphat ioyned in affinity with Ahab and went into the battell with him True it is he sinned grieuously in helping the wicked and louing them that hated the Lord for the which he is reproued of the Prophet yet many good things were found in him and he was righteous in respect of Ahab 2. Chron. 19 1 notwithstanding the wrath of the Lord began first to fal vpon him and he had perished in the fight being compassed by his enemies vnlesse hee had cryed vnto the Lord to helpe him who moued them to depart from him 2 Chron. 18.31 This is it which the Prophet Ieremy declareth at large shewing the order of the Lords proceeding in punishing such as sinne against him first he will rayse vp the Caldeans to chastice his Church and then the Caldeans themselues shall not escape I will send and take to me all the families of the North and I will bring them against this Land against the inhabitants therof and this whole land shall bee desolate and an astonishment and these nations shall serue the King of Babel seuenty yeeres when the seuenty yeares are accomplished c. Ier. 25 9 11 12. This is it which the Prophet complaineth of in the Psalme These are the wicked yet prosper they alwayes and encrease in riches Certainely I haue cleansed my heart in vaine washed mine hands in innocency c. Psal 73 12 13. And if we consider eyther the state of the Church generally or the condition of the members of the Church particularly we may in all times and ages see the truth of this doctrine and conclude with the Apostle Peter The time is come that iudgment must begin with the house of God 1. Pet. 4 17. Reason 1 The reasons will further open vnto vs the certainty of this truth and serue to cleare the iustice of God in obseruing this order For first as hee that honoureth the Lord shall bee honoured so they that despise the Lord shall be despised 2. Sam. 2 30. But none more dishonour GOD then his seruants offending against him whose sinnes presse him downe as the sheaues do a cart They open the mouthes of the vngodly to speake euil of God and his trueth If then Gods owne people the lot of his inheritance doe despise him and cause his Name to be blasphemed if they neglect his honour and turne his mercies vnto security and his grace into wantonnesse and so with a proud heart and an high hand set themselues against it can he beare it and wil hee not be reuenged on such a nation as this 1. Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2 24. There can be no greater despite done vnto a man then when his owne children rise against him and offer all villany vnto him So
practised by Iosiah 2 Chron. 34 16. If they cleaue to this rule they must continue if they haue declined they must returne cause others to returne and reforme what hath bin amisse This the Pharisies acknowledged when they said to Christ By what authority dost thou these things c. Mar. 11 28 and Ioh. 1 19 they said to him Who art thou what sayst thou for thy selfe If it bee in the Gospel of Christ or in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles we must willingly receiue it and be guided by it if not we must refuse it otherwise wee bring vpon our selues manifest destruction Vse 3 Lastly it behoueth all priuate persons that liue in a Church wherein true Religion and the pure worship of GOD is established to submit themselues to those things that are agreeable to the word howsoeuer they bee not agreable to their affections For as wee must giue obedience to the Scriptures Bernard whether they speake as we would haue them or whether they speake not as wee would haue them so in a reformed Church where a priuat man doth dwell if any thing be commanded by authority either agreeing or not agreeing to our affections yet if the same bee agreeable to the Word of God we must yeeld obedience vnto it If the Church command any thing declining from the Law of God hee must be peaceable in refusing and patient in suffering The weapons of a Christian remembring that the onely weapons of a Christian are supplication to God and to man Besides we must know thus much that whosoeuer refuseth to obey that which hath beene vniformely established and aduisedly and moderatly concluded by the whole what priuat persons soeuer refuse to obey had need to do it vpon a sure ground that the same which they refuse is against the Law of God lest it fall out with them as with those that Austine speaketh off who gloried that they suffered persecution but it was for their faults not for their vertues so they that withdraw obedience ought to do it with a good conscience and vpon a sure ground otherwise they can haue no comfort in suffering nor looke for reward after suffering There haue alwayes bin some things amisse in the Church and no Church is or euer was so perfect but somewhat may be found in it worthy reformation so that Christ may say to it as he did to the Churches of Asia Habeo aduersus te pauca I haue somewhat against thee The best Churches wil quickly decline as wee see it fell out to those which were founded by the happy hands of the Apostles themselues that were the chiefe workmen master-builders 63 These are they that were numbred by Moses and Eleazar the Priest c. 64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the Priest first numbred c. 65 For the Lord had said of them c. The conclusion of the whole chap. followeth in these words wherein the former numbring is illustrated by place where it was by the persons that did number were numbred al amplified by the contrary that among al these there was not so much as any one man left aliue that came in the former account but they were all of them dead perished in the wildernes except Caleb Ioshua Heere is a great blessing set down likewise a great iudgmeÌ„t a blessing in multiplying of them a iudgment in chastifing of them thereby to teach vs that God is faithfull and true both in his promises and also in his threatnings Gen. 15 5. For hee had promised to Abraham that he would multiply his seed exceedingly as the starres of heauen he made this hauock of them Numb 14 35. 1 Cor. 10 5 6. brought this desolation vpon them for their often murmurings mutinies wherefore by his promises let vs be stirred vp to faith obedience by his threatnings be feared terrified from sin Moreouer marke from this fearful example of a generall disobedience or rather conspiracy against God Doctrine A whole mâ—â—titude cannoâ— cleare themselues from iudgment that it is not a whole multitude that can shelter themselues from Gods iudgments when they come vpon them though they bee neuer so many or mighty Though thousands thousand thousands muster together ioyne hand in hand yet they are not able to deliuer theÌ„selues The reasons follow The Lord is iust in all his wayes euen in the works of his iudgments Now iustice giueth Reason 1 equal to them that are equal If then all haue sinned as he is iust in punishing one so he will be iust in punishing all This we see in his casting down all the angels from the heauens that sinned 2 Pet. 2.4 Iude 6. in drowning the whole world in destroying Sodome Gomorrha infinite such like examples Secondly as he is iust righteous so he is strong powerful Many men do well deserue to be called iust yet oftentimes they want power as we see in Daniel toward Ioab when he committed murther complayning of himselfe that he was weake 1 Sam. 3 39. the sons of Zeruiah being martial men were too hard for him It is not so with God he is as powerfull as he is iust therefore he will certainly proceed against whole multitudes be they neuer so many or powerful so that none shal be able to