doctrine accounteth the breach of any of these mortall sin Ob. Yea but they forbid flesh for temperance sake because it stirreth vp lust Answ. But they forbid not the hotest wines spices Conserues such meates and drinkes which more stirre vp lust than flesh and therefore this is but a shift The 18. ground is in Matth. 18.18 Whatsoeuer the Church bindeth in earth is bound in heauen and whatsoeuer it looseth in earth is loosed in heauen In which ground obserue first the meaning secondly the moment thirdly the aduersaries First to know the meaning two things are to be handled first what iâ— this power of binding and loosing which the Church hath Secondly what is the ratification and efficacie of this power out of those words is bound and loosed in heauen Concerning the former This power of binding and loosing is that authoritie giuen by God to his Church on earth whereby it pardoneth or retaineth vnpardoned the sinnes of men for mens sinnes are cords and bands which binde them Prou. 5.22 and chaines of blacke darknes wherein men are reserued vnto damnation 2. Pet. 2.4 and hence fitly when mens sinnes are pardoned are they said to be loosed and bound if they be not This power is called Matth. 16. the power of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen for mens sinnes are as lockes yea bars and bolts shutting vpon them the doores of heauen and hence also when the Church pardoneth sinnes the doores of heauen are said to be opened and when it retaineth them heauen is shut against the sinner Indeede pardon of sinne is properly granted and giuen by God but yet men are truly said to pardon and retaine sinne when ministerially they pronounce that God pardoneth or doth not pardon Ob. It will be said that men vpon earth know not whose sins God will pardon and whose he will not Ans. It is possible for man to know whose sinnes God wil pardon and whose hee will not for God hath generally made knowne that he will remit the sinnes of all beleeuers and repentant sinners but will retaine their sinnes who goe on in the same Now we may know particularly who these bee that doe repent and beleeue for the tree is knowne by the fruite according vnto which the Church may pronounce a true sentence Further to know more distinctly what this power is the parts of it are to bee considered and they bee two for it standeth partly in the ministerie of the word and partly in the iurisdiction of the Church vpon earth The ministery of the word is either publike or priuate First the publike ministerie of the word is called the preaching of it in which is this binding and loosing opening and shutting it being an ordinance of God in which Ministers are called of God to pronounce in the name of God pardon of sinne to the penitent and condemnation to the obstinate and here must bee noted that this binding and loosing in the publike Ministerie is generall vnto all but with exception of faith and repentance Ob. But seeing it is generall it is of no great force Ans. It is for euery hearer must applie this general doctrine to his owne person and say with the Virgin Mary applying to her self the Angels speech Be it vnto me according to thy word this maketh it forcible in the conscience The priuate Ministerie standeth in two things first priuate admonition secondly priuate comfort Priuate admonition is Gods ordinance whereby the Minister in Gods name bindeth a man to iudgement for his sinne except hee repent thus Peter dealt with Simon Magus Act. 8.21.22 Priuate comfort is when vpon true repentance the Minister pronounceth vpon the beleeuer pardon of sinne without condition Thus dealt Nathan with Dauid 2. Sam 12.22 Dauid said I haue sinned Nathan hereupon telleth him his sinnes are forgiuen Secondly concerning the Iurisdiction of the Church It is a power giuen of God to the Church whereby it vseth correction vpon open sinners for their saluation and it standeth in excommunication and absolution Excommunication is a sentence excluding open and obstinate sinners out of the kingdome of God and consequently from the societie of the Church for this followeth the former If he will not heare the Church let him be an heathen Paul calleth this sentence a giuing vp of a man vnto Satan Ob. But no man can exclude another from the kingdome of God Ans. The Church excludeth not properly but by declaring that God hath excluded such Ob. But the true childe of God may bee excommunicated and yet is not shut out of heauen Ans. In some sort and for a time he may be said to be shut out of heauen but conditionally and vntill repentance The contrarie hereof is publike absolution when open sinners repenting are by the Church openly declared to be members of the kingdome of heauen and so admitted and receiued againe into the Church This power of the Church differeth from the power of the Ciuill Magistrate in foure things First the power of the Church is ordered onely by the word but Ciuill power by other ciuill lawes also Secondly the former correcteth only by voice in admonition suspension and excommunication the latter by reall and bodily punishments Thirdly all spirituall correction as excommunication it selfe standeth at the repentance of a sinner and proceedeth no further but the punishments of Ciuill power stay not at repentance but proceede on euen to the death of the malefactor notwithstanding his repentance if he be a man of death Fourthly in the Ciuill power bee three degrees of proceeding first the knowledge of the cause Secondly the giuing of the sentence Thirdly the execution of the punishment In Ecclesiasticall are the two former but the last belongeth to God alone The second thing in the meaning is to know what the ratification of this power is namely to be bound and loosed in heauen that is when the Churches iudgment following the iudgement of God doth acquite or condemne a sinner God in heauen hath done it alreadie and ratifieth it For in absolution as also in the other pardon of sinne is first giuen in heauen secondly the Church pronounceth this according to Gods will thirdly God ratifieth it thereupon in heauen and confirmeth it as sure as if on earth he had pronounced the pardon The second point The weight of this ground may appeare Mat. 16.18 where the maine promise of the Gospell for the stablishment of the Church is contained Vpon this rocke I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it and the ground of our assurance thereof is added vers 19. I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome This maketh the Church preuaile against the gates of hell because it openeth shâ—â—teth heauen Secondly hereby the word and Sacraments are preserued from pollution and prophanation the soules of men pulled out of the snares of the Diuell and Gods kingdome set open vnto them
which being taken away there will be no difference left betweene the kingdome of God and the kingdome of the Diuell Which power of the keyes in opening and shutting heauen by the ministerie of the word seeing wee haue established by the lawes of the land we haue the state of a true Church and therefore no man can in good conscience separate from vs as no Church and people of God indeed if it had not the power to open heauen vnto men it were time to separate from it 3. The Aduersaries of this ground are first the ignorant people who popishly thinke that this power is onely giuen to Peter whose office now is to open and shut heauen But this power was giuen to all the Apostles as well as Peter and in them to al Ministers Churches and Congregations yea and it is not exercised in heauen but in earth Secondly all Atheists and Epicures that contemne and skorne the Word Sacraments and all holy things yea euen the power of the Church it selfe Thirdly all Papists and the Romish religion who abolish all binding and loosing in the publike Ministerie and haue brought al to a priuate shrift and absolution which in truth is nothing else but a racke and a gibbet to the conscience for first men must seeke for it at the hands of the Priest secondly they must confesse all their sinnes to the Priest thirdly they must make satisfaction to the iustice of God euen such as the Priest shall enioyne them But all this is directly contrary to the word for first Ministers must offer pardon of sin before it bee sought for Secondly in Christ pardon is offered freely wee neede no satisfaction of our owne Thirdly they impose a heauier yoke than euer Christ or his Apostles did vpon men when they enioyne them to an enumeration of all their sinnes before they can be pardoned the depth of which policie hath been sounded Secondly that Religion hath turned this power Ecclesiasticall to a Ciuill power whereby they take vpon them to excommunicate Kings Emperours not only out of the Church 〈◊〉 also out of their kingdomes and Empires whom they say they may set vp and depose at their pleasure as hauing power to wrest the Scepter out of the hands of whatsoeuer Monarch shall not stoope vnder their Popes authoritie These bee the maine enemies of this ground against whom we must for euer contend The 19. ground of faith is There is hath been and euer shall be a Church one of which is no saluation This is an Article of our faith and a maine ground of religion for if there be