Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 16

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 16

p. 14442 PET. 3.16.

As alſo in all his Epiſtles, ſpeaking in them of theſe things, in which are ſome things hard to be underſtood: which they that are unlearned and unſtable, wreſt, as they doe alſo the other Scriptures, unto their owne deſtruction.

Rev. 12.1.Rev 12:1WE read of a great wonder in Heaven: A woman cloathed with the Sunne, and the Moone under her feete, and upon her head a crowne with twelve Starres. In Heaven are many wonders: wondrous joy, wondrous ſanctity, wondrous glory: all wonders to us that live in this darke grove of morrality. But the Heaven here ſpoken of, is upon the Earth: and the woman is the Church in her militant condition. This Woman is cloathed with the Sunne: that is a wonder: who can imagine a garment for any creature, to bee cut out of the whole peece of the Sunne? Not onelyonly cloathed with his beames, and rayes, and light: For ſo Men and Plants, the Earth and all things upon it, are cloathed with the Sunne: in that ſenſe, the Sunne cloathes whatſoever it ſhines upon. But this Woman is cloathed with the Sunne it ſelfe: the very body of that great Luminary is become her veſture. The proudeſt Lady, and the higheſt Princeſſe of the world; though the riches of nature be raviſhed into their wardrobes, and their ſilken garments bee interwoven with gold, and embroidered with Pearles and Diamonds; cannot ſhew ſuch a ſute. The Sunne is Chriſt: the garment wherewith this Sunne cloathes his Spouſe, is his owne righteouſneſſe: thus covered, ſhee appeares juſt, pure, and amiable in the ſight of God. The Moone is under her feete: Her location muſt needs be high, even above the Moon. The Moone governes the Sea; than the Sea and the Moone, there is nothing more inconſtant: both are emblemes of the world. This Moone the Church treads under her feete; deſpiſing the vanity of all tranſient things. VponUpon her head was a crowne of twelve Starres: a wonderfull rare crowne, that was made of Stars. p. 1445Gold is the principall materiall of a crowne: but what needs ſhe weare gold upon her head, that tramples it under her feete? The twelve Starres, are the twelve Apoſtles: theſe are the armes of this glorious Queene:Rev. 1.16.Rev 1:16 but ſhe beares them with a difference from her Lord and King. For Chriſt hath them in his hand, as his ſervants: but his Spouſe, on her head, as her chiefe ornaments.

To our purpoſe: The Sunne gives to the Starres all the light they have: ſo the Apoſtles receive all their illumination and wiſedome from Chriſt, by the holy Spirit: as a lanthorne hath no light of it ſelfe, but what is put into it. Of theſe Starres, thus inlightned, ſome are fixed in the Firmament; others wandring.Iud. ver. 13. The Apoſtles were to range abroad, by their commiſſion: not after Saint Iudes meaning, who calls falſe teachers, wandring Starres: For in that ſenſe, the Planets themſelves are not wandring, but keepe a direct and conſtant courſe in their Orbes. But thoſe that Iude ſpeakes of, are Meteors; ſhooting or gliding ſtarres: which can neither guide Travellers by land, nor Mariners by Sea. But theſe Starres of Chriſt are ſtable, bright, glorious: we acknowledge their light and influence: they are our faithfull Sea-markes, and directions to the Port of bleſſedneſſe. But in theſe Starres, my Text notes, there are ſome things hard to bee underſtood: as the variety of their motions and magnitudes, but eſpecially of their influences: in the Doctrine of the Apoſtles, quaedam difficilia, Therefore as the Aſtronomers have framed, to their imagination, Eccentrickes, and Epicycles, and a ſtrange engine of Orbes, out of the Heavens: So the ſchoolemen have deviſed a world of paradoxes, problemes, improper poſitions and concluſions, out of the Scriptures: all to ſave the Phenomenon of Popery. Yea, which is worſe, as Aſtrologers have impiouſly gathered the prediction of futurities, the calculation of nativities, the alteration of States and Kingdomes, and the event of all contingent fortunes, out of the Starres: perverting the ſober uſe of thoſe Heavenly bodies, to magicall purpoſes: So Heretikes have violently forced errors, and ſchiſmes, and factions, and helliſh tenents, out of the ſacred Doctrine of the Apoſtles; wreſting the Scriptures to their owne perdition. The full view of whoſe profane and ſacrilegious proceedings, wee have in this verſe: As alſo in all his Epiſtles, &c.

Wherein there bee two generall occurrences; a Virgine, and a Rape. The Virgine is faire Truth, the Holy Scripture: The Rape is a wreſting of it; which is foule violence done unto it. For the former; three things commend a Virgine: unſpotted beauty, uncorrupted vertue, and modeſt retiredneſſe: Anſwerable whereunto we finde in the Scripture in generall, and in this parcell of it, Pauls Epistles in particular, Firſt, for vertue, a ſufficiency: In act, and every peece of all, there is full ſatisfaction. Secondly, for beauty, an harmony, and agreement: it ſpeakes the ſame thing: there is no contradiction. Thirdly, for retiredneſſe, a difficulty: ſome things are hard to be underſtood; they ſurpaſſe our apprehenſion. For the other part, which is the Rape. Firſt, here is an indictment of the raviſhers; and that under two titles, as it were their names; Illiterati, Instabiles. They are unlearned; their booke cannot ſave them: they are unſtable; no man will ſpeake for them: who will plead for the inconſtant? Secondly, here is the fact whereof they are indicted, and that is the rape of a Virgine; wreſting the Scripture, violation of the ſacred Truth. Thirdly, their execution followes: they ſhall die for it: they meant it for their owne defence; it ſhall turne to their owne destrustion.

In all his Epistles. It was a materiall point which our Apoſtle here urged, and in which he ſends us unto Paul to bee confirmed; even ſo great that our ſalvation lies upon it. Therefore it is not lightly or rarely touched, in ſome one Epistle; but ponderouſly and frequently inſiſted upon in omnibus Epistolis. Out of which premiſſes ariſeth this concluſion: The fundamentall points of religion are repeated often: thc Prophets did not more labour in the explanation of the Law, p. 1446then the Apoſtles in the application of the Goſpell. There is no leafe, almoſt no line, which doth not inculcate this; and that without any weariſome tautologie or needleſſe repetition, but by a ſweet way of amplification. How carefull was Saint Paul to ſpeake home?aaAct. 20.27.Acts 20:27 I ſhunned not to declare unto you all the counſell of God. He had rather write one thing twice, than have it paſſe unobſerved, or vaniſh unremembred.bbPhil. 3.1.Phil 3:1 To write the ſame things unto you is not to mee grievous, but for you ſafe. Such is the All-ſufficiency of the Scriptures, without any need to bee peeced up with traditions.ccIam. 1.21.Jas 1:21 It is able to ſave your ſoules: And who would aske more?dd2 Tim. 3.15.2 Tim 3:15 They can make a man wiſe unto ſalvation: and I would never deſire to bee wiſer. Paul cals it, The Counſell of God: the Romiſh Traditions then are none of the counſels of God. If they muſt challenge a corner, yea, halfe the roome in our faith; Why then doe wee entitle the New Teſtament, The Goſpell; when as it were but of a part of the Goſpell? Or, The new Testament, when as it were but a part of Chriſts Teſtament; and Traditions a ſchedule to bee annexed to it?

Let no man preſume above that which is written: That mans faith hath a Dropſie, which the Epistles of Paul cannot ſatisfie. The Papiſts call the Scripture, a dumbe Rule; becauſe it hath no ſound: How ſhould a paper ſpeake? Doe they make it an Idoll, that have a mouth and ſpeakes not? Indeed, they are not willing to heare it ſpeake: as Marius could not heare the lawes, for the noiſe of armes: ſo they cannot heare the Scriptures, which are the Lawes of God, for the noiſe of Traditions. But they ſhall heare it one day when their awaked conſcience ſhall convince them of wilfull ſacriledge: for the contempt done to Kings Proclamation that cannot ſpeake, redounds to the Perſon of the King that can ſpeake. The Orbe of Chriſtian faith is the Scripture: if we be fixed ſtarres, wee content our ſelves within our owne orbe. The Iſraelites tooke in unto them ſome of the Heathens: but firſt they muſt bee circumciſed, and ſo become Iſraelites. Wee admit ſome traditions of the Ancients, and make uſe of the very learning of Pagans: but firſt we circumciſe it; we doe as it were Chriſten it in the Font of Trueth. And if any Tradition ſhall grow ſawcy, and offer to confront the Word of God, being ſo oppoſed by a Sectary; we ſoone excommunicate it: as Iſmael muſt bee turned out of doores, when he once fals to jeering of Iſaac. Our God and Saviour hath written his Will to us, by his Evangeliſts and Apoſtles: to them we adhere. There is Light enough to enforme our underſtandings, Truth enough to ſatisfie our knowledge, an holy Covenant and precious Promiſes to excerciſe our faith, glory and eternall life to feed our hope, the rules of Sanctimony to direct our life: What can we require more of God? What ſhould be done more for us, but onelyonly this? To fill our hearts with his grace; that wee may underſtand what Hee teacheth, and beleeve what Hee promiſeth, and doe what He commandeth. In every Epistle God ſhewes us the way, how we ſhould ſerve Him, how He will ſave us. Lord, we ſeeke no fartther than to thy Word, wee aske no more than thy ſelfe: Guide us by the one, and ſatisfie us with the other.

Speaking of theſe things] The Pontificians ſay the Scripture is a dumbe Rule: but ſure, Saint Peter was of another minde: For making mention of Pauls Epiſtles, which were his Writings, hee attributes the facultie of Speaking to them. Saint Paul writes; and yet Saint Peter ſaies, hee ſpeakes. Their Images have mouthes, but they ſpeake not: Gods Word doth ſpeake, yet it hath no mouth. They ſpeake, by ſignifying unto us what God hath ſpoken: and to take this honour from the Canonicall Writing, is an injury done to the Author of that Doctrine.

Theſe things] What are they? The Mercy of God, that is; and the Thankfulneſſe of man, that ſhould bee: Chriſt dying for us, our faith beleeving on Him: the one performed by Him, the other required of us: the lenity of his p. 1447Patience, the neceſſity of our Repentance. Theſe things Paul ſpeakes of, and in all his Epistles he ſpeakes of them. Eadem, not aliena; no heterogene, forraine, or wandring things: much leſſe Contraria, things thwart and oppoſite to the firſt principles: but Eadem; for matter and forme, for weight and faſhion, the ſame: like ſo many lines tending to one center; the Goſpell of Chriſt.

The Concluſion that ariſeth from it, is this: There is no repugnancy in the divine Scriptures. Evangeliſt doth not croſſe Prophet: nay, rather the Hiſtory verifies the Prophecy, with a Sic impletur. Apoſtle doth not croſſe Apoſtle: but Peter and Paul, Iames and Iohn and Iude; they all preached, they all wrote the ſame Trueth. Some atheiſticall ſpirits have ſearched narrowly, to finde contradictions in them: but the ſpirit of contradiction was in them that went about it. O that wee could all as well agree with them, as they agree with themſelves. But while they are at peace in the Doctrine, wee are at warre in the Interpretation. As hee that tumbles in a calme bed, hath his tempeſt within: ſo they that picke quarrels out of the articles of peace, ſeeke more the praiſe of their wits, than the profit of their ſoules. A father makes a Will, and bequeathes divers Legacies: the children come to demand their portions: but brangling Lawyers finde out unneceſſary cavils: one interprets a clauſe of it to this ſenſe, another to that: ſo the Orphans patrimony becomes the Lawyers booty. The Goſpell is Chriſts Will: and Hee hath left all his Children bleſſed Legacies: but Heretikes, like contentious Advocates, miſ-interpret the termes, and wrangle about words: and though they get nothing by it, but the fame of ſingularitie on earth, and the penalty of damnation in hell; yet they ſet the Chriſtian world in an uprore: and the poore children by this meanes are coozened of their portions, even their patrimony in heaven. Let us acknowledge, that all the Evangeliſts and Apoſtles were but ſo many ſeverall Engroſſers of our Fathers Will; that they all write in the ſame tenour: Let us humbly truſt upon his Riches, thankfully receive our portions, and carefully obey his rules and precepts, and we are bleſſed in Ieſus Chriſt.

In which are ſome things hard] Difficilia quae pulchra: What excellency is obtained without difficulty? Wiſedome is an excellent grrace; but it is no inheritance: wee were not borne wiſe. Wee may thinke our ſelves wiſe betimes; (and he is no foole that doth not thinke ſo) but God, time, and induſtry muſt concur to the making up of wiſdome. The Kingdome of Heaven is a moſt excellent place; yet it will not bee obtained without violence. The Scripture is divinely excellent; no flowers ſo ſweet, no jewels ſo precious: no wonder than if it be underſtood with ſome Difficultie. Yet the Apoſtle here qualifies the matter; Quaedam non omnia; Some things are hard, not all. If all the will of God were enigmaticall, myſticall, and abſtruſe; (like the jugling Oracles of falſe prophecy) there were ſome excuſe for our ignorance, and by reaſon of that for our diſobedience: but they are onelyonly ſome things.

