Die Mercurii ultimo Martii. 1647. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament: That Sir Henry Mildmay, do from this House give thanks unto Mr Johnson, for the great pains he took, in the Sermon he Preached on this day at Margaret's Westminster, before the House of Commons (it being a day of public Humiliation) and that he do desire him to print his Sermon. Wherein he is to have the like privilege in printing thereof as others in like kind usually have had. H. Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com. Lux & LEX, OR THE LIGHT AND THE LAW OF Jacob's House: HELD FORTH IN A SERMON Before the Honourable House of COMMONS at St Margaret's Westminster March 31. 1647. being the day of public Humiliation. By ROBERT JOHNSON Eboraicus, One of the Assembly of Divines. ISAIAH 8 20. To the Law and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 1 PETER 1. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Chrysost LONDON, Printed by A. Miller, for Philemon Stephens, at the sign of the Gilded Lion in Paul's churchyard. 1647. Privileges of Jacob's spiritual household, and to draw from you (in these humbling times) expressions of sorrow most suitable to those who walk so unsutably to celestial favours; (many priding themselves in an imaginary title to the beneficium Jer 7. 9 10 Putant e●im Hypocritae si modo externas ●u'tus divini cer●●●ni●● quas●an observent, tunc onnia tecte habere, quamvis ipsi in sceleribus praefra●te per●gu it Os● and in loc. of the family, who are wholly neglective of the officium) this being of concernment to all Christians (to whom— are also some directions hinted) so chiefly to governors and all Reformers, that they partake not in other men's sins. 1 Tim 5 22. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Neque te participem constitue ali●rum peccat●●um. I have endeavoured to incite you who are Masters in our Israel, to improve your diligence in the discharge of that trust and office in this family, wherewith above others you are honoured by God; who having 1 Sam. 2 30. manifested his bounty to this household no less, if not much more than to Exod. 10 23. ●s●●. 8 19 psul. 147 19 Act. 14. 16. those our forefathers, in vouchsafing light to us, when others of our Allies sit in darkness blacker than Egyptian, is pleased to direct us to our work and walk by a pillar at his own charges, holding forth to us a light so much the more necessary, by how much the Princes of this world, who know not the Gospel, crucify 1 Cor. 2. 8. to themselves the Lord of glory: And as those venomous serpents in Sardinia, Solin. poybist. cap 9 Accendunt quotidie lucernas, quib●● nulla lux est: illis co●petunt test imonis te●ebrarum. Te●t. Apol 10. Igne● fatunm qui sequmuntur in avia abducuntur & in pr●cipitia fossa● que saepe numero run●t. Kek Syst. Rhys. lib. 6. mentioned in stories, either hate and fly the light, or like those in Tertullian's time, bear a lantern profession without light, or as another sort by an ignis fatuus, are led into dangerous precipices and byways, and with Ixion in the Poet, embrace a cloud for the true Juno, shadows in the room of orthodox and substantial truths. The scope of all is to undeceive you in pointing to that only light of truth which is able to lead you to eternal light, and in the interim to afford direction in managing the whole business of this house, by which all other lights are to be examined, whereto if disagreeing, it is Isa. 8. 20. because there is no light in them. Lo Cook. jurisdiction of Courts. According to which that you may act to the houses welfare, Go●s glory; and therein as your Noble predecessors, appear Doctum, pium & benedictum Parliamentum, and not otherwise, to your own comfort in the great day, when the great Bishop and King of heaven and earth shall appear clothed with the robes of glory, as it is the endeavour, so the prayer of Yours Robert John son. Lux & Lex, OR THE LIGHT AND THE LAW OF Jacob's House. ISAIAH 2. 6. O house of Jacob, Come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord. WHilst I read this Scripture, I cannot forget Pes enim Ille in quo claulicabat, Iudaeos qui in Christum non crediderunt, figurabat, ille vero qui sanus remansit, illorum typum gessit qui Christum Dominum reciperunt. to remember that of divine Austin in one of those Sermons de tempore, which go under his name (though indeed the author is doubtful,) who speaking of Jacob's halting, understands by his feet two sorts of people among the Jews. By his halting, the unbelievers, who in faith did not receive Christ. By his going upright, he conceives In co quod vincit Jacob, Iudaeos Christum persecuturos significabat: in co quod benedictionem petebat, illum populum figurabat qui in Christum Domioum credituru● erat. Serm. 80. de Temp. is meant those which believed in him. Jacob overcoming (saith he) signifies the Jews who prevailed against Christ in putting him to death. In being blessed, he showeth those who worshipped him, and were of him blessed. We will not contend with Austin (or who ever is the author) for the propriety of the allusion; the truth of this assertion is clearly manifest. Jacob's family had Mep●i●osheths' halters in it. Those who came of Jacob's loins were foully tainted, yea overgrown with unbelief. When Christ came they did not receive him. His own household, Jacob's posterity, did not acknowledge him. They putting salvation away from themselves, he turns to the Gentiles, who embrace him. The Jews, Jacob's posterity, for a long time of blindness, stand back through unbelief. This our Prophet Isaiah, a noble man's son, extraordinarily raised to reform the house of God, doth observe what should Propheta igitur verè regi●s ex regio ut ple●●que veterum tradiderunt genere oriu●du●, etc Ep Nu● cup. ad H. Mo●. Com. in sl. & Hieron. come to pass in these latter days of the Gospel, when God's Mountain, the Church, was to be advanced in the top of mountains, and all Nations, even the Gentiles (heretofore an abject people) (the partition wall being pulled down) should flock unto it. This he mentions as a strong argument to persuade the Jews Abraham's seed, Isaac's posterity, Jacob's house, to come in and receive Christ. Which (saith he,) shall the Lord's Mountain be advanced in the top of ●ountainss? shall many Nations flock unto it? shall it repent them of their rigor against God's people? that they shall break their swords into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks; if strangers be so inclinable to conformity, surely children of the family should manifest themselves in actions of so high concernment much more zealous. The Prophet seems to ●ewail the Jews, as Monica her son Austin before his conversion with many tears: or as the Apostle Paul Aug. confessed. Rom. 9 3. his countrymen and kindred after the flesh, who remained in natural impiety and obstinacy; or as our Saviour Christ his auditors, that publicans and Harlots should receive the kingdom, Matth▪ 8. 11, 12. Mat. 2●. 31, ●●. and the children of the household be shut out. Oh house of Jacob. Here is a holy Apostrophe. He turns himself to the Jews, who were (notwithstanding what ever plenty of ordinances God vouchsafed them) obstinate and re●ellious, though Jacob's house. Nor is that meant only of those in after ages, when Christ came in the flesh: The particular applications mentioned, the kinds of sinners reprehended, the nature of duties whereto they are exhorted, manifest his scope is to teach the people of his own time. In the words you may ●ote three particulars. 1. The persons concerned in the duty required. viz. The house of Jacob. 2. The nature of the office from them expected, which is 1prefaced, Come ye, let us. 2Expressed, walk. 3. The certainty of that directory, whereby every thing is to be managed. The light of the Lord. From which he draweth three arguments of persuasion to godliness. 1. A fontibus honesti. You are the house and family of father Jacob, who prophesied of Christ's manifestation in the flesh, of Theod. Snepf. in locum. whose line he was to come; you have been educated ab incunabulis in the laws and statutes of the Lord: Shall you suffer Gentiles to go before you, O house of Jacob? 2. Ab inhonesto. How unseemly and base is it, that others who are strangers to God and Christ, without knowledge, hope, all, should walk in the Lord's way, and you stand idle all the day long? O come let us. 3. Ab occasion● facili. You have now a more fair opportunity of Reformation then ever. You cannot pretend ignorance, through want of means to instruct you. You cannot deny but the Lord hath kindly invited you with tender of himself and salvation. You cannot allege that you are strangers and in darkness: Here is a light of truth, a light of Scripture manifestation, a light of Gospel revelation sent and set up by God himself, that Light of the Lord. O house of Jacob. Why house? why house of Jacob? It were too tedious and happily not countervail the charge and labour, to rear up a large structure of the various significations and acceptions of the word, House. In Scripture language 'tis a work Flac. Illiric●●, in verbo do●. perfected already by our Divines in their writings; you may please to take notice only, how it's squared to our present purpose. That the Church of God is often deciphered by this name, is not unknown to those who are competently versed in sacred writ; which because used both materially and formally, be pleased to remember, that it's taken speci●lly for sons or a posterity of those whom God would make happy with such a blessing. As when God is said to be favourable to the Egyptian Midwives, that he made them a house, concerning Exod. 1. 21. which, though in several glosses there be variety of opinions, occasioned by the changing of the gender masculine for feminine, and feminine for masculine. As also that some of the Hebrew Doctors conceive it meant of their preservation from the rage of Pharaoh; Others with Tostatus take it for her incorporating into the Nation and Commonwealth of Israel, as Rabab, though it's not improbable they were Hebrew women. Others with Hierom and Rupertus, think it meant of the Heavenly mansions in future glory. And some with Theodoret and Augustine apply it to those houses of wealth and riches the Lord for that service gave them. In this variety we may not exclud● that sense which the foregoing words do read, of a numerous family and posterity wherewith God blessed them, notwithstanding Pharaoh's rage very great against them. To the like purpose is that phrase, in Gen. 16 2. in the story of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Sarah when she gave Hagar to Abraham. I may (saith she) be builded by her. So Rachel and Leah are said to build the house Ibbanerb. Fortassis aedificaborex ea. Fortassis liberos consequar ex 〈◊〉. Ju. Tr. of Israel, Ruth 4. 11. And in David's story you have that, 2 Sam. 7. 11, 27. and in other places. The reason whereof is manifest by the etymology. The Hebrew word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifying a son comes of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Banah, and is of the same root with {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Eben a stone, and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Beth a house, that as one stone built on another, ariseth up to a house or building, so of one son or child (by the blessing of God on the parents) a family ariseth. Neither is it to be restrained to this posterity as such only: He mentions them as a select house, a chosen people amongst 1 Cor. 3 9 Heb. 3. 6. whom God had set his name and worship, as the Church of God is set forth often in the new Testament, Heb 3. 16. But Why Jacob's house? You know (beloved) that Abraham had but one son by Sarah. Isaak indeed had two sons, but one of them was rejected and cast out of the family. But Jacob was honoured with twelve sons, all which as they were members, so were they sharers in the heirship and benefits of the temporal and spiritual family, and did join in enlarging his house: whence it is that Abraham and Isaak are silenced, and so often mention is made of Jacob or Israel's posterity, doubtless they did much glory in this prerogative: the prophet therefore being to deal with them takes his rise hence to persuade them to duty. A privileged people should walk suitable to those privileges God vouchsafes them. Doctr. To which purpose its observable in Scripture how frequently we are exhorted to walk worthy of the Lord: which showeth, Col 1. 10. 1 Thes. 2. 