Sect. 1.

FOr the Antiquity, first, of the sacred Scriptures, they are the words of the Eternall God, the conceptions and expressions that were, before all beginnings, in the minde of the Most High,Verbum Patris id [...]ò dictum est, quia per ipsum innotescit Pater. Aug. de fide. c. 3. Prov. 1.23. Jesus Christ that came out of the bosome of his Father, and is both the Essentiall and Enunciative [Page 42]Word,Dan. 8.13. hee alone is that Palmoni hammedabber, that excellent speaker in Daniel, that knowes all the se­crets of his Father as perfectly, and uttors them as readily as if they were numbred before him (as the word there imports.) Hee it was that went of old and preached by Noah unto the spirits now in prison: 1 Pet. 3.19. that spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets, or otherwise, and afterwards, in the dayes of his flesh, revealed to the world those things that he had heard of the Father, Joh. 8 26. This was his office, as Media­tour and Archprophet, and this hee faithfully fulfilled from the begin­ning of the world. The Father ne­ver spake or appeared immediately, but in the baptisme and transfigura­tion of the Sonne. For this is a rule in Divinity, [...] Theo­log. Rules, out of I [...]s and Tertull [...]. that where the Old Testament brings in God appearing and speaking to the Patriarchs and Prophets, we are to understand it alway of the second Person;Rev. 1.14. whose head and whose haire (when he deli­vered the Revelation to his servant [Page 43] John) are said to be white like wooll, yea as white as snow, denoting his venerable Antiquity or rather Eter­nity.Mark 16.5. The Cherubims were framed and the Angels ever appeared in the forme of young men: not so the Ancient of Dayes, Dan. 7.9. He it was that had no sooner made man upon the earth (and is then first sti­led Jehovah Elohim) but he rejoyced in the habitable part of Gods earth, Genes. 1. that Microcosme Man, that miracle of daring Nature, as the Heathen called him: [...] Tris­megist. in P [...] ­nuvidio. his delights were with the sonnes of men, (Prov. 8.31.) to whom he appeared, & with whom he parled in Paradise. After the fall hee gently called them to account, and reasoned it out with them: which he would not deigne to doe for the Serpent, but presently doo­med him, not once asking, What hast thou done? Hee preached the first Gospel to them, and there de­livered them that grand Charter of their and our salvation,Gen. 3.15. 1 Iohn 3.8. The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head, dissolve the devils worke, as S. [Page 44] John expounds it. By immediate revelation from him it was that A­dam taught his sonnes to sacrifice,Gen. 4.3. & 26. and his nephewes to call publikely on the name of the Lord. Yea out of the mouth of Adam (divinely-directed) as out of a fountaine, issued all the profitable doctrine, discipline, know­ledge, and skill that is in the world. Josephus tells us, that by Adam and Seth two tables or pillars were made and erected,Antiq. l. 1. the one of brasse, the other of stone, and that therein was written the word of God, and certaine prophecies, whereby that word was preserved for the use of the old world.De civ. Dei lib 15. cap. 24. Austin thinkes it may be proved out of the Epistle of Saint Jude, that Enoch wrote some­thing. To mee truly, saith that di­vine Chronologer, it seemes pro­bable,Bucholcer. Chron. that Moses in his Genesis col­lected and contrived into an entire and just body of a continuate Hi­story, such things as had beene oc­casionally noted, and here and there observed by the Fathers, and left to posterity. For Moses himself (saith [Page 45]he) makes mention of the Booke of the warres of the Lord.Numb. 22. Iosh. 10.13. And Jo­shua his disciple cites the booke of Jasher, Hieron. in E­zek. 18. Parcus prole­g [...]m. in Genes. which Hierome will have to be Genesis, but others of good note dissent and doubt of it. It is not un­likely that even afore Moses his time there were extant some remaines of ancient Records and Annotations: the diligent perusall, and carefull collection whereof, (together with a most profitable addition of other as yet unwritten verities (to the knowledge whereof he came either by Revelation or Tradition) was committed by God to his servant and Secretary Moses, for the sup­port and comfort of his poore peo­ple (then groning under the Egyp­tian bondage, or wandring in the wildernesse) and of succeeding ages. The late Jewes make such recko­ning of Genesis, that they have num­bred the very letters of it, which a­mount to 4395. Those three first Chapters thereof are the fountaine of all the following Scriptures, and the common Catechisme of the [Page 46]Churches of both Testaments; in explaining and applying whereof, are spent all the Sermons and other labours of the Prophets & Apostles. The time betweene the Creation and the Flood, Varro (that great Antiquary, and the most learned of the Romanes, as Saint Austin holds him) calls it [...],Degor. Whear. Method p. 25. or obscure and uncertaine, which to us out of Mo­ses is [...], clear and well known. A very ancient Priest of Egypt (that had read Moses, likely) told Solon the Athenian Law-giver, [...] Plato in Timaeo. You Gre­cians are all boyes and babies in mat­ter of Antiquity, neither is there one old man amongst you. The Athe­nians bragge of Cecrops the founder of their City, and the Thebanes of their King Ogyges: and of them they terme all ancient things Ce­cropian and Ogygian. Eras. Chiliad. And perad­venture they will tell us that at that time folke bred out of the earth in the country about Athens, as though they spake of Mush-romes and Gras­hoppers. Long time after this came their gods, and Oracles; insomuch [Page 47]that all the Greeke History is, as you would say, tongue-tyed for many hundred yeares after; like a brooke that loseth it selfe within thirty pa­ces of its first spring. There is not any notable thing in that story of the Greekes afore the captivity of Babylon. Ezra is the latest, one of them, in the canon of the Hebrew writers; and yet he lived afore the time that Socrates taught in A­thens, about three thousand and six hundred yeares after the Creation, and afore any Chronicles of the world now extant in the world. Diod [...]rus Siculus confesseth that all Heathen Antiquities before the Theban and Troian warres, are ei­ther fabulous narrations, or little bet­ter. Eusebius and Clemens Alexan­drinus shew, that whatsoever in Plato savours of Divinity, hee bor­rowed it from Moses; whom hee meanes alwayes, as some guesse, by this phrase, [...],Clem. Alex, Strom, [...]. 1. as the old saying hath it. Hence al­so he was called by Num [...]nius the Pythagorist, Moses Atti [...]us. Py­thagoras [Page 48]bade his Schollers search till they came to Unity in every thing, [...]. &c. Pythag. Deut 6.4. Iliad 4. [...]. Proleg, in Ge­nesin. pointing thereby (as is thought) to the one God; accor­ding to that of Moses, Jehovah thy God, Jehovah is one. Homer saith, parents must be honoured, that wee may be long-lived. Socrates in his Apology, I love and embrace you, saith he, O ye Athenians, but yet I will obey God rather than man. David Chytraus affirmeth the mo­rall writings of Philosophers to bee nothing else but a commentary on the Decalogue. Which of the Po­ets or Philosophers, saith Tertullian, hath not drunk at the Well of Mo­ses and the Prophets? Whereupon Theodoret rightly calls Moses the great Ocean of Divinity, [...]. Serm. 2 de prm. out of which, all the Prophets and Apo­stles, to the last of them, have wa­tered their severall gardens. What peece soever of holy Scripture fol­loweth this, is but a commentary upon this, saith Pareus in the per­close of his commentary upon Ge­nes [...]. After Moses comes Joshua, [Page 49]and gives record to Moses. The Judges succeed Joshua: Samuel, the Judges: Kings and Chronicles, Sa­muel: and the Prophets succeeded them all. Among that goodly fel­lowship of Prophets, Samuel is rec­koned the first after Moses, Act. 13.20. God indeed is said to have come to Balaam, Abimelech, Laban, and some other profane persons before and after, but he never concredited his Word to these, as he did to the holy Prophets, which have beene since the world beganne; of whom it is said, that the Word of the Lord came unto them, like as it did to Mo­ses the man of God. None of them ('tis true) conversed so familiarly with God as hee did, whom God spake with face to face, Exod. 33.11. as a man doth with his friend. Yet ought not the Prophets writings to be reject­ed, as they were by the brain-sicke Sadducees, whom therefore our Sa­viour refutes out of Moses onely.Math. 21.31. Neither yet to be sleighted (in com­parison) as they are by the Jewes at this day, who in then Church Li­turgy [Page 50]reade one lesson out of the Law by some chiefe person,Sands his Re­lation of the West. Relig. and a­nother out of the Prophets by some boy or meane companion. For they will in no sort (saith mine Authour) doe honour, neither attribute that authority to any part of the Bible that they doe to their Law. But this is to have the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of per­sons.Iam 2.1. For was it not one God, that spake by the mouth (as of one) of his holy Prophets, [...]. Luke 1.70. which have beene since the world beganne? In other cases I grant, that antiquissimum quódque est verissimum, adulterinum quod po­sterius, truth is more ancient than falshood: that classicke Authours are to be preferred before moderne; and that of Aristotle holds true of humane witnesses, [...]. Rhet. l. 1. Vinum quò ma­gis tran fundi­tur, evanesi it magis, tandem (que) fit vappa. Degor. Whear. The ancientest are most to be credited, as lesse corrup­ted. For as wine the oftner it is pou­red from vessell to vessell, the more it loseth of its spirits and sparkinesse: and as a picture that is taken at the lively image loseth somewhat of its nature: that which is taken at the [Page 51]patterne, somewhat more: and so from one to another, they vary, in the end, so far from the originall, that there is scarce left any resem­blance. [...]. Nihil mihi an­tiquiùs, i. po­tius. This may be true in humane testimonies, and transactions. But for the severall parts and peeces of holy Scripture, may we not aske of them, as the Prophet in another case, Who is their Father? 1 Sam 10.12. Malach. 2.10. Esay 9.6. Have they not all one Father? even the Father of eternity, to whom a thousand yeares (by reason of the vastnesse of his being) are but as yesterday,Psal. 40.4. when it is past? Were they not all dicta­ted and indited by the same Spirit, and are therefore of equall antiquity and authority? Come they not all from so authenticall an Authour, as is the Authour and finisher of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last?

I speake not here of Apocryphall books, which were neither penned by the Prophets or Apostles,Omnes literae quibus Christus prophetatus est, apud Iudaeos sunt. August in Psal. 56. nor written in Hebrew, and kept a­mong the Jewes, neither yet have they in them the print of the Spirit, [Page 52]which the spirituall man discerneth, but containe some things frivolous, and some things false, not dissonant onely, but repugnant to the holy Scriptures. Reade them fruitfully we may for morall instruction, and for the better understanding of the story of the Church, but reade wee must with judgement and choice, and where wee finde them contra­dicting the Scriptures, we must kill the Egyptian, and save the Israelite. But for the holy Prophets, take that of our Saviour,Math 10 41. Hee that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophets reward. We cannot now receive them into our houses, into our hearts we may and must, as the Church of God hath ever done before us. Who the pen­men were of those bookes that are called by the Hebrewes Nebim Re­s [...]onim, the former Prophets, that is, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and of those other a­mong the Hagiographa, [...] whose Au­thors are not expressed, there needs no great enquiry. When Letters [Page 53]come from the King, saith Gregory, Regiis epistolis acceptis, quo ca­lamo scriptae sint, ridiculum est, quaerere. Greg. it were an odde thing to bee much inquisitive with what penne they were written. It is not altogether improbable, that Ezra, that perfect Scribe, either himselfe, or with the helpe of other his holy colleagues, did, by the immediate motion and inspiration of the holy Ghost, com­pile those bookes of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, out of diverse ancient and honourable Records, charily kept by the Church, as written by the Prophets of those severall ages: (Davids acts are expresly said to have beene set downe by Gad and Nathan) and that he or they digested and dispo­sed them in that order that now, of a long time, the Church hath had and read them. For it is not likely that Samuel himselfe, when hee should relate the words of Saul, seeking to him for advice about the Asses, that he, I say, should preface thus, He that is now-adayes called a Prophet, was anciently called a Seer. No,Scultet. Annal. Epist. dedic. but they sound rather in [Page 54]any mans eares, like the words of another, that reports things done long before.

As for the later Prophets, as they call them, Isay, Jeremy, and the rest, Calvin tells us (and he ga­thers it out of Habac. 2. and Esay 8.) that after the Prophets had preach­ed to the people, their manner was to set down a briefe summe of their Sermon, and to fasten it to the doores of the Temple, that all men might know and take more notice of the Prophecie.Calvin. in Isai. praefat. Which when it had hung there for a certaine num­ber of dayes, as long as was thought fit, the Priests office was to take it downe, and lay it up safe in the Treasury, that it might there remain for a perpetuall monument. And hence hee conceives the bookes of the Prophets to have beene made up, and notes it for a singular pro­vidence of God,Iunius in orat. de Test. Vet. that the Priests (which yet were often ill-minded men, and profest enemies to the Prophets) should bee used as Gods instruments to conserve and convey [Page 55]the prophecies entire, as wee have them, to posterity.

Now for the writings of the A­postles,Nulli ne ipsis quidem Prophe­tis tam ampliter contigit, insalli­bilitatis privile­gium, ac Aposto­lis: quippe cum his [...]e perpetuum illud fuerit, illis verò saepiùs in­tervallatum, & f [...]rè non extra ipsos prophetan­di paroxysmos durans. Tayler & B [...]o [...]ius con­tra Maximum, ex Gatake [...]o. besides that priviledge of Infallibility wherewith they were endued even above the Prophets, as some are of opinion: no wise man doubteth (saith Scultetus) but that the Disciples of our Saviour re­corded and registred his daily Ora­cles and miracles in their day-books and private annalls; out of which afterwards the Evangelicall history was extracted, composed, and com­piled.

Saint Luke is reputed the first of the foure that wrote the Gospel; what others attempted onely, [...]. Luke 1.1. [...]. hee effected, Luke 1.1. The Fathers held (many of them) that he recei­ved his Gospel from Saint Paul: but himselfe tells us he had it from those that were eye-witnesses, which Paul was none. Saint Ambrose rightly preferres him for setting downe things more distinctly and orderly than the rest, according to his promise to his most excellent [Page 56] Theophilus, Chap. 1 vers. 3. And as he doth it orderly, [...]. cohaerenter. Bez. [...]. and coherently, as the word signifies so originally, and from the very first verse, or from a high, as himselfe speakes. For he begins his history, not at the workes of our Saviour, as Saint Marke, nor at his birth onely, as Saint Mathew, but at his conception. Yea, at the conception and parentage of his forerunner. Saint John indeed soa­reth higher, even to our Saviours Divinity, and is therefore called the Divine, [...]. Hieron. in E­zech. 1.10. Greg Mag. Hom. 4. in E­zech. Glos. ordin. & interl [...]n. and hath the Eagle for his ensigne assigned him by the Anci­ents. But of him more in his place.

Mathew of a publican, by a gra­cious call from Christ, became an Apostle and Evangelist. Publicans were officers for the Romanes, to take toll and tribute of the Jewes, and were therefore extreamly ha­ted among them, and not altoge­ther undeservedly. For they were (most of them) notoriously uncon­stionable griping fellowes, as we see in Z [...]ch [...]us. A faithfull Publican was so rare at Rome it selfe (how [Page 57]much more in the remoter Provin­ces?) that one Sabinus, for his ho­nest managing of that office, in an honourable remembrance thereof, had certaine images erected with this superscription, The honest Pub­lican. [...]. Suet. in V [...]spasiano. But that the hatred born them by the Jewes (ever impatient of fo­raine exactions, and bragging of their freedome,Iohn 8. when most in bon­dage) was greater than there was cause, is apparent in the Gospel.Iudaei, quibus olim publicani tantopere exosi fucrunt, hodie sunt Turcarum publicani, adm­rabili quodam Dei judicio. Be­za in Math. 5.46. Now see the just judgement of God upon them. They that so much ha­ted Publicans of old, are now turn'd Publicans to the Turkes, whose re­venues of the sea they rent at this day, as those of old did of the Ro­manes. But this by the way onely.Luke 5.29. [...]. Ad verbum, acce­ptionem magnā; quod passim in co omnes acci­piantur. Annot. Er [...]nus ex Athenaeo splen­didum epulum [...] vocari. It is more to our present purpose, that, as much was forgiven this bles­sed Apostle, so he loved much, and sealed up his love by a liberall feast, for joy of his conversion: which while the other Evangelists relate, they conceal [...] the name of Mathew, whereby he was best knowne, and call him Levi [...] but hee, by a gra­cious [Page 58]simplicity, freely and plainly reports his owne more common name,Omnipotenti me­dico nullus in­sanabilis occur­rit morbus. Isi­dor. and the nature of his offence, that the greater the cure was, the more honour might accrue to Christ that cured him; and as a con­firmation of the cure called him to so high an office in his Church.

After him comes Saint Marke, and abridgeth him, yet ever with usury, and some singular addition, for the most part. Whether hee wrote his Gospel at Peters mouth, which is the common opinion, or otherwise, I have not to say. But if he did, who can beleeve that either Peter himselfe, or Marke his Nota­ry, would ever have past over in si­lence that famous Tues Petrus, thou art Peter, Math. 16. &c. that the Papists so bragge of, and build on, if hee had held it (as they doe) to have beene the foundation of the Catho­like Church. Peters deniall this E­vangelist sets downe more expresly and amply than any other.

Lastly, for Saint John, there is an Ecclesiasticall tradition, and Euse­bius [Page 59]records it,Hist Eccles. lib. 3 cap. 21. that the three for­mer Evangelists being presented to him by the Saints at Ephesus, that he might peruse them, and by his testimony recommend them to the Churches reading, he well approved and ratified what they had written. Onely he thought meet that some­thing more should be added con­cerning such of our Saviours words and workes as did clearly evince and evidence his Deity; which, even in those purer times, began to be oppugned by Ebion, Cerinthus, and other odious heretikes and apo­states. Wherefore at the instant re­quest of the Church, but chiefly by the instinct and motion of the holy Ghost, who set him a worke, he un­dertooke in his old age the writing of this fourth Gospel, that now beares his name. That lofty and lively beginning thereof, I doubt not, saith Mercer, Mercer. in Prov. Amelius Pla­tonicus apud Cyrill. Alex. lib. 8. contra Iulian. Apostat. but he tooke out of Prov. 8.22. A certaine Philoso­pher lighting upon it by accident, cryed out, Hic barbarus, &c. This barbarian hath heaped up more mat­ter [Page 60]in three words, than all wee have done in so many volumes. The learned and judicious Junius con­fesseth,In vita sua. that he was converted from Atheisme by the serious reading of this first Chapter. Never could any man say better than this beloved Disciple, both of his Gospel, and of his Revelation,1 Iohn 1.1, 3. That which we have heard and seene with our eyes, &c. of the word of life, declare we unto you. The Alogians recited all Saint Johns writings, the Valerians all the Gos­pels but Saint Johns. Some other peeces of the New Testament have beene questioned by some, but caus­lesly; as likewise in the Old Testa­ment, the Anabaptists reject the booke of Job as a tragicomicall fi­ction, Canticles as a love-song, Ec­clesiastes as a doctrine of liberty, and doore to Atheisme. But this no­thing elevateth or diminisheth their worth and authority with the sound and sober-minded.Ob. If here it bee objected, that counterfeit writings might bee published and put upon the Word under the name [Page 61]of the Apostles. I answer with M. Perkins, Sol. In ep. ad Galdt. If they were in the dayes of the Apostles, they by their au­thority cut them off. And therefore Paul saith, If any teach otherwise,Evangelium, quod tum prae­coniaverunt, poslea in Scri­pturis nobis tra­di lerunt. Iren. Cum credimus, hoc primum credimus, nihil esse quod ultrà credere debea­mus. Tertul. Rev. 22.18. [...]. G [...]d. 3. let him bee accurst. And as they faithfully committed to writing what they had preached for a pillar and foundation of our faith, so they provided that no coūterfeits should be foisted under their names after their departure. And hereupon John the last of the Apostles, concludes the New Testament with this clause, If any man shall adde unto these things, God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke. The Scripture foresaw (as Saint Paul hath it) there would bee forgers and fa [...]furies, and that Anti­christ would usurpe authority to chop and change, to foist in and force upon the Church, for doctrines the devices of men: to coine and obtrude new articles of faith, as they have lately done in their Trent-con­venticle. God therefore hath spo­ken it with his mouth, and made it [Page 62]good with his hand upon them,2 Chron. 6. 15 (as Salomon phraseth it in his prayer) by adding to them the plagues written in this booke: that one a­bove the rest, the noysome and grie­vous ulcer, falling upon the men that have the marke of the beast, af­ter the first and fift Angel had pou­red out his viall, Revel. 16.1, 2, 10. These Angels are (according to most Interpreters) the Preachers of the Gospel, and those renowned Reformers: that sore and grievous ulcer is, as some will have it, the French disease,Bullingerus, Are us, alti: but, as others bet­ter, the devils disease of envy and e­vill will to the Gospel,Pareus. 2 [...]hess. 3.1. which (maugre their malice) runnes, as the Apostle speaketh, and is glorified. This these wicked Popelings see and are grieved, Psal. 112.10. they gnash with their teeth, and melt away: yea they gnaw their tongues for paine and torment of their sores,Rev. 16.9, 10. they blaspheme the Name (that is,Invidiâ Siculi non invenere ty­ranni Majus tormen­tum. the Word) of God which hath power over these plagues, and repent not to give him the glory. Sed in hoc ulcere non ero [Page 63]unguis: it shall suffice to have poin­ted at it.

Section 2.

SEcondly, is it the very Word of God that we reade in the Bible? and is Hee the undoubted Authour thereof? this then informes and advertiseth us of the surpassing di­gnity and supereminent excellency of that thrice-sacred Booke, above all humane writings whatsoever. That which David said of Goliahs sword, may be fitly applyed to the sword of the Spirit,1 Sam. 21.9. there is none to that. And as of the river Pison in Paradise, that compasseth the land of Havilah, it is recorded that there is gold, and with an emphasie,Gen. 2.11, 12. the gold of that land is good: There is al­so Bdellium, and the Onyx stone. The other three rivers have nothing said of them in comparison of this first, though they doubtlesse had their se­verall commendations: So stands the case betweene this and all other [Page 64]Bookes, though suo genere never so praise-worthy.Prov. 31. Many daughters (so Authours) have done vertuously, but this excells them all. There was not such a man as Job, Iob 1. nor can there bee such a Booke as this in all the earth. Hence it is called the Bible that is, the Booke, by an excellency, as the onely Booke,Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae, procedat in mediū codex Dei. In Psal 57. Ego odi meos li­bvos, & saepè opto e [...]s in crire, &c. Luther. in Genes. 1 4. Evanges [...]i libri sunt & Aposto­lici, an iqu [...]il (que) Prophetarum oracula, quae nos manifestò [...]siru­unt, &c. susci­piamus igit [...] ex sermonibus divinitùs inspi­ratis quaestionum solutionem. Chemnit ex Theodo [...]et. And the Word is that which should bee ever soun­ding in our eares; and the Scriptures as being to all other writings, as Jo­sephs shea [...]e was to his brethrens, or as the Sunne to the lesser Starres. Hence that of Saint Austin, Away with our writings, that roome may be made for the Booke of God. And that of Luther, I heartily hate mine owne bookes, and could wish them out of the world, because I feare they keepe men from spending so much time in reading Gods Booke, the only fountain of al true wisdom. And that of Constantine the Great, wherewith he opened the Councell of Nice; Yee have the New Testa­ment and the Old, which plainly instruct us what to judge in divine [Page 65]matters. Out of these therefore let us fetch answers to al questions that shall be moved amongst us; as the High-priest did, of old, at the Ora­cle; for they have God for their au­thour, and are the platforme of that wisedome that is in God himselfe, 1 Cor. 2.6, 7. Excellent things are in Scripture-phrase said to be things of God, as tall trees, high mountains, famous cities, I have wrastled with my sister, with wrastlings of God, Gen. 30 [...]. said Rachel, that is, with great wrast­lings, and have prevailed. How much more may the Bible bee said to be of God (which sets forth its precious and peerlesse worth) sith he uttered some of it with his own mouth, and so might say as Joseph did once to his brethren, Behold you see that mine owne mouth speakes: and wrote other some with his owne finger, as the Decalogue, Deut. 5.22. and so might say as Paul to Philemon, I Paul have writ­ten it with mine owne hand, vers. 19. That one short Epistle to Philemon (sith we are fallen into the mention [Page 66]of it) though about so low and ab­ject an object, so poore and petty a matter, as the receiving againe of a fugitive bondslave, yet with what admirable pithinesse and powerful­nesse of speech is it set forth. Plena lacertorum & roboris epistola, Scultet. obser­vat. singu­lis ferè verbis singula argumenta, saith one. Not a word but hath its waight, not a syllable but hath its substance. Those Epistles written, as is pretended, by Paul to Seneca, they have his name indeed, but not the least dram or drop of his spirit, they savour not of his Apostolicall majesty and gravity, which shineth even in this the least of all his Epi­stles.Paulum qua­tiescunque lego, videor mihi n n verba audire, sed tonitrna. In brevitate verborum est lu­xuries rerum. Origen. As often as I reade Saint Paul, saith Hierom, me thinkes I heare not words but thunders. In fewnesse of words he hath all fulnesse of matter, saith Origen, and sets a grace and a glosse upon meane matters, in his manner of handling them. How much more when he treats of Pre­destination, or any such profound mystery; as in that lofty and lively Epistle to the Romanes, which Me­lancthon [Page 67]was wont to call the con­fession of our Churches, and thought it time well spent to goe over it a matter of ten severall times in his ordinary Lectures. The truth is, it is such as never could any man think speake or write sufficiently of its worth and excellency. M. Perkins adviseth in reading the Scriptures, first to beginne with the Gospel of Saint John, and this Epistle to the Romanes: after, with the Prophet Esay; because these three bookes bee as the keyes to open the right understanding of the rest. Saint Je­rome doubts not to affirme of that prophecie of Esay, Quicquid est sanctarum scri­pturarum, quic­quid potest hu­mana lingua pro­ferre, aut sensus concipere, in e [...] volumine conti­netur. that whatsoever other peece there is of holy Scri­pture, whatsoever mans minde can conceive, or tongue expresse, is con­tained in this one booke. Esay him­selfe calls it a great Booke, wherein but little was written, chap. 8.1. We may safely call it a little book, wher­in great things are written: even those mirabilia of the Law,Hos. 8.12. and ma­gnalia of the Testimony or Gospel, for so that Prophet in the same [Page 68]chapter divides the holy Scriptures into the Law and Testimony,Esay 8.20. as in­to its integrall parts. To the Law, saith he, and to the Testimony. Now the Gospel is often called the Testi­mony (by Saint John especially) be­cause it testifies of Christ, [...]. whose ve­ry name, Jesus, is a short Gospel, the very summe and substance of all the good newes in the world. The na­tivity, preaching, persecution, ap­prehension, death, resurrection, as­cension of our Saviour, yea and latter comming to judgement, is lively set forth by this one Prophet Esay: whence hee was called by a Father the Evangelicall Prophet. The Babe of Bethlehem is wrapt up, as it were, in the swathing-bands of both Testaments. Christ is both the sub­ject and object, the Authour and matter of the Scriptures. This makes much to the setting forth of their worth and excellency: for he is the chiefe of ten thousand, Cant. 5.10. and we (if ever we will profit by hearing, teaching, reading) must have our eye turned toward Christ, as the faces of the [Page 69]Cherubims were toward the Mer­cy-seat. For this hee is called the Word, [...] Propter articu­lum ad filium Dei refero. not onely by Saint John of­ten, but by Saint Luke also, Chap. 1.2. because hee is the matter and marke of the Word; scarce a leafe or line in the Bible, but some way leads to Christ, as the Starre did the Wise-men, and even point him out, as John Baptist did, with an Ecce Agnus Dei, Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world. In the Old Testament we have bookes Priestly, Princely, and Propheticall. As in the New, the Gospels are regall, shewing that Christ was King of the Jewes: the Epistles more Sacerdoticall, begin­ning and ending with praises and prayer, (those sacrifices of the Gos­pel) and the Revelation is meerly propheticall. Hence that of our Saviour, Search the Scriptures, Iohn 5. for they are those that testifie of mee. Now Christ is the most excellent and praise-worthy person in the world, the fairest among men, 2 Sam. 18.3. worth tenne thousand of us, as the people [Page 70]said of David. Looke upon him as he stands described in the Text. For his nobility, he is Gods owne Sonne; for his riches, he is heyre of all things; for his wisdome, he made the worlds; for his eminency, hee is the bright­nesse of his Fathers glory, and the ex­presse image of his person; for his might, he upholdeth all things by the word of his power; for his merits, he hath by himselfe purged our sinnes; for his preferment, he sate downe at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Loe this is He whom the Scripture treats of, yea this is he who treats with us in the Scriptures; and hath therein made us a pithy and perfect draught and description of himselfe. Saint Chrysostome falling occasio­nally into the commendation of S. Paul, Ne tanti viri laudes oratione sua elevaret magis quam exornaret. feared much, lest with the slendernesse of his stile he should ra­ther lessen, than to the life set forth the worthy praises of so praise-wor­thy a person. And Gregory Nazian­zen speaking of Basil the Great, There wants but his owne tongue, saith hee, to commend him with. [Page 71]An exact face, saith the Oratour,Picto es pulchra absolutam (que) fa­ciem rarò nisi in pejus effin­gunt. is seldome drawne but with disadvan­tage: and therefore great Alexan­der forbade his portraiture to bee painted by any other than Apelles, or carved by any but Lysippus, men famous in those faculties. But here there is no such thing to bee feared, because Christ the Matter is also Authour of the holy Scripture: whence it is cal d the word of Christ, Coloss. 3.16. Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisedome. Any the least re­lation to the Lord Christ, is that which innobleth and raiseth the worth of any thing. Bethlehem, where he was borne, is therefore, though the least, yet not the least a­mong all the cities of Judah, Mat. 2.6. with Micah 5.2. And Rev. 7. of those that were sealed, as a­mong the sons of Leah, Judah hath the preheminence, for alliance to Christ according to the flesh; so a­mong those of Rachels side, Neph­thali is first reckoned for his dwel­ling in that tribe at Capernaum; which is therefore also said to bee [Page 72] lifted up to heaven, Math. 11. because there he dwelt, and there hee preached this word of the kingdome, Math. 9. yea of Christ the King: which should therefore familiarly dwell in us, [...]. Coloss. 3.16. as a houshold guest; yea it should in-dwell in us, as the word there signifies, and as Paul bids Timothy, 1 Tim. 4 15. [...]. Be thou in these things, give thy selfe wholly to them, that thy profiting may appeare to all. [...]. Yea it should in-dwell in us richly in the best roome, as a welcome and well-knowne guest. Entertaine it not in the eare only, [...]. 1 Thess. 2.12. as in the porch or out-roomes, but let it lodge, yea dwell worthy of Christ (whose Word it is) in your mindes, memo­ries, affections, conversations. Get a Bible stampt in your heads, and the counterpane thereof engraven in your hearts, Heb. 8.10. that yee may be manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, (which is the crowne of all commendation, and that which actuates, with acceptation and life, all other good parts and practices) written not with inke, 2 Cor. 3.3. but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables [Page 73]of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. Rom. 6.17. [...]. This is to be delivered up to the forme of doctrine delivered un­to us in the holy Scriptures: this is to bee cast into the mould of the Word (as the beleeving Romanes were) and were therefore famous for their faith throughout all the world.Rom. 1.8. This is to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in us, in our very hearts, (as the two tables were laid up in the Arke of the Covenant) and that in all knowledge, which the Scripture counts and calls the onely riches wherewith the heart should bee stored, as a rich mans house is fraught with stuffe in every corner. I counsell thee, saith Christ,Rev 3.18. Prov. 23.23. to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou maist be rich: buy this truth, but sell it not, saith Salomon: and the Queene of Sheba took his coun­sell. She prized his wisedome above gold, and therefore presented him with abundance of gold: sweeter it was to her than the sweetest o­dours,2 Chron. 9 1. and therefore shee came to him with Camels laden with the [Page 74]best spices. Dearer it was to her than the dearest gems and jewels, therefore she found in her heart to part with the most precious stones and ingots, in exchange for it. She had learned, belike, out of Salomons workes, ere she saw him, that wise­dome is more precious than rubies. But say there may be something named that is better than rubies:Tanti vitreum? quanti verum margaritum? Tertull. why all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her, Prov. 3.15. But where is it to be had? and how to be atchieved? by digging in the Mine of the mystery of Christ crucified: the doctrine whereof is by an excellency called wisedome, 1 Cor. 1.24. even the wisedome of God in a mystery, 1 Cor. 2.7. And like as men by studying the Statute-booke, become world­ly-wise and politikes, so by search­ing the Scriptures, truly wise to sal­vation: and he is the wise-man in­deed that makes sure of that. As on the other side, the wise men are a­shamed, saith the Prophet, they are dismaid and taken (to wit, in their [Page 75]owne craft.) [...]. 1 Cor. 3.19. Ier. 8.8, 9. But what may bee the reason? Behold they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisedome is in them? Of that Queene of She­ba the Chronicles of Ethiopia re­port, that her name was Mackedae, that shee had a sonne by Salomon, whom she called David, and made him heyre of that great Empire now called Prester Johns countrey, and that she tooke backe with her twelve thousand Jewes, of every Tribe a thousand. And because the noblest men of that land doe vaunt themselves to be of the blood of Is­rael,Phil. Momaeu [...] de verit. rel. Christ. cap. 26. although they have received the Gospel, yet retaine they circum­cision; not that they thinke it ne­cessary to salvation (say they) but to keepe still the prerogative of their blood. But what prerogative had the Jew? and what profit was there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God. This is set forth with a [...],Rom. 3.2. a prime priviledge, and precellency of pre­ferment to the Jewes above all o­ther [Page 76]nations, [...]. Eph. 2.12. who are therefore said to be without God in the world, be­cause without the word of God; as elsewhere Israel is, one time, said to have beene without God, 2 Chron. 15.2. because without the Law, and a teaching Priest to expound it. Some few sparkes stollen from Scripture have cast such a lustre on the writings of Heathens, as hath made them seeme divine. And those, among the Phi­losophers, as had walked within the warmth of this Sun, and were but tanned a little therewith, have beene esteemed most excellent. As Pytha­goras, who is said to have had con­ference in mount Carmel;Strabo lib. 16. Phocyli­des, whose verses are plainly transla­ted out of Moses; [...]. In Epinomide. [...], &c. In The oeteto p. 176. In Timoeo. Plato, who affir­meth that the most divine Word made the world; that a confor­mity to God is the blessednesse of a man; that this conformity consists in knowledge, righteousnesse, and holinesse; that God made time to­gether with the world; that hee will dissolve the world when hee pleaseth; that in the revolution of [Page 77]so many yeares, men shall be just in the same state wherein they had beene, while alive. He had heard of and hammered at that [...], the Resurrection, spoken of, Math. 19.28. and called elsewhere the re­stauration of all things. [...]. Acts 3.21. As for those Philosophers that lived in these last dayes, (as the text calls them) the dayes of the Gospel, though they renounced not their superstitions, but remained obstinate Heathens, yet they are noted for more divine than those of their sect that went before them. This is to be seene in Seneca, Magnus, & ma­gni anim [...]ille vir fuit, & hunc certè lectoribus suis infundit. of whom Lipsius writes thus: A brave man he was, surely, and of a brave spirit, and infuseth the same into them that reade him. The like may be said of Pliny, whose na­turall History is, in Erasmus his judgement, a rich treasury,Thesaurus, imò verè mundus rerum cognitu dignissimarum. yea a very world of things that deserve to be knowne of all men. And for Plu­tarch, hee so excells his fellowes, that when the question was pro­pounded to that learned Theodorus Gaza, what authour hee would [Page 78]chiefly chuse to reade, if it were so that he must be confined to one; he answered, Plutarch. Something might here bee said (though some­what out of place) touching Sibyl­la's verses concerning Christ, wher­by Marcellinus and Secundianus are reported to have been converted to Christianity;Satis constat Secundianum pictorem & Marcellinum oratorem Sibyllae versibus conside­ratis, Christianos factos esse. Ra­mus in Virg. E [...]log. quartam. as divers were from Popery, in those darke times, by the writings of Chaucer Acts and Mo­num. Bifield on the Coloss. fol. 217 Neand. Chro­nicon. p. 1. Munster Cos­mog. lib. 2.. It is no ab­surdity to grant, saith one, that some of the Sibyls were stirred up by the holy Ghost extraordinarily to pro­phesie of Chirst among the Gen­tiles. And Japhet scattered, in his Europe (saith another) the doctrine of the promised seed, which when it beganne once to slip out of mens mindes, was collected and conserved by the Sibyls. And hence the Hea­then Sages, saith he, fetcht whatso­ever they held aright touching God, the immortality of the soule, the continuance of Empires, &c. Sui­das tells us that Phocylides his ver­ses are meerly stollen out of the Si­bylls. And of what esteeme they [Page 79]were of old among the Romanes, is knowne as well by that relation in Gellius, Gell. noct. At­tic. l. 1. cap. 19. of an old woman that brought first nine of her bookes, which she stiled divine oracles, to Tarquinius Superbus, and requiring an unreasonable rate for them, was turned off with disdaine; but after she had burnt sixe of them, received the whole price for the three that remained. As also by their consul­ting with them upon any impor­tant affaire of state, and their care to keepe them close in their Archivi, Gellius ibid. appointing fifteene select men to that office, as an office of honour to them in that State. How much more was it then to the Jewes a­bove all nations, that to them were committed the Oracles of God, [...]. Act. 7.38. those lively and life-giving Oracles? He shewed his word unto Jacob, his sta­tutes and his judgements to Israel. He dealt not so with other nations, &c. Psal. 147.19, 20. They had other blessings, as gold and silver in abun­dance, but this they want, that is better than both, Psal. 19.10. Like [Page 80]as Ismael had twelve Princes to come of him,Gen. 17.20, 21 but with Jacob will I establish my covenant. This was a mercy worth having, this was the Temple that sanctified the gold of the Temple, Math, 23.17. all other priviledges what­soever. The mercy-seat was no lar­ger than the Arke wherein were the two tables of the Testimony, to shew that Gods speciall mercy is ordinarily confined to such as have his Word and Ordinances.Exod. 25.10. 10 17. Hence those holy Levites recount and rec­kon it for a high favour to the peo­ple of Israel, that God came downe also upon mount Sinai, and spake with them from heaven, giving them right judgements,Neh. 9.13. true lawes, good statutes, &c. This was a wor­thy gift indeed, one of those good gifts and perfect givings that came from above from the Father of lights, and should therefore bee highly prized, as a principall favour.Prov. 22.20. Have not I written to thee excellent things, in counsell and knowledge, saith God? the word signifies precious and princely things, sweet and sin­gular, [Page 81]amiable and admirable,Principalia, du­calia, [...] proprie nomen dignitatis, tertius à rege, Mercer. Cant. Psal. 219.24. Prov. [...]. Melchior Adam de vit. Ger. Theol. such as might well become the greatest States on earth to study and strive after. The King himselfe might bee held in these rafters. David made Gods statutes the men of his counsell. Salomon bids, establish thy thoughts by this counsell, and calleth his Pro­verbes Master-sentences, such as should rule and sway in the whole course of our lives. George Prince of Anhalt carried ever carefully a­bout him Salomon and Siracides, as his Vade mecum. Andronicus the old Emperour of Constantinople, being in a deepe distresse, betooke himselfe for counsell and comfort to the Psalmes of David, which S. Basil fitly calls a common store-house of divine doctrines; horreum ex quo hauriatur, a treasury of heavenly comforts, such as no good can match, no evill over-match. Theo­dosius the second is reported to have written out the bookes of the New Testament with his owne hand, and out of it hee read every day, praying with his wife and si­sters, [Page 82]and singing of Psalmes.Deut. 17.19. The King of Israel was not onely com­manded to reade, but to write out the Law: yea the Jewes say, that if Printing had then beene found out, (as it was, say some, long since among the Chinois) yet was the King bound to write out two co­pies thereof with his owne hand;Weemse his Exercit. pag. 118. one to be kept in the treasury, and another to carry about him conti­nually, as a companion fit for a king. The Persians have a custome at this day to present a rich Alchoran (which is their Bible) to the Prin­ces,Turk. hist. to whom they send Embassa­dours. Charles the fifth, when hee was baptized at Gaunt in Flanders, had seven princely gifts bestowed upon him at the Font. His father gave him the Dutchy of Lutzen­burg,Bucholcerus, ex Zenocaro. another a silver head-peece, another a golden sword, &c. the Abbats gave him a faire Bible with this inscription, Scrutamini Scri­pturas, Search the Scriptures. Bi­shop Latimer, among others of his make that gratified King Henry the [Page 83]eighth with a New-yeares gift, ac­cording to the custome, when some sent gold, some silver, some a purse­full of money, some one thing, some another, he presented a New Testa­ment, with a napkin, having this posie about it,Acts and Mon. fol. 1594. Fornicatores & adul­teros judicabit Dominus, Whore­mongers and adulterers God will judge. The Scriptures, hee knew, would deale plainly with him, and tell him that which others durst not.Sphinx philos. Alphonsus King of Spaine and Naples, was wont to bewaile the case of Kings for this, that they, hea­ring with other mens eares, could seldome heare truth, and therefore he held himselfe happy in his Muti Magistri, his bookes; his Bible especially, which he is reported to have read over fourteene times in course, together with Lyra's and other mens notes upon the Text. Averr [...]s the Philosopher so mad­ly admires his master Aristotle, that he affirmes there is no errour at all to be found in him:Alsted. Chronol. p. 460. that his te­nors were the chiefe truth, and his [Page 84]judgement the utmost bound and extent of humane understanding: that Aristotle was the rule and sam­ple that dame Nature invented, whereby to set forth mans utmost perfection. Yet Aristotle denyes, Gods particular providence, teach­eth the worlds eternity, permits women to make abort other whiles, to cast out their misshapen babes,Iohnstonus de Naturae con­stantia, p. 117. to keepe those lascivious pictures of the gods that had beene confirmed by custome, &c. Cyprian was wont to call to Paulus Concordiensis his Notary for Tertullians works, with a Da magistrum, Reach mee hither my master. Strinxit cala­mum adversus Orthodoxos, Al­sted. Chronol. pag. 432. Yet Tertullian was a man, and had his errours: toward his later time he fell into Monta­nus his heresie, and wrote sharply against the better side. Good there­fore is the counsell of our Saviour,Math. 23.10. 2 Cor. 8.5. Call no man master upon earth, for one is your master, even Christ. Give your selves up to God, as the Mace­donians did, and unto his unerring Apostles and Prophets by the will of God. Justifie his Word with the [Page 85]Publicans, Luke 7.29. Sanctifie it by sanctifying all by the Word and Prayer, as the Apostle speakes of meates and marriage: [...]: 1 Tim. 4.5. [...]. Esay 6 5.9. Nehem. 8.5. Luke 4.16. Glorifie it, as they did, Act. 13.48. or as some copies reade, receive it with joy and admiration, for then there is a bles­sing in it. Set your selves to shew your high esteeme of it, when it is read: as the people stood up in Ne­hemiah, and our Saviour, for our ex­ample, at Nazareth: yea, as Eglon that Heathen, though a fat unweil­dy man, yet, for reverence sake, he stood up to heare the Lords mes­sage: and this he had learned, belike,Iudges 3.20. Numb. 23.18. from the custome and practice of Gods people.

