THE PATTERN OF CATECHISTICAL DOCTRINE AT LARGE OR A Learned and Pious Exposition Of the Ten COMMANDMENTS With An INTRODUCTION Containing the Use and Benefit of Catechizing the generall Grounds of Religion and the truth of Christian Religion in particular proved against ATHEISTS PAGANS JEWS and TURKS By the Right Reverend Father in God LANCELOT ANDREWS late Bishop of WINCHESTER Perfected according to the Authors own Copy and thereby purged from many thousands of Errours Defects and Corruptions which were in a rude imperfect Draught formerly published as appears in the Preface to the Reader Ecclesiastes 12. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man 1. Corinth 7. 19. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God LONDON Imprinted by Roger Norton and are to be sold by George Badger at his Shop in S. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet-street Anno Dom. 1650. THE CONTENTS The Exposition of the Introduction CHAP. I. Page 1 1. That Children are to be taught and instructed in Religion proved out of Heathen Philosophers out of the Law the Gospel 2. That this instruction ought to be by way of Catechism What Catechising is How it differs from Preaching Reasons for abridgements or sums of Religion Catechizing used in all ages before the flood after the flood under the Law under the Gospel after the Apostles in the Primitive Church Reasons for this custom of Catechising CHAP. II. Page 9 The duty of the catechized 1. To come and that 1. with a right intent 2. willingly 3. with preparation which must be 1. in fear 2. by prayer Other rules for coming 1. with 〈◊〉 2. with purity of heart 3. in faith 4. frequently The second duty to hear or hearken The necessity of hearing The manner 1. with reverence 2. with fervour of spirit 3. with silence 4. without gazing 5. hear to keep How the word must be kept in our hearts 1. by examination 2. by meditation 3. by Conference CHAP. III. Page 14 Of Religion in general and the foundations of it The four first steps 1 We must come to God as the only way to true happinesse No happinesse in riches proved by divers reasons Nor in Honour Nor in pleasure Nor in moral vertue Nor in contemplation General reasons against them all that felicity cannot be in any of them because they cannot satisfie 2 They are not perpetual but uncertain In God onely is true happinesse to be found CHAP. IIII. Page 19 2. The way to come to God is onely by faith not by natural reason alone as the Manichees held reasons against them The way by faith more certain The necessity of belief Rules for coming by faith CHAP. V. Page 22 3. That we must believe there is a God Misbelief in four things 1. Autotheisme 2. Polytheisme 3. Atheisme 4. Diabolisme The reasons of Atheists answered Religion upholds all states The original of Atheisme from 1. Discontent 2. sensuality CHAP. VI. Page 25 That there is a God proved 1. By reasons drawn out of the writings of the Heathens themselves 2. By the frame of the World Objections answered 3. By the beginning and progresse of arts c. 4. By the necessity of a first mover The beginning of things cannot be 1. By Chance nor 2. By Nature 5. By prophecies fulfilled 6. By the artificial framing the bodies of all Creatures 7. By the soul of man Reasons why so many Atheists Natural notions of a diety The Conscience 8. From the miserable ends of Atheists CHAP. VII Page 29 The fourth step That God hath a providence over man Reasons against divine providence answerd why God permitts evil general reasons for a providence particular reasons from all sorts of creatures That second causes work not nor produce their effects of themselves without God That Gods providence reacheth to particulars That God is to be sought and that he rewards them that seek him CHAP. VIII Page 34 The four religions in the world Of Paganisme reasons against the plurality of Gods That there can be but one God proved out of their own Philosophers that their religion was false How man came to be worshipped How beasts Of the Miracles and Oracles of the Gentiles CHAP. IX Page 37 Of Judaisme The positions of the Jews 1. That the Messias shall have an earthly kingdom at Jerusalem confuted 2. That Jesus is not the Messias The contrary proved by Jacobs prophecy Gen. 49. 11. By Daniels seventy two weeks Dan. 9. 25. By diverse other reasons 3. That the Messias is not yet come The contrary proved by sundry arguments CHAP. X. Page 41 Of Christian. This religion proved to be false by seven reasons CHAP. XI Page 42 Of Christian religion The truth thereof in general proved 1. By the antiquity of it out of the Heathen authors themselves 2. By the continuance and preservation of it 3. By the certainty 4 By the end it leads to viz. to God it gives all honour to him Deprives man of all Other reasons It restraines carnal liberty allowed by false Religions reaches to the heart It contains mysteries above mans capacity Teaches contempt of the world requires spiritual worship Confirmed by miracles beyond exception Prophecies CHAP. XII Page 48 Special reasons for the Christian Religion as differing from the Jewish It purgeth the soul shews that God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the testimony of the Apostles and Evangelists the knowledge of what they wrote their honesty the credit of the story testimony from Pagans the star at Christs birth the crosse sacred with the Egyptians the miracles at Christs death the Progresse of Christianity by weak means opposed by power and learning contrary to flesh and blood the excellency of the promises power in conversions the truth of Christs miracles the constancy of Martyrs the ends of the Apostles the Devils testimony against himself CHAP. XIII Page 52 Of the two chief parties that lay claim to Christian Religion Papists and Protestants Their difference about interpretation of Scriptures The Churches authority in expounding Scriptures An additional Observation out of the Authors other works Rules about the sense of the Scriptures Means for finding out the true sense other means controverted Addition about the Churches power in matters of Faith whether infallible Decrees of Councels Consent of Fathers The Pope not infallible CHAP. XIIII Page 58 Christian religion divided into the Law and the Gospel Additions about the use of the Law That the Law of Christ is part of the second Covenant c. The judgement of the Author out of his other books That the Gospel is lex Christi The Law handled first Reasons for this order What the Law teacheth and what the Gospel CHAP. XV. Page 62 In the Law four things 1. The work to be done The Decalogue the Pandects of moral Laws The Laws moral known before Moses written in mens hearts proved in particular In every Law there is evil to be avoided and good to be done
of time they differ Yet in Ceremonies there are these 4 rules or cautions to be observed 1. That they be not over many and that those which be enjoyned be necessary according to the time and place wherin we live according to the Apostles example who enjoyned few things to those believing Gentiles Acts 15. 28 29. 2. That the Ceremonies enjoyned be for edification and not destructive to that which the substance builds and sets up And this is the Apostles counsel Let all things be done to edifying For a destroyer according to this rule is a transgressour And in this respect it is that the same Apostle prohibits prayer in an unknown tongue 3. That they be such as conduce to order to which all things must be squared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to order as the same Apostle else there will be confusion in the Church and God is not the Author of Confusion 4. Lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they be for decency They must be such as make for the decent service of God And therefore it is that the Apostle inveighed against covering of the head and face in religious exercises It was an uncomely and undecent thing for men to be covered or women uncovered in the Church Now the means according to our former rules to observe these things is 1. according to the Apostles direction to keep the Depositum safe which God himself tells what it is Retentio verbi the keeping of the word which is volumen utriusque foederis the volume of both Covenants This book shall not depart from thee which now among some is thrust out and the Legend and other things obtruded in the room of it And this as it must be kept safe so sincerely and purely without spot it must not be corrupted for a little leaven sowreth the whole lump as he speaketh elsewhere and Nazianzen tells us that a little wormewood marres a whole barrel of honey The Altar that Vriah devised got so neere to the Lords Altar that in the end it got the upper hand of it Physitians say that Aegros sanis immiscere initio morbi est it is the way to breed diseases to mingle the sick with the sound Therefore that form of outward worship is to be kept which hath no repugnancy with Gods word and hath that decency in it which S. Paul advised before which may expresse our inward affection and be sutable to the true and reverend worship of God The signes of true worship are evident When that which is injoyned concerning it is either grounded upon Dictum Jehovae as the Prophets usually pronounced their injunctions The word of the Lord or as Christ proved the resurrection by a Syllogisme or inference out of Scripture or Quod accepi a Domino what I have received of the Lord as the Apostle or lastly by authority of the Church in things indifferent tending to decency and not repugnant to the Word To keep close to the constant practise of the Church is the duty of all Christians and what she hath successively delivered to us being not repugnant to Scripture ought to be reverently received by all true sons of the Church S. Paul requires the Thessalonians to obey what he had taught or delivered them by word or by Epistle on which place S. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 that it is manifest the Apostle did not deliver all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by writing but some things without writing and he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the one is to be beleeved as well as the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore we esteem the tradition of the Church worthy of beliefe is there a tradition seek no further and of such things which have been generally received by the Church and of which no original can be found and which have the testimony of pious and prudent men of authority in the Church that they were delivered by the Apostles there ought little doubt to be made because there can be no greater proof given or reasonably desired in such things for of such we may say with S. Augustine Quod invenerunt in Ecclesia tenuerunt quod didiscerunt docuerunt quod a patribus acceperunt hoc filiis tradiderunt what they found in the Church they kept what they learned that they taught what they received from their fathers that they delivered to their sons And though all matters doctrinall of necessity to salvation for all are written yet other matters concerning government and external rites and forms are mentioned onely ocoasionally nor were needful to be written because they were visible to every eye in the daily practise of the Church These are the true signes The sixth Rule concerns 1. The Magistrate They which are in authority must enjoyne that which is true and lawful and abolish that which is false and ungodly Moses took the Calf burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder and 〈◊〉 brake the brazen serpent 2. The private persons duty is not to pull down but not to worship Images as it is in the law and in the practise of the three Children though we may not without authority break them down yet we may refuse to worship them CHAP. VI. Of the manner of outward worship no reverence nor worship to be performed to Images 1. The distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 examined 2. That evasion that not the Image but God by the Image is worshipped taken away 3. That they are Lay-mens books examined 4 That Images are to put us in minde of the Saints examined Addition 20. About Images and pictures for memories sake Of the manner of the outward worship of God THe second part of the Precept follows which directs us how we must stand affected in this outward worship of God Non prosternes te c. Thou shalt not bow down to them c. In which words are prohibited 1. Falling or bowing down 2. Worshipping them or as some translation serving them The first of these Prostration is bowing the knees or bending the head or body in reverence or honour to any thing And the second Worshipping is to offer service to a thing in the way of Religion Neither of these ought to be done to an Idol to rob God of the least part of his glory and honour There shall be no strange God in thee saith the Psalmist neither shalt thou worship any strange God So that whereas some might say concerning the words Non facies Thou shalt not make I am out of danger and compasse of this prohibition for I make none here the words reach further and tell him he must not worship them though made by others for as a father answereth Age non facio alius facit ego factum reperio c. well say I make none others make them I finde them made as the children of Dan