12. that when God hath made large manifestations of favour to his Church, it ought to correspond in behaviour to those benefits. Hence are those connexions, Deut. 6. 10, 11, 12. And it shall be when the Lord thy God hath brought thee into the land which he swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities which thou buildedst not, and houses full of all good things which thou filledst not, and wells digged which thou diggedst not: Vineyards and olive-trees which thou plantedst not: When thou shalt have eaten and be full, then beware lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage. You see their privileges are many: And the last wherein he instanceth, is deliverance from Egypt, of which the Jews made yearly mention, when Deur 16. 5, 6. they presented their first fruits unto God: the intent of all which is to endear then, that seeing the hearts of men are so Deut 3●. 13, 14, 15, 16. corrupt, as easily to abuse God's bounty to wantonness, that they would be so much more heedful (being a privileged people) that they forget not the service of the Lord, his worship and Religion: that's his meaning surely, for in Scripture men Judg. 37. Psal 44. 21. Ps. 106. 20, 21. Jer. 3. 21. Jer. 18. 25. are said to forget the Lord, when they corrupt Religion, or suffer it to be corrupted also, in 1 Sam. 12. 29. only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider how great things he hath done for you. He might have said as the men of our times. God hath done great things for us, great deliverances, great preservations, he will not now fail us, though we be not so holy. Oh saith he, this privilege must bind you to Exod. 19 4, 5. Heb. 13, 1. duty, consider what he hath done for you. This is the constant language of the Scriptures. But I need not compass this truth with a greater cloud of witnesses. You will say, what were the privileges of Jacob's house, that Object. he insists so much upon them? Truly they were great and many, both to Church and state, Resol. and in them as in a map we may behold our own privileges represented, as St Austin says, priores omnei quotquot 〈◊〉 Aug. habuerunt Christiani dicendi sunt. Israelites were Christians (in his sense) Christians Israelites. 1. They came of Jacob eternally famous for his great strength manifested in his wrestling by faith, with Christ, and overcoming Tenes in lacta 〈◊〉 h●c tibi ●ono Deus est. Hilar. ● 5 de Tr●nit Eph. 2. 18. ●. 12. him, as Hilary notes; for his familiarity with God, talking with him face to face, Gen. 32. 30. That he was to God a consilijs, and long before the incarnation of Christ revealed to him that mystery. Nor do we come short in this favour, we have by Christ access to the throne of grace, we have power with Christ, and by our faith conquer the world, and are of God's counsel, Heb 4. 16. 1 Co●. 2 ult. knowing the mind of Christ. 2. God did separate Jacob's family as a peculiar people to himself, from all the nations of the earth, on whom he would choose to set his love and do them good, Deut. 7. 6. they were a peculiar Exod. 19 ●. Peculium Abules in locu●●, as the. C●ldea. observes. Speed. treasure of Jewels, in which God took pleasure. In this happiness are we also sharers as children of the spiritual family: who knows not that we were a wild and barbarous people, who painted and flashed our flesh? God vouchsafed at that time to send his word amongst us to reclaim us of that barbarous paganism, after that we fell to popery and superstition, the Lord was pleased by a further manifestation of his son Christ Jesus to call us to himself, that we should be a peculiar people to him, zealous of good works. Titus 2. 11. 3. Of Jacob's family Christ came as the Apostle witnesseth, Rom 9 5. It was no small honour to that house, from which the Lord Jesus as man descended. Is not Christ our kinsman, our elder brother? is he not flesh of our flesh, bone of our bone? did he take the nature of Angels on him? No, he is made Heb. 2 16, 17. Heb. 4. 15. Aug. in Joh. 3. 16. 17. like to us in all things, fin only excepted. I cannot but with divine Austin admire the incomprehensible love of God to us in this, of clothing his divine nature with the rags of our human flesh, when he came to make himself a sacrifice for sin. ●. It was a great privilege of this family that God committed to them, only the keeping of his Oracles, as the Apostle Theophil●● vir Senatorij ordine Aret. 〈◊〉 Act. 1. 1. speaketh, Rom. 3. 2. if it were an honour to Theophilus, though a Sena●our, as a learned Divine doth style him, that Luke the author of the holy story containing the birth, preaching-life, and death of Christ in the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of Apostles, after Christ's departure to heaven, was dedicated Hac lege evangelium 〈◊〉 Theopb nu●●upat Lu●as ut sideliter ejus custodiam suscipiat. Calv. in loc. to him, that he should faithfully preserve it for the Church of God's use and benefit: how great a favour was it to the Jews, Jacob's house, to have the sacred story, mysterious books of the Prophets in their keeping? Nor are Christians behind in this mercy, and we of this Land being a part of the family, have experienced this bounty in a very great measure. Time was, when our condition resembled theirs in Samuel's days; that the word 1 Sam 31. Sermo jehovae fuerat rarus temporibus illis, Tremel. & Jun Heb pretiosus. Nan omne rarum 〈◊〉. See John 〈◊〉 his story in Act. and Mon. of the Church pag. 1941. of God was exceeding precious: Time was, when we had small vision and the blind lead the blind, and through lack of it, people were in a perishing condition: Time was, when to have an English bible, or any part of old or new Testament in our own language without licence was capital. But God of his infinite mercy hath for many years showed us in this particular the light of his countenance: We have the sacred Oracles (notwithstanding the projects and plots of all atheistical and popish men) in a large and plentiful measure. We have Moses and the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, holding out the doctrine of the covenant in the Lord Jesus for the foundation of our faith, direction of our manners; if by our unworthiness we provoke him not to deprive us Exod 10. 4. Psal. 91. 4. Psal. 10●. 14. Deut. 7. 17. Jer. 30. 10 12. 13. of them. 5. This family had the Lord his special protection against foreign and domestic enemies, he did bear them on eagle's wings, he covered and defended them under the feathers of his providence, he suffered no man to do them wrong: but reproved Kings for their sakes; though as it seems, they were in a Isa. 16. 19 Psal 8. 〈◊〉 Sol qui re●reat pios beneficij● s●is, ut sol plantas & animalia suo calore & splendore: scutum nostrum, id est, quod defendit nos, nempe me & comitatum meum Pilcat. low condition, having seven mighty states to deal withal. Beloved we are equally partakers (as members of the family) in this favour. God hath been a sun to us, enlightening our understandings with the knowledge of himself, a shield, a protection to us against the most nefarious and bloody assaults of homebred and foreign enemies: How hath he turned the counsels of crafty Achitophel's into foolishness? How hath he shattered the forces of bloody Esau's? How hath he discomfited yea routed the Annies of proud Philistines and confounded swelling Pharaoh's in the red sea? He hath broken their bow, and knapped their spear in sunder, and burned their chariots in the fire: He hath raised up the heroic spirits of those worthies (not as the heathen fain by transmigration of souls) but by redoubling the same spirit on them more powerful than a drum of dead Ziscaes' skin: on one he hath put Samson's spirit, on another, David's spirit, on another Samuel's spirit: He hath for us men and our safety, subdued Kingdoms, wrought righteousness, performed promises, stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire, made us escape the edge of the sword: of Heb. 1● 34. 35. weakness made us strong, we have waxed valiant in fight; hath turned to flight the Armies of the Alions, both in this and in other Kingdoms. I pray God, our private differences (after the influence of so great mercies) which hath in several ages of Saxons, Danes, Normans, been fatal to this Nation, prove Quantos videmus humiliatos sed non humiles Bern not a sad omen to us, who live no better, if not worse than formerly; in blasphemies, in contempt of ordinances, and abominable idolatries, as if with Theramines in the story, we judge ourselves reserved to some further evil of misery, by our trading 1 Pet 4. 3. in that of sin. 6. God seated Jacob's family on a most fertile soil. The ground sometimes is of much advantage to that people, which Exod. 3 8. Deut. 8. 7, 8, 9 Deut 11. ●●. 12. Ezek. ●0. 6. called Jehova's land, Hos. 9 3. and the holy land, Zac. 2●2. the land of Immanuel, that is, of Christ, Isa 8 8. a figure of an heavenly country, Heb. 11. 9 10. being accuntrey in Asia the less, possessed by Canaan the son of Cam the son of Noab, and his sons, but for their wickedness the Land was to spew them out, Lev. 18. 25. Gen. 12. 5. doth inhabit such a piece of earth: 'Tis observed by our learned historian Mr Camden, that the Religious houses so called (built by our predecessors, in the founder's intentions, nurseries of learning and piety) were placed in the most fruitful parts of the country: And may not Christians, and more particularly we of this Nation, say as the Psalmist, Psal. 16. 6. The lines are fallen to us in a pleasant place, or as the Greek, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, in optimis seu praestantissimis. We have a goodly heritage, or, as is fair for me, or unto me, it pleaseth me well, such an heritage as is a little paradise on earth, to the admiration of our friends and emulation of our enemies. Worthy patriots, you have heard the beneficium and privilege of Jacob's family; having been somewhat large in it, I shall now briefly show the officium or duty on our part, correspondent to so high a favour. In opening whereof I tremble to tell you; I may 〈◊〉 indeed, vox faucibus haeret. I shall rather (such is our ingrateful Accipiendis beneficijs indignus est qui suer●t de accept● ingratus Bern Serm. 4. in 〈◊〉 90. Isa. 1. v. ●. behaviour) point at the unworthy carriage of this generation to our heavenly father (as Polycarpus said) that ever hath followed us with good, never did us evil. May I not take up Isaiah's complaint, he hath nourished up children, and they have rebelled against him? may I not too truly lament our times, in the language of Ezekiel, that we are a rebellious house? may I not as Moses, complain of this family in that sad expression, Ezek. 2. 5. Oh foolish nation and unwise, do we thus requite the Lord? He sharpens his speech with an Interrogation, to show the grievousness Deut. 32. 6. of their offence, that it might work in them a deeper impression: And in the Hebrew he useth the word Nabal, signifying a fool that hath his judgement and understanding faded from him, whereupon he becomes wild and wicked, notwithstanding the riches of his heavenly father's bounty towards him: Such Nabals, such arrant fools, are we of this Jacob's house; as may be manifested, if we make an impartial scrutiny. 1. How do children of this house undervalue the benefits conferred on them? At how low and mean a rate do they set them? how vilely do most men esteem them? As he in the Proverbs, it's nought, it's nought, saith the buyer. It's mean, it's not of that worth, saith a carnal heart, there is not that excellency Prov. 20. 14. Pessimum est Trem. &. Iun. in the favours that men talk of. If a man should set a poor rate on a Shop commodity, how would the owners frown at him? Think you when God hath bestowed all his cost and labour on us, his enemies by nature, he will take it well we so underprize his bounty, and yet of his family? O that any could so value the Lord and his goodness, as they ought to do! But as those in the Gospel, being invited to the feast (saith the text) they made light of it, and went their way: Matth. 22. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, illi vero haec non curantes abicrunt. the Greek signifies a disdainful neglect, as some base thing not worth the while, and therefore bestow themselves otherwise: So do we disesteem (chiefly) spiritual favours: the people of God may by experience find it in themselves too true, that of the two, their hearts are most inclined to beat down the price of soul-mercies, whereas God looks we should prize mercy t● its worth. Hence, Psal. 150. 