not euer a Church of God Christ is sometime no Redeemer no King because there should be no people redeemed nor subiects to the rule of his word and spirit Of which consider two things first what this Church is secondly who be the aduersaries of this ground For the first The Church is a companie of men chosen to saluation called vnited to Christ and admitted into euerlasting fellowship with him See Hebr. 12.23 and 1. Pet. 2.9 Compare these two places and this discription wil easily bee gathered The properties of this Church are these sixe which follow First being the Spouse of Christ she is one onely indeed although distinguished in regard of time as the Church of the old Testament and of the new Secondly of place as of England Scotland c. Thirdly of condition as the Militant and triumphant all these make but one bodie of Christ. Secondly it is inuisible not to bee seene but beleeued for election vocation redemption can onely be beleeued yet some parts of it are visible as in the right vse of the Word and Sacraments appeareth Thirdly to this assemblie and no other belong all the promises of this life and the life to come especially forgiuenes of sins and life euerlasting Fourthly it consisteth onely of liuing members quickened by the spirit of Christ not of any hypocrites or wicked persons Fiftly no member of it can be seuered or cut off froÌ„ Christ but abide in him and with him for euer Sixtly it is the ground pillar of truth that is the doctrine of true religion is alwaies safely kept and maintained in it Obiect The Churches in earth are true Churches and yet in these are many hypocrites and Apostataâ—s who fall from their profession And therefore all are not liuing members Answ. In visible Churches are two sortes of men lust men and hypocrites who although they bee within the Church yet the Church is not so called of them but in regard of them onely who are truly ioyned vnto Christ who are the better part although not the greater Euen as a heape of wheate and chaffe together is called an heape of wheate or a Corne heape of the better part Aduersaries hereof are Papists who frame not the Church by these true properties but by other deceitfull markes as succession multitude antiquitie and consent for when the Church first began there could be none of those at least not the three former and yet was there a true Church Secondly all these agree to Heretikes as among the Iewes what was more challenged than these and yet Christ saith they were blind leaders of the blinde But the true marke is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles truly taught and beleeued A note of Christs sheep is the hearing of his voice Ioh. 10.27 And Ye are in the Father and the Sonne if ye abide in the word which yee haue heard from the beginning 1. Ioh. 2.24 See Ephes. 2.20 The 20. ground is That there shall be a resurrection of the dead in the end of the world This was one of the sixe grounds of Catechisme in the daies of the Apostles Heb. 6.2 Hymeneus and Philetus destroyed the faith of certaine in teaching that the Resurrection was past alreadie Aduersaries hereof are the Familie of loue who hold that there is no Resurrection but only in this life The last ground of doctrine is There shall be a generall iudgement of all flesh It is one of the grounds Heb. 6.2 In which iudgement euery mans workes shall be tried and euery man accordingly shall receiue sentence of life or death eternall The aduersaries hereof are first the Atheist who denieth God himselfe and consequently his iudgement Secondly the drowsie Protestants who in iudgement denie not the last iudgement but yet plainly shew in their liues that they are not perswaded of it for then would they make more conscience of sin and of pleasing God in all thiâ—â—â— These are the maine grounds of beleefe vnto which all other may be reduced Now follow the grounds of obedience and practise The first ground of practise is Luke 13.3 Except ye repent ye shall perish In which two things are to bee obserued First the dutie required that is Repentance the necessitie of which appeareth in that without it men perish Secondly the aduersaries Concerning repentance two
that euer Christ appointed a Crucifixe to bee a signe of his presence or that God willeth their Images to bee signes of his presence Thirdly the Chaire of Estate is a signe only in the Kings absence for himselfe being present the ciuill worship is performed to himselfe but Christ is neuer absent from his Church and yet in his presence they set vp an Image to remember him by Thus that Church being an open Idolater must not bee ioyned with for she is not ioyned to Christ any longer but is a professed harlot neither iâ— it so indiffereÌ„t as some think to finde saluation there as well as by our Religion The fifth ground is Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue That this is a chiefe ground needes no proofe and therefore wee will consider first the meaning secondly the aduersaries against whom wee must contend To know the meaning the words going before will affoord vs some direction wherein Satan hauing moued Christ to fall downe and worship him with bodily worship only and requiring not the maine worship due to God but a little bowing of the bodie betokening that he was the disposer of the kingdomes of the world this Christ denieth him with this reason ratified by Scripture that it is a worship and seruice proper to God and to bee tendred to him onely Secondly the words themselues are to bee weighed By worship is properly signified bodily worship in a bodily gesture the meaning then is thou shalt with thy bodie adore the Lord for so it is sutable to Satans demaund The word serue signifieth all worship due to God both inward and outward Only This word appertaineth to both the members and so to the whole sentence for else there should bee no direct deniall of Satans temptation requiring onely the former and not the latter But some will say we may serue men lawfully how then is seruice proper to God only There be two kindes of worship religious and ciuill Religious is an action or actions of reuerence and subiection whereby a man doth acknowledge the Godhead it self or the properties thereof either in God himselfe truly or in the creature falsely These properties of God are first to bee an absolute Lord. Secondly to bee Almightie Thirdly to be present in al places at all times Fourthly to heare all men in all places at all times Fiftly to know all things past present and to come yea and the hearts of men Sixtly to be giuer of all good things and the preuenter of all euill Now any action of reuerence in signification of any of these properties is a religious worship the very intent of the minde in religious worship being to ascribe either Godhead or diuine properties to the thing worshipped Ciuill or politique worship is when men performe actions of reuerence and subiection to others as acknowledging them to bee preferred aboue themselues in gifts or authoritie Thus bowing of the bodie is sometime religious when it is done to God in acknowledging his properties and sometime ciuil performed to a man in respect of his eminency in gifts or gouernment But these words of Christ are meant only of the former and not of the latter which belongs vnto man This ground thus truly conceiued affoordeth vs these two maine points of Religion first that God is to be worshipped with religious worship Secondly that all religious worship is proper to God and due to him alone Now religious worship is two-fold first inward standing in two things faith and inward obedience Secondly outward when this inward worship is outwardly testified consisting of three principall parts first in preaching hearing and reading the word secondly in receiuing the two Sacraments thirdly in prayer and thanksgiuing publike and priuate The Aduersaries hereof are the Papists who pretend the Catholike Religion but indeed ouerthrow it in deprauing the outward worshippe of God wherein the inward is testified The first part whereof standing in the preaching hearing and reading of the word they depraue first by mingling the pure word of God with mans word and writings and authorising bookes Apocryphall as Canonicall Scripture Secondly by making vnwritten Traditions Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall as they say of equall authoritie with the Scripture Thirdly in that they teach in their Catechismes that the worship of God doth stand in obeying the Commandements of the Church as wel as the Commandements of God themselues and are necessarily to be practised vnto saluation so they worship God in vain Mat. 15.9 Fourthly in that they allow no Bible to be â—uthenticall but onely the Latin translation of Iereâ—ie renouncing both the Hebrew and Greeke fountaines and yeâ— learned Papists confesse that their Latin text iâ— corrupted and that therefore the true sense is to bee fetched from the Popes determination and from Councels and no other sense to be admitted Fiftly in that they make Images Lay mens bookes and teachers and debarre the people of the Scriptures publikely and priuately in the vulgar tongue and suffer it only to be read by them and vnto them in the Latin tongue vnknowne vnto them The second