The Christian Synagogue, Book 3
THE THIRD BOOKE.
Of the confirmation, illustration, application, and the blessing of Doctrine.
CAP. I.
Of the Confirmation of Doctrine.
IN confirmation of Doctrine the man of Canon.God must labour to conceale Art.
bOrigen.As Moses comming from the Illust.Mount, put a vayle vponupon his face, when his face did shine, that the people Exo. 34. 33.might not see it: s… should the Preacher obscure the shining of humane learning, lest the Crosse of Christ be made of none effect, 1 Cor. 1. 17. that is, lest the conversion of men be ascribed rather to humane eloquence, then to the power of Christ; and that the same be not said of the Gospell, which Alexander said of Achilles; who counting him happy that hee had Homer to describe his prai?ses; therefore our Lord made choice of Fisher-men.
No testimony taken from Apocryph Bookes, can Canon.serue for confirmation of Doctrine, for their testimoniie is but humane.
If I testifie of my selfe, my testimonie is not true: That is, Confir.I being but a man as ye take me, and should testfie of Iohn 5. 31.my selfe, my testimony were not true.
The facts of the Machabees are cited by the Apostles: Obiect. and ben Syrah hath a PRoverbe, Quantulus ignis, Heb. 11. 33.Quantam materiam accendit; The more the fire is, the more matter it burnes; and is vsed by the Apostle Iames?
When the Apostles cite their testimonies, they make Answ. them authentique Scripture, which wee cannot doe.
We are not to cite the Fathers as witnesses in matters Canon.divine, vnlesse their speeches may be warranted out of Gods word.
The Spirit of God preferres the knowledge of the Illust. 1.latter Divines to their knowledge, for they are brought in by Iohn, Revel. 15. 6. With their girdle about their paps, as Christ, Revel. 1. 13. is girded; but before, in the first age of the Church, they are brought in with their girdle about their middle, not comming so neere to that state of knowledge and perfection which is in Christ, as the later Writers who liued after them.
All the time that the Fathers liued, the Chrystall Sea was turned into blood, for then a mountaine was cast into the Sea by Patriarkship, erected in the Church; but in the latter times, it is Chrystalline, Revel. 15. In the dayes of Constantine, the Sunne was blacke as Sackcloth, and the Moone turned into blood: Christ is never said to come downe, as in the reformed time: now he comes downe with the Rainebow about his head, which is a signe of faire weather: it was clouded in the dayes of the later Fathers.
In reasoning against Papists, the Fathers testimenies Canon.are of singular vse.
That their owne children may be thier Iudges, (as Christ Illust.speakes) because they trust so to them.Mat. 12 27.
In matters of fact their testimony is no demonstratiue Canon.proofe.
Eusebius testifies, that the Monks liued in Alexandria, in the time of MArke the Evangelist: but Eusebius was mistaken here, as all our Divines testifie.
In a testimony of fact, whether Peter came to Rome or not, the Ancients many of them affirmed it; but our later. Divines many of them by sound reasons improue it.
The testimonies of many of the Fathers are not to Canon.be beleeved for them, but against them.
Nemini credendum est in causa sua: None is to be beleeved Illust.in his owne cause. Clemens Anacletus sayes, cClemens Anacletus.Suppose their writs were true, yet they make nothing for the Popes. Iohn 5. If I testifie of my selfe, my testimonie is not true. Idem non erit testis & reus: One cannot be a witnesse, and be guiltie.
The testimonies of the Popes, if they make any thing Canon.for vsus, are good against themselues.
Cuilibet testi adversus se testimonium ferenti credendum: Illust.EueryEvery witnesse bringing a testimonie against himselfe is to be beleeued.
So Paul cites a testimonie out of Epimenides (although a lyer) against those of Creet.
The Fathers write sometimes foreign, and not Canon.foreign: they are more to be credited in the second, then in the first.
dBasilius. Epist. 54.Basil said that the Father and the Sonne were not Illust.foreign: When Gregorie Nocaesariensis obiected this to him, he ansered that he said it not foreign, but foreign.
ePeronius.Peronius the Cardinall sets downe two Rules, to try whether the testimonie of the Fathers is to be admitted.
The first is, that we must hold them for a sufficient consent, to whom the most famous of every Nation consent in affirming a thing, and none hauehave opposed themselues to those, who are holden to be Orthodoxe.
The second, when the fCausabon. epist. ad Peronium, Pag. 32, 33.Fathers speake not this as Doctors or Teachers, when they say this or that is to be done; but when a switnesses, they say, that such a thing is to be beleeved, which the Catholique Church does or beleeues.
But how shall we know that the rest of the Fathers Quest. disagree not; for many of their Bookes are perished, and many of the worthy Fathers wrote nothing: wherefore consEtn is not a sure way that we must walke in; for then we shall be killed with thirst, as those who went Iob 15.to Tema expecting water?
Thou shalt not acquiesce in the iudgement of many to goe Answ. out of the way, Exod. 23. 2.
Schoole Theologie is more to be taken heed to, for Canon.it fell out in a more darke age.
If wee shall consider the manner of their disputations, Illust.or the pietie which is showne in their writs.
They erre in their disputations, three manner of wayes First, gMisner. Acad.in their ilde and vaine questions: 2. In obscuritie of words: 3. In their manner of disputation.
Their questions for the most, are either superstitious, idle, or curious, as the most of their hypotheticall propositions.
The words which they vse, are barbarous, improper, obscure, and out of vse.
Thirdly, the manner of their disputations. Oftentimes they dispute, Ex alienis principijs, out of other principles. They confound Theologie and Philosophie; Vide fusiorem disputationem in academicis Misneri This is Mataeologia.the media, which they vse oftentimes, are impertinent, for one question they bring oftentimes innumerable arguments and disputations probably on both sides, without any decision; and they trust too much to the testimony of man.
For piety Bucer sayes well; hBucer.that there is more pietie to be found in Seneca, then in many of them, and it is to be marked; that the iAntonius histor. particul. tertiotitulo 18. cap. 6.three pillars of poery, Gratian, Lumbard, and kHistoria Paparum 380.Comestor, (Gratian for their Cannon Law, Comestor for their History, and Lumbard for their Schoole Divinity:) were three Bastards borne of one Whore; the Fathers of this bastard Theologie.
This Schoole Theologie (so far as it advanceth humane Philosophy, and is abused, or obscureth the truth of the Gospell,) they make it a part of the smoake which comes out of the bottomlesse pit: and Paul to Timothy sayes, Languent circa quaestiones & pugnas; They 1 Tim. 6. 4.dote about questions and strife of words: They referre this to their idle distinctions. Nicholaus Clemanges compares them to the lNicol. Cleman.Apples of Sodome, which hauehave a faire skinne, but are full of rottennesse within: and one sayes well of them, mReynold.Quod illotis pedibus ingressi sunt sanctuarum domini, & sape distinguunt vbi lex non distinguit… that they hauehave entred into the sanctuary of the Lord with vnwashen feete, and they oftentimes distinguish, where the Law distinguisheth not.
Some of their distinctions being purged from barbaritie, and applyed clearely, may hauehave good vse. The Iewes hauehave a Proverbe, nTalm Babaylon.Comede dactylos, sed proijce foras duriciem eorum; Eate Dates, but cast out their stones: and hereiin Iunius excels.
We are not to cite the Heathens testimony for probation, Canon.in matter of atih, or supernaturall veritie.
This were to goe to the Philistims to sharpen our Illust.1 Sam. 13. 20.weapons. The Axe of man polluteth the Altar of God: No man might lift vp an iron tooke vponupon those stones: to Deut. 27. 5.teach vsus, that mans wisedome is but foolishnesse with God. It was Myrrha libera that made the oyle of the Candlesticke: Exod. 30. 23. it was called libera, because it was free from all kinde of mixture; so must the word be. What hath the dhaffe to doe with the wheate? Abraham Math. 3. en 140 23.would not take of the King of Sodome so much as a shooe latchet, that it should not be said, that he had made Abraham rich. So the Lord will not vse the testimony of man, that it be not said, that they hauehave made him rich in sortifying his Scripture.