2. praise him according to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 〈◊〉, propter amp●● 〈…〉. his excellent greatness, as he riseth to us in favours, our hearts should be raised to him in Magnificates. I may not unfitly in this case phrase it with Moses, Numb. 16. 9 Seemeth it a small thin● unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? His intent is to show the Levites their sin, in undervaluing the kindness of God in the function he had put them. As Israel was separated from all other people to be the Lord's peculiar, Leviticus 20. 26. 1 King. 8. 33▪ 34, 36. So were the Levites separated from the sons of Israel to be the Lords, as Numb. 8. 19 hereupon the Scripture speaks of them as distinct from the Israelites, 1 Chron. 9 2. Psal. 135. 19, 20. And this was their sin, that they bore so mean thoughts of it: So God having taken us Gentiles, wild Olives by nature, put us into the true Olive, called us to Rom. ●●. ●4. himself, and of all people, us of this nation, by several remarkable acts of providence, hath he severed to be his peculiar portion. Shall we suffer our hearts now to be low in regard of him? this is the way to forfeit all: Oh take heed of a scornful undervaluing God's mercies. Hos. 2. 6. 2. How is it that our affections are not drawn to God by his favours? We love and rejoice in him nothing the more since we received them. These would (if our spirits were rightly tempered) be as a loadstone to draw us to God the donor of them, as it was with David, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and in earth none in comparison of thee: As St Austin his heart Psal 7●. ●●. I●qu●●●um est cor 〈◊〉 do nec in●e requies●●t A●●. Spe●● in ●● 〈…〉 of R●samon●. Gen 32 ●0. could not be quiet, but on all occasions of God's dispensing his bounties mounts up to heaven. Were our souls in right frame, these bounds of God would be to us as that clew or thread (pardon the expression) to carry us through all mazes and labyrinths to find out the Lord. So were they to Jacob in a straight: he called to mind the promise, that God had past his word to him, he would do him good, he with that sets before his eyes his own unworthiness of the least of all God's mercies, he considers how God brought him over Jordan with a staff only, he remembers also, how great the goodness of God had made him, having now two complete bands, and like Moses, looks on him that's invisible, through all these perspectives, Heb 1● 27. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Gen ●●. 11. and so gathers assurance of God's assistance against the rage of his merciless brother Esau, who is ready to slay the mother upon the child: So the Apostle in that place to the Hebrews, where he setteth down the goodness of God to our fathers, besides other things, in making the promise to them (saith) they embraced the promises, the original word signifies as much, as they saluted the promises, not in a vain frothy {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Heb. 11. 13. compliment, as gallants of the times, but in earnest, heartily, drawn in affection to him, and affiance for him that made the promises. It's an evil verily to be lamented, that this goodness of our heavenly father is no more prevalent to allure our hearts to Godwards: this being one special means to engage God, as in Jacob's case. God is by Jeremy setting forth the return of the Israelites from Captivity, Jer. 30. 2. See how he doth it, in the 10th verse you read, fear not O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord. In the 18th verse, Behold I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwelling-places, and their nobles shall be of themselves (strangers shall not be their masters) And their governors shall proceed from the midst of them, and I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me, for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me, saith the Lord. It's an heart-engagement, not tongue only; when Pellioi●t vel devovebit cor suum ut mea● semper perficiat voluntatem. Osiand & Vatab. in loc. the very soul of a man is devoted to the Lord. I know some take it to be meant of Christ, but it must be extended also to his members, the spiritual posterity of Jacob, as the scope of the words show. O if we could engage our hearts to God on mercies received, he would count no favour too dear for us. Why do we not employ and improve our time and abilities to the benefit and advantage of the family? Is any man born Cicero. Cato cujus mores erant, Lucano reserente, toti genitum se credere mundo. Gerson. for himself? Do we enjoy gifts of nature, learning or fortune (as I may so call them) for our ease, honour, wealth only? The heathen will, if we look into their writings, teach us another lesson: A good man, saith our English Seneca, should be a common fountain, at which all may freely come to receive water of comfort and assistance: those who are in a family should be instrumental to the advantage of all, chiefly of the Gal. 6. ●0. Gen. 4●. 35. Gen. ●7. ●●, ●2, 13, 14. Ambr. in vita Theodos. family and household of faith, as Joseph in Pharaoh's house. What a world of good did he upon every occasion to those who stood in need of his help? what an admirable testimony is it which Ambrose gives of Theodosius the Emperor, who to his last, was solicitous for the public with neglect of his own private interests? God hath put (Noble Senators) such a price into your hands, hath given you so many, so great opportunities (besides the deliverances vouchsafed beyond expression) for raising and making happy Church and state, as never to any Parliament under the cope of heaven. He looks for more (without doubt) from you than others: It will not satisfy him in the great assize, that any of you have been quiet and Seneca Aliud a●●re, ●ale age●e. forborn to meddle much, as the heathen complained of some; Nor that others of you have been doing some other work then family business; lest of all that any of you should do evil offices though never so closely to this family: As if you according to that opinion of the Florentine, should imagine, that great persons were made for their pleasures only. He hath betrusted Ma ●●av, de inst●●u●●one principis. Aetrus Hadria the Emperor used to say, Non m●bi sed popu●o praees, nunqu●d ut de subdetis ●res cas●●equaqua●● se● ut ipse de ●e Ber. de consed l. 3. you with his house, be not deceived, no pretences will satisfy him when he calls his stewards to an after reckoning. Saul you know was taken of God and employed about this house, but came short in his improvement. He perhaps prided himself in his greatness, and thought his * Psal. 30 6. 7. 1 Sam. 15 23, 26, ●7, 2● 1 Sam 15, 33. mountain, like David sometimes, so strong as never to be moved: made light of admonitions, sieighted opportunities, lost advantages, pleased himself, but provoked God to the confusion of himself, and rending of the kingdom from him: yea though, perhaps in tenderness or policy, he spared Agag and the fat cattle (it being contrary to the word of the Lord) God makes Samuel his executioner to do his pleasure on him in Gilgal: that as his sword had made many mother's childless, so should his mother be childless. Jehu you know (honourable and beloved) was advanced to govern the family, he had a price put into his hands, and did something in the Lord's cause: He set on a parcel Reformation, and God therefore assures him the kingdom to a fourth generation. He went so far as by-ends and self principles would 2 King. 10. 16. carry him, but he did not all that the necessities of God's family, and the high calling he was honoured with, challenged at his hands: Jehu took no heed (saith the holy Ghost) to walk in all the Law of the Lord God of Israel, as Hezekiah did with all his heart (it was but in a corner of his heart) for he departed 2 Chron. 31. 21. 2 King. 10. 29. not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel sin: and therefore you read in Hosea of him (though it may be at first Hos. 1. 4. sight you would take him to be a true Israelite of the family in whom is no guile) how God is resolved to repay his partiality and insincerity in that very service, the matter of which so far as he went, God approves; for yet a little while (saith he) and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. Think with yourselves (beloved) what a terrible curse it is that lieth on Coniah a broken despised vessel wherein God takes no pleasure, such was his disrespect of God's house in which he lived: the Prophet Jeremy opens it fully, thus saith the Lord, write this man Jer. 22. ●4. 28. childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days, for no man of his seed shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Judah. You know that, ut crescunt dona, sic crescunt donorum rationes, where the Lord bestows great gifts he will call for a proportionable account, and will exact it in one kind or another, he looks we should walk suitable to favours; if we do not, Hear what he saith by his messengers: The glory of Jacob Isa. 17. 4. Jer. 33. Amos 6. 8, Lament. 2. 3. shall be made thin. Hear Jeremy, I will cast away the seed of Jacob; Hear Amos, it will make God abhor the excellency of Jacob; yea further he will burn against Jacob like a flaming fire, which shall devour round about. Surely we desire not that Jacob's house should be worn thin, that it be cast off, or the excellency abhorred and burnt round about with fire from God, who (being angry) is no less● than a consuming Heb. 12 29. fire; Oh then how are we concerned to be careful, being thus privileged (as we have heard) that the house of Jacob walk in the light of the Lord. Let us now consider the nature of the duty that's presented to us, with its introduction and description, the former in, Come ye, the latter in the words, Let us walk. Some perhaps conceive this spoken by the Jews mutually exhorting one another as the Gentiles who were without the Church, do in the precedent verses persuade their fellows to go up to the mount of the Lord. No they are within the Temples view, they want hearts to go, rather than an opportunity. I suppose their Prophet God's vicegerent would mould into a better form. The Papists and Arminians abuse this and the like places to establish the power of free will; but who knows not the several S●ul●um ess●t 〈◊〉 aut 〈…〉 ei qu● 〈…〉. Arb ●. 6. cap 10. ends God hath in expressions of this nature, as 1. To show what is our duty, rather than our natural ability to perform. 2. To humble men in consideration of their present condition of opposing and standing out against the Lord. 3. That such as are elect (the holy Ghost setting on the exhortation) may by grace perform what is required of them in nature. 4. That all excuse may be taken away from profane persons, who cannot deny but a Prophet hath been amongst them, and hath invited them to return. 5. Hereby God would show that we are not moved as stocks Calv instit l. 2. cap. 5. Austin. and stones; but as such who work ex consilio, by consent of will, God having made us ex nolentibus volentes. Is it not remarkable, think you, that I say a reformer of the Church and state, setting to the work, calls on himself as on them? he doth not as the Scribes and Pharisees bind heavy burdens on other men's shoulders, himself not touch them with one of his fingers: he is not as those sea Marks pointing a passage to mariners, and themselves move not: he, as a good general, saith in effect to them, you are not to go one foot further than your leader shall break the way before you. He puts on the same resolution in Jacob's house, as Joshuah did in his own, I and my house will serve the Lord. Josh 24. 15. Teaching us, that those who are reformers of others, must not exempt themselves from Reformation; it's not enough Observ. Matth 8. ●. Facere recte cives suos princeps optimus sa●endo docet. Paterculus. that you be such as the Centurion to those under him, saying go and he goeth, come and he cometh, do this and he doth it. You should as Admirals in a fleet be as examples in the voyage, as one saith, teaching others to do right by your own examples, which clearly is the reason why God would have us punctual in the choice of rectors, Exod the 18. 