the essential part of it as a day of publick worship and praise to the honour of the Creator and that the ceremonial and symbolical part by a typicall rest from labour was that ' which properly concerned the Jews then it wil necessarily follow that the sabbath onely in this latter respect expired at the death of Christ and that the other part which was the observation of the seventh day as a day of publick praise in honour of the Creatour of all having no reference to Christ for wherein did the observation of a certain day for divine worship typifie Christ or his benefits but being grounded upon moral reasons and not given onely to the Jews ought to continue still unlesse it were altered by the same authority to wit divine and therefore the day being altered de facto as appears by the perpetual practise of the Christian Church to the first day of the week it will clearly follow that this could be done by no lesse then divine authority and so the observation of the Lords day may be truely said to be Jure divino as enjoyned by him who is Lord of the sabbath and therefore had power to alter the day which he did by his Apostles Neither is it needful which some vrge that a cleere precept of Christ should be brought for this out of the new testament It is sufficient if by necessary consequence it can be deduced from scripture and though in matters of faith which are of absolute necessity to salvation for all to know it may be granted that they are all expressed in scripture yet for other matters that concern the discipline order and government of the Church it was not necessary to have them expressed in writing though many of them be occasionally mentioned it was sufficient that they might be known by the daily practise of the Church wherein every one might read them written in large and Capital letters which universal practise and traditio of the Church in these matters he that shall denie or question may by the like reason question the authors and number of the books of Canonical scripture and whether they were written by men divinely inspired and so by consequence may question the authority of the scripture it self which is conveyed to us no otherwise then by the universal and Catholick tradition of the Church Besides how dangerous it is that the publick exercise of Christian religion should depend upon so week a foundation as authority humane wch may alter its own constitutions is subject to manifold errours I leave to the prudent and judicious Christian to consider The Lords day then I conceive to be grounded upon divine authority not onely in regard that all authority is from God and so divine for so all humane laws might be said to be by divine authority for it is true which learned Breerewood saith there may be divine authority for humane decrees and as Molina saith well Licet quae a regia aliis legitimis inferioribus potestatibus rite praecipiuntur sunt de jure positivo quod tamen illis post quam it a constitutae sunt pareatur est de jure divino cum legitime omnes potestates a Deo sunt Deique vices suo ordine tenent dumque illis obedimus earumque precepta servamus Deo pariter in illis paremus Deique praeceptum voluntatem exequimur though the commands of Kings and other inferiour lawful powers are onely by positive law yet that their constitutions be obeyed is by divine law for all lawful powers are from God and are his Deputies in their order so that when we obey them and keep their Commandments we do also obey God in them and fulfill his will and Commandment But I mean by divine authority that which is immediately divine in regard of the subject God or Christ himself who ordained and appointed this day though it were publisht to the world by the Apostles as the messengers of Christ as they publisht the Gospel and those things for which they had commission from Christ. It is true that the Apostles instituted other things as ordinary governours of the Church which are in themselves changeable as cannot be denied as their orders about widows saluting with a holy kisse and the like which are now antiquated But that the Lords day was not of this latter sort but of the former besides the former reasons which are stronger then any I have seen to the contrary may be likewise evinced by the testimony of the Church and of the most learned and eminent Doctors of it in several ages whose testimony in matters of fact and things of this nature is the best way that I know to prove what is not cleerely and evidently set down in scriptures and that wherein the conscience may most safely rest That text of Psal. 118 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made let us reioyce and beglad in it is generally by the fathers applied to the Lords day as made or instituted by the Lord so among others Athanasius Ambrose Chrysostom Augustine expound it Justin Martyr in 2 Aponl Antonim saith Apostolus a Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 celebritatem accepisse That the Apostles received from Christ himself the celebrity of this day Athanasius saith 〈◊〉 sabbati Dominus in diem Dominicum transtulit that the Lord himself hath transferred the solemnity of the sabbath to the Lords day Hom. de semente and in the forementioned Hom. upon these words all things are delivered to me by my father Infers the Lords day to be of divine institution Cyrill l. 12 in John Cap. 58. speaking of the apparitions of Christ upon this day saith that Christ thereby sanctified this day for solemne assemblies Chrysostom on Gen. 2. 3. saith here God from the beginning intimates this doctrine to us to lay aside and separate one day in every week for spiritual exercises Saint Augustine Epist. 119. seems to say the same that the Lords day was declared by the resurrection of Christ ab illo not ab illa caepit habere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from him that is from Christ it began to be made a festival Lactantius and others tell us that the primitive Christians expected Christs returne to judgement on that day by general tradition which shews they thought it unalterable and so no humane constitution Besides particular testimonies we have the publick testimony of the Church in her canons generally received in the the Christian world Cap. 〈◊〉 Feriis where it is said tam veteris quam 〈◊〉 testamenti pagina septimum diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that both the old and new Testament have appointed the seventh day for mans rest In that famous constitution of Leo the Emperor 〈◊〉 54. for the keeping of the Lords day it is said we ought not to encroach upon that one day which God hath chosen for his own honour Among the canonists some of the chief are expressly for the divine right
was first The second way to prove that Christianity is the true Religion is the Continuance and preservation of the scriptures 〈◊〉 that Religion is grounded And this is so miraculous as that no Religion devised or framed by Man or any false God cannot shew the like For it is plain that the Jews were more under subjection to other kingdoms and oftner in Captivity and bondage then any other Nation in the world As under the Egyptians Philistins Moabits Amorits Assyrians Persians Graecians Romans c. And yet though all the Nations about them bare them deadly hatred and sought to suppresse their Religion and that Antiochus the Great bent himself wholly to abolish the Copies of the Law yet were they so wonderfully preserved that they perished not We see that the works of Philosophers Lawyers Physitians and the like who were accompted excellent in their professions which were highly esteemed and for preservation whereof all means have been vsed yet many of them have been lost many come into the world unperfect and many very corrupt yet on the other side though the Jews were a people very odious and contemptible to other nations and though much labour hath been to suppresse their Law yet it stands firme and uncorrupt withont addition or diminution whole and perfect notwithstanding all the worlds malice And as of the Bible so may it be said of their Religion though they were transported into other Countries and in Captivity to strange nations they never changed it whereas experience hath taught us that with changing countryes people commonly or many times change their Religion The third proof is the Certainty of our Religion Whereas all other Religions are either 1. unperfect 2. full of Contradictions 3. Counterfeit 4. or Questionable And none of these can be attributed to ours and therefore it is the true Religion 1. It is most sure that what Religion soever hath his original from Man growes by little and little by degrees to that which they call perfection But at the delivery of the Law of God all that was necessary for the Church before Christ was delivered most absolutely by Moses all the duties towards God or man required in that state of the church being contained in his books and to which nothing is or could be added or detracted from it and in the decalogue is the sum of all moral duties for all may be reduced to some of those heads 2. For Contradiction Mans Laws as the Apostle speaks are sealed with Yea and Nay but the Law of God with Yea and Amen And the Fathers prove that all Contradictions which seem to be in the scriptures may be reconciled by the several Rules of contradictions in Logique 3. That theirs are Counterfet may appear by this that the best of their Authors have obscured their works and kept them from the view of as many as they could for fear of discovery of their falsities and the best of their works have been corrupt in some points and gone abroad into the world under the name of false Authors and sometime those which have been supposititious or counterfeit have so neerly resembled the stile of the Authors whom they have so 〈◊〉 that they could hardly be distinguished from those that which were his own But Gods rule in giving his Law was contrary to theirs for he will have a Copy in the side of the Ark another for the Prince one for the High Priest and for every Priest one and the like for every Tribe and commanded the people to have chief sentences of it expressed in their hangings in their frontlets in the fringes of their garments in the eyes of all men that whatsoever evil should betide them it might not be one whit impaired nor would so many worthy and wise men have dyed for it as did in the time of 〈◊〉 had they suspected it o have been counterfeit in the least degree 4. That theirs is Questionable is thus proved In all theirs somthing hath continually in succeeding ages been altered and amended something abrogated and something added But in the Law of God there hath been no such thing For none of the Prophets ever went about to correct that which Moses commanded or to adde to it but in all their writings they have confirmed and approved what he did The 〈◊〉 way or argument to prove that Christianity is the true Religion is 1. From the end whereto it tends Whatsoever man produceth or bringeth forth as unregenerate it must needs have proprias hominis passiones the proper passions of a man and they will desire and seek to have man their end But Christian Religion makes God the end and acknowledgeth all things to come from him as Saint James speaketh and therefore attributeth all honour to God Finis veroe Religionis est honor 〈◊〉 the end of true Religion is Gods honour and professeth that as God is the author of all essence so also of all good therefore all honour is to be given to him none else must share with him init But so doth no other Religion but the Christian all other seek mans honour either in whole or in part 2. The Poets and Philosophers have much stood upon the natural power and abilities of mans free-will and given him his igniculos semina naturae sparks and seeds of nature and thereby make him authour of his own perfection by 〈◊〉 and encreasing what nature hath bestowed on him But our Religion acknowledgeth nothing good to be mans but that all good comes from God and must be referred to him Again in God there must be an vnity therfore that Religion is false that acknowledgeth any more Gods then one And one of their own saith that Moses went out of Egypt meerly because he would worship but one God The Turks though they seem to hold that there is but one God in Essence yet when it cometh to this point that there is but one God that doth good then they will have their Mediators to that God and so consequently many Gods but we have but one Mediator 3. Now because we hold that there is an innate and natural darknesse in every unregenerate man therefore it cannot be but that in the Religion prescribed by man something that is good is not commanded and something that is evill is not prohibited and but that some lawful things are omitted and some unlawful permitted which we see plainly among the Athenians for with them the breach of faith was of so small account that Graeca fides the Greek faith grew into a proverb So likewise by that of Spartaneum furtum the Lacedemonians theft we may gather the little regard they had to punish that sinne And so likwise by the Lupercalia Floralia and Bacchanalia among the Romans what liberty they took in wantonnesse and excesse may easily appeare No Nation of the Gentiles observed the whole Decalogue or indeed any of the Commandments entirely nay they were so far from keeping that