part of outward worship standing in administration of Sacraments they likewise corrupt and abolish for howsoeuer Baptisme is preserued for the substance of it in the Romish Church which as a lanterne carrieth the light it retaineth not for it owne but for the hidden Churches sake within it yet haue they abolished the Lords Supper for the substance of it first of a Sacrament they haue made itâ— reall sacrifice Secondly they haue turned the Communion into a priuate Masse where the Priest alone receiueth all and the people nothing Thirdly although in a Sacrament theâ—e must bee a distinction between the signe and the thing signified yet they make none but ouerthrow all such signification of the signes by their transubstantiation Fourthly they haue turned the bodie of Christ into a breaden God which they carrie about in boxes and worship which is as vilde an idolatrie as euer was among the Heathen not inferiour to the worshipping of Cats and Buls as gods among the Egyptians Fiftly they haue added to Christs Institution fiue Sacraments viz. Penance Confirmation Orders Matrimonie and annoynting But indeede Baptisme is a Sacrament of Penance the Lords Supper of Confirmation and further are they deceiued in the other The third part of outward worship concerneth Prayer and thankesgiuing this they ouerthrow likewise first they mocke God in praying in an vnknowne tongue not knowing what they aske much lesse seriously addressing themselues vnto the dutie which euen earthly Kings would disdaine Secondly in prayer must bee brought sense of want and contrition of heart this they cannot bring who are taught that they merit by prayer Thirdly prayer must be made in particular faith but this they make presumption Fourthly they allow praying to creatures the mediation of Saints and so denie the very substance of prayer which is to make
Apostle calles his good purpose Rom. 8.28 yea to shew the freenes of this grace it is thence denominated and called the election of grace Secondly the meanes of this calling which in the Lords hands are diuers whereof some prepare to calling othersome are instruments of it as first the reading of the Scriptures seruing to begeâ—â— generall historicall faith Secondly afflictions in bodie goods name friends or otherwise tending to humble a man and prepare his heart as soft ground Thirdly the denouncing of Gods iudgements and threats of the law which sends to hell but giues no grace these are generall preparatiues others are instruments to effect inward calling as the preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospell which is the most principall and effectuall meanes of this speciall and effectuall vocation and to this Paul ascribes it as 2. Thess. 2.14 whereunto he called you by our Gospell that this is true consider a two fold worke of this Ministerie when it is powerfully applied to the hearts of men First it openeth the very heart of a man and laies him out to the beholding of himselfe shewing him that by his detestable sins he hath made himselfe more vgly in Gods eyes than any Toade can be in mans whereby he is prepared not to lie asleep in this estate but vnto the second worke which is to apprehend and applie the blood and merits of Christ exhibited in the Gospell for the washing and bathing of his sinfull soule that so he may be saued from wrath Thirdly the persons that are called those are mentioned Rom. 30. namely those whom hee had before predestinate those he called which seemes to be expounded in Acts 13.48 So many as were ordained to life euerlasting beleeued that is were called vnto the faith all therefore are not called It pleaseth some to teach another doctrine namely that God for his part calls all men effectually and giues them a power to beleeue if they will but the difference say they is in the will of man to prooue which they bring this comparison The Sunne shines on waxe and clay equally the waxe is softned but the clay is hardened But this is not true out of the Scriptures for it is not giuen to all to vnderstand the mysteries of the kingdome Matth. 13.11 these things are hid from most of the wise of the world and reueiled vnto babes Matth. 11.25 Knowledge is giuen to some not to others and consequently faith for they which haue not knowne cannot beleeue Fourthly the time of this calling The particular time of any mans calling is not reueiled but laid vp in the secret counsell of God in whose hands times and seasons are yet the extent of the time is large enough though stinted euen the time of this life some at the sixt houre some at the ninth and others at the eleuenth c. but not after because that then all means of calling men cease Now because men know not the date of their daies it behoues them out of hand to striue to enter not to deferre from day to day alleaging that some are called at the twelfth houre but accept of the Lords call while it is yet the acceptable time If the Lord now say Seeke my face let thy heart answere as an eccho which â—akes the word out of the mouth thy face O Lord I will seeke Psalm 27.8 such a pleasant harmonie God is delighted with If he say as the Prophet speaketh Behold now my people they are presently readie to answere Behold now our God and the rather because the Lord will be free and not stinted by thee that either he should call thee in thy crooked yeeres or not at all he will not be prescribed vnto extraordinarily to call thee at the twelfth houre as he did the theefe on the crosse when thou howlest vpon the bed of thy sorrow and gaspest vpon thy death-bed Therefore while it is called to day let vs heare the voyce and harden our hearts no more Fiftly wherein doth this effectuall calling stand Both in the outward and inward calling because the former is often in the meanes giuen to Nations people men at least to make them without all excuse but the second being secret and inward whereby the Lord makes a mans heart inwardly answere the outward calling possesseth him with a willing mind stedfastly to beleeue in the Lord Iesus and with an endeuour to please the Lord in all things thus is the heart pearced Psal. 40.6 the heart of stone changed into an hart of flesh that is made tractable and pliable Ezech. 11.19 and an heart which is a sacrifice accepted of God such an hart was Lydiaâ— Act. 16.15 when God had opened it it was heedfull and attentiue to the words of Paul this hart can rellish the sweete promises of the Gospell and no other Sixtly the excellencie of this calling which wee shall perceiue by these considerations First in that it is a great work as was the creation of man at the first Rom. 4.18 so the Apostle maketh it 2. Cor. 4.6 he that at the beginning called light out of darknes the same hath shined in our hearts c. that as God cals the first time and dead creatures come foorth to life so with no lesse powerfull voyce the Lord cals the second time the heart of man dead in sinne and it is quickened with the life of God Secondly this effectuall calling goes beyond the worke of our creation for here a man is taken out of the first Adam and set into the second and at the same instant power is giuen to beleeue being in time both together though in order faith is first and then ingrafting wherein is not onely a bare priuation as in the creation when God called things that were not as though they were but here is a plaine resistance and rebellion God calling not onely things that are not but things that would not and refuse to be Thus to raise a man out of the blood of Christ is more than to raise Eue out of Adams side to raise a dead soule from the death of sinne farre more glorious and powerfull than to raise a dead bodie from bodily death to raise a man to supernaturall life farre greater than to a naturall onely Thirdly this calling ratifies all our couenants with God Men in their Baptisme enter couenant with God but often start from it and will not stand to it so as the couenant is onely made but when as a man is effectually called the couenant is not onely made but truly accomplished and that on mans part Vse Seeing we are called of God himselfe in the ministerie of the word for Paul calles it Phil. 3.14 an high calling we must labour to ioyne the inward calling with it which is higher than that by hauing first a griefe because we cannot beleeue secondly a readie mind thirdly an endeuour to beleeue fourthly a sorrow because we beleeue no more and faile so much in the seruice
