error and retracting it that you may build better then let it lie on still till a sorer fire catch it Better for any of us all whether in respect of our errours or sins to prevent the Lords judging of us by timely judging our selves than to slack the time till his judgment overtake us 27. The Second Use should be an Admonition to all my Brethren of the Ministry for the time to come and that in the Apostles words 1 Cor. 3. 10. Let every man take heed what he buildeth St. Paul himself was very careful this way not to deliver any thing to the People but what he had received from the Lord. The Prophets of the Lord still delivered their Messages with this Preface Haec dicit Dominus Yea that wretched Balaam though a false Prophet and covetous enough professed yet that if Balak would give him his house full of Silver and Gold he neither durst nor would go beyond the word of the Lord to do less or more There is a great proneness in us all to Idolize our own inventions Besides much Ignorance Hypocrisie and Partiality any of which may byass us awry Our Educations may lay such early anticipations upon our judgments or our Teachers or the Books we read or the Society we converse withal may leave such impressions therein as may fill them with prejudice not easily to be removed The golden mean is a hard thing to hit upon almost in any thing without some warping toward one of the extremes either on the right hand or on the left and without a great deal of wisdom and care seldom shall we seek to shun one extreme and not run a little too far towards the other if not quite into it In all which and sundry other respects we may soon fall into gross mistakes and errors if we do not take the more heed whilst we suspect no such thing by our selves but verily believe that all we do is out of pure zeal for Gods Glory and the love of his truth We had need of all the piety and learning and discretion and pains and prayers we have and all little enough without Gods blessing too yea and our own greater care too to keep us from running into Errors and from teaching for doctrines the commandments of men 28. The Third Use should be for Admonition also to all the people of God that they be not hasty to believe every Spirit but to try the Spirits especially when they see the spirits to disagree and clash one with another or find otherwise just cause of suspicion and that as the Beraeans did by the Scriptures Using withal all good subsidiary helps for the better understanding thereof especially those two as the principal the Rule of Right Reason and the known constant judgment and practice of the Universal Church That so they may fan away the Chaff from the Wheat and letting go the refuse hold fast that which is good To this end every man should especially beware that he do not suffer himself to be carried away with names nor to have any mans person either in hatred or admiration but embrace what is consonant to truth and reason though Iudas himself should preach it and reject what even an Angel from Heaven should teach if he have no other reason to induce him to believe it than that he teacheth it 29. The Fourth Use should be for Exhortation to the learneder sort of my Brethren to shew their faithfulness duty and true hearty affection to God and his Truth and Church by maintaining the simplicity of the Christian Faith and asserting the Doctrine of Christian Liberty against all corrupt mixtures of mens inventions and against all unlawful impositions of mens Commandments in any kind whatsoever If other men be zealous to set up their own errors shall we be remiss to hold up Gods Truth God having deposited it with us and committed it to our special trust how shall we be able to answer it to God and the World if we suffer it to be stollen out of the hearts of our people by our silence or neglect Like enough you shall incurr blame and censure enough for so doing as if you sought but your selves in it by seeking to please those that are in authority in hope to get preferment thereby But let none of these things discourage you if you shall not be able by the grace of God in some measure to despise the censures of rash and uncharitable men so long as you can approve your hearts and actions in the sight of God and to break through if need be far greater tryals and discouragements than these you are not worthy to be called the servants of Christ. 30. The last Use should be an humble Supplication to those that have in their hands the ordering of the great affairs of Church and State that they would in their goodness and wisdoms make some speedy and effectual provision to repress the exorbitant licenciousness of these times in Printing and Preaching every man what he list to the great dishonour of God scandal of the Reformed Religion fomenting of Superstition and Error and disturbance of the peace both of Church and Common-wealth Lest if way be still given thereunto those evil Spirits that this late connivence hath raised grow so fierce within a while that it will trouble all the power and wisdom of the Kingdom to conjure them handsomly down again But certainly since we find by late experience what wildness in some of the Lay-people what petulancy in some of the inferior Clergy what insolency in some both of the Laity and Clergy our Land is grown into since the reins of the Ecclesiastical Government have lain a little slack we cannot but see what need we have to desire and pray that the Ecclesiastical Government and Power may be timely setled in some such moderate and effectual way as that