2 Tim. 1.9 It was not given Contra justum Answer for the Apostle there speakes of the threatnings curses and comminations of the Law which were not denounced against the righteous But charity and love sufficeth without works Object 3 And therefore they are needlesse Certainely it is most true that love sufficeth for it is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 But First Answer not fained love which consists in words only but that which is in deed and in truth 1. Iohn 3.18 Secondly not a pretended love unto Christ in his owne person but a love extended also unto his members Matth. 25.45 Thirdly we cannot love Christ except we obey him If you love me saith Christ keepe my Commandements Iohn 14.15 where we see that according to our Saviour himselfe there can be no true love of him without obedience to the Commandements of God Quest 3 Is this the whole scope of the Law to doe to others as we would they should doe unto us that our Saviour here saith This is the Law and the Prophets Answer CHRIST reprehends the Pharises that hee may reduce them the better from their superstition For first they placed the marrow of the Law in ceremonies as in their Phylacteries and the observation of the Traditions of the Elders and the like (h) Mat. 23.5.23 15.2.9 Luke 16.14 Secondly in the meane time they neglected judgement and the workes of the Law Math. 23.1.23 Thirdly hence the Prophets call them from Ceremonies Esay 1.11 and 58.1.2 Amos 5.22 Deut. 10.16 and 30.6 And this is the scope of Christ to withdraw them from outward things to the inward marrow of the Law as Mathew 9.13 Joel 2.13 Mich. 6.6 c. Observ 2 Our Saviour teaching us hereby That the works of charity are the most true scope of the Law and Prophets Romans 13.8 c. God is love 1 John 4.10 and the Law is the Image of God Therefore the scope and end thereof must needs be love Quest 4 Doth the Law enjoyne nothing else but love doth it not require in us faith The just saith Habakkuk shall be saved by his faith yea doth it not exact holinesse righteousnesse and sobrietie Titus 2.11 Answer 1 First the doctrine of faith doth not properly teach what we must doe but what we must expect Now the proper subject of the Law is obedience Answer 2 Secondly obedience indeed doth include these three Faith Hope and Love but the Scripture usually doth insist principally upon Love unto our neighbours because therein wee most commonly faile and in the other are hypocritically false Men faine to have much faith in Christ and strong and sure hope of salvation and yet in the meane time be unjust unto men And therefore both the Master and the Disciple reciting the Law recite onely the second Table Matth. 19.19 Rom. 13.9 Quest 5 If the whole Law and Prophets consist in this short precept Thou shalt doe unto others as thou wouldst have them to doe unto thee then what need so many bookes and Prophets and Epistles and Sermons as there are Answer Certainely the Prophets and Sermons of the Preachers speake nothing against this rule yea this might suffice for the directing of us in our duty towards men if wee were not too perverse But because wee neither will understand neither be subject it is therefore necessary that we should be exhorted unto three things namely First Ad judicandum wee will not confesse what is just And therefore it is fit that we should be exhorted to judge betweene man and man thing and thing and that with equity and reason yea according to some prescript rules Secondly Ad obligandum generall words will not bind rebels and therefore many particular Lawes are added whereof there were no need if we would be but subject to this precept Wee see the Lord gives a particular charge concerning lending Deut. 15.2 and giving verse 7. and almes verse 9. c. and the like because our understanding is so blind our wills so perverse and our nature so corrupt that we will not be instructed with generall rules Thirdly Ad commone faciendum wee are very forgetfull and therefore we stand in need of many Lawes and rules and instructions and exhortations and all little enough Whether is honesty and upright dealing betwixt Quest 6 man and man praised and commended by God Honesty is greatly esteemed by God Answer Here observe that some attribute too much to honesty some derogate too much from it but the proper place thereof I conceive to be this First Honesty is in it selfe a good thing and commanded to all men Whatsoever things are good whatsoever things are honest c. labour after Philip. 4.8 Secondly Honesty is necessary not onely in respect of men Rom. 12.17 Provide things honest in the sight of all men but also in respect of God because he hates all sinnes Thirdly Honesty is acceptable and gratefull unto God yea Fourthly shall be crowned with a reward if it be true and rightly performed that is if accompanied with Religion in the life and proceeding from a sanctified heart Who are blame-worthy here Quest 7 Those who defining the workes of Religion Answer neglect honesty and integrity amongst men thus erre in their definition and thwart the truth here taught by our Saviour That the workes of love towards our brethren are the true scope and end of the Law and Prophets First the Pharisees were here faulty who placed the observation of the Law in ceremonies as was shewed before quest 3. Thirdly Hypocrites are here guilty also who place Religion in the observation of the first Table who will fast and pray publikely and performe some workes of outward holinesse Indeed these are to be done but those are not to be left undone Mat. 23.23 Wherein doth the Law of God excell humane Quest 8 Lawes The Law of God doth establish the affirmative part of the precept as well as the negative Answer and herein excelleth the best Lawes of men For humane Lawes onely forbid evill things but many good things are not therein commanded as for example There are Lawes established against murther and theft a man must not kill his brothers person nor steale his brothers substance for if so he shall be punished But men are not commanded by the Lawes of men First to visite the sicke who by reason of his affliction stands in need of solace Or Secondly to lend to the poore and those who want that so their necessities may be relieved Or Thirdly to feed the poore when he is hungry or give him drinke when hee is a thirst Or Fourthly to reduce the wandring traveller into the right way Or Fiftly to pardon and forgive those who injure and wrong us Or Sixtly to give counsell to the ignorant or comfort to the comfortlesse These things the Law of man doth not oblige all men unto But the Law of God commandâ— them all and that unto all Whatsoever thou wouldest that another should doe
as most perfect that he might follow after them All the Commandements saith he have I kept from my Childhood What lacke I yet As if he would say The precepts of Gods Law I have fulfilled from my youth with an easie labour and therefore I intreat thee to prescribe unto mee some more perfect workes that I may exercise my strength and power in them Now Christ that he may convince him of his errour propounds unto him a peculiar precept of tryall by which it will appeare that he neither loves God with all his heart nor his neighbour as himselfe and consequently that he had not as he dreamed as yet fulfilled all the Commandements of God Answ 2 Secondly this was both a Counsell and a Precept though not to all yet to this one man to discover his Hypocrisie and vaine confidence which he had in himselfe as though he had kept the Law when he was farre from it And therefore Bellarmine erres here in saying That in these words of Christs If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all c. Is given as a common Counsell of perfection or of supererogation for there is given a peculiar precept of probation exploration and healing or reducing this young man who was self-econceited of his owne strength and performances Answ 3 Thirdly or wee may answer that this is a Precept and not a Counsell Goe saith Christ sell all thou hast which words beare the forme of a Command and againe Mark. 10.17 Christ saith This thou wantest but wee are commanded to supply those things which are defective in us Philip. 3.13 Yea these words If thou wilt bee perfect are in the effect the same with these If thou wilt enter into life now if wee would be saved our Saviour sends us to the Law Keepe the Commandements And therefore this is not a Counsell but a Precept Answ 4 Fourthly it is not onely a peculiar precept given to this young man but a generall Precept unto all To love the Lord with all their hearts and to be content when the Lord requireth for Christs sâ—ke to leave all we have Calv. inst 4. Ca. 13. § 13. Fifthly some Precepts are Answ 5 I. Observatoria given for observation and practice and thus the Precepts of the Law were given that they might be obeyed and done And II. Some are Probatoria for tryall and these Precepts are either First for the approving of our sincerity and thus Abraham was commanded to offer vp his Sonne Isaac Secondly for the reproving and detecting of our Hyprocrisie And thus this young man was commanded to sell all c. Object If it be objected That he was no Hypocrite because the Text saith Christ loved him Mark 10.21 I answer Answ 1 I. There is a double Hypocrisie namely First an Artificiall Hypocrisie and this I conceive he had not And Secondly a Naturall Hypocrisie and this he was tainted withall for the discovering whereof unto him our Saviour gives him this Command II. There is a threefold love of Christ to Answ 2 wit First generall towards all his Creatures and thus he loved this young man but not thus onely And Secondly particular towards every good thing whether proceeding from a renewing grace which this young man had not or from a common and generall grace or from a restraining grace which preserves from sinne and evill And this the young man had and for this CHRIST loves him And Thirdly there is a proper love towards those who are Regenerate and borne anew and thus he loved not this young man Sixthly Bellarmine erres here in saying Answ 6 That the young man spake true when he said All these have I kept Seventhly grosse and palpable is the errour Answ 7 of the Cardinall to say or thinke That to sell all and giue it unto the poore is a worke of perfection and supererogation above all the Commandements of God for the Apostle saith If I shall distribute all my goods for food for the poore and have not love it profits mee nothing 1. Corinth 13.3 By which it evidently appeares that this worke which Bellarmine extols above all the Commandements of the Morall Law is nothing further then it is subordinate to the precept which enjoynes love unto our Brother Yea it is evident also that this worke may be done by those who are void of true Christian love and consequently which are guilty of the breach of the whole Law which is fulfilled by Love and consists in Love And therefore to sell all and give it unto the poore is not a worke of perfection or supererogation which transcends the Law of God If the Reader would see how Bellarmine excepts against divers things which hath beene said and how all his instances are full answered let him read B. Davenant de justit actuali Cap. 44. Page 510 511. and Dr. Willet synops Page 322. This place is further urged for proofe of the Object 2 vow of voluntary poverty CHRIST here saith If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all thou hast and give it to the poore and come and follow mee Now this is properly to follow Christ to lacke propriety and live in common and thus the Apostles followed Christ Rhemist First for the full answer to this Objection I Answ 1 referre the Reader to BP Mortons appeale Lib. 5. Cap. 4. § 3. And because it is there answered not onely learnedly but clearly and plainly also I will therefore but adde a word or two Secondly these words are a speciall precept of Answ 2 triall as wee said before and therefore are not to be made a generall observatory command or a Counsell of perfection Answ 3 Thirdly this is not a generall precept to all but given to this one man to discover his Hypocrisie and vaine confidence that he had in himselfe as though he had kept the Law which he came farre short off Or Answ 4 Fourthly this personall and particular command was given by Christ to this young man because he was called to become a Disciple of Christ and to preach the Gospell Luke 9.59 And therefore this precept being given not generally to all but particularly to him alone wee must not make a generall rule of a speciall commandement or example Answ 5 Fifthly Gulielmus de S. Amore as he is cited by Aquinas Thom. opusc 19. Thus expoundeth this precept Goe and sell all c. Ibi mandatam nobis esse paupertatem habitualem c. Our Saviour here requireth a habituall not an actuall poverty that is he commandeth us not to distribute and give actually all away that wee possesse but onely requireth an habituall poverty that is when the confession of the name of God and the glory of CHRIST so requireth Tum omnia deserere parati simus Then wee should be ready to leave all c. Answ 6 Sixthly the Apostles themselves had propriety Peter had a house Iohn had to provide for the Virgin Mary whom CHRIST commended unto him and Matthew made a Feast of
our duty in regard of these and other good meanes is to trust him no lesse when we have them then when we want them Iohn 13.15 Now from this Confidence proceeds hope 2 Chron. 20.1 and Isa 8.17 and Psal 27.14 which brings forth spirituall courage which courage consists in these things namely First in spirituall security Psal 3.5 6. And. Secondly in constancy in good things And Thirdly in patience in time of trouble and adversity as 2 Samuel 15.10 11 12. and Iames 5.11 and Hebr. 11.27 Thirdly we ought to have God in our Affections and that I. By loving him as Deuter. 6.5 Luke 10.27 and in this place that as we know and beleeve him to be good yea the chiefest good so wee love him above all and this love is then in truth in us when we love his word and Commandements Iohn 14.15.21.23 Psal 119.55.97 and discover our love in often thinking and speaking of God to his glory Psal 119.55 Acts. 17.28 Iames. 1.17 Malach. 3.16 and by desiring of his presence 2 Tim. 4.8 Psal 27.4 and 422. and by being zealous of his glory above all things and doing his will cheerefully Psal 16.3 and 119.97 â—31 Contrary to this love is such a love of our selves and wordly pleasures as causeth us to leave those duties undone which God requireth of us 1 Ioh. 2.15 16. and spirituall slothfulnesse Revelat. 3.15 and inconsiderate zeale Luke 9.54 whereas the true love of God will move us with Moses and Paul to wish our selves accursed rather then that the glory of God should any thing at all be stained by us Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 II. Wee must have God in our Affections by fearing him above all other things because he above all others is most powerfull and just Matth. 10.28 Esa 8.13 Hebr. 12.28 29. Gen. 18.27 Iob. 31.23 Now this feare workes in us a care to approve our selves unto God in all things Proverb 8.13 Gen. 20.11 Rom. 3.18 and is a child-like feare Psal 130.4 Gen. 39.9 and 1 Peter 1.17 Opposites unto this feare are the servile and slavish feare 1 Iohn 4.18 and presumption 2 Samuel 4.5.7 Eccles 11.6 Deuter. 29.19.20 Iude 4. and desperation Gen. 4.13 and 1 Kings 19.4 Acts. 16.27 and 2 Cor. 2.7 Now this good feare of God is then in us when it is strongeâ— to move us to good then the feare of men is to keepe us from good or to move us unto evill And when we doe not the good we doe onely or principally for feare of men but of God Now from this good feare proceeds Reverence of the Majesty of God in regard whereof we should carry such holy shamefastnesse in all our actions that no unseemely behaviour proceed from us that may any wayes bee offensive to him This holy Reverence was specially prefigured Deut. 23.12 14. Where men are enjoyned when they would ease themselves to goe without the Hoast and carry a Paddle with them to cover that withall which came from them because saith the Lord I am in the midst of them whereby the impurity and filthinesse of the Mind was forbidden more then of the body and the equity thereof reacheth also unto us Contrary hereunto is irreverence and prophanesse when men regard not how basely vilely and unseemly they behave themselves before God Quest 2 How is the love of God called the first Commandement Answ Because it is the Spring and fountaine of the rest Now it is the Fountaine of the rest in a double regard to wit First because it is the efficient and impulsive cause And Secondly because it is the finall cause or end which the rest propose which is for to declare our love towards God That is the love of God constraines us to obey him Quest 3 Why is the love of God called the great Commandement Answ 1 First because it is the end of all the rest of the Commandements and of our whole Obedience for therfore we ought to doe well unto our Neighbour because we love God and that we may shew our obedience to him thereby Answ 2 Secondly because that is the principall worship for which the Ceremoniall lawes were ordained and so is opposed unto the Ceremoniall worship which was appointed for this Morall law § 4. And the second is like unto it Sect. 4 Why is the love of our Neighbour called the Quest 1 second Commandement First because it containeth the summe of the Answ 1 second Table for if wee love our Neighbour as our selfe wee will neither murther nor hurt him Secondly because the love of our Neighbour Answ 2 must rise out of the first Table even from the love of God How is the second Table like unto the first or Quest 2 Why is it said to be like unto the first First because the second Table of the Morall Answ 1 law as well as the first hath a preheminence and excellency above the Ceremonials and therefore in regard of this dignity and priority it is like unto the first Secondly because the same kind of Punishment Answ 2 even everlasting Death is threatned against every transgression as well of the second as of the first Table Thirdly in regard of the coherence and dependance Answ 3 which the one hath of the other as the cause and the effect for a man cannot love his brother unlesse hee first have the feare of God whose Image he reverenceth in his brother Fourthly in regard of the Law-giuer which was one and the same of both Iames 4.12 And Answ 4 therefore as often as we sinne against our brother we sinne against our Father whose Lawes we transgresse and violate Fifthly the second Table is not like unto the Answ 5 first in order or quantity or dignity But Sixthly in regard of the subject matter or qualities Answ 6 which is Love in both and of the condition which is one in both for a true sincere and perfect Love is required both towards God and our Neighbour And Seventhly because as the Love of God is the Answ 7 head or chiefe of all those things which we owe unto him so the love of our Neighbour is the head of all those things which we owe unto him Here against the words of the text it may be Object 1 objected The second Commandement is like unto the first therefore the first is not the greatest The love of our Neighbour is like unto the love of God Answ because it appertaineth to the Morall worship which is described in the first and second Table The Answers of the former question solve this Objection and therefore I enlarge it not It may be objected againe If the second Table Object 2 be like unto the first then our Neighbour is to be made equall with God and is to be equally worshipped and loved First the love of our Neighbour is like unto Answ 1 the love which we owe unto God in respect of the kinde but unlike in respect of the degree Secondly the love of God and of our neighbour Answ 2
is unlike in three regards viz. I. In respect of the objects or things loved For God and man who are to be loved are divers objects II. In respect of the originall For the love of our Neighbour springeth from the love of God but not contrarily III. In respect of the degree for wee are to love God more then our Neighbour Sect. 5 § 5. Thou shalt love thy neighbour Quest How can we love our neighbour at all seeing we are commanded to love God with all our heart soule and mind Answ 1 First the sincere and true love of our Neighbour is not contrary to the Love of God but according or agreeable thereunto and therefore it takes nothing away from the love of God but is rather a fulfilling thereof Answ 2 Secondly he who loves not his neighbour loves not truely his God The husband is commanded to love his wife even as CHRIST loved his Church and yet he may love his children too yea if he love not his children it is an argument that he loves not his wife a◠the mother of his children The wife is commanded to love her husband and yet she may love her children yea if shee doe not love them it is certaine that shee doth not love her husband the Father of her children Children are commanded to love their Parents and yet they may love their brothers and sisters yea if they doe not love them it is a signe that they doe not love their Parents truely And thus except we love our Neighbour we cannot love our God 1 Iohn 4.20 Sect. 6 § 6. As thy selfe Quest In what sense is our neighbour to be beloved as wee love our selves Answ In this precept Sicent As doth not denote an universall and absolute parity or equality but an analogy and resemblance which likenesse or resemblance principally consists in these things namely First as we would neither doe nor wish evill unto our selves so neither must wee unto our neighbour Secondly as we wish well and doe good unto our selves so we must also unto our neighbour Thirdly as we doe this unto our selves out of a true love unto our selves so also must we unto our brethren Fourthly as we love our selves for Gods sake so wee must love our brother for his sake also Fifthly as wee must not so love our selves that we would sinne rather then displease our selves so neither must wee so love our brethren that we would condescend unto evill rather then displease them Sixthly as we must not love our selves more then God so neither must we love our neighbour more then him Sect. 7 § 7. Vpon these two hang all the Law and the Prophets Quest 1 Wherein doth the whole Law of God consist Answ 1 First the Lord hath summed up all that he requireth in one word Love Rom. 13.10 Love is the fulfilling of the Law Answ 2 Secondly he hath enlarged this word in two In this place verse 37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Thirdly he hath enlarged these two into ten words Deuter. 10.4 And he wrote on the Tables Answ 3 the ten words Fourthly he hath yet further enlarged them into Answ 4 Moses and the Prophets in this verse On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendent hang even as we hang a thing upon a naile Esay 22.23 so the Law and the Prophets hang upon these two precepts Fifthly Love the contents of the Law is twofold Answ 5 viz. I. Of God which consists in worship and therefore First we must worship the true God with internall worship and the love of the heart Precept 1. Secondly we must worship the true God truely Now this true worship of God is described both I. Generally that is we must worship nothing with God but worship him without all mixture of Idolatry Precept 2. And also II. Particularly where we learne that his worship is either First private for we must honour and reverence his name and not blaspheme it Precept 3. Or Secondly publike which consists in the workes of the Lords day II. Of our brother Now this love is either First externall and consists in duties which are either I. Publike and enjoyned Precept 5. Or II. Private towards our neighbour that is First towards his person Precept 6. Secondly towards his chastity Precept 7. Thirdly towards his substance Precept 8. Fourthly towards his reputation and good name Precept 9. Or Secondly internall described Precept 10. And thus we see the summe and contents of the Law Why doth our Saviour reduce all the Commandements Quest 2 to these two the love of God and of our neighbour Because as man consists of two things namely Answ a soule and a body so the body of Religion consists of these two Precepts And as we see all things with two eyes and heare all things with two eares and smell all things with two nostrils and worke with two hands and walke with two feete so in like manner in these two Precepts viz the love of God and of our neighbour we see heare and worke all things that are necessary to salvation And therefore aptly are they reduced by our Saviour unto these two Aureum opus Page 45. What is the meaning of these words On these Quest 3 two hang all the Law and Prophets The meaning is that all other legall obedience Answ which is contained in Moses and the Prophets doth spring from our love unto God our neighbour In the Prophets also is the promise or doctrine of the Gospell Object therefore CHRIST seemeth not to speake aright in this place He speaketh of the doctrine of the Law not of the Promises of the Gospell Answ as appeareth by this question of the Pharise which was the chiefe Commandement not which was the chiefe Promise And therefore CHRIST answereth him directly Vers 43.44.45 VERS 43.44.45 He saith unto them How then doth David in spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstole If David then call him Lord how is he his Sonne Sect. 1 § 1. How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord. David here Prophesying of CHRIST and ordinarily called The Prophet David may moue this Quaere How he was a Prophet and how he Prophecied Quest There were two sorts of Prophets namely Answ First some were Prophets by inspiration and office that is who continued still to be Prophets as Esay and Ieremy now these were properly called Prophets ordinarily the Jewes called them Prophetae per missionem Prophets by message Rabbi David Rimchi praefat in Psal Secondly some were Prophets onely by inspiration and these lived not as Prophets neither continued they in that calling and thus David and Daniel are called Prophets although the one was a King and the other a Courtier and these the Jewes called Prophetae per Spiritum sanctum Prophets