21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people, able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness. The Hebrews describe them in this manner, Men of ability and such as be mighty in the commandments, exactly look to themselves, and subdue their affections, so that there be no dishonest or contemptible thing in them. And generally able men are such as have a strong (or courageous) heart to deliver the oppressed out of the oppressors hands; as it is said of Moses, he stood up and defended or saved them. To the same purpose is that charge, in Numb. 11. 17. Exod. ●. 17. Gather unto me (saith God) seventy Elders, and I will take the spirit which is upon the●, and will put it upon them: thereby God showeth that none without the gifts of the spirit, are fit for government, as is frequently taught in God's book: By the Deut. 1. 13. spirit here is meant spiritual gifts, as in Scripture language frequently, neither was Moses his spirit hereby diminished. 2 King. 2. 15. 1 Cor 14 12. 32. Joh 7. 30. Act. 19 2. 6. Moses in that hour was like unto the lamp left (burning) on the candlestick in the Sanctuary, from which all the other lamps were lighted, yet the light thereof was not lessened any whit. A like place you have, in 2 Sam. 23. 30. He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God; he must have justice both of the first and second table, that his act●onss may read a lecture of both to the people; and may in sincerity with comfort give the like charge which the Apostle doth to his Philippians; those things that you have learned and seen in me, do, and the God Phil. 4. 9● of peace shall be with you. Give me leave (honourable senators) (being one of your remembrancers from the Lord this day) to stir up your pure minds, though happily you have been taught in the present truth; Isaiah was a Noble person and Prophet of God's sending, he was not ashamed to interest himself in the work of Reformation: 'tis your duties (as Abimelech did in another case) (that I may use the holy Ghosts Judg. 9 48. words) to invite the people, propounding yourselves a pattern, as you have seen us do, so do you as we have done. I must confess that natural abilities are of great advantage in government and state-policy, and where men are defective in them, they are exposed to contempt and hazard; Learning is of great worth, and without it, counsels are (in some sort) blind and lame. But what if we have abilities of both very eminently? what trust can we repose in such? If there be not upright lives, integrity, godliness, we may truly say of such men, as of him in the story; He hath navim bonam, Gubernatorem Qui 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 ●idel●s esse non● ossunt. 〈◊〉. ap 〈…〉 1. cap. ●. malum, a good ship, but an evil pilot, and on the other hand, probè doctus est qui probus est, he is entirely learned, who to his learning hath added integrity. Oh that all the Magistrates, Committees, Commissioners, Benches of justice, which are under you, were of this constitution? how well should it be then with God's people! this is no more than what we have covenanted in the very setting See national Covenant. on the work of Reformation, and yet its strange to see and hear in all places, pretenders to the settlement of the common wealth, sticklers (as they would persuade us) for regularity and government in the Church, Antagonists of heretics, Sectaries, and schismatics, zealous against Malignants, as the Covenant obliges them: Yet how few are there that conscientiously make use of that other branch, touching Reformation of our own ways, without which what is the best even in Reformers but mere hypocrisy? Worthy senators, let this sink into your hearts, as men by employment in Reformation, and obligement in covenants draw nearer to God than others; so should they manifest more holiness in their conversation to God and his people. 1. Reformers (such as I say here) do stand in a nearer relation to the work, it being the fruit of their own womb: that it be not defective or ill shapen: 'tis very requisite themselves be of an handsome and comely feature, when parents are deformed, children oft-times resemble them; if Reformers be licentious and loose, the product of their endeavours will be a loose Reformation. 2. Reformation takes best with the people, when those who commend it to them are themselves active in what is good, common people look much into the lives of their rulers, how they move, what course they steer, and are not persuaded that you are in earnest, if yourselves act not: And indeed if we intend a Reformation to the purpose, it must be laid in the great ones, that are or should be the Reformers of Israel: when in the counsel of Constance, there was a speech had concerning Reformation, some saying, quod oporteat incipere 4 minoritis, M Fox Hist of the council of ●onstanc● Anno 14●4. the Reformation must begin at the friars, no saith Sigismond, Non a Minoritis, sed a Majoritis incipienda est Reformatio, signifying that the Reformation should first begin with the Pope, Cardinals and Bishops, and so descend to inferiors: and indeed mutato nomine, de nobis, change but the name and it's a good history, showing us a rule of our Reformation, as he in the comedy said, Loquere ut videam, so speak as I may see it abroad, so express in words, that our conversation give not a lie to our language, lest we be not unjustly taxed, as those who say and do not. The Lord's expectations are higher and greater from Reformers than others. Where God gives much of power, honour, estate, opportunities, of them he requires the more duty, Primum videndum, quid sit▪ quod sacrum appellat ●●st autem illud sacrum quod sacris ufibus vel Dei instituto & jussa vel hominum voluntaria & ● spontanea la●gitione ad lictum & devotum est. Ob eamque causam horum aut sublatio, aut etiam imminutio, sacrilegij ●rimine damnatur, Deut. 23. 21, 22, 23. Hec corruptela cum omnibus saeculis ●h●●●uit, tu● ex omni memoria nunquam magis grassat● est quam hoc nostro ta● infaelic● sae●ulo, in quo p●erique non more lo 〈◊〉 largiuntur sed etiam, qu●▪ adpossunt, da●t operam ut ex illo aliquid resecent & arr●dant, quod a su●● major bus ad 〈◊〉 Dei & scholarum & pauperam suste● a●ionem collatum est. Exaggeratur hoc scelu● apud Prophet. Mal. 3. 8, 9 qui hanc injuriam ●on tam hominibus quam ●psi Deo sactam esse queritur. Quod si illis mortale & perniciosum sit qui bis bonis fr●untur, quid illis fie● qui alioru● Au●● rit●● tantum a ●ainistri fugruat, qui ipsi●ullum inde fractum perceperunt, & qui spe tantum praedae deiuceps consequendae a● hoc sacrilegium pertracti sunt. M Cart. on Prov. 20. 2●. Rom. 2. 21. Thou that sayest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? thou who professest to abhor Idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou who framest to the Nation a Covenant, for preserving God's worship in purity, settling the Church in a doctrine and discipline agreeable to the word, reforming thy own ways, dost thou by starting aside, throwing it behind thy back, as an obsolete ceremony, or using it as an engine for a particular project, to advance the designs of a deceitful heart, not to make thee more humble, holy, or watchful in thy walk, Jer 7. 24. Jer. 17. 9 2 Sam. 1. 20. before God and man, dishonourest thou the Lord? O tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon. Let not the Philistines triumph: All Christians (Hon.) are bound to walk with God, you more as being Reformers of Church and state. Isaiah is a good pattern, who prescribes to others what himself is ready to perform, requiring not profession only but action. O house of Jacob (saith he) come ye, let us walk in the light of the Lord. And so I pass to the next words, setting forth the nature of the duty, Walk ye. There are two sorts of walkers our law mentioneth. 1. Night Walker's, And those the Scripture nameth such as walk in the flesh, Rom. 8. 2. and in darkness, 1 Thes 5. 3. 2. Day Walker's, who move to Godward after the direction of the word, and strength of grace received from Christ, the son of God, and Ad Deum non acceditur passibus corporalibu● cum ubique sit, ped affectibus mentis: & codem modo ab eo ●eced tur & sic accsssus & recessus sab fimili udine localis motus defignunt spiritualem affectum. Tho. Aquin. ● q. ●. 5. m. light of the world, of such the Prophet here speaketh. He persuadeth not the Jews to speculation, painted profession, vainglorious, empty ostentation: reality and active walking in God's ways, is that to which they are invited. real holiness consists in action, not profession only. The Apostle prescribing rules to servants, how they should as Observ. Ephel. ●. 6. Christians behave themselves to their Masters, saith; it must not be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, service to the eye. If men will not accept a perfunctory performance, much less can we expect that God take such feigned holiness well at our hands, it being simulata Cypr. Serm de Mortal. sanctitas, and so duplex iniquitas, which occasioned Cyprian to cry out: Quid prodest verbis proferre veritatem, & factis destruere virtutem? To hold out this truth more fully it is that the holy Ghost makes use of such phrases as require a most industrious Luk. 13. 24. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Phil. 2. 12. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Cor. 9 24. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Revel. 3. ●. and solicitous behaviour to Godward; strive to enter in at the strait gate; sometime, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; sometime, so run that you may obtain: all which do show the earnestness of endeavour after that godliness which should be in all Christians. It's not enough that we be as those St John mentioneth, who have a name to live and in truth are dead; Nor as such St Hierom remembreth, Qui sub Christiano nomine, under the vizard of Christians, in all their deportments towards Church and state, walk as Gentiles; Nor as that Indian figtree in Pliny, having leaves as large as Targets, the fruit ●o bigger than a bean. O Honourable and beloved, consider there must be reality in our godliness, verbal shows are not sufficient: My request to Zanch. 9 you is (that with more certainty and comfort you may walk in this way of the Lord) the ordinary tract, the terminus a quo, and terminus ad quem (being passed by,) frequent in our Divines, treating on this subject, you would give me leave to propound to you some objects, on which in this walk all God's people must fix their eyes; within which limits I shall bound my discourse; Take them in these succinct following considerations. 1. Let your aim be in every undertaking to honour your heavenly father, whose will is, that we should in these Scripture revelations of duty, glorify him. And whilst I say so, take notice, that we must honour God for himself: We may not seek him for base ends; We should see an excellency in him, above all persons, and things else, so as we can rest satisfied with God alone, yea with outward crosses and troubles: In a word, honour him not as those, who sought after, and followed Jesus, induced thereto, by mercenary, base, and by respects of loaves and fishes and perishing things; as the gloss saith, Quaereb●nt Joh. 6. to. Ord. Gloss. in loc. Jesum sed non propter Jesum. 2. In our walk we must propound to ourselves this likewise, to help forward the salvation of our brethren, by exhortation, example, or what way providence offereth; after the Apostle Paul's precedent. It's a vain imagination of those who conceive 1 Cor. 9 22. that we must walk only to our own ends and interests, to our own honour, vain pleasure, observance of carnal friends, with neglect of the Saints, and their common cause: Woe be to such a man, when his Master cometh, and shall find him so walking. It's one of the saddest spectacles our times presents us with, and which doth threaten and may draw down a greater judgement than we are aware of, that men will not walk nor stir one foot (be the affair of never so great importance to the public,) unless the golden ball run before them. I have read of a bloodstone, which having an excellent quality to staunch blood, the Jewellers say, it seldom or never exerts Mazarinus. Psal. 50. its force, if not set in or covered over with silver. We have too many who have good parts, but if not silvered, you shall be poorly helped, perhaps rather mischieved by them. Another object in our walk, we are to look on; is God's likeness, that we may come as fully up to it, as possible. We are children of a holy and heavenly father, and endeavour to bear his image; that as when the question was, whose is this 1 Pet. 1. 16. image and superscription, they answer, Caesari; so, when one shall say, whose is such a statesman, such a Divine, such a Magistrate, Matth. 