Paul vseth but their testimony thrice. Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 35. Titus 1. 12. Secondly, when hee cites them, he conceales their names. Thirdly, hee brings them not in, to confirme any point of faith. Fourthly, Peter who was the Apostle of the Iewes, never vsed them; neither did Paul in the Synagogue, but onelyonly against the Gentiles. Clemens Alexandrinus wrote a booke which he cals oClem. Alex.foreign, (as yee would say) woven after the manner of coverings, mixed with the testimonies of Scripture, Poets, Philosophers, and History: but this was against the Gentiles. One sayes well, pThomas Aquinas.Ex profanis probabilia, Of the Scriptures things necessarily follow, but of profane things they follow probably.
No Preacher can bring in his owne testimonie, Canon.(This I say to you.)
Christ as God, vsed this forme, Math. 5. (I say vntounto Illust.you;) but the Prophets say, Thus saith the Lord.
In citation of Scripture wee are not alwayes bound Canonto cite the Chapter and Verse.
In the Apostles citations, the Chapter is but once Illust.cited, (As it is written in the second Psalme:) but Heb. 2. Acts 12.6. Testatus est quidam alicubi, But one in a certaine place testified: he conceales the name. So Heb. 4. 3. Dauid sayes: he sets downe the name. So Rom. 10. 25. Hosea sayes.
But Luke 4. 17. sayes, foreign in the verse. Therefore Obiect. See before medium 3.it should seeme, the verse is sometimes cited?
This was not a verse, it was a part of Scripture, or Answ. Haphtara in the Prophets.
In citation of Scripture for probation, wee are not Canon.bound to keepe the same order as in reading of a Text.
It is one thing of purpose to set downe a Scripture, Illust.and another to cite a Scripture for confirmation. In Exodus the Commandements are set downe one way; Exod. 20.in Deuteronomy, thsi order is not kept: because he is Deut. 5. 6.interpreting the Law, & not setting it downe. So when Christ cites the Commandements, he sets adultery before muther. So the Apostle, Rom. 12. Why? Because he is not of purpose handling them, but vsing them there fore probation: But in setting downe the Text, and interpreting it, he must not alter a Lot.
The Church of Rome then, and the Lutherane Churches, are to be blamed, when they set downe the Commandements for the ground of their doctrine; they alter the forme set downe by God him-selfe, confounding the first and second Commandement; and dividing the last into two, to make a probation for their graven images.
CHAP. II.
Of the Illustration of Doctrine by Comparisons.
COmparisons are either in similitudes or examples.
Similitudes must bee taken Canon. 1.from things that are.
Quintilian sayes that Examples may Illust.be taken gQuint institut. orat. lib. 3. cap 11. & lib. 8. cap. 3.àre gesta, vel tanquam gesta, from things that are done, or seeme to be done: but similitudes must be taken from things which are indeed.
As the deafe Adder stoppeth her eare when the charmer Psal. 49.charmeth: If the Adder stooped not ber eare when the charmer charmeth, the similitude would not be borrowed from it.
Beniamin is like a Wolfe, parting the prey amongst her Gen. 49. 27.young. If the Wolfe parted not the prey amongst her yong ones, the similitude could not be taken from her.
Similitudes must be taken from things which the Canon. 2.people are most acquainted with.
If I hauehave spoken vntounto you earthly things: that is, heavenly Illust.thing vnderunder earthly similitudes. It is a good observation Ioh. 3. 12.of Theophylactus, that the Lord tooke every man in his owne tredde, applying himselfe to that which they vnderstood best; as to his Disciples, follow me and I will make you fishers of men: because they were acquainted most with fishing.
He set a Starre before the wisemen; because they were Mathematicians, and studied to the Starres.
The soule of my Lords enemies shall be in a sling: the 1 Sam. 25. 3.comparison is taken from a sling, because Dauid was most acquainted with it, when he kept his Fathers sheepe.
Comparisons are taken in the Scripture from things Canon.naturall, artificiall, ceremoniall, and morall.
From things naturall.I.
Thou keepest me as the apple of thine eye: the eye hath Psal. 17. 8.fiue tunicles or preservations to keepe it. 1. Aranca: Comparatio explicita.2. Retiformis: 3. Vvea: 4. Cornea… 5. Adanta tunica, which is next the eye: to signifie the speciall protection of God over his Saints, he compares them nto the apple of the eye.
The Law perisheth, destuit lex: it is a speech borrowed Habac. 1. 4.from the pulse of a man; for as wee know the constitution of a mans bodie by his pulse (if it stirre not, he is dead; if it be violent, he is in a fever; if it be moderate, he is in a good constitution:) so the Law is the pulse of the Common-wealth; if it stirre not, then the Common-wealth is dead; if it hauehave a violent course, then the Common-wealth is in a fever; if it hauehave the iust and ordinary course, then the Common-wealth is in a good constitution.
They shall commit whoredome, and shall not increase: Hosea 4. 10.foreign they shall play the Mule, who is a beast exceeding lip paridu. Implicita.libidinous, but yet nothing comes of him: or they shall play the Mule, Cum meretricibusd separationem faciunt; that is, they beget bastards who are of a strange kinde, like vntounto the Mule.
From the Fowles.
Ieremy compares a covetous man to the Partridge; Iere. 17. 11.the Partridge gathers the egges of sundry sowles, and Explicita.hatches them; but when she hath taken paines to hatch them, they take their wings and leaue her: So doe riches, when men hauehave scraped them together, they take their wings and flye away.
And Ephriam was like a seduced Doue: onelyonly the Hosea 7. 11.Doue laments not when her young ones are taken from her. So, Ephraim lamented not when Gods hand was Hos. 12.vponupon him.
Iere. 12. 9. Is my inheritance, as tincta anis? for as all the birds gather about the bird of divers colours, so doc the enemies against the Church.
foreign, non obtorpui, I was not chrageable: foreign Plin. de piscib.2 Cor. 11.is torpedo, the Crampe-fish; who hath such a benumming power in her, that the cold will come from the hooke to the line, from the line to the goad, from the goad to the arme, from the arme to the bodie of the Fisher: so sluggishnesse and benummednesse spreads from one to another like a canker.
They creepe into houses. In the Syriack it is Machaldim. foreign Viverra.2 Tim. 3. 6.Chalda is a Fervet: For as the Ferret seeks out all the corners and secrets of the Clapper: So doe Heretiques craftily creepe in, and diue into the houses, that there they may deuoure.
From Artificiall things.II.
From hunting of Beasts.
Wilt thou catch the wilde Asse but in her mouth? The Ier. 2. 24.wilde Asse cannot be catched with the Hunters, but in her mouth; that is, when shee is bag'd with foale: So sinners will not be catcht, but when the hand of God is vponupon them, and bag'd with afflictions.
From Fowling.
Aucupabantur sermones eius: The word is properly, Luke 11.Capiebant visco: a speech borrowed from Fowlers.
From feeding of sheepe.
Psal. 23. Thou feed'st. Therefore the Pastors are called foreign, from foreign, to feed on the greene pasture.
From running in the Olympicke games, and from wrastling.
foreign, was when two were running in the Olympicks; the one out-runnes the other, and takes his crowne from him: So they should take heed, after that Col. 3. 15.they hauehave professed, and runne so long, that others take not their Crowne from them. So foreign, and foreign, to prepare themselues to the combat. So foreign, from thence foreign, Luke. 2. of Anna, because shee sitterd her selfe for the continuall service of God. Hence this life by the Greekes was called foreign. See Exod. 38. 8.
From warres.
foreign, quasi cuspide captus, taken by the Speare. foreign.2 Pet. 2. 12.Ier. 2. 8. they are said to handle the word, which signifies of purpose to handle, taking heed of it; as those who goe to warre are said to handle the Shield.
From husbandry.
Ephraim delighted in threshing, but not in plowing: Hos. 10. 11.That is, in the profit of Religion, but not to plow vp his heart: for so long as the Oxe was threshing the corne,l his mouth might not be muzled. The Heathen put pausicape, an Engine vponupon the beasts mouthes, that they might not eat when they were treading out the corne: foreign. So Prov. 3. Arare mendacium. So Syrac. 7. 13. Ne exares mendacium. Of this husbandry Iob speakes, Iob 4. 8. They plow iniquitie, sowe wickednes, and reape the same.
From the Silver Smith.
The bellowes are burnt, the lead is consumed by the fire, Ier. 4. 6.the welter melteth in vaine, for the drosse cannot be taken away. The Silver-smith when hee would melt his Silver, he puts in Leade with it, the Leade consumes, but not the Silver. The Leade are the bad Israelites, who consume by the preaching of the word: but those who would seeme the true Israelites, are like the Silver, continuing in their sinnes; the melt not by the preaching of the word. The Latines call this, replumbare argentum, to leaden the silver.