as the tenet it selfe instead of many take one they tell us a story of a woman who was possessed with a divell and by the direction or revelation of the Virgin Mary shee was brought to the Idoll of Loretto where the Priests invocating and imploring the aid of God the Father Son and holy Ghost the divell moved not at all but when he sung the Letanie of the Virgin Mary the Divell raged and stormed and a woodden Image of the Ladies being laid upon the Damosels head the divell cryed out in her quid mihi caput conteris oh woman why dost thou breake my head a Chem. exam p. 3. f. 182. b. Hereunto we answer first this and the like Answ 1 are but old Wives Fables and woe bee to that Church and religion which cannot subsist without these vide Melch. Can. Loc. 6. Secondly suppose these Fables were truths Answ 2 yet thou knowest not whether they be in Heaven or no unto whom thou prayest for some may worke miracles on earth who shall never partake eternall blisse b Matth. 7.22 Thirdly how canst thou pray unto him in Answ 3 whom thou neither canst nor oughtest to believe Rom. 10.14 Fourthly what need is there to seeke helpe at Answ 4 their hands though they could helpe us seeing that Christ in this verse can doe all things whatsoever he will of himselfe without any aid of others VERS 25. Vers 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Hierusalem and from Iudea and from beyond Iordan There followed him great multitudes of people Why doth the Holy Ghost expresse this Quest 1 To teach us that many are called Answ Observ and but few chosen many here follow him but few persevere yea scarce any for when the people cry crucifie him none in a manner abide with him but leave and forsake him Why doe so many start aside from their stations Quest 2 or forsake their colours First by reason of persecution thus our Saviour Answ 1 saith that when this fiery tryall comes many will depart from the faith Secondly by reason of the difficulty of obedience Answ 2 Many say durus sermo the way of the Lord is hard to walke in and therefore they prove retrograde c Ioh. 6.60.66 Thirdly by reason of the tediousnesse and Answ 3 wearisomnesse of perseverance Noviter conversi fervidi d August they are fervent when newly converted unto the profession of Religion but by and by grow luke-warme and within a while stone cold Zelus ruit mole sua they beginne in the Spirit but end in the Flesh their zeale declining and falling by his owne weight Nullum violentum est diuturnum No extreames hold long and the buildings upon the sand cannot long endure Thus many beginne well hearing the word of God with joy Mat. 13d but for want of depth of earth quickly wither and die Quest 3 What must we do that we may persevere unto the end Answ 1 First doe not presume that thou shalt stand for ever because thou art called many are called who finally and totally fall away and therefore let him that thinkes he stands take heed lest he fall bee not high minded but feare and perfect thy salvation with trembling e Phil. 2 12. Certè plures occidit gula quam gladius praesumptio quam desperatio Intemperance slayes more then the sword and presumtion then desperation we being naturally too prone hereunto hast thou a mind inlightned thy affections inflamed with the love of God and vertue a sense of thy duety towards God and man a conscience of thy sinnes committed both against the first and second table yet measure not thy selfe by these Are thy neighbours worse then thou art Ne te quaesiveris extra yet measure not thy selfe by them goe not out into the streets to seeke for thy selfe but measure what thou art by these rules First by thy owne sinnes which thou dost commit this will make thee blush and be ashamed of thy selfe Secondly by those bright shining lampes of the primitive Church who lived on earth like Saints indeed truely mortified in their carnall affections truely crucified unto the world truely quickned by the Spirit giving themselves wholly unto the Lord and the Lords worke being frequent in contemplation and fervent in practise this will make thee seeme unto thy selfe more deformed then Thersites Thirdly measure thy selfe by the purity of God and his Law consider how undefiled the Law of the Lord is and how infinitely pure the Lord of this Law is and then thou wilt be like the Dove that could find no place to rest her foot upon thou wilt see nothing in thee which thou canst approve of or like but abhorre thy selfe in dust and ashes Fourthly examine thy selfe by thy debility and weakenesse of perseverance consider thy impotency and insufficiency to persevere and continue in the wayes and worke of the Lord unto the end of thy life and this will shew thee as in a glasse that thou art more brittle and fraile then the finest glasse Thus let us meditate of these things and take heed of presuming Secondly examine and search daily thy heart trying and examining therein these particulars First hast thou any faith at all Secondly Answ 2 is thy faith true not false built upon a sure not a sandy foundation How may we know whether our faith be true Quest 4 or not By these markes First dost thou love God Answ 1 Faith workes by love Gal. 5.6 and where there is no love there is no faith and where no true love no true faith and therefore examine whether thou lovest God or not and that not onely lightly in word but solidly in heart Quest How shall I know this whether my Quest 5 love unto my Lord be cordiall and reall or orall and verball Answ By these two things viz. First by the Answ 1 Obedience of God both affirmative and negative dost thou nothing which he forbids thee neither omit any thing which hee requires of thee certainely where there is true love there is a solide desire and a serious endeavour to obey Secondly this may be known by thy reverence dost thou never thinke of God never name him or mention him in thy speeches but with love and hope conjoyned with a godly feare and awfull reverence hypocrites and wicked men approach unto God too familiarly but the faithfull with the greatest respect they can possibly and therefore try whether we love the Lord unfainedly or not by our willing obeying of him and our reverend respect unto him Secondly wee may know whether our faith be true or not by this doe wee performe the Answ 2 workes of love not onely in word but in deed also that is by a renewed changed and purified life and conversation we now labouring I. To obey God otherwise then wee were accustomed that is in sincerity and singlenesse of heart by an universall and continuall obedience
9.10 Secondly his estate shall increase thus the Apostle in this sense comforteth the Corinthians for their bounty towards the poore God will multiply your seed sowne and increase the fruits of your righteousnesse 2 Cor. 9.10 and the Holy Ghost elswhere telleth us That there are some who scattereth and yet increaseth and some who with-holdeth more then is meet but it tendeth to pouerty h Pro. 11.24 that is liberality unto the poore increaseth the portion in temporall things but by hard-heartednesse the estate is decreased Secondly the next reward which shall bee given to the mercifull is Spirituall Thus Daniel perswades the King to redeeme his sinnes by Almes Dan. 4.24 And our Saviour sayth Give Almes and all things shall bee pure unto you Luke 11.41 yea Dorcas is praised for her Almes-deed◠i Act. 9.36 Our Saviour divides the Law into a two-fold love viz. towards our God and towards our Neighbour And Saint Paul assures us that love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.8.10 Now this love of man is three-fold I. towards our Superiours II. towards our equals III. towards our inferiours And this last is the best because they most stand in need of our love and charitie Thus mercie towards the poore prepares the way unto Spirituall graces non opere operato vel ratione meriti not by the worke wrought or any merit therein but it testifies our love unto God for he that for conscience sake or for Gods sake doth love his brother as a member of Christ the bowels of his compassion yerning upon him doth plainly thereby demonstrate his love unto God Yea this true mercie towards those that are truely indigent doth encrease graces in us as for example it teacheth us to contemne and despise the love of the world it teacheth us to moderate our care for our selves and ours it workes in us a quiet and peaceable minde And increaseth our hope confidence and faith in Christ because he hath sayd Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie Thirdly the last reward which shall bee given to the mercifull is Eternall He shall neuer be moued Psalm 112.6 yea hee that followeth after mercie findeth life Prov. 21.21 And hee which soweth bountifully to the poore on earth shall reap bountifully from the Lord in heaven 2 Cor. 9 6. And Saint Paul prayes for Onesiphorus that the Lord would give mercie unto him because he had bountifully refreshed him when hee was forsaken of the most 2 Timoth. 1.16.18 Quest. 35 Why doth God reward temporall mercie towards the poore with eternall unto us Answ First because this is the Lords ordinarie custome who is wont to recompense temporall things with spirituall For our light affliction sayth the Apostle which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 So that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared to the glory which shall bee reuealed in us Rom. 8.18 The Lord hereby shewing his bountie unto us for our greater encouragement that seeing hee is so graciously pleased to reward our temporall almes given unto the poore for his sake with spirituall grace and eternall glory we should bee the more carefull to bee rich in good workes ready to distribute and willing to communicate l 1 Tim. 6.18 Answ 2 Secondly those that are truly mercifull shew themselves thereby to bee the Sonnes of God because hee is mercifull Now if wee bee Sonnes then Heires euen Heires of God and joynt Heires with Christ and shall bee glorified with him m Rom. 8.17 Answ 3 Thirdly that which is given unto the poore according to the rules prescribed before is given unto Christ and therefore it shall bee rewarded with eternall mercies In as much saith our Saviour as you did it to them that is the poore you did it to mee wherefore come yee blessed of my Father into euerlasting joy prepared for you Matth. 25.43 Quest 36 If mercie towards the poore bee thus rewarded may wee not then say that Almes-deeds are meritorious Answ We must learne to distinguish Inter mercedem premium betwixt wages and reward and we must not be mercifull that we may merit or deserve heaven as wages of due debt but if we be mercifull we may expect a reward for a cup of cold water shall not go unrewarded if given charitably Certainely it is much to be lamented to see how Charity is growne cold and as it were fled out of the world there never were more objects of mercie than now and men never lesse mercifull very few carefull according to our Saviours advice to lay up for themselves treasure in heaven Some will say by a positive law wee are forbidden Obiect 4 to give reliefe unto the poore There is a foolish wicked dangerous and Answ 1 hurtfull Almes forbidden by the Lawes of our land and that is to relieve wandring beggars who either will not worke althougn they bee able or will not keepe at home where they are to bee provided for This is Crudelis misericordia cruell pittie to maintaine such that live in a trade of sinne and will neither be obedient to lawes humane nor divine Secondly in every place where there are Answ 2 those who are indigent enough which wee should enquire after for although they be forbidden to begge from doore to doore yet wee are never forbidden to send reliefe unto them And it is this mercie to which is here promised a reward of blessednesse VERS 8. Blessed are the pure in heart Vers 8 for they shall see God § 1. Blessed What is Blessednesse Sect. 1 First of all Quest men doe not covet to to bee rich or honourable but all desire to be happy Answ 1 and therefore all doe acknowledge happinesse to bee Aliquid eximium some excellent thing Secondly but there is nothing more full of Answ 2 errour than this what Happinesse is as appeares by Cicero Lactantius and Varro who reckon up 288 opinions about this particular The principall whereof are these Some place Blessednesse in Externis outward things viz. 1. some onely in pleasure as the Epicureans 2. some onely in Riches as the worldlings 3. some in both these 4 some in Honour as the Ambitious 5. some in fame and credit as the Academickes 6. some in Fame and abundance together Internis internall things to wit 1. in wisedome solus sapiens beatus onely the wise man is happie saith Tully 2. or in vertue Honestum judico faelicem I esteeme the honest man a happy man said Plato 3. some in vertue conjoyned with riches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindarus 4. some in vertue conjoyned with a perfect life so Aristotle and the Peripatetickes 5 some in vertue conjoyned with faith and Religion towards Christ Iesus and thus hold the Christians But it is something more Answ 3 Thirdly blessednesse is taken 2. severall waies either for An action leading unto a happie condition which action is
are made e Staplet Ibid. And therefore it followes not that because Christ is a Law-giver therefore he must make new lawes disanulling or opposing the old Secondly Christ saith Ego dicâ— I say not as Arg. 2 the Prophets were wont to doe Haec dicit Dominus Thus sayth the Lord and therefore Christ here opposeth himself to the law of God The reason why Christ sayth I say Answ is not because hee speakes contrary to that which his Father had spoken formerly by his Prophets but because whatsoever he speaks from the Father he speakes from himselfe which the Prophets did not Propheta ad conservos Christus ad serâ—os f Chrysost sup Christ as a Lord speakes unto his servants and therefore saith I say unto you the Prophets as the servants of the Lord speake unto their fellow servants in the Lord and therefore say thus saith the Lord. Thirdly Stapleton proves this from examples Christ saith he addes new Lawes and therefore Arg. 3 he opposeth the Law of God he proves the proposition thus First Christ saith thou shalt not sweare at all vers 34. I answer it was never lawfull or allowable by Answ 1 the Law of God to sweare by those things which Christ reproves wherefore this was no new Law Secondly Christ teacheth that Divorce is never lawfull but for adultery or fornication vers 32. I answer this was an old Law and no new one Our Saviour himselfe saying that from Answ 2 the beginning it was not allowed for a man upon every occasion to put away his wife g Matth. 19.8 Thirdly Christ teacheth us under the Gospel to love our enemies vers 44. Answ 3 This was an ancient law If saith the Lord thou meet not thy friends but thy enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt surely bring it backe to him againe h Exod. 23.4 Now none can deny but this instance doth plainely imply and injoyne love to our enemies But if any be so blind that they cannot see it or so obstinate that they will not acknowledge that it may hence bee deduced or proved that wee ought to love our enemies let him listen then to the wise man If thine enemy be hungry give him bread to eate and if bee bee thirsty give him water to drinke c i Pro. 25.21 And therefore that addition which our Saviour speakes of vers 44. Thou shalt hate thine enemy is a falsification of the Pharisees as shall bee shewed afterwards and was never injoyned by the Law of God Fourthly Christ teacheth us to love our brethren and calleth it his Commandement John 14.15.21 and 15.10.12.17 and John 13.34 and Saint Paul cals it the Law of Christ Galat. 6.2 Answ 4 This was no new commandement but an old given in the Old Testament David expresly commends and implicitly commands this brotherly love Oh how good and joyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in amity and unity Psal 133. c. Yea our Saviour saith the one halfe of the Law is to love our neighbour as our selfe Mat. 22.49 which words are taken from Lev. 19.18 And therefore I may safely those rubbes removed out of the way conclude this question that certainely Christ doth not here oppose himselfe to the Law of God but to the expositions of the Pharisees Quest 2 Why did not Christ who was the true Messias ordaine new Lawes for those to walke by who were under the Gospell Answ 1 First because the Law of God was perfect Psal 19.7 and wonderfull 119.129 and spirituall Rom. 7. extending it selfe to the inward man as well as the outward for it forbids coveteousnesse and condemnes the internall concupiscence of the heart in the tenth Commandement God is to be worshipped in spirit and with spirituall worship Joh. 4.24 this also the Law commands Salomon perswades us to give God our hearts Prov. 23.26 and Moses to love and serve God with all our hearts and with all our souls Deut. 6.5 And therefore there was no need of a new Law the old being such as hath beene said Secondly whatsoever Christ taught or desired Answ 2 to teach to his Apostles and Disciples and to all his dispersed through the whole world was included prescribed and laid down in the Law and therefore there was no necessity of framing new Commandements We read of three principal Lawes which Christ commends unto all that are under the Gospell the first is to keepe the Commandements Mat. 19.17 Now this is injoyned in the Old Testament The second is to love the brethren or our brethren this also was commanded in the Law The third is to believe in Christ but this is the Commandement of the Father k 1 Ioh. 3.23 § 2. But I say unto you The scope of Christ Sect. 2 in this place is to oppose his true opinion to the opinion of antiquity and he doth not endeavour to prove this from the best most learned or most ancient Rabbines but onely from his word that he might teach us Observ that the onely fountaine of truth is in his word Christ doth not say It was said of old thou shalt not kill c. but Rabbi Salomon or Ben-Ezra doth not say so But I say unto you that hence wee might learne that the true tryall of antiquity is in the Holy Scriptures and therefore wee are commanded to search them Ioh. 5.39 to repaire to them Esa 8.20 because by them we are regenerated 1 Pet. 1.23 from them we have faith Rom. 10.17 yea they are able to make us perfect l 2 Tim. 3 16. The Church is our Mother therefore shee must be subject to God our Father for the wife ought to be so unto the husband and hence Saint Paul would have us to wave the opinion of an Angell rather then of the word of God m Gal. 1.8 much more then of a Father who is subject to errour as was shewed in the former verse Is there no use at all to be made of Antiquity Quest or of the opinions workes and writings of the Fathers and Ancients First in generall the true use of the Ancients Answ 1 is not to establish a new way unto heaven but to facilitate the old not to teach new opinions but to expound and explaine the ancient truths which are couched in holy writ Secondly more particularly the true use of Answ 2 the Fathers and ancient writers consists In these 4. things to wit First in the exposition of the Scriptures which is twofold namely either Positive as for example this exposition of Scripture is true because the Fathers so interpreted it This followes not Privative this exposition is false because none of the Fathers so give it here observe two things namely First this is no certaine or generall rule because often all the Fathers of some one time or for a long time have been mistaken as was shewed in the former verse in the exposition of Gen. 6.2 and 2 Cor. 4.4 Secondly this is
all our actions and see whether wee live in the Spirit and walke in the Spirit or not when wee give way unto sinne and avoid not the occasions unto evill wee should consider whether herein are wee led by the Spirit of God or by flesh and blood Fourthly we may try our adoption by our affection Signe 4 for if we love God and are zealous for his glory and would by no meanes displease him but are carefull by our sincere obedience of him to approve our love unto him then wee are his Sonnes Signe 5 The next Signe is the love of holy things that is 1. Of holy men the faithfull Saints and sincere professors of the Gospel 2. Of holy duties and the exercises of Religion Certainly those who are in deed and in truth the sonnes of God they will love both good men and good meanes unto goodnesse Signe 6 Lastly if we be the children of our heavenly Father we will love even our enemies but this comes to be considered of in the next particular And thus much for the Argument Secondly the next thing considerable is the Consequence The Argument was this Because ye are the children of God The Consequence is this therefore love your enemies as becomes the children of God as if our Saviour would say none is the child of God who doth not love his enemies Quest 3 Why must we love our enemies Answ 1 First because he who loves none but friends is guided onely by a humane spirit for wicked men can love those who love them and do good to those who doe good unto them vers 46. Answ 2 Secondly because herein we imitate Christ who loved us when we were enemies Rom. 5.8 yea prayed for those who were the instruments of cruelty even his bloody murderers Luke 23 34. Thirdly because this is a divine thing and an Answ 3 argument of a minde guided by a divine Spirit to love those who hate us and doe good unto those that doe evill unto us If wee love those who deserve to be beloved of us or those who never deserved any evill from us what reward shall we have But if we love those who have deserved evill at our hands this will be gratefull and pleasing unto God § 2. Which is in Heaven Sect. 2 Why are these words added Which is in Heauen Quest 1 To teach us Answ that the love of our enemies is not true except it be founded upon our obedience towards God Observ Or there is no true and right love unto any but onely that which is for Gods sake And therefore our Saviour teacheth us not to love for other respects to wit either for gaine or praise or our owne quiet but for the Lords sake Christ doth not say love thy enâ—my 1. Because he is a man of the same kind that thou art Or 2. Because he is ignorant and foolish for otherwise he would never have injured thee as he hath Or 3 Because he is but a dead man for if there were any life of grace in him hee would labour to be reconciled unto thee and acknowledge his wrong and who would be angry at the barking of a Dogge or for any thing that is done or said by a foole or a dead man Christ I say urgeth none of these but onely 4. The imitation of God because ye are the children of your Father which is in Heaven who doth good both to bad and good therefore from him learne to love your enemies Why must we love our enemies Quest 2 In God there are three reasons Answ why wee must love them First because God suffers him to be our enemy and permitted him to doe the injury which is done unto us and therefore we must confesse and acknowledge it to be just both in regard of God and us that is the Lord did justly permit it and we justly deserve it And therefore hate not thy Brother because he is but the instrument and the stone which is throwne at thee Secondly if thou be the sonne of God then thy enemy cannot harme thee because the Lord will preserve thee And therefore why shouldest thou hate him who cannot hurt thee Thirdly though thou be injured and harmed by thy enemy yet it shall be profitable for thee either 1. Probando by trying thy faith and patience Or 2. Corroborando by strenghtning thee more and more to undergoe whatsoever the Lord shall lay upon thee Or 3. Coronando by crowning of us because all the crosses which we endure for the Lords sake shall be rewarded And therefore why should wee hate those who doe that unto us which is thus profitable for us § 3. For he maketh his sun to rise Sect. 3 What is observable in the Sunne Quest First the Philosophers gave it many high Answ 1 praises and phrases as some of them called it the heart some the eye of the world some the fountaine of light the eye of heaven and the mind of the world some a heavenly fire a sempiternall living creature a vitall or animate planet Speusippus Answ 2 Secondly the Heathens supposed it to bee a God Agamemnon prayed unto it the Persians adored it the Egyptians called it a God Plato de republ cals it the Image or Vicar of God I forbeare here to shew how some of the Gentiles worshipped the Sun how some of them painted it how some built Temples unto it yea how others in many things compared it to a Lyon Answ 3 Thirdly Christians have called a day by it to wit the first day of the world or the Lords day hath beene for a long time called Sunday Answ 4 Fourthly wee may from the Sunne observe these things I. It is a body or substance full of splendor and glory yea comfortable to every creature read to this purpose these places Eccle. 11.17 Cantic 6.9 Psal 19.5 Mat. 13.43 and 17.2 and Act. 26.13 and 1 Cor. 15.41 Rev. 1.16 and 10.1 and 12.1 and 21.23 In these places wee may see 1. the glory and excellency of the Sunne and 2. what glorious things are compared thereunto II. the Sunne runnes continually never abating his course at all Read Psalme 104 and Cant. 1.5 III. It enlightens the world whence it is called magnum luminare o Gen. 1.6 Psal 136.8 the great light IV. The Sunne divides the times and seasons Winter and Summer Gen 1.14 V. It ripens fruit by his heat and warmth as we see by experience every yeare VI. It is a meanes of mans generation Sol homo generat hominem Aristot VII The Sunne animates quickens and vivifies the world yea without the Sunne the world in nature could not subsist But I enlarge not these things Sect. 4 § 4. And his raine to fall What is observable in the raine Quest First we might speake here of the water philosophically Answ 1 as namely I. That it is the embleme of purity both in the law of Moses as also 1 Pet. 3.21 and Tit. 3.5 II. Water is the carrier away