22. 20. such a councillor? it may be answered, he hath God's image in all his deportments, he walks up to God, he breathes out piety in all his enterprises and employments. But alas that evil which a father complained of in his time, is too rife among us, Omnes ad Deum, pauci post Deum ir● volunt, All men would go to God that they may receive glory, few Bern. would go after him in a holy and divine imitation. Let us that have given our names to Christ; ●●minate on this: As we are called to a state of grace, let us walk answerably. The philosophers used to say, if thou be'st a Philosopher, thou must live Philosophores? Philosoph●●e i. gitur tibi vivendum est. as such an one; So I, if thou be'st a Saint, walk up to God's image and likeness, show what thou art. There is another mark on which we must set our eyes, in this walk, viz, to ascertain ourselves that we are in Christ, and so shall with him partake of future glory; which is that very lesson the Apostle Peter so plainly teacheth the Saints. Although 2 Pet. 1. 11. (as the learned Zanchius observes) holiness and good works are not requisite ad promerendam, that we can by them merit everlasting happiness, yet ad possidendem vitam aeternam, they are necessary. 5. The increase of grace received (in this walk we now treat of) is also carefully to be looked unto; and is one end that in our heavenly course we must aim at. You know diverse after sickness by moderate walking do get strength: use hands (we say) and have hands; it's a very useful lesson that of employing graces, philosophical habits are augmented by putting them forth into exercise, and the spiritual endowments God vouchsafeth us, if we suffer not, what we have received, to impair Gen 5. 24. with Heb. 11. 5. by disuse, will receive much advantage; if we would learn with Henock, to walk with God, I doubt not but we should gain much strength by that divine exercise of spiritual walking. 6. Briefly this must be our scope and desire to please God; in which as we are to imitate the Lord Jesus; so ●…s our parts to draw power from Christ, strengthening us to walk acceptably Phil. 4 13. 1 Cor. 7. 32. before him; that of us it may be said truly in some sort, as he of himself, Joh 8. 20. I do all things that please him▪ and indeed otherwise to what purpose is our walk? God hath coupled, walk, and pleasing him together, 1 Thes. 4 1 how you ought to walk, and please God; It's possible to walk and not to please {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. him; many walk and are enemies to Christ, but than we are not in Christ or walk not with God, holily and in faith; without 1 Thes. 2. 4. which it's impossible to please God. It was 〈◊〉 his care in his walk to please God, and should be ours also; he Rom 8. 8. Heb 6 11. Gen. 5 22. Heb. 1● 5. behaved himself as in God's sight, had a regard to the rule, that all performances were warranted by it, and with the eye of faith looked on Christ, who was to come, his desires were to advance the Lord in every thing; whom that we may please, take heed of, 1. Pleasing ourselves in satisfying our own corrupt humours: as Christ pleased not himself in his walk, otherwise then might Col 1. 10. Col. 3. ●0. Rom. 15. 3. stand with God's pleasure: So neither may we as Brutus and Cassius, wedded to our own wills and corrupt lusts. 2. Of pleasing men, to whose vain fancy it is a sin for us to comply. When God calleth us to him; if so, we are not the servants of Christ. This of pleasing God in our walk, is both a duty and a special prerogative of God's people, that when ungodly Gal. 1. 10. 1 Thes 3 4. natural men with the richest habiliments, and sweetest accommodations nature can afford them, are distasteful, yea odious to God; yet the upright (their actions being died in Zancby. the blood of Christ) being acted by God's own spirit, their works are God's in them, their walking in a holy suitableness to his word, intending sincerely his glory, their persons being in Phil. 2. 13. 1 Joh. 3. 22. Christ, their performances please him; mistake me not, as if in every thing a child of God, pleased God; though his person be accepted, yet not all his actions, as in David and Peter case, though the person as in Christ be well pleasing, yet not as in a trade of sin; for which God doth justly correct such with the 2 Sam. 7. 14. 15. rods of men, from whom he taketh not his mercy for ever. That we may please God in our walk before him, observe only these three rules. 1. Walk so as to avoid every extreme, not to fall into one evil whilst we decline another: as some even of the primitive Fathers and Modern Divines through inanimadvertency in the heat of disputation have not avoided; John Wickliff though a good and learned man, seeing the abuse of Church goods to Scieba● horrid●us scripturu● Letherum quam sent●●. Phil. Melanct ●. ep ad A●●cum. Anno 1544. Fox Martyr. excess, riot, wantonness, and God's dishonour, cries down Church revenues, and opens unawares a gap that he never intended, to sacrilegious practices of covetous worldings, who soon after took the advantage of his error to enrich themselves, to the discountenancing of learning, and discouragement of the Ministry, and their own ruin; Others there have been endeavouring to shun the pressures of episcopal tyranny, giving too much the reins, to novel opinions, self conceits and interests, unawares run headlong into confusion and irregularity. And some there be who so highly advancing the love and freegrace of God to man; Others pleading strongly for Christian liberty (forgetting the golden mean) treading the moral law under foot, as an useless ceremony after men are in Christ, hurry themselves from Christian liberty into Antichristian libertinism. 2. Walk cautelously that we be not cozened with the falsities and deceits of the devil, oftentimes changing himself into an 2 Cor. 11. 14. Angel of light, sophisticating his wares, and dying vice with virtue's colours, suggesting under glorious shows, such notions, of which we may say, as Osiander of the German Interim, there Osiander. Ep. cen●. was plus veneni, more poison by many degrees then wholesome nourishment in it. I desire not to raise old errors from the dead, to engender new ones. Westminster Hall, every street in London buy and sell them; so as we may say of those Cities Lond. Westm. as sometimes of Rome, omnia vaenalia Rome, there's not an old fashion but its new dressed and set to sale, not an ancient error in Austin or Epiphanius his time, which is not set forth as gainful Merchandise: every country town almost in the land, is thereby infected. Nor would I be mistaken in this, as if no distinction were to be made betwixt fundamentals and prater-fundamentalls, if that difference take not place, it may be prejudicial Polan. B. Hell. ●. D●vena●●. to the foundation upon which we all are builded. 3. Walk providently, so to manage things present as to have an eye behind to discern what may follow, how by such an enterprise much good may be hindered, enemies of the truth may gain advantage, thou Mayest unwittingly play thine adversary's game: there is a time (saith Solomon) for all purposes: Christ himself did not many things which afterwards he put in Eccles 3. ●. practice, his hour was not yet come; Mary was deceived, and for it justly by Christ blamed, in hasting him to turn water into Joh. 2. 4. wine before the time; The Disciples were in an error, requiring fire from heaven as Elias did, it was not time; The tares in the gospel (saith he) are to be rooted up, but not at all Luk. 9 54. Matth. 13. 30. times, if more detriment come to the good corn by taking them away (though in themselves unsufferable) then by their awhile standing, let them alone to a fit harvest; All actions are not fit for all times. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in Greek is tempus, and temporis opportunitas, gall 6 10. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. time and the seasonableness of it: We must in our proceeding look to both significations, if we mean to be conformable to the rule, or profitable to ourselves or others; Cyprians advise is of good use here, who reproved some Christians that would needs intempestivè profess the faith, Confiteri nos vol●it (saith he) magis Christus quam profiteri. Let us (Honble) in this case walk providently, or as the Apostle hath it exactly, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}: which that we may do, go to the light, for to walk in Eph. 5. 15. darkness is dangerous; And the rather let us be induced hereto by the consideration of God's bounty to us, no less then to our forefathers of Jacob's house, who had a light fiery pillar to direct them through the wilderness to Canaan; So we have a light here sent from the father of lights with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning; it's the Lord's light (saith the James 1. 17. text) Oh house of Jacob, come ya, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. Having much ground to walk over, I shall spare needlessely to stay myself or you in a review of the various acceptations of this word Light in holy writ, this task having been performed I lliricus. frequently by the Learned: its observable that the Hebrew word. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for light here used, is of near kin to the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} thereby showing it to be a metaphorical expression, in which the Lord would let himself down to man's capacity. Nor need we be curious in this variety of significations whether to choose, the ten Commandments delivered by Moses, or the Gospel of Christ, or indeed the whole word of God. Neither is this to 2 Pet. 1. 19 be omitted, that the Prophet speaking of the word, calleth it the Lord's light, as the Hebrews) used by way of emphasis to entitle, things of more than ordinary worth; or else as Oecolampadius noteth, to show that there is one God of the Jews and Oecolampad. in locu●● Gentiles; Yet he saith not your Lord, nor Jacob's Lord, nor thy Lord, as in●some other Scriptures; but the Lord; haply for that they having forsaken him, would not with that assurance and confidence of interest go to him as their Lord. The holy Scriptures (this is that Isaiah would teach them) are a light to all God's people, and that it is so, there are these evidences. Observ. Spa●bem dub. E●ang parte 3. dab minima 94 1. The Scripture is a full and perfect light, there is no defect in it, no rules wanting, none insufficient, we cannot say as of the orators works desunt nonnusla, nor as the Schools, of Tully. P. Lombard, hic Magister non tenetur; No, the law of the Lord is perfect, it's sine vitio, it hath no faule in the least measure. Psal. 19 ●. Piscat. in loc. 2. It is a clear and shining light, manifesting a sufficiency of instruction and direction in all the ways of God, so as the man of God may be made perfect; As it hath light in itself; So doth 1 Tim. 3. 16. it convey the same to others, making them wise to satuation▪ if you say there be many in darkness and ignorance to this very hour, who walk in byways. I desire you to consider, M. Downames warf●re part 4 lib. ●. cap. 4. that God is pleased to clear to such as be his people, all truths necessary to salvation; if any of his children be in an error against fundamentals, God who hath promised to lead his Joh. 16. 13. Phil. 3. 15. Saints into all truth, will discover this unto them in due time. 3. As light is pure and clean, you cannot fasten any dirt or uncleanness on it; So is the word of God, there is no dross in it, so thoroughly is it purged, saith a learned Divine. Men may Psal. 11. 140. Piscat. Pu●gaturur anrum in catino. cast disgraceful speeches and aspersions on it, as do Papists, Atheists, and Enthusiasts, but there you can fasten no evil. The word, as the light, is a comfortable creature, how pleasant is it to behold the light (saith the wise man) the expressions Eccles. 11. 7. of God's freegrace, the promises of mercy, the doctrine of the covenant in Christ made with God's people, the future glory and happiness herein held forth, and reserved to all Gods elect. How doth the hearing, reading, meditating of the same, put life into the hearts of God's children in the midst of their hottest afflictions: as David; I had fainted in my trouble, but thy Ps. 119 50. 