if we compare our selues with our selues these foule corruptions in these latter times will little appeare to vs seeing that in these daies we can so cunningly varnish ouer yea beautifie sinne with counterfeit Christianitie and heathenish ciuilitie And this is the cause why the common sort so call for the Gospell but loue not to heare the law their consciences foaming vp mite and durt which the world sees not and because the hard heart will not humble it selfe to walke with God being of vnbridled affections therefore it seekes for false comforts soothings and flatterings in the Gospell the leauen of malice not being purged out the law being a bondage to them and a heauie burthen whereas it is a law of libertie to the Godly and for the deeper blinding and hardning of themselues they lay false imputations vpon the true and plaine-dealing Shepheard as rashnesse indiscretion too much stricktnesse and precisenesse affectation of singularitie phantasticalnesse by which tearmes they shew themselues like to the bloody and earthly Edomites for so the word signified which vnder the title of circumcision and the children of Abraham claimed to themselues the chiefe religion and hated the true worshippers Psal 137. 7. Remember Psal 137 7. the children of Edom O Lord in the day of Ierusalem how they said downe with it downe with it euen to the ground The fourth point herein to be obserued is how this particular application ought to bee taken It ought to be taken as the word of the Lord and therefore in good part whether it be with vs or against Luk. 4. 22. 28 vs howsoeuer pharisaicall people that are like the Nazarens Luk. 4. 22. 28. doe heare the word applied not as the word of God as indeede it is but as the word of man contrary to the practise of 1. Thes 2. 13. the faithfull Thessalonians 1 Thes 2. 13. To this purpose the Iewes said well had they done as well to Ieremie Ier. 42 6. Ier. 42. 6. Whether it be good or euill we will obey the voice of the Lord to whom wee send thee that it may be well with vs when we obey the voice of the Lord our God For the further explication hereof there are but two sorts of people some good some bad some sheepe some goates The sheepe doe heare and follow Ioh. 10. 27. the voice of the shepheard Ioh. 10. 27. the goatish heare with the outward eare but they goe away into strange waies and vneuen by-paths Now as touching the word and the particular application thereof the wicked in some things agree with the godly in some things they differ First ciuill wicked men whose liues and conuersations are according to their owne hearts lusts can very well abide doctrines and generall discourses especially those which flow with humaine learning and eloquence for there the naturall eare findeth some matter to feede vpon Againe the wickedest man can indifferently abide two particular applications the first is of instruction for instruction presupposeth vertue and stirs vp to good life which the worst would gladly haue the name of and so for praise and reward-sake will list to it the second is of comfort and preaching of peace which none will refuse But here is the difference when we come to make vse of the doctrine to conuincement of sinne to reproofe and to correction the hard-hearted and impenitent sinner will at no hand abide it such words sound in his eares like Micahs in Ahabs neuer good Herein they differ from the godly and leaue them alone to themselues Now begin they to shew their goatishnesse to accuse their shepheards of indiscretion of malice of priuate grudge of beleeuing false reports of particularizing and naming men in the Pulpit when there is no such matter intended or thought vpon and therefore they cannot with a patient eie euer after looke vpon him But contrarily in whom there is the loue and feare of God and the hatred of sinne which haue denied themselues and worldly lusts and warring against their spirituall enemies do desire the particular application of the word that their consciences hearts and affections may be wrought vpon in particular that they in particular may be stirred vp and awaked least they fall into the deadly sleepe of sinne This particular applying strengthneth them incourageth them and keepeth the enemie a farre off it weakeneth him and daunteth him This application is as the trayning of Christian souldiers and as it were a standing by them to tell them how to ward the stroke and to giue the stroke to auoide the assault and to giue the onset We are sluggish sleepie heauie our eyes are euer downe I meane our mindes and affections are euer on the earth and earthly things we haue neede therefore not onely to be called on but oft times to be rouzed iogged pulled by the armes and to be fet on our feet for as much as that originall corruption the world and the diuell are euer giuing vs Opium to drinke that causeth deadly sleepe if we take too much of it The godly that are growne to some good measure of perfection for these respects as also that they desire that God alone may be glorified in the earth and for the loue they beare to all men doe desire both conuincement reproofe and correction of sinne in time and season conuenient and they also that are as yet but weake yet true Christians can with patience abide the word as well against them as with them And how harsh and distastfull soeuer it be vnto them yet doe they not cast it off nor