escape vnpunished Thirdly the moe they are that offend the greater is the offence and the greater the dishonor done to God no maruail therefore if hee spare not to ouerthrow great companies in his wrath and sore displeasure For as in a ciuil state the greater the number of rebels is the greater is the offence against the Prince so it is in this case the greater multitude of offenders the greater the oence against Gods and consequently the greater iudgment will fall vpon them Vse 1 This serueth to reproue those that walk on boldly in their sins lift vp their heads without feare because they are many in number great in power thereupon thinke they shall be excused because they are not singular sin not alone Alas this will proue a slender comfort when God shal come to take an account of vs certainly no more then this that as wee sinned not alone so wee shall not be punished alone What benefit hath the theefe that is going to the place of execution to see a traine of many others beare him company Is his iudgment any whit the lesse or is his comfort any whit the more So when the Lord shall come against those that haue broken the couenant with him made a league with hel death what shall it help them or ease them to go to hell with company whereas the yelling and crying of one shal rather adde to the torment misery of another If you thinke God will the sooner respect vs because we are many we deny his iustice and deceiue
earnest suite that they might bee heires also of that land by right of succession in which as yet they had not the bredth of a foot and therefore the Apostle teacheth that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11.1 Thirdly Doctrine We may make our selues guilty of other mens sinnes we see that we may be made partakers of other mens sinnes and therefore we heard before that the people were commanded to depart from the tents of Korah and his partisans lest they should bee defiled by the euils of those euill men Tit. 3 10 11 2 Cor. 6 7. 1 Tim. 5.22 This may bee done many wayes somtimes by counsel and perswasion and thus was Achitophel guilty of the rebellion of Absolon against his father 2. Sam. 16 and Balaam of the whoredome of the Israelites because they committed fornication with the daughters of Moab by his counsel Numb 31 sometimes by commandement as Herod the great sent forth and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem Math. 2 16 and so did Herod Antipas behead Iohn Baptist in prison Math. 14 22 thus was Dauid guilty of the death of Vriah his faithfull seruant and is therfore himselfe charged to haue killed him with the sword of the Ammonites 2. Sam. 12 sometimes by consent and so was Saul guilty of the martyr Stephens death because he consented to his death Act. 9 1 and they that sate in iudgment to condemne Christ to whō Ioseph of Arimathea would not consent and therfore cleared himselfe from his blood which otherwise he could not haue done Luke 23.51 sometimes by flattery as those that call euill good and good euill Esay 5 such are the ministers that sow soft cushens vnder euery elbow Ezek. 13 and such people as would haue the Prophets to prophesie flattering words vnto them Esay 30 sometimes by receiuing as they that take and lay vp stollen goods or buy them of those that haue stolen them these are as bad if not worse then the theeues themselues and to be punished as they are likewise they that receiue false tales to the hurt of their brethren though they doe not first deuise them Leuit. 19 16 sometimes by partaking with theeues and sharing with them as Prou. 1 they tooke part of that which was stollen sometimes by defending those that haue done euill and iustifying them in their vngodlinesse Rom. 1 sometimes it may bee done by holding our peace and saying nothing at all when we may speake and cleare a matter so is hee a false witnes that will not speake in the cause of the dumbe as well as he that vttereth an vntruth thus also is the watchman guilty that should giue warning and blow the trumpet but becommeth as the dumbe dogge that cannot barke Esay 56 10. Lastly by not resisting or withstanding when we are able Psal 82 4. If God giue vs power we make our selues weake the euill that we suffer shall be required of vs. Likewise in the example of Moses we learne to haue recourse to GOD in all matters of doubt we must not runne on vpon an head but go into the Sanctuary and aske counsell of the Lord. Doctrine Sinne is the cause of death and al misery Lastly obserue that sinne is the true cause of death mortality corruption and all the misery that hath taken hold of all mankinde when sinne entred then entred all plagues and iudgements in this life and after this life Gen. 2 17 3.19 1. Cor. 15 21 11 30 Rom. 5 12 21. Iames 1 16. Hebrewes 9 27 28. Reason 1 For sin is the sting of death that is the power and strength and the very armour of death it is as a sword which hee holdeth in his hand to wound vs withall It is as a stinging serpent 1. Cor. 15 and if remedy be not sought against the biting of it it woundeth soule and body to death Secondly it standeth with the iustice and righteousnes of God which will not otherwise be satisfied Wee see how Magistrates whose breath is in their nostrils do punish malefactors and offenders with bodily death their eye doth not spare them no marueile then if the Lord who is a consuming fire Heb. 12. whose person is of infinite Maiesty take hold of soule and body and punish them both spiritually and eternally and therefore the Apostle iustly calleth death the wages of sinne Rom. 6.23 Thirdly sin hath pestered and poysoned our nature corrupting all the powers and parts in vs our mind our will our memory our affections our conscience Eph. 4 17 18.19 Rom. 6 12 13. It is as a worme that is alwayes gnawing at the root of life vntill tree and all fall downe Lastly sin giueth strength to Satan the prince of darknes without which he could not hurt vs it is hee that hath power ouer death Heb. 2 14. 1. Cor. 15 56 and therefore was the Son of man manifested that he might destroy the works of the diuel 1. Ioh. 3 8. But it may be obiected if sin be the cause of death Obiection how commeth it to passe that Christ dyed who knew no sin in whose mouth was no guile found Answ 2 Cor. 5 21. Answ Though Christ were without sin in himselfe yet he that knew no sin was made sin for vs c. he tooke vpon him the sins of all the faithful as a surety taketh vpon him the debt of another And albeit he were not a sinner by transgression yet he may be said to be a sinner by imputation and therefore he must dye yet so that dying hauing no cause of death in himselfe he might destroy death and him that had the power of death that is the diuel Heb. 2 14 Hos 13 14. Againe Obiect if death be a fruit effect of sin how commeth it to passe that the faithfull which haue in Christ remission of sinnes do notwithstanding dy Answ Answ Albeit they haue forgiuenesse of sinnes yet they haue in them alwayes the reliques of sinne through the corruption of nature though it be not imputed vnto them through the mercy of God The guilt of Adams sin followeth vs as the shadow doth the body it cannot in this life be wholly purged it shall bee at the last cleane put off by death It is necessary therefore that we should dye or be changed at the last day that sin may be vtterly extinguished that we may by death as by a dore enter into euerlasting glory Sin is euery day lessened and consumed in the faithfull howbeit still we beare about vs the body of death Psal 51 5 2 Cor. 12 7 Eph. 2 3. We learne from hence what a horrible and hideous thing sin is that bringeth with it such bitter fruit for sin death are coupled together Rom. 8 2. Sin came not in by creation Eccl. 7 31 but by transgression for from the beginning it was not so Sin hath wroght this confusion euen the first sinne of
