Commentary on Numbers

IN this Chapter is set forth the disposing and ordering of their Tents. For in the former chapter, we have heard how y ^e people were numbered, the Tribes distinguished, and over everyone several Princes appointed, who were choice men, even the heads of the house of their Fathers, to be Rulers & Governors over this great multitude. For what is the people without Princes, but as an host and army of men without Captains to lead them, as a ship without a Pilot, or as a body without an head, or as an house without a master? The heathen have seen thus far, that the multitude is as a monster with many heads, resembling the confusion that was at Babel. Wherefore the necessity of overseers being so great, it pleased GOD first of all to appoint them Magistrates to take the muster. Now we have here to consider another testimony of God's mercy toward them, in that he doth divide and distribute them into certain ranks and regiments, and maketh choice himself in what order they should pitch their Tents and likewise march forward toward the Land of Canaan, in what manner they should make a stay, and in what manner he would have them remove. This was both necessary and profitable, and not to be omitted, seeing nothing can be more foul and deformed, then to see a company of men gathered together without order, and mingled together in all confusion.

The causes of this dealing of God toward his people, are three: one in respect of himself, another in respect of Israel, the third in regard of the enemies of them both, of God and his people. The cause respecting God is, that they and all other might see what a wise God they serve. For he would have his name not only known in Israel, but magnified throughout all the world. If they professing the knowledge and service of the true God had wandered up and down in the wild and waste wilderness, in such troops and bands of men, in a confused and disordered manner, not knowing who should go before, nor regarding who should follow after; the name of God would have been dishonored, his wisdom impaired, and his glory diminished. It pleased him therefore, even in regard of himself, to make manifest his wisdom and excellency, in leading them forth in most excellent and exquisite order, and to assign to everyone his proper place, that they might say, What god is like unto our God? Or who is to be compared with him? Who is so glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Let us therefore confess that he is wise in heart, yea the wisest; and mighty in strength, yea the mightiest: so that the foolishness of God is wiser then men, and the weakness of God is stronger then men, and therefore to this God only wise, must be praise and glory through Jesus Christ forever.

Secondly, he leaveth them not to themselves, but assigneth to each Tribe his proper mansion, to take away from them all confusion, and to cut off all matter of contention. For except he had established as by a law, the order that should be observed among them, and thereby decided all questions and controversies that might arise touching priority & precedency, many hurli-burlies and heart-burnings would be entertained, and part-takings would be nourished; which being kindled at the first as a little spark of fire, would afterward break out into such a fire and flame as would spread further, and in the ende hardly be quenched. For the tribe of Reuben challenging the preeminence in regard of birthright would not easily lose his right, but would take it done in contempt and to his reproach, to be put behind & to come after any other. On the other side, their harts were not so high and haughty, to lift up themselves above their brethren, but the rest of the Tribes would have thrust them down as low, and to their perpetual disgrace and dishonor have sunk them down to the bottom, and appointed them the last and lowest place, in regard of the curse of Jacob that lay heavy upon them, who had said long before, Thou shalt not be excellent, thy dignity is gone. Again, a new trouble and tumult would arise touching the sons of the Concubines; for such as were borne of Rahel and Lea, the two wives of Jacob would never yield nor think it fit to make thē equal to themselves, much less to suffer them to go before them, and so to carpe and crow over them. For as it was in their fathers (while the corn was in the grass, & hope of posterity was in the cradle) so it would be in the children. We see the emulation that was between Isaac and Ishmael, between Jacob and Esau, & likewise between the sons of Jacob, who were the founders and fountains of y ^e twelve Tribes.

Moreover, such as did exceed the other in multitude of men and strength of arms, & had tasted of God's blessings before others, would judge themselves worthy to be honored and preferred, and themselves wronged & injured, unless they had not only the right hand of fellowship given them, but the upper hand of jurisdiction & authority granted unto them and thus the sons of Simeon would never have suffered themselves to be brought into order, and have pitched under the standard of Reuben, but have judged themselves worthy of the place of superiority, and have made the other their underlings, & as a footstool to tread upon. For the Tribe of Simeon were far moe in number then the Tribe of Reuben: how far they exceeded them, and the cause thereof, we declared in the former chapter. It is natural to those that are blessed in children & a fruitful increase, to glory therein, and to triumph over those that either have none, or do come behind themselves. When Rahel conceived, she said, God hath taken away my rebuke. This appeareth in the behavior of Peninna toward Hanna (who were the two wives of Elkanah ) who mourned and wept sore because her adversary vexed her from day today, 1 Sam. 1, 6, forasmuch as she upbraided her, because the Lord had made her barren.

Lastly, if none of all these occasions of murmuring and muting had broken out, or if they being broken out, had been presently pacified and appeased among them, yet a new broile might arise touching the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. For either the rest might grudge and repine, that Joseph being but one of the sons of Jacob, should have a double portion of inheritance, which tended to their detriment and disparagement: or else a controversy might fall out not easy to be decided, whether of these twain should obtain the supremacy and superiority either of other. Wherefore to end all strife, & to leave no starting-hole to raise any quarrel or question among them, the Lord himself determineth the controversy, and so disposeth of them, that every Tribe must needs know his own place, and acknowledge the order assigned unto him.

Thus we see the reason in respect of the Israelites themselves, that moved God to range them into order, to wit; that all contention and emulation might be cut off and taken away. This teacheth us to take notice of our selves, and to learn what we are by Nature; we are prone to ambition and vain-glory, & cannot content our selves to abide in the vocation and calling wherein God hath set us. We see this plentifully confirmed in this Book, how Aaron and Miriam, and many other rise up against Moses, and seek to overthrow the order and ordinance of God left among them for the administration of matters belonging to the Church & Commonwelth. The like we see in the Disciples of Christ, he had given them a pattern and example of all meekness and lowliness of mind, yet such was their ambition, that they strove amongst themselves who should be the chiefest. It is the counsel of our Savior, when we are bidden of any man to a wedding, not to set our selves down in the chiefest place, but to take the lowest room; & from thence he raiseth a general doctrine, Whosoever exalteth himself shall be brought low; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Let us conclude therefore, if any lust to be contentious, We have no such custom, neither the Churches of God. Let us have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, made him self of no reputation, and took on him the shape of a servant: let nothing be done through contention or vainglory, but that in meekness of mind every man esteem other better then himself.

Thirdly, they are mustered and marshalled into an exact and exquisite order, to dismay and terrify their enemies, as also to confirm and encourage their own hearts. There is nothing doth more strengthen an enemy, and give him hope of victory, then to behold an army put out of array; in which case, such as have been defeated and overcome, have gathered their dispersed and despised Companies together, have renewed the fight, & put their enemies to flight. Contrarywise, to behold an host of men settled in battle array, as it were a Tower not to be shaken, or a Mountain not to be removed, doth daunt and dismay all adversary power whatsoever, and maketh them put their surest trust and best confidence in their heels. Great is the force of unity, peace, and concord. One man serveth to strengthen and stablish another, like many staves bound together in one. Many sticks or staves joined in one bundle, are not easily broken: but sever them and pull them asunder, they are soon broken with little strength. Thus the case standeth in all societies, whether it be in the Church or Commonwealth, or in the private family. If our hearts be thoroughly united and fast glued one to another, we need not fear what man can do unto us, or work against us. But if we be at jar and war between our selves, we lie open to our enemies to work us any despite and indignity whatsoever. I would to God we had not learned this by woeful and lamentable experience, and sealed up the truth of it by homebred contentions, so that we may renew the old complaint, For the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart. Everyone seeth with grief the increase of our adversaries, they begin to lift up their hearts and hands against us, they hope to have their Masses, their Maskings, their superstitions, their trumpery up again; all men confess it and complain of it. But will we not behold the cause of all this? and consider that we minister them weapons, and (as it were) put a two-edged sword into their hands to wound our selves? It is our own strife, they are our own contentions that help and hearten them, when brother is set against brother, and striketh one another with the fist of iniquity. So long as these bitter roots of envy and emulation, & the coals of contention are kindled by the mouths and pens of those that love contention, we have much deceived our selves, if we think to suppress the enemies of the grace of God, who make an advantage of our divisions. We may therefore say with our Savior; Woe be to the world, because of offenses: for it must needs be that offenses shall come; but woe be to that man by whom the offense cometh. It were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. Thus we see the danger that cometh by hatred and debate: let us therefore follow peace, and stop (so much as lieth in us) all occasions of divisions, that we may live in peace one with another, cleave unto the gospel of peace, and then the peace of God shall be with us.

Hitherto we have spoken of the reasons & causes for which God prescribeth to everyone his order, and limiteth to every Tribe his proper place. In this Chapter we are to observe two things; First, the commandment of God directed to Moses and Aaron, telling them and instructing them what his pleasure is touching the order of their marching and proceeding. Secondly, a general subjection and obedience yielded unto this commandment: for so soon as they understand what the will of God was, they murmur not against it, they inquire not the reason of it, they stand not upon their own privileges, there is no man thinketh better of himself then others, nor offereth to break the order & transgress the Law given unto them, But they did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses. The former point that concerneth the Commandment of God, is double; First, it is set down generally in the two first Verses, what belongeth to all the Tribes indifferently, namely, that they must encamp everyone by the Ensign of his Fathers house: then particularly what concerneth the tribes in special, in the residue of the chapter.

[Verse 1, 2. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying; Every man of the children of Israel shall Campe, &c. ] Here he beginneth to rehearse the order that was to be observed among them. For there are two things which are most needful in everything that is done aright, to wit; number, and order. Wherefore, after the description of their number, he beginneth to direct them in the order which was to be kept among them. We learn from [Doctrine 1] hence (to omit sundry impertinent collections and unprofitable Allegations, which many stand upon, serving rather to please the ear, then to profit the heart; and to delight y ^e outward man, rather then to edify the inward man:) I say we learn, that God commandeth a comely order to be observed as well in the Church, as the Commonwealth. When Balaam the false Prophet, mentioned hereafter in this book, saw the Israelites thus ordered in their Tents, as God appointeth in this place, he was carried into an admiration of it, Numb. 24, 5, 6. How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy habitations, O Israel? As the valleys are they stretched forth, as Gardens by the Rivers side, as the Aloe trees which the Lord hath planted, as the Cedars beside the waters. As if he should have said; The Church of God consisting of this people, is the very picture and resemblance of most goodly order. This speaketh the Prophet of the place that God had chosen to set his name in it, Psal. 122.3, 4, 5. Jerusalem is built as a City that is compact together in it self: whereunto the Tribes, even the Tribes of the Lord go up according to the testimony to Israel, to praise the Name of the Lord: for there are Thrones set for judgment, even the Thrones of the house of David. This Paul saw, and observed, and commended in the Church of the Colossians, Chapt. 2. verse 5. Though I he absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the Spirit, rejoicing and beholding your Order, and your steadfast Faith in Christ. These things, to which we might add and annex sundry other testimonies, are sufficient to show unto us, that God will have all things in the Church and Commonwealth done in order.

The Reasons are evident. For first, God [Reason 1] is the Author of order, and not of confusion. He appointeth in this Book the order to be observed in their mansion, in their peregrination, in their possession of the Land. The Apostle giveth us this instruction touching God. 1 Cor. 14, 33, God is not the Author of confusion, but of peace, as we see in all the Churches of the Saints. Hence it is, that we see an order in God himself, even in the holy and blessed Trinity: though all the persons be coequal and coeternal, yet there is an established order of the first person, of the second person, and of the third person; not in regard of essence which is indivisible, yet for better order of teaching and instructing of us to attain to so much knowledge of his nature as the Scripture hath delivered, and we are able to conceive. Hence it is, that the Father is first, the Son is conceived and delivered in the next place, and the holy Ghost proceeding from them both, is expressed in the last place; not thereby insinuating any inequality, because none is in nature before or after other; none is greater or less then other; but only intimating an order in existing or working, as he hath manifested himself in his word unto us. As then God hath order in himself, so he commandeth and commendeth an order to be used of us.