Sect. 3.

THirdly, are the Scriptures of God? this may further inform us of their purity and power. Every word of God is pure, saith Salomon, Prov. 30.5. Psal. 12.6. yea purer than silver seven times tried in a fornace, saith David. And the [Page 86]Gospel is the power of God to salva­tion, Roman. 1.16. Iam. 1.21. saith Paul: such as is able to save your soules, saith James, maugre the malice of all the powers of dark­nesse. Yea, the Word of God, saith our Authour, is lively and powerfull: and it shall well appeare too, for it is sharper than any two-edged sword, Heb. 4.12, 13. piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit, (and that cuts ve­ry neare) of the joynts and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, which mans law meddles not with, further than they are some way discovered: as in a Gentleman of Normandy, put to death by the Parliament of Paris, for an intent he had to kill king Francis the second,French hist. which hee had revealed to his Confessour. Other­wise thought's free from the cen­sure of earthly Courts and Consi­stories. But this pure and powerfull Word of God searcheth the heart, risseth the reines (those seats of lust, and most abstruse remote parts in all the body) yea it rippeth up soule-secrets,Ioh. 4.29. it tells a man all that ever he [Page 87]did, as she said of our Saviour; it ferrets corruption out of its lurking-holes,2 King. 5.26. and tels false Gehezi of his Olive-yards, and other purchases, which hee had only meditated. It searcheth Ierusalem with lights, it descends into the Iowest holes of the heart, and discryes it to bee, as Adonibezeks table was, a palace of pride, a dungeon of darknesse,Iudg. 1.7. a dunghill of uncleannesse, a world of contemplative wickednesse, a very pesthouse of all sorts of paltrement. In this sea there is not only that Le­viathan (some familiar Devill that plaies Rex) but creeping things in­numerable, Psal. 104.25, 26. crawling bugs and bag­gage vermin, vaine thoughts, which are very sinnes, Ier. 4.14. carnall in­tentions, which this spirituall Law takes hold of, and interprets for ex­ecutions. As in Balac, who is said to arise and fight with Israel, Sed fieri dicitur, quod tentātur, aut intenditur, Ribera in Amos 9.5. Josh. 24.9. which yet he did not, because he durst not, but his will was good to it, therefore he did it. And the Heathens saw something of this by the dimme light of Nature, as ap­peares [Page 88]by him who judged that An­tiochus therefore died loathsomely,Incesta est, & sine stupro quae stuprum cupit, Senec: in decla. Quae quia non licuit, non sacit, illa facit, Ovid. because that hee had a good will to burne Diana's temple. But behold the Word of God goes further; for it markes and meets with a noctur­nall pollution, an obscene dreame, yea an involuntary evill motion, or ere it come to consent, though it only passe thorow the soule, as a post by the doore, or as a flash of lightning in the ayre, or as a Dive-dapper on the water: Though it be but as a dream only, not as Pharaohs dreame, which he could remember in the morning, but as Nebuchadnezzars dreame, which he had utterly forgot. Well therefore might our Apostle pro­ceed and say, Neither is there any creature (no not of the heart) that is not manifest in its sight, that is, in the sight of this divine Word; (for so I would read the text.) Thoughts are infinite, nimble, quick and in a secret place; yet are all these things [...] naked for the outside, and for the inside, [...]. dissected, quartered, & as it were cleft thorough the back­bone [Page 89](as the word there signifies,) before the eyes of it, wherewith we have to deale. It is recorded of Moses, that being sent on his foster-fathers quarrell against the King of Ethiopia, (whose daughter he after­wards married, and was therewith upbraided by his brother and sister) to the end that hee might make a speedy onset, he tooke his journey through the wildernesse, wherein were flying Serpents very deadly; which to expell he trained certaine birds, in whose nature he discerned an antipathy with those serpents,Huet of Const. ex Iosepho. whereby he scoured the coast, and so suddenly surprized the City. Such cockatrice egges are hatch t in our hearts, whence issue a brood of deadly stinging lusts: which to dispell, we have Gods holy Word to cleare the passage that the King of glory, with the troops of his royall graces, may enter the fort of our soules.Iohn 15.3. Now are yee cleane by the word that I have spoken unto you, saith our Saviour to his Disciples; and to his Father in their behalfe, [Page 90] Sanctifie them by thy truth, thy Word is truth. Iohn 17.17. Psal. 19.8. The feare, that is the Word of the Lord is cleane, and makes all cleane within and without, being as a dagger in the throat of wicked­nesse, to let out the life-bloud there­of.Psal. 119.11. Thy Word have I hid in my heart, as an amulet, that I might not of­fend against thee. It drives out corruption, as the East wind did the locusts of Egypt into the sea, and dispossesseth that uncleane spi­rit that had entrenched himselfe in the heart, setting up there his se [...]nces, [...]. 2 Cor. 10.3. [...]. 1 Pet. 2.11. Luke 10.18. Math. 12.43. and billeting his souldiers there, to fight against the Soule. It makes him fall as lightning from heaven, as our Saviour sayth, from the heaven of mens hearts, to walke sad and solitary in dry places, seeking rest, [...]. but finding none. All places to him are dry and desert (though o­therwise never so pleasant and po­pulous) where he may not be suffe­red, by this mighty Word there preacht, to rest and roost in the hearts of the inhabitants: neither takes this foule feind any more con­tent [Page 91]to bee there, than men do to walke in a wast and waterlesse wil­dernesse. The legion therefore be­sought him much,Mar. 5.10. that though hee had cast them out of the man; yet he would not cast them out of that coast: for that were as bad as to command them to go into the deep, Luke 8.31. that is to confine them to hell (sith it is their heaven to do hurt) but suffer them to bee thereabouts, be­cause the knowledge they had got of that countrey men, would bee a more compendious way and course to destroy them, than if they should be forced to go further, where they had no such intimate acquaintance.H ram denast [...] ­cam arae dom [...]s­cae praeferunt. Petrus Blesens. Immundus di [...]i­tur. 1 Affe­ctione, quia dili­git immunda. 2 Persuasione, quia suadet im­munda. 3 Habitatione, inhabitat cord [...] immunda, Iaco. de Vorag. Now therefore if among profane Gergesites (that prefer a swinesty before a sanctuary) they find a house (that is, a heart) empty, (to wit of Gods holy Word, that should have been laid up therein as a soveraigne preservative) and swept (of graces, but) garnished (with vice) for he is a foule spirit, and solaceth himselfe in spirituall sluttishnesse) thither he resorts, and there he resides, holding [Page 92]the castle in peace, saving that some­times the Word comming in the power of it, disquiets him, gashing and goring the evill conscience, with unquestionable conviction and horrour: The law was given on mount Sinai that gendreth to bon­dage, a place full of bushes and briars (whence also it hath its denomina­tion) and not unfitly, because like thornes, it pricketh and vexeth the spirits of evill-doers, with a spirit of bondage. It was also given in fire, and that fire is still in it, and will never out. Hence those terrours which it eft-soones flasheth in the faces, and startleth the soules of such, as are not altogether [...] arrived at that dead and dedolent di­sposition,Eph. 4.19. that those living Oracles (Act. 7.38.) cannot possibly pierce them. If the conscience be not ut­terly cauterized, [...] Rom. 8. [...]. 2 Tim. 1.7. the Law will con­vince the judgement (it is the Go­spell only that can convince the af­fections) and ingender in it a spirit of bondage and feare. See this in Herod, who heard John, and did many [Page 93]things, or as other coppies reade that text, he doubted much, [...] was ex­ceedingly amused, amazed, knew not what to think, or which way to look, when the word came so close, and did eat upon his conscience as a moth, Psal. 39.11. This set him at a stand, and stickled sorely with him. Now if after conviction men run a­way with the bit in their mouths; as Herod did, and will on in sin what­ever come of it; their sin abideth, Iohn 9.41. as our Saviour said to the Pharisees; and conscience, though now silen­ced, will have a time to tell them their own. It was not long ere Herod saw John Baptists head, which he had lately cut off, in our Saviours fame, as Theodoricus that tyrant did the head of Symmachus, whom he had slaine, in the mouth of the fish that was set before him, Math. 14.1. At that time Herod heard of the fame of Jesus, [...] and he said to his boyes. This is John Baptist, hee is risen from the dead. The Jewes of that time, (and he it seemes for com­pany) had embraced that dotage of [Page 94]the Pythagoreans touching the transmigration of soules out of one body into another. [...]. Therefore John, saith he, is surely revived in Jesus. This might be his opinion then, and more that he tels the trouble of his mind to his servants for a secret, ho­ping, belike, the world should be nere the wiser. But it fell out, wee see, somewhat otherwise; for that which he spake then in secret, is now preached on the house-top. This was but one of the Devils anodynes, and would not do the deed. He betakes him therefore to another course, and will be a Sadducee another while: a sect that denied the Resurrection of the body, and the immortality of the soule; that so he might blunt the sting of his awakened conscience, that haunted him like a fury, for the slaughter of the innocent Baptist. Thus much may be gathered out of Matth. 16.6. compared with Mark, 8.15. Haec est enin [...] vis Verbi Dei, saith Beza on that text. This is the mighty worke of the Word on an exulcerate conscience. God smites the [Page 95]earth, that is, earthly-minded men, that are no better than earth, earth, earth, when they heare the Word of the Lord; with the rod of his month, Is. 11.4. and with the breath of his lips doth he slay the wicked. Those pharisees,Math. 22.15. for instance, that were toties puncti & repuncti, [...]. minimè tamen ad resipis­centiam compuncti, as one speaketh; for why? they had made voyd the counsell of God, when they heard our Saviour refusing to be reformed, ha­ting to be healed; whereas diverse of the common sort, who had by their instigation crucified the Lord of glory, when the Word came close, and found them out in their sins, were prickt at heart, [...]. Act 2.37. Prov. 23.32. thy felt their sins as so many stings of an ad­der, pricks of a dagger, yea as so many bearded arrows in their flesh, [...]; and were added to the Church. To the former,2 Cor. 12.7. Gods Word was a sa­vour of death to death the axe therof laid to the root of their rotten con­sciences, out them down as fuell to hel-fire. To the latter,Math. 3.10. 2 Cor. 2.16. it became a sa­vour of life unto life, a seed of immor­tality, [Page 96]an effectuall instrument, not of conviction only, but of conversion also.Iam. 4, 5, 6. For think ye (saith S. James) that the Scripture saith in vaine, The spirit that is in you, &c. doth it shew you your naturall corruption, and no more? Not so: for it saith not only, that is, convinceth, but it giveth more grace, it converteth also. It brings not only to the birth, as E­phraim that foolish child, Hos. but carrieth the soule thorough the narrow womb of repentance into the light of eternall life. And this is the powerfull and proper effect of the good Word of Gods grace, ever good to them that are good, Mic. 2.7. or that but wish to be good, Psalme 119.4, 5, 6. It is indeed like the water of jealousie, Num. 5.27, 28. For when it is received into a good and honest heart, it cleares it and makes it fruitfull: as when into a corrupt heart, it rottes it and makes it worse. Abigails speech smote Na­bal into a qualme that caused his death, when the same tongue blessed David and drew blessing from him. [Page 97] Rahab was melted with that mes­sage wherewith the King of Jericho was hardned. Mannah to the re­bels turned into putrefaction and stank. Moses his rod while hee held it in his hand, budded and brought forth fresh almonds; the same rod when he cast it from him, turn'd into a Serpent. The living words of dying Prophets took hold of those refractaries in Zachary, Zach. 1.6. and slew them. Those two witnesses are by some interpreted to bee the two Testaments, the Old and the New. Gods giving power unto them, is the authorizing of them. They are cloathed in sackcloth, that is disguised and obscured, hidden from the vulgar, they spet fire, as it were, and plague their enemies as the Arke did the Ekronites. But who are they? Saint Austin an­swers:Ad [...]ersarius est nobis quamdiu sumus & ipsi nobis: quamdin tu tibi inin i [...] us et inimicum ha­bebis sermenem Dei, Aug. The Word of God is ad­versary to none, but such as are ad­versaries to themselves, and such as shall (in that name) have him for their utter enemy at length, who shall come in flaming fire rendring [Page 98]vengeance to all that know not God, 1 Thess. 1.8. Math. 11.20. and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then shall hee shake such off, as dust off his feet, when they come to him for salvation, and wor­thily; for they have prejudged themselves already unworthy of eter­nall life, Acts 13.46. because they have put away from them the Word of lift, which they ought to have pul'd to them, rather with both hands earnestly, as David did;Psal. 119 48. and is therefore now triumphing in heaven, as one that did not the will only, but the Willes of God: Acts 17. [...]2. when others chose rather to do not the will, but willes of the flesh, [...] Ephes 2.2. and do therefore of the flesh reape corruption, Gal. 6.8. Surely as the raine commeth down, and the snow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my Word bee that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not returne unto mee voyd: but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in [Page 99]the thing whereunto I sent it, Esay 55.10, 11 saith the Lord.

Section 4.

FOurthly, are the Scriptures of God? This may further informe us of their perfection and sufficien­cy to our salvation, as proceeding from God Al-sufficient, from whom comes every good gift and perfect giving. All Scripture as it is given by divine inspiration, so is it profi­table to all purposes, to teach truth, convince error, correct vice, direct to vertue, comfort under the crosse, that the man of God (Minister or o­ther) may be perfect and entire, wan­ting nothing. The Law of the Lord is perfect, saith David: 2 Tim. 3.16. Iam. 1.4. Psal. 19.7. the whole book of God is perfect, with an es­sentiall perfectiō, & every part ther­eof with an integral perfectiō. This cannot be said of the law of nature or book of the creature, as now since the fal. The heavēs indeed declare the glory of God, &c. as reall postilles of the Divinity, and that which may be [Page 100]knowne of God is manifest in them as in a mirror or theater,Rom. 1.19. [...]. even his eter­nall power and Godhead. Cusanus could say, that the World was Deus explicatus, God unfolded, of the di­vine nature, as it were, coppied out, and exemplified at large. But the knowledge hence gotten is slender, and unsufficient to salvation. Our eyes, alasse, are now so dazeled, that the creatures are unto us as a clasped book, [...]. Acts 17.27. or as a thing written in ci­phers. The Philosophers could on­ly grope after God by the dim light of Nature, but in the wisdome of God, the world by wisdome knew not God, 1 Cor. 1.21. but did service to them that by nature are no gods: Gal. 4.8.Ʋtinam tam fa­cilè veram reli­glonem invenire possim quam fulsam convince­re, de nat. deor. Tullyes wish was, that he could as easily discern the true God, as disprove the false. But that he might sooner wish than attaine, without the help of holy Scriptures. For as the Sun is not seen but by the light of the Sun; so neither is God known but by the Word of God. And as the Sun cannot be seen in rota, (as the Schooles speak) in the [Page 101]circle wherein it runs, but the beams of it only, nor those neither but as they are made visible by reflection: So neither can wee see God in his Essence; in his Word we may: his traine at least with Esay, his back-parts with Moses; wee can see no more and live, we need see no more that wee may live. Now if wee knock at the creatures doore for this knowledge, the depth must say,Iob 28.14. It is not in me, and the sea, It is not with me, &c. If they say otherwise, they lye as fast as Rabshakeh did for his master.Quia impossibi­le erat sine Deo discere Deum, per verbum suum docet hom nes scire Deum. Sic Hilarius, Hoc solum de Deo benè credi in elligamus, ad quod dese credé­dam ipse sibi re­stis & [...] hor extitit. For no creature hath seene God at any time but the Son, and hee to whom the Son reveales him, saith our Saviour. And because it was im­possible to know God without God, he therefore brings men by his Word to the knowledge of himselfe, whom to know is life eternall, saith Irenaeus. Some few blind Notions, I deny not, are yet left in corrupt Nature, and to bee found still in some few that have not already torne them out, that they may sin without controll, or at least lock them up in restraint; [Page 102]as the Philosophers that held the truth prisoner in unrighteousnesse, Rom. 1.18. But these common prin­ciples are now, alasse, so depraved, defaced, and, as it were, covered o­ver with cobweb, and other drosse, (like the carved stones in the rubbish of a ruined Palace) as that they serve, but to render us inexcusable. Especially sith in men of corrupt minds, Gods image is wholly wip'd out, and those remnants or footsteps thereof utterly extinct. When wine is powred out of a cup, the sides are yet moist, but when it is rinsed and wiped, there remaines not the least taste or tincture therof: Even so that glimmering of Divine light left in the naturall man is so put out by obstinacy in an evill course, that not the least spark there­of appeares. [...] 1 Cor. 2.14. He that is no more than a meere animal, that hath no more than pure nature in him, per­ceiveth not the things of God, as ha­ving neither sight nor light, organ nor object illuminated: as the true Christian, who hath his eyes in his [Page 103]head, Eccles. 2.14. and God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse shining upon his heart, 2 Cor. 4.6. in the face of Jesus Christ. The Chineses use to say of themselves,Descript. of the World: cap. of China and Ca­thaia. that all o­ther Nations of the World see but with one eye, they only with two. Sure it is that naturall men have but one eye, wherewith some thing they may see, that transcends not the light of reason. But for spiritu­all things they are acutè obtusi, Lusciosi siquando oculorum aciem in [...]endunt minus vident, Lud. Viv. more blind than beetles. To the Law therefore and to the Testimonies, for if any speak not according to these it is because there is no light in them. The Law is a light,Lex, Lux. Prov. 6 23. Psal. 119. 2 Pet. 1. saith Salomon, a lamp and lanthorne, saith David, a light shining in a dark place, saith Peter. And the Grace of God (that is, the doctrine of Gods grace the Gospel) hath appeared, [...]. Tit. 2.11, 12. as a Beacon on an hill, or as the Sun in heaven, teaching us, the whole and sum of a Christians duty; viz. that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, saying peremptory nay to all such importunate suitors, we should [Page 104]live soberly, Haec tria perpe­tu [...] med tare ad­verbia Pauli. Haec tria sint vi­tae regula sancta tuae. righteously, and godly in this present evill world, Loe, here is our task in three words, such as the Scripture only can teach, and give us to performe. Diodorus Siculus tels us, that among the Egyptians, when any good man dyed, his holi­nesse, righteousnesse and sobernesse were wont to be commemorated and commended by his surviving friends. [...]. But these, alas, were but seeming vertues in those poore Eth­nicks, or rather shining sins, beau­tifull abhominations,Heb 9.14. dead works, as our Apostle cals them, because they proceeded not from a principle of life,Eph. 4.18. that life of God, or godly life, to the which they were meere stran­gers through the ignorance that was in them of Gods holy Word, the rule of righteousnesse. Hence it was, that all they did must needs be defective and insincere, and that not onely quoad fontem, (as I have said) but quoad fimm too. For the utmost end they aimed at in al they did, was to be seen and to be talked of. All was theatricall, histrionicall, hypo­criticall. [Page 105]And so, they might excell (to see to) those that are truly san­ctified, in morall vertues, and out­ward performances, as Actors upon a Stage may (for the outward re­semblance) go beyond them whom they personate, and whose acts they represent: witnesse those hypocrits in Esay, the Pharisees in the Gospel,Esay 58. Math. 6. and that proud Patriarch that first affected the name of Vniversall Bi­shop, who was for his frequent fa­sting sirnamed Nesteutes, Iohannes ille, qui Gregorii Magni tempore, nomen Vniversalis E­piscopi affecta­bat, à jejuniis Nesteutae nomen obtinuit, Vssie­rus. Mercedem suam non Dei, Hiero. or the Fa­ster. But this was neither of God, nor for God, and therefore they have their reward; such as it is, their own reward, not Gods, saith Hierom, they have what they look for. Egregiam vero laudem, a poore reward God knows, but 'tis that they have cho­sen. How much better David, In keeping thy Law, saith hee, there is great reward, Psal. 19.11. After he had once well waighed this in­sufficiency of that bigger book of the Creature (whereof there are three large leaves onely, Heaven, Earth, Sea, as Clemens Alex. spea­keth, [Page 106]and three dark lessons only, as Hugo hath it,Hugo de San­cto Vict. lib. 2: de arca. cap. 3. Accipe, Redde, Fuge; Receive Mercy, Returne Duty, Hy Punishment: but how to do any of these, it shews not) the Prophet wisely turnes him to that lesser, but better book of the Scripture; which after he had highly commended for perfect and right, and pure and sure, and cleane and true, &c. hee sub­joynes (for his own and others en­couragement) that for elder people that are all for profit, Gods Word is more to be desired than gold; and for the younger sort that are all for plea­sure, tis sweeter than live-hony, dropping from the comb. If any find it otherwise, its because their mouths are either out of taste, or fore. [...]. Alex. Aphrodys. Pro­blem. Mel vulne­ra purgal, ulce­ra mordel. Honey causeth paine to exul­cerate parts, though of it selfe it bee sweet and medicinall. Hence chil­dren will not suffer it to come neare their cankered lips, which when they are well, they are well apaid of. So is it here: Oh, how sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea sweeter than honey to my mouth. David found [Page 107]fatnesse and sweetnesse in Gods house, a feast of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined and purified. Antichrist,Esay 26. I confesse, hath turned, what in him lyes, these wines into water, and this water into wormwood. Hee hath fed Gods people with worm-wood, and given them water of gall to drink: Ier. 9.15. Rev. 8.11. so that not a few have dyed of the waters, because they were made bitter, ever since the falling star, (that notable Apostate) hath fallen upon the fountaines of Israel, the holy Scriptures, which they have dispa­raged and corrupted; yea ever since that third Angel powred forth his vial on the Sea; that is, say some,Ibid. Psal. 68.26. upon the Councell of Trent, it is become as the blood of a dead man, so that every living soule dyed in that Sea. Looke how the fish dyed in Nilus, Exod. 7.21. and the river stank when it was turned into blood, so that the people could not drink of it: So hath it fared with that Sea of Rome, since they have at­tempted to deprave and debase the Scriptures by that heathnish decree [Page 108]of Trent: wherein they have every way equalled, (if not preferred) the Apocryphall books to the Canoni­cals, their Vulgar Translation to the Originals, their unwritten Verities to the written Word, and their tra­ditions to the Scriptures. Not con­tent with one Transubstantiation, (which yet is monstruous) they have endeavoured to bring in ano­ther, & worse: which is to change Articles of Faith into Fables; and again, Fables into Articles of Faith. For the Scriptures, saith Eckius, Hosius, So said the Lieutenant of Lions concer­ning S. Pauls Epistles, Fox fol. 826. and Hermannus Coloniensis, as touching the sense of them, are no more to be regarded than the fables of Esop, without the authority of the Church: The holy Ghost himselfe, saith one, is not to be heard, (accor­ding to their Tenet) albeit hee pro­duce a testimony out of the Scri­pture,D. Prideaux lect. de Testibus. unlesse he can withal produce a testimoniall from the purple whore. The word written, say they,Coster. Enchiri. pag. 44. is a deafe and dumb Judge, a black gospel,Colloq. Wormac. Anno 57. inkhorne divinity, a dead letter, Lesbian rule, nose of [Page 109]wax, matter of strife,Hosius, Tom. 1 op. adv. Brentii Proleg. pag. 530 Pigg. l. 1. Hier. Eccles. c. 2. pag. 8 seed-plot of controversies, and book of hereticks. Anno Domini 1523. It was obje­cted by Doctor Bennet Chancellor of London, against one Richard But­ler, that diverse times you errone­ously and damnably read in a great book of heresy, certaine chapters of the Evangelists in English,Fox Martyrolog. fol. 735. contai­ning in them diverse erroneous and damnable opinions, and conclusions of heresie. Thus have the Heathens changed the truth of God into a lye: Rom. 1. Articles of Faith into fables, or worse; and so they have also fables into Articles of Faith. Witnesse those twelve new-coyned articles, gathered by the authority of Pope Pius the fourth,Ex Sulla jura­meuti de profes­sione fidei in O­nuphrio. Anno 1564. out of the Councell of Trent, and added to the Nicene Creed, to bee received with oath,See these 12 Art. in the Ep. dedic. to B. Ievvels works. as the true Catholike faith, to be beleeved by as many as shall be saved. Tindal reasoning with a great Doctor of those times, drave him to that issue, that he burst forth into these words; wee were better be without Gods Laws, than [Page 110]the Popes.Fox Martyrol. fol. 982. The Popes interpreta­tion, saith Hosius, what ever it bee, yea though it seeme never so much to oppugne the Scriptures, yet is it the very word of God. And again, That which the Church teacheth is the expresse word of God,Hosius de ex­presso Dei verbo. pag. 99. saith he, as that which is taught against the sense and consent of the Church (of Rome) is the expresse word of the Devill. Thus for their Church, with its pretended Head: but what for every hedge priest? Cardinall Tolet saith,Tolet. cas. consc. lib. 4. cap. 3. The people may merit at Gods hands, in beleeving an heresie if their teachers propound it, for their obedience is meritorious. And Stapleton, They must not regard Quid, but Quis, saith he, not what is the matter, but who is the man that delivers it. If a Priest therefore teach any thing,Cade of the Church p. 68. bee it true, bee it false, take it as Gods Oracle. Thus he. A little afore Luther stirred, their Sermons were ordinarily stuft out with Legendary lyes, and old-wives fables, as how Vespasian was freed from Waspes by Veronica's [Page 111]napkin, Trajan fetch out of hell by P. Gregory's prayers, Sybylles confe­rence with Augustus, Anno Domini. 1517. &c. Tecelius perswaded the common people in Germany, that as soon as ever their ten shillings (that was the price of an Indulgence) ting'd in the bason, any friend they would name, should be immediately delivered out of Purgatory, etiamsi per impossibile, Matrem Deivitiasset. In a word, all places were so full fraught with superstition, that the Abbot of Neuhuse in Germany doubted not to say, that if that unlucky Luther had not started up,Scultet Annal. Tom. 1. pag. 13 ex Chytraei Chron. we might easily have perswaded the people to have eaten hay and stabble. And indeed they fed them with no better, as they basely glosse upon that text in Job; The Oxen, that is the Priests, were plowing; and the Asses,Tu et Asinus u­num estote, Disci. de temp ser. 121. that is, the People, were feeding by them feeding hungerly upon thi­stles, and huskes, and fainting at the head of every street. The children asked bread but no man brake it unto them, Lam. 4.4. for [Page 112]bread, they had stones; for fishes, scorpions.Acts and Mo­numents, fol. 1109. Thyrraeus de Daemon. cap. 21. What a Devill made the to meddle with the Scriptures? said Steven Gardner to Marbeck: and of another they tell us, that by rea­ding the Bible, he became possest with a Devill. A very strange busi­nesse Athanasius saith, that evill spirits are expelled and driven away by that 68. Psal. Exurgat Domi­nus, &c. But this is true of the whole book of God, one part as wel as another. Father Abraham sends the rich mans brethren to Moses, and the Prophets, for defence against the Devill: and our blessed Saviour when he beat the Devill on his own dunghill, as it were, made the Word his only weapon, chusing out of that one book of Deuteronomy, and al­most out of one chapter thereof, as out of a preciously purling current, all those stones wherewith hee pro­strated the Goliah of hell. Now if there be so much sufficiency in one book, in one chapter, what may we conceive of the whole?

But it will, haply, bee here obje­cted: [Page 113]If Moses his writings were so full, Object. 1 what needed any addition thereto of the Prophets and Apo­stles?

I answer: Answer. Not to perfect that which till then was defective and incompleate, For the five bookes of Moses, yea that one book of Ge­nesis was sufficient to the salvation of such as then lived. The Prophets were added for explanation of the Law: the New Testament for clea­ring and applying them both. Those things that were there more darkly delivered, are here more plainely and plentifully set forth,Hab. 2.2. so that a man may even runne and reade them. Now we have a more cleare and perfect direction than they had under the Law. Thence their light is compared to the light of a candle that shines in a dark place, ours to the day-light, 2 Pet. 1.19.2 Cor. 3.18. Now wee all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

But how is it then that the Scri­ptures are yet stil so obscure and dif­ficult, Quest. yea perplex and ambiguous?