infirmity Psal 77 10. For when they are themselues in trouble and theyr soule refuseth to be comforted they begin to reason and dispute with themselues and say Will the Lord cast off for euer Will hee be fauourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for euer and doth his promise faile for euermore Psalm 77 7 8 9. On the other side when they see the vngodly prosper that they are not in trouble as other men neyther plagued like other men they are ready to thinke of themselues that they haue cleansed their hearts in vaine and washed their hands in innocency Psal 73 verses 3 5 13. Neuerthelesse whatsoeuer we are sometimes ready to iudge in the time of trouble tentation wee must vpon better aduice say with the Apostle Let God be true and euery man a lyar as it is written That thou mightest be iustified in thy sayings and mightest ouercome when thou art iudged Rom. 3 verse 4. Albeit therefore GOD do not by and by strike with his hand and draw his sword yet he is not vniust neyther is he slacke concerning his promise but he is long-suffering to vs-ward not willing that any should perish but that all shold come to repentance 2 Pet. 3 9. Secondly this serueth to teach vs that we Vse 2 should not enuy at the wickednesse of men albeit for a season they prosper in theyr sins the measure is not yet heaped vp but when once they are growne to the height the iudgments of God will ouertake them and they shall passe away as the grasse of the field A good man will neuer enuy at their euill Psal 37 1 2 because he knoweth well that they stand in a slippery place and what is reserued for them if they go on in theyr sinnes Thirdly this serueth to instruct informe Vse 3 euery man that he should not grow obstinate and obdurate in his sinnes because of Gods patience and long-suffering toward him because as he hath his time so also God hath his If we fill vppe the measure to the full of our transgression hee will also poure downe the vialle of his indignation Such as runne on in sinne grow thereby starke blinde that they cannot see and starke deafe that they cannot heare vntill theyr eyes and eares bee opened by affliction and his iudgements take holde vpon them Let vs lay before vs the examples of others and consider how it hath gone with them that wee may learne wisedome by theyr folly and take warning by theyr misery Wee know how it went with the old world after the dayes of Gods patience were expired only eight soules were saued all the rest were destroyed Gen. 7. 1 Pet. 3 verse 20. It is better for vs to be admonished by the fall and ruine of others and to take heed of abusing the patience of God then that we should bee taken in our sinnes and bee made examples vnto others to our vtter confusion and destruction for euer And they slew the Kings of Midian besides the rest of them that were slaine namely Eui c. fiue Kings of Midian c. Moses doth not content himselfe to tell the Church of God in generall that the multitude of the people of Midian were destroyed but singleth out the number and the names of theyr Kings that were slayne Whereby wee may gather that high and low Doctrine Princes and Potentates are punished for sin as well as others Prince and people lye open to iudgement God spareth none but striketh punisheth all that sinne against him We see this in those Kings that took away Abrahams wife the Lord plagued them and theyr houses with great plagues Gen. 12 17 and 20 3 17 to verifie that which the Prophet saith He suffered no man to do them wrong but reprooued Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme Psal 105 14 15. We saw this in the sixteenth chapter of this Booke concerning Korah and his complotters they were famous and great men in the Congregation yet the earth was not able to beare them his iudgements were so heauy vpon them This doth the Lord tell such as are mighty vpon earth that band themselues together and take counsell against the Lord and against his annointed He will breake them with a rodde of Iron and dash them in peeces like a Potters vessell Psal 2 2 9. And Psalm 82 6 7. I haue saide ye are Gods and all of you are children of the most High but yee shall idie like men and fall like one of the Princes The examples of this are infinite when God sent out Saul to take vengeance vpon the Amalekites the sword fell vpon Agag the King that sate vpon the Throne as well as the common sort that sate in the dust 1 Sam. 15. Herod the king although he were clad in royall apparell could not keepe his body from the wormes by the which he was eaten vp aliue Acts 12. And it must be thus Reason 1 For first the Heads and Captaines of the people haue oftentimes the cheefe hand in the trespasse and when open impieties are set afoote and practised they should not beare the sword in vaine If then they draw not out the sword of iustice but suffer it to rust in the scabbard while iniquity walkes in the Land without controlment they make themselues guilty of those sins bring vpon themselues many iudgements As then it was saide to Eli who winked at the wickednesse of his sonnes I wil iudge his house for euer for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sonnes made themselues vile and he restrained them not 1 Sam. 3 13 so it may be said to Kings and Princes that God will also enter into iudgement with them if they restraine not theyr people from theyr euill Reason 2 Secondly with God is no respect of persons at all though they be supreme and souereigne though they be wealthy and honourable learned and mighty in the world yet they shall escape neuer a whit the more for these priuiledges as Iob 34 19 He accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poore they beeing all the worke of his hands This serueth iustly to reprooue those that Vse 1 make their places a priuiledge and as it were a Sanctuary to hold and harbour them from Gods iudgements These do much deceyue themselues to beare themselues so bold and to build vpon so weake a foundation It is as possible for a City to hold out against the enemy that hath no wall but of Reedes which are easily eyther pierced or fired as it is for a man to stand against gods iudgments by his noble birth or his high place or his great riches or his deepe learning or his golden crowne And yet wee see how common it is for such to exempt themselues from the common sort as if they â—ad more liberty to sinne then others Indeed heere is for a time some difference betweene them and
