haue forgotten Charity They say We sette Fayth at our owne Tables but thrust Charity out to dine with our Seruants These are the scandalous clamours of their inuincible ignorance who as many of the Iewes Christ follow the Ghospell onely for their bellies they consider not in whose hands Abbeys and Monasteries and the best Parsonages are He was a friend to vs that told the Begger beating hard at the Vicars doore for releife he knocked at the wrong doore heere dwells quoth he the Spawne but yonder the Pickerell The Pope and his Heires haue got all wee haue not the tenth of the tenth the very interest left yet they claime as much of vs as of them that haue the principall Well our reward is in Heauen let vs giue them what Influence we can and hauing fedde their soules spare also some reliefe to their bodyes 2. Lighte This the second effect to enlighten them the substance and nature of a Starre hath alreadie taught vs this dutie I will sparingly vrge it Wee illuminate them by speach by conuersation Our Doctrine is the Light Life the Lanthorne if wee carry the Light without the Lanthorne the winde of Malice will striue to blow it out Hee went not farre from this allegorie that prescribed a Ministers dutie Tonare voce fulminare vita our words thunder our liues lightning If we be lightfull in preaching darksome in liuing we doe as it were propound our Doctrines as impossible to be kept If we haue knowing Mindes and dissolute Affections it may be sayd of vs as of that stigmaticke Romane Emperour Galba who was both deformed and witty that a good Instrument is put in an euill Case If we liue well and say nothing we haue an Orbe and seeme Starres but are none for God sure neuer placed Starre in the Firmament that giues no light Whether they be idle or vnable like Aesop's Henne too fatte to lay they are but a burden to our Orbe a disgrace to our Church onely doe thou take heed thy Starre not shining so bright as others least thy Cloudes darken it The peoples sinnes are not seldome the cause of the Prophets darknesse to himselfe be his owne negligence He standes or falles to his owne Maister Perhaps there is yet more in it then so God hath his speciall worke in all euentes it may be in thy Ministers insufficiencie thy sinne is plagued and God strikes thee through him This is no light though insensible stroke thou hast slighted his sacred and maiesticall Word behold as to a Swine vnworthy of this Pearle he denies withholds it The Prophet is a foole the spirituall man is madde for the multitude of thine iniquitie Goe then and bewaile thy sinnes and Pray that the doare of vtterance may be opened to him least whiles he shines not thou perish in darknesse 3. Delight The Starres are the grace of the Skie so are Ministers of the Church when they all moue in peace and vnitie Ordine quisque suo euery one in his owne order We often see the Starres their contemplation their benefite is neuer tedious no more is the societie of Ministers to them that desire to read in those Bookes the constellations of Heauen the mysteries of Saluation and to know how to gouerne their soules and their bodyes God gaue man an vpright Countenaunce directing his Minde togeather with his Lookes to the Starres Erectos ad sydera tollere vultus Looke on them which walke like vs sayth S. Paul not as some Star-gasers that stare on vs onely to intrap vs to whom we reply as Diogenes did to him that so subtilly disputed of the Starres How long is it since you came downe from Heauen Let them beware a successe like Thales who gaz'd so long at the Starres aboue him that he fell into the Ditch below him If then you looke on vs keepe the Creeples intent at the Beautifull gate of the Temple Giue heede to vs trusting to receiue some thing of vs and then though Siluer and Gold we haue none yet what we â—aâ—e we giue you in the name and by the vertue of Jesus Christ of Nazareth better thinges are deriued from vs. Fables and toyes content vs with a transient glaunce videtur Fabula qua posci vult et spectata reponi A Fable requires no more but to be seene and then throwne by But heere Non satiatur oculuâ— visu the eyes are not satisfied with seeing such ioy is the Minister to the good mans soule that he could be content to haue him euer in his sight You haue heard how we are called Starres I would direct the Application of this to 3. sortes of people Patrons Laitie Ministers 1. To speake much of Patrons you will hold it friuolous they heare not being absent neither would they beleeue being present But let not sinne be balked though it be not by to answere for it selfe Many of them care not whom they present if his Purse can speake learnedly though his tongue ignorantly Ignorance Superstition and Symonie were once proper to the Romish Sea I know not what infortunate wind hath blowne the last into our Land and defiled the pure professours of Reformation But you will say there is no Simony wherein the Minister is not one