hate their pastours no more then gratious children cast off their parents admonitions counsels and commandements though in most things they be not to their liking or doe run from them when they are reproued or corrected though lewd seruants and wicked children doe so yet the louing childe and good seruant will not As for example Dauid in his place being reproued by Nathan and hauing heauie iudgements denounced against him for his sinnes what doth he fals hee to excusing defending and mittigating of his sinne like Saul and turning it lightly off as but an infirmitie as many mockers doe now a daies Doth he scorne grudge at and reuile the Prophet Doth he accuse him of pride impudencie or indiscretion or too much boldnesse for dealing thus plainely with the King No but being stroke with feare and reuerence of the true word of the Lord with compunction and sorrow for his sinne he maketh humble and penitent confession before the Lord in verse 13. I haue sinned against the Lord. The like penitent and humble answer gaue the good King Ezechiah to Esay chap. 39. reproouing him for shewing ambitiously and vaine-gloriously all the treasures of his kingdome to the Ambassadours of Babilon and also threatning the iudgements of God vpon him in his posteritie for the same The word of the Lord saith hee is good which thou hast spoken Wherein he sheweth his humilitie to the
against Ieroboam Yea this blindnesse preuaileth much oft times with the godly as here we see in the example of Dauid of whom God testified that he was a man according to his owne hearts desire though Nathan propounded his sinne in a most plaine parable in euery particular answerable and proportionable to his sinne which he could not in so short a space forget especially hauing Bathsheba euery day in his sight which might occasion him to remember his sinnes yet here wee see hee is farre from making particular application thereof to himselfe yea and is so blinded with selfe-loue as that he vtterly condemnes that in another the like whereof he approueth in himselfe Therefore seeing that you are as young children that cannot cooke diuide and cut their owne meate it is necessary that the same be prepared for you by your spirituall nurses and fathers if you desire to reape any profit thereby You see how the great world affords meate drinke and cloathes vnto you and all things serue for no other vse then the sustenance of the body and maintenance of the person and you see how all these things must passe through the hands of the Tradesman Artificer by whose labour and preparation they become meate drinke and cloth The corne in the field and the beasts of the earth the fishes in the sea the foules of the aire are no meate for you the wooll on the sheepes backes the skinnes on the beasts backes the flaxe on the stalkes are no cloathing the trees in the wood and stones in the earth are no buildings till they be prepared and wrought by the Craftsman or Tradesman euery one cannot worke and prepare them but they that are called and appointed for the same purpose And although euery man hauing the grounds of Art in him may make a shift to feede clothe and build without the Artificer yet it is but a bad and very meane shift and as good as no shift in many things This you see to be true in bodily things euen so is it in spirituall things The word of God contained in the old and new Testament is the spirituall world hauing all things necessary for the sustenance and maintenance of the soule to eternall life therein contained These things must passe through the hands of Gods artsman or tradesman who is to worke prepare diuide and impart the same to euery one according to his estate and want You cannot serue your selues thereof no more then the Eunuch could doe without Philip. Your Tradesman or Artificer whom God hath called must doe it for you of him must you learne to serue your selues as the childe learnes of the nurse and the Prentice of his Maister Hence it is that Paul saith to Timothy 2. Tim. 2. 15. Studie to shew 2 Tim. 2. 15. thy selfe approued vnto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright And in 1. Cor. 3. 10. Hee calleth himselfe a skilfull maister 1 Cor. 3. 10 builder If then in the preparation of bodily things we desire a cunning and skilfull workeman that can handle his toole according to knowledge for our bodily profit how much more then skilfull Pastours and teachers that can handle the word according to knowledge for the good of your soules to feede you to clothe you to prepare and fit you for Gods building Therefore seeing that you cannot come to the knowledge of your selues without particular application of the word how should any man come to true conuersion for if you haue not the knowledge of your selues in particular and speciall you cannot make particular confession of your owne sinnes euen your personall sinnes whereby no other men but euen you alone haue offended God you cannot bee truely humbled for your sinnes hauing no liuely touch or feeling of sinne you cannot seriously repent for so long as you shuffle in your selues with all you will not repent till all repent you cannot pray for graces necessary because you know not your wants being poore and blinde and naked and yet thinking that you are rich you cannot hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse you cannot be truely thankefull for the