from dangers acknowledge that it is Gods preseruation and be thankfull for it This should put vs in minde of two things first that if wee happen to liue vnder such a iudgement we must stoope down our neckes vnder this yoake and humble our selues vnder the most mighty hand of God that hath brought so fearfull a iudgement vpon vs. For if we thinke it to be a iudgement when the earth bringeth not foorth her fruite vnto vs then much more may wee thinke it to bee a iudgement when the earth is not able to beare a man but casteth and vomiteth him out into captiuity as the stomack doth grosse and euill humors out of the bodie For this cause doeth the Lord charge the Israelites to keepe his statutes and his iudgements That the Land do not spew them out also when they defile it as it spewed out the Nations that were before them Leuit. chapter 18. verse 25 28. 20. verse 22. And afterward he sheweth that if they did not walke obediently before him the land whither hee bringeth them to dwell therein should spew them out as Reu. 3 16. Of all iudgements to bee carried into captiuity is one of the greatest The very mercies of the wicked are cruelty Dauid made choyse to be vnder the plague and pestilence rather then to flye before the enemy because hee is vnmercifull Wee sit vnder our owne Vines and Figge-trees wee haue seene no inuasion nor heard any complainings in our streetes wee know not what bondage meaneth or to bee carried captiues into a strange Land howbeit it is apparent that wee haue beene very neere vnto it as neere to the pit as could bee and yet not fallen into the same For if the Gunne-powder Treason had taken place which was verie neere vnto the time appointed for the execution of it we had long ere this beene in slauery and bondage againe vnto the bloodie Papists who haue long lyen in waite for such a day and albeit that be defeated and all theyr imaginations bee scattered as chaffe before the winde yet who knoweth how neere we may bee to as great captiuity Wee are secure and put away the euill day farre from vs but the greater our security is the neerer our captiuity may bee We haue close and secret enemies amongest vs neuer more lusty and neuer more couragious then they are at this day which are left to remaine amongst vs to be prickes in our eyes and Thornes in our sides and to vex vs in the Land wherein wee dwell verse 55. These neuer leaue plotting and conspiring our ouerthrow and destruction Wee heare of rumours of Warre abroad and spreadings of errours and heresies which threaten ruine both to Church and Common-wealth these are but the beginnings of sorrow Againe if we looke vnto our selues our sinnes are very great and call continually for vengeance vnto heauen at Gods hands and no doubt he is comming downe to see whether wee haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto him All these laide together and weighed as it were in a ballance what can wee in reason and iustice expect but that GOD deliuer vs into the enemies hands and suffer them to carry vs captiue and so make slaues and bondmen of vs Secondly if any desire to enioy the land wherein hee dwelleth in peace and safety let him labour not to pollute and defile it by his sinnes The Iewes had a promise of God to be his people yet because of their sinnes he suffered them to bee carried into captiuity where they remained long in a strange land Haue we any greater priuiledge then they or may we expect to escape No if wee follow them in contempt of the word and other open sinnes wee shall bee sure to follow them also in the punishment which will be answerable to our iniquities Lastly this assureth vs that as GOD deliuereth his people from temporall danger and bondage so hee will deliuer them much more from spirituall bondage For if he will deliuer our bodies hee will much more deliuer our soules that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1 74 75. Wherefore wee ought patiently to waite his leysure knowing that if hee haue such a speciall care of our bodies that must lye in the dust to set them free from temporall bondage hee will much rather deliuer our soules from spirituall bondage wherein Satan holdeth vs. When Christ our Sauiour would shew that hee came to redeeme the soules of men hee taught them by deliuering their bodies from diseases For when hee restored sight to the blinde by opening their eyes what did it signifie but that hee came to scatter the darknesse of the minde and to make them see that before saw not the light of the truth as Math. 4 16 The people that sate in darknesse saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp The Prophets in the time of the Law smote the people with blindnes that they knew not what they did neyther whither they went 2 Kings 6 18 as the Angels did the Sodomites so that they wearied themselues to finde the doore Gen. 19 11. But Christ to shew that hee came to seeke and to saue that which is lost restored sight to the blinde and opened the eyes of their vnderstandings when hee healed the bodies of such as were lame and halted what was it but a teaching of them that he came to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliuerance to the captiues and to set at liberty them that were bruised When hee raised some to life from the dead what did it teach and shew but that hee is able to raise out of the graue of sinne and to giue the life of the spirit When hee cleansed the lepers what was it but a making knowne to the world that hee will cleanse from the foule and filthy leprosie of sinne And when he did cast out diuels that possessed the bodies of men what was it but to shew that he casteth the diuels out of the hearts and consciences where they desire to dwell as in an house If then it be no small comfort vnto vs to know that the Lord will deliuer his people from an earthly bondage certainely it cannot but minister much more comfort vnto vs to consider that the Lord is more careful of our soules and if hee be mindfull of vs for things of this life hee cannot be forgetfull of vs for the life to come seeing hee hath sent his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all which beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 7 And they remoued from Etham and turned againe to Pihahiroth c. 8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea c. 9 And they remoued from Marah and came vnto Elim c. 9 And they remoued
but meeteth with them one way or other eyther he striketh them with his owne hand that did lift vp their hands to strike others or he deliuereth them ouer to the Magistrate Some times he maketh them to be witnesses against themselues sometimes to discouer themselues in their dreames sometimes to feele the torments of hell in their owne consciences and sometimes the birds of the ayre to reueale them We see this in Caine that slew his brother for God set a marke vpon him and branded him for his wretched parricide Genesis 4 verse 15. This the very heathen themselues knew by the light of nature that howsoeuer the murtherer may escape out of some danger yet vengeance will pursue and ouertake him Acts 28 4. This we see in Herod that killed Iames with the sword and put Peter in prison intending also the like against him hee escaped not the hand of God long but his deepe vengeance did so dog him at the heels that he was smitten shortly after by the greater stroake of an Angel from heauen and was eaten vp of worms Acts 12 2.23 Thus did Samuel speake to king Agag 1 Sam. 15 33. As thy sword hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother bee childlesse among women and he hewed him in peeces before the Lord. The like we see in Ioab who was smitten with the sword as hee had killed others 1 Kings 2 31 32. And it is to be obserued what Dauid saith of him concerning the blood of Abner that he had spilled 2 Sa. 3 29. Let it rest on the head of Ioab and on all his fathers house and let there not faile from the house of Ioab one that hath an yssue or that is a leper or that leaneth on a staffe or that falleth on the sword or that lacketh bread Thirdly God doth so detest murther that if a beast kill a man it must bee stoned to death and his flesh not eaten Exod. 21 28. What is God offended with the bruite beasts or do they sinne against him and breake his Commandement No but thereby GOD would shew how much hee abhorreth the shedding of mans blood and that man should lay it to his heart Fourthly it is an offence against a mans owne flesh Eph. 5 29 No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it now euery man is as our owne flesh Esay 58 7. We see Beares and Lions and Tigres and wilde beasts doe play together because they are of one kinde mankind is of one kind if we do not agree together but prey one vppon another we are more fierce then Beares more cruell then Lyons more mercilesse then Tygres and more sauage then wilde beasts Fiftly such as slew another violently were taken out of the Cities of refuge by violence God wold giue no protection to such beasts neither City nor Altar nor Tabernacle nor any thing could yeeld them any safegard Deu. 19 11 12 13. 