Secondly, all wise men will order their affairs [Reason 2] with wisdom and discretion, and will dispose of them with seemliness & comliness. An expert Captain that goeth against his enemies, will keep his Soldiers in good array, whether he march or retire. If he fly out of the field out of order, one is ready to overthrow another; and all are left to the mercy of his adversary. Hence it is, that they have an eye to these things, to the Sun, the Wind, and the Dust; that the Sun be not in their faces; that the Wind be not against them; that the Dust be not carried upon them. For the Sun shining in their faces, taketh away sight; the Wind blowing contrary, abateth their strength and the blow, but helpeth the weapons of the enemy; the Dust cast upon them, filleth and shutteth their eyes, to their great hindrance. A provident house-keeper, knoweth the necessity, commodity, and profit thereof, in the administration of all his business and affairs, that nothing is so good as the right ordering of them. The Philosophers in all their teaching show us this, who have brought the Arts and Sciences into Method and good order. Common experience declareth, that we love order, when it is wanting we do wish and desire it; when it is present we rest in it; and at all times we praise and commend it.

Thirdly, the Church is not a confused [Reason 3] multitude, shuffled and iumbled together, where no man knoweth his place or his Office; and one encroacheth upon another; but it is the house of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. Now in an house well ordered, is to be seen the Master as the Ruler, & the family subject to his government, everyone employing his proper gifts, and no man usurping the place and calling of another. If this be to be seen in our private houses, which have a weaker foundation to bear them, a less anker to hold them, a feebler shore to underprop them, and vnsurer means to contain and continue them: how much more must we conceive this of the Church of God, which is the house that he hath built, the vineyard that his right hand hath planted the spouse of Christ which he hath loved, the mountain of the Lord, which he hath prepared, and the peculiar people which he hath chosen? Thus we see the doctrine sufficiently cleared and confirmed.

Let us before we come to the uses, divert a little as it were out of the way and ordinary path, to answer an objection [Objection.] that may arise from this doctrine. For some man may object, the world is full of mixtures and confusions, so that all is vanity under the Sun. We see good men to suffer evil, and to be oppressed every day: on the other side, evil men enjoy the good of the Land, & have all things that heart can wish or desire. The godly are afflicted, the ungodly are most respected and rewarded: are not these great disorders? I answer; [Answer.] first, confusions as they are thus confused, are not of God: as they are out of order, they proceed not from the God of order, but from the Prince of darkness that ruleth in the air, and the author of confusion that governeth in the earth. The proper cause of disorder, is the Devil, who first disordered himself, and kept not his first estate, but left the heavens and habitation wherein he was formed: he by deceiving our first parents, and tempting them to sin, brought upon them and their posterity, ruin and destruction. So then such as are simply disorders, were brought in by sin, and sin by the Devil. Of this we spake before in the Preface.

Secondly, we must understand that there is order even in disordered and distempered things; the which, albeit it do not appear to us, by reason of the veil of corruption crept in, that shutteth our eyes, yet it is known to God, to whose judgment we must submit our selves, and to whose wisdom we must subscribe, of whom the wise man saith, He hath made everything beautiful in his time, howsoever it seem deformed to us.

Thus much of the objection: the uses follow. [Use 1] First, learn from hence to acknowledge an exquisite order in all God's words and works above and beneath, in heaven & earth, and in all places. If we do not always see the same, it is our weakness and want of sight: and it should move us to call upon God to open our eyes to behold the same: and if we do see it, yet to crave we may see it more and more to his glory and our comfort. Let us lift up our eyes and behold the work of creation, he hath made all his creatures in a most pure and perfect order, in number, weight, and measure. He hath appointed the Sun to rule the day, and the Moon to rule the night. The earth with all her furniture, Trees, Hearbes, Plants, Corn, and Grass for cattle and the use of man. The waters with all their store keep their comely course and order, He hath set them a bound, which they shall not pass, so that they shall not return to cover the earth. He hath divided the parts of the year, as winter and summer, heat and cold, day and night, which continue in a constant course, according as they are disposed of him. He hath assigned and appointed Kings and Princes, Rulers, and Magistrates to govern his people in all good and godly order. We shall not need to wander far off to learn this, if we can come homeward and enter into our selves, we shall find sufficient testimonies to confirm this point, in our souls and bodies. For as we cannot be ignorant, how in the frame of this Vniuerse, the matter, form, privation, simplicity, mixture, generation, corruption, action, passion, compounded of unlike Elements, of earth, of water, of the air, of fire, is notwithstanding preserved by due and distinct proportion which the parts have severally: and as in the family, the husband and wife, the father and children, the master and servants are knit together by the same reason of analogy: so is it in this little world of man; we behold therein the foot-steps of this comely order, in the soul, mind, understanding, memory, heart, reason, speech, and such like powers: the like might be said of the members of the body, placed in a profitable and pleasant order, manifestly declaring the wisdom of the Creator. And as the admirable works of God are seen in natural and civil things, so much more in spiritual and heavenly things.

If we enter into the consideration of the goodly and golden chain of the causes of our salvation, we shall see a notable order of them so linked and joined together, that no confusion at all appeareth therein, but all tend to the setting forth of the glory of his great Name. This the Apostle teacheth, Rom. 8, 30. Moreover, whom he predestinated, those also he called, and whom he called, them also he justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. This course is never broken off, the links of this chain can never be put asunder, no man can make a divorce and division between them. This cōnexion of causes is to be looked into, and we must dligently mark the coherence of them. We must not aim only at the last in our desires, as Balaam did, but we must learn to join them together, and then we shall find comfort in them. And as there is a distinct order in our generation and regeneration, so there is in our resurrection and glorification: nay there is the perfection and consummation of all order.

To this purpose the same Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 15, 22, 23. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive; but every man in his own order, the first fruits is Christ, afterward, they that are of Christ at his coming shall rise again. Albeit therefore the grave seem to bury all things in confusion and the Chambers of death to be as a Land of darkness, where no order is: yet the resurrection being as the shining of the day, and the bringing of all things unto light, shall make manifest an heavenly order that God observeth therein. Likewise he speaketh in the same chapter, There is one glory of the Sun, another glory of the Moon, and another glory of the Stars, (for one Star differeth from another in glory) so also is the resurrection of the dead, &c. This order we must reverence and acknowledge, this we must believe and hope for; and this we shall have a blessed experience of, in our own persons, when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal be clothed with immortality. But among all the works of God, none doeth more abundantly show forth the glory and majesty of him that is the God of order, then the word which he hath magnified above all other names. The work of creation setteth forth the glory of the Creator, inasmuch as the invisible things of him, that is, his eternal power and God-head are seen thereby: but the power, and wisdom, and goodness, and truth of God appeareth much more brightly in those sacred oracles brought unto us from his own mouth. True it is, the manner of setting down and placing the several parts of Scripture as they stand in our printed books, is merely human and proceedeth from man, and is diversely published by diverse persons (some putting that book before, which others place after) as we see the books of history are joined together, all the greater Prophets follow them, and the lesser Prophets conclude the volume and Canon of the old Testament. The like we might say of the books of the New Testament, the placing of the four Evangelists first, the annexing of the Acts of the Apostles next, the setting down of Paul's Epistles as now they stand, to wit, the Epistle to the Romans first, to the Corinthians next, &c, is man's appointment & not God's ordinance: but if we consider these books in themselves, and the matter contained in them, the grace of speech that floweth from them, the power and effect that is wrought by them, the whole body of them (thus understood) is inspired of God, and the order of them is divine, inasmuch as the Prophets, Apostles, and Evangelists were moved by the holy Spirit, and led by him in the delivery of the matter and manner, both of the things and words. This the Apostle Peter acknowledgeth, 2 Pet. 1, 20, 21. No Prophesy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost. Paul also agreeth hereunto, saying, The whole Scripture is inspired of God, and is profitable to teach, to convince, to correct, and to instruct in righteousness. We must therefore both search the Scriptures, & search into the order of the Scriptures, which is most divine and heavenly: whereof we may say, This is the singer of God. Here we shall see the whole agreeing with every part, and the several parts agreeing with the whole. When the Queen of Sheba upon the report of Solomon's wisdom was come to Jerusalem, and there saw the sumptuousness of his buildings, the greatness of his wisdom, the meat of his table, the sitting of his servants, the order of his Ministers, the vessels of his house, the multitude of his offerings, and the answering of her hard questions, she was greatly astonied, and said, I believed not this report till I came, and had seen it with mine eyes, but loe, the one half was not told me, &c: Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants which stand ever before thee, and hear thy wisdom. But as our Savior saith, A greater then Solomon is here: so we may truly say, greater wisdom, and better order is here, in the divine wisdom of the word that shineth in God's house. And albeit we hear never so much of the excellency of this word, yet if our delight be in it, and our meditation upon it day and night, we shall in the end be constrained to cry out, Loe, the one half thereof was not told me. Let us all taste of the sweetness of it: let us continually look upon the beauty of it: let us lift up our ears to attend to the melody of it: let us prepare our hearts to lay up the treasures of it. And let us from a feeling of the worthiness and wisdom of it, and seeing the order of it, confess with the Prophet, Oh, how love I thy Law! it is my meditation continually.

Secondly, this reproveth such as know no [Use 2] order but bring in all confusion and disorder in Church or Common-wealth: these have nothing to do with God, but are the Children of the Devil, that hath transformed them into his image and likeness. For from whence are seditions and confusions, but from our own lusts, enflamed and kindled from his furnace? Many there are that can abide no order at all, others will not set themselves against all order to pervert it, but make such a mingling & mangling of it, that they utterly change the nature of it. The Church above all other societies ought to be the picture and representation of right order and comeliness, which is as bright as the Sun, as fair as the Moon, as terrible as an army with banners. We see how God hath commanded it to be ruled; everyone hath his proper calling, his proper office, his proper gifts for the discharge thereof. If then disorder creep in it, how great is that disorder? Consider the members of our natural bodies, if the head would presume to walk and usurp upon the office of the feet: or if the hand would take upon it to see and direct the body; if the ear encroch upon the function of the tongue and think it self able to speak: or if the foot would suppose it self to be of greater eminency and excellency, then the heart or the head, and strive for the highest room, or swelling with envy and pride, to behold greater gifts in another member, should refuse to do the office of the foot, what would follow, but the overthrow of the whole body? Who would not but complain of this confusion as most monstrous and unnatural? Let us now consider how the case standeth with the Church. Are there not many, being bold and blind, that teach before they have learned, and run before they are sent, that being without gifts, and almost the shadow of gifts, take upon them the places of Pastors, who were fitter to feed sheep, and to go to some trade or occupation; or to be sent to the Plough tail, to earn their living by the sweat of their brows, rather then by murthering the souls of the people, who many times perish for want of knowledge? Another notable confusion and eye-sore in this body of the Church, is when private persons enter upon the office of the Minister, and dare intermeddle with the holy Sacraments, from which they ought to be as strangers. For what have these men or women to do with setting the authentic Seals to God's promises, who hath committed to them no such office, nor given unto them any such gifts? Who required this at their hands, or if they will be intruders or usurpers, will God accept their service? nay rather will he not punish their sacrilege? Have they any greater privilege then Uzzah had, who putting his hand to the Ark of God when the oxen did shake it, was smitten with sudden death, and tasted the fruit of his high presumption? Every Sacrament is as the Ark of God, it must not be touched with unwashen, that is, with common and unsanctified hands. Good intentions shall not go for good payment, nor be able to warrant evil actions. Will-worship is odious to God and abominable in his sight, who will be worshipped according to his own will: so that it is in no wise lawful to transgress the rule and break the order that God hath set. [Object.] Neither let any in the profaneness of his heart, or the ignorance of his mind object; Cannot private persons use the words of Baptism in all points as well as the Minister? observe the words of institution, and pour on water upon the child, which are the essential parts of that Sacrament? I answer, [Answer.] they are able to do this, but forasmuch as they do it without a calling, their doing is as no doing; their pouring on of water is no better then a defiling of it. For who gave them their commission so to do? When possession of any house is given by delivering a white wand and turfe, another man may do as much in show, he may take a wand & turfe as good as the others, and make a delivery of them; and yet those actions may be idle, being done without warrant, neither can assure the bargain and sale. It is no great matter or hard to do, to take bread and wine, and deliver the same by reciting the words of institution: and yet if it be undertaken without a calling, it is a plain and manifest profanation of the Supper of the Lord. If they judge this unlawful, how can they hold the other lawful? The people of God, or any among them were as well able to handle and carry the Ark as the Levites, they were an holy people to God, they were all circumcised, they did all carry about in their flesh the mark and impression of the Covenant, yet the Lord sorted out the Tribe of Levi, to bear the Ark of his Covenant, to stand in his presence, to minister unto him and to bless in his Name. He will have us wholly to obey his word, he regardeth not our blind zeal, or purpose to serve him, except it be ordered aright. To proceed, Hath God only placed order in the Church? and not in the common-wealth? yes in the common-wealth also wherein everyone both superiors and inferiors must do their duty. He hath appointed the Magistrates their office, to minister justice without partiality and respect of persons, considering that they execute not the judgments of men, but of God, who will be with them. This is the comely order that he hath set; this is the way wherein he will have them walk; this is the ordinance that he hath established. If then laws be bought and sold, or if they be made as the spiders web to catch the silly fly, but to let the hornet escape, or if they punish the poor and let the rich escape, if the weak that cannot resist be entangled, and the mighty be delivered; this is a great disorder, and the Lord will not have these things handled so confusedly. Let such set before them the example of God, who will reward every man according to his works. He doth not spare the wicked, and revenge himself upon the Godly: but he showeth mercy to thousands of these, and will not hold the other innocent. So such as God hath called to execute judgment and sit upon the bench of justice, must know what God requireth of them; they must not pervert the right & overturn the Seat of equity; they must not turn the edge of the sword upon the poor, because they are poor, nor put it away from the rich, because they are rich, or from the mighty because of their might, or from the greater sort, because they have many friends; but they must smite them with the sword of Justice, that deserve to be smitten, and defend them from that wrong, that the malice of the oppresser would lay upon the innocent. On the other side, God requireth that such as are inferiors should obey Princes and Magistrates, submitting themselves unto them, reverencing both their places and persons. They therefore are reproved as breakers of this order of God, and ouerturners of States and Common wealths, that rebel against them, and move sedition among the people. Such walk in the steps of Corah and his company, who were consumed and destroyed according to their deserts, as appeareth afterward in this Book. These proud spirits and ambitious men have never prevailed, but ever been punished. Such are they that Solomon speaketh off, Eccle. 10. Folly is set in great excellency; and the rich set in the low place; I have seen servants on horses, and Princes walking as servants on the ground. Such persons as seek to take away the crowns and kingdoms of Princes, are the very plagues of human society, and go about to take away as it were the Sun out of the firmament, and to leave us in miserable darkness; nay to take from us the breath of our nostrils, and to expose us as a prey to all violence and villainy. Let all such know that they fight against God; and therefore cannot prosper or prevail. All sedition is pernicious to the contriuer and author thereof: and no injury received can be any sufficient cause for any man to plot Treasons and rebellions. Let every soul therefore be subject to the higher powers, considering there is no power but of God: and that whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the Ordinance of God, and therefore purchase to themselves damnation.