endlesse loue and mercy of God in your redemption because you know not what God hath done for you in not knowing your owne sinnes and miserie you cannot receiue true and sound spirituall comfort by the Gospell for want of knowledge and feeling of your particular miserable estate These things most necessary to bee done for your soules health can ye not doe vnlesse all men doe the same so long as you stand on generalities Now all men will neuer doe these things neither will you so long as you depend on this All. Nay further the want of this knowledge of your selues which by particular application of the Scripture you must come to will make you secure vnthankfull presumptuous contemners of the word and altogether irreligious wherefore euery man in particular ought to desire personall application of the word and to pray vnto God that his Pastour might speake to his heart and conscience that he in particular might receiue instruction and edification by him and that he might not goe away emptie but returne bettered in knowledge and affection It may be obiected particular application is not for all Auditors for some are so learned and so wise as when they heare the doctrine they can make application thereof to themselues Ans It is one thing what they can doe it is another thing what they will doe and it is a third thing what is our office and discharge of our duties We may not presume of other mens doings and neglect Gods commandements and the practise of the Prophets of Christ and the Apostles Againe men euen the best men will make application generall and fauourable enough to themselues hauing so many withdrawers the continuall motions and surges of originall sinne the manifold allurements and prouocations of the euill world the continuall suggestions of Sathan implacable enemies of the best and most sanctified men so that although they be good seruants and good schollers they may forget their duties without their maisters euer and anone calling on them The second point herein to be considered is the person that is to make this particular application The person is the Lords messenger not speaking from his owne spirit and affection but shewing forth the vertue and power of the Lords spirit in him as Micah said that which the Lord hath bid me to speake that will I speake And seeing that the Lord speaketh by him being a man of like nature and infirmities with his brethren he must so speake and apply the word as to his owne selfe amongst the rest being no Lord ouer Gods heritage vrging and inforcing the word vpon the conscience as he doth the same vpon his owne vrging the practise of Christian duties vpon others without shew of taking libertie to himselfe speaking from a feeling in himselfe and shewing forth
THE APPLICATION OF SCRIPTVRE OR The maner how to vse the Word to most edifying By THOMAS GRANGER preacher of the word at Botterwike in Holland neere Boston in Lincolnshire GOD IS MY HELPER LONDON Printed by T. S. for Thomas Pauier and are to be sold at his shop in Yuie lane 1616. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull and vertuous Lady the Lady IOAN LEVENTHORP temporall and eternall happinesse MADAME THe sincere conceit of your worthines consisting partly in those heauenly endowments wherewith the Lord hath beautified and adorned you as solid wisdome pietie humilitie sinceritie in all things herein shewing your selfe the expresse image of that worthy and iudicious man Sir Iohn Brograue your Father and chiefely in your Christian loue towards all that loue God and liue a godly life euen these sole considerations haue moued mee to dedicate this small and worthlesse worke to your Ladiship which if it shall please you to accept as the Widowes mite into the treasury of your other Bookes esteeming it rather by the minde of the giuer then valuing it by the weight of it selfe you shall fully satisfie my desire The Lord continue still his wonted goodnesse and louing kindnesse towards you who as he hath made you a ioyfull Mother of many faire children and carefull of their vertuous education so it would please his heauenly Maiesty to fulfill your ioy in your latter daies by beholding their vertuous courses and desired establishment here in the earth that in the end both you and they may reioyce together for euer in the promised Canaan when your Arabian pilgrimage is here finished Amen From Botterwike in Holland neere Boston in Lincoln Your Ladiships in all dutie THOMAS GRANGER THE APPLICATION OF SCRIPTVRE 2. SAM 12. 7. Then said Nathan to Dauid Thou art the man KIng Dauid had prouoked the Lord to wrath by committing two grieuous sinnes Adultery and Murther which commonly followeth the same by one meanes or other Therefore he sent the Prophet Nathan to reproue him and to denounce these iudgements against him First that the sword should neuer depart from his house Secondly that his owne sonne should take his wiues from him Thirdly that the childe begotten in adultery should die Wherein we obserue first the iustice of God in that he will punish sinne and the sinnes of them especially vpon whom he hath more plentifully poured his benefits And againe the mercy of God in that he will not suffer his children to lie in sinne and so to perish by sinne but awaketh their consciences and stirres them vp to repentance by correcting them least they should perish with the world Out of his iustice