1 Kings 2 31 32. Sixtly it is a crying sinne blood hath a very lowd voice and neuer ceaseth crying vntill iudgement fall vpon the head of the murtherer Gen. 4 10. Beholde the blood of thy brother cryeth from the earth Abel was now dead his mouth was stopped and he could not speak but his blood could speake the which called and cryed in the eares of the Lord GOD of hoastes from the earth for vengeance Hebre. 11 4. Seuenthly no pardon was to bee giuen to such as appeareth in this chapter and verse 32. Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of him that is a murtherer which is guilty of death but he shall surely be put to death Lastly the Land is defiled by it ver 33 34. Blood defileth the Land and the Land cannot bee clensed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it Defile not therefore the Land which ye shall inherite wherein I dwell for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel Now let vs come to the vses First we haue iust cause to feare the wrath of God and if he come to make inquisition of blood he shall finde much blood spilt vpon the earth like water that cannot be gathered vp again throughout the whole Land What abundance of iniustice and cruelty is there to be found in euery place and thought to be iust and vpright dealing How many are there to bee found that hauing once conceyued anger and malice in their hearts will remaine whole dayes and moneths and yeares before they will bee reconciled nay speake one to another thereby depriuing themselues of the mutuall comfort they might reape and receyue and by suffering the Sunne to goe downe vpon their wrath doe giue place to Satan to enter into them to possesse them Eph. 4 26 27. And what colour soeuer men set vpon their cruelty it is but a false painting of a foule face as Adams fig-leaues that couered his shame but could not hide his sinne If it be done vnder pretence of law it is a most fearefull sinne the pretence it selfe maketh it more fearefull because fained iustice is a double iniustice When the Law is so wrested that it is made the occasion of murther it must needs be offensiue displeasing vnto God And albeit this sinne be committed by the Magistrate in letting malefactors go vnpunished yet it must needs bee offensiue vnto GOD because it is that which bringeth the guilt of blood vpon the Land nothing can clense the Land from blood but the blood of him that shed blood This made the Prophet say to Ahab Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed vnto destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people 1 Kings 20 42. Whē there was a famine in the Land in the dayes of Dauid three yeares yeare after yeare and hee enquired of the Lord the cause of that sore iudgement the Lord answered It is for Saul and for his bloody house because hee slew the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21 1 and the attonement could not be made vntil seuen men of his sons were deliuered into their hands and they were hanged vp vnto the Lord that his inheritance might be blessed The sinnes of the sonnes of Eli became to be the sins of their father not because he was their father neyther yet because he was the committer of them but because he being a Magistrate did not punish correct them so likewise when iudgement is not executed vpon men for their sinnes the blood of those which are slaine must needs remaine in the Land If this be committed by way of reuenge it is also an heynous sinne against almighty God because he that doth it preuenteth Gods worke and so prouoketh Gods wrath for he taketh Gods office out of his hand and taketh vp his place who hath saide Vengeance is mine Rom. 12. And if we ascend to the higher degree of men shall wee not finde among them little conscience made of shedding
many of the cheefest among the Iewes withheld the tithes and offerings from them to whom they were due by the expresse gift of God Verse 11. so that the house of God was forsaken he was mercifull vnto him againe and spared him and made him to bee magnified of all the people according to the saying of the Lord 1 Sam. 2 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise mee shall be lightly esteemed Consider with me farther another example to wit touching Ebed-melech The fourth example when as the Prophet Ieremy by false suggestions and accusations was thrust into the dungeon where was no water but mire so that he sunke down and stucke fast in it and must of necessity perish in short time if he were not speedily deliuered this stranger spake to the King for him and was content to take vpon him the enuy of many that he might expose himselfe vnto My Lord the King these men haue done euill in all that they haue done to Ieremiah the Prophet whom they haue cast into the dungeon and hee is like to dye for hunger in the place where he is for there is no more bread in the City Ier. 38 9. So he drew him vp with cords and tooke him vp out of the dungeon What then He that remembred Ieremy in prison hath his owne life giuen him for a prey and he that lifted vp the Prophet out of the dungeon is assured also of his owne deliuerance God doth greatly accept of the compassion he shewed and rewarded it to the full so that Ieremy is sent vnto him with this ioyfull message in those miserable daies when Ierusalem was taken by the enemies the Princes were slaine with the sword Zedekiah the King had his eyes put out his sonnes were slaine before his face the Kings house was burned with fire the walles of the City were broken downe and the remnant of the people were carried away into captiuity in the middest of all these tumults publike calamities I say rhe Prophet receiueth a commandement from God to goe vnto this godly Ethiopian being one of the Eunuches that was in the Kings house and to say vnto him Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Behold I will bring my words vpon this Citty for euill and not for good and they shall bee accomplished in that day before thee but I will deliuer thee in that day saith the LORD and thou shalt not be giuen into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid for I will surely deliuer thee and thou shalt not fall by the sword but thy life shall be for a prey vnto thee because thou hast put thy trust in mee saith the Lord Ier. 39 16 17 18. He had done good to Ieremy God doth good vnto him and accounteth it as done vnto himselfe â—ift exâ—e The last example shall be out of the New Testament mentioned by the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 1 16 17 18. The Lord giue mercy vnto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when hee was at Rome he sought mee out very diligently found me the Lord grant vnto him that hee may finde mercy of the Lord in that day Where hee prayeth that he might reape as he had sowed and gather as he had scattered and receiue as he had bestowed to wit mercy for mercy goodnesse for goodnesse and kindnesse for kindnesse and