From the Fuller.
Psal. 51. *Kibbiseni. Cobes, a Fuller.Wash me, play the Fuller vponupon me.
From embroydered tapestry.
How wonderfully hast thou made me below in my mothers Psal. 139. 15.wombe; thou hast *Rukamti.fashioned me like a cunning peece of Art as-worke, or Tapestry; wherein God hath showen his great cunning, drawing as it were divers draughts in the bodie of man, his arteries, sinewes, muscles, veynes.
From sayling.
1. Tim. 1. 19. Shipwracke of faith. Faith is the pretious ware carred in a good conscience, which we loose if we take not heed to the ship.
From Physicke.
1. foreign, prescribing a dyet, 1 Tim. 4. 6. they are sicke about questions, then he subioines, cure them by whole some doctrine.
2. foreign, by prescribing of Physicke, either simple or compound. Simple, Esai 1. Non emolitur oleo: This was the vse of the Balme of Gilead. Compos'd Reuel. 3. 16. as Colyrium, Anoint thine eyes with eyesalue.
3. foreign, by setting of bones, Gal. 6. foreign, in binding vp the wounds, Ezech. 34. confractum non obligarunt. Esai 1. non compressa neque ligata, so, cutting of the Gangren, 2 Tim. 2. 17. so, mortifying the old man, Col. 3. 5. from the mortifying of the dead flesh before the member be cut off; so 1 Tim. 4. 2. cauterizing, seared with a hot iron.
From Ceremoniall things.III.2 Tim. 2. 15
To cut the word of God aright. A speech borrowed Illust.foreignfrom the cutting vp of the sacrifice, in which there was great skill required; the liuer was left hanging vponupon the right side; the heare and the lungs vponupon the channell bone, the milt vponupon the left side, and the kidneyes vponupon the rumpe: so there is great skill requisite in cutting of the Word of God, to giuegive every one their owne Portion.
Let his iniquitie returne vpen his owne head: when the Psal. 7. 17.Beast was killed, the Officer laid his hands vponupon the head of the Beast, and he said, Let this Beast beare the guilt of all my sinnes: so Dauid his meaning is, that the wicked shall beare the guilt of their owne sinnes, and bee killed for them: so the Egyptians cut off the head of the Sacrifice, and with Imprecations cast it into the River Nilus, wishing all the evill to fall vponupon Alexander, ab Alexandro.that head, which should hauehave fallen vponupon the Offerer.
And the soules of those who were slaine for the Word of Revel. 6. 9.God, lying vnderunder the Altar crying: The blood of the Sacrifice Illust.was poured to the bottome of the Altar, Leu. 4. and from thence cryed vp ward as it were; so, the soules of those who were killed for the truth, cryed vnderunder the Altar for vengeance to God.
Turne his Sacrifice to ashes: when the Lord approued Psal. 20.a Sacrifice, He sent fire from heaven and burnt it.
Let my Prayer ascend as an euening Incense.Psa. 102. 25.
So, Let me not ascend with the wicked: a Comparison taken from the smoake of the Sacrifice, which when it ascended, scattered abroad: so the soules of the wicked when they dye, are not gathered into the bundle of life, but are scattered before the Lord.
Wash me with Hyssop: a Comparison taken from the Psal. 51. 9.purging of the Leper, which was the last Purgation: Leu. 14. 4. Dauid, in token of full remission prayes this.
From things morall.IIII.
Thou gatherest me vp like a foundling who is cast out to Asuph, A Founding.Psal. 27. 10.perish: this is proper to all the Children of God, who are adopted in Christ.
To dandle, Esay 66. 12. Yee shall sucke the glory of the Gentiles, and shall be delighted vponupon their knees: where he alludes to the custome of mothers, who dandle their children vponupon their knees.
From things politicall.V.
I am the sonne of thy hand-maid: a Comparison taken Psal. 116. 16from those who were children of vernae domus, borne in the house: so Dauid was borne in the Church; he was vernae Eclesiae filius.
Let the double of the Spirit of Elias come vponupon me: that 2 Kin. 2. 9.is, as the eldest sonnes get double Portions: so I being the eldest sonne of the Prophet; let me hauehave twice so much of his gifts as any of the rest.
We must marke wherein the nature of the Comparison Canon.holds: sometimes it holds in genere, but not in specie.
The Angels sinned *foreign.as they: He spake before of the Iude. 7.sinne of the Sodomites; how did the Angels sinne as they? Peccarunt fimili genere, sed non specie; they sinned in the same kinde, but not after the same manner.
We must marke in what species the comparison holds: Canon.The deafe Adder stoppeth her eare. What sort of Adder is Aspis.Psal. 57.this?
Dan is like a Serpent biting the Horse-heeles. What sort Coluber.Gen 49. 17of Serpent is this that bities the Horse-heeles?
Our dayes passe as the Ships of desire. There are sundry Iob 9. 26.sorts of Ships of desire: when a man sees a goodly Ship, that is a Ship of desire: when a Merchant longeth for his Ship laden home, that is a Ship of desire: but these expresse not the shortnesse of our dayes. A Ship of desire then, is a swift Pinnace, or a Pyrates Barke made for to catch the prey.
The Comparison is sometimes in the smell, btu not Canon.in the colour.
Thy lips are like the Lillie: If the Comparison be not Cant. 5.marked rightly here, we may be deceived; for the commendation of the lips of the Church was, that they were red like the scarlet, Cant. 4. 5. Now to make them white as the Lillie were impertinent, therefore the Comparison is in odore, as before it was in colore.
And his feete was like fine Incense, foreign, Rev. 1. 15.signifies here masculum or forte thus: foreign signifies here, thus, Incense, because the Incense grew vponupon Libanus. The comparison is here in the smell, and not in the sight.
And shee was leprous like the snow. Marke wherein the Numb. 12. 10.Comparison stans: Shee was white in leprosie as the snow: The snow is not leprous, therefore the comparison stands in the colour.
In eueryevery Comparison there must be some Dissimilitude.Canon.
Analoga sunt foreign, sed non foreign: Proportions are alike, Illust.but not the same. Christs body is not divided in parts, as the Bread; therefore there is no Analogie betwixt Christ crucified, and the Bread? It followes not; for similitudes disagree in some things.
Similitudes are not to be taken from things altogether different: as an *August.ancient Writer makes a comparison betwixt the ten plagues of Egypt, and the ten Commandements: so those who make the comparison betwixt the 70. D…les, and the 70. Palme trees; the 12 Fountaines, and the 12. Apostles: here the comparison is farre sought.
The Comparison must agree in the maine point, Canon.else it is not a Comparison: it was a very vnfit comparison of the Iewes, who said, Ezech. 18. 3. The Fathers eate sowre Grapes, and the Childrens teeth are set on edge: as though the Children were punish onelyonly for their Fathers sinnes, and not for their owne also: so it was not a pertinent Comparison of Bias the Philosopher, who said, when the gods punished the Grand-child, for the Grand fathers sinnes; it was all one, a sif the Doctor gaue the Grand child a drinke for the stone, which the Grand-father was troubled with: this Comparison was impertinent. But let vsus make the Comparison thus: The Father is a Leper and the Sonne also; the Doctor giues not onelyonly a drinke too the Sonne for the Fathers disease; but for that which he hath also from his Father.
Comparisons must not be wrested further then the Canon.scope of the Comparison requires.
As the body is without the soule, so is faith without workes: Iam. 4. 2. 26.here the Papists gather, as the soule is the forme of the bodie, and animates it; so are workes the forme of faith, whichanimate faith: but the Comparison is wrested here; for the meaning of the Apostle is, as by the operation and presence of the soule, the bodie is knowne not to be dead; so faith is knowne not to bee dead by workes: Haec perfectio, non est per informationem, sed declarationem: This perfection is not by information, but by declaration.
The soule is taken here for the breathing of the soule; as Esay 3. Gentlewomens Masks are called Domus animae, that is, the house of the soule.
The Church is the Pillar of truth: the Papists make the 1 Tim. 3. 15.Comparison here; as the Pillar vpholds the House, so is all truth grounded vponupon the Church: but the Comparison is wrested here: but it is the Pillar of truth, (like a Pillar, thta wee vse to hang out things vponupon) so the Church holds out the truth; but the truth of the Gospell is not grounded vponupon it.
