shall find rest for your soules but they said We will not walke therein Also I set Watchmen over you which said Take heed to the sound of the Trumpet but they said We will not take heed At another time being recalled they answered desperately Jer. 18.12 Surely we will walke after our owne imaginations and doe every man after the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart The Word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord Jer. 44.16 we will not heare it of thee but we will doe whatsoever thing goeth out of our owne mouthes The Prophets every where challenge them for choosing their owne way following their owne counsell and fulfilling their owne lusts Such workes were their owne And if we will make their case ours we may easily judge which of our workes God will reckon for our owne even all those in doing whereof we wittingly and willingly withdraw our obedience from Gods Word and Spirit But before I leave this point the Texts opportunitie and some mens importunitie occasioning me I must more fully open the difference betwixt Gods workes and ours and remove that false imputation of humane invention that is layd upon many a publike one of ours We must then further observe that of our two Guides the Word and the Spirit the Spirit is not severed from the Word it is received by the Word and being received it inlightens us to understand and inables us to obey Gods Word That the Spirit is received by the Word the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 3◠calling the preaching of the Gospel the ministration of the Spirit and to the Galathians he writes that by the preaching of the Gospel Gal. 3.2 they received the Spirit Againe that being received it inlightens us to understand and inables us to obey the Word our Saviour Christ teacheth us who speaking of the comming of the Spirit saith Joh. 14.26 He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you And againe He shall lead you into all Truth Ioh. 16.13 Ioh. 17.17 which Truth is Gods Word as he elsewhere expounds it In this sense must be understood the Spirits Vnction it anointeth us to understand the Word the Spirits obsignation it sealeth unto us an assurance of the Word the Spirits sanctification it purifieth us to obey the Word Saint Chrysostomes rule is true Siquis eorum qui dicuntur habere Spiritum Sanctum dicit aliquid de seipso non ex Euangeliis non creditur siquis dicta Christi sequitur Spiritum Sanctum habet c. This must be observed against old and new Enthusiasts who thinke they can see into the secrets of Heaven without the Looking-Glasse of Heaven That they can sound the Mind of Christ without hearing the Voice of Christ That they can conferre with the Spirit without the Language of the Spirit But we must resolve That no man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man is taught of God but by the Word of God I hope this place hath not any nor this Land many that have as yet received that evill Seed if it be rooted in any their case is to be pittied and those that are too forward by their fall must timely be admonished Our second Guide is Gods Word wherein many things are necessarily concluded which are not therein literally expressed In matters of Faith and Manners we are not tyed to the strictnesse of the Letter but the fullnesse of the Sense Our Saviour Christ is our Master in this course He proveth the Resurrection of the Dead Mat. 22.32 being an Article of our Faith against the Sadduces and the use of the Sabbath being a rule of life Mat. 12.7 against the Pharises by an inference made upon the Scripture not by any evidence of the Letter of the Scripture Christ is herein followed by the Apostles by Councels and Fathers Nazianzene hath comprehended the Doctrine in this rule Quaedam in Scripturis sunt dicuntur quaedam insunt etiamsi non dicantur and he addeth That the sticking to the Letter is oftentimes but a pretext of impietie And indeed this pretext is used by the Church of Rome who excludes that from the Scripture which is apparantly concluded within the sense of the Scripture in the Doctrine of the Trinitie the Sacraments and some other points of moment and having raysed this mist closely conveyes Articles of Faith and Rules of Life into the Doctrine of the Church not onely besides but contrary to the Scripture and yet in their late many and wordie Pamphlets would perswade men that our Doctrine is our owne and not Gods that theirs is not their owne but Gods Let the true Christian conferre the proofes and for his owne eternall comfort judge whether they deserve not the censure of Christ Math. 15.9 In vaine doe they worship me teaching the Doctrines of Men. Another worke there is which must bee examined because