no doubt God heard his praier according to his promise and recompenced him that had refreshed the Apostle This is that which the Lord promiseth in the Prophet Malachi chap. 3 10. If they would robbe him and spoile him no more but bring all his tithes into his house he passeth his word toward theÌ„ that they should see plenty vpon their labors and a remouing of those meanes that caused famine and misery to fall vpon them and to come among them as before he threatned denounced that as they spoiled God so God spoiled them and as they caused famine to be in his house by keeping backe his portion so he caused scarsenesse of bread and cleannesse of teeth in their houses causing extreme want to bee in the middest of them in withholding and keeping backe his blessings and in sending vpon them his greeuous plagues Now hee telleth them that if they murmure not at the maintenance of his Ministers but pay them truely and sustaine them conscionably hee will satisfie them with good things and remoue from them euill things He would open the windowes of heauen vnto them and poure out a blessing without measure And thus we see how we may finde comfort vnto our selues and strengthen our faith by such examples as the Scripture affoordeth vnto vs. Beside the Ramme of attonement whereby an attonement shall bee made for him In these words we are to consider the last but yet the chiefe and principall meanes of sanctification which also is a satisfaction to God and a putting and purging away of the sinne of defrauding our neighbour And heerein indeed standeth the onely way of expiation blotting out iniquity howbeit set downe in the ceremony For neither can confession of our sinnes to God nor making restitution of our euill gotten goods to man put away our sin we may confesse all the day long we may bestow all our goods to feede the poore and giue our bodies to bee burned and yet our sinnes shall lye heauy vpon vs and presse vs downe to the gates of hell it is onely the blood of Christ as a Lambe vnspotted and vndefiled that can do it Neither is it enough for vs to say Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes he hath paid a sufficient price for them and therefore it skilleth not whether they bee acknowledged to God or recompenced to men For we haue seene that GOD requireth besides the Ramme of attonement that such as haue wronged their brethren must both confesse and restore or else they can haue no benefit of reconciliatioÌ„ to God by the death of Christ We are therefore in this place to marke how our sinnes are purged which is expressed vnder a type figure True it is the blood of Buls and other beasts is not able to take away sinne Heb. 9 12 and 10 4. neither is it possible that the offering vp of guifts and sacrifices could make holy concerning the conscience him that did the seruice Verse 9. and sanctifie the commers thereunto Hebrewes 10 verse 1. For sinne is an offence done to God a breach of the Law and a wounding of the conscience But what is the blood of Bullocks able to do touching the curing of these mischiefes and maladies Will I eate saith the Lord the flesh of Buls or drinke the blood of Goats Psal 50 13. Doubtlesse such things of small account and reckning haue no force or efficacy to appease the wrath of God which is infinite Besides the iustice of GOD required that man himselfe
not Calfe or any Cattell should vndergo the punishment for sinne because the soule that sinned shall die the death Ezek. 18 verse 4. and the threatning must be true that because man sinned he should die Gen. 2. Thou shalt die the death So that it was necessary eyther that all man-kinde by reason of sinne must perish euerlastingly Heb. 9 15. or else Christ the Mediator of a better testament must become a surety for vs and satisfie the wrath of God kindled and conceiued against vs for sinne If any aske the question Question if the blood of Buls Goats could not take away sinne why did God command them to be offered and to what end were they appointed I answer Answer this was not done in vaine but to good purpose For albeit they could neuer take away sinne nor purge the conscience from dead workes yet they serued fitly to shadow out the death of Christ and to assure the heart that it is washed by the blood of the Messiah This was a notable comfort to the people of God from the beginning taught them to looke for redemption through him Obiection If it bee farther said that God speaketh euery where in the Law that the blood it selfe of Buls and Beasts clenseth and purgeth sinne as Leuit. 17 11. The life of the flesh is in the blood and I haue giuen it to you vpon the Altar to make an attonement for your soules for it is the blood that maketh an attonement for the soule I answer Answer that place speaketh not properly but sacramentally as in the new Testament he calleth in the institution of his last Supper Math. 26 26. the bread his body because it is a figure of it so in this place to the outward signe he giueth the name of the thing signified and to the type he ascribeth the proper effect of the blood of Christ which onely is the blood that is able to make attonement for our sinnes Otherwise those offerings of beasts should be called in vaine Heb. 9 24 10 1. the similitudes and shadowes of good things to come As for those heretikes that dreame that those oblations did really and indeed clense away the sinnes of the fathers not by their naturall operation but by the acceptation of God and therefore were not types of Christs sacrifice washing away sinne they are euidently conuinced by the places before alledged and throughout the Epistle to the Hebrewes Obiect If any aske how these can bee figures of Christ seeing GOD witnesseth in his word that he neuer required them When hee commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sinne thou hast had no pleasure Psal 40 7. Heb. 10 verses 5 6. If then God would haue none of them how could they be the figures and images of better things I answer Answer God may be said to allow them and yet to disallow them to reiect them and to regard them in diuers senses Hee willed them as he commandeth them and commendeth them as a sweet sauour vnto him performed in faith and as types referred to the comming of the Messiah and the time of reformation Heb. 9 10. On the other side he may be said to refuse and reiect them for these three causes First when the manner of doing is euill doing that which God requireth but doing it in a corrupt manner to wit without faith and obedience as the Prophets in euery place reprooue the sacrifices of hypocrites wicked persons as Esay 1 11 12. I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs who hath required this at your hand Your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth and the reason of this is rendered in the words following Verse 1â— Your hands are full of blood Againe God would not that they should remaine continue for euer but that though they had place in the Church for a time they should ceasse at the coming of the Messiah Therfore Christ being come into the world and manifested in the flesh God willed theÌ„ no longer but would haue them abolished And this sense doth the Apostle principally intend in this place that the shadowes must giue place when the body it selfe was come in person Lastly it may after a sort be said that God neuer willed them that is approued allowed of theÌ„ as the principall part of Gods worship and as the very price of our redemption the ransome for our sins our reconciliation vnto God albeit he would haue them obserued of his people and