partie It is too true woe to vs the whiles I meane not onely the woe of miserie fatally forced on vs by these euill dayes but the woe of Iudgement which we voluntarily call on vs by this wickednesse I will not speake to excuse vs a tâ—to sed a tanto durum telum necessitas You that are the Donors haue the thinges consecrated to Pietie and Fayth committed to you vpon trust and you haue sworne it a law in your boosomes which you more strictly obserue then the law of your maker that we shall buy them at your handes or goe without them Christ threw out of the Temple not onely the buyers but let me say rather the sellers And though the Law of the Land makes you not Pares â—oeâ—a equall with vs in the punishment yet the Law of Heauen shall find you Pares culpa in equall fault I thinke I might boldly say vnder correction you are in the greater damnation as it had been more heynous in S. Peter to exact money of Magus then in Magus to offer it the reason is impregnable you sinne through a voluntary couetousnesse we through extreame necessity being constrained eyther to beg with our families or study euasions for so strict and religeous a law If wee therefore be condemned as Simonists your easiest censure is to be esteemed Infidels Mee thinkes I heare them reply There is enough left to satisfie all if there might be an equall diuision but some haue all some nothing To whom I will not answere since that graue Father hath for mee Thus their Fathers haue playd the Theeues and they come to compound the matter If we speake of this
HEAVEN and EARTH Reconcil'd A Sermon preached at Saint Paules Church in Bedford October 3. 1612. At the visitation of the right Wor. M. Eland Archdeacon of Bedford By Tho. Adams Minister of the Gospell at Willington 1. Corinth 5.19 For God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation LONDON Printed by W.W. for Clement Knight and are to be sold at his Shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the holy Lambe 1613. To the right Honourable Lord HENRY Earle of Kent Lord of Hastinge Weisford and Ruthyn RIGHT HONORABLE I Know not vnder whose winges I might better shelter an Apologie for the Ministrie then vnder your Honours who haue euer liued a ready Patron to defend vs from the oppositions and wronges of our Aduersaries making them no friendes to your selfe that are enimies to the Gospell wherein you haue procured some blessed trouble to your selfe by frequent complaintes deserued great loue of your Countrey and secured your Soule of an eternall recompence Let it be your prayse happinesse comfort that you haue not onely not liued in opposition to the Trueth as our refractary Papistes nor in the luke-warme Neutrallitie of this age that conceiues a mixt Religion compounded of Syon's and Babilon's nor thought it enough to countenaunce Preachers as some that would make God beholding to them for their lookes but you haue stoode to seconded succoured and which is yet a higher testimony relieued many a distressed Seruant of the Lord not with Micha's wages or pittances of Charitie but with ample Rewardes worthy your Honour's bountie to giue and their necessitie to receiue Let all these true and happy reasons plead for and somewhat iustifie my ambition that haue dared to looke so high for Patronage at your Honour Worthier Pennes haue contented themselues with meaner Protections It is not the excellencie of the worke but the Noblenesse of your disposition that incourageth me who am thence prompted not to feare your acceptation You that haue been sâ— generâ—llâ— Shadow of Refreshing to Ministers take from me all cause to distrust your fauour specially in the countenauncing of that written which you haue euer actually and really furthered Proceede most honoured Lord to affect the Trueth yet more zelously by your helpe to support it by your fauour to protect it so shall you make blessed vse of that Honour God hath heere inuested you withall and interest your selfe to the honour of Heauen and whiles Nobilitie without Religion dyes in infancie and is buried in the graue of Obliuion your Noble zeale or zealous Noblenesse shall liue heere to your Makers glory and the Churches comfort and hereafter leaue behind it a neuer-decaying monument of Honour which if the ingratitude of men should forget shall neuer passe the hand of God vnrewarded with glory This Booke salutes your Honour with the New yeare may they both giue you happie content The God of mercies multiply his fauours and graces on you and make your Cuppe to runne ouer with his blessinges Your Honour 's humbly deuoted Tho. Adams Heauen and Earth Reconcil'd Dan. 12.3 They that turne many to Righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer THese words are prophetically spoken and turne ouer to vs a golden Leafe whose Incke is Nectar and the Pen from the winges of Angels I meane the matter expressed is wholly Celestiall Quis sit finis iustorum et iustificantium iustos What