[Use 3] Lastly, seeing God requireth orderly observation of his ordinances, we learn this duty, that we must be careful to observe it and practice it with a due regard of his Commandment. This is the general rule that the Apostle commendeth unto us, 1 Cor. 14. Let all things be done decently, and in order. Order is nothing else but the means of peace, and the avoiding of confusion; or it is a disposing of diverse things, giving to everyone his proper place. The end of all good order tendeth to profit; as on the other side, the end of confusion, to loss and destruction. The more common & general a good thing is, so much the better it is, and the more to be esteemed above all other. The benefit of good order stretcheth far, to the land and Sea, and to the house and ship, to the Common-wealth and Church. If it be commendable to appoint a profitable order in the lesser charge of a private family: it is a great deal better and more excellent to manage a Common-wealth prudently, and to govern the Church wisely. Government that is right presupposeth order, because it is impossible that any man should rule rightly and duly without order. For government is a right disposition of those things whereof a man taketh charge, to bring them to a convenient end. This is done in the Church of God, when there be Pastors and Teachers to preach the word truly and to minister the Sacraments sincerely, & when y ^e people hearken to them & are ready to seek the law at their mouths. This is seen also in the observation of these rules; First, when one alone prayeth: for many cannot pray with a loud voice together without confusion. The Minister is to be the mouth of the people to God, his voice is in public place to be heard, that the people may join with him with pure and humble hearts, and testify in the end their consent by saying, Amen. Hence it followeth that he must not whisper to himself or utter a prayer in a low voice, but he must speak with a loud voice that he may be heard, and with a distinct voice, that he may be understood. Secondly, when the action of singing is in hand, it must be performed by many, and not by one alone. For as one is to pray for the rest, so all are to join together in praising God with the Congregation, teaching & admonishing themselves in Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual songs; singing with a grace in their hearts to the Lord, and making sweet melody unto him. Thus did the whole Church in Hezekiah's time, 2 Chron. 29.28. Thirdly, this must always be observed in teaching and exercising our selves in the Word, that only one speak at once, and that the rest be silent. This is the Apostles rule, 1 Cor. 14. If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace: for ye may all prophecy one by one, that all may learn, and all may have comfort. But if many should speak together, and utter their voices at one time, no man can take profit, no man can receive comfort: so that many voices sounding together, hinder edification, & bring confusion, which ought carefully to be avoided in our assemblies. For where disorder is, there is not the God of order. Now as our Church meetings must have all things done in order, so must they be decent. Decency is that seemelinesse which some things of their own nature bring unto divine actions, which is not of the substance or essence of the thing, nor necessarily required to the being of it; but rather to adorn it, & to procure the greater reverence unto it: as for example, in the celebration of the Lord's Supper; to have a fair Table, a fair Cloath, a fair Cup, the finest Bread, the best Wine, which of their own nature joined to the Sacrament, do bring some great respect to the action, and serve to stir up devotion in the hearts of the Communicants. Order is opposed to confusion: decency to vanity, pomp, ostentation, and vncleanlynesse; all which ought to be far from the Church of God. Both these are seen in a house well governed. An house is said to be decent, when all filth that may offend the sight or other senses, is purged out; and all things are found in a seemly sort and manner, without riot and excess: likewise to be in order, when it is divided and distinguished into superiors and inferiors, and everyone doeth his duty; when there are settled times and seasons of dining, of supping, of laboring, of lying down and rising up, whereby the peace and tranquility thereof is preserved. The Church is the house of God, as we shown before, and therefore therein must be decency, that the place be clean, the vessels pure, and that all the actions of Pastor and people, both public and private, may be finished gravely without all lightness, modestly without filthiness, soberly without superstition, as it were in the presence of God, and his elect Angels: also order, that all things may be done in fit time, that there be some to teach, and others to hear, that there be set times & distinct for preaching, praying, singing, baptizing, and Communicating, whereby all disorder is prevented, and the profit of the Church is procured.

To leave the Church, and to come to the Common-wealth; God looketh for this duty at the hands of all Magistrates, that as the principal end of Magistracy is to maintain order, and to banish all disorder, so they must proceed orderly in their places. They bear not the sword in vain, their office is to punish evil doers, and to weed them out of the city of God. But it is not enough for them to minister Justice, except they consider the order that God hath set down. They must have the fear of GOD always before their eyes, and have a special care for the advancement of God's glory, which will be as a guide to direct them not only to correct sin, but in what manner to do it. For grievous offenses must not be punished slightly, & slight offenses grievously, but there must be a due proportion between the offense and the punishment; that the greater faults may be punished with the more grievous punishment. They therefore that observe another order, begin at a wrong end, and consequently have not that success they desire, neither meet with that blessing that they look for. If a man would stop the course of a stream, he must not look to the channels, but begin at the fountains. If he stop the spring, the course of the river will in short time be dried up. The foundation of all true obedience is the first Table; all unrighteousness among men, proceedeth from the neglect of the duties that belong to God. The Apostle writing to the Romans declareth, that because the Gentiles dishonored his name, and profaned his worship, and stained his glory, he gave them up unto their hearts lusts to work uncleanness with all greediness, and so committed all kind of wickedness condemned in the second Table. The commandments of the first Table, are the first and great Commandments, and therefore the chiefest care of all ought to be, to see them performed. A reproach or disgrace offered to a Prince, is greater then to a subject, as his calling is higher, and his person worthier: so an offense committed against God, is more heinous then an offense against Prince and people. It is therefore a foul disorder and great confusion to punish the offenses committed against our selves, and to wink at the sins committed against God: to punish thefts, murders, rapes, and such like enormities as touch the persons of men or the state of the Commonwealth; and never to revenge the dishonor done to God and the diminishing of his glory, the advancement whereof ought to be more dear to us then our own lives. If then the swarming of sins against the second table, proceed from the swerving and departing from the first Table, we must consider that the cause of the abounding of thieves, murderers, adulterers, drunkards, and such like malefactors, proceedeth from the indulgence and slackness of punishing such as dishonor God, & live in the open contempt of his glorious name. Wherefore if we would have the number of these enormities lessened, and the Common-wealth purged of such pestilences, (as indeed these wretched persons are the plagues of all societies) the edge of the sword and force of punishment must be turned directly and principally against Atheists, Idolaters, blasphemers, perjured persons, profaners of the Sabbath, contemners of true religion and scorners of the service of God. The Lord our God, who is jealous of his honor, and will not give his glory unto any other, put it into the hearts of all Christian Princes and godly Magistrates, to be more earnest to see God obeyed, and his worship maintained; especially seeing thereby they shall procure God to be served, and their own estates to be secured. To leave the farther prosecuting of this point, Is order only to be regarded and esteemed in the Church and common-wealth? hath it place only in these ecclesiastical and civil assemblies? No, it stretcheth a great deal further, and extendeth it self through every part of human life. For there can no kingdom, no house, no City, no society stand without order. The Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, describing wicked persons that lived within the compass of no obedience, noteth them by this mark, they were without order; nothing was first or last with them, or at the least, the last was done first, and the first practiced last, they did all things in disorder and confusion. Hence it is that he saith, chap. 3. We warn you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh inordinately, and not after the instruction which ye received of us: for ye yourselves know, how ye ought to follow us, for we behaved not our selves inordinately among you. A good action done in a confused manner, is as good as not done: forasmuch as the Lord rejecteth things done not only disorderly, but also preposterously. If this be so in all actions, much more in the commandments of the Lord. We see this in the sons of Eli; they did not profanely omit to sacrifice, yet because preposterously they served themselves first, they are noted to be wicked men & exceeding sinners against the Lord. Whiles the meat was seething, they fetched it out of the pot or caldron with flesh hooks, for the Priests diet, and afterward they burned the fat for sacrifice, the which which should have been the first in order: thus they shifted for themselves, in the first place which should have been last, and gave the Lord his portion in the last place, who in religion and reason should be the first, and thereby even by this disorder they provoked the wrath of God against themselves. This appeareth also in the example of the two sisters mentioned in the Gospel, which declareth to us the truth of this point, and what is the order allowed and appointed for us to follow. It was not unlawful for Martha to minister to Christ, to entertain him, to provide necessaries for him, and to busy her self in serving of him: but she did it in a wrong course, she should first have chosen Mary's part to sit at his feet to hear his preaching, before she had combred and entangled herself with much serving, and therefore she is reproved, and her sister commended. For he regardeth more to be heard diligently, then entertained delicately, so that he saith, Martha, Martha, thou carest, and art troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her. And if we would have a plainer direction, what ought to be first with us, and what second, yea, a perfect platform of ordering our ways, our Savior showeth us in the Gospel, Mat. 6. First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then all these things shall be ministered unto you. Here is a plain and perfect order, he that keepeth this order is blessed: he that breaketh it, hath no promise of blessing from him. There is a method to be used in all arts, and much controversy hath been what it is, and of how many sorts it is: but behold here the right method, the only method to learn the art of arts, and the science of all sciences; here is first, and here is second. The first thing that we must begin withal, is God's kingdom, then follow worldly things, which are the second. Thus are we taught to make an entrance to religion, and how to proceed, by him that is Wisdom it self; here is the most exquisite order laid before us, let us take knowledge of it in our minds, love it with all our hearts, and express it in our lives. We must not be like to him in the Gospel, that was called to follow Christ: he did not absolutely deny it, nor directly refuse it, but he would follow him after his own fancy; he must first take leave of his friends and bid them farewell that were in his house, and afterward he would be a follower, and a disciple. Thus it is with all men of this world, who have not learned Christ aright, they are preposterous in their ways, they invert all good order, they make the first to be the second, and promote the second into the principal place. If a man that knoweth learning, should come into a school, and see those of the lowest form set in the uppermost seats, and the best scholars thrust down into the inferior places, he would think it to be a great confusion, & by and by condemn it as a place without all order.