the World is therewith much perplexed I meane the Ceremonies and Discipline it must be inquired Whether the observance of them be a worke of Gods or ours And heere these three Rules are of all hands acknowledged First No Discipline or Ceremony must be contrary to the Word of God Secondly None must be equalled thereto Thirdly Both must edifie us therin These three Rules being observed I say First whatsoever thing is in its owne nature indifferent may by lawfull power be limited Secondly Being lawfully so enjoyned it must be obediently used Thirdly No Man with a good Conscience may forgoe his Vocation for this cause onely because he cannot be released from the use of such a thing The reason of all is plaine for the deniall of the first takes away the Magistrates lawfull power the deniall of the second argueth ignorance of Christian obedience and the third proveth that such mens credit is the measure of their care and they are more wedded to their fancy then truly zealous of Gods glory These poynts have beene largely amplified and Fatherly recommended but as yet the world will not be satisfied the Church cannot intreate so much of her Children as to be dutifully obeyed It is thought by too many a meete deliberation who should yeeld whether the Fathers which stand for that which is well grounded and lawfully authorized or the Children which stand against the Fathers of their Country and Fathers of the Church It were meete the foundations were razed before the buildings be ruined and the Reasons answered before the Church be altered But they have found at least a Simile to make good their cause The Church is like mans body Our Soveraignes new entrie may bee compared to the Spring Saint Pauls comparison is acknowledged and for our Spring the Lord be blessed But what then As mans body so the Church this Spring time must be purged An old Simile new furbished For indeed our Church evidences doe tell us of two such
begin to differ First That the blessing in using of these meanes we say is common to every particular Church they restraine it to the Church of Rome calling that the Catholike Church which we deny Secondly They take away infallibility from the body of their Church yea of the whole Church and give it to the Pope contrary to their owne councels before Luther that of Constance and that of Basil which placed it in the Catholike Church Thirdly They hold it not impossible even for this head of their Church to be an Hereticke but that he should teach Heresie they say it is impossible As if Ne fides tua deficiat in the Gospell had that sense to say nothing of his common impiety impurity and iniquity which they confesse also Fourthly They say he may teach Heresie but not in Cathedra Extra he may do it so he doe it as a private Doctor yea and print it too at least write it Fifthly In Cathedra the Antecedents or premisses he may mistake though hee take them out of the Scripture but the conclusion is cock-sure Sixthly The very conclusion if he doe not determine it as a matter of faith but probability may be erroneous too Behold how certaine they are and how uncertaine we of our faith and how wee build upon private spirits but they upon a rock Surely howsoever we escape too many of them make shipwracke I presse this the rather because there is not any thing wherein the advocates of that Sea do more now a dayes insult then this But to leave them to their failing and wounding reed of Egypt let us build upon GODS Word whose sense we may search out by such meanes as have beene alwaies shewed Secondly As our Faith is most holy in regard of Gods Word so is it no lesse in regard of our beliefe therein For as the object descendeth from heaven so must we ascend unto heaven But we must distinguish two faculties in our soule answerable to the two points of the object There is in the object the matter of Gods Word and the Author in regard of the matter it is bonum in regard of the Author Verum Now our faith must answerably beleeve it first as verum which is assensus mentis and then as bonum which is assensus cordis Our witt and â—our will our understanding and our affection must both be holy that is lifted up above the earth First Our understanding must be holy for we must beleeve God absolutely and it is the first Article of our Creed I beleeve in God the Father Almighty which clause goeth through all the Articles of Creed God is Almighty to create to redeeme to judge to forgive to give both grace and glory a Luk. 1.37 Non est impossible apud Deum omne verbum saith the Angell So then we must not be b Jam. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 checking the spirit by the flesh nor c Luk. 12.