Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 73
CHAP. LXXIII. Of the word of God: and of the confirmation thereof by wonders.
THe Lord being about to giuegive his lawe vntounto the Israelites by the ministerie of Moses his seruant, doth aforehand warne Moses therof, & this he telleth him, that he wil be seen of him in a darke clowd. Of this the Lords strange and wonderfull appearing, there are two ends or causes; the first was, that hee might get more credit to his law, and also to Moses the Minister of the law. The second was to shew Moses his weakenes & infirmitie, whereby he might be humbled. And for the first, wee see that when the Lord would bring to passe any mighty workes, he did withall shew such mightie signes, as made his works with reuerence to bee receiued, and those whom in his businesse hee had appointed Ministers, to bee well accepted. In the day of Elias, when the law had lost credit in the hearts of men, and was little or nothing at all regarded, then did the Lord wonderfully, worke by his seruant Elias, and did great things by his hands, that credit might once againe bee wonne vntounto his law. And when hee brought his sonne into the world, by whom he would publish the Gospell, euen the sauing health of all men, such works were shewed, as had not beene from the beginnings, and such wonders were wrought, as made all men amazed, at such time as these more than ordinarie mercies were brought and offered vntounto the world, whereunto these extraordinarie works were coupled and adioyned, and therefore such works cannot ordinarily be looked for, because they were neuer ordinarie. For if such works, and signes, and wonders should now be looked for, and if we should attend vntounto them, and beleeue them,Wonders. the Lord would then hauehave warranted them to vsus by his word, and then hee would hauehave foretold vsus, that such things should after come to passe. And hath he done this? No, no, hee hath taught vsus another lesson, and cleane contrarily hath he admonished vsus, when he biddeth vsus beware of false Prophets, which come to vsus in sheepes clothing, and would purchase credit to themselues by lying signes and wonders. Seeing therefore that there shall be many such false Prophets, especially in the latter daies, which shall be sent abroad euen into all places, effectually to delude those that hauehave not receiued the truth in louelove. And againe seeing the Lord is not bound to meanes, but hee will worke, when, and where, and how it pleaseth him, that we may wisely iudge of them, and discerne the spirit of error from the spirit of Truth and life: it shalbe profitable for vsus to set downe some true notes of those wonders which are set out to vsus in the Word: if by cōparing them together, it may appeareNotes of diuine wonders when, and how farre they must be receiued, and contrarilie, when we may and ought to refuse them. The first note or difference is in the works themselues; the other is in the persons by whose ministery they are wrought: & for the works themselues, which God hath extraordinarily wrought, there hath euermore such Maiestie appeared in them, that the finger of God might be so plainly seene, that all men, yea, euen wicked sorcerers hauehave bene brought and forced to acknowledge the same: and though the Diuell can turne himselfe into an Angell of Light, and his ministers make a shewe as though they were indeede the ministers of righteousnes; yet let them worke what they will, and say what they can, neither their workes nor wordes shall beare such an apparant shewe of Maiestie, as the workes of God hauehave euer done. EueryEvery man therefore may plainely see God in his workes, and none shall bee deceiued by the othes, but those that louelove to belieue lyes, and are willing to deceiue themselues, whome God doth iustlie giuegive ouer to bee deceiued, and to fallWho be deceiued with the lying wonders of Antichrist. from Faith, because they loued not to abide and stand stedfast therein. For as an Ape, of all other liuing things most like a man in shape, & yet most vnlike of all others in qualitie and condition, can deceiue none: but eueryevery one will easily know an Ape from a man, vnlesse they be fooles or children, or such as will bee willingly ignorant: so betweene the workes of God, and the lying wonders of the Diuell, there are so cleare notes of difference that all may easily discerne them, but those that shut their eyes that they may not see, and harden their harts that they cannot vnderstand. The children of God do receiue such wisdomeSimile. from aboue, and such knowledge doth the Lord in merciemercy bestow vponupon them, that they are able to discerne the spirits, to trie their workes, whether they be of God or no, and to seuer true doctrine from the false. And albeit the Lord sometimes correcting them for their sinnes, doe suffer them for a while to bee deceiued, and that they might hate falsehood the more, doth let them a little bee deluded therewith: yet because the Truth of God it cannot faile, not an haire of their heads perish, it is impossible that they should for euer fall away; it is impossible that they should finallie be deceiued, and become open enemies of the Trueth, or obstinate