We should everyone erect a school of God and godliness in our own hearts, in which we must set heaven and heavenly things in the highest room, and earthly things beneath: and then we shall make it manifest that we have learned the best and the rightest method. As for those that prefer Mammon before God, and this world before the world to come (of which sort are too many, as daily experience telleth us,) they are no good Artizans, they are ignorant of the right method, and therefore they run into a thousand mazes and confusions, wherein they loose themselves, and oftentimes their own souls.

To conclude, let us all take notice of this general method, that shall much help us when we come to the particulars, and bear away these few rules of direction. First, we must forsake the evil, and then choose the good. True it is, we must do both, but both in order: first we must pluck up the weeds before we can sow good seed in the garden of our hearts: we must grub up the tares before we can gather the good corn into the barn: first we must remove the rubbage before we can build our house aright. Secondly, we must observe an order both in choosing the good, and in refusing the evil. For as the former rule guideth us to forsake the evil, and then to cleave to that which is good: so this goeth farther and pointeth out an order as it were with the finger, what order to take herein; which is, that in refusing the evil, the greatest evil is most of all to be hated and eschewed, and the lesser in the next place. Contrariwise the greatest good is with the greatest strength to be pursued after, until we overtake it, the lesser is to be chosen in the last place; seeing the very heathen in their deliberations were wont to inquire, of two honest things, which is most honest. Thirdly, we must know that the greatest good, and best work, shall have the best and greatest reward: on the other side the greatest and grossest evil shall in the first place and in the heaviest manner be punished. Every work shall be rewarded of God, whether it be good or evil, the one of mercy according to his promise, the other of justice according to desert; but their recompense shall be best that are best, and their punishment most heavy that are most hateful in his sight.

This is the right method of true Divinity, and until we know this, we have learned nothing as it ought to be learned, nor can discern between things that differ, as between good and evil, between evil and evil, and between good and good.

What order and policy God would have generally observed among his people, hath been before declared in the former words, namely, that everyone should campe by his standard, and under the ensign of his fathers house: now, in these words and the other following, he divideth the twelve tribes of Israel, into four chief standards, & assigneth to every standard three tribes, whereof one was principal, the other two were assistants and helpers. The first standard is committed to Judah, to whom he adjoineth Issachar, and Zebulun: this is contained in these words, and in this division. Behold here the wisdom of God. He honoreth Judah with the first place of the first standard, thereby to make as it were a beginning and to give a little taste of the verifying of Jacob's prophesy, who foretold of the preeminence should be given unto him above his brethren. He was the fourth son of Jacob by Leah; with whom he associateth such two tribes, as were in reason most likely to submit themselves to him, inasmuch as Zebulun and Issachar, were the sons of Zilpah, Leah's maid, whom she gave to her husband, and set in her own place. The second standard is committed to Reuben, under whose Regiment were placed Simeon and Gad. This tribe coming of the eldest brother, the first borne of Jacob, might justly be thrust down into the lowest rank, yet God leaveth them not wholly without comfort, and therefore assigneth them the second place in this army. The two tribes joined with him, were such as could not, nor would not take it grievously to fight under his banners, and to be led into the field by his authority, seeing Simeon was his own mothers son, being so near in blood, as they lay both in one womb, and Gad was borne of Zilpah his mothers maid: these therefore could not refuse to submit themselves to his ensign. The third standard is appointed to Ephraim, one of the sons of Joseph, under whom are ranked Manasseh and Benjamin, between whom was the nearest band of consanguinity, and therefore this part of the army could not be put into better order. Ephraim and Manasseh supplied the place of Joseph their father, who had a double portion given unto him, and therefore these are reputed to be as it were the sons of Rahel, of whom Joseph came, to whom Benjamin is joined, who also was the son of Rahel, whom she bare to Jacob, in the land of Canaan: these therefore are confedered and combined together as children of the same mother; a notable means to move to peace and concord, and to take away all occasion of contention.

The fourth and last standard, is assigned to Dan: he was indeed one of the sons of the handmaid, and preferred in degree of honor and dignity, before the lawful son of Leah, and the other son of Rahel, the two wives of Jacob: from hence might hurly-burlies and heart-burnings arise, which are all pacified and compounded by the express commandment of God, who joineth to Dan, Naphtali his mothers son (for both of them were the sons of Bilhah Rachel's maid) and Asher the son of Zilpah, Leah's maid.

Thus was the whole host of Israel divided as it were into four several battles, and to everyone his chief Captain assigned.

The sum of all is this,

• Of the first standard were
  • Judah
  • Issachar
  • Zebulun.
• Of the second standard were
  • Reuben
  • S • meon
  • Gad.
• Of the third standard were
  • Ephraim
  • Manasseh
  • Benjamin.
• Of the fourth standard were
  • Dan
  • Naphtali
  • Asher.

Verse 3. On the East side toward the rising of the Sun, &c. Here we have a description of the first standard. The use of a standard or ensign is manifold in War, to give direction in fighting and in sudden alarms that fall out, to encourage the hearts of the soldiers, and to strengthen them with hope of victory; and half their substance and goods were kept by them, that no thought of forsaking the standard might enter into them, but that they should fight valiantly for the same. What the ensigns of the Israelites were, the Hebrews do not accord among themselves. Some affirm that everyone had the badge or arms of his ancestors, as that in the standard of Reuben was the figure of a man, because Jacob said, Reuben my first borne: in the ensign of Judah a Lyon, because it was said of him, Judah as a Lions whelp. In the standard of Ephraim the figure of a bullock, because Moses likeneth his beauty to a bullock: in the standard of Dan, the likeness of an Eagle, which was given unto him instead of a Serpent. Thus in their ensigns they will have the four beasts noted, which Ezekiel also saw in his vision mentioned in his first Chapter. What truth there is in these allusions we know not, and therefore we leave the credit thereof to the authors and relaters of them. It is more to the purpose to consider, that albeit Jacob promised the crown and kingdom to that tribe, yet it is not by and by accomplished; so that albeit, his promises shall all be performed, yet they are not straightway verified, but are oftentimes long deferred. True it is, that the tribe of Judah surmounted all the rest of the tribes at such time as God delivered them out of Egypt, yea Nahasson had the preeminence when the people were to be numbered, when the Captains of the tribes were to be chosen, and when the offerings were dedicated in the Sanctuary. Notwithstanding, all this was but a dark shadow of the former prophesy, for Judah still remained without kingdom and principality. Besides, the former prophetical speech might seem to many to carry little truth or likelihood with it, inasmuch as we see God appointeth Moses of the tribe of Levi, to be the governor of them. After his death and decease, Joshua was Captain and ruler over them, who was of the tribe of Ephraim: after him succeeded the Judges, who were extraordinarily stirred up to judge his people & deliver thē out of the hands of their enemies, sometime of one tribe, and sometime of another. Then came Saul, who was chosen king, of the tribe of Benjamin: all this while there is no mention of Judah, as if the prophecy were buried in deep silence, and the birthright were utterly forgotten: yet in the end the Lord declareth that his word is not a jest, and that Jacob though he were old, yet did not dote when he foretold the same. But to omit those things, let us observe that God providing here for the good of his people, and the ordering of them, appointeth officers and Magistrates over them, and leaveth them not unto themselves, which would have been the occasion of all contention. Thus we see, how he appointeth a captain and leader [Doctrine 2] over every tribe. From hence we may observe, that God giveth to his people rulers to fight their battles, and to guide them in order, and godliness. Faithful Magistrates are needful for Church and Common-weath, who are not only a portion among believers, but the chief parts and stay of them in well-doing, not only in peace but in war. This we see plentifully proved unto us in the book of Judges, where it is testified, that the Lord raised them up Judges, who delivered them out of the hands of their oppressors: and afterward, when the Lord had raised them up Judges, the Lord was with the Judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the Judge; for the Lord had compassion of their groanings, because of them that oppressed them and tormented them. This is it which Jethro the father in Law of Moses saw to be profitable and necessary for the people, when he admonished him, to provide men of courage, fearing God, men dealing truly, hating covetousness, and to appoint such over them, to be Rulers over thousands, Rulers over hundreds, Rulers over fifties, and Rulers over ten's, and to let them Judge the people at all seasons. This is it which Hiram acknowledgeth, 2 Chron. 2. Because the Lord hath loved his people, he hath made Solomon king over them. This doth the Prophet Isaiah testify, chap. 22. In that day will I call my servant Eliachim the son of Hilkiah, the Key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder, so he shall open and no man shall shut, and he shall shut, and no man shall open. To these testimonies we might add infinite others, but in fo plentiful an argument; these shall suffice to teach us, that the people of God stand in need of Rulers to go in and out before them, and to order them in the duties of piety and honesty.

The reasons are evident. First, they are as the props and pillars of the house, and [Reason 1] the cause of good order among the people of God, and the means to keep them in all obedience. On the other side through want of them, many abuses are committed, and much iniquity is practiced. While Joshua lived, and the Elders that out-lived Joshua, the people served the Lord all their days, which had seen his great works that he had done for Israel: but when they were gone and gathered unto their fathers, the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim. And again, chapter 4. The children of Israel began again to do wickedly in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud was dead. And before, Chapter 2. When the Judge was dead, they returned and did worse then their fathers, in following other gods, to serve them and worship them; they ceased not from their own inventions, nor from their rebellious way. Add unto these, the conclusion of this book; In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was good in his own eyes; Whereby we see that so long as God blesseth a land with Princes and Magistrates, it is stayed from ruin and destruction: but when they are taken away, it falleth [Reason 2] to the ground, and cannot stand upright.

Secondly, no society can continue without Magistrates, neither defend it self. If an host be without a General, or a city without a Ruler, or an house without a governor, it needeth not foreign force to pull it down and dissolve it; it sufficeth in short time to destroy it self, and from among themselves will men arise, that shall bring it to nothing. Parity is the mother of all mutiny and confusion, whiles everyone, vnderprising another's value and virtue, denieth to be commanded, and being wedded to self-love, esteemeth himself the best able and most worthy to command in all the company. So then, whiles men ouervalue their own worth, & esteem better of themselves then others, contrary to the rule of the Apostle, they are cast away by the tempest of dissention, and torn in pieces as a body without a head by mutual emulations. These diseases of a divided and distracted multitude, without unity and authority of government, caused the Lord to take order for his people that when they should come unto the land which he had promised to give them, and that they should possess it and dwell therein, they should set a king over them from among their brethren. Wherefore seeing Magistrates are a stay to the people in all well-doing, and the want of them is the occasion of all confusion, we cannot but conclude them to be so necessary, as that they cannot be wanted or spared.