reformed resisteth plainly saying I will not haue this man to rue ouer me I desire none of his waies This loue then comes from grace 1. Ioh. 4.7 Loue commeth from God 1. Tim. 1.5 it hath his beginning from a pure heart true faith and good conscience Which must bee maintained against the Papists who say that nature affoordeth the inclination but grace the practise whereas indeed grace giueth both Thirdly consider the vse of loue It is the instrument and companion of true faith which worketh by loue Galath 5.6 The proper worke of faith is to lay hold on Christ this faith as a hand can of it selfe doe but when it commeth to the practise of morall duties it can no more worke without the grace of loue then a hand which can lay hold alone and of it selfe receiue and retaine can cut any thing without an instrument Whence it appeareth that faith in iustification is alone but in the life of man it worketh by loue and whereas it hath bin taught for many hundred yeeres that loue is the life of faith that is vnâ—rue for it only testifieth that faith hath life It is alleaged that as the bodie without the spirit is dead euen so faith without workes is dead therfore workes are the soule and giue life to faith But this consequence from this comparison is not good because the soule is not properly the soule of the bodie but of the man and so it proueth not that loue is the soule of faith Again the word Spirit there betokeneth the breath without which the body is dead and thus is the comparison to be returned that as breath maketh not a man liuing but sheweth him to be aliue so loue maketh not faith liuing but testifieth it so to be yea indeed is the fruite and effect of faith as breath is of life More particularly this grace of loue is two-fold first that whereby man loueth God secondly that whereby man loueth man In the former note two points first what it is namely a motion of the heart whereby it is affected to God causing it to be well pleased in God and his workes for himselfe as also to seeke fellowship with God so much as it can Secondly note the measure of this loue which in Scripture is double first that which the law requireth and that is the full measure of loue loue in the highest degree when man loueth God with all his soule with all his strength and all the powers of the whole man so as in man no loue can be aboue it vnto this all men are bound yet no man since the fall can attaine Secondly that which the Gospell describeth standing in an vnfained will and true endeuour to loue God with all the heart all the strength and all the powers which is a smaller measure than the former yea and a qualification and moderation of it yet to none but those that are in Christ. Wherby we come to the right vnderstanding of diuers places of scripture as 2. King 23.25 of Iosiah 2. Chron. 15.15 all Iudah sought the Lord with their whole hart These and such other places must be vnderstood as they are qualified by the Gospell in that they willed and endeuoured by all good meanes to seeke God yea this text also must be vnderstood of this second measure seeing the former being in the highest degree cannot be multiplied no not if men were glorified The second kinde of this loue is that whereby man loueth his neighbour which is a certaine diuine and spirituall motion causing the heart as the former both to be wel pleased in man for God that is because he is Gods image and his owne flesh as also to powre out it selfe and communicate goodnes to his neighbour in wishing speaking and hoping the best of him Wherein by the way obserue a plaine difference betweene faith and loue faith is a hand but to pull Christ to our selues loue is a hand also but opening it selfe and giuing foorth vnto others In this loue of the neighbour consider these three things first the order of it The order that hath been taught for many hundred yeeres is that first wee must loue our selues and then others from this ground Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe for the rule say they must goe before the thing ruled But this is not found seeing worthie then haue been commended in Scriptures for louing others as well yea and better than their owne selues so Dauid loued Ionathan 1. Sam. 20.17 Christ loued his enemies better than himselfe these began not with themselues yea indeed the right beginning of loue is in God and then as a man is a more principall instrument of Gods glorie hee must be for God preferred in our loue aboue our selues Thus euery man is bound to loue and preferre the life of his Prince aboue his owne see the perfect rule of direction herein Ioh. 13.34 Secondly note the manner of it set downe in that precept Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe that is as wee are cheerfull and free to practise the dutie of loue to our selues so must we doe it to others for this precept aimeth at the manner rather than the rule of our loue to man for that is as Christ hath loued vs. Thirdly the kindes of it it is two-fold first single when men loue others but are not repaid with loue againe yea when a man loues his enemie but is not loued again The second is mutuall loue that is when loue is requited with loue called in Scripture brotherly loue see Philip. 2.2 1. Cor. 1.10 when men are of one iudgement like minded speakâ— one thing and one soule is as it were in many bodies The second point is the multiplication of loue which the Apostle prayeth for vpon good ground because it ioyneth man to God and man to man and so becommeth as it is called the bond of perfection the bond of the Church Common-wealth of al societies 1. Cor. 13. Loue edâ—fieth that is it helpeth to build the kingdome of God yea it constraineth men to all good duties in their particular callings Qu. But how shall this loue be multiplied Ans. By certaine meditations and practises The meditations are many first on Gods coÌ„mandement Be seruants one to another in loue Gal. 5.13 Secondly of Gods image which al men should beare in loue 1. Ioh. 3.16 Thirdly of the fellowship of the faithfull hauing all one father one brother one saluation all linked by one spirit Ephes. 4.4 Fourthly of the loue of God Ioh. 13.35 which hereby we shall be assured of 1. Ioh. 3.14 The practises also are diuers first wee must labour to be assured of Gods loue to vs and encreased vpon vs Ephes. 5.2 Secondly the law of nature must teach vs to doe as we would be done vnto Thirdly our care must be more to loue than be loued for to loue is a vertue in our selues to be loued iâ— the vertue of another Fourthly pray daily for
Baptisme yea in it the very action of the Minister is a worship of God and doth confer grace ex opere operatâ— this was their old doctrine which now they colour with this addition If the partie be well and rightly disposed but besides the vse yea the lawfull and common vse there is by this ground required an holy vse of any thing to make it acceptable to God or rightly profitable to the doer himselfe Secondly their hallowing of Water Bels Palmes Ashes Spettle is a meere mockerie of God seeing they haue neither word nor promise from God that these creatures should thus be hallowed to preserue from euill bodie or soule Thirdly they erre in the foundation of religion diuerâ— waies euery which such error is blasphemie Fourthly that religion oppugneth the sanctification of Gods name in the vse of a lawfull oath teaching first that the Pope hath power to dispense with an oath Secondly that men may sweare by the Masse and so doing make it a God Thirdly euen the learned among them with one consent hold that a man may sweare ambiguously euen when he knoweth the thing to be otherwise The seuenth ground is Galath 5.14 The whole law is fulfilled in this one word Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe The meaning is not that we should loue our neighbour equally with our selues and with no lesse affection or degree of loue but that with the same cheerefulnes willingnes and truth of heart that we perform duties of loue to our selues ought wee also to reach them out vnto others The weight of this ground appeareth in that not onely Christ saith It is like the great Commandement but also in that it is the summe of the whole law for the first table must be practised in the second and the loue of God testified in loue to men The Aduersaries of this ground bee the Popish Church who thus expound it First loue thy self and then thy neighbour making the loue of our selues the foundation of the loue of others but sometime wee may loue our neighbour aboue our selues as Ionathan loued Dauid more than his own soule and Christ loued his enemies more than his owne life Secondly it teacheth that a man must not loue particularly his particular enemie nor salute him in particular but generally as if hee salute a whole companie together his enemie being there The eighth ground Exod. 20.12 Honour thy father and thy mother c. In the words two things are to be considered first an ordinance of God secondly the meanes to preserue it The ordinance is that all men must not be equall in degree but there must bee orders of men of whom some are to be in higher degree as superiours some in lower condition as inferiours the former are aboue others in regarde of power to command and to punish the latter are in subiection vnder others by whose discretion and will they are to be gouerned This ordinance is described Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule be subiect to the superiour power that is be content to be vnder others which are above him in power so here some must bee as fathers and mothers some must bee subiected vnto them The meanes to preserue this ordinance is the yeelding of honour vnto whom it belongeth which standeth in three things first in reuerence towards the persons of superiours Secondly in obedience to their iust commandements Thirdly in thankefulnes for their paines in gouerning thus is that golden sentence to be expounded Matth. 