shall be the end of the Righteous and of them that make them so Porta patet caelâ—-procul Oh procul este profanâ— I must in some sort open you the euerlasting Dores shew you the King of glory and your glory in him Let a holy reuerence possesse your soules say with Jacob the place is fearful none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heauen Suppose that great Prince set on his Throne of vniuersall Iudgement vpon all Creatures that haue borne the image of God summoned before him hauing past an irreuocable sentence will you heare what shall become of the lust Open your intellectuall sanctified eyes able with Steuen to pierce through the curl'd Cloudes and with meditations râ—p't to the third Heauens behold them as heere described The Wee shall shine as the brightnes of the Firmament and they that turne many to Righteousnes shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer A loftie metaphor when the lowest part of it is not lesse high then the Firmament then the Starres Iust men shall paralell the brightnesse of the azure Skie and Ministers shall shine as Starres in it nay they shall transcend both in glory Wee shall then see the Firmament and Starres as farre below vs as now our humbled mortalitie thinkes them aboue vs and could they shine as bright as euer their creation left them the Righteous shall out-shine them for They shall be fashioned to the glorious body of Christ. The wordes may be distinguished In opus et mercedem into the Worke and the Wages Heere is Earth and Heauen in this text our Way and our Countrey dishonour and honour trouble peace Our Earth Way Trouble goes thus farre They that turne many to Righteousnesse Our Heauen Countrey Peace followes Shall shine at the Starres for euer and euer 1 We Ministers on earth are not vnfitly compared to logicall copulatiues that must ioyne togeather a Subiect and a Predicate 1. The Subiect we worke on is Men Many Men. 2. The Predicate we worke them to is Righteousnesse 3. Ministers are the Copulatiues that vnite these Conuertentes that make Men and Righteousnesse friendes which neuer naturally and heartily loued one another since that Apple set our first Parents teeth on edge 2. Our Heauen followes and there is nothing but ioy in it 1. Wee shall shine No more be counted the Drosse and off-scouring of the world as Paul sayes No more be like low Hedges which euery Nimrod hunter persecutor treades downe for his sport No more be like reiected and vnthought of things which the eye of scorne lookes ouer Wee shall stand where we shall be seene Wee shall shine 2. Not meanely and with a glimmering light but as Starres reserued to the Sonne of righteousnesse his greater and chiefe glory we shall shine as Starres 3. This for euer not like Meteors whiles a grosse spuncie squallid substaunce lastes Nor like Stella cadentâ— falling Starres which seeme fixed in some Spheare but are not as S. Iohn sayth They went out from vs for they were not of vs But without passing the Horizon of glory without obscuring without interposition of any Cloudes Wee shall shine for euer and euer This is our Heauen but I must keepe you on Earth awhile though you long more for the other place THE SVBIECT The Subiect we must exercise our skill on are Men temper'd of the same mould hauing a soule inspired from the breath of the same God as
Fame then affection of Trueth 2. Are there none that mould their Sermons with Court dough Flatterie Cushion Chaplaines that carry their Mistresses Fannes to keepe the heate of Reproofe from their painted faces that cry it is either cold or hot as their Patron listes to feele it Si prâ—nderet olus patienter regibus vti Nâ—llet Aristippâ—s si scirâ—t regibus vti Fastidirâ—t olus c. They get more by flattery theâ— iust men by their impartiall censures But it was Aristotleâ— amicus Platâ— amicus Socrates mâ—gis 〈…〉 Thy Patron is thy Friend and the chiefe man of thy Parish is thy Friend Trueth is thy Friend aboue all 3. Are there none that leape out of the troubles of the world into the peace of the Church onely to be fedde at the Altar and liue idle That intertained to build vp Gods House and once sure of his pay lay downe their tooles and fall to play 4. Are there none that make a Vertue of necessitie and when all trades fayle turne Priestes making that their last refuge that should be their best This is a ranke custome among the Papistes but I hope it hath not gotten ouer our Seas Oh how vile is it and an argument of a desperate minde when Diuinitie is made but a shift If to digge they are too lazie to begge ashamed to steale afrayde to cheate want witte and to liue meanes then thrust in for a roome in the Church and once crope in at the window make haste to sharke out a liuing nay and perhaps she apace with the winges of golden Ignoraunce into Patrons Bookes and Presentations to good Beneficer when Learning is so ill hors'd riding vpon Penurie that the Benefice is gone ere he comes no