Protestants It will not be amisse therefore because the Papists build upon the Word of GOD as do the Protestant to examine the main point between them in difference which is about the interpretation of it and to whom this interpretation belongeth properly Hear what the sense of this reverend Authour was in his latter years concerning points that are manifest and matters controverted in his sermon on 1 Timothy 3. 16. page 18 19. Blessed be God that among diverse other mysteries about which there are so many mysts and clouds of controversy raised in all ages hath yet left us some clear and without controversy manifest and yet great great and yet manifest a false conceit is crept into the mindes of men to think the points of religion that be manifest to be certain petty points scarce worth the learning It is not so Those that are necessary he hath made plain those that are not plain not necessary This were a mystery yea a great one Religion hath no greater yet manifest and in confesso with all Christians A way of peace there shall be whereof all parties shall agree even in the midst of a world of controversies That there need not such ado in complaining if men did not delight rather to be treading mazes then to walk in the wayes of peace for even still such a way there is which lieth fair enough and would lead us sure enough to salvation if leaving those other rough labyrinths we would be but shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace Yea further the Apostle doth allure us that if whereunto we are come and wherein we all agree we would constantly proceed by the rule those things wherein we be otherwise minded even them would God reveal to us Ephesians 6. 15. that is he makes no controversy but controversy would cease If conscience were made of practise of that which is out of controversy Phil. 3. 15. The Papitts hold that the Scriptures are to be interpreted by one of these four wayes 1. Either by the Fathers 2. Or Councels 3. Or the Church 4. Or the Pope whom they call the chief Father of the Church Concerning which we do partly agree and partly differ from them 1. We hold that there is a certain and infallible rule viz. the Word of God whereupon a man may relye else we may begin to build but not upon a Rock and then our building will be subject to be overthrown and beaten down with every blast of false doctrine 2. That the Scriptures as Saint Peter tells us not being of any private interpretation we are to beware that every man interpret it not after his own fancy because as the same Apostle speaks elsewhere of Saint Pauls epistles some things are hard in them to be understood which they which are unlearned and unstable may wrest which ought not to be but we are as Hilary saith referre sensum Scripturis non auferre to give to the Scripture its proper sence not take it away or devise one for it 3. We hold that God hath given the gift of interpretation to some as Saint Paul affirms and they are such to whom God as he saith hath revealed it by his Spirit that is a naturall man cannot interpret them aright nor yet the vulgar or common sort whom as Saint Augustine saith non vivacitas intelligendi sed simplicitas credendi salvos reddit rather their simplicity in beleeving then vivacity or quicknesse of apprehension and understanding bringeth to salvat on And if the Eunuch a man of great place were not able to interpret without Saint Philip much lesse the vulgar sort But God hath bestowed this gift upon the learned and to those of the learned which have the guist of interpretation The extraordinary gift of interpretation is one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12. which God gave at the first planting of the Church with the other gifts of tongues miracles c. Sometimes to men unlearned and this was not tied to any one rank of men but the ordinary power and gift of interpretation alwayes was and is in the Church and the Bishops and Pastors thereof 4. Now forasmuch as God according to Saint Paul divides his gifts singulis prout vult to every one according to his good pleasure it were hard to restrain it to any one Order as to that of Bishops as some of the more rigid Papists would have it And Stapleton one of them when he had done all he could to maintain his tenet in the end was forced to confesse that God gives these guifts extraordinary as well to others as to them as well to Amos a Herdsman called and gifted extraordinarily as to Jeremie a Priest Yet Andradius and others of them hold that the interpretation of Bishops assembled together may be taken howsoever 5. Now concerning the sense of the Scriptures As it is well said by the Lawyers that Apices juris non sunt jus so is it in the Scriptures not the letters or words but the meaning is that which is Scripture indeed To finde out which Aquinas gives these rules 1. In matters of faith and manners nullus sensus sumendus nisi literalis none but the literal sense is to be taken 2. In point of exhortation or instruction uti licet sensu tropologice uti patreubique it is lawful for us to use a figurative sense as the fathers often did 3. Albeit a man may draw sundry consequences a contrariis 〈◊〉 c. by contraries similies and the like by the rules of Logique yet the literal sense can be but one in one place 4. That is to be taken for the literal sense of every place which the construction will beare if it lead not into an absurdity and then it must needs be a trope Now seeing there must be an Interpretation and it must be that which is literal unlesse it draw an absurdity with it we are now to come to the examination of this sense and because we must never looke to stop the mouthes of sectaries and hereticks but they will still finde an occasion or place to wrangle upon we must therefore bring them to one of these two inconveniences 1. Either to drive them to condemn themselves in their own hearts 2. Or because the Devil doth so much blinde the understanding of some that they will not understand reason we may argue so long with them till their folly be made manifest to all men as the Apostle speaks We are to know that as in all other Sciences so in Divinity the judgement of every thing is to be taken ex principiis from the principles And concerning the principles in Divinity which are the Scriptures S. Augustine saith In eis que sunt aperte apposita inveninutur omnia quae pertinent ad fidem moresque vivendi in those things which are plainly set before us we may finde all things belonging to faith and good life
all the nations of the world be blessed with diverse other of the like nature He also fulfilled the ceremonialls of the Law while he being Priest offered himself as a sacrifice Besides he spiritually circumciseth beleevers by substituting Baptisme instead of Circumcision He is our Passeover and appointed the Eucharist instead of the Paschal Lambe and indeed he is the full complement and perfection of the Law and the Prophets 2. Christ fulfilled the Law by satisfying in most absolute manner the will of God being the holy of holies without spot or sin at all for in him is the love of God most perfect and righteousnesse most absolute And this in regard of the merit and satisfaction thereof he communicates gratis freely to us most imperfect to us I say if we beleeve God was in Christ saith Saint Paul reconciling the world to him not imputing their trespasses to them for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him So Abraham beleeved and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse For by faith we rely upon Christ whom we beleeve to have made satisfaction most fully to God for us and that God is so pleased with us in Christ that he accepts us as now become the Sons of God 3. But this faith by which we beleeve in Christ is not by our nature or merits but is wrought in us by Gods grace through the Spirit given into our hearts And this abiding there enflames them with love of Gods Law and desire to expresse the same by good works which though we do not perform as we ought by reason of the infirmity of our flesh yet God allowes our endeavours in Christ. Nor did ever any of the Saints though he strove and resolved to keep the Law as far as he could trust or rely upon his own merits but upon Christ. Saint Paul did not for he complained Who shall deliver me out of this body of death and presently addeth I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that is I thank him that he hath redeemed me from death by Jesus Christ. And it follows There 's now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus c. So that a faithful man moved by Gods Spirit to do that which is good as far as he is able and as the second covenant requires and that out of love of God and not onely for fear of the Curies threatned in the Law may be said to fulfill the Law in such manner that God in Christ accepts of him So much in answer to the first question To the second why God would promise life to them that should keep the Law seeing no man can keep it in a legal and exact manner we answer 1. First besides that it may be doubted whether God doth offer or promise life now otherwise then upon the conditions of the Gospel which may be kept some do further answer that God sheweth hereby that he abides the same and the Law still the same though we be changed from what he made us 2. Secondly Hereby man seeth his own weaknesse and is driven out of himself to seek Christ. For as the Apostle saith if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all men under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve 3. Because Christ took on him our nature and dying for us hath purchased the promised inheritance to be communicated to us by faith and new obedience or sanctification 4. Lastly Though man cannot keep the Law exactly yet upon his faith in Christ and his resolution and indeavour to keep the Law and actual keeping of it by the assistance of Gods grace so as is above declared God accepteth of him in Christ and takes the will for the deed in some things and accounts him righteous and makes good the promise unto him CHAP. XVIII Of the preparation before the giving of the Law 1. To make them willing by consideration of 1. his benefits 2. Gods right as Lord 3. Their relation as Creatures 〈◊〉 4. that they are his people His benefits past and promised Three 〈◊〉 to love 1. Beauty 2. Neernesse 3. Benefits all in God 2 To make them able by sanctifying and cleansing themselves That ceremonial washing signifyed our spiritual cleansing How we came to be polluted How we must be cleansed Why they were not to come at their wives Of the danger and abuse of things lawful 3. That they might not run too far bounds were set Of curiosity about things unnecessary Now concerning the Preparation to the hearing of the Law THough in the Preface something hath been said concerning the preparation of the Catechumeni upon the words venite auscultate yet before we come to the particular explication of the Law we shall further adde some thing in this place about our preparation to the hearing of it For we can receive no benefit at Gods hands if we be not prepared for it God himself commanded the people to prepare themselves before the hearing of the Law and so of the Gospel also Prepare ye the way of the Lord saith the Baptist And to these adde that the primitive Church appointed Vesperas diei Dominici Vespers of the Lords day and so they had for other holy dayes and solemn feasts and to the solemnest Sunday Easter day they prepared fourty dayes before And forasmuch as the Sacrament is an appendix of the word and the seal of it surely we cannot be excused if we prepare our selves for the one and not for the other The Preacher gives this advise Keep thy foot look to thy self when thou goest into the house of the Lord. And again we ought to know that preparation is as necessarily required of the Hearer as of the Speaker Now this preparation consists of three things or means The first means to preparation is to make the people willing to hear the Law and that is grounded upon the speech of God to the Israelites in Exodus Ye have seen saith he what I have done unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings And a little after Go to the people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their cloathes And let them be ready against the third day And Thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about the Mount saying Take heed unto your selves c. In which words there are three things prescribed and the fourth is implyed by circumstance 1. The will in every action is to precede the people were to be made willing to hear and receive the message that was to be delivered And therefore to make them willing God in the first place gives them a catalogue of his Benefits and goodnesse So that one way to stir us and our will