matter of the worke but not those which are good in respect of the manner of doing that is they doe bonum non bone a good thing but not well he who desires to see a Jesuiticall conflict let him reade Maldonate upon this verse where hee shall see him fighting for us against his brother Jesuite affirming boldly that none shall bee rewarded for anie of these workes here mentioned except they doe them propter Deum for Gods sake Fourthly Bellarmines proofe is frivolous in Answ 4 saying if the worke had not beene good Christ would have said Cur hoc facitis Why doe ye this and not quid amplius facitis what doe ye more for they are both one in effect for if every good worke be rewarded by God and these to love our friends or to salute our neighbours are not rewarded by him and are denied a reward because Pagans Publicans do theÌ„ Then it must needes follow that these workes shall not bee rewarded by God in Pagans and Publicans neither in them are good workes p Chamicr de lib. arb l. 4. Cap. 9. Sect. 7.8.10 Tom. 3. fol. 99. Vers 48. VERS 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect § 1. Be ye therefore Sect. 1 These words having reference unto those which goe before it may be demanded Quest By what degree our Saviour ascended to perfection Answ 1 First hee would not have his to offer wrong unto their neighbours or brethren Answ 2 Secondly not to be revenged more then the wrong suffered or sustained requireth Thirdly not to bee revenged so much as the Answ 3 wrong done requireth but to be quiet Answ 4 Fourthly to suffer further injury rather then revenge any Answ 5 Fifthly to doe more then he requireth that doth him wrong Answ 6 Sixthly not to hate him that doth him wrong but even to love him Answ 7 Seventhly to be beneficiall unto him and to pray to God for him Chrysost Homil. 18. s Argu. We produce this place against that Popish distinction of Precepts and Counsells Our Saviour here saith ye shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Therefore all Counsels tending to perfection are Commandements If there be any thing whereby we may more neerely attaine unto perfection wee are commanded and bound to doe it as for example if a man can better obtaine this perfection of godlinesse by living single if he have the gift hee ought to doe it Replie Bellarmine lib. 2. de Monach. Cap. 9. Arg. 5. distinguisheth There are saith he two kindes of Perfection a lesse which consisteth in the full keeping of the law which is necessary to salvation this perfection is commanded in this vers There is a greater perfectioÌ„ not simply necessarie unto salvation but required for the obtaining of a more excellent degree of glory and this perfection consists in the observation of counsels and this our Saviour meaneth when he biddeth the young man to sell all that he hath that he may Answ 1 be perfect Mark 10.21 First there can be no greater perfection then the absolute fulfilling of the law which is in love wherefore that which he calleth the lesse perfection is the best seeing it fulfilleth the law q Rom. 13 10. and 1 Iohn 4.12 16 17 Secondly the perfection spoken of in this Answ 2 verse is the best perfection we must labour to be perfect as God is perfect now what greater perfection can there be than to be perfect according to the example of God Answ 3 Thirdly that perfection which our Saviour in this verse speaketh of is that which is described before verse 44. Love your enemies c. which perfection all the Papists referre unto a Counsel not unto a precept as doth also Bellarmine himselfe de Iustificat lib. 4. cap. 3. and therefore according unto himselfe his distinction is false and frivolous Bellarm. enervat Ames tom 2. fol. 163. Answ 4 Fourthly that thing whereunto Christ exhorteth the young man is not so great a point of perfectâ—on as this whereof Christ speaketh that we should love our enemies for a man may give all his goods to the poore and yet bee without love r 1 Cor. 13.3 but a man cannot love his enemies unlesse he have love And therefore that exhortation to perfection Å¿ Willet synops fol. 323. containeth not onely a Counsell but a command Sect. 2 § 2. Be ye therefore perfect Quest 1 What is meant by this exhortation unto perfection Answ 1 First some understand it particularly of love and mercy towards our enemies because the true praise of Christian perfection doth consist in the power of pardoning and loving our enemies with our heart Why doth Christian perfection consist herein First because there is nothing more difficult to nature than to pardon and love our enemies Secondly because there is nothing more opposite unto Sathan than this is to love those who hate us Thirdly because there is nothing wherein we more resemble or come neere unto our God than this to forgive those who have injured us and to love them who hate us Answ 2 Secondly some understand this exhortation generally as if our Saviour would say study and labour after every degree and kind of perfection which is in your Father Object But none are or can be perfect so long as they live here for none are good Matth. 19.17 but in many things sinnefull Iames 3.2 and if any deny this and say he is no sinner Iohn will tell him he is a lyar t 1 Iohn 1.8 10. Answ There is a double perfection to wit either First Absolute which is an herb growing onely in heaven and is found in God the Angels and glorified Saints this perfection is spoken of in 1 Corinth 13.10 Heb. 12.23 and Phil. 3.12 This we cannot attaine unto in this life but must endeavour unto as long as we live Secondly limited which consists in sincerity when the heart is upright examples whereof we have 1 King 15.14 and Phil. 3.15 Now this is required in us and is called perfection in a three-fold regard namely I. Because there is in us a sincere purpose to obey and please the Lord in all things II. Because we have the seeds of all vertue in us III. Because we endeavour daily to bee more holy more pure more perfect Ephes 4.13 Why must we thus labour after this perfection Quest 2 of sinceritie First because it is commanded and that both Answ 1 in the Law and Gospell I. In the Old Testament it is required of Abraham be perfect Gen. 17.1 and of all the people of God Deut. 18.13 and of Solomon u 1 Chro. 28.9 II In the New Testament Be ye perfect 2 Cor. 13.11 Secondly because it is commended and that Answ 2 both I In the Old Testament as in Noah Gen. 6.9 and in Hezekiah 2 King 20.5 and Asa 1 King 15.14 II. In the New Testament Zachary and Elizabeth were both perfect
and labour must last for terme of life for there is no rest from labour till after death Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours (q) Reve. 14.13 where we see that there is no resting from the works of Religion or the labour of the Lord till death Neque hîc requies spiranda neque ibi tristitia timenda (r) Chrys s As we must not expect rest in this life so we need not feare labour and paines in the life to come Sect. 6 § Which leades unto life Quest 1 Why is it said which leades unto life and not which leads unto heaven To teach two things unto us namely Answer First that life is the end of the strait and narrow way H. Secondly that this mortall life is not worthy to be called life heaven onely being the true life I. H. First our Saviour here teacheth us that true Observat 1 life is the end of this strait way Or that the end of a godly life is to be crowned Read Rom 8 17. and 2 Tim. 1.11 and 4.8 1 Joh. 3.1 Duke Cosmo de Medicis warring upon the enemies of his Master the Emperour bare in his shield the Eagle which signified Jupiter and the Emperour holding out in herbeak a triumphant Crown with this Motto Jupiter Merentibus offert by which he signified that his Highnesse deserved each glorious reward for his worthy vertues but wee may apply it thus that God will give a Crown of glory to every one who labours in his Vineyard faithfully and fights manfully his battels against sinne and Satan When Vrsicinus a Physician endured martyrdome for religion a Souldier perceiving his courage begin to fayle spake boldly unto him Doe not now Vrsicinus cast away thy selfe that hath cured so many nor after so much blood of thine spilled lose the reward prepared for thee Thus should every Christian encourage himselfe in this narrow path that the end thereof is life and his obedience shall be rewarded Is salvation then of merit or of workes Quest 2 First certainely it were of works and merit Answer 1 if we could keep the whole Law perfectly that is if we had so fulfilled it that wee had never transgressed against it Rom. 7.10 Galath 3. Rom 2.13 But Adam brake the covenant and violated the Law And therefore now we cannot be saved thereby Rom. 3.23 and 8.3 Secondly now having broken the Law in Adam Answer 2 we can merit nothing at Gods hands but all is of grace Ephes 2.5.8 Rom 5.21 Thirdly although we cannot merit salvation by Answer 3 our workes yet the way thereunto is sanctification and obedience as appeares thus 1. Salvation is the reward of faith John 1.12 and 3.16 and 1. Pet. 1.9 2. Faith is to be prooved and tryed by workes Gal. 5.6 James 2.17.26 3. Therefore the Spirit of faith works sanctification in us and then crownes that his owne work Rom. 6.22 Life eternall is called an inheritance and a reward Objection 1 and therefore it is the merit of our workes First it is called a reward Propter similitudinem Answer 1 for the analogy or resemblance that is betweene them both 1. In respect of the time wages or the reward is given when the worke is done so heaven is not given untill after death 2. In respect of the measure to him who workes more or takes more paines a greater reward is given so he who is more carefull to exercise and stirre up the gift and grace of God within him and more diligent in the worke of the Lord shall have a greater measure of glory in the Kingdome of heaven for there are degrees of glory in heaven according to the measure of grace on earth And although heaven be not given for our workes yet it shall be given according to our workes Answer 2 2. Secondly heaven is a reward and that justly for as the merit of Christ is ours so we although not by our workes personally merit in Christ This distinction should carefully be marked by the wary Reader because the Papists say thus as well as we although we and they be not both of one mind as appeares thus they understand it thus that our workes are meritorious in Christ but we thus that our persons are accepted of God as worthy by the operation and obedience of Christ Thus wee should provoke and incite our selves unto piety and the workes of Religion by the remembrance of the reward promised unto us Giacopo Sauzaro being long in love bare for his devise a pot full of little blacke stones without white amongst the rest with this Motto Aequabit nigras candida una dies Meaning that the day of marriage would contervaile all his black and cloudy dayes So should we doe call to mind that day of refreshing and remember that when that comes we shall be marryed unto our Lord Christ with such absolute and compleate joy that all our labour paines toyle care and watchings shall be quite forgotten and aboundantly rewarded Quest 3 How may we know whether our lives here be such that the end thereof will bring us to life eternall Or how may we know whether we be godly or not and whether this true life belong unto us or not Answer 1 First those who love God but hate sinne are heires of this true life Eye hath not seene nor care heard nor ever enterd it into the heart of man once to conceive the things which God hath prepared for those who love him 1 Corinth 2.9 And therefore wee must seriously examine whether we love the Lord or not above all yea so love him that we hate every thing which is opposite unto him and hated by him Answer 2 Secondly those have a promise of this life who labour and endeavour to purge themselves from sin 1 Joh. 3.3 He that desires this hope let him purge himsefe even as Christ is pure And therefore we must trie whether we desire to know what is sinne and what is sinfull in us that wee may labour to leave all sinne and forsake our owne Answer 3 Thirdly they who are vessels of honour belong unto Gods great Mansion house of glory 2 Timoth. 2.20 And therefore we ought to examine by our actions what vessels wee are whether we bring forth the fruits of Religion thereby approving our selves to be vessels of honour or the fruits of rebellion thereby showing our selves to be vessels of dishonour Answer 4 Fourthly the Prophet Isaiah showes most plainely to whom this true life belongs Esa 64.4.5 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene oh God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that wayteth for him Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse and remembreth thee in thy wayes In these two verses the Prophet layes down foure particular markes of an heire of heaven and eternall life namely 1. Those who wayte for him that is those who
thing Quest 4 How is Christ to bee preferred before all other things Answ 1 First we must admire his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and love of mankinde which is miserable without his love Answ 2 Secondly wee must desire his society and fellowship before all other things Psalm 27.5 Answ 3 Thirdly untill hee come and reveale himselfe unto us we must weepe and mourne for his absence Like Raebel who would not be comforted Mat. 2. Answ 4 Fourthly wee must forsake all worldly things that keep or hinder us from Christ Verse 40 VERS 40. He that you receiveth mee and hee that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Object The Doway Disciples dispute from hence for the adoration of Saints thus Answer The honour of Saints redoundeth to the honour of Christ as Basil saith Honor serverum redumdat in câ—mmâ—â—â—em Dominum the honour of the servants redoundeth to the common Lord. pag. 8. The honouring of Gods servants as his Ministers doth redound to the Lord as our blessed Saviour here saith He that receiveth you receiveth me But to give part of that honour which is due unto God as all Religious worship is unto his servants is a dishonouring of the Lord himselfe for hee will not give his glory to another Esa 42.8 Willet Synops fol. 428. Vers 41 VERS 41. Hee that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward and hee that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward Sect. 1 § 1. He that receiveth a Prophet Quest 1 Whom doth our Saviour here meane by Prophet Answer To Prophecie or to bee a Prophet hath divers acceptions in Scripture namely First sometimes it is taken for the bookes and writings of the Prophets They have Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 Secondly sometimes for the whole word of God No prophesie of Scripture is of any private motion g Peter 1.20 Thirdly sometimes those unto whom God vouchsafed familiarly to reveale himselfe are called Prophets Thus Abraham was a Prophet Gen. 20 7. and Miriam a Prophetesse h Exod. 1â— 20. Fourthly ordinary interpreters of the word are called Prophets as in this verse He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet Fiftly and lastly it is taken for those who were enabled by divine Revelation to lay open hidden secrets transcending all possibility of humane search Hence it is that Prophets in old time were called Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 and their Prophesie was termed a Vision Esa 1.1 because God extraordinarily enlightned their minds with the knowledge of these secrets Our Saviour here by receiving a Prophet Observ meanes by way of Hospitality to teach us that it is acceptable unto God to receive the Saints into our houses Hebr. 13.1 Why must wee bee hospitable unto the Quest 2 Saints First because they are our brethren and fellow Answ 1 members now no man ever hated his owne flesh but was ready to cherish and nourish it Rom. 12. and Cor. 1 12. Ephes 5.27 Secondly because they bring good yea excelllent Answ 2 things along with them and for carnal things administred unto them they administer spirituall 1 Corinth 9.11 For if wee receive Prophets they will teach us if we receive Righteous men they will lead and guide us by their example Thirdly because in them wee receive Christ Answ 3 as Abraham did Genes 18.1 c. and many besides Heb. 13.1 § 2. In the name of a Prophet Sect. 2 Our blessed Lord here sheweth how the affection is to be qualified and that wee must not onely truely love the Saints but also for this cause because they are Saints Whence Note That true love unto our bretheren ought to bee sincerely for religions sake Observ or we ought sincerely and intirely to love our bretheren because they are Religious 1 Iohn 2.9 c. 3.10 c. 4.20 For this love should bee in God and Christ and for his sake Who are heerein worthy blame and reproofe Quest 1 First hypocrites and dissemblers who have Answ 1 as Bernard sayes Melin ore verbalactis Fel in corde fraus in factis Peace in their words but warre in their thoughts love towards the Saints in their tongues but hatred in their hearts their words unto them beeing as sweet as honey and smooth as Oyle but their deeds beeing deceitfull and as bitter as Gall. Prov. 23.7 Iames 2.13 Our love unto the Saints must be sincere and cordiall not sinister and counterfeit Secondly those are here to blame who love Answ 2 the Saints onely for some second causes namely either I. Because they are their neighbours and their good neighbours from whom they receive no evill but upon every occasion all neighbourly offices Or II. because they are of a kinne or allyed unto them Or III. Because they are of meek affable and gentle natures and loving dispositions Or IV. Because they love them and theirs therefore they repay love with love V. Through vaine glory Thirdly they are here faultie who love the Answ 3 Saints onely with a mercenarie love that is for reward For Aliâ—d est serpare aliâ—d propter hoc Agerâ— it is one thing for a man to hope that the Lord will blesse him for his sincere love unto his Children and servants because this God here hath promised It is another thing for a man to love and receive the Saints for the rewards sake promised for this love is but self-self-love and such as God rejects not sincere love and such as the Lord promiseth to rewardâ— Quest 2 Which is the true respect of love Or for what respect must wee love our bretheren Answ 1 First in generall we must love the Saints for Gods sake or love the Lord in them Answ 2 Secondly and more particularly from this verse we are taught to love them for a threefold respect viz. I. Because they are Prophets and thus we must love them for the words sake which they bring or at least which they professe II. Because they are Righteous and thus we must love them for that sanctity and Purity and integrity which we see in them III. Because they are Disciples and thus wee must love them for their spirituall society and bond of charity as fellow travellers in a long journey love one another or as Country-men love one another in a strange place or remote Country § 3. Hee shall receive a Prophets reward Sect. 3 What is the sense and meaning of these words Quest 2 They may be understood two manner of waies namely First they shall receive that reward Answ which righteous men are wont to receive from the Prophets that is they shall be made Partakers of their labours August s Psalm 102. Whence wee may learne Observ That the Gospell becomes profitable to those who receive the Ministers the truth hereof evidently appeares I. From these places Luke 10.6 Acts 8.6 and 10.25.33.44 and 13.7.12.42 c. and 16.14 c. and 2 Corinth 7.15 Galath 4.14 15.
5. yea love is of God 1 Iohn 4. And therefore without the grace of God and of his good Spirit we cannot love him above althings or as we ought to doe Secondly we cannot fulfill the Law of God without the grace of God now love is the fulfilling of the Law and therefore we cannot love God as we ought without grace Thirdly except man in the state of corrupt nature be healed by grace he is averse from God as from the chiefe and maine end and turned unto the creature and to himselfe as to the principall and last end as is affirmed both by Thomas and Greg. de Valent. and therefore a man cannot love God above all or as his chiefest good except by grace he be converted and turned unto God § 2. With all thy heart and with all thy soule Sect. 2 and with all thy mind St. Luke 10.27 addes and with all thy strength Quest 1 What is the meaning of these words and how are heart soule mind and strength distinguished First by Heart here are understood all the affections Answ 1 inclinations appetites and desires For God will be acknowledged the greatest of all and be loved as the best of all and above all and will have our whole affections to be set upon him as the object of our happinesse Secondly by Soule here is meant that part Answ 2 which is willing to any thing or the motions of the will or briefely the will and purpose Thirdly by Mind or Cogitation is meant the Answ 3 understanding and mind so much as we know of God so much must we love him and therefore when we know him perfectly we shall love him perfectly 1 Cor. 13.10 11. Fourthly by strength all inward actions agreeable Answ 4 to the Law of God are meant Against the Popish Counsell of perfection wee urge this place thus We are bound to love God with all our Heart Object 1 with all our Soule with all our Mind and with all our strength Therefore whatsoever thing there is whereby wee may expresse the love of God wee are bound by Commandement to doe it it not being left to our owne will For it is a grievous sinne not to love God more then we doe if it lye in our power First Bellarmine de Monach lib. 2. Cap. 13. Answ 1 answers thus Qui Deum diligit super omnia c. He that loveth God above all things although he love him not entirely as perhaps he may neither doth all things for his sake that lie in his power yet for all this he esteemeth of God as his chiefest good c. Reply Although the Jesuite like a Philosopher truely confesseth in another place that Contradictions cannot be true on both parts yet here like a deceitfull Sophister he would obtrude upon us Contradictory speeches and falsely perswade us that they are true for he saith a man may love God perfectly and above all and yet not love him so much as he is able that is imperfectly and so by his divinity a man may love God above all and yet not love him above all for if he did he would refuse to doe nothing for Gods love that is in his power Answ 2 Secondly Bellarmine answers thus Diligere corde animâ c. est diligere veré sinceré non ficté non simulaté To lâ—ve the Lord with all the heart soule mind and strength is to love him sincerely and truely not fainedly or dissemblingly Reply 1 I. This is something but this is not all that is commanded in these words for if it were so then they also who have the smallest degree of true love doe perfectly fulfill this precept which is absurd Reply 2 II. There is no one of all the Schoole-men but have attributed some singular Emphasis in this enumeration of parts With all the heart soule mind and strength and that because the amplitude of the Precepts of God require it wherein many things are included and folded up in few words and not one and the same thing in many words If the Reader would see how this Argument of ours is further excepted against and answered let him read Ames Bellarm. enervat Page 169. tom 2. Quest 2 Whether are the duties of the second Table to be performed with all the heart soule mind and strength or not Answ 1 First the duties and workes of holinesse are to be performed with a greater and more intense power then the workes of righteousnesse because unto those and not unto these doth properly belong this rule To love with all thy heart soule and mind Answ 2 Secondly yet we must not understand this as though all the power of the soule heart and mind were not required in the performing and fulfilling of the duties of the second Table But I. Because this is principally required in the workes of Religion and duties of holinesse And II. Because in the workes of righteousnesse it is not required that we should doe them with all our hearts soules and minds in regard of our brethren to whom they are immediately done but in regard of God and Religion who commands and enjoyes them to be done and who must be obeyed in all things with the heart And III. Because a man may love his neighbour too much and with too much intension in regard of the materiall act of loving although not as it is a duty of Religion or Christian love but we can no way love God too much or with too much intension It is here objected if we ought to love God with all our hearts then we must not love our Parents Object 2 It is lawfull to love other things besides God Answ but nothing above God We ought to love our Parents but not chiefely because we ought to love all other things for God § 3. This is the first and great Commandement Sect. 3 What is contained in this first and great Commandement Quest 1 The worship service and love Answ which we owe unto God And therefore we ought to have him First in our Understanding by knowing of him and his Attributes properties and actions so farre forth as he hath revealed himselfe in his word and workes 1 Chron. 28.9 Iohn 17.3 Contrary unto this is spirituall blindnesse and ignorance And Secondly we ought to have God in our Will by desiring to obey him and by beleeving in him and by placing our confidence wholly upon him Contrary whereunto is infidelity unwillingnesse to obey and confidence and trust in others or other things besides God whether I. Jn our selves as Proverb 28.26 whence comes pride and arrogancie Deuter. 8.17.18 Daniel 4.27 Habuk. 1.16 and vaine glory or carnall boasting Iohn 5.44 Luke 10.20 Or II. Jn other men as Isai 36 6. and Ierem. 17.7 Or III. Jn other things as Riches Iob. 31.24 and 1 Tim. 6.17 Psal 62.10 Ierem. 49.16 Honour strong holds and the like Obadiah verse 3.4 Psal 146.3 which are but meanes given us of God whereby to glorify him the better And therefore
wel viz. that thou may conceale Thine anger Prov. 12.6 The sinnes of others Prov. 17.9 But this silence is not lawfull if thou doe it onely to hide thy malice and desire of revenge c. Simulatio counterfeiting of that which is not or a meere pretence and this is altogether unlawfull It may bee here replyed Pretences are lawfull and allowable and therefore all are not forbidden Object 2 Answ I answer Pretexts are either False and this is palpable fraud and no lesse than lying being lawfull to none at any time upon any occasion and this was HERODS fault a meere false pretence True and that is either Conditionally true as our Saviour made as though hee would have gone further g Luk. 24.28 and certainly so would if they had not entreated him to stay with them Partly but not totally true and this sometimes is lawfull as Zedechiah the King bids Ieremiah the Prophet if the Princes shall aske him what he sayd unto the King h Ierem. 38.26 he must answer that he entreated the king that he might not returne to Ionathans house to dye there This he said unto the King but this was not all he sayd unto him so that it was partly but not totally true it was verum but not veritas that which he told the Princes was true but that was not all the truth I will therefore thus conclude this question I. All verball Dissimulation is evill II. All counterfetting of that which is false is evill III. All dissimulation unto evill is fraudulent yea IV. All counterfeiting and feigning also if it be for an evill end § 4. That I may come and worship him The Sect. 4 Magi came from farre to seeke Christ and from their hearts desire to finde him Herod pretends the same outwardly though the newes touch him to the quicke Hence a question may be propounded How may hypocrites and the enemies of Christ Quest bee discerned from the children of God and the true friends of Christ I answer By these notes Answ or markes of hypocrites First they are wary craftie and wickedly prudent and politicke as we see here in Herod Secondly they are diligent and industrious compassing sea and land to effect their purposes as Herod both in this verse and afterwards verse 16. Thirdly they are false in their words not sticking by lying and counterfeiting to bring to passe their projects as wee see Herod doth in this verse Fourthly they counterfeit friendship that they may kill with more freedome and safetie And thus doth Herod also in this place Fifly they suborne others to assist them vis unita fortior that many forces being conjoyned together they may the easilier prevaile and thus Herod subtilly would have had the wise men to have had a hand in this crueltie and to have assisted his bloudy purpose by their information Sixthly they are cruell breathing nothing but threatnings slaughters bloudshed and crueltie and thus did Herod vers 16. when hee was crossed of his information and intelligence from the wise men Seventhly they are no better than Atheists thinking that they can kill Christ as Herod did here or at least prevaile against him and his Thus although many outwardly professe a love unto Christ the Gospel and true Religion yet if they be inwardly enemies they may be discerned and unmasked at one time or other by some one of these markes or other Vers 9 §. 1. VERS 9. When they had heard the king they departed and loe the starre which they saw in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was Sect. 1 Wee may observe here how many impediments and lets these Wise men meet withall and yet how constant they are in their resolution of finding out Christ First the starre failes them and appeares not which was their principall guide Secondly they come then unto Jerusalem but there they finde not the babe Thirdly the Jewes unto whom they came were offended with their tidings Herod and all the people being troubled vers 3. Fourthly no man accompanies them when they prosecute the quest and search of Christ yet all these doe no whit discourage or dis-hearten them from their former intent and purpose Observ Teaching us thus much that wee are not to bee hindered by any obstacles from the course of pietie and religion but constantly to proceed on in the wayes of God notwithstāding all hindrānces whatsoever Quest Here it may be asked what lets are there in the way of Religion and how may we arme our selves against them Answ I answer First many are dismayed by reason of the greatnesse of the labour and difficultie of the worke of the Lord but let us remember that Labor omnia vincit be not weary but be industrious and thou shalt prevaile for conanti aderit Deus God hath promised to be graciously assistant to every one that in sinceritie of heart desires and endevours to serve him Secondly many are discouraged because the way of Religion is not liked by the world neither the professors thereof loved but rather despised and scorned neither this should hinder us from the service of the Lord although others be offended with thee because thou seemest by thy puritie and splendor to eclipse their credit estimation yet be not discouraged but remember Christians must bee principally carefull to please God not men a Rom. 12.3 both because wee are the servants of the Lord not the servants of men and also because wee shall be judged by God and not by man at the last day Thirdly some are with-held from the zealous profession of Religion by reason of the paucitie of companions that trace that path there are but few truly religious and therefore they dislike the practise of it but we should bee here most resolute saying as Peter sayd Although all men should forsake Christ yet we will never forsake him b Mark 14.29 though none should accompany or associate us in the worke of Religion yet this should not dismay us but with resolute Ioshua we should resolve let others doe as they will we will serve the Lord c Iosh 24.15 and 1 King 19.10 calling to minde these two things I. vivimus legibus non exemplis God doth not command us to follow Presidents but to follow precepts II. If thou desirest presidents as well as precepts remember then that thou hast many examples in this kinde to imitate both in the Old and New Testament yea Even compassed about with a cloud of witnesses d Read Hebr. 11. the whole chap. and 1◠1 and therefore follow not a multitude unto evill but a multitude of good men unto good Thus let us be like these Wise men constant in the labour of the Lord and in the course of holinesse all the dayes wee have to live not being either hindred or turned backe or diverted by any impediments whatsoever § 2. The starre which they saw in the East went Sect. 2 before them Observ