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hanging betweene heaven and earth but resolute that whatsoever God saith is true Yet wee must note that the immediate object of our faith is not Gods power but his revealed will though we relie upon his revealed will as it is secured by his Almighty power So that all the arguments for Transubstantiation that reason from Gods power touch us not who denie it because there is no evidence for it in Gods revealed will Constet de voluntate let it appeare that God would have it so and let us goe for infidels if we denie it to be so But finding nothing for it in Gods revealed will we argue against it as impossible not simpliciter but exhypothesi And so affirmatively we give reasons of that which is revealed as of the Incarnation Ascention c. In the revealed will of God there are two things Verbumrei the word and res verbi the mystery Our faith builds it selfe immediately upon the former not upon the latter See then the Sophistry of the Church of Rome that withdraw the Scriptures from the people because they are hard They say true if you looke to rem verbi the mystery but if you looke to verbum rei the word it is not so As for example the Scripture teacheth that there is one God in three persons the words are plaine and easie every man heares and understands them but the mystery contained in these words doth passe the reach of a man and in this respect it is true that sides melius definitur per ignorantiam quà m per notitiam and Saint Austin observes it to have beene the common saying of his time accepto baptismo dicimus fidelis factus sum credo quod nescio and finally S. Hilaries rule is true Habet non tam veniam quam praemium ignorare quod credas So then the hardnesse of the matter is no just reason to debarre the people from reading the words especially if they bee kept from giving them any other sense then may stand with the elements of Religion delivered in the Catechisine for then though they may in reading mistake the true sense or analogy of the place yet they cannot damnably erre against the Creed or analogie of faith But it is too true that many take too great liberty against those sober bounds which are set them by our Church every Parish Church almost having their private Catechisme of private draught not of ecclesiasticall prescript which fils the ignorant with more resolutions then are sound and gives occasion to force many passages of Scripture to that sense It were to be wished that to avoid scandall and to prevent further danger at least publikely no other principles might be taught or tolerated then the Church hath allowed and are without exception that the whole Church sustaine not the just blame that is occasioned by some irregular members therof And let this serve for the lifting up of our understandings above the earth Secondly Our will also must be lift up it must not be earthly but holy For the object is not only Verum true but also bonum good And bonum is the proper object of the will as Verum is of the understanding It is much disputed and not yet agreed whether faith be seated in the understanding or in the will the opinion most consonant to the Scripture is that which placeth it in both and it is grounded upon this evidence that in Gods word as even now I observed there is verbum rei and res verbi The understanding begins and laies hold upon verbum rei assenting to it but the heart openeth it selfe and desireth rem verbi to be partaker of it for we doe not only assent unto the word that it is true but long after it as a Soveraigne good This you may perceive by Saint Pauls description of faith Heb. 11.1 wherein there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some referre the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to things not seene and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
he hath given to us You see the Grace is most heavenly and our proprietie therein most comfortable but we have it not all at once we rise by many degrees therefore we are willed not onely to build but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to build upon The phrase doth containe a double sense either that we must rest our selves upon our Faith or that we must goe on in Faith The first implyes a comparison betwixt Faith and other Vertues whereon we cannot so securely build as we may on Faith for Faith correlatively understood as in this argument it is doth comprehend Christ in which sense we say we are saved by Faith that is by Christ layd hold on by Faith and so to build on Faith is to build on Christ and Christ is the Rock whereon is built the Church 1 Pet. 2.4 Matth. 