therefore mixt with mercie he sent the Prophet and the Prophet comming propounded his sinne by way of a parable that not being blinded with partialitie and self-selfe-loue as all men are he might giue righteous iudgement against himselfe in the person of another There were saith he two men in one citie the one rich and the other poore the rich man had exceeding many sheepe and oxen but the poore had none at all saue one little sheepe which hee had bought and nourished vp and it grew vp with him and with his children also and did eate of his owne morsels and dranke of his owne cuppe and slept in his bosome and was vnto him as his daughter Now there came a stranger vnto the rich man who refused to take of his owne sheepe and of his owne oxen to dresse for the stranger that was come vnto him but tooke the poore mans sheepe and dressed it for the man that was come vnto him Hereupon Dauid maketh answer vers 5. He was exceeding wroth and said that the man which did that thing was the childe of death and that hee should restore the Lambe fouresold In the vers 7. Nathan maketh particular application Thou art the man From this practise of the Prophet we learne that the true Prophets and Ministers of Christ must make particular application of the word of the Lord whether of commandement exhortation admonition reproofe c. to those to whom they are sent whether it be to a kingdome to a particular people or to priuate men and though worldly men being stiffe-necked and hard hearted will not yeeld themselues vnder the yoake of obedience and are therefore alway ready to make resistance yet must wee know who hath sent vs both with promise of protection and reward for the faithfull discharge of our duties and also with denuntiation of vengeance for our disobedience and rebellion Ier. 17. 19. Speake all that I command thee Ier. 17. 19. be not affraide of their faces least I destroy thee before them they shall fight against thee but shall not preuaile against thee for I am with thee to deliuer thee And in another place Sonne of man though they be rebellious yet be not thou rebellious Besides this we haue many examples to encourage vs hereunto 1 King 22. 13. 14. Foure hundred Prophets 1 King 22. 13. 14. had prophesied victory to Ahas at Ramtoth Gilead and at Iehosaphats request Micah the Prophet of the Lord was sent for the messenger aduised him wisely and discreetely as he supposed to doe the like but he answered As the Lord liueth whatsoeuer the Lord hath said vnto me that will I speake 1. King 18. 17. 18. 1. King 18. 17. 18. Thus faithfully also dealt Elias with him It is not I that haue troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that ye haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim In the obiection of Ahab vers 17. obserue the nature of blinde and obstinate sinners they make the true Prophets and Ministers the causes of their calamities and plagues whereas the cause is in themselues that refusing instruction and reformation contemne and persecute the seruants of God sent vnto them and despise the word of the Lord sent by them To this purpose note well that ignorant and rebellious speech of the high priests and Pharisees Ioh. 11. 48. If we let him thus alone all Ioh. 11. 48. men will beleeue in him and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and the Nation Here you see that they would make the Gospell to be the cause of their vtter ouerthrow and the ouerthrow of the Gospell to be the onely meanes of their safetie But these faithlesse and godlesse polititians were deceiued for that which they feared came vpon them through the wrong auoiding thereof In the Primitiue Church what euill soeuer happened to the citie or prouinces of Rome whether famine pestilence earthquakes warres vnseasonable weather c. the Christians were thought to be the causes thereof whereupon arose great persecution against them yea in these present daies many ignorant and blinde people doe yet thinke that preaching makes the world so bad as it is whereas indeede it is the want of preaching want of faith and obedience in them to the same that maketh the word so
his loue of the godly and his commiseration and pittie of the hard hearted after the example of our Sauiour Christ Mark 3. 5. he looked angerly on the Mark 3. 5. Pharises that watched him to ensnare him but mourned also for the hardnesse of their hearts Of Ieremie Ier. 9. 1. Oh that my head were full of water and Ier. 9. 1. mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Of Paul Rom 9. 3. He would redeeme the reiection of Rom. 9. 2. the Iewes with his owne damnation Otherwise hee that vseth the word deceitfully seruing his owne turne therewith against his brethren poysoneth the pure word of God with the corruption and contagion of his owne humours and affections and though he particularly apply the word yet he profiteth his hearers nothing at all neither to godlinesse nor mortification of sinne but rather fostereth cherisheth and incenseth the same in his flocke Salomon saith that the heart of man answereth to man as the face doth to the face in the water the naturall and vnsanctified heart of the hearer to the naturall and vnsanctified heart of the speaker the spirituall heart of the hearer to the spirituall heart of the speaker and the spirituall heart of the hearer hath a secret perceiuance in it to discerne betweene the word comming from a sanctified heart and the same comming from a corrupt heart Hence it is that among other reasons the same word taught by diuers men hath not the same effect in the hearer for the Lord is powerfull by his word sent by his owne messengers and the same word brought by them that are not sent becommeth fruitlesse In Act. 19. 14. 15. 16. The seauen sonnes of Scheua tooke vpon them to adiure euill spirits by the name of Iesus whom Paul Preached but the spirit answered Iesus I acknowledge and Paul I know but who are ye Here you see the euill spirit obeyed not those coniurers vsing the name of Iesus against them and why because they were not sent of God as Paul was but being without faith vse his name as it were to magicall inchantments Therefore this holy name vsed by Paul being faithfull and called was of force to binde and cast out diuels but being vsed by them being vnfaithfull and not called is as a dead letter or idle word yea it hath a contrary effect euen so wicked men in whom sinne reigneth and Satan worketh despise the word preached and vtterly hate the particular application thereof by them that are not sent for because they vse the word deceitfully and politikely for their owne aduantage it is not of force to expell Sathan and to conuert the sinner but hath rather a contrary effect namely to harden them more and to destroy the weake An example hereof we haue in the false Apostles of Corinth that preached the same doctrine of the Gospell that Paul did yet had it not the same effect but stirred vp strife enuying wrath contentioÌ„s back bitings swellings discord for though they were bigge in words shewing learning and eloquence yet had they not the power of the spirit in them therfore their doctrine was but a dead letter 1 Cor. 4. 19. 20. When I am come I will 1 Cor. 4. 19. 20. know not the speech of them that are puffed vp but the power for the kingdome of God is not in word but in power Obiection The true and faithfull shepheard that speaketh in plaine euidence of the spirit is contemned and derided of the wicked many times and his particular applications are not onely vnprofitable for their conuersion but they haue power like the mâ—n possessed with the euil spirit against him to wound him and to ouerthrow him Answ To this I briefely answere that howsoeuer prophane and irreligious persons may persecute the messengers of God with derision railing or otherwise for his plaine and round dealing with them yet notwithstanding their spirits and consciences conuince them of folly and obstinacie and telleth them that God spake to them by him and that he doth faithfully discharge his dutie and therefore they cannot but haue a feare and reuerence of his word and of his person though they striue with themselues to doe the contrary yea and outwardly doe the contrary Ioh. 7. 46. As for example in Ioh. 7. 46. The officers of the high Priests and Pharisees came to apprehend our Sauiour Christ but being come into his presence and hearing his words they had no power to take him though they had a desire to take him but returned Ioh 18. 6. this answere Neuer man spake as this man doth Ioh 18. 6. When the band of men with the officers of the high Priests came to take Iesus and he comming forth said vnto them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground for these wicked wretches being conuinced of their owne consciences were not able to abide his presence yet notwithstanding Act. 24. 26. the houre of darkenesse being come they laid hold on him In Act. 24. 26. wicked Felix trembled when he heard Paul disputing of iustice temperance and the iudgement to come yet notwithstanding he left him in bonds And the Pharisees when they were in Christs presece were touched with a sence and perseuerane of his godhead therefore he charged Mat. 12. 13. 32. them with sinne against the holy Ghost Math. 12. 32. To conclude this point then the person that is to make this particular application of the word with profit is the true messenger of God in whose person behauiour words and conuersation of life the spirit of sanctification appeareth which confirmeth the godly comforteth and strengthneth the weake conuerteth the sinner bridleth the obstinate and stoppeth the mouth of the aduersarie The third point is to whom this particular application is to be made Application of the word is to be made to all men liuing from the highest to the lowest The word of God is the rule of life and euery man is to be guided and gouerned in minde will heart affections words works by the same which he canot be without particular application thereof for his owne instruction in knowledge and reformation in manners for the word of God must not be made a vaine and idle storie no more then the Kings lawes are seeing that it is the booke of spirituall life for all men that looke to be saued euen as the Kings lawes are the booke of temporall and ciuill life for his subiects Therefore seeing that the life of the word stands in practise and the practise of the word is our life euen our spirituall and Christian life the application thereof is most necessary for all men whatsoeuer for instruction exhortation admonition reprehension consolation Obiection Who dare be so bold as to reproue great men they haue vnderstanding knowledge and learning therefore they neede not that any man should instruct exhort admonish or reprooue