Commentary on Numbers

We are now come to the last standard, expressed in these words. These three, Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, that is, the Tribes that descended of them, being three of the sons of Jacob, doth the Lord in this place cast into the last squadron to make up the fourth battailion. And albeit they were set in the last and lowest company of the army, yet we do not read that during the long time of their tarriance in the wilderness, (which was the space of 40, years,) they opened their mouths against the ordinance of God, or murmured through impatience and discontentment at the order established among them; neither did other murmur at them, albeit some of the children of the handmaids were preferred before the natural sons of Leah and Rahel. An host of men consisting of great multitudes, is like a full or corpulent body that needeth not any external means to throw it down, it being ready to ouerweigh and ouersway it self through it own heaviness. Many estates and kingdoms arising from small beginnings, as it were large stoods from little fountains, have proceeded & swelled so great, that the bigness thereof is comberous to themselves, and the puissance of so mighty people hath wrought their own destructiō. Thus it fell out in y ^e commonwealth of Rome, whose proper power & strength (wanting a foreign enemy to encounter with all) wrought it own ruin; so that it had no greater opposite then it own too great felicity. But not to trouble our selves with foreign examples, let us briefly touch the example of the Disciples of Christ: they were few in number, they were a little company, like a small boat that might be easily ruled and governed, inasmuch as they had the best Master that ever was to stand at the stern: yet they no sooner heard of Christ's departure out of the world, but they condemned parity, and contended for superiority, Math. 20, 20. Thus we see what our nature is: one man cannot abide any to be his equal, another cannot suffer any to be before him. Wherefore to cut off all occasion of emulation, and to teach them the benefit of contentation, the Lord assigneth to every Tribe his standing place: and they in humility and obedience rested in the room & rank that God in mercy appointed for the general benefit of the whole, and the particular good of everyone among them.

Verse 25, 26. [The standard of the Campe of Dan, shall be on the, &c.] The three combined together in this army (whereof Dan was principal, the other two, Asher & Naphtals, were assistants) are indeed the children of the handmaids, inasmuch as Rabel in grief of her barrenness, giveth her maid unto her husband, who beareth him Dan and Naphtali: Leah also following her sisters example, giveth him her maid, who beareth & bringeth forth Asher. There can no reason be assigned by man, why they should go march in this order then in any other, but only the good pleasure of God: yet they are quiet, and strive not one against another, being brethren one to another. From hence we learn, that everyone [Doctrine 6] ought to be contented with his present estate: I say, how mean soever our condition be, yet God requires it as a special duty at our hands, that therewith we be content. Hereunto cometh the commandment given by the Apostle, 1 Corinth. 7, 20, 24. Let every man abide in the same calling, wherein he was called. To the same purpose he teacheth elsewhere, that Godliness with contentment is great gain: and afterward, Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. And as he delivereth this doctrine by precept, so he sealeth it up by practice and experience, Phil. 4, 11, 12. I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content: I know both how to be abased, & I know how to abound: everywhere, and in all things I am enstructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. It is a great and wonderful knowledge, and very hard to be practiced, to know to be rich, that is, to use riches soberly: it passeth our reach, unless we have a special and extraordinary grace given unto us. We must learn also, what it is to be poor, which is as hard a lesson as the former; forasmuch as we are ready to murmur under the Cross: whereas though we should walk naked, be hungry and thirsty, be afflicted and pass by the sword, yet we ought to be patient, & our trust must not fail which we have in God, who will feed us in the time of famine.

[Reason 1] The reasons hereof are of great force, and carry authority unto our consciences. First, God knoweth what is best for us, far better then we our selves do. We seek oftentimes to be aloft, but God seeth it better for us to be below: we desire to be rich, God seeth it better for us to be poor. Had it not been much better for Hamman that was advanced to honor, to have sat in the dirt, or on the dunghill all the days of his life, thē in all the height of his honor, to be hanged on the Gallows which himself had set up for another, and so to taste first of the punishment he had devised? Had it not been better for the rich man to be clothed with rags instead of purple robes, & to eat a dinner of green herbs instead of his delicious fare, then after all his pomp and pride to be tormented in hell fire? We are oftentimes ignorant of that should do us good: God is ignorant of nothing. We are ready to embrace that which will do us hurt, it is God that in mercy withholdeth it from us, and us from it. A sick person longeth greatly for those things which increase his disease, and bring him in danger of death; but the learned and expert Physician will not suffer him to taste of them. A child thinketh he is hardly dealt withal, that he is restrained of his desire, but his wise and discreet parents are constrained to bridle him of his lust, and that for his own good. So dealeth God with us, we are as sick persons that must be dieted, we are as little children that must be overruled: the Lord our God is a loving Father, he is a tender Physician over us, who albeit he deny us that we desire, yet he will withhold nothing frō us y ^t he knoweth to be good for us.

Secondly, we have this comfortable promise from him, that he will never fail us, nor [Reason 2] forsake us, whether we have little or much, whether we be in prosperity or adversity. It is he that feedeth the fowls of the air, it is he that clotheth the Lilies of the field: much more then are we assured that he will feed us and clothe us, who are more of value then all the rest of his Creatures. This is the reason urged by the Apostle, Heb. 13, Be content with those things that ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me. Where he putteth us in mind of the continual care of God for us, and that his providence watcheth over us, which he opposeth as a buckler against the common temptation that assaulteth us, to wit, the fear of being quite forsaken of him, and left unto our selves, from whence ariseth distrust in our hearts.

Thirdly, nature it self is content with a little, [Reason 3] inasmuch as this is the common condition of all mankind, Princes and people, high and low, noble and unnoble: it brought us naked into the world, and naked it will earry and convey us out of the world, according to the saying of Job concerning himself, Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, &c. There are two points of man's life, his entrance into the world, and his departure out of the world: there is but little distance, as it were a step and a stride between them. For what is our life but a vapor? The space that is in the midst, which is the time of our life between our birth & our death, hath many differences and diversities that make us unlike one to another: some are poor, and some rich, some have great abundance, some have nothing at all. But in the point from whence we come, and in the point to which we tend, we all meet: the beginning of our life, and the ending of our days are both alike, there is no difference between them. Dust returneth unto dust, and earth into the earth again. If a man have a little journey to make, and a small way to travail, it is folly and vanity to make great provision for it; as he that hath need but of one pitcher of water, shall not deal wisely to go about to draw out a great River. So then, to desire superfluities, is to make open war against the order of nature. This reason is set down by the Apostle, in the place before alleged, where the doctrine had his confirmation; for having shown that when God granteth us raiment to clothe our bodies, and giveth us food to fill our bellies, we ought to be content, he annexeth this consideration to strengthen it, For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. We see men die daily, and led to it as flocks of sheep: and when we have taken care day and night what to eat, what to drink, and what to put on, we bear nothing to the earth, but a winding sheet to cover our shame, and to hide our nakedness.

Fourthly, let us consider the contrary fruits. [Reason 4] Such as have a resolute purpose to grow rich, do refer hereunto all their thoughts, words, and deeds, they so thirst after the treasures of this world; that nothing is so sacred and religious, which they will make any conscience to violate, but they overthrow all law of God and man, and nourish in them the root of all evil, and fall into a bottomless pit of all mischiefs. This the Apostle meaneth, when he saith, They that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction. Such are as poor beasts y ^t are fallen into the snare of the hunter. The devil is a mighty hunter, he hath many grins to catch us and entrap us, walking about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour. We are compassed about with the devil and his angels, as with an army of wolves and wild beasts; oppressed with injuries, and ouerborne with violence: yet being under the protection of our God, we cannot fail, but be well counterguarded. He hath promised he will have a care of us, so that the Lions shall want and suffer hunger, and not always be able to find their prey, though they be cruel and ravenous: but the faithful man though he have neither teeth nor paws, nor take any man's goods away by fraud or force from him, yet God feedeth him and supplieth all his wants; so that everyone should be pleased with his present estate and means of his maintenance, how mean soever.

The uses follow, which naturally arise frō [Use 1] hence; and those of reproof shall have the first place, which are of diverse sorts. They break out and transgress against this principle, that are discontented with their present estate, and do murmur & grudge at the hand of God upon them, and withal repine at the good estate of others. Thus it fared with the people of Israel sundry times, sometimes▪ through want of bread, Exod. 16, 2. Sometimes through want of water, Exod. 17, 2. Sometimes through want of flesh, Numb. 11, 4. Sometimes through fear of their enemies, Numb. 14, 2. Sometimes through danger of the way, by which they were to pass, Numb. 21, 5. They were never long contented with one estate, but brake out through impatience against God, and brought upon themselves diverse plagues and judgments whereby they were consumed. Thus is it with many in our days, if we be pressed with any want of good things; or if we be chastened with the feeling of any evil things, we break out into rage and choller, and will not submit our selves to him that striketh us. If we be bitten a little with famine, and have not our necessities by & by supplied, we cry out against God and man, we are ready to say, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we put on? If we fall into any sickness, that continueth with us, we think God hath forgotten us or forsaken us, if he do not presently remove his hand from us, and that no man hath felt that which we feel. If we be in any trouble by losses of temporal things, though they be but trifles, by and by we imagine we are undone, it is too late with us to think how to live, and we are more out of patience, then if we had lost the love and favor of GOD. Thus doth the bitter root of infidelity stick in our hearts, & it brancheth forth into open rebellion against God, like the child that murmureth under the rod; for as that is the cause that the father taketh up the whip to whip him again, so our resisting the hand of God when it is heavy upon us, doth not call in the judgment, but rather constraineth the Lord to scourge us again, & to lay upon our backs more strokes and stripes then he did before. The way to call in his corrections is, to submit our selves unto him▪ to confess our offenses, to acknowledge his just judgments, according to the saying of the Prophet, I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou diddest it, Psal. 39, 9.