Sublime they are, Answer. but not dark in themselves; sith they came from the Father of lights, and are lighted up to bee our candle in this world, saith S. Austin, Tract. 35. in Iohan. [...]. protreptic. p. 25. [...], Hom. 3. de Laza. that we walk not in darknesse: a common light that shineth to all, saith Clemens Ale­xandrinus, so that every man of himselfe by reading them may learn the things therein delivered, saith Chrysostome, This is to bee under­stood of the doctrinall foundation of Faith and Manners: in setting down whereof, the Scripture is most plain and easie. Bellarmine himselfe is forced to say,De verbo Dei, lib. 1. cap. 2. Scripturis nihil notius, Nothing is more manifest than the Scriptures.Esay 8.1. Inclinavit Scri­pturas Deus ad insantium & tactentium capa­citatem, In Psal. 8. Write, saith God, in the roule with a mans pen, that is, clearely, that the simplest may con­ceive so much as concernes him to Salvation, God hath fitted the Scri­ptures, saith Austin, to the capacity of the meanest. So that if our Go­spell bee hid, it is hid to them that [Page 115]perish. If men understand it not, the veile is not drawn over it, but o­ver their hearts, 2 Cor. 3.15. which the Lord doth more and more re­move, dispell and disperse the dark­nesse of the minds of his elect by his holy Spirit. The book was open in the Angels hand, Rev. 10.8. It had been shut and sealed, but S. John had got it open by his prayers and teares, and by his more diligent search, and seeking to the Angell to instruct him. Gods Spirit in his ser­vants is heroick, they are whetted on by difficulty to a more diligent en­quiry, as Sampson bound with new ropes, went out and shook himself.Prov. 26.13. A Lion in the way may fright a sluggard, not a Sampson, or an Ale­xander, who meeting with a hard encounter, said;Iam par pericu­lum animo Ale­xandri. This is an enterprise worthy of great Alexander. It can­not be denied, but that the Scripture in many places is dark and difficult: and the pen-men thereof as in some things like those Angels in Jacobs vision, they descend to the [...]pli­city of the m [...]est, so in other [Page 116]things they transcend the sublimity of the learnedest.Mare est Scri­ptura divina, ha­bens inse sensus profundos Am­bros. Ep. 44. agnus peditet & elephantus natet, Ep. ad Leand. The Scripture is a great Sea, saith Ambrose, the Lamb may wade, the Elephant may swim in it, saith Gregory. And there is such a depth therein, saith Austin, that a man may dayly profit in the knowledge thereof,Si eas sotas ma­ximo otio, sum­mo studio, melio­re ingenio conarer addiscere, Epist. 3. ad Volusian. though he stu­died nothing else all the dayes of his life, yea, as long as the dayes of heaven shall last, without any inter­mission or remission of his utmost indeavour. And in another place; Not only, saith that Father, in innu­merable other things am I guilty of much ignorance,Multo plura ne­scio quam scio, Epist. 119. c. 21 Iob 26.14. but in the Scri­ptures also (my profession and chiefe study) there are many more things that I know not than that I know. How little a thing doth man under­stand of God, saith he in Job, the greatest part of our knowledge is but the least part of our ignorance.Nondum hoc scio quod nihil scio. This only I know, said the wisest of the Philosophers, that I know nothing. Another comes after him, and addes neither know I yet so much as that, that I know nothing. Natures best [Page 117]secretaries cannot with all their skill give us a convincing reason of the perennity of Rivers, of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, of the co­lours of the Rayne-bow, of the heat in the stomack, that consumeth all other things, and yet not the parts about it. Pythagoras assignes no other cause of earth-quakes,Conventus mor­tuorum, Aelian. lib. 4. ridicule. than the meeting together of those that are dead. Pliny wonders at the Gnat so small a creature, and yet making so great a buzze.Nat. hist. lib. 11 cap. 9. Hee also mentions one that spent threescore and eight yeares in searching out the nature of the Bee, and yet fell short of his de­sire. [...]: 2 Pet. 1.9. Now if in finding out Natures secrets, the accutest are so sand-blind and cannot see far off; what marvell is it, if (further than wee are all taught of God) wee see no farther into the sense of the Scriptures?Legumobscurita­tes non assigne­mus culpae scri­bentium, sed in­scitiae non asse­quentium, Sex: Cecil. apud Gell. If refusing to plow with his heyfer, we understand not his riddles? Riddles they are, not in themselves, but to our shallownesse. The obscurities of the Law, saith that Civilian, are not to bee imputed to the fault of the [Page 118]writers, but to the ignorance of the Readers. How much more is this true of Gods Law? We many times unskilfully lay the blame where we should not: as shee in the holy Hi­story, that laid the death of her child to the presence of the good Prophet: Or rather as shee in Seneca, Fatua subitò vi­dere desiit & nescit essècoe cam, ait domum essè tenebrosā, Senec. Epist. 50. that bad open the windows (at noone day) when her selfe was smitten with a sudden blindnesse. What we can­not conceive, wee should admire, and say of the Bible, as Socrates of a worse book; That I understand is good, so I beleeve is that I under­stand not. Plaine places are for our nourishment, hard places for our ex­ercise: or these are to be masticated as meat for men, those to be drunk as milk for babes: by the latter, out hunger is staid; by the former, our loathings. Some things in Gods Word are folded up in obscurity, to tame the pride of our natures, and to sharpen the edge of our industry, in searching the Scriptures, and seeking out the sense, by comparing one place with another. This those holy [Page 119] Levites, Neh. 8.8. red and gave the meaning of the Scripture, by the Scripture; as Junius renders it. Thus also S. Paul is said to have confuted the Jews, [...] Acts 9.22. by laying one Scripture to another. A Metaphore, saith Beza, from hand-crafts-men; that being to frame and fit one part of their work to another, cōpare peece with peece, that all may be brought to a suitablenes and uniformity. The Lapidary brightens his hard diamond with the dust shaved from it selfe; so must we cleare hard Scriptures by parallell Texts, which, like glasses, set one against another, cast a mutu­all light. Thus (for a taste,) Luk. 18.19. compared with John 3.19. E­phes. 4.9. with Psal. 139.15. Math. 16.19. with John 20.22, 23. 1. Pet. 4.8. with Prov. 10.12. And this is so cleare a truth,In Apocalips. Not. 4. cap. 14. and beyond all ex­ception, that Ludovicus Alcasar; a Spanish Interpreter, is forced to confesse, that in S. Peters Epistles are many difficulties, that ought to bee explained out of the Epistle of Saint Jude. Note this against other Po­pish [Page 120]Doctors, who deny that Scripture is to bee interpreted by Scripture, but loft to the judgement of the Church. Whereas the Lord, when he dwelt between the Cherubims, he set the candlestick on his right hand, and the table with shew-bread on his left,Weemses exer­citat. to teach us, saith one, that the Scriptures are to be preferred still to the Church; their excellency and authority being above all both men and Angels, Gal. 1.8. It was the Spirit of the Lord, and none other, that anoynted and appointed Jesus, the Mediator of the new Testament, to preach the Gospell, Luk. 4.18. out of Esay 61.1. Our Saviours text at Nazareth. Now, that the preaching of the Gospell is the immediate ef­fect of the holy Ghost, doth greatly serve to set forth the incomparable excellency, authority, certainty and sufficiency of the Gospell. Had it proceeded from the incorrupt and unerring humane nature of Christ only, this had been a high commen­dation; how much more now that it comes from it, no otherwise than [Page 121]it was dictated thereunto by the holy Ghost. Had Adam continued in his integrity, yet had he beene no fit man to give divine Laws to the Church, because a man. Nay, that the very Angels were not meet for such a businesse, appeareth, in that they stand amazed at the mystery of Christ, and looke intently into it, wondering,1 Pet. 1.12. as the Cherubims in the Law did into the propitiatory. Christ the Law-giver was for wisdom able, and for love to his people, willing to set them down a plaine and perfect direction. And albeit hee obscure himselfe in some passages, and make darknesse his pavilions, yet this is but among other reasons, to make us make higher account of those men of God the Ministers, whose office is to expound and apply the holy Scripture,1 Tim. 3. ult. whereby they themselves are perfected thoroughly furnished unto all good works: it selfe must therefore needs bee much more perfect.

Sect. 5.

FIfthly, are the holy Scriptures of God? this may fitly informe us of their verity and integrity, sith the Author of them is Amen, the faithfull, Rev 3.14. 1 [...]et. 2.22. and true witnesse, as he stiles himselfe, neither ever was the least guile found in his mouth. Hence we may and must have a full assurance both of understanding, Coloss. 2.2. and also of assent, Luke. 1.1. upon Gods bare Word and sole authority, without doubting or reasoning a­gainst the same: because he will not suffer his faithfulnesse to faile, Psal. 89 33. nor al­ter the thing that is gone out of his mouth; God is All-sufficient, most perfect,As he is [...]: so he is [...]. absolute, and independent, and as none can contribute to his being, so neither to his truth; If he have said a thing, tis proofe suffici­ent, tis surety and security enough. For this is a principle grounded up­on the light of Nature: let a man but grant a God, and he must needs [Page 123]grant his authority to be authentike, and that absolute credence is to bee yeelded unto him. Hence those Heathen Law-givers would needs seeme to derive their lawes from some Deity, from such a god or god­desse, as the story reports of Numa, Lycargus, Mahomet, &c. so the false Prophets and Impostors, when once they could make shew of some relation to God, and entitle their fancies and fopperies to him, it went for currant that they uttered. For, God is true and every man a lyer. Rom. 3.4. Vpon this ground, Abraham belee­ved God, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse, Rom. 4.3. And he that thus beleeveth not God,1 Ioh. 5.10. hath made him a lyer, because hee beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son: sith these things were purpose­ly written, that men might beleeve, Ioh. 20.31. and that beleeving, they might have life through his Name. Hence that of S. Peter, Iohn 6.69. we beleeve and have known that thou art that Christ: And that of S. Paul, we beleeve & know the truth: 1 Tim. 4.3. Beleeve and know? A man would [Page 124]think this were a preposterous course. In other sciences we first know and then beleeve, but here tis otherwise. We must first beleev the truth and integrity of the Scriptures, because they are of God, and then we shall know whether these things are of God or not. And why should this seeme so unreasonable to any man? Mahomets dictates may not bee disputed, on paine of death. The Pope though he draw thousands to [...]ell with him, yet no man must dare say so much as what doest thou? The Fryars, though their Governors command them a voyage to China or Peru, Sands his Sur­vey of West. p. 18 without dispute or delay, they are presently to set forward.Sicum Angelo iniissescolloqutii, avocame Superiore actu­tù nest obtempe­randum. Si B [...]ata Virgo sua praesentia freter. ulum di­gnaretur, inter­pellante vel suo inseriore, non debut manere. D. Prid. in Eudaemond Ioh. ex Epist. ad fratres in Lusitan. To argue or debate on their Superiours Man­dats were high presumption, to search their reasons, proud curiosity, to detract or disobey them, breach of vow equall to sacriledge. Such authority do these men usurpe, such absolute and blind obedience doe they exact of their Vassals, and vota­ries. [Page 125]Oh give God the glory of be­leeving and obeying him simply and only because he speakes it,Rom. 4.20. Deo agnito & collaudato, ut Luc. 17.18. and for his bare words sake. This is to glorifie God indeed, as Abraham did being strong in faith and not doubting of the promise. This is to set to our seale, that God is true; This is to give him a testimoniall, as it were, Joh. 3.33. (such as is that, Deut. 32.4. A God of truth and without iniquity, just and righteous is he) than the which I know not what greater honour can be done the Creatour by the creature, or befall the creature from the Creator.Contrary to Iam. 3.1. Math. 23.8. Those Masters of opinions (as Magistri nostri Pa­risienses, for so they will needs bee called) are to be exploded, that seek to obtrude upon Gods inheritance their conceits and placits, the brood of their own braine without sound proofe of Scripture. Wee should sooner beleeve even a lay-man, saith honest Panormitan, affirming any thing according to Gods word, than a full Councell determining besides or against the word. Let us stand, [Page 126]saith S. Basil, Stemus arbitra­tui inspiratae à Deo Scripturae, & apud quos in­veniuntur dog­mata divinis ora­culis consim [...], il­lis veritas adju­dicetur sententia. Epist. 8 [...]. [...] Acts 17.11. Heb. 5.14. 1 Iohn 4.1. 1 Thess. 5.20. Math. 23.8. to the arbitrement of holy Scripture, and let them bee thought to have the truth on their side, whose opinions are found a­greeable thereunto. The Beraans would not trust S. Pauls doctrine till they had tried it, and are there­fore commended as more generous (or better-descended) then those of Thessalonica that did not so. Those dull Hebrews also are sharply censu­red by our author, for not having (all that while) their senses better ex­ercised to discerne good and evill, to try the spirits, to prove all things, and hold fast that which is good. Christ is the only Rabbin, the irrefragable Doctor,Prov. 8.8. Rev. 5.5. Math. 7.24. the Ipse dixit, all the words of whose mouth are right words. He only was found worthy to open the seales of the book, he taught with authority, and not as the Scribes. All the confirmation he used against all their corrupt glosses set upon the Law, was, Verily, verily, I say unto you: It hath been thus and this said of old, &c. But I say unto you Some­time (tis true) hee prooved his do­ctrine [Page 107]by Scripture, but this was ei­ther for the weaknes of those whom he instructed, according to that, these things speake I (not for any o­ther need, but) that ye may be saved, John 5.34. whence hee called the Law, which he alledged, their Law; Iohn 8.17. or else to confirme to them the au­thority of the Scriptures, and leave us an example, John 13.15. For o­therwise, if he but say to the righ­teous, It shall go well with him, Isay 3.10, 11. and but say to the wicked, the reward of his hands shalbe given unto him, it is suer­ty & security enough.H. b. 6.13. As he sweares by himselfe, because he hath none greater by whom to sweare, so he af­firmes of himself, and needs not con­firme it by any other: his naked as­sertion is selfe-sufficient, his autho­rity most authentike, his bare word to bee taken, without any further proofe or pawne. Thus it ought to be with all; but thus, alas, it is not, with most men now-adayes; who deale with the faithfull God, as they would do with some slippery per­sons or patching companions, trust [Page 128]him no further than they see him, or than they can see cause or reason to yeeld unto him, such of his precepts as crosse their carnall humors, and corrupt dispositions, they give no credit to, but are ready to rise up a­gainst them, as a Horse against his rider, and to reply with Pharaoh, who is the Lord, that I should obey him,1 Sam. 25.11. or with Nabal to Davids ser­vants, shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh, and give it to men I know not? they will needs turne schollars to their owne reason, though they are sure to have a foole to their Master: they looke upon Gods Jordan, with Syrian eyes, as Naaman, Iohn 3. and after all ask with Ni­codemus, How can these things bee? The like we may say for the menaces of Gods mouth, those terrible threats of the Law against mens loose and lewd practices: these they think to put off, as those mis­creants in the Gospel,Luc. 20.16. with a God forbid. They take up bucklers straight against the strokes of the Spirits sword, and boldly blesse themselves [Page 129]when God curseth:Deut. 19.19. which is that enraging sinne that God cannot speake of with any patience: but is therefore absolute in threatning, because he will be resolute in puni­shing. And deale not many as ill with him in the matter of his pro­mises? which, bee they never so faithfull sayings, and therefore worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1.15. yet either they be above ordinary beleefe (as Gods plenty in Samaria was to that infidell Prince of Ahab) or,2 King. 7. 2. not presently performed as soone as ever the word is out of his mouth, they distrustfully cry out, where is the promise of his comming? 2 Pet. 3.4. 2 King. 6.33. What should J waite for the Lord any lon­ger? Surely GOD hath forsaken the earth, forgotten to bee merci­full, &c.

But is it fit to prescribe to t [...]e Almightie?Psalme 78.41. to limit the holy one of Israel? to send for God by a Post, and to set him a time, or els he comes too late, as those Bethulians in Iudith did? The Chinois whip their Gods when they come not [Page 130]at a call, help not at a pinch. Deale not these men as coursely with the Lord, upon the matter? whom they eftsoons distrust, and basely withdraw from, [...] Steale from his Captaine. Heb. 10.38. by unbeliefe? which they would not doe, had they but to deale with a sufficient man, or a creditable person. Let but an Astronomer tell them, that the Sunne will be such a day in the Eclipse, they'l beleeve him straight (though they see no reason for it) because hee is a learned man, and skilfull in his Art.

Now who, and where is he a­mongst us that can convince God of untruth, or his word of false­hood? The promises are ancient, Tit. 1.2. so are the threats and precepts: and hitherto they ne­ver faild, or fell to the ground (any tittle of them) because they are the issue of a most faithfull, and righ­teous will, voyd of all insincerity or guile. God, the author of them, is eternall, and so one and the same without alteration. The Eterni­tie of Israel cannot lye. 1 Sam. 15.29. He is also [Page 131]simple, without composition, and so without contrariety. Besides hee is unchangeable, and repents not. But whatsoever he speakes,When God is said to repent, it is not a change of his will, but of his worke: Mutatio reinon De [...] effectus, non affectus; facti, non consilij. Repentance with man is the changing of his will: Repen­tance with God is the willing of a change. Gatak. as he speakes from his heart, so be­ing I am that I am, hee will not bee off and on with us; but as Pi­late said, What I have written, I have written: so doth God: what I have spoken, I have spoken, it shall surely stand. Heaven and earth shall passe, but a jot of the Law shall in no wise passe. The grasse withereth, the flower fad­eth, but the word of the LORD stands firme for ever. Neither may we once imagine that he can forget what hee hath spoken, as men many times: for he hath the Jdea of all things in himselfe, and every thought is before his eyes long before.Psal. 139.16. Ahashuerosh may forget Mordecai; the Butler, Io­seph; the preserved City,Eccles 9 15. the poore man that saved it.Heb. 6.10. But God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of Love, or his promise of retri­bution. Holy men (that have but [Page 132]a spark of Gods flame,Psalm. 15.4. but a drop of his Ocean) will stand to their word, though it turne to their losse. They are children that will not lye,Esay 63 8. Zeph. 3.13. neither is a deceitfull tongue found in their mouth: how much lesse in his, who can as soone dye as lye,2 Tim. 2.13. or deny himselfe? Cer­tainely if he say us any good, we may safely seale to it, seeme it ne­ver so improbable, never so impos­sible: especially, since we have for our security not his word onely (which yet were sufficient) but his hand to shew for it, yea his cove­nant, his oath,Eph. 1.13. Rom. 4.11. his seale, both that privie seale of his spirit, and that broad Seale of heaven in the Sa­craments, not in wax white or red, but in the precious bloud of CHRIST who is white and ruddy as of a Lamb undefiled, Cant. 5.10. 1 Pet. 1.19. and without spot. For which cause al­so the book (among other things) was sprinkled with the bloud of the sacrifice: that by all these im­mutable things,Heb. 6.12. in the which it was impossible for God to lye, wee might [Page 133]have strong confidence in him who is so true of his word, so firme in his promises, so sure in his perfor­mances. An admirable patterne of faith in Gods faithfulnesse wee have in that Reverend old couple Abraham and Sarah. He having once heard from heaven, [...] Rom 4.18, 19. so shall thy seed bee, staggerd not at the pro­mise through unbeleefe: cared nei­ther for the drinesse of his owne body, nor the deadnesse of his Wives, but looked with the one eye on Gods promise, and with the other on his power, and was fully assured. Likewise also Sarah though at first she faultered, and laughed at the unlikelihood; yet afterward (when shee had better bethought her selfe) she judged him faithfull who had promised: and though past age, and hope, yet by the force of her faith shee concei­ved, and was delivered.Heb. 11.11. Bee not therefore unbeleeving, but beleeve: Ioh. 20. 27. 2 Chro. 20.20. Isay 7.9. beleeve the Prophets, and yee shall prosper. If yee will not beleeve, surely yee shall not be established. If [Page 134] I say the truth, why doe yee not be­leeve me? Which of you convin­ceth mee of sinne? Iohn 8.46. Pro. 8.8. Is there any thing perverse or froward in Wise­domes words?

It may seeme so,Sic Doctor qui­dam Sorboui­cus, & Grangi­us Jesuita apud Sharpium in Symphonia pro­phet: & Apost. ep. dedic. Sic Rabuenabi re­fert sapientes Hebraeos veteres cogitasse Ecclesi­astem librum oc­cultare, [...]uod repugnantia continerit, & alijs libris con­traria. Pro. 8 9. Ora & Lahora. Iames 1.5. Wilsons Theolog. Rules. say some, and that one place contradicts ano­ther: and this they thinke to prove out of Ezechiel 1. To this Wisdome answereth in the very next words. They are plaine to him that understandeth, and right to them that finde knowledge, and that they may finde, begge and digge for it, as the Wiseman bids, Prov. 2.3, 4, 5. Begge it, I say, of him that gives it richly, and hits no man in the teeth. Thus did Daniel the Prophet, and John the Divine, and that Heroicall Luther. It was the saying of a godly Mini­ster that he profited in the know­ledge of the Scriptures more by Prayer in a short space, then by study in a longer. And we will give our selves (said the twelve) continually to prayer, and to the mini­stery of the word, divide our whole [Page 135]time betwixt these two duties.Prov. 30.1, 2. Cathedram in coelo habet, qui corda docet. Aug. Run therefore to Ithiel and Ʋcal, as Agur did, take unto you the words, and say as He. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man in me. I neither learned wisdome, nor have the knowledge of the Holy: Psalm. 1 19. Platonici lumen mentium esse, dixerunt ad dis­cendum omnia eundem ipsum Deum a quo facta sunt om­nia: Aug. de civ. Dei. Teach mee good judgement and knowledge: open thou mine eyes, that I may behold the wonders of thy Law. The very Platonists could say that the light of the mind, wherby we learn all things, is that very GOD that made all things.

But then, as you must begge, so digge too, saith Salomon: digge for vnderstanding as for silver, search for her as for hid treasure. Do here­in as the Wise Merchant or Metal­lary, who finding a rich Mine of gold or silver, is not contented with the first oare that offers it selfe to his view, but digs deeper and deeper till he be owner of the whole Treasure. So neither should wee ever give over in this search [Page 136]after knowledge of the Scriptures, till we have gotten all the degrees and dimensions of it here attaine­able. Never had men better means, or more incouragements hereunto then now. Good books at home, good Sermons at Church, good so­ciety every where; and confe­rence, I can tell you, hath incre­dible profit. But here's the mi­sery of it, some men are so shy and shame-fac't, others so stiff: and stout minded, that they'l rather continue ignorant, then reveale their ignorance, and seeke infor­mation: Men will at no hand be beholden this way one to another. But as in Alcibiades his army, all would bee leaders,Scholiast: in Thucydid. none lear­ners: so is it here. Most men love to beare fruit to themselves, with Ephraim that emptie Vine, Hosea 10.11. and chuse rather to remaine needy then discover their poverty.

As for good bookes (another speciall help) never did any Age abound with them more then this, nor any Country, then ours. Those [Page 137]English fugitives that have written on the Popes side, have in shew of wit and learning gone beyond not only all former, but all other of this age:See Cade of the Church. Pre­face. so that Bellarmine takes most out of them, in the points whereof they have written, as Sanders, Allen, Stapleton, &c. These went out from us, because they were not of us. But for those that are, and have written on the holy Scriptures, how many hundreds are there extant in our our owne language, of whom it may be as truly said, as he did once of Calvins institutions,Praeter Aposlo­licas, post Christi tempora, Char­tas, Huic p [...]perere libro saecula nul­la parem. Paul Melissus. Buxtor fij ibe­riada, omnis miratur & mi­rabitur semper, quoad stabit hic mundus, erudi­tio. Dieslius de ratione stud. I heol. that since the Apostles times, scarce any book can equall it: or as another of Bux­torfes Tiberius, all learning doth and shall admire it, while the world stands. This is certaine, that what shewes of uncertainty, and diffe­rence soever may appeare in holy writ, either in numbering of yeares, or circumstance of History, or in any point of doctrine, they are so fully and apparently reconciled by those that have laboured therein, that there can bee no just colour of exception.

But for reall contradictions, ne­ver dreame there are any such to bee found in the word of truth. In eve­ry part and parcell wherof there ap­peares such an admirable sutablnesse concent and harmony of all things, though written at sundry times, in sundry places, by severall persons, and on severall occasions and argu­ments, as plainely speakes it to bee the Word of God. The bookes of Scripture are not like the bookes of our Astrologers, that reforme one anothers calculations, and controle one anothers prognostications: but as they shoote all at one marke, so they agree all in one truth. There are above two hundred places of the old Testament cited in the New: so that almost in every needfull point, the harmony is exprest. The Psalmes are cited fiftie three times. Genesis fourtie two times, Esay 46. times, &c. This shewes the wonderfull agreement betwixt the books of both Testaments. Especi­ally since the testimonies of the old Testament cited in the New, are ci­ted [Page 139]not only by way of Accommo­dation, but because they are the pro­per meaning of the places: so that they all agree as if they were but one writing, yea one sentence, yea one word, yea as if uttered by one mouth, so doe they sound all one thing.Luke 1.70. Hinc Basilius Scripturā [...] appellat. This should exceedingly knit our hearts to the holy Scrip­tures, as the most delightfull Mu­sicke (far surpassing that which Py­thagoras dream't to bee in the ayre among the spheres) and teach us when wee meete with doubts and objections, or seeming contradicti­ons, to condemne our owne igno­rance, and to rest assured of this, that there is an infallibilitie in the promises, and a truth in the Scrip­tures, though we doe not yet see so much.

Section 6.

LAstly are the holy Scriptures of God? Then can they not pos­sibly bee abolished, or brought to nought. If this counsell bee of God, [Page 140]said that grave Counsellour Gama­liel, Acts 5.32. yee cannot overthrow it, least hap­ly yee bee found even to fight against God. There have beene a generati­on (of men shall I say, or monsters rather?) that have attempted to take armes against Heaven, think­ing utterly to have razed and roo­ted out Gods Name and Book from under Heaven: but all in vaine. Manasseth and Amon, to draw the people to Idolatry, had suppressed the booke of the Law; but in the dayes of Iosiah, it was found again, even in the ruines, and rubbish of the Temple.Ieremy 36.32. Iehoiachim cut in pee­ces and burnt Ieremies prophecies, but the Lord himselfe set forth a se­cond edition hereof with an addi­tion. Antiochus Epiphanes (alias Epimanes)that little Antichrist, commanded that all the holy wri­tings should be burnt, 1 Machab. 1.59. Yet shortly after there were copies found that had beene rescued from the fire, doubtlesse, by good people, as young Joas was by Iehoi­adah from his bloudy Grandmother. [Page 141]And within a while the Scriptures being by the seventy Seniours,Aristaeas. at the request of Ptolomy King of Egypt, translated into Greeke, were published a great part of the world over. Since that Dioclesian, the Emperour, commanded by procla­mation the holy Scriptures to bee burnt, where ever they were found throughout the Roman Empire.Euseb. lib. 8. c. 3. And what bonefires of Bibles the Papists have made in this kingdom, who knowes not? Before all this, Apocryphall Esdras tells us (and many of the Ancient Fathers belee­ved him) that when the Temple was burnt by the Babylonians in Ieremies time, all the holy Copies al­so were then burnt: and that they were restored againe by himselfe, who being a perfect scribe, could perfectly remember, and renew them. But this narration of his is altogether unlikely to bee true. For. 1. There's no mention of any such thing in the Canonicall Scrip­ture, as neither in Iosephus, Philo or Athanasius, in synopsi de libris Mosis, [Page 140] [...] [Page 141] [...] [Page 142]who would not have passed it over. 2. Who can reasonably imagine that those good figges, Ezechiel, Daniel, and the rest of the Religious cap­tives at Babylon, or, that Ieremy, Gedaliah, Ebedmelech, and other holy men at home, could have been with­out the books of the Law for seven­tie yeares together? Its sure that Daniel had the Bible, and there­hence collected the number of the yeares of the captivity to bee now expired. Chap. 9.2. and verse 13. he saith, as it is (not was) written in Moses. 3. Besides Ezra him­selfe chapter 6.18. testifies that the captives that returned to Ierusalem had the law, and read in it. This was the Lords owne doing, and is (justly) marvellous in our eyes. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may the Scrip­ture now say.Psa. 129.1, 3. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, yet have they not prevailed against mee. The plowers plowed upon my backe, &c. The righteous Lord hath cut asunder the traces of the wicked. The [Page 143]rage of Tyrants hath overflowed it, and yet they could neither drowne, nor deface it; condemned it hath beene to the fire, yet could never be consumed by the fire: rejected by the world, yet lives and raignes in despight of the world. Other books of what authority or excellency so­ever (as Tully de Republica, Origens Octapla) are utterly lost, others that are come to our hands, are wofully maymed and mangled many of them. Not so the holy Bible, any part of the Canon. The booke of Iehu and the rest that are perished, were not Canonicall, but (as the Chronicles of England) civile re­cords of events of things in that kingdome of Israel: penned they were, saith Saint Austine, Non tam inspi­ratione divina, quam humana diligentia. Aug. de civ. Dei. lib. 18. cap. 38. Non ad autho­ritatem religio­nis, sed ad vir­tutem cognitie­nis. Jb. not by divine inspiration, but by humane diligence, and thereupon he well in­ferres, that these Volumes did not appertaine to the proving or propa­gating Religion, but to the promo­ting, and inlarging of good litera­ture among the Jewes. But admit that devillish attempt of Tyrants [Page 144]had beene effected, and all the Bibles in the world abolished, yet the word of God could not be destroy­ed, because the Archetype, the plat­forme, the Originall draught of it is in the eternall God. For ever, O Lord, Psalme 119 1 Peter 1. thy word is stablisht in heaven, saith David, and thy word of the Lord endureth for ever, saith Peter: it re­maineth firme, as mount Sion, that can never be removed; and like the faithfull witnesse in heaven, it stands fast till time shall bee no more. So that if all the power on earth should make warre against the very paper of the Scriptures, they cannot pos­sibly destroy it: but the Word of God written will bee to bee had to the worlds end, Maugre the malice of earth, and hell. What God hath written, he hath written, and it shall stand inviolable, when heaven shall passe away with a great noise,1 Peter 3. and the earth with its workes shall bee burnt up. Man, had he never fallen from his first integrity, must have lived by the same law that wee doe now. His children should have [Page 145]met, saith one, at the Tree of know­ledge, as at an Altar or Temple,Bucholc. Chro­nol. p. 40. and there have solemnely performed, on the Sabbath day especially, the great businesse of Religion, repeating the History of their Creation, wor­shipping and praising God, their Creator, propagating his word, &c. Saint Paul also rapt up into the hea­venly Paradise ceased not to profit in the doctrine of the Law and Pro­phets: though there hee had heard words unspeakeable.2 Cor. 12 4. Paulus in tertiu us (que) coelum rap­tus non destitit tamen proficere in dectrina legis & prophetar [...]m Calv. He knew and saw that they live by no other law in Heaven then we doe. And albe­it some speciall duties of certaine commandements shall cease, when we come to Heaven, yet the sub­stance of every one remaineth for ever. For seeing the Image of God standeth in righteousnesse and holi­nesse, which are the two branches of the morall Law, it must needs tye us with an everlasting bond, who were first made in that likenes, and whose perfection in heaven is to bee fully and wholly renewed thereunto. And this perpetuity and [Page 146]perennity of the morall Law, was not obscurely noted by the engra­ving of it in stone, Exod. 34.27. 2 Cor. 3.7. &c.

Section I.

OF the first sort, (besides those monstrous tyrants above men­tioned that sought to extirp and ex­tinguish it, and those other Here­tickes ancient and moderne, Sadu­ces, Manichees, Marcionites, Ana­baptists, [Page 147] &c. That rejected the ho­ly Scriptures, either wholly or in part,) the men we are most to deale withall here, are our adversaries the Papists; who besides those fore­mentioned tearmes and titles of dis­honour they have blasphemously be­stowed upon the Booke of God,Melius consul­tum fuisse Eccle­sia, si nulia un­quam extuisset Scriptura, Tilen. Syntag p. 17. one of no meane ranke among them feares not to say, that had it bin bet­ter with the Church, had there ne­ver beene any Bible. Others of them referre the rise and Originall of the Scriptures, not to the Holy Ghost, as Saint Peter doth,ad fortuitas quasdam occa­siones a Prophe­tis & Apostolis [...] arrep­tas referunt. lb. but only to cer­taine occasionall events, and acci­dentall occurrences, befalling the Prophets and Apostles, as it hapned. They tell us that Saint Paul wrote his Epistles, not for the common use of the Churches of all succeed­ing ages, but only for the particu­lar uses of those particular places whereto,Pareus in 1. Cor. 1.1. and times wherein hee wrote: that he was so transported with pangs of zeale and eagernesse in most of his disputes, that there was no great reckoning to be made [Page 148]of his assertions;Relation of West. Religion by Sir Edw. Sands, an eare witnesse. yea that he was dangerous to reade, as savouring of heresie in some places and better per­haps hee had never written. Oh tongues worthy to be pulled out of their heads with hot burning pin­cers, cut into gobbets, and driven downe their throates, those open Se­pulchers, wherein they thus shame­lesly seeke to entombe the name, and Word of God! It hath beene seri­ously consulted among them, saith mine Author, to have censured by some meanes, and reformed Saint Pauls Epistles,Jdem, Ibid. whom they teach in the Pulpit not to have beene se­cure of his preaching, but by confe­rence with Saint Peter; nor that he durst publish his Epistles till Saint Peter had allowed them, prodigi­ous blasphemy! but what better can we expect from those that hold and teach that the Apostles were men as others are,Piggbius lib. 1. Hier. Eccles. c. 8. pag. 8. and therefore might erre, lye and forget (as others) deceiving and being deceaved. As for Saint Paul, Annal. Tom. 1. Anno Christi 51. Num. 39. Baronius stickes not to withstand him as stoutly as ever [Page 149] Paul did Peter, and dares defend it that Peter was not to be blamed, but Paul a great deale too busie rather. As Iohannes Mollinus also was with the Pope and Cardinals, when dis­puting before them out of Saint Paul, concerning Originall sin,Fox Martyrol. fol. 855. Iu­stification by faith, free-will, &c. when they could not refell his do­ctrine, they sent him away with this answer, that it was truth which he affirmed, but not meete for this time: for that it could not be taught or published without the detriment of the Apostolike Sea. Wherefore he should hence-forth abstaine from the Epistles of Saint Paul (as deli­vering dangerous doctrine) and so returne againe safe to Bonony: Lectio Bibliorum citius haereticum Lutheranum quam Catholi­cum Romanum faciet. Apud Hassenmull: Hist. Jesuit. c. 9. and there professe Philosophy. Reading the Bible, saith a Iesuite, will sooner make a Lutheran Hereticke, then a Roman Catholike. At a publike Assembly of the States of Germany, one Albertus (Bishop of the people there called Vindelici) lighting by chance upon a Bible, and reading therein, when one of the Counsel­lours [Page 150]asked him what booke that was?D. Prideaux Orat: inaug. p. 17. ex Luthero. I know not, said hee, what booke it is, but this I know, that whatsoever I reade in it, is utterly against our Religion. So Iohn Bi­shop of Misnia confessed, that rea­ding the holy Bible, he found there­in a Religion much differing from that that was then established,Scultet: Aanal: which was Popery. The Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland stoutly said, I thanke God, that I never knew what the old and New Testament was,Fox Martyrol. fol. 1153. neither care I to know more then my portuise and Pontificall. Goe your way, Deane Thomas, and let be all these fantasies. Tindall told a Doctour,Ibid. fol [...]82. Vide Be [...]man: de Origin: L [...]g: Lat. in dissert. with whom he disputed, that if God gave him life, ere many yeares, he would cause a boy that drives the plough to know more of the Scriptures then he did. In his prologue before the bookes of Moses he testifieth, that the Priests of his time (many of them) were so rude, and ignorant,Jdem ibidem. that they had seene no more Latine then that onely which they reade in their Portesses, [Page 151]and Missals. And when for their and others use, he had translated the Bi­ble into English, they raged ex­treamely, some affirming that it would make the people Heretickes: Others, that it would cause them to rebell. They scanned and examined every title therein so narrowly, that if but an i lacked a pricke over his head, they noted and numbred it to the ignorant people for an He­resie.Ibidem fol. 983.