use of his punishment and know that all things worke together for good to them that love God And to this we may apply the speech of the Heathen man Patior ne patiar I suffer now that I may not suffer hereafter That Abraham make not that argument against us which he did to the rich man Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things therefore now thou sufferest pains but Lazarus who suffered pain shall for his patience have his reward That this conclusion may not be here we must suffer those pains that may be ended mitigated endured with patience and have hope of an end that we may not hereafter suffer those pains in which there is no patience in bearing no hope to be delivered no mitigation to be expected but the end will be without end And indeed this continuus cursus temporalium to have no misfortune or trouble nor to be plagued as other men is a dangerous signe of Gods disfavour to us And these for the corrective part The motives for patience in that affliction which is explorativa or probativa are 1. To consider before hand what troubles and crosses are incident to a Christian life Our Saviour upon this hath two comparisons of a builder and a king going to war both whom it behoveth to cast their accounts before hand what charge they may be at For the want of forecast of them that intend to live a Godly life what troubles what temptations they must go through makes them unprepared and unresolved when the crosse cometh and so they give over 2. The Apostle though it may be equally applied to other vertues tells us that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope that is in this point of patience we may see in scriptures what the Saints of God have endured and by considering their afflictions and sufferings what it cost them and what they suffered we may see what it will cost us and what we must endure and so we may be the better armed against the like and especially if we consider our Captain as the Apostle calls him and what he suffered Recogitate illum consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds This is a good preparative to patience Si paessio Christi saith Saint Gregory in memoriam revocetur nihil tam arduum quod non aequo animo toleretur if we would but call Christs passion to remembrance there 's nothing so difficult but we would willingly endure it He suffered so much in all parts of soul and body that its impossible for us to endure the like 3. Martyres 〈◊〉 flamma esse possumus si in anima patientiam retineamus we may be martyrs without fire if we endure Gods crosse with patience And to endure them we shall be enabled by Gods own promise in the words of the Apostle God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but with the temptation will also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it He will not trie us above our patience but either give us sufficient strength to suffer great afflictions or lesson our trials as our patience shall decrease And the consideration of this is also a great motive to continue in this vertue 4. Lastly The hope of the reward laid up for those that suffer in this world is a principal means to stir us to this duty Saint Paul saith I reckon not the sufferings of this present time worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us And he gives the reason in another place For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Here is a gradation of so many steps that a man cannot reach to the top of it The glory great the affliction light the glory exceeding the affliction for a moment nay the glory far more exceeding with an eternal weight added to it Here is Hyperbole upon Hyperbole and yet no Hyperbole can fully expresse it The Apostle could not expresse it and we cannot conceive it So much of the means The signes of patience are these 1. Tolerantia Crucis When a man findes upon examination that he is able and willing according to the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abide under the crosse it is a good signe When a man is so affected to the Crosse that if it please God to take away his sinne the cause of punishment he is willing to beare the punishment Let me onely be assured of forgivenesse and let the Crosse lie on me still 2. The second is when we can Tolerare et amare beare and love too When our suffering turns not to murmuring or disobedience but so affecteth us that notwithstanding our chastisment we can love God with his chastisment and for it say with Job Blessed be the name of the Lord. When it is Benedictus Dominus in donis suis blessed be God in his gifts Jobs wife can say grace aswell as he but when it cometh in ablationibus suis blessed be God who takes away a true note ariseth of difference between true and counterfeit patience It is in this as in the affections when they arise from contrary objects they are true and not counterfeit as when justice which properly stirs up fear works love in us and when we can fear him for his mercy which properly stirs up love Wicked men may fear God for his justice and love him for his mercy but the true note of difference is if we love him for his justice and can say with David There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared So that when a man can love God as we count it post injuriam this is true love and is a signe of true patience The Heathen man said that 's true love cum amare possis post injuriam when one can love him that hath injured him 3. The third is when we finde our selves humble in our sufferings which is a distinction between true Christian patience and heretical The Fathers in the primitive Church had much to do to make the people observe the difference of patience between a true Christian and a Donatist and were forced to use these two notes of distinction 1. That in the suffering of a Donatist which is to be observed in our dayes they should finde a spirit of pride and vanity whereas true patience is humble And this humility appeared in the Martyrs sufferings which was without disputation with God about the cause or murmuring at the torments tolerabunt non gemuerunt or else respondent pro Deo they either bear them and mourn in silence or if they reply it is on Gods behalf like Job of whom the Holy
that which they had received from him before Upon which a Father saith Dedit sua Dominus ut reciperet sua recipiendo sua daret se the Lord gave his own that he might receive his own again and by receiving his own might give himself and with himself all that he hath a greater gift then we can possesse in this life yet God accounts it an honour when we freely vow and give unto him what he hath first given us Therefore he requires as a part of our thankfulnesse to God vovete redd ite vow and pay or perform your vows to the Lord. It is some signe of thankfulnes to vow to God though the bare promise be but a blastof winde out of a golden pair of bellows but the great thankfulnesse is by performance therefore both these must be joyned vovete reddite vow and pay promise and performe for as we by our vows binde our selves to God so God by our performance is bound to us 2. In respect of our selves vows are necessary because mans heart as it is 〈◊〉 Dei so it is cera Diaboli the Daevils wax fit for any impression of the Devil and apter to receive any stamp of evil from him then of good from God and as our will is apt to turn from good to evil so in perseverance in evil mala voluntas is plus quam voluntas more then a will and in doing good bona voluntas is minus quam voluntas lesse then a will it deserves not to be called a will it is a volo nolo I will and I will not therefore it is expedient yea necessary to make vows thereby to settle and stablish our wills from starting back to strengthen our hearts in good and to confirm them against evil Saint Augustine confutes those that think a man ought to do any thing upon a vow because a thing vowed becomes necessary whereby the person vowing is bound to perform and so the thing deserves lesse thanks but he answers it well It is true indeed if it were an outward necessity imposed by others and not assumed by our selves it were something they said but concerning such a necessity as this he saith foelix necessitas quae compellit ad meliora it is a happy necessity which compells a man to the best things and this necessity we impose upon our selves either voto simplici by a bare and solemne vow between God and our selves or voto solenni by a solemn vow before others as the resolution and stiffenesse of the sinner in evil makes his sin greater so our resolution in good binding our selves by vows not to go back makes our good deeds the better 3. As vows do strengthen and establish us in good so they make our deeds the more acceptable to God for what we do by a vow is become a sacrifice in pledging it to God and not onely so but besides the vow it self which is acceptable to God and the act or thing we vow which though it be of common or of civil use in it self yet by vowing it becomes sacred to God besides this there is a sacrifice made to God of our freedom and liberty too yea of our very power which rests not any more in a mans self so as to do those acts which he pleases for he hath made over his liberty and power to God binding himself by his vow It is certain that before a man vows he hath freedom and liberty as appears in Deuteronomy 23. 22. so that if he do not vow he sinneth not but after he hath vowed he hath bound himself so that he sins if he perform it not And this is the property of good natures to limit themselves for pauciora licent illis quam ullis quibus licent omnia their liberty is lesse then any other mens that have liberty to do as they list therefore the servants of God where they are let loose or at liberty therein they restrain themselves and this being in Gods service and for their own good is judged perfect liberty And this is done in vows which are not to be imposed on us by others for that were contrary to the nature of a vow but to be freely assumed by our selves And therefore if any think that because it is a matter of liberty to be free from vows that therefore Christians are now exempted from them he is cleerly confuted by these placcs in Esay 19. 21. and Nahum 1. 15. where it is foretold that the people of God shall perform their vows unto the Lord which places are applied by the Apostle to the times of the Gospel Romans 10. 15. We finde likewise that in the Apostles times the consecrating of their possessions to common uses and laying the money in common at the Apostles feet which was nothing but the performing of a common vow Thus far for the necessity of vows Having seen the use of a vow let us likewise see what things God best accepts in a vow And here we finde by the examples of Gods servants recorded in Scripture that a man may vow 1. se himself 2. suos his children 3. sua his substance or things in his power And first the servants of God did vow themselves to God in two cases 1. For humiliation after sin committed we make a vow and a binding oath to afflict the soul. It is called humbling of the soul by vowing some temporal affliction or penance for sin committed I humbled my soul with fasting and I chastened my soul with fasting saith David and so for weeping Every night saith he wash I my bed and water my couch with tears and I mingled my drink with weeping 2. For preparation and fitting the soul for Gods service or to enter upon a special calling or businesse as the Nazarites did keep themselves to a more strict rule of life before they devoted themselves to Gods service whence diverse fathers conclude that it grew to be afterward a holy and a solemn thing for any one before he gave himself to study and to enter into the Schools of the Prophets to separate himself by the vow of a Nazarite 2. We finde a man may vow not onely se but suos not himselself onely as in the former instances but his children to God also as Hannah vowed Samuel to God of such special vows for persons to the Lord we read what Laws were made Levit. 27. 2. These are personal vows 3. There is votum reale when a man vows sua his goods or estate or what is his so we may vow things real which are either 1. Fractus labiorum the fruit of the lips as David did when he sung praises to the name of God that he might daily perform his vows He saith the vows of God were upon him that is he had enjoyned himself a task concerning prayer and thanksgiving which he was daily to perform by vertue of his vow Or 2. Substantialia things