[Use. 1] The uses remain to be taught and learned of us. First, it reproveth the hellish and more then heathenish Sect of the Anabaptists, that overturn this order that God hath settled to continue forever; namely, that they are a necessary good for the common-wealth: whereas these damnable heretics hold them neither necessary, nor good, but unnecessary evils, that ought not to be planted, nor grow among God's people; and where they have been planted, ought as superfluous branches to be topped and lopped, or as noisome weeds to be rooted up and removed. But the Scriptures of the old and New Testament commend unto us captains in war, and governors in peace. But those men acknowledge neither the calling of captains, nor the lawfulness of war. The Apostles of Christ, at what time Magistrates are evil, both profane idolaters, and bloody persecutors, command every soul to be subject to the higher power, inasmuch as there is no power but of God. The ancient commandment of the moral Law, establisheth this as a perpetual ordinance never to be disanulled, until the universal frame of the heavens be dissolved, that we must honor father and mother, that is, not only such as are fathers of the family, but such as are fathers of the Country. He that said, Thou shalt have no other God's but me, Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery; said also, Honor the King, 1 Pet. 2.17. For, as the house cannot stand without governors to rule it, no more can the Common-wealth. And as themselves take upon them to order their own houses, and exercise authority and dominion over such as are under their roof, and Regiment: so is the Magistrate called to manage the affairs of state, and to do that within the walls of the city, which he doth within the walls of his house. The father hath government over his son, the master over his servants, the husband over his wife, the teacher over his scholars: and why then, not the Magistrate over his subjects? Neither doth the Gospel subvert the order appointed by God in the dispensation of the Law: for Christ Jesus, who first preached the Gospel, chargeth us to give Caesar those things that belong to Caesar, and the things that are God's, we must give to God. So his Apostles teach, that we must rather obey God then man, when their commandments cannot stand together; but when God is not disobeyed, themselves preached and practiced obedience, and reproved and condemned all disobedience. Secondly, here the Pope and all the Romish Hierarchy and Clergy are reproved, who exempt themselves from the authority and jurisdiction of Princes and Magistrates. These cal themselves the spiritualty, and claim an immunity both in regard of their persons and of their goods, wherein they are confederate and join hands with their brethren the Anabaptists, as wretched enemies to the crowns and scepters of Princes, as themselves. Only here lieth the difference, the Anabaptists confess y ^t Magistrates must be obeyed, but they deny that there ought to be any in the Church. Contrariwise the Pope with all the rabble of his horned Bishops, confess that there ought to be Magistrates, but they utterly deny that themselves ought to be subject unto them. Now, it is in effect all one, whether we take away Magistracy, or whether we yield not to their authority. And if there be any inequality between these, the Anabaptists seem to be the better, who live peaceably and obediently under them whose power notwithstanding they deny. He is an evil child y ^t denieth his father, but he is worse that is obstinate & stubborn, that will not obey him, but resist him. How many ways the Popish Religion is enemy to Princes, we have shown elsewhere. I speak not now of the wicked practices of their Assassinates that murder Princes, but of their doctrine taught for sound and Catholic, by all their school-divines, not by some few only of them. For they teach that their persons in causes Ecclesiastical, Civil, and criminal are exempted from the Courts and Consistories of temporal Magistrates, as appeareth in their public disputations, and by the iudicial proceedings of Paulus the fifth, against he Venetians, who were excommunicated and the city interdicted, so that their religious men ceased from ministering Ecclesiastical Sacraments. And as they challenge a freedom of their persons, so they claim a freedom from paying tributes and like taxes to Princes,? nd will be bound to them in no respect. To the and we may see the truth in these points, & be armed against their Arguments, let us see the grounds whereupon they stand: and afterward produce sundry reasons out of y ^e word of God to convince their proud and false assertions. First, they object that the superior ought not to be in subjection to the inferior; but contrariwise the inferior must [Object. 1] be subject to the superior: this is the Law of God and man. But the Ecclesiastical Regiment is distinguished from the Civil and political state, and set far above it by the Law of God, as the soul is above the body: therefore Ecclesiastical causes ought not to be judged by temporal Magistrates. I answer, [Answer.] by distinguishing the several callings: for Princes are superiors and inferiors: and Ecclesiastical persons are superiors and inferiors: both of them are above others in the proper duties of their callings. If any reply, to be superior, and yet to be inferior, to be above, and yet to be beneath, are contrary: I rejoin, they are contrary, and yet not contrary; they are contrary, if meant of one, and the same thing, and spoken in one and the same respect: but if they be diversely considered, in respect of diverse objects, there is no contrariety at all in them. To apply this to the point objected, I say that the superior cannot be subject in those things wherein he is superior, but he may be, and ought to be, in those things in which he is inferior. Now, the Ecclesiastical government, albeit, it be higher then the politic, in the essential duties belonging unto it, to wit, the preaching of the word of God, and the administration of the Sacraments, yet it is inferior in those things that belong to Civil subjection and obedience. Princes must obey so far as the word of God commandeth in matters of faith and piety, neither have they any authority to invent and frame a new Religion, or to change and alter the Religion set down in the Scripture, or to decide and determine the Controuersies of Religion at their own pleasure, or to preach the word themselves, or to dispence the Sacraments of the Church. But in respect of Civil power over all persons, they must acknowledge no superior, no equal, they are above all, and under none within [Object. 2] their dominions. Secondly they object, It is absurd and unreasonable, that the sheep should judge the shepherd, or rule over him; but all the Laity in respect of the Clergy, are as sheep to the Shepherd. Therefore the Ministers of the Church may not be judged or censured of Lay men. I answer, [Answer.] this whole argument is figurative, and therefore cannot be demonstrative, by the rules of their own School. A figurative speech cannot conclude necessarily, but only probably. If we take the word sheep and shepherd in their proper signification, the sheep being brutish and unreasonable cannot judge the their shepherd. But if the words be taken metaphorically or by way of similitude, the Magistrate is not a sheep in all things, but only in Spiritual things, belonging to doctrine and faith and a good conscience, wherein the Ministers are Sheepeheards. If we speak of Civil things, and providing that all things be done decently and orderly in the Church, the Magistrates are shepherds of the people, and all the Clergy are his sheep, because they are citizens and subjects of his city and Soueraignty. As then the Magistrate cannot prescribe to the Minister what doctrine he shall teach: so it were pride and presumption for the Minister to set down rules to tie the Magistrate to his lure, in the duties of his calling, for then the sheep indeed should judge their Pastor. Thirdly, [Object. 3] it seemeth absurd that an earthly Judge should take and punish the servants of the chiefest and highest Judge, and those men that are consecrated unto him. I answer, [Answer.] an earthly Judge that sitteth upon an earthly bench, is also the servant of the most High GOD, the Minister of the heavenly Judge, and the Lieutenant of the Almighty, exercising the judgment not of man but of God. It belongeth to his office to judge others that are God's servants, so far as they are subject to him, as sheep to their shepherd, by the Law of God and man. If one of the Clergy break the Law of God, and of the kingdom wherein they live, by committing murder, theft, perjury, false witness-bearing, or such like, he is punished not as the servant of God, but as the servant of sin; and an offender against the Common-wealth. Against those supposed reasons, we oppose the authority of God's word, that subjecteth all persons to the power of the Magistrate; Let every soul be subject, put them in remembrance that they be subject to the principalities and powers, and that they be obedient and ready to every good work, therefore submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the king, as unto the superior, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent of him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. We heard before that Christ requireth obedience, and as he commanded it to others, so he practiced it himself, for he was subject to his parents, and to the Magistrates; he paid polle money for himself, and for Peter, not using the privilege he had, and the liberty he might use, for offense sake, lest another emboldened by his example should use the pretence of liberty that indeed he had not. Paul also teacheth subiectiō both by word and deed, by his doctrine & practice. For he was subject to the Magistrates and used their authority for his safety when he appealed from the malicious Pharisees unto Caesar. Thus we see what Christ did, what the Apostles did, what the Christians did, they exempted not themselves from the secular power, but whether they were Apostles or Evangelists, or Prophets, they submitted themselves, and claimed no freedom from their jurisdiction: wherefore they are led by another spirit that broach and practice a contrary doctrine. Thirdly, they are reproved, that are seditious persons, and move rebellion and insurrection against Princes, who always or for the most part are met with all in this life, and receive according to their deservings. Of such persons Jezebel spake truly, Had Zimri peace that slew his master? as if she should have said, Can any Rebell or Traitor, or any that riseth against his superior and Sovereign, prosper and have good success? For Z • mri a Captain of the host conspired against Elah the son of Baasha king of Israel, & smote him that he died, & usurped the kingdom: But the time of his reign & the continuance of his sitting on the throne, could not be numbered nor reckoned by years, nor by months, nor by weeks: he reigned only seven days, and then being hardly besieged, he was constrained to burn himself and the kings house with fire; so that as he came to his kingdom by usurpation, and held it a while by effusion of blood, so he ended his days in desperation. Read to this purpose, 2 Kin. 15. where we have set before us the examples of Shallum, who cōspiring against Zachariah, the son of the second Jeroboam, and smiting him in the sight of the people, and reigning in his stead, did not long enjoy his kingdom, but sat in his throne the space of a month; and then himself was slain, & so he found according to his works, so that as he spared: not to shed blood, so his blood was not spared: Likewise the example of Pekah, who conspired against Pekahiah, and smote him in Samaria, in the place of the kings palace: but did he escape for this treason, and end his days in peace? No, as he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebal, so Hoshea wrought treason against him, smote him, and slew him, and paid him home in his own kind. So in the former Chapter we see, that when the servants of Joash king of Judah, wrought treason against their master, & slew him, his son did not suffer their hoary heads to go down to the grave in peace, but so soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand he slew his servants which had killed the king his father. Thus it appeareth, that a discontented head, a muttering spirit, and a seditious mind are dangerous, and bring a just reward of rebellion upon their heads that are the contriuers of it, so that they fall into the pit of confusion that they made for others. This is the ende of rebellion, and such recompense have Rebels against Princes. Hence it is that such pernicious persons, being the common plagues of kingdoms and Common-wealths, are hated of God and man, & odious to everyone, yea even to those that used them to serve their own turns in disloyal and wicked actions; so that albeit they love treason well, yet they hate the Traitor. For he that betrayeth his Prince, his country, and kindred into their hands, to whom he is not tied with such near and necessary bands, will not keep his faith entire to them, but betray them also when occasion and opportunity shall serve. The Law of God saith, Thou shalt not rail upon the Judges, neither speak evil of the Ruler of thy people. If he be guilty of punishment that raileth, and reuileth them, what punishment and revenge is sufficient for him that seeketh after their life, and plotteth after their death? we have a notable example of a loyal heart in David toward Saul, who albeit he were elected and anointed King, and were persecuted and pursued of Saul, yet he would not lay violent hands upon his person, nor seek to deprive him of his kingdom: The Lord (said he) keep me from doing that thing to my master, the Lord's Anointed, to lay mine hand upon him: for who can lay his hand on the Lord's Anointed and be guiltless? As the Lord liveth, either the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish; the Lord keep me from laying mine hand upon the Lord's Anointed. This was the protestation of David, but it is a word of direction to all, that Princes persons should be inviolable, as sacred and sent of God, whether they be good or evil, whether they be just or unjust, whether godly or ungodly. It is not unknown what manner of king Nebuchadnezzar was, even he that took Jerusalem, namely, a great oppressor, robber, & cruel tyrant: yet the Prophet Ezekiel affirmeth, that God gave him the land of Egypt, for the reward of his work, and for the wages of his army wherewith he had served him: and Daniel declareth that God changeth the times and seasons, he taketh away kings, he setteth up kings, that living men may know, that the most High hath power over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he w • ll, and appointeth over it the most abject among men. And in the second Chapter he saith, O king, thou art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

Who could be a greater tyrant then Pharaoh? who could enact more barbarous and bloody decrees then he did? Or what people could be in greater misery, or endure harder bondage and slavery then the children of Israel in the land of Egypt? Yet they performed obedience, they never prepared or provided to resist the king, they never took up arms, their only weapons were supplication to God & to man. Let us consider a little, what the Lord himself saith, by the mouth of the Prophet Jeremiah: I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power, and by my out-stretched arm, and have given it unto whom it pleased it me: But now I have given all these Lands into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar my servant, and the beasts of the field have I also given him to serve him, And all Nations shall serve him, and his son, and his sons son, until the very time of his Land come also: and the Nation & Kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the King of Babel, the same Nation will I visit (saith the Lord) with the sword, famine, and pestilence; wherefore serve the King of Babel, and live. Out of these words we observe these three points; who it is that divideth & bestoweth kingdoms, to whom he giveth them, and what end remaineth for those that resist them. He that setteth the Crown upon the heads of men, is God; all power is from him, for promotion cometh not from the East, nor from the West; he setteth up, and he pulleth down at his own pleasure. He giveth the same sometimes to evil men, and these he maketh his servants to serve his providence, and to do his will which he hath to be done by them. And therefore such as oppose themselves against them, do set themselves against God, and all that resist, shall receive to themselves condemnation. He will have Tyrants to be obeyed and honored, because they are lifted up to the seat of honor and throne of majesty by his hand.