22. Giue vnto Câ—sar the things that are Caesars that is giue him reuerence obedience thankfulnes according to that Rom. 13.7 Giue feare vnto whom feare belongeth honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute The weight of this ground is plaine because without it can be no practise of true religion for first by it stand the three things the Familie the Church and Common-wealth all which are maintained by gouernment and subiection wherefore the Lord set this Commandement the first of the second Table as whereupon he would found all humane societies Secondly gouernourâ— in any of these societies are the keepers of both Tables without whose helpe and authoritie Gods kingdome could haue no abiding on the earth Aduersaries of this Commandement are the Papists who weaken the authoritie of the Magistrate in exempting their Clergie from all Ciuill power of Magistracie in causes both iudiciall that is matters controuersall and criminall that is matters of trespasse although the Apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect Secondly that Church hath set vp a power to bring into order and subiection all the Kings vpon earth namely the power of the Pope who challengeth to himselfe to ouerrule yea and to depose at his pleasure Kings and Queenes who in their dominions are aboue al and only vnder God Thirdly that religion lesseneth the power of parents for in the Councel of Trent they establish first Mariages and Contracts made by children without consent of parents Secondly Vowes also made by children vnder age and without consent of parents are held lawful and not to be broken The ninth ground is Micha 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to do iustly to loue mercie to humble thy selfe and to walke with thy God The meaning Three vertues are here required first Iust dâ—aling secondly Mercie thirdly Humilitie Touching the first wee are commanded to doâ— iustly and this execution of iustice between man and man hath fiue substantiall parts First to giue honor to whom honor is due Secondly by thought word and deed to preserue the body and soule of our neighbour that is his life spirituall and temporall Thirdly his chastitie which is the honor of bodie and soule in single life and Matrimonie Fourthly his worldly estate Fiftly his good name This is the scope of all the Commandements of the second Table Now because the due execution of iustice must bee tempered with mercie therefore is mercie required of man in the second place which is a readinesse to relieue the miserie of the distressed And thirdly because iustice and mercie without godlinesse are but ciuil vertues we are in the last place commaunded to walke in humilitie with our God which containeth the summe of the first table and standeth in three things first wee must acknowledge our sinnes secondly intreate for pardon thirdly purpose not to offend God any more but endeuour to preuent sinne to come Concerning yâ— weight of this ground it appeareth in Micha 6.7 where the Lord testifieth himselfe to be more delighted with the practise of loue and mercie than with oblations of thousands of Rammes and tenne thousand riuers of oyle and elsewhere I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Yea Titus 2.12 This is made the end of the appearing of the grace of God that we should liue soberly in regard of our selues iustly in regard of others and godly in regard of God These vertues are so respected of God
that they are said to go immediatly before his face Psal. 89.14 and so necessarie among men that without them no societie can be preserued The aduersaries hereof are first the liues of most men who seeke their own things and not to maintaine the liues goods name chastitie of others yea too many preferre their priuate gaine before the common good of men in Church and Common-wealth Secondly the maine aduersarie is the Romane Religion which defendeth the greatest iniustice that can be by establishing a Monarchy among themselues not onely controlling the soueraigne authoritie of Princes in their owne kingdomes but also exempting their subiects from their alleageance at their pleasure Of which vsurped power debaâ—â—e them once and that counterfeit Religion will fall with it because it is onely vnderpropped by it Secondly that Religion ouerthroweth iustice in chastitie for first it giueth power to the Pope to dispense with mariages within degrees of nature it licenseth the brother by that dispensation to marrie his brothers wife and so is a patrone of horrible incest Secondly it defendeth the toleration of Stewes Thirdly by solemne decree it forbiddeth mariages to sundrie orders of men which Paul calleth a doctrine of diuels 1. Timoth 4. Yea they binde certaine men and women from mariage and yet call it a Sacrament Fourthly the last Councell of Trent affirmeth that all mariages not solemnized by a Masse-priest and in the faith of the Romish Church are of none effect Thirdly that Religion teacheth that to steale a small thing is a veniall sinne whereas the thought of stealing deserueth the curse of the law Secondly it defendeth begging yea and placeth holines in it whereas the word teacheth that there should be no begger in Israel Fourthly it teacheth that a sporting lie or a beneficial lie are venial sins flat against the ninth Commandement Lastly against the tenth Commandement it teacheth iniustice namely that hurtfull motions intended against our neighbour if there bee no consent of will are no sinne Whence wee may see what to thinke of that Religion yea Christ himselfe sheweth Mat. 5.19 Whosoeuer breaketh the least of these Commandements and teach men so to doe he is the least in the kingdome of heauen that is he hath no part therein But the Romane Church breaketh them yea and teacheth men to doe so and therefore it is not of God and the peremptorie teachers thereof haue no part without repentance in the kingdome of heauen The tenth ground is 1. Cor. 7.20 Let euery man abide in that calling in which hee was called First the meaning The scope of the words sheweth that among the Corinths some who were slaâ—es and seruants but coÌ„uerted to the faith their masters still remaining Infidels thought that now they were free from their Masters and might relinquish their seruice and hence tooke occasion to liue as they listed against which conceit of licentiousnesse the Apostle Paul opposeth himselfe and wisheth that this be reformed and that those who being called to the faith vnder vnbeleeuers abide in that same calling wherein they were called In which verse two things are contained First that euery man that would liue religiously must haue a double calling first the generall calling of a Christian secondly some particular vocation and calling wherein to conuerse Secondly that euery man must abide in his particular calling which that a man may doe first he must be contented and well pleased with his calling Secondly hee must walke diligently in the duties thereof for these reasons first the commandement of God Genes 3.19 In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread which words though they be a threatning yet they include a commaundement bounded with a promise of blessing Psalm 128.2 The man that feareth God shall eate the labours of his own hands and blessed shall he be Exod. 20. Sixe daies shalt thou labour enforced by Gods owne example for in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth Quest. May we not vse recreation in the sixe daies Ans. Yea so it be moderate and help to make vs fitter for our callings for labour it selfe being commaunded euery thing also which vpholdeth it is commanded Such commandements are vsuall in the New Testament also Ephes. 4.28 Let him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour with his hands the thing that good is So 2. Thess. 3.12 men are commanded to eate their owne bread Secondly Examples in the Scripture God enioyned Adam in the state of innocencie this double calling first to serue him secondly to dresse the garden The second Adam Christ himselfe while he led a priuate life till his baptisme which was the space of thirtie yeeres liued in his father Iosephs calling The Angels themselues are ministring spirits for the good of the godly and ascend and descend vpon the sonne of man and liue not out of their calling Thirdly it is the ordinance of God that men should be his instruments for the commoÌ„ good of the societies wherein they liue euen as euery member in the bodie endeuoureth it selfe not onely for it owne good buâ— for the benefit of the whole So should euery member of the bodie politique This ground is of great weight for the maintaining of the three maine societies for neither familie Church nor Common-wealth can stand without distinction of particular callings and labour in the same for which cause the Apostle would not haue him to eate that will not labour 2. Thes. 3.3 The aduersaries hereof are first many amongst vs as those who spend their liues in gaming and they who spend their wealth in bezeling and drinking and they also who being strong to labor spend their time in begging all which are vile courses of life and enemies to all good societies Secondly the Roman religion first in maintaining a Monkish life whereby a man cutteth himselfe off from all societie and liues in prayer and fasting but wee are taught not onely to practise duties of the first table but of the second also and without the speciall calling the generall is nothing Secondly In maintaining loosenes of life and idlenes for God hauing appointed 52. Sabbaths in the yeere wherein men are to lay aside their ordinarie callings and no moe they haue added as may appeare in their callender fiftie two moe which they call holy daies and so spend more than a quarter of a yeere in rest and idlenes whereby they become aduersaries of this ground The eleuenth ground is 1. Tim. 1.19 Keepe faith and good conscience The meaning By faith we must vnderstand the wholesome doctrine and religion deliuered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles further this faith must not goe alone but must haue his companion which is a good conscience the propertie of which is to excuse and iustifie a man in al callings before God and man and it is knowne by a two-fold testimonie first of the life past secondly of the life present and to come The testimony