When the holy Ghost borrowes Comparisons from Canon.bad things, he approues them not.
We commend not Orestes for killing of his Mother, nor Medea for murthering of her children; but we commend the Painter who can liuely paint them: the grunting of a Sow is an ill-favoured noyse; yet we commend him who can skilfully imitate it: so in a Comparison, it is the imitation onelyonly that is respected, & not the thing it selfe.
As the Charmer charmeth: Here Dauid of purpose chooseth Psal. 88.the very words which are forbidden in the Law: Chober, signifieth conioyning or consociation, the Chaldie name Rakan is murmuring. So, from a thiefe, Rev. 16. 15. from the vnrighteous Iudge, Luke 18. from the vniust Steward, Luke 16.
If you would praise a thing, take the Comparison from stately things, as in the Canticles.
If you would dispraise, take your Comparison from base things, 1. Thes. 3. 3. Nemo commoveatur foreign, from a fawning dogge, who moues his taile to and fro.
The note of similitude (as) signifieth, fiirst, the likenesse Nota.foreignof a thing, but not the truth, he shall come as a thiefe in the night: secondly, the truth, but not the likenesse, Wee saw him as the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God: Ioh. 1. Ephes. 5. 8. That yee may be as the children of light (that is) verily the children of light, Hos. 3. 4. This people are like those who contend with the Priest: (that is) they verily contend with the Priest: thirdly, the qualitie, but note the equalitie, LoueLove your neighbour as your selfe, rim. 13. 18. So, Luk. 11. 4. Forgiue vsus our sinnes, as we forgiue: fourthly, both the likenessse and the truth, Heb. 2. 17. Wherefore in all things it behoued him to be like vntounto his brethren.
God taught his Church by Parables.Canon.
A Parable consists in one of soure things.
The first is foreign, when the nature of the thing maketh the Comparison; as in the Parable of the seede, the varietie of increase of the word.
The second is foreign, the disposition is onelyonly marked, as he compares himselfe to Children piping in the market; to expresse the comfortable meanes hee vses to winne soules.
The third is foreign, Passion, 2. Thes. 5. 2. 3. Hee shall come as a thiefe in the night: So, Like to a woman in travell.
The fourth is foreign, when the action is onelyonly regarded without any other circumstance, Luke 16. 6. He made him friends of his masters money: so should we by giuing of our goods to the poore; he commends not the fact here, but solertiam, the diligentnesse.
CHAP. III.
Of the Application of Doctrine.
APplication of Doctrine, stands either in Canon.rebuke, or consolation to a sinner; vnderunder which two, all other Doctrines or instructions are included.
Of Rebuke.
Rebuke is the first part of Application, applying the word against the sinne of the sinner. The Spirit of God is foreign, and hath diversitie of gifts: yee see amongst the Apostles themselues, there was one who was the sonne of thunder, there was another Benerges Barnabas. Zelotes.who was the sonne of consolation, there was one who was the sonne of zeale, Simon Cannites; the gift of thundring must come first, and then comes the gift of consolation.
There are three sorts of sinners, who are to bed reproved: Canon.the simple sinner, the relapse sinner, the craftie sinner; but the malicious sinner, is not to bee reproued.
1. The simple sinner.
The simple sinner: he is called Pothe, simplex, such a one foreign simplix. I.was the young man, whom the whore inticed and led Pro. 20. 19.like an Oxe to the shambles, he is called simplex columba, Hosea 7. wanting the prudence of the Serpent: vponupon Iere. 12. 5such fooles they cast a net before them.
These simple sinners are to be pittied, and the reproofe against such should not be so sharpe. The Apostle Paul willeth vsus foreign, to binde vp; it is a speech Gal. 6. 1.borrowed from Chirurgina,s who with a kinde of slight and cunning put the bone in its owne place againe.
The King of Aegypts daughter had an Impostume in her Pap, shee could suffer no Chirurgian to touch it; one takes a water-Spunge, and demands of her whether or not shee could suffer the water-Spunge to touch her Pap? In the meane time, he hath secretly a Penknife inclosed within it, and with that openeth the corruption: Physitians giuegive Pills rolled vp in sugar, that the Patient may the more easily swallow them.
2. The relapse sinner.
The relapse sinner is in a more dangerous estate then Canon.the simple sinner; and therefore must bee otherwise handled.
This sin in the Scripture is called Shani, foreign, twice foreign Relapsus II.dyed, as Scarlet; this sin is hardly washed out, like a residivatio Esa. 1. 18.in Feavers, which is dangerous.
Here wee must take heed of Novatus his errour, who held, that there was no pardon for relapse sinners: Constantine said well to a Novatian Bishop, Tolle scalas Aetij, & solus Coelum intrabis, Take away the ladders of Aetius. and thou onelyonly shalt enter into Heauen: meaning of repentance to relapse sinners.
To such sinners the reproofe is to be increased.
When the Iewes sold and bought in the Temple, the first time, Christs reproofe was more milde; Why make Calvin.Ioh. 16.yee the house of God a house of Merchandise? But the second time when they fell into that sinne, he sayes, Why make yee the house of God a denne of thieues.?Mat. 21. 13.
3. The craftie sinner.
The craftie sinner si more hardly to bee wonne, Canon.Astutus. III.and here there must be great skill in reclaiming him.
Sometimes he deies the sinne, Pro. 30. 20. Shee wipes Negat.her mouth, and saith she did it not.
Sometimes the craftie sinner hides the sinne: Iosephs Celat.Brethren dipt his Coat in the blood, and said A wilde Gen. 37. 31.Beast devoured him.
The Iewes tooke out of the house of God the Sieling Ier. 22. 14.and Sieled their owne houses with it, and that it might not be knowne, they painted it over with Vermillion.
The Iewes giuegive an example of Sauls hiding his sinne, in numbring the people, 1 Sam. 14. 34. He called them *This is not taken here for a proper name, because it hath foreign before it, Battisahim pro Behattilahim, which proper names hauehave not.battilahim; but Targum hath it (in agnisd Pascatis) Lambes for the Passeover: for they thought it was not lawfull to number the people, and to eschew this, they caused eueryevery man to bring a Lambe, and so they counted the Lambs, and so know how many were of the people. As the Romans circumven'd that Statute; when they were forbidden to carry wooll out of Tarentum, they would not carry wooll, but they carried sheepe: so they, when they were forbidden to number the people, yet they would number the Lambs.
To discover the craftie sinner, evidences would bee brought in against him; as Tamar to Iuda, Whose Signet Genm. 28. 25.is this? So Samuel to Saul, What meanes the bleating of 1 Sam. 15. 14.those Ewes? So the Prophet Esay 65. 4. The broth of the Swines-flesh is found in your Vessels: therefore a great probabilitie that yee hauehave eaten Swines-flesh.
Sometimes the craftie sinner extenuates the sinne.Exp. 32. 24.
I cast it in the fire (sayes Aaron) and of this came the Calfe: Extentuatio.it was little hand that I had in the matter.
Exaggeration of the sinne is contrary to this.Exaggeratio.
Moses exaggerateth Ararons sinne, that he made the Exo. 32. 25.people naked; So Dan. 9. 5.
By this example, you may exaggerate the guilt of Christs blood in his Sacrament, in those that receiue it vnowrthily. The Iewes when they murthered Zachary, Luk. 11. 51.first they murthered a Prophet: secondly a Priest; (for hee was a Priest also:) thirdly, vponupon the Sabbath: fourthly, in the Temple: fiftly, at the Altar (whih was the place of Refuge: lastly, where there was no dust to cover the blood; (for when they shed blood, they were to cover it in the ground.) But thou when thou receivest it vnworthily, art guiltie of this blood: First, thou art guiltie of the blood of that great Prophet Christ: secondly, of that great high Priest: thirdly, vponupon the Sabbath thou killedst him: fourthly, vponupon the day of expiation: fiftly, in the Temple: sixtly, at the Altar, (which is the place of refuge to poore sinners) the holy Table: lastly, where there is no meanes to cover the blood.
So, the exaggeration of Salomons sinne. 1. He committed this sinne when he came to maturitie of age, and had passed his young yeares in holinesse. 2. When Prov. 30.hee had beene now indued with divine and humane knowledge by his Parents. 3. When he had given most excellent Precepts of manners. 4. When hee had built the Temple to the worship of God. 5. Being a Prophet.