quibus wherein mercy is to be shewed First Answ 1 Corde in the heart Secondly Ore in the mouth Thirdly Opere in workes First mercy is to be shewed to our brother in and with our heart two manner of wayes viz. First Orando by praying heartily for them we must pray for all the Saints Ephes 6.18 yea for all men 1 Tim. 2.1 we must pray one for another because the prayer of the faithful availes much l Iames 5.16 And therefore this kind of mercy is to be extended unto all because thus we may helpe King and State and Church and all that are in any distresse by praying fervently for them Secondly Compatiendo by being fellow-feelers of their miserie and this is the root of the worke of charitie For when wee truly commiserate their estates wee doe then relieve and helpe them as much as we can yea true mercie is to be founded upon that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cordis the bowels of compassion wee must bee touched with a sense of their miserie as though wee our selves were in the like case m Heb. 13 3. wee all are but one body and one member suffering all the members suffer with it n 1 Cor. 12.26 And therefore the workes of charitie Almes without the compassion of the heart are not acceptable unto God Quest 8 Who give almes with the hand and not with the heart Answ 1 First hypocrites that doe it to bee seene of men and to be praised by men Matth. 6. Answ 2 Secondly superstitious persons that doe it out of a meere custome and otherwise would not doe it Answ 3 Thirdly those who give almes coldly of which afterwards None of these in their works of mercie please God because they doe not proceed from love Secondly mercie is to bee shewed unto our brethren with our Mouth and that also two severall wayes viz. First solando by comforting them Secondly consulendo by counselling them First wee must comfort those that mourne Or true mercie is to comfort those that are sicke in minde this being the oyle that the Samaritarie powred into the wounds of the halfe-dead man o Luk. 10.30 yea for this end the Lord giving the spirit of consolation unto some that they might comfort others p 2 Cor. 1.4 And therefore wee must remember that every mourning man is an object of mercie and ought to bee comforted whether hee bee over-whelmed First by some spirituall sorrow as shaken by the strength of temptation or assaulted unto desperation Or secondly by some civill griefe whether sicknesse imprisonment losse death of friends or the like Secondly mercy is to be shewed by counselling and advising those that stand in need of direction thus the servants of Naaman counsell their master unto his health and profit 2 Kin. 5. And it is the office of mercy to reduce by counsell our brother from every unprofitable path Quest. 9 Why must we be thus carefull to advise and admonish our brethren Answ 1 First because it is an honest and good thing by admonition and counsell to preserve or deliver our brethren from the jawes of hell yea this is a more excellent worke of charity then to relieve the outward necessities of those that stand in need for as the soule is more precious then the body so he that admonisheth and adviseth his brother for the benefit of the inward man is more charitable then he that gives of his substance for the refreshing of the outward Secondly because it is very profitable for us Answ 2 to counsell and advise others and that in many regards First our brother whom we thus admonish will love us at the last better then if wee had flattered him q Pro. 2â— 23 Secondly wee teach our selves while wee advise and instruct our brother Thirdly wee shall be saved if we thus discharge our duety towards our brother though he will not be perswaded by us Fourthly and if we can prevaile with him and by our counsell reduce him from his wicked wayes we shall shine in heaven as the stars in the firmament r Dan. 12.2 and Iam. 5.19 How must we counsell and advise our brethren Quest 10 First in civill and temporall things and in his Answ 1 externall affaires thou must teach him and shew him what may be most profitable and advantagious unto him and reprove those things which are hurtfull for his estate or body or good name Secondly so also in spirituall things thou Answ 2 must 1. teach him his duety both towards God and man Thus the Apostle exhorts us to admonish one another Rom. 15.14 to edifie and build up one another 1 Thes 5.11 to exhort and instruct one another Heb. 3.13 2. Thou must reprove the errours of his life Warning those that are unruly 1 Thes 5.14 rebuking thy neighbour and not suffering him to sinne Lev. 19.17 for therin thou shalt have delight Prov. 24.25 And therefore first Ministers must teach and reprehend 1 Tim. 5.20 And secondly all men according to their place ranke quality and calling Ministers Autoritative other men Charitative Thirdly mercy is to be shewed to our brother in our deeds and that two manner of wayes First negatively we must not repay evill with evill mercy doth not avenge her selfe but pardon and otherwise there is no mercy to be expected from God neither have we any warrant to pray for it Å¿ Mat. 6.14 and 18.35 Secondly affirmatively we must doe good unto those that stand in need that is give bread unto the hungry take into house those that are cast out cover the naked t Esa 58.7 that thus we may make us friends by our riches u Luk. 16 9. and shew that the religion which we professe is a pure and holy religion v Iam. 1.27 Why must we thus give good things to those Quest 11 who want First in regard of our selves because otherwise Answ 1 we cannot hope to obtaine any thing that we want at the hands of the Lord who hath made no promise of mercie to those who will shew none Secondly in regard of God wherein there are Answ 2 three things to be observed To wit First who requires charity and mercy at our hands the Lord and his Christ and therefore our Saviour saith when I was hungry you fed mea c. Mat. 25.41 Secondly what doth God demand of us his owne nothing but what hee hath loâ—t us hence saith Iob God gave and God hath taken away as if he would say hee hath taken away from me nothing but his owne w Iob. 1.21 So David Oh Lord God all this store that wee have commeth of thine hand and is all thine owne x 1 Chro. 29.16 Thirdly how doth God require of us his owne unto Usury although it be his yet he graciously promiseth to reward it seven-fold yea a hundred fold into our bosome And therefore seeing it is God that bids us give who requires of us nothing but his owne and yet
and unbeseeming words or commit the least sinnes For they that despise these despise the Lord whose servants they are and slight the words of Christ who hath here pronounced such Pure Blessed Secondly some violate this precept which injoines Purity of life in practise and these are either first they who live a wicked life Or secondly Obiect 1 they who mixe good with evill First they transgresse here who leade a wicked and impure life But some will say there are none pure but all men are polluted and therefore who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane a Iob 14.4 who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne b Pro. 20.9 that is none and therefore if any man say he sinnes not or pollutes not himselfe by sinne he is a lyer c 1 Ioh. 1.8.9 Answ Wee distinguish betweene a Simple and respective purity which differ thus the simple puritie is perfectly pure the respective puritie is sincerely pure the first is of and by workes and therefore wee grant that there are none so pure in this life the second is of faith which first applies Christ unto us then secondly assures us that all our sinnes in Christ are pardoned and thirdly workes sincerely by love and this purity is in the faithfull and should bee Quest 5 sought for by all Answ 1 But how is this respective puritie acquired First not by nature or by any strength in our selves for naturally the very thoughts and imaginations of our hearts are evill and that continually d Gen. 8.21 yea the heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked e Ierem. 17 9. wherefore Paul confesseth the law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne f Rom. 7.1 14.15 and cannot do the good which I would but doth the evill which I would not Secondly this puritie is procured by faith Answ 2 and grace thus the Apostle saith God put no difference betwixt us and them purging and purifiing our hearts by faith g Acts 15.9 whence it is evident that we have not our purity and holinesse from our selves but from Christ who was made unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 and who delivers us from sinne and Sathan Rom. 7.25 Who must labour to acquire this purity Quest 6 First some answer that there are not many Answ 1 who neede endeavour after this sanctitie it belonging onely to a few to wit to Magistrates Ministers and old men but this is false Secondly purity belongs unto all and therefore Answ 2 all must strive for it as for example first it appertaines unto young men they must remember their Creator in the daies of their youth for if that be spent in impurity they must answer it at the great day h Eccles 11.9 and 12.1 Secondly sanctitie belongs unto old men and therefore Saint Iohn writes unto them to put them in minde of it i Ioh. 2.13 Thirdly it appertaines unto husbandmen who must bee as carefull to plow up the fallow ground of their hearts as to till their fields k Ier. 4.4 Fourthly it belongs unto the simple and foolish and therefore Wisedome calles and admonisheth them to turne from sinne unto the service of the most High l Prov. 9.4.6 and 1.20.21 Fiftly it belongs unto the rich to be pure and unspotted otherwise their riches cannot preserve them from hell as we see in Dives Luke 16. Sixtly it belongs unto Kings and Monarches for Tophet is prepared of old it is wide and large yea for those Kings is it prepared whose lives are impure and wills not subject unto the will of God m Esa 30.33 And therefore David admonisheth them that although they bee like Gods on earth yet they shall fall like men into pardition except they labour to bee pure and to participate of that divine nature n 2 Pet. 1.4 Thus it appertaines unto all to be pure and holy because every soule that is not circumcised shal be cut off Secondly they erre here in practise who mingle Bonum malo Corne and Cockle wheate and chaffe good and evill together that is they who obey in some things onely like Agrippa who was halfe perswaded to become a Christian or Herod who did many things but not all and abstained from some sinnes but not from all o Mar. 6.20 But some will say who can performe all things that are required of them who can doe all Obiect 2 that God bids or eschew all that he forbids We cannot obey God in all things perfectly Answ but we may sincerely and that in these two things First in Resolution wee should resolve to serve God in singlenesse of heart and purpose to leave and forsake whatsoever is displeasing unto him yea even to cast away from us those sins that hang so fast on and cleave so fast too and have beene formerly valued as hands and eyes Secondly in endeavour wee must strive to performe what wee have purposed and labour to accomplish what we have resolved with the utmost power of our soules we must fight even unto blood p Heb. 12.4 and wrastle as Rachel with her sister with manfull wrastlings till wee have prevailed and thus both in desire and endeavour we must serve the Lord sincerely and although wee doe but obey in part and feare in part and love in part yet with all our hearts we must desire and labour that what is in part were abolished and that we could serve the Lord in singlenesse of heart Sect. 3 § 3. In heart Why doth our Saviour pronounce Quest 1 onely those Blessed that are pure in heart Answ Because true purity is rooted in the heart or true religion is founded within My sonne give me thy heart saith God Prov. 23.26 for except I have that I will have nothing Thus Saint Paul saith the end of the Commandement is to love and serve God with a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 And therefore he prayes for the Thessalonians that the Lord would establish their hearts unblameable before him in holinesse a 1 Thes 3.13 And prayes Timothie that he would follow the steps of those who call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart b 2 Tim. 2.22 Why must our Religion and purity be rooted Quest 2 and grounded in the heart Answ 1 First because this is the ordinary progresse there must bee I. a heart II. obedience III. strength that is first a sanctified soule then secondly a beautifull and pure body and thirdly strength of grace The heart must bee purified before we can truely obey God in our lives and therefore the circumcision of the heart is the roote of a new life according to that of the Apostle he is a Iew that is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit c Rom. 2.29 yea our anointing and seale and earnest are all begun in the heart for Christ hath anointed us and hath also sealed
and Scribes that hee here admonisheth all his to excell them and not to follow their steps but rather to outstrip them Answ There was in the Righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees a fourefold Hypocrisie which our Saviour justly reprooves the first consisted in externall righteousnesse without internall whereof Christ speaketh saying yee Pharisees make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but the inward part is full of ravening and wickednesse Yee fooles did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also d Luk 11.36 And againe Woe be unto you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites for ye are like unto whited tombs which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthinesse e Mat. 23.27 that is outwardly ye appeare righteous unto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquity The second consisted in an externall holinesse also but preposterous and defective because they were scrupulous in trifles but negligent in things of weight hence Christ saith unto them wâ—e be unto you Pharisees for yee tithe the mint and rue and passe over judgement and the love of God f Luke 11 42. and the weighty matter of the law g Mat. 23.23 The third Hypocrisie of the Pharisees was a verball not a reall a famed not a true observation of Gods commandements which Christ taxed in them saying whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but doe not according to their workes for they say and doe not h Mat. 23.3 The fourth Hypocrysie of the Pharisees was vaine glory for in all their actions of religion they sought the glory and praise of men as our Saviour in the next chapter doth plainely prove Now from this fourefold hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees Christ dehorteth all Christians by a motive of heavenly blisse in this verse as if our Saviour would say labour I. that your righteousnesse may be externall and internall II. that you may be more carefull of the performance of substantiall and reall things then of circumstantiall and rituall III That your religion may not consist in a verba profession but in a reall practise IV. Be not proud or vaine glorious in the duties which you performe but seeke the glory of God in all your actions and then assure your selves that your righteousnesse exceeding the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall certainely enter into the Kingdome of heaven i Copley observ doctr et mor. fol. 101. What sort of righteousnesse is it which our Saviour taxeth here in the Scribes and Pharisees Quest 2 Answ There are three kinds of righteousnesse viz. Distributive Commutative and Directive or Regulative now they were faulty in all these For first they honoured rich men and despised poore men and therefore transgressed the lawes of Distributive righteousnesse Secondly they did wrong deceive and injure their neighbours by oppression and fraud and therefore violated Commutative righteousnesse Thirdly they did not governe or regulat their lives aright making no conscience of the sinnes of the heart because men saw them not yea obeying outwardly the Commandements of God either for feare of punishment or the praise of men or the gaine of worldly things and the like base ends and therefore sinned against that Righteousnesse which the Lord had expressed in his word for them to regulate their lives and conversations by k Anton. Part. 3. Titul 18. cap. 5. Sect. 4. col 2. § 5. Of the Scribes and Pharisees Who were the Scribes and Pharisees First a Scribe is a name of office whereof Sect. 5 there were two sorts among the Jewes First Quest 1 Civill who were like publique Notaries and Answ 1 did register the affaires of Princes and such an one was Shimshai Ezra 4.8 Secondly Ecclesiastical who were imployed in the expounding of the Scripture such an one was Ezra himselfe chap. 7. verse 1.5.6 and those who are mentioned Mat. 13.52 23.2 such are meant in this place to wit men in Ecclesiasticall Office descending from the Tribe of Levi who expounded the law unto the people and these were all one with the Priests and Levites under the law wherefore Ezra is called both a Scribe and a Priest Nehem. 8.1.2 Answ 2 Secondly the name Pharisee betokeneth a sect not an office for there were three speciall sects among the Jewes namely the Esseenes the Saduces and the Pharises The Esseenes were like popish Monks and Fryers which did separate themselves from the people vowing and dedicating themselves to live in perpetuall sanctitie The Saduces were a sect who did expound the law according to the letter and syllable and withall denied the Resurrection and the immortalitie of the soule as is plaine Acts 23.8 The Pharisees were such as did forsake the common exposition of the Scribes teaching and framing a more exact and strict exposition of the law according to the traditions of the Fathers and these were most holy outwardly and of chiefe account among the Jewes and such an one was Paul Acts 23.6 and 26.5 yea sometimes the Scribes and Pharisees were all one that is the Pharisees were also Scribes as appeares thus Iohn 1.19 it is said The Jewes sent Priests and Levites which were Scribes as was shewed before Answer 1. unto Iohn and verse 24. They who were sent unto Iohn were Pharisees Why doth our Saviour mention onely the Quest 2 Scribes and Pharisees and not the Publicanes also must wee not exceede them in righteousnesse also as well as the other or are the Publicanes better then the Scribes or Pharisees First the Scribes and Pharisees were not Worse then the Publicanes in regard of their present condition for they had attained unto a higher degree or measure of holinesse then they the Pharisees being pure in their outward man but the Publicanes Answ 1 polluted Better then the Publicanes in regard of true repentance and conversioÌ„ but rather worse for the Publicanes confesse they are sinners but the Scribes Pharisees think themselves wronged when they are so called l Ioh. 9.40 Secondly our Saviour names the Scribes Answ 2 and Pharisees and not the Publicans for these two causes First because he would convince that pride which was not hid but openly discovered in the Pharisees but in the poore and contemptible Publicans there was none and therefore Christ doth not name them Secondly because he would admonish his Apostles to take heed that they were not deceived now they were not so prone to be seduced by the Publicans as they were to be carried away with the leaven of the Pharisees and therefore our Saviour names these and not those VERS 21. Yee have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not kill Vers 21 and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement § 1. It was said by them of old time Why doth our Saviour alledge or recite these Sect. 1 words Quest 1 To teach us Answ that
13.10 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thankes to his Name Heb. 13.15 Thirdly because the Fathers did conjoyne the Sacrament with other holy exercises of Religion And therefore this is a palpable perverting of the truth to wrest this place to an expiatory sacrifice § 2. That thy Brother hath ought against Sect. 2 thee Obser Our Saviour in these words includes the reason why reconciliation is necessarie because God doth not tolerate dissensions amongst brethren Teaching us that by the bond of Christian piety we are all brethren Quest Why are all Christians to be esteemed and loved as brethren Answ 1 First because we are called unto this fraternitie If any bee called a brother saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.11 hence Christ is called the first borne amongst brethren Rom. 8.29 And therefore all the members of Christ are brethren and should so be prized and esteemed Answ 2 Secondly because it is necessary and that in many regards that all Christians should be beloved as brethren First hence we may know that we are translated from death unto life if wee love the bethren q 1 Iohn 3.14 Secondly hence wee know that we are borne of God if we love one another r 1 Iohn 4.7 Thirdly because he that hateth his brother is in darkenesse but he that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him ſ 1 Iohn 2.9.10 Fourthly he that loveth not his brother is not of God t 1 Iohn 3.10 Fiftly he that loveth not his brother loveth not Christ v 1 Iohn 5.1 for he that loveth Christ will love those that are his Sixtly hee that loveth not his brethren loveth not God and if any say hee loves God and not his brother he is a lyer u 1 Iohn 4.20 Answ 3 Thirdly wee are to esteeme and love all men as brethren because the consideration and remembrance of this relation will preserve us from many evills as for example First this will make us carefull not to offend them If meat saith the Apostle make my brother to offend I will eate no flesh till the world stands w 1 Cor. 8.13 and Rom. 14. Secondly this will make us carefull to speake the truth one to another Put away lying and speake every man truth with his neighbour for we are members that is brethren one of another x Ephes 4.25 Thirdly this would appease jarres and mitigate contentions and abate suites and going to law one with another Ye are brethren saith Moses to the two Jsraelites and therfore you must not fight Brother must not goe to law with Brother saith Saint Paul for that is unseemely 1 Cor. 6. And therefore they are much to blame who deride this phrase of Brethren and note Schismatickes by that name for it is a terme which is proper to the Church of Christ and not to the Synagogue of Satan as wee may see Acts 10.23 and 11.1.12.29 But the new brotherhood of the Separatists excepted against Canon 9. I speake not nor allow not off Sect. 3 § 3. Have ought against thee Quest 1 What is the meaning of these words Answ If thou hast injured thy brother at all if thou hast called him Racha or foole or beene angry with him if thou hast wronged him in the least kinde confesse thy offence and bee reconciled unto him Quest 2 Why must we be thus carefull to abstaine from all wronging of our neighbours and to satisfie the least injury done unto them Answ 1 First because God is the avenger of all injuries and wrongs and therefore out of our feare unto him we should avoide all doing of wrong and be ready to satisfie for that which we have done Levit. 25.17 Secondly charity beginnes at home and Answ 2 therefore we should doe to others as wee would they should doe unto us and bee as carefull of wronging of others as we would have others of injuring us Thirdly it is the nature of Charity to doe no Answ 3 evill at all Rom. 13.10 neither to thinke evill 1 Cor. 13.5 and therefore where there is true brotherly love there will be a true care to keepe the bound of charity entire and to make up all breaches which occasionally may be made Must we satisfie our brother if hee know not the Quest 3 injurie or wrong done unto him Yes Answ But against this it may be objected If our Obiect 2 brother be ignorant of the wrong which is done unto him then we shall hurt him more by satisfying him for so he will be more provoked and incensed when he knowes what hath been done and by whom First if there were onely in thee a purpose of Answ 1 mischief towards thy brother or that thou wert onely angry with him in thy heart then thou mayest conceale it because the revealing of it may provoke him and exasperate him more against thee Secondly if thy brother be truely injured and Answ 2 wronged in deede or word it is necessary that thou shouldest make satisfaction although hee neither before knew that hee was endangered nor that he was harmed by thee lest that the Judge deliver thee to the officer and thou bee cast into prison What must the party offended doe if the offender Quest 4 will not make satisfaction or come and seeke reconciliation First Augustine here answers Answ 1 non est opus ad illum pergere there is no neede that the offended should goe unto the offender non veniam postulabis sed dimittes for it is enough for him to forgive the offence committed against him and this is his duty to doe he neede not goe to desire love and reconciliation Of this opinion in a manner is Hierome Secondly Chrysostome answers that our Saviour Answ 2 speakes here also to the party wronged that hee must seeke to bee reconciled if hee that hath done the wrong will not Why must he that is injured seeke amity and Quest 5 reconciliation at his hand who hath done the wrong First because thus wee imitate Christ who Answ 1 seekes first unto us We have greevously and gracelesly offended our Christ and yet hee is graciously pleased to seeke for reconciliation We in Christs stead desire you to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.19 Secondly because otherwise it is an argument Answ 2 that there is anger yet remaining in the heart of the offended towards the offender if he will not seeke for peace and ensue after it Thirdly without this there can be in the Answ 3 person injured no love unto the soule of the injurious partie The offended Christian should thus consult with himselfe He that doth wrong and will not acknowledge it yea satisfie for it and bee reconciled unto him whom he hath abused shall bee delivered unto the Judge and from him by the officers cast into Prison from whence there is no redemption But my brother hath injured