Secondly, it reproveth such as use unlawful means, ungodly shifts, & wicked policies to enrich themselves. These men care not what ways they use, or what courses they take to get goods, & to heap up riches for themselves & their posterities, whō they desire to raise up on high, and to make great in this world. This insatiable humor is as the dropsy, or rather as the grave that never saith it is enough. It is ever craving more, as a gulf or whirl-pool ready to receive, but not apt to show what it hath received: and therefore doth God oftentimes cross, and not give any blessings to their labors. These make themselves unfit for holy desires, for heavenly meditations, and for the kingdom of God. If any should ask them, whether their meaning be to make thenselves drudges to the world, bond-slaves to the Devil, and so to cast themselves headlong to destruction both of body and soul, they would quickly answer, No; and defy those that should charge them with it. Notwithstanding, this inordinate affection bewrayeth what lieth in the heart, and discovereth that they go about to cast themselves away wittingly and willingly, and to undo themselves utterly. Wherefore, to the end we may use our riches aright, we are to practice two points: First, we must be poor in spirit, not glutted in them, nor glued to them, for then we shall be deceived by them; according to the counsel of the Psalmist, Trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. We must not be tied to our riches that we can never get from thē, but so to account of them, that whensoever it shall please God to make us poor, and to take our riches from us, to render up y ^e whole into his hands, to forgo them willingly, and to resign them up to him that gave them, & is able to restore them. When Job had lost all his cattle and children, and was fallen from the top of felicity to the lowest vale of misery, he could say with a quiet spirit, Blessed be the Name of the Lord, it is he that hath given, it is he that hath taken them away. This willingness to depart from them at the Lord's call, doeth make it manifest that he never made the wedge of gold his hope, nor said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence: he rejoiced not because his wealth was great, nor because his hand had gotten much, as he declareth in the protestation that he maketh of his integrity. Whereby he showeth, that there passeth a secret communication & conference between the rich man and his riches, applauding himself for his money that he hath. True it is, a man will not speak unto his riches, nor cannot hear his riches answer him: there passeth not an express dialogue between the monied man and his money, when he openeth his chest, or vnlocketh his coffer: but he useth this manner of speech by way of faigning the persons, to set forth the folly & vanity of such as have store and abundance; they make a secret kind of compact and conspiracy with their gold and silver, they set down their rest in it, they repose their trust upon it, and will rather leave all then depart from it. Nevertheless, he doth not reprove all joy and gladness when their goods increase. It is lawful to rejoice in all the blessings of God that he giveth, and we receive. He requireth this at our hands, as it is expressed, Deut. 12, 7. Ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall • rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee. This mirth and gladness is so far frō displeasing God, that it is rather a fruit of the faith and fear which is in us toward him, forasmuch as we learn thereby to praise his name, to confess his goodness, & to yield him thanks for the benefits which he bestoweth upon us. He speaketh therefore of a blind rejoicing, of carnal mirth and profane jollity, such as is among worldlings, who are carried away with a love of their riches, so that they forget God & remember no more their own frailty and mortality. This is a frantic joy that turneth us away from God, and maketh us drunken in the pleasures of this life. Secondly, while we enjoy & possess the things of this world, we must not keep them to our selves, but know how to use them moderately, as God hath commanded. They are given unto us to be used, they are as a talent committed unto us, for which we must give an account. And when the day of audit cometh, & we can say no more then that we have glutted our selves with them, and starved our neighbors, woe will be unto us, the rusting of them shall be a witness against us, and shall eat our flesh as it were fire. It was not so with Job, whose example we alleged before: he did not withhold the poor from their desire, nor cause the eyes of the widow to fail: he did not eat his morsels himself alone, but the fatherless did eat thereof: he never saw any perish for lack of clothing, nor any poor without a covering. This was the use he made of his goods, to show pity and mercy when he saw any in adversity. If we say only, My friend, God help thee; & never succor him, it is no better then a mere mockery, & hypocrisy, to make show of love, and yet to do them no good. God hath made us stewards of his goods which he hath committed unto us; if we shall devour all our selves, and not communicate anything to such as have need, we shall one day pay sweetly for this rigor and cruelty, when we shall receive according to our deserts: for we also our selves must appear before God, who will deal with us as we have dealt with others. He hath shown all goodness & kindness unto us, and this ought to have been a rule & example unto us to show mercy to our brethren: but because we have shut up our compassion from them, we shall receive judgment without mercy: and as we would not hear thē in their necessity, so God will stop his ears against us in our misery. If we be careful of these two points in the use of this worlds good, that we do not put our trust in them, but employ them to the good of others, we shall never be drawn away by the nets of Satan, to take away other men's goods wrongfully, to snatch and catch what we can from them, and to circumvent them in our dealing with them. Thus then are they met withal, that use deceit and fraud to beguile & deceive whom they can. This is the tradesmans sin, that careth not how he selleth. He spreadeth his net to catch his brother; and all is fish with him that cometh into the net: he preieth upon him that cometh unto him, as if every buyer or brother were an enemy. He will not stick to swear & to forswear himself, he maketh no conscience to lie at all assays. He forbeareth not to use naughty devises and wicked practices to enrich himself and impoverish another. The root of all these is discontentment with our estate, that we have not learned to rest our selves well pleased with that condition wherein GOD hath set us, and therefore we covet to rise higher then God affordeth means, and to catch frō others that which belongeth not unto us.

Secondly, hereby direction is given unto [Use 2] us touching the things of this present life, what we may crave and desire of God in our prayers. This is called in the Lord's prayer, Our daily bread for the day, Luc. 11, 3. We have liberty only to pray for competent and convenient food, and that only for the day. This we see in the practice of Jacob, Gen. 28, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my fathers house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. He desireth not great riches, or honors, or might, or majesty, or earthly excellency & renown, but food and raiment. These two necessary things he contenteth himself withal, and suffereth not his affections to wander farther. Hitherto cometh the prayer of Agur, Prov. 30, 7, 8, 9. Two things have I required of the Lord, deny me them not before I die: remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty, nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee, & say, who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steal, and take the Name of my God in vain. This ought to be the substance and subject of our prayer: a competent measure of earthly things ought to content us: we must ask bread, not fullness of bread: raiment, not costly raiment: necessaries, [Objection.] not superfluities. But may not a man provide for the time to come, and lay up in store for the times of need? I answer, [Answer.] yes, he may, he ought, as God shall afford the means. This is a point of wisdom that God alloweth. It is a token not of niggardliness and miserableness, but of frugality and foresight, when goods gotten are for good uses reserved, and afterward profitably employed, and therefore is not forbidden. But we must remember these cautions and conditions: First, they must be justly gotten. Things evilly gotten, are as evilly kept, & oftentimes as evilly consumed. A little well gotten, is better then the treasures of iniquity. One morsel of bread obtained by the sweat of our brows, is better then an house filled with robbery. That which is not well gotten, is not ours, but another man's. Secondly, as that which is laid up must have a sure foundation, it must be justly and rightly gotten, so we must not put our trust and confidence in it. If God do but blow upon it, he can drive it away, as chaff before the wind: and if he do not take it from us, yet he can make it to be unprofitable unto us. Though he take not away our garments, he can make them that they shall not warm us: and our food that it shall not nourish us; so that albeit we have bread, we shall not have the staff of bread; to teach us, that Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Thirdly, it must not be laid up to be meat for the worm and the canker, but to be spent in lawful uses. Our families challenge one part, the Church of God another, the poor Saints another, yea we are debtors to them that dwell afar off, even to the Turks and Infidels, so it be done in Christ, not against Christ: for we must do all for the truth, nothing against the truth. These rules of restraint being observed, it is required of all, especially of those of mean condition, to have an eye to the time to come. We must consider, not only how we may live presently, but how we may maintain our selves hereafter. Now we live in health, in wealth, or at least in a competent measure: we live in days of plenty, of peace, of liberty, and freedom to follow our business. We have our limbs and strength of body able to labor and take pains. We know not what times and tempests hang over our heads. We may be visited with sickness, or pinched with poverty, or have our limbs taken from us; we may be stricken with blindness, or lameness: and if none of all these afflictions come upon us, yet the infirmities of old age will overtake us, which is as the night wherein we cannot work. Then the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders shall cease because they are few, & those that look out of the windows shall be darkened: so that we should labor in the days of our youth, & in the flour of our age, while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. Age is an hasty thing, it tarrieth for no man, it will creep upon us sooner then we are aware. Wherefore doth GOD give unto us all these means and this blessed opportunity▪ (which being once gone cannot be called back) but that we should make use of it? There is no day, but it hath his night: there is no calm, but it hath his storm: there is no peace, but it hath his war: there is no health, but it hath his sickness. Though we have now sufficient, we know not (alas) what experience we may have of want, and how soon also. We should therefore provide in time of our health, to keep us in our sickness: we should labor in youth to keep us in age: and lay up in time of plenty, to furnish our selves against dearth and scarcity. We see the providence that was in Joseph, he laid up corn in the plentiful years, to serve them & save them in time of famine, and therefore he preserved the lives of many thousands, Gen. 41, 48. The Apostles provided afore hand to send succor and relief to the Church of Judea, being fellow-members of the same body, and professing all one communion of Saints. So the Apostle teacheth, 1 Tim. 5, 8. If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse then an Infidel. But Christ our Savior saith, Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, [Objection.] where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, Math. 6, 19. If then he forbid all men to lay up, who shall dare to hoard up anything? I answer, [Answer.] he forbiddeth in some sort, not simply: to wit, to lay up with respect to our own private profit only, without respect of the good of the Church or Common-wealth; as if he had said, Take heed that ye gather not riches for your own use and benefit alone, as if none should live in the world besides yourselves, and so make your treasures your trust, & place your happiness and felicity in them. But our happiness must be in heaven, and in the life to come, where it cannot be taken from us. Again, [Objection.] it will be said that Christ forbiddeth the care of the things of this life, and to take thought what to eat or what to drink, or what to put on, Math. 6, 25. I answer, there is a double care, [Answer.] a lawful and an unlawful, a godly and an ungodly care. The lawful and honest care is that, whereby a man provideth for things needful in time to come. For if then we should begin to provide: necessaries when we are presently to use them, we should be like to soldiers, that are to seek for armor when they should put it on; or like the foolish Virgins mentioned in the Gospel, that went to buy oil for their Lamps when it was too late. There is an unlawful care, which is joined with distrust. Such men do neither deal uprightly and justly in their callings to labor the thing that is good, and to get the thing that is honest in the sight of all men; neither yet commit the success of their labors to the blessing of God, but use shifts that stand not with equity and a good conscience. This maketh the heart heavy, & withdraweth us from prayer, from hearing the word, and from the worship of God. This is that which Christ forbiddeth in this place. If it be farther objected, [Objection.] that Christ saith, Take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow will take thought for it self: sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof; Math. 6, 34. I answer as before, [Answer.] that the purpose of Christ is not to persuade any to sloth and idleness, or to slake in us diligence in our callings, but to draw us from all inordinate and distrustful care for the morrow, whereby we vex our minds with trouble and turmoile for things unnecessary. Every day by reason of man's sin, hath grief enough, and therefore should every day content it self with his own care, and not cast his projects for days and years.