saying This is the way walk in it this voice is nothing but the voice of the spirit in the ministrie of the word 3. Doct. Thirdly note what these seducers are blamed for namely for two things first for making choise of Cains way secondly for walking and going on forward in it which is a propertie of the wicked It is true that the childe of God by the frailtie of the flesh may slip into Caines way as Dauid did in slaying Vriah but hee doth not stand goe on and keepe a course in that way as the wicked doe being branded to be such as stand in the way of sinners Psal. 1. We on the contrarie must preserue a care to recouer our selues out of the way of Caine if at any time we shall be misled into it that if we cannot keepe from al sinne yet we may be kept from a course and trade in sinning Let this Christian care preserue our paths in the waies of God and returne vs vnto the obedience of his will when through many weaknesses and slips we often are turned aside and the rather because Caines and attendeth Caines whole course who was haunted with an euill and accusing conscience whose sinne lay at the doore as a wilde beast readie to teare him and pull out the throte of his soule besides that he was accursedly cast from the presence and face of God that howsoeuer hee was a Prince and mightie amongst men yet he was a vagabond and runnagate on the face of the earth which curses let them not looke to auoide whosoeuer will follow his way no more than Caine himselfe could And are cast away by the deceit of Balaams wages In these wordes is set downe the fifth sinne of these seducers the meaning of which is first to bee knowne Cast away The word signifieth they are powred out or powred away which forme of speech is taken from water the which distilleth not out of a vessell drop by drop but is powred out in abundance till so all is quickly spent Whereby the Apostle would giue vs to vnderstand that in the affection of their hearts they were violent and euen carried headlong to commit their wickednesse By the deceit of Balaams wages that is they are thus forcibly carried to doe euill vpon hope of wages of which hope notwithstanding they are disappointed and defeated as Balaam was So as this fifth sinne is couetousnes propounded in a similitude or comparison of which there are two branches first as Balaam was carried headlong to curse the people of God in hope of wages so these wicked men vpon hope of reward are set to falsifie and corrupt the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Secondly as Balaam was deceiued and frustrated of the reward hoped for as Numb 31.8 hee lost his reward yea and after his life for returning home hee was slaine by the Midianites so shall these lose their reward which they expect for falsifying that doctrine which they teach And so much for the meaning That which was the sinne of these seducers is the sinne of these times of ours wherein that prophesie of Peter is accomplished where is foretold that false teachers should come in the latter times who through couetousnes with fained words should make merchandise of mens soules Quest. But where shall we finde these couetous teachers Ans. They are too easily found euery where but especially within the precincts of the church of Rome The Bishop of Rome and the guides of that Church are the Archseducers who through couetousnes make merchandise of mens soules teaching first that a man must confesse all his sinnes or else hee cannot be forgiuen and when he hath reckoned vp all hee must satisfie for them in that manner as they will prescribe who commonlie enioyne men to bestow so much land or such a summe or pension of money vpon this or that Church or Abbey that so they may buy out a pardon By which wicked doctrine through couetousnes they haue by encroching vpon Countries and kingdomes enriched themselues and purchased or rather craftily conueyed to themselues the greatest part of the reuenewes of all Europe Secondly they through couetousnes maintaine the distinction betweene mortall and veniall sinnes betweene the fact and the punishment and hold that the sinne may be remitted but not the punishment for which purpose the fire of hell is changed by them into a milder fire of Purgatorie to bee suffered after this life of which the Pope is Lord and King indulgent to whom he please especially to those that can pay well for the merits of others or masses of their own This painted fire hath a long time kept the fire of the Popes kitchin so bright burning which if it should goe out his state were shaken Thirdly through couetousnes they forbid many degrees of men from marriage which God forbiddeth not that so they may the oftner dispense with those degrees which themselues haue forbidden for the more dispensations the more wealth haue they comming in And thus is their whole religion contriued and plotted for gaine compacted of falsehood and couetousnes So as Peters prediction is most fully accomplished in these Balaamites of Rome but especially herein the Pope is become a second Balaam in that as Balaam cursed Gods people for gaine so to maintaine his owne pompe and state by his Buls and thunderbolts hath he assaied to curse euen Kings and Princes and some whole kingdomes yea all such as haue shaken off his intolerable Antichristian yoke The same accusation may be lustly intended against verie many that professe godlinesse and true religion for these be the last daies and perilous times wherein men shall be louers of themselues couetous c. 2. Tim. 3.2 Such as Ieremy complained of Iere. 6.13 From the least to the greatest euery one is giuen to couetousnes from the Prophet vnto the Priest they deale all falsely The vsuries oppressions iniustice the common craft and customable deceit in all trades crie out of this sinne of couetousnes in all estates But some will perhaps here say Yea but you wrong Christians to charge them thus deeply with Balaams sinne for they haue better things in them Ans. But it is no iniustice for Balaam had some as good things in him as many Christians for when he was first solicited of Balaak to curse the people of God he would not till he asked leaue of God and when God had denied him leaue he answered him that he would not go with him if hee would giue him his house full of gold and siluer Further he desired earnestly to die the death of the righteous and that his end might be like his Iudas also had many good things in him he left all to follow Christ he became a preacher of the truth none of the Disciples could accuse him or could espie any thing in him and yet was carried away with couetousnes so let no man obiect the good things in many Christians which I grant
they may haue and yet too eagerly hunt after the world yea and be powred out also after filthie lucre no otherwise than Balaam was Now for the auoiding of this sinne let vs obserue three things which the Apostle admonisheth in the words First in that he saith they are powred out we are giuen to vnderstand that the affection of couetousnes is a most violent headstrong affection carrying a man headlong to sinne euen against conscience as it did Balaam and causing him to powre out his heart vnto wickednes Achans couetousnes could not be curbed no not by Gods speciall commandement the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garmeÌ„t did so sway with him Ahab was sicke of couetousnes no physicke could recouer him but Naboths vineyard and life Iudas for thirtie peeces of siluer was carried against al sense to the betraying of his Master and that after diuers admonitions Ananias and Saphira to saue but a little money make no bones of lying vnto the holy Ghost What is the cause of all treacheries and those most cruell murthers of fathers of mothers of seruants and strangers but the couetous heart set vpon the bootie saying to it selfe by this fact this house that land such a summe of money shall be mine which obiect in the eye putteth out all the light of religion reason and sometimes of nature it selfe Thus the heart is easily powred out vnto euill when as first it is possessed with couetousnes which Paul calleth the roote of all euill Secondly the Apostle would haue vs consider how hard a thing it is to be recouered from