So the exaggeration of the sinne of Ierusalem, compared with Sodome. 1. If there had beene fiue righteous in Sodome, the Lord would not hauehave destroyed it; but there were moe righteous in Ierusalem, the fiue, when it was destroyed. 1. Ieremy. 2. His Scribe Baruch. 3. Ebed-Melech the Blackmore. 4. The Rechabites, therefore the sinne of Ierusalem, must be greater then the sin of Sodome.
Sometimes the craftie sinner transferres the sinne on another.Transfers.
Adam cast over the sinne vponupon God himselfe, The woman Gen. 3. 12.which thou gauest me: As if he should say; If thou Lord had done thy part to me, I had not fallen in this snare.
When Iudas brought backe againe the thirtie pieces of Math. 27. 4.of silver, and cast them downe at the feet of the Scribes; they say, What is that to vsus? See thou to it; they cast over all the blame vponupon Iudas.
Contrary to this is retortion; the throwing backe the sinne vponupon the sinner himselfe. When Ahab challlenged Elias, that he troubled Israel, he turned the blame backe vponupon himselfe, that it was he and his Fathers house that troubled Israel. So Numb. 16. 3. Yee take too much vponupon you, yee Moses and Aaron: but Moses, vers. 7. returnes the blame vponupon themselues, Yee take too much vponupon you, yee sonnes of Levi.
The craftie sinner shifts from one shift to another.
When Moses bad Pharaoh. Let the people goe, Exod. 6.Tergiversatur. foreign. how many tergiversations vsed he: first, that they should Sacrifice in Egypt, Exod. 8. 8. Moses answeres to that, That were abhomination to the Egyptians. Exod. 8. 26. Secondly, That they should goe, but not farre off, Exod. 8. 28. Moses answers, They must goe three dayes iourney into the Wildernesse, Exod. 8. 27. Thirdly, They should goe, but not their young ones. Exod. 10. 10. Moses answers, They must all goe, Exod. 10. 19. Fourthly, they should go, But leaue their Cattell behinde them, Exod. 10. 24. Moses answereth, Not a hoofe will wee leaue behinde vsus, Exod. 10. 26.
For the crooked and shifting sinners, rebuke them with that speech of David, Psal. 18. 26. With the gratious Saint, thou wilt show thy selfe gratious: with the perfect man, thou wilt show thy selfe perfect: and with the froward, thou wilt show thy selfe froward. The Chaldie Paraphrast, applyeth the gratious Saint to Abraham, Targ. Babylon.the perfect man to Isaak, the pure to Iacob, and the froward to Pharaoh. Wilt thou vse crooked and indirect shifts in thy sinnes? The Lord will deale as frowardly with thee.
Spirituall wisedome is to be vsed in reclaiming them Canon.backe from their sinne againe.
In reprouing such, follow Christs rule: first, tell them privately; if they will not heare, then take two or three witnesss; if yet they mend not, then publique admonition comes; and if that doe not the turne, then publique and particular application by name. See how Christ called Herod a Fox. The Lot when it was directed against Achan, first it fell vponupon the Tribe: secondly, it fell vponupon the Familie: thirdly, vponupon the houshold: and lastly, vponupon the person of Achan; hee hid his sinne ever till it lighted vponupon him. The craftie sinner is not moued, when the threatning is given out generally against the Nation; neither when it is given out against the Citie where he dwels, nor when it comes to his familie; till in particular it come to his person; and till it be said to him, Thou art the man. Sinne is a shamelesse thing, yee may spit seven times in the face of it, before it blush.
For these publique sinnes, publique rebuke. Hosea 7. Castigabo eos iuxta auditum coetus ipsorum: That is; As the Prophets hauehave publiquely threatned them in their meetings, so I will punish them.
The reproofe must be given in louelove.Canon.
The rebukes of those who rebuked thee, lighted vponupon me.Confir.
The Apostle when hee exhorts vsus to beare one with anothers Psal. 69. 7. Rom. 15. 3.infirmitie, he brings in the testimony of Dauid. When Dauid speakes those words, he is pars laesa, the partie hurt: The Apostle when he brings in Christ there, he is pars offendens, the partie offending, carrying our sinnes vponupon him. When wee see a man offending God, wee should be angry, as though it were done against our selues. First, this will breed zeale in vsus, and make vsus zealous against the sinne. Secondly, when wee see others offend, wee should remember that we may be over-taken with the selfe-same sinne, and then it will breed compassion in vsus. This will temper the reproover, and it will make, Vt ignis zeli ardeat oleo misericordiae; that the fire of zeale may burne with the oyle of mercy. Rebuke not in anger, for then Satan would but cast out Mark. 3. 23Satan.
The reproofe must not be kept backe for sinistrous Canon.respects of persons.
1. For covetousnesse. Ezech. 13. 19. For hand-fulls Illust.of Barley, and pieces of Bread: this the Prophet calls dawbing. Gregory fitly expresses the *Gregor. Nazianz.Comparison: Ezec 12. 28for when a man dwells in a ruinous house, the Mason comes and plaisters it over, making him beleeue that all is well; then the house falls and smothers him: so such flatterers emplaister ouer matters, till the wrath of God fall.
So the reproofe is not to bee kept backe for feare. Canon.Ezech. 3. 9. Feare not thei faces. Rev. 21. 8. Without shall be the fearefull. Such fearefull who feare men more then God.
In rebuking thou shalt rebuke them, thou shalt not beare Lev. 17. 19his sinne for him, gnalau. So Psal. 44. Wee are killed for thy cause, gnalai. If thou rebuke him not, thou shalt beare his sinne, or, suffer not his sinne to be vponupon him: wee are commanded, Not to suffer the Beast to lye vnderunder the burden.
IIII. The vngodly or malitious sinner.Impius. IIII.
The last sort of sinners are reschagnim, impij peccatores.Canon.Iude 15.
Malitious dogges are not to be reproved.Canon.
Cast not pearles before swine. Dogs will turne againe and Math. 7. 6.rent thee.
We hauehave a notable example in Elias, who would not goe to Iehoram to reproue him, but left a Letter to be 2 Chro. 21. 22.sent vntounto him after he was dead.
There is a sin, 1. which is vitium saculi, the sinne of Canon.the age. 2. There is a sinne, which is vitium gentis, the sinne of the Nation. 3. There is a sinne, which is vitium vecationis, the sinne of the office. 4. There is a sinne, which is vitium personae, the sinne of the person.
Vitium saculi, when the whole age is corrupted I.with a sinne: such was the sinne of Polygamie in the dayes of the Fathers: because this sinne was generally in all, yee shall finde it seldome reproved by the Prophets. In publico peccato par catur publico; In a publique sinne, there is a publique passing over: As Iosuah did, Ios. 5.not cutting off the Israelites, who were not circumcised in the Wildernesse. So 2 Kings 10. 20. He destroyed not the Priests who sacrificed to the Idols. In the time of publike defection, the Romanes in their publike mutinies, Solebant decimare exercitam, were wont to tythe the Armie.
Vitium gentis, is when a Country is much given to II.sinne, but not vniversally.
Thou laidst like an Arabian by the high way: That is, like Arabs & latro permutantur.Iere. 3. 2.a theefe; because the Arabians vsually rob'd by the high way.
There shall not come a Canaanite in the house of God: that Zach. 12. 8.is, a cozener, because they vsually deceived.
He sent for the Chaldeans: That is, for the Sooth-sayers, Dan. 2. 2.because the Chaldeans were Sooth-sayers commonly.
Cretenses mendaces. The Creitians are alwayes lyers.Titus 1. 12.
The Phanicians liuing in pleasure: from the Syriack word phanack, as yee would say foreign, delicati, daintie, because they vsed to liue daintily. So the Saracens, from Sarack, excurrere, to runne abroad, because they liued vponupon robbery vsually.
The sinne which is most vsuall in the Countrey, the Preacher must marke it, and see himselfe against it. Pro. 14. 34. Sinne is the disgrace of a Nation. Stiffenecked-nesse and hypocrisie were the vsuall sinnes of the Iewes, therefore the Prophets often reproue this sinne. So Deut. 9. 6.Christ reproues Corazin and Bethsaida, for contempt of Mat. 11. 21.the Gospell.