But while we condemn the unlawful carking, let us take heed we do not cast away that honest and holy care of providing things needful in time to come. Christ our Savior had a bag to keep provision for himself and his Disciples, which Judas bare, John 13, 29. Hence it is also, that he gave commandment, that they should gather up the broken meat, and addeth this reason, that nothing be lost. This serveth as a notable instruction for men of mean ability and small means, to teach them to provide in time for the maintenance of themselves and their families. This concerneth artificers & tradesmen, husbandmen and day-laborers, to seek as thrifty men to save somewhat (as they say) against a wet day. They must labor and take pains while their strength is great, and their sight is good: that when they shall be old, or weak, or blind, and every way unable to follow their calling, they may find means to maintain them of their own, and not seek relief abroad, and so be a burden unto others: yea when GOD shall call them out of this world, (as we hold our life and all things else with the greatest uncertainty) we may leave our wives and children wherewith they may live with comfort, and not depend upon the kindness and courtesy of other men. This is a point little regarded of drunkards and vnthrifts, who, if they may have for the present to satisfy their lusts, care not though they bring their seed to beggary. Woe be to such merciless Creatures, more cruel then the Tiger or the Bear, exposing their posterity to a sea of miseries. These are worse then the sauages & infidels, and have denied the faith.

Let all poor men beware of idleness; let them not spend in a moment that which hath been long in getting: let them not consume that little which they have in belly cheer, & delicious fare, and in costly apparel, but use the creatures of God soberly, moderately, & sparingly; considering both the shortness of their own lives, and the hardness of other men's hearts. Let them not give sleep unto their eyes, nor slumber to their eye-liddes. Let the sluggards go to the Ant, and learn wisdom by her ways, which having no guide, overseer, nor ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest, Prov., 6, 7, 8.

Thirdly, seeing it is required of us to have [Use 3] contented minds, it putteth us in mind of this duty, that we avoid covetousness which is directly contrary to contentation. It is a common corruption y ^t taketh hold of our corrupt nature, & a fruit of the old man which must be mortified of all the children of God, and so much the rather because it stealeth vpō us at a sudden, and draweth away our hearts from God and godliness. This is the use directly touched and taught by the Apostle, Heb. 13. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have. The greatness of this sin is such that it causeth a man to be an idolater, as Ephe. 5.5. Col. 3.5. This ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of God, and of Christ. The covetous are idolaters or worshippers of idols two ways. First, because they prefer their riches in their affections before God, the gift before the giver of them; depending upon them as upon God, trusting in them, as in God, saying unto them, Thou art my confidence, as we heard before out of the book of Job.

Secondly, because they account their life to consist in their riches, and to rest upon their wealth, rather then to stand on the providence of God, failing of all comfort, and hope, and joy, when their wealth faileth them. Satan used this bait to bring Christ himself to idolatry, when he offered unto him the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. How easily we slip into this sin, appeareth by the example of the rich man that came unto our Savior; when he was bid sell all that he had, he went away pensine and sorrowful, Matth. 19. Hence it is that he saith in another place, Take heed and beware of Covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. We are ready to flatter our selves, and to say to our soul, Thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry: until it be said unto us, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, then whose shall those things be, that thou hast provided? This is a sin, not only in the rich, but also in the poor. True it is, such as are in want and necessity, do wash their hands as innocent in this matter, but they do it as Pilate did touching blood, which notwithstanding did cleave so fast unto his loins, that all the Fullers earth, and all the waters in the Sea, could not wash away the guilt, and stain thereof from him. So the poor for the most part, put this sin far from them, and think it doth not belong unto them: they cry out against the rich, because they are covetous, as blind men deceiving themselves, and beholding their own faces in a false glass. For first of all, they use ungodly shifts, and unlawful means to store themselves, which is right covetousness. They care not how they come by meat, money, corn, or anything so they may have it.

Again, they bear not the burden of poverty patiently, but murmur and grudge at it, nay, at him that sendeth it: but whosoever disdaineth his present state, because it is not higher, richer, and better, is covetous: therefore the poor may be covetous.

Furthermore, they are oftentimes idle, and live by the sweat of other men's brows, and break out into pilfering and stealing, and so not only covet, but catch and convey unto themselves other men's goods. This also is covetousness, and this is a common sickness and disease of the poor. For as pride may walk and iet up and down in a russet coat, so may covetousness lodge in a simple and smokie cottage. But in whomsoever it be, whether in the rich or poor, it is a dangerous evil, it bringeth the covetous man to destruction of body and soul. It brought the leprosy upon Gehazi, that coveted the silver, and garments that Naaman offered, Elisha refused, but he accepted. It brought a more heavy plague upon the soul and conscience of Judas, for when he had betrayed his master for thirty shekels, in horror of himself, and of his fact, he went and hanged himself. He was brought up with Christ and lived with him, who had instructed him not to covet after silver, nor gold; he heard his doctrine, and beheld his miracles, yet he was infected with this disease, worse then the dropsy or the hungry evil. It seeth nothing in another without grieefe and sorrow, and is never well contented until he have it himself, and then he cannot be satisfied, but still he would have more.

The more he hath, the more he thinketh he hath not. The more full his coffers are, the more he judgeth them to be empty: for as much as he wanteth as well those things that he hath, as those things that he hath not. It is a great blessing of God, that the earth yieldeth the fat of wheat: but the covetous man is not a little grieved, that instead of ears of corn, it doth not shoot and send forth leaves of gold, that every river doth not run with streams of gold, and that the barraine mountains have not gold to be digged out of them, instead of stones. He is oftentimes grieved at the seasonableness of the weather, at the fruitfulness of the seasons, at the plenty of all things, at the increase of the earth, and at the sweet influence of the heavens; he taketh it heavily, when there is store and abundance, that there is no want, nor crying in our streets; because he cannot fell his corn, his cattle, and commodities at the dearest rate. He hateth all men, both rich and poor: the rich, because he doth not possess that which they have: and seeth them to abound as well as himself, whereas he cannot abide that any should enjoy anything, and thinketh it lost that passeth by his door: the poor, because they crave somewhat of him, which he is as unwilling to leave as his life: and therefore as if he were hurt, and wronged with all, he is angry and offended with all.

The more he hath, the more he craveth and coveteth. Even as the drunken man is more vexed with thirst, then he that useth to drink with sobriety and moderation, and is therewith contented: so the covetous person, that hath the greatest plenty, is much more tormented with desire of more, then he that is satisfied with a small portion, or pittance of the things of this life.

It falleth out oftentimes that such as have least charge lying upon them, are most over-charged with this, as with a most heavy burden. This is that vanity that Solomon pointeth out, Ecclesiastes chapter 4. There is one alone, and there is not a second, yea, he hath neither child, nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither saith he, For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? It is not abundance, or masses and mountains of gold and silver that can quench this insatiable thirst, but thereby it is rather increased. For as more wood put to the fire, augmenteth the flame and the heat: so the desire of many by addition of wealth, is multiplied. He is fitly compared to the man possessed with an unclean spirit, who wore no clothes, but had his dwelling among the tombs and mountains: no man could bind him nor tame him, but he brake the fetters and pulled the chains asunder, and cut himself with stones, Mar. 5.3. Luke 8.27. He was exceeding fierce, but covetous men are far worse. He that was possessed, was delivered by the word of Christ, and the devil was driven away, and left his hold: but they that are servants, or slaves to their money, will not hearken unto Christ; they have so much of this earth in their ears, or rather in their hearts, that albeit they hear him daily preached unto them and sounding as a shrill or loud trumpet, yet they believe not, they yield not, they obey not. The man possessed spared not such as came near him: but they spoil and rauin as well afar off frō them as hard by them; they spare none whom they catch in their snares, not friends, not kinsmen, not brethren: they tear them, and rent them in pieces, whomsoever they can compass. He went naked: but these clothe themselves sumptuously (except such as grudge themselves apparel) with the spoils of others, as if they had taken them prisoners in the day of battle, and make them go naked, or in thread-bare coats that come in their way. He smote himself, not knowing what he did: but these smite and kill others secretly, they grind the faces of the poor, and pull off the skin from their backs. He abode among the graves and tombs of the dead; but these are very sepulchers themselves. For what is a tomb, but a stone covering the body of the dead? What then? are not their bodies much more wretched and miserable then those stones, which cover their dead souls, dead in sin, and as stinking carcasses casting out a loathsome savor? And to this purpose Christ speaketh to the Pharisees, Matth. 23.27. Ye are like to whited sepulchers, full of extortion & excess, full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

This sin hath diverse branches under it, according to the diverse practices of it, first, when men seek only or principally for worldly goods, neglecting or not regarding spiritual graces in comparison of them. We are charged to lay up our treasure in heaven, where the moth cannot corrupt it, nor thieves steal it. We are commanded to seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness. But whatsoever God require of us, the greatest sort do what they list: for as Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, Heb. 12.16. So do profane men sell their souls for old shoes, and salvation purchased by Christ at a most dear rate, for a song. This may seem strange unto some, but there is nothing will appear more true, if we consider the course of the world, and observe the lives of men. This is the sin of our age, wherein the least profit and pleasure is cared for above true religion. Every drunken feast is cause sufficient with us to intermit y ^e worship of god. Every profane meeting of profane men, is valued and prized above the word of the eternal God. Every feast that after a heathenish manner is yearly solemnized, giveth occasion to multitudes to profane and pollute the Sabbath that ought to be sanctified with public and private duties agreeable unto it; and to set that banket at naught to which God inviteth us by his Ministers. Our thoughts, our meditations, our desires, our delights, are so taken up with earthly things, that though there be much preaching, there is little profiting; though there be much teaching, yet there is little hearing, little obedience.