vsed for a time as certaine rudiments rites to bring them to Christ to confirme their faith in him Let vs shut vp this with the comparison that the Apostle expresseth Heb. 9 13 14. If the blood of Buls and of Goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience froÌ„ dead workes to serue the liuing God In these words he compareth the shadow the body the type the truth the ceremony and the substance together Doctrine Christ Iesus hath made aâ— attonement between Gâ—â— and vs by hâ—â— blood FroÌ„ hence we learne this doctrine that the blood of Christ taketh away our sins reconcileth vs to God the Father Christ Iesus hath in the performance of his Priesthood freed and deliuered vs from the guilt punishment of our sins This appeareth euidently vnto vs by considering laying before vs the end the parts and fruite of his Priesthood The end of the Leuiticall Priest-hood and of this figured by it was to offer sacrifice for the ignorances Hebr. 9 â— that is for the sins of the people The distinct parts of it are two satisfaction and intercession His satisfaction consisteth partly in suffering and partly in obedience The second part of his Priesthood standeth in intercession in that he is become our perpetuall and perfect Aduocate that therby God might be appeased for them and we reconciled vnto him The fruite thereof is this that we are deliuered redeemed ransomed iustified and freed from the guilt of sin from the burden of ceremonies from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God and from feare of condemnation This truth is taught in many places Ioh 1 29. Iohn seeing Christ coming vnto him saith Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world And the same Apostle in his first Epistle chap. 2 ver 1 2. If any sinne we haue an Aduocate Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Likewise in the Epistle to the Romanes the Apostle magnifying the mercy of God and setting out the merites of Christ he saith chap. 3 verse
their practising performing of this duty If we reason soberly reuerently Christ Iesus will come among vs and be present with vs by the grace of his Spirit and by his blessing of our endeuors which ought to be an encouragement to the same 30 But the soule that doth ought presumptuously whether he be borne in the Land or a stranger the same reprocheth the Lord and that soule shall be cut off from his people 31 Because hee hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his commandement that soule shall vtterlie be cut off his iniquity shall bee vpon him Hitherto we haue spoken of the sinne of ignorance now of presumption and voluntary sins which are said in the originall to be coÌ„mitted with an high hand that is proudly scornefully arrogantly despitefully and desperately against God And therefore it is said that he reprocheth the Lord and hath broken his couenant such a one must be cut off from his people This cutting off for iniquity some vnderstand of excommunication by the censure of the Church others of killing by the sword of the Magistrate but which way soeuer it be taken it sheweth the greatnesse of this crime And because there is no kinde of sacrifice set downe for the expiation of this sin some do hold â—tus that it figureth out the sinne against the holy Ghost which sinne being vnpardonable Math. 12 32. 1 Iohn 5 16 there remaineth no sacrifice for it but a certain looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries Heb. 10 26 27. Howbeit I rather thinke that no sacrifice is expressed because there is no new addition prescribed touching any sacrifice as there is of the other because this is already handled in the booke of Leuiticus chap. 6 2 c. And this sinne is opposed against the sinne of ignorance but all sinnes of presumption are not the sinne against the holy Ghost God forbid we should so entangle mens consciences and hold all presumptuous sinnes to be that vnpardonable sinne â—hat comâ— in Num. Neither can I be of their opinion that thinke God would haue no sacrifice offered for such sinnes lest the sacrifices should waxe vile and contemptible and men should thereby bee encouraged to giue themselues ouer to commit sinne with greedinesse and neuer regard whether they sin ignorantly or presumptuously It is no encouragement to sinne of ignorance because the meanes is set downe to be cleansed of it And who will willingly wound himselfe albeit he haue a Physition that can cure it â—ctrine From hence we may gather a difference betweene sinne and sinne â—re is a â—erence beâ—ene sinne sinne all breake the law and deserue eternall death Ezek. 18 4. Rom. 6 23. Neuerthelesse some are greater and some are lesser There are therefore of sinnes sundry sorts Iude verse 22 23. Hence it is that sinne is diuided diuers waies eyther it is originall which we draw from our parents and bring with vs into the world this is an hereditary sinne it is the inheritance that all parents bequeathe vnto their children as Psal 51 5. Ro. 5 14. Or else it is actuall which is a fruite of the former such are euill thoughts words and workes such as agree not with the law of God This distinction is proued Rom. 5 14 and 7 20. and 9.11 Againe there is a raging and reigning sinne when the sinner maketh no resistance by the grace of the Spirit Rom. 6 12 and 1 Iohn 3 8. He that committeth sin to wit of set purpose and delighteth therein is of the diuell it is so called because we foster and cherish it and become bondslaues vnto it and likewise because it hath rule ouer man carrieth him headlong to destruction Such are all sinnes in the vnregenerate and so continue till there be a new birth and some also in the regenerate in their slidings and fallings against their conscience and there is also a sinne not reigning which the sinner repelleth and resisteth by the grace of the Spirit daily reneweth his repentance for them Such are the sinnes of ignorance omission and infirmity which remaine in the regenerate so long as they liue which they acknowledge bewaile hate and resist and pray daily that they may be forgiuen them saying Forgiue vs our debts 1 Iohn 1 8. Rom. 7 17 and 8 1. Many other such differences of sinnes might be noted but these are sufficient to shew that there is difference betweene sinne and sinne And no maruaile because the commandements Reason 1 of God are not alike but some are greter and some lesser The lawes of the first Table are called the first and great commandement Math. 22 38 and do concerne the Lord himselfe The lawes of the second are inferiour to these as they that concerne our brethren like to our selues Secondly there is great difference in the Reason 2 manner of sinning some sinne ignorantly some wittingly Psal 19 12 13. 1 Tim. 1 13. Some are principall and ringleaders in the sin others are onely accessaries some are onely in thought others in deed some offend of malice some offend of weaknesse some commit sinne others besides this haue pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1 32. Thirdly in respect of God himselfe all sins Reason 3 do not alike dishonor him neither is his wrath kindled alike against all some are desperate sinners that will not be reclaimed and despite the Spirit of grace with whom the Lord cannot but be more offended then with such as are humbled for their sinne This difference serueth to condemne such Vse 1 as make all sinnes equall none greater or lesser then others none before or after other True it is Campian rat 8. and Duraeus in his defence the Church of Rome lay this errour to our charge as also they falsely do many other as if we were of the sect of the Stoikes holding an absurd opinion touching that absurd doctrine of the equality of all sinnes which sheweth that they are farre spent and drawne dry and cannot charge vs with true crimes when they are constrained to obiect against vs such grosse opinions as we detest and condemne haue confuted more then they both in Schooles and Pulpets What errors and heresies thinke you will these men be afraid to broch against vs among their owne disciples that take vp al things vpon trust at the second hand and what imputations wil they not dare to lay vpon vs in their Sermons which they know shall neuer come to be examined forasmuch as their hearers are forbidden to reade any of our writings when they blush not neither are ashamed to publish to the view of the whole world such open and manifest vntruths Obiect But they obiect that we teach all sinnes to be mortall and to deserue death euen the least of them Answer I answer we teach no other doctrine then the Scripture teacheth vs Rom. 6 21 23. Iam. 2 10. Neuerthelesse it followeth not by