that hate you pray for them which persecute you Quest 1 Why doth our Saviour expresse or adde these particulars doth not this generall exhortation Love your enemies imply and include all these Frustrà fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora is not this unnecessarily to multiply words Answ This our Saviour doth for the hardnesse and senselesnesse and dulnesse of our hearts because spirituall things are difficultly aright understood except they be very plainely and clearly laid downe wee can sometimes understand generalls but are not able to inferre those particulars which are therein included Quest 2 Why are spirituall things so hard to bee understood by us Answ 1 First because they cannot be perceived without the helpe of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 2.14 Answ 2 Secondly because we can easily find a knot in a rush we can find something to cavill at or to object against being in the reading and study of Scripture prompted hereunto by Satan and carnall reason who will invent some arguments against the truth of Gods sacred volume Answ 3 Thirdly because spirituall things are contrary to our natures and naturall affections wee can easi y understand those things which suite with our dispositions and are deare unto our affections but those things which are opposite unto them we cannot understand Vers 45 VERS 45. That yee may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust Sect. 1 § 1. That ye may be the children of your Father Object Stapleton urgeth and objecteth this place to prove the merit of charitie because our Saviour commandeth us to love both our Neighbours and enemies in the former verses Vt fiamus filii patris that so we may be made the children of our heavenly Father Answ 1 First we deny that any merits of counsell or command or supererogatory workes can make us the sonnes of God Answ 2 Secondly we say that merits follow our filiation and doe not goe before it Answ 3 Thirdly the sense therefore of this place is one or both of these I. Shew thy self to be the son of God by thy love unto all Approba filiationem Calvin Beza Muscul Marlor approve thy filiation to be true by thy love unto thy enemies and by doing good unto those who doe evill unto thee II. Walke worthy of thy adoption and sonne-ship as if our blessed Saviour would say walke in your Fathers steps who doth good unto all There are here two things considerable namely First the Argument Secondly the Consequence First the Argument which our Saviour here useth is this Because ye are sons therefore c. as if hee would say The chiefest care of man is or should be that hee may bee made the sonne of God Obser Why should we principally endeavour to be Quest 1 made the children of our heavenly Father First in generall because all the promises of the Answ 1 Gospel depend upon this we cannot bee made partakers of any promise of God untill wee are his children for all the promises are made to such Secondly because adoption and filiation are Answ 2 seales of salvation we never can be assured that we shall be saved untill we are assured of our filiation Thirdly because it is the greatest dignitie in Answ 3 the world to be made the sonne of God David thought it a great honour to be an earthly Kings sonne in Law how much greater is it then to be the adopted sonne our heavenly Father which is the King of Kings and a Lord of Lords The blessed Virgin Mary was more blessed in being Gods daughter then Christs mother Fourthly because Christ onely loves those Answ 4 who are the children of God Fifthly because Christ died for this end that Answ 5 he might gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Iohn 11.52 Sixthly because if we be not the children of Answ 6 God we are the children of the Divell Ioh. 8.44 Seventhly because if we be the sonnes of God Answ 7 wee shall be directed by his holy Spirit in our lives and conversations for as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 and contrarily Eighthly because if we be the sonnes of God Answ 8 by adoption wee shall then have communion with God and fellowship with his naturall and eternall Sonne Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 and 1 Iohn 3.2 Ninthly if we be sonnes wee are heires yea Answ 9 heires of glory if we be here adopted into the fellowship of sonnes we shall hereafter be crowned with a wreath of glory and raigne with Christ for ever and ever Reade Rom. 5.2 and 8.17 21. and Gal. 4.7 And therefore to conclude this Question If we desire 1. To bee assured that all the gracious and comfortable promises of the Gospel belong particularly unto us If 2. wee desire to be assured that we are of the number of those who shall be saved If 3. We desire to be promoted unto the greatest honour in the world If 4. Wee desire to be assured of Christs love unto us If 5. we long to be gathered by Christ into his fold If 6. We would not be the sonnes of Satan If 7. We desire the direction and conduct of the blessed Spirit If 8. We desire union and communion with God and Christ we must then labour and endevour to be made the sonnes of God We hope we are the sonnes of God and not of Quest 2 Satan but how may we be not only well perswaded but also certainely assured hereof Answ Wee may undoubtedly know whether we be the children of the most High by these signes Signe 1 First faith is a note of the sonne of God and therefore we must try whether we have faith or not Wee are the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.28 And therefore if we have no faith we are strangers from God and the Covenant of grace Ephes 2.12 and 4.18 Signe 2 The next Signe is the Spirit and the testimony of the same he who is adopted into the fellowship of Sonnes is endued with the Spirit which unto his spirit testifieth the truth of his filiation Reade Rom. 8.16 and Gal. 4.6 And therefore we must examine what manner of certainty we have of our adoption I. If we have no assurance hereof we are very miserable II. If our perswasion be a lying presumption and our hope without any solid ground then our condition is much more miserable III. If our assurance be weake like a smoaking flax or bruised reede then we must labour that it may be more strengthned IV. If our assurance be strong and built upon that never-failing Rocke then wee are happy and blessed Rom. 8.38 and 2 Tim. 4.8 Signe 3 The third Signe is this if wee be the children of God we are led by the Spirit Gal. 5.25 and Rom. 8 14. wherefore we should examine
others Fourthly the professors of the Gospel doe exceedingly dishonour God when they are wicked c Rom. 2.24 IV. Wee dishonour God in our lives if we doe not by our lives glorifie his Name If we be but negative Christians we are nothing for God created us unto good workes Ephes 2.10 that thereby we might glorifie his Name Matthew 5.16 VERS 10. Thy Kingdome come thy Will be done Vers 10 in earth as it is in Heaven § 1. Thy Kingdome come Sect. 1 What is meant by Kingdome Quest 1 Kingdome is taken either Figuratively to wit Sometime for the word of God The Kingdome of God shall be taken away and given to another nation Matth. 21.43 that is the word shall be taken from them Sometimes for the infusion of grace by the Spirit of God Mark 4.26 Sometimes for persons to wit either the Saints or the Church of Christ Literally for that dominion which God exerciseth which is either Generall to wit his Lordship over all men all creatures yea all the world specified in these places Psalme 29.19 and 47.7 and 97.1 Particular which is either Of vengeance anger power and wrath And thus he rules over the wicked Psalme 99.1 Of mercy and love and thus he rules over his children according to a double time viz. either Of grace in this life Or Of glory in the life to come Reade Psa 24 7. and. 44.5 Quest 2 What is meant by this word Adveniat let it come Heaven comes not unto us but wee goe unto it wherefore it should rather be Adveniamus Let us come unto thy kingdome then Adveniat let it come Answ These words may be understood two waies namely First for Declaretur let it be made known as if our Saviour would say let the world know that thou art King and that thou rulest over all And this is to be referred to the Kingdome of vengeance Secondly for Perficiatur let it be consummated and finished as if hee would say that which thou hast decreed and determined concerning thine elect fulfill and perfect both in us and in all thine Now this hath reference to the Kingdome of mercie First Adveniat regnum id est Declaretur regnum Thy kingdome come that is let thy Kingdome be made knowne This cannot bee understood of Gods generall Kingdome over all the world mentioned in the former question for God hath this already yea no Christian makes question but that God is Lord ruling and governing all the world It is therefore to be understood of his particular Kingdome to wit the Kingdome of vengeance the words being taken from the declaration of Gods wrath anger power and vengeance Teaching us Observ That every Christian ought to pray that God would shew himselfe the potent King of all the world by destroying all his enemies and the enemies of his Church Thus David prayes powre forth thy anger upon the Gentiles yea smite and destroy them in thy wrath Quest 3 Why should we pray for the confusion of the enemies of God and his Church Answ 1 First because it makes for Gods glory hee is dishonoured and contemned by the wicked who will not obey his behests but oppose his injunctions who will not be subject to his lawes but validis remis with all their might set themselves against his rule and government and will not have him to rule over them â—â—d therefore the glory and honour of God is highly advanced when as such impious obstinate stubborne and rebellious people bee cut off and destroyed Secondly because it is good for the godly Answ 2 As wee pray for the ruine of Gods enemies through our zeale to Gods glory so also wee pray for the perdition and destruction of the enemies of the Church of God through our love to the Church and true members thereof because their destruction is good and profitable for the children of God who are oppressed injured wronged and persecuted by them Bonos punit qui malis parcit d Seneca he punisheth the righteous who spares the wicked because the impunitie of the wicked increaseth their impietie towards the righteous Hence wee finde a double practise in the people of God namely I. They pray for the destruction of the Lords enemies Iudg. 5.31 Psalme 83.8 c. II. They give thanks for their destruction when God hath revealed his vengeance and declared his power in their utter ruine and downfall Read Exodus 15. Judg. 5. Ps 136. How may we pray for the enemies of God Quest 4 and Church Not onely in zeale nor onely in love but Answ 1 both mixt together For I wee may be zealous with a wrong zeale thus Paul breathed forth threatning against the Disciples of Christ and the Apostles were too ready with Elias to call for fire from Heaven but the Lord checks them for this their forward cruell zeale because it was not mixed with love but proceeded from a desire of revenge II. Some naturall respect unto the person of the enemie of God and the Church makes us oftentimes to pray only in love for his health prosperity preservation and the like and not in zeale Because he is of affinitie or acquaintance or by some bond of friendship knit neare unto us therefore we pray for him in love towards our selves but not in zeale unto Gods glory or love unto Gods Church carnally preferring our particular interest and relation unto any enemie of God or his Church before either the glory of God or good of his Church unto whom hee is an enemie And therefore whatsoever the enemies of God or his Church bee in regard of our owne Particular it is our dutie thus to pray for them First with a condition that if it may stand with the Lords pleasure and good will he would be graciously pleased to convert and turne them and of persecuting Sauls to make them preaching and professing Pauls Secondly but if not that they may bee destroyed lest they bring the people of God unto ruine or the Lords name bee prophaned by them Object Worldlings and wicked men object This prayer for the destruction of Gods and the Churches enemies ariseth out of envie and therefore can be neither good nor warrantable Answ It proceedeth not from envie but from zeale aâ—â— love Quest 5 How can a man pray for the judgements of the Lord to bee effused upon any out of love and charitie Answ 1 First wee may desire it out of our love to Gods glory who is dishonoured by their lives Answ 2 Secondâ—y out of our love unto others who are in danger to bee corrupted and tainted by their evill example when some perceive others to be wicked and to set themselves against God his law truth and children and yet prosper in their wickednes it hearten them on to the like practises And therefore in love unto these we desire tâ—at these stumbling stones may be removed out of the way Thirdly we may pray for the subversion and Answ 3 ruine of the enemies of the
the world III. The impediments lets of the world And IV. Our own corrupt affections Why must we love the Lord First because all good things are prepared Quest 3 for those that love him eye hath not seene nor Answ 1 eare heard nor have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1. Cor. 2.9 Read also Ephes 6.24 2. Timoth. 4 8. Iames. 1.12 Secondly because it is a shame for Christians to love the world and not to love God Larkes Answ 2 that soare aloft in the ayre build their neasts in the earth but the children of men should not doe so The wood Pecker is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for her beauty feathers of divers colours but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Arist she builds her neast in the earth so there are many men of rare parts otherwise who spoile all by groveling upon the earth setting themselves wholy to gather the thick clay of this world together Now it is a great shame for those who would bee helde the children of God and members of Christ to love any created temporall thing more then God Answ 3 Thirdly if wee looke upon God wee shall finde that there is great cause to love him and that in many respects namely I. In regard of his Law and that First because hee commands us in his Law to love him Secondly because his Commandements are just holy and equall II. In regard of his relation unto us because he is our Father Master and King therefore we should love him III. In regard of his liberality and mercifull bounty unto us extended both in our creation as also in providing for us what is good in protecting us from all evill in bestowing spirituall mercies and meanes upon us yea in giveing of Christ for us And therefore wee shouâ—d love him IV. If wee respect the essence and nature of God we shall see therein great cause to love him and that First in regard of himselfe because hee is invisible immutable incomprehensible immortall the most high and blessed Lord God Secondly in regard of our selves because he it the object of the soule and there is nothing that can give rest to the soule but God The heart of man is like the needle of the Compasse that trembleth untill it come to the Pole The soule of a wicked man is in a sling r 1 Sam. 25.92 Now that which is in a sling is violently tossed about and so is the soule when it is not upon the proper object David said Libbi schharchar my heart was troubled Psalme 38.10 Sohhâ—r is called a Merchant which goes to and fro to sell his wares to shew how the heart of man is troubled about sundry things yea further the letters here are doubled to signifie the great care and trouble that David had when hee sought after these things as the Merchant seeketh for his gaine When the rich man said in the Gospell Soule take thy rest for now thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares Luke 12.19 Hee put the soule then from the right object But when David said Returne my soule to thy rest Psalme 116.7 Then he set his soule upon the right object As light is the first object of the eye and not the light of the Sun or Candle So God is the first object of the soule but not this or that way revealed by his creatures or by his word And therefore hee ought to bee loved for himselfe Quest 4 By what meanes may we be inflamed with the love of God Answ 1 First labour to feele the sweetnesse of God labour to know how good and gracious the Lord is All men desire that which they judge to be principally and chiefely good for them And therefore if wee could but once tast or conceive how sweet and good the Lord is it would make us to love him A man comes to this knowledge partly by the hearing of the Word of God and partly by meditating of the great and gracious workes of God but principally by Faith in Christ Secondly pray daily unto God that hee Answ 2 would so shine into thy heart by some glimpse of his holy Majesty that thou mayst become sick of love Thirdly separate thy selfe from all those Answ 3 things which may hinder thee from loving the Lord. What things let or hinder us from the love Quest 5 of God First the love of sinne Non bene conveniunt the Arke and Dagon cannot both stand in one Temple nor God and sin be in one soule And therefore labour to leave and learne to loath all sinnes whatsoever because God will not come where sinne is wittingly harboured without any opposition or reluctation Secondly the love of the world as in this Answ 2 verse and Iames. 4 4. 1. Iohn 2.15 Wherefore love not the world Thirdly the blindnesse of the judgment Answ 3 sense preferreth temporall things before spirituall And therefore labour that our understandings may bee enlightned and our judgements informed that being able to discerne between things that differ we may with Christ know to refuse the evill and chuse the good Å¿ Esa 7.15 How may we know whether we love the Quest 4 Lord or not First if wee hate sinne the world and Answ 1 worldly things and all things that are opposite or contrary unto God it is a signe that we love him Secondly if we thinke and meditate seriously Answ 2 and frequently upon our God in private it is a signe that we love him Thirdly if we have a high estimation of our Answ 3 God valuing him above all other things it is an argument of love Alexander desiring to know whether Apelles were in love with Campaspe whom hee had intended for himselfe caused his page when Apelles was in serious discourse with him to cry out Apelles Apelles looke about you your shop is one fire wherewith hee being afrighted cryed out aye mee if the Picture of Campaspe bee burnt I am undone Thus if we can say with him we are undone if we loose our God or with David that there is nothing in Heaven or earth that wee desire besides him it is a comfortable signe of love t Ps 73.25 Fourthly if our love bee perpetuall and Answ 4 constant it is a signe of true love Gasper de Magno a Knight of Millan bare a Stock-dove with a Diamant in her bill it being the nature of this Bird never to loose any thing it hath once taken thereby to inferre that he would never give over to love his Lady whose name was also Diamanthe His Motto was In aeternum For ever Thus it is not enough to love the Lord at times or for a time but if wee desire to approve our love to be faithfull and unfained we must love him above all things and that for ever and ever Sect. 4 § 4. Or he will cleave or bold to the one and forsake the other I
amisse Answer 2 Secondly sometimes they speake fainedly and hypocritically and then speaking the trueth of God they may benefit others thereby but so it is not their fruit but the blessing of God upon his own ordinance and thus Cayphaâ— prophesied when hee was High-priest and Saul when hee was amongst the Prophets Whether can false teachâ— is truely convert aâ—y Question 6 from their sinnes unto God First it is not safe to answer negatively and say Answer 1 they cannot For 1. There is a dogmatiâ—â—â— I knowledge of Christ which they may have although they have not the practicall which is mentioned John 17.3 This is life eternall to know thee and hiâ—â— whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 2. The power of the Word doth depend upon the ordinance of God whoseâ—â—s it and not upon the worthinesse of the man who brings it Hence Paul seemes to intimate that a man may preach profitably unto others and yet not to him selfe 1 Corinth 9.27 Yea God sometimes works with evill â—oâ—les and by bad meanes or instruments as wee see hee sent his word by Balaam and directed Caiphas to speake true yea Sathan himselfe confesseth Christ An evill King may governe well and a false teacher save others and yet damne himselfe as they did who built Noahs Arke 3. The power of regenerating is not in man but in the Word Iames 1.18 the spirit aplying it to the soule 1 Cor. 3.6 4. If an evill teacher may not convert and benefit others then why are wee commanded by Christ to heare such All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe anâ— doe (u) Matth. 23.3 Secondly such certainly cannot preach zealously with a true affection and good heart but either Answer 2 coldly or hypocritically § 3. Neither figs of thisâ—â—es Section 3 Our Saviour showes two things in these words namely First if the tree be bad the fruit cannot be good if the tree be a Thistle the fruit cannot bee Figges of this something hath beene spoken and more remaines to be spoken verse 18. Secondly if the fruit bee good we must not judge the tree to bee bad if the fruit bee figges wee must not judge the tree to be a Thistle For men doe not gather figgs of Thistles Why are not they to be suspected or judged who Question 1 bring forth good fruit First because wee should imitate our God now Answer 1 hee never punisheth but for acertaine and apparent fault and therefore wee should not suspect without some apparent signes or palpable persecutions Secondly because none are rashly to bee judged Answer 2 without good ground Iohn 7 51. Iames 4.11 Thirdly because judgement belongs unto God Answer 3 1 Corinth 4.5 And therefore this is to take the sword out of Gods hands which is dangerous unto any and a thing full of perill Rom. 14.4.10.13 Fourthly because charitie is not suspicious 1 Cor. Answer 4 13. And therefore those who suspect the tree when the fruit is faire and good are too emptie of this grace of Christian love Fiftly because the heart is unsearcheable Ierem. Answer 5 17.9 wee see the actions not the heart and affections and therefore where wee see good things done there we must thinke that they are done with a true affection and right heart Sixtly they who bring forth good fruit are not to Answer 6 bee suspected because wee are implicitely forbidden it in these words and expressely 〈◊〉 the first words of this verse and verse 20. yee shall know them by their fruits where our Saviour would have us to leave the heart unto God and where wee see good fruits there to judge the heart and tree to bee good also Question 2 What are the causes that men so often judge and suspect the tree when the fruit is good Answer 1 First because of some heavy affliction the world looking upon a man whose life hath beene outwardly unspotted doth presently conclude that his religion was but hypocriticall if it see him under some sharpe and grievous disaster and mise y. Thus do Iobs friends And thus do both Jewes and Gentiles Luke 13.2 Acts 28.4 Answer 2 Secondly the cause of this uncharitable judgement is sometimes the envie of another mans glory wee envying the estimation our brother hath in the world by reason of his unblameable Life do therefore censure and judge his profession to bee but in hypocrisie Matth. 10.25 and 12.24 Luke 7.34 Answer 3 Thirdly sometime malice is the cause hereof thus the Jewes judge Christ to have a divell John 9.16 Answer 4 Fourthly this unchristian judgement doth sometimes proceed from hypocrisie many a man cosening the world with false pretences doth judge other men to doe so likewise Rom. 1. last verse and 2.1 Verse 17 Verse 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit Our Saviour speaking here of the regenerate and unregenerate man may move this question Question 1 Who are not Regenerated Answer They who doe not fructifie in good works Gal. 5.15.25 Philip. 1.27 What trees are there in the Church which thus fructifie not First hypocrites who have onely a forme of Question 2 godlinesse 2 Timoth. 3.5 drawing neere unto Answer 1 God with their lips while their hearts are far from him Matth. 15.9 Secondly Back-sliders who start aside like broken Answer 2 bowes forsaking and leaving their first love Reade Gal. 3.3 Revel 2.5 Doe the regenerate then not sin at all Question 3 First certainly they sinne 1 Iohn 1.8 And therefore Answer 1 are taught daily to pray forgive us our debts Secondly but they walke not in the wayes of Answer 2 sinne neither make it their worke but watch and strive against it as shall elsewhere more amply bee shewed Verse 18. Verse 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit § 1. A good tree cannot bring forth evill Sect. 1 fruit Saint Hierome s Galath 5. thinkes this place is not spoken of men but of the fruites of the flesh and Spirit Two things are here directly pointed at namely First that a good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit N. Secondly that an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit § 2. N. First make the tree good and then the fruit cannot bee evill For a good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit Who is a good man or a good â—ee doth not Question 1 Christ say there is none good save God Matth. 19.17 Goodnesse is either Abusive and that either by Or The phrase or proprietie of speech when goodnes is taken for beautie Answer Genes 6.2 1. Samuel 9.2 2 Pet. 2.21 or propernesse of person The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were good so the Latine hath it that is beautifull So Saul was a choice young man and a goodly that is a very personable and proper man Or Comparison Thus S. Paul saith That it had beene good for those who relapsed if they had never knowne