The second branch of covetousness, is to put our trust and confidence in the things of this life, which is the idolatry of the heart, as we noted before. If we set our hearts upon our goods, we make them our God, and the earth our happiness. Hence it is, that Christ maketh it so hard a matter for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, as for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, Matth. 19. because they trust in their riches, Mar. 10.24. Likewise the Apostle chargeth Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, neither trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy, 1 Tim. 6.17. The third branch is, when we regard and respect only our selves. It is not enough, that we do no harm with them, God requireth that we do good. Christ shall say at the last day, I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick and in prison, and ye visited me not: go into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels. That evil servant that did not divide his substance among his fellow servants, perished through his covetousness: and he that received one talent, and digged in the earth to hide it, had it taken from him, and heareth this sentence denounced against him: Thou wicked and slothful servant and unprofitable. God bestoweth not his blessings upon us to fat our selves with thē, as Oxen in a stall, or as swine in a stye, without all consideration of the Church, or Common-wealth, or of the poor: but he hath made us stewards and disposers of them to the glory of God, and the good of others.

[Verse 31. All they that were numbered in the campe of Dan, &c: ] We see in this place that this last standard beareth the name of Dan; whereby we see that God raiseth up as a chief instrument in this mighty host, one of the lowest sort, one that was obscure in the family of Jacob; which serveth to magnify the mercy of God, & to depress the pride of man. Jacob in his last will and testament, foretelleth the estate of this Tribe, Gen. 49, 17. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse-heels, so that his rider shall fall backward: which declareth, that the power & might of this Tribe should not be great, but prevail rather by fraud and deceit. Thus Sampson prevailed against the Philistines, and afterward they overcame the City Laish, and burnt it with fire. We learn from hence, that it pleaseth God oftentimes to choose and use the weakest & meanest men, to be instruments for the accomplishing of his greatest works. He maketh choice of inferior things to perform his decrees, and to do good to his Church, and to serve him wheresoever he purposeth to employ them. This appeareth clearer then the Sun throughout the Scriptures, in preferring the younger before the elder, in the calling of many Judges, in the election of many Kings, in the separating of many Prophets, and in the ordaining of many Apostles, who were of little reckoning and estimation before their honor and advancement, to verify that which the Psalmist saith, Psal. 75, 6, 7. Promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South, but God is the Judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. Saul was a seeker of his fathers asses, and though he found not them, he found the kingdom, Samuel being sent to anoint him, 1 Sam. 10. David was the youngest of his fathers house, and the lowest among one of the lowest families, left with the sheep in the wilderness, according to that in the Psalm, He chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepefolds, from following the Ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. And as God chose him from feeding a flock of sheep, to feed a better flock, so he chose some of his Apostles from catching fish, to catch fowls. Peter was a fisherman, as before him Amos was an heard-man. Thus did God throw down the strong walls of Jericho, not by might of men, nor by munition of war, but by Rams horns, which were blowed by the Priests, Josh. 6, 20 In the creation, he brought light out of darkness, the fowls out of the waters, and all things out of nothing, Gen. 1, 3, 20. Heb. 11, 3. Christ wrought many of his cures in like manner, in healing the blind man; for he spate on the ground, & made clay of the spettle, and then anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay: then he had him wash in the pool of Siloam, who by and by went his way, & washed, and came seeing, John 9, 6, 7. Likewise in the work of our redemption, the truth of this is more apparent, for he wrought by contraries, bringing life out of death. He came down to the earth, to lift us up into heaven, Eph. 2, 6. He suffered the punishments of our sins, that he might make us free from them, Math. 11, 28. 1 Pet. 2, 24. He perfectly fulfilled all righteousness, that he might cover our unrighteousness, Rom. 5, 19. And to the end he might fully satisfy for our sins, he was made sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Corin. 5, 21. He was bound, that we might be loosed: he was condemned, that we might be acquitted: he was crucified in his body, that he might nail our sins to his Cross, and fasten them there forever, Col. 2, 14. He took upon him the curse due to us, that he might appease the wrath of his Father against us, Heb. 10, 10. He died for us, that we might live: he was buried and laid in the grave, that he might overcome death in his own cabin and den, Acts 2, 24. Lastly, he rose again as a Captain and Conqueror from the dead, and could not be holden of the sorrows of death, that we should walk in newness of life, Rom 6, 4. All these examples, of Saul, of David, of Amos, of Peter, of Christ, of the Patriarchs, of the Prophets, of the Judges, and of the Apostles, serve to teach us this truth, that it is the manner of God's dealing, to make choice of small means to effect great matters, and to single out weak instruments to work out worthy enterprises.

Neither ought this to be marvelled at, as [Reason 1] strange in our eyes. For if there were no other reason to induce us to believe it, the only will and good pleasure of God ought to be sufficient, as being the highest moving cause, and indeed the cause of all causes. His will is a law, and who shall herein control him of error, or convince him of folly, or condemn him of insufficiency? If he will let the full & rich go away empty, who shall say unto him, Why dost thou so? Or who can accuse him of rashness? This is that which Christ our Savior setteth down, Luc. 10, 21. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Where we see, he maketh the pleasure of God to be the stay of himself: so it ought to be with us, if we once come to know what seemeth good in the eyes of God, though we know no more, though we can see no farther, and though ten thousand reasons as a mighty army may seem to encounter against it, yet we must rest our selves upon it as upon a rock, and build our house upon it as a foundation.

[Reason 2] Secondly, this serveth best to make manifest the glory of God, when as great things are done by a weak hand. Now, the weaker the instruments are, which he setteth on work, the more evidently is his power seen, and the better doth his praise appear. This gave David comfort and assurance being a stripling, unarmed and vntrained to the field, to encounter hand to hand in a single combat with a mighty giant: he doubted not to overcome him, but was persuaded in his heart of his help that never forsaketh his that trust in him and call upon him, that he should smite him with his sling, & take his head from him with his sword, and give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines, unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth: and he maketh this the reason of all, That all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 1 Sam. 17.46. This also doth the Apostle infer and enforce in another kind, speaking of our salvation and redemption, and of those that are counted worthy to be partakers of them, 1 Cor. 1.26. You know your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, nor many mighty, nor many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: the weak to confound the mighty: the base and despised to bring to naught things that are magnified in the eyes of men, That no flesh should glory in his presence, &c. according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. His glory is less advanced and set forth by great persons; they are as a cloud before our eyes, or as amist▪ and veil to overshadow us, and to keep from us the glorious light of the bright shining Sun, I mean the glory of the mighty God: as the Lord himself teacheth Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me, Judge. 7.2. So then, whether we do consider the first moving cause which is the will of God, or the last final cause which is the glory of God, it appeareth he will oftentimes accomplish great things by means and instruments of low degree.

[Use 1] Let us proceed to the uses, and handle them briefly. First, forasmuch as God advanceth weak things to work out the decree of his providence, we may truly conclude from hence the powerful hand of God, that is able to bring to pass whatsoever he pleaseth. He worketh after the pleasure of his own will, sometimes by weak means, sometimes by no means, sometimes above means, and sometimes contrary to means. When the chiefest among the sons of men will bring anything to pass, they make choice of the fittest and forwardest means, even such as are most likely in the eyes of men, and in the judgment of the world. When Solomon purposed to build the Temple for the worship of God, he made choice of the fittest wood, and of the fittest workmen: it was in him to choose them, but it was not in him to qualify them whom he findeth in themselves to be unfit. But it is not so with God, he oftentimes employeth the most backward, untoward, unlikely, impossible; because he is able to fit them and furnish them with power, strength, and ability to go through with the work that he setteth them about: so that we may cry out with admiration, How great and wonderful is his Name in all his actions! This is concluded directly, Psal. 8. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens: out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. Where we see, that upon God's choice of weak and infirm instruments, he gathereth the excellency of his Name, and the greatness of his power, which he repeateth again in the last verse, O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth. There is none is above him, none is equal unto him, none can be matched or compared with him: all things are put under his feet.

Secondly, we learn another truth to be [Use 2] acknowledged of us, that all things are not to be respected according to the outward appearance. We are oftentimes deceived, and cannot see into the works of God. Our Savior speaketh notably to this purpose against the Pharisees, Luke 16. Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God. This may not any way seem strange unto us, forasmuch as God respecteth no man's person, as Gal. 2. where the Apostle proving himself to be an Apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, who called him from heaven to preach the Gospel, saith, Of these, who seemed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me; God accepteth no man's person) for they who seemed to be somewhat, in conference added nothing to me. In these words he speaketh of the Apostles, Peter, James, and John, that had been poor fisher-men, and men of small reckoning and respect, yet they were honored of God to be Apostles and planters of Churches, so that he saith, It skilleth not what they have been in times past. Every man therefore is to be esteemed according to his calling, and to be accounted off according to the grace of God given unto him. Many that are first, shall be last, and the last shall be first. We must esteem of men, not as they have been, but as they are. When men have repented, we may not upbraid them with their lives past, nor cast in their teeth, their former offenses. We must not take occasion by the infirmities of men's actions to contemn their persons. Such is the merciful dealing of God toward us, that he accepteth not of us as we have been, but as we are when we repent and return unto him.

It is the policy of Satan, and the impiety of his instruments to object the weakness and slips of our life past: but we say unto him, and unto them all, Tell us not what we have been: but tell me what by the mercy of God I am, and what by the strengthening Spirit of God I will be. I am a sinner, I confess it: howbeit, I am a penitent sinner. We are not therefore to be carried away with the consideration of men's persons and outward quality or condition of life, as country, or kindred, or sex, or age, or birth, or riches, or poverty, or learning, & such like; for as much as God giveth not his gifts according to the outward appearance of the person, but according to his wisdom and pleasure, which are always just, and respecteth not the rich more then the poor, for they are all the work of his hands, Job 34.19. This doth the blessed Virgin acknowledge, Luk. 1. that the Lord regarded the low estate of his handmaid, so that thenceforth all generations should call her blessed. Hence it is that he reproved the human judgment of Samuel, beholding the person of Eliab the eldest son of Jesse, and saying, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him: Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart, 1 Sam. 16.7. Those whom God honoreth we must honor, and despise no man for the meanness of his place, and baseness of his person, and lowness of his condition. They are therefore justly to be reproved that reject the Ministry of the word, in regard of the simplicity of their persons that are the Ministers: as they dealt with Christ our Savior, Is not this Joseph's son? from whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him? Is not this the Carpenter? the son of Mary? the brother of James and Ioses, and of Judah and Simon? and are not his sisters with us? Thus they were offended at him. Hence it is, that Christ saith unto them, A Prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house, Mar. 6.4. It skilleth not whether the Ministers be rich or poor, wise or simple, noble, or unnoble; if they say unto us, Silver and gold have we none but such as we have we give unto you, Act. 3. we must accept of them and of the word of reconciliation, and account their feet beautiful that bring glad tidings of good things. Though they bring heavenly treasures in earthly vessels, yet the excellency of the power is of God: so that the meaner the person of the Minister is, the more we ought to magnify the Author of their ministry, remembering always that we ought not to have the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons.

Thirdly, for as much as God vouchsafeth [Use 3] to choose weak agents to promote his causes and to further his works, we conclude from hence that fearful is the estate of the wicked; if their eyes were opened to behold it, and their hearts enlightened to take notice of it. Howsoever they set their horns & heads on high, and exalt themselves in their own pride, yet the poorest and simplest means strengthened of God, and armed by his power, shall be able to bring them down to the ground, and to lay their honor in the dust. They shall know one day that they fight against God, and rebel against the most High, who wanteth no weapons to destroy them; he can arm the least things against them, as we see in the destruction of the Egyptians, to wit lice, flies, frogs, grasshoppers, and such like, all brought upon them by the rod of Moses. This use is concluded by the Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 27.11. When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding, therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favor. He showeth in these words, and in this place, the certainty of the destruction of the enemies of the Church, their defensed cities shall be desolate and left like a wilderness. But how shall this be? God needeeth not the power of mighty enemies, he needeth not armies of men, or legions of Angels, or such like strong means to effect it, the women shall come and set them on fire, that is, weak means and silly creatures, even such as are by nature fearful, an army of Hartes shall have strength and courage enough when God setteth them on work. Great is the force of weak Soldiers under such a Captain. If they that have the least power and policy be made the Lord's workmen, and employed in his service; who shall be able to daunt them and to drive them from their work? who shall fray them and affright them, and make the rest of them turn their backs? They have their calling and commission, and they canneuer cease, until they have ended the business, and finished the work to which they were sent; according to that which Gamaliel saith of the preaching of the Apostles, being in themselves, & of themselves simple and unlearned men, Refraine from these men, and let them alone, &c. for if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God, Act. 5. This is little regarded or considered of the enemies of God, and the persecutors of the Church, they run on in their wild courses, & think they can do what they list: whereas they lie open to every judgment, and every creature shall be able to work out their destruction.

[Use 4] Fourthly, seeing it seemeth good to God to accept of their service that seem farthest off and most unlikely to do him service: let no man presume upon the greatness of his gifts, and the excellency of his calling: let him not lift up himself above others, to think himself better & prefer himself before his brethren, neither contemn them of lower degree, of meaner place, of lesser gifts. The heart is of the Lord, the blessing is of the Lord, the success is of the Lord. Hence it is that the Apostle saith, Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou, that thou diddest not receive? Now if thou diddest receive it, why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? 1 Cor. 4.7. Our Savior rebuketh a young man that would not give over the world, and telleth him, the first shall be last; and the last, first, Such as in the visible Church have the chief place, and in the opinion of men are in greatest account, because they carry the greatest name of piety and holiness, are nothing less inwardly then that which they appear outwardly, and therefore notwithstanding the room and reputation that they hold in earth, they shall be quite shut out of the kingdom of heaven, as was verified in the Scribes and Pharisees, and all hypocrites, who for a pretence made long prayers, but shall receive the greater damnation. This he showeth farther by the similitude of an householder, who hired laborers at all hours into his vineyard, and thereupon concludeth the point again, that the first shall be last, and the last first. Presume not therefore of thyself, neither glory in thine own works, nor boast of thine own gifts: it may please God to sanctify others to go before us, and to make them out run us that set out after us. He accepteth them that are of smaller gifts and lower place, and therefore we ought not to reject them or contemn them. When he chose special witnesses of those things that he spake and did, and sent them out to heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cleanse the lepers, to give sight to the blind, and to preach the Gospel, he did not call the learned & wise men of the world, but simple fishermen and such as the world accounteth idiots, and men of no fashion, or estimation. Such then as seem to be behind, are taken forward, and made more profitable then those that were before them. We see this in Amos, He was no Prophet, nor a Prophets son, but an heardman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruit: the Lord took him as he followed the flock, and said unto him, Go, Prophecy unto my people Israel. The like we might say of Paul, he was most unlike to be called and to be employed in the affairs of the Church, as himself confesseth, and the history of the Acts importeth, 1 Tim. 1.13. 1. Cor. 15.8, 9. Act. 8.1. and 9.1. Ephe. 3.8. He confesseth that before his conversion to the faith, he had been a persecutor, a blasphemer, and injurious: consenting to the death of Stephen, and breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord: one borne out of due time, the least of the Apostles, the least of all Saints, not meet to be called an Apostle, but rather a destroyer of the faith of the brethren. But when he came to preach the faith which before he destroyed, he was nothing inferior to the chief Apostles; more then a Minister of Christ, in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft; loving him very much, of whom he had received much, so that he gave no place to the residue of the Apostles.

Even as in the manner of the natural generation, we see that oftentimes, such as are of weakest nature and constitution of body, are blessed with increase of children, and a plentiful posterity, more then those that are of stronger complexion: so such as have mean gifts, and lesser knowledge, and perhaps never trained up in the schools of the Prophets, may save more souls, and bring more to God then such as have taken many degrees, and have attained to a great depth, and profoundnesse of learning, as we shall have occasion farther to show in this book. What then? are Universities to be despised? are schools of learning to no purpose? No: [Answer.] they are nourceries of knowledge, human and divine. They are as those rivers that water the garden of God. The Lord bless them that bless those places, and curse them that are enemies to the peace and prosperity of them, and thrust thorough their loins that wish their hurt, neither let them which go by, say, The blessing of the Lord be upon such, we bless you in the Name of the Lord. Nevertheless, the Lord is not bound to such as are brought up in those places: but maketh the labors of those that want the Arts and Tongues, being conscionable in their callings, very available, to the glory of his Name, and to the saving of many souls.

Lastly, we are put in mind of this duty, that [Use 5] we ought not to rest upon flesh and blood, as upon a reed that will deceive us, but upon God the Rock of our salvation. Some put their trust in horses, and some in chariots, Psal. 20. and some in Princes, Psal. 146. We can make no resistance against the weakest things, which are as warlike weapons, that never return empty, but even they shall be able to push us down and to prevail against us, and to destroy us utterly. Let us not therefore lift up our minds against God, but humble our selves before him. Our strength is nothing, our multitudes are nothing, our Armor and munition is nothing, if God fight against us. Let us not think to escape his hands, who is able to arm few against many, and the weak against the strong, as 1 Sam. 14.6. where Jonathan saith to the young man y ^t bare his armor, Come and let us go over unto the Garison of these uncircumcised, it may be that the Lord will make for us: for there is no restraint of the Lord, to save by many or by few. The same in effect David speaketh to the Philistime, The Lord saveth not with sword and spear, (for the battle is the Lord's) and he will give you into our hands. Thus also Asa cried unto the Lord his God, when a great host of a thousand thousand, came out against him: Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: Help us, O Lord, our God, for we rest on thee, and in thy Name we go against this multitude; O Lord; thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee. We must therefore renounce all pride in our selves, and that vain confidence which will deceive us. We have to do with God. If he will destroy us, and deliver us as a prey into the jaws of death, though there be no enemy to resist us, nor power of man to overcome us, yet we may not secure our selves, nor suffer our hearts to be compassed about with presumption, as with a chain, he is able with the breath of his nostrils to blow us away, that we shall be no more.

This use is concluded by the Prophet Jeremiah, chapter, 37.9.10. Thus saith the Lord, Deceiue not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire. Whereby we see that destruction of a kingdom, or of a city dependeth not upon a multitude of men, or upon the valiantness and violence of soldiers, but upon the pleasure of God, who executeth his judgments by what hands soever he will. For when a few and poor remnant remain, and those of wounded men half dead, and wholly unable to resist, even such as are thrust thorough with the sword, gasping for life, and ready to give up the Ghost: yet shall they recover the battle that was lost, and obtain the victory, and conquer the conquerer, and strike down as bulrushes the strongest and choicest men that before prevailed and had the upper-hand.

A notable example and memorable exploit whereof we have recorded in the Turkish history, concerning a Christian soldier, who sore wounded and all bloody, seeing Amurath the third king of the Turks, coming after the victory that he had obtained, to take a view of the dead bodies, which without number lay on heaps in the field like mountains, seeing him I say, rose up as well as he was able in staggering manner (as if it had been from death) out of an heap of slain men, and making toward him, for want of strength, fell down diverse times by the way as he came; at length drawing nigh unto him, as though he would have craved his life of the tyrant, and in honor of him have kissed his feet, suddenly stabbed him in the bottom of his belly with a short dagger, so that the conqueror was conquered, and presently died.

Thus it is with poor weak men when God strengtheneth them, for the feeble become strong, and the strong feeble.

Hitherto, we have spoken of the order prescribed unto Moses, and the people, to be observed: now followeth briefly the execution of the commandment, as the conclusion and shutting up of the Chapter, in these 3 verses. Howbeit before y ^e performance thereof, Moses addeth two cautions necessary to be observed and considered. First, the total sum of them that were numbered before, which amounted to the number of six hundred thousand, and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. Loe, how great the blessing of God was in multiplying his people, and what the truth of his promise is, that he made to Abraham.