[Use 2] Secondly, we learn that it is a great blessing to have good and godly Princes set over us, to rule us in justice, peace, and righteousness. They are a covering against the heat, the breath of our nostrils, an hiding place frō the wind, and a refuge from the tempest, as rivers of waters in a dry Land, & as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land. Where they are wanting, the Sun is as it were pulled out of the Firmament, and all things are left in miserable darkness, the weak are a prey to the strong and mighty, as the lesser fish are devoured of the greater, and everyone doeth that which seemeth good in his own eyes, Hence it is, that the Queen of Sheba, seeing the power and magnificence of Solomon, whom GOD had set upon the Throne of his father David, said, Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants which stand ever before thee, and hear thy w sedome. To this purpose speaketh the wise man, Eccl. 10, 16, 17. Woe to thee O Land, when thy King is a Child, and thy Princes eat in the morning: Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in time, for strength and not for drunkenness. We must therefore acknowledge it as a great blessing and mercy upon a Land, when he giveth faithful Magistrates, wise Kings, wise Counsellers, wise Nobles, wise Judges, wise Justices, wise Officers, to govern the State, & to sway the Common-wealth. Blessed are such Rulers, nay blessed are the people that are under such Rulers; and blessed is that government and policy so well and wisely ordered. It is a token of God's heavy judgment vpō a kingdom, when he taketh away the Overseers of it. It is a token of the ruin of an house, when the shores and stays that underpropped it, are removed. When the Tree is pulled up by the roots, the branches must needs die, the leaves wither, and the fruit fall away. When the feet of a man fail that bear up the rest of the body, he cannot but fall: and when the breath of his nostrils is stopped, he is gone, & quickly returneth to the dust, out of which he was taken. Our Rulers and Magistrates are as the props & pillars that keep the house upright: they are as the root of the Tree, that giveth life, and sendeth forth sap and juice into all partes and corners of the Land, which are as the body of this tree: they are as the heads, that is, the choicest parts of the Common-wealth; and yet as the feet, in respect that they bear the whole frame that standeth upon them. Hence it is that the Prophet threatening from God a grievous judgment to fall upon the Land for the sin of the people, saith, Behold, the Lord of Hosts will take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah the stay and the strength: even all the stay of bread, and all the stay of water, the strong man and the man of war, the Judge and the Prophet, the prudent and the aged, the Captain of fifty, and the honorable, and the Counselor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent man, and I will appoint Children to be their Princes, and babes shall rule over them. If then the removing and taking away of the chief parts be a punishment, surely the giving of them, and the continuing of them must of necessity be the giving of a blessing unto us, & the continuing of a blessing among us. When they are gone, the light is taken away, and we live in darkness: our defense is gone, and we lie open to the enemy: the foundation is pulled away, & the house falleth: the breath is gone, and the whole body dieth. The benefit which we receive by our Kings and Princes, by our Rulers and Governors, will yet farther appear, if we consider the discommodities and confusions of an Anarchy, wherein is no Ruler, but everyone would sit at the stern, and command over others: the sword of justice is banished, and the sword of injustice is in a mad man's hand, nay in thousands and millions of mad men; force and violence bear sway, riotousnesse is set at liberty, good men are oppressed, innocence is trodden under foot, and all wickedness is set aloft. These effects and infinite other not to be numbered, of the same nature, must needs follow, where Magistrates bear not rule: but where they are settled, the godly are encouraged, & the ungodly fear. To conclude therefore this point, it is an happy Kingdom, wherein the Princes are obedient to the Law of God and nature, & of the Land; Magistrates to the Princes, private men to Magistrates, children to their parents, servants to their masters, and all men keep themselves within the limits of their callings, and being linked in love one with another, & all of them with their Prince, do enjoy the sweet fruits of peace, and true quietness of mind.

[Use 3] Thirdly, this must put Magistrates in mind of their duty. For wherefore are they necessary to be over the people, and to what ende hath GOD lifted up their heads above their brethren? Is it to give them bare titles of honor and dignity, and to tread upon their brethren, and to trample them under their feet? No, God advanceth no man for such purposes, but it is in respect of his people to do them good, to procure their wealth, and to provide for the welfare both of their souls and bodies. As then they are to have much honor, great reverence, and due obedience performed unto them, so they must know that sundry duties are to be practiced of them. First then, it is required of them to maintain and set up true religion: to give entertainment to it, and those that do profess it. They must procure that God may be worshipped and served, to which end they are made keepers of both the Tables, to see that God be glorified among his people, as Psal. 78, 70, 71, 72. He chose David his servant, and took him from the Sheep-folds, even from behind the Ewes with young brought he him, to feed his people in Jacob, and his inheritance in Israel: so he fed them according to the simplicity of his heart, and guided them by the discretion of his hands. It is not enough for them to have a care that peace and tranquility may be maintained among their subjects, (for so far the Gentiles proceed that know not God) but they must take order that the Law of God may be observed, and piety and godliness continued among the people committed to their charge. True it is, a peaceable and quiet life are great blessings, and most worthy effects of a wise & religious Magistracy, but these are not sufficient, nor the principal duties to be regarded, forasmuch as it is not enough to lead a civil life, but a sanctified life, that hath the glory of God evermore before it: and therefore they must consider that they shall give an account at that great day, not only how peaceably and politikely they have ruled, but how religiously and zealously they have governed their people. Secondly, it appertaineth unto them to deface Idolatry, and abolish all monuments of superstition, and to cast out all Idols, not only out of their Temples, but so much as lieth in them, out of men's hearts. This duty God commended to Moses, in sundry places, Deut. 7, 5, 6. Thus ye shall deal with them, ye shall overthrow their Altars, and break down their Pillars, and cut down their Groues, and burn their graven Images with fire: for thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a precious people unto himself above all people that are upon the earth. And what his zeal was in maintaining God's honor, and in revenging the dishonor done unto him in this kind, appeareth by his defacing and destroying the golden Calf that was erected in his absence; for when the people saw that he tarried long ere he came down from the Mountain, they said, Make us God's to go before us, &c. but as soon as he came near to the host and saw the Calf & dancing, his wrath waxed hot, he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them in pieces, he ground the Calf to powder, he strewed it upon the water, he made the Children of Israel drink of it, and caused about three thousand of them to be slain with the sword. It is recorded to the everlasting commendation of Asa, that he took away the Sodomites out of the Land, and put away all the Idols that his Fathers had made, and he put down Maachah his mother also from her estate, because she had made an Idol in a grove, & Asa destroyed her Idols, and burnt them by the brook Kidron. The like we might say of Hezekiah and Josiah, whose names are blessed in the book of God, and renowned for rhe discharge of this duty. Thirdly, Idolatry being defaced, and Idols taken away, they must provide that pure and sincere doctrine may be delivered & preached by the Ministers of the word. For in vain it is to abolish superstition, except care be had of the true religion, that the name of God may be known upon earth, and his saving health may be spread abroad among all their people. When the King of Ashur heard that the Colonies that he had planted in Samaria were devoured of Lions, he commanded that one of y ^e Priests which had been brought from thence, should be carried thither, to teach them the manner of the God of the Country: so that the superstitious King thought it his duty to see them instructed in the truth. A notable example of a godly and religious care this way is in Jehoshaphat, who, so soon as he had taken away the high places and the groves out of Judah, he sent out sundry of the Levites, that they should teach in the Cities: and they taught in Judah, and had the book of the Law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the Cities of Judah, and taught the people. This is the foundation and stay of all Kingdoms▪ to give entertainment to the word of God, this maketh a wise King and a wise people. So long as Magistrates countenance the truth, and Preachers of it, they secure their own estates, and are blessed of God; which ought to be an encouragement unto them, not to be slack or slothful in spreading abroad the Gospel of Christ. Lastly, because it were troublesome and tedious to go about to rehearse all their duties, we briefly number up the rest. It is their duty therefore to be good examples of piety and godliness of life to the people, and to provide for them all things necessary for the body, to ask counsel of the mouth of the Lord in their weighty affairs, that is, the ministry of the word, and to yield obedience unto it; to exhort their inferiors in time of public calamities to earnest repentance, and to express the same by prayer and fasting; to know y ^e cause thoroughly before they proceed to give sentence; to punish evil doers, and defend the innocent, and to establish such positive laws as are necessary for the maintenance of order and decency in the Common-wealth.

[Use 4] Lastly, seeing Magistrates are necessary for the Church and Common-wealth, it putteth those that are under them in mind of their duties, partly in regard of themselves, partly in regard of the Magistrates, and partly in respect of God. Touching themselves, they must know they be no burdens to the Common-wealth, nor superfluous parts that may be spared: they are as the head or heart of the body, or as the eye in the head, all depend upon their welfare; so all depend upon the Kings and Princes welfare. If he be upholden, the Common-wealth standeth: if he be unregarded, the Common-wealth falleth. He is as necessary as the Sun in the Firmament, yea as fire and water, and breathing, without which we cannot live. If we judge otherwise of this ordinance of God, we are deceived, & wrong both them and our selves.

Again, we learn that their life and continuance is greatly to be desired of God's servants. It is the part and duty of all Subjects to crave their safety and protection, that they may safe-guard and protect both Church and Common-wealth. Yea Rulers themselves in regard of this end, which ought daily to be before their eyes, may desire of God to lengthen their days, and to continue their happy reign, that together with the Saints they may do service to God in his Church: in this respect I say, they may desire life, not so much aiming at their own private good, (for in that respect it were better to be dissolved & to be with the Lord) as respecting the general utility of their people. What greater glory, what higher honor can they have then this, to be the stay and defense of the church, that otherwise were like to decay and go to ruin, and to continue the several parts of it in well-doing? That good King Hezekiah foreseeing by the word of the Lord, the miserable estate of the Church that should be after his death, and considering with great anguish of heart, the woeful effects that were like to follow, he turned himself in his bed to the wall and wept, and was grieved to depart hence, saying: The grave cannot confess thee, death cannot praise thee: they that go down into the pit, cannot hope for thy truth: but the living, the living, he shall confess thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall declare thy truth. He desired of God to live, and prayed unto God to prolong his days, not to lift up himself above his brethren, not to glory in the smoke of lofty titles, not to tyrannize over the people, not to command the things that are unjust, or to punish such as do not deserve it: but to do good to the Church, and to set forth God's praise. Death indeed, which bringeth y ^e dissolution of nature, is a welcome guest to them that are the Lord's, all the godly do make themselves ready to receive him, to meet and entertain him; and so Kings & Princes among the rest: howbeit, in this respect, that the Church may be benefited by them, it is no matter of impiety to desire a longer continuance among God's people: much more then is it the duty of such as are under them, and governed by them, to desire their continuance as the days of heaven, and as the course of the Sun, to be Nurses to the godly. This was wont to be a common salutation used of the people toward their Princes, not only of the Infidels, but by the faithful servants of God. When the King came to visit Daniel, being cast into the den of Lions, the Prophet so soon as he heard him, said, O King, live forever, that is, GOD grant unto thee a long life.

Last of all, whensoever we have a wise and worthy, a godly and religious Prince given to us, it is our duty to be thankful. If the Lord grant unto a Land, a prudent and provident Prince to reign over thē, whose heart is bent to seek the Lord, and to serve the GOD of his fathers, the people that breathe under his shadow must praise the holy name of God. It is their duty to pray that princes may be such, and to commend them to God with all faithfulness. For if they must pray for others, much more for them? When Solomon was anointed with oil taken out of the Sanctuary, they blew the Trumpet, and all the people said, God save King Solomon. So the Apostle writing to Timothy, exhorteth that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, For Kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty; for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Now, as we are to pray for them, so we are to praise God for them: we are not to forget the least blessings, nor to be unmindful of smaller benefits: and therefore we are much more bound to be thankful for the greater, among which this is one of the greatest. The Prophet praying for the prosperous estate of the Kingdom of Solomon, saith, Give thy judgments to the King, O God, and thy righteousness unto the Kings son: Then shall he judge thy people in righteousness, and thy poor with equity. This duty belongeth to us, and this ought to be our prayer and petition: and as God hath blessed us with a gracious Prince & his hopeful issue, contrary to y ^e expectation of many male-contents and hollow-hearted enemies of us and our Religion; so we are often to cal to remembrance the joyful and happy time when GOD in his great goodness brought him to this Kingdom, and to sit upon the Throne lineally descended unto him: so that we may say with the Psalmist, This was the Lord's doing, & it is marvelous in our eyes: this is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice & be glad in it. Heereby did God allay the bitterness of sorrow worthily conceived, for the decease of our late Sovereign, so that the setting as it were of y ^e Moon, was recompensed with the bright shining of the Sun; and the closing of the eyes, as it were shutting the windows of declining age, with a greater perfection of age, of sex, of gifts, and many other perogatives. Thus doth one and the same day minister matter and occasion both of sorrow and of gladness; of discomfort, yet of comfort: of weeping, yet of rejoicing; as a medicine composed of contrary ingredients: so that we may say & sing with the Poet;

That is;