settled in the truth that nothing can remove them Answer 2 Secondly God sometimes permits it in judgement unto others because they will nor beleeve nor obey the truth Answer 3 Thirdly God suffers it that he may knit us the more close unto his word for when we see that Prophecies and Miracles and all other things may deceive us it will make us more carefull to adhere and sticke close to the Scriptures as the onely sure true and perfect rule of truth Quest 2 Who erre here Answer 1 First the Papists who bragge and boast of Miracles but of this something hath formerly beene said Answer 2 Secondly those who hope they are the children of God for lesse causes then the working of Miracles There are many who upon very slender grounds perswade themselves that they belong unto God as for example 1. Some say I have lived thus long and yet I was never brought into any poverty or want And therefore without doubt I am precious in the Lords eye sight 2. Some say my riches encrease daily I prosper in whatsoever I take in hand and therefore I perswade my selfe that I am one of Gods beloved ones 3. Some say I languished in such or such a sicknesse or disease from which there was so small hope of recovery that the learned Physicians had given me over and yet contrary to all hope and beyond all strength of nature the Lord raised me up againe to my perfect health and strength And therfore this his gracious dealing with me doth assure me that I am one of those whom he hath promised never to forsake faile or leave 4. Some say I escaped such or such a danger which was extraordinary and almost miraculous may I not therefore assure my selfe that I am one of Gods children seeing he was so ready to helpe and protect me in the time of need Thus many leane upon the staffe of Egypt trust to such deceivable hopes as will utterly faile them and frustrate their expectation For many notorious wicked men have bin preserved from want poverty have bin blessed with riches and abundance have beene restored unto health and recovered from some extreame sicknesse yea have beene preserved and protected from some eminent danger And the Wise-man in generall telleth us that neither love nor hatred is knowne by any externall thing Eccles 9.1 By what kind of faith doth wicked men worke Miracles Quest 3 There is a threefold kind of faith namely First a faith which consists of humane opinion Answer and perswasion whereby those things are beleeved to be no lesse true which are laid downe in the History of the Bible then are the Histories of Livie Suetonius and those who writ of n w and unknowne Ilands This kind of faith in many things is common to the Turkes and Jewes And therefore by this faith false Prophets doe not worke Miracles Secondly there is a faith whereby verily vively efficaciously we assent to the promise of the mercy of God being incited and stirred up by the divine blasts and motions of the Spirit of God This is justifying faiâ—h and therefore by this wicked men doe not worke Miracles Thirdly there is a faith which is called miraculous or the faith of Miracles by which no change is wrought at all in the party in whom it is neither is he made one haire better thereby This faith is a vehement motion and perswasion of the divine Spirit whereby a man is incited to worke Miracles and to begge this power of God wholy beleeving that it is Gods will that they should be wrought and that that which they desire shall be granted Now those which adhere unto this beleefe sometimes obtaine what they desire (l) Pet. Mar. in Judic c. 6. ver 37 38. pag. 87. 6. Verse 23. And by this kind of faith it is that wicked men and false Prophets worke Miracles Verse 23. And then will I professe unto them I never knew you Depart from me yee that worke iniquity I never knew you Where we must observe that Christ saith not Non nosco vos nunc I know you not now to wit when your hypocrisie is detected and discovered but nunquam novi vos I never knew you to wit not then when you professed the faith or prophecied or wrought Miracles in my name Now Nosse here doth not signifie a bare knowledge but approbation I never knew you that is I knew you and tooke notice of you but I did never approve of you Question 1 How can they worke Miracles who are unknowne unto God For usually and truely we distinguish of Miracles thâ—t they are either First false as 2 Thessal 2.9.11 And these are but Impostures and delusions Or Secondly true and these are wrought by faith Now doth not Christ know these that by faith in him worke Miracles We must distinguish of faith in this manner Answer In faith there are two acts to wit First a certaine assent or apprehension this is historical a faith which the devill may have Ja. 2. Secondly an application of the thing beleeved and this is two-fold either First weake and unstable as is in the Presumptuous faith And Temporary faith Secondly solid apprehending either Whole Christ or Christ in part which is called Saving faith Miraculous faith Now as was affirmed and confirmed before a man may have a Miraculous faith and yet be unknowne unto Christ but those in whom is wrought this saving faith are knowne unto him Whence Observat We may learne That a man may have some particular good spirituall gifts and things in him and yet not be a true faithfull child of God The Pharisee did many good things and yet was but an hypocrite Luke 18.11 c. Many workes shew themselves good outwardly which proceede not from a true roote as appears Hebr. 6.4.5 and 10.26 and 2 Pet. 2.20 c. Quest 4 What good things may be in him who is not truely good in heart and truely faithfull Answer 1 First he may lament his sinnes committed as Cain and Judas and Ahab did Answer 2 Secondly he may be true in his words and promises though he lose by it Answer 3 Thirdly he may be charitable to the poore and plentifull in charitable workes 1 Cor. 13.2 Answer 4 Fourthly he may professe the truth and joyne himselfe to the society of Gods children as did Simon Magus Acts 8. and Saul when he prophecied 1. Samuel Answer 5 Fiftly he may reverence the word of God as Herod did Mark 6.20 All these things a man may doe and yet not be a whit benefitted thereby unto salvation because they may be in an unregenerate man Quest 5 How may we know that we are the children of God Answer Labour for these things which follow for if they be in us we may be certainly assured of our filiation First let us labour to be truely begotten and borne anew of the holy Spirit John 3.5 Secondly let us labour to be baptized with fire Thirdly let us
man trust Quest 6 in or adhere unto First not to his naturall strength in performing Answ 1 of what is good for that is but weaknesse Iob 14.4 and 15.14 Secondly not to his wit or wisdom in understanding Answ 2 of what is good for although he may understand many things which concern his body and temporall estate and be very crafty in outward things yet spirituall things he is not able truly to take up 1 Cor. 2.14 Thirdly not to his wisdom in avoiding of Answ 3 evill for Sathan is more crafty to tempt and assault than any naturall man can be to resist and withstand temptation because naturally our judgment erres and our care sleeps Fourthly not to the strength of his resolution Answ 4 many a man resolves that he will never swear more nor be drunk more nor fall into his accustomed sins any more but yet at length starts aside like a broken Bow turning with the Dog to his vomit of sin Indeed a natural man may be resolute in worldly things but not in the things of the Lord because he hath no true love unto God or goodnesse within nor any true change of his affections Fifthly the naturall man may not trust to his Answ 5 own honesty in obeying for he cannot obey God either generally in all things or perpetually for all times but onely sometimes and in some things which comes far short of true obedience Sixthly he must not trust to his conscience Answ 6 in repenting or condemning of sin for I. Often the naturall man condemns another mans sins but not his own And II. Often erects a false repentance as the Drunkard after his Cups and the Swearer after his Oathes will cry God mercy and beat their hands upon their brests and think this their repentance will serve the Lords turn and procure from him pardon Yea III. Oftentimes the naturall man seems to expresse a great measure of hearty sorrow but it is for the punishment not for the sin as Ahab did 1 Kings 21. And therefore God will not accept of it Seventhly and lastly let not the naturall man trust to his confiâ—ence or faith in beleeving for Answ 7 the faith of such is but blinde presumption Esa 28.18 Thus I say the naturall man must neither trust to his strength in working nor to his wit in understanding nor to his prudence in avoiding nor to his power in resolving nor to his honesty in obeying nor to his conscience in repenting nor to his confidence in beleeving for in all these he may be deceived Quest 7 What things or works may a spiritually dead naturall man do The naturall man may do these things to wit Answ First he may sin greedily with the full bent and consent of the will Ephes 4.19 he may run on unto sin as a horse unto the battell Secondly he may perform naturall works as eat drink sleep and the like Thirdly he may perform politick and civill works as buying selling trading purchasing c. Fourthly he may perform Morall works or the acts of vertue he may give Alms forgive offenders love true and honest dealing be chaste and temperate and the like Fifthly he may perform religious actions quoad materiam informem in regard of the dead letter or livelesse outward work for he may hear the word he may pray he may fear the wrath and anger of God he may be pricked in heart yea with Herod Mark 6.20 he may obey in many things Reade Heb. â— 4 5 6. But Sixthly he can do nothing well quoad formam form lly or in regard of the manner of dâ—ing This form of goo works is faith and witâ—out this nothing we do can be pleaâ—â—â—g unto God Deus râ—â—uâ—e â—ator Adverbiorum God rewards Benè onely that which is wâ—ll done in regard of the manner And therefore naturall men being without faith all their works are but like Sodoms fruit or deaf Nuts or as Bellarmine saith a carkasse which hath strong and well set members but wants life Quest 8 Is there no hope of life then to the naturall man Answ He may live again although he be dead But by the help Of another not Of himself and that Miraculously not Naturally or Physically A man that is dead cannot infuse life into himself but he may be restored unto life by another as many were whereof we reade in holy writ But even this is above nature and plainly miraculous for any to restore a dead man to life So is it with naturall men they are dead in sin and it is not iâ— their power to quicken themselves or to infuse the lâ—fe of grace into themselves but it is the work of another namely of Christ and that not by any naturall but by a supernaturall work who regenerates us by his Spirit Ioh. 3.3 4 5. How may dead men be revived and restored Quest 9 unto life They must do as Martha did when she desired Answ that her dead brother Lazarus might bee raised up to life that is First they must fetch Christ unto the dead soule Then Secondly they must pray that the stone of insensibility may be removed that is that their hard hearts may be mollified and softned and made sensible of sin Thirdly pray that he may heare the voice and call of Christ and word of God which calleth him from the grave of sin and perdition Fourthly pray that being called and hearing Christs voice hee may come out from the grave of sin forsaking it and leaving it for ever Fifthly pray that his face being unbound hee may see Christ Iohn 11.44 Sixthly when he is raised up by Christ and seeth him then let him sup with him and stay with him and never depart from him Revelations 3.20 Seventhly by how much longer hee hath laid in the grave of sin or death or by how much the worse hee stinks in regard of his wicked life by so much the more fervently and constantly pray untill he be raised and restored How may we know whether we are spiritually Quest 10 dead or not Examine in thee these things namely First art thou given to thy pleasure Answ following that with joy but hearing the word of God with wearinesse calling that a hard saying b Iohn 6.60 Then certainly thou art but a dead man Secondly art thou glewed unto the world and thy wealth and profit Iames 4.4 1 Iohn 2.15 Vndoubtedly then thou art yet dead in sin Thirdly art thou puffed up with worldly wisedome which is contrary to the wisedome of the Spirit then it is a signe that thou art not as yet quicked Rom. 8.6 c. These three hold men diversly to wit First pleasure luls men asleepe Secondly the world compels men as in chaines to obey and serve her Thirdly wisedom deludes and deceives men with false shewes Fourthly art thou not as yet regenerated and changed then certainly the life of grace is not as yet infused Iohn 3.5 Fifthly dost thou not as yet beleeve then it is
to be feared that thou art yet alive in nature but dead in grace Wherein must naturall men labour to acquire Quest 11 life First in generall in the whole man that is Answ 1 both in the body and soule in the outward life and in the inward man in the will and memory and reason and spirit and mind Ephesians 4.24 and 1 Thess 5.23 Answ 2 Secondly more particularly we must labour to acquire life in three things to wit I. In sensu in our sense and apprehension Nothing comes unto the understanding which was not first in the sense and therefore we must labour that our understandings may be enlightned and that the scales of ignorance may fall off from our eyes because sense is the outer gate of the soule Ephes 1.18 Rom. 11.8 and 1 Iohn 2.11 In a word he that desires the light of grace must labour first to be sensible of the blindnesse of nature and he who longs for spirituall life must strive to be sensible of that spirituall death wherein he lies buried Luke 11.34 II. In fide in our faith and confidence faith is the eye wherby wee see God Mat. 5.8 faith brings us to saving knowledge Iohn 17.3 and workes in us true experience of the love of God c Philip. 3.10 And therefore let us not content our selves with dead dreams or carnall conjectures but labour for a true lively working and applicative faith III. In robore in our strength and power that is labour that wee may bee strengthned with might and power in the inward man d Ephes 3.16 not contenting our selves with the power of nature which is but impotency it selfe Now this living or lively power which we must labour for is three-fold namely First Potestas pugnandi power to fight against sinne and Sathan manfully untill we have prevailed e Heb. 12.4 and 1 Pet. 2.11 Secondly Potestas obediendi power to obey God in some good measure in that which he requires of us in a new life Thirdly Potestas amandi gaudâ—ndi power to love God and good duties and to rejoyce in the performance thereof Esay 58.13 Quest 12 From whom is this life to be acquired Answ 1 First we must seeke it of God the Father Esay 25.8 Hos 13.14 Rom. 4.17 Answ 2 Secondly we must seek it of God the Sonne Luke 1.78.79 Iohn 1.4 and 2 Cor. 5.15 and 2 Tim. 1.10 Answ 3 Thirdly wee must seek it of God the Holy Ghost Iohn 6.63 Rom. 8.10 11. and 1 Cor. 6.11 And therefore let us invocate God the Father in the name and mediation of God the Sonne to infuse this spirituall life of grace into us by the operation of his blessed Spirit Quest 13 What means must we use for the obtaining of this spirituall life Answ 1 First wee must be watchfull and circumspect over our wayes Ephes 5.15 for grace is not found in the way of security or with sleeping upon the bed of case Colos 3.1 Answ 2 Secondly we must be diligent in hearing Iohn 5.24 25. and 2 Tim. 1.10 Now there are two things to be heard namely I. The Law this wee must hear that we may be humbled therby Rom. 7.9 II. The Gospel this we must hear that we may be counselled and comforte therby 2 Cor. 2.16 Answ 3 Thirdly we must die unto sin Generatio unius est corruptio alterius the vivifying of grace is the mortifying of sin And the more grace increases the more sin decreases Rom. 6.11 and 1 Cor. 15.36 Now there are two kinds of death namely First Concupiscentiae of sinne and lust Colos 3.5 for all sins evill affections and lusts are to be mortified Secondly Confidentiae of hope and confidence for wee must deny our selves not trust at al in any thing we do Fourthly wee must labour to beleeve Iohn 8.24 Answ 4 And that by a faith not of our own framing but of Gods infusing Colos 2.12 Fifthly we must persevere in all these as long Answ 5 as we live that is both in watchfulnesse and hearing and mortifying of sinne and beleeving with a faith approved by works Revelat. 2.11 Ephes 6.13 What shall wee gaine by this spirituall life Quest 14 that we must take so much paines for the procuring of it First if wee be made partakers of this life Answ 1 of grace then we shall bee made fellow Citizens of the Saints yea the Heirs of God Rom. 8.17 Ephes 2.6.19 Second by this spirituall life we gain spiritual Answ 2 liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 from sin Rom. 6.14 8.11 Thirdly by this life we gain light and knowledge Answ 3 and spirituall rejoycing Esay 9.2 Luke 1.80 and 1 Pet. 1.8 And therfore it is worth al the paines VERS 25. And his Disciples came to him Vers 25 and awoke him saying Lord save us wee perish § 1. His Disciples came to him Sect. 1 This action of the Disciples in comming to Christ may teach us the degrees of our comming unto Christ How do we come unto Christ Quest or by what steps First the carnall man is absent from Christ Answ 1 and a stranger unto him Mat. 18.11 Luke 15.13 Ephes 2.12 and 1 Pet. 25. Secondly therefore God sends affliction as Answ 2 to the prodigall poverty and to the Jews misery Psalme 107. Thirdly and then we come to him Psal 119.67.71 Answ 3 One of these two wayes either I. By prayer as the Disciples here did crying Lord save us Or II. By repentance as the Prodigall did Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee § 2. They awoke him Sect. 2 Christ indeed is sometimes absent from his children which is here expressed by his being asleep How is Christ absent from his children Quest First sometimes he is absent from them by Answ 1 withdrawing his grace from them and permitting them to sin thus he absented himselfe from Peter and David for a time Secondly sometimes he is absent from them Answ 2 in comfort when hee permits them to fall into grievous afflictions thus hee absented himselfe from Iob for a time and from David Psal 22. Sect. 3 § 3. Save us or wee perish The Disciples here in their distresse pray unto Christ and are preserved whence we may learn Observ That the prayers of the righteous shall certainly be heard Object But many pray whom God answers not Answ 1 First God is alwayes able to heare and helpe us if he please Daniel 3.17 Answ 2 Secondly if he do not helpe us when we pray yet he will turn his deniall and our distresse unto our good for all things worke together for the best unto the righteous Rom. 8.28 Answ 3 Thirdly and although hee do not helpe us at the first yet he can afterwards as we see in Israels fighting against Benjamin who was overcome once againe Iudg. 20.21.25 although God bad them fight verse 18.23 but at length they wholly overcome them verse 35. c. Vers 26 VERS 26. And hee saith unto them why are yee fearfull O yee of
funerals and this was either I. Cruell and bloody that the sound or yels of those whom they sacrificed might not bee heard and for this end the Jewes had all sorts of lowd instruments in a manner which sounded when they offered up their children unto Moâ—â—â—â— that so the cries of the babes might not pierce the Parents cares Or II. Their custome was superstitious viz. for the pacifying and appeasing of their gods this was most usuall with the Gentiles and is most dangerous to be imitated by Christians § 2. And the people making a noise Sect. 2 Whether was this action of these in making Quest 1 clamours and out-cries lawfull or not First in generall it is lawfull to mourn for the Answ 1 dead As might be proved I. From the practise of the Fathers Zach. 12.11 Gen. 23.2 and 1 Sam. 25.1 and 2 Sam. 1.24 and 11.26 II. From the approbation of our heavenly Father 1 King 14.13 III. From the Apostles warrant 1 Thess 4.13 c. Philip. 2.27 IV. From the making of the booke of Lamentations 2 Chron. 35.25 V. From our blessed Saviours example who wept for Lazarus Iohn 11.35 Secondly these here transgressed and sinned Answ 2 in what they did as also did divers others in their mourning and that in a three-fold regard namely I. Because they did not observe a mean or moderation in their mourning but mourned as they do who are without hope from vvhence we may learn That we must not mourne immoderately for the dead 1 Thess 4.13 Why may we not exceed in our lamentations Quest 2 for the losse of dear friends First because they and we at the last shall rise Answ 1 againe David weeps not when the child is dead because he shall goe to him 2 Sam. 12. Answ 2 Secondly wee must not mourn immoderately for the dead because death to the godly is happy and therfore excessive teares bevvrayes onely self-selfe-love and not true love at all Revel 14.13 Ier. 22.10 Non deflentur pucri nec senes quinquagenarij Alex. ab Al. 132. b. II. This sort of mourning was evill because a multitude or great many wept and mourned Multitudo tumultuans Now it is good to weepe with those who vveep c. Rom. 12.14 if it bee cordiall but if as here only for a forme or fashion sake vvithout any true sense of sorrovv then it is blame-vvorthy III. There vvas another fault in this mourning namely that they hired procured and brought together others to mourne for those vvho vvere dead Alexandria conducti Threnodes Rhod. 17.21 Sect. 3 § 3. And hee said unto them give place or depart Quest Why doth Christ drive away and cause to depart these Minstrels and Mourners Answ 1 First because they made a foolish and tumultuous noise Answ 2 Secondly because hee will not have the mysterie he is about communicated to such as these where we may observe two things namely I That Christ separates and cals whom hee pleases And II. That these were unworthy to stay with him because they were only led with sense and that either First externall regarding only their vanities and accustomed superstitious solemnities Or Secondly internall being carried away and transported through sorrow for the death of the Damosell Now the way unto Christ is to estrange the eyes from the world and to lift them up unto heaven Answ 3 Thirdly our Saviour causeth these to depart because the Maid was not finally dead and therfore although mourning be lawfull in measure yet now there was no need of it Answ 4 Fourthly our Saviour dismisseth these because they were Mockers as followeth § 5. Sect 4 § 4. The Maid is not dead but sleepeth Object The Papists object this place for the proofe of their equivocation and mentall reservation our Saviour saith here The Maid is not dead but sleepeth now the Damosel was naturally dead and therfore the words must be understood with this mentall reservation In respect of my power and will l Parsons Mitig. Pag. 365 Answ 1 First in this example there can neither bee shewed any secret confession or any interrogation put against or besides equity and truth nor any injury offered unto Christ nor any cause compelling Christ to use any equivocation by a mentall reservation but his speech was such as he usually used in his conversation with men n Conscide pag. 32. And therefore this example is unfitly brought for the confirming of the doctrine of equivocation m Amesius lib. 5. Secondly the sense of our Saviours words is clear and manifest enough by the circumstances thereof without any mentall reservation at all Answ 2 for he spake this to those who with mourning and weeping prepared to celebrate the exequits of the dead Damosell and by these words would have them know that presently hee will raise her up as though shee were but awakened out of a sleepe Now how could our Saviour expresse this unto them in more fit and pregnant words then he here useth v n Amesius ibid. Thirdly the Papists exposition is true that in respect of Christs divine power they that are Answ 3 dead are said to be but asleep which is a most frequent and ordinary phrase of Scripture Reade Tolet in hunc locum So that this speech is not equivocall but Metaphoricall and the Metaphor of calling Death a Sleep was most familiar with the Hebrewes and is most aptly used by our Saviour in this verse seeing that the raising of a dead woman to life was no more difficult unto him then the awakening her out of sleepe which he intended presently to do And therfore both his denying her to be dead and his affirming that she was but asleepe were but verball Amphibologies which all they might have understood who were not scornfull and incredulous contemners of his sayings Fourthly the Popish Priests equivocation as Answ 4 this I am no Priest meaning as ordained to kill a Calfe or such like is so farre beyond the horizon and sight of any mans capacity that he may sooner claspe hold of the man in the Moon then by any intimation of words or circumstance of speech reach unto such a reserved conceit o Mort. encount l. 2. cap. 10. p. 144 For the further clearing of this Objection I propound this question What is the true sense and meaning of these words The Maid is not dead but sleepeth Quest 1 First some understand them literally as though Answ 1 she were not dead indeed naturally by a separation of the soule from the body but only shee seemed to them as though she were dead Here observe that many times sick persons appear to the living to bee dead and that one of these wayes to wit either I. By swounding and fainting Lipothymià Or II. By some deep and dead sleep wherby all the senses are bound arising either from drunkennesse or much watching or extraordinary labour and wearinesse Or III. By some invincible Lethargy Or IV. By the suffocation of the Matrix Or V.