matter how poore the stocke of Learning be so the stocke of Money hold out to the Patrons content Somtimes such Beggars are made Priestes when good Priestes are made Beggars 5. Are there none sicke of the Pearle in the eye a shrewd disease and no lesse common whose soules are taken vp by Mammons commission as Demas that gaue Religion the Bagge when the World offered him the Purse and vowed to serue Christ no longer for nothing I haue shewed you many oblique indirect and sinister endes but among all this carryes it for custome for hatefulnesse Proh pudor that euer a Minister should be couetous as if we had lost all our former time and were now to recouer it with a preposterous emulation of the hungriest Worldlings How should we reclaime others from the World that cleaue to it our selues They must needes thinke wee haue a broder way to Heauen then we teach others It is obseruable that the Creatures neerest to the Earth are most greedy to accumulate What Creatures store vp such heapes of prouision as the Ant But the Birds of the Ayre that flye next Heâ—uen Neither sow nor reape nor carry into the Barne sayth our Sauiour Wee are next to Heauen in profession let vs hate to be farthest off in conuersation These are all vnblest and pernicious endes and whereof I trust no soule is heere guiltie I confidently vse the wordes of Paul I haue perswaded my selfe better thinges of 〈◊〉 and such as accompany saluation though I thus speake I hope the least Feather can brush these dustes from our Conscience Let not Fame Flatterie Ease Necessitie Couetousnesse taske our endeauours to this holy worke we are then but Adulterantes verbum such as adulterate Gods word as the Fornicator makes Lust his end not Generation so such a Minister intendes not to beget soules to God but Fame or Gaine to himselfe If we doe thus the worst is our owne Whiles some preach Christ of strife some of goodwill yet so long aâ— Christ is preached I doe ioy and will ioy therein It shall be the best for vs that our intentes sympathize with Gods his Ordinaunce with our Perfourâ—ance to turne soules to Righteousnesse COPVLATIVES This for the Praedicate The persons whom God hath deputed to attone these two contrary natures sinfull men and Righteousnesse are the Ministers there is no weake contention betweene these and the labour is hard to reconcile them To vs is committed this ministery of reconciliation God hath honored vs to tye this â—notte though it be indeed Dignus vindice nodus a sacramentall bond for the hand of the most high God to perfect yet he vouchsafes this honour to vs as his instrumentes that we in his name and power shall tye a double knot on Earth a temporall knot of the husband to the wife which none but the Minister may doe a Spirituall and eternall knot of the beleeuing soule to her husband Christ I haue prepared you for one Husband to present you a pure Virgin to Christ Hee hath designed vs to turne men to Righteousnesse Is this possible Est Deus in vobis c. God is in you if you can doe this no power rules constraines conuertes the heart of man but God onely I say againe thus is God pleased to honour vs that we shall be said to conuert sinners Hee that conuerteth a sinner from going astray shall saue a soule from death and hide a multitude of siâ—nes And Paul thus chargeth Timothy Continue in learning for in doing this thou shalt saue thy selfe and them that heare thee Yet absit farre be it from vs to thinke or any superstitious soule to ascribe it to vs that by our owne arme we haue gotten this victorie If the Psalmist denyes power to any of rescuing his brothers body from the Graue he much more excludes thy redemption of his soule This then is true when the externall voyce of man and internall operation of the spirit shall iumpe togeather then John Baptist shall turne heartes then the Priest shall make thy soule cleane When the agent of Heauen and instrument of Earth doe concurre or are comprehensiuely taken but when they be either compared in opposing or opposed in comparing then all is in God then Paul can but plant and Apollos water God giues the increase Then Iohn Baptist poures on Water and Christ baptiseth with the holy Ghost and with Fire Will you heare them vnited God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe and hath committed to vs the ministrie of reconciliation else there is no power in my perishable voyce to affect your conscience Breake away this Analogie and virtuall association of the spirit from our preaching and you depart from the Temple with as foule heartes as euer you came thither No beloued lift vp your eyes higher then the Pulpit and know he dwelles in Heauen that pierceth the Conscience Behold I stand at the dore and knocke c. I sayes the Sonne of the eternall God It is he that cleares the eye vndeaffes the eare vnlockes the heart and shakes the inmost powers of the soule as the Thunder shakes the Wildernesse Were we all Boâ—nerges the Sonnes of