Vitium vocationis, is that sinne, which followes ones III.calling.
Rachab, a Tavernour. Iames 2. 25. calls her a harlot, because Ios. 2. 1.vsually they who are Tavernours are such.
For the amending of this, if it be simply a sinne, this Trade or any other, it is to be refused: and if it cannot be practised well without sinne, it is to be left.
The last is vitium personae, when a particular man is IIII.given to such a sinne.
Here the reproofe should arise, according to the nature of the sinne, spoken of before.
CHAP. IV.
Of Consolation.
THE second part of the Application of Canon.Doctrine, is Consolation, in which first we must vnderstand, that a Christian man is either consideres, as fighting, or foyled.
The comfort that a true Christian hath, in his fight against sinne.
AS he is considered fighting; his greatest tentation is Canon.The first estate of a Christian in his fight against sin.dereliction, that he is left of God.
This is the Consolation, that God can never leaue him. For the better vnderstanding of this, marke that first, in Christ there are three Coniunctions: First, betwixt his Godhead and manhead, that was a divine coniunction. The second, betwixt his sould and bodie, that was a naturall coniunction. The third, betwixt his soule and grace, that was a spirituall coniunction. Marke how the divine coniunction, excels the naturall coniunction; so doth the spirituall, excell the naturall.
1. Christs Godhead and his manhood could never be separated; for when his manhood was in the graue it was the body of God; otherwise at the Resurrection, there had beene a new incarnation. 2. Christs soule and grace could never be separate, onelyonly Christs soule and bodie were separate by death, therefore grace and the soule can never separate againe. If the first linke of a Chaine hold, then the rest are sure: Christs Godhead and his manhood cannot be separate; neither can his soule and grace: so neither can the soule of the childe of God and grace.
Secondly, that Christ was both viator and comprehensor: if Christ, as Viator spake, as though he were left of God his Father, these words, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? what marvaile if a poore Christian be brought to this estate.
Thirdly, his comfort is, that he cannot be left: first, III.in respect of God the Father: for whom he loues he loues to Ioh. 13. 1.the end: there is no shadow of change with him. Secondly, in respect of the strait coniunction betwixt Christ and his members, that it cannot be separated againe, 1 Cor. 6. 17. agglufinatur Christo, is glewed to Christ. From foreign.this comes his daily intercession for vsus, as he sayes himselfe, I hauehave prayed for thee Peter, that thy faith should not Luk. 12. 32.faile. The third is in respect of the holy Spirit, who is called Arrhabo, the earnest penny of our subvation. He is Ephe. 1. 14.not called the pledge of our salvation: for a pledge may be taken vp againe; but he is called the earnest-penny, which is a part of the bargaine, which cannot be taken vp againe.
But the Christian in his desertion feeles not the comfort? Obiect.
There is in the Saints certitudo evidentiae, and tertitudo Answ. adherentia. The Saints in their greatest extremitie, they hauehave certitudinem adherentiae, although they hauehave not certitudinē evidentia. Iobsayes, Although thou shouldst Iob 13. 15.kill me, yet I will trust in thee. Psal. 130. Out of the deepes I hauehave called upon thee. In this case he must do as Pherecides the Athenian did; who held the ship on the shore with his hands, and one of them being cut off, he held with the other, and both being cut off, he held with his teeth: so should a true Christian doe in the time of his greatest dereliction.
But how shall he know in this temptation, that ever Obiect. he loued God?
There is ordo foreign, from the first to the last; and Answ. ordo foreign, from the last to the first: that is, from the generall knowledge of things to the particular, & from the particular to the generall. The Christian in this case must follow this ordo foreign: if he hauehave but this testimony, that hee may cleaue to in his desertion, that he hath loued the Saints of God, because they were the Saints of God, and for no other cause; and received them in the name of the Saints, it is a sure note that he loues God, and is passed from death to life: Christ at the 1 Ioh. 3. 14.latter day will keepe this order (when I was hungry, yee fed me, &c.) because this is the most sensible note, to Mat. 25. 35.goe from particulars to a generall.
The second degree of an exercised Christian is, when Canon. II.The second estate of a Christian in his fight against sin.he is in the skirmish, in ancipiti pugna, as Paul was, when he sayes, O wretch that I am, who shall deliver me out of Rom. 7.this bodie of sinne.
Thy consolation is, first in proponing Christ his example: There was a fight betwixt Christ his velleitas, and voluntas; as there is in thy selfe betwixt sinne and grace.
The consolation is, secondly, that in Christ there was such a fight, to sanctifie thy combat, and to purchase the victorie to thee.
Christ in this combat, first, he is foreign, moderator certaminis, Marshall of the Campe: When the Israelitie and the Egyptian sought together, which of them favoured Moses? Killed he not the Egyptian, and saued the Israelite? So, will not Christ favour grace and kill sinne?
He is foreign, he enters into the lists with thee; he is not onelyonly foreign, who hath suffered the like things; but he is foreign also, who hath compassion with thee in the selfe-same combat. 3. He is not onelyonly foreign, but also foreign, who knowes our weaknes, and how much wee are able to doe in the fight, and then comes he in and helpes as a good second: Compatitur nobis Christus, ratione charitatis, & ratione iustitiae: Christ suffers with us, by reason of his louelove, and by reason of his iustice. Ratione charitatis, as when he saw the people hungry in the wildernesse, he had compassion vponupon them; so, when he wept over Ierusalem. But ratione iustitiae, when as he is our cautioner, he satisfies for vsus; and as our second, he is bound by the law of armes, to fight with vsus and for vsus.
He is foreign, therefore in him wee are more then Conquerours: he will not suffer Satan foreign, Coloss. 3 15. Praripere nobis palmam, to take the palme out of our hands.
The conflict of the Saints of God is in the right subiect, Canon.in the right manner, and to a happie end.
In the right subiect, grace and sinne are mingled Canon.through other, in all the faculties of the soule: for there is not a facultie, but it hath grace in it as well as sinne. Hose: describing Ephraim, sayes, that he is like Hos. 7. 8.a Cake bak't vponupon the one side, and raw vponupon the other. This is not that Christian combat; if it were Christiana lucta, a Christian wrastling, then there would be some part raw, and some part bak't, on eueryevery side. When Medea said, Video meliora, & deteriora sequer: I see the right, but follow the wrong; it was not lucta Christiana, but ethica: it was not betwixt the will, and the will; but betwixt the vnderstanding, and the will. The will was wholly the Devils here, although there was some glance of light in the vnderstanding: but in the regenerate, there is no facultie that God hath not put some grace into.
If some inferiour part be good, and the rest bad, a man takes not the denomination from that: as a black-moore is not called white, because his teeth are white, so a bad man, having some good parts, he cannot for this be called good. Of two superiour parts of man, if the liuer be good, and the heart bad, he is not called for this, a sound man; but if there be some soundnesse in both these parts, and some blemish; yet hee takes the denomination from the better part. If the inferiour be bad, and the superiour good, hee takes the denomination from the good part. If a Target be blacke vponupon the one side, and white vponupon the other, the Target is neither called blacke nor white: so, this people drawes neere to me with their lips, but their hearts are farre from me: here the people are esteemed luke-warme.
To apply this vntounto a Christian that is in combat; we must marke, that in the regenerate, (because both in the will and the vnderstanding there is grace and sin,) they take the denomination from the best part: grace is not onelyonly in the inferiour, but also in the superiour part; not onelyonly in the one part, but also in the other; although there be more sinne then grace, he takes the denomination from the best part. There is much water and little wine mixed in a glasse, yet it is called a glasse of wine: so, of a Christian; if there bee many bad parts in him, and one good, he hath the denomination from the best part; to wit, that hee is a good Christian.
The conflict is in the right manner in the Saints of God.Canon. 2.
Sinne is not in them, in extensis gradibus: 1. Some sins are in the will, but not from the will, as originall sinne. 2. Some sinnes are in the will, and from the will, as the sinnes of the vnregenerate. 3. Some sinnes are partly from the will, and partly against the will; as the sinnes of the regenerate. The thing which we doe, is either foreign, vel foreign: Sponte, willingly: invitus, against our will: non sponte, not willingly. Non sponte, are those mixed actions of the children of grace, which are partly with their will, and partly against their will; as the Merchant in the storme casts his good, into the Sea, partly with his will, and partly against it.
