erf.2,3. the .Epiftle to the Romans. Dotlrine. Reafon. Dottrine. Realm. 423 or k.nowye not,)as who fhould fay,you may know malice and obftinacy of the _Imes, as it,you ought nor to be ignorant of it? being lorry for it, and grieving at. it : S 1 L. It commends to us the deli- not praying for revenge again£{ them: gent knowledge of facred ffohy, that for is was the office of the Prophet to with all care and endevour, we leek to make requeft for, and not again£] the have it familiar unto us; becaufe it is a fhame for a Chriflian to be ignorant of Gods word, r Cor. is. 3 4. to be a mem- ber of the Church, and not to know the flrength of Gods Church, ( both as it was before and lince Chrifl) it is as if an Englifhman fhould be ignorant of the fafhions and cuflomes ofEngland. Allo our knowledge ferveth much to dire& our mindes in doubtful! cafes, and help others which are perplexed; therefore in any wife be fludious fearchers, and wife obfervers, and careful] rememberers of holy Scriptures. T t M . What meaneth this [of Eli- as? ] S I L. That is [touching Elias ] or in the flory of Eliat. T 1 M. What doth this teach ne, that the Scripture [raieth or fpeaketh ?] S r L. That the Scripture is not mute or dumbe, becaufe it is the Word, Voyce, and Speech of God ; who were he to fpeak in his owne perfon, he would ufe no other words or voyce, than that we finde in the Scriptures. Wherefore the Jefuites have fmall rea- fon to refufe the Scriptures to be a Judge of Controverfies, upon pretence that it cannot fpeake and give fentence like a Judge; for the Scripture doth fpeake, it is no dumbe letter, for God fpeakes by it, therefore it is as a fit Judge. T r M.What is meant by Elias his making interceßon or requeff againff Brae! ? S 1 L. The fame word is here which is ufed,Rom. 8.24i'26. but it loath not the fame liignifcation : for being fpo- en of the Spirit, verfe 26. it lignifies to flirre up, or caufe us to make requeft, but being affirmed of Chrifl, it fignifíes the perpetuall merit and vertue of his Patton, entreating and pleading with God for favour towards the cleft when they finne of infirmity. But now it no- teth out the complaint which Elias made to God, to whom he accufed the people, as did Mojes, Exodus 32. and Sam. 12. 23. God torbid that I fhould ceafe to pray for you, unleffe in certain cafes, where the people were defperate, fo as there is left no hope of remedy, and the Prophets were {Hued up of God to with their deft'u &ion, whereof we have many examples in the Pralines of David. T r M. Whatinfiruttions arife from this complaint of Elias? s r L. That the people ought to take heed how they over - grieve the Pafiors with their flubborneffe in crrours or finnes : for this will caufe them with forrow to powre out their complaines to God, who will regard the lighes of his fèrvants: he who heares the cries of the poore, will hear his Miniflers cries. Again, the Apolile giveth an elpeciall warning touching this matter, Heb.13. 17. to make the Minifters doe their office with heavineffe, is unprofitable, nay , pernicious and hurtful] to the people. T 1 M.t hatwasitthatgaveEliasacca/i- on of this complaint? S I L. The killing of the Priefls of Baal, at the dire&ion of Elias, fo kind- led Jewabels rage,as (he threatned to flay Elias, who therefore fled and hid him - felfe in a dennein the Mountaine Ho- reb ; where God finding him, and ex- poflulating with him, he bunt out into this molt grievous complaint, a Kings 19. 14. T r M. Of how many fins doth Elias accufe Ifrael in this complaint? S r L. Offoure: Firfl, of cruelty to- ward the Prophets, [They have killed thy Prophets.] Secondly, of impiety to- wards God , [ They digged dwwne his Alters,] that is, they corrupted his true worfhip, and let np Idolatry in fkead of it. Thirdly, of the paucity or fewnefle of fome worfhippers, which he thought to have retied in himfelfe alone , [And I am left alone.] Laftly of tyranny to- 0 o wards DoE7r ine. Reafon.
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