this sinne seeing such a sinner is powred out and cast away by the deceit of it and indeede little hope is there of the repentance of a couetous man of whom Christ was bold to say that as easie it is for a Camell to goe thorough the eye of a needle as a rich man to enter into heauen the reason is because his couetous cares choke and hinder the word from taking place in his hart and so hee frustrateth all meanes of his saluation Againe he hath renounced the true God and set vp another god in his heart The Idols in our Church are defaced and destroyed by the Magistrate but the Diuell setteth vp Idols still in the hearts of men which ought to bee Gods temples euen Riches the god of greedie men Thirdly obserue that in Gods iust iudgement the couetous man is disappointed of his hope his wages are the wages of deceitfulnes for either he atchieueth not or retaineth not the things expected as in the former examples of Achan who for the wedge lost his life with it so neither Ahab himselfe nor his posteritie euer enioyed Naboths vineyard Iudas brought backe the thirtie peeces of siluer and hanged himselfe Ananias and Saphira desirous to keepe a part of their possession lost with the possession both their liues or else if hee retaine the bootie and get and keepe also wealth fraudulently gotten and heaped vp by oppression yet hauing the thing he hath not the vse of it his couetous heart keepeth the key of it and locketh it from his comfortable vse yea and be it that he haue some vse of it yet his gaine is small for which he loseth his soule Thou foole this night shal they fetch away thy soule Vse We are all hence admonished especially aged and rich persons to beware of this dangerous sinne It becommeth Saints not to haue couetousnes once named among them Ephes. 6. Our practise is to varnish it ouer with termes of thriftines and good husbandrie and the worst it heareth of vs is scarse a smal dislike so as when wee speake of a wreched worldling we say he is an honest man but somewhat hard or worldly so as this sinne is in no disgrace among the most as it deserueth being both so odious vnto God and hurtfull vnto the sinner himselfe But let vs consider first that it easily draweth a man vnto perdition and enwrappeth him in the Diuels snare 1. Tim. 6.9 Those that will be rich fall into many temptations and snares Wheresoeuer it ruleth that man respecteth not commandement reason conscience no nor common honestie it selfe Secondly wee professe our selues to be members of Christ the sons and daughters of God now such a base sinne beseemeth not such an high profession for a Noble man or a Prince apparent to spend and trifle away his time in buying and selling pinnes and points were a madnes what a base follie were it for vs that hope to bee heires of the kingdome of glorie to bee still poâ—ing on earth and earthly things whose hearts and affections should be raised vp higher and taken vp with heauenly meditations vsing weanedly this world as though we vsed it not Thirdly Nature is contented with a little and is surfetted with abundance and yet grace is pleased with lesse and therefore if we haue food and raiment for vs and ours let vs bee there with contented 1. Tim. 6.8 Qu. But what shall we doe then doe not all men thus and may not wee seeke wealth as others doe Ans. The rule of the word must bee our direction herein and not the manner of the world and that aduiseth vs to make God our portion which lesson God himselfe taught Abraham Gen. 15.1 I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward Dauid had learned this lesson Psal. 16. The Lord is my portion This is done by setting our loue our ioy our principall care yea our hearts and affections vpon the Lord as men doe vpon their treasures By which meanes if riches increase our hearts shall not be set vpon them for they are not our portion and if we be pinched and pressed with aduersitie want or losses yet shall we not be oppressed for we want nothing but that we may well be without and haue not as yet lost any part of our portion Further in the phrase which the Apostle vseth They are powred away note a difference between the child of God and a wicked man when both of them are found in the same sinne but the one powreth out himselfe to wickednes giueth himselfe leaue to sin with full consent without restraint yea with greedines the other sinneth with consent but not full consent for being regenerate hee is not all flesh as the wicked man but partly flesh partly spirit and therefore partly willeth and consenteth to sin partly nilleth consenteth not he is not powred out without restraint as the other is but at length recouereth himselfe by repentance and obtaineth reconciliation with God Secondly we must beware of powring out our selues to wickednes but rather with Annah powre out our soules before the Lord in humble confession of sinne and petition for pardon that so the Lord may powre foorth his mercie vpon vs and shed his loue abroad in our hearts Thirdly we may not content our selues with a few or some good things for the hart may notwithstanding be powred foorth to sinne as
both extraordinarie as 〈◊〉 calling was and personall ceasing with the persons of the Apostles So as if the Pope succeeded Peter in any thing it is in the denying of Christ it cannot be in founding the Church which was done to his hand so many hundred yeeres before him Vers. 18. How that they told you that there should be mockers in the last time which should walke after their owne vngodly lusts THis verse containeth the testimonie it selfe the preface of which was laid downe in the former wherein two things are to bee noted first the time when wicked men shall abound in the Church in the last time Secondly what maner of persons they are namely described by two properties first they are mockers secondly fleshly For the time It is called the last time which is the time from the Ascension of Christ vnto the end of the world It may be asked how could this be called the last time seeing it is sixteene hundred yeeres agoe Ans. It is so called for two causes first because it goeth next before the end of the world and shall be closed vp of the last day 1. Corin 10.11 To admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Secondly in regard of former times according to the seuerall ages of it in which God altered the condition of his Church and renewed his couenant from time to time vnto the same as first plighting it with Adam and afterward renewing it to Noah thirdly to Abraham often repeating it fourthly to Dauid fifthly at the returne out of the Babylonish captiuitie sixthly at the comming of Christ. But now Christ being come and that fulnes of time wherein the former prophecies are fulfilled and accomplished the shadows ceremonies are abolished the new couenant of grace established there remaineth no renewing thereof neither any other alteration of it but as Christ hath alreadie appeared in his humilitie by his first comming so nothing is to be expected now but his second comming in glorie and this is the proper and principall cause why this is called the last time Secondly concerning the persons of the vngodly meÌ„ they are described first to bee mockers These are described by Peter 2. Epist. 3.3 In the last times shall come mockers which will walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming that is those that shall scorne all religion and make a mocke of God godlines and godly men than which there is not a greater height of wickednes of whom Salomon speaketh as being so far gone that they are past all admonition and therefore would not haue them admonished and Dauid maketh this the highest degree of a wicked mans proceeding in his sinne to sit him downe in the chaire of scarners Psal. 1. Vse This part of the testimonie is most truly verified in our age First in the Romish Church whose religion setteth vp a plainâ— mockerie of God and of Christ of Scripture and of true religion First for Christ they make but a mocke of him the true Christ is a King and so they say but the Pope must controule him both in making lawes of his owne to binde the conscience as also in adding and detracting from Christ lawes what hee will the true Christ is a Sauiour but they make euery man a sauiour of himselfe by meriting saluation for they teach that Christ merited that we might merit our own saluation yea the true Christ is a Mediatour but yet Saints must bee intercessors and his Mother whom they intitle the Queene of Heauen must commaund her sonne by the right of a Mother to heare their prayers and forgiue their sinnes what is this but to make his Mother Mediatour in his stead Secondly as for the Scriptures they renounce the originall Bible and the Greeke and Hebrew text as corrupt and will admit of none as authenticall but the Latin translation yea and of that allow no sense but that which the Pope authoriseth and setteth downe what is this else but to make a mockerie of the Scriptures no Bible no sense will serue nor must stand but the Popish sense which is indeed to reduce all scripture to the Popes will and determination Secondly if wee come home to our selues we shall finde this scripture verified among the swarmes of Atheists which make but a scorne of