93. word hath quickened me. Light is smart and painful to all blear-eyed persons, who cannot endure the force and efficacy of it; which comes to pass by reason of the weakness or imperfection of the eyes: So the word of God (especially when powerfully preached) doth exasperate and enrage ungodly men, desirous to sleep in the dark dungeon of hellish sins, who like Cerberus Pluto's dog drawn from hell, belch and vomit at the light; So were the Pharisees at Christ's Sermon, They were scandalised Matth 1● 12. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. at him. Lastly as the light hath its being and rise from the sun the fountain and original of it (there is lux and lumen, as the Philosophers distinguish, as cause and effect:) So God who is light itself and dwelleth in light, in whom is no darkness at all, the father and fountain of light, is the original of this Scripture light, which is a ray or beam of his sun in heaven. It is of his enspiring: holy men (saith the Apostle) spoke, as moved by the Spirit, the word is not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of their own 2 Pet. 1. 20. interpretation; but as they were moved by the holy Ghost. Honourable and beloved, seeing it's the light of the Lord that hath all this day, this day said I? yea so many Sermon days, use. yea so many scores of years shined to this Nation: Let us to whom of late more fully God hath vouchsafed so imparallelld a mercy (our forefathers, and many of our dear brethren in other countries, as those in Egyptian darkness, desiring to see Exod. 10. 23. one of these days of the son of man and cannot enjoy them) let us (I say) endeavour to walk answerable to so high a favour. Oh that I were worthy to fasten on you the exhortation of the prophet Isaiah cap. 60. 1. 2. wherein is a promise also and seems in our times to be fulfiled. Arise, shine, for thy light is Gloria jebovae doctrine evangelij per quam glorificatur Jevab. Piscat. come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; for behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be upon thee. Take notice therefore of these rules. Bring your actions to this light and make trial whether or no they be wrought in God, both your private emploimen● Joh. 3. 21. as men, and your public undertakings in your respective ●●ionss to Church and state. The King (as we read, in Deu●. 17. 18, 19) When he sat upon the throne of his kingdom, was to write him a copy of the Law in a book on't of that which is before Some read it his Deuteronomy. H Airsworth. the Priests the Levites, and it was to be with him, and he was to read therein all the days of his life, that he might learn the fear of the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law, and these statutes to do them. Yea say some Hebrew Doctors, he was so carefully to look to this rule, that if his fathers had left him none (viz no book of the law) or if that be lost, he is to write him two books of the law, the one he is to reserve in his house, for so he is commanded, as every one of Israel: the other is not to depart from before him; if he goeth out to war, it goeth with him, if he sit in judgement, it is to be with him. They knew of old this most certain principle (as Luther calleth it) that God's word will not attemper itself or condescend to Princes and states; but they are to frame themselves and employments unto it, though never so cross to their malignant and corrupted humours: which gives me occasion to remember that worthy speech of famous Queen Elizabeth, when passing in royal state to her coronation through the streets of London, the Bible being presented to her, which with both hands taking she kissed, and laying to her breast, she said that the same had ever been her chiefest delight, and should be a rule by which she mean to frame her government. In this case it's true what Casuists teach concerning the Cannon law, that in materia ad acclesiam pertinento, where the civil and Canon law disagree, We must Sartily Fu●●● vill. uren c●●lex. Legs civi les sequuntur canonum disi●io●em. gall 4. 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. be ordered by the Canon: So if we could be willing (when laws fright and oppose one the other) to sta●d to the determination of God's Canon without prejudice or partiality, suffering ourselves to be directed by the light of holy Scripture, it would soon put a period to the most unkindly differences. 2. Beware of the pretended new lights so much sought after by these times, that our holy zeal for God is almost extinct. When God sets up a pillar as a direction to his people, he expects that Jer. 6. 16. no ignis fatu●s or lanthorn-man should steal away his followers, yet such is the mad instability of these times, that what ever presents itself new to us is welcome, though unsound and rotten. God hath shut up the Canon of Scripture, your expectations Gal. 18. will be frustrate if you look for another Gospel. There may be new lights respectu actus revelandi, enlightening both the organ and the object, but these revelations are not new, respectu doctrinae revelatae: this were to set up another Gospel then what you have received; which whosoever shall presume to bring, we may not (saith John) bid him God speed, lest we Ioh. 2. 10, 11. partake of his evil deeds. We must as Martin Luther said he would do, if any spirit suggest to us any opinion, for which he hath not Scripture, spit in his face, yea if an Angel from heaven (as the Apostle long since taught us) should preach any Gal. 1. ●. other Gospel (let him prate as much as he will of new lights) he is accursed. 3. Suffer not men in these times of light, to walk in darkness, compel them to come in at least to an outward observance Bald cas. lib. 2. cap. 6 p. 104. in horum locum adigantur ad sacra Christianorum i. e. jubeantur templa ipsorum i●gredi, Concionibus & precibus interesse, &c. of ordinances. Some have doubted, though all are not of that opinion, whether the Jews living in a Christian commonwealth, ought not to be forced to an outward conformity; but that such as are Christians by profession should not by the civil Magistrate be brought to ordinances, seemeth to be out of question. I move not this as supposing an outward compliance sufficient to the completing of a Christian, which is done in the work of grace upon the heart, however when men come to, and live within the reach of the word solidly preached, they are more like to be enlightened and converted. Bishop Latimer used to say, he would have men come to the Church In his Serm. though to take a nap, it may be God would take them n●pping; who knows God's time of saving souls? We read of one in those bloody Marian times, who when the Protestants had a M. Fox in the life of Q Mary. meeting in Tems-street in London to hear a Sermon, came in with a purpose to have informed the persecuting Bishop B●nner against them; he went away by that Sermon converted, and became one of them. And who knoweth what God may do, though men come to his word out of buy respects? We have many good and wholesome laws made by former Parliaments to this very purpose; it were much to be wished, they were revived and put in execution, that those mulcts and punishments in them were inflicted: that so ungodly men might not dare with that frequency and audaciousness to disfrequent the public places of God's worship (where the light is set up) under specious and coloured pretences, when perhaps much worse employed to the corrupting their weak minds by seducers, whose labour and ambition is to draw disciples after them and subvert unstable souls. 4. Let it be your chief care (ever Honoured Senators) to set up and maintain this light of the Lord in all places of the Kingdom, there being thousands of Parishes in England and Wales, which are miserably destitute of this light, wanting able Preachers to hold it out to them; as Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmoreland, the bishopric, yea and a very great part of Yorkshire, who like Pagans scarce know whether there be a God, a Christ, a holy Ghost or no. Take therefore good King Jehoshaphat for an example, who sent Priests and Levites in great plenty throughout all Judah, and they had the 2 Chron. 17 9 Law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout the Cities of Judah, and taught the people. He was careful to advance the light of the Lord, that his subjects might not remain in darkness; and you see in the following part of the story, how the Lord remembered him for it, and (saith he) the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the land that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. And verily had more care (since all the opportunities of advancing light from the beginning of these distracted times, till now) been taken, had the people been taught by 2 Chron. 17. 11. Phil. 2▪ 21. Learned, Orthodox, Godly, discreet, painful Divines, in the dark corners of this nation, where very little or no light shineth; by God's blessing we should not have lost by that charge, Speed in the succession of Saxon monarchs. lib. 7. cat 21. B●de hist Angl. lib. 3. cap. 3. what ever covetous self-ended persons (who seek their own, not God or his people) may suggest to the contrary. Famous Oswald King of Northumberland gave testimony of his zeal for God's glory, and love to his people in the same sort, by setting up a light of truth in those very dark times, he sent for one Aiden a Scottish Bishop (saith Beda) to instruct his people, who not well understanding nor pronouncing our language, was not so intelligible to the hearers, the King himself therefore used to interpret his Sermons as the Bishop preached. But it's not said that the King presumed to take on him the Preachers office, he did not preach, only (which indeed was an excellency in him) he interpreted to them the Preachers Sermons. He well apprehended how much it concerned himself and kingdom to advance the light of life, without which they should all remain in darkness and irregularity. Which light of the Lord, that it may be set up and become useful, I commend to your consideration four short directions. 1. Be regardful of the nurseries of good learning, that by the means of them such students as shall de futuro be sent abroad, may be completed with knowledge in languages, skilfulness Isa. 49. 23. of arts and sciences, well read in story political and ecclesiastical, and indeed accomplished in all good literature requisite to so high an employment, that he may show himself a 2 Tim. 2●● 5. Sir Hen. Sp●d. Tom. 1. Concil. Britan. 1 Tim. 5 17▪ {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. workman which needs not be ashamed; Let these Schools of the Prophets receive their due revenues, and other encouragements which their pious founders and benefactors vouchsafed them: Let no man have just cause to divert his child's studies to secular employments, either for want of means, conveniences or honour by which the minds of men are much invited to study. Let that other sister which hath no breasts be timely remembered, of which I may say, as King James said in the star-chamber King James his speech in star-chamber. to the Judges, in that of Paul's steeple, that in time may be done at a less, which afterwards cannot be at a greater charge. 2. See that the places of God's worship be maintained; the neglect of which as it gives occasion to our Roman adversaries to speak evil, so doth it not pass without suspicion amongst the vulgar sort, as if with the outward fabric and structure your intention was to demolish worship and Religion itself. Truth Ridley his view of the civil law. p. 19●. is, the complaint now is no less just (and I hope free from Romish tincture) than it was in King Alured his days, when in most places they were exceedingly gone to wrack; I am confident you conceive me not to persuade to a popish supe●sitionss garnishing of Churches, walls, nor of a foolish opinion that prayers are heard propter s●nctitatem loci, which yet was the Th. Aqui●. fancy of some Schoolmen: but only that such places should be conveniently repaired, and where they want, more built for receiving the people of God to worship him, for neglect of which we are justly culpable, as they who did not build the Temple of Jerusalem, a type of the Church, God's people. So is it time for us to mend our own houses demolished by war, and Hab. 1. 