those who are prudent and politicke in worldly things but Saint Paul overthrowes this Rom. 8.6.8 and 1 Corinth 1.26 Or III. Of those who were rich and able to entertaine them And thus Erasmus understands it and renders it Idonei but is justly taxed both for his translation and interpretation by learned Beza Or IV. Of those who are bountifull liberall hospitable and given to entertaine strangers These indeed are truely called worthy but yet our Saviour lookes higher than these Answ 2 Secondly some understand this word spiritually and thus it is to be expounded but yet Expositors differ herein For I. Some understand it De merito congrui of the merit of congruitie but it is not thus to be interpreted because Christ came to call sinners Matth. 9.13 Yea telleth them that Publicans and Harlots shall enter into heaven before the proud and boasting Pharisees Matthew 21.31 II. Some by worthy understand the humble Beza III. Some by worthy understand those who receive them willingly and cheerfully Muscul s IV. Some understand here those who are of a laudable and praise-worthy conversation in whom the feare of God and religion shines and shewes forth themselves Calvin s Answ 3 Thirdly this word Worthy is a relation and therefore we must seeke forth his Antecedent and enquire who they are who are esteemed Worthy namely either I. Those who are worthy of the message of peace the preaching of the Gospel which was brought by the Apostles Now these were they who received them willingly admitted and permitted them to preach readily and heard them cheerfully Or II. Those who are worthy to receive and entertaine Guests and such Messengers as these were Now these were such as were of good name fame credit and reputation among their neighbours with whom they dwell And these indeed the Text seemes to speake of because it is said Enquire that is of others or of the neighbours Hence then two things are very worthy our observing namely First that we must so live that our goodnesse may appeare unto others Secondly that we must enquire after peoples worthinesse before wee guest and lodge with them First we must labour so to live that the worthinesse Observ 1 of our conversation may bee evident to others he is worthy who else where is called the good man and the righteous man Luke 23.47 and Rom. 5.7 Mich 6.8 Ephes 5.9 The observation plainely is this That we must so live that we may seeme worthy to the Church of God and the brethren of Christ hence wee are commanded to procure things honest before all men Rom. 12.17 And to walke worthy in regard of those who are without 1 Tim. 3.7 and 2 Corinth 6.4 and 2 Timothy 4.5 o 1 Pet. 2.12 Phil. 6. Why must our lives be thus perspicuous and Quest 2 our Christian conversation so evident that it may be seene knowne and perceived by others First because the promises of God are Answ 1 made and belong unto such Deut. 12.28 Ier. 5.29 and Rom. 7.16 Secondly because it is necessary that the Answ 2 worthinesse of our conversation should appeare unto others and that in a double regard namely I. In regard of our selves because thus and thus only we approve our hearts and inward man to be pure and upright before God for the fruit shewes the tree and the streames the Fountaine Matth. 12.35 Galath 5.22 And II. In regard of our God and religion because hereby strangers and those who are without the Church will magnifie our profession and honour that God whose name we professe 1 Pet. 2.12 Matth. 5.16 And on the contrary if our lives be wicked wee are a dishonour and shame to our religion in regard of the Gentiles 1 Peter 3.16 p 2 Cor. 5.12 Are workes necessary is it not sufficient to Quest 3 have faith towards God but unto men our works also must appeare Certainely outward workes of the life Answ and the fruits of religion are necessary wee being created for that end Ephes 2.10 And therefore let none say if they have faith they shall be saved for although it bee true that we are saved by faith and not by workes Iohn 6.29 yet faith alone without workes will not save us as appeares by Philip. 4.8 Deut. 6.18 Psalme 37.3 where we are commanded to serve God in a good conscience Now there is a double Conscience viz. First of the person 1 Iohn 2.1 when we are assured of our remission reconciliation and adoption being able to say with Saint Paul I know whom I have trusted But this alone is not sufficient for us God himselfe enquiring more then this of us Secondly of the actions when wee are rich in good workes 1 Timothy 6.18 And this also God exacts at our hands and expects from us because the truth of the other is to be confirmed by this and faith is to be approved by workes Whether is it necessary to shine before men Quest 4 or not It is as it appeares by Philip. 2.15 Answ Here observe diligently That Light or Fame is two-fold namely either Evill now this is to be avoided and shunned and that both I. In doing that which is evill according to that of Saint Paul The word of God is evill spoken of through your evill workes Rom. 2.24 And also II. In doing that which is scandalous and not seeking Gods glory and the peace of his Church and the Edification of our brethren before our private ends 1 Cor. 10.31 1 Thes 5.23 Good which is to be procured and herein are two things viz. First Res the matter thereof which is either I. Towards God as in Piety for wee must not be like the Church of Ephesus who fell from her first love q Rev. 2.5 but wee must labour that others may see our holy hearts by our worthy workes and our love and zeale by our ardent profession II. Towards men which is either In Iustice and truth wherein is required these things viz. First to do that which is aright and to be injurious unto none as 1 Thess 4.6 And Secondly to speake that which is true and right neither respecting the person of the poor nor rich Gal. 1.10 And Thirdly to thinke and love and hold the truth Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed magis amica veritas Mercy which doth not consist in giving a crust or farthing to a poore man although the smallest almes are not to be despised or neglected but in the bowels of compassion and tendernesse of heart Secondly Modus the manner thereof which consists in two things namely I. That all these things be done sincerely as in Gods sight r 2 Chro. 31.20 and with a perfect heart Å¿ Esa 38.3 II. That they be done fervently with all the heart t 2 Chro. 31.21 Herein many things are included namely First vve must not be corrupted with the wicked customes or manners of those with whom we live but like Lot abhorre and hate the impieties 2 Pet. 2.8 otherwise
we doe not serve God with our whole heart Secondly we must serve God Interpidè without worldly feare no apprehension or feare of danger must daunt us or detaine us from the service of the Lord but like Daniel the three Children and Ioseph of Arimathea wee must boldly and before men professe the Lord otherwise we doe not serve him with the whole heart Thirdly wee must serve the Lord perfectly in all things Heb. 13.21 not parting of stakes with him And Fourthly we must serve him perseverantly not being weary of well doing Gal. 6.9 And thus if we desire so to live that the worthinesse of our conversation may appeare to the Church of God and the brethren of Christ we must take heed that wee bring no evil report upon our selves either by doing that which is evill or scandalous And wee must labour to procure a good report amongst men by being zealous in our profession and holy towards our God and both in word worke and thought just and true towards all and mercifull and pitifull towards the poore and afflicted yea all this sincerely not in hypocrisie fervently not key coldy perseverantly not by starts or unconstantly and then the Lord will accept of us as worthy to be made partakers of the preaching of his Word Observ 2 Secondly wee must first enquire after the worthinesse of people before we lodge with them the Apostles must first enquire who are worthy and then goe unto their houses To teach us that we must not converse with the unworthy or those who have an evill name or fame amongst men reade Psalme 1.1 Prov. 1.15 Ephes 5.7.11 Quest 5 How many sorts of unworthy persons be there Answ Foure namely First wicked and prophane persons Secondly hereticall persons Thirdly heathenish and barbarous persons Fourthly excommunicated persons Here observe I. That the two last are alike the excommunicated person might be unto us as a heathen II. That the Gentile or Heathen is worse then the excommunicate person because we must refuse to converse with him but only for a time 1 Cor. 5. For upon his repentance he is to be admitted againe unto the Church and unto the society of the Saints III. But it seemes that for the instant or during the time of his excommunication that the excommunicate person is worse than the heathen man because with such an one while he stands justly excommunicate it is not lawfull to eat which is not prohibited in or with a Heathen But I enlarge not this disputation because the present Text speakes of the first sort of unworthy persons namely wicked prophane and scandalous men Why may we not familiarly converse and associate Quest 6 our selves with wicked and unworthy persons First because as God is a jealous God so those Answ 1 who love him are very jealous also and as a chaste honest and loving wife will not love nor delight in nor frequent the company of whores or whoremasters so the friends and loveâ—s of the Lord will not love his enemies and those whom his soule hates For those who love the Lord will hate evill in whomsoever it be And therefore if we desire to approve our selves to love the Lord we must not frequent the society of those who hate and are hated of the Lord. Secondly we must shunne all familiarity with Answ 2 the wicked because otherwise we should seeme to justifie them in their wickednes and so bring a woe upon our selves Esa 5.20 And therefore if wee desire to approve our selves to hate the corruption of sinne we must not love the company of sinners Answ 3 Thirdly we must not converse with wicked men because so we shall be made like unto them Ioas was good as long as Iehojadah lived and men learne goodnesse by associating themselves with those who are good And on the contrary the company of wicked men begets corrupt and wicked manners As we see in Ioseph who learnt to sweare by the life of Pharaoh Answ 4 Fourthly we must not frequent the society of the wicked because if we be not righteous and holy wee cannot truly love it The bond of Christian love is mutuall piety and sanctity and therefore this bond being broken there can bee no true love It is a blessed thing for brethren to dwell together in unity Psalm 133.1 But what union or concord can there bee betwixt light and darknesse good and evill Quest 7 How many sorts of companions or associates are there Foure namely Answ First grosse palpable and enormous sinners These are altogether to be avoided Secondly those who are not enormous sinners neither shew forth any life or power of religion namely meere carnal men These are unworthy to be made chosen of for intimate friends Thirdly hypocriticall professours painted tombes these are to bee avoided and turned away from because they weare Christs livery and yet serve the devill Fourthly there are sincere professours These are most and best worthy of our love and society Quest 8 With whom must wee not hold familiarity and societie Answ With the two former sorts of companions namely who either follow after evill or fly that which is good who love vice and hate vertue For if we see men to grow wicked we must leave their friendship and familiaritie Here some things may be objected Object 1 First some will say I have formerly promised to continue a league of amitie for terme of life and therefore I must not shake off my friends acquaintance though he prove wicked Answ If our friends prove wicked then we must say that we onely said we would continue our former familiaritie but we did not promise it Not that it is lawfull linguà jurare as Eunius said to sweare or say that with our mouth which our heart never thought but because First promises of friendship familiaritie and intimacie made unto any are to be understood as long as he shall continue holy and religious but if hee turn to be irreligious or wicked then those promises are annihilated and void And Secondly because we are not of our disposing but of the Lords whose wholly we are and therefore it is not in our power to make any league of friendship with the enemies of God Quest 9 Concerning the second sort of unworthy persons mentioned Question 7. it may be demanded If it be not lawfull to associate carnall men There is a manifold societie Answ to omit marriages bargaines and the like namely First to live peaceably with our neighbours whatsoever they are And this is required of us for wee must have peace with all in as much as in us lies Rom. 12. Secondly mutually to helpe one another in our wayes and callings or to exercise the office of love and charity one towards another And this is necessarily to be done unto all for in this sense and respect every one is our neighbour and so to be esteemed Thirdly mutually to use the helpe one of another in our callings this is lawfull with this proviso that
brother whereby God is dishonoured or his soule endangered Fourthly if after such faithfull and friendly Answ 4 admonition our brother will not amend wee must then forsake his familiarity because God is to be loved more then men But profession and religion will be scandalized Object 6 by thus casting off the acquâ—intance of hypocriticall professours or by discovering them unto the world to be such First the Religion of God needs not the lies Answ 1 of men and it is a great errour to cover hypocrisie under this pretence Secondly when any professe Christ or Religion Answ 2 falsely they scandalize profession and therefore such are not to be familiarly associated or intimately loved yea those who cover wicked workes with a rugge of Religion doe scandalize it most of all and therefore are most worthy to be shunned and their company to be avoided Thirdly in such a case as this the right hand Answ 3 is to be cut off If one member be seazed upon by a gangrene it must be taken away otherwise the whole body perisheth yea we know that one sore sheepe infects the whole flocke Wherefore such hypocrites as under a show of Religion commit evill are to be cast off yea given over unto sathan for a time 1 Corinthians 5.5 that so other formalists may learne to amend VERS 12. And when yee goe into an house salute it Verse 12 We may observe here that the salutations of the Iewes were testified either by words or some humble gesture of the body First by words and then these were the usuall formes The Lord be with you or The Lood blesse you Ruth 2.4 From the last of these blessing is often taken in Scripture for saluting If thou meet any blesse him not and if any blesse thee answer him not again saith Elisha to Gehazi 2 Kings 4.29 The sense is as our English renders it Salute him not Sometimes they said Peace be unto thee peace be upon thee Goe in peace and such like When ye come into an house salute the same and if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you In this verse and the next Secondly by gestures thus their salutations were signified sometimes by prostrating the whole body sometimes by kissing the feete Luk. 7.38 commonly by an ordinary kisse Å¿ Xâ—noph de institut â— vâ— li. 1. g. â—7 â—â— p. 113. Moses went out to meet his father in law and did obeysance and kissed him Exod. 18.7 Moreover Ioseph kissed all his brethren and wept upon them Gâ—n 45.15 This Saint Paul calleth an holy kisse 1 Cor. 16.20 Saint Peter a kisse of charity 1 Pet. 5.14 Tertullian t â—ert de 〈◊〉 1. l. 14. calleth it Osculum pacis a kisse of peace And these were kisses which a Cato might give and a Vestall receive Verse 13 VERS 13. And if the house bee worthy let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you Sect. 1 § 1. If the house be worthy It may here be objected that none are worthy and therefore if the Apostles must goe to none but such â—â—ject they must goe to none at all Answ 1 First the Papists say that there is a worthinesse of congruitie but I omit it Answ 2 Secondly this word Worthy is often put for Fit Ephes 4.1 Philip. 1.27 Colos 1.10 and 1 Thes 2.12 Answ 3 Thirdly there is a double worthinesse Rei Personae a worthinesse of the thing Luke 3.8 and a worthinesse of the person Answ 4 Fourthly there is a worthinesse in respect of God and a worthinesse in respect of men And thus here if the Apostles judge them worthy then they may lodge with them Reade before verse 10. of this Chapter and Luk. 7.4 and 1 Tim. 5.17 and 6.1 Answ 5 Fiftly although we are not worthy yet God will and doth repute us as worthy if humbly we receive his word and Messengers here I might shew two things but I but name them namely I. That God doth accept of the persons of the faithfull as though they were worthy Reade Luke 20.35 21.36 Act. 5.41 and 2 Thes 1.5 Revel 3.5 II. That God doth accept of the workes of the faithfull Luke 3.8 Act. 26.20 Quest But who are worthy or how are any worthy Answ 1 First some are reputed worthy because they receive and embrace the Gospel which is offred unto them Secondly some are accepted as worthy and Answ 2 thought so because they repent at the preaching of the Gospel And hence Christ himselfe abides with the Publican Matth. 9. because he repented Certainely this place speakes of both these For I. The Word is to bee received And II. It being received doth teach us how to repent and what to doe For the end of preaching is to convert and repent Matthew 4.17 Hence we may note That the true worthinesse of a Christian doth consist in a ready receiving of the Word Observ and in being converted thereby Reade Iohn 8.47 and 10.27 For Christ first offers himselfe unto us in the Word Iohn 1.12 And the end of giving the Gospel is to frame us after the likenesse of Christ and therefore we must let it have its perfect worke in us Colos 3.16 More particularly First we must receive the Word when it is offered Iohn 10.16.27 Act. 2.41 Not rejecting it as some doe nor seeking other wayes besides it as others doe Secondly our life is to bee renewed by the Word and wee must be built up thereby Matth. 7.24 c. And this is to receive the Word indeed Iohn 13.17 Act. 11.1 § 2. Let your peace come upon it What is meant Sect. 2 here by peace Quest 1 First love and a familiar conversing this is Answ 1 true but not the whole truth Secondly prayer for their peace this is true Answ 2 also but is not the meaning of this place because this is to be denied unto none Thirdly by your peace may be meant the preaching Answ 3 of the Gospel because it is not to be cast unto dogs or swine Matth. 7.6 This is true likewise but the word implies something more Fourthly true peace is the effect of the Gospel Answ 4 preached as if our Saviour would say indeed they shall obtaine peace who receive you and repent by your preaching Against this exposition it may bee objected Object the phrase here is Imperative and therfore it signifies something which is in the Apostles power to give or to take away Veniat let your peace come upon it and let your peace return unto you againe Certainely Answ because in the receiving or refusing of the Gospel peace is brought or taken away imparted or deprived therefore Christ saith unto the Pharisees yee have shut out the kingdome of God To those who receive the Gospel peace is given but from the rejecters thereof peace is taken away wherefore the sense and meaning of this place is this If
4.2 Heb. 13.17 Secondly all must be warie least corruptions Answ 2 encrease occasion is a thiefe and a neglect of watchfulnesse hath been the cause of much evill § 4. Sowed tares Sect. 4 The enemy came and sowed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this should not be translated Tares or Fitches but evill Seed for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which we call blasted Corne or the deafe Eares which grow up with the good Corne and cannot be discerned from the good Corne untill the harvest and then it proveth naught for Fitches and Tares may be presently discerned and pulled up the one signifieth the Hypocrites and the other the Heretickes And where it is said His enemy came and sowed Tares the parable must be understood thus that the enemy corrupted that Seed which seemed to be good Seed Weeme se Exeroit Divine lib. 1. pag. 139. VERS 27 28 29 30. Verse 27 28 29 30. So the Servants of the housholder came and said unto him Sir didst not thou sow good Seed in thy field from whence then hath it Tares He said unto them an enemy hath done this The Servants said unto him Wilt thou then that wee goe and gather them up But he said nay least while yee gather up the Tares yea root up also the Wheat with them Let both grow together untill the Harvest and in the time of Harvest I will say to the reapers Gather yee together first the Tares and bind them in bundles to burne them but gather the Wheat into my Barne § 1. From whence then hath it Tares Sect. 1 Our Saviour here shewes the Servants care Observ to teach us That Ministers ought to bee watchfull Wherein doth this watchfullnesse consist Quest 1 First in a daily watchful visiting of their fields Answ 1 and flocks These Servants went daily into the fields to see what breaches were made in the hedges that they might amend them and how the Wheat grew and whether any thing hindred it from thriving or not And thus should Ministers have a watchfull eye over their flockes labouring to amend what is amisse to reforme what is abusive to reclaime wanderers and to labour to remove whatsoever may hinder the fructifying of the word Secondly their watchfullnesse consists in a rejoycing Answ 2 when the Wheat thrives and growes up that is when they see the Lord to blesse and prosper his owne word and give an encrease to that which they sow The plower plowes in hope and rejoyceth when by his crop he seeth his expectation answered Ministers preach because it is Gods owne Ordinance and ordinary meanes to convert sinners hoping that by their preaching some may be converted and great is their joy when their expectation is not frustrated Thirdly the care of a Minister consists in a sorrow for the springing up of Tares These servants Answ 3 come and certainely not without griefe and tell their Master that there are Tares amongst the Corn Thus faithfull Ministers when they see errours heresies hypocrisie and formality in Religion to beginne to spring and spread it selfe among their flockes they must seeke unto God and doe all what lies in their power to redresse it Quest 1 Why must Ministers be thus watchfull and carefull over their people Answ 1 First because God hath set them over them and made them watchmen over their soules And therefore if through their carelesnesse their people perish their blood will bee required at their hands Answ 2 Secondly because without this care they never can render an account with joy unto God This Argument the Apostle useth to perswade the people to be obedient unto the word Hebr. 13.17 Answ 3 Thirdly because the more sinners they convert the greater measure of glory shal be conferred upon them at the last day Answ 4 Fourthly because they are their Fathers and ought intirely to love them and therefore their love should be shewed in their care for them and in their joy for their welfare 1 Thes 3.8 Object 1 The Papists produce this place to prove that Hereticks Apostates are true memâ—ers of the militant Church of Christ arguing thus In the same which signifies the Church are three things namely Corne and Chaffe and Tares that is good men and bad Orthodox and Heterodox maintainers of truth and Heretickes And therefore these are members of the Church as well as those Answ 1 First I deny the Antecedent because the field doth not signifie the Church but the world verse 38. Answ 2 Secondly I deny the consequence because it is Captio ab homonymia Ecclesiae there is an ambiguity in this word Church which may signifie either the outward visible or inward spirituall and invisible Church Answ 3 Thirdly if they be open Heretickes that apparently hold any opinion that razeth the foundation of Religion or any Article of our faith which is necessary to be beleeved and held unto salvation then such are not members no not of the visible Church Answ 4 Fourthly by Tares are not meant Heretickes or at least not onely Heretickes but Hypocrites and all wicked livers in the Church The Papists with one consent hold that the Church of Christ is a visible society or company which can never faile or that it is impossible that the Church of Christ in the earth should so faile that we could not see it seeing that it hath promises that it shall be alwaies unto the end so palpably visible that a man may point at it with the singer and say The Church of Christ is there or in such or such a place Now they prove it from this place wherein we see that both Wheat and Tares are found in one and the same field that they must both so remaine untill the time of the Harvest that is the consummation of the world And therefore unto the worlds end this field shall be visible Now the Protestants they grant First in the Church there shall bee alwayes both good and bad that is wheresoever there is a visible Church or company of professours on earth there shall be some bad commixed with the good Secondly some visible Churches or congregations may endure to the end of the world but not in the same outward beauty and splendor but sometimes in the waxe sometimes in the waine Thirdly the purity of Religion and the true Church shall alwaies remaine in the foundation of salvation but not in the whole outward glorious Ministerie as the Papiâ—ts would have it Fourthly this place doth not at all prove that the Church shal be alwaies visible so as Bellarminâ— would have it namely that it shall be alwaies visible in a visible head the Pope of Rome alwaies conspicuous in the Prelates of the Church and alwaies indued with outward splendor and pompe For it will be hard for the Iesuite to pick these out of this Parable Alsteed de natur eccles fol. 158. § 2. But he said nay lest while yee gather up the Sect. 2 Tares yee root up also the
or envie Fifthly blind hearers who understand no more then Davids Idols Who had eyes but saw not eares but heard not c. Psalm 115.6 and 1 Corinthians 2.14 Sixthly proud hearâ—rs who are puft up with their owne wisedome Iohn 7.4.7 like the Pharisees who thought they knew so much that Christ could teach them no more then they knew Seventhly sinfull hearers who are so hindered and intangled by their sinnes that they cannot heare any thing which crosseth or opposeth their sinnes Eighthly sluggish hearers who heare but neither I. Remember what they heare as Matth. 13.52 and 1 Cor. 15.2 Nor II. Practise what they heare but are inconstant in the duties of Religion Iames 1.5.7 Quest 4 How must wee heare aright and profitably Answ 1 First before wee heare wee must prepare our selves as was shewed in the former Section Quest 3. Answ 2 Secondly in our hearing many things are required of us viz. I. Wee must begin to heare betimes in our youth Eccles 12.1 That is let us learne to love the preaching of the Word in our young yeers II. Wee must heare it attentively when we doe heare it Constantine being desired to sit downe when hee stood to heare a Sermon answered Nesas verlum Dei negligemèr andire It was no small wickednesse to heare the word of God negligently Euseb in vità Constant III. Wee must heare the Word humbly that is with feare and trembling Esay 66.2.5 IV. Wee must heare the Word with a desire to learne thereby as was shevved in the former Section Quest 3. V. Wee must heare seriously that is so as that vvee may gaine by our hearing The house of God is like to a shop full of precious drugs or rich merchandise or like a costly sumptuous and well furnished Banquet And therefore wee should never come thither and goe away againe empty but still gaine some spirituall grace and profit Non convenimus ut unus loquatur alius plausibus excipiat sic digrediamur sed ut nos utilia-vos lucremini Chrysost s Genes hom 1. We doe not meet together in the house of God to talke or conferre or to applaud what is spoken and so goe away but Ministers must labour to preach profitable things and people must labour to heare profitably VI. Wee must heare prudently and wisely not imprinting all things without difference in the memory which are delivered but by separating the lesse profitable things from the more profitable and retaining these the more surely Vt apes mel è floribus sic doctrinas tibi aptas Chrysost As Bees gather honey out of flowers so must wee apply and lay hold principally upon those doctrines and truths which are most fit for us that so wee may bee bettered thereby that is wee must chiefly attend unto and learne those things vvhich doe most avvaken the conscience and shake off security and comfort the heart and refresh the spirits and direct the life And VII These things vve must deeply imprint in our memories Mat. 13.52 that they may stand us instead in the time of need As for example sometimes vve heare instructions hovv to behave our selves in the times of temptation tribulation sicknesse losses crosses and the like Sometimes wee heare consolations for all these severall estates and conditions Now although wee be when wee heare these neither tempted nor tried nor afflicted nor weakned with sicknesse nor in any imminent danger of death yet we should carefully lay them up in our hearts and memories that wee may make use of them when wee are in such case for all these doe attend those who belong unto God at one time or other VIII Wee must heare for this end that wee may obey for to obey what wee heare from the Lord is to follow the Lord. Thirdly after our hearing of the word of God these things are required of us namely I. In the Church and there three duties are enjoyned viz. First prayer and this is not to be neglected for as before Sermon wee must pray both for the Minister and our selves that the Lord would assist both him in speaking and us in hearing and so direct him by his Spirit that he may speake home to our soules and consciences So after Sermon wee must pray for our selves and all the faithfull of the Congregation that the Lord would give a blessing to that which wee have heard that what we have heard we may remember and what wee remember we may understand and what wee understand to be good wee may practise and be enabled to continue in the practise thereof unto the end And as wee must thus pray unto God for our selves so wee must also praise him for enabling his servant the Minister to deliver his message unto us Thirdly the blessing is not to bee neglected as many doe who goe out of the Church before the blessing be given II. When wee are gone from the Church we must ruminate and meditate of what wee have heard It is not good as soone as ever wee goe from the Word to busie or imploy our selves about something or other but to recollect what wee have heard and to conferre with our families about it that so it may take the deeper root in our hearts Blessed are they that thus heare that is who First reverence honour and esteeme the Word And Secondly convene quickly and come betimes to the Lords house upon the Lords day And Thirdly labour to heare unto profit and edification And Fourthly pray for a blessing from God upon that which they have heard And Fifthly doe not neglect but stay for the blessing of the Minister And Sixthly meditate and ruminate after they are gone of that which they have heard Object The Papists to prove that justifying faith may bee separated from love urge this place where wee have a Parable of good and bad fish in one and the same not Now because they who are in the Church are faithfull it will follow that if they prove wicked then that faith from whence they are called faithfull may bee conjoyned with sinne from whence they are called sinfull and consequently may be separated from love Answ It is one thing for a man to be in the Church by an outward profession of faith and from thence only to be called faithfull it is another thing for a man to be a true member of Christ and from thence to bee called just or a justified man for that faith which is common both to the good and bad doth state a difference betweene Christians and no Christians but not betweene those who are justified not justified And therefore that faith is absurdly and ridiculously called justifying faith which while it remaines such hath neither the act nor power of justifying Bâ— Davenant Determin quest 38. pag. 172. VERS 52. Then said hee unto them Therefore every Scribe which is instructed unto the Kingdome of heaven is like unto a man which is an housholder Verse 52 that bringeth forth out of his treasure things new