the word and Religion tell any man almost of his dutie he will be readie to say How know you these to be Moses writings and these to bee the Apostles writings which goe vnder their names and may not falsehood bee written as well as truth These are most prophane and blasphemous scorners but such as were prophecied of before by the Apostles themselues Againe amongst those that professe religion are many scorners that let a man make but a shew of goodnes and begin to make conscience of his waies if he will not blaspheme and sweare as he was woâ—â— if he will not drinke with the drunkard if he refuse such companie as he conuersed with before or will not doe as others doe hee is presently condemned for a precise foole or with such reprochfull tearmes how then is not this prediction of the Apostle accomplished when euen the performing of morall duties yea and such as stand by the lawes of God and the land is scoffed at as a blemish When scorners are so rife and bold euen in the face of the Church when where God hath his little flocke the diuell hath a large kingdome let vs not be offended too much when we heare and see these scorners but then acknowledge the accomplishment of this prophecie and contrarily loue and reuerence the word of God as a most pretious treasure The second sinne whereby these vngodly men are described is that they walke after the lusts of their owne hearts wherein two things are included first that these vngodly men shall haue their hearts filled with vngodly lusts Secondly that they shall walk after these lusts Concerning the former sundrie things are to be knowne First what this lust or concupiscence is Ans. In the Scripture it is of two sorts either originall or actuall or it may be considered two waies first as it is the fountaine or ofspring of all other sinnes or secondly as it is a fruite of the corruption of our hearts The former is an impotencie of the heart whereby it is inordinatelie disposed to the desire of this or that euill of which Iames speaketh chap. 2.14 Euery man when hee is tempted is drawne away by his owne concupiscence hence is the whole corruption of the heart or originall sinne called lust because it principally sheweth it selfe in these lusts The latter is actuall lust that is euery inordinate and euill motion of the inner man against the law of God which proceedeth as a branch or fruite from the fromer roote Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts of it where by lusts are meant
God or no. Vse First whereas all men good and bad haue innumerable lusts in them we are to take notice of the vilenes and vncleannes of our nature which is common to the good and bad betweene whom there is no difference but by grace our endeuour must bee to see more and more these lusts stirring and moouing themselues against God and man Secondly to mourne and bewaile them Thirdly to pray that God would burie them all in the death and graue of his Sonne that they stand not vp in iudgement against vs being euery of them sufficient to procure our eternall destruction Secondly we must not suffer sinne to raigne in vs for this is the part of an vngodly person true it is that lusts will be in the heart whilest a man is in the flesh but they must bee resisted that they may not raigne and rule the heart Quest. How shall we keepe vnder the lusts of the heart from raigning ouer vs Ans. Seeing sinne raigneth in the minde by euill thoughts our thoughts on the contrarie must bee framed according to the word and ordered by the counsell thereof according to the Apostles aduice Phil. 4.8 If any thing be honest vertuous of good report we must thinke of these things Coloss. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell plentiously in you Again lust raigneth in the memorie by remembring vanities wrongs and wicked speeches and actions wee must therfore remember our sinnes the number and greatnes of them the curse of the law against them the day of our owne death and the generall iudgement the remembrance of which shall be able to keepe out or at least to keepe vnder these vngodly lusts Further seeing it raigneth in the affections of pride reuenge hatred c. wee must learne the exhortation Phil. 2.5 Let the same minde be in you that was in Iesus Christ that looke as Christ was most milde meeke humble patient full of loue towards God and man so ought our vnruly affections to bee conformed vnto his And lastly seeing it raigneth in the bodie by idlenes ease sleepe in excesse which make the bodie an instrument of sinne wee must alwaies diligently inure our selues to the duties of our callings vsing fasting watching and prayer by which meanes well obserued the lusts in the heart may still trouble and molest vs but they shall not rule and raigne ouer vs. Vse 3. If it be the propertie of a wicked man to follow after vngodly lusts wee ought to purge our selues from all the lusts of the flesh and spirit 2. Cor. 7.1 lest these defile our bodies and soules in the powers and parts of them to doe which the better remember that blessed are the pure in heart secondly to inure our selues vnto the feare of God seeing the feare of God is cleane Psal. 19. that is it clenseth the heart and breaketh the necke of all noysome lusts Vers. 19. These are makers of sects fleshly not hauing the spirit THis verse containeth the application of the former testimonie vnto the particular persons whom it concerneth setting downe who they be that are scorners and followers of their lusts namely scorners are they that make sects separating themselues from the people of God and followers of their lusts be those who are fleshly and without the spirit which words being applied to these seducers fasten two sinnes more vpon them The first whereof is that they are makers of sects The second that they haue not the spirit For the former the word signifieth a singling and separating of themselues from the Church and people of God and consequently the making of sects to themselues neither may this seeme strange that there should be such persons that make such separation seeing it is the nature of euery sinner to flie from the presence of God as Adam did and Peter when he had seene a part of the glorie of Christ bad him depart from him for he was a sinner The prodigal sonne must haue his portion apart and will not be perswaded to liue with his father and euery vngodly man withdraweth himselfe vnto perdition Heb. 10.38 Doct. First it is a great sinne for a man to separate himselfe from the assemblies of Gods people because first it is a flying from God and his presence whose face euery one is commanded to seeke seeing he presenteth himselfe in the Word and Sacraments and wheresoeuer two or three are assembled in his name c. Secondly it is a contempt of Gods ordinance which whosoeuer despiseth despiseth God himselfe Thirdly out of the Catholike Church is no saluation the saying is true Whosoeuer will not haue the Church for his Mother shall not haue God for his Father Fourthly the congregations of Gods people on earth are the suburbes and gates of the kingdome of heauen whosoeuer therefore shutteth the gates of this kingdome of grace against himselfe here shall neuer enter into the gates of the kingdome of glorie hereafter Vse Our dutie hence is to ioyne our selues to the assemblies of the faithfull not forsaking the fellowship that we haue among our selues Heb. 10.25 but keeping the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes. 4.3 being like minded one towards another Rom. 15.5 speaking one thing as those that are knit together in one minde and one iudgement 1. Cor. 1.10 And if we would separate our selues then let vs depart from the Atheists and Papists in their corrupt doctrines and wicked conuersation Secondly such are iustly reprehended who seldome come to heare the word receiue the Sacraments and to call vpon God in the congregation for so much as they can they cut themselues from the kingdome of God in reiecting the meanes of their saluation Ob. They alleage for themselues that if they should come they should heare but a weake man like themselues speak vnto them and if Christ himselfe or some Angell should preach vnto them they would heare willingly Ans. Lay aside all disputing and yeeld vnto the wisedome of God whose ordinance it is that men should be taught by men and not otherwise Ob. They say further that they haue the Bible and the sermons of the Prophets and Apostles at home and none can make better sermons than they and againe that they can get knowledge enough to saluation by themselues and some say they haue knowledge sufficient and neede no more Ans. First Gods ordinance must be acknowledged and reuerenced in the publike Ministerie and in the middest of the assemblies and priuate duties must giue place to publike Secondly the word is not only to be knowne but affected now although knowledge may bee gained priuately yet the affections must bee wrought and mooued in the publike Ministerie Thirdly those that know the most know but in part and the Ministerie is instituted not onely to initiate and begin men but to confirme them in grace and leade them to perfection for which end the Lord hath giuen Pastors and Doctors of the Church to teach men vntill they come vnto a