Thus may we, and a great deal more justly say of the day above named, which is heavy, and yet happy; threatening a storm, and yet shining clearly. Who did not greatly fear, and whose hearts were not full of perplexed thoughts, to consider what dangers were likely to fall upon our heads, when God should call unto himself, Queen Elizabeth, and gather her unto her Fathers? But behold God's great providence, dealing in mercy toward us, who shut up the mouth of the Lions, and put up the sword of the enemy, and quenched the violence of the fire, so that no noise, no tumult, no crying was heard in our streets, no sacking of Cities, no tumbling of garments in blood was seen, no alarm of battle was discerned of any, not a dog lifted up his tongue, but all things were submiss and quiet: Thus God brought King James unto the kingdom with a train of all estates, degrees, callings, companies, and conditions, with Olive branches of peace in their hands, sinesudore & sanguine, that is, without sweating and blood-shedding. No man lost his goods, no man lost his life, no Babylonish confusion followed, but everyone held his own with greater certainty and security then before: whereat the enemies of our peace and religion fret and rage, and gnash their teeth for anger, and are like to burst for envy, seeing their expectation is frustated, & all their hopes are defeated. Yea Lord, disappoint them more and more, cast them into the pit which they have digged, and roll the stone upon themselves which they have stirred: let them be consumed and confounded in their own devices, and taste of the fruit of their own malice: let their eyes look for a day of comfort and refreshing, until they fall out of their heads, according to that saying,

That is;

So then, to use the words of the Prophet Isaiah, ch. 5, 24. As the flame of fire devoureth the stubble, & as the chaff is consumed of the flame: so their root shall be as rottenness, and their bud shall rise up like dust, because they have cast off the Law of the Lord of Hosts, and contemned the word of the holy one of Israel. On the other side, let us acknowledge it to be our duty, to render humble and hearty thanks to GOD for his goodness toward us, in delivering us from the dangers that did hang over us, in frustrating the policies of the ungodly, in continuing among us the Gospel of peace, in maintaining concord and unity among us, & all these, by placing our dread Sovereign over us, and thereby removing a thousand calamities that threatened shipwreck and final desolation. Let us not now grow secure, but oftentimes remember the benefits that we have received. It is noted, that when Solomon was set upon the seat of David his father, the people came up after him, yea they piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rang with the sound of them. So when Hiram King of Tyrus heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this mighty people. Likewise, when the Queen of Sheba saw the glory of Solomon, and knew it to be a chief sign of God's favor to have godly and wise Rulers sit in the Throne of justice and judgment, she brake forth not only into an admiration of his wisdom, and his servants happiness, but also into an open thanksgiving, Blessed be the Lord thy God which loveth thee, to set thee on the Throne of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel forever, and made thee King, to do equity and righteousness. These are good examples for us to follow, and teach us what we ought to do, when God blesseth us with an upright David, with a wise Solomon, with a zealous Hezekiah, with a religious Josiah, with a reforming Jehoshaphat: it is our duty to return praise and glory to God, and withal to pray heartily for the prosperous and happy continuance of such among us, that they may live long upon earth, to promote his glory, to advance the Gospel, & to establish peace, plenty, and prosperity among their people.

In these words we have a description of the second standard, as appeareth in the shutting up of this division, where it is said, They shall set forth in the second place. In this standard, the principal is Reuben, his assistants joined with him are Simeon and Gad. In which combination we see, the particular number of each of them declared, their Captains are specified, and then the total sum is reckoned up. We shown before, that Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob, to whom as to the first borne, the birth-right did of right belong: yet we see in the former words, that Judah was set before him: thus doth God show himself a just Judge in punishing sin, and declareth how odious and abhominable it is in his sight. But see how God dealeth in mercy with him, that is, with his posterity. He deserved utterly to be raced out of the number of God's people, and to be forgotten forever by reason of his horrible incest: and no doubt the rest of the Tribes were ready to hate him, to reproach him, and prefer themselves before him. But behold the goodness of God, that though he will punish sin, yet he doth it in mercy, not with severity: gently, not rigorously: for correction, not seeking the ruin and destruction of those that belong [Doctrine 3] unto him. From this example of God's dealing toward Reuben, we learn, that God's judgments are tempered and mingled with great mercy and mildness toward those that are his. Reuben committed horrible incest, and thereby deserved not only to be thrust into the lowest place, but to be cast out of the account of Jacob's posterity and to be honored neither of God nor man, neither alive not dead: yet though Judah have the first place, Reuben hath the second; so then albeit he was punished justly, he was punished gently. Thus God dealeth evermore, he correcteth both moderately and mercifully: and as the Physician allayeth the bitterness of the potion with some sweetness, so God asswageth the greatness of his punishment with some mildness and favor that he mingleth with it. This doth the Prophet declare, Psal. 89, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. If his children forsake my Law, and walk not in my judgments: If they break my statutes, and keep not my Commandments: then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with strokes; yet my loving kindness will I not take from h • m, neither will I falsify my truth, &c. God will chastise his for their sins, but in the midst of his punishments he remembereth his mercy toward his, and will not utterly forsake them, though he afflict them for a time. So the Prophet Isaiah testifieth the like, chap. 54, 7, 8. For a little while have I forsaken thee, but with great compassion will I gather thee: for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season, but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. He correcteth his own people, because they are sinful: he correcteth them gently, because he is merciful. This will yet better appear unto us▪ if we take a view of the examples of God's dealing toward his servants in their afflictions. When Miriam rose up against Moses, she was stricken with leprosy, and shut out of the host seven days, and afterward was received again. When David had sinned in numbering the people, the Lord threatened three days pestilence in the Land, & the Angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it: notwithstanding when David repented of his sin, the Lord also repented of the evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, It is sufficient, hold now thine hand. When Zachariah the Priest would not believe the message that was sent him from God, and delivered by the Angel, that he should have a son in his old age, (then which, what greater dishonor could be done to God? what greater disgrace to his messenger?) It was said unto him, Behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not be able to speak, until the day that these things be done. If Miriam had been stricken with leaprosie as many years as she was days, or David with the pestilence, or Zacharias with dumbness, they could not have complained against God, but must have acknowledged their sins had deserved more: so that such is the dealing of our GOD toward his children, that he evermore 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 mitigateth the bitterness of the cup of his wrath with the greatness of his mercy, so that his justice and goodness go together.

This will farther appear unto us, by setting [Reason 1] before us sundry reasons, which will put this doctrine out of all doubt. For first of all, he punisheth his people as it were unwillingly, as enforced and compelled unto it by our disobedience. He had rather spare us, and not correct us, if it were for our good: but he seeth it to be for our benefit, and to further our salvation, who before we be afflicted, do go astray and wander out of the right way. This is the reason urged by the Prophet Jeremiah, Lam. 3, 32, 33: Though he send affliction, yet will he not forsake forever, but have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies: for he doth not punish willingly, nor afflict the Children of God. If then he take no delight nor pleasure in it, but doth it of necessity for our profit and amendment, it followeth that he dealeth gently, and not cruelly: mildly, and not rigorously with us.

Secondly, he is as a loving Father that spareth [Reason 2] his son that serveth him. He dealeth not as a tyrant or a tormenter that setteth upon the Racke, and showeth exquisite punishments upon such as offend: but he correcteth his Church, as a father doth his childrē which come out of his bowels, and therefore it must be done with great compassion. This reason is often rendered to enforce this point of doctrine, as Deut. 8, 5. Know therefore in thine heart, that as a man nourtereth his son, so the Lord thy God nourtereth thee: declaring thereby, that his afflictions are signs of his fatherly love toward us. Likewise 2 Sam. 7, 14. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he sin, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the plague of the Children of men, but my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I have put away before thee. So then, he dealeth not extremely with his people, but spareth them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

[Reason 3] Thirdly, as his nature is to show mercy, so knoweth he the matter whereof we are made, and he considereth that we are but dust. If he should deal with us according to our deserts and pay us home as we have provoked him by sinning against him, he should bring man to nothing, and consume him forever. Wherefore the Lord saith, I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth, for the spirit should fail before me, & I have made the breath. We are as a wind that soon passeth, as a breath that is easily stopped, and as the dust that is quickly blown away. The Prophet calleth this to our remembrance, which we ought to learn without the word by daily experience, Psal. 103, 13, 14, 15, and 78, 38, 39 and 30, 5. As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him, for he knoweth whereof we be made, he remembereth that we are but dust: the days of man are as grass, as a flower of the field, so flourisheth he. And in another place, He being merciful, forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not, but ofttimes called back his anger, and did not stir up all his anger: for he remembered that they were flesh, yea, a wind that passeth and cometh not again. If then we consider that God punisheth unwillingly, that he showeth mercy, and remembereth our frailty, we must needs conclude with the same Prophet, that he endureth but a while in his anger, but in his favor is life: weeping may abide at evening, but joy cometh in the morning.

Let us now observe the uses that may be gathered from this doctrine. First, mark the [Use. 1] difference between God and man, whose ways are not as our ways, nor his works like unto our works. It is not with God as it is with man. Albeit he be daily provoked and offended, yet he is not easily moved; and upon our submission and repentance, he is quickly appeased, and his wrath by and by is turned back. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and of great kindness, he will not always chide, neither keep his anger forever: he hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities: for as high as the Heaven is above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. But when man is once moved, he seldom keepeth any mean or moderation, & he can hardly or never will be appeased again, albeit he that hath offended and provoked him, do submit himself unto him, and crave pardon for his offense. Hence it is, that God is constrained to restrain the outrage and cruelty of man in his Law, that as a violent stream breaks out, & can be kept within no bounds of reason; where he giveth in charge, that if the wicked be worthy to be beaten, the Judge shall cause him to lie down and to be beaten before his face, according to his trespass, unto a certain number, forty stripes shall because him to have, and not past, lest if he should exceed, and beat him above that with many stripes, thy brother should appear despised in thy sight. This law declareth, that so soon as we are injured, a fire is kindled within us, we conceive rancor and choler, we fret and fume with indignation, and cannot be reconciled; we are filled with our passions, we lay on load and know no moderation. If the Lord should deal with us as we measure to our brethren, we were not able to bear it and abide it. If he should be so fierce and full of rage against us, we should utterly be destroyed and consumed: but there is always mercy with him, that he may be feared.

Secondly, this serveth greatly to comfort [Use 2] all the faithful servants of God, to consider the moderation of his chastisements, and the gentleness of his hand in all his corrections. We see by daily experience how he forbeareth us, and poureth not out all his wrath upon us. If it were not so, it would oftentimes go hard with us. Albeit his hand be sharp upon us, yet we must needs confess, our sins have justly deserved greater plagues, longer plagues, sharper plagues. And when his judgments are ceased and withdrawn, our sins are found to be as great and sometimes greater then before, so that we deserve other plagues and punishments to come in place, & immediately to follow the former. Our deliverance therefore is for his mercies sake. Herevpon the Prophet saith, He endureth but a while in his anger, but in his favor is life, weeping may abide in the evening, but joy cometh in the morning. In like manner, sorrow may happen in the morning, but joy and comfort shall abide within the evening, that we may acknowledge the greatness of his mercy, and the shortness of his wrath. We heard how sorrowful a message, and what heavy tidings David had brought unto him so soon as he was up; but this sorrow was soon turned into joy, and this heaviness into gladness, when the Angel of vengeance is commanded to stay his hand, and to put up the sword of justice into his sheath. To this purpose the Apostle teacheth the Hebrews, chap. 12. We have had the fathers of our bodies which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, should we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, that we might live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

We must evermore remember, that it is his mercy that moveth him to stay his hand and to call in his judgments, and to make our plagues to cease. We cannot stand to plead with GOD, we must not justify our selves, we ought not to hold our selves innocent; but rather persuade our selves that God hath a just quarrel and controversy against us. Hath he visited our brethren that dwell near us, as good and peradventure better then our selves, and yet hath not touched us? Hath he freed us, when others have felt the stroke of his rod? Have we stood upright, when others have fallen down? When his arrows fly abroad, and stick in the flesh, and enter into the bones, hath he passed over us, and hid us under the shadow of his wing, as in a place of safety? Oh consider this, and let us not forget the favor of God toward us: O let us remember his loving kindness, and engrave it in our hearts to work in us the fruits of obedience. Let us enter into our own selves, and examine our consciences aright, and reason with our selves after this manner: How cometh it to pass, that we have sinned, and yet are spared? that we have been in danger, and yet are delivered, and are not destroyed? seeing so many of our neighbors die round about us daily, how is it that we are spared? Have not our sins deserved to be swept away? or can we say, we are not guilty? If we search our hearts and ways thoroughly, and deal truly with God and our selves, we must confess that there is nothing in our selves but matter to kindle his wrath, and to cut us off, and to punish us with greater plagues then he hath hitherto inflicted upon us. It is his mercy that we live, and have a longer time of repentance given unto us: he might have cut us off as rotten branches, fit for no other use then to be cast into the fire. We must be thankful unto him for this goodness, and not abuse his patience and long suffering, lest we kindle his wrath again, and he reserve us for a greater plague, and so we bring a more heavy condemnation upon our selves. Blessed are we if we can make this holy and sanctified use of affliction, the which, albeit for the present time it seem grievous, and not joyous: yet afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them which are thereby exercised.