From which we may inferre this concluſion; that both in Pauls particular Epiſtles, and in the generall ſcope of the Scriptures, there is a plaine and evident demonſtration of Gods good will towards us. Quaedam does not onelyonly oppoſe it ſelfe to omnia: Some, therefore not all; but alſo to Plura; Some therefore not the moſt. Two of a thouſand places, are ſome; but ſcarce a number: yea, ten of a hundred are ſome: but comparatively very few. Some neceſſarily implies a leſſe part: Quaedam difficilia; therefore the greater number are facilia. The quaedam are but ſome few hillockes in a large plaine: ſome few ſtrange herbes in a familiar garden. Herbes they are certainly, though wee know not their, names, of their vertues. As children, well entred into reading, runne away with the chapter currently; untill they light upon a hard word, which puts them to their ſpelling: there they make a ſtoppe; and unleſſe they skippe it over, they muſt conſult their Maſter, ere they can goe any farther. We are all ſchollars, both catecumenoi, p. 1448and Catechiſtae: and when we come to ſtudy S^t. Pauls writings, with many divine rules we goe away roundly: in ſome faire meaſure we underſtand them, and much ſweete comfort we find in them: But here and there we light upon a ſentence, that puzzleth our dull intellect: there we pawſe, we meditate, we ruminate: we ponder the ſenſe: we compare the precedent with the ſubſequent wordes: And if the wings of our apprehenſion cannot ſoare ſo high as this reverend myſterie, then with the wings of our zealous prayers we mount up to the throne of Majeſtie; we conſult our great maſter in heaven; that moſt holy Spirit: there we have theee1. Ioh. 2.27.1 John 2:27 ointment that cleares our eyes: there we finde aff1. Cor. 2.10.1 Cor 2:10 revelation of theſe deepe ſecrets.

2They are but Quaedam then, that are in danger of this difficultie: and among multitudes of plaine and facile rules, we may allow ſome to be hard. Eſpecially ſeeing that without theſe Quaedam we may be ſaved. At ſome royall feaſt, among many diſhes of delicate and eaſily digeſtible viands, there may be ſome ſolid and ſtronger meate: while a good ſtomach falls to that, the nicer and weaker appetites need not faſt: for if the other be more nutritive, they are leſſe digeſtive.ggHebr. 5.14.Heb 5:14 Strong meat belongeth to them that are of perfect age. We are riding a journey, and there be diverſe monuments ſet up as markes for our direction, with inſcriptions upon them: Moſt of them tell us plainely and familiarly, This way you muſt take: here and there we find a ſtately pillar, meant for a guide too; but the characters are in ſo curious a language, that though we can read them, we do not fully underſtand them: we fixe not there, but paſſe by them with reverence, to the next of a plainer indication. Or in our travell we are driven to croſſe a river, as the Iſraelites did Iordan to their Canaan: this river in ſome places is very deepe, but in moſt places foordable: they that like elephants; are ſtrong in underſtanding, may ſwimme over: the feebler, like poore lambes, yet may wade over: It matters not, as from Pauls ſhipwrackt veſſell, which way; whether the skilfull by ſwimming,Act. 27.43.Acts 27:43 or the reſt by other helpes; ſo they all get to ſhore. In the ſacred writte there be depths, for the deeper Iudgements to ſound: and for the weaker paſſengers there be ſhallowes. There be mountaines of learning, for the higher wittes of the Schoole: and there are pleaſant valleys, for the walkes of humbler ſoules. There is milke for babes, and harder meate for abler ſtomachs. If ſome things will not downe with us, yet there is choice enough among the reſt to nouriſh us to everlaſting life.

3This trueth then muſt be undenyably granted, maugre all the cavills of Rome; that the moſt places and paſſages of the Scripture are intelligible enough, and containe in them the manifeſt doctrine of our ſalvation. SoaaIn 2. Theſſ. 2.15.2 Thess 2:15 Chryſoſtome; All thoſe things that are neceſſary, in the holy Scriptures are cleare and plaine. bbIn Pſal. 95.Ps 95And, when we ſay any thing without the Scripture, the thoughts of our auditory are uncertaine. I deny not, but there are ſome places of difficultie in S^t. Paul: as 1. Cor. 11.10. and chap. 15.28.29. To be ſhort in this enumeration, thoughccTom. 13. Diſp. 2. Salmeron was long enough: for he pretends to have found out no leſſe than fifty difficulties or obſcurities in Pauls Epiſtles. Captious critickes ſcarce turne over thoſe ſacred leaves, for any other ends. I confeſſe, that I have not uſed to looke upon Gods booke with ſuch eyes: I deſire not to feed my fancie with ſcruples, but my ſoule with comforts.

Some have ventured to alledge reaſons, why Paul is ſo full of difficulties.ddIrenaeus. lib. 3 cap. 7. Ob Velocitatem Sermonum ſuorum, ſayes one:eeOrigen in Epiſt. ad Rom. Princ. Propter impetum Spiritus, elocutiones habet minus explicitas, ſaith another.ffHieron. Ep. 50. Profundos ſenſus Graeca lingua non ſatis callebat. He had his Idiotiſmes and phraſes peculiar to himſelfe: whereofggTract. in. 1. Cor. 15.1 Cor 15 Nyſſen, with Ierome and Chryſostome, give ſome inſtances. Thomas Anglicus, quoted by Lorinus, hath a ſtrange ſuſpition; that Paul wrote obſcurely on purpoſe; to hide his doctrine from heretickes: And that the ſimple might underſtand him, he ſent his Epiſtles by his Diſciples, that they might expound them to the Churches. p. 1449hhLorin. in Loc.The principall cauſe was multitudo, & altitudo rerum quas tractat. iiTom. 13. Diſp. 7.Salmeron gives diverſe other reaſons of his obſcure writings, and preſcribes certaine rules for their explication. Some thinke that this Difficultie ariſeth from the multitude of Interpreters upon S^t. Paul writings: no Author having ſuch abundance of expoſitors as he.

But Paul was not more hard in his writings, than theſe men are in their cenſures of him. They would ſpeake further, if they durſt, to the diſabling of ſo glorious a witneſſe. Sure, there is ſomething wherein he hath galled them; or elſe they would not thus kicke againſt him. We dare not be ſo bold with that bleſſed Saint: for we know, he wrote nothing, but what the holy Ghoſt dictated to him; Divine trueth, all. As David patiently bore all his afflictions, Quia Dominus fecit, becauſe it was the Lords doing. ſo we faithfully and thankfully embrace all S^t. Pauls writings, Quia Dominus dixit, becauſe it was the Lords ſaying. What if, Baptiſing over the dead, were a hard ſaying?ii1. Cor. 15.29.1 Cor 15:29 yet that the dead ſhall riſe againe; this is a plaine ſaying: that the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe to glory; this is both a plaine and a comfortable ſaying. What if,aaHeb. 6.6.Heb 6:6 It is impoſsible for thoſe that were once enlightened &c. If they fall away, to be renewed againe by repentance; be a hard ſaying? Yet thatbb1. Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15 Ieſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners; this is a true ſaying. What if,ccRom. 9.11.Rom 9:11 Before the children had done either good or evill, the purpoſe of God upon them muſt ſtand; be hard to underſtand? Yet thatdd1. Tim. 2.4.1 Tim 2:4 God would have all men to be ſaved; this is eaſy to underſtand. If we know not the meaning of that;eeRom. 11.32.Rom 11:32 God hath concluded them all in unbeelefe: YetffRom. 8.1.Rom 8:1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus: we know the meaning, the comfort, and the aſſurance too of that.

Beloved, we need care for no more than to be ſaved: and the meanes to that, is plainely and punctually declared to us by the Apoſtle Paul. If there be ſome things hard, yet theſe plaine things are the moſt: though we doe not reach the other, we cannot miſſe theſe. If profounder wittes will venturouſly dive into this ocean, to fetch up deeper myſteries; yet we have enough to ſerve our turnes. There is ſufficient ſtore of comforts affoorded us, to make us bleſſed: and who would aske more? Yea we have a faire portion, a goodly heritage, and the lines are fallen unto us in plaine and pleaſant places. Let us content our ſelves with it, and be thankfull to him that gave it, that we may be ſaved by it:

Hard to be underſtood. Theſe two, Difficilia intellectu; muſt be read in ſenſu compoſito. For if there was no fault in our underſtanding, there could be no difficultie in the word of God. It is a principle in nature; Quicquid recipitur, ſecundummodum recipientis recipitur: Shall the little viall be angry, becauſe it cannot containe all the water of the fountaine? Or a ſubject, being allowed to take his full burden out of the kings treaſurie, become pettiſh with himſelfe that he cannot carry away all the gold? No ſober gueſt at a banket, deſires to eate more than his ſtomach will beare. Becauſe we cannot devoure all, will we faſt? Pliny writes of the hedge-hog, that when he hath loden himſelfe with nuttes and fruites, and is going to disburden them in his ſtorehouſe; if but the leſt filberd chance to fall off, he will fling downe all the reſt in a peeviſh humour, and beate the ground for anger. Many ſweet and heavenly comforts we lay up in our conſciences, derived out of the treaſurie of the Scriptures: perhaps there is ſome one Iewell that we priſe above all the reſt, though we underſtand not the full value of it; ſome one ſentence like a mine of gold, too deepe for us to come at: ſhall we vilipend all the reſt, becauſe we cannot be the Maſters of this? Shall we fling downe all the fruites we have, becauſe there is one in ſome toppe-branch, too high for us to reach? Is our language ſo ambitious, as Totum aut nihil? All, or none? The rules of our faith and life are manifeſt enough: O that we would enough ſtudy them, enough practiſe them. The myſterie which is above us, is not that unum neceſſarium: Let us not feare it; we may be ſaved without the knowledge of it. I feare the want of my diligence, to attaine that I may know: p. 1450I feare the want of my obedience, to follow that I do know: I doe not feare the defect of my capacitie, in not comprehending what I cannot know. My neſcience in ſuch things is pardonable, my curioſitie may be dangerous.

Let this therefore be the concluſion: The myſteries of ſalvation be hard, but to our underſtanding: the difficultie is not in their owne nature, but in our capacitie. The word of God is inſtar lampadis; no dimme taper, but a bright ſhining light; excelling the Sunne in his glory: But we are thicke-ſighted, and can receive this light but according to our owne meaſure. The obſcuritie is not in the object but in the organ. Shall the Lumine luſcus, the blind man blame the Sunne for ſhining no brighter? As ſome rurall Inhabitant, being admitted into a royall Palace, admires the building, and is tranſported with the rareneſſe and magnificence of it; and much of it he underſtands: when he comes into the hall, he knowes that that is a place for feeding: when into the gallerie, he knowes that to be a place for walking: when into the bedchamber, he knowes that to be a place for ſleeping: But into ſome roomes he is brought, no whit inferior to the former, for ſtate and pleaſure; the uſe whereof he knowes not: will he now cenſure the Architect, for making of ſuch unneceſſary and ſuperfluous places? or not rather lay the blame, where it is, upon his owne ignorance? The Scripture is a goodly edifice, the Almighty kings Palace; wherof Paul was one of the Maſter-builders: when we read his Epiſtles, we are ſurveying the roomes and receptacles: ſome whereof we eaſily apprehend: As thatgg1. Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15 Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners: we know this for the common Hall to all beleevers: Or thathhRom. 8.1.Rom 8:1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt: we conceive this to be a ſweet repoſitory or lodging chamber for the conſcience: Or that we muſt follow the things that areiiPhil. 4.8.Phil 4:8 true, honeſt, juſt, pure, lovely, and of good report: this we take to be the gallerie, and walke of the Saints: Or that we muſtkk1. Theſſ. 5.17.1 Thess 5:17 pray without ceaſing: we looke upon this, as the Chappell, the oratory, or houſe of prayer: But ſearching farther, we light upon ſome uncouth and curious roomes; bearing as much arte and majeſtie in them as the reſt; but more obſcure, and myſticall, and vailed with the curtaine of awfull ſecrecie: Such are certaine doctrines of S^t. Paul: we are not forbidden to view them, and review them, to ſtudy, and meditate on them: but if we cannot perfectly underſtand them, farre be it from us to taxe S^t. Paul of obſcuritie: no, let us impute the fault to our owne ſimplicitie?llRom. 11.33.Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches of the knowledge of God! His wiſedome muſt not come under the cenſure of man: but the folly of man muſt be ſubmitted to the cenſure of his wiſedome, that in all things he may be juſtified. Thus many things in the Scriptures, at the firſt bluſh, appeare difficult; which being better conſidered, are eaſily reconciled. I will inſtance but in two, which now offer themſelves to my memorie; and two may give us the taſt of all.