The Parson of Rocking in a Ser­mon at Queene Maries first entring to the Crowne,Ibid. 1720. exhorted the peo­ple to beleeve the Gospell, for it was the Truth; and if not, they should be damned.An. Dom. 1525 Berlini Mona­chus qui l'au­lum mendacij arguerat, sub. ito in suggestu extinctus est apoplexiâ, die, Stephani. Buchol Ind. Chro. But in a second Sermon he turnd tippet and preacht, that the Testament was false in forty places. The Schoolemen make little menti­on of Scripture in any of their dis­putes. Aristotle was their Patri­arch, and Logicall axiomes their prime proofes. Philosophers they cite often, seldom the Apostles: tho ancient fathers if they cal in for con­firmation of any thing, they make [Page 152]them of equall authority with the Scriptures,Lomb. lib. 2. sent. distinct. 34. & l. 2. distinct. 9. & passim. and doubt not to ho­our their writings with the name of Scripture. Their Richard de san­cto Victore, Lucifer-like, sets himselfe, for skill in Divinity, above the Pro­phets and Apostles.Paraeus, Hist. Eccles. medul. p. 344. And that grace­lesse Gratian blusheth not to reckon the decretall Epistles of the Bishops of Rome among the Canonicall Scriptures: which who so belee­veth not,Tilen: Sent: pag. 38. Jbid. p. 28. saith Pope Nicolas, is guil­tie of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. A sencelesse sentence, wor­thy of such an Authour, and deser­ving such an answer as his successor Benedict the eleventh had from the Embassadours of the Counsell of Constance.Jn histor: Con­cil: Constant: When the Pope laying his hand on his bosome cryed with a loud voyce, Hic est arca Noae, they tarily, but truely replied. In Noahs Arke, were few men, but many beasts, intimating that there were six abominations, and seven (as the Scripture speaketh,) lurking in that breast, wherein he would have them beleeve that all right and Religion [Page 153]were lodg'd, and lockt up: Or such as Philip the Faire, King of France returnd to Pope Boniface requiring homage of him,Anno 1924. Alsted: Chronol. page 359. Agnosco te pri­mogenitum Di­aboli: Sciat tua maxima Fatuitas, Be it knowne to your e­gregious foolishnesse. A title too good for such as account the Gospell foolishnesse, 1 Cor. 1.20, 23. and the Bible a fable: as that first borne of the Devill Leo the tenth, who admiring those huge masses of mo­ny, which he had raked together, in Germany with wrench and wile, by his indulgences, is reported to have said to Cardinall Bembus, see what a deale of wealth wee have got by this fable of Christ. And when the same Bembus brought him a place of the new Testament to comfort him,A [...]age has nugas de Christo. Dan: Parei Me­dull. Hist: Ec­cles. pag. 402. now lying upon his death bed, A­way, said he, with these bawbles con­cerning Christ. But I am weary of stirring any longer in this abomi­nable sinke, although I might fur­ther set forth, how this stiffe necked generation, Acts 7.51. and uncircumcised heart and eares doe alwayes resist the Holy Ghost: as their fathers did, so do they, [Page 154]by defacing the first Commande­ment of the morall Law, disannul­ing the second, dispensing with the third.Holliensis cap. 4 Potest de injusti­tia lacere justi­tiam, ex [...]hi [...]o aliquid, ex vir­tute vitium. Bell. l. 4. de Pont. Rom. The Canonists sticke not to say that the Pope may dispense a­gainst the Law of God, and of na­ture, against Paul, and all the com­mandements, of New and Old Te­stament, which they commonly, to this day, slander of obscurity and ambiguity, to the Laity, sending such to learne of dumbe Images, those teachers of lyes,Hab. 2 18. and shut­ting them up close prisoners in the Popes darke dungeon of heathenish Ignorance, which they commend to the people for the best mother of devotion; and that it is not neces­sary for the common sort to know more than the Articles of the Creed.Commenti [...]ia pe­ricula, & Panica terricula quibus pontificij tan­quam Gorgone objecta a Scrip­turae lectione suos absterrent. Tilen: Matth. 23. As for the Scriptures, it is heresie to reade them, saith one: it was the invention of the Devill, saith ano­ther: A husbandman reading the Bible was possest, saith a third. Thus seduce they silly soules, laden with lusts, putting out their eyes, as the Philistims did Sampsons, and taking [Page 155]from them the key of knowledge, as the Pharisees did of old. The Fawlk­ner knowes hee can better rule his Hawke or tassell,Paenè peccatu [...] putant Scriptu­ras legere, ne sic fiant haevetici: Espencaeus in Tit. c. 1. p. 104.105. when hee hath hooded him: so do Popish Fawlk­ners, Priests and Iesuites deale, by their misled and muzzled proselytes, whom they therefore keepe in the darke. They suffer not any to read the Scriptures, no though he have taken degrees in Schooles, without a speciall licence from his Ordinary: and then they tye him too to the Vulgar Latine Translation,D. Prid: Lect. ex Greg. de Valentia. that I­doll of Trent, which they have made authenticall, and where it dif­fers, saith the Iesuite, in all Copies from other editions, the Hebrew, Chaldee, &c. those other are rather to be corrected out of it, then it out of them. The best learned Papists doe know and yeeld the Originall Greeke and Hebrew fountaines to be pure and uncorrupt: affirming, that though some slips of Printers or Writers may be found in letters or words, yet they hurt not the sense, nor derogate at all from their [Page 156]authority. Thus Bellarmine, Sixtus Senensis, Veterum libro­rum fides de Hebruis volumi­nibus examinā ­da: novorum veritas Graeci Sermonis nor­mam desiderat. Gratian: ex August. Ribera, Acosta, yea Grati­an himselfe yeelds to this truth, al­ledging a place to the same purpose, out of Austin. But Francis Xinneni­us, Cardinall of Toledo, was of ano­ther judgement. For in his preface before the Bible, set out at Complu­tum in Spaine, he saith, that he set the Vulgar Latine betweene the He­brew and Greeke, as Christ was set betwixt two Theeves. A proper comparison, and well becomming so grave a Cardinall [...] How well may it be said of these, that so mag­nifie the Vulgar, as that Chian ser­vant said of his Master who sold the Wine, and drank the Lees, whilest they had good, they sought for that which was naught. But wot you what was the reason? The Prote­stants in the Reformation began to search the Originals, and charged their Adversaries thence to produce their proofes. The Papists to obvi­ate this, decreed in the Counsell of Trent, that the Vulgar Latine should be holden for the Originall: [Page 157]which some of them preferre before the Hebrew and Greek, that is, the foule channell before the faire foun­taine. Gretser saith, sufficit aequatio, non praelatio. Its enough indeed, and more than enough. But bad wares love dark shops,Cameli lutulen­ta [...] aquas cap­tant, puras re­sugiunt, &c. Solinus. c. 63. and Camels trouble the cleare waters with their feete, when they drinke, that they may not see therein their owne deformi­ties. Plutarch tells of a Painter that had illsavouredly proportioned a Hen, and therefore chased away the living Hennes, lest his evill work­manship should be perceived. So doe these bunglers, these Lucifugae Scripturarum, as Tertullian calles them, deale by the truth of God, re­vealed in the Scriptures: they wipe out Verbum Dei, Fox Martyr [...]l. fol. 1338. as the Painter in Queene Maries dayes, and as they have wiped out Origens Commen­tary upon the sixth of Iohn, as fear­ing it should confute their errour touching the Eucharist: they think to dance naked in a n [...]t, and none shall see them when their shame lyes open to all the world,Jbidem. as Master [Page 158] Philpot long since told them in open Convocation. Some mens sins, go be­fore to judgement: and they that are otherwise then good, cannot bee hid, 1 Tim. 5.24, 25.

Section 2.

SEcondly, this doctrine condem­neth such of detestable wicked­nesse, as doe not indeed openly op­pose, yet ordinarily abuse the good Word of God, which they ought to tremble at: And this either in point of judgement or matter of practise.

Of the former sort are such as for the confirming of errours, or coun­tenancing of enormities, wrest the Scriptures to their owne destruction, 2 Peter 3.16. wilfully misalledge or misinterpret them, as all heretickes do: and they have it from their father the Devill, who came not without his Scrip­tum est, his Bible under his arme, when he set upon our Saviour. In imitati­on of whom wee know who they are that argue thus out of Scripture: [Page 159]The Pope is Monarch of the Christi­an Common-wealth,Pasce oves meas: id est, supremum in Ecclesia domi­nium tibi assere. Baron t'Regio more impera. Bel. [...] sometimes sig­nifies to govern (usually to [...]eed) but [...] (twice used in the Text) al­waies to feed. because Christ said, when I am lifted up, I will draw all men to me, John 12.32. He may challenge supreme dominion over the Church, saith Baronius, rule like an Emperour saith Bellarmine, be­cause Christ bad Peter feed his sheepe. He may kill and slay whom he plea­seth, because it is said, Acts 10. Arise Peter, kill, and eate Sententia Ba­ronij super ex­com. Venet, Concil. Trid. oratione Cornelij Episcopi Bipon­tini sub Paulo tertio.: tri­umph over and trample upon Prin­ces, because it is said, upon the Asp and Lion shalt thou tread, &c. That saying of our Saviour, I came a light into the world, Iohn 12.45. (He meanes not a light by participation, as the Apostles were lights of the world, but by nature, as God is on­ly) was detestably ascribed and ap­plied to the Pope in the Counsell of Trent. So in the Lateran Counsell, thus they blasphemously bespake the Pope. Thou art all and over all: All power is given to thee in Hea­ven and earth. The Pope replies, Peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you. Hee, (say other of his [Page 160]claw-backe Canonists) takes away the sinnes of the world, rules from Sea to Sea, is the root of David, Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, Saviour of the world,Tu merito in terris, diceris esse Deus Fran. Zabar: Rev. 13.1, 2. 2 Thes. 2.7. God upon earth, &c. Is not this the beast (judge you) that hath a mouth like a Lion, and speak­eth great things and blasphemies? Is not this the very same whose true name is blasphemie, his pretensed name, Mystery? A mysterie indeed of iniquity, as Saint Paul hath it, and as Iosephus saith of Antipater, that his life was a very mystery of ma­lice. [...] Ioseph. Adrian the sixth (afore he was Pope) taxed many errours and abu­ses in the Court of Rome (so did Pius secundus) which being after­ward pressed to reforme, now that hee was in place, and had power in his hand, his answer was, when I was a child, I spake as a child, &c. Sphinx Philos. but being now a man, I have put away childish things. So when Philip King of Spaine. out of a bloudy zeale, suf­fered his eldest sonne Charles to bee murdered by the cruell Inquisition, because he seemed to favour our Re­ligion: [Page 161]that mouth of blasphemy the Pope gave him this panegyr, He spared not his owne sonne, but de­livered him up for us. Hier: Catina. So in the holy Warre, as they called it, against the Waldenses, (whither the King of France sent his eldest sonne in per­son) the Popes great army tooke one strong populous Citie, and put to the sword 60000. among whom were many of their owne Catho­likes. For Arnoldus the Cistercian Abbot being the Popes Legate in this great Warre, commanded the Captaines, and Souldiers saying,Caesarius Heister­bachensis Hist: lib. 5. cap. 21. Caedite eos: novit enim Dominus, qui sunt ejus. Kill them up one among another, for the Lord knows who are his. So, Give not holy things to dogs, 2 Tim. 2.19. that is, the Scriptures to the igno­rant.Staphysus in Apolog. Ledes­ma de div: scrip cap. 22. Our Saviour closed the booke after he had read a few verses, Luke 4. therefore Divine service is not to bee said in a knowne tongue.Roffensis adver: Luther. Acts 16. Tyrabosco Pa­triarch of Ve­nice: Via tutae. page 164. Give us this day our daily bread, therefore wee must communicate in one kind only. There are seven Sacraments, because Christ brake and divided to [Page 162]the people five loaves, and two fishes;Greg. de Ʋalen. de Jdolol. c. 7. some Idolatry is lawfull, be­cause Saint Peter condemneth the unlawfull service of Idols, 1 Peter 4.3.Jn Colloquio Ratish. apud Polycar. Lyser: Si [...] ex Jacob 5. & Marc. 6.13. Male intellecto pro pa [...]toribus Ecclesia habuit unguentarios, & pigmentarios. Bern. Confess. The Bavarian Colloquutours exclude all women out of Heaven that have lived before Christs Incar­nation, and alledge Scripture for it. Not that there is any such thing there to be found: but that they fa­ctiously contend to fasten their own conceits upon God; and like the Harlot in the holy History, they take their dead and putrified fan­cies, and lay them in the bosome of the Scripture, as of a mother: Aristotle tells us of one Antipheron Orietes that thought he saw his own shape and picture still going before him. So in diverse parts of Scrip­ture, where these men walke, they will easily beleeve that they see the shadow of their owne opinions, wherewith they come prepossest.Chemnitius de Theologia Jesuitarum. p. 48. What was it else that made Tham­merus disputing of the word [...] (so oft used by the Apostle in the 4^th to the Romans) to think that because [Page 163]it comes of [...] which signifieth Reason,Item quia [...] a Ʋarino explicatur quod sit [...], ideo Tham. contendit ex Rom 3.24. operibiu nostris reddi debitam mercedem: Ibid. therefore the righteousnesse of faith must be such as a man may comprehend by naturall reason? What else should make the Turkes to be of opinion that as Moses did allude to the comming of Christ, so Christ did foretell somewhat of the appearing of Mahomet? whereup­on it is ordinarily receaved amongst them (saith Archbishop Abbots) that when Christ in Saint Iohns Gos­pel I said, that although he dep [...]rted,Geograph. p. 149. hee would send them a Comforter, it was added in the Text. And that shall bee Mahomet; but that the Christians in malice towards them, have razed out those words: Sem­blably Montanus the Hereticke gave out, that that promise made by our Saviour at his Ascension, Acts 1.8.Beza in locum. Ye shall receave the power of the Holy Ghost comming upon you, was (next after the Apostles) fulfil'd in him and his Philumena. Some such thing Epiphanius relates of Simon Magus, and others of Novatus. Now what is this else but to tor­ment [Page 164]a Text, Caedem Scriptur: facere ad mate riam suam Ter. depiasc. adv. haer. as one calls it? to slaughter the holy Scriptures to serve therewith their owne purposes, as Ter­tullian tearmes it? what is it selfe but to speake perverse or distorted things, [...]. loqui­tur Lucas ut de membris a suo cerpore crudeli­ter avulsls, per­gens in eadem translatione. Acts 20.30. that they may discerp, or violently dragge Disciples after them as Saint Paul foretold it? What is it else but afferre sensum ad Scriptu­ras, non referre, as Hilary hath it; to give unto the Scripture, and not to receive from it the sense; to impose it, and not to expect it? Lastly, what is it else but to stretch Gods word to their sinfull purposes, as shooe-makers do their greasie over-leathers with their teeth? which Polydor Virgil long since observed and complained of to be the tricke of Popish Canonists. Non secus ac sutores solent sordidas denti­bus extendere pelles-de invent: rer: lib 4. c. 9. Neither can we here excuse the Iewes, who to countenance their conceit of the in­effability of the name Jehovah, mis­allege that text Exod. Galatinus. Prov. 8.22. [...], isti lege [...]unt [...] creavit. 3.15. This is my name (legnolam) for ever, which they reade Legnalam, to bee concea­led. Much worse the Arrians, who to disprove the Deity of Christ, by [Page 165]changing of one little letter, cor­rupted the Text, and carried it a cleane contrary way to its owne meaning. The Nestorians also abu­sed that Text, Heb. 2.9. (reading [...] without God, for [...], by the grace of God, to prove that he that suffered for us, was not God. And is not the like liberty, (or Le­gerdemaine rather) in use among Papists?As in stead of, Non habent Pe­tri haereditatem qui Petri Fidem non habent, they print qui Petri Sedem non ha­bent, ex Jnd: expurg: Make they not over-bold in this kinde, not with mens wri­tings onely, but with Gods also? Harding to prove satisfaction, al­legeth, 2 Cor 7.1. seeing then we have these promises, dearely belo­ved, let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit, making perfect our satisfaction in the feare of God. Where marke that the Doctour hath chopt the word satis­faction into the Text for sanctificati­on, Answer to Iew. Apol. part. 2. c. 16. fol. 117. and so quite altered the Apostles meaning. So Cardinal Hosius for the same doctrine of satisfaction al­ledged (with like honesty) that Rom. 6.19.Confess. Petri: c. 48. de Sa­cram: p [...]nit: fol. 127. Let us yeeld our mem­bers to serve justice unto satisfacti­on. [Page 166]Saint Paul saith sanctification, but they are willing to mistake him, that so they may seeme to make their adulterate coyne good silver. Som­what like hereunto is that, Ʋnus è millibus, Iob 33.23. which their Vulgar Version corruptly reads Ʋnus è similibus. Lightfoots Miscel. p.62. The Septuagint also are said to have translated against their will: sure it is we have but slippe­rie doings from them, Iob 2. they help Jobs wife to scold, adding there a whole verse of female passion. I must now, saith she, goe wander, and find no place to rest in. And whereas Jonas 3.4. it is, Yet forty dayes, and Niniveh shall be destroyed, the Septua­gint reades, Yet three dayes, &c. Be­sides that,Taylor & Beo­tius cont Morin diverse of the clearest pro­phesies concerning Iesus Christ they have utterly perverted: which ther­fore the Apostles alledge out of the Hebrew verity, and not out of the Septuagint: if at least this bee the Septuagints Translation, that is now taken for it.Weemses exer­citat. Origen never saw it, as appeares by his Hexapla: for it was burnt by Diocletian (as some hold) [Page 167]in the Library of Alexandria: or (as others) by Iulius Caesar when he burnt Serapion.

Section 3.

BVt (to speake forward) a second sort of delinquents against Gods holy Word come here to be convin­ced of singular impiety, and they are such as misuse it in matter of pra­ctise. Now of these, there are sundry sorts of sinners against their owne soules.

First, those that wickedly pro­duce and pleade it for defence of wickednesse. See an instance hereof Eccles. 4.6.Leo Judae. in Annotat. Better is a handfull with quietnesse, saith the sluggard, then both the hands full with travell, and vexation of spirit. This in its true meaning is not farre different from that, Prov. 17.1.Si det oluscula mēsa minuscula pace quietâ, Ne pete grandia lanta (que) prandia lite repleta. Better is a dry morsell, and quietnes therewith, then an house full of sacrifices (or good cheare) with strife. But this Scrip­ture is here ill applyed by the idle person. For it is as if hee should say: A little with ease is best: Bet­ter [Page 168]is a penny by begging, then two-pence by true labour. So Eccl. 8.15. Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing then to eate and drinke, and be merry, &c. This is the judgment of the flesh, as that in the former verse is of the spirit. Wick­ed men make ill conclusions of good premises, and perverse applications of wholesome precepts, as the Spi­ders suck poyson out of the most fra­grant flower, or as a soule stomacke turnes good food into ill nourish­ment. See this Eccles. 9.7. Goe thy way, eate thy bread with joy, drinke thy wine with chearefulnesse, &c. Pemble in locum Quia nihil distat sors pio [...]is & impiorum, ede, bibe lude, post mortē nulla voluptas, ut sen­tit Sardanapa­ [...]icus greae. Leo Judae ad locum. Sardanapalus successoribus post obitum suum inscribi in Se­pulchro hanc vocem mandasse dicitur. The use that carnall men make of the point of Gods providence is sensua­lity and Epicurisme. Whatsoever thy hand finds to doe (either in matter of profit or pleasure) doe it with all thy might. As who should say: spare for no paines, care for no cost, but make much of one, and be merry. Why? For there is no worke nor de­vice, &c. in the grave whither thou go­est, as who should say; After death there's no more to bee done, or de­sired. [Page 169]Let us therfore eate and drink, for to morrow we shall dye. These be evill words, [...]. (though they pretend Gods Word for their ground) that corrupt good manners. Neither are they the better to be liked, that think to excuse their evill courses by the sinnes of Gods Saints set downe in the Scripture. Did not DAVID sweare, say they, commit adultery, make Ʋriah drunke, make him a­way, &c. So for Noah, Lot, Peter, others. Holy men are called a cloud of witnesses, Heb. 12.1. In things praise-worthy and imitable, they are as the cloud that led Gods Israel, and conducted them in their way to Ca­naan. But in things unwarran­table, in their faults and failings, they are as the blacke of that cloud, which who so followeth, with the Egyptians, is like to be drowned, as they, in the bottomlesse lake. Briefly and in a word; to all these wicked God saith, what hast thou to doe to declare my statutes for defence of thy sinnes, or to take my covenant in thy mouth, Psal. 50.16, 17. thou that hatest instru­ction, [Page 170]and castest my words behind thee? High words are as unfit for a foole, as a gold ring for a Swines snowte: the Lepers lips should bee covered according to the Law. To alleage Scripture in favour of sinne, is to entitle God to that which he hates worse than the Devill; it is to make him a patrone and patterne of wickednesse,Num 15.30, 31 and his word a sword for satan his sworne enemy; it is a kind of blasphemy.

Section 4.

HOw much more then is it (in the second place) an abhomi­nable abuse to the sacred Word of God, to carp and cavill at it, as some doe. And first, at the homelinesse of the stile: secondly at the harsh­nesse of the matter.

Of the former sort are the wits of the world, the Minions of the Muses, Donsa. Mentemque habere queis bo­nam, Et esse corculis datum est, our cunning and curius critickes that deliver their words by waight, [Page 171]drive their clauses to an even caden­cie, eschew nicely the meeting to­gether of vowels, the harsh sound of sillables, are carefull to speake no more than may breed admiration of their wit and worth. Their dis­courses are so curiously coucht, so neately starcht and set, their words so ranked and meetly marshalled, as if they were a kinne to him whose name is sixe hundred sixtie sixe. As for the contemptible coursenesse of Scripture phrase, it grates their de­licate eares, it offends their queasie stomacks, which cannot away with these wholesome (because not tooth­some) words, 2 Tim. 1.13. [...]. They scorne the grave eloquence, the state­ly plainenesse, the rich poverty, that humble majesty that shines in the simplicity of the Scriptures, which they are no way able to peise or praise. Such a one was Politian, who being asked whether ever hee had read over the Bible?D Pezel. part 2. Postill: Mclanct. Yea once, said he, but it was the worst time that ever I spent. He preferd Pin­dars Odes before Davids Psalmes, [Page 172]like a wretch as he was, and spent his time (which he counted cast a­way, so much as hee laid out upon once reading over the Scriptures) in scanning whether a man should pronounce Vergilius or Virgilius, preimus or primus, &c. (which was laborious losse of time, as the Phi­losopher calls it.) And if hee had any further leasure,L. Ʋives. [...] Aristot. hee spent it in making some Greeke Epigram, in commendation of leachery and So­domy; being delivered up by God (and justly for contempt of his ho­ly Word) to an injudicious mind as those Heathens were, [...] Rom. 1.28. Rom. 1. Such another was that Country-man of his,P. Mornaeus de ver. Relig. Chr. cap. 26. Domitius Calderinus, who se­riously disswaded young men, that studied eloquence, from looking in­to the Bible: But what goodly matter then should they reade? for­sooth his Comment upon Virgils Priapus: Vixit Calderi­nus Anno 1477. a booke which a lmen, that have not altogether put off manhood, are abashed to speake of. A grave judgment, in sadnesse, for men to set their minds upon. But what greater inducement to a good [Page 173]heart to honour the Scriptures, then that such persons despise them? as one said once, that religion must needs be the right that Nero perse­cuteth. Surely, saith Austin, where J understand the Prophets and Apostles: De doctrina Christia. l 3. J never met with any thing, not onely more wise, but more eloquent then they are. What a deale of imparallell Rhetoricke is to bee read in that twelfth of Ecclesiastes, all the for­mer part of it? how bravely and exquisitely doth hee pursue the alle­gory! Quot lumina, imo flumina ora­tionis ibi exserit, saith one?Heidelseldius. See a like lofty passage in Moses his song, Deut. 32.6. So what a deale of con­fidence and eloquence, of humility and majesty, of reasons and affecti­ons, is there in the Prophesie of Esay? What comparison betwixt the rowlings of Demosthenes, or Cicero's flattering insinuations, with childish excuses of ignorance, and the lively and lofty entrances of Esay? betwixt the Oratours long periods, the which he harkneth to so devoutly,P. Morn. de verit. relig. c. 6. and the others pi [...]rce­ing [Page 174]paragraphs: and pressing dis­courses, which are so many thunder­strokes doubled and redoubled, able to daunt the stoutest stomacke upon earth? Never any man came neere him (certainely.) Whether ye look to the evidence of his vision or the eloquence of his stile til Paul set pen to paper.Audire mihi vi­deor, non ver­b v [...]sed tonitrua. Hieron. Hee indeed thundred as often as he spoke; When he spake to Elymas the forcerer especially; he set his eyes upon him saith the Text, as if he would have lookt tho­rough him. After which lightning, followed that terrible thunder clap.Acts 13.9, 10. O full of all subtilty and mischiefe, thou child of the devill, &c. so when he unstarcht the Oratours speech (as one phraseth it) afore Faelix, Acts 24. and a­gaine,Acts 26. when he pleaded his owne cause in the presence of Agrippa, De Cicerone non nemo. Raptare eum judicem credas, involve­re, praecipitem agere: noc incendere auditorem modò, sed ipsum putes ar­dere, &c. Oh what an Oratour was he when he listed I Pericles himselfe could never have been more power­full or perswasive. His adversaries, the false Apostles, gave out against [Page 175]him, that his letters were weighty, but his bodily presence weake, and his speech contemptible. Whereunto hee an­swers. Let every such one thinke this, that such as we are in word by letters, 2 Cor. 10.10, 11. when we are absent, such are we indeed, when present. And how is that? In brevitate verborum est luxuries rerum, saith Origen. Verborum par­cus, sententia­rum dives. Lud. Vives. In fewnesse of words there is fulnesse of matter. Spare he is of words, rich in sense, as one saith of Livy. Densus & brevis & semper in­stans sibi Thucy­dides: ait Quintil: l. 10. c. Astrictus & pro­fluens. subtilis & clarus, sine cura illa accura­tus. Do Q. Curtio Lipsius. Hoc ipso ornati quod ornamenta negligerent. Cic. Thicke and short, pithy and patheticall, briefe and yet full, concise and yet cleare, carelesse and yet accurate. Tully tels us of the bookes of his friend At­ticus, that this was their chiefe or­nament, that they neglected orna­ments. This is properly true of this book of books: no part whereof is without a grave eloquence, such as none could ever attaine to. The Apocrypha-writers that indeavour it, are yet but cold, and even barba­rous in comparison. Wherefore Marcilius Ficinus and IOHAN­NES Earle of Mirandula (the honour of ITALY and of his [Page 176]age for skill in all sciences) having read all the good authours in the world,Mornaeus. came at length to rest them­selves in our Scriptures, and were in the end out of liking with all o­thers; but as for these, they could never have their fill of them.De Q. Curt [...] Colerus epist. For indeed, Lectorem citius defatigatum quā satiatū dimittunt: of these living waters the more we drink, the more we may, [...]. Isoc. the deeper the sweeter. In al other things is satiety, not of this. Other bookes like insidiating Iael, may allure men with the blandish­ments of their stile, blanched over with the title of eloquence, till they have destroyed them. Wan­ton wits hunt only after pompous and painted words, rarities and ni­cities of speech, high straines, a soaring sublimity of phrases and choise composures; such as they may meete withall in Apuleius and Sidonius, who speake nothing almost without a figure, but abound with continual Metaphors and circumlo­cutions. These Balaams see not such Angelicall lustre in holy writ as in [Page 177]the unhallowed writings of their so much magnified Magnificoes, and doe therefore disdaine them.Res grandes or­natè dicere, puc­rile est. Cicero. Ornari resipsae vetat, contenta doceri. Horat. But they must be told, that Summa ornari nolunt, true beauty needs no paint: the native comelinesse of the Scrip­tures scornes the unnaturall drugs of these bewitching Iezabels. God would please these men well, should he deale by inductions, as Plato, or Syllogismes, as Aristotle, or prettie sleights as Carneades, or out-cryes as Cicero, or fine conceits, as Seneca doth. They could bee content hee would utter his words by weight, that they might fall in just measure and sound, and that he would inter­lace some farre-sought words, some allegoricall matters, some strange devices wherewith common use is unacquainted. What is this but sus Minervam? twere pitty surely, but those men were pleased, and GOD, instructed how to deliver his mind a little better. Paul the babbler will not down with these Athenians, that hunt after novelties, and curious speculations. But my speech and my [Page 178]preaching, [...]. 1 Cor. 2.4. Tertullian. saith he, is not with the per­swasible words of mans wisdome, but in demonstration of the spirit and in power. The Valentinians had a tricke to perswade before they taught: but the onely penne men perswade by teaching, they do not teach so much by perswading, some of them (as I have said) are wondrous eloquent above all humane authors whatsoe­ver, God thereby shewes that hee could, if it had pleased him have fretted, as it were, the whole vo­lume with excellency of words; Yet generally it is carried with a lower phrase of speech; w^ch never­thelesse savours not of any earthly mould, but makes one even in de­spite of himselfe, to admire it. Thy testimonies are wonderfull, Psalm. 119.129, 130. saith Da­vid, and yet the very entrance into them sheweth light, fermentum cog­nitionis ets ma­gis inesse quam bracte as eloquë­tiae deprehendas De polyhistore suo Solinus. giveth understan­ding. Besides that, under an hum­ble and abject simplicity of words, it puts forth a divine vertue, where­by it lively affects the minds of men, above all the master-peeces of the most polite and Elaborate Oratours [Page 179]in the world. But to such enough (if not more than enough) as stumble at the stile of holy Writ: We have a second sort to deale with.

Section 5.

ANd they are such,Durus est hic sermo, Ioh. 6. as are mis­grieved at the matter of the word, as if it were a hard word, and God the Authour of it an austere Lord,Luk. 19.21. for requiring of them (as once he did of the rich Pharisee) such things as they are not willing to performe.Prov. 19. [...]. The wickednesse of a man perverts his way, and (when hee hath no other way to ease himselfe) his heart frets against the Lord: hee riseth up against his precepts as the horse casteth his rider and riseth up against him.Rom. 7.12. The Law is holy and just and good, founded upon so much right reason, that if God had not enjoyned it, yet had it been our best course in (selfe-regard) to have ob­served it. Howbeit by accident and through our singular corrupti­on, this good Law irritates naughty [Page 180]nature and makes bad men worse, as the message of dismission did Pha­raoh. The waves doe not beate or roare any where so much as at the banke which restraines them: nor would the vapour in a cloud make that fearefull report, if it met not with opposition. Corruption when checkt, growes mad with rage, and askes, who is the Lord? Let us breake his bonds, say they, Psal. 2. and live by the lawes of our owne lusts: Let us eate and drinke and rise up to play,Exod. 34. for as for this Moses, we cannot tell what is become of him: and as for his Man,Luke 19.14. we will not have him to rule ouer us, neither will we submit to the lawes of his kingdom. But who art thou, O man, that thus chattest against GOD, [...], ex ad­ [...]erso responsus. Rom. 9.20. and quar­rellest with his word? Gods will therein revealed is the supreme rule of right: the Kings standard, as it were, and the Kings beame; and is not therefore to be regulated or cor­rected by any other, but to deter­mine and over-rule all. But these Yokelesse Belialists snuffe at it as [Page 181]over-strict, and say in effect to it, as the Sodomites to Lot.

There is in Peter Lombard this sen­tence cited out of Austin de vera in­nocentia cap. 56. The whole life of an Infidell is sinne, neither is any thing good without the chiefest good. At this truth Ambrose Spiera a certaine postiller shooteth his fooles bolt, saying, Crudelis est illa sentencia. This is a cruell sentence. The like cen­sure passeth many a wicked Atheist upon the righteous Oracles of God, imputing to them falshood, unlike­liehood, iniquity, extremity, what not? warding off (as well as they can) Gods blow, motting them­selves up against his fire, not suffer­ing his terrours to seise upon their soules, like Lots sonnes in Law, till at last (all too late) they feele them sticking in their soules and flesh,Iob 6.4. Psalme 15.5. as so many venomed arrowes of the Almighty, throughout all eternity.

Section 6.

ANother intolerable abuse in daily practise offered to Gods holy word is,In his Ʋltimis & pessimis tem­poribus. Bern. when profane persons take liberty to jest at it or out of it: a course too too common in these last and loosest times of the world. Scurrility and foolish jesting in any kind is flatly forbidden by the Apo­stle, [...] Arislot: [...] appella [...] Ephes. 5.4. [...] Ibid. as unseemely for a saint, reckond among those things that are not con­venient, or conduce not to the maine end. How much lesse lawfull is it to frame jests out of Scripture? Sith the greater any good is, the greater the abuse, and the heavier will be the doome, when the Righteous Iudge shall be reveald from Heaven with thousands of his Saints, [...]. to con­vince the ungodly (to set them down, and stop their soule mouthes, as the word signifies) of all their hard speeches, [...] Iude 15. dry wipes, slye taunts, bit­ter jeares and salt jests, that ungodly sinners have utterd against him and [Page 183]his truth. This was that, that He­noch the seventh from Adam prea­ched of old to those spirits now in prison, then in jollity, 1 Peter 3. that jeared when they should have feared, like those in Ezechiel: that scoffed at Gods threats and said, Let the word of the LORD come, that wee may see it. And of the same stampe were their nephewes in Noahs time. He, as a Preacher of Righteousnesse, spared for no paines in foretelling the floud, but to little purpose. They looked upon him, as one drownd in a deepe melancholy: they said, sure he dreamt (not of a dry summer but) of a wet Winter. Many a bitter flout they give the good old man whilest hee is building his Arke and aske, what this madde fellow meanes to make such a vessell? whether he in­tended to saile on the dry land, or to make a Sea, when hee had made his Shippe? They held him in that worke no wiser than the Pri­or of Saint Bartholmewes in London, Hollinshead in Anno 1524. who upon a vaine prediction of an idle and addle-headed Astrologer, [Page 184]went and built him an house at Harrow on the Hill, to secure him­selfe from a supposed floud, that that Astrologer foretold. And therefore though hee clapped and called early and late, proposing their danger, and pressing them to provide for their owne safety,Psalme 1.1. yet (being now sate downe in the seate of the scorne­full) they stird not a whit, neither a­bated an ace (as they say) of their loose and lewd living. But they ate, they dranke, [...]. Asyn deton [...]leg [...]ntiss: Luke 17.27. they married, they gave in marriage, they remitted nothing, but passed, without intermission, from eating to drinking, from drinking to marrying, from marry­ing to planting, and providing for posterity, and would know nothing, that is, would take no knowledge of any thing, but lay buried in deep and desperate security, till the very day, saith our Saviour, that the flood came, and buried them all in one universall grave of waters. Then might the old Preacher (had he had any mind to it) as fitly have sat and gibed at them, as they once foolishly [Page 185]did at him. Now Jubal, let's heare one of your merry songs. Now, Iu­bal, whether is the wiser work, the building of Tents, or the building of an Arke? Now sirs, you that are such men of renowne, you that were the brave gallants of the earth, now tell me who is the foole, and who is the Wiseman now? By this time, from the tops of the mountaines they descry the Arke, and behold that with envie, which they erst beheld with scorne. Surely,Prov 3 34. GOD scorneth these scorners, that spend their biting girds, and bitter jests upon holy things. GOD him­selfe will laugh at their destruction,Prov. 1. [...]6. Plaime 52.6. and mocke when their feare com­meth. The righteous also shall see it and feare, and laugh at such: as they did in Iulian the Apostates time, that notable scoffer, that would smite Christians, in contempt, on the one cheeke, and bid turne t'other al­so. Hee resused to heare their com­plaints of injuries, because Christ bad them patiently suffer, nor would hee pay them their wages that they [Page 186]might be poore in spirit, [...]ibanius sophista and so sit­ted for the kingdome of Heaven. One of his bosome-birds taunting­ly asked of them, what the Carpen­ters sonne was now in framing? whereunto they replied,Septem libros in expeditione Parthica adver­sus Christum evomuit: Et Galilaeum sta­tim in praelio sensit, & merce­dem linguae put­dissimae, conto in [...]js perfossu [...], accepit. Hieron. He is mak­ing a Coffing for Iulian: And it fell out accordingly: for hee was slaine shortly after, with an arrow of Christs shooting, and dyed rave­ing with Vicisti Galilaee in his mouth This was Iulian. And the like befell Hanun King of the Ammonites, that sent away Davids servants, with shaven beards and short garments, in derision of their law (likely) that forbad them both these. But was there not bitternesse in the end? had hee not sowre sawce to his sweet jests ere he was a yeare elder? The holy oyle might not be put to a pro­phane use on paine of death, Exod. 30.32. No more may the holy word, on paine of Gods displeasure, which is worse than death.2 Peter 2.3. Surely their damnation stumbreth not, saith Saint Peter, of his scoffers, may we say of ours. David points them out for [Page 187]the worst of sinners, in that excel­lent gradation of his, Psalme 1.1. these Rhetoricall mockers as one tran­slates that word, [...]. those pests or bot­ches of humane society, as the Sep­tuagint render it. These are the merry Greekes of our time, that had rather loose their God then their jest: those facetious and fantasticall companions, that dare play with edge-tooles, and rather than want mirth will call in GODS Word (which they ought to tremble at,Iudges 16.25. and not to toy with) as the Phili­stims did Sampson, to make them pa­stime. These are worse than Pilate who when he heard but the name of the Sonne of God, was afraid:Iohn 19. [...]. but these feare nothing more, then not to be held witty and conceited, like Sir Thomas Moore, of whom the Chronicler doubteth, whether to call him a foolish wise-man, Edw Hals Chronicle. or a wise foolish-man. And why? He thought nothing, saith he, to be well spoken except he had ministred some mock in the communication. And qualis vita, finis ita, as he lived a mocker, [Page 188]so he ended his life with a mocke in his mouth. A thing too too common among the French, who are said to be great scoffers in matters of Reli­gion, even upon their death beds, some of them. A Gentleman lying at point of death, when the Priest had perswaded him, that the Sacra­ment of the Altar was the very bo­dy, and bloud of Christ, refused to receave it,D. Heylins Geog. pag. 77. because it was Friday. Another seeing the Hoast brought unto him by a lubberly Priest, said that CHRIST came unto him (as once) riding upon an Asse. What is this else but [...], as Nazianzen calleth it, to play with mysteries, to make jests in high mat­ters, then which what can be more absurd and unseemely. And hither­to may be referred,As the Hea­th [...]s called the Iewes Asinarios, and the Chri­stians cruciarios sarmentitios. Motive 48. that the Papists in scorn call us Evangeli [...]os & Scrip­turarios, Gospellers and Scripturists, thinking thereby to jeare us out of our weake and false Castle of holy Scripture, into the plaine fields of Councels and Fathers, as their Bri­stow adviseth them. It is notorious­ly [Page 189]knowne, saith Doctour Fulke, Annot: in Rhe [...] Test. on Acts 11 Sect. 4. ex Chris­toph Franch: Coll: Iesuit: in sine. that the most honourable name of Christian is in Italy and at Rome a name of Reproach, and usually abu­sed to signifie a Foole or a dolt. This is properly blasphemy in the second Table; for it reflects upon GOD Himselfe, who will not suffer it to goe unpunished; as little as he did in Domitian the Emperour, who to breake a jest upon Christ the Lords Anointed, and upon Iohn his servant,Pareus in Apoc. 1.9. who had written, ye have an uncti­on from the father, &c. is said to have cast him into a vessell of scal­ding oyle; out of which when he came forth unhurt and more fresh then before, Domitian banished him into the I [...]e Pathmos where he recea­ved the Revelation, and whence he was called backe, after that the per­secutor had receaved his guerdon from the righteous hand of GOD. Now therefore be not ye mockers, (at holy things especially) least your bands bee made strong. Esay 28.22. Discite justitiam moniti: Virg. Let it never be said, that Religion is not more a matter of forme then of scorne a­mongst [Page 190]amongst us.Josephus. Appion a Grammarian of Alexandria scoffing at the Iewish worship, and especially at Circum­cision, had an ulcer the same time and in the same place. And one Iohn Apowell, in Queene Maries dayes standing by William Maudon as hee was reading on a Primer at Green­wich, mocked him after every word with contrary gawde [...],Acts & Moni. fol. 1906. and slowt­ing speeches unreverently, insomuch that hee could no longer abide, but turning to him said; John, take heed what thou dost, thou mockest not me, but God in his Word, though I be simple that reade it. He mocked on, till Mawdon reading, Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us, the other with a start said suddenly, Lord have mercy upon me. With that, Mawdon turned a­bout, and said, what aileth thee, Iohn? He said, I was afraid. Whereof? said Maudon: nothing now, said the other. After this, he asked him a­gaine, who answered: When you read that, Lord have mercy upon me, me-thought the haire of my [Page 191]head stood upright with a great seare that came upon mee. On the next day he ran mad, and was bound in his bed. After that he lay almost day and night, never ceasing to cry out of the devill of hell, &c. It seemes he was possest of an evill spi­rit. A faire warning for such foule mouths, which shall one day smoke for it, as Divesses did. And then,Nestorij lingua vermious exesa. Euagr. l. c. Psalm 5 [...]. what reward shall be given thee, thou godlesse tongue? even sharp arrowes with hot burning coales, yea those ve­ry coales of hell from whence thou wert enkindled. Then woe to our mirth-mongers that laugh now, laugh themselves fat; that are alto­gether set on the merry pinne, jear­ing and gibing at that which they should heare and feare, Luke 6. Te miror, quo­rum [...]alla imi­taris, eorum exi­tum nonperhor­rescere. Cicer [...] Anton. in Philip. and doe no more so, as the Scripture speaketh. These shall one day howle as fast, saith our Saviour, there where is wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth. Can we heare of such mens sinnes, and not tremble at their tor­ment?