Thus we see how this doctrine is the cause of much comfort and consolation, if we behave our selves as we ought to do under the Cross.

We have not to do with an hard and cruel father that will not regard us: nor with a weak and impotent father that cannot relieve us: for our God is in heaven, he is able to do whatsoever he will. Little children do oftentimes receive great hurt being far from their fathers sight, and left unto themselves: it is not so with us; we are always in the presence of GOD our Father, he is our eye, to see for us, our ear to hear for us, our hand stretched out to help us, and deliver us. For how should not he that made the eye see? and that made the ear, hear? It is said when Israel was in Egypt, and there oppressed with cruel bondage, that GOD looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them: so that he did not look upon their miseries as an idle beholder of them, or as one that took pleasure to see their calamities, but as one that was moved with compassion toward them, and pitied their poor estate and condition; for as he saw their troubles, and knew their sorrows, so he came down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Hec it is that giveth diligent care to all our groans and sighs, he knoweth in what case we stand, and what pains we feel, he taketh so great care and keep of us, that he suffereth not any of our tears to fall to the ground, but putteth them into his bottle, and layeth them up in his register.

Thus doeth GOD remember us in trouble, heareth and helpeth us at all times, hath a continual care of us, that we should not be discouraged, nor drink a full cup and draughte of affliction, to be left without comfort under the waves thereof, that might drown our souls. This is the staff of comfort, which Christ giveth unto his Disciples, and all that believed in his Name, even to so many as should see the ruin and horrible destructiō that should come upon the City and the Temple, Math. 24, verse 22. Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, nor yet shall be hereafter: and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elects sake, those days shall be shortened. In these words the faithful are comforted by consideration of the mercy of God in the mitigation of those judgments which he would bring upon Jerusalem. True it is, some do understand them of the second coming of Christ with power and great glory, according to a rotten Prophesy of one of the Rabbin's, setting down the standing and continuing of the world, namely, Two thousand years before the Law: two thousand under the Law: and two thousand under Christ, but for the Elects sake, those days should be shortened. The examination of this counterfeit and worm-eaten Prophesy, belongeth not to this place, nor time: the two first parts being untrue, & the third both untrue, uncertain, and unsettled, having no sure ground or foundation to stand upon. For touching the true meaning of the place, it is not to be understood of the day of judgment, but of the destruction of Jerusalem. For when Christ speaking by the Spirit of Prophesy, foretold of the taking and ruinating of the Temple, so that one stone should not be left up on a stone that should not be cast down, the Disciples (upon occasion hereof) asked the question, when these things should be, and what should be the signs of his coming to judgment? To these two questions he answereth distinctly, not confusedly: and first of all to the first, wherein he giveth them sundry signs going before y ^e sackking of the City of Jerusalem: as for example, when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, that is, the Roman army (as Luke expounds it) sit in the holy place, know that the end is near: then being touched with a commiseration of their sorrows, he saith, Woe to them that are with child, and give suck in these days; pray that your flight be not in the winter, &c. Such were no fit persons to fly, such is no fit time to fly from their cruel and bloody enemies, nor to escape the rage of barbarous and merciless soldiers. Then shall be such trouble and tribulation, as no tongue can express, no pen can write, no language hath words to utter. The sword devoured without, and both sword and famine raged & consumed within, so that they were constrained to eat their own children. during the straightness of the siege. These be the days of vengeance; to fulfill all things that are written. Immediately upon the mention of these woes and tribulations, follow these words, Except those days should be shortened, &c: as if he should say, If God had suffered those sharp afflictions to continue, and the enemies to rage against them as they desired, and their sins deserved, none of that Nation had escaped, all the Jews had been rooted out as one man. No flesh, that is, not a man among the Jews had been left alive. But for the elects sake, that is, because GOD had a remnant among them according to grace, even his elect and chosen people (which he would not cast away) for their sakes the days of their great distress in the Land, and of wrath over this people, should be ended and finished: which declareth how precious and dear the faithful that fear God are in his sight, that because of their company he would cease to scourge & afflict the nation any longer: even as at the intercession of Abraham, he would have spared Sodom and Gomorrhah, if ten righteous persons had been found there, Gen. 18. So God shown mercy to the host of Israel, because Jehoshaphat was present with them. And therefore when Jehoram the son of Ahab complained for want of water, the Prophet Elisha answered, What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the Prophets of thy father, and to the Prophets of thy mother: as the Lord of hosts liveth, in whose sight I stand, if it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, I would not have looked toward thee, nor seen thee.

So then we see, to return to the former point, that he speaketh of ending the troubles of the Jews, and siege of the City, not of cutting shorter the day of judgment.

Thus God knows how to mitigate the sorrows, and shorten the calamities that threaten the ruin and subversion of his servants. And who is it but desireth comfort in time of trouble? If then we would be assured that these things belong unto us, & take comfort in the meditation of them, let us observe these points as special rules for our edification.

First, it is our duty to acknowledge God's mercy to be great, who might lay a greater load and an heavier burden upon us. When the Angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord stayed his hand, & caused the plague to cease, so that when thousands fell down on the right side, and ten thousands on the left side, they were spared and not touched.

Whence did this difference arise? And how came it to pass y ^t the City was passed over, & the rest of the Land punished? Was it because these were worse livers or greater sinners? or was it because there were better people in Jerusalem then in other corners of the country? Was it because of the goodly buildings in the City, or because of the multitude of rich and wealthy Citizens, or because of the sumptuous stones of the Temple, or because of the sacrifices and service of God solemnized in the Temple, or because the seat of the King and the Thrones set for justice were there? If we think it was for all these, or for any of these, or for any such like outward respect, we are deceived. Indeed the Temple was an occasion of vain confidence to carnal men, who cried out, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, this is the Temple of the Lord; whereas they remained impenitent and unreformed: but as yet it was not built, for Solomon built him an house. As for the City and the Citizens, we must look for no great good there; there was want of true piety, store of pride, cruelty and oppression, which had enclosed, nay infected the walls with the cōtagion thereof. In what state it stood, David declareth, who calleth to God for help, and saith, There is not a godly man left, the faithful are failed from among the children of men, so y ^t everyone dealt deceitfully with his neighbor, and spake flattringly with double harts. To this purpose speaketh Jeremiah, chap. 5, 1. Run too and fro by the streets of Jerusalem, and behold now, and know, and inquire in the open places thereof, if ye can find a man, or if there be any that executeth judgment, and seeketh the truth, and I will spare it. Thus doth the Prophet Ezekiel complain, & painteth out as in a Table the wickedness of Jerusalem, chap. 22. There did abound shedding of blood, contempt of superiors, oppression of strangers, wronging of the fatherless, iniurying of the widows, profaning of the Sabbaths, carrying about of tales, committing of idolatry, taking of bribes, perverting of judgment, biting by usury, defrauding of their neighbors by extortion, and forgetting of the Lord. This was the estate of Jerusalem, and therefore the cause why the pestilence did not walk through the midst of the City, and the Angel is commanded to stay his hand frō destroying that place which was such a sink of all filthy sins, was the Lord's mercy only, who was willing to spare it, & to give them longer time of repentance. This must we confess, when we are spared, or we are most unthankful unto God. For we have experience of his goodness toward us.

Secondly, we must in time of our affliction pray unto him, and call upon his name, and come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may put him in mind of his mercies. Thus doth the Prophet behave himself whē he heareth of the havoc and waste that should be made among the people of GOD, he prayeth heartily for the faithful, saying, O Lord, I have heard thy voice, and was not afraid: O Lord revive thy work in the midst of the people, in the midst of the years make it known, in wrath remember mercy. What greater motive can there be to make us repair to God, then to consider how mildly and gently he dealeth with his people, when he doth afflict them? This was it that moved David to make choice of the pestilence having the choice of two other judgments propounded and laid before him, because he was most gracious and full of compassion: Let me now fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are exceeding great, and let me not fall into the hand of man. He had experience both of God's mercy and of man's cruelty. We never profit aright by our afflictions, unless they drive us nearer to God, and cause us to call upon his name. It is the Commandment of God, that we should call upon him in the day of trouble.

Thirdly, if we would have comfort in the feeling of God's hand, we must thereby be drawn unto repentance, acknowledge our sins to deserve far greater judgments then yet we suffer, and consequently, turn unto him with all our hearts. If we remain stubborn and rebellious under the Cross, GOD will not leave us so, but double his strength and strokes upon us, until we be either reclaimed or convinced in our own consciences, and made without excuse. The Lord commanded his Prophet to go and cry these words, Thou disobedient Israel, return, saith the Lord, and I will not let my wrath fall upon you, for I am merciful, and will not always keep mine anger. The end that God aimeth at in afflicting his people, is to bring them unto him, and to make them seek him early: and until affliction work in us repentance & newness of life, we have no right use nor true fruit of it.

Fourthly, it is required of us to praise the name of God for his mercy and goodness in sparing of us, and not pouring out the full viols of his wrath and indignation upon us, and not coming out with all his fury and forces against us. The practice of this praise we see in David, after the plague was ceased; he built an Altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and the Lord was appeased toward the Land, and the plague ceased from Israel. He did not only call upon God, but offered the sacrifice of thanksgiving unto him. Except we follow his example, and practice this duty, we rob God of his honor, and provoke him to take away his blessings from us. When we are in affliction, we are eloquent enough, and have tongues to utter many prayers to have the plague upon us removed from us: but when we are helped and the judgment is taken away, we forget both God's mercy and our own duty, we consider not from whence our deliverance cometh, nor what it challengeth at our hands.

Fifthly, we must remember, that we think not our selves hardly dealt withal, but take heed to our selves that we be far from murmuring and complaining against God. The Lord complaineth by his Prophet, against such hypocrites, Jeremiah 3: Diddest thou not still cry unto me, Thou art my Father, and the guide of my youth? will he keep his anger forever, will he reserve it to the end? Thus they flattered with their lips, when malice was in their hearts; they spake fair to God, and pretended a great desire they had that they would fain please him, while his hand is upon them, and while he striketh them with his rod. But what answer doth GOD give and they receive? It followeth in the next words, Thus hast thou spoken, but thou doest evil even more and more. And as it was with this people, so is our case, when God at any time taketh us in hand, we speak him fair, we humble our selves before him, and stoop down to take correction; but either we think the time too long while his rod is upon us, and so will prescribe him the time when to take it away; or else we fret & fume against him as doing us wrong, and we sustained injury at his hands. But if we were acquainted either with our iniquity, or with his mercy, we would be otherwise minded, and would confess that all kinds of punishments are due to us, and indeed too little for us: yea, we would easily perceive that GOD is more sorrowful for the correction which he is constrained to lay upon us, then we are grieved for the sins which we have committed against him. If these things be found in us, if we acknowledge God's mercy toward us in our troubles, if we call upon him earnestly, if we turn unto him unfeignedly, if we praise his name cheerfully, and do not think our selves hardly dealt withal, we shall not want comfort in our sufferings, but be able to comfort both our selves and others.

Lastly, it is our duty to be patient under [Use. 3] the cross, not to discourage our selves in our troubles, whatsoever or how great soever they be, nor to murmur and repine at them: seeing our doctrine teacheth us, that he never poureth upon us all his wrath, nor giveth us a full cup to drink up, even the dregs thereof; but tempereth & seasoneth it in such sort, that together with the affliction we may taste of his compassion. Now to the end we may not despise the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when we are rebuked of him, but may possess our souls with patience and endure constant unto the ende, we are to consider three things. First of all, we must remove all lets and impediments that may hinder us in the course of patience. Secondly, we must learn and mark the motives that may move us to the embracing of this Christian and heavenly virtue. Thirdly, we must examine & prove our selves, whether this grace of GOD be in us or not, seeing upon it as upon a pillar resteth the life of our Christian profession, as we shall show afterward. Touching the first, it standeth us upon to cut off and to cast away from us all such things as may any way hinder our patience. The Apostle writing to the Hebrews, and commending the constancy and patience of the Saints, draweth this exhortation: Wherefore, let us also, seeing that we are compassed with so great a Cloud of witnesses, cast away everything that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth so fast on, let us run with patience the race that is set before us: