Commentary on Numbers

HItherto of the sanctification which is general and common: now Moses descendeth to particular laws. This chapter containeth two things; first, the offering of the Princes: secondly, the speech of God to Moses. The offering of the Princes is set out by certain circumstances, of the time when they offered, when Moses had fully set up the Tabernacle, and had anointed and sanctified it, &c. of the persons which offered, the Princes of the Tribes, the heads of the house of their fathers: and of the place where they are offered, it was before the Lord. Then their offering is described by the particulars that were offered, which is performed jointly, or severally. Ioyntly, they brought six covered wagons and twelve Oxen, &c. I will not stand particularly to speak of the sanctifying and anointing of the Tabernacle, handled at large, Exod. 40, 9, 10. Remember in general, that the Tabernacle was a type and figure of the Church, which is a company of men acknowledging and worshipping the true God, whō Christ doth regenerate and sanctify with his Spirit, and purposeth afterward to glorify thē in his kingdom, 1 John 2, 27. Moreover consider, that these Princes here described are called the heads of the house of their Fathers. This word is diversely taken in the Scriptures. God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of man, and man is the head of the woman, 1, Cor. 11, 3. The head of Syria is Damascus, the head of Damascus, is Retzin, Isaiah 7, 8. The heads of the Levites are put for the chiefest; and the Priest the head, that is, the chief Priest, Neh. 1, 16. 2 Chron. 31, 10. The King, the head of the Tribes of Israel, 1 Sam. 15, 17 The heads of householders, the Elders, Exod. 16, 13. The head of the people, the foremost, 1 King. 21, 9. The head of the Mountains, the highest, Isaiah 2, 2. The head of the spices, the chiefest, Exod. 20, 23. Among David's Captains, the heads are the most excellent, 2 Sā. 23, 8, 13, 18. The Princes mentioned in this place, may after a sort be called heads in all these respects, because they are the chiefest, the foremost, the highest, and the most excellent. And albeit Kings and Princes abstain from this title to be called heads of y ^e Church, as pointing out the sovereignty of Christ, and content themselves to be styled supreme Governors, as appeareth by the oath of supremacy used among us, yet we doubt not but they may be called by that name in a kind & degree of resemblance, because they have preeminence of place and government over all people within their dominions. For if Samuel tell Saul, that when he was little in his own sight, he was ordained to be made the head of the Tribes of Israel, being anointed King: it may be thought not unlawful, being rightly understood, to give Princes y ^e name of heads of their people. As for the Bishop of Rome, that challengeth this title, to be called head of the whole Church, we cannot acknowledge him for any such head, but rather the tail, being indeed no sound member of the Church, but the head of the apostasy and falling away from the faith, prophesied of by the Apostle.

Touching the annointing oil, wherewith the Tabernacle and the vessels thereof were anointed; signifying, that all the true members of the Church are endued with the graces of the Spirit: from hence the superstitious Romanists would gather their consecrating and hallowing of Churches with oil and other ceremonies, and hold it unlawful to say their Mass in a Church not hallowed: yea, they will tell us of much profit and many uses thereof, as the increase of devotion, and the expelling of devils. But hereby they run into sundry errors & abuses. They devise and set up a sanctificatiō without warrant of God's word: they prefer their own tradition before the institution of God: they commit idolatry in dedicating Churches to Saints: they make these ceremonies a part of God's worship: they would bring in again the types and shadows of Moses law, which do not bind us, but are abolished: they make human traditions and observations not grounded upon y ^e Scripture, to be the means to stir up deuotiō. Lastly, they teach, that by this unholy hallowing devils are drivē out of churches, w ^c are not cast out but by fasting & prayer, Matth. 17, 21. As for that dedication of Churches which standeth partly in prayer grounded upon the word, and partly in setting of them apart to holy uses, to the preaching of the word, to the administration of the Sacraments, & such like exercises of religion; we do no more condemn then David's dedication of his house which he had newly built, Psal. 30. who notwithstanding used neither crossings, nor tapers, nor such toys as are taken up and tolerated in the Church of Rome.

[Ver. 1. And it came to pass] Moses having provided all things necessary for the service of God, mustered his army, divided them into troops and squadrons before remembered, and appointed them Leaders of all sorts: here he showeth that the twelve Princes, the Captains & Commanders of the Tribes, brought their offerings before the Lord, to wit, six covered wagons, and twelve Oxen to draw them, to transport in them (as they marched) the parts of the Tabernacle with all the vessels belonging thereunto. But were not these things to be carried upon the Priests shoulders? What use then was there, or what need of these wagons or chariots? The Sanctuary indeed or the most holy place, for greater respect and reverence, was to be carried upon the shoulders of the sons of Kohath, to whō the charge was committed; howbeit these wagons were appointed to carry and convey in them the other parts of the Tabernacle, and the vessels thereunto belonging, and were delivered to the Levites for that service, namely to the sons of Gershon and Merari. Now, we must not forget that the people gave before this gifts of great price, Exod. 35, 27. yet here again (seeing a want) they bring more, and that freely without coaction or compulsion, to finish and perfect fully the work that was so happily begun. The doctrine from hence is this, that a good work begun, especially furthering God's worship, is not to be neglected or intermitted until it be brought to an end and to perfection. We see this in the book of Ezra, chap. 5, 1, 2. the building of God's house after the return of the Israelites from captivity had been a long time hindered through the malice of their enemies, yet now they begin with good courage to set upon the work again, being stirred up by the Prophets, and never give over until it was finished: and chap. 6, 14. they built and finished the house of God and prospered. The like zeal & forwardness we see in Nehemiah, ch. 4, 3, 4, &c. he built the wall, which indeed was the first that was thrown down, but the last that was set up: by whose means all the wall was joined together, for the people had a mind to work. When the Jews had begun to destroy their enemies, they did not leave the work imperfect, and therefore Ester required that it might be granted to them, to do tomorrow as they had done that day, and that Haman's ten sons might be hanged upon the gallows. Hence it is, that Elisha reproved the King of Israel, who smote upon the ground three times and then stayed, saying unto him, Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times, then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou had • t consumed it, whereas now thou s • alt smite it but thrice. He began the work of the Lord well, but he did not make a good end. The Apostle persuading the Corinthians to liberality toward the Saints, willeth the readily to perform that which they had willingly begun. The reasons are plain.

The God of heaven will prosper weak beginnings, [Reason 1] if there be a readiness and cheerfulness in us. This should be a great encouragement unto us, as it was to Nehemiah, to arise and build the wall, seeing they had the promise of God's prospering of the work that was under their hands, Neh. 2, 20.

Secondly, if we look back we are not apt to God's kingdom, Lu 9, 62. It is spoken indeed of the Ministry, which may fitly be called God's Plough, as the Ministers are the husbandmen, the word is the seed▪ the heart of man is the field that is to be ploughed up, tilled, and sowed: but it is true also in all good things and every work of religion, if we give over, we lose our labor, we miss our reward

Thirdly, it is better not to begin, then having begun, not to proceed: better never to lay the first stone in the building, then having laid a good foundation, not to make an end, because it will be said to our reproach, This man began to build, but was not able to finish, Luk. 14, 30. It is happened unto such, according to the true Proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the Sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Pet 2, 22.

This serveth to reprove such as give over [Use 1] their profession, which rest in a good work begun, and in weak and small beginnings. They are like Balaam that wished he might die the death of the righteous, but he would go no farther. Or they are like the morning dew, which by and by the Sun drieth up: or like Herod, that reverenced John, & did many things when he heard him preach, but he would not depart from all sin, and obey whatsoever John taught, Mark. 6, 20. and therefore it had been as good he had done nothing Agrippa was persuaded somewhat to become a Christian, when he had heard Paul preach, but he would not become altogether such as he was, as Paul desi • ed, Acts 20, 28. The stony ground, being by nature hot, made the corn spring up hastily and promise plentiful fruit to the husbandman; but when the Sun arose in his strength, it was quickly scorched & began by little and little to wither away: so is it with many hearers, they receive the word with joy, and believe for a season, but they want root, and in time ostentation they fall away, Luke 8, verse 13. A falling back into sin is more dangerous then the relapse into an old sickness: this may endanger the body, but that endangereth y ^e soul; this may bring a temporal death, but that will bring a spiritual, nay an eternal death. Let us therefore take the counsel of Christ given to y ^e Church of Ephesus, Revel. 2, 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen, and do thy first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent. Augustine saith well to this purpose; Redeat homo per quotidiana lamenta, vnde corruit per vana delectamenta; As man hath fallen by vain delighting, so let him return again by daily lamenting. Let us make such a firm league and such a sure promise with religion, as Elisha did with Elijah, 2 King. 2, 6. As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee: so let us say, with full purpose of heart & with a settled resolution, I will never depart from the faith, I will never leave my obedience, I will never give over true religion. Thus it was with David, he stood not wavering in the matters of God, or hovering up & down in the wind, looking for a change, but he had determined what he would do, Psalm. 119, 93, 106. I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me. And afterward, I have sworn and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. This was an holy oath, whereby he bound himself as it were in a statute from starting back, that he might never entertain any thought of giving over his profession. Let us set before us evermore this example, let us be constant and unmovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labors shall not be in vain in the Lord.

[Use 2] Secondly, it reproveth such as stand at a stay, like the earth that never moveth: such as neither go forward nor backward, but are always the same men, and look where you left them, there you shall be sure to find them. These are earthly minded and savor only of the earth: yet they think themselves to be somewhat, and such as deserve highly to be commended, because they do not go back, nor wax worse and worse as others do. Thus while they compare themselves with those that are worse, they are grown into an high conceit that they are most excellent. But let them not deceive themselves; they use false weights and false measures to make trial of themselves, of whom I may say as the Lord doth of Belshazzar, Dan. 5, 27. Thou art weighed in the balances, & art found wanting: for while they measure themselves with the mete-yard of others, they keep a false measure in their own house, which is an abomination unto the Lord, Prov. 11, 1, & 16, 11. Everyone must weigh himself, if he would not be found too light, with the weights of the Sanctuary, and measure himself with the standard of the Scripture, comparing his works with the word of God, and not with the life of other men, then he shall be sure not to be reproved.

Every Christian is like the Sun that never standeth still, but is ever in motion. If our conversation be in heaven, we must be goers, walkers, runners: goers in the right way, walking toward our journeys end, and running in a race that we may obtain. We must be as plants growing in the house of the Lord, Psal. 92, 13. Such as are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the house of our God. There must be none of God's servants that must be idle and stand still, doing nothing; they must be laborers that look to receive their penny when the evening cometh, Math. 20, verse 8. He that had received a talent, and digged and hid it in the earth, was accounted an evil and unfaithful servant, Math. 25, 26. Who will entertain a servant, to give him meat & drink and wages, that will do nothing but look about him, and never set his hands to work? and shall we think that God will receive such servants into his house as sit still and will do him no service at all? Shall we put our hands into our bosom, and never pull them out again to employ them as we ought to do? Let us evermore be doing somewhat that may please God: blessed is that servant, whom his master when he cometh, shall find so doing.

Thirdly, such deserve to be reproved and [Use 3] to be ranged in the number of the former who hate and scorn those that go before them and beyond them in the duties of piety, in gifts of knowledge and understanding. But we must take heed we do not oppose our selves against any work of grace that is evident and eminent to be seen in any of God's servants. For this is as much as to hate and scorn the word of God, nay, the Lord himself; the Gospel of peace, nay Christ Jesus the author and first Preacher of it. It argueth a malicious heart against our brethren, and that in the highest degree, like Cain who hated his brother, because God accepted his offering. Malice against any man is an evil root that bringeth forth bitter fruits: to malign any for his riches, for his peace, for his prosperity, is very dangerous: but to envy him & repine at him for heavenly riches, for his souls health, for the peace of a good conscience, and for matters that concern his everlasting salvation in God's Kingdom, is a thousand times worse then the malice of Saul against David, or of Pharaoh against Moses and the Israelites. True it is, these sought their lives; but such desperate malicious persons that envy glory and immortality, and heaven it self to others, do seek the life of their lives: the other were guilty of the blood of their bodies whō they hated and persecuted; but these are guilty of the blood of men's souls, and their thirst cannot be quenched but by rasing them out of the book of life. These are stamped with the image of Satan the old deceiver, and the first envious person that ever was, who being fallen into condemnation himself, envied the standing of mankind in the state of grace, and therefore could not rest nor be quiet, until he had plunged man into the same gulf of condemnation. So is it with these men, they are backward in the fear of God themselves, and they desire to have all like them, to be backward as themselves. Let us take heed of such envy, let us bar no man of God's Kingdom.

[Use 4] Fourthly, it is our duty to proceed in sanctification, and labor to bring forth fruit evermore in old age, Psal. 92, 15. Let us leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ, & go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation, Heb. 6.1. Let us not think we have attained unto perfectiō, but forget that which is behind, and endeavor to that which is set before us: let us press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of GOD, that so we may apprehend that for which we are apprehended of Christ Jesus, Phil. 3.13.14. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7, 1. True it is, that albeit the good work begun in us be but as a spark of fire kindled in wood, or a young plant newly grafted in the stock, or as a drop of rain fallen into the earth, yet Christ Jesus doth accept of the truth & sincerity of the new work wrought in us, be it never so small: howbeit we must not evermore be as smoking flax, & as bruised reeds, and as new-set plants: we must not still be weaklings, but as the grain of Mustard seed, which is one of the least of the sorts of seeds, but it groweth great, and becometh as a tree, and the birds of the air build their nests in it, Math. 13, 32. Or like unto leaven, which though it be small, yet being hidden in three measures of Meale, the whole is leavened, verse 33. Therefore it behooveth us, as we have received how we ought to walk and to please God, so to abound more and more, 1 Thess. 4, 1. Notwithstanding, we must take heed that we do not glory in our own strength, as if we were able to do the will of God touching our sanctification of our selves without the help and assistance of the Spirit of God, without which we can do nothing at all. True it is, the Apostle willeth us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling: howbeit, lest any should trust in himself as if he were something, or build upon the freedom of his own will, he addeth in the next words, It is God that worketh in us the will and the deed, of his good pleasure, Philip. 2, 12, 13. It is a notable token of our continuance in good things, and a comfort to our consciences that we shall persevere unto the end, if we have a care to go forward, and to make our good works moe at the last then they were at the first.

[Verse 2.] The Princes of Israel, Heads of the house of their Fathers offered.] Here we have another circumstance to be considered, to wit, a description of the persons that offered: they were the Princes and Rulers, the heads of the people. And albeit they only are expressed, yet they brought their offering in the name of the whole Tribe, as appeareth by the largeness of the offering, and by the first Prince that offered. Thus we see that they being set up in high place above others, do also go before them and give them good example in the best things, & seek to further them in God's worship. We learn hereby, [Doctrine.] that albeit God be to be served of all, and that all persons should show themselves forward and ready to further the work of the Lord, yet above all other, the chief and heads of the people, are to be guides of the way, and leaders unto the rest. The Prophet teacheth, that under the Gospel Kings shall be nursing Fathers, and Queens shall be Nursing mothers to the Church, Isaiah 49, 23. David exhorteth Kings to be wise, and the Judges of the earth to be instructed, to serve the Lord with fear, and to rejoice with trembling, Psa. 2, 10, 11. When the people saw the zeal and fervency of Hezekiah, that he spared no cost to further the worship of God, it kindled in them a love to do his service, and they rejoiced exceedingly, 2 Chron. 30, 24, 25. Such therefore as are advanced above the people as the head is above the body, ought to be more zealous & forward in the ways of God, then others that are of the lowest sort.

Thus it ought to be, because they must [Reason 1] know they lie open to judgment as well as others, if not before others. Topheth is prepared of old for the King as well as for the subject: It is made deep and large as well for the one, as for the other, Isaiah 30.33. God accepteth no man's person. Nay, they are for the most part chiefly pursued and over-taken with judgments, as Ezra 7.23. Artaxerxes decreed, that all should return and build the house of the God of heaven: For why should there be wrath against the Realm of the King and his sons? And to this purpose it is said in the Psalm 82, 6, 7. I have said ye are God's, and all of you are children of the most high: but ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the Princes.

Secondly, they sin by their example, and give offense unto others. When they fall, they make others fall with them, as a mighty Oak casteth down the low and little shrubs that grow nere it. So then, they offend not only by their own transgression, as a private man, but all their actions are exemplary, and they bring a great scandal unto others. They are as a city set upon an hill, or as a light upon a Beacon that is seen far and near: when they sin they make others sin with them. For this cause Solomon saith, Prov. 29.12. If a Ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

Thirdly, wherefore are they separated in calling and condition? and why are they advanced to honor? Is it to magnify themselves? is it to sit at ease? or to live in pleasure? or to delight them in their high titles? or to please themselves to see others creep and crouch unto them? No, but to be pillars in the house of God, and to serve the Church. Hence it is, that Nehemiah said, Should such a man as I fly? Or who is there that being as I am, would go into the Temple to save his life? As if he had said, Should I fly that am a Ruler of the people? I will not do it. And Mordecai persuadeth Ester to go in to the King, and to adventure her life for the deliverance of the Church by this reason, chap. 4.14. Who knoweth, whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? He putteth her boldly in mind, that God had advanced her to honor, and made her inherit the throne of glory, to the end she should honor him again, and refer all the glory she had attained, to the setting forth of his glory.

[Use 1] This teacheth us, that it is a dangerous state where are no Leaders or Rulers to go before the people, and to hold them in God's service: there of necessity godliness must decay, Justice fall to the ground, and all duties of Religion sink down, as in an army where are no Commanders, in a family where are no Governors, in a ship where are no Pilots, what is there but all disorder and confusion? The last part of the book of Judges, setteth forth the truth hereof at large: the Israelites corrupted themselves with Idolatry, they defiled the worship of God, and God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, and such like wickedness: and what was the occasion of all? Judge. 17 & 18. & 19. In those days there was no King in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. And it is observed by the Author of that Book, that the people feared the Lord all the days of Joshua, a godly Governor, and all the days of the Elders that out-lived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord: but when they were dead and buried, The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim. We must therefore needs acknowledge the happiness and blessedness of that people, that have godly Governors, such as Moses, and Joshua, and David, and Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, and Josiah, and such like, to teach them, and guide them in the ways of godliness. This is a great mercy and favor of God.

[Use 2] Secondly we may conclude, that wretched and miserable is their condition, where Governors are cold and careless in God's service, and enemies to the advancement of his glory. The Prophet showeth, that the Chief had no knowledge, and the great men had broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. Woe therefore unto the Land, the Lord would visit for these things, and his soul be avenged on such a nation as this, Ier. 5, 5, 9. If it be within the walls of a private family that zeal be found in the Governors, it will appear oftentimes in the lowest servant which goeth to the door, as in Rhode, Acts 12, 14. She dwelled in a godly family, where many were gathered together in prayer, entreating the Lord to work Peters deliverance: & when she heard his voice standing without, and knocking at the door, she could not open the gate for gladness▪ but ran in to acquaint them with that glad tidings. If Cornelius be a devout man, and one that feareth God, he shall have servants and soldiers to attend upon him to be devout also, Acts 10, 2, 7. If the Courtier or Nobleman whose son was cured, do believe, his whole house will believe also, and follow his example, John. 4, 53. If the Jailor desire to know how to be saved, and if once himself become a believer, he shall not believe alone, his household will bear him company, and enter into the way of salvation, Acts 16, 34. Abraham is noted to be the Father of the faithful, and we see he was not without a faithful servant, not only faithful to his master, but faithful to God, and therefore also to his master. This is noted as the chief cause that religion so much prospered at Thessalonica, when the Gospel was preached and published there, the Noblemen did embrace it, Acts 17. If the rain once fall upon the mountains, it will quickly water the valleys that are beneath, like the precious ointment poured upon the head of Aaron, y ^t ran down to the skirts of his garments, Ps. 133, 2. When the Gospel was preached at Berea, and such as were of noble birth took hold of it, and they that were honorable by calling, embraced & believed it; then, not a few, but many in number followed after them, with all readiness, Acts. 17, 11, 12. I am not ignorant, that diverse of our latest and lernedest Expositors understand the words otherwise, and think they are called Noble, not in regard of their birth or blood, but of their belief; as indeed true Piety is true Nobility, and true Religion is the truest Honor. Howbeit, I rather understand the word in his proper and natural signification, for these causes. First, it is not needful to fly to a figure, when the proper signification of a word standeth, and containeth nothing under it either against the doctrine of faith, or the instruction of life, or the truth of the history. Secondly, Luke useth this word in this signification, as also others: for such as are noble by birth, and not otherwise, as Luk. 19, 12. 1 Cor. 1, 26. Thirdly, the Evangelist hath relation to that which he noted before in this chapter, where he saith, That not a few of the chief women believed (verse 4.) that were at Thessalonica, howbeit they were more noble that were at Berea, who searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Lastly, in these words a reason is rendered, how it came to pass, that the Gospel took such good effect and gained so many souls to God, even because the Nobility and honorable personages gave their names to Christ, & were not ashamed to profess it. The multitude followed their example, as commonly they do imitate the actions of their Leaders. The Poet could say,

Lastly, having received so great mer • y frō [Use 3] God, and continued among us, to have such as are chief over the people to be chief also in piety, and to go before them in all good • onuersation, whether they be such as be in the house, or out of the house: it is our duty to fall down before the Lord, and to acknowledge this blessing. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men, Psal. 107, 8. So did Hiram the King of Tyre, rejoice greatly when he heard that Solomon was anointed King in the room of his Father, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people, 1 Kin. 5, 17 The like we see in the Queen of Sheba, when she had seen his works, and heard his wisdom, she said, Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel forever, therefore made he thee King, to do judgment and justice. And doubtless, if we knew the want of such Princes, as our brethren and sisters in former times did, when they were shut up in prisons, and burned to ashes, we would acknowledge the necessity of performing this duty. It is recorded in 2 Chro. 17, 7. that Jehoshaphat, who is renowned for his piety and advancement of true religion, sent out his Princes to teach in the Cities of Judah: not that they did take upon them the duty of the Priests, or usurp the office of the Prophets; but because they did back, countenance, & authorize the Levites, they did embolden & encorage the Prophets. This made an easy way and passage for the receiving and entertaining of true religion among the people with much more readiness and cheerfulness then otherwise would have been. For when they saw and considered, that such noble and worthy persons were the aduancers and upholders of the common Faith, they were the more stirred up to a zealous professing and a careful embracing, and a sincere obeying of the truth that was taught. Seeing therefore such good Princes are such great pillars of the Commonwealth, of the Church, and of Religion; the loss of them when they are taken away, is one of the greatest losses, & threateneth the ruin and havoc of all that is good. When the good King Josiah was taken away, Lam. 4, 20. being taken in the snare under whose shadow they lived in peace, all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him, and spake of him in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel, 2 Chr. 35, 24 Zach. 12, 11. For as the enjoying of them bringeth many blessings, that we may quietly resort together to the hearing of the word, and peaceably sit under our Vines and Fig-trees, and reason of the ways of the Lord, as it was in the days of Solomon, when no man may do what seemeth good in his own eyes (as in the want of them:) so the taking of them away is the cause of many evils & of much wickedness, whereof we may say as Christ doth in another case, All these are the beginnings of sorrows. True it is, that the religion of God and the doctrine of the Gospel do not so stand in need of the help of man, as though they must fall whē they fall, because they are set upon such a sure foundation that no force or power of mā can shake them or destroy them, and they took firm root and spread far and near unto all quarters, before any Christian Magistrates embraced them, nay while they remained utter enemies unto them, and open persecutors of them; nevertheless it pleaseth God to use them as his chosen instruments, and by them to bring many thousands to the knowledge of the truth, and consequently to the kingdom of heaven, who otherwise through their ignorance would not see it, or through their carelessness would not regard it, or through their untowardness would not accept of it.

We heard before of the offering performed jointly by the Princes: now let us see the Offerings which they brought severally. For besides the Chariots and the Oxen, each of these great Commanders of the people and Heads of the Tribes offered unto God for his service in the Tabernacle, a Charger of fine silver, waighing 130. shekels, a silver Boll of 70. shekels, and one Spoone of ten shekels of Golde, full of Incense: all which they performed at the same time when the Altar was dedicated to God by Aaron, and before they marched from Sinai (where the Law was given) toward their conquest of the promised land. The weight of all the 12. silver Chargers, and 12 silver Bolles amounted unto 2400 shekels of silver, & the weight of Gold in the Incense spoones, did amount to 120. shekels of Gold which maketh of shekels of silver 1200. every shekel of Gold valewing ten of silver: so that the whole sum which they offered at this time, was about 420 pounds sterling. These Princes offered before with men and women, yet now they come again, & think they can never do enough toward the furtherance of the Tabernacle & the worship of God. The doctrine [Doctrine.] from hence is this, that they which have most outward blessings & greatest ability must be most forward in God's worship and service. In Ezra it appeareth, they all gave according to their ability, chap. 2, 9. The chief of the Fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord, offered freely for the house of God, to set it up in his place. So in Nehemiah it appeareth how bountiful he and the Princes, and the people were: They gave much silver and gold to finish the work of the Lord. The examples of David and Solomon in this kind are very evident and apparent, for y ^t which one of them prepared to the work, and the other employed and bestowed upon the work, is exceeding great, as appeareth in the holy history, 1 Chron. 18, 11. &c.

And so much the rather we should employ our blessings and gifts to the service of God, and so give them after a sort to him that gave them first unto us, because it is a sign that our affection is set upon the worship of God, and an assurance to our own hearts, that we love him and his house, 1 Chro. 29, 3, 4. where David showeth, he gave 3000. talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7000. talents of refined silver, because he had set his affection to the house of his God. On the other side, where is no liberality, we may conclude there is no worship of God. Secondly everyone is bound to glorify God with his riches, knowing that they are but stewards and dispensers of them, of which they must give an account unto God, Luk. 16, 2. To this end hath God bestowed them, and to this end we have received them, and therefore to this end they should be employed. Thirdly, this is a certain rule, that To whom soever much is given, of him shall much be required, Luke 12, 48. He that hath little committed unto him, hath the less account and shorter reckoning to make, but to whom men have committed much, of him they will require more: so is it with God: if he have left us five talents he will ask five of us again; and according as God hath put us in trust with little or much, we must know that he looketh for this at our hands, that we be ready to employ little or much upon his service, everyone according to his ability.

This serveth to reprove the forgetfulness and unthankfulness of such, as never consider [Use 1] the end wherefore God hath blessed them, giving themselves wholly to carnal liberty and security, and so are more backward in good things, then if they had never received so many and so great blessings from God. He hath a plentiful storehouse, and a treasury of all treasures: out of this he dealeth with us, and distributeth unto us plentifully. The Apostle giveth the Church a watchword, and it is very needful he should do so, that in all things they should be thankful, 1 Thess. 5, 19. This is the cause why the Israelites were forwarned to take heed to themselves, even before they entered into the land of promise, Deut. 6, 10, 11, 12. and should possess great & goodly Cities which they never built, houses full of all manner of furniture and garnishings and ornaments which they never stored, vineyards & Olive trees which they never planted, Welles of water which they never digged, and fields of Corn which they never sowed; then they ought nearly and narrowly to look unto themselves. And why then, rather then at another time? Because riches and pleasures, abundance and ease, would be such baits, that they should then be in greatest dangers (more then when they lived in the wilderness) to be drawn by them to forget God's mercies, by which they were delivered out of many miseries. They thought they should then be safe enough, if once they were come to set foot in the land; howbeit Moses telleth them, that then remained the greatest danger of all. They must stand in fear lest they be choked with these thorns, lest they be entangled in these snares, lest they suffer ship-wrack at these rocks, lest they be overcome with these temptations, & lest they be drowned in these deep waters, Luk. 8.14. 1 Tim. 6, 9. This is the corruption of our nature, and the poison of sin, it turneth good into evil, as an evil stomach doth the daintiest and best meats. We do commonly abhor him, and speak all manner of evil of him, who having received many benefits and good turns, forgetteth his Patron and benefactor, when once he is advanced and promoted to honor; like Pharaohs Butler, who having received good from Joseph, forgot him when he was restored unto his office, and delivered the cup into the kings hand again; albeit Joseph had said unto him, Gen. 40, 14. Think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness I pray thee unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. An unthankful person even unto men, is justly abhorred: how much more then unto God the most bountiful Patron! Common experience teacheth, that commonly men are much worse for God's benefits, and grow more profane and presumptuous in sinning against him through the plenty and abundance of earthly blessings. David we know was none of the worst men, but one of the best according to God's own heart, yet he saith of himself while he enjoyed the world at will, I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved. Psa. 30, 6, And in another place, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes: Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now have I kept thy word, Psal. 119, 67, 71. And therefore his benefits did him not so much good as his chastisements, they did not further his salvation so much as his corrections. Jeremiah speaketh of the church under the name of Ephraim, that it was as an untamed Calf, till God chastened it. Manasseh learned more at Babylon, then at Jerusalem; as he lay in prison, then as he sat upon his throne: for in peace & prosperity he fell to Idolatry, to sorcery, to cruelty, and to all kind of impiety; but when he was carried away captive, he besought the Lord his God, who never thought he stood in need of him before; He humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his father, who despised him before in the pride of his heart; and he prayed unto God earnestly, who never prayed unto him before. The blessings of God indeed ought to unite us more closely and conscionably unto him: howbeit it is a rare thing to find, that benefits knit our hearts more nearly unto GOD. Shew me that man among a thousand that can truly say, the benefits of God have made him sounder in the faith, and better in his obedience, until he have been taught and trained up in the school of affliction, and tried in the furnace of adversity. God hath two school-houses in which he doth instruct his scholars: the first is the school of prosperity: there he speaketh to us, but we are deaf and cannot hear; there he teacheth, but we are dull and cannot learn. We are non-proficience though we tarry long in this school; not through any default either in the master, or in the lesson, or in the school, but through defect in the scholar only. He is constrained therefore to put us into his other school, this is the school of affliction, many profit here that could not profit before. For the heart of man is naturally puffed up with prosperity, so y ^t it cannot work in him the performance of greater duty and sounder obedience, as it ought to do. Ther are ten lepers in the Gospel, cleansed of a foul and filthy disease; but when once they saw they were cured & recovered, they forgot who had cleansed them, how they were cleansed, of what they were cleansed, and wherefore they were cleansed; only one of them was found to return and give God thanks. When Christ had found the impotent man y ^t had lien 38. years at the pool of Bethesda, he saw it was needful to put him in mind, to take heed he sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon him: for he knew he was ready to forget what he had been, & how great things he had done for him, and to please himself in the present condition wherein he was made whole, & therefore would have him consider what he might be in time to come, and fear a future relapse into y ^e same, nay into greater evils. He to whom 10000. talents were remitted, shown not mercy again for y ^e mercy that he had received: this was all the fruit of his thankfulness that he yielded, He caught his fellow-servant by the throat, who owed him only an hundred pence, bidding him presently to tender payment. Jehoash the King of Judah was preserved by Jehoiada, and set in the kingdom y ^t had been usurped by the tirany of Athaliah, and through the massacre of the blood-royal; yet this was all the thankfulness that he shown for the Fathers kindness, he slew his son because he reproved their Idolatry and Apostasy, and so he remembered not the benefit of life & kingdom, and education that he had received, without which, he had not lived, nor reignd, nor received the knowledge of the truth. Seeing then, we are so prone of our selves to forget what y ^e Lord hath done for us, and to return him the praise, we must be watchful over our corruptions, remembering what God hath done for us.

Secondly, it reproveth all idle and negligent teachers, who have received many good gifts [Use 2] & graces profitable for the Church of God, & yet never use them, like the covetous person y ^t hoordeth up great treasures, but suffereth no man to be the better for them: like the sluggish servant in the Parable, who hid his masters money in the earth, but would not employ it: or like unto those that cover the Candle under a bushel, that it can give no light unto •• em that are in the house, whereas it should be set upon the table, that all might have the use of it, and benefit by it. Wherefore hath God given greater gifts, but that such should take greater pains? How many are there that desire great livings, but they do not desire to bestow great labor among them? Our reward shall not be according to our gifts, but according to our labors. For as many may have great gifts, and yet bestow little labor, so they may have great gifts, and yet have little or rather no reward, except it be for their negligence. Certainly there are many that are rich in gifts, who notwithstanding have but a poor people; for they keep all knowledge to thenselves, and impart nothing to others. Such carry the bag with Judas, but betray good Christians for thirty shekels of silver. They regard not what become of God's people, so that they may enrich themselves, who cause the people of God to perish, and themselves perish through Balaam's wages that sticketh unto them. They are dumb dogs that never have enough: they cannot bark, they run after their own gain. They neither enter into the kingdom of Heaven themselves, neither suffer them that would enter. It is a great sin for any to hide their gifts. We must be as John the Baptist, he was a burning and a shining lamp, and the people were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. So the Apostles were made the lights of the world; and they made their lights shine before men: For God that caused the light to shine out of darkness, shined into their hearts, to enable them to give the light of knowledge unto others, 2 Cor. 4, 6. The Ministers are the salt of y ^e earth, to season the hearts of men.

[Use 3] Thirdly, it reproveth idle professors that will do nothing, like Demas and the rich glutton, that feed themselves, & enrich their own coffers, but will do no good, either in the maintaining of God's service, or toward the relieving of the wants & distresses of others. Such are as c ••• tous Nabal, that would let David being in necessity to have nothing: or like to Laban, that grudged y ^t Jacob should have anything. These do no good but to themselves, if to themselves. What account will these give of their stewardship, who forget that they are stewards? It had been better they had never received any blessings, then to make none y ^e better for them, no not themselves. The earth that is full of Mines of gold, is barren to bring forth anything else, as grass, and corn, and trees, and herbs for the use of man: so the wretched soul that thirsteth after silver and gold, & busieth it self day and night to heap up riches, cannot bring forth any other fruit, neither do any service to God, or to the commonwealth, or to the church, or to himself. Covetousness is the root of all evil, and therefore it is extreme folly to delight so much in it. He that is to ascend to the top of an exceeding high Mountain, should do marvelous foolishly, if he should bind heavy burdens on his shoulders, and tie bolts and fetters to his feet, because whatsoever he shall pretend, he maketh it manifest, that he never meaneth to mount up to y ^e top thereof: so likewise we being called to dwell in the holy hill of the Lord, and to seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father, if we clog and cloy our selves with so many impediments, & lade our selves with so many burdens of earthly cogitations and practices, we show plainly that our conversation is not in heaven, and that we regard not to ascend up to that place. Rich men therefore that have received this worlds goods, and yet will do no good with their goods, are worthily to be reproved, because they have received much, and are thereby enabled to do much good, & yet will perform nothing at all. Rich men without religion & knowledge of God, withou • love of his service, and conscience of holy •••• s, have much to answer for themselves. They have a thousand times more means to do good then the poor have, yet they do less: their hands are tied, their ears are stopped, their eyes are closed, their hearts are hardened. They might make to themselves Frends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that whē they fail, they may receive them into everlasting habitations: but they regard no such friends, they make more account of their fading Mammon, then they do of those everlasting habitations. They have more time and leisure to spend in reading the Scriptures, and in getting of knowledge, then the meaner sort who are much distracted to provide for their families; & yet commonly they bestow least time that way, and for the most part have less understanding in the best things. The Apostle denounceth a woe against such unconscionable and irreligious men, that heap up treasure together for the last days, that live in pleasure upon the earth, that grow wanton, & nourish their hearts as in a day of slaughter. Let all such at the length remember what they have received, let them learn to be rich in good works, to do good, to be ready to distribute and to be willing to communicate, laying up in store a good foundation for themselves against the time to come, y ^t they may lay hold on eternal life. And touching the use of their outward blessings, and the employing of thē to the right end, let them remember the words of Christ, Luke 11, 41. Give alms of such things as you have, and behold all things are clean unto you.