Secondly, the exemption of the Levites, who were acquitted and discharged out of the former muster, being appointed to another office of another nature, verse 33. Then is annexed the obedience it self, to the commandment of God: set down both generally, The children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses: and then particularly in two points, They pitched by their standards, and they set forward everyone according to their families, according to the house of their fathers. No man murmured at the order of God, no man enuyed his superior, no man contemned his inferior, but all of them rested in his ordinance, & marched according to his direction and appointment. We learn from hence, that it is the duty of God's children [Doctrine 8] to yield obedience, not only to some, but to all the commandments of GOD. God requireth at our hands, a full and entire obedience.

Do we require commandments to confirm this unto us, or would we have examples? Let us consider both. And first for precept. The Apostle is plain, 2. Corin. chap. 7.1. Having these promises, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Where we see he persuadeth to make a through work, to cleanse our selves, not only from some filthiness, and to retain some, but from all: not only of the body, but of the soul, even of the whole man. Likewise, in the former Epistle, chap. 5.7. purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. He confesseth that they were renewed and regenerated in part, and therefore concludeth, must proceed and go forward until the work be wholly finished. For the word is compounded, signifying not only to purge, but as much as may be possible to purge out quite and clean, as the Israelites were commended, when they celebrated the Passover to put away all leaven from them, so that whosoever had any in his house, should be cut off from his people.

To this purpose cometh the exhortation of the Apostle, Heb. 12.1. Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience unto the race which is set before us. As if he had said, forasmuch as we have so great a multitude of believers (which he compareth to a cloud that is thickened, compacted, or gathered together in the middle region of the air, of vapors) we must do as they that run in a race; they do not only cast away clogges and impediments, but whatsoever may hinder them in their course, as the cares of this life, the delights of the world, the lusts of the flesh, and generally everything that may cloy us, and clog us in our spiritual journey.

Thus we see, how we are commanded to cleanse away all filthiness, to purge out all leaven, to cast aside every weight. Behold, how the Apostle addeth universal notes in every of these places. But are these precepts without examples? are they mere speculative considerations without their use? No: we have in the Scriptures of the New Testament, many among the faithful that receive this commendation from the mouth of God. It is noted concerning Noah, Gen. 6.22. that he did according, to all that God commanded him, even so did he. It is recorded of Moses, that when Pharaoh did give them and their children liberty to go into the wilderness, to serve the Lord, only their flocks and their herds should be stayed: he answered boldly, Our cattle also shall go with us, there shall not an hoof be left behind, Exodus chapter 10.26. It is testified by the Evangelist Luke, touching Zechariah and Elizabeth, that they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless, Luke 1.6. All these particular testimonies do teach us, that it is our duty to labor earnestly and carefully to perform a pure and perfect obedience unto all the commandments of the Lord, that we may be entire, wanting nothing.

Now we come to the reasons, that we may [Reason] be farther confirmed in this truth. First, consider the nature of God, he is perfect in himself, and perfect in all goodness toward us. He faileth in nothing, so that he may truly say, what could I have done more then I have done? we must therefore answer in duty and obedience unto him. Hence it is, that Christ saith, Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven, is perfect, Matth. 5. If then we must be like him, and resemble him, we ought to strive to be like him in perfection.

Secondly, Christ Jesus is a perfect Savior, [Reason] a perfect redeemer, a perfect mediator. He hath fully finished our salvation, and he died to satisfy for all our sins. If he were but half a Savior, a party obedience might be sufficient on our part. But he never left the work of our redemption, until he had appeased the wrath of his Father, and nailed all our sins unto his Cross. This caused the Apostle to say, He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. Seeing then that Christ Jesus hath redeemed us from all sin, it followeth necessarily that we should follow after all righteousness, and make conscience of all sin.

Thirdly, in respect of the commandments [Reason 3] themselves; for as an heathen man said of moral virtues, that they were linked together as in a chain, so that he which had one truly, had all of them: so we may much better say of the Laws of God, that as there is one lawgiver which is the Author of them all, so they are all knit in a knot together, that the knot cannot be loosed, but all are dissolved. Or they being ten words are as a band, having ten conditions; if one of them be broken, the whole band is forfeited. The testimony of the Apostle James fully accordeth and agreeth hereunto, chap. 2. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet faileth in one point, he is guilty of all: for he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the Law. Whosoever breaketh one commandment, and maketh no conscience thereof, but saith he doubteth not to be dispensed withal for it, and that he shall find God merciful unto him therein, hath made himself guilty of the whole Law and of the punishment due to the transgressors of it.

Fourthly, there is nothing done of us in [Reason 4] this flesh, but GOD will bring it into judgment. We run into many evils, because they seem little, and the hedge of God's word is easily leaped over. The wise man teacheth us, Eccl. 12. that God will bring every work unto judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. If he said, God will bring many things to judgment, we might have hoped some things should be exempted. But forasmuch as we must account with him for all things, even for every idle word, (as our Savior teacheth) it followeth that we ought to make conscience of all our ways and works whatsoever.

Fifthly, all things commanded of God from [Reason 5] the greatest unto the least, are most just and equal, and therefore to be observed diligently without all parting or partiality. The Prophet reproveth the house of Israel, that said, The way of the Lord is not equal. But the Lord saith, O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? This reason is urged by the Prophet David, Psal. 119. I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right: and I hate every false way. His testimonies are righteous and very faithful, which he hath commanded, and therefore he hateth from the bottom of his heart all wicked ungodly ways. So then, whether we consider the nature of God, that he is perfect; or the redemption of Christ, that it is perfect; or the dignity of the law that it is perfect: in all these respects, we conclude this truth as honey gathered from many flowers, That it concerneth everyone of us to yield obedience to all the Laws and commandments of God.

[Use 1] Now let us come to the uses which giveth an edge to the doctrine it self. And as it serveth to reprove, so the reproof is of diverse sorts.

First of all, it condemneth those that waste themselves, and spend their strength chiefly about the things of this world, and never labor after regeneration and the things of the Lord. These men never think of any obedience: How far then are they from perfect obedience? when will these come to the journeys end, that are not yet set forward in the ways? When will they finish their salvation, that have not yet made a beginning? How do they look to receive the price, that sit still, and do not yet run in the race? or how shall they obtain an incorruptible crown, that do not strive for the mastery? These think they have no souls to save, or that there is no God to serve, or that there is no life to come, or else they would not live as beasts, or as the horse and mule that are without understanding. If they live as men that regard not the kingdom of heaven, they shall one day know that there is an hell: and if they regard not to obey God, they shall hereafter reap the fruit of their disobedience. Samuel teacheth, that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity, and therefore all such as reject the word of the Lord, he will also reject them from his kingdom, and from the glory of his presence.

Secondly, such are reproved as content themselves with a small measure of knowledge and obedience, of faith and repentance. For many there are in the Church that think they know enough, or at least y ^t much knowledge is not necessary; like to the Deputy mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, that the doctrine of Christ, was a matter needless, frivolous, impertinent, and unnecessary, and a curious question about words and names, whereof a man might be ignorant without danger.

Thus do these judge of religion and of the Law of God, they account basely of it, as a thing that may best be spared. If they had truly tasted of the sweetness of God's word, it would bring them altogether into love of it. Let us therefore labor to grow in grace until we come to perfection, 2 Pet. 3. For whosoever thinketh he hath already attained unto it, greatly deceiveth himself: we have as yet scarce laid the foundation, and do we as men besotted with folly and spiritual pride, imagine we are come to the top? We are like unto them that are in a dream, that think they are eating to the full, and behold when they awake they are hungry and empty: or they that deeply conceit they are drinking, and when they arise, they see they are thirsty: so is it with these men, they are fast asleep; and do but dream, when they suppose all the world is made of knowledge: whereas if they had shaken off this spirit of slumber, and were thoroughly come to themselves, they would bewail their own ignorance, and as poor blind souls condemn their own foolishness.

Let us therefore store our selves with it: we shall herein (if in anything beside) find the prouer be most true, that store is no sore. It is the ground of our obedience: forasmuch as we can obey no farther then we know. The servant can obey his masters will, no farther then he knoweth it. An ignorant servant must of necessity be a disobedient servant. So is it with every Christian man, his obedience cannot go beyond his knowledge.

Thirdly, it serveth fitly and fully to reprove those that do halt with God, and yield a maimed obedience unto him. The sacrifices of God under the Law, must be whole & sound, not halt, not maimed, not lame: so should our obedience be under the Gospel. Men will not allow of a servant that performeth such service as he requireth at his hands, when it is done to halfs: and do we think to be accepted of God, when we cut off his worship in the middes? We deal with God as the king of Ammon dealt with David's messengers; he shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, 2 Samuel chapter 10. verse 4. So do we shave off half of his service, and think to make him be content with that or with nothing. If Christ Jesus had so rewarded us in performing the work of our redemption, and had left off before he had brought it to perfection, woeful had our condition been, it had been good we had never been borne. For if he had not thoroughly finished it, we could not have been saved. Hence it is, that in his prayer to his Father, he saith, I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. John 17. Why do we then reward him so unkindly? or what evil hath he done unto us, that we should deal so with him? As he teacheth, that we cannot serve God & Mammon: so we cannot serve God and our selves. There is no parting of stakes with him. He hateth party-coloured Christians, he will have the whole man, the whole obedience, or else he rejecteth all.

Saul performed part of his will, but because he did not all that he required, he was cast off, 1 Sam. 15. Would we have him partly to love us, and partly to hate us? partly to be pleased with us, and partly to be offended? God doth not thus divide his love and hatred. Whom he loveth, he loveth freely, wholly, effectually. He so loved us, that he spared not his own Son, but gave him for us. The like love ought we to return unto him again. Herod hearing John Baptistpreach the word, reformed himself in many things, Mar. 6. Simon Magus was baptized, and professed the faith, and continued among the people of God, and wondered at the signs and miracles that were done. But except our righteousness do exceed the righteousness of these men, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. All these are half Christians that serve God to halfs, like the Jews that spake half Hebrew, and half Ashdod: and worship God in one part, and the devil in another, like the Colony of the strange nations transplanted in Samaria, that feared the Lord, and served their graven images also; who while they would needs do both, are expressly charged not to fear the Lord, neither to do after the statutes, and ordinances, and commandments, which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. So is it with all such as yield an imperfect and unsound obedience; they think they serve God and obey his commandments, but they are greatly deceived, and they may justly be charged not to serve him at all.