9 shall these houses lie wast? 3. Let the Discipline of the Church, according to the word of God, best reformed Churches and fundamentals of our own Nation be established; it will be a notable means to preserve the light, and to keep of such as endeavour (like as they did that candle, Luther, in the beginning of the German Reformation lighted) to blow it out. The goodness of God (saith one in his book wherein this controversy of Discipline is purposely and largely discussed) hath provided in his word a To this purpose M. Tham. Carthwright in his cont. with Arch B. Whit-gist. Discipline for his Church, which if he had not done, he should have been less careful of it then of the commonwealth, of which in that regard he is not unmindful. Neither is this any other than you have covenanted, and was there ever a Parliament as of more prayers, fastings, preachings, deliverances, victories, so of more vows, covenants, leagues, and solemn protestations, with eyes hands and all lift up to heaven, than this is: Well, of all sins, to falsify Covenant is one of the greatest, Eccles. 5 5. D●ut 23. 21. better not promise, then having vowed, not perform. In your first Declaration there is this memorable passage. It is far from our purpose or desire to let loose the golden reins of Discipline and government in the Church, to leave private persons or particular congregations, to take up what form of divine service they please, for we hold it requisite that there should be through the whole realm a conformity to that order which the laws enjoin according to the word of God. O that we had not started aside from this like a deceitful bow, then surely had we wounded the hairy scalp of many Church enemies, that break the bonds asunder and cast the cords away from them. O that the husbandman had not slept, the enemy could not with that advantage have sown so many ●aress of errors in God's field. O that this guard were set, so the foxes might be taken, even those little foxes which do spoil the vines that are full of grapes. 4. Take order that such Divines as in several parts of the kingdom have or shall conscionably hold forth this light of truth in their charges respectively to the edification of their people 1 Cor. ●. ●. and not to yours or the Commonwealths disadvantage, be plentifully provided of comfortable maintenance and due encouragement; Gal. 6. 6. Sir Ed. Cook in second part of just on Magna Charta. pag. 3, 4. So in the story of Lucius, E●belbert Eghert. Alfred E●helwol●. Edgar Edward the confe●●our with divers others more in old Histories. Numb. 4. 14. else how can you expect an exact performance of that trust of beating the light you require from them, you may not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. The labouror is worthy of his hire. He that is instructed must make him that instructeth him, partaker of all good things. Our forefathers brought honour to God, happiness to the Church, to themselves a glorious name by their foundations and contributions to the maintenance of his light. Oh let not us grudge that the oil bestowed at their charge, should run in the same pipe to keep in his lamp and not into our private cruses. You (Honourable) are the repairers of our breaches in Church and state; You are the physicians of the body politic and ecclesiastic. We dare not prejudge you. Of all injustice its the worst when men take wrongfully from Mala● 3 8, 6. Dan Ethic. Christ. 12 c 15. Princeps jure non potest res sacra●, & bona cu●t● divino etiam in genere desti●●ra etiam ea quae ●ul●●i superstitioso forvi●●t in ●sum profanu● transferere. Ke●h Syst Po●. l. 1 cap 21. sic polan. in Synt. & in Dan 5. 4, 5. Isa. 50. 4. the public charge of commonwealth, and that wrong done to the Church is a sin greater than that which is against the commonwealth, the Church of the two standing in a nearer relation to God, and to injure the Church, though it be a very great sin under the law, as may appear by the expression in Malachy, Will a man rob God? Ye have robbed me, even this whole na●ion: Yet is it more heinous, if committed in the light of the glorious Gospel, by how much the gospel's Ministry is more excellent than that of the law: which is the reason why some learned and godly Divines have concluded it unlawful to alienate the revenus of God's worship, though given in superstitious times much of it, and haply to some superstitious uses, but rather conceive it ought to be employed to the service of God, encouraging of learning and godliness, which was the main scope of the donors, though some of them might fail in particular, Circa fundamental tenets. But certainly it must needs heighten the sin of those who detain the revenue of the Church, under the specious show of lay-tenements. In the mean while there is none to bear the light of truth before the people, none to instruct them; the key of knowledge being wholly taken away, some aumb dog is set over the flock of Christ for a mean salary, whereas they should be instructed by one, as Isaiah saith that hath the tongue of the learned. And to deprive the people of such tongues that we may enrich ourselves with the revenue that should maintain them, is a sin no less, if not much more, culpable, then that of Achan, who stole a wedge, or as the Hebrew Qui causam 〈◊〉 ipsum dam●●n d●●isse vid●●ur Io●●ph●●. de beno ●u●aic●o hath it, a tongue of gold, but in the end paid a rate dear enough for it, as many of his successors have since done, and more (if timely repentance and restitution prevent not) may buy the gold of the Temple at a high price. It seems the very heathen, who had no other pilot than nature's law, stood in fear to run this hazard, of splitting themselves on this rock of sacrilege, and so make shipwreck of a good conscience to Gen 47. 2●, Pu●●herri ●us igitur his tex●s est ed nos non sequ●mur nec a ●●ittim●s in Germania, etc Phara b Rex aegypti conju●get in judicio prox i●o & contra priacipes & magistra●us Germany, propterea quod ille suos sacerdo●es coluit alu●t & abstieu it a ho●is 〈…〉 ea ●u●●ssino contracta in su●● pote●latem re●i gere patu●sset. Luth. the loss of the soul, the most precious lading, which if once gone, is irrecoverable. Do we not read of Pharaoh King of Egypt, in that great famine mentioned by Moses, how that when all the people were necessitated to sell their lands to make provision for themselves and families that they perished not in the dearth, that he provided a portion for the Priests, that so their lands might be preserved to the uses they were dedicated? He might with as much ease, as little charge, have entered on the priest's possession, as the whole land, and so have been sole Lord, that no man (as our great landlords use to say) should have a foot within his territories. No, he durst not enterprise it, Wherefore the priest's land became not Pharaoh's: He does not drive them (as some have done) to an exigent that he might gain the more by them, he provides, to prevent that mischief, portions, at his own charges for those who are disabled by the penury of the times, to make provision for themselves. And in that general seizure of all estates there is this clause of exception in the deed concerning the Priests, to except before excepted, the land of the Priests only, which became not Pharaoh's. I know that some do endeavour to evade this place alleging the Hebrew word, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Cohen signifieth a Prince, and so take it of the chief officers about the King; but Hieronymus. Chrysostomus. Seb Munster. Ar. Montanus. Vatablus. Ant. Honcala. Leon Marius. Sel●eccerus. Stella. the word signifies both Priest and Prince, and because in one person it sets forth both, haply by one word, and the circumstances show a distinction betwixt them and the rest of the land, which occasions the Learned generally to read it as our translators have done. So the Chaldee, the Septuagint, Tostatus, Pererius, Cornelius a Lapide, Mercerus, Calvin, Musculus, And all our English translators I have met with. Noble senators, let it be your honour (as he said) to leave M. Lutherus. Luc. Osiander. Ioh. Brentius. Dav. Paraeus. H. Ainsworth. Douai Bib. Hen 4. 0. Engl. the Church in a richer condition than you found it, yea though in most places it complains of poverty (it being torn and beggarly) endeavour to restore it; it will be your comfort when you lie on your last pillow, if in this case you can sincerely say to God, as Augustus of Rome repaired by him, inveni lateritiam, reliqui marmoream. Remember that this light, the word, held forth to the people is not maintained (since that extraordinary apostolical gifts are ceased) without vast expense; those who are in this employment (that their office may be more acceptable, graceful and profitable) have several lights, none of them to be suffered to die, which they must maintain at great expense. 1. A light of knowledge in the study by books of all kinds 2 Tim 2. 13. Floreatissima Anglia, ocellas ille ecclesiarum peculium certismi gulare. Deodatus. of learning, that so they may be able Ministers rightly dividing the word in truth; this (blessed be God) is one cause why the Divines of this land have been so famous to the admiration of foreigners: whereas if this light be extinct, there will be a want of the other light in knowledge and doctrine also; as one, a great scholar, long since observed: poor beggarly Ex tenuitat● beneficiorum necessar●ò sequitur ignorantia sacerd●tum. Panermit. maintenance will have but a poor contemptible Ministry; Scandalous maintenance, scandalous Ministry. 2. A light in the family: he must maintain those whose subsistence is from him: which sometimes are exceeding many; if he should be deficient in providing for them, you would condemn him worse than an infidel: It is a pretty observation that one hath, The Table of show bread (saith he) was set in the midst of the Temple to signify thus much, Quod Sacerdotes in Templo servientes, de Templo victum habere debent. Is it not Aquin. much to be lamented think you, that the oil in the first institution of it appointed to preserve light to God's people, is poured Indicandus est fur s●erilegu● qui ●as● fuerit non vudequa. que tollere, sed de ecclesia tollere Aug tr 50 in Joh out to other purposes, * Ye that are Lords and Burgesses of the Parliament house, I require of you in the name of all my poor brethren that are English men and members of Christ's body, that ye consider well (as ye will answer before the face of Almighty God in the day of judgement) this abuse, and see it amended. When as antichrist of Rome durst openly without any vizard, walk up and down throughout England, he had so great favour there, and his children had such cra●ty wits (for the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light) that they had not only almost got ● all the best lands of England into their hands, but also the most part of all the best benefices, both parsonages and vic●raged, which were for the most part all impropred unto them. And when they had the gifts of any not impropered, they gave them unto their friends, of the which always some were learned, for the monks found of their friends children at school. And though they were not learned, yet they kept hospitality, and helped their poor friends. And if the personage were improprated, the monks were bound to deal alms to the poor, and to keep hospitality, as the wri●ingss of the gifts of such personages and lands do planly declare in these words, in puram ele●●of●●om. And as touching the ●l●ess that they deal and the hospitality that they kept, every man knoweth that many thousands were well relieved of them, and might have been better, if they had not had so many great men's horses to feed, and had not been overcharged with such idle gentlemen, as were never out of the abbeys. And if they had any vicarage in their hands, they set in sometime some sufficient 〈◊〉 (though it were but seldom) to preach and to teach. But now that all the abbeys with their 〈◊〉 goods and impropriated personages be in temporal men's hands, I do not here tell, that one halfpenny worth of alms, or any other profit cometh unto the people of those parishes. Your pretence of putting down abbeys, was to amend that was amiss in them. It was far amiss that a great part of the lands of the abbeys (which were given to bring up learned men, that might be Preachers to keep hospitality, and to give alms to the poor) should be spent upon a few superstitious monks, which gave no● forty pound in alms, when they should have given two hundred. It was amiss that the monks should have personages in their hands, and deal but the twentieth part thereof to the poor, and preached but once in a year to them that paid the tithes of the personages. It was amiss that they scarcely among twenty set not one sufficient vicar to preach for the