Lastly, seeing such as have received outward blessings, ought to be most forward to [Use 4] do good with them, we must know y ^t thus also it ought to be in spiritual blessings. If we must be faithful in that which is the least, we must much more be faithful in the greatest: and if we be unjust in little, we will be unjust also in much. God hath in great mercy given us many means to abound in heavenly graces, so that concerning the time we might have been such as might be sufficient to be teachers of others; yet we have need that one should teach us the first principles of the Oracles of God, and have need of milk rather then of strong meat, Heb. 5.12. being altogether babes and unskillful in the word of righteousness, not having our senses exercised to be able to discern between good and evil. They therefore are in a woeful and wretched estate, that have long lived under the preaching of the word, the means of regeneration in this life, and of salvation in the life to come, and yet are more ignorant, faithless, fruitless, disobedient and profane, then such as have had no such means, nor lived where the sound of the Gospel hath been so plentifully heard. Hence it is, that Christ denounceth fearful woes against Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Capernaum, where he had preached many Sermons, and wrought many miracles, he threateneth to cast them down to destruction, and telleth them that it should be easier for Sodom and Gomorrhah in the day of judgment, then for them, Matth. 11.24. The Sodomites had an heavy punishment in this life to be destroyed with fire and brimstone from heaven, and to taste of a more heavy judgment of fire and brimstone that burneth in hell; and yet those unthankfull cities that brought not forth the fruits of the Gospel shall have sorer judgment for their disobedience at the day of judgment, when the Judge of all the world shall appear to judge the quick and the dead. If a man after he have received some benefit from another, shall presently fly in his face and offer him open wrong and injury, it is certain that y ^e injury & indignity is much more grievous then if he had received no benefit of him at all: so when a sinner hath received great and singular benefits from God, his sin is made the greater by offending him. What blessing is greater then the word, when the kingdom of heaven is offered and opened unto us? and what sin can be so great as to reject it, and to account our selves unworthy of eternal life? Let us therefore take heed how we use his gifts, and endeavor to profit by the means that he affordeth us for our salvation, lest it go worse with us, then with the Turks and Infidels. For except our righteousness exceed others, certainly our punishment shall be greater then theirs: and then it had been better for us that we had never heard the preaching of the Gospel, then having heard it, proudly and presumptuously to reject it.

In these words, as also before, and in the words following, we see what is offered, to wit, silver and gold, they spare nothing, they are no niggards, they bring the best things that they have. Neither do they bring the best in a sparing manner, but they deal bountifully and liberally. The doctrine [Doctrine.] offered & the duty required from hence, is this, We must serve God with the chiefest and choicest things we have, and employ the best things that are fit for his service, and that in a large and liberal manner, according to our several places, persons, callings, conditions, and abilities. We read that to further the building and furnishing of the Tabernacle, men and women as many as were willing-hearted, brought bracelets, earings, rings, and tablets, precious stones and jewels of gold; every man that offered, did offer an offering of gold unto the Lord, no man came empty. So did the Rulers & Princes: yea they were so forward, that the workmen complained that the people brought too much for the service of the work which the Lord commanded them to make. How far are we from this in our days? may we say of our times, The people bring much more then enough for the work of the Lord? Oh that we might come but one degree behind them; that it might be said, our people bring enough? But we cannot truly testify so much. The Israelites thought they never brought enough, we think we never bring too little. They offered more thē they were commanded, we bring no more then we are compelled & constrained to bring. They brought willingly, we give grudgingly. They offered with a glad and cheereful heart, we will do no more then Law urgeth, or not so much. They brought of the best, we think the worst good enough for God and his worship and his Ministers. The Prophet Malachi, crieth out against this sin, chap. 1.14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great king, saith the Lord of hosts, and my Name is dreadful among the heathen. The Spirit of God commendeth Araunah for his forwardness & bountifulness in God's service, Let the king take and offer what seemeth him good to the Lord; behold here are oxen for burnt sacrifice and threshing instruments of the oxen for wood: all these as a king he gave unto the king. This also appeareth notably in Solomon, touching the building of the Temple, The king & all Israel offered sacrifice with him, 22000. oxen, & 122000. sheep at the dedication of the house of the Lord. The like we see in Hezekiah: and if we go no farther thē to Abel in the beginning of y ^e world, he shown forth the practice of this duty, for he brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof unto the Lord, and if he had had a better thing to bring, no doubt he would have brought it. So that this hath been the practice always of the best sort, to offer in the best manner the best they have, unto the best, that is, to the Lord himself.

[Reason 1] This they did that God might evermore dwell among them according to his promise, Exod. 25.3, 4, 6, 8. A great judgment it is to have him leave us and depart from us. Nothing driveth him away sooner and causeth him to deny his presence, then our dealing deceitfully with him. Secondly, if we give not to God of the best, the worst sort shall rise up in judgment and condemn us, the very idolaters that worship the works of their own hands, and turn the truth of God into a lie, shall go before us into the kingdom of heaven: they think nothing too much, they are content to spoil themselves that they may adorn their idols, Exod. 32.2, 3. The Israelites desiring to have an image of God to go before them, were content to break off the golden ear-rings which were in the ears of their wives, and of their sons, and of their daughters. So is it with the Papists, they account nothing too dear and precious which they are not ready to bestow upon their images and such like will-worship. Thirdly, no man should repine to give unto God his own; the best things we have, whose are they by right but his? to whom therefore ought they of right to be returned, and in whose service should they be employed but in his who is Lord of all things? So then we must know that we have God's gifts which must be disposed by us, as David saith, Both riches and honor come of thee, in thine hand it is to make rich and great: and afterward he confesseth, that albeit they had offered much, yet all things came of him, and that they had given unto him nothing but of his own. We must all then consider that whatsoever we give to the maintenance of his worship, we do not give so much that which is our own, as that which is his. Cyrus an heathen king acknowledged that it was the Lord God of heaven had given him all the kingdoms of the earth, and that he had charged [Use 1] him to build him an house at Jerusalem.

This reproveth such as bring the worst to God, & yet think the same too good for him. Hence it is that Malachi saith, If ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of hosts? Many there are of this sort, I will only touch two. First, such as dedicate to the best service the worst servants: such as choose those to be Seers and overseers of the house of God, which are stark blind, or at least lack their right eye. Such as have not knowledge and yet have a calling to teach knowledge, God rejecteth that they shall be no Priests unto him. God would be served, as we have heard before in this book, with the choicest flower of all the people, with the first borne the best is bad enough for him, for who is sufficient for these things? Give not to him therefore the worst. These are blind guides, and unsavory salt, fitter for the dunghill, then to be dedicated to the service of the most High.

Again, it taxeth those that would be thought to serve God aright, and not to offer him the lame and sickely, and yet they halt before him, they will not serve him with the chiefest thing, nor glorify him with the best member that they have. If we draw near to him with our mouths, and honor him with our lips only, but keep our hearts from him, what do we but worship him in vain, and withhold our best treasure from him? Hypocriticall service is a blind and lame service, it halteth with one foot: we keep from God the chiefest, and divide our selves between him and the world. It is impossible y ^t with one of the eyes we should look down to the earth, and at the same time look up to heaven with the other: so it is impossible that we should love God, and withal love those things that are quite contrary unto God. The Samaritans were rejected and separated from the people of God, because they worshipped God and did cleave also to the gods of the Assyrians, 2 King. 17.41. No man, saith Christ, can serve two masters. The hypocrite is like to a Tavern with a bush without at the door, when there is no wine within in the Cellar: or like the gold of y ^e Alchemists, w ^c appears beautiful outwardly, but will not bear the touch. He is like to rotten wood that shineth bright in a dark night, but hath no true light in it; or to a Painter that beginneth to paint the face & outward feature, but never regardeth what the inward parts be. There is no painting will serve our turn when we come to appear before the Lord, we must bring him the best and offer him the chiefest gift, that we may say with the Prophet, Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless his holy Name. The wise man exhorteth us to look to the heart, and to keep it with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. If the fountain of water be muddy & miry, it is quickly troubled and made unserviceable: If the root of the tree be rotten, it is sooner turned with wind and weather: so the heart of man if it be corrupt, it soon defileth and polluteth all other things that proceed from it. Halt not therefore with him that can abide no halting, but walk with an upright foot, and offer up all to him of whom we have received all.

Secondly, from offering to God the best [Use 2] things we have to further his worship, we may conclude, that the maintenance of y ^e Min • stery should be very sufficient, that so they which preach y ^e Gospel might live of the Gospel. And as they do not sow sparingly, so doubtless they ought not to reap sparingly. I plead not the cause of those that are negligent & slothful, that feed themselves but not the flock: but such as open their mouths & spend their strength to feed the souls of others, deserve to have liberal maintenance for their own bodies: and as th •• dispence spiritual things, it is no great thing if they receive carnal things.

The heathen men, the idolatrous Egyptians provided liberally for their Priests in the seven years of famine, and would not suffer them to alienate their lands from the use to which they were consecrated, no not in the general alienation of other men. God loveth a cheerful giver, when the gift is given unto men, much more in duties performed unto God would he have us cheerful, forward, and bountiful. There is no calling more honorable in many respects under the heaven then y ^e Ministry. I am not ignorant that it is much disgraced, nevertheless it is a great grace to be set in it. The Apostle showeth, y ^t by Christ Jesus declared mightily to be the Son of God through the resurrection from the dead, he had received grace and Apostleship. And although some by grace understand the grace of reconciliation and atonement with God, & others refer it to such gifts as did fit him for the function of his Apostleship: yet I rather take it by a Grammatical figure called Hendiadis, to signify the grace of Apostleship, or the favor and free gift of God to be an Apostle. So then, it noteth out the nature and fountain of his Apostleship, and showeth that to be in the Ministry is not any disgrace, but a special grace of God, if we believe the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures. Hence it is, that he giveth thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted him faithful, putting him into the Ministry, & enabling him to discharge the same. And this honor farther appeareth, as well by the special gifts given to thē above the rest of the people, as also by the reward & recompense, even a greater measure of glory after a faithful discharge of the duty, when the great Shepherd of the sheep shall appear in glory. It is not therefore to be marvelled at, that Paul everywhere magnifieth the grace of God, who had chosen him to be a master-builder in his house, to lay y ^e foundation thereof, more precious then the gold of Op • ir, or then silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times. Now if the calling be in it self honorable, ought it not then to be honored? and how shall it be honored, if they that be in the calling be not maintained? and what should their maintenance be, but as it may be agreeable to their place they hold? And if the maintenance must hold correspondence with the honor of the Ministry, we doubt not to affirm and avouch, that the recompense of the labors of such as are painful and faithful in this calling, ought to be very bountiful and liberal. Our Savior saith of this calling, He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me: and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. He hath committed unto them the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Tel me, if thou were desirous to see one of the kings houses glistering with much gold, and shining with pearls and precious stones, and at length shouldest find one that carried the keys, who being entreated should forthwith unlock the doors, and bring thee even into the kings privy chamber, wouldest thou not make much of him, and honor him above others? The Ministers of God are they y ^t keep the keys of the gates of heaven, they have power from Christ and under Christ to open the doors, ought we not therefore to love thē, to reverence them, to honor them? This made the Thessalonians receive y ^e Apostles doctrine, not as the word of man, but as the word of God; and he beareth the Galatians witness, that if it had been possible, they would have plucked out their own eyes, and have given them to him. Our Savior telleth his Apostles, that whatsoever they shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever they shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Did not Pilate think himself advanced to great honor, y ^t he could say, Knowest thou not, that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? If a Prince should impart to any of his subjects this authority, that as high Marshall he should have power to put in prison whomsoever he would, and again to release them and let them go, he would be thought happy and worthy of honor in all men's judgments. It hath pleased the God of heaven & earth, to bestow a Ministerial power, & to give authority subordinate under his to the preachers of the Gospel, to forgive sins and to retain sins, saying, Whosesoeuer sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them: and whosesoeuer sins ye retain, they are retained. As Elijah by his earnest prayer, did shut the heavens that it could not rain upon the earth, and again, by his prayers opened the windows of heaven, that the earth did drink in the rain and brought forth herbs meet for the use of man: So the Ministers by their earnest preaching, do open the kingdom of heaven to all believers, and do shut the door against all impenitent sinners, and by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, do commit such to perpetual imprisonment, and do deliver them to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, if haply by this means the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. This power do the Ministers execute upon earth, which the Angels themselves do not, nor cannot exercise in heaven. To what end have we spoken all this, touching the power and authority of the Ministers? Surely from thence to infer that their maintenance ought to be answerable to their Ministry, and to show that if we withhold from them their due, we withhold from God whose deputies they are, & deny him his right for all the tithe of the land, whether of y ^e seed of y ^e land, or of the fruit of the tree, is y ^e Lord's, it is holy unto the Lord: and consequently we hinder the worship of God, and thereby as much as lieth in us destroy the souls of many thousands, which otherwise might come to repentance, & acknowledging of y ^e truth. Remember therefore these two Principles, w ^c both join in one, that the tythe of the land is the Lord's, verse 30. and that the tenth shall be wholly unto the Lord, verse 32. As then we do tender the continuance of the worship of God, so we should render to the Minister his due maintenance, that he may receive comfort and encouragement in the work of the Lord, and thereby make it manifest that we are ready to bring to God the best sacrifice we have and so to serve him in the best manner.

Thirdly, acknowledge from hence, that it [Use 3] is our duty to honor God with all our substance and that we can no way so well employ our goods, as when God is honored and glorified by them. The wise man saith, Pro. 3, 9. Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of thine increase. And we heard before, that Abel brought to God of the fattest sheep he had, he offered unto him the best. Gen. 4. he offered a better sacrifice, and also a greater sacrifice then Cain, Heb. 11, 4. He spared for no cost, he brought not the worst he had, or what came first to hand, thinking that whatsoever he brought was good enough for the Lord's service, and to be consumed with fire: but he gave the best he had, and would have given better if he could. Whosoever doth to the uttermost the best he can, doth make it plain he would do better if he could. From this practice of Abel had the Law his foundation, that was afterwards written, y ^t nothing which was lean or lame, or maimed, or misshapen, or blind, or any way blemished, should be offered to the Lord. If any ask how this belongeth unto us. I answer, the Ceremony is ended in Christ, howbeit the equity remaineth and bindeth us forever. Now then, if the question be further demanded how this Law reacheth to us, and how we may honor him with our first fruits and riches? I answer, by giving to him the best in every kind that we have. This consisteth in many particular branches, and teacheth us diverse particular duties. First of all, here is offered that to us, which we noted before: to be careful liberally to maintain the Ministry, that they may teach us in the word, otherwise we commit sacrilege against God, and indeed rob our own souls, because if we sow sparingly, we shall reap sparingly. The Prophet Malachi bringeth in the Lord, speaking and charging the people with no less crime then robbery, and against no less person then himself, Will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tyths and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Secondly, it teacheth Parents that are willing to offer to the calling of the Ministry any of their sons, & to serve the Lord in that calling, to offer to him the fittest, not the foulest; the best, not the worst. The best is fittest for the Lord, and doubtless he is most worthy of him. But of this we have spoken at large in the 3. chap. Thirdly, we give to God the best and fattest, when we serve him in our youth, and with all our strength. The young man offereth to God the best thing he hath, when he remembereth his Creator in the days of his youth, while his senses are sharp, his memory quick, his wit ripe, his capacity ready, his understanding deep. But if he say to himself, now I will take my pleasure a while, I will rejoice in my youth, I will walk in the ways of mine own heart, and in the sight of mine eyes, I will repent at the end of my days, & serve the Lord when I can serve the lusts of the flesh, & the pleasures of sin no longer; if (I say) we reason thus, and offer to God our worn and withered old age, when we can serve Satan no more, what do we but offer to God the lame and the blind, which he abhorreth? How far are we from following Abel, who offered the best, forasmuch as we offer the worst of all to God? Fourthly, we must not serve the Lord by halves: we have no other sacrifice to offer but our selves, let us therefore offer up soul & body, and not serve him for company, or for fashions sake, or coldly and negligently, or thorough compulsion and fear of the Law. If we offer no otherwise, our sacrifice and service is no better then the offering of Cain, who was rejected both his person and his oblation. Woe unto such that walk in the way of Cain, that do not season their first fruits that they bring with faith. God will have all that is in us, or nothing. If we do not consecrate our selves wholly to his service, we cannot be his servants. It is given as a special commendation of good King Josiah, that he turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to the law of Moses; not that he was able to fulfill the whole law without failing in one point, but he did strive with might and main to serve the Lord to the utmost of his ability, and endeavor with heart & life to please him. Lastly, we honor God with our substance when we are merciful in helping the needy with that which is ours. We must not give alms at another man's cost, nor relieve our neighbor by our neighbors goods, but we must honor him with our own substance, not with the substance of others, as covetous persons, userers, thieves, & servants do, who give away that is none of their own. Therefore, when God giveth us all things abundantly to use, let it not grieve us to honor the lord with them, and distribute them to the necessities of the Saints cheerfully. The Lord Jesus accounteth it as done to himself which is done unto one of the least of his brethren. Neither let us fear any want our selves, or falling into decay through our bountifulness and liberality, inasmuch as God will make us the more to abound in all things, for he is of power to make us abound in all gifts. The widow that had been the wife to one of the sons of the Prophets, so long as she poured Oil out of the vessel or pot that was her own into the empty vessels, she perceived the oil still to increase; but when she poured out no longer, the oil ceased and stayed. Even so, so long as we shall help the poor with our goods as it were fill the vessels with oil, our riches shall increase & multiply; but if we stay our hand frō giving our store will quickly fail and our fountain dry up. The more commonly you draw water out of a well, the more plenty you shall have; so likewise the more liberal we are toward those that want, the more we shall increase our own weath. Neither let any man delay the time, & promise to give away much when he dieth; for that is to give them away when we can keep them no longer. He that will not give alms till after his death, is like to a man that carrieth a light behind his back. The hour of death is not the fittest time to do good, then we should look to reap the fruit of a well led life: these are like to a simple soldier that prepareth his armor when he should fight, or like the foolish virgins that went to seek oil when they should use it. A ship that leaketh, must be mended in the haven, not in the sea: a wall that is broken must be made up in peace, not in war. If we forget God in our life, how can we look that he should remember us in our death, and when we lie at the last cast? To conclude, seeing we must serve the Lord with the best things that we have, let the people be ready to maintain the Ministry in the best manner, let godly parents give to God their best children, let the young man dedicate to God his best years, let every Christian offer to God his best member, to wit, the heart: let all rich men do the best good they can with their goods, and lay up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come: thus shall the people, and parents, and young men, and rich men, and generally all Christians follow the example of righteous Abel, who offered to God the best sacrifice he had. On the other side, if we maintain the Ministers in the worst manner, if we spend the flower of our age, and the prime of our life in the worst vanities, if we give our best part, I mean the heart, to the worst deserver, that is, the devil, if we employ our riches to the worst uses, we follow the example and offer the sacrifice of Cain, and therefore may justly fear to be rejected with him, and after this life to be rewarded with him.

Behold here how the other Princes are not inferior to the first that offered, nor the other Tribes to the Tribe of Judah. Observe here, that the spirit of God accounteth it not sufficient to set down what was offered in general, neither in particular what Nahshon the son of Aminadab of the Tribe of Judah offered the first day, or what Nathaniel, the son of Zuar Prince of Issachar offered the second day: but he goeth forward to set down the special offerings according to every man's name, and according to the day assigned unto him. [Object.] It may be demanded what was the cause, why these offerings are thus particularly pointed out? why are the same chargers, the same bolles, the same spoones so often repeated? might not all these things here mentioned have been more summarily concluded? what need more words have been used, when fewer would have served? I answer, [Answer.] we must not account anything idle, frivolous, fruitless, or superfluous in holy Scripture. The Lord knoweth best, what is fittest to be dilated largely, and what to be comprehended shortly. If there were no other reason then this, so it pleased the Lord, it ought to content us and to make us rest in it.

The like example we find, Psal. 136.1, 2, &c. Where, in every verse, and at the recital of every blessing, this reason is repeated, for his mercy endureth forever. Add hereunto, Revel. 7.5, 6, &c. where this is repeated according to the number of the Tribes, that twelve thousand were sealed of them. He might have said briefly, of every tribe were sealed twelve thousand: but he repeateth the words twelve times: so in this place, the offerings are repeated twelve times particularly according to the number of the twelve Princes. The reasons may be, first to teach us to be content to hear the same things, though they be oftentimes repeated, as Phil. 3.1. The Apostle saith, It is not grievous to me to write the same things often, and for you it is safe. We are ready to forget the best things, and therefore must have them continually sounding in our ears, as many strokes given with a hammer, to make us hear. Secondly, that we should apply these examples unto our selves, and if we pass over one of them without regard, yet we should take hold of the next. Thirdly, to teach us that no man shall have that forgotten to the utmost of his praise, who is any way forward in doing good, because he will honor those y ^t honor him, but they y ^t despise him, shall be lightly esteemed, 1 Sam. 2.30. The doctrine [Doctrine,] from this particular rehearsal and enumeration of the gifts of those Princes, is this, that all the good works of God's children done to the setting forth of his glory to the advancement of his worship, to the maintenance of true Religion, or the good of his children, shall be reckoned up, rewarded and come up in account before him: he taketh notice of them all, and will never forget any one of them. As their deeds are here registered in the book of God, so the doers of them are registered in the book of life. Our Savior teacheth, that a cup of cold water shall not go unrewarded, that is given to drink in y ^e name of a disciple to one of these little ones. And afterward it is said. A certain woman came unto him having an alabaster box of ointmēt very precious, and poured it on his head as he sat at table: and because she had wrought a good work upon him, verse 10. he saith, Verily, I say unto you, wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her, verse 13. To this purpose speaketh the Angel that appeared to Cornelius, Act. 10.4. Thy prayers and thy alms are come up for a memorial before God. So then everything shall be remembered, no one work shall be forgotten.

[Reason 1] For God is a righteous God giving to everyone according to his works. He is the Judge of the world, Gen. 18. and cannot but judge uprightly. Hereupon the Apostle saith, Heb. 6.10. God is not unrighteous to forget your works, and labor of love, which ye have shown toward his Name, in that ye have minstred to the Saints, and do minister. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophets reward, for he will reward very bountifully every good work. If we be not barren in good works, he will not be behind with us to recompense us. Secondly, how can they but come into an account, seeing he accounteth them as done to himself? Matth. 25.40. When anything is given to the Saints, it is esteemed as done to the Son himself: and when it is bestowed upon one of the least, it is regarded as bestowed upon the greatest and highest. The servant receiveth it, but the Master will reward it.

[Use 1] Touching the Uses: we may first conclude the happy estate and condition of them that leave this world, and depart this life in the true fear of God, because we hear their works shall be remembered, and therefore the doings of his servants be rewarded with eternal glory, being done in the love of God and of his truth, none of them are forgotten, but they shall follow them, nay go with them, and bear them company. This we read in the Revelations of John, chap. 14.13. I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the spirit, that they rest from their labors, and their works follow them, to wit, at their heels as y ^e word importeth. Death cannot cut them off, though it be a cruel and merciless tyrant, and hath as it were a sithe or sickle in his hand to cut down such as come in his way: yea, though it cut off riches, revenues, honors, pleasures, dignities, delights, wife, children, houses, lands, and life it self, according to the saying of the Apostle, We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out with us; yet it cannot cut off good works, neither bereave us of the fruits of a lively faith, which are of such great force and efficacy, that they are able to break in sunder the chains of death and the strength of the grave, and cannot be holden in darkness and oblivion. It were therefore a point of great wisdom and good policy, so many as would willingly die the death of the righteous (as Balaamites and all wicked men will seem desirous to do) to provide a goodly train of good works which death cannot keep back; they will press so fast, and knock so hard at heaven gates, that the gates thereof shall open wide, and our works shall enter with us, because they cannot be forgotten, but shall come up into the presence of God. We see how it fareth with Kings and Princes and great men of this world, they have great trains and troupes of servants, and a goodly retinue that follow their heels in the streets: O how happy are they, if at the hour of death, and the great day of account, when their honors and their pleasures, their riches and their friends, their servants and retainers shall forsake them, and all earthly profits shall fail them, they have as goodly a train of good works to attend and wait upon them. They shall find much more comfort and peace in these, then in all their life they felt in all the other; as the wise virgins found much contentment, in that they had store of oil for their lamps.

Secondly, shall good works come into account [Use 2] with God, and be remembered of him? then on the other side we may conclude, that evil works shall also be remembered. True it is, we are ready to forget the evils y ^t we commit, but God will never forget them, no time shall wear them out, they are ever fresh in his sight. Hence it is, that Nehemiah saith, Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the Priesthood, and the covenant of the Priesthood, &c. And Revel. 16.19. Great Babylon is come in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. He will remember the sins of the wicked and his own judgments. These though they be great in this world, shall not have their honors and dignities to follow them, but their sins shall all follow them. The swearer shall be sure to have his oaths and his blasphemies laid before him, the adulterer his uncleanness, the drunkard his intemperancy, the contemner of God and of his word his profaneness, the covetous person his oppression; they shall accompany them unto judgment, even unto hell, that there they may receive the reward and wages that their works have deserved. It were a great benefit to the ungodly, if they might appear before the judgment seat of God without their evil deeds, and that they could wind themselves out of the company of their sins, which will be their strong accusers, and give in evidence against them: but they cannot by any means, for they follow them and pursue after them with a loud cry for vengeance and punishment, and therefore woe and misery shall befall them that commit them. [Use 3]

Thirdly, we must mark this point, albeit good works be so much regarded, yet we must take heed we give not too much unto them, nor ascribe any merit to attain eternal life by faith, that it might be of grace, Rom. 4.16. it is the gift of God through Jesus Christ, Rom. 6.23. If any of our works should merit, then the works y ^t are most glorious and eminent above others, which the holy witnesses of the truth of God wrought, who did suffer for the Name of Christ, and resisted the enemies even unto the blood, should be meritorious. But the Apostle denieth this virtue to them, Rom. 8.18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. If any works might deserve salvation, doubtless the works of righteousness: but it is the kindness and love of God toward man that the Apostle magnifieth, who saveth us, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his own mercy, Tit. 3.5. Eph. 2.8, 9. So Paul preacheth, Act. 13.48, 39. that through Christ we have remission of sins, and that by him all that believe, are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses.

Again, the Lord Jesus himself teacheth us, that when we have done all that possibly we can, we must say we are unprofitable servants, Luk. 17.10. but he that is an unprofitable servant, and doth only what he ought to do, is not in any case of meriting. He that will merit anything at God's hands, must first give him somewhat and so bind him as a debtor unto him: if no man can hinder him anything of his own, who oweth all, even himself to God of whom he hath received all, it is certain that no man can merit anything before him, Rom. 11.35. Who hath first given unto him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? but no man can do so, verse 36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever, Amen. Now, where is no benefit, there can be no merit, because merit presupposeth a benefit received; howbeit our well-doing extendeth not to God, he can receive no good turn at our hands, 1 Cor. 4.7. Phil. 2.13. Eph. 2.10. When the husbandman bringeth to his Lord, the fruit of his own ground, he meriteth nothing, because he giveth him of his own. Moreover the Scripture teacheth us that temporal benefits and deliverances are not granted and bestowed upon the faithful, for any desert of any their good deeds, Dan. 9.18. much less therefore eternal life. The Israelites had not the nations cast out before them, nor themselves brought in to possess the land for their own righteousness, or for the uprightness of their hearts, but because he had chosen them & set his love toward them. Let us not therefore trust in our own works, which when they are at the best, are imperfect and defiled, but rather (as the very enemies of the grace of God do admonish) in regard of the uncertainty of our own righteousness, and the danger of vain-glory, let us rest wholly (as the safest way) in the only mercy of God. If then this be the surest and safest way, let us all go the safest way, and leave by-paths and dangerous passages unto others. He that walketh safely, walketh surely. There is but only one life, and there is but one right way unto life, namely, Christ, John. 14.6. The way by works is a wrong way, a false way, he shall never come to his journeys end by the way of his works, that is, for y ^e merit of his works: because eternal life is never given for them There is no other name under heaven whereby we may be saved, then by the Name of Christ; but if our works deserved lif • eternal. there should be another name to save us: because the merit of our work • is not the Name of Christ, but setteth up our selves in his place, or at the least to join a fellow and companion with him in the work of our redemption. This would minister occasion to us to glory in our own selves before the Lord, as if we were somewhat and could save our selves, but no man hath anything wherein or whereof to boast himself, Ro. 3.27. and 4.2. 1 Cor. 1.31.

Lastly▪ to bring the adversaries of this doctrine once more to plead for us against themselves: They teach that no man can certainly know that he hath true merits without a special revelation; or that he shall persist and persevere in them unto the end: whereupon we infer and conclude, that therefore we may not believe that we shall obtain eternal life for our works sake, for that were to torture and torment men's consciences, & to set them upon the rack; that were, never to give peace to the distressed soul, but to leave it in doubt and perplexity, whereas the Apostle gathereth the quite contrary from the doctrine of justification, Roman. chap. 5.1. Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God, thorough our Lord Jesus Christ. But from the popish doctrine of justification, we see there followeth no effect of peace, no tranquility or quietness of conscience, because they are taught to stand in doubt of their reconciliation and atonement with God.

Fourthly, this serveth as a great consolation [Use 4] to such as are careful to do good, and to show forth good works, that they shall in time reap if they faint not. This was good Nehemiah assured of, and therefore accordingly he desireth God to remember him, chap. 13 31.14. Remember me, O my God for good: and a little before, Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. And chap. 5.19. having declared his care to relieve the poor and distressed among the Jews, and his own conscience bearing him witness of his sincerity in this behalf, he prayed to God, Think upon me, my God, for good: according to all that I have done for this people. Obadiah had comfort by the works of mercy, shown to the persecuted servants of God, who in the reign of Ahab hid an hundredth of the Lord's Prophets in a cave, and fed them with bread and water: and he had the fruit of it, he was the first to whom glad tidings was offered in the days of famine when heaven was shut up that it yielded no rain, and was made an instrument to publish it to others. No work shall fall to the ground, but come up in remembrance to our comfort. This is as true and certain touching the works of every servant of God, as if the Angel that spake to Cornelius were sent unto him to say unto him, Thy works are come up in remembrance before God. An • as God saith, y ^t he keepeth the tears of his children in his bottle: so he keepeth the works of his •• ildren in his book. This is, and so it ought to be, a great encouragement to us in well-doing, to consider that the number, the greatness, and the measure of all our good works shall be registered and recorded by him. It is spoken in deed for our capacity, for God needeth no writings of record or books of account: the meaning is, he will never forget our good works, but as certainly remember them, as if he had put them all particularly in writing. Hence it is, that the Lord saith so often to the seven Churches of Asia, to whom he commanded John to write, he knew all their works, nothing was hidden from him, nothing unknown unto him.

[Use 5] Lastly, seeing good works are in so great account with God, it is necessary that we learn what good works are that are pleasing in God's sight, and how they are to be done of us. For there is more required to a good work then the bare deed done. A good work is a duty commanded of God, performed by a regenerate person, and done in faith, aiming at the glory of God and the good of man. Whereby we see, that sundry points are required to make a work accepted of God. First of all, the work must have the will of God which is the rule of all goodness and righteousness, to warrant the same, that so we may do them in an holy obedience unto him. For except he appoint them, he doth not approve them: and unless he command them, he doth never commend them. Will-worship is abominable to God and everywhere rejected, when men thrust upon God their own inventions instead of his service, Col. 2.22.23. Deut. 12.32 Every good work is commanded in the word either expressly, or generally. God is in vain worshipped, when for doctrines, the commandments of men are taught and observed. This reproveth the Romish Religion, maintaining • ^t a man may do good works which are never required or appointed of God; and likewise the blind devotion and superstition of the people, that if they in their worship have a good intent and think no man no harm, they do a good work.

Secondly, goo • works must be done by a regenerate person, that is in the state of grace, that is a member of Christ, and borne again by the holy Ghost. If we be not reconciled to God in Christ, & made acceptable through him, we are as evil trees that cannot bring forth good fruit: whereas no man can gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles, Matth. 7.16. The person must please God, before anything that cometh from him can please him: for he had respect to Abel, and then to his offering: but not to Cain, and therefore not unto his offering. Hence, fall to the ground the works of Turks and Infidels, and mere civil men, who often abstain from outward sins, live orderly among men, and do works of mercy, justice, & liberality; yet in them they are not good, because they proceed from a corrupt heart. The like we may say of the works of all unregenerate persons, be they never so beautiful in the eyes of the world, they are but beautiful sins in the sight of God, whether they eat, or drink, or walk, sleep, or buy or sell, or come to Church, or hear the word, or pray, or receive the Sacraments, the rule of the Apostle standeth forever, Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled, Tit. 1.15.

Thirdly, good works must be done in faith: because whatsoever is not of faith, is sin, Rom. 14.23. and without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. Now there is required in a man, a twofold persuasion, first, an assurance that God hath willed and commanded it to be done; for he that giveth alms, and yet doubteth whether God would have him to give alms, sinneth: Secondly, a persuasion in his own conscience of his reconciliation to God in Christ. This is justifying faith, which purifieth the heart, and doth fit and enable it to bring forth a good work. There is a double use of this gift: it maketh us to begin the work well, and when it is once done, it serveth as a cloak or garment to cover the defects and imperfections of it, applying the merits of Christ. The last point required to make a good work, is, that it be done to God's glory. 1. Cor. 10.31. If we have any other by-respects, aiming at our own glory, or the applause of the world, or the satisfying of God's justice, or the merit of eternal life, or any such corrupt and crooked ends, we lose all our labor, our works cannot come up in account before him. It is the common and corrupt judgment of the common sort that Papists abound in good works, but let us try them by these rules, we shall quickly and easily find them what they are, failing in the matter, and manner, and in the main and principal end of well-doing. Now to conclude, everyone must do these good works, everyone must be as a tree planted in the garden of God, and bring forth the fruits of righteousness, that he may be glorified, Isaiah 61.3. It is a received opinion among many, that none can do good works but rich men, as if there were no good works but alms; for they have no taste in anything else but that which is given them. Thus do the poor cast off all doing of good works from themselves upon the richer sort, that so they may receive somewhat. True it is, alms are one good work, but yet not the only good work, nor yet the chief and principal. For the poor may do good works, nay must do them as well as the rich. The works of the first Table, are the best works, the greatest works: these they may do, as well as others. To have a care to know God, to believe in him, to love him above all, to fear him, to hope in him, to stay our selves upon him, to approve our selves in his sight, to worship him with the heart, to confess him with the mouth, to pray unto him earnestly, to hear his word attentively, to receive the Sacraments reverently, and such like divine and devout exercises, are all of them good works, great works, gracious works, approved of God: and these may the poor perform. And that the Scripture avoucheth, and God alloweth these for good works, appeareth in the example of Abraham, mentioned by the Apostle James. chap, 2.21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? He shown himself to be a justified man by his good works, and was called the friend of God. Thus did his faith work together with his works. But what were his good works? were they his alms-deeds, and showing mercy to the poor? no, he performed a good duty to God, and preferred his love to him before his love to his son, his only son, even Isaac whom he loved, the son of promise, the son in whom the nations of the world should be blessed. Thus must all men do good works, thus the poorest sort are not exempted or privileged from showing forth these good works, and testifying their faith by these fruits. So then when we hear of the necessity, of the dignity and value of good works, let no man think it belongeth nothing to him, but every man be encouraged to set upon the doing of them, y ^t our light may so shine before men, that they seeing our good works may glorify our Father which is in heaven.

We shall not need to stand to speak particularly of every Princes offering: because, as we noted before, the same things are repeated, the offerings are the same, the matter is the same, the form and ende the same, the price and value the same: the difference standeth only in a description of the time, when they were offered: and of the person who offered, described by his name, by his father, and by his tribe. Now, in casting up the value of all these offerings, and setting down the total sum, appeareth the greatness of their riches. For had they not been much blessed that way, they could not have continued to bestow so bountifully upon the Tabernacle. These they attained unto, partly by their own labor, and partly by entering into the labors of others. For at their departure out of the land of Egypt, they borrowed jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, at what time no doubt they carried with them the chief wealth and treasure of Egypt, & spoiled the Egyptians, which God gave to his people as a recompense of all their troubles. The doctrine [Doctrine.] from hence ariseth to be this, that the blessings of this life are oftentimes bestowed upon God's children. He giveth them riches, honors, dignities, preferments, house, land, peace, and prosperity, at his own pleasure. We have the examples of Abraham & Lot, their substance was so greatly increased, that they could not dwell together, the heardmen of their cattle strove and contended one against another, Gen. 13.7. and Abraham's servant sent to take a wife for Isaac, telleth that the Lord had blessed his master greatly, and had given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, & men servants and maid-servants, and Camels and Asses, Gen. 24, 35. Job was a just and an upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil, and this man was the greatest of all the men of the East, cha. 1.1, 2.3. and 31 24, 25. his wealth was great, and his hand had gotten much. The like we might say of many godly kings, as of David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Josiah, of Mordecai, and Ester, of Joseph, and of Jacob. And in the New Testament, mention is made of Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered unto Christ of their substance, Luk. 8.3. Of Lazarus the friend of Christ, and Mary, who entertained him often in her house, Luk. 10.38. Of Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man, Matth. 27.57. an honorable counselor, Mar. 15.43. he was a good man and aiust, Luk. 23.50. which also waited for the kingdom of God; Of Onesiphorus, who often refreshed Paul, & was not ashamed of his chain, 2 Tim. 1.16. and many other of all estates, some rich, some noble, some wise, some mighty and of great account, 1 Cor. 1.26.

For hereby the Lord showeth what he can [Reason 1] do so often as it pleaseth him to bestow them True it is, sometimes he denieth even to those that are most highly in his favor, these outward and earthly blessings: howbeit it is not because he is not able to enrich them. For as Moses prayeth the Lord to spare his people, lest the enemies should say, he destroyed them in the wilderness, because he was not able to bring them into the land of promise: so he bestoweth many times wealth and substance upon his children lest the enemies should say, it was because he is not able to increase and enrich them. Thus then by giving unto a few, he showeth that he can store and replenish all the rest if it pleased him.

Secondly, to relieve his own servants in time of need, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine, Psal. 33.19. He knoweth well enough that the very mercies of the wicked are cruelty, Prov. 12.10. they are handfasted and hard-hearted, and they are least of all moved to pity God's people: he therefore provideth for the welfare of his servants, by making one Christian brother able to relieve another, as we have plentiful examples in the acts of the Apostles, chap. 4.34, 35, 36.

Thirdly, he maketh them many times to inherit the labors of wicked men, and of such as are their enemies, as we see his people had the treasures of Egypt, Exod. 12. Psal. 44.3. The Egyptians would not recompense them, therefore the Lord doth recompense them.

Fourthly, they are in Christ heirs of the world: for all that are sons are also heirs, Rom. 8.17. the heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Hence it is, that some recover their possession though all cannot according to their right and title. God made all things for his friends, not for his enemies, who are no better then usurpers.

[Use 1] The Uses follow. First, it reproveth the beggarly vow of voluntary poverty undertaken by the Popish Order. No such vow is found in the Old Testament, whiles vows were most in use and in force. This is accounted a vow of perfection, but it hindereth the doing of much good: because it is better to give then to receive, Act. 20.35. Wherefore, the begging Friars are boasting fools, proudly glorying in perfection, when they may worthily be ashamed of their imperfections. They think they deserve heaven by it, when indeed they are in danger of hell. For it is one thing to have riches, and another, to trust in riches: whereas they will seem to cast them away, under a color of fear, lest they should cast them away. But may any among them compare with sundry of God's servants, who kept their goods, and did much good with them, to God's glory and the good of others? may they, even the best of them parallel themselves with Abraham in faith, with Job in patience, with Joseph in chastity, with Lot in piety, with Lazarus in hospitality, with Zacchaeus in liberality, with the godly women in charity, whatsoever they pretend to the contrary? And as riches given by the blessing of God, condemn no man: so it is certain, poverty can save no man, neither can it merit life and salvation, as the cloystermen dream.

[Use 2] Secondly, observe that riches are not evil of themselves or in their own nature: neither are they any way hinderers of God's kingdom, the fault is in the person and in the abuse of them. And the best things are abused as well as riches, yet we may not thereupon conclude that the best things are bad. But it will be objected, [Object.] that Christ saith, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, even easier for a Camel to go through the, &c. I answer, [Answer.] we must compare Scripture by Scripture, as it is said, the Levites did expound the meaning and gave the understanding by the Scripture it self. The Evangelist Mark repeating this history, expoundeth it plainly. For Christ having said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of GOD, and the disciples being astonied at his words, he addeth by way of explication, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God! then this followeth, It is easier for a Camel, &c. where we see he distinguisheth of rich, some are such as trust in God, not in their riches; some trust in their riches, not in GOD. Of these that make their riches their God, and their Mammon to be their hope and heaven, it is true that a Camel shall sooner go through the eye of a needle, then such rich men get into the kingdom of God, Mar. 10.23, 24. But they are thorns and snares: thorns to choke, [Objection] and snares to catch and entangle the soul: so they are called in the parable of the sower, Luke 8. and by the Apostle, 1 Tim. 6. I answer, [Answ.] It is true, but the fault is not in the nature of the riches, but in the corruption of the rich man: not by the use, but through the abuse of them. For if they were evil of themselves, then should all rich men be choked and snared by them, & drawn into evil; which by the former examples, and by present experience we know not be so. [Object.] But Christ willeth the rich man to sell the things he did possess, and give them to the poor: by this it should appear to be unlawful to keep them. I answer, [Answer.] this is a particular commandment given to him to try him and prove what was in him, to discover his pride and hypocrisy, pleasing himself in a false opinion of his strength, sufficiency, and ability to keep the Law, that so, if it were possible, his eyes might be opened to see his own weakness, and himself to be wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. For in that he went away sorrowful, and submitted not himself to the voice of Christ, he declared plainly that he made more reckoning of his wealth then he did of Christ; and that he had more mind to follow the world, then to obey the word delivered unto him.

Thirdly, we must learn, when we have [Use 3] these blessings, to be thankful to God that gave them, and to lift up our eyes to him of whom we received them. For albeit these earthly blessings be common to the godly and the ungodly, yet are they not common to all the godly, inasmuch as they are given unto some, but denied unto other: bestowed upon a few, but withholden from many. This duty hath many branches.

First we must acknowledge from whence they come, and that we have received them of his mere grace. Woe then to those that sacrifice to their own net, and ascribe the blessings of God only to their own labor and industry. For except the Lord build the house, the labor of the builder is in vain, and except the Lord keep the City, the watchman waketh in vain: it is in vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, and to eat the bread of sorrows, it is God that giveth his beloved sleep, Psal. 127.1.2. True it is, God hath laid upon us this duty to labor, and requireth that every man eat his bread with the sweat of his brows; for no promise is made to the idle: yet we must depend upon him for a blessing upon our labors, or else we are not thankful unto him. Again, we must be careful to use them to his glory and to the good of others. We must refer them to him, as we have received them of him. As all rivers run into the sea, so all our riches should return to God. Thirdly, we must be ready and willing to leave them, whensoever God shall call for them. For he that bestowed them, may he not require them again when he pleaseth? we must leave them rather then leave him. If we have this godly resolution, then may we persuade our own hearts that we are thankful for them. Thus it was with Job, when he could say, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord. Fourthly, we must not put our trust and confidence in them, and if riches increase, we must not set our hearts upon them: because then we commit gross idolatry with them. This is a fearful sin. Many such idolaters (it is to be feared) remain still in great store among us: • nd albeit idols be banished out of our Churches, yet many do yet set them up in their hearts. This idolatry is so much the more dangerous, because it is more close and secret, coloured under the name of virtue, practiced by such as detest popery and idolatry, and therefore is less perceived and discerned. Lastly, we must not account these the chiefest riches or the best treasures, inasmuch as the ungodly have commonly the greatest share of them, Luke 12. and 16. and therefore we must labor to be rich in faith, in love, in righteousness, in godliness, in patience, in meekness, and in all good works. Here is true riches: if we adorn our selves with these, we shall be truly rich although we be poor, Revel. 2.9. and though we have neither silver nor gold, Acts 3.6. yet he hath given us all things, 2 Pet. 1.3. And though we have nothing at all, yet we possess all things, 2 Cor. 6.10.

Hitherto of the offerings of the Princes, received of Moses, and given to the Levites. Two tribes offered one wagon, and every wagon had two oxen, therefore they offered six • wagons, and to draw them twelve oxen These were thus distributed: the Ge • shonites had two wagons, and consequently four oxen committed to them: the Meratites ha • four wagons, and consequently eight oxen so that they carried the greatest burdens. Touching the Kohathites, the third family of the Levites, nothing was bestowed among them, because to them were committed the vessels of the Sanctuary which were carried upon their shoulders, so that they had no need ether of wagons to bear them, or of oxen to draw them, themselves serving instead of them both. In this verse we see the oracle of God speaking to Moses We might note here that God spake diverse ways to his Church in the Old Testament: as also that all blessings come from God to us through Christ the true propitiatory, covering our sins out of God's sight and revealing God's will to us, that we should know it, and have benefit by his Priesthood. But to pass over these, we may note that Moses went into y ^e Tabernacle. The Tabernacle signifieth his Church. There is God to be spoken unto. The doctrine [Doctrine,] is this; God is present in a special manner in places set apart for his worship. True it is, he is everywhere, the heaven is his throne, and the earth is his footstool; howbeit wheresoever his Church and people are assembled, he is present with his Spirit, with his grace, and with his blessing and assistance. Hence it is, that the place appointed for his service is called his face, Gen. 4.14. This is afterward called, the presence of the Lord, verse. 16. So Psal. 46.5. God is said to be in the middes of the City of God; And Christ teacheth, that wheresoever two or three are gathred together in his name, he is in the middes of them, Matth. 18.20. So then wheresoever the place of God's worship is, there is God ever present.