16.18 as the Fathers out of Saint Peter expound that of Saint Matthew Yea Saint Paul calleth him the Foundation and the Chiefe Corner Stone Eph. 2.20 So that though Grace inherent faile us yet Christ imputed will ever support us so that the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against us And unto this the Church of Rome doth yeeld For Bellarmine teaching that we have a double Title to Heaven one by Adoption in Baptisme the other by Merit by fulfilling the Law of God resolves finally Bellar. de Iustif l. 5. c. 7. That to avoid Vaine-glory and for the uncertaintie of our Merit it is the safest course to rest our selves upon the first Title which is nothing else but to build on Faith But the words also beare a second sense and that most proper in this place which is that we must goe on in Faith for no mans Faith is perfect at the first there is duplex perfectio essentiae molis vir enim non est magis homo quam puer licet sit maior In Baptisme when we receive the Grace of Adoption our Faith hath perfectionem essentiae but not molis we are truly fideles faithfull members though but modicae fidei of weake Faith and therefore Saint Peter wills us 1 Pâ—t 2.2 as new-borne Babes to desire the sincere Milke of the Word that we may grow up thereby Our Lesson then is that we must be like Saint Paul a Phil. 3.13 Brethren I count not my selfe that I have attained but one thing I doe I forget that which is behind and endeavour my selfe unto that which is before Our Faith must dayly b 2 Thess 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till it become such as Saint Peter describes c 1 Pet. 1.7 much more precious then Gold tryed in the fire like a d Eph. 6.16 shielâ— of proofe that can quench all the fierie darts of the Devill till we are so e Iam. 2.5 rich in Faith as Saint James speaketh that we thereby can f 1 Ioh. 5.4 overcome the World and become g 2 Tim. 2.21 vessels of honour fit for the Palace of God I say that our selves may be such Vessels for Saint Iude bids us to build up our selves Mater Ecclesia c. saith Saint Austine Our Mother the Church in Baptisme doth lend us when we are infants other mens feet to come other mens mouthes to speake yea and other mens hearts to beleeve but when we are come to age we must use our owne and that not for others onely but for out selves It is true that no man can procreate himselfe or quicken himselfe being dead but being procreated and quickened he can feed and encrease himselfe As it is in Nature so in Grace no man can give himselfe a spiritual being or repaire it if it be lost but having received it he is to cherish it and to proceed therein Yea although God have appointed Pastors 1 Cor. 3.9 10. whose Title is to be Architech and Builders of his Church yet is every Christian man to be a Labourer in this Building A Labourer I say but noâ— an Architect he must take his directions from them how to worke himselfe fit to sort with the other parts of the Church I say againe to work himselfe not others for that is the charge of the Pastor and Magistrate the Pastor by spirituall means the Magistrate by corporall both prescribing to all others that are but labourers in their severall places every one to attend his owne worke in the Church Or if they will cast their eye on others it must be like the Wiseman in the Proverbs Pro. 24.30.31 32. I passed by the field of the sloathfull and by the Vineyard of the man destitute of understanding and loe it was all growne over with thornes and nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken downe Then I beheld and considered it well I looked upon it and received instruction Cant. 1.6 The Spouse in the Canticles complaines The sonnes of my Mother were angry with me they made me keeper of the vines but I kept not mine owne Vine The world is very busie and this age findes many faults and indeed there are very many to be found but few there are that see their own Wee can say Brother let mee plucke out the mote that is in thine eye when we deserve to heare Thou hypocrite plucke out first the beame that is in thine own eye Mat. 7 4 5. Rom. 2.1 Luk. 19.22 for thou that judgest another condemnest thy selfe and Ex ore tuo judicabo te serve nequam c. With God there is no respect of persons nor no exception of sinnes Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things Keepe your selves in the love of God From profiting come we to persevering for according to that of Cyprian fides non accepta sed custodita vivificat And indeed he hath profited well that will persevere For perseverance imports that we have cast our accounts and set up our rest it argues that we are resolved de fine though we have not passed so sarre as we should in medijs ducentibus ad finem And indeed the greatest cause of inconstancy is an irresolutenesse about the end which makes men passe