1. Chriſts teſtimonie of Iohn the Baptiſt, recorded by S^t. Matthew: mmMatth. 11.14.Matt 11:14This is Elias which was for to come: Compared with the Baptiſts owne denyall of this, recorded by St. Iohn; nnIoh. 1.21.John 1:21I am not Elias. Here appeares not onelyonly difficultie, but even contrarietie. But neither, indeed; as St. Auguſtine eaſily compoſeth it: Iohn was Elias in Spiritu, non in Perſona; in Spirit, not in Perſon.ooMark. 4.5.Mark 4:5 I will ſend you Elias the Prophet, before the comming of the great day of the Lord: upon this promiſe the Iewes depended; ſtill looking thatppMark. 9.11.Mark 9:11 Elias ſhould firſt come; and not for the Meſsias without that precurſion. To ſatisfie this ſcruple, Chriſt calls Iohn Elias: and ſo he was in diverſe reſemblances. Firſt, In regard of the corrupt times wherein either of them was borne: Elias in the greateſt declination of Iſrael; Iohn Baptiſt, of Iudah. Secondly, Their comming into the world was ſuddaine and unexpected: Elias, without mention of his parents: Iohn; of parents ſuperannuated, paſt expectation of a child. Thirdly, In regard of their habite and dyet: of a ſingular auſteritie, both of them. Fourthly, In reſpect of their habitation, in deſarts: they were no Hermites, yet their generall abode was in the wildernes. Fifthly, p. 1451In reſpect of that burning zeal, and powerfull ſpirit, wherwith they preacht: both ſhining lamps. 6. In their boldnes to reprove Kings and Queens: which is incident to none but great Prophets. 7. In regard of perſecution for the Truth: ſo Herod was ſuch another as Ahab, and Herodias very like to Ieſabel, both in life & death. So then, when Iohn ſayes, I am not Elias, he ſpeaks properly, in regard of the dimenſions of his body, and individualitie of his perſon: in that ſenſe he was not Elias. And Chriſt ſpeakes as truely, though figuratively, when he ſayes that Iohn is Elias; not in the perſon, but in the power and ſpirit of Elias: and ſo is the difficultie ſoon removed.

2. Take one Inſtance more.qqMatth. 17.44Matt 17:44 Matthew andrrMark. 15.32.Mark 15:32 Marke ſay, that the theeves which were crucified with him, reviled him: the number was but two, and both of them are accuſed. Yet Luke ſayes, that one of themſſLuk. 23.40.Luke 23:40 rebuked his fellow for that contumelie caſt upon Chriſt; prayed, and was ſaved. This is a difficultie; how ſhall we underſtand it? Some anſwere, that at firſt both the theeves railed on Chriſt: but one of them, obſerving the patience of the ſufferer in his extremitie, the wonderfull miracles, and the compaſſion of nature it ſelfe: the Sunnes darkening, the earths ſhaking, the ſtones rending; was converted; and did ſalve his former exprobration of Chriſt, with an humble confeſſion of him.Hieron. Chryſ. But againſt this may bee objected. Firſt, Theſe miracles were the effects of Chriſts death, and begun when he ended: but the theefe was then in articulo mortis, and could not be ſenſible of them. Secondly, When he reproved his fellow for reproching of Chriſt, why did he not reply; Thou haſt alſo reviled him. Thirdly, It is the cuſtome of the ſacred ſtory, when it hath diſgraced a man for ſinne, not to conceale the honour of his repentance, if ever he had remorſe. S^t. Matthew therefore had done the malefactor ſome wrong, to ſet downe his offence, and not his penitence. The moſt and beſt expoſitors flie to this, with Auguſtine; that it was Enallage numeri: as,aaMat. 26.8.Matt 26:8 The Diſciples are charged to ſay, Why is this waſte? When Saint Iohn chargeth onelyonlybbIob. 12.4.Job 12:4 Iudas with it. So,ccPſal. 2.1.Ps 2:1 The Kings of the earth ſet themſelves againſt Chriſt: yet literally, no king but Herod: ſo Peter quotes it, and ſo expounds it;ddAct. 4.26.27.Acts 4:26Acts 4:27 Herod and Pilate againſt Ieſus; now Pilate was but a Iudge, no king. So,eeHebr. 11.33.37.Heb 11:33Heb 11:37 They were ſtoned, ſawen aſunder, wandred about in skinnes: and before, they ſtop't the mouthes of Lions: In the plurall, They: yet none ſtop't the Lions mouths but Daniel; none ſawen but Eſay, and that but by tradition: none wandred in skinnes but Elias. So Beza obſerves upon that of Iohn, ffIoh. 6.…5.John 6:5It is written in the Prophets: yet none expreſſely ſaith ſo butggEſa. 54.13.Isa 54:13 Eſay: albeit indeedhhIer. 31.34.Jer 31:34 Ieremie hath ſomething to the ſame ſenſe. When a gentleman lights among clownes, and receives ſome injurie by one of them; he is ready to ſay, looke how theſe clownes abuſe me; when one onelyonly did it. A father that is diſpleaſed with one of his children, will ſay, See how unruly theſe children are; when as but one onelyonly offended him. Indeed St. Matthew and Marke mind onelyonly Chriſts humiliation, and looke to that, St. Luke alſo intended the theefes converſion, and to ſhew that miracle of merciemercy. By theſe two Inſtances you may gueſſe at the reſt: for all of them fall under one of theſe kinds; Doctrinall, as the former: or Hiſtoricall, as the latter.

Let us take this for one eſpeciall rule in the clearing of theſe difficulties: To ſupply Scripture with Scripture. For Non planè ac plenè vbique loquitur Scriptura, quia alibi loquitur. Howſoever the Evangeliſts wrote the ſame ſtory; yet ſome paſſages of that ſtory are ſet down by one or two of them, not by al: and by ſome of them more obſcurely, more apertly by the reſt: That they might not ſeeme to write by any compact or colluſion, but meerely by the inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt.Chryſ. Let this conſideration, that all things in the Scriptures are perſpicuous in themſelves, and ſome obſcure to us, only by the occaſion of our owne blindnes; ſo far humble us; that we both admire the excellencie of the Divine trueth, and confeſſe the baſenes of our underſtanding. Sin at firſt was the cauſe of ignorance; now ignorance is the cauſe of ſin.iiIoh. 9.41.John 9:41 You ſay, we ſee, therefore your ſin remaineth. So long as we thinke we ſee, we continue blind: when we once perceive our owne blindnes, p. 1452then we begin to ſee. There be ſome that runne away with the interpretation of Scripture, as faſt as if they had been at the making of it: rare Muſitians that can ſing the hardeſt notes at the firſt ſight. They no ſooner read a Text, but they have Gods meaning by it, ſtraight: There is nothing hard to them; but I can hardly beleeve them. There may bee ſome ſpeciall Reaſons given of this great Difficultie.

1. The imperfect knowledge which wee have upon Earth. Howſoever our Iuſtification may bee perfect, our Sanctification is not ſo. In the beſt militant Saints, as their affections cannot bee wholly regenerated, ſo nor is their underſtanding wholly enlightned.kkCor. 13.12. Wee ſee through a glaſſe, and wee know but in part. If we did not know in part, wee were miſerable ſtrangers: if wee did fully know we were glorified Saints. The man ſtarke blinde (in the Goſpell) preſents to us our ſtate by nature: his eyes being opened ſo farre as to ſee men walke like trees, is our ſtate of grace: ſeeing clearely, our ſtate of glory. In Heaven we ſhall know as we are knowne: there ſhall be the fulneſſe of knowledge, as well as the fulneſſe of joy: yea, there could bee no fulneſſe of joy, without the fulneſſe of knowledge. There, all problemes and queſtions ſhall be reſolved, diſſolved; and we ſhall perfectly underſtand the trueth of thoſe things, which ſtrong wits ſo argue here below. Now our eyes are dazzled with looking upon the Sunne: there we ſhall ſee the Sonne of God face to face; and in that infinite Glaſſe of the Deity, behold enough to ſatisfie us for ever.

2. The figures and metaphors of the Scripture may a little retarde the pace of our underſtanding. There be ſuch peregrinations to fetch in remote and ſignificant figures: ſuch an heightning and elevation of ſtile: ſuch powerfull hyperbolees, ſuch myſticall alluſions, ſuch majeſticall imparatives: ſuch ſpreadings and curtaines of allegories, ſuch third Heavens of eloquence: ſuch commanding perſwaſions, ſuch perſwading commandements, ſuch patheticall abjurations: ſuch ſinewes in Gods milke, expreſſions of reſervedneſſe even in familiarity. All prophane Authours ſeeme to be of the ſeed of the Serpent, that creepes: the holy Ghoſt is the Dove, that flies. No words but his owne, can expreſſe the texture and compoſition of his Word. So doth Hee enforme the weakeſt, that the higheſt Iudgements are rapt with admiration: ſo doth Hee excerciſe the ſtrongeſt, that the weakeſt are filled with conſolation. Hierome and Augstine confeſſed one to another in their muturall Letters, that there are ſome places of Scripture which they thought they did not underſtand: And yet both thoſe Father call upon old women and young virgins to read the Scriptures; all the Scriptures, without confining them to ſome certaine places: and yet they knew them to be of weaker judgement than themſelves.

As the Lord gives us the ſame earth, to labour on, and to lie in; to be unto us both an houſe, and a grave: So He gives us the ame Word, for our ſatisfaction, and for our inquiſition; for our inſtruction, and for our admiration too. The argument that bindes one mans faith to beleeve it, is the reverend ſimplicity of it: that which bindes another, is tha awefull Majeſty of it. So that of two men, equally pious, meeting; the one wonders that all men ſhould not underſtand it: and the other wonders as much that any man ſhould underſtand it. When theſe myſteries fall into the way of wrangling wittes, they ſuffer much injury: for Vnuſquiſque abundat ſenſu ſuo: which might bee well, ſo long as they keepe the analogy of faith, and impound their ſtraying fancies within the bounds of ſobriety. But when birds of ſicke feathers will emulate the Sunne in their ſoaring; ſoone doe their wings flagge, and witneſſe to the earth the ſhame of their proud undertakings. Lord, where wee doe ſee, give us an humble knowledge: and where we cannot ſee, a contented ignorance: in all a beleeving patience, a patient faith. Clauſis oculis ſequendus est Deus: Our eyes muſt be ſhut to the world, leaſt it withdraw us: yea, ſhut to humane reaſon; that though we cannot reach p. 1453the why of Gods command, to underſtand it; yet wee may know the what of his command, and in ſincerity of heart obey it. Take now ſome helpes for our underſtanding.

1. Conference with others; eſpecially with them whoſe lippes preſerve knowledge. It was the Eunuchs reply to Philip llAct. 8.31.Acts 8:31How can I understand, except ſome man ſhould guide me? But now we all thinke that we know the way to Heaven ſo perfectly, that we need not askemmIohn 16.5.John 16:5 I goe my way, ſaith Chriſt, and none of you asketh mee whither goeſt thou? Nay, wee will ſcarce aske, Lord, which way ſhall wee goe after thee? How ſhall we come unto thee?nnHeb. 3.13.Heb 3:13 Exhort one another dayly, ſaith the Apoſtle: Edefie one another in the holy faith. But wee take theſe for ſuperfluous counſells: every man knowes enough to ſerve his owne turne. While theſe two DiſciplesooLuk. 24.15.Luke 24:15 communed together, and reaſoned, Ieſus himſelfe drew neere, and went with them. While they were talking of Ieſus, Ieſus preſented himſelfe to them. Our talke is of vanity, and vanity is with us. If Chriſt could be kept in our mouths, we ſhould alwayes have him in our hearts.

2. Conſtant reading of the Scriptures, and meditation upon them. The good man dothppPſal. 1.2.Ps 1:2 Meditate on the Law of God day and night. The Pontificians beate off the people from this common Treaſury, by objecting this ſuppoſed difficulty. O the Scriptures are hard to be underſtood: do not you trouble your heads about them: we will tell you the meaning of them. They might as well ſay: Heaven is a bleſſed place, but it is a hard way to hit: doe not you trouble your ſelves, we will goe thither for you. Thus in the great day of triall, when they ſhould be ſaved by their booke; alas they have no booke to ſave them. In ſtead of the Scriptures they can preſent images; theſe are the Laymens bookes: as if they were to bee tried by a jury of Carvers and Painters, and not by the twelve Apoſtles. Be not you ſo coſſened: but ſtudy the Goſpell, as you looke for comfor by the Goſpell. He that hopes for the inheritance, will make much of the conveyance.

3. Humility and a devout reverence to thoſe ſacred monuments of Truth.qqPſal. 25.14.Ps 25:14 The ſecret of the Lord is with them that feare him, and he will ſhew them his covenant: Thoſe leaves are too holy, to be turned over with profane fingers. Pride is a barracado againſt all graces, therefore againſt knowledge: it makes the heart uncapable of goodneſſe, as cold iron cannot bee wrought to any faſhion. A heart full of pride, is but a veſſell full of aire: this ſelfe-opinion muſt be blowne out of us, before ſaving knowledge be powred into us. Humility is the knees of the ſoule; and to that poſture the Lambe will open the booke. But pride ſtands upon tiptoes; as if ſhe would ſnatch the book out of Chriſts hand, and unclaſp it herſelfe. The firſt leſſon of a Chriſtian is humility: and he that hath not learnd the firſt leſſon, is not fit to take out a new. Humble eyes are moſt capable of high miſteries.

4. Prayer, when all failes, this will doe it. Why did God write his minde to us in ſo myſticall a dialect? We anſwere, The obſcurity is not in his dialect, but in our intellect. Why does not hee that made the will, make us alſo to underſtand it? Wee ſay againe, Ideo non intelligimus, quia intelligere non petimus: Iam. 1.5.Jas 1:5Wee want wiſedome, becauſe we doe not aske it. But many have prayed for knowledge, whereby they might apprehend theſe high myſteries, and yet have not obtained it? It may bee they begged it, Non ex ſimplicitate cordis, ſed ex effectu ſingularitatis: They would bee made wiſer, not holier by it. It is their owne honour they ſeeke, not the honour of Chriſt. If they may bee thought great Rabbi's, deepe ſcholars, this is the height of their ambition: though neither the Church bee beneficed, nor God glorified by it. Scire volunt, ut ſciant: that is all. If any man lacke wiſedome, let him aske it of God? If, there does rather ponere than ſupponere; Ponere in natura, then Supponere in argumento. If any lacke: Who, does not lacke wiſdome? How ſhould hee get it? Postulet a Deo, that fountaine of Wiſedome; And it ſhall bee given him: there is promiſe; hee ſhall bee ſure of it, But let him aske 'in Faith; that is, Modus adipiſcendi, p. 1454Iam. 1.6.Jas 1:6the way of obtaining: that God may be honoured by it; that is finis adepti; the end of enioying it. As the grace of God is the fountaine, from which our wiſedome flowes: ſo the glory of God is the ocean, to which our wiſedome runs. It is derived from the one, and muſt be directed to the other.

S^t. Auguſtine was ſo bold as to beg of God, that Moſes might come, and tell him what he meant by ſome places of Geneſ. We dare not doe ſo: but yet we may begge of the ſpirit of God, who opens darke things, ſettles in the trueth, and keepes the key of the Scripture; to informe our hearts what Paul meant by ſome paſſages of his writings: The grammar whereof we know; that ſuch is the ſignification of the wordes: but the Logicke or the Retoricke we underſtand not; nor what is the full meaning of thoſe words.

Prayer is the remedie; the cure of all obſcuritie: ſepecially being accompanied with fervour and frequencie. Though we have fiſhed all night and caught nothing; yet let us caſt out the nette againe; pray ſtill. Paul with exhortation, ever joyned Invocation: Let us bedeaw the ſeed of the word with our prayers and teares; ſo will it grow in our hearts. Chriſt loves thy prayers; Non ut ipſi manifestes, quod ipſe non novit: non ut ipſi des, quod ipſe non habet: ſed ut ab eo accipias, quod ipſe promiſit. It was a feeling complaint, ſeconded with a hearty prayer; I beleeve; Lord helpe my unbeleefe: So in praiſe to God for what I have, and in prayer to God for what I want; Let my ſoule confeſſe, I underſtand a little; Lord, helpe my ignorance.

Which they that are unlearned, and unſtable, wreſt.] Theſe be the raviſhers. It was for the honour of dead Patroclus, that two armies fought for his corpſe: And it was for the glory of dead Moſes, that two Spirits, a good and a bad, an Archangel and the devill, ſtrove for his body. And it is ſome dignitie for the Scripture, that it is contended for by the two Churches; the Chriſtian true Church, and the Antichriſtian Synagogue. But as when the two mothers conteſted for the child before Solomon, the pretending mother (upon the kings ſentence) was content to have it divided; but the naturall mother would not endure it: vel totum illi, vel totum mihi: hurt not the child: So the malignant Church could well enough brooke, that the written word were hacked, and ſlaſhed, and torne in pieces; becauſe ſhe knowes it is none of her owne; and doth rather prejudice than further her cauſe: But the Proteſtant and reformed Church, like the true mother, is carefull to have it preſerved ſound, and entire, and untouched with the fingers of corruption. When the Phariſees and the Sadducees ſtrove for Paul, Act. 23.10.Acts 23:10the chiefe Captaine fearing leaſt he ſhould be pulled in pieces, commanded his ſouldiers to take him from them all: So if the Scripture be not taken from heretickes and Sectaries, they will even teare it in pieces. For rather than they will beleeve as the Scripture ſpeaketh, they will wreſt the Scripture to ſpeake as they beleeve: It muſt ſay as they ſay, or hold the peace. Yea more, as ſeven cities ſtrove for the honor of the birth of Homer: Or as the Sadducees in their intent to appoſe Chriſt, bring in ſeven husbands challenging one wife: whoſe mouths Chriſt ſoone ſtoppes; that in heaven there is no wife at all: Or as it is ſtoried of a woman, of ſuch admirable beautie, that all the gallants courted her; quarrelling in troupes, and making bloudy mutinies for her: at laſt, becauſe every one could not enjoy her, they tore her in pieces, that ſo never a one might enjoy her. So innumerable ſects, and ſchiſmes, and hereſies lay claime to the Scriptures, till they even dilacerate and rent in ſunder thoſe ſacred leaves: and that which is written for their inſtruction, they wreſte to their owne deſtruction.

1They are unlearned.] Learning is the ornament of a man, the oile to the lampe of his underſtanding, which maintaines the light living. The ſoule would grow ruſty without it; like a ſword that is never ſcowred. Eloquence is good, and memory is good: but if theſe be without learning, they are but like the rocke and the ſpindle, without ever an inch of yearn. There may be learning without p. 1455eloquence; which is like a handſome body lapp'd up in ill faſhioned cloathes. There may be eloquence without learning; which is like rich embroidery upon baſe ſtuffe. There may bee both eloquence and learning without diſcretion: mens actions doe expreſſe their knowledge better than their words. A meere ſcholar is but a live booke; and it is wiſedome that ſets forth a man, yea, that conſtitutes a man, more than literature. It is eaſie and uſuall for a man to be without learning; and it is not rare, to find learning without a man. To ſpeake ſentences, is farre eaſier than to ſpeake ſenſe; yea, and a ſenſible diſcourſe is eaſier than a rational carriage. There may be learning, eloquence and diſcretion too, yet without honeſty. We may ſooner get acquaintance with the 9. Muſes, than with the 3. Graces. Learning, diſcretion, and honeſty, are three degrees of compariſon: the laſt is Summus gradus. The other may make a man eminent in the world, the third brings him nereſt to heaven. Our perfection in this life is vertue; in the next knowledge, when wee ſhall read the glory of God in his owne face. Hee that wants learning, hath an imperfect head: but he that lackes honeſty, hath a defective heart. This is one of their characters, that are heere indicted for enforcing the virgin, Trueth; Chriſts royall and immortall daughter: They are unlearned.

Theſe unlearned men are apteſt to pervert the Scriptures: out of which we gather 2this undenyable concluſion: That Ignorance, or the want of learning is no wayes a helpe to devotion; but rather a ready way to damnation. This is plainely delivered by S^t. Peter: The unlearned wreſt the Scripture to their owne deſtruction. The principall columne, whereby both the Turke and the Pope uphold their Soveraigntie, is by keeping the people in a helpeleſſe ignorance. The Pope will allow his ſubjects no divine learning: the Turkes denies to his, any learning at all. Indocti, all of them: yea, and Indociles, ſome of them. The latter ſuch as cannot be taught for want of meanes; that is their infelicity: The other, ſuch as refuſe to be taught, for want of will, that is their obſtinacy. There is not one tackle in all the Barke of Papacy, for which the Devill is more beholden to the Biſhop of Rome; than the doctrine of ignorance. Give him but darkeneſſe in any man, and hee is never from home. This is the maintenance, the revenues of both their crownes; as ſtrong as an oth of allegiance to both their kingdomes. Neither is this unlearnedneſſe peculiar to the laity of Rome; but it is entertained into their Cloiſtures, and incrocheth upon the Clergy. That of Melchizede rrGen. 14.18.Gen 14:18rex Salem, to render Salem, ſalt: or to interpretſſGen 1.10.Gen 1:10 Maria, the Seas; for Maria the bleſſed virgine were but eaſie miſtakes. To read,ttLuk. 15.8.Luke 15:8 Domum evertit, for Domum everrit; might bee the falt of tranſcription. But to turne Pauls Hereticum devita, into Tolle de vita; was a wicked miſpriſion. But enough of that: it is not their ignorance of Gods Law, which we ſo much blame; as their law of ignorance; their paradoxicall praiſe of ignorance. For ſo they commend it, as if Chriſt had bequeathed ignorance for a legacy to his Church. Love he commended, and Faith he commended, Peace and obedience hee commended; yea, and knowledge he commended:uuIohn 17.3.John 17:3 This is life eternall to know God and Chriſt: theſe bleſſed legacies he left us; either praecipiendo, or prabendo: But that any way; by inſinuation, toleration, or diſpenſation, he ſhould be a friend to ignorance, it were blaſphemy to thinke. The ſervant that knoweth not, ſhall bee beaten. And it was not his charge to the Apoſtles onelyonly, but to the Iewes, and in them to all men;xxIohn 5.39.John 5:39 Search the Scriptures. Meddle not with them ſay the Romiſts: Search them throughly, ſaith Chriſt. But unlearned men, ſay they, when they come to the Scriptures, are apt to miſunderſtand them. But why then ſay we, are they not bred up in the Scriptures, that they might learne them? Firſt, they deny them to read the Word of God, wherein they might be learned: and then becauſe they are unlearned, they ſhall not read the Word of God. A young man is not ſuffered to come into the river, whereby hee might learne to ſwimme: and then in his able p. 1456yeares, becauſe he cannot ſwimme, hee may not be ſuffered to come into the river. Hee hath a very groſſe and dull eye, that does not diſcerne this juggling. There is a myſt of darkneſſe, a myſtery of iniquity in it.

3To leave them; our Apoſtle peremptorily concludes, that unlearned braines are apt to miſ-interpret theſe ſacred Rolles: And, O how happy had it been for the Church, if the expoſition of them had never been intruſted into the hands of ignorance! But whoſe feete doe ſo nimbly carry them up into the Pulpit, as theirs that have the leaſt matter to ſay when they come their? Yet who dare be ſo bold as they? Who ſo tedious? They are able to ſpeake more with eaſe, than any man can endure to heare with patience. I cenſure no man: yet I could wiſh for the credite of the Goſpell, that ſome whoſe Congregations are numerous enough, would either ſtudy more, or ſpeake leſſe. But like will to like: unlearned Hearers will reſort to unlearned Teachers. They care not for matter in their diſcourſes, but ſtore of words; as if they would tell us that their very profeſſion was all words, no matter. As one ſaid of a poore Apothecaries ſhop; that hee could finde no drugges, for the pots and boxes: ſo it may bee ſaid of thoſe that pretend to Religion, and no farther; we cannot perceive good deeds, for words. Or as when Iacob looked for Ioſeph, hee found nothing but his coat: ſo whiles we looke for honeſt men, wee ſee nothing but their cloake: onelyonly a cloake of a good nappe, and a faire gloſſe of profeſſion: that is all. I would it were not almoſt the religion of theſe diſſembling and wanton times.

4But for you, Beloved; though you cannot bee profound Clerkes, yet you may be honeſt men. Holineſſe is not tyed to literature: Doctor, and Saint, are not convertible termes. For then hee that knowes his maſters will, could not chuſe but doe: and ſo there had beene a needleſſe threatning of greater ſtripes. But as you cannot conclude upon us; becauſe our life is bad, therefore our Doctrine cannot be good: for that were an harſh Non ſequitue: So neither doe we conclude upon you; becauſe your knowledge is little, therefore your goodneſſe is leſſe: for that were a falſe argument. Indeed, firſt men muſt know, before they can doe: yet your conſcience will tell you, that you doe not doe all the good you know. Illumination, and ſanctification, are two ſeverall things; and differ as a light, and a perfume: Put a candle into a lanthorne, and it will make it light, but it will not make it ſweet: ſome perfume muſt doe that. Divine knowlege doth make us underſtand the Goſpell: but it is divine grace which makes us live according to the Goſpell. Therefore what you want in great learning, ſupply with good living: I love Preaching, and I love practiſing: and I had rather heare one Sermon in a day, and doe three good workes; than heare three Sermons in a day, and doe never a good worke, elſe Franſciſcus Petrarcha, Scholarium Tetracha, was famous in his time; yet could not eſcape cenſure. Foure men undertooke to ſit upon him: one had no learning, the ſecond a little, the third not much, the fourth ſomewhat, but intricate and perplexed: (Good man! Hee was not tryed by his Peeres) All their opinions were ſummed up in this ſentence: Petrarcham ſine literis, virum bonum. The King ſtormed at this cenſure, the Nobles fretted, his friends were vexed, and almoſt all men threatned revenge upon ſuch ſawcy Iudges. But Petrach himſelfe appladed their judgment: O utinamhoc unū verè dixerunt: The end of all which ſtudy, was to be a good man: if learning came in upon the by, I did not refuſe it: But now ſeeing that by their ſentence, without learning I may have goodneſſe; What a comfort is this to mee, and to thouſands more of no better knowledge? I had rather, of two unhappy diſjunctions, ſee an honeſt man without learning, than a learned man without honeſty.

Doctrina, Salina; learning is a ſalt-pit; from whence wee have the ſeaſoning of all our actions: But virtus, venuſtas; virtue is the beauty, which makes them all lovely. Learning is but the ſowing of the ground: an holy and virtuous life p. 1457is the harveſt. Knowledge in the ſoule is but for breed: when it is once married to Grace, they will bring forth a glorious iſſue, a race of heavenly fruites, a poſterity of good workes. Abraham begate Iſaac, Iſaac begate Iacob; and ſo by a lineall deſcent, downe to Chriſt: So faith begets virtue, and virtue begets knowledge; and ſo by a lineall aſcent, up to Chriſt. Faith is a ſecond Mary, the Mother of Chriſt; to beare Him: and good workes, another act and office of the ſame Mother; to nurſe Him. For the former; Faith: it doth againe incarnate the Sonne of God: ſo Mary, that bleſſed Virgine, Non minus credente mente, quàm pariente ventre, exultavit. For the latter; good workes: they doe ſtill nurſe the Sonne of God, with a charitable indulgence. This Himſelfe acknowgeth:aaMatth. 25.35.Matt 25:35 I was hungry, and yee gave mee meat. And if in a modeſt humility they ſeeme to put it off; Lord, when ſaw we thee an hungred? He both ſatisfies others, gratifies them: In doing it to my brethren, yee did it unto mee. This is that milke of charity, and nouriſhment of pious deeds, that will make Chriſt batten within us. The woman joyned them both together in a naturall ſenſe;bbLuke 11.27.Luke 11:27 Bleſſed is the wombe that bare thee, and the pappes which thou hast ſucked: acknowledging them both to belong to the ſame Mother: And Chriſt ioynes them both together in a ſpirituall ſenſe; Bleſſed are they that heare the Word of God, and keepe it: knowledge and faith come by hearing; and ſo is Chriſt borne in our ſoules: The effect of faith and knowledge is obedience and doing good, and ſo is Chriſt nurſed in our lives. Heare therefore, that you may learne: Learne, that you may know: Know, that you may doe. And though you cannot attaine to ſo much learning, as may become great Scholars: yet at leaſt get ſo much, as may make you honeſt men, and good Chriſtians. So farre make ſure to bee learned, that you may bee ſaved. It followes;

They that are unstable] Stabilis, a Stando: the unstable man is one that cannot ſtand: like a Drunkard, he reeles from place to place. He hath put ſo much intoxicating ſcrupuloſity into his head, that he cannot ſtand on his legges. A Drunkard indeed; not ſo much for exceſſe, as change of liquours: for his ſoule doth affect variety of Doctrines, more than the intemperate body doth variety of drinkes. Now hee ſuckes the Grape of Orleance, anone that hoter fruit of the Canaries: then hee is taken with the pleaſant moiſture of the Rhemiſh plants: ſometimes the juyce of the preſſed Aples and Peares delight him; which hee warmes with the Iriſh Vſquebah, and then quencheth all with the liquour made of Engliſh Barley. So the unſtable ſoule takes a draught of religion from every countrey: ſo much of Anabaptiſme, as may make him a Rebell: ſo much of that loving Family, as may make him an Adulterer: ſo much of Rome, as may make him a Traitor or Idolater: ſo much of Arianiſme, as may make him a Blaſphemer. OnelyOnly he will ſtand in nothing, as the Drunkard can ſtand to nothing. As a foole or childe, that hath an aire in his head, thinkes that the bels (then ringing) goe to the ſame tune: and rather frames the ſound of the bels to his imagination, than his imagination to the ſound of the bels. So when a fond opinion is got into unstable head, hee conceives all places of Scripture to tend unto that purpoſe: and will not bring his owne doctrine to the Rule, but rather bends the Rule to his owne doctrine. So, becauſe he hath a crooked poſition, he wrests the Scriptures, to make them as crooked as his poſition as himſelfe.

The unſtable man partly knowes what he hath beene, he knowes not what he will be, nay he knowes not what he is. He runs through as many Religions, or rather Sects and Schiſmes, as Saint Paul did through perills: Perills of waters, 2 Cor. 11.26.2 Cor 11:26perills of robbers, &c. He finds watry perills, by lighting among the Anaeaptiſts, with their ſecond Immerſion in the waters of Baptiſme: Perills by his owne Countreymen, by ioyning with them that murmure againſt Order and Diſcipline: Perills by the heathen, in partaking of their prophaneſſe and ſuperſtition: Perils in the city, by ſiding into ſingularity and faction: Perils in the wilderneſſe, by following the p. 1458brethren of the Separation; leaving the Church for private conventicles: Perils on the ſea, by offering to found that inſcrutable depth of predeſtination: Perils among falſe brethren; while they pretend to bring him to the true Mother, the Church of Chriſt: they lead him to Rome, that unnaturall ſtepdame, the Strumpet of Antichriſt. No perils could overwhelme Paul, becauſe he ſtucke to his God: the unſtable ſoule waves God, and therefore is ſubject to all perills.

Opinions in the minde, and diſeaſes of the body are alike infinite. The maſters of that Phyſicall arte can ſcarce number or name all ſickneſſes. Whatſoever diſorders a faculty, and the function of it, is a ſickeneſſe. Let the eye bee diſtempered, yea let but the finger ake, it is a ſickeneſſe. Some names they derive from the place affected; as the Pleuriſie: ſome from the effect of the diſeaſe; as the falling ſickneſſe. From what it does, or from where it is, they deviſe how to call it. And yet becauſe all theſe will not ſerve, they are faine to extort names from what it reſembles, what it is like: ſo they have the Wolfe, and the Canker, and the Polypus. But certainely, opinions and tenents in religion, which are diſeaſes of the minde, doe for number out-vie all the diſeaſes of the body: nor are there names enough for them. Therefore as the Papiſts call diverſe of their orders, by the names of their founders; the Dominicans of Dominicke, the Franciſcans of Francis; of Auſten, the Auguſtines; of Bennet, the Benedictines: So Schiſmatickes are faine to borrow apellations from their ring-leaders, of Browne to be called Browniſts, of Arminius Arminians: as once of Arius Arians; of Donatus Donatiſts: and yet ſtill they lacke names. It hath beene a queſtion, whether there be more names or things: but in this inſtance it may bee eaſily reſolved; for certainly in religion, there are more ſects than names: and ſo farre are many from knowing how to denominate their opinions, that they muſt even let them paſſe with the bare name of opinions.

cc1 Theſſ. 5.21.1 Thess 5:21Prove all things: hold faſt that which is good. Saint Paul gave great liberty; Omnia probate: but with all good counſell; Quod bonum eſt tenete. Theſe unſtable men will take the liberty, omnia probare, to proove all religions; but not the counſell for they commonly chuſe that which is worſt. The unſtable man, is a live weather-cocke; that turnes with every puffe of vaine doctrine: onelyonly the dead one does more good, becauſe it tells which way the winde blowes. If hee cheats that old Serpent in any thing, it is in this, that he is in ſo many minds, the Devill knowes not where to have him. Yet at laſt death takes him up for a vagrant, and delivers him over to the next Seſſions, where he is indicted for plurality of wives: for he hath married himſelfe to aboundance of errors, andddPſal. 106.39.Ps 106:39 Gone a whoring with his owne inventions and is caſt by that Statute:eeMat. 24.26.Matt 24:26 If they ſhall ſay, Hee is is the deſart, goe not forth. Hee is in the ſecret chambers, beleeve it not. Hee that is Multivolus, will ſurely be Malevolus. He isffMat. 11.7.Matt 11:7 a reed ſhaken with the winde: to day the reed bends to the South, to morrow to the North: Now the head lookes Eaſtward, by and by Weſtward: never upright, but when the winde is downe. Alas, that ever a trembling reed ſhould bee the embleme of any Chriſtian. Let us not be ſuch; but ratherggRev. 2.25.Rev 2:25 Hold faſt that which wee have. The Lord hath enriched us with his ſaving trueth: Let us ſtand in it, ſtand to it, ſtand for it, againſt all aſſaults.hhEph 3.14.Eph 3:14 For this cauſe I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. What weighty ſute had that devout Client to the Throne of Grace, that he does not onelyonly put himſelfe into ſuch a poſture,ver. 16. but alſo tels us of it: That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man: All is for Stabilitie in the truth, for our perſeverance in grace. Lord, reclaime the obſtinate, recall the wandering, eſtabliſh the wavering, raiſe up them that are fallen, and confirme thoſe that ſtand: that wee may all live to thee, and die in thee, and dwell with thee for ever.

They wreſt the Scriptures to their owne deſtruction.] We may ſay of the Scriptures, p. 1459which are Gods ſpirituall nettes to catch our ſoules;iiLuk. 5.6.Luke 5:6 as of that nette which had incloſed ſuch a multitude of fiſhes; Their nette brake. Rumpebatur rete, & non rumpebatur: in nature it was broke, but by Divine power kept whole. So Temeratur Scriptura ſacra, & non temeratur: It is raviſhed by theſe Impoſtors from the pure and virgin-Innocencie; and yet it is not raviſhed. They wreſt and pervert it, to themſelves: but ſtill the word of God remaines ſound and intire. Figmentis ſuis lacerant, & tamen integra manet. So apoſtateskkHebr. 6.6.Heb 6:6 crucifie to themſelves the Sonne of God; to themſelves: yet Chriſt is ſafe and glorious in heaven. As he that luſtfully deſires to defile a virgin, hath committed adulterie in his heart: the virgin remaines ſpotleſſe, but he is polluted. So theſe miſ-interpreters of Gods Booke, in their intention of miſchiefe, can make a ſhift to befowle themſelves: but the maiden honour of the Scripture is undefiled. Fooles throw dirte at the moone; yet ſhe needs no charitable hand to make her cleane againe. A naturall fountaine may be ſo poiſoned; that all his ſprings cannot worke it out: but no ſuch injurie can be ſuffered by the ſupernaturall fountaine of Trueth. Swearers are ſaid to teare Chriſt in pieces, and blaſphemie to wound the Majeſtie of God: yet ſtill is the Deitie out of the reach of this impious violence. As the will to doe God acceptable ſervice, is as acceptable as if it were indeed ſervice: So the intent and offer of wrong, ſhall be judged for wrong in the Court of Iuſtice. Theſe men wreſt the Scriptures; not to the prejudice of that ſacred Canon, but to their owne deſtruction. This is done many wayes.

1. By admitting no more of the Scriptures, then will make for their owne turnes. This courſe that old Father of lies tooke; when with a Bible under his arme, and a Text in his mouth, he did ſet upon Chriſt:llMat. 4.6.Matt 4:6 It is written, He ſhall give his Angels charge concerning thee &c. He that durſt touch the bleſſed body of Chriſt with his hand, will venture to touch the holy word of God with his tongue. But here was ſubtletie mixed with preſumption: What can be a more authenticall weapon than the Scripture? But that the devill ſhould fight with it, is the wonder. He cites it indeed, but with mutilation, with diſtortion: by wronging the words, by wresting the ſenſe. It comes not out of his mouth, but maimed and perverted. The Text quoted is this:mmPſal. 91.11.Ps 91:11 He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keepe thee in all thy wayes. One piece of it is left out, all miſ-applyed by Satan. The promiſe of preſervation is with a limitation; In all thy wayes: But to fall downe from the pinnacle, was not the way. So much as ſerved Satans turne, to tempt Chriſt, to tempt God, he cites readily: The Angels ſhall keepe thee: But that they ſhould keepe him in his wayes; this he leaves out, for it would have made againſt him. His way of deſcending, was by the ſtaires, not by a precipitation. It is eaſy to ſee from what Schoole they come, and where they learnt their divinitie, that wreſt and mangle the Scripture, to their owne purpoſe. As Marius tooke ſo much of the Romane lawes, as would ſerve for his ambitious ends: the reſt he left out as ſuperfluous. It is a common practiſe of the Pontifician writets, in their quotation of Scriptures or Fathers, onelyonly to cull out here and there an Eunuched and maimed authoritie, for the better colour of their ſchiſmes: but that which makes againſt them, is ever paſt over in ſilence. And yet they keepe a noiſe, as if the Scriptures and they were good friends. The devill did ſay as much; and yet he was never the nearer to the Trueth. Let us take the word from the Author, not from the uſurper.

2. By adding that to the Scripture, for which they have no warrant: with Apocryphall ſhreddes patching up the ſacred Canon. This is the cenſure of that Antichriſtian Synagogue, concerning the holy Scripture: They call it an unperfect rule, an inky Divinitie, flexible to every humour, without the complement of their Traditions. They have a booke called Protevangelion, fathered upon St. Iames, full of ſtrange ſtuffe. As that when Chriſt (an Infant) was carried into Egypt, and aſſaulted by theeves; one theefe withſtood all his fellowes, and p. 1460would not ſuffer them to lay hands upon Ioſeph; deſiring the child Ieſus to remember this good turne: and that this was the very theefe whom he remembred upon the croſſe. That Chriſt in his minoritie, working with his father Ioſeph in the trade, had bene corrected by him for cutting a piece of tymber too ſhort: but that miraculouſly with his hands he pulled it out to the full length. Is not this goodly ſtuffe, to be put upon our faith? Thus out of the vanitie of their wittes, they deviſe all varietie of tales, whereby they may lead mens minds from the written word, to a beleefe of ſtrange fictions. From hence grow thoſe voluminous Legends, and infinite fabulous inventions, and dreames of the ancient heretickes. With theſe deluſions do they ſtuffe their Sermons and Poſtills; turning the holy ſtory into a meere Comedie, with their ſeverall hints, and actors, and entrances. No ſooner have they ſingled out a Text from the Bible, Like a flower out of the garden, but they dreſſe it with ſuch new termes of arte, that the Gardiner can ſcarce know it againe. There be ſuch myſteries, and parables, ſuch metaphores and allegories, forced out of plaine propoſitions; that as they wonder how we ſhould not receive them, ſo we wonder more how they could find them. But a ſober ignorance is better than a drunken knowledge.

3. By diſtinguiſhing the Scripture, till (in a maner) they extinguiſh the light of it.nnHeb. 9.28.Heb 9:28 Chriſt was offered up once for all: This they diſtinguiſh, telling us of a Sacrifice Bloudy and unbloudy: the one, once on the Croſſe; the other, daily in the maſſe.ooMat. 26.27.Matt 26:27 Drinke ye all of this: They diſtinguiſh of All; and would have it to be meant onelyonly of All the Apoſtles, not of All Chriſtians.ppHebr. 13.4.Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable among all men: That is, ſay they, among all them that are not bound by a vow to the contrary.qq1. Tim. 2.5.1 Tim 2:5 There is one Mediator, Chriſt: this they diſtinguiſh; He is the onelyonly Mediator of Redemption, not ſo of Interceſſion. Againe; that he is Mediator both in regard of nature and office: the Saints are mediators in regard of office, not of nature. So, ſay they, Chriſts ſatisfaction is in vertue ſufficient, but not efficient in act, unleſſe it be applyed by our ſatisfaction. To take away all opinion of merite, Chriſt chargeth us, when we have done all we can, to hold our ſelves unprofitable ſervants: To eſtabliſh merites, they elude this with a diſtinction; we are unprofitable to God not to our ſelves. When we prove that diverſe Popes have erred, and bene Heretickes; they anſwere that the Pope may erre, Quatenus homo, non quatenus Papa: But when the man did erre, where was the Pope all the while? Be not theſe pretty diſtinctions, whereby they mangle the word, and delude the world? upon this file hang all thoſe duſty cob-webs of Rome; where in they catch ſoules like flies, and prey upon them with their poyſonous breaths. Upon this drumme beate all the Schoolemen, making a harſh clattering with their ſubtle queſtions, and idle diſputations. By this laſt kind of enigmaticall Divinitie, the witte and capacitie of man is fettered and intangled: By the next, which is their hiſtoricall figments, it is fondly trained on, and inveigled: By the firſt way, it is inchanted and aſtoniſhed: by every one of them it is cozened and fowlly abuſed.

4. By miſ-alledging the Scripture, to the defenſe of their Schiſmaticall tenents. If you will take an Inventory of Poperie, what can you light upon, but ſuch notorious diſtortions and miſ-applications of holy writte? What the Evangeliſt teſtifies of Chriſt; thatrrIoh. 20.30.John 20:30 he did many other ſignes, which are not written in this booke: That the booke of Conformities applyes to S. Francis; Multa quidem & alia ſigna fecit Franciſcus, quae non ſunt ſcripta in hoc libro. To S^t. Agnes they aſcribe that;ſſCant. 4.7.Song 4:7 Thou art all faire my love, and there is no ſpot in thee. To S^t. Lucie, that;ttIoh. 1.5. Dormi ſecure.John 1:5 The light ſhineth in darknes, and the darknes comprehended it not. Be not theſe impudent profanations?uuGen. 1.16.Gen 1:16 God made two great lights: the Pontificall, to rule the day of the Spiritualtie; the Regall, to rule the night of the laitie: and this latter is leſſe than the other by 57. degrees: ſaith a Gloſſer, Like ſome skilfull Aſtronomer. p. 1461xxPſal. 91.13.Ps 91:13Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and Adder: Pope Alexander the 3. applyed this to himſelfe, when he trampled upon Fredericke the Emperors necke. Certaine Ambaſſadors Lying in ſuch a poſture, under the Popes feete; were taught to cry; Qui tollis peccata mundi, miſerere noſtri. They fetch the like ground for it out of the Pſalme:yyPſal. 8.6.Ps 8:6 Thou haſt put all things under his feete: The fowles of the aire, which are, ſay they, the Angels in heaven: The beaſts of the earth, Chriſtians in this life: The fiſhes of the ſea, the ſoules in Purgatory. What honour doth the Scripture attribute to Chriſt, with which the Pope hath not made himſelfe bold.aaEſa. 28.16.Isa 28:16 A ſure foundation, a precious corner ſtone: bbEſa. 49.23.Isa 49:23Kings and Queenes ſhall bow downe to thee, and licke up the duſt of thy feet: ccHoſ. 1.11.Hos 1:11They ſhall appoint themſelves one Head: ddMat. 28.18.Matt 28:18All power is given unto mee in heaven and in Earth. It was ſaid of Pope Leo; Ecce Leo de tribu Iudah. Of another; Lux venit in mundum. He is called the Great Shepheard of the flocke, the Bridegroome, the Lambe. Chriſt hath no royall Robe, but the Pope fittes it to his owne backe: about which ſacrilegious worke, the Ieſuites are his cunning Taylors. Becauſe Chriſt contradicted not Petres ſpeech; Ecce duo gladii: this was warrent enough for Boniface the 8; to chalenge the power of both ſwords, Temporall and Spirituall.eeMat. 17.27.Matt 17:27 Peter was charged to pay tribute both for his Maſter and himſelfe: therfore is Peter the chiefe over the reſt of the Apoſtles, becauſe none of the reſt payed: as if paying of tribute were a ſigne of preheminence, and not rather of ſubjection.ffAct. 10.13.Acts 10:13 Riſe Peter, kill and eate: was not this a goodly foundation for Baronius to build on, that the Pope might excommunicate the Venetians.ggMark. 13.34.Mark 13:34 A man is taking a farre journey, who left his houſe, and gave authoritie to his ſervants, and to every man his worke, and commanded the porter to watch. This man, ſay they, is the Soule: going into a far countrey, departing out of this world: the authority left with his ſervants, is his charge to his executors …hat muſt they do? with his good they muſt procure the prayers and ſuffrages of the Church, to free him from Purgatory: the watching of the Porter, is the Dutie of his Paſtor; daily to ſacrifice for him by ſaying Maſſe: were not theſe deft interpretations? What is, if this be not wreſting of the Scriptures? They have yet one way more to abuſe them.

5. By raiſing ſtrange and unnaturall concluſions out of them. One proves that Peter had no skill at his weapon; becauſe he did but ſlice off Malchus his eare, when he ſhould have ſtrucke off his head. Another, that the King is inferior to the Prieſt; becauſe Peter was an Apoſtle that ſmote, and Malchus ſignifies a king that was ſmitten. Another, that Eccleſiaſticall dignities are not to be conferred in regard of kinred but of merite: becauſe Chriſt gave the Keyes to Peter, and not to Iohn; though Iohn were his Coſin, and not Peter. Be not theſe marvellous proper collections. They can tell you how many thornes were in Chriſts crowne: and what he wrote on the ground, when he abſolved the Adultereſſe: and what ſpeeches paſſed betweene the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt in Paradiſe about the Incarnation of Chriſt. Such metaphyſicall ſpeculations ſwarme in the braines of our Pontifician Doctors: ſuch frothy inferences boile out of their unskimmed wittes. God hath ever bene jelous of his word, as of his owne Honour: His Name is but that whereby he ſignifies his Nature to us: and his word is but that whereby he ſignifies his will to us: They that take either of them both in vaine, ſhall not be hold guiltleſſe.

This latter is the reverend and impartiall Iudge of all controverſies: and whatſoever contradicts it, is not an Illumination of the Spirit, but an Illuſion of Satan. Hierome by thoſehhRev. 4.4.Rev 4:4 foure and twenty Elders, underſtands the foure and twenty bookes of the law, as they are divided by the Hebrewes: Clothed in white, becauſe therein is no lye to be found: and on their heads crownes of gold, becauſe of their victorie over ſinne and Satan. The Antichriſtian ſynagogue labours to bereave the Scripture of this honour: as the Title or office of a Iudge; becauſe the Church is ancienter than the Scripture. But if this were a good reaſon, than Magiſtrates could not be Iudges of the people, becauſe the people are ancienter p. 1462than the Magiſtrates: nor ſhould the lawes have authority over them, becauſe they are ancienter than the Lawes. If we do not underſtand by the Scripture, the paper and print onelyonly; but the doctrines therein contained: then all that is there ſaid of the nature and properties of God, of his eternall counſels, and of the worlds creation, muſt needs be ancienter than the Church.iiIohn 12.48.John 12:48 The word that I have ſpoken, the ſame ſhall judge them in the laſt day, that receive not my words. This ſhall be judge, when all the world, even theſe perverſe judges themſelves ſhal be brought to judgement.kkLuk. 16.29.Luke 16:29 They have Moſes and the Prophets, let them heare them. If Moſes and the Prophets were ſufficient to inſtruct the brethren of Dives, how much more able is the addition of the Goſpell and Epiſtles to bring us to ſalvation? Chriſt lives now,Marlor. Coſter. non ſolum inter nos, ſed etiam intra nos. In this Evangelicall glaſſe, we can behold him crying in the cradle, and dying on the croſſe, buried in his grave, and riſing from the dead, aſcended far above all Heavens, and there ſitting as an Advocate to plead our cauſe. Who then ſhall lay violent hands on this ſacred Canon, with impunity? To take off God from his owne meaning, and to father upon him a baſtard ſenſe, is intolerable blaſphemy. Yet wee know where ſuch wreſters dwell; that offer to wring Gods weapon out of his hand, and impiouſly returne the point upon his owne boſome.

The ſummary concluſion is this: Impoſters and perverters of theſe ſacred Records, are in the ſtate of damnation. They that will give God a new tongue, ſhall feel his old hand. Detorquent, they put the text to the rack, the Scripture to the torture: firſt, they conceive an opinion, and then ſcrew the Word of God to the maintenance of it. They will not ſo conceive as he ſpeaks, but they will have him ſo ſpeake as they conceive. Firſt, they conclude, thus it ſhall be: then they force the Scripture to conſent with them, that ſo it is. As when luſtfull Amnon could not win Thamar by fair meanes, he defloures her by force. A litle flouriſh of words, is with them a main advantage: lik raging wild beaſts, that when they cannot come at the perſon,Cyril. they rend in pieces his garment. But as a man, ſo the Bible conſiſts of a body and ſoule: the ſound of the letter is but the body, the ſenſe is the ſoule. The ſeed is the Word of God: they that corrupt it, as hereticks: or choke it, as hypocrites: or keepe it downe forcibly from growing, as tyrants: or thruſt other ſeed into it, as Papiſts; ſhall have juſt vengeance for their pains. For as God gave pure ſeed, ſo he wil require pure corne.llMat. 4.10.Matt 4:10 Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve: this is pure ſeed. To worſhip Angels or Saints, or the crucifix, or images: this is ſophiſticate ſeed; God did never ſow it: it is the enemies ſuperſemination of tares. Chriſts feed was left in the garners of the Prophets and Apoſtles: they that adulterate it before it be ſown, or nip it when it does ſpring, or cut it downe before the Lords harveſt; ſhall bee indicted of this felonious rape, the wresting of Scriptures. When all their fond alluſions, ſhal be found illuſions: and as they have attempted to make God ſpeake againſt himſelfe, ſo their owne tongues ſhal be their own accuſers, & condemnd they ſhal ſtand by their own cōſciences.

Here let us tak 2. cautions; as marks to know them, and meanes to avoid them.

1. We may diſcern them: as the cunning of an Impoſter cannot keep him from a diſcerning eye.mm2 Cor. 5.13.2 Cor 5:13 Whether we be beſides our ſelves, it is to God: or whether we be ſober, it is for your cauſe: this is the beſt tēper of Gods faithful workman; his cariage towards God is ful of zeale; not without grones, agonies and raptures. But his converſation towards men is ful of mildnes; of a ſoft, ſweet, cool & affable demeanor: hipocrits and impoſtors deal otherwiſe for in the Church, in the Pulpit, they ſeeme to be men inſpir'd with holy furies; like burning Seraphim, rapt with extaſies, and amazing all their hearers: tak them into their chambers, in their ſolitary and ſeparate meditations, whereunto God only is privy: view their life, as it is abſtracted from the publike eye: they are not only calme and tepid, but even fowle and wicked: ſober enough to God, and tranſported only towards men. As hypocrits with their diſſembling holineſſe towards God, doe palliate their injuries done to men: ſo p. 1463heretickes by their morality and faire deportment towards men, make a way for their blaſphemies againſt God. The former is like a meteor, which burnes cleare upward to Heaven, but hath a ſqualid taile dangling to the Earth: The other like the Moone, is then lighteſt towards the Earth, when ſhe is darke to. Heaven. Roaring profaneneſſe makes too much noiſe for Impoſture: that is the Devils ſuite when he goes a whoring: it is the language he ſpeakes amongſt ruffians and ſtrumpets: He hath another garbe for the brethren of ſingularity. Iniquity is a coard or cable; a groſſe bungerly ſinne: but hypocriſie is a fine ſpun threed, ſcarce diſcernible. If you ſee a man that hath nothing but Heaven in his mouth, and yet nothing but the world in his hand, you may ſuſpect that hee hath a Devill in his heart. They that mingle the reſpect of themſelves with the ſacred Truth, have not the Scripture for a Text, they may have it for a pretext. But ſuch as minde only their Maſters glory, with trembling and innocent hands turne over their Maſters booke; and interpret it as it is meant, to direct us the way to Heaven, and to bring us to ſalvation.

2. We may auoid them; by cleaving to that word, which they are ſtill cleaving a pieces. Thou ſhalt protect them in thy Tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Out of the Tabernacle of God, wee meete with the contradictions of the World, with a world of contradictions: which way ſo ever we turne our ſelves, there is no end of controverſies. That as in the burning of ſome danke and ſobby fewell; we cannot ſee the fire for the ſmoake: So the light of the Scriptures is dusked by the vapours of controverſies. Whileſt green wits range abroad into the woods and thickets of Schoolemen, that wilde Forreſt of Polemicall Divinity; they cannot eſcape vnſcratched. Thoſe bryars and brambles plucke of the wooll of the ſheepe. They that love ſuch intricate and perplexed walkes, had need of iron-ſhooes, for they tread upon thornes. I deny not but there may be a ſober uſe of thoſe abſtruſe queſtions; but then they muſt be read with ſober eyes: otherwiſe there is more danger in being ſnared with difficulties, than hope of benefit to our ſaving knowledge. The Dove that keepes her cloſe in her neſt, thoſennCant, 2.14. clefts of the rocke, is not troubled with theſe wilde flutterings. Adhere to the Church, and therein to the Scripture, whereof the Church is the depoſitary, not the Iudge. In the tabernacle was the Arke, and in the Arke the Teſtimonie. The Tabernacle was but the huske, the Teſtimony was the kernell. Never tell mee of the huske without the kernell; of the Tabernacle, without the Teſtimony. The Tabernacle was ordained for the keeping of the Law: and the cuſtody of the Goſpell is alſo intruſted to the Church. But as the Teſtimony was the life of the Tabernacle, ſo the life and ſoule of the Church is the Goſpell. On this bleſſed covenant let us reſt our faiths, and it ſhall bring reſt to our ſoules.

They wreſt the Scriptures to their owne deſtruction.] That which is ſaid of Tapers; quod me alit, me extinguit: or of the creatures, that Nutrimenta may be made Nocumenta: ſo alſo of the Scriptures; that verbum vitae, the Word of life may bee ſo diſtorted from vita verbi, the life of the word, till it becomes Eſca mortis to us. Like an over-charged Cannon, it may recoile upon us, and braine us with the ſplinters. That which God gave us for a ſpirituall Sword, wherewith to wound out enemies; may be ſo wreſted out of our hands, that it becomes a ſword for our enemies, wherewithall to wound us. As the Taper is put out by an inve…ſion of it: the fire ſhould be above the oile, and ſo it burnes; but if the oile gets above the fire, ſo it drownes. Or as the creatures are noxious only by the abuſe: meat nouriſhes, exceſſe of meat ſuffocates: wine chears the heart, too much wine overheats and endangers a Surfet. So it is with the Scriptures; Take them in their pure, proper, naturall, and genuine ſenſe; they are the Bread of life, and the Waters of life, and the immortall Seed of life: there is nothing but life in them. But as Paul ſaid of the Law;ooRom. 7.10.Rom 7:10 The Commandement which was ordained to life, I found to p. 1464be unto death: So Heretikes may ſay of the Goſpell; What God meant for our life, that we have abuſed to our owne death: yet ſtill the Covenant, no leſſe than the Commandement, isppRom. 7.12.Rom 7:12 holy, and just, and good. Ex perperam intellecta Scriptura natas haereſes. Hilar. August. in Pſalm. 67. Tertul. de Reſur. c. 40. Iren. l. c. 1.Ps 67Hereſies are raiſed out of the Scriptures, though they be revincible by the ſame letters. Irenaeus cals it Imaginem confictam & refectam, ex regiâ (quae est in eâ) Divinâque Imagine diſſoluta. Wicked men will build errors upon the Pillar and Ground Trueth. Foure Obſervations are here offered to us.

1. Hypocrites and Impoſters never meddle with the Scriptures, but to wicked purpoſes. This project they learned of their father:qqMatth. 4.6.Matt 4:6 Caſt thy ſelfe downe, for it is written, He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee. Hee knew the baite that Chriſt would ſooneſt bite at: that he relyed upon nothing ſo much as the voice of his Father: If any ſtratagem can prevaile, it muſt be a pretence of Scripture. Therefore he drawes out his Scriptum eſt; dealing with the ſharpe, and blading it out with the Word of God. He, forſooth, is a lover of the trueth; and will perſwade Chriſt to nothing, but what he hath Scripture for. Hee does not alwaies ſhew his hornes, but ſometimes vaile them with holineſſe. What an honourable teſtimony was given by that Maiden, poſſeſſed with a ſpirit of Divination?rrAct. 16.17.Acts 16:17 Theſe men are the ſervants of the moſt high God, which ſhew unto us the way of ſalvation. Who would looke for the Devill, under the habite of ſuch good counſell? He is the father of lies, And will hee beare witneſſe to the trueth? He knew Paul to bee a ſworne enemy to his kingdome, and yet he rings the Bell to his Sermon, and gathers a great audience about him. But he had another drift in all this: he made a ſhew to underprop the trueth, but he meant to undermine it. By the maids repeating and clamorous noiſing of it, hee hoped to worke a ſuſpition in the hearers, that Paul and the Devill had compacted together. Hee hath Scripture for Chriſt; and a faire teſtimony for Paul: yetſſMatth. 4.7.Matt 4:7 Chriſt ſtrucke him downe, andttAct. 16.18.Acts 16:18 Paul threw him out. So his Factors, to prove their hereticall tenents, make bold with the Scriptures: as, in the Fable, the Foxe never praiſed the Law, but when it might make him a way to his booty.

2. This is the cauſe of many mens irreſolution, the diſſonant interpretation of the Scriptures: in that all men, of all Religions, doe alleage it. The places ſeeme to contradict one another: Chriſt alleadgeth it, the divell alleageth it: what ſhall we doe? Which way ſoever we take, it may be the wrong. Therefore ſome lie downe, like Iſſachar, betweene both the burdens, and ſue out a writ of eaſe for their conſciences; thinking it beſt to let all alone. Muſt we needs be either Gnoſtickes, or Sceptickes? Becauſe we cannot know all, ſhall we examine nothing? To leave the war, wherunto we are lawfully preſſed, till we have diſputed the cauſe, which belongs not to us, is but a baſe tergiverſation and flinching. Becauſe our enemy hath recovered ſome of our Artillery, and plaies upon us with our owne Ordnance, Shall we therefore quite abandon all the reſt of our Munition? Becauſe we cannot reconcile both parts, Shall we be ſo civill and manerly as to diſpleaſe neither part? Though one ſide be falſe, wee muſt not ſhift our ſelves from all inquiry of the trueth. We might as well feare to eat, leaſt we ſhould be choaked: or leave watching, and ſet the gates wide open, becauſe the enemy will hardly be kept out. Let us not turne that to ſecurity and idleneſſe, which God hath made the matter of our excerciſe. Wherefore ſerve thoſe Promiſes:uuMatth. 7.7.Matt 7:7 Seeke, and ye ſhall finde: xxIoh. 7.17.John 7:17Hee that would doe the will of God, ſhall know his Doctrine. If wee bee not prepoſſeſſed with prejudice, our heavenly Schoolemaſter will teach us. And if wee underſtand not ſo much as will make us learned, yet ſhall wee underſtand enough to make us bleſſed.

3. The foreknowing that doubts will ariſe, ſhould make us more skilfull in the way to cleare them. It is written, ſaith Chriſt: It is written, ſaith the Devill: If they bee written, they are both true: If true, How are they contrary? And contrary they muſt bee, being cited by Enemies. The Text cannot ſpeake: p. 1465What reſolution then is there for the Conſcience? Shall we make the Scriptures like Waxe, ſuſceptible of any impreſſion? Or like Bels, tunable to the eares of the Hearer? Though the printed letter cannot ſpeake; and they that wrote it are in Heaven: yet there are meanes to come by their meaning. Firſt, Prayer; that it is a Key to thoſe heavenly Myſteries. Qui docuit orare, dabit & intelligere. He that gives us the underſtanding to pray, will alſo give us the underſtanding that wee pray for. O Lord, Teach mee thy Statutes. Secondly, examination of the words; what they, bee in the Text, what in the Context: whether proper or figurative. Hee that makes a propriety of ſpeech of a figure, is like him that tooke the curtaine for the picture. Thirdly, the drift and ſcope of the place muſt be weighed. To the Ruler that asked what hee ſhould doe to inherit eternall life, aaLuke 18.20.Luke 18:20Chriſts anſwere was a direction to keepe the Commandements. Not that Chriſt meant, the way was by the workes of the Law; as the Papiſts gather from it: but to confute his opinion that thought ſo, when as hee could never fulfill it.bbRom. 4.3.Rom 4:3 Wee are justified by faith, ſaith Paul: ccIam. 2.21.Jas 2:21wee are juſtified by workes, ſaith Iames: Saint Iames dealt with them that ſtood too much upon faith without workes: Saint Paul dealt with them that ſtood too much upon workes without faith. The one a Iuſtice of Acceptation with God, the other a Iuſtice of Approbation before men. Fourthly, Scripture muſt be conferred with Scripture: it is Index both Sui and Obliqui. Compare that of Saint Peter; dd1 Pet. 4.8.1 Pet 4:8Charity ſhall cover the multitude of ſinnes: with that of Solomon; eeProv. 10.12.Prov 10:12Love covereth all ſinnes: then we ſhall finde, that it doth not cover ſinnes before God, as the Papiſts would have it: but qualifies and hides them from men, as God would have it. Fifthly, that which is not proportionable to the Analogy of faith, and agreeable to the rule of trueth, is a wrested Interpretation. This is my Body, If I take it for the ſubſtantiall fleſh of Chriſt, as it was upon earth; this croſſeth a Commandement, Thou ſhalt not kill; yea, it croſſeth my Creed, which bindes me to beleeve that Hee is in Heaven. I know that in Scripture ſome things are not expreſſed, which are yet implyed: Scriptura non dicit, ſed non contradicit. If it croſſe not the rule of faith, it may bee received: the honeſt and beleeving heart ſhall be inſtructed.

4. This is no diſgrace to the Scriptures, that they are depraved by Heretikes: nor is it a wonder, to heare Hypocrites quote that authority, which Satan himſelfe hath not ſpared to cite. Though Scripture bee oppoſed to Scripture, yet this muſt not withdraw the determination of matters from the Booke of God: for none can better trie the trueth, than the Spirit of Trueth. When the Devill had abuſed that place; Pſal. 91.11. by enforcing the promiſe contrary to the Commandement; making that abſolute, which in it ſelfe was but conditionall: as if the Lord, who would protect him in his …aies, would alſo protect him out of his wayes: which was to adulterate the Scripture: yet this detracts nothing from the glory of it, becauſe Satan and his Impes meddle with it. Nay, this rather graceth it; for their very allegation it a ſecret acknowledgement of the honour due to it.ffMatth. 4.7.Matt 4:7 Chriſt therefore did not throw away his weapon, but ſtriketh with the ſame ſword, wherewith He was ſtricken: and makes an holy uſe of that to his Fathers Glory, which to his diſhonour was abuſed by the Adverſary. The Word of God is not the worſe, becauſe theſe men have depraved it. The Bee gathers hony on the ſame ſtalke, from which the Spider ſuckes poiſon. Some have been poiſoned by their meats and drinkes; yet either theſe things muſt nouriſh us, or nothing. Though the bloudy Hel-hound ſlay a man with his weapon; yet the Souldier may layfully gird a ſworde to his ſide.ggIoh. 11.50.John 11:50 It is expedient that one man ſhould die for the people: A Caiaphas ſpake it; muſt not we therefore beleeve it?hhNumb. 23.10.Num 23:10 Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my laſt end bee like his: Though this were the wiſh of an inchanter, yet the prayer will doe well in the mouth of an honeſt man.iiAct. 16.17.Acts 16:17 Theſe men ſhew us the way of ſalvation, ſayes the Pythoneſſe: yet Paul will not deny himſelfe to be a Preacher of ſaluation, becauſe ſhe affirmes it. p. 1466And if the Devill tranſforme himſelfe into an Angell of light, ſhall therefore the good Angels forgoe their light? The intemperance and ſurfet of an epicure, does not make our ſober appetites out of love with our dinner. It may bee the Devill by alleaging of Scripture, meant to make Chriſt weary of his weapon: as the faſhions of apparell, when they are taken up by the baſe, are caſt off by the great. And it was one cauſe, why Chriſt afterward forbad the Devill even to confeſſe the truth, becauſe his very mouth was a ſlander.

It is Satans old tricke, to counterfeit an Imitation of the ſonne of God: Chriſt alleageth a Scripture to him, and hee re-alleageth Scripture to Chriſt. What one act ever paſſed the hand of God, which Satan did not apiſhly attempt to ſecond? they that quote Gods Word againſt the Authors meaning, are the heires apparant to Satan. If we ſeeme to follow Chriſt in the outward action but with contrary intentions, we doe indeed but follow the Devill in following Chriſt. It is not poſſible for Impoſtors, to finde out a better colour for their hereſies, than out of the Scriptures. Therefore with that Heavenly gold, they guild over their baſe metall, that it may paſſe current. The Prince of darkeneſſe will not ſcorne to borrow ſo much of an Angell of light, as to ſeeme godly for a miſchiefe. If hypocrites deceive us with the glorious luſtre of holineſſe, wee ſee where they have learned thoſe projects. Yet is not our Saviour diſtaſted with the Scripture, becauſe the Devill miſ-layes it in his diſh: but rather he ſnatcheth the ſword out of that impure hand, and beates him backe with that uſurped weapon. It is not the letter of the Scripture, that can carry it, but the ſenſe: while we ſeparate theſe two, we profane both. The Scripture is one, as that God whoſe it is: where it ſhewes any appearance of difficulty or inconvenience, it needs no light to cleare it, but what it hath in it ſelfe. All doubts that may ariſe from it, are fully anſwered by collation. It is not the glorious flouriſhes of hypocriſie, but the eaſineſſe of our ſlothfull credulite, that abuſeth us.

I know indeed, that many ſoules are betrayed by corrupting that truth, whoſe vertue is ſoveraigne and ſaving. There is no Devill ſo dangerous, as the religious Devill. Yet as David would not doubt to eate of that ſheepe, which hee pulled out of the mouth of the Beare or Lion: ſo let it be no ſcruple unto us, to fetch our owne patrimony out of the hands of the Philiſtines: and to ſeeke for ſalvation in that Arke, which they joyned with their Dagon. Good meate put into a ſtomach corrupt, feveriſh, or hydropicall, doth not more nouriſh nature, than the diſeaſe: yet we doe not thereupon forbeare utterly to feed: but rather ſtrive to purge out thoſe bad humours, which cauſe the offence. The Lord hath given us light; let us beſeech him alſo for cleare and ſound eyes, that wee may take comfort in the light hee hath given us. Let not the divine Table of Chriſt bee made a ſnare to our ſoules. The Word of God is holy, O that our hearts were ſo: then ſhould we finde that word not more true, than cordiall. And after all theſe depravations and cloudes of darkeneſſe caſt before that bleſſed light; wee ſhall ſee it as plainely, as the Sages did the Starre, and it ſhall bring us directly to Ieſus Chriſt. It followes.

1To their owne deſtruction.] They make a faire buſineſſe of it; ſo wresting the booke of Grace, that they quite wreſt themſelves out of the Booke of Life. To ſay nothing of thoſe ſacrilegious Poets, that have turned the ſacred ſtory into playes and enterludes; and preſented that on the Stage, which was ordained for the Pulpit. But if a man playes with God, hee ſhall finde God in earneſt with him. Two cauſes of this perverſion are principally here aſſigned by the Apoſtle: the want of knowledge, and the want of ſobriety: unlearned, unstable.

What innumerable abſurdities have ſprung from the former, Rome can give you a large Inventory. Ignorance paſſeth among them for one of the Graces, (I had almoſt ſaid) for one of their Sciences. The mother of devotion they call p. 1467it: the blinde mother of as blinde littor: ſuperſtitious devotion, the daughter of mopiſh indiſcretion. Ye worſhip ye know not what: Iohn 4.22.John 4:22well may they worſhip they know not what, that are religious they know not how. Laymen are eſteemed as hogges; and muſt not bee allowed thoſe precious pearles.In 1. Tit. pag. 105. Eſpencaus relates the ſpeech of a noble Italian Biſhop: Our countreymen are terrified, ſaith he, from the ſtudy of Divinitie, with feare of incurring hereſie: as if error ſprung from the knowledge, and not rather from the ignorance of the Scriptures. When an old Prieſt of theirs heard a young man alledge Scripture out of the new Teſtament, he wondred at it: and proteſted that he had bene a Prieſt fifty yeares, and yet never knew what the new Teſtament was. The prohibition of the Bible was ſo ſtrictly urged, that it was more danger to be found reading a chapter of it, than counterfeiting the Kings coine. This appeares by that ancient law in our kingdome; that in many criminall offenſes, he that could but read a Pſalme in Latine, though he underſtood never a word of it, ſhould be exempted from the ſecular power, as being fitte to make a Clerke of. This law is ſtill continued; not that all ſuch as can read, are fit to be made Prieſts, but to mitigate the rigour of the law in petty offenſes. Now they have tranſlated the Booke of God into diverſe vulgar Languages: but ſtill, as they have corrupted it with falſe gloſſes, ſo they teddar it up within certaine limits. It is not permitted, but to ſuch as have a diſpenſation from their Ordinary, or that by their yearly revenewes can diſpend ſuch a ſum of money: As if hereſie could faſten upon none but beggars: or the rich only, and not the poore, ſtood in need of comforts. Thus the Title which Epiphanius gives to all heretickes, belongs principally to them; Lucifugae, the lovers of darkneſſe.

For the other cauſe, the want of ſober judgements, how ſhall wee doe to excuſe 2our ſelves. We have too many of thoſe that wreſt the Scriptures.

1. Reprove a ſenſuall gallant for his voluptuous life, ſhared out into play, dalliance, drinke and ſleepe, and he hath Scripture to defend it.kkEccl. 2.24.Eccl 2:24 There is nothing better for a man, than to eate and drinke, and make his ſoule enjoy good in his labour. God would have a man to enjoy good in his labour; but what is this to them that never labour in good? There is a particular calling; follow that, there is a generall calling, to labour in the vineyard of ſalvation;llPhil. 212. worke out that: When you have done both theſe, if there be any ſpare time left, you may goe play. But it is a ſacrilegious impiety, to make that word the buckler of ſinne to defend it; which is given for a ſpirituall ſword, to kill and mortifie it. Such men wrest it to their owne destruction.

2. Rebuke a worldling for his ſcraping rapacity: tell him that Covetouſneſſe is idolatry; that it brings on a catalogue of curſes: He contradicts you with Scripture: mm1 Tim. 5.8.1 Tim 5:8That man is worſe than an infidel, who provides not for his Family. As if men muſt needs provide for their owne, by taking away other mens: and could have nothing to leave their children, but that which they purloyne from the children of God. Hee that buyes a patrimony for his childe, with the loſſe of his owne ſoule, hath but a deare purchaſe, a very hard bargaine. There is a true ſtory of a rich oppreſſor, who had ſtored up a great maſſe of wealth for his only ſonne: This man falling into ſickeneſſe, and thereby into ſome remorſe, called his ſon to him, and told him how aboundantly he had provided for him: withall asking him, whether he did truely and really love him. The ſonne anſwered, that nature (beſides his paternall indulgence) bound him to that. The father being now in his ſicke bed, farther puts him to it; how he would expreſſe this love to him: the ſonne ſaid in any thing that he ſhould command him. Hereupon, his father chargeth him to hold his finger in the burning candle, but ſo long as hee could ſay one Pater-noſter, without removing it. The ſonne attempted it, but could not endure it, Yet ſayes his father, to get thee wealth and a large eſtate upon Earth, I have hazarded my ſelfe to Hell; for the welfare of thy body, I have p. 1468ventured my ſoule: Thou canſt not ſuffer the burning of a finger for mee, I muſt burne body and ſoule for thy ſake: Thy paine is but for a minute; mine muſt be unquenchable fire, even torments for ever. By this conſideration, being melted into repentance; he reſtored all the gaines of his unjuſtice, made the poore partakers of his riches, abandoned all worldlineſſe, and was recovered both in body and ſoule to the Lord. As hee hath many followers in his baſe avarice, ſo I would to God he had ſome in his gracious repentance. Little doe gripulous fathers, that what was forty yeers a gathering, ſhould be ſpent in one Chriſtmaſſe-revelling.

3. Reprehend a diſſolute liver for his inordinate courſes: perſwade him to a ſeaſonable repentance: tell him that hee hath no promiſe of forbearance: that many are cut off by ſuddaine death in the midſt of their ſinnes; or juſtly delivered over to hardneſſe of heart, and finall impenitency: yet hee can prolong his ſenſuall pleaſure, by a warrant of Scripture: nnEzek. 18.27.Ezek 18:27At what time ſoever a ſinner repents, &c. Thus, what is written for his conſolation, he tutnes to poyſon: of his phyſicke and reſtorative, hee makes a drinke of intoxicating deſperateneſſe. Alas, why did God give us his Word, but that we might be ſaved by it? Why are we not left in blindneſſe, like the Heathen; but that the Lord intends this gracious light for our converſion? Shall we make that our encouragement to bee evill, which God hath ordained to bring us to goodneſſe? The Goſpell is our Fathers will; ſhall we dare to interline it? To get a falſe legacy, ſhall wee forfeit the true? It is our Charter; the covenant that God hath made with us, to ſave our beleeving ſoules in Chriſt: ſhall wee ſubtilly picke words and cavils out of our evidence, to overthrow our owne inheritance O why ſhould we wrest that to our owne destruction, which is meant for our ſalvation? There bee ſayings, by which a profane ſoule heartens himſelfe on to lewdneſſe: and yet even thoſe, the tender conſcience takes for motives to repentance. There bee ſentences, from which a too late repenter will ſucke deſperation: and yet they that ſeeke the Lord earely ſhall receive from them his morning deaw, his ſeaſonable mercy, his ſweet compaſſion. In a word, let us neither extenuate thoſe places that make againſt our ſinnes, nor miſconſtrue thoſe that make for the peace of our ſoules. So whiles we doe no way wrong the Scripture, it ſhall every way comfort us in Ieſus Christ, Amen.