Section 7.

LAstly such come here to be con­vinced of notorious impiety, and indignity to the Scriptures,Ignatij conclave as abuse them to spels and charmes The first verse in Saint Iohns Gospell is alwayes imployed in popish exor­cismes, and the Lords prayer to cure persons forespoken (as they call it) and ayred. So to finde things that are lost, there are that will have a seive, and a paire of she [...]res, and re­peate a place of Scripture. This is an horrible way of perverting God's Word, and prosaning his Name. This is to serve the Devils turne with the Scriptures, and to make them as it were, Sacraments to the Devill, than the which what grea­ter abuse can be possibly offered unto them?

Ob. Tell mee not here in defence of this abhomination, that the words then used are Gods Words: for, as thus abused,Sol. they are not Gods, but the Devils, who hereby insensibly [Page 193]possesseth himselfe of mens soules: and every one that by seeking to such consults with Satan, as Saul did, worships him, though he bow not as hee did: that evill spirit de­sires no other reverence then to bee fought unto: Sathan seekes to such in his Temptations, they seeeke to him in their consultations: and now that they have mutually found each other, if they ever part, it is a miracle. Say not again:Ob. How can there bee so much hurt in words so good?Sol. I tell thee that Samuel him­selfe could not have spoken more gravely, more severely, more divine­ly then the fiend did to Saul, then when he preacht Sauls funerall,Oratio funebris Sauli dicta a Diabolo. Buchol. as one calls it. When the Devill him­selfe puts on gravity and Religion, who can wonder at the Hypocrisie of men? Had not Elymas (that child of the Devill) called himselfe Bar [...]eus as if he had beene sonne to but Saviour, or of his very neare alliance, Acts 13.6.Acts 13.6. Filium nominis i. viris celebrem. where the Syriack hath it Bur-shuma, a some of renowne, a famous person. And [Page 194]did not Simon the Sorcerer give out himselfe to be some great matter? he so bewitched the Samaritans with a semblance of extraordinary holi­nesse, [...] Acts 8.9. unde [...]. he so amazed them therewith, that he had gained them, they were more his then their owne, as the word signifies. Iustin Martyr, who was borne at Samaria, and lived neare those very times, tells us, that this varlet had an image set up in honour of him with this superscrip­tion, Simoni Deo sancto, to Simon the holy God. Epiphanius also hath left recorded, that this Hell-hound cal­led himselfe GOD the Father and Son, and his Helena (I abhorre to relate it) the Holy Ghost. But to speake forward: When Saint Paul came to Ephesus a place too too much addicted to these damned stu­dies, (which gave occasion to that Proverbe, [...] Ephesian learning, for the blacke art, Saint Luke speakes the best of them, when he calls them [...] Curiosities) certaine of the vagabond Iewes, ex­orcists, tooke upon them to adjure [Page 195]evill spirits by the name of Iesus whom Paul preacheth. Here were good words, wee see, but out of an ill mouth, and for ill purposes: and therefore with as ill an issue to the speakers, who were glad to fly out of the roome naked, and wounded, as hardly bestead, and scarcely scaping with their lives. Whereupon the Name of the Lord Jesus was magni­fied, the number of Christians in­creased, and the curious conjuring books, though never so costly, burnt up and abolished.Acts 19.13, to 21. Those were good words that the Pythonisse cryed af­ter Paul, and his fellow-labou­rers at Thyatira, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. Acts 16.17, 18. What could Lydia her selfe have said more in their commendation? Yet Paul was grieved at it, and cast out the Devill that spake it. So, what could any Peter have spoken better of his master CHRIST, then the Devill spake? Iesus thou sonne of the living God, &c. But where was his calling? What commission [Page 196]had he to confesse Christ in that sort? Surely none. Therefore hee heares, [...], Be dumbe. Our Saviour Halters him up, and will heare him no further. No more will hee have any such doings,Leu. 20.6. Deut. 18.10. as this we speake of amongst his people: but will finde out both them, and such as seeke to them: yea their sinne will find them out. Gods word, for certaine, is no fit meanes for any such purpose, as wee see in those Ephesian Exorcists. Neither can it bee of faith for want of a promise, and is therefore sinne, yea a sin of a double dye,Rom. 14. [...]. of a crim­son colour, such as nothing can fetch out, but the bloud of Christ, or the fire of hell.

Say not to me,Ob. in the last place, we have received good by these men, and as for the Devill, we defie him, and will have nothing to do with him.

If any Iew had yeelded himselfe to Rabshakehs lure,Sol. had hee not gone with him to Senacherib his master? so do these to the devill, by resorting to his instruments. As the fisher catcheth the fish by the baits, so doth [Page 197]Satan hooke in mens soules, by those smaller kindnesses.Esay 39. And as the Ba­bylonish Embassadors brought He­zekiah some petty presents but to car­ry away all: so is it here. The sheep is never in so much danger of the Fox as when hee comes upon her in sheepes clothing. If thy deadliest enemy drink to thee,—tim [...]o Da­naos & dona serentes. Virg. though in a cup of gold, wouldst thou take it for any better than ranke poyson? such are the Devils cut-throat kindnesses this way. Lastly (besides the hurt done to the Charmer, who is hardned hereby, in his wickednesse, whereas without such customers his trading would faile) God sustaines a double injury. 1. In his glory, as if he were not able or ready to helpe his, but there must bee trudging to Endor or Ekron. 2. in his word thus wretch­edly abused,2 Kings 1. as hath beene already discoursed.

Section 1.

THe third use is for reproofe. And so, Is it God that spea­keth in the Holy Scriptures? This serves deepely to shent and shame us for our first bru­tish ignorance, secondly, barbarous unbeliefe,2 Peter 1.17. thirdly, inexcusable diso­bedience to that divine voyce that came from the excellent glory. This is my beloved sonne, in whom J am well pleased, Heare yee Him.

For the first: how justly and un­answer­ably may the Lord renew the quarrell of his covenant, and take up his old controversie against us, that there is no knowledge in the land, Hosea 4.1. Hosea 8.12. that he hath written for us the great things of his law, and we have counted them a strange thing, that whereas [Page 199]for the time we might have beene tea­chers, we have yet neede to bee taught the first principles of the Oracles of God, we have neede of milke, Heb. 5.12. [...]. 1 Peter 2.1. Esay 66.11. Prov. 14.6. and not of strong meate? Was it not reaso­nable milke that wee have sucked in from the breasts of Consolation, the two Testaments? Is not knowledge easie, and obvious to him that is wil­ling? Are ye also ignorant? saith our Saviour to his Disciples:Ioh. 3.10. Art thou a Doctor in Israel, and know­est not these things which thou hast read so much of in Ezekiel and else­where? What? Owles abroad in so bright a firmament? blind as bee­tles, in a land of light? darke in Goshen, amidst so many meanes and mercies? in the land of upright­nesse doe yee deale unjustly, and not behold the Majesty of the Lord?Isa. 26.10. O generation, see ye the word of the Lord: Have I beene a wildernesse to the house of Israel? a land of darknesse, and of the shadow of death? Ie. 2.31. How is it then that yee are still sottish children with­out understanding? wise to doe evill, but to doe good, yee have no [Page 200]knowledge.Ieremy 9.3. 2 Chron. 13.5. Ought yee not to have knowne? as Abijam said to Ierobo­am, and all Israel? should ye not all know the Lord from the least to the greatest?Hab. 2.14. Should not the earth be sil­led with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea? These are the times, if ever, wherein God hath powred forth his spirit upon all flesh; Ioel 2.28. stretched forth his hands to us all day long,Prov. 1. lifted his voyce in the high places of the City, caused the Candle of his Gospell to shine full faire upon this kingdom for so long together,Matth. 11. so that we have beene lif­ted up to Heaven, as Capernaum in the abundance of meanes, and plen­ty of outward priviledges. In the time of Pope Clement the sixth, when as Lewis of Spaine was cho­sen Prince of the Fortunate Ilands, and was gathering an Army in Ita­lie and France, the English Embas­sadour then resident at Rome toge­ther with his company, gat them home, as not doubting but that Lew­is was set up against the King of England, Robertus Avis­buriensis. than which they could not [Page 201]imagine there was any more fortu­nate Island under heaven. Was it so then over-spread with Aegyptian darkenesse? what would our fore-fathers have judg'd, had they had our happinesse to live in these glori­ous dayes? of Alexandria in Aegypt, Ammianus Marcellinus observeth, that once in a day the Sunne hath been continually ever seene to shine over it.

In the Iland of Lycia, the sky is ne­ver so cloudy, saith Solinus, Vnde Horat: cam claram vocat. but that the Sun may be seene. Semper in sole sita est Rhodos, The Rhodes is ever in the Sunne-shine, saith Aeneas Sylvi­us: And Tacitus tells us, that here in Britany the Sunne in Summer neither riseth nor falleth, but doth so lightly passe from us by night,In vita Agricolae that you can hardly put a difference be­tweene the end and beginning of the light. This is indeed chiefly true of us, in respect of the bright and beautifull sun-shine of the truth. Other Countries sit in darkenesse and shadow of death, like the Val­ley of Sci [...]ssa neare the Towne cal­led [Page 202] Patrae, Locus radijs so­lis ferme invisus [...]ce aliam ob causam memora­bilis. Solin. c. 12 which being shaded by nine high His is scarce ever visited by the beames of the Sun: But to us, (as to Zabulon and Nephtali) is a great light risen, Matth. 4.16. Now when a master sets up his ser­vant a great light to worke by, hee lookes to have it done both more, and better.Nihil in Hispa­nia [...]tiosum, ni­hil ster [...] Solin: cap. 36. So here. Surely it should bee with us as they say of Spaine, that there is nothing idle, no­thing barren there. But a lasse it fals out farre otherwise: for some have not the knowledge of God, 1 Cor. 15.34. to their shame be it spoken, but are as bard and rude every whit in very fundamen­tals, and have the same bald and base conceits of God and his will as the blind Heathens had. Let me tell you a Pulpit-story (and that's no place to lye in) of an old man above sixtie, who lived and dyed in a Parish, where besides the word read, con­tinually, there had beene preaching almost all his time, and for the grea­test part twice on the Lords Day, Pembles Serm: Misch [...]fe of Ig­norance. besides at extraordinary times. This man was a constant hearer as any [Page 203]might be, and seemed forward in the love of the Word. On his death-bed, being questioned by a Minister, touching his faith and hope in God, you will wonder to heare what an­swers hee made. Being demanded what he thought of God? hee an­swers, that he was a good old man. And what of Christ? that he was a towardly yong youth. And of his soule? that it was a great bone in his body. And what should become of his soule after he was dead? That if he had done well, he should bee put into a pleasant greene meddow. These answers astonished those that were present, to think how it were possible for a man of good un­derstanding, and one that in his dayes had heard, by the least, two or three thousand Sermons, yet upon his death bed in serious manner thus to deliver his opinion in such maine points of Religion, which infants, and sucklings shold not be ignorant of. Oh who can sufficiently be­waile and expiate the grosse igno­rance found in the greater number, [Page 200] [...] [Page 201] [...] [Page 202] [...] [Page 203] [...] [Page 204]as rude and raw in Scripture mat­ters, as if they were not reasonable creatures, though in other things wondrous acute and apprehensive. And for the better sort, that runne to and fro to increase knowledge: Dan. 12.4. some smattering skill they have got, but its wofully indistinct and ill bot­tomd. It would puzzle them shrewdly (after so much teaching) to give a good account of their faith. Surely as Lactantius wittily said, that there was never lesse wisdome in Greece then in the time of the seven wise-men: so may it be justly com­plained of the extreme want of knowledge in the abundance of so many means of knowledge. That lit­tle, men have got, is for most part, in­effectuall, and hath little influence in­to their hearts and lives. They use it (as some do artificiall teeth) more for shew then service; or as the Atheni­ans are said to do their coyn, to count and gingle with only: striving more to an ability of discourse then to an activity of practise, to talk of it, then to walke by it. The very entrance of [Page 205]Gods word giveth light, &c. Psalme 119.1 [...] Iohn 3. In agris Sard [...] reperitur ani­mal perexigu [...] simileque arae­neis sorma, solifuga dicta, quod diem sug at. Solinus, c. 1 Acts 28.27. But this is condemnation, that is hel above groūd that light is come into the world, &c. like the creature called solifuga, the day is to thē as the shadow of death. These mens ignorance is not meerely pri­vative, as was that in our Saviour as man only, nor naturall, as in infants: nor invincible as theirs that lived in the midnight of Popery; but wilfull and affected, Ʋt liberius peccent, liben­ter ignorant, saith Bern. they winke with their eyes, as the Pharisees: they shut the window lest the radiant tresses of the sun should trouble them in their sleep: they are wilfully igno­rant, 2 Peter 2. Psalm. 50. with those in Peter, whiles they cast Gods word behind them and be­speake him in their language,Iob 21, 14. Depart from us, we will none of the knowledge of thy wayes: being as glad to bee rid of him as the Philistims were of the Arke, or as the Gadarens were of Christ. Now how righteously shall CHRIST regest one day upon all such profane Gadarens Discecite, Depart, I know you not? bee just as strange unto them then, [Page 206]as they will needs be now to him? fill these back-sliders in heart with the fruit of their owne wayes, Prov. 14.14. and sith they have loved dark­nesse, give them their belly full of it, cast them into outer darknesse, that darkenesse beyond a darknesse, the dungeon of darknesse, [...]. where they shall never see the light againe, till they bee lightned by that universall sire of the last day.Psalme 95. They that know not Gods wayes revealed in his word, he hath sworne they shall never en­ter into his rest: and although they always wander in heart and erre not knowing the Scriptures, yet can they not goe so farre wide as to misse of Hell. An ignorant person is that Leper in Leviticus, his plague is in his head,Lev. 13.44. he is utterly uncleane, and is therefore utterly to be excluded. See 2 Thes. 1.7.

Section 2.

SEcondly this, that the Scriptures are of God, serves sharply to re­prove our hatefull infidelity. Many [Page 207]amongst us beleeve the Bible no o­therwise then they doe humane Hi­stories, or not the strange wonders there related, or no more thereof then they can see cause for, or then suites with their carnall humours, [...]. Chrysost. or not the menaces, or not the promi­ses, or apply them not, neither indi­viduate the same to themselves: but rather, put all off, as if it nothing concerned them, and dispose of it to others. Is this to mingle the word with faith? to melt,Ier. 31.18. with Iosiah? to smite upon our thighes as Ephraim? to examine our wayes with David, by Gods Word,Psalme 1 [...]9.59. Prov. 9.12. Esay 1. Esay 55. [...]2. and finding our selves farre wide, to turne our feete to his Testimonies? Is this to bee wise for our selves? to consent and obey? to buy and beate? Many men come to the word as they doe to feasts, where they lay liberally on other mens trenchers, let their owne lye emptie: they reade the Scriptures as they doe news out of a farre Country as not pertaining to themselves. Whereas the Bible should be read, as we read [Page 208]the Statute-booke, (wherein every man holds himselfe as much concer­ned, as if his name were there writ­ten) and should therefore turne short againe upon himselfe and say, what have I done? Ieremy 8.6. Rev. 10.9. Prov. 25.10. what case am I in? what may I doe to bee saved? This is to take the booke and eate it, as Iohn did: this is to feed upon the hony that we have found, as Salomon biddeth: this is the way,Esay 66.1. to tremble at the Word, whilest men dwell upon it, till their hearts ake and quake within them. As for those that do other wise, I may fitly say to them, as our Saviour said to the Iewes concerning Iohn: what went yee out into the wildernesse to see? a Reed shaken with the wind? Matth. 1 1. so what take ye in hand the booke to read, or come to Gods house to heare? an idle song? an old-wives tale? a foolish History? a frivolous inter­lude? Or, if it be God that speaketh in the Word read and preached, how is it that ye beleeve him not? [...]. Luke 7.30. why seeke ye (with the Pharisees) to make voyd the counsell of God concern­ning your selves? Christ that by his [Page 209]absolute power can doe any thing, [...]. Marke 6.5. by his actuall power can do no great matter for these unbeleevers, more than wonder at them. Verily, Verily faith our Saviour to Nicodemus, Iohn 3, 11. we speake what we know, and testifie that we have seene, and ye receave not our witnesse. Loe, hee joynes himselfe with the Prophets which Nicode­mus had read, so cursorily and care­lesly, as not to have there-hence learnd the doctrine of Regenerati­on. This sin is now the greater, be­cause as the Law and the Prophets, Heb. 4.2. so the Gospell much more was written that men might beleeve, Iohn 20, 31. and that beleeving they might have eternall life, which now they cannot enter because of unbeliefe:Heb 3. ult. but be­ing cut off from Christ,Romans 11, 22. Revel. 21, 8. they are lest without among dogges and devils, without heaven, I say, but far with­in hell: whether they are sent and set as free-holders, to whom other sinners there are, but Tenants or in­mates, [...] Matth. 24, 51. and are therefore said to have their part with hypocrites and unbe­leevers.

Section 3.

THirdly doth the Lord himselfe speake to us from Heaven in the holy Scriptures? and is he our Ma­ker and master?Malachy 1.6. how is it then that hee is no better obeyed? that his word hath no more place in us or power over us? that it swayes not in our hearts: that it rules not in our lives? Shall hee stretch out his hand to a disobedient people? doe wee provoke the Lord to jealousie? are wee stronger then he?Iob 9.4. hath any ever waxed fierce against God and prospered? Shall we sit like sots un­der the sound of his word, and not be sensible? or shall we feele his axe at the root of our consciences, and be smitten with some remorse, and yet goe on in sin? What became of Pharaoh that would not hearken to Moses though he came with a mes­sage from heaven? of the rich glut­ton that made no more reckoning of Moses and the Prophets?Luke 16. ult. of Lots sons in Law that counted their fa­thers [Page 211]fore-warnings a meere mo [...] ­kage?Acts 13.41. Behold ye despisers, and won­der, and perish: for I worke a worke in your dayes, a worke which you shall in no wise beleeve, though a man declare it unto you. Which to prevent, pre­cious and worthy of all acceptation is that counsell of our Author.Heb. 11.25. See that yee refuse not him that speaketh from Heaven: see that ye shift him not off, as the word signifies, [...] [...]er. 2, 8. or send excuse as those recusant guests in the Gospell did. When the truth stands at the doore of your Conscience, and pleads for admittance, say not as he did to his friend that came to borrow two loaves, Come to me to morrow; or as Felix to Paul, at a more convenient time Ile send for thee. For if the word spoken by An­gels only was stedfast, and every trans­gression and disobedience, that is, every commission and omission receaved a just recompence of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect (hee saith not, if we deny, betray, oppugne, but if we neglect, (light, let slip) so great salvation, which as first began to bee [Page 212]spoken by the Lord, &c. Heb. 2.2, 3 Where our Authour, making use of the Doctrine delivered in the Text, presseth Obedience to the Gospell from the danger of doing other­wise, farre more probable and more importable then of those that despi­sed Moses Law,Hebr. 10, 28. (who yet dyed without mercy.) 1. By comparison of the instruments that deliverd it. 2. From the manifold confirmation the Gospell had, by testimony both humane, verse 3. and Divine, ver. 4. [...]. Chrys. [...] inter­pretatur, ne pe­re [...]mus. And thereupon firmly argueth, therefore surely wee ought to give the more diligent heed to what wee have heard from Christs mouth, lest at any time we should leake, or as Chrysostom interprets it, lest we utterly perish, lest we become as water spilt on the ground, that cannot be gathered up again.Psalme 58, 8. 2 Sam. 14, 14. 1 Sam 15.23. Esay 30.8. Rebellion is as witch-craft; its a sinne that God bids be written in a booke (above all other sinnes) for the last day. Yea, for ever and a day. His usuall course is to give up such as obey not the truth, but refuse to be reformed to strong delusions, vile [Page 213]affections, just damnation.2 Thes. 2, 20. Rom. 1, 26. 2 Thes. 1.8. Iere. 5, 13. That word which they have held for wind onely, with those in Ieremy, shall prove a fire in their bones. And although they have made some sor­ry shift to shake it off and slight it, as an empty ring, a vaine sound, a dead letter, &c. it shall lay fast hold upon them, Zach. 1.6.Iohn 12, 48. Matth. 3, 10. Matth. 24, 14. judge them at the last, and cut them downe as fuell to the fire. The Gospell is prea­ched for a testimony against worlds of people that contemne it. And for the Law, they that will not have the direction thereof, must and shall have the correction. Aut fatien­dum certè aut patiendum: there's no avoyding of it. They that tremble not in hearing, shall bee crusht to peeces in feeling,Bradford. as that Martyr said.

Section 1.

FIrst, what ever thy hand finds to do in this weighty worke of the [Page 215]Lord, doe it with all thy might, as David danced, as Baruc builded,2 Sam. 6, 14. Neh. 3, 20. Genesis 31, 40. Acts 20, 31. 2 Tim. 4.2. as Iacob served, as Paul preached night and day with many tears and temp­tations, and as he charged Timothy in preaching to be instant, to stand to the worke, yea to stand over it, [...]. and that both in season and out of season, as knowing the worth of a soule,Ieremy 48, 10. and the terrour of the Lord, who hath bitterly cursed the carelesse, and sent the idle servant packing to his place in hell. Be not ye therefore idle nor unprofitable, 2 Peter 1. but as any hath received the gift, minister the same to others, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4. Christ the good Sama­ritan brings the hurt and wounded sinner into the Inne of his Church, where hee delivers to the Host, (I mean the Minister) those two pence of his Word and Sacraments, with charge to see him safe and well look [...] to, till his returne. Now if there bee either no balme in Gilead, Ieremy 8.22. Iob 13, 4. or no Physitian there, If those that are there be Physitians of no value; either have no healing medicines, Ier. 30.13. [Page 216]or no care of the cure, but, gather temporalls by themselves, sow spiri­tualls by others,In Mat. 10, 16. (as Albertus Mag­nus complained of the Pastors of his time) eate the flesh, and weare the fleece,Ezek. 34, 3. but feed not the flocke, nor heale the sicke, as Ezekiel hath it: what then will they doe when the Arch-shepheard riseth up?Iob 31, 14. and when he visiteth, what will they an­swer him? woe to the Idol-shepheard that leaveth the flock,Zach. 11, 17. Zach. 11, 15. or that wen hee comes hath only forcipes & mulctram (those instruments of a foolish shepheard) looke only after lac & lanam, doth the worke by others (as Peter Martyr complained of some in those dayes) reape the pro­fits by themselves, and as it is in the book of Iob, Com: in 1 Sam. 12. saith he, Boves arant, & asini pascuntur. How shall our Sa­viour shake up such loose or lazie Pa­stours, that looke not to the flocke (over whom hee had made them o­ver seers) as Eliab did David, Acts 20. with what makest thou here? and with whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the Wildernesse? 1 Sam. 17, 18. I know thine idle­nesse, [Page 217]and the naughtinesse of thine heart. The carefull Levite makes haste home,Iudges 19, 5. Procul ab agro suo dissitus, ja­cturae vicinus. Columella. Domini vestigia sunt fimus opti­mus in agro. Aust. Occon. lib. 1. cap. 6. when called abroad a­bout his necessary businesse. His heart is where his calling is; and by how much the more sacred his charge, by so much the more atten­dance, he knowes it expects. When therefore he is from home, he is like a fish in the ayre: his heart cleaves to his people, as a fathers to his chil­dren: his daily thoughts and cares runne upon them; he feares nothing more than that any Martha should say unto him: Domine, si tu bio fuisses, frater meus non fuisset mortu­us. And forasmuch as where vision failes, the people perish, Prov. 29, 18. he gladly takes all opportunities and advantages of preaching publikely, of instructing privately. The love of Christ so wrought in Doctor Taylor Martyr, that no Sunday, nor Holy-Day pas­sed,Act: and Mon: or other time when he might get the people together, but he preached to them the Word of God.Ibid. 1457. Master Bradford even during his imprison­ment preached twice a day constant­ly [Page 218]unlesse sicknesse hindred him. This was according to the example of our Saviour, Matth. 13.1. In the same day wherein hee had consuted and confounded the Pharisees, (as it may seeme) in the morning, hee taught the people out of the shippe in the afternoone. Bishop Ridley also preached every Holy-day and Sunday for the most part,Ibid. 1559. except he were letted by some weightie busi­nesses. To whose Sermons the peo­ple resorted, swarming about him like Bees, and coveting the sweete juyce of his heavenly doctrine. He well understood that praedicationis officium suscipit, quisquis ad sacerdo­tium accedit, Jn [...]astora [...]. as Gregory the Great hath it. And his successour Gregory the third who sate Anno 731.Funccius in Chronol. prea­ched frequently to the Clergy and people of Rome (an extraordinary example) and was held so well in­sighted into the Scriptures, as no man of his age came neere him. The Roman Generalls when they had once ridden in triumph, were wont to take their case ever after. But [Page 219] Cato is commended for this,Pomp: Lab: Comp: Ro. Hist: lib. 2. that he still continued his care for the Com­mon-wealth; after he had obtained that honour of triumph. Neither is this great Bishop lesse to be praised, if that bee true especially, that was spoken by Doctor Bassinet a Iacobine Frier,Act: and Mon: fol. 862. that at Rome it was as great a wonder to heare a Bishop preach, as to see an Asse flee. The common Praedicants they bind heavy loades upon.Sands his Rela­tion: pag. 27. For the custome of Italy is for the same man (in their greater Cities appointed) to preach every day in LENT without intermis­sion, if their strongth do serve them. Saint Chrysostomes [...] shewes, hee preached every day ordinarily. So did Origen, mostly, though never above an houre, sometimes not halse an houre, as appeares by his Homi­lies. The like is reported of Master Calvin, and of Melancthon, Tres labores af­strinavitesse dif­ficil: regentis, docentis, partus rientis. Melch. Adam Ger: the. 359. who also was wont to say that None un­der wont such paines as Preachers, Rulers, and women in travaile. Lu­ther also saith that a Master of a fa­mily hath somewhat to do, a Magi­strate [Page 220]strate more, a Minister most of all. And he afterward addeth, that if he were now to chuse or change his calling,Idem. Jbid. hee could with farre more ease digge and delve, and so sweate out a poore living than preach and preach the Gospell. [...] prout rustici laborant. 1 Cor. 15.10. [...]. 1 Cor. 4 1. [...] manci­pia ad remos damnata, ab [...] remigo. [...] from [...] torostrale or beate, as the bird doth the shell fish. Ministers are called labourers in harvest, their paines is as great as of those that cleave wood, or that are fast chai­ned to an oare. They are the peo­ples servants for Iesus sake, and ought to labour even to lassitude, as the foule doth to get the fish out of the shell to spend themselves without spare, yea, to spend and bee spent, as Paul; whose pertinacy in Preach­ing, at Ephesus especially, was admi­rable; where besides other ministe­riall offices, hee disputed every day with the Iewes in the Schoole of one Tyrannus, and that from the fifth to the tenth houre, five houres toge­ther, as one ancient Greeke Coppy hath it. [...]. Acts 19, 9. Bez. The High-Priest whithersoever he turnd him, was to be heard by the sound of his bells, upon paine of death. The staffe-rings were to [Page 221]continue upon the Arke, the Koha­thites shoulders felt. Wherefore. The best was, the Lord helped the Le­vites that bare the Arke of the Cove­nant: 1 Chro. 15, 26. and so he will do us, if we can but seeke him, out of a sense of our utter insufficiency to these things, and doe our utmost to looke to the Ministry that we have receaved of the Lord, that wee fulfill the same.Col. 4.17. How this is done see Acts 6.4. Let others bee appointed over the busi­nesse, but we will give our selves con­tinually to prayer and preaching: we'll begge and digge, and digge and beg as that good Vine-dresser did, whose mattocke kept off the Masters Axe.Luke 13.8. It was a foolish pride in Montanus to overween his Pepuza & Tymium two pelting Parishes in Phrygia, and to call them Ierusalem,Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 17. as if they had been the only Churches in the world. But this is the commendable zeale of every true Pastor, to adorne his owne lot by a redoubled dili­gence. Verbi Minister es, hoc age, D. Ward: pref. in Perk: probl. was Master Perkins his Motto. It is a whole mans work, and a good one [Page 222]too: intangle himselfe he need not with the affaires of life.2 Tim. 2 4. Canon: tert: The Coun­cell of Chalcedon flatly forbids Mi­nisters the care of outward things. Some care they must needsly take, but let it be as little as may be. Saint Paul dispatcheth his owne private busines with Philemon in one word, Prepare for mee a lodging, &c. verse 22. His maine care and labour was for the welfare of Onesimus, whom hee had begotten to Christ in his bonds. A Ministers chiefe study must bee how to save himselfe and those that he are him. 1 Tim. 4.16. Our Saviours threefold Pasce to Peter imports as much, and he did it to the utmost. I will not be negligent, saith he, as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you up. His Lord had charged him, Feed my sheepe (with golden fleeces on their backe) yea doe it [...] mihi, as the Syriack hath it. Let my love constraine thee to doe thine utmost at it, till such time as thou shalt no lon­ger gird thy selfe, and walk whi­ther thou wilt, but another shall gird thee, or rather cord thee, fetter [Page 223]thee,Iohn 21.17, 18. and carry thee whither thou wouldst not. Master Calvin being much weakened by uncessant paines in the Lords worke, was toward his latter end advised by his friends to take care of his owne health.Quid? vultis ut Dominus veni­ens me otiosum inveniret? Beza in vitae ipsius. To whom he replyed, not without some indignation, what? would ye have the Lord, when he comes, to finde me idle? Bishop Iewel riding to preach at Lacocke in Wiltshire, a Gentleman that met him, perceiving the feeblenesse of his body advised him, for his healths sake, to returne home againe. His answer was, Oportet Episcopum concionantem mori. And so hee did.D. Humphrey in the life of B. Iewell. For presently after the sermon, he was by reason of sick­nesse forced to his bed, from whence he never came off till his translation to glory. The like is reported of Bandisius a Dutch Divine.Faciam of ficium dum pot [...]ro, eti­amsi mo [...]lem mihi concionan­do accelcrem. Melch. Adam in vitae. I will do my duty, said he to his friends (that otherwise advised him) while I can; yea though I hasten my death by preaching. And of a certain Scotch Minister the same Authour relateth, that a little afore his death he offered [Page 224]to rise out of his bed, sicke as hee was; and being asked the reason, hee answered, that all that night hee had beene wholly taken up with the meditation of CHRISTS Resurrection, and now he was de­sirous to goe into the Pulpit, that thence hee might comfort others with the same comforts wherewith he had been comforted.Melch. Adam de Theol: exter: page 139. He shewd his good will to have spent his last breath in preaching, according to Saint Austins wish, that Christ when hee came might finde him aut precantem aut pradicantem, praying or preaching. O happie is that ser­vant, whom his Lord, when hee comes,Mat. 24.46, 47. shall finde so doing! Verily, I say unto you, that hee shall make him ruler over all his goods.

Section 2.