as Salomon did Eccl. 2. he reports it himselfe in the booke of the Preacher from knowledge to pleasure from pleasure to wealth c. till at the last he found it true that the end of all is Eccl. 12.13 feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man Such a resolution of the end doth hearten us to persevere in persecution of the meanes till we have attained the end And therfore when Christ asked his Dâ—sciples upon occasion that many revolted from him Will ye also goe away Saint Peter answered Master Job 6.68 69. to whâ—m shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life And we beleeve and know that thou art Christ the Son of the living God In the love of God Note that where the three persons are
many sing the rest favour their voyces that some one which may best affect â—may most be heard so from God some one Attribute â—ut in concent with the rest sounds out his glory to make the deeper impression thereof in our heartes Of all these formes here is none mentioned but Psal Psal 89.35 89. there is there wee read I have sworne by mine holinesse with that oath is this very promise in that place confirmed Now holinesse when it is ascribed unto God is nothing but an exclusion of all grosse conceipt of him of his being of his life As wee may not represent his being by any creature so may wee not dreame that in his life he resembles any sinfull creature They are branded for ungodly Psal 50 21. Psalme 50. that thought God like themselves like in sinne The contrary should be true man should beare the image of God the image of his goodnesse Be yee holy for I am holy But not to range so much as sufficeth our purpose of the holines of God is set downe by Balaam Balaam inspired by the Holy Ghost Num. 23. God is not as man that hee should lie Num. 23.19 nor as the sonne of man that hee shâ—uld repent Behold the partes of that holinesse which God points at where hee sweares it stands in veritate mentis and in certitudâ—ne veritatis hee sweareth what hee meaneth and meaneth no more then hee can doe This harmony of Gods will and power are the substance of those two Characters which here are stamped upon his bath Sincerity Stability Wherefâ—re forbearing to speak more of this forme of Gods Oath in generall I proceede to the particular parts thereof The first is truth God sware in trueth â—etweene God and man the Apostle puts this difference Let God bee true and every man a lyar for man if but a meere man maydeceive or be deceived but neither of these are incident to God neque actu neque potentia He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith the Apostle hee doth not hee cannot lie he is not he cannot bee deceaved And therefore he speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as NAZIANZENE without any slip of tongue And no mervaile seeing hee is not onely the Originall of all trueth but also Trueth it selfe by nature so that it is no more possible for falsehood to bee at one with God then for darkenes to consort with light both import a reall contradiction But what is trueth I meane not reall but verball trueth Words by their instruction should bee as a glasse wherein the hearer should behold the speakers mind and they should receave no other impression from the swearer then they reflect upon him unto whom wee sweare so that one trueth there should bee in our wordes but it should have a double respect one to our meaning which it must represent another to his understanding whom wee doe informe The Father of lies hath taught men how to divorce these two respects and double dealing hath bred a double trueth in stead of the double respect of one trueth so that now wee are driven to a distinction of veritas loquentis and loquelae jurantis et juramenti The first is very ancient The Divell that can transforme himselfe into an angell of light taught his instruments the Old Heretickes â— 3. c. 5. with his false light to cover their workes of darkenes Saint Irene reports that Valentiniâ—â— did simulare Ecclesiasticum tractatum use phrases of the true Church Tureâ—urrect carnis c. 6. but in their hereticall sense Tertullian observeth that the Mareionites did carnis resurrectioneâ— imaginaria significatione distorquere corrupt the Article of the Resurrection by a smothered sense which could not bee suspected in their words The equivocation of Aâ—â— is too well knowen to be repeated Saint Irenaeus ruleâ— enough Râ—pert l. 10. c 1 ad Oâ—â—anâ—â—n Sic verba temperant ut aliter haereticus aliter Catholicus audiat The same wordes receave a different Comment according to the difference of the hearers The practicke doctrine of too many Romanists is no leâ—â—â— wickedly ingenious in abusing the understanding both â—f Magistrates and Ministers for they can not onely â—eake but sweare too truely as they say secundum â—eri atem jurantis according to their owne meaning â—nd yet informe the Magistrate falsly secundum veritatem â—uramenti if you looke to his meaning that doth minister â—he Oath But what is this to say nothing of their subtile taâ—ing of Gods name in vaine what is this I say but the â—erverting of that end for which God ordained an Oath God ordained it for the satisfaction not of the swearer â—ut of him to whom we sweare The words of the Apoâ—tle are plaine It must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The end is double to determine any further inquisition â—f the Oath bee assertory for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—ettle all wavering if it be promissory for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But let them be sure they shall except they repent Wis c. 14. v. 28 29. bee â—ustly punished as the Wiseman speaketh that sweare â—â—justly to deceive He addes the reason because they â—espise holinesse the first Character of the holy Oath of God and that is truth for whatsoever cunning is used â—y men Gods Oath hath this double truth jurantis â—ramenti he swears not in any reserved sense of his own â—ut to the intendment of them to whom hee makes his â—ath so that his Herald the Minister may well take up hose solemne words which were used in the Romans â—ague Illa palam prima postrema ex tabulis cerave reciâ—ta sunt sine dolo malo utique ea hic hoâ—ie certissimè intelâ—cta sunt In Gods Oath there is neither equivocation â—or mentall reservation he sweares in truth And thus much of the first property of GODS Oath hee is not â—ke man that he should lye and this property is to be â—itated by man The second is more peculiar to God The stablenesse of â—e Oath For though all men should sweare in veritate â—entis yet only God can sweare in certitudine â—eritatis 〈◊〉 is only for him to say I will not shrinke from it And â—hy only Gods free will is reciprocall with his executive power so that he cannot will more then he can doe neither can doe lesse then hee can will but the creature will is of larger extent then his power which is the cause why even in those thinges whereunto our williâ—clines aright wee presume too much as Saint Iames hâ—â— taught if wee promise our selves the doing of the without this clause â—f God will If we live But to returne to God to make him change thâ— must be some cause either from without or from withiâ— from without it cannot be for all other thinges live aâ—â— moove and have their being in God so that hee can remit and intend his creatures forces as seemeth goodâ— him hee proportionateth all
agree God in his mercy is equally neere to both and in his Iustice will deale indifferently with both Therefore the Jewes stories are the Gentiles types types not of Ceremoniall presignificancie but of morall correspondency by them they may judge in what termes their persons stand with God and what their deeds may expect at the hands of God The Iewer were as the Gentiles are Sacramentally sanctified yet they sinned and were plagued Alterius casus alterius cautela saith Gregory the Great lib 4. Epist 56. The Iewes harmes must make the Gentiles beware Therefore whatsoever he be Iew or Gentile that thinkes he stands let him take heed least he fall as the Apostle concludes in these words that now I have read unto you These words then are a conclusion springing from that proofe which the Apostle grounded upon the example of the Iewes Wherein it is cleare that Sacramentall sanctification doth neither exclude sin nor exempt from wrath For the betâ—er unfolding of which words we may observe in them these two points a mutability whereunto we are subject and a Vigilancy whereof we must take care The former requireth the later Wee must bee vigilant because we are mutable Mutable we are for he that thinketh he stands may fall Vigilant â—herfore we must be lest he that thinketh he stands doe â—all Iâ—t him that thinketh c. To begin with our mutability Pst 1.5 Our condition is according to our place this three fold so is that The first â—lace is â—eaven this as the Apostle calleth it Heb 12.28 is a kingdome that cannot be shaken therefore they that are standing â—illars there so Christ calls the Saints consummated â—e free from falling Apcc. 3.12 Zach. 12.8 Jn that day saith the prophet â—achary shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Ierusalem â—nd he that is feeble the word is a stumbler among you â—all be lâ—ke unto David and the house of David as the Anâ—ells as the Angell of God before them Now the Anâ—ells cannot fall The second place is Hell and that is a â—â—oale wherein sinners lye bound hand and foot in chains â—f darknesse and that without delivery they cannot be â—osed they cannot be raised their sentence is irrecoverable and their state unrecoverable Luk. 16 26. So Abraham tells â—ives Lu. 16. The third place is the earth the mid-way to the other two which partaketh of them both here â—â—en both stand and fall And no marveile for the best â—â—e sonnes of Adam aswell as of God partly flesh and partly spirit not only Saints but also sinners living in the Church not triumphant but militant And this Church is in the Canticles aptly resembled by the moone for shee hath her wexings and her wainings she cometh â—eerer and goeth further from the sunne the sunne of righteousnesse as Malachi calls Christ Mal 4.2 in the fourth of his prophesie So then this admonition is directed to 〈◊〉 that are pilgrims not to them that are at home to wayfaring men not to them that are at their journeys and and it is directed to us all Whosoever thinkes hee stands I said in my prosperity I shall never be removed thou Lord of thy goodnes hadst made my hill to stand so strong Psa 30 6. saith â—â—ing David Though all men bee offended Mat. 26.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Saint Peter unto Christ yet will I never bee offended Behold great security in King David and no lesse in Saint Peter yet when God hid his face the King confessed that hee was troubled Psa 30 3. and his trouble was a fall a great downe-fall as it appeareth verse 3. where he thanketh God that he had brought up his soule from beâ— and revived him from among them that did goe downe to the pit Christ did looke away from Saint Peter and he stumbled and fell too and that very low for hee denyed yea forswore his master so farre was he from standing to or dying for his master What can wee say the to these things If a King a King of Israel a King after God owne heart Gal. 2.9 if an Apostle one of those three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galathians 2. that seemed a pillar among the Apostles that was surnamed Cephas in prophesied his faith if such a King such an Apostle King Daâ—iâ— and Peter could not so stand but they fell who in the Common-weale who in the Church dare say I shall never be removed I will never be offended Surely the weaknesse must needs be in all that tempteth them thâ— are the very best of all He that thinks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fulness of sense he that seemes Now a man may seeme onely 〈◊〉 others or also to himselfe so that the sence is somewhâ—â— restrained by translating it he that thinks for he thâ— thinks he stands seemes onely to himselfe But it is 〈◊〉 done without cause If a man seeme to stand onely 〈◊〉 others 1. Cor. 2 11. no wonder if he fall No man knoweth the thing of a man save the spirit of man which is in him Easie there fore it is to be deceived in our judgement of another man Hypocrisie may vaile the greatest impiety Decâ—â— full workers saith Saint Paul transforme themselves iâ— the Apostles of Christ and no marvell for Satan 〈◊〉 selfe can be transformed into an angell of light But 〈◊〉 smothered is like a sicknesse palliated it will not be 〈◊〉 ere it breake out and breake out more violently Theâ— ample of Iudas the traytor Simon Magus the sorcerâ— Julian the Apostata are proofe enough that such standâ— will soone fall but for him to fall that seemeth to 〈◊〉 selfe to stand his case is more wofull and this admonâ—â— on the more behoofefull The Corinthians were too well conceited of their own stability therefore doth the Apostle presse them with a consideration of their mutability Hereupon the Translator regarding fitnesse rather â—hen fulnesse of sense expresseth the touch that the Apostle giveth at their pride by rendring it he that thinks He â—hat thinks he stands Standing and falling are words borrowed from things corporall to note those that are spirituall alluding both 〈◊〉 the comparison of Gods word to a way wherein we â—ust all walke In our walking there are enemies that would supplant us and according to our walking God will respect us if we be neither foiled of our enemies nor â—isallowed of God In both cases the Scripture saith we â—and stand against them and stand before him Of the â—â—rst Saint Paul protesteth unto Felix Act. 24.16 that he endeavourâ—â—d to have a conscience towards God and men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which stumbleth not without offence And how far he â—ad obtained it he reporteth to King Agrippa Acts 26.21 for â—reaching repentance the Iewes tooke me in the Temple â—â—d would have killed me neverthelesse I obtained helpe 〈◊〉 God and stand to this day witnessing to great and small 〈◊〉 other things then those