his reconciliation and attonement For so long as we liue in sinne we lye vnder the curse and wrath of God no grace can shine vpon vs no mercy can ouertake vs no blessing can fall vpon vs. But when sinne is punished the curse is remoued and the fauour of God doth compasse vs about as with a shield Now let vs come to the Vses that we may Vse 1 haue the profit and comfort of this Doctrine First wee learne that such as continue in any knowne sinne vnrepented of cannot look for peace from God So long as sinne reigneth in any place the wrath of God hangeth ouer it and will vndoubtedly fall vpon it There is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked Esay 48 22. God doth come into the field as an open enemy to wage warre and enter into a combate against all impenitent sinners This the Prophet speaketh Psal 7 11 12. God iudgeth the righteous and him that contemneth God euery day except he turne he hath whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready He abhorreth all the vngodly and therefore he will fight against thē as a man of war he will raine downe snares fire and brimstone and stormy tempests vpon them hee will destroy them in his wrath and fierce displeasure It is a fearefull thing to bee a rebell and traitor against a Prince and to stand out in armes against his Soueraigne in the field with weapons it is high treason the losse of life the forfeyture of lands and goods the staining of our blood the vndoing of our posterity So to stand out in any sinne is high treason and rebellion against the most High The continuance in any sinne is rebellion and they that are the committers of it are rebels against God This made the Prophet to say Destroy them O God let them fall from their counsels cast them out for the multitude of their iniquities because they haue rebelled against thee Ps 5 10. To this purpose Samuel calleth the disobedience of Saul rebellion 1 Sam. 15 23. Euery man knoweth the danger of rebellion against the Prince it is more against God When we heare of forreigne warres we feare and tremble wee are much moued and perplexed and shall wee not much more be afraid when the Lord the King of Kings wageth battell against vs Whē God by the Ministery of his word doth reproue sinne among vs our ignorance our loosenes lewdnesse our negligence security he doth stand out against vs as with his sword ready drawne in his hand to reclaime vs or to destroy vs. We were better to haue the whole world set against vs then God to be our enemy What a monstrous madnes is it for a mortall man to stand at defiance with him who is the Lord of hostes Doe we faith the Apostle prouoke the Lord to anger Are we stronger then he 1 Corinth chap. 10 verse 22. How many are there which are so witlesse and bewitched that they thinke themselues strong enough to encounter with God like the Gyants that would plucke God out of heauen But let them take heed lest setting themselues against him they thrust thēselues downe into hell to their eternall confusion Secondly it teacheth a notable and necessary Vse 2 duty to all Magistrates to be zealous for the Lords cause to roote out euill dooers to maintaine the glory of God and to shew thēselues enemies vnto all iniquity Do they desire to haue their people liue in peace tranquility and to bring a blessing to those that liue vnder their gouernment Do they desire to haue the curse of God remoued farre from them The onely way is for them to punish sinne wherby they bring quietnesse and safety and moue the Lord to dwell among them with the graces of his Spirit The Lord threatened Ahab because he had let go out of his hands a man whom he had appointed to dye his life should go for his life and his people for his people 1 Kings chapter 20 verse 42. When Saul had spared Agag contrary to the expresse commandement of God who charged him to smite Amalek and to destroy all that appertained vnto them haue no compassion on them but to slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxe and Sheepe both Camell and Asse the Kingdome was rent from him was giuen to his neighbour that was better then he 1 Sam. chapter 15 verse 26. When the Leuite had his wife abused vnto death and villanously defiled at Gibeah which is in Beniamin because those wicked men were not put to death that euill might be put away from Israel it turned almost vnto the vtter destruction of that Tribe Iudg. chapter 20 verses 13 35 and there fell of them in one day fiue and twenty thousand an hundred men all they that could handle the sword So the Magistrates must regard to punish sinne if they regard the honour of God the profit of their people or the good of themselues We see what an head sinne groweth vnto and gathereth strength in all places It beareth the cheefest sway preheminence euery where He that checketh and controlleth it laboureth in vaine and maketh himselfe a prey True it is the Ministers of Gods word haue the sword of the Spirit put into their hands Heb. 4 12. to cut in sunder the cordes of sinne It is a fire that burneth and consumeth the straw and stubble before it It is an hammer that breaketh in peeces the hard stones Ier. 23 29. and it hath the power of God adioyned with it Notwithstanding vnlesse the Ministery of the word be assisted and strengthened by the force of the Magistrate it is little regarded esteemed of the greatest number It is good indeed to haue some instruction but it auayleth little without correction If a master should cry neuer so often vnto his scholler learne learne and disswade him from his idlenesse and lewdnesse neuer so earnestly yet if he know his master hath no authority or power to correct and chasten him he will smally respect the vehemency of his words but esteeme them as a blast of winde that passeth away So is it with the people when the Magistrate and Minister go not together when the word and the sword doe not accompany one another For these two being the high holy ordinances of God do giue strength assistance one to another The Magistrate would bee much more troubled if the word which is liuely mighty in operation were not taught to keepe men in obedience and they might sit as it is saide of Moses Exod. 18 14 to heare causes from morning to euening and weary themselues with the toyle and trouble of their Office without comfort to themselues or profit to others And on the other side the Ministers might lift vp their voyce as a Trumpet and cry aloud vntill they be hoarce vnlesse they be backed and encouraged by the godly Magistracy So long as Moses and Aaron as