maintainers of a lye. Secondly, the Lord did neuer raise vp such extraordinary worke-men, or shewe such extraordinarie workes, but it was either to confirme the doctrine that had bene taught, to get further credite vntounto it, or else to make it more cleere, and to giuegive a greater light vntounto the same: As we see in Moses, who came to bring the Law vntounto this people; not a new Lawe, nor contrarie to that which was before, but hee renewed it, confirming, and making it more cleare, and that which they had before, deliuered from hand to hand, that hee gaue in Tables, and that which they afore had practised, he giueth forth vntounto them now in Precepts. For by the whole story of Genesis it is soone perceiued, that not onelyonly the morall Lawe contained in the two Tables,The law Morall was before Moses, and obserued in the in the Church before it was written. but euē the Ceremoniall & the Iudiciall law were knowne vntounto Abraham, and others, that liued before the law; it was neuer lawfull for them to hauehave any more gods but one only and true God, and so consequently that his pure worship, which was according to his will. The Sabbath was obserued and kept not onelyonly in Paradise, but euen of the Israelites, when they were in Aegypt, before they came to the wildernes: which they could not hauehave done, had they not receiued it by traditions. The duties also in the second Table were as common, and as well knowne as any others were. And when we reade in Genesis of Priests, and Altars, and sacrifices, differences betweene cleane and vncleane beasts, &c. it doth easily appeare that the substance of the Ceremoniall law was long before Moses his time: the death of adulterers, and the punishment of murtherers, doe plainely declare that they had the politicall Law before the dayes of Moses; & that he was not the first giuer therof vntounto the people: he taught therefore no new or strange doctrine, nor yet contrary to that which was before. He was only the means to confirme it, and to make it more easily to be vnderstood, for he deliuered it in plainer māner than it was deliuered vntounto the Fathers. The Prophets did expound it more plainly then he▪ and as eueryevery Prophet was more nere the time of Christ, so did he bring greater light to that which went before. Iohn Baptist had cleere reuelations than any of the Prophets. For our Sauiour doth prefer him before them, not in respect of his person, but in respect of his office and calling: but the Lord Iesus euen our God and Sauiour, & our onelyonly Prophet of al others, hath brought most cleere light, which hee hath reuealed and made knowne vntounto the world, both by himselfe, and the Apostles: whose Epistles and writings are by many degrees more plaine and manifest than the writings of the Prophets which were before them. And do we not see, that since the time thatThe light of the Gospell hath dispeld the mist of Popery. the Lord began to renue the light of the Gospell, and to deliuer vsus (as it were) from the darknes, wherewith we were well neere oppressed? Doe we not see, I say, that greater light doth more and more appeare, & that many things are now more manifest than they hauehave beene in former times and ages? Moreouer, the law had testimony from the couenāt made with Ahraham, Isaac and Iacob. The Prophets did proue their doctrine by the law, and the couenants, and our Sauiour hath his witnes out of the law and the Prophets: and his Apostles did draw their proofe from all. The law is in the Gospell, and the Gospell in the law: and therefore whosoeuer shall not make their doctrine agreeable to the law & the Gospel, they may, nor ought not to be receiued: but in the boldnesse of Gods good spirit, we may say with S. Paul, Let them be accursed. For the Lord is not contrary, nor vnlike to himselfe. As the spirit spake in old time in the Patriarkes and Prophets, so spake he in the Apostles of our Sauiour Christ, and so will he speake in his true seruants and ministers to the ende of the world: there is with him no variablenes nor shadow of change, but hee abideth euer the same, most like vntounto himself: and so doth his word, which is of the same nature. Whosoeuer then shall b…ing vntounto vsus any doctrine not warranted by Gods word, or contrarie to that which before hath beene deliuered: yea, if he bring it in harder and more darke speeches, than the word of God is, or if hee deliuer it more strangely or obscurely, and yet wil beare vsus in hand, and make vsus beleeue that he hath cleerer reuelations, we may then iustly suspect him of vntruth, and vtterly refuse him, further than by certaine grounds & reasons out of Gods word, he doth confirme his Doctrine. And as we may rightly hold all the doctrines of men accursed, when they speake or write any thing contrary to the holesome word of truth, or else doe adde anything thereto. So likewise if any shall take away from the word of God one iot or tittle: we may in the feare of God, and in the zeale of his truth pronounce against him that sentence, wherewith God in great wisedome hath closed vp his holy Scriptures: The Lord will take his part out of the booke of life, and out of the holy citie, and out of those things which are written in this booke.