The consolation of the childe of God is this; that he Comfort.sinnes not with full desire, because grace hinders the will not to giuegive full consent; the wicked hath nothing to restraine his desire, therefore he sinnes with full consent and greedinesse.
The childe of God and the wicked goe thus farre in I.sinne together. First, there is aversio, a turning away from God. 2. There is inescatio, a baite. 3. There is delectatio, a delight. 4. Consent; but here the childe of God, and the wicked part: for the childe of GOD giues never the full consent. 5. The wicked goe forward in the fact. 6. In the habite. 7. In the gloriation. 8. In the defence. 9. In the despaire. 10. In the condemnation. From consent to condemnation they very much differ, if not altogether. The childe of God, and the wicked commit the selfe-same sinne, but not after the same manner. A woman who beares her childe in the seaventh month, and shee who beares her childe in the ninth month, both bring forth a childe: yet there is great difference; the one is a strong childe, a gets the full growth; the other a weake childe, who hath not gotten the full growth. So the sinnes of the children of God get never the full growth; but the sinnes of the wicked get the full consent and growth.
Marke in a sinner the sundry degrees how sinne is II.perfected: 1. Aggreditur peccatum, sed non ingreditur: It comes forward, but it enters not: as it set vponupon Christ, Math. 4.but it entred not in. 2. Ingreditur, sed non progreditur; It enters in, but goes not forward, as in Paul. 3. Aggreditur, Rom. 7.ingreditur, & progreditur; It comes to, ti enters in, and it goes forward; as in Dauid, when he committed murther and adultery. 4. Aggreditur, ingreditur, progreditur & perficitur: It comes to it enters in, it goes forward, and is perfected; as in Iudas.
Our Lord, when the tentation was offered to him, III.was like the fish, which takes no notice of the bait, when it is presented to her. The childe of God is like the fish which is delighted with the bait, leapes to it, nibbles at it, but falls backe againe: but the wicked are like the fish, which leape at the bait, and are hanged vponupon the hooke.
Lastly, in the happie issue that the childe of God hath in sinning; his sinne decreasing and grace increasing.
He is not like darknesse at mid-night, where is no light; neither like the evening, when it growes more darke; but like the morning, that growes more cleare vntounto the midst of the day. That God who made light to shine out of darkenesse, makes light to shine peece and peece out of their darke hearts. In this combat, although they say with Rebekka; It had beene better for Gen. 25. 22me, that I had neuer conceiued; they shall get an happie answer; the elder shall serue the younger; sinne shall serue grace. VnderUnder the Law, if violence had beene offered to a maid, if shee cryed out, shee was to dye. So when these assaults of Satan offer a kinde of violence to the soule, if they cry out with Paul, O wretched man that I am, who Rom. 7.shall deliver me. It is a sure note, that they shall not dye but liue.
The third estate of the Christian is, when he is in Canon.The third estate of a Christian in his fight against sin.The third estate of the Christian is, when he is in pursuit of the enemie, then the sicknesse is in the declination.
Here Christs death, and lying in the graue, is thy Comfort.comfort, who will pursue the enemies, and bring them forth, as Iosua did, that the true Israelites may set their feet vponupon their necks; to the which Paul alludes, when he sayes, The God of peace tread Satan vnderunder your Rom 16.feete.
In this pursuit, thou must take heed that thou bee not too remisse: suspect this Parthian, for when hee is flying, then hee is flying, then he is most dangerous, and can doe hurt enough: Thou most not doe as Ioash the King of Israel 2 King. 13.did, to smite the ground but three times, but smite it seven times, that there may be a full victorie gotten. Dauid 2 Sam 18.would hauehave had Absolon spared in the chase; but spare not sinne, pursue it till the Sunne set, as Iosuah did Iosua 12.the Canaanites.
The fourth estate of a Christian is, when he is not Canon.The fourth estate of a Christian in his fight against sin.in the not skirmish against sinne, but hath overcome it: Grace is not excluded now, nor drawne from hsi standing, but hath the commandement in the soule; yet hee feeles some wants, and complaines still of his defects.
Consolation. 1. What canst thou obiect against thy Comfort. 1.selfe, which Christ in part obiected not to his Disciples? Complainest thou of hardnesse of heart? So did he obiect that to some of them, Mark. 4. 40. There is great hope, because thou feelest it, thou shalt be cured of it. In Hectique fevers, 1. the disease at the first is hardly knowne, but soone cured. 2. It is easily knowne, but hardly cured. 3. It is easily knowne, but never cured. So hardnesse of heart at the first is hardly knowne, and if it be knowne it is soone cured. Secondly, if thou complaine of doubting, how oft obiected Christ that to his Disples? yet commended their faith, beleeving but radicaliter. If, of slownesse to beleeue? so obiected hee that to them.
What sinne ever was (escept the sinne against the holy Ghost) but there was a sacrifice for it? for originall sinne; for a sinne of errour or infirmitie; and for a sinne of ignorance.
What sinne is there but Christ prayed for it? for sinnes of ignorance, Lord forgiue them; for Luk. 23. 34. Luk. 22. 32.they know nit what they doe: against defection, I hauehave prayed for the thee Peter, that thy faith should not faile.
What Eucharisticall Sacrifice but had some imperfection with it? the Oyle which serued in the Candlesticke, Exod. 27. 2.was Myrrha libera, Oleum contusum, beaten in a Morter; it had no dregs in it; but after they tooke the selfe-same Oliues, and put them in a Presse and pressed out more oyle; this Oyle was not so pure as the first, but mixed with with some dregges; this Oyle was vsed in Eucharisticall sacrifices: which was to teach vsus, that Christ accepts of our Offerings, although there bee much infirmitie mixed with them. No expiatory Sacrifice might hauehave leaven ioyned with it; but Eucharisticall Sacrifices might hauehave leaven ioyned with them: this was for consolation to the Siants, and to teach them that God accepts of their Sacrifices, although much infirmitie and doubting be ioyned with them.
But why leaues the Lord such sinnes in his Saints, so Obiect. long as they are in this life?
That hsi grace may be perfitted through our weaknesse: Answ. it was the second Temple that Iesus Christ came to restore, though many wants were in it: the first Tables which God writ vponupon, were broken; the second Tables were those which were reserved in the Arke.
Secondly, God leaues sinnes in his Saints to humble them, and to keepe them from presumption; as the dregges are kept with the Wine, that it should not corrupt.
The Saints are iudged; in foro nouae obedientiae, non Canon.stricti iuris.
In for nouae obedientiae. 1. He accepts the will for Illust. 1the deed. 2. He accepts the person first, and then his Sacrifice, for hee looked first vponupon Abel, and then vponupon his Sacrifice. 3. In foro nouae obedientiae, hee accepts the end, although the meanes oftentimes bee defectiue, remember the patience of Iob. 4. In foro nouae obedientiae, Christ is both the Advocate and the Iudge.
In foro nouae obedientiae, God, absolving a sinner, sayes, Seest thou not the righteousnesse of my servant Iob? Dauid Iob 1. 8. 2 Sam. 15. 4was a man according to the heart of God; but in the matter of Vriah: Zachary and Elizabeth walked vprightly before Luk. 1. 6.Lord.
They are not censured in foro stricti iuris, where first the worke is tryed, and then the person, where a man must answer ad vltimum quadrantem, to the vttermost Mat. 18. 34.farthing; where God sits, as a severe Iudge, where Christ is not as Mediator; where they must answer for eueryevery idle word; which Dauid desires to be free of, when he sayes, Enter not into iudgement with thy servant, O Psal. 143. 2.Lord.
To the Saints, Omnia sunt Euangelica, Ali are glad Canon.tydings.
Doe this, and thou shalt liue: this is Legall. The Priviledge Illust.of the Saints is this; doe this, either by thy selfe Rom. 10. 5.or by another, to wit, Christ; but to the wicked it is Legall, doe this by thy selfe.
CHAP. V.
The comfort that a Christian hath, who is stained with some great sinne.
THe foyled Christian is he who hath fallen Canon.into some great sinne.
The consolation to him is, that he Comfort.hath not fallen quite away. In the incestuous Corinthian, there was flesh and Spirit, even when he was given over to Satan and excommunicate. Eutychis, when he fell Acts 20. 10.dead from an vpper loft, all who beheld him thought he was dead: Paul imbraces him in his armes, and sayes, He is not dead, his life is yet in him; the Saints of GOD will get great falls, and in the iudgement of men seeme to be dead; yet the Lord imbraces them in the armes of his mercy, and sayes, they are not dead, there is yet life in them.