For who required this half or halting obedience at their hands? Against all this maimed and mangled duty, we will oppose the practice of David, a man after God's heart, in the 119. Psalm, where he many times discovereth his zealous affection, as verses 5.6. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments. And verse 13. with my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. And verse 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep thy word. Where we see his manner of serving the Lord, how far different it is from ours: he had respect unto all his commandments, & not to some only: he refrained his feet from every evil way, & not frō some only. Let us follow his worthy & holy example, and do that which is right in the sight of the Lord, and not turn aside from anything that he commandeth us all the days of our life; so shall God's name be glorified, so shall he be well pleased with us, and so shall we have comfort, and others instruction through our obedience.

Lastly, they are also reproved, that think it enough to serve God outwardly to be seen of men, and worship him through hypocrisy, like unto them that look to the garment, but neglect the body; so do these look to the body, but neglect the soul. For as we shown before, that he who maketh no conscience of one commandment, but of purpose and custom breaketh the same, is guilty of all, because if like occasion were offered▪ he would break all the rest, James chapter 2. verse 10. So such as look only to the outside, and to turn their face toward religion, do make it manifest that there is no religion in them at all.

It is strange to see how smoothly and devoutly some will carry themselves, who notwithstanding bewray the hollowness of their hearts. These are they that make clean the outside of the cup, and of the platter: that are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness, Matthew chapter 23.25, 27. Thus it fared with Judas, he served God outwardly, and the devil possessed him inwardly. If a man could deceive the eternal God, as well as blind the eyes of a mortal man, there might be some color for this colorable worship. But God is not mocked. He that framed the heart, looketh into the heart, and searcheth into the corners and secret chambers of the heart. And albeit it be deceitful above all things, yet it cannot deceive him. There was never in any age, place for hypocrisy: but in regard of the loose and corrupt times into which we are cast, if we were but politic and worldly-wise, we would be anything, rather then hypocrites, which is to expose our selves to all infamy, contempt, and reproach. Religion among the greatest sort is made a by-word, and the religious make themselves a prey. What wisdom then is in us to lay open our selves to such indignities, obloquies, slanders, and false accusations, and in the mean season to want the inward peace of a good conscience, and true comfort of a pure heart, and that which is more then all, to want the favor of God, and his loving countenance toward us, who hateth us as his secret enemies for our hypocrisy? Hypocrites therefore are justly abhorred of God & man. They draw near to God with their mouths, but their minds are far from him, Matt. 15. Their worship is like to counterfect money, which is gilded outwardly: but within is nothing but brass, or such like base stuff, so that all is not gold that glistereth: Or like the apples which grow at the dead Sea (where sometimes. Sodom and Gomorrhah stood) which are fair in color, beautiful in show, and marvelous in greatness; but when you come to touch them, or to handle them, they turn to dust, and cast out a filthy savor, more unpleasant to the nostrils, then they were pleasant before to the eyes. Thus it is with hypocrites, they appear beautiful before men, they love to be well thought off by them, and have many times more glorious shows then other that are more sound within, because they study nothing else but how to get the applause and praise of the world. Such a one was Judas among the Apostles: Such were Ananias and Sapphira among the disciples. Let us take heed we be not like them, or if we will be like them, let us know, that as we join with them in their sin, we must also partake with them in their punishments; who died not the common death of men, but the one hanged himself, the others were smitten with sudden death at the voice of Peter, as with a thunderbolt, so that they fell down, and never rose up again. A just reward of all such as have a conscience gilt, or rather guilty of the horrible sin of hypocrisy. If a man go about to deceive his neighbor, how is he spoken against? but if he go about like a wretch to cosin his master, or his father, how do all men point at him as a varlet, and abhor him as a beast? God is our Master, our Father, our Husband, our King, all Titles of honor are due unto him, and too little for him, forasmuch as no dignity, or excellency, or superiority, can be given unto him, but his Majesty and honor surmounteth them all: shall we then go about to deceive and circumvent him, though we could carry it away cunningly, and not be espied? Know therefore, that he detesteth all such wickedness, more then man doth the deceitfulness that is practiced against himself.

The first example of hypocrisy, that we have in the Scripture, is Cain; he came to the worship of God with his brother, but because his heart was not upright, God had no respect unto him, nor to his offering, no more then if he had cut off a dogs neck, or had offered swine's flesh, but rejected both his person and his oblation. The like he speaketh to the Israelites, that pleased themselves in outward ceremonies, and turned the worship of God into a lie, Behold, ye trust in lying words that cannot profit: will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other God's whom ye know not, and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my Name, and say, We are delivered, to do all those abominations? Is this house which is called by my Name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord, &c. Where we see, we cannot deceive the eye of the Lord with a lie, he knoweth our wicked hearts, and will find us out to bring us to shame in this life, and to destruction in the life to come. We may not dally with him, we cannot deceive him: notwithstanding all our windings and turnings, and altering our selves into all shapes, he will find us out to the contempt of our persons, to the shame of our faces, and to the astonishment of all that behold us.

Secondly, seeing it is a special duty belonging [Use 2] unto us, to yield obedience to the whole will of God and to all his commandments, we have from hence a preservative from the poison that is cast out against us, as it were dung in our faces, to make us deny the faith, renounce our Religion, and start back from our most holy profession. For seeing we must perform perfect obedience, and not limited as we think good, we have direction how to serve him, that he may accept of us, and be well pleased with us. If then Satan the master of all mischief, and the author of all confusion, raise up cursed instruments, brought up as cunning scholars in his own school, to scoff at us, and to scorn at our obedience, we must comfort our selves in the Lord, and commit our selves to the word of his grace, knowing that it is God who requireth this entire obedience at our hands, and delighteth in such sacrifice as is without blemish.

Let it not trouble us that we hear such slanderous words, such false reports, and devilish lies, cast out against us: let us commit our causes to him that judgeth uprightly, who will justify us in the ende, and condemn our enemies. Let us be able to say with the Prophet▪ All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. These are the days of sin, wherein iniquity hath already gotten the upper hand, and such as are truly religious are made a proverb. God requireth of us that we be pure: but who are in greater disgrace, then such as study after purity and true holiness?

If we labor to lead our lives according to the Laws of God, we shall be upbraided with Puritanism: and as the enemies of Daniel could find no accusation against him, except they find it against him, concerning the Law of God: so do our enemies deal with us; when they can catch no advantage against us, they pick a quarrel with us about the Scriptures and our profession, as if it were a shame to read the Scriptures, or a disgrace to follow after holiness of life.

The Apostle teacheth, that we must be blameless, and pure, as the sons of God in the middes of a naughty and crooked nation, among whom we are to shine as lights in the world, Philippians chapter 2.15. And again, Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good report, think on these things. Our Savior, the author of our salvation, and the finisher of our faith, pronounceth that the pure in heart are blessed. Paul willeth his scholar Timothy to keep himself pure, and to take heed lest he make himself partaker of other men's sins. 1 Tim. 5.22. He commandeth all men to pray, everywhere lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting: and to have the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. And in the second Epistle, he chargeth him to fly the lusts of youth, and to follow after righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with them that call on the Lord with pure heart. Here we see what God requireth of us and what he speaketh unto us; this is his voice that ought to sound evermore in our ears, Be blameless, be pure, be the sons of God, in the middes of a naughty nation; blessed are the pure: have pure consciences, pure hands, pure hearts; whatsoever things are pure, and of good report think on them. True it is, there have always been hypocrites in the Church, and there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness, Pro. 30.12. What then? shall we whip their faults upon the backs of those that are of no kin unto them? For the faithful, though they have in them many frailties, and infirmities, yet are washed by the blood of Christ, and by the Spirit of God from their sins, that they have no dominion over them, and exercise no kingdom in them. Was it ever allowed in any court of Justice and judgment, to take one for another, to accuse one for another, & to condemn one for another? It is the Law of God, that every soul should bear his own sin: that neither the father should bear the iniquity of the son, nor the son of the father: that the righteousness of the righteous should be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked should be upon himself, There was one hypocrite in the family of Christ: should this tend to the reproach of Christ himself, or of the rest of the disciples? ought they to bear the blame of his iniquity? or ought all to be censured alike? or ought we to make no difference? Thus it was in the family of Adam from the beginning, he had not only faithful Abel, but faithless Cain. Thus it was in the family of Noah, before the Flood, he had as well cursed Ham, as blessed Shem. Thus it was in the family of Abraham, and of Isaac, after the Flood; and where not almost? So that we are not to condemn all for some, one for another, the godly for the hypocrites.

But if we cannot call them back from this false judgment, and rash censuring of the innocent, let us comfort our selves in the uprightness of our own own hearts; and when we cannot secure our selves from their unjust accusations, let us be careful and watchful over our ways, that we give them no just occasions. This shall be Armor of proof, and as a brazen wall, to give no offense, and to keep a clear conscience before GOD and men. If then they reproach us, and speak all manner of evil against us, let us possess our souls with patience, and let us rejoice and be glad, in as much as we are partakers of Christ's sufferings. The Spirit of glory, and of God resteth upon us. Let us not be ashamed, but glorify God in this behalf. Thus we shall make them ashamed, that falsely accuse our good conversation. It falleth out no otherwise with us, then it hath done with y ^e Saints, and dearest servants of God.

The Apostle putteth us in mind of this truth, by occasion of that fell out in Abraham's house, which then was y ^e visible Church of God, Gal. 4. As then he that was borne after the flesh, persecuted him that was borne after the spirit: even so it is now. It seemeth strange unto them, that you run not with them unto the same excess of riot, and therefore they speak evil of you, who shall give account to him that is ready to Judge the quick and the dead, 1 Pet. 4.5. But let not us think it strange to suffer for Christ's sake, who suffered much more for us, the just for the unjust, and bare our sins in his own body on the tree, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steppes. If any man therefore suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this behalf, knowing that hereunto he is called. Affliction for the Gospel is the badge of Christ, and an exceeding honor before men and Angels: so that when we are reviled, and reproached, let us not render like for like, nor be dismayed or pulled back from our profession, but go lustily forward, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. according to the exhortation of the Apostle, Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, but be partaker of the affliction of the Gospel, according to the power of God. 2. Tim. 1.8. that we may be able truly to say, I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. It is better to obey God then man: and to incur the displeasure of man, then to procure and purchase the indignation of God.