For first, he hath promised to dwell there: [Reason 1] Where dwelleth the master of the house, and where is he readiest to be found, but where he dwelleth? as Psal. 132.13.14. The Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation: this is my rest forever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it. Secondly, he is known by a special work of his presence sanctifying [Reason 2] those that are his by his word: hereupon the Prophet saith, Psal. 87.2, 3. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion, more then all the dwellings of Jacob; glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God. Thirdly, he delighteth in his own ordinances. [Reason 3] In Judah is God known, his Name is great in Israel: in Salem also is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion, Psal. 76.1.2. It is God's ordinance that we should meet together in one place; for this cause he commanded the Tabernacle to be built, and afterward the Temple: these he sanctified for the word, for sacrifices, and for prayer: these doth the Lord love, and in those doth he take pleasure, and with them will he vouchsafe his presence.

This being an evident truth, from hence we must learn so to carry our selves in such places as are sanctified and set apart for his service, as that we may call him to be a witness of our sincerity. Will a subject dare to behave himself rudely and unreverantly in the presence of his Prince? or the child in the presence of his father? How then ought we to stand in awe of the Majesty of Almighty God, whose glory is incomprehensible, who dwelleth in light that none can attain unto? Heerepon the wise man saith, Eccle. 5.1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, then to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. No man ought to come before the Lord unprepared: or to set his feet in the Lord's house rashly and unreverantly. Were it not unseemly and uncivil to enter into a kings palace with foul and filthy feet defiled with dung and mire, or to sit down at a Princes table with unwashen hands? And is it not more indecent and undutiful to come into the house of the great King, the King of Kings, and to be partakers of his Table before we have cleansed and sanctified our hearts? This was shadowed out at the giving of the law, by commanding them to wash their garments, and to abstain from their wives, Exod. 19.14, 15. Thus they were to be prepared before they received the Law. Likewise before they could behold the wonderful works of God, they were spoken to, to pull off their shoes, because the place whereon they stood was holy ground. This we should all consider whē we meet together in one place, and carefully remember that the place in which we assemble is holy ground, and therefore we should take heed we do not abuse it. [Object.] But is that ground whereupon Temples or Churches stand more holy then other? I answer, [Answ.] no, it is not in itself, there is no more holiness in it, then in other: but in respect of the assembly therein gathered together, and of the exercises of religion therein performed, it is for that present more holy, and better to be accounted and esteemed then all other places and pieces of ground whatsoever. This made the Prophet say, Psal. 84.10. A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedness. We see how careful all men are, whensoever they go abroad, and come into any public place and presence of men, to adorn the outward man decently, lest being seen in an unseemly manner they be condemned and despised, especially if they be to appear before some great person, as we see in Joseph, Gen. 41.14. When they brought him before the presence of Pharaoh, he shaved himself, and he changed his raiment, and so came unto him. How much more then should we look to our selves, to the inward man, to the heart, that we come not carelessly & contemptuously before him that searcheth the hearts and reins? If any ask how we may prepare our selves and behave our selves, [Object.] that we may be accounted fit to come before God's presence? I answer, [Answer.] we must practice three duties: first, we must embrace true godliness and righteousness, and cast out of our hearts, as filthiness out of our houses, all impiety and unrighteousness. The gates of God's house into which he will enter, are the gates of righteousness, and none shall enter into them but the righteous, Psal. 118.16. Open to me the gates of righteousness, I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: this gate is the Lord's, into which the righteous shall enter. When Jacob went to Bethel to build for God an altar, and to worship him, first he cleansed his house of idols, and commanded his household to be clean, thereby shadowing out the purity of their harts. To this purpose doth David testify, Psal. 26.6. that he would wash his hands in innocence, and then afterward he would compass his altar. So then, so often as we intend to come to the house of God, we must rid our hearts of wickedness, as it were our ground of weeds, and so sanctify them that they may be fit vessels to receive heavenly graces. They that do otherwise shall never reap any benefit by the holy assemblies of the Saints, let them resort thither never so often. Secondly, we must not only shun and shake off things ungodly and unlawful in themselves, but even such things that in time and place may be followed and are commanded to be done of us, to wit, the care of earthly things and thoughts upon the matters of this world. These have their time, but their time is out of time, when the time serveth to serve the Lord, and we are to sanctify a Sabbath unto him. These indeed have their place but they have no place in the place of God's worship, and therefore must be displaced out of our hearts before we come to the house of God. A vessel full of mire and puddle cannot receive any sweet and wholesome liquor, though ye pour it upon it all the day long: and if our minds and hearts be forestalled with the cares of this life, and the cogitations of earthly things; they are no way capable of heavenly things, they are full fraught and stuffed already and so leave, no room or receipt for better things. These are rank thorns that choke the word. Lastly, we must consider that we have to deal with God, and not with man, and be ready to receive without contradiction or resisting, without mincing and mangling, whatsoever is delivered unto us by the Ministers of God, and from the warrant of Scriptures. This must be the end that we aim at when we come into the Church, to hear the word of life, to learn the way of salvation, and to embrace the doctrine of truth and salvation. It was the manner of the Priests and Levites to interpret the Law, and the Prophets were wont to preach their Sermons to the people gathered together in great multitudes in the Temple, Ierem. chap. 7. verse 2. where Jeremiah is commanded to stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word. Let us therefore prepare our hearts to obedience, by setting before us the presence of God, present by his word, present by his grace, present by his Sacraments, present by all his ordinances, and by his blessing upon his ordinances. Thus doth the Prophet prophesy, that the people call one to another, and say, Come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us (he doth not say, the Ministers, but the Lord himself will teach us) his ways, and we will walk in his paths. A notable means to work much good in us, and the chiefest way to touch our hearts with fear and reverence, knowing that we have to do with God's word nay with God himself. Thus did Cornelius consider, Acts 10, 33. when he said to Peter, We are all here present before GOD, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Let us examine our selves by these few rules, and by them we shall know whether we come aright or not to the house of God, with due reverence and preparation. Let not the Minister sow among thorns, but grub them out of the ground of your hearts, that so ye may bring forth fruits with patience.

Secondly, observe from the law of contraries, [Use 2] that Satan is present in all places of Idolatry, wickedness, impiety, and profaneness. For as God is present where he is worshipped, so is the Prince of this world that • u • eth in all the children of disobedience, present also where he is served. Thus speaketh Christ our Savior to the Church of Pergamos Revel. 2, 13. I know thy works, & where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is. So then where ungodliness is set up and maintained, there is Satan present, nay there he is president; there is Satan's seat, and there he keepeth • esidence. O that all wicked and ungodly persons were throghly persuaded of the truth of this point, and that they would diligently weigh with themselves, that Satan is oftentimes near thē, even at their elbows when they think him to be far from them, and th • mselues out of gunshot as we use to speak, and free from all danger. For if he will intrude himself and wind in himself among the Saints, to hinder the best works, Zach. 3, 1. Luke 8, 12. like a subtle serpent that he may seduce & deceive us, as he did our first parents: we may be assured he cometh freely and frequently into the company of his professed servants which are his children, John. 8, 44. For as Christ speaketh, that where two or three are gathered together in his Name, he is in the midst of them; so wheresoever two or three are met together at his pleasure & to his liking, and for the doing of his will, he will be in the midst of them (though not in a visible manner) to tempt thē to evil, and to make them glory and continue in their evil. If then we fear such a companion, let us forsake such company. If we will needs frequent the company of wicked livers, we cannot auo • d the society of Satan. Do we then see any place where drunkenness, where whoredom, where vanity, where blasphemy and all impiety is maintained & upholden? we may conclude and as it were write upon the backside of it and upon every door and post within it, This is the devils house, here are the works of the devil to be seen, here is the devil in a special manner present with his tētations, with his allurements, with his instruments to ruin the souls of men, and to bring them to confusion and destruction.

Thirdly, it is our duty to frequent those [Use 3] places that make known his Name unto us, and spread abroad his saving health among all people. Here we may have familiar access to him, & be admitted into his presence. In prayer we talk familiarly with him, Gen. 18, 27. where Abraham saith, he had taken upon him to speak to the Lord: and in his word he talketh familiarly with us, and therefore do the Prophets continually cry out, to hear y ^e word of the Lord, and tell us that the Lord speaketh to his people. What an high honor is it to a subject to have free access to his Prince, and to come into his chamber of presence? we are so honored of God to come to him without check or controlment; the more boldly we preasse into his presence, the more welcome we are. No man is reproved for coming too often. The faithful have accounted it a great part of their happiness to have liberty to meet together with one mind & with one mouth to glorify God & to set forth his praises. This made the Prophet say, Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth. On the other side, they have lamented their condition with a lamentable & bitter cry, when they have been banished from the place of God's worship, & driven to seek harbor and habitation among the unbelievers. Then their souls longed and fainted for the Courts of the Lord, their hearts and their flesh cried out for the living God; yea, they wept and lamented when in captivity they remembered Zion. They longed for the Courts of the Lord: but many among us long greatly to be out of them. They accounted it a great grief to be out of the house of God; but we account it a great grief to abide in the house of God. They were never well nor quiet so long as they were from the worship of God; we are even sick and discontent so long a • we are at it. Finally, they were banished from the Lord's house, we banish our selves: they were compelled to be absent, we cannot be compelled to be present. We would be thoght to be willing to have God in our company, & to desire to have access unto his presence, but if this were truly in us, we would love the place of his dwelling. We shall be sure to find him in his word, to meet with him at the Sacraments, and to speak with him by our prayers.

This then reproveth the carelessness of all such as make no reckoning of Church-assemblies, that account one day or hour of y ^e day spent in their own pleasures & vanities better thē a thousand in the Courts of the Lord. These are weary of the heavenly Manna, it is a light and a loathsome food. This is a fearful sin, to pollute the holy things that he hath sanctified and set apart to holy uses. These are scornful beasts, and profane persons, there is but a step between them and atheism. They are men without religion, and tread under feet the Son of God, and account the blood of the New Testament as a profane thing. Hereby we see the height of that sin which is too rife and common, to wit, the careless, willful, and negligent forsaking of the holy things of God. These are come to the highest step of sin, and are set down in the seat of scorners, Psal. 1, 1. These have faith justly denied unto them, and have not the grace given them to believe, because they contemn the means by which they might believe & be saved, Act. 13, 48. And doubtless he that maketh no conscience of God's worship, will also, if occasion show it self, make as little conscience of anything else that belongeth unto his brother. To conclude, let us have no part or fellowship with these men, but carry earnest affection to the exercises of religion, hungering and thirsting after them with longing desires. When one Sabbath is ended, we should wish for the next: when one Sermon is finished, we should desire another: when one Communion hath been celebrated, we should inquire when the next shall follow; even as the Gentiles besought Paul and Barnabas to preach to them y ^e next Sabbath day, the same things they had offered to the Jews. O that this zeal were found in us! then would God be found of us, O that we would inquire after him! he would offer to us his gracious presence in this life, & we should be sure to enjoy his glorious presence in the life to come.