2 Iohn saith, the Spirit bloweth where it listeth, so also as much as it listeth, sometimeThe Lord often vseth vehement speeches to spurre our dull hearts. breathing softly like the coole ayre, and sometime like the whirle-winde: for man is full of wandring thoughts, and imaginations, especially when he heareth the word: but nothing is more dangerous than the yong mans heart, which is in all places of the world at once, if you speake not what he thinketh, he doth not attend, if hee be not astonished: and for this cause doth the holy Ghost often offer galling concessions, and pinching permissions, as Eccl. 10. God seemeth in such speeches at the first to fauour sinne. But as we lift vp a thingIn Rhethorike. high, to driue it the harder, so God vseth such speeches to throw them to eternal destruction, to breake them to fitters. Yea we would thinke the Lord to be a proctor of euill, if heePermssio cum Catastrophe. should not sometimes be very vehement. The bitterest kind of deniall is to bid vsus go, yet so …ine would God worke on our heart, that he vseth such vehemencie.In Logicke.
3 It is as farre from God his nature to deride any man, as it is for him to repent: but ourPer obliquum ductum. sins are so great, that if it were possible, yee should make him a scoffer. But as when saluationWhy God vseth vehemencie of speech, and how we must reade it. is wrought in the highest measure, it is wrought in greatest compassion; so the highest point of reuenge is derision. Wee know the nature of God is full of pitie, and (vnlesse it be to very euill persons) his speeches are full of compassion. Speake my people, saith he, Micah. 6. And Esay. 5. What hauehave I not done that I could doe to thee? And, Oh that my people would hauehave heard, Psal. 81. And when they would not heare, he speaketh to the dumbe creatures: Heare heauen and earth, Esay 1. And Christ saith, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, &c. These are good and royall speeches, which are very sweete, and sweetnes it selfe. But when he speaketh to the desperate and wicked, he changeth his speech into sharpenes, as Mat. 6. If light be darknes, how great is that darknes▪ If sweetnes become bitternes, how great is that bitternes? EueryEvery thing, when it degenerateth into his contrarie, becommeth most contrary, as of the sweetest wine is made the sowrest vineger, and that, which is coldest, when it is boyled, is most feruent, the sea calmest, when it is moued, is most raging. Augustine saith, that hisRisus Dei prae omni ira Dei. quod cum risu loquitur, t… leges cum luctu. laughter is more to bee feared than his anger. That which he speaketh with laughter, let vsus reade with weeping. For God neuer vseth such speeches of derisiō, but there followeth immediatly destruction. Prou, 1. 26 27. Psal. 2. Hee will laugh them to scorne, and then will breake them in peeces. And because this is the last warning before iudgement, when wee finde the Lord speaking so vntounto vsus, it is as much, as if he should say: Now heare the word, or neuer. Well these speeches are vsed to wilfull sinners, as Micaiah speaketh to the King, that would go to battaile, whatsoeuer came of it, Go to and prosper, Prou 2. Because you hauehave not heard any word, nor profited by my sermons, nor by my inward checks, nor come when I shewed out my benefite, but refused my correction, then commeth this: I will laugh at your destruction. Ephraim will needes follow Idols, well let him saith God, Iosu 4 Psal. 2. We will not be yoked: and will ye not? goe to, the Lord in heauen will yoke you. And againe, such as drinke iniquitie, till they hauehave no vse of God his gifts in them, woe be to them.
4 We must redeeme time euen from our ordinary callings, to read the holy Scriptures.
5 It is best to note the general vertue of the word, and not to vse exceptions, but vponupon particular and constraining necessitie.
6 It is the grace of God, when the word of God is of such credit with vsus, that it humblethA speciall grace to be humbled by the word. Wonders. vsus more than all manner of corrections.
7 The vsuall dealing of the Lord is, that hee first sendeth his word, then his wonders: which if they preuaile not, then doth hee fall to afflicting vsus, and the ending of one crosse shall be the beginning of another, till he hath brought vsus to him, if we be his; or till we bee hardened, if we belong not to him.
8 The word of God is the sauour of life to some, and the sauour of death to others, *So the sinne hardneth the clay, but softe neth the wax Sacraments. Admonition.it bringeth some to repentance, and others it hardeneth.
9 We must esteeme highly of the Sacraments, & admonitions of our brethren, because in contempt of these we despise Gods ordinance, and they can neuer hauehave their fruit in vsus. For whosoeuer hauehave felt the fruites of the spirit, can tell that nothing is so comfortable to vsus, as that great ioy, which they felt in the right vse of these holy ordinances of God. And hereof commeth that continuall ioy which the children of God take and finde in reading, hearing, and speaking of his word, prayer & Sacraments. Therfore let vsus learne to esteeme the word of God, which hath been offered so long, and let not our corruption as in other things, so in this lesse esteeme it, because it hath been long with vsus, which through corruption we shall doe, if God by his great grace doe not sustaine vsus.
10 Our father Adam had nothing to leade him by, but the great booke of the creatures, which when by sinne it was blotted, the Lord supplied this want by the word though notThe Fathers of the first age had the word. written (which is cleere) (for that without faith it is impossible to please God) but Abel by faith pleased God, and that faith presupposed the word, therefore they had the word: for which cause some were called the sonnes of God, because they were ruled by the word of God. And this word is said by the Apostles and Prophets, that it endereth for euer: therefore our Fathers had this word, though not alwayes written.
11 We must learne principally those things, which the spirit of God most purposeth to teach vsus, and be more sparing in those things, which to knowe, Gods spirit is the more sparing to teach vsus.
12 Although the word of God is alwayes in season to be ministred, yet mens hearts are not alwayes in season to receiue it.
13 To one that said she had a thing told her in the spirit that should vndoubtedly come to passe: he answered, how it might bee of God: who after some great and grieuous conflict, comforteth her. But euermore such workings are according to the word, if they be of God. And seeing such inward motions, for the most part are either offered or wrought by our owne corruption, or sent of the diuel, as an illusion: we must trie these motions by the word, whether they be for spirituall or temporall things: if they be of God and according to his word beleeue them for the words sake, and not onelyonly because of the reuelations: if they agree not to the word how pleasant soeuer they seeme to flesh and blood, listen not then to them too much, and lesse beleeue them.
14 The word of God is reuerenced with many titles, it is the reuealed will of God; theTitles giuen to the word. librarie of the holy Ghost; the cubit of the Sanctuarie; the Lanterne of Israel, Psa. 119. …09. the spirituall Manna; Christ his Aphorismes; the wisedome of the crosse; the Lord his legacie; the touchstone of error; the key of the sheepfold; the mystery of godlinesse; the oldest way of life and truth, Prou. 28 the fulnes of knowledge; the Schoole-master of mankind;Duo ecclesiae vbera. the beacon of the soule; the seede of new birth; the mouth of the Lord Iehouah; the twoedged sword; the acts and statutes of the highest Parliament; the mint of the Church; theCum Deus aliquid dieit, etfi…d non ampl…us quam seme… dicat ea fide ac deuotione accipien dum est, ac …i saepissimè dixerit. Chryso…t▪ aduers. vituper. Monasticae vitae. lode-starre of the faithfull pilgrim; the signe… of God his right hand; …he Lambes book; the watch-b…l; the glasse of our life, 1. Pet. 2. 2 the scepter of his kingdom, the arch of the truth; the breath of the holy Ghost; God his Oracle; the Epistle of God to the world; the inestim…ble pearle; the tenour of our freehold; the couenant of promise; the Court-roule of his fi…es and amercements; the well of the water of life; the Lord his treasurie; the lightning and thūder of the most High. Whē God speaketh any thing, although it be no more than once spoken, we ought to receiue it with that faith and deuotion, as if it had often bin spoken. Wee must thinke of the Lord his writings at the least, to be as sure▪ as the proclamations of the Medes and Persians, which alter not, Dan. 6. 12. Euerie iot & title in the librarie of the holy Ghost, is fined, hath passed seuen times through the fire, ere it come to our hands, so it shall not neede the furnace of our vaine reason, for it further triall, Psal. 12. This word was giuen first by God in his owne person: secondly, by the ministerie of Angels: thirdly, by his seruants the Prophets: fourthly, by his owne Sonne, Coloss. 2. 3. it was written, 2. Pet. 1. 21. it was inspired, 2. Timoth-3. …6 it is perfit, Prou. 30. 6. Deut. 4. 2. it is plaine, Ioh. 7. 17. Whereunto we must giuegive our diligence, bewaring that the rule of our obedience be not our owne good intent, wil or deuotion: nor the rebellious affections of our corruptWill worship. nature: nor that wisedome, inuentions, doctrines of the carnal man, nor the examples, customes, fashions, manners of the world, but onelyonly the pure and perfit word of God, which is compared to a sword for the cleauing and deuiding of the hard heart. If a sword will not serue, it is compared to fire for melting, and dissoluing of such, as wil not giuegive place to the edge: but if we be so stonie, as fire will not do vsus good, it is an hammer to batter, bruise, and …ush vsus in peeces.