SEcondly, let Ministers be called upon and exhorted, to deliver the Word (sith it is Gods Word) with all faithfulnesse,1 Cor. 4, 1. 1 Cor. 3, 10. 2 Tim. 2.15. 2 Cor. 6, 1. Rev. 19, 10, and 22, 9. as good stew­ards, as wise master-builders, as workemen that need not be asham­ed, as co-workers with God and fellow-labourers with the Angels, in the matter of mans salvation.Tit. 1, 4. 2 Cor. 2, 17. [...]. Or, it is a me­taphor from deceitfull Vint­ners who for gaine mix wa­ter with Wine. 2 Cor. 4.2. Hold fast the faithfull word, yet not concealing, nor corrupting it, not handling it deceitfully, or Huck-stering it (as men doe their wares, caring rather to beguile then benefit the buyer) but by manifestation of the truth, commending themselves to eve­ry mans conscience in the sight of God. He that hath my word, let him speake my word faithfully, Jer. 23.28.1 Cor. 4.2: Heb. 3, 2. Ezech. 13, 12, 22 Rom. 16, 17. 2 Iohn 10. And in Stewards, it is required that they bee found faithfull, as Moses was faithfull in all Gods house. Delîver they must the will of GOD, his whole will, nothing but his will, [Page 222] [...] [Page 223] [...] [Page 224] [...] [Page 225] [...] [Page 226]neither pleasing, or false, or strange doctrine, nor for vaine glory, con­tention, or envie,Phil. 1.14, 15. but purely, sin­cerely, seasonably, giving to every one his owne portion: Not as he in the Emblem, that gave straw to the dogge,Theologus Glo­riae dicit malum bonum, & bonū malum. Luther. and a bone to the Asse, not calling good evill, and evill good, not walking in craftinesse, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speaking in Christ. 2 Cor. 2.17. Let Saint Paul be our patterne for fide­lity in his ministry. What he deli­vered to others he first receaved of Christ, 1 Cor. 11.23. And as hee received what he delivered, so hee delivered what he receaved, he kept nothing backe, Acts 20.17. of all the Counsell of God. This hath ma­ny particulars in it. 1. Those mini­sters that would be found faithfull, must deliver the truth only. Aarons Bels were of pure gold, not of cop­per or other baser mettall. 2. Whol­ly, not budging for any mans great­nesse, nor balking any thing necessa­ry to be knowne.Acts 20.24. 2 Tim 4.5. 3. Plainly to the capacity of the Hearers, Mar. 4.33. [Page 227] Iohn 16.12. not in a stately stile, or Roman English, Acts 22.2.4. Powersully, and with all autho­rity, as Christ did,Tit. 2.15. [...]. compelling men to come in, charging and command­ing them to consent and obey' that Gods house may bee full. 5. Con­stantly, being ready for to teach, [...] as Saint PAUL,Acts 26.29. the more and the lesse, laying downe line after line, precept after precept,Isa. 28.10. prooving if at any time, God will give men Repentance,2 Tim. 2.25. that they may awake, &c. Holy Zachary tooke not his dumbnesse for a dismis­sion, but stayd out the eight dayes of his course: though he ceased to speake, yet hee ceased not to mini­ster. 6. Lastly, and chiefely, the man of God must preach his Word boldly, as Isay who was very bold, Rom. 10 20. [...]. q. [...]. Acts 4.13. as Peter, and Iohn who used great free­dome of speech, as Michaiah who after hee had seene GOD on his throne, feared not before 2. Kings in their Majesty. Not budging a whit nor yeelding an haire, no not for an Angels authority, as Paul: but wit­nessing [Page 228]a good confession,Galath. 1, 8. 1 Tim. 6, 13. as the Master did before Pontius Pilate, and keeping his Commandement without spot, 1 Tim. 6.13, 14. un­rebukeable, which is: Bee strong, and of a good courage, Iosh 1, 4. have not I com­manded thee? be not afraid, neither be thou dismaid, for the Lord thy God is with thee: hee will not faile thee nor forsake thee. Psalme 45. Philippians 2. Esay 3, 10, 11 Esay 58.1, 2. Ride on therefore, be­cause of the word of truth: hold forth the word of life amidst a per­verse and crooked generation. Tell the wicked from God, it shall go ill with them: shew the people their transgressions, and the house of Iacob their sinnes. I know men are natu­rally sicke of a Noli me tangere: the earth would gladly sit still and be at rest, that they might goe downe to hell without disturbance;Zach. 1, 11. Amos 5, 10. they bate him that reproveth in the gate, as Ahab hated Michaiah because hee never spake good to him. It is probable, that Michaiah was that disguised Prophet, who brought to Ahab the fearefull message of displeasure and death for dismissing Benhadad. [Page 229]And Ahab hates him, and hath him fast in prison ever since. From thence he is now sent for, and solli­cited by the way to speake good to the King. But he was at a point, for that, to speake whatsoever the Lord should say unto him though he were sure to kisse the stocks for his stout­nesse. The other Prophets prophe­cied placentia, like Squirrels they had a trick to build evermore, and have their holes to the Sunne-shine to keepe themselves on the warmer side of the hedge,Ad latus navis saelicius, pro temporum ra­tione, sese ineli­nant. Buchole. to incline to the happier side of the ship, to hold in with Princes and great ones, how­soever.

But, Ezek. 13.10, to 15. God threatens to rent the wall of securi­tie, which those caementarij Diaboli (as one calls them) the Devils dirt-dawbers had dawbed with untempered morter, Non ad verita­tem solum, sed etiam ad opinio­nes eorum qui audiunt, accom­odanda est oratio. Cicer: Partit: and there shall bee an over-flowing showre in his fierce fury, to consume both it and them that dawbed it. Rhetoricians have a rule, to fit their speech not to the truth of things only, but to the opi­nions [Page 230]and fancyes of them that heare them. This is by no meanes to be practised by a Preacher. Saint Austin repented him of nothing more than that being yong he prea­ched ut placeret, non ut deceret, more to delight the care, then to smite the heart.Ʋt [...] qui ab om­nibus gratiam inire cupit: quem quidam per in­cum placentam dixit. For if I yet please men (as once when I was a Pharisee) saith Paul, I am no more the servant of Christ. Men, be they pleased or dis­pleased with divine errands, GOD that sends us on them must not bee displeased. But hee hath exclu­ded the fearefull, and will not em­ploy a white-livered Souldier so far as to breake a Pitcher or to beare a torch. Thou therefore (as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ) suffer hard­ship, do the work of an Evangelist,Galat. 1.10. Rev. 21.8. Iudges 7.3. 2 Tim. 2.3. doe it throughly, do it boldly, do it sharply, if need be, rebuke them cut­tingly, that they may be sound in the faith.Tit. 1.13. [...]. Chirurgos mise­ricordes esse non oportet. It is a metaphor from Chi­rurgions, who must not be mercifull saith Celsus, but have Lions hearts, least their mercy prove as great cru­elty, as his, that should forbeare to [Page 231]draw a drowning man out of the water, for feare of pulling off some part of his haire. Great is our charge to declame against sin, yea to proclaime hell-fire against it, if men amend not; upon every oppor­tunity to use all importunity for the rousing of sinners out of that dead Lethargy whereinto Sathan and an evill custome hath cast them. [...]. 2 Pet. 2.13. Cry aloud, saith the Lord, cry in the throte, Esay 58.1. Ier. 1.17. spare not, lest I confound thee before them; lift up thy voyce like a trum­pet. Cast away the inverse Trumpets of Furius Fulvius, which sound­ed a retrait, when they should have sounded an alarme. It is a treache­rous slattery to sooth men up in their sinnes, and to make all faire weather before them, when the storme of Gods heavie displeasure is ready to burst out upon them, such a storme as shall never bee blowne over. If Ministers must bee mannerly in the forme, yet in the matter of their message they must be resolute. It is probable Ioseph used some preface to Pharaohs Butler in reading him [Page 232]that destiny,Genesis 40, 19. Chap. 4.19. such as was that of Da­niel, My Lord, the dreame be to them that hate thee, &c. or as Philo brings him in, with a, Ʋtinam tale somnium non vidisses, &c. I would thou hadst not dreamt such a dream. But for the matter, he gives him a true, though sharp interpretation. Bitter truths must be told, however they be taken. If men hate us, they doe it with as good justice, as if some fond people should punish the Herald, or accuse the trumpet as the cause of their war. If they exclaim against us, they shew as much madnesse, as if the widdow of Naims son should have raild upon our Saviour for offering to raise him from the dead. If they deride our message, and command us ad quercum dicere, Livy. se interim alia acturos, as a Governour of the Ae­qui in Italy bad the Roman Ambassa­dours, to speake to the walles, they have somthing else to do then to re­gard us: we must take the boldnesse to answer them againe, as they did him. Et haec sacrata quercus audiat saedus a vobis violatum. Let these [Page 233]stones of the wall, and beames out of the house-sides, yea let Heaven and earth witnesse your intolerable contempt, wherein ye have not de­spiled man, but God.1 Thes. 4, 8 What are we that ye have murmured against us? saith Moses, your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord,Exod. 16, 7, 8 who wil justly punish it. Thus must Ministers contest against the raging world, and contend for the doctrine of faith once receaved, not loving their ease, no not their lives unto the death, Acts 20. that they may fulfill their course with joy. Itching eares would have clawing Preachers, and these are the times foretold by the Apostle,2 Tim. 4, 3. wher­in men cannot abide wholesome doctrine. Briars and thornes be with thee, saith God to Ezekiel, such as a man can hardly handle: hee that toucheth them must bee fenced with iron, and with the staffe of a speare. 2 Sam. 2, 6 But feare them not, nor bee dismaid thogh they be a rebellious house. And that he might not, behold the spirit tooke him up, and he heard behind him a voyce of a great rushing, saying, [Page 234] Blessed bee the glory of the Lord from his place. Ezek. 4.12. Hereby his heart was for­tified against all affronts of the peo­ple, and afflictions of the world; whether they would heare, or whe­ther they would forbeare, yet hee should find there was a reward, for the righteous, a God that judgeth in the earth, and pleades for his faithfull ser­vants (when they little think of it) in the hearts of their greatest ene­mies.Ieremy 9.3. A godly man that is valiant for the truth, and refuseth to praise the wicked, but when he hath cause, will contend with them, and not be like a troubled fountaine, or a corrupt spring, well hee may for the time re­ceive ill words from the wicked, but their hearts are afraid of him, and their Consciences admire him, Prover. 24.25, & 28.4. Saint Paul standing before Faelix, (who had more regard to gaine then Iustice,) and Drusilla a Iewesse, yet married, against the Law, to an uncircumci­sed person, taketh occasion in a cer­taine kind of grave wisdome, joynd with great liberty of speech, to dis­course [Page 235]and dispute afore them of Iu­stice, Temperance, and the judgement to come, till Faelix trembled,Acts 24.25. and could heare him no longer. The like spirit was found in Athanasius, that eye of the World, as one calls him: Of whom Nazianzen reports that he was Magnes & Adamas, In Encom: Athanas: a loadstone in his sweet gentle draw­ing nature, and yet an Adamant in his resolute stout carriage against those that were evill,Pueris illa ter­riculamenta proponenda sunt sc. exilia, suppli­cia, &c. Greg Naz. de laud: Baesi [...]ij. were they ne­ver so great. And how did Saint Basil despise the menaces of Valens the Arrian Emperour, and so daun­ted him with his presence, that hee reeld and had fallen, had he not been upheld by those that stood next him. Who hath not read or heard how freely Ambrose dealt with Theodo­sius? Tripar: hist. lib. 9. cap. 30. B. Ridley offering to preach before the Lady Mary, and receiv­ing a repulse, being brought by Sir Thomas Wharton her servant to the Dining place, hee was desired to drinke. Which after he had done, he paused a while, looking very sad­ly; and suddainly brake out into [Page 236]these words. Surely I have done amisse. Why so? quoth the Knight. For I have drunk, said he, in that place where Gods word offered, hath beene refused. Whereas if I had remembred my duty, I had departed immediately, and shaken off the dust of my shooes for a testimony a­gainst this house. These words were by the said Bishop spoken with such a vehemency,Fox Martyr: fol. 1270. that some of the hea­rers afterwards confessed the haires to stand upright on their heads.So Arch [...]: Grindall by cunning practi­ses of his adver­saries, lost the Queens favour, because he had condemned an unlawfull mar­riage of Iulio an Italian Physiti­an with another mans Wise, Camdens Elis. transl. The Newlan­ders cure by Sir Will: Vaughan: Ep: dedic. Another learned Bishop admonish­ed, that perelesse Q. Elizabeth in a zealous sermon to think on her last end, by reason of her great age, which few Princes had attained to, and of the Climacterical yeare of her life which happened at that time, She tooke it so impatiently (Gods children wrangle sometimes with their meate, as Asa did) that the Bi­shop, for his good intentions, was not onely distasted by her, but put for a time to some trouble. Yet God did ever after so blesse him (saith mine Authour) that few Bishops of [Page 237]this kingdome left behind them to their wives and children such faire estates as hee did. Neither was the Lord behind hand with D. Parker (afterwards Archbishop of Canter­bury) for his Sermon neare Norwich before the Rebels in Kets conspira­cie;Life of K. Edw: 6. by S. Io. Hay: pag. 72. wherein hee touched them so neare for their living, that they went neare to touch him for his life. saith the Historian. And surely it is a hard hazard, and a great disadvan­tage to deale in this kind with those that have thirtie Legions at com­mand, as Phavorinus said of Adrian the Emperour.Necesse est ut eum doctio [...]em omni [...]us ag [...]os­cam qui triginta habet legiones. Ael. Spartian. Periculosum est ei contradicere qui petest & aquá & ig [...]i in­terdicere. Kex platonic. Eccles. 6.10. 2 Chron. 14.6. Contend not with him that is mightier then thou, saith Salo­mon. But when the cause is not ours, but the Lords (as Iehosaphat told his Iudges,) great heed must bee taken that wee betray not the truth by a cowardly silence, under whatsoever faire shewes, and pretences. Feare not men, saith our Saviour to his Dis­ciples, For there is nothing covered that shall not bee revealed, and hid that shall not bee knowne, Matth. 10.26. As who should say, This and that [Page 238]may be colourably pleaded and pre­tended in favour of your deceitfull and slippery handling Gods holy Word: but all will out at last, and it shall well appeare that you did it to decline the danger of plaine dea­ling, and that you might sleepe in a whole skin: As Moses, who hung off a great while from going to Pharaoh with a message of dismissi­on, till God (who knew where it stucke,Exod. 4.19. and what pad was in the straw) told him they were all dead that sought his life. But feare not (saith our Saviour there) them that kill the body, But cannot keep either the soule from blisse, or the body from a blessed Resurrection. Ra­ther feare yee him that can cast body and soule to hell, yea I say unto you feare him. The second Commande­ment is the first with punishment, that as one fire, so one feare may drive out another. The feare of God, if we be not faithfull in his work, the feare of mischiefe from men, if we be. Elias for telling truth shall heare Troublere, Ieremy Traitour, Paul [Page 239]Pest, pratler, trifler, news-carryer,Act: and Mon: one that tels whatsoever men will have him for gaine, or advantage: one that will for a peece of bread say what you will wish him, as M. Rogers our Proto-Martyr in Queen Maries dayes expounds it. Epipha­nius somewhere saith, that the envi­ous Iewes gave out that hee turned Christian meerely out of discontent: because he could not obtaine to wife the High Priests daughter. But this calumny hee could shake off lightly enough, who loved not his life to the death for the name of Iesus. Za­charias lost his life for his plain dea­ling, so did Iohn Baptist, our Lord Christ, his servants in former ages not a few. As of latter times,An Dom: 1125 Pla­tina tells of one Arnulphus a godly Preacher in the dayes of Pope Hono­rius the second, much admired by the Nobility of Rome, but treache­rously slaine by the Clergy,Verbis vivis, a­nimatis senten­tiis, & spiritus fervore flagran­tissimis. Sixtus Senens. whose lasciviousnesse and covetousnesse hee couragiously cryed out against. The like is recorded of Hieren: Sava­narola first cast into prison (where [Page 240]hee wrote those lively Meditations upon Psalme 51. now extant) and afterwards burnt for the testimony of Iesus, and for his bold invectives against the sins of the times. William Farell, that precious man, that daun­ted by no menaces,Hic est ille Fa­rellus, qui nul­lis minis, convi­tijs, verberibus deni (que) inflictis territus, M [...]m­pelgardenses, Aquileienses, Lausannenses, Genuenses, No­vocosmenses, Christo lacrifecit Melch. Adam. ext. Theol. p. 115 reproaches, stripes, banishments, gained 5. Cities with their adjacent territories to Christ, comming to Geneva one of the five, and for attempting a Re­formation there, brought before Authority, hee was thus rayled up­on; What makest thou here, thou Arch-devill, troubling our Towne with thy new fangled opinions? He modestly answered, I am no such one as thou callest me: but I preach Christ crucified, and that whosoever beleeveth in him shal be saved. I am debtour to all men that are but wil­ling to heare and obey the Gospell. And for this cause came wee hither, to see if any in this City would lend us audience, being ready to render an account of the faith and hope that is in us, and to seale it, if need be, with our dearest bloud. Here one of [Page 241]the Assessours stood up & cryed out; what need wee any further witnesse? Away with such a fellow from the earth. Better ths one Lutheran be put to death, then the whole Towne bee troubled. To whom Farell replied. Speak not in the language of Caiaphas, Scult. Annal. pag. 384. but in the Word of God. Here, being smitten on the face, & bid to go out, till they should advise what to doe with him, ho was shot at but not slain (as God would have it) with a Pistol, & afterwards driven out of the City. But one of the chiefe Magistrates fa­vouring him, he returned againe, and (notwithstanding all opposition) prevailed with them for a happy Re­formation. Whereupon mony was forthwith coyned with this posie on the one fide, Post tenebras lux, Ibid. 474. Light after a long darknesse, and on the o­ther side. Deus noster pugnat pro nobis. Our God fights for us. Thus was it at first, and who but Farellus was much made of and magnified, as their Re­verend reformer. But not long after, as Iohn Baptist soon grew stale to the Iews, and S. Paul became enemy to the [Page 242] Galathians, because he told them the truth: so when Farellus (as he was a most zealous Preacher) cryed down their evill courses, and pressed them to a better life,Melch. Adam in vita Calvini. they paid him the worlds wages, called him in question for his life, and both design'd and did such things against him, Anno 1553 as Calvin (his Collegue in the Mini­stry) could have wisht washt out with his own bloud. As for Calvin himself, Who passing through Geneva as a young student, and being bound for I­taly, was adjured by Farellus to settle there, and (under pain of Gods heavy curse upon him & his pretended stu­dies) charged to help the Lord against the mighty; Iudg. 5.23. how coursely was he used, at first, in that City of Geneva? Some for Calvin called him Cain; others in contempt of him, named their dogs Calvin: many kept from the Lords Supper out of hatred to him, their painful Preacher: nec pauci erant scele­rati, saith he on his death bed, à quibus indignissima multa sum perpessus, there were not a few wicked person, who dealt most unkindly and unworthily [Page 243]with me. At length being cast out of the Towne by an ostracisme (though afterwards recalled) surely, said he, if I had served men,Certè si homini bus servivissem est. Contra Wolsaeus semetipsum dete­status, est quod Regi pocius quā Deo studusset placere, Seult. Annal. 332. [...]. I had been but ill requited for all my love and labour. But God be thanked, I have served him, who never leaves his: but whiles they be preaching lustily on earth, he is interceding in­stantly for them in heaven, Rev. 8.3. The spirit also hemmes them, in as it did S. Paul, Act. 20.22. he compre­hends and keeps them, so that when a mans owne strength would fall oose, this supernaturall strength stayes and strengthens it. This M. Calvin felt, and confessed a little a­fore his death to his fellow Ministers, that came to visit him; that the Lord so confirmed and comforted him,Calvin morteturi Oratio ad colle­gas apud Melch. Adam invi­ta Calvini, pag. 106. who was by nature timorous and faint-harted, that he was no whit daunted or discouraged by the inju­ries and indignities of his greatest enemies: but chearefully went on with the work of the Lord Jesus, who with the same right hand rai­sed his servant John, wherein he held the seven Angels of Asia. Rev. 1 17, 20.

SEC. 3.

LAstly, let Ministers (sith it is Gods Word they handle, Gods Arke they beare, Gods Altar they wait at, Gods errand they go on) be holy and unreproovable in their whole course, expressing God to the World as much as may be. Be cleane, ye that beare the vessels of the Lord, yet that are the vessels to beare his holy Name to the people.Esav 42 11. Acts 9.15. Let holinesse to the Lord bee writen on your frontlets, nay on your pots, and on the bridles of your horses. In the Leviticall Priests, nil plebeium reperi­ebatur, nil populare, Zach. 14.20. saith Ambrose, nothing vulgar or ordinary was to be found. Speciall order was taken that they should be neither bleare-eyed, nor blemished, nor any other way deformed or defective. Nei­ther might they at any time serve at the Altar, till they had washed in the Laver, lest they dye. The very work­men were filled with the spirit of wisdome,Exod. 30.20. for the making of their vestments; the high Priests especi­ally, [Page 245]who came forth Os humerosque Deo similis like an earthly God, in his glorious and gorgeous attire, e­very peece whereof was mysterious and significant. By his linnen breeches, there are that thinke hee was minded and admonished of pu­rity:Sunt qui per fe­minalia ponti [...]i­cis, puritatē, &c. D. Predeaux, Lect. de vestibus, pag. 38. by his girdle (say they) he was taught discretion; by his embroide­red coate heavenly conversation, by his golden bells, sound doctrin; by his pomgranats, godly living: by his humerall, patience in bearing other mens infirmities, by his Rationall, or brestplate, carefulnesse for the faith­full: by his Mitre, a right intention: and by the plate thereof, an open profession of holinesse. Remarkable it is that when Aaron and Miriam had murmured against Moses, and were both alike in the transgression, Miriam only was smitten with le­prosie, and not Aaron. Chrysostome saith, [...], Homil. in Coloss. 3. it was for the holinesse and ho­nour of the Priesthood, and lest the leprosie on his person should redoūd to the dishonour of his Office. How much more careful should such then [Page 246]be of sin, which defileth much worse than any leprosie or jakes whatsoe­ver, as our Saviour shewes in the Gospell?Mat. 15.18, 19 How should they see to it that their doctrine, though it bee carpt at, yet it may be sound speech that cannot bee condemned, and for their persons and practises, though they bee nibbled at, yet both may be unrebukable. [...], Tit. 2.8. [...], 1 Tim. 6.24. Ministers should be as the Cedars of Libanus, Cant. 1.17. tall, and that admit not of any worme; that of covetousnes especially,1 Tim. 6.10. which boareth thorough the conscience. Yea, as the tree of Paradise, sweet for tast, and faire to look upon; as Absolom in whom there was no blemish from head to foot: as Saul higher by head and shoulders, in goodnesse than the rest of the people: as Daniel, who could be found no fault with, save in the matter of his God: as John Baptist, who lived so strictly, that by some hee was taken to bee the Christ: yea as Christ himselfe, that imparallell patterne of perfection, who lest us a coppy, saith S. Peter, [Page 247]that we should write after, in that he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. [...]. 1 Pet. 2.21.22. He preached many times (tis Theophylacts obser­vation upon Math. 5.2.) when yet he opened not his mouth, viz. by his holy life and wounderfull words. So must a Minister: [...]. Every thing in him had need bee edificatory and exemplary. He should go before the flock, John 10.34. The custome of the Easterne Country, it seemes, was for Shepheards, not to drive their Sheep, but go before them. Let no man despise thy youth, saith Paul to Timothy. How shall I helpe it,1 Tim. 4 12. [...] Ignat. ad Mign. [...]. if they do, might he say? Why, bee thou an example of the beleevers in word and conversation. The word rendred example, signifies, such a thing as makes the stamp upon the coyne, or the mould for the bullet. The Ministers life is the life of his Ministery, and Teachers sins are the teachers of sins. For the people are led more by their eyes than by their eares; the eyes of their Understan­dings, like Jacobs sheep, being too [Page 248]firmely fixt on such party-coloured objects,Malac. 2. as say well and do worse; cause their affections to bring forth spotted fruits. But God will cast dirt in the faces of irregular and irre­ligious Levites, that cover foule sins, as Elies sons did, under a white E­phod, that have Ʋrim without Thummim on their brest-plates, bells, without pomgranates on the borders of their garments, that (Pharisee like) speake by the talent,Meritò praese [...]t Cic [...]ro, Catonè, Socra [...], quon [...] hujusdecta, illius facta laudantur. De amicitia. work by the ounce, that (Lizard-like) make prints with their feet, dash them out with their taile, and (as the Lap-wing) cry aloft, as if their affections were there fixed, which yet are fashtned here below. these resemble coyne, which is white in it self, but draws a black line after it: Or water in great mens kitchins, which having clen­sed other things, is it selfe fit only for the sink. Unsavoury salt is hard­ly fit for the dunghill, nor a wicked Minister for any place, but hell. Certainely hee is the worst creature upon Earth, and who are Devils in [Page 249]Hell now; but such as once were Angels in Heavens.Pop. Rom. Carbo­ne pollicente qui­piam & adden­te jusjarandum cum exsecratione, vicissim juravit se illi nom credere. Suadet loquentis, vita non oratio. Neither helps it any whit that their tongues are so smooth in speaking good Divinity, while their hands are so rough with Esau, in uttering false. The Bethshe­mites fare the worse, for being a City of Priests, their priviledge doubled their offence, 1 Sam. 6.19, And God would not permit Aaron the passions of another man, because he was a Priest. It was at the fune­rall of his two sons that hee is for­bidden to weep.Levit. 10.6. Hee must not so much lament the judgement, as magnifie Gods Justice, in the de­served death of those two drunken priests. They comming off their ale­bench, likely, brought strange fire & by fire they perish. Immediatly ther­upon charge is given to Aaron and his sons that they drink not wine nor strong drink, Verse 9. when they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, lest they dye. Moreover Moses said to Aaron, This is that which the Lord hath spoken,Verse 3. I will be sanctified in all them that draw neare unto mee. [Page 250]How sanctified? may some say: Austin answers, Aut à nobis, aut in nos: Either by us, while we preach painfully, live hoilly: or else, on us, by our just and utter destruction. Seldome do loose-lived Ministers escape the visible vengeance of God, forasmuch as they stumble with the Lanthorne in their hands, and the words of reproofe in their mouths, therefore will he seed them with gall and wormwood. Ier. 23.15. By living otherwise then they teach, they teach God to condemne them: they carry Ʋri­ahs letters, and put a sword into Gods hand, as it were, wherewith to undoe thē. Balaam, Satan's spel­man (as one cals him) though hee blessed Gods Israel, and wished well to their heaven; yet for his contrary courses and counsell to Ba­lack, he was so far from inheriting with them, that he was cut off by them. Hophni and Phineas, because they made the service of God to stink, by their stinking courses, so that men abhorred it for their sakes (like as the Donatists pretented to [Page 251]do the Church, for the evill life of Cecilian) an ill end befell them. Commonly God sensibly rejects such even in this life: either rooting them out by death, and making their places spue them out, or else by blasting their gifts,Zach. 11.17. drying up their right armes, putting out their right eyes, causing the night to come upon their divination, and utterly re­fusing to be glorified by them. Well it may be, that they may live long, as Saul did, after his rejection; and the Pharisees after they had fallen into the unpardonable sin. The De­vill also gave them many thankes, as he is said to have done the Popish Priests in Hildebran's time Anno 1072,Math. Paris. Hist. for furnishing Hell so fast with so many soules as had perish­ed by their default.Rasis sac [...]ificulo­rum verti [...]ibus, & magnatum galeiss stratum inferni p [...]vimentum esse prover [...] b.o screbatur. And better he would thank them (doubtlesse) when he should meet them in hell, the pavement whereof was com­monly said to bee pitcht with sha­velings skuls, and great mens crests. But surely Christs will chashiere them as the Tirshata did those turn­coat [Page 252]Priest,Ezra 2.61. 62, 63. Matth. 7. and wash his hands of them for ever: Yea though they can produce and prove that they have prophecied in his name, and by his name done great Miracles, if neverthelesse they be workers of iniquity; and albeit they have taught others, Yet themselves have not done the Will of his Heavenly Fa­ther. [...] Mini­sters may as files, [...] others, themselves re­maine rough, & as Cariers beare bags of many for the use of them, to whom they are sent. A blind man may beare a torch to the lightning of others; and a stinking breath sound a Trumpet with great commendation. The lifelesse Heaven gives life, and the dull whetstone sharpeneth Iron. Noahs Carpenters that made the Arke, perished in the stood, and Aeneas his Pilot saved the ship,Medijs, palinu­rus in [...]ndis &c. and was drowned himselfe. The Toades-head may yeeld a pretious stone (Busonites) of great vertue,Medicorum tituli [...]edicamenta si [...] pyae des, ve­ [...]ena [...]ctant. and wholesome sugar be found in poisoned cane. Saint Paul gives us to know that a man may Preach profitably to others, and yet him­selfe be a cast-away: Nolite igi­tur magis eloqui magna quam vi­vere, D. Bedd. concio ad C [...]. saith One. Vivite concioni­nibus, [Page 253]concionamini moribus. Let your lives be a transcript of your Sermons, your Precepts enlivened by your practise, which should be as a visible cōment on the audible Word. A Minister, of any man, had need to bee godly, Mal. 2.5, 6. Acts 11.24. 2 Tim. 2.15. Else, profanenesse will easily go out from the Pro­phets of Jerusalem, Ier. 23. [...]5. throughout all the Land, as Jeremy hath it. In him that is sent to winne soules, saith a Divine, his mouth, eyes, hands, feet, gesture, conversation, all had need be exact and exempla­ry. Mention is made in the Eccle­siasticall History of one Bonnus a Church-man,Sosom. lib. [...]. cap. 28. Hominis vita magno om [...]itum consensu proba­tur: j [...]m id non leve praejuditi [...] est quod nec [...] ­stres repe [...]tant, quod c [...]l [...]umn [...] ­entur, de Lu­thero, Erasmu [...]. Acts and Mo­numents. who was never seen by any man to be angry, or heard to sweare, lye or utter any thing rash light or unbeseeming himselfe. And M. Bucer, whiles hee was here in England brought all men into such admiration of his integri­ty, that neither could his friends sufficiently prayse him, nor his enemies in any point find fault [Page 254]with his singular life and sincere Doctrine. The like is reported of Master Bradford. Now what a thing was this to slaughter En­vy, to stop an open mouth,Acts and Mon. to re­joyce his friends, and to cloath his enemies with their owne shame. This was to shine as a light in the darke World, yea as the Sunne in his strength: which although some men curse (as the Atlantes) because it scorcheth them; others hate sometimes, be­cause it discovers their deeds of darknesse,Atlantes solem Orientem Occi­dentemque dira imprecatione con­tucatur, ut exi­tialem ipsis agris­que, Plin. lib. 5. cap. 8. Godwins Heb. Antiq. yet are they so con­vinced and dazeled with its beau­ty and brightnesse, that few can, forshame, speake against it. The High-Priest was the chiefe God on Earth: and therefore, during his life, the Offendour was con­fined to the City of refuge, as to a Prison. And David, when he was hunted from the Prophet, sled to the Priest; as one that knew, that Justice and Compas­sion should dwell in those breasts, [Page 255]if any where. Venerable Beda tels us, that the Ancient British Bishops rejected Austin, the Popes Legate, because hee shewed not himselfe gentle and humble a­mongst them (as became a Mini­ster) at the first meeting. And ho­ly Hooper, though his life was so pure and good, that no kind of slaunder could fasten any fault up­on him; Yet there is mention made of a certaine Citizen, who having in himselfe a conflict of conscience, came to Master Hoopers doore for counsell. But being aba­shed,Acts and Mon. fol. 1366. saith mine Authour, of his austere behaviour, durst not come in, but departed; which he after­ward by the helpe of Almighty God, did find and obtaine. This might bee no fault in him, but in the other that should have sought to him. But hereby wee see how much it behooves Ministers, to be curiously observant of their whole deportement, that they may lay [Page 256]forth themselves, and the talents concredited unto them, for the best advantage of their Lord and Master; becomming all things to all men, that they may winne some. And this the rather, because the World expects from such (though unjust­ly) Angelicall perfection, and looks round about us, to see if they may find ever a hole in our coate, thorough which, they may evade and slip the cords of our doctrine.

Sect. 1.

BE thankfull first, and chiefly to God for entrusting us with this true treasure, for concrediting unto us these lively Oracles, for drawing so neare us, and dealing so familiarly with us, as he hard­ly ever did with any before us. For what nation is there so great, [Page 258]that hath God so nigh unto them, Deut. 4 7, 8. Mich. 6.7, 8. Esay 5. and that hath statutes and iudgements so righteous, &c. He hath shewed thee, O England, What is good, and may justly demand, as of old, what cold I have done more for thee that I have not yet done?Deu. 33.29, 32. Happy art thou O Israel! who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, &c. Before the Covenant with Abraham, all nations were alike respected: but after it was said; J will be thy God, Gen. 17 7. and the God of thy Seed; the Church was divi­ded from the rest of the world, as light was from darkenesse in the first Creation, as the Sabbath from other dayes by divine consecration,Act. 14.16. as Goshen was from the rest of Aegypt in that wonderfull separa­tion. All other Nations he suffe­red to walke in their own waies, to sit in the dale of darknesse and shadow of death: but in Judah was God knowne, his name was great in Israel. Psal. 76.1, 2. In Salem was his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Sion. Hence that beautifull [Page 259]Land (though part of the Conti­nent) is called an Ile, Esay 20.6. Deut. 7.6. [...] as separate from other peoples [...] and the in­habitants therof are called Gods peculiar, his inclosures the people of his purchase that comprehended, as it were, all his gettings, the sheepe of his pasture, yea his son, his first-borne, to whom he gave (for a childs-part) right iudge­ments and true Lawes, Hos 11 34. Exod. 4.2 [...]. good Sta­tutes, and iust Commandem [...]nts, Nehem. 9.13. He shewed his word unto Jacob, his acts unto the chil­dren of Israel. He hath not dealt so with my Nation, &c. Psal. 147.19, 20. By the dim light of na­ture they might get some glimpse of God as a Creatour, not as a Redeemer, of his eternall power and Deity, rendring men without excuse, not of the riches of his patience leading men to Repen­tance. Hence David, Psal. 93.5. Having declared the testimonies of the power of God,Rom. 1.20. Rom. 2.4. that are to be seen in the very waves of the Sea, concludes the Psalme with, [Page 260] Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very sure: intimating, that there is no certain or comfortable knowledge of God to be got, but only thence. Neverthelesse those poore Ethniks, for their unthankfullnesse for that little they had, and because that when they knew God (after a sort) they glorified him not as God,Rom. 1.20. neither were thankfull, God gave them up to a reprobate sense; as likewise he did the idle servant to the tormentour for not impro­ving his one talent. O then what will he do, or rather what will he not do to us, that have made so little of so many advantages:Psal 8 [...].15. Cant. 2.12. Psal. 84. that have heard the joyfull sound, the voyce of the Turtle so long in our Land: that have seen the face of God so frequently and familiar­ly in his Ordinances, had the ever­lasting Gospell so puerly and pow­erfully preacht amongst us, even the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret since the world began, but is now made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets ac­cording [Page 261]to the Commandement of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of Faith. To God only wise be therfore glory, through Christ Jesus for ever, Rom. 16.25, 26, 27.

The greatnesse of this inexpli­cable benefit will the better ap­peare to us if we consider it as cloathed with these ensuing circum­stances.

First, that this good Word of God is come to our hands (after so many ages) so perfect and entire wan­ting nothing, that no part of the holy Canon is perished, not a haire of this sacred head missing.

Next that we have it so exactly and exquisitely rendred and transla­ted into the vulgar tongues. A privi­ledge that our fore-Fathers wish [...] well to, but obtained not. It were a great grace, saith Lambert the Martyr, if we might have the word of God diligently and often read and sung unto us, in such wise that the people might understand it. Then should it come to passe that [Page 262]Crafts-men should sing spirituall Psalmes,Acts and Mo­numents, fol. 1015. sitting at their work, and the Husband-man at his Plow, as wisheth S. Hierome, Bugenhagius a famous Divine of Germany was so joyfull of the Dutch Bible, in trans­lating wherof out of the Hebrew and Greek Originals, he and some other learned men had laboured to­gether with Luther; Melch. Adam in vita Bugen­hagij. that every yeare he invited his friends on that day of the Moneth, whereon the worke was finished, and called it the Feast of the translation of the Bible.

Thirdly, that we have the whole will of God in so little a room, in so portable a Volume. Jn rea­ding many books there is no end, Eccles. 12.12. and much study is a wearinesse to the flesh. It duls the spirits, wearies the bo­dy, marres the eyes (those Musa­rum perspicilli, Diestius. as one tearms them) wasts the marrow, spends the time, shortens the life, but brings no sound satisfactory knowledge. He that lo­veth reading (of humane Authors, I meane) shall not be satisfied with [Page 263]reading,Eccles. 1.8. as the Eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the Eare with hea­ring: As those that have a flux, though they take in much, yet are neither fuller, nor fatter.Multi propter arborem scren­tie amit [...]unt arborem vitae. And which is worse, many for the tree of knowledge sake, loose the tree of life, as one saith: Like Jsrael in Egypt, they are scattered all o­ver the Land to pick up straws to load themselves with thick clay, Habac. 2.6. not minding that which mainly con­cerns them, the knowledge of the Scriptures,Discamu [...] in ter­ris quorum sci­entia perseve­ret nobiscum in coelis, Hierom. the learning of that out of the Bible here on Earth that may stick to them for ever in Hea­ven. These seek after asses with Saul, after servants with Shimei, and loose themselves therewhile: They drinke deepest of those Authours, whereof to sip were sufficient; sith we may sooner surfet, than satiate our selves of such,The epitom [...] of Tostatus upon Matthew containes a­bove a thousand pages i [...] folio. I speak not on­ly of those fabulous and frivolous fancies. But books of better note and use there are not a few in this scribling age, which yet by their intolerable prolixity are over-tire­some [Page 264]and tedious to the intelligent Reader;Salmeron hath his twelve vo­lumes upon the Euangelists Sixt Senens. Bibl l. 4. Occidit (que) legen do plurima potius quam opti­ma scrib. the gains will not pay for the pains. As voluminous Tostatus, trifling Turrion, and Salmeron, that wearieth and well nigh killeth his Reader with infinite discourses De verbis Dominae, that is, Of the words that the Virgin Mary spake to the Angell, and to her cousin Elizabeth, Ex cutab. Nundini Au­tumn. A. 1671. — tenent insa­nabile nultos Scribendi caco­ [...]thes, Iuven. twelve Books distinguisht into two tomes were printed at Ʋenice Anno Dom. 1617. Pale­attus Arch-Bishop of Bonony made a great Book of the shadow of Christs body in a Sindon, and it was commented upon by the Profes­sour of Divinity there;Wolphius mem. lect. pitty it were that he had had not written som­thing of that holy relique, the taile of that asse wheron our Savi­our rode, which they shew at Ge­nua, and adore with great humi­lity. Amidst all which masse and multitude of books wherwith the world is now-adaies pestered, who sees it not a sweet mercy, and just matter of thankfulnesse, that we have so much in so few; the whole will [Page 265]of God compacted and contrived into so little a volume, that we may make it our vade mecum, our constant companion and counsellor,Melch. Adam de vit. Ger. theol. as Plato did his Sophron, George Prince of Anhalt his Siracides, Cr n­mer his new Testament, which he learn [...]d by heart in his voyage to and from Rome, Act. and Mon. whither he was sent by King Henry the eighth about the divorce. Especially, since it is of so excellent and exquisite use, good for all occasions, and in all things necessary; so plain and perspicuous, that we need seek no further; so full and perfect that it is able to make not the Vulgar only (as Bellarmine somewhere grants) but the man of God thoroughly furnished, that is, the Minister himself; who in Francis Junius his judgement, needs no more books in his study besides the Bible, but Cevallerius, his He­brew Grammar, Calvins Jnstitutions, and Beza's Confession: And yet he is both to know and declare the whole counsell of God. For if Ʋarro the Romane upbraided the Heathen [Page 266]Priests (and worthily) that there were many things in their rites and Religions,Ʋivi [...] in Aug. de civ. Dei, lib 4 cap. 1. wherof they were igno­rant: How much more unseemly is it in a Minister of the Gospell, that hath so large a direction in so little a volume, not to preserve and present knowledge to the people?

Fourthly, who seeth not a mercy in this that we have the Scriptures so well digested and distinguished by Books, Chapters and Verses, where­by (with the helpe of Tables and Concordances especially) we can easily and readily turn to any place we need or desire. In the Apo­stles times, [...]. all they could say for the help of the hearer was, It is writ­ten, or it is contained in the Scrip­ture, as 1 Pet. 2.6. without particu­lar quoting the place where. After this they had their partitions,Lege Casaub. Not. in Mat. 1. secti­ons, speciall portions of Scripture, set out, but Chapters were not heard of (as now) till the yeare of grace, 1195. nor verses, till alate devi­sed by Robert Stevens that lear­ned French Printer:Scultet. Annot. in Marc. a great ease [Page 267]both to the Preacher and Rea­der.

Fifthly, that it comes to us so light cheap, is cause of thankfull­nesse; which our godly Ancestours so hardly got and gladly bought at so deare a rate; some of them gave five marks, some more, some lesse for a Booke in King Henry the eigths dayes, some gave a load of hay for a few Chapters of Saint James or of Saint Paul in English.Act. and Mon­fol. 756. To see their travells, charges, ear­nest seeking, burning zeale, rea­dings, watchings, sweet assemblies, love, concord, &c. may make us now, in these our dayes of free pro­fession, blush for shame. Plato for three books gave thirty thousand flo­rens. S. Hierom [...] learnt Hebrew with the hazard of his life. Capnio paid a Jew that read Hebrew to him at Rome, for so many houres so ma­ny crownes in gold. The Booke of books, the best of all Authors com­meth now to us upon easiest tearms and rates, so exactly translated,Iohnst. de Na­turae constan. Neand Chron, pa. 144. so fair­ly printed, as was never seen before.

Adde hereunto in the sixth place, that God (in these last dayes espe­cially) hath sent and stir [...]d up ma­ny burning and shining lamps, many diligent and dexterous inter­preters to lay all levell and plain afore us, to break the shell, that we may come at the kernell,Iudg. 7.15. to roll away the stone from the Wells mouth, to remoove rubs and diffi­culties, to clear dark and doubt­full places; so that not only Jacob and his sons (Schollers and Mini­sters) but also the cattell and the sheep, that is the illiterate and ig­norant may drink freely of these waters of the Sanctuary; as Ori­gen allegorically expounds it.Origen. contra Celsum. The Jewes also had their Interpreters. Hence that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.20. Where is the wise? that is, the teachers of traditions: Where is the Scribe? that is, the text­men that stuck to the litterall in­terpretation: Where is the dispu­ter of this world? that is, the tea­chers of Mysteries and Allegories, which minister Questions rather [Page 269]than edifying which is in Faith, 1 Tim. 1.4. and are no better, faith one, at best, then the froth of the Scriptures. But how weakly and corruptly these exercises were per­formed by those slubbering Priests, and blind Pharisees of old, our Saviour partly shewes and con­fates in the Gospell: And how poor­ly and slenderly by the Friars and postillars alate, is well to be seen in their writings at this day ex­tant. Scarce was there any Com­mentary on the Bible for many hundred years better than the glosse of Orleans, Hugo de sancto Claro, and Peter Comestor, by all which the Scriptures were as a clas­ped Scriptures were as a clas­ped book even to the simpler sort of their Clergy. Certain Monkes there were that took it for a sin­gular glory to write upon the Revelation, but such wretched Note, as Thomas and Nicholas, and (after them to mend the matter) Passavantius made upon that excellent Work, De civitate Dei; Wherby they have bemired [Page 270]and utterly marred the sense of it, as Erasmus shews in the Proverb. Asinus ad paleas. Scultet. Annal. dec. 2 p. 117. Apocalypsis, saith Faber the Augustinian, comes of A­po re, and clipsor, velo. And Alex­ius Grad the Dominican, as Bucer relateth it, said that he had read somewhere in the Dictionaries that Cephas signifieth a head, and that therefore Peter was head of the Church. This buzzard saw not what the Evangelist had so plainely set downe, that Cephas signifieth a Rocke, to be skilfull in the Greek tongue was in those dayes super­stitious, but to be an Hebrician, was little lesse then hereticall. Latine was so ill understood of many of their Priests, that he held himselfe sufficiently well excused from pa­ving the Church-way with the rest of his neighbours that could alledge for his purpose that of Jeremy. Pave­ant illi, Alex. Cook. ego non paveant. Another for Sumpsimus read Mumpsimus, and be­cause he had long used it so, would not alter it, for any admonition. Pa­rens when he was young (begging [Page 271]an almes according to a superstiti­ous custome of those times) had this answer from a Fryer:Becman de Orig ling lat. Nos pau­peri fratres, nos nihil habemus, an pis­cimus, an caro, an panis, an miseri­cordia habemus. And if any went about to shew them their bard and barbarous mistakes, they shrowded themselves under that of Gregory. In vita Parei operib praefix. Non debent verba coelestis or aculi subesse regulis Donati. Now God hath graciously removed this Remo­ra to the profitable reading of his sacred word, by stirring up studi­ous men to labour after learning which was almost banished out of the world, and all places ore-spread with basenesse and barbarisme. Look how in the first plantation of the Gospell in Europe, he shipped the Arts before into Greece; that they might be Harbingers unto it (as Tertullian speaketh) or (as Hierom) the mu­nition to batter the sorts of the wise, meaning of send the souldiers soon after: So in the reviving of the Gospell, in the late Reformation, there seemed to goe before it a general [Page 272]resurrection of all humane learning, and the effectuall means of all this, that nob [...]e invention of Printing; which seems reserved to the waigh­tiest times of the Church, even the revealing of the Westerne An­tichrist: Melancth. Chron l. 5. Wherunto that Easterne Antichrist hath lent us his hand: I mean the Turke, that never did any good to Christendom but this, and this against his will, in sen­ding the Greeke tongue (by the sack of Constantinople, and ruin of Greece) into these Westerne climates. Thus canes lingunt ulcera Lazari. Gods will is done by the wicked though beside their intention. He hath given gifts to men, even to the rebellious, Psal. 68.18. common gifts of illu­mination, interpretation, &c. That he may dwell on Earth, to wit, in his Religion and Worshippers, who being wise Merchants, besides the pearle of price, seek also other good­ly pearles: Mat. 13.45, 46. make much of common gifts bestowed many times upon unsound and unsanctified Interpre­ters for their behoofe and benefit. [Page 273]It is well said in the Law that a­pices iuris non est ius. It is as true in Divinity, that the letter of the word is not every where the Word of God; but the right mea­ning therof. Gods Word foolish­ly understood is none of his,Ʋerbum Dei stolidè intellect­um non est ver­bum Dei. saith Theodoret. The occasion, scope, phrase of the Holy Ghost, cohe­rence, consent with other places is well to be weighed. For our help hereunto, and that we may read with judgement, Christ in his wonderfull Ascention gave gifts to men, some Apostles, Rom. 10.14. Gal. 3.2. Act. 8.30. Mal. 2.7. some Prophets, &c. with charge not on­ly to propound to his people the word in grosse, but also fruitfully expound it, rightly divide it, fitly apply it, be as so many speaking Commentaries upon it, non libro, sed labro conservantes scientiam, bringing forth new and old store, as good Scribes, and speaking home to mens hearts to edification, ex­hortation and comfort, 1 Cor. 14.13. This, this is to do the work of an Evangelist, for every sound [Page 274]is not Musicke, nor every Pulpit-Discourse, preaching) and is ther­fore perhaps, tearmed prophecy­ing by Saint Paul, because the matter of Preaching in those daies was the Scriptures of the Prophets, in opening whereof the Servants of God were then especially con­versant. As also now the Church (blessed bee GOD) abounds with those that want for no parts, that spare for no paines; but as Candles waste them­selves to give light to others, and as clouds sweete themselves to death for common benefit, lay forth their talents to the utmost, that they may lay all knots and cragges levell, pave men a path­way to Christ, and so give them the knowledge of Salvation by the Remission of their sinnes.Luk. 1.77. Thus Paul reason'd with the Jews of Thessalonica out of the Scriptures, opening and alledging, &c. laying it before their eyes, as the word signifies, and making it as cleare as the noone-day light, by expresse [Page 275]testimony of the word and due de­duction therehence,Acts 17 3,4. [...] ob oculos ponens i [...] tam mani­sestè exponens quàm cernimus quae spectanda proponuntur, Beza. that this Jesus whom J preach unto you, saith the Text, is Christ. And this is still the guise of all godly Preachers to ground their Discourses upon the written word, pressing the people either with the very direct words or firme consequences, as our Sa­viour dealt by the Sadduces, Math. 22.32. And Saint Paul by the Co­rinthians, 1 Ep. 7.10. To the mar­ried J command, yet not J, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from her husband. In so many words the Lord hath not said it, but plain­ly for the sense, when hee said, Therfore shall a man leave Father and mother, and cleave to his wife. And againe, That which God hath ioyned together, let no man put a­sunder. Now that which the Mini­sters in this sort, spek out of the word, is the word: and must be so reputed and received: according to that in the Gospel, He that heareth you heareth me. And again, J am with you to the end of the world. And that of the [Page 276]Prophet Esa 59.21. where God ma­keth a covenant with Christ that those words of his which he put into his mouth should not depart out of the mouth of his seed, nor out of the mouth of his seeds seed for ever.

Lastly, stirre up your selves to thankfullnesse for this,Rom. 10.6, 7, 8 that Gods Word is so nigh us, even in thy mouth and in thine heart, and that is the Word of Faith that we preach; So that we need not say, who shall go up to Heaven or down to the deep for it. We need not tra­vell hundreds of miles as the Queen of Sheba, or ride abroad to heare the Prophet,2 King. 4.23. as the good Shunamite did customarily every Sabbath and new moon. We need not send down to Aegypt with old Jacob for that Bread of Life, wherwith we are daily and daintily fed; or go on Pilgrimage to Palestina and Syria for it with the seduced Pope­lings.See Hist. of ho­ly warre. Dan. 12. We need not run too and fro to increase knowledge, as those in Daniel, nor trudge from place to place, as [Page 277]our godly fore-Fathers in times of persecution.George Eagles sirnamed Trudge-over. Act. and Mon. Rev. 6.6. These be not those unhappy dayes (praised be God) of the black Horse, wherin there is but a small measure of wheat for a penny, and three small mea­sures of barly for a penny. Wis­dome hath killed her beasts amongst us: she hath mingled her wine,Prov. 9.2. Hist Aethiop. chap. 137. In all the vast continent of Afrique, there is not any re­gion entirely possessed by Christians, but the kingdome of Habassia, Sands. she hath also furnished her Table. Alvarez tels us in his History of Aethiopia that at his being at the King of Habassiars Court, there were Embassadours sent out of Nu­bia, to intreat for a supply of Mi­nisters to instruct their Nation, and to repair Chistianity that was gone to ruine among them, but they were rejected. A dolefull case doubtles, when the children come to the womb, and there is none to deliver, or cry for bread and there is none to break it unto them: They runne too and fro to seeke the Word of the Lord, Amos 8.12. and can­not finde it. But this is not our case (God be thanked) we ne­ver yet tasted of that Famine of [Page 278]the Word, nor have bin forced to wander for it from Sea to Sea: but as in Aegypt every city had their Barns and store-Houses,Gen. 41.48. so is it heere. And as Manna fell at their very doors, it was but stepping out and taking it up, so is it with us; all the feare is lest God cut off this Manna from our mouthes for loathing it, lest he send in the Assyrians to drinke up our milke, Ezek. 25.4. lest he call for his love-tokens backe a­gain which we have set light by, and then follow utter desertion and desolation: Good turns ag­gravate unkindnesses, and our of­fences are increased by our obli­gations. Abused mercy turns into fury,Laesa patientia fit suror. as Moses staffe cast from him into a Serpent; and as Aiax his Sword given him by Hector, so long as he used it against his En­emies, served for help and defence: but after he began to abuse it to the hurt of hurtlesse Beasts, it turned into his owne Bowells. When the old world would not [Page 279]bee warned by Noahs preaching, but grew foule and stanke, God saw it but time to wash it with a flood.Gen. 6.11. When neither Lots god­ly admonitions, nor their owne late deliverance from Kedar-laomer and his company could mend or melt the sinnefull Sodomites. God rain'd downe Hell from Heaven upon them. The Land of Shinar, where they built Babel, was part of the Garden of Eden (as most Geographers thinke,) whereof though the amenity and chiefe beauty were destroyed by the de­luge,Plin. lib 6. c. 26 Herodot: l. 1. c. 19 [...]. Cecidit rosà mansit spina, Bucholc. [...] Herod Ier 51 9. Isa 13.21. yet is it still fruitfull a­bove beeleefe, and returnes the seede beyond credulitie. Never­thelesse, because GOD would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed; therefore was it made not onely a place of Nettles and Salt-pits, but also of Dragons and Divells. The Sword, Fa­mine and Pestilence, were but the beginning of sorrowes to the Jewes for their hatefull unthankfull­nesse and contempt of the Gospell: Mat. 24.8. [Page 280]This was it that filled up the measure of their sins;Mat. 23.32. and brought Gods wrath upon them to the ut­most. Pererius the Jesuite com­menting upon those words,1 Thes. 2.16. The sinnes of the Amorites are not yet full, If any aske,Gen. 15. saith he, why England continueth to flourish notwithstanding the cruell per­secution of Catholikes (executi­on of Traitours, he should have said) there? Our answer is rea­dy; because their sinne is not yet full, sed veniet tandem iniquitatis complementum, saith hee; but it will not be long ere their iniqui­ty bee finished, and ere that bee made up that is yet wanting to their just weight, that God may fall upon them with his full weight: A blister on that foule tongue! GOD fore-fend and prevent their long-lookt for day. Oh pray that the Sunne of that morning may never arise, or that Day bee numbered to the Moneths of the yeare, wherein it shall bee said, that our Candle-sticke [Page 281]is remooved, that the Arke is departed from our English Is­rael.

If any thing ever undo us, it will be our hatefull unthankfullnesse for the Gospell of peace, accor­ding to that Prophecy of Luther. Three things, saith he,Melch: Adam in vita Luth. will de­stroy Christian Religion, carnall Security, worldly pollicy, and for­getfullnesse of the benefits received by the Gospell. Of all things God cannot abide to be forgotten. Therfore the Jsraelites were so of­ten charged by Moses not to for­get the Lord in the good Land whither they were going;Deut. 6.12. & 8.11, 14. & 9.7, &c. which because they did,Amasios meos Tremell. Hol. 2.8, 9. the flood-gates of Gods wrath was set open up­on them to the utmost. Because they say J will goe after my sweet­hearts, and remembred not that J gave her corne, and wine, and oyle, &c. [Page 282] therfore I will take away my corne in the time therof, and my wine in the season therof, &c. Ingratitude forfeits mercies as Merchants do all to the King, by non-payment of Custome. Because Pharaoh saith the River is mine owne, therfore saith God, I will dry up the River, Ezek. 29.3 9. Esa. 19.5, 6. with Deu. 11.9, 10. The River Nylus wa­tereth Aegypt, and makes it fruit­full. The Aegyptians used in mockery to tell the Graecians, Creditur Egyp­tus ca [...]uisse ju­vantibus arva. Imbribus at [...] a [...]nis sicca uts­se novem, Ov d Vide Senec nat. quaest. l. 4. c. 2. that if God should forget to rain, they might chance to starve for it. They thought the rain was of God, but not the River. God therfore threatens to dry it up, and so he did. Tamberlane ha­ving overcome Baiazet, asked him whither ever he had given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour, who confessed in­genuously he never thought of it.L [...]unclav: in Annal: Turc. To whom Tamerlane replyed that it was no wonder so ungratefull a man should be made a Spectacle of misery. To live under the sound [Page 283]of the word is a greater favour, than (without it) to be made Mo­narch of the whole world. For foure benefits Plato was especially thankfull, 1. That he was made a reasonable creature, and not a beast. 2. That hee was a man and not a woman. 3. That hee was a Grecian and not a Bar­barian. 4. That hee was borne in the daies of Socrates and bred a Scholler under him. How much more cause have wee to blesse God that wee were not borne Pagans or Papagans, but brought foorth in these glorious and golden dayes of the Gospell. [...]. Plutarch. Demarathus of Corinth was wont to say that those Grecians lost a great part of the comfort of their lives that had not seene great Alexander sitting in Darius his Throne. But Bucholcerus more truely pronounced those men un­happie, that were Nati & Do­nati, borne and buried before the Reformation of Religion begun by Luther: and himselfe he held [Page 284]most happy,Mel Ad. in vit. Ger theol pag. 550. that his birth fell out in Melancthons time, a famous instrument of that re­nowned Reformation. This is yet our case, and long may it be. Great heede is to be taken that we force not God for our Vnthankfullnesse, to take his own and be gone, as he did in Eze­kiel; where hee makes many re­mooves,Ezek 9, 10, 11 and ever as hee went out, some judgement came in, as hee did from those seven once flourishing Churches of Asia, Rev 2, & 3. now a habitation for Jim and Ohim, as he hath not long since done from that large region of Nubia in Affrique, S. Ed Sands Survey of West which had from the Apostles time, as it is thought, professed the Christian Faith, till somewhat above an hundred yeares since it hath again forsaken it, and imbraced partly Maho­metisme, and partly Idolatry, and meerely through Famine of the Word, and lacke of Minist­ers. Lastly, as he did from our fore-Fathers in Q. Maries dayes. And [Page 285]will ye know the reason? heare it from a Martyrs mouth.Acts and Mon: Ye all know (saith M. Bradford in a let­ter of his written out of prison) there was never more knowledge of God (viz. in the dayes of King Edward) and lesse godly living, and true serving of God. It was counted a foolish thing to serve God truly, and earnest Prayer was not past upon; Preaching was but pastime; communion was counted too common; Fasting to subdue the flesh was farre out of use; Alms was almost nothing; Malice, Covetousnesse and uncleannesse was common every where, with swea­ring, drunkennesse and idlenesse. God therfore now is come, as ye have heard me preach, &c. God forgive me mine unthankfullnesse: It is I Lord that have sinned a­gainst thee. It is my Hypocrisie,Ib. 1477. vain-glory, security, idlenesse, un­thankfullnesse, self-love, and such like which have deserved the ta­king away of our good King, of thy Word and true Religion, of [Page 286]thy good Ministers by exile, pri­sonment and death,Hos. 14.2. Amos 4.1 [...]. &c. Thus he: and thus we should take unto us words and meet the Lord, if so we may prevaile, that he cause not our Sunne to go down at noone and dar­ken the Earth in the cleare day, as he threatneth, Amos 8.9. The ve­ry course of the Sunne may well warne us of the course and pro­gresse of the Gospell, which went first forth from the East (that is Judaea) to the South (that is Greece) and from thence passed to the West, (that is the Latines) till now it is turned to the North (which is the utmost angle of this Vniverse) even to us, and so it hath almost finished its course. Wherfore as much as it is the pitching time of the day,1 Ioh. 2.18. 2 Kings 4.27. Judg. 19.9. it is the last houre, lay wee hold upon our Lord Christ, as the Spouse did, and although he make as if he would go further, constraine we him, Luke 24.29. as those Disciples did at Emaus, by our importunity, say­ing, Abide with us, for it is to­ward [Page 287]Evening, and the day is far spent; why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the Land, Ʋespera nunc venit, nobiscum, Christe, maneto: Extingui lucem ne patiare tu­am. as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night only? Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and wee are called by thy name, leave us not, Jer. 14.8, 9.

Sect. 2.

BVt secondly, as we are bound to God for his Word, so to the Jews, Gods depositaries and dispensers of his word, his treasurers, and, as it were the keepers of his Cabinet,Act. 7. to whom first were committed these lively O­racles, and by whom they were transmitted and brought safe to our hands.Godw: Antiq: Hebr. Their Masorites have care­fully reckoned and summed up, not the verses onely, but all the words and letters of each book of the old Testament:Rom. 15.27. which as it is an argument of their industry, so is it an ingagement on [...]our part, sith we are partakers of their spirituall things: and cannot minister unto [Page 288]them of our carnall, yet to pitty them and pray for them. Let Salomon (I meane Christ) have his thou­sand of thanks. Cant. 8.12. Let those also that have kept the fruit of his Vine­yard (whereof wee have so free­ly fed) have their two hundred: thanke we must the sender of this sweet fruit, but withall pay the Messenger that brought it. Let it not be forgotten that the Law came out of Sion, Esay 2.3. Psal. 110.2. and the Word of the LORD from Hierusalem to all the ends of the Earth, that to them pertained the Adoption and the Glory,Rom. 9.4, 5. the giving of the Law and the promises; that of them were the Fathers. Yea of them as concerning the flesh came Christ, who is God blessed for ever,Rom. 10.1. A­men. Let our hearts desire ther­fore and Prayer to God for Israel be, that they may be saved. They before the time of our calling, praid heartily for us, as appears, Can. 8.8, and by sundry Psalms: and from them we received the word and worship of God.Iohn 10.34. & 15.25. The Law is called their Law. [Page 289]And for the Gospell, if they had not rejected it, we had never received it, Act. 13.46. Rom. 11.11. and vers. 28. The poore, the maimed, the halt and the blind had never bin admitted, if the guests that were invited, had not refused to come, Luk. 14.21. They refused Christ that came in­to the world to save them, and shamefully nayled him upon the Crosse, for the which they are become a renegate people now 1600. years together; without Church, without Common-wealth, without forme or face of govern­ment good or bad, their pleasant Land turned into a wildernesse, their fruitfull country into a dry and barren desert. Strabo indeed spitefully depraves the countrey; affirming it (at best) to have bin hungry and unfruitfull, not much to be envyed or desired of any. But (besides the testimony of holy Scripture, that it was a Land flow­ing with milke and hony) Rabshakeh confesseth, that it was a Land of corne and wine, 2 King. 18.32. a Land of bread and [Page 290]vine-yards, a land of oyle olive and honey. Tacitus also tells us, that it is a fat and fertile soile; Another, that it is sumen totius orbis; Heidelseld. the rockes yeelded them honey, and flints, oyle, Deut. 32.13. As for the chiefe City Jerusalem, that City of God, the valley of vision, the vision of peace. Pliny witnesseth that it was the most famous of all the Citties of the East, wee may add of the whole world: because it was the Mother of us all, the chiefe Church to the which all other Churches confor­med themselves, and were wont to resort for direction, and decision of their Controversies:Act. 15.2. and from the which they all went,Act. 8.4, 5. & 11.19, 20. that first car­ried the light of the Gospell to the Genetiles. Their debters therefore we are surely. Rom. 15.27. neither may we hate their name and their Nation, but love them and pray for them, yea weepe and bleed over them as our Saviour did, Luke 19.41. And the rather because the un­speakeable miseries then foretold by him are long since befallen them, [Page 291] ver. 34, 44. Ʋespasian is reported to have broke in upon them, 1, at the brooke Cedron, where they ap­prehended Christ: 2, at the same Feast of Passeover that Christ was taken at: 3, to have whipped them in the place where they whipt our Saviour: 4, to have sold thirty of them for a penny,Adricom. in Ach Apost. fol. 282. Lib. 7. bell [...] Iud cap. 17. as they bought and sold the Sonne of God for thirty pence. In that last de­solation by Titus, Josephus tells us of a thousand thousand of them slaine, and ninety seven thousand carried captive. Such affliction be­fell them then as never had beene from the beginning, nor shall be to the worlds end: so our Saviour had foretold it, Mar. 13.19. Ever since this, they have continued a dispersed and despised people, ab­horred of God and men, and exiled out of the world, as it were, by a common consent of Nations, for their inexpiable guilt in murdering their Maker. The first countrey of Christendom, out of which they were cast, without hope of returne was [Page 292] England, by King Edward the first, Anno Dom. 1290.Breerewoods Enquiries. Out of France, 1307. Out of Spaine, 1492. Out of Naples and Sicily, Polyd. Virgil. pag. 327. 1539. Out of Portugall, 1597. Their Messias is expected of the Tribe of Judah, which was setled in Portugall, where they boast still to have mil­lions of their race, to whom they give compleate dispensation to counterfeit Christianity even to the degree of Priest-hood;Blounts voyage into the Le­vant, p. 121. and that none are discovered but some hot spirits whose zeale cannot tempo­rize. The reverence to the Messias makes them breed their children up in Portugall speech, and make it their domestique tongue, where ever they dwell. They remaine to this day a very exceeding great people: So that in Constantinople and Tessalonica there are estemed to be about 160000 Jewes. But in Jerusalem there be not to be found at this time a hundred housholds of them, saith Breerewood; yet there are ten or more Churches of Chri­stians there. Adrian the Emperour, [Page 293]for their sedition under Captaine Barchocab, drove the Jewes utter­ly out of Jewry; Funccij Chro­nol. set a Sow of white Marble over the chiefe gate of Je­rusalem in reproach of their religi­on, and commanded them by Pro­clamation,Yet they after­ward obtained once a yeare to goe in, and be­waile the de­struction of their temple, giving a peece of money to the souldiers. And so they that bought Christs blood, are glad to buy their owne teares, as S. Hierom noteth. Tom. 6. p. 256. Funccius. not so much as to looke toward that Land from any Tower or high Mountaine. In Cyprus they are so hated for a bloody Massa­cre they made there of the Inhabi­tants in Traians time, that its pre­sent death for a Jew to set foot on that Iland; yea though he be dri­ven in thither by a tempest, or cast upon that coast by ill accident, he is trussed up immediately. And albeit they have indeavoured from time to time to ingratiate and curry favour with Emperours, Heathen, and Christian, yet they could ne­ver doe it to any purpose. Titus indeed would have preserved the Temple as a Wonder of the world, a Monument of Magnificence,Iosephus. from being burnt, but could not; such was the outrage of the souldiers. And Julian the Apostate, to spite [Page 294]the Christians, permitted the Jewes and incouraged them to reedifie their Temple of Jerusalem at his charge:Ammian. 23. Socrat 3. Theodoret. Bucbalc. Func. howbeit attempting it, they were hindred from Heaven by a mighty Earth-quake, together with balles of fire issuing out of the foundation, and consuming the builders. But Caius the Emperour cast them out with contempt, and would not heare Philo their Coun­trey-man (an excellent Oratour) making apology for them against Appion of Alexandria, their deadly enemy. Whereupon Philo comfor­ted his collegues and companions saying,Bono animo nos esse oportet qui­ous iratus est Caius: quia ne­cesse est adesse divinum, ubi humanum cesset auxilium. Be of good cheare, my friends; God will not faile to helpe, where mans helpe faileth. A pious speech, but not appliable to such a people; who were not now to expect helpe from God, but from Caesar whom they had lately prefer'd before the Sonne of God, and were therefore worthi­ly now rejected of both. A couple of their Rabbines also in the yeare 1530,R David Reu­benita & R. Shelonioh Mol [...]u set upon Charles the fifth, to perswade him to Judaisme: [Page 295]but with ill successe; for one of them was burnt at Mantua in Italy, Alsted Chronol. pag. 426. and the other put to a cruell death in Spaine, for that bold attempt.Beza in Mat. 5.46. Pub­licans they are at this day to the Turkes, farmers of their customes and tributes, and to the Christians where they are suffered to dwell, they serve for hucksters and bro­kers to improve under-hand their unlawfull rents to the utmost pro­portion, as being permitted to straine up their usury upon the Christian (for among themselves they no where use it) to eighteene in the hundred. But in Turkey, Sands his Re­lation of the West. Relig. though every Visier and Bassa of State is reported to keepe a Jew of his private Councell, whose malice, wit, (for they are generally found to be the most nimble and Mercu­riall wits in the world) and expe­rience of Christendome,Blunts voyage into the Le­vant, p. 114. with their continuall intelligence, is thought to advise most of the mischiefe, which the Turke puts in executi­on against us: Yet generally, they are so hated of the Mahometans, [Page 296]that they use to say in detestation of a thing,In execrationi­bus dicunt, Iu­daeus sim si fal­lo. Sanctius in Zach. 8.13. I would I might die a Jew then; or, Let mee be a Jew, if I deceive thee. And Biddulph tells us, that in Constantinople and Thessa­lonica (where are so many thou­sands of them) if they but stirre out of doores at any Easter-time be­tweene Maunday-Thurseday at noone, and Easter-eve at night, the Christians, among whom they dwell, will stone them; because at that time they derided, buffeted, and crucified our Saviour. Thus as they use to say (poore soules!) amongst themselves,Moses Gerun­dinensis. there is an ounce of the golden calfe in all the punishments that befall them: so no doubt there is a pound of that direfull and dreadfull execration, His blood be upon us and our children, for the which wrath is now come upon them to the uttermost. They cloathed themselves with a curse, Psal. 109.18. and it is come into their bowels as water, and like oyle into their bones. Their mouth is still full of cursing and bitternesse. Rom. 3. They curse the Lord [Page 297]Christ in a covert abbreviature of his name, calling him in relation to his death on the Crosse,Iesum Iudaei corruptè & im­probè scribunt [...] adeo (que), sub tribus literis abbreviatis in­telligunt voca­bula [...] delea­tur nomen ejus. Si transcas Iu­daeu [...] Zeloten, aud [...]es [...] ethnice spurle: quod nuper Worma­tiae petulant a lole cens prae­tereuntibus no­bis acclamabat. Par. in Rom. 11.25. the woofe and the warp. They curse also his servants, closing their dai­ly prayers with a Maledic Domine Nazareis, calling them Gentiles, nay bastard Gentiles, nay divels in their salutations by craft, and un­der a shew of courtesie. There­fore also are themselves become a curse among the Gentiles, as was fore-prophesied by Zachary, Zach. 8.13. as who should say, God make thee as a Jew. The Turkes (whom they call Ishmaelites) will not suffer them to turne Turke, unlesse they will be baptized: as neither will the Papists suffer them to turne Christians, unlesse they will quit all their goods to the Christians, under pretence that those goods,They enter­taine Christi­ans with Shed­wilcom, wel­come divell. Hei Isord. Sands his Sur­vey of West. being gotten by usury, are part of the divels works. which in bap­tisme they professe to renounce. This is cold comfort to men of their mettalls, and a maine meanes to keepe them Jewes still, stiffe in [Page 298]their owne religion, which yet is part of their calamity. For they pay to the Pope and other Princes in Italy a yeerely rent for the ve­ry heads they weare.Ibid. Besides other meanes to rack and wreck them in their purses at pleasure: they being used as the Friars to suck from the meanest, and to be sucked by the greatest. This is a pressure they grievously groane under, and doe therefore call so loud for their long-lookt-for Messiah,Tantis expos­ [...]unt ululatibus, D. [...]rideaux Lect. crying; Let thy kingdome come quickly and in our daies. Bimberah. Beiamenu. Lights Miscell That earthly kingdome they meane that the Disciples of our Saviour also (being sowred with the leaven of the Pharisees) so dreamt and doted on; and wherein they will not endure that Chrsti­ans should have any share or inte­rest. Rather then any such thing should be, they would crucifie their Messias a hundred times over, they say. And as for those few Jewes that turne Christians in Italy, they pretend that they are none of them,Blunts voyage. but poore Christians hired from [Page 299]other cities to personate their part. Thus hath God to all other their plagues and punishments,Mat. 13.14. Mar. 4.12. Luk. 8.4. Ioh. 22 40. Act. 28.26. Rom. 11.8. added this worst of all, of a fat and hard heart: according to that of the Prophet so often cited in the New Testament against them. He hath given them the spirit of slumber unto this day.Ezr. 10.2. But yet there is hope in Israel concerning this: Act. 3.17. Ioh. 16.2. Rom. 10.2. for they have rejected the Gospell, not out of meere malice, but ignorantly, out of a blind zeale. Besides, blind­nesse is but in part happened to Israel, Rom. 11.25, 26. (it is not a totall nor a finall obstinacy) untill the fullnesse of the Gentiles be come in, and so all Israel shall be saved. This he calls a mystery, because no man can conceive how it should be: But yet he would not have us Gentiles ig­norant of it, that remembring our ingagement,Ioh 4. and that salvation is of the Jewes, wee may further their conversion, by crying day and night,Psal. 14.7. O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion, &c. and not hin­der it, as the Papists doe by their [Page 300]abhominable idolatries and exacti­ons, and the common protestants by their damnable oathes and blasphemies (a sinne that they very Turkes punish, and the Jewes as­signe for the cause, wherefore the Turkes have so prevailed against us.) And lastly, (as the best of us may doe) by our dulnesse to this duty of pittying and praying for them, and so promoting their conversion: for the which neglect they have, I feare, an unanswerable action against us.

Sect. 1.