We have not yet resisted unto blood, neither have we endured the fiery trial, as many of our deer brethren and sisters have done before us.

Let us not be daunted with a word, or with big looks, and stern countenances, but rather prepare our selves for a fresh assault and new encounter, and say with the Apostle, With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment, yea, I judge not mine own self, 1 Cor. 4.3.

Lastly, considering the manner of that obedience [Use 3] which we owe, and ought to perform to God, it is our duty to endeavor to please him in all things, and to labor to obey him carefully & circumspectly in all his commandments. The nearer we come to the mark set before us, the more we please him; & the more we please him, the better we are accepted of him. The Apostle Paul had run long in this race, he had made many straight steps toward the kingdom of heaven, yet he saith, I have not already attained unto perfection, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus: this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, & reaching forth unto those things which are before. Such as come nearest to obey all the laws of their Prince, are most of all commended, and are accounted the best Subjects: such as perform all the commandments of their masters, are accounted to be the best servants: and such as execute the will of their fathers, and please them in all things, are reputed to be the best children. How then cometh it to pass, that whereas zeal is commended in everyone, in the subject toward his Prince, in the soldier toward his Captain, in the servant toward his Master, &c. such should be least commended, nay altogether discommended and disgraced, that perform most duty to GOD, and labor to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ? 2 Cor. 10, 5. It is strange to see how precise the most men are in all other things, and how loose and licentious in the matters of God, wherein notwithstanding we ought to be most conscionable. It is to be wondered at, to behold the preciseness that is in the world, in all matters, except in religion. We are very curious to have our apparel sit neatly and smoothly, that it be without spot or wrinkle: much more then ought we to be curious and careful in the discharge of our duties unto God, according to the rule of his word. In all things that concern the body, whether meat, or drink, or apparel, or our own delights, no man is ignorant how straight and strict men are. Their eyes are so quick, their ears so dainty, their taste so delicate, that if the least thing be amiss, or out of square, they are displeased and discontented: and yet these men, in things of an higher nature, and concerning a better life, run so wide, and take such liberty, that they think to please God with anything, and to make him take half stakes with them. If we have any garments made for us, and brought unto us, which have anything amiss in them, that we find them not exactly fit for us, but either too big or too little, too long or to short, to wide or too straight, we fret and fume, we chide and chafe, as men beside our selves. Oh, that there were such harts in us to please God Oh, that we would look so narrowly to our own souls. In our apparel, nothing must be out of order in matter or form, to the very skirts and borders of them: but in our lives we can be content to be out of frame, to have poor, rent, and ragged souls, and never to put upon us the rightousnesse of Jesus Christ, as the richest robes, and most precious garment. The like we require in dressing our meats, which we do in attiring of our bodies; which are ordained for the belly, and the belly for them, albeit God w • ll destroy both it and them, 1 Cor. 6, 13. The least fault is soon espied, the offenders like to be turned out of service, and we soon driven out of our little patience. Nay, in our ordinary delights and recreations, which serve only to please the ear, we see how he that is skillful in music, cannot abide the least jar and discord, if he espy one finger set out of order, or hear the missing of one minim rest, how impatient is he? how much discontented? how doth he testify his dislike with hand and foot? But touching the leading of our lives and the ordering of our actions, whereupon dependeth the everlasting salvation or damnation of our souls, though there be a thousand jars, and ten thousand discords in them, we think the harmony good enough, and all things to be in tune. This use that now we urge, hath many branches, as furtherances of purity and perfection in us.

First, we must labor to have pure and upright hearts, which giveth life to all our actions, and is much accepted of God. It is the counsel of the wise man, Prov. 4. Keep thy heart with all diligence: for out of it are the issues of life: and chap. 23. My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. It is as the wheel of the clock, that moveth all the rest: it is the root that giveth life to the boughs and branches, and maketh the Tree yield his fruit. It is the fountain that sendeth forth sweet or bitter waters. Heerevpon the Apostle exhorteth, Heb. 3. Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. A pure heart is the scourge of hypocrisy, and as a strong hammer that serveth to break it in pieces. This is first to be looked unto; reform it, and thou art all clean. It is the direction that Christ giveth unto us, Math. 23. Cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. It is a vain thing to be clean without, & unclean within: to have the outward man appear fair and smooth; and the heart to be foul and filthy. Such then as begin not at the heart, begin at the wrong end. They take long and needless pains, that think to stop the streams, while they let the spring alone. The heart in the body is the member that first hath life in it: so is it in the spiritual life. Hence it is, that the Scripture commendeth unto us the simplicity of the heart, Eph. 6, 5. Col. 3, 21 the circumcision of the heart, Rom. 2, 29: the meditation of the heart, Psal. 19, 15: the uprightness of the heart, 1 Kings 3, 6: a wise & an understanding heart, 1 Kings 3, 9: a perfect heart, 2 Kings 20, 3. 1 Chron. 28, 9: a faithful heart, Nehem. 9, 8: an upright heart, Psal. 11, 2: a pure heart, Psal. 24, 4. Math. 5: a prepared and fixed heart, Psal. 57, 7, and 108, 1, and 112, 7: an honest and good heart, Luc. 8, 15: joyfulness and gladness of heart, Deut. 28, 47; a broken and a contrite heart, Psal. 51, 17: a tender heart, 2 Chron. 34, 24: an heart of flesh, Ezek. 11, 19: a new heart and new spirit, Ezek. 18, 31, and 33, 26: a purified heart, Acts 15, 9: an enlarged heart, 2 Cor. 6, 11: the good treasure of the heart, Luc. 6, 45: and a true heart, Heb. 10, 22. These and many such like testimonies, teach us to begin our repentance from dead works and reformation of life at the heart, & that until we set our hearts and our souls to seek the Lord, we dally with God, and never seriously set upon that work.

Secondly, we must be free from any purpose to live in any known sin, and must be inclined to everything that is good, so that we should be able to say with Paul, 1 Cor. 4, 4. I know nothing by myself, yet I am not hereby justified, but he that judgeth me is the Lord. The Apostle knew nothing for which he should condemn himself. Hence it is, that the Prophet saith, Psal. 119. I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the end. And a little before he saith in the same Psalm, I have sworn and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. So ought all the faithful to bind themselves by a solemn vow and promise to stir up their zeal, and kindle their affections to all good duties. It is recorded to the perpetual praise & commendation of Asa, that he moved the people of Judah and Benjamin to enter into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul, That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman: And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with Trumpets, and with Cornets: And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire, and he was found of them, and the Lord gave them rest round about, 2 Chron. 15. Happy are they that set before them this example, as a pattern and president unto them, to resolve fully with themselves to cast from them all sin as a filthy clothe, and to settle their hearts to seek the Lord, and to hate with an unfeigned hatred, whatsoever may be any hindrance or impediment unto them.

Thirdly, we must all take notice of our own wants and imperfections, and earnestly bewail them and mourn for them. It is a degree toward perfection, to acknowledge & confess our imperfections, and to be grieved for them. For no man can have a feeling of infirmities, but by the work of God's sanctifying Spirit. It is a grace of God to know the want of grace. The ungodly are not acquainted with it, they think themselves full, they hunger and thirst after carnal things, but never after spiritual and heavenly things. The blessed Virgin in her song showeth, that He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away, Luc, 1, 53. There is a perfection in God's children accompanied with much imperfection, and strength mingled with much weakness, Phil. 3, 15. So that albeit the faithful find their own infirmities, yet they do not please themselves in thē, but continually strive against them, and more and more get the upper hand of them.

Fourthly, we must make conscience of the least sin, that we may be afraid of the greatest. When David had cut off the lap of Saul's garment, his heart smote him, 1 Sam. 24, 5. How could he be induced to shed one drop of his blood, that confessed he ought not to have touched the lap of his garment? The Apostle requireth of us to abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thess. 5, 22. If we cast out the mote that is in our eyes, we cannot suffer a beam to stick in them. If we would learn indeed and in truth to strain at a gnat, we should not so easily swallow a Camel. The wages of all sin is death, and therefore we should fear to run into any sin. Pull out the sting of this serpent in the beginning. Cure this sickness at the first, lest it grow incurable. Cut down the tree while it is young and green; one stroke now will do more good, then an hundred when it is grown old, and tough, and hard. The labor is little at the beginning, but custom in sinning, groweth into another nature.

Fifthly, we must grow ftom good to better. We must not always be babes and sucklings, children and weaklings, but evermore grow in grace. There is a perfection of Christians to which we must be led, as Heb. 6, 1: where he moveth them, that leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, they should go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. Not that any perfection can be attained in this life, as the Anabaptists and other fantastical persons dream off most falsely, not knowing themselves nor the law of God: but we must aim at it as at a mark, and make it the end of all our works, forasmuch as in the School of Christ we must wax old, evermore learning somewhat. God accounteth us as pure, & accepteth us as pure (albeit we attain not unto the parts of perfect purity,) for these causes and considerations of apprehension, regeneration, imputation, and glorification. For though we be sanctified in part, yet Christ calleth the Church his Love, all fair, pure as the Sun, clear as the Moon, bright as the Morning; because we lay hold on the righteousness of Christ by faith, the work of regeneration is begun in everyone of us, and goeth forward by degrees; the perfect purity and perfection of Christ is ours for the present, in whom we are accounted pure: and for the time to come, we have the promise of glorification, when we shall be without spot or wrinkle, and made so absolutely pure, as if we had never been defiled with sin.

Lastly, it is our duty to pray unto God to give us upright hearts, which in themselves are crooked and corrupt. The Apostle in the shutting up of the Epistle to the Hebrews, prayeth for them, that God would make them perfect in every good work to do his will, working in them that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. That which we desire for another, we ought much more to crave and ask for our selves. Hence it is, that the Apostle assureth his own heart, that the LORD would deliver him from every evil work, and preserve him unto his heavenly Kingdom, 2. Tim. 4, 18. If this means be diligently practiced of us, we shall grow more and more in good things, we shall abolish the kingdom of sin and Satan in us, so that the Lord which hath begun his good work in us, will perfect the same unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

CHAP. III.