sabbath is jure divino in which point learned men do differ and of which we shall speak something hereafter yet that the 〈◊〉 sabbath which as it concerned the jews in a perculiar manner is litterally injoyned by the fourth Commandment is abolisht by the death of Christ is his opinion clearly expressed elswhere Of the 〈◊〉 he speaks in one of his sermons of the resurrection on 1 Cor. 11. 16. where labouring to prove the feast of Easter to be as ancient as the Apostles among other arguments he brings one from the Lords day in these words But we have a more sure ground then all these The Lords day hath testimony in Scripture I insist upon that that Easter day must needs be as ancient as it For how came it to be the Lords day but that as it is in the Psalm The Lord made it And why made he it but because the stone cast aside that is Christ was made the head of the corner that is because then the Lord rose because his resurrection fell upon it Where he plainly affirmes the Lords day to be so made by the Lord himself and that because Christ rose upon that day Now for the other point that the jews sabbath was ceremonial and abrogated by Christs death is proved at large by his speech in star-chamber against Trask published inter opera posthuma where among other things he speaks 〈◊〉 The Apostle inter alia reckoning up diverse others concludes with the sabbath and immediately upon it addes Which all are but shadows of things to come Sabbath and all but the body is Christ. The body had the shadow to vanish that which was to come when it is come to what end any figure of it it ceaseth too That to hold the shadow of the Sabbath is to continue is to hold Christ the bodie is not yet come It hath been ever the Churches doctrine That Christ made an end of all Sabbaths by his Sabbath in the grave That Sabbath was the last of them and that the Lords day came presently in place of it Dominicus dies Christi resurrectione declaratus est Christianis ex illo caepit habere festivitatem suam saith Augustine The Lords day was by the resurrection of Christ declared to be the Christians day and from that very time of Christs resurrection it began to be celebrated as the Christian mans festival For the Sabbath had reference to the old creation but in Christ we are a new Creature a new creation by him and so to have a new Sabbath and vetera transierunt no reference to the old We. By whom he made the world saith the Apostle of Christ. So two worlds there were The first that ended at Christs Passion saith Athanasius And therefore then the Sun without any eclypse went out of it self The second which began with Christs resurrection and that day initium novae creaturae the beginning and so the feast of them that are in Christ a new creature It is diduced plainly The Gospels keep one word all four and tell us Christ arose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 una sabbatorum that is after the Hebrew phrase the first day of the week The Apostles they kept their meetings on that day and S. Luke keeps the very same word exactly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exclude all errour on that day they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is held their synaxes their solemn assemblies to preach to pray to break bread to celebrate the Lords supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords supper on the Lords day for these two onely the day and the supper have the Epithet of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominicum in the scriptures to shew that Dominicum is alike to be taken in both This for the practise then If you will have it in precept The Apostle gives it and in the same word still that against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of their assembly every one should lay apart what God should move him to offer to the collection of the Saints and then offer it which was so ever in use that the day of oblations so have we it in practise and 〈◊〉 both even till Socrates time who keeps the same word still 〈◊〉 5. cap. 22. This day this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came to have the name of Dies Dominicus in the Apostles times and is so expressely called then by Saint John in the Revelation Revel 1. 10. And that name from that day to this hath holden still which continuance of it from the Apostles age may be deduced down from father to father even to the Council of Nice and lower I trust we need not to follow it no doubt is made of it since then by any that hath read any thing I should hold you to long too cite them in particular I avow it on my credit there is not any ecclesiastical writer in whom it is not to be found Ignatius whom I would not name but that I finde his words in Nazianzen Justin. Martyr Dion sius Bishop of Corinth in Euseb. lib. 4. Irenaeus Clemens Alexandr Tertull Origen Cyprian every one And that we may put it past all question Justine Martyr who lived in the very next age to the Apostles and Tertullian who lived the next age to him both say directly 〈◊〉 solemn assemblies of the Christians were that day ever on Sunday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Justine die solis saith 〈◊〉 and leave the 〈◊〉 to their Saturn either in their Apologies offered by them to the Emperours Justine made two in his second Tertullian but one the sixteenth chapter of his that of the true day there can be no manner of doubt A thing so 〈◊〉 so well known even to the Heathen themselves as it was in the Acts of the Martyrs ever an usual question of theirs even of course in their examining What Dominicum servasti Hold you the Sunday and their answer known they all aver it Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian I cannot intermit it not the Lords day in any wise These are examples enough I will adde but an authority and a censure and so end The authority I will refer you to is of the great Athanasius great for his learning for his vertue for his labour and for his sufferings but above all great for his Creed Tertullian had written a book de cibis Judaicis which we have so another de 〈◊〉 Judaico which we have lost but it is supplied by Athanasius his book de sabbato circumcisione for he puts them and so they must go together Circumcision and the Sabbath In which he is so clear and so full for the abolishing of the 〈◊〉 day and the succeeding of the Lords day in place of it as no man can wish more and the treatise is no long one neither Now as in the other of meats so in this will I end with censure It is
witnes of the truth Sain Paul attributeth sanctification of every thing to prayer premised and therefore it is termed the preparative to all the duties of a Christian more plainly Our Saviour very early before day went out into a solitary place and there prayed and afterward came and preached in the Synagogue which is very probable to have been on the sabbath day whereby we may observe that Christ himself took prayer to be the first means of sanctification 1. Now for the times of this exercise of prayer on the Lords day they are two 1. Before the other publick duties and 2 After 1. That before is either private as of a master and his family 2. Or else in the congregation which is publick Both which the psalmist comprehendeth in one verse I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart secretly among the faithful there 's the first And in the congregation there 's the last 1. Concerning the first we see in the place before quoted that our Saviour went out into a solitary place as also elsewhere As soon as he had sent the multitude away he departed into a mountain to pray 2. For the other we may gather out of that place in the Acts that amongst the very Heathen the religious Hellinists which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were a kinde of proselytes that worshipped the God of Israel vsed to assemble themselves to pray by a rivers side But more plainly the Apostle saith that to the prayers of the congregation every one should joyn his own Amen Again prayer is to be vsed after For as we are not fit to receive any spiritual grace before without it so neither to keep it after the devil will take the word out of our hearts after we have heard it unlesse we desire of God that it may remain with us and seek his blessing that the seed may fructify And this was in the law to come from the Priests mouth The Lord blesse thee and keep thee By vertue whereof the devil wil lose his power in taking the word out of our hearts but it shall continue with us and fructifie in us 2. The second is the word which is magnified or sanctified by God for our sanctification for as the prophet saith God hath magnified the law that is his word and made it honorable and else where plainly the hearing of the word is made one end of publick assemblyes gather me the people together saith God and I will makethem hear my words Now the word upon the sabbath hath a double use 1. First as it is read and heard read onely 2. And secondly as it preached or heard preached 1. For the first the Church in great wisdome alwayes thought it most convenient and necessary that reading should precede preaching that when it should be preached it might not seem strange to them that heard it But as that is thought a thing fit by the Church so would it be no lesse expedient that before we come to church we would meditate on it yet such is our wretchlessenesse in matters spiritual that we think we have done enough if we can apprehend it when it is read whereas if we would meditate on it before hand we might make the better 〈◊〉 of it when it is read and be the better confirmed in what we hear preached The Jews had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preparation to the sabbath and about the ninth houre of it which is our three of the clock in the after-noon they usually met and spent their time in reading of the scriptures that they might be the better fitted against the sabbath The publick reading of the word in the congregation on the sabbath day is warranted by diverse passages in holy writ as by that in the Acts of the Apostles where it is said that when Paul and his company came into the synagogue at Antioch on the sabbath day the rulers of the Synagogue after the 〈◊〉 of the Law and the Prophets sent to them saying ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation say on And by another passage in the same Chapter where it is said that the Prophets were read every sabbath day And by another a little after which saith thus that Moses that is the law was read in the Synagogue every sabbath day And lastly Saint Paul gives a special charge by the Lord to the Thessalonians thathis Epistle to them be read unto all the holy brethren There is a vse also of private reading and that of great consequence for Christ saith plainly that his witnesses be the Scriptures and therefore will he have them searched because they testified and prophecied of him That this exercise is profitable the prophet maketh plain by a question Should not a people enquire at their God which he explains in the next verse by seeking To the law and to the Testimony And again Seek in the book of the Law and read And therefore we see that the Bereans were much commended and storied for wiser and nobler 〈◊〉 other people why because they searched the Scriptures daily to confirm their faith in the points preached to them There are other vses also in reading In the Revelation there is a blessing pronounced to those that read or heare the words of that prophecy because it might excite men to praise God when they see all fulfilled Man seeing the prophecies fulfilled may thereby give him praise And for this cause there were anciently Monuments kept in Churches which preserved and set forth the accomplishing of Gods promises or threatnings As the memorials of the warres of God on the behalf of the Israelites which was called liber bellorum Dei the book of the battels of the Lord and their verba 〈◊〉 or Chronicl es of Nathan Gad Shemaiah c. these they permitted in a holy use to be privately read that seeing his promises and his threatning denounced in them to have been fulfilled men might the better be stirred up to the praise and fear of God 2. Another use was the understanding of hard places in the Scripture It is recorded of Daniel that while hs was reading the book of 〈◊〉 about the accomplishment of the number of the 70 years captivity mentioned by the same prophet God sent an Angel to him to informe him in that great 〈◊〉 about the time of Christs sufferings So the Eunuch while he was reading in the book of Esay had the exposition of Christs sufferings from the Apostle Philip sent for that purpose by God and because God doth not now by such extraordinary means informe us in the true sence of Scriptures therefore we are to read such as have written 〈◊〉 upon such places and so no doubt but if Philip had written any thing at that time upon Esay that the Eunuch would have read it and made use of
Men and brethren what shall we do or what shall we leave undone but onely for some sinister ends 2. The second is between the hearers themselves and that 1. either among equalls as S. Paul with S. Peter and Elias and Elizens who communed together and the two Disciples with whom Christ made a third And it was the old Custom as it is in the Prophet that they that feared the Lord spake every one to his neighbour c. to which a special blessing is promised That God would keep a book of remembrance for such men and that he would spare them c. By this means a more general benefit may be reaped of what is heard when many shall lay together what they have observed as in a symbolum or common shot whereby some that had no benefit by the word when they first heard it may receive some good by it afterwards and by mutual conference men may lay open their infirmities and imperfections which hinder them in hearing and applying the word and may receive directions from others whose case hath been the same how they were holpen and freed from the like 2. Or else between superiours and inferiours as the Master and his family And this was Gods Commandement to the Israelites concerning his Law they were to teach their children and to whet it upon them as the word imports Thou shalt talk of it when thou sittest in thine 〈◊〉 and when thoulyest down and when thou risest up c. 5. The fift and last duty for sanctifying the day not to be passed over is praise and thanksgiving Augustine accompteth it to be totum opus Sabbati the whole work of the Sabbath as if the day were made for nothing else And to this end as hath been said before the ninety second Psalm was penned to be sung as a Hymne or song to praise God Now praise and thanksgiving may be either for general or particular benefits For general benefits we have the ninety first sixty eight and hundred and third Psalms For particular benefits as for fair weather after rain or rain after too much drought c. we have the sixty fift Psalm For these we must with David praise God in the great Congregation Especially seeing thanksgiving is accounted by David to be a debt due unto God in respect of his goodnesse in hearing our prayers and it is the very reason the Psalmist gives for it Praise watcheth for thee in Sion or as others read it Tibi debetur Hymnus a hymn is due to thee from Sion the reason is expressed in the next words because thou art a God that hearest prayers Besides all these mentioned the Sacraments and Discipline are parts of the sanctification of the day but are not for every day but to be performed on speciall dayes and by some speciall persons whereas the other duties of the day pertain generally to all and ought to be continually performed So that no man ought to conceive that he hath done enough in performing them once Qui sanctificatus est sanctificetur adhuc he that is holy let him be holy still There is a necessity of continuing in these means of sanctification every sabbath day For as our knowledge is but in part and our prophesying but in part as the Apostle speaks so our sanctification is but in part there will still remain a necessity of that exhortation Scrutamini Scripturas search the Scriptures We are continually to wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb that is we must still come neerer and neerer to cleannesse until by continuing in these holy exercises we may at last save our selves And thus much for the several duties wherein the sanctifying of the day consists Now the means are for the end which is the fruit of them Nemo mediis utitur propter media no man ever useth means onely for the means but for some end And therefore he that planteth a vineyard and he that tilleth and soweth his ground hoc est ultimum fructus that which he aimeth at is the fruit and harvest This is the fruit that God expects the great end of this Commandment that his Name may be sanctified in and by us We have the very phrase of speech in the book of Numbers Because ye beleeved me not to sanctifie me in the presence of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring the Congregation into the land which I have given them this was Gods speech to Moses and Aaron And in another place the like Sanctificate sancti estote sanctifie your selves and be ye holy Such words in respect of the two fold glory that redoundeth to God have a double sence God is glorified 1. Either by us directly or 2. from us by other indirectly as it is in the Gospel when men seeing our good works are stirred up also to glorifie him And therefore it is that these words Sanctification Glorification c. have a double sense 1. First to signifie a making holy c. and that by means in which respect sanctification is a making holy 2. in regard of others a declaring of this sanctification so made By the first according to S. Peter we make sure to our selves our calling and election And by the second we declare it to others that as we glorifie God our selves so God may be glorified by others also Shew me thy faith by thy works saith S. James Whereby it falleth out that because good works have this operation to stir up others to glorifie God that our Saviour saith That a good work is lawful on the Sabbath day such works discover our regeneration and if we be purged and sanctified we shall be as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepared or made fit for every good work So that when God hath used the means we must bring forth the fruit CHAP. VII Works of Mercy proper for the Lords day They are of two sorts 1. First Corporeal feeding the hungry c. Burying of the dead a work of mercy Such works proper for a festival Objections answered 2. Spirituals 1. To Instruct Counsel and exhort 2. Comfort 3. Reproofe 4. Forgiving 5. Bearing with the weak 6. Prayer 7. Reconciling those that are at odds BUt because the day was chiefly instituted for a memorial of Gods great mercies as 1. For making us when we were nothing 2. Secondly for redeeming us when we were worse then nothing 3. And lastly For the beginning of our sanctification therefore in regard of these three great mercies it is that no work doth so well agree with the day nor that God is so much delighted in as the works of mercy when we shew our thankfulnesse for those great mercies which we celebrate on that day by exercising mercy towards others whose necessity requires our assistance And in this regard it is that there is a special affinity between
beget a holy seed and the 〈◊〉 also for education and this last the fatherhood of the Prophets and teachers in schools and universities are all of them ordained to prepare and fit men for this fatherhood in the Church and for the furthering of their paternal power in the work of the ministry this being the principal paternity and other fathers being but as pales and rayles to the 〈◊〉 to keep all within their due bounds thereby to set this worke the better forward For we may see that the Apostle setteth them in this order 〈◊〉 that Christ did by his descending his passion c. was to this end First to gather together the Saints which was to be 〈◊〉 Secondly by the work of the ministry by which they being gathered then cometh the third thing which is to build them up by faith knowledge and vertue as in verse 13. they being as S. Peter calls them living stones and so consequently they are to be partakers of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the growth or increase till they come to the fulnes of the stature of Christ being joyned togetherwith Christ the head here by the spirit and hereafter by perfect fruition of his presence and this was the chief and great work of all other for which all others 〈◊〉 ordained for which schooles were founded and the ministery ordained and common-wealthes established And therefore Saint Paul saith let no man glory in men for all things are yours speaking of the Church things present and things to come c. And you are Christs and Christ is Gods Thus we seethe institution ordination and withall the end of those which be lawfully called to become fathers in the Church and what account we are to make of this work seeing that families schooles and commonwealths were established yea the whole world created for this which is effected by the worke of the ministery the building up of the Church And it is the want of due consideration herein that hath brought that confusion and disturbance into the world which we daily see For whereas this ought to be the thing 〈◊〉 which we ought all anhelare to breath after and the Prophet sayes that Regeserunt nutritii Reginae nutrices 〈◊〉 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers that is of the Church and that their duty is nutrire whereby the churches estate might be the more glorious Some according to Ezeckiels Princes think that when they are 〈◊〉 to high places that the end for which they were so preferred is but to soake in the broth to live at ease or to do what they list as Jezebel said and all their care is but to have pacem in 〈◊〉 suis peace in their dayes and that outward peace that invasions tumults and broyles may not hinder them in their ease and pleasures And on the other side when subjects are such as king David speaks of men indeed made to be in honour but become without understanding that they know no other good but bonum sensibile their bellies tables furniture for their houses c. set their affections in the Apostles phrase on earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so make that commutation which our Saviour speaks of gain the world and lose their soules they would soon bring this purpose of God to none effect if he laid not his helping to hand by this work of the ministry And because they look onely at the 〈◊〉 sensibile hence is their base account they hold of this ministery and that because of the outward appearance by which they judge we see that after Saint Paul had given forth great words concerning the power of his ministery that it was mighty through Christ to cast down strong holds c. yet as appears by his words after the Corinthians contemn all this because they looked on things according to the outward appearance In our Saviour himself was al the fulnes of the Godhead this power was 〈◊〉 none so ful as in him yet because as the prophet speaks when he was seen there was no beauty in him that he should be desired in 〈◊〉 of the outward appearance We see how he was handled on earth scorned and 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 and Pharisees and the rest of the Jews and by 〈◊〉 and his men of war they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set him at nought and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scoff at him so that this calling which God had so highly advanced the world set at nought and scoffe at it And so the prophets were used before for Ahaziahs servants in derision called Eliah the man of God els why should he have called for fire from heaven to consume them And 〈◊〉 courtiers were likewise pleased to vent their scorne upon Elisha why came this mad fellow to thee But in this point the comfort is there is a good distinction observed by David I will hope in thy name saith he for thy Saints like it well as the common translation hath it but the new which is better saith I will wait on thy name for it is good before thy Saints There is bonum coram Sanctis bonum coram mundo the Saints have one thing good in their estimation and the world another The world would think it an idle humour in a man to praise God by siuging to him but the Saints like it well So that it is not the good conceit a man hath of himself as the Apostle speaks that shall help him nor others commendations of him but he whom the Lord commendeth may comfort himself in Gods approbation We will now come to the particular duties of the minister The Apostl e when he speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things appertaining to God he shews the end of the ministerie or priesthood of the Gospel viz. That he is to stand and appear for us in the things which concern God or when we have to deale with God therefore he saith that the priest is taken from among men that is being fitted by education of which before he is selected out of the ordinary sort of men and ordained for men in things pertaining to God that is to execute the offices of the Church in our stead before God so that this being a place of honour no man ought to thrust himself into the ministry but to expect till he shall be thought fit and be 〈◊〉 lawfully called No man taketh this honour upon him but he that is called of God as Aaron Now Gods calling is known by his gifts wherby he fits men by the talent he bestowes which when we have then we are inwardly called of God and then having the gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the power to administer holy 〈◊〉 by imposition of hands as the Apostle speaks we are then outwardly called by the Church And being thus called we are to performe the
erit ut hodie amplius to morrow shall be as to day and much more abundant This saith he I do and then he cometh to this exhortation fratres 〈◊〉 quam lenissime sed tamen instantissime vos rogo brethren though but gently yet most instantly I beseech you do you the like 2. As gluttony or excesse of meat is here forbidden of which we have spoken so also drunkennesse or excesse of drink The Apostle dehorting from drunkennesse saith there is in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luxury or lust be not drunken with wine wherein is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it inclines to unclean lusts And the same saith Solomon Look not upon the Wine when it is red and sheweth his colour in the cup or goeth down pleasantly and why Thine eyes shall look upon strange women And therefore S. Peter doth not onely forbid drunkennesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drunkennesse which the Fathers call voluntarium Daemonem a voluntary Devil when a man willingly bereaves himself of reason but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drinkings or compotations whether they be such as enflame us and though they take not away our reason yet kindle our blood and spirits or whether by using them we get such a custome and habit that we are strong to do it and being free from drunkennesse can behold the infirmity of others with pleasure for there is a woe pronounced against this strength And in any of these cases the excesse of drinking is forbidden not onely because it deceives a man and the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty but also because it disposes a man to this sin as we see in Lot who by too much wine committed incest even without knowledge and unwittingly but most commonly a man doth it knowingly and wittingly and so maketh him self a fit mold for the Devils impression The Wise man saith that they are like to a man sleeping in the midst of the sea when they are awaked they return to it again For it is such a vice that a man having gotten a habit of it can hardly leave it off Yet are we not altogether prohibited the drinking of wine but in some cases it is allowed as these and the like 1. For bodily infirmities according to the Apostles counsel to Timothie In this case the use of wine is lawful Timothie was so far from excesse that having an infirmity upon him he would not adventure upon wine without Pauls direction 2. In heavinesse of minde whether natural or accidental Give wine to those that are of heavy heart 3. Upon some publick benefit of the Church or Common-wealth there may be a publick gratulation and therein a more free use of the Creatures and whatsoever doth not hinder or oppose Temperance may be lawfully used to solemnize a day of publick joy When the people were ready to mourn Nehemiah forbids it and instead of mourning bids them eat the fat and drink the sweet and testifie their joy by the lawsul use of the Creatures for the benefit which God had vouchsafed to his Church This is the third But ont of these or the like cases it must not be used as they did of whom the Prophet speaketh When God called to mourning and weeping they fell to joy and gladnesse to slaying of Oxen and killing of sheep to eating flesh and drinking wine And there be still some men that can take hold of the Apostles counsel to drink wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of that part of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little they take no notice at all The sum of all is there must not be Redundantia excesse It was accounted an especial fault of the Princes of Israel They drank wine in bowls c. The five rules above mentioned you may apply to prevent this sin and to govern your self in the use of wine or strong drink Both these vices are salved by one vertue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperance a vertue here commanded S. Paul makes it a special fruit of the spirit and exhorts Titus to preach it and exhort young men especially to it and such as bend their mindes to knowledge and studie of learning and therefore S. Peter exhorts as to adde to vertue knowledge so to joyn to knowledge temperance for scientia est cum abstinentia temperance is the way to knowledge CHAP. IIII. Of idlenesse the second thing which fits the soyl for this sin Diverse reasons against it It consists in two things 1. too much sleep 2. want of exercise when we are 〈◊〉 Against sleepinesse Rules for 1. the quantity 2. the manner Of idlenesse in our callings The remedy against sleep and idlenesse THe second thing which makes solum subactum fits the soyl for this sin of lust is idlenesse For as fulnesse of bread so abundance of idlenesse was one of the causes of Sodoms sin One answered by the light of nature to him that asked what Luxury was that it was nothing els but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the passion of an idle minde And this is a sin highly displeasing to God in many respects 1. Evertit consilium Dei finem hominis it doth what may be to overthrow Gods purpose and the end whereto man was created For God in the very beginning created man to labour He put man into the garden of Eden to dresse it not onely ut coleret eum to serve him but ut coleret terram to till the earth neither without the other Afterwards when he had transgressed Gods command this labour was enjoyned him as a perpetual penance for his offence In sorrow shalt thou eat all the dayes of thy life and in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread Nor doth the Gospel shew it self more favourable in dispensing with this law Why stand ye idle saith our Saviour And it was the Apostles complaint that he heard that there were some that wrought not at all Nor shall it ever be abrogated Man saith David goeth forth to his work and to his labour till the evening Therefore is it that Solomon sends the idle person to the Ant and that the son of Syrach compares a slothful man to the filth of a dunghill In this respect therefore is this sin to be condemned 2. In regard of the losse of time a thing 〈◊〉 precious that the Apostle exhorts us by all means to redeem it if we have mispent it And the Psalmist sets it down as a curse upon the people that God consumed their dayes in vanity 3. In regard of the breach of the next Commandment which forbids stealing For he that consumes his dayes in idlenesse maketh use of the creatures to which he hath no right The Apostle saith He that doth not work should not eat The Heathen call such men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unnecessary burden The Scriptures compare them to
accusing falsly 2. upon uncertain grounds 3. by prevaricating 4. The Defendant 1. by not confessing the truth 2. by appealing without cause 3. by not submitting to the sentence 5. The 〈◊〉 1. by not declaring all the truth when 〈◊〉 is lawfully called 2. by not delivering the innocent though he be not called 3. by delivering the wicked by false testimony 6. The Advocate 1. by undertaking an evil cause 2. by perverting the Law Of giving false testimony in Elections THE Act of this sin consists specially in words which are as our Saviour speaks according to the treasure of our hearts Now there is not onely an evil treasure of the heart out of which a man brings 〈◊〉 evil things but also an idle treasure out of which a man brings forth idle things viz. idle words for which a man must give an account Under these two heads we may comprehend the branches of this sin which may admit this division of 1. false words and 2. vain or idle words 1. False words are either when our words disagree from the truth and essence of things or when they disagree from our own minde And both may be considered either as they concern our selves or our brethren for whatsoever speech is either prejudicial to ourselves or our neighbour is condemned as against the rule of charity And though it be neither hurtful to us nor to our brethren yet if it contain falshood it is against the truth of God and therein we are as the Apostle speaks found false witnesses against God False doctrine is here included as opposite to true doctrine but not as it is in the third Commandment for there it is forbidden as contrary to Gods glory here as hurtful to our brethren and their spiritual good We must not adde to his word nor take from it nor change it by making any other way of salvation as those false teachers did among the Galatians that preached another gospel which as the Apostle saith is to preach alium Jesum another Jesus This was toucht before and therefore we shall say the lesse 〈◊〉 Onely this we adde that it is a good rule given by S. Basil not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely all lies and falshoods but also all turnings and wrestings of Scripture are condemned as among others he specially instances in one viz. the making of the litteral sence typical or turning the Scripture into allegories and from thence inferring doctrines which the Holy Ghost never intended This gives occasion to all Heresies when men choose what opinions they themselves please and make the Scripture a nose of wax to patronize them As to make Adam the reasonable part of the soul and Eve the seniual and thereupon to infer this as a positive doctrine That if reason command sense we shall avoid the temptation of the serpent but if the sensual part prevail against reason we shall be overcome by the Tempter as Adam was by hearkning to Eve this is to pervert the Scripture we may indeed 〈◊〉 to such things in Scripture as the Apostle doth to Sarah and Hagar but to say this or that is meant by such texts is to make the Scripture like a 〈◊〉 mans hose or Cothurnum a 〈◊〉 that will serve either leg and makes all Religion uncertain Ezekiel makes it an 〈◊〉 to God to say In obscuris 〈◊〉 I have written to you in dark or doubtful speeches but by this means all is made doubtful so that people shall be doubtful what to hold in any point We come now to false speaking in particular and here we must consider 1. false testimony which is given in judgement and 2 falshood uttered out of judgement This distinction is intimated by Solomon Proverbs 19. 5. where he saith A false witnesse shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape where we see he make this division that some are false witnesses viz. such as speak falshood from judgement and others speak lies at other times that is out of judgement and the very same we finde by him repeated in the ninth verse The same may be inferd in the words of this Commandment for when it is said Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour that is in judgement this 〈◊〉 that there may be also falsum testimonium false witnesse that is not contra proximum against our Neighbour Before we speak of these in particular we shall onely say this briefly in general concernig all lies That all lyes are from the Devil who was a lyar from the beginning for the first word that ever he spake was a lye those then that utter lyes belong to him The Psalmist makes it the proper mark of wicked men whom he describes by this they speak lies from the very womb And that this is no small sin appears by that fea ful threatning against lyars Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacia 〈◊〉 shalt destroy all 〈◊〉 that speak lies All lies whether they concern our selves our Neighbours or none make us false witnesses to God And therefore we finde in the Revel that in the place of torment shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that loveth or maketh a lye he that either loves to hear it or that speak it so that lies are condemned both actively and passively if we make them or love to hear them Come we now to him that speaks false in judgement And for this false witnesse Solomon gives us a good comparison for he saith A man that beareth false witnesse is a hammer a sword and a sharp arrow Now thus he is compared partly because his face is hardned so that he blushes at nothing be it never so false for having once lost his 〈◊〉 he comes to have frontem meretricium as the Prophet speaks a whores forehead and 〈◊〉 known to the one party viz. to him that hired him to be a Knave he grows impudent and testifies any thing and so strikes like a hammer or a sword or whatsoever doth wound the deepest he sticks at no mischef he can do to the party against whom he speaks and partly because that as S. Bernard speaks there are three parties who are 〈◊〉 by him at once by one and the same tongue 1. Judici est Malleus He is a hammer or maul to the Judge whose judgement and understanding he 〈◊〉 so that like a man astonisht by a blow on the head he knows not how to determine aright 2. To the party that hired him he is gladius a sword for though he speak for him yet 〈◊〉 is a sword to destroy his soul. He makes him beleeve that by his purse he hath prevailed against the truth and having done so once he may do so at other times and so he 〈◊〉 him in this evil course 3. He is a sharp arrow to him against whom he witnesseth though he hath
duties that belong to us of which I shall now speak The duties of the ministers of the Gospel we shall finde set down in several places of Scripture as John 10. 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. from which we shall deduce them In the tenth of Saint John we finde four sorts of shepherds mentioned three bad and one good 1. The thief 2. The hireling 3. The wolfe 4. The good shepherd 1. They are distinguished by our Saviour 1. By their calling which is either lawful or unlawful The thief hath no lawful calling as the second and third have for he hath no lawful entrance he wants his inward calling when he wants his talent to enable him and then being admitted by savour of reward he hath no outward calling he comes in by vsurpation which cannot give any man a right And thus he that comes not in by the ordinary way setled in the Church comes not in by the door nor according to Christs institution for he that entreth not in by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth another way the same is a thief Of this sort Gods speaks by the prophet I have not sent them yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophecied There 〈◊〉 two wayes whereby such men creep in First per gratiam by favour Secondly per munus by gift or reward both mentioned and prohibited in one verse 1. Per Gratiam by favour is when a man is admitted either at the suit of some great man or friend or for alliance or kindred sake this is respecting of persons without regard to the qualities of the men which in Leo's opinion was very absurd that men of quality should be neglected and ignorant preferred And this must needs be when any are admitted upon these respects multanos iniqua sacere cogit affectus dum propinquitatem respicimus saith Saint Jerome when by affection or alliance we look on men we are forced to do many things 〈◊〉 But if we will follow Saint Chrysostomes rule Qui vult alterum ad officium sacerdotale pertrahere suf ficere non judico testimonium quod opinione collegerit sed ut ejus 〈◊〉 qui eligitur noscat diligenter he that will make a minister must not only go by opinion but his knowledge of him And the reason he gives is Qui ordinat indignos eisdem 〈◊〉 poenis quibus illi qui indigne 〈◊〉 ordinati he that ordains unworthy ministers is liable to such punishment as the party is subject to which is unworthily ordained 2. Per munus by reward is the other The first must be the fault but of one that is the admitter this is the fault of two of him that admits and him that is admitted 1. The Bishop that by or for reward lets in any such that ordaines such as have not the gifts of the minde but the gifts of the hand 2. To such as attempt to come in that way Saint Ambrose denounceth this curse Lepram cum Giezi a sancto se suscepisse credant Elizeiore qui gradum sacerdotalem se 〈◊〉 pecuniis comparare let them be sure to have taken the leprosie of Gehazi from the mouth of holy Elisha that think to obtain the Priesthood by money Therefore it behoveth Bishops according to S. Pauls 〈◊〉 to Timothy to take heed of cita impositio lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes for as is said before he that brings unworthy men into the ministery is accessory to the offences they commit and liable to the punishment they deserve This is the first thing that there be a lawful entrance by the door a lawful calling not a comming in at the window like a thief for 〈◊〉 malo 〈◊〉 principto difficile bono perficiuntur exitu whatsoever hath an ill beginning can very hardly have a good end God never blesseth the labours of such as come not in at the door And Saint Augustine hath this observation Diligendus est Pastor tolerandus est mercenarius sed cavendus est latro The good shepherd is to be beloved the hireling to be tolerated but the thief is to be taken 〈◊〉 of 2. They are distinguished by another mark which puts a difference between the other two the hireling and the wolfe and the true shepherd for though they come in right yet they want that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that purpose and intention when they enter which was in the Apostle and is in every true shepherd thou knowest saith the Apostle my manner of life and my purpose c. Which is well 〈◊〉 elswhere to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a natural care of the 〈◊〉 as if there were some that had spuriam curam a bastard care They that have not this purpose of heart are called Mercenarii which have no care of feeding the flock but of feeding themselves and therefore when they see the wolf they flec because they care not for the flock Their tooles or instruments are as the prophet calls them 〈◊〉 pastoris stul i the instruments of a soolish shepherd which the fathers terme forcipes muletrum a paire of sizers for the fleece and a payle for the milk And therefore when the flock is in any danger they regard it not but if there be the least danger of the milk or wooll then they bestir themselves with the instruments of a foolish shepherd The Jews call them such as draw neer to the Ark for the Corban for the offering box they cared not what became of the law so the corban sped well It was prophecied of the stock of Eli that they should say put me into the Priests office that I may eate a piece of bread and get a piece of silver this was their end Abiathar a wicked man was of his seed and was displaced by Solomon and Zadok put in his room And for want of this care of the flock it is that others turne wolves such as are all false teachers who for lucre or ambition or some such sinister ends pervert the truth and instead of feeding the flock poison them with heresies and errours contrary to the received doctrine of the Church such if a presecutor or false teacher come with authority will flie nay as the Apostle speaks they will not onely fly but also become wolves themselves for of such he prophecied saying that grievous wolves should enter not sparing the flock The Apostle would have us to mark the issue or end of their conversation that speak the word of God to us Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or issue marrs all it discovers the mercenary and the wolf for if the wolf come if persecution arise either they will flie as the mercenary or turn wolves too and help to worry the flock for even among your selves saith the Apostle shall men arise teaching perverse things such of you as have been shepherds shall turn wolves So that whether
Locusts that devour all where they come and the Fathers term them unprofitable and superfluous Creatures The Apostle alluding to this saith Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour 4. In regard of the breach of the sixth Commandment forbidding 〈◊〉 For idlenesse is the mother of many diseases For as there are none of Gods creatures but putrifie without motion as the air and water stagnantes 〈◊〉 stantes aque nec dulces nec salubres 〈◊〉 Seneca standing waters are neither sweet nor wholsom so ease in the body bringeth forth 〈◊〉 the gout and other diseases Computrescit in stercore saith the Prophet the seed rots under the clod And it were to be wisht that not onely the losse of time wasting the creatures and the hurt of the body were all the prejudice that came by idlenesse so that the soul might be kept untainted by it but that also is subject to detriment by it for from nihil agere doing nothing comes male agere doing ill Idlenesse teacheth much evil saith the son of Syrach and by this comes the disease which S. Basil calls podagram animi the gowt of the soul. Now idlenesse consists in two things Either 1. in too much sleep or 2. in not being exercised when we are awake in the works of our calling 1. For the first of too much sleeping After the Apostle had told the Romans it was high time to awake out of sleep he gives them a caveat to walk honestly as in the day not in gluttony vnd drunkennesse nor in chambering and wantonnesse after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drunkennesse then he comes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate 〈◊〉 but it is properly lying long in bed and there is joyned with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wantonnesse the companion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and beginning of concupiscence The Prophet 〈◊〉 those of his time with stretching themselves upon their beds and not without cause for another Prophet tells us that by it men begin 〈◊〉 nequam to devise iniquity to have wicked thoughts We see the experience of it in David who after his sleep was disposed to take the air in his Turret and by that means was made fit for the impression of this vice upon the sight of a tempting object for which cause Solomon gives good counsel 〈◊〉 this purpose Love not sleep lest thou come to poverty open thine eyes and thou 〈◊〉 be satisfied with bread for having spoken verse 11. of young men that by their actions they may be known whether their work be pure and whether it be right and in the 12. verse that they may be known by this whether they apply their ears and eyes to knowledge as God created them he 〈◊〉 in the 13. verse that otherwise if they love sleep these effects of it shall come upon them For remedy hereof two things are to be observed in sleep 1. The Quantitie 2. The manner 1. For the quantitie Our sleep must not be too long Vsque quo dormis How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard ultra horam beyond the hour there is an hour when to arise Hora est jam saith the Apostle the hour is at hand or as we read it it is now high time to awake out of sleep but the sluggard when the hour cometh when he should arise lies still in his bed and is as a dore which turneth alwayes upon the hinges and yet remains in the 〈◊〉 place 2. For the manner of our sleep It must not be like that of Ionah who was in a dead sleep in a time of danger It must not be as S. Jerome calls it sepultura suffocati as the burial of one without breath but requies lassi the rest of one that is weary The Prophet threatens it as a great plague from God to be given up to the spirit of slumber which is true of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drowsinesse of the body as well as the soul. And as Ionah was in the midst of the tempest when he slept soundly so these are under Gods visitation who are possest with this spirit of slumber 2. The second point of idlenesse is when we are not exercised in the duties of our calling but give our selves to ease Desidiae est somnium vigilantis sloth is the dream of him that is awake and by want of labour and exercise and giving our selves to ease we come to the hanging down of the hands and the feeble knees of which the Apostle speaks and so become fit for no good thing For as all other creatures of God by standing still grow corrupt as we see in standing water which putrifies and being putrified ingenders toads and such venemous creatures so in man ease brings discases both in body and soul it produces in the body podagram the gout and it brings forth the like indisposition in the soul which made S. Basil call it podagram animi the gout of the soul. And therefore S. Ambrose calls idle persons creaturas Dei superfluas superfluous creatures of God which do no way profit the body politick where they live but are as the Heathen man saith of the 〈◊〉 such qui animam pro sale habent who have their souls instead of salt to keep their bodies sweet S. Paul measureth not idlenesse onely by doing nothing but also by not doing the duties of a mans place As he that is placed in the Vniversity and studies not though he hawk hunt or dance or uses other exercises that are laborious yet because he doth not that which he ought to do he is to be accounted an idle fellow If men be as he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not working at all then they become busie bodies and if women be idle then wil they be pratlers or tatlers upon which cometh tale-carrying lying 〈◊〉 and forging whereby they disquiet others And not onely so but they are busie bodies medling out of their callings where they have nothing to do These are to be restrained And because hereby groweth a disposition from the body for evil motions in the soul therefore S. Peter enjoyns the vertue of abstinence and commands us to abstain from such fleshly lusts as do militare contra animam 〈◊〉 against the soul. The remedy against sleep is that which the Apostle calleth sobriety properly watchfulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sober be vigilant saith he in another place for sleep and drunkennesse are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works of the night and we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of light and of the day our desires therefore ought to be after the works of the light and of the day and we must walk accordingly 2. The remedie against idlenesse the Apostle gives us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set our selves to do our own businesse and the works of our calling And blessed shall