Some things are of the Spirit, but not with the Spirit; Nota.as the gifts of common illumination. Secondly, some with the Spirit, but not of the Spirit; as the sinnes of ignorance and infirmitie in the Saints. Thirdly, some both with the Spirit, and of the Spirit, as the saving graces of the Elect. Fourthly, some neither of the Spirit, nor with the Spirit; as the sins of malice, and reigning sinnes in the wicked. The foyled Christian comes never to this degree.
The Church of Rome are miserable comforters to sinners, Canon.sundry wayes.
First they hold, that they hauehave the same power which Illust. 1.Christ hath to remit sinne; because they make the bodie of Christ (as they speake in the Sacrament) we and they differ in this poynt.
To conceiue this the better, we must consider, in the forgiuenesse of sinne, that there is a threefold power, the first is authoritatis, the second is potestatis, the third is ministerij. Authoritatis is that, which one hath principally of himselfe, and not of another; so God onelyonly pardons sinnes: the second, potestatis, or excellentiae, which one exercises, delegat from another, but by way of excellencie; and so Christ as Mediator, pardons sinne: thirdly, Ministerij, when onelyonly by intimation in the name and authoritie of the soveraigne Lord he proclaimes it: and so Ministers pardon sinnes; God pardons foreign, the Minister onelyonly but foreign.
There is totum potestativum, and totum contractum; totum potestativum, is the power which is in the King; totum contractum, is the power which is in an inferiour Magistrate: totum potestativum, is the power of seeing in the soule; totum contractum, is the power of seeing in the eye: Christ hath the whole power; but his Ministers hauehave it not as totum contractum, as inferiour Magistrates hauehave power; but onelyonly as Heralds or Pursevants, who make intimation of the Magistrates decrees; but hauehave no power at all in their owne persons, but clothed with the authoritie of the Superiour.
Secondly, in the manner of the confession, they are II.miserable comforters.
Wee hold that confession is necessary: for, as vnderunder the Law, hee who held any vncleane thing in his hand, although he washed himselfe never so often, he was still vncleane; so he who repents of his sinnes, and keepes one still, is still vncleane.
Secondly, wee hold, that for greaer sinnes, greater confession is requisite. Peter thrice denyed Christ, he got three admonitions by the Cocke: Christ asked him three times, Louest thou mee Peter? &c. so Ioh. 21. 7.he must confesse three times, because his sinne was so great.
They hold, that in Confession there must be all these Nauar. Instr. ad conf.circumstances; who sinned, when he sinned, how he sinned, how often he sinned; and they will hauehave the whole sinne circumstantionatum, to be confessed: this Confession, (they say) it merits. This particular Confession, (they say) it merits. This particular Confession of all sinnes (for to make a pick-locke of it, and to learne out the secrets of the world) is iniurious to the estate of the Common-wealth: but to thinke to merit by it, is iniurious to the merits of Christ.
Thirdly, in the sinne confessed, they are miserable III.Comforters, in which wee and they differ.
They hold, that sinne is veniale ex causa, veniale ex forma, and veniale ex eventu; they set vp *foreign.a false Glasse which represents not the true shape of sinne to the people.
Ex causa, that which comes of ignorance; as first, ex I.metu, of feare: secondly, ex non advertentia, by not taking heede: thirdly, ex defectu indicij, by defect of vnderstanding: these they hold to be sinnes pardonable ex causa; but before God they extenuate sinne onelyonly, and excuse it not altogether. Paul confesseth his sinne of ignorance; Heb. 9. 7.and there was a Sacrifice vnderunder the Law for the sinnes of ignorance.
Secondly, they hold, that there is a sinne, veniale ex II.forma, which is so little in selfe, euen Peccadillo, so that it merits not death; when as the Apostle sayes, that The wages of sinne is death: but sinne hath both a Rom. 6. 23.potentiall and an actuall guilt in the wicked; yet ehre is possibilitie of pardon, if they had grace to seeke it; but otherwise it is damnation in them. Secondly, sinne hath a potentiall guilt, but not an actuall guilt, as the sinnes of the godly: Here is reatus concapiscentiae, sed …on personae: The guilt of last, but not of the person.
Here is damnabilitas, but not damnatio. Thirdly, sinne hath both the potentiall, and actuall guilt, which cannot be pardoned; as the sinne against the Holy Ghost. But we denie that there are sinnes so small, which hauehave neither the potentiall nor the actuall guilt. The sinnes of the wicked, are like the Serpent, which hath power Num. 21. 6.to sting, and doth actually sting; but yet might be charmed. The sinnes in the children of God that are pardoned, are like the Serpent that hath no power to sting, although it hauehave a sting in it selfe; as the Viper vponupon Acts 28. 5.Pauls hand. The sinnes of those, who commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost, are like the Serpent which cannot Psal 58. 4.not be charmed at all. But that there is a Serpent which hath no venome at all in it, or a sting to hurt, that wee denie.
Veniale ex eventu, through the mercy of God, wee III.grant, that sinne is pardonable; but not through the smallnesse of the sinne it selfe.
Fourthly, in the medicine they are miserable comforters: IIII.1. They propound onelyonly the outside of Christs sufferings to sinners; as his whipping, scourging, and the paines of his bodie: but they never set before them, the inward part of his suffering, the torments which he suffered in his soule.
Secondly, they mixe the merites of the Saints, with the merites of Christ for consolation; like the Iewes at the first, when they were to execute malefactors, they gaue them wine to comfort them, alledging that place of the Proverbs 3. 6. GiueGive wine to him who is of a sad heart: but afterward they found … this; to mingle Myrrhe, and to giuegive it them in their drinke, for to make their heath giddi…, that they might feele no paine: but they were miserable comforters in this; and Christ refuses this kinde of drinke. So at the first, the Church of God, presented to the sad hearted, and miserable sinners, in their death, onelyonly the blood of Christ: but the Church of Rome, as miserable comforters, began to mixe sinne (like bitter Myrrhe) as mens merits, and the milke of This is Poculum tremonis, Psal. 60.the Virgin Mary, and such like trash, with the bodie of our Lord: but as the Lord refused that wine mixed with Myrrhe; so should all Christians in their death, refuse this mixed drinke, which will intoxicate their braines, and take them onelyonly to the blood of Christ. The Amphibion, playes now in the water, & now vponupon the land; but when shee is once wounded, then shee is glad to retyre to the land. So Papists, although now they play like Amphibia, betwixt Christs merit, and mans merit; yet in their death they are glad onelyonly to take themselues to the merit of Christ. Bellarmine, Tutius est in sola morte Christi acquiescere: It is more sure to rest in the onelyonly death of Christ.
CHAP. VI.
Of the manner how the Priests vnderunder the Law blessed the people.
WHen they blessed the people, they lifted Canon.vp their hands.
Lift vp your hands in the Sanctuary, and blesse.Confir.Psal. 134.
The Priests lifted vp both their Illust. 1.hands, when they were to blesse the people: because they could not lay their hands vponupon all the people, they lifted them vp. They vsed ordinarily, when they blessed, to lay on their hands; but because they could not doe this to all, they lifted them vp onelyonly.
Secondly, they lifted vp their hands, ad scalupas, to their shoulders points, when they blessed.
Thirdly, they blessed in the holy tongue.
Fourthly, with a high voyce.
Fiftly, face to face.
Sixtly, in the name of *bashem hampo…esh.Iehovah. If they had met a man out of the Temple, they would hauehave said, We blesse thee in the name of Adonai; but not of Iehova.
Lastly, they thrice repeated this, Iehovah blesse thee, &c. to signifie that they blessed in the name of the Trinitie, Num. 6.Father, Sonne and holy Ghost. So Iohn, Revel. 1. 4, 5. wisheth peace from him which was, is, and is to come; (that is) God the Father, and from the seven Spirits which are before the Throne, (that is) the Holy Spirit, and from Iesus Christ.
Catastrophe.
I Conclude this Booke, with that phrase of the Talmud, foreign discendum, propter docendum; Ielammed lilmodforeigndiscendum nobis est eo fine, vt aliquando alios deceamus: We must learne for to teach: (that is) we must learne that sometimes we may teach others.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Weemes, The Christian Synagogue (1623)