t●theses that they received. But see now, how ●t that was amiss, is amended for all the godly pretence. It is amended even as the devil amended his Dame's leg (as it is in the proverb) when he should have set it right, he br●ke it quite in peecet. The monks gave too little ●lm, and set unable persons many times in their benefices. But now where twenty pound was given yearly to the poor, in more than in a hundred places in England, is not one meal● m●●t given. This is a fa●● amendment. Where they had always one or other vicar, that tither preached or hired some to preach, now is there no vicar at all, but the farme● is vicar and parson altogether, and only an old castaway monk or 〈◊〉 which can scarcely say his matins, is 〈◊〉 for twenty or thirty shillings meat and drink, yea in some places for meat and drink alone without any wages. I know, and not I alone, but twenty thousand more know more than five hundred vicarages and parsonages, thus well and gospelly ferved, after the new Gospel of England. And if a man say to the farmers, why have the people no preachers? seeing ye have the tithes and offerings ye should find Preachers. They will answer, we have hired the personages of this or that Lord, and he or he is parson or vicar, we pay for the tithes and offerings to the Lord that is person. Well then, I say unto thee my Lord, parson, and vicar, thou dost wrong, to have personages and vicarages, to have the tenth pig, the tenth lamb, goose, fleece, and so of all other things, seeing that thou art no Minister nor no priest of Christ's Church; teach, nor do any office of a parson or of a vicar, but poll and pille. What canst thou say of thyself my Lord parson and vicar? thou wilt say peradventure, the King gave me the abbey and all that belongeth thereto, which had then given him by the Parliament, Therefore if thou speak against my being person and vicar though I neither preach nor teach, nor yet procure none to do it for me, thou art a traitor, for this the thirteenth article of our creed added of late, that whatsoever the Parliament doth, must needs be well done, and the Parliament, or any proclamation out of the Parliament time, cannot err. But to you my Lord parsons, how can ye defend yourselves if a man should bring this argument against you, and prove you all the thieves, that have personages and vicarages in your hands, and cannot preach. Christ saith John 10. he that entreth not into the sheepfold by the door, but climbeth in an other way is a thief and a murderer, but ye entered in an other way, wherefore ye are thieves and murderers. That you come not in by the door, I will prove it thus, Christ is the door, but by Christ ye came not into the sheepfold, that is, to be parsons and vicars, for ye grant that ye came in by the act of Parliament, and the act of Parliament is not Christ, for it is not confirmed by Christ's word, therefore ye came not by Christ, and so be ye thieves and murderers, as your works proved of late, in shedding of the blood of so many true preachers and shepherds, which spent their lives for their sheep. If this argument be not strong enough, what say you by this? All they that come before me (saith Christ) are thieves and robbers, ye come into the sheepfold, before Christ, ergo ye be thieves and robbers. To come in before Christ, is to be a parson or a vicar before Christ send him▪ and ye came in before Christ sent you, for he sendeth none to be shepherds, but such as he knoweth to be able to feed his flook, ergo he never sent you, for he knoweth you unable to do that office. And thus to conclude, ye be thieves and robbers, for a thief cometh not but to steal and to kill. Wherefore give over your parsonages to learned men, and enter not into other men's vocations, to rob the Ministers both of their office and of their living, that ye be not punished of God. But if ye will needs be parsons and vicars still, and have all the profits of the parsonages, and will have all, even to the tithe egg of a poor woman that hath but two hens, ye must have the pains that belong to such persons as you be. Hear what Almighty God saith unto you, my Lords. which will be parsons and pastors, Ezek●3 If I say unto the wicked thou shalt die the death, and thou speak not unto him, to keep the wicked from his way, the wicked his own self shall die in his wickedness, but his blood shall I require of thy hand. Mark well, Lord parson, for this is said to all them that are parsons, and take wages, and living of the people, as tithes and offerings, for feeding of them with God's word, or else by what title canst thou challenge the tithes? look well upon this matter, and build thy conscience upon God's word. The complaint of Roderick Mors to the Parliament in Edw 6. time. as former times have complained, lusts of men, yea the worst lusts of the worst men that are enemies to God and the Church. In the mean time those and their posterity, who attend on his light, whilst others have food enough and to spare, are in hazard to perish with hunger. 3. A light in the town and country where they live: it's a light of good works, in showing mercy to the poor, being helpful to the needy, as Job saith of himself, he was eyes to the Job 29, 15. Job 31. 20 blind, feet to the lame; this would have covered them, to the credit of Religion, inciting others to the like, he did not put his light under a bushel, So (praised be God) in this nation, where the revenues of the Church were great (though some did spend much in vanity and excessive courses as the profuse vulgar) all did not so: much hath been given by Divines to colleges, hospitals, Libraries and other pious works. And indeed D. Willet, the end of his Synopsis. scholars best knowing to set a price on learning, have been most beneficial this way. The Apostles exhortation to Ministers is that they be given to hospitality. Surely than they must have ability else they should 1 Tim. 3. 2. stand in need of other men's hospitality, be fitter to receive then give, as God knows it is the case of many a learned, godly and painful Divine at this day (as sometimes it was the condition of learned men, beware the fears where Church revenues Musculus. Io. Drusius. Amesius. H. Ainsworth. John Knox. August 3. 1571. are devoured) who have great charges of children and nothing wherewith to bring them up, or place them out, while the ancient Church-revenue is in the hands of many that worse deserve it. This made the mighty godly Divine of Scotland (as I am informed) lying on his death bed (and the words of The mighty spirit of comfort wisdom and concord remain with you Dear brethren, if ability of body would have suffered, I should not have troubled you with this my indictment. I have not forgot that was laid to my charge by famous libels the last Assembly, which I pray you patiently to hear, and judge of me as you will answer to God: for unto you that hear I submit myself, being assured that I neither offended God nor good men in any thing that hitherto hath been laid to my charge. And now, brethren, because the daily decay of natural strength threatens unto me certain and sudden departing from the misery of this life, of love and conscience I exhort you, yea in the fear of God I charge and command you, that ye take heed to yourselves and to the flock over the which God hath placed you pastors. To discourse of the behaviour of yourselves I may not, but to command you to be faithful to the flock I dare not forget unfaithful and traitors to the flock shall you be before the Lord Jesus, if that with your consent, directly or indirectly ye suffer unworthy men to be thrust into the Ministry of the Church, under what preten●e that ever it be. Remember the judge before whom you must make an account, and resist that tyranny as you would avoid hell fire; this battle I grant will be hard, but the second part will be harder, that is, that with the like uprightness and strength in God, ye gain-stand the merciless devourers of the patrimony of the Church: if men will spoil, let them do it at their own peril and condemnation, but communicate not ye with their sins of whatsoever estate they be, neither by consent, nor yet by silence; but with public protestation, make this known to the world, that ye are innocent of such robberies, which will, ere it be long, provoke God's vengeance upon the committers thereof, whereof you will seek redress of God and man▪ God give you wisdom, strength and courage in so just a cause, and me a happy end. Of St Andrews, Aug 3. 1571. sic subscribitur, Your brother in Christ Jesus, Knox. dying men should make a deeper impression) so earnest in his exhortatory letter writ from St Andrews to the Assembly at Sterling. There are two branches of his exhortation, one to keep out of the Church scandalous Ministers, the other to prevent a scandalous maintenance. Noble Patriots, as it belonged to Eliazer to provide oil for Isa. 49. 23. Magni rege ac principes non solum Christi jugum subierunt, sed etiam facultates suas contu●erunt ad erigendam & fovendam Christi Ecclesiam ut se patronos & tutores ejus praestarent. Cal. in loc. the lights of the Temple, so to you it appertains, as nursererss of the Church, to see that these lights of the Church have oil to feed them as Hezekiah did, 2 Chron. 31 4. I can present you with no arguments more constringent than those in the text before you. 1. You have many privileges, God expects this as a testimony of thankfulness. Those who gain by sea-trade are not unwilling to be at the charge of land-light. The children of light should be as wise as the men of the world. 2. You are reformers in Israel, this is one special point of your work, to see that God's house be not as a dark room, the light removed. 3. You know that Religion is not in show, but in deed, it's A brief repetition of the heads of the Sermon. James 2. 16. not sufficient to say as those St James mentioneth, go and be warmed, unless also you make provision for them. 4. It's the Lord's light that affords direction to your souls for the obtaining eternal light, which by how much the more excellent it is then that under the law, so much the more liberal we should be in providing for it, as that famous servant of God long since taught us, with whose words B. Babington on Gen. 47 7. except the land of the Priests. pag. 146. I shall crave leave to close this employment. Had the Priests of the law the tenth part, and shall not the Ministers of a better testament have any part? Such maintenance will have such Ministers in time out of question, to the utter decay of learning piety and Religion, and to the bringing of all barbarism and error as Satan wisheth. Worthy is the virtue of Nehemiah touching this matter, everlasting remembrance and imitation of them that have like authority and fear God; he finding that the Priest Eliashib Nehem 13. 14. (who had the oversight of what belonged to the maintenance of the Priests, being joined in affinity with Tobiah the Ammonite, an enemy of the Jews, the portions of the Levites were not given them, but every man was fled to shift for himself amongst his friends) most zealously reformed it as you may see; threw out Tobias vessels, thrust out Eliashib, and placed them that were accounted faithful, and brought the tithes of corn and wine and oil into the house of the Lord: again mark the state of our times, and see if such Tobias be not yet amongst us, and such Eliashibs, who dealing in all unrighteousness, convey the portions of the Levites by little and little from the Church that all may come to ruin and utter confusion in time. They must have the tithe corn and glebe land, peradventure the house also for a dairy, and then x Eliashib the Minister shall have the tithe geese, and the eggs at Easter: But shall not God visit this great impiety? O Lord, O Lord, in mercy forgive the sins of the land, and the iniquity of thy people deserving justly the loss of thy word and sweet liberty of their consciences, and yet, yet show favour, for thy mercy raise up men that are able to feed thy people as they ought, and either convert or confound Church-robbers that savour nothing but their own gain, that take thus daily away the reward of knowledge, endeavour the death of thousand thousands of souls, which thou hast created. Stir up Nehemiah thy faithful servant to redress this sin, and to settle things carnal as shall be fit for them that sow spiritual, that God be not mocked: So we that be thy people and the sheep of thy pasture, shall give thee praise for ever, for so great a mercy. Amen, Amen.