time and opportunity to tempt us unto that which is evill that the experience of these may make us avoid them the better Fifthly it is good for a man to be truely religious because such have peace quiet and spirituall security Matth. 11.29.30 Those who belong not unto Gods Church have care disturbance feare and trouble yea safety no where for the wicked flee when no man pursues them but unto the righteous there is peace and a sure resting place Sixthly it is good for a man to bee of Gods flock and one of his fold because such have internall joy comfort and consolation yea can rejoyce in the midst of affliction Now this spirituall rejoycing springs from these three roots to wit I. From humility in the understanding And II. From purity in the affections And III. From sincerity and truth in the performance of the good will of God For he that is humble and lowly in his own eyes and base and vile in his own conceit and pure in his heart and affections and sincere in his life and without hypocrisie in his obedience cannot but have a great deal of joy and rejoycing within Seventhly it is good for a man to be a member of Christs Church and a servant in this house because then he shall alwayes dwell in Christs presence and be in his sight Peter saith here Master it is good for us to remain where we are and why because Christ was there and because he was ravished with his glory So those who are of his little flocke shall alwaies enjoy his presence and see his face Eighthly it is good for a man to be a religious member of the Church because then he shall enjoy the society of the Saints Peter shewed the delight he had in the company of Moses and Elias by his desire to make Tabernacles for them and great is the comfort that the Children of God find in the society one of another but the joy they shall have in the fellowship of the Saints in Heaven passeth knowledge and exceedeth expression Ninthly it is good for a man to be a member of the spirituall Church because then he will not regard nor inordinately love the world Peter forgets the world and all the pleasures and delights thereof saying Master It is good for us to be here and those whose hearts are ravished and enflamed with the love of God and who are assured of a portion in the Kingdome of Heaven doe lightly regard the things of this world Tenthly it is good for a man to be in the fold of the true Church because then hee will die the more confidently and cheerfully whereas on the contrary the remembrance of death is bitter to of those who are without the wall of the Church Lastly it is very good for a man to be in the Church Militant because great shall his reward and glory be in the Church Triumphant but of this we spake before Chap. 16 26. And thus we see that it is good for us to be here viz. in Religion and the true Church § 2. Let us make three Tabernacles Sect. 2 The Papists say that the Pope cannot erre Argum. we deny this and prove the contrary by this Argument If Peter may erre yea did erre then the Pope which they say is his successor cannot be exempted from erring but is subject to erre But Peter erred therefore the Pope may That Peter erred St. Hierome proves from this place and that First because he was contented and sufficiently satisfied in the contemplation of Christs humanity whereas blessednesse is essentially placed in the contemplation of his Divinity which St. Peter then saw not Secondly because he sought and desired a mansion on earth whereas he should have desired a heavenly mansion according to that of the Apostle we have here no abiding City but we seek one which is to come Thirdly Peter erred because he was unmindfull of the rest of the Apostles whereas he should have wished them the enjoyment of the society of their Saviour as well as himself but contrarily he saith Master it is good to be here although there be but a fourth part of thy Disciples with thee Sect. 3 § 3. One for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Quest Whether do the blessed soules being separated from the bodies know one another Or whether shall the Saints know one another in Heaven Answ That they shall appeares by these reasons namely First Adam in his estate of integrity knew Eve as soon as he saw her Genes 2.23 Therefore in heaven much more shall the Saints know one another because their knowledge is there more perfect in degrees then Adams was in Paradise Secondly because Peter here having but a tast of the glorious estate and condition of the Saints in Heaven knows Moses and Elias and therefore those who are perfectly glorified shall much more know one another Thirdly the Saints in Heaven shall mutually love one another with a true and perfect love and therefore also shall know one another A man may love things which he never saw but scarcely things which he never knew Fourthly those who are in Hell are endued with such a knowledge that they can know this or that man Dives being in Hell sees that is knows Lazarus in Abrahams bosome and this knowledge is given them for an augmentation of their torment And therefore much more the elect and blessed Spirits know one another because that addes unto their happinesse and helpes to make it compleat Fifthly the near Relation the Saints have one unto another helps to convince this truth For what are they They are al Children of one father all Servants of one Master all members of one body and therefore undoubtedly they shall all know one another Sixthly but yet no carnall thoughts or imaginations must be had either concerning the knowledge or the love of the Saints in Heaven as though a man should know his wife or Children or friends better then others or love them better then others for this conceit savours of the flesh and flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of Heaven all things there being spirituall for as there shall be a new Heaven and a new earth so also there shall be new men and new affections and new loves which shal be perfect and without any dregs Verse 5 Vers. 5. While he yet spake behold a bright Cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him § 1. And behold a voice came from Heaven Sect. 1 It is not unworthy our Observation to mark That God revealed himself to his servants foure manner of wayes to wit Now of these three we have to treat of elsewhere First by the gift of Prophesie Secondly by ordinary inspiration of the Holy Spirit Thirdly by Vrim and Thummim light and perfection Fourthly by Bath-col per filiam vocis by a little small voice or an eccho whereby he
and danger but also the turpitude and filthinesse of sinne and doth teach us not onely to detest the punishment of sinne but even sinne it selfe yea not to hate God who is the avenger of sinne or righteousnesse and holinesse which are contrary to sinnes but to hate our selves for the violation of the rules of righteousnesse and the provocation of so gracious and good a God I might enlarge this particular but I will but onely briefely branch it out into a double worke of the holy Spirit to wit I. The Spirit of God doth shew us three things namely First our guilt that is how wee have transgressed and violated the whole Law of God and therefore if God should call us unto judgement or enter into judgement with us wee must needs accuse our selves and confesse that wee are guilty of the transgression and breach of the Law And Secondly our danger wherein wee are by reason of our sinnes the wages of sinne being death Rom. 6.23 and the reward of the violation of the Law eternall condemnation And Thirdly the pollution and filthinesse of sinne how that it is out of measure sinfull and a thing most loathsome both in it selfe and unto the pure eyes of our heavenly Father II. The Spirit of God doth negatively not teach unto us these two things viz either First to hate God because he is the punisher and avenger of sinne or because he will not suffer us to sinne without punishment for this the malignant Spirit teacheth to men who have given themselves over unto sinne Or Secondly to hate righteousnesse and true holinesse because they are contrary unto our sinnes lusts and vile affections and because for the violation of the rules of righteousnesse and holinesse wee are punished and plagued For this Sathan and our owne corruption teacheth unto us and not the good and blessed and holy Spirit of God III. The Spirit of God affirmatively teacheth these three things unto us namely First to hate the punishment of sinne the Spirit teacheth us that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God because he is a consuming fire and that those who continue to transgresse an infinite Law and to offend an infinite Law-giver shall be infinitly punished with torments intollerable though alwayes tollerated and borne and therefore wee are taught by the Spirit to hate these punishments which are the reward of sinne And Secondly to hate sinne it selfe which is the cause of this punishment and that with a perfect hatred yea not onely in regard of the punishment of sinne but in regard of sinne it selfe it being in its owne nature a thing worthy to be detested and abhorred Yea Thirdly the Spirit teacheth us to hate our selves for our folly and madnesse that have loved and delighted in those things which are both infinitly evill and ougly in themselues and shall be so severely and unspeakably punished without repentance And this is the first degree and steppe unto Regeneration Answ 2 Secondly the Spirit of God doth excite and stirre vp in us an unfained desire of the remission and pardon of all our sinnes and this is the second step and degree of Regeneration Now because a wicked man may desire to have his sinnes forgiven him it will not be amisse to observe the difference betweene the desire of the Regenerate and unregenerate man I. The desire of the Regenerate is serious and solide they conceive sinne to bee an infinite evil and a thing so odious unto God that it separates him from man Ierem. 5.25 And therefore so long as they are not certaine that their sinnes are remitted they are uncertaine of the presence of God in them or of his love unto them or of their reconciliation unto him yea untill they are sure that their sinnes are done away they cannot have any true peace of conscience or spirituall rejoycing Now as they earnestly and unfainedly desire to be certaine of all these viz of the presence and love of God and reconciliation unto him and peace with him and with themselves and of the joy and consolation of the Spirit in themselves So they incessantly and heartily desire the assurance of the pardon of their sinnes without which assurance they cannot be assured of the other II. The desire of the unregenerate is a confused and fleeting desire he wisheth often that his sinnes were pardoned but the desire thereof doth not constantly possesse his heart hee may desire remission remissely sleightly and casually but not seriously and solidly or vpon those grounds whereby it is desired by the Regenerate man III. The Regenerate man desires rather to be purged from the evill of sinne then freed from the evill of punishment When the child of God groanes both under the burden of sinne and of punishment and is sensible of both the Evils then he desires to be freed first from the guilt and filth of sinne as the greater evill and prayes unto God more heartily to wash him and purge him and cleanse him from his pollution then to ease him of his paine IIII. The unregenerate man is more sensible of the evill of punishment then of sinne and more desirous to be freed from that then this Thus this earnest and unfained desire of the assurance of the pardon and remission of sinne is the second degree of Regeneration Thirdly the next step and degree of Regeneration Answ 3 is the Spirit of supplication and prayer now three things are here to bee examined by us namely I. Whether pray wee daily unto God to pardon our sinnes and to regenerate us And with David cry unto the Lord to create cleane hearts and renew right Spirits within us Psal 51.11 And II. Whether can wee commit our selves unto the Lord and expect with willing obedience the revelation of his will can wee when wee pray say unto the Lord I flee unto thee O Lord doe unto mee as shall seeme good in thy eyes And III. Whether doe wee obtaine our requests at Gods hand or not wee should marke the returne and fruit of our prayers and see whether with the King of Niniveh and the prodigall Child our prayers be heard and our suites granted For if wee can fervently pray and faithfully commit and commend our selves unto the good will and pleasure of God and obtaine our suites at his hands we may be comfortably perswaded that we are regenerated because God heares not sinners Iohn 9.31 Fourthly the last degree and highest step of Answ 4 Regeneration is the testimony evidence and pledge of the Spirit whereby is sealed unto us and wrought in us the certainty of tho love of God together with a full purpose of heart to walke before the Lord all the dayes of our lives And therefore wee should examine our selves whether the Spirit of God witnesse unto our spirits that God loves us and that in love unto him wee purpose to give our selves wholly up unto him Who are Regenerated Quest 3 Onely those who are endued with the
it seemes to have a greater Emphasis and to signifie something more then all these And therefore because Physitians who are next unto Divines I say next because Theologues are conversant about the soule Physitians about the body and Lawyers about the estate and in that regard the Divine is first the Physitian second and the Lawyer third for as the body is more worth then the estate so the soule is more worth then the body use this word in their Art much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Purge and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purgation or purging Potion and because CHRIST professed himselfe to be a Physitian and also because the Prophets under the names of diseases and sicknesses did fore-tell of the curing of our sinnes we will take the word here in the Physitians sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purge that is take a purgation and purgative potion Quest 4 How many things are observable in Purging Answ Two namely First the medicine purging wherein two things are considerable to wit I. What this purgation is II. How it comes to be purgative or whence it is that so small a potion taken into the stomach or ventricle worketh so much and produceth such effects namely First by its heate Secondly by its attraction Thirdly by its displicencie Fourthly by its contrariety of nature Secondly in purging we must observe also the manner of the receiving of the purgation Now here three things are worth our consideration viz I. What is to be purged out viz. First Plethora the superfluity of good blood Secondly Pinguedo fatnesse and windy humours And Thirdly Cacochymia evill and obnoxionus humours II. When we must Purge namely First in respect of the yeare we must purge in the spring Secondly in respect of the disease we must purge before the malady be come to its height Thirdly in respect of our age we must purge in our youth III. How long must we purge to wit First untill we have purged the evill humour out of the body And Secondly untill we have purged it wholy out of the body Now of all these particularly and in their order First we must consider Medicamentum purgans the purgation or purging potion wherein we have two things to enquire after namely First Quid What this purgation is Quest 5 I. Some say that it is the crosse and affliction Answ 1 others that it is spirituall conflicts and tentation others that it is the compunction and contrition of the heart and some that it is the holy Spirit II. The holy Ghost may indeed be said to be Answ 2 this purgation whereby sinne is cast out of the soule by a generall Metonymie of the cause for the effect otherwise not III. CHRIST indeed is the Phisitian of the Answ 3 soule Matth. 9.11 and the blessed Spirit is the Apothecary or the hand that reacheth forth Christ unto us or more truely both and the purgation it selfe is neither affliction it selfe nor tentation it selfe nor any externall or outward things but the internall motions of the holy Spirit in our hearts For as the substance of the purgation purgeth not but the vapours fumes and spirits which arise from thence so it is neither temptation it selfe nor affliction it selfe that purgeth from sinne for then all that are tempted or afflicted should be pure from all pollution which experience proves false but it is the holy Ghost that workes in and by these And therefore if we desire to be washed and purged from sinne and uncleannesse we must pray unto CHRIST the Physitian of our soules that he would be pleased to cleanse us by his holy Spirit Secondly let us now consider Quomodo catharticum Quest 6 how the purging potion becomes purgative or whence it is that so small a draught should send forth so much into the draught I. Calore the purgation purgeth by his heat Answ 1 and warmth for both Galen and divers other Physitians say Omne medicamentum purgans est calidum That all purgatives are hot and if a potion were compounded of all colde things it would never purge Hence then we may learne Obser That sinne cannot be purged out of the soule without the warmth and fire of zeale Read Luke 3.16 and 12.49 and Marke 9.49 and Rom. 12.16 and 2 Cor. 11.29 And therefore let us labour that we may be zealous in our Love unto God and whatsoever is good and in our hatred unto sinne Here observe Sathan knowing the power and might of true zeale and how it is able to cast downe all his strong holds and cast him out of our soules doth therefore endeavour to defame and scandalize true zeale and that either First Taedio by wearisomenesse and irkesomenesse it is wonderfull to see in a Christian common-wealth how little the zeale of Religion is prized and how much it is slighted and scorned which certainly is the worke of the devill himselfe who is an enemy to man and whatsoever is truely and spiritually good for man And therefore we must follow hard after holinesse without which we cannot be saved 1 Hebr. 12.14 remembring that zeale is the fiery Chariot of Elias whereby we are carried or transported up unto heaven 2 King 2.11 And those who are luke-warme shall be spewed out of Gods mouth Revel 3.16 God commanded that the fire which was upon the Altar should never goe out Levit. 6.12 thereby to teach us that the fire of zeale should alwayes burne in the Altar of our hearts and never be extinguished without fire the sacrifice could not be consumed and without the fire of zeale the sacrifice of sinne cannot be destroyed Secondly the devill doth endeavour to defame or hinder true zeale Odio by hatred and that two manner of wayes namely I. Defamando by defaming those who are zealous by a pretence or intimation of hypocrisie Here First those who are thus judged and censured must with St. Paul learne not to set by mans judgement but labour to approve themselves unto God by whom they must be judged at the last And Secondly of those who judge and condemne the generation of the just we demand why they judge those things which they know not For I. Charity forbids this because that covers a multitude of sinnes which are seene and not discovers those which are hid Prov. 10.12 and 1 Peter 4.8 And II. What doe they see who thus censure and judge Onely good workes and holy actions and an unblameable outward life and conversation and therefore they should judge the intention by the worke Jndeed the Lord judgeth the action by the intention but this is his prerogative because he is the searcher of the heart and the trier of the reines but man knowes not the intention of the heart for who knowes what is in man but the heart within and therefore he must judge the tree by his fruit Matth. 7.20 and not censure and condemne to the fire the tree as bad when the fruit is good Rom. 14.4 and 1 Corinth 4.5 II. Sathan
kisse unto his Master Answ 2 Secondly when they came to apprehend Christ it was night now although they had lights and torches yet they could not so clearely see as in the day time and therefore that they might take the right person Iudas gave this signe Answ 3 Thirdly others say this was done because Iudas thought that CHRIST would hide himselfe and get out of the way when he saw that he was betrayed and therefore he saith whomsoever I shall kisse that same is he hold him fast as if hee would say when you see me kisse one know that it is he whom ye seeke and whom you are sent to apprehend and therefore as soone as the token is given take him and hold him fast lest he slip out of your hands as often he hath escaped out of the hands of the Iewes VERS 49. Vers 49 And forthwith he came to JESUS and said Haile Rabbi and kissed him § 1. Haile Rabbi Sect. 1 It is most evident although it be questioned by some that every Rabbi in the dayes of our Saviour had Disciples and that his owne Disciples and other well-wishers stiled him by the name of Rabbi for Iohns Disciples saluted Iohn by the name of Rabbi Iohn 3.26 And CHRIST alâ—o by the same name or title Iohn 1.31 And Iudas his Master God save thee Rabbi § 2. And kissed him Sect. 2 Why did CHRIST permit himselfe to be killed and saluted by a traytor Quest First some say he suffers it that hereby he Answ 1 may provoke Iudas to repentance and love Carthus s Secondly he permits it for our example to Answ 2 teach us patience and meekenesse and that we should not turne our faces from our enemies And Thirdly to teach us not to suspect untill we Answ 3 have true and evident grounds Iudas was a publike Disciple but a private hypocrite and traytor and therefore CHRIST will not suspect him untill he have openly shewed himselfe what he is Fourthly CHRIST came into the world cloathed Answ 4 with our nature for this end to dye for us and by death to ransome and redeeme us and therefore he would neither decline his apprehension nor his death that we thereby might see how willingly by his death he purchased our salvation Vers 51 52 53. VERS 51 52 53. And behold one of them which were with JESUS stretched out his hand and drew his Sword and stroke a servant of the high Priests and smote off his eare Then said JESUS unto him Put up againe thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Thinkest then that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more then twelve legions of Angels § 1. And behold one of them streched out his Sect. 1 hand c. The Disciples seeing Christ their Master apprehended aske him if they shall smite with the sword But Peter not staying for an answer drawes forth his sword and smites off Malchus his eare Which fact his Master doth not approve off but reproves commanding him to put up his sword into his sheath Why would not Christ permit his Disciples to defend him Vi c. armis with dint of sword Quest First because all they which use the sword without a calling to use it shall perish by it Answ 1 verse 52. Secondly because he needed not the helpe and Answ 2 protection of men verse 53. Thirdly because it was necessary that he should Answ 3 suffer according to the decree of his Father ver 54. Fourthly because the Scriptures could not otherwise have beene fulfilled then by the death and blood-shed of Christ Sect. 2 § 2. Put up thy sword into his place If the studious Reader would see this point handled viz That it is not lawfull for a private man to murder an offender and in what cases the Schoole-men have allowed it and in what cases not let him reade Antonin sum part 2. tit 7. Cap. 8 § 2. If the vulgar reader would be satisfied in the point I referre him to Dr. Mayer upon Matth. 26.52 pag. 313 314. Sect. 3 § 3. Cannot I now pray unto my Father and he would give me twelve legions of Angels c. If the Reader would know the derivation of this word Legion and how many souldiers it contained let him reade Sylloge vocum exotic pag. 174 175. If the Reader shall observe some difference amongst the Evangelists concerning the place where Christ was judged or the time when he was judged and desire to see how they may be reconciled I referre him to Pareus s Pag. 879 880. and Dr. Mayer s pag 314 315. Vers 60.61 VERS 60 61. At the last came two false witnesses and said this fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three dayes Quest Why doth St. Matthew call these two false witnesses seeing our Saviour spake some such thing as they said Iohn 2. Answ They are called false witnesses because they changed both CHRISTS words and meaning for Iohn 2.19 he saith Destroy ye this body and within three dayes I will raise it up againe but they say This fellow said I am able to destroy this temple made with hands c. See Muscul s pag. 574. b. Vers 63 VERS 63. But IESUS held his peace Quest Why did our blessed Saviour hold his peace and not answer for himselfe Answ 1 First because it was to no purpose to answer he fore-seeing and knowing that whatsoever hee should answer they would calumniate and pervert and carpe at yea condemne him notwithstanding Answ 2 Secondly because the accusations which were brought against him were frivolous and idle and not worthy an answer Thirdly because the high-Priest who sate in Answ 3 judgement was unworthy by reason of his hypocrisie of any answer or reply from Christ Reade Muscul Pag. 576. a. b. Fourthly because hereby he would teach us Answ 4 meekenesse and patience in injuries Carthus s VERS 68. Prophesie unto us thou CHRIST Vers 68 who is be that smote thee It is not unworthy observation how maliciously the Iewes set themselves against the offices of CHRIST who was anointed King Priest and Prophet For First they mocke the Kingly office of Christ Matthew 27.19 when they put a crowne of thornes upon his head for a Crowne and a reed into his hand for a Scepter Secondly they mocke the Priestly office when they said He saved others let him now save himselfe Matth. 27.40 Thirdly they mocke his Propheticall office in these words Prophesie unto us thou Christ c. VERS 75. Vers 75 And Peter remembred the words of IESUS which said unto him Before the cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice And he went out and wept bitterly § 1. And Peter remembred the words of IESUS Sect. 1 How many things are required unto true repentance or of the truely penitent Quest Three things as we may gather from this verse Answ namely First they must remember