REade it first,Quid est S. Script nisi quae­dam Epistola omnipot. Dei ad creaturam suam? Greg. Ovid. for it is Gods Epistle for our sakes Written, 1 Cor. 9.10. for our Admonition, 1 Cor. 10.11. and Consolation, Rom. 15.4. quid Epistola lecta nocebit? Study it, for it is Gods Statute Book: Peruse it, for it is our Fathers Will and Testament, wherein we may find our owne names written, as David did,Psal. 40 7. In the Ʋolume of thy Booke it is written of mee, that J should doe thy will O God: and as the Church in Hosea did, Hee found Jacob in Bethel,Hos. 12 4. and there he spake with us. So, what was said to Joshua, Iosh. 1.8. J will not leave thee nor forsake thee, was said to every good soule, Heb. 13.5. that shall reade in the booke of the Law, as he did day and night: that shall esteeme it above their necessary food with Job, Iob 23.12. who had rather misse a meale, then not reade his taske: that shall ex­hale and spend his spirits, fainting and panting in continuall sallyes as [Page 302]it were,Psal. 119.97. and egressions of affection to Gods Word, as David did: that shall understand Gods Will by bookes as Daniel, Dan. 9.2. who had learn'd the number of the yeares, out of Je­remy, and got light to the interpre­tation of Nebuchadnezzars dreame out of Ezechiel. Dan. 2. with Ezek. 31.3, &c. Christ himselfe hath honoured Reading with his owne Example: for he came to Nazareth, and,Luk 4.16. as his custome was, stood up to reade the Scriptures. He hath also bidden us, Search the Scriptures, search here as for hid treasures, with delight and dili­gence, as those noble Bereans. Not carelesly and cursorily, as the mo­derne Jewes,S^r. Edw Sands. who are as reverend in their Synagogues,Sic ut posset quivis animo advertere quod servet illam pro con [...]uetudi­ne potius quam pro [...] religione, reverentiam. Epist. 1. lib. 1. Nil obiter. as Grammar boyes are at Schoole when their Master is absent. Not customarily, and of forme onely, as Sidonius reports of Theodoricus, that he did his devotions more of custome then of conscience. Not suddenly or in hast; but with preparation, pause and deliberation, ever having ocu­lum ad scopum (which was Lud: [Page 303] Ʋives his Motto) an eye to the maine intent of that Text we read. [...]. Not with hearts and thoughts di­stracted and dissipated, but called in and concentred on the businesse in hand; as the Sun-beames in a glasse, or as the lines in the middle of a circle: Beseeching God to fix our quicksilver, and to hold our hearts to the good abearance;Psal. 119.12. that wee may hide Gods Word therein with David, melt at it as Josiah, lay it up as the Ʋirgin Mary; Sabellicus. who is said to have spent a third part of her time in reading the Scriptures. Sure it is, shee was excellently well ver­sed in them, as appeares by her Song. Neither shee onely,Contra Appl. on. lib. 2. but any one of us Jewes, saith Josephus, be­ing asked about any point of the Law, can answer as readily as tell you his owne name.Celebrantur se­duli in lectitan­dis sacris. Malcolm. in Act. 6.5. Among those seven first Deacons, Acts 6. Procho­rus, Nicanor, and Timon, are famous for their diligence in reading the Scriptures. Of Anthony the Her­mite it is reported, that though he knew no letter on the book, yet he [Page 304]could readily repeate the whole Scripture by heart:Aug de doct. Christ. And of Johan­nes Gatius, a certaine Divine of Sicily, Alsted Chronol. p. 267. that he was so well skilled in the Bible, that he thought, if it were utterly lost out of the world, he could (for a need) restore it. Of Nepotian S. Hierom testifieth, that by much reading and meditati­on of the Scriptures,Pectus suum Bibliothecam Christi [...]ffec [...]s­set. he had made his bosome that Library of Christ. As of Cecilia it is said, that shee carried alwaies the Gospell of Christ in her breast.Euseb. l. 6. c 3. Origen was from his cradle inured to remember and re­cite the holy Scriptures;Basil. epist. 74. and Basil was taught them of a child by his nurse Macrina. Didymus Alexan­drinus. (though blind from his child-hood, yet) was not onely a good Artist, but an able Divine; and wrote certaine Commentaries on the Psalmes,Hieron, in Ca­talo. vir. illu­strium. Initio dial. cum Tryphone. D. Prid Lect. and Gospels; be­ing now, saith S. Hierom, above 83 yeares of age. Justine the Philoso­pher, and Cyprian the Necroman­cer (as some conceive it) were converted by reading. So were S. [Page 305] Austin, and Fulgentius; and of late Franciscus Junius was turned from Atheisme by reading the first Chap­ter of S. Johns Gospell,In vita operi­bus praefixa. as himselfe confesseth in his life. Others have hereby beene notably prepared for conversion, as the Bereans, Acts 17.11. and other Jewes; who were more ea­sily wrought upon by the Apostles preaching, because so well acquain­ted with the Scriptures, there was no need of quoting the places to them; it was sufficient to name the words onely. Reading with attention and application, breeds both knowledge and conscience,Mat. 24.15. Dan. 9.2. teacheth Gods holy feare, and trans­formeth us into the same image: as the pearle by the often beating of the Sun beames upon it becomes radi­ent as the Sun; and as Moses by conversing with God, came downe from the holy Mount with his face shining. It seasons the heart that it be not drown'd in earthly vanities, illightens the judgement, helpes the memory, comforts the conscience, composeth the affections, keepes the [Page 306]King himselfe (who hath more temptations) from pride and selfe-confidence;Deut. 17. It keepes out worldly cares, dulls carnall delights, strength­neth faith, inflameth love, directeth the whole life secretly, yet sweetly drawes a man above the world, a­bove himselfe, so that he conver­seth with God, is in Heaven afore-hand, he eates, and drinkes, and sleepes eternall life. S. Jerome writes of certaine holy Women so devoted this way,In regula sa [...]ct. ut caro esset paenè nescia carnis; they seemed in place onely remote, but in affection to joyne with that holy company of Heaven.Hoscus de Expr. verb. Dei Cyril. Alex. lib 6. Cont. Iulian. What meaneth then that foule-mouthed Cardinall to affirme that a distaffe were fitter for a wo­man then a Bible. Julian indeed the Apostate upbraideth the Chri­stians, that their women were med­lers with the Scriptures. But Jerome highly commends it in his Eustochium, Salvina Celantia, Pau­la, and her maidens, whom shee set to learne the Scriptures. And S. Chrysostome calles upon his hearers [Page 307]to search the Scriptures, and sharp­ly reprooves them for that they could not say Psalmes,Hom. 3. in Mat. and other portions of Scripture by heart. It is a lamentable thing that most peo­ple have either so much, or so little to doe, that they can never find time to looke into the Scriptures, to any purpose. If they reade, yet they profit not; either because they are carnall, and savour not the things of the Spirit;Among Iewes, the Rabbi sate, termed [...] the Scholler [...] that lies along in the dust, at the teachers seet. Psal. 25.9. or their hearts are yet stuft with pride and passions, or cares and lusts; or they sit not at Gods feet, as Paul at Gamaliels, as Mary at our Saviours to receive his Word; or they reade but now and then, or but here and there, and not in order and with due obser­vation; or they pray not, or they propound not their doubts, and seeke satisfaction. Some thinke it suffici­ent to say they are not book-learn'd, neither can they skill of this Scrip­ture-learning. [...]. Chrys. ibid. This was the old excuse in Chrysostomes time, I am no Monk, I have not beene bred a scholler, I have wife and children [Page 308]to take care for, &c. But what saith he to this? Audite, obsecro, seculares omnes, Homil 9. in ep. ad Coloss. comparate vobis Biblia, animae pharmaca; Hearken ye lay-men, get yee Bibles, the physicke for your soules. If you cannot read, get others to reade them to you, as yee will do your deeds and evidences. Blessed are they that read & (in case they can­not reade) heare the words of this Prophecy. Rev. 1.3. The Scriptures are called the Word, as if all the use of our eares were to heare this Word. Get you Bibles therefore; and if you count it a shame not to have fit fur­niture for your houses, decent at­tire for your bodies, or attendance for your persons; thinke it much more shame to be without Bibles; or having them, to cast them into corners, or tosse them up and down the house,Blunts voyage into the Le­vant. as old Almanacks. The Jewes in their Synagogues carry the Law in procession, usually all about, at the end of Service, with many ornaments of Crownes and Scepters, the children kissing it, as it passeth by them. In their private [Page 309]houses they never lay any other booke upon the Bible: they wash their hands before they touch it, they will not sit upon the bench where it lies; as often as they open and shut it, they use to kisse it, and if it but fall to the ground they in­stitute a fast for it. Surely their ex­cessive reverence to the Word will rise up in judgement against our heathenish prophanenesse, and hate­full heedlesnesse. The very Turkes at this day doe so admire Moses, Parei proleg. in Genes. that if they light upon loose or torne papers, wherein any thing of his is written, they take it up and kisse it. Their owne Alchoran is to be read in Arabike under paine of death, not to mistake a letter,Lightsoots Miscell. p. 127. which is as easily done in this tongue, as in any. And amongst those Maho­metans of Morocco, Rel. of entert. of Mor. Emb. pag 36. the Talby or priest that cannot reade the Alcho­ran all over on their Good-Friday at night, is held unworthy of his place, and preferment. Indeed they re­quire none to heare them but such as can well awhile.Turk. Hist. But S. Chrysostome [Page 310](besides what's done at home) will have his hearers make a while to attend to the publike reading of the Word,Hom. 28. in Gen. Obsecro ut sub­inde huc venia­tis, &c. bringing their Bibles with them. See for this, Nehem. 8.3, 9. 2 Chron. 34.30. Act. 13.15. & 15.21. 1 Thess. 5.27. Coloss. 4.16. The Epistle to the Colossians must be read in the Church of the Laodice­ans; and not onely so, but the Co­lossians must reade the Epistle from Laodicea.

But what Epistle was that, Quest. may some say, and where is it?

Some think the Laodiceans wrote to the Apostle, Answ. and propounded their doubts, unto which he hath answe­red in that Epistle to the Colossians: Bifield in co­loss. and therefore required that his an­swer may be compared with their doubts. Other good bookes then may be read and publikely too: but especially the Scriptures. [...] The same word in Hebrew signifies reading and a Convocation or Assembly. And another word in that tongue signifies to reade and meditate: to shew that we must not read the [Page 311]Scripture as we doe a History for delight, nor run it over onely as an Ephemeris or day-book, nor turne it over the thumbe as a taske, but with pause and deliberation; [...] Coloss. 3.16. never giving over, till it dwell richly in us, become familiar to us, and be as well knowne of us, as those of the same house, yea as our owne brethren and sisters. Say unto Wisedome, thou art my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman, Prov. 4.7. He that knowes not his own flesh and blood, we count him a singular ideot; so doth the Lord all such, as are un­skilled in his Word. Who would not thinke shame to be counted and called as rude as a horse, as ig­norant as an asse? Behold God esteemes no better of such as are not skilfull in the Scriptures, Psal. 32.9. Esay 1.3. be they otherwise never so profound and politique. Wherefore read and let him that rea­deth understand, Mat. 24.15. And that you may, take these directions in reading.

Sect. 2.

FIrst reade though thou understan­dest not,Chrysost. ser. 3. de Lazaro. God may graciously drop some further light into thee (as he sent Philip to the Eunuch) even whiles thou art reading, or some other time, when thou least look'st for it. Joseph understood not his owne dreames at first, till he saw his brethren prostrate before him.Gen. 42.9. Then Joseph remembred the dreames that he dreamed of them. J remember, saith Jehu to Bidkar, when thou and I rode after Ahab,2 King 9.25. the Lord laid this burden upon him. These things understood not his Disciples at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then remembred they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.Ioh. 12.16. Ioh. 2.22. The Spirit came not upon Saul in the annoynting, but afterwards, when he was departed from Samuel. 1 Sam. 10.1, 6, 5. My Beloved was gone, saith the Spouse, my soule failed when he spake, or because of his speech, that [Page 313]he had uttered,Cant. 5.2-6. but she for present either heard not, or heeded not; Open unto mee my sister, &c. Gods Word lies sometimes as the seed un­der a clod, or as the Sun under a cloud, it appeares not, affects not for the present (as John Baptists preaching wrought not for diverse yeares after it was delivered, and then it did) till it be seconded by some powerfull Sermon,Ioh. 10 4 [...], 41. as there, or some piercing crosse, as Joh. 14.26. or unexpected accident, Acts 10.34, &c. Goe on therefore con­stantly in thy Christian course of rea­ding as Job did, Chap. 23.12. and be not dismayed with any difficulties, as David, who when he understood he should be put upon hard and hot service, it pleased him well. 1 Sam. 18.2 [...]. [...] Luk. 1.3. Onely as S. Luke wrote, (so must you reade) in an orderly manner; be­ginning at the beginning of the booke we undertake, and so conti­nue reading till you come to the end of it. Account not any part of this venerable Volume to be super­fluous or super-vacaneous, not in­scriptions, [Page 314]saith Chrysostome, not iterations, say we, or expletives or any the least jot or tittle, saith our Saviour, but all pure, precious and profitable. [...]. For if Hippocrates could say of his faculty of physick, that there was nothing to be accounted little in it, nothing contemptible;Platonici in corporibus coele­stibus quendam veluti florem, in hisce inferio­ribus quandam veluti [...]ae [...]em esse dicebant, &c. Mureti Orat. how much more may we say the same of the holy Scriptures. The Platonists affirme that in the hea­venly bodies is a certaine flower, and quintessence, in these inferiour bodies a kind of dregs and sediment. Sure it is, that all sciences whatsoe­ver are but drosse and dregs to the doctrine of Divinity contained in the Scriptures: there's not a leafe nor a line, not a syllable nor a par­ticle, saith S. Jerome, but hath its sense and substance well worthy to be weighed and observed.

Here some make question whether it be their part to reade on in Chro­nicles, Ezra and other places, where are nothing but names and Genealo­gies, which they conceive to be to us (now) of no great use?

The resolution is,Pemble of the Pers. Monar. that they must reade on, if it be but to shew their obedience to God, in reading over all his sacred Word. But be­sides, there is much to be had out of the Genealogies, and Chapters full of names to a wise and diligent Reader. And what if we under­stand not, can pick nothing out of some such Chapters; yet we must know that those places have in them an immanent power to edifie, though as yet it be not transient, conveighing the profit of it to us, till in some measure we doe under­stand it.

Sect. 3.

SEcondly, make the best of that you reade, by serious and set me­ditation thereupon.Psal. 119 98, 99, 100. David hereby became wiser then his Teachers, El­ders, Enemies. And why?Psal. 62.11. when the Lord spake once he heard him twice: to wit, by an after-medita­tion. [Page 316]Reading and meditation are both expressed by one and the same word in the holy tongue, pointing us to what we must doe, if we will ei­ther understand what we reade, or retaine what we understand. Medi­tation is a studious act of the minde, searching the knowledge of an hidden truth by the discourse of reason. A most sweet exercise to those that are any whit acquainted with it; who could even wish them­selves pent up (as Anchorets) in the voluntary prison-walles of divine meditation. This, this is that, that makes a man see farre into Gods se­crets, and enjoy both God and himselfe with unspeakeable com­fort. We reade of Socrates that he would stand plodding of points of Philosophy,A. Gellius. in the same posture of body, for divers houres together, not sensible of any thing that was done about him. And of Chrysippus, that he was so transported at his stu­dy, that he had perished with hun­ger, had not his maid Melissa thrust meate into his mouth.Democ. junior. Crede mihi [Page 317]in Mathematicarum studijs etiam mo ri, dulcissimum esset. 'T were a sweet thing, saith one, to die studying the Mathematicks, as Archimedes did.Ʋir ingeniosa & prosunda meditatione, &c sine cibo & somno nisi que [...] cubito innixus capiebat, per triduum totum. Thuan Thuanus writes of one Franciscus Ʋieta Fontaneio a Frenchman, so close and constant a student, that he would sit many times three whole daies together in a deepe muse, without food or so much as sleepe, but what he took a little now and then leaning on his elbow. Ʋalere est Philosophari, the study of Phylo­sophy is truly health, saith Seneca, who therfore salutes his freind Lu­cilius thus, si Philosapharis bene est. Epist. 15. But I say the onely true health is to meditate with David, Horum medita­tio valetu [...]o mea, vita mea. Scultet Anno [...]. in Marc. day and night on the Word of God. S. Bernard saith, that he had once no other ma­sters but oakes and beech-trees;Author vitae Bern. lib. 1. [...]. 4. that among them he had got that skill he had in the holy Scriptures, that he had profited more therein by medi­tation and prayer,Ascendamus meditatione & oratione veluti duobus pedibus, &c. Bern. then by reading the largest Commentaries. These two were the wings, whereby he flew into Heaven, and had his hearts [Page 318]desire to be taught of God. There­fore shall yee lay up these my words in your heart, Luk. 2.13. and in your soule, &c. Deut. 11.18. as the Virgin Mary did laying up what shee understood not, and chewing upon it: And as David did,Psal. 16.7. Psal 4 4. Psal. 119.24. Act. 109, 10. Esay 6.1, 2. Anno a d [...]uvio 1540 Ʋide, quaeso quàm di versa siant [...]oc anno in Eccle­sia & extra Ecclesiam. Eth­nici in Graecia spectant ludos [...]uos. Esaias in Iudea contem­platur revelatä Dei gloriam, &c. Buchol. Chron. 541. whose reynes instructed him in the night season, whilst he communed with his owne heart upon his bed, and advised with Gods statutes as the men of his counsell. So Eliah on Mount Carmel, Daniel by the river Ʋlay, Peter on the leads, Isaac in the fields, Esay among the Sera­phims, seeing and setting forth the Lord sitting upon his throne high and lofty, when the vaine Graecians were at the same time tumultuating & tri­umphing at their Olympick games. O quàm sordeant huius mundi [...] & [...] animo ad coelum ere­cto; D. Prid Lect. O how vile are the tastlesse foolerics of earthly pleasures, or the best contents that Philosophy can affoord, to a mind lift up in hea­venly meditation. Such a mans thoughts feed hard upon the fairest objects: such as are those, set downe [Page 319]in that briefe of the Bible,Iam. 1 21. [...] Plutarch saith that Corio [...]anus had so used her weapons, [...] that they seemed [...]. In vita Cor. Philip. 4.8. till he hath turned them in suc­cum & sanguinem, till the Word be­come an ingrafted Word, setled on his soule, as the science on the stock, and close applyed as the playster to the sore, that will surely heale.

Sect. 4.

THirdly, to Meditation joyne hearty prayer to the Father of lights for the Spirit of Revelation, that unction from on high, that spi­rituall eye-salve, that so plowing with his heyfer we may understand his riddles. No man knowes the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him, Prov. 20.27. 1 Cor. 1.11. Rom. 8.27. (which is there­fore called Gods candle searching all the inward parts of the belly) Even so the deepe things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. But as God understandeth the mind of the Spirit, so doth the Spirit under­stand the meaning of God, and we [Page 320]by the Spirit have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor 2. ult. Reade not therefore but pray first and last, that God would give us his Spirit to instruct us; that he who commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse, would shine into our hearts, that he would beate out win­dowes in these dark dungeons, and let in the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4.6. Prayer is as the Merchants ship to fetch in heaven­ly commodities,Prov. 31.14 2 Sam 1.22. 2 Sam. 18.27. as Jonathans bow that never returned empty of spoile, as Ahimaaz, that alwaies brought good tidings. When ever therefore you take up the Bible and open it, cry,Psal. 119. Lord open mine eyes that J may see the wondrous things of thy Law. When you are reading, thinke you see written over every line,Zach. 14.20. Sancte liber, ve­nerande liber, liber optime, salve. Holi­nesse to the Lord, and lift up some good requests. As when you shut the booke againe, say, Lord who am I that thou shouldst shut up thy mysteries in such an earthen vessell,O animae nostrae Biblia, dimidi­um. put such a precious pearle in a leatherne purse, commit such a rich talent to me who am of saints [Page 321]the least, of sinners the greatest. Thus as Moses prayed devoutly both when the Arke removed, and like­wise when it rested againe. And as Paul begins, continues, and con­cludes his Epistles with holy pray­ers,Hoc primum repetas opu [...], hoc postremus omittas. so must we our reading of the Scriptures if we meane to make any thing of it. No sacrifice was with­out incense, so must no service be without prayer.Mar. 9.24. Yea let us pray with teares, as he in the Gospell did, and sped. They are effectuall Oratours with Christ, who found time to looke upon the weeping women, when he was in the midst of his agony, and in his way to the tree. Jacob wrestled with him and prevailed by prayers and teares. The Prophets usually received their Re­velations besides rivers.Esay 62.4. Cant 1.15. Cant. 4.1. The Spouse (Christs Cheptsibah) is said to have doves eyes, glazed with teares. John the beloved Disciple wept and so ob­tained that the booke should be ope­ned.Revel. 5.4. Like as when Gods bottle was filled with Hagars teares, he opened her eyes, and sent his Angell [Page 322]to shew her where she might fill her bottle with living water. Lu­ther (that great instrument of Gods glory for the bringing of life and immortality to light by the Gospell) was a man of prayer,2 Tim, 1.10. and so ardent therein, that (as Melancton wri­teth) they which stood under his window, where he was praying, might see his teares falling and dropping downe.Scultet. Annal. George Prince of Anhalt, though he saw something by Luthers light, yet being not throughly convinced of divers points then in controversie, besought God with many teares to bend his mind to the truth, using often those words of David, Psal. 119.124. Deale with thy servant ac­cording to thy mercy and teach me thy statutes. This was the first and the onely Prince of Germany that him­selfe taught his subjects the way to Heaven,Ibid. both by lively voice, by printed bookes, and by his daily prayers for his people, that he might save himselfe and those that heard him. Luk. 6.12. Our Saviour, when he was to send forth his Apostles, spent a [Page 233]whole night in prayer with strong crying and teares for a blessing on their Ministery, and was heard in that he requested. The harp yeelds no sound till toucht by the hand of the Musitian: nor can Paul prevaile with Lydia till God open her heart. Rebeccah may cook the venison, but it is Isaac that must give the bles­sing: Paul may plant, &c. but God gives increase. The cause why the Word workes no more upon many mens hearts, when they reade of heare it, is because they rest too much upon it (as that Idolatrous Micah, who said,Iudg 17. J know God Will be mercifull unto me, because J have got a Levite) and cry not earnestly to God to come himselfe unto them in the fullnesse of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ, Rom. 15.29. to strike a holy stroke by his powerfull Spirit, to give us right judgement and understanding, that we may ap­proove things that are excellent. Pray therefore with S. Paul, Phil. 1. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give unto us the Spirit [Page 324]of Wisdome and revelation, the eyes of our understanding being enlightned, &c.Ephes. 1.17, 18 Rev 3. Rev. 5. Pray him that hath the key of David, and was found only worthy to open the seven seales, to open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law, to irradiate both Organ and Object to give us sight and light: not that outward light onely that is in the Scriptures themselves, but that inward also of his Spirit, the light of faith in our hearts.Aug de Civ. Dei. The Platonists could say that the light of our mindes, where­by we learne all things, is no other but God himselfe, the same that made all things; say therefore with David; Psal. 119.12. Blessed be thou, O Lord, teach me thy statutes. And with Zuninglius, I beseech Almighty God to direct our waies;Deum O. M. precor ut vias nostras dirigat ac sicubi simus Beleami in morem veritati pertinaciter ob­luctaturi, &c. Epist lib. 3 [...]. fol. 118. and if Balaam-like, we shall wilfully withstand the truth, to send his holy Angell, who, with the dint of his drawne sword, may so dash this Asse (our blindnesse and boldnesse, I meane) to the wall, that we may feele our feet (that is, our carnall affections) to be crusht, and [Page 325]our selves kept from speaking ought amisse of the God of Heaven.Omnipotent sempiterne ac mi [...]ericors Deus, cujus verbum, &c. Scultet. Annal p. 328. His publike Lectures on the Bible he alwaies began with this prayer. Al­mighty, everlasting, and mercifull God, whose Word is a lanterne to our feet, and a light to our pathes, be plea­sed to open and enlighten our minds, that we may both understand these thine Oracles piously and holily, and also be transformed into that we rightly understand, so that we may not in any thing displease thy Maje­sty, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Sect. 5.

FOurthly, conferre with those that are better able: propound to them your doubts, and seeke satis­faction as the Disciples did, Joh. 16.16. and the Eunuch, Acts 8.34. and the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 7. But ever doe this with a desire to be resolved, and to yeeld to the truth revealed, [Page 326]Not like that None-such Ahab, 2 Chron. 18.14. or those perverse Pharisees,Ioh 18.38. Mar. 8.12. or Pilate, that asked what is truth? but cared not to heare an answer; or Herod who was desirous of a long season to see our Saviour,Luk. 23 8. as hoping to have seene some miracle done by him (as by some base juggler) but would ne­ver stirre out of doores to fee him.Ier 42.19. Not like Jeremies hearers that had made their conclusion before they came to enquire of him, and were resolved upon their course: nor like those tatling women in Timothy, 2 Tim 3.7. that are ever learning, but never knowing the truth.Luk. 24. But with an humble and honest heart, as those two going to Emaus: for such shall know all Christs mind, as they: Such shall be of his Court and Coun­sell,Gen. 18.17. as Abraham: to such will he looke,Esa. 66.1, 2. even to such with speciall in­timations of his love and good li­king,Luk. 23.28. as he did to the devout wo­men; and spake kindly to them, when proud Pilate could hardly get a word of him. The stiffe-necked [Page 327]Jewes might aske our Saviour what he meant by that saying, After a while yee shall see me, &c. and receive no satisfaction: but let his Disciples propound the same question to him,Ioh, 16.18, 19. and he answers them to the full. So ready is Christ to satisfie the hungry with good things, whereas the rich he sendeth empty away. When therefore you come in company of Gods abler servants, (Ministers or others) trifle not out the time in idle curiosities, nice and needlesse questi­ons, unprofitable and endlesse di­sputes, &c. but ask good things with the Disciples, seek with the Spouse in the Canticles, knock at the doore of their lips for a spirituall almes, who as liberall house-keepers feed many.Prov. 10.21. This is a high point of hea­venly wisdome, and a course of in­credible profit: such as may beseeme a Paul, (who would both give and receive some spirituall gift from the beleeving Romanes) or an Apoll [...], Rom. 1.11. who though an eloquent m [...]n and mighty in the Scriptures, yet was taught the way of God more per­fectly [Page 328]by a couple of poore tent-makers.Acts 18.26. Let our civill conversati­on be in Heaven, [...] Phil. 3.20. 1 Cor. 11.17. and our meetings be for the better, not for the worse, that if Christ should suddenly chop in amongst us, and aske us as he did those two going to Emaus, what manner of communications are these ye have one with another, Luk. 14. wee may give him a good account of that we have beene talking of: and our very speech may bewray us, as it did Peter, to be of his number and retinue; good stewards of the mani­fold grace of God. 1 Pet. 4.10.

Sect. 6.

LAstly, despise not prophecying, but plant thy selfe under the droppings of the preaching Mini­stery: for there (if any where) the doctrines of the Scriptures are bea­ten out (as spices to the smell) and made familiar and plaine to us. Wait therefore daily, duly, diligently, at [Page 329]these postes of wisedomes gates, Prov. 8.34. weare out the threshold of Gods House, seeke to the Sanctuary for satisfacti­on in your doubts: as David did, when he met with a matter that was too hard for him, he went to the house of God, and by the helpe of the publike Ministery, he got the right understanding of Gods provi­dence, righteousnesse and wisedome in ordering the disorders of the world, which by private reading or meditation he could never attaine to,Psal. 73 13. though himselfe were a Prophet. They are fooles that say they know as much as ere a Preacher of them all can teach them:Ioh. 4. for the Law is a deep well, as Jacobs, and we want a bucket, and the Gospell is a mystery, yea the wisedome of God in a mystery. 1 Cor. 2. Col. 1.26. So that as a man may look on a trade, and yet never see the mystery of it, he may looke on artificiall peeces, as pictures, watches, clock-works, that wonderfull globe of silver sent by Ferdinand King of Romanes to Soly­man the Turke for a present, that did daily expresse the hourely pas­sing [Page 330]of the time, the motions of the planets,Turkish Hist. p 713. the change and full of the Moone, the wonderfull motions and conversions of the whole coelestiall frame. This rare and curions devise, ever moving by certaine wheeles and weights conveighed within it, and exactly keeping due time and motion, a man might have lookt on long enough, or ere he could con­ceive the art whereby it was devi­sed and perfected. So it is in rea­ding many places of Scripture. A man may looke upon the letter, and never understand the sense, any more then the Philistins did Sampsons riddles: there may be a well of wa­ter hard by him, and he perceive it no more then Hagar did, till God had opened her eyes. Have you not read? Mat. 12.3 & 19.14. & 21.16, 42. and did you never reade? saith our Saviour to the Scribes. Yes: none more: But they searched not into the heart of the sense, but stuck in the back of the letter, and died in their sinnes, because they would not hearken to his Sermons and Ex­positions of the Law. The Mathe­matikes [Page 331]are not learn'd without a teacher,Mathemat [...] quòd sine prae­ceptore percipi nequeant, dicta sunt. and thence have their names no more are many Scriptures. How can I understand, saith the Eunuch, except some man guide me? Act. 8.31. Our Sa­viour expounded to those two, in all the Scriptures,Luk. 24.27. the things concer­ning himselfe. And shortly after, at his solemne inauguration into his heavenly kingdome, when he ascen­ded up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. The Holy Ghost, in that expression, seemes to allude to the manner of the Ro­mane triumphs; wherein (besides the captives driven before the Chari­ot of State, bound and pinnion'd) the Generals used, in token of their bounty, to cast abroad certaine new peeces of coyne to be pickt up by the people. Semblably, our blessed Sa­viour triumphing gloriously over finne, death, and hell on the chariot of his Crosse, and having spoy [...]ed prin­cipalities and powers, minds an open shew of them, he also gave gifts to men, and what are those? some Evange­lists, some Prophets, &c. See there­fore [Page 332]that ye despise not prophecying, 1 Thess 5.20. lest ye wish you had not; as Saul did, who sleighted Samuel while alive, and would faine have heard him, and advised with him when he was dead: like some drowning man that stretcheth out his hand to that bough, which he contemned standing safe on the banke. But now (alasse) it was all too late. As he lost his kingdome by not discer­ning his time to sacrifice, and not staying for the Prophet; so hee lost his life (if not his soule) by not hearkning to the Prophet. Saul enquired of the Lord, but the Lord answered him not, 1 Sam. 28 6. neither by dreames, Ʋrim, Flectere si ne­queo sup [...]ros Acher [...]ta mo­vebo. Nescis quid se­rus vesper ve­hat. nor Prophets. The divell must now be his ghostly father, his Vrim darknesse, his refuge a Witch, his Prophet a Sprite. Walke there­fore and work too, while the light lasteth. Today heare his voice, whiles it is called to day, Prov. 27.1. for who knowes what a great-bellied day may bring forth? Harden not your hearts, but hasten to Gods house, as the waters to their place, as the doves to their [Page 333]windowes. Come, say yee, Esa. 60.8. Zach. 8.21. Esay 2.2. and let us goe speedily to the house of the Lord, I will goe also. And he will teach us there of his waies, and we will walke in his pathes. Neglect not any op­portunity of hearing: thou knowest not what light thou loosest, what a prize thou forgoest. Thomas was absent but once from the holy mee­ting (and perhaps about some weighty businesse) but we all know how wofully he was thereupon be-blinded and hardned,Joh. 20.24. to incredulity he ads obstinacy, to weaknes wilfullnes, Joh. 20.24. [...] Heb. 10.25. Forsake not therefore the assemblies of Saints as the manner of some is, but cling close to Christ, as the chickēs do to the hen that clucks them: such an allusion there seemes to be in the Originall. Come carefully to the publike reading of the Word, there's a speciall blessing annexed, & to be expected. Come to the prea­ching of the Word, that yee may heare and understand,Mat. 15.10. Esay 55.3. 1 King. 19.11, 12. yea that ye may heare & live. God was in the still voice, to shew that he had sanctified a voice to be the ordinary meanes of [Page 334]comming to his creature.Diestius de rat. slud Theol. Nescio quid in auscultatione divinum est, saith one. I know not how, but there is some divine and extraordi­nary matter in hearing the Word, for informing the judgement, helping the memory, and reforming the life. Especially if we bring Bibles to Church and turne to the proofes, as the noble Bereans did:Act. 17. whereas otherwise we may be shamefully se­duced. Socrates telles us of one Sabbatius a Novatian Bishop, that reading this Text of the Gospell,Luk. 22.1. Now the feast of unleavened bread (which is the Passeover) drew neare, he added of his owne head,Socrat lib. 5. cap. 21. Cursed is every one that keepeth the Passe­over, without unleavened bread. And by this falsification, many of the more simple Novatian Hereticks were carried away from the faith. Whereas on 'tother side, when by comparing the Text and the glosse, we perceive the Preacher delivering nothing for truth, but what is groun­ded upon the Word of truth, our hearts will be the better ballasted, [Page 335]bottomed, rooted and stablish'd in the faith, like those trees planted by the river of waters, and not like chaffe which the winde driveth away, Psal. 1.3, 4. whiffled and tossed too and fro with every wind of doctrine, Ephes. 4.14.Mat 13.44. 1 Thess. 2.23. Ier. 6.16. Coloss. 2.2. We shall grow to a certainty in what we hold, yea we shall persevere and hold fast that we have learn'd and heard, we shall obey what we know, and find rest to our soules. Come therefore to Gods house, and come betimes, to be there with the first, striving to out-runne one another, as Peter and John did not the Sepulcher of our Saviour.Homericum Nestoris sacri­ficium, suit ma­tutinum. Ac omnino matuti­num tempus, quod [...], Anti­qui sacrificijs idoneum puta­bant, quo guidē Deos assidere templis opina­bantur. Stuchi. us de sac [...]. gen­til. The Philistines flock betime to the Temple of their god, so did other Heathens besides. What a shame is it then for us to come lag to ours? doth it not speake us carelesse, if not contemptuous? Being there, set thy selfe reverently as in the presence of God with Cornelius, looke him full in the face with David, say, This is the house of God, the gate of heaven, with Jacob. Keepe silence before him, as [Page 336]ye are bidden, [...]. Esay 41.1. and as the watch-word was in the Primitive times among Christians, yea an­ciently among Heathens. Sleepe not therefore, talke not, reade not, gaze not.Hoc age. Origen chides his hea­rers for nothing so much as for their seldome comming to the publike meetings,Erasmus in vi­ta Orig. operibus praefixa. and their carelesse hearing that which they ought to listen too as for life.Psal. 45.10. Prov. 2.2. Divina eloquia tanto altius quisque intelli­git quāto altius in ea intendit. Greg; [...] Luk. 19.48. Cant. 1.1. Hearken O daughter and consider, incline thine eare, &c. And Cause thine eare to hearken, incline thy heart to wisdome and understan­ding. Hang upon the Preachers lips (which are appointed to pre­serve knowledge, and to drop as honey-combes) as the people did upon our Saviours: covet these kisses of Christs mouth with his Spouse: say, Speake Lord for thy servant hea­reth. All that the Lord shall say unto me, that will I doe. I come hither resolved to denie mine owne reason,Mar. 10.2. profit, pleasure, credit, friends, all, for the words sake: loving what God by the Preacher promiseth, fearing what he threatneth, hating [Page 337]what he rebuketh, embracing what he commendeth, lamenting what he aggravateth,De doctr [...] Chri­stian [...] 4. ca. 12 as Austin sweetly advi­seth. Thus if we dance when wee are piped unto, weepe when we are mourned unto,Acts 20.31, with 37 as those Elders of Ephesus: If we lay down our selves at Christs feet, submitting to the Scepter of his Kingdome,Isa 16.1. and sen­ding a Lambe to the Ruler of the whole Earth. God will give us the meeting in that Ordinance, and teach us things great and high that we knew not before. Ieremy 33 3. Onely wee must bring with us good and ho­nest hearts, free from every roote of bitternesse; such as are those men­tioned, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. The pure in heart only see God, as transparent bodies only let in light, and as the eye, unlesse it be well affe­cted, cannot discerne the object.Psalme 25.14. Ezek. 46.9. The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him, and he will shew them his Covenant. But then they must not unmannerly turne their backs upon the propitiatory, but stay out the last. Judas by departing afore [Page 338]all was done, met the Divell at the doore. The carnall Capernaites conclude it was a hard saying of our Saviour, and went their way; whereas had they staid out the Ser­mon, they might have heard that doubt resolved, that his meaning was spirituall, John 6.60, 63. The multitude thought Zachary long, yet,Luke 1. though they could but see a farre off, they would not away, till he returned to blesse them. In the Councell of Agathon it was decreed,Canon: 32 that people should not presume to go out of the Tem­ple before the Ministers had bles­sed the Congregation. And in the 24. Canon of the fourth Councell of Carthage, it is said, Let him that goeth forth of the Auditory, when the Minister is speaking to the Congregation be excommu­nicated. Among the Romanes, none stirred out of the Temple, till the Priest had finished and cry­ed Ex Templo; Becman: de O­riginibus ling: Lat. which because it was soon done, (every man ha­sting out upon the word spoken) [Page 339]therfore is that word used to sig­nifie suddenly, quickly. This ar­gues deadnesse of heart and disaf­fection, when men are so weary of well-doing, when they are so soone sated, and soe easily intrea­ted to depart.Psalme 16. Psalme 84. These are farre from Davids desire to dwell in the house of the Lord, all the dayes of their life: Neither would they be forward to beg his office out of his hand of being some doore-keeper there.Revel. 4. And what would such men doe in Heaven, Where they rest not day nor night praysing God, but serve him uncessantly without intermission. The Jewes when they ended one Section of the Law in their publike reading, they ever began another, that they might shew themselves unsatisfia­ble in serving God: And when they had read thorough Moses, and began Joshua they called that Secti­on, Haphtorah latitiae legis, &c.