it may not be either too much abused by them that are to exercise it nor too much despised by those that must live under it In the mean time so long as things hang thus loose and unsetled I know not better how to represent unto you the present face of the times in some respects than in the words of the Prophet Ieremy The Prophets prophesie lies and the Priests get power into their hands by their means and my people love to have it so And what will you do in the end thereof 31. What the end of these insolencies will be God alone knoweth The increase of Profaneness Riot Oppression and all manner of wickedness on the one side and the growth of Error Novelty and Superstition on the other side are no good signs onward The Lord of his great mercy grant a better end thereunto than either these beginnings or proceedings hitherto portend or our sins deserve And the same Lord of his infinite goodness vouchsafe to dispel from us by the light of his Holy Spirit all blindness and hardness of
Divin nomin 2. b Marlorat in Enchirid. 3. c Acts. 15. 9. d Joh. 1. 12. Galat. 4. 26. e Rom. 3. 28. 5. 1. f Hab. 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. g Rom. 15. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 8. h Rom. 5. 1. i Acts 16. 34. Ephes. 1. 8. k Si quis dixerit opera omnia quae ante justificationem fiunt verè esse peccata Anathema sit Con. Trident. Sess. 6. Can. 7. 4. 5. 1. 2. l Though S. August sometimes applyeth it also to prove that all the actions of infidels meaning c be sin Rhem. annot in Loc. m Et omne quod non est ex fide peccatum est ut sc. intelligat justitiam infidelium non esse justitiam quia sordet natura sine gratia Prosper in Epist ad Rufin Vid. etiam eundem contra Collat. n Extra Ecclesiam Catholicam nihil est integrum nihil castum dicente Apostolo Omne quod non c. Leo serm 2. de jejun Penitent 6. o T. C. l. 1. p. 59 c. apud Hooker lib. 2. p Rom. 10. 17. q T. C. l. p. 27. apud Hooker lib. 2. Sect. 4. 7. r Job 13. 7. 8. s I say that the Word of God containeth whatsoever things can fall into any part of mans life T. C. lib. 1. p. 20. apud Hooker lib. 2. §. 1. 9. t Rom. 4. 15. u Rom. 2. 15. x Rom. 2. 15. y Tertul. de coron milit cap. 4. 10. 1. 2. 3. z Matth. 7. 12. a 1 Cor. 14. 40. II. 12. b Ver. 4 10 13. 13. c verse 3. 14. * It is indeed fully handled by M Hooker in his second book of Eccles Policy but few men of that party will read his works though written with singular learning wisdom godliness and moderation d Pet. Blesens Epist. 131. e Delicata satis imo nimis molesta est ista obedientia c. Bern. de praecept dispens f Infirmae prorsus voluntatis indicium est statuta seniorum studiosiùs discutere haerere ad singulae quae injunguntur exigere de quibusque rationem male suspicari de omni praecepto cujus causa latuerit nec unquam libenter ordire nisi c Bern. Ibid. 15. g Esay 40. 1 2. h Esay 61. 1 3. i Rom. 8. 15. k 1 Tim. 1. 7. l Psal. 45. 7. m Psal. 30. 11. 16. n See Articles of the Church of England Artic. 6. 17. o Himing in Rom. 14. 1. p Piscat Ibid. q Joh. 3. 36. Acts 14. 1 2. r Hic Verse 2. 2. s Verse 14. 3. t Verse 22. 4. u Verse 23. 18. 19. 1. x Respectus non mutant naturam y Opinio nostra nobis legem facit Ambr. de Paradis 2. z Joh. 16. 2. a Acts 26. 9. b 1 Tim. 1. 13. c Acts 23. 3 4. Phil. 3. 6. 3. 20. 1. 2. 3. Ubi est suspicio ibi discussiâ— necessaria Bernard Ep. 7. d Ratio in rebus manifestis non inquirit sed statim judicat Aquin. 1 2. qu. 14. 4. ad 2. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arist. 1. Mag. Moral 18. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. 2. Eth. 5. 21. g Verse 5. hic plene certus sit Heming h Quasi plenis velis feratur Piscat in Schol. ad Rom. 14. 5. i Luke 9. 50. k 1 Cor. 14. 40. l 1 Tim. 4. 4. m Tit. 1. 15. n Rom. 14. 14. o 1 Cor. 6. 12. 22. p Herodot in Clio Senec. 3. De Ira 21. 23. q Qui agit contra conscientiam qua credit Deum aliquid prohibuisse licet erret contemnit Deum Bonavent 2. sent dist 39. r Menand s Pres. Satyr 5. t Jam. 4. 17. u Quod sit contra conscientiam aedificat ad gehennam c. 28. qu. 1. Omnes Sect. ex his x Rom. 14. 22. y Dan. 3. 16 18. z c. 11. qu. 3. Qui resistet ex Augustino 24. 25. a animo nunc huc nunc fluctuat illuc Virg. Aeneid 10. b Jam. 1. 8. 1. c Ibid. d Eph. 4. 14. 2. 3. 4. 26. 1. 2. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. 3. Ethic 4. 3. f 1 Cor. 7. 36. g Non tibi imputabitur ad culpam quod invitus ignoras Aug. de nat grat 27. h Nil faciendum de quo dubites sit necne rectè factum Cic l. 1. de offic 28. h Is damnum dat qui jubet dare ejus ver ê° nulla culpa est cui parere necesse sit L. 169. F. de div Reg. jur i Bernard â—e praecept dis-pens l Rom. 13. 1. 1 Peâ— 2. 13. 29. m Rom. 15. 6. n Isidor o Dubius incertus quasi duarum viarum Isid. 10. Etym. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p Plus est standum praecepto praelati quà m conscientiae Bonav 2. â—sen distinct 39. 30. q Gregor 31. 32. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solon apud Stob. Serm. 3. 33. 1. 2. 3. 34. Luk. 12. 1 Matth. 16. 12. 1 Cor. 5. 8. Percuâ—it illos atrociore recriminatione Eras. in Paraph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. Hom. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. ibid. Isa. 29. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 26. 5. Luk. 16. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4. 2. 1 Thes. 5. 21. 1 Joh. 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Mark 10. 19. Luk. 18. 10. Jer. 45. 6. Jer. 35. 18 19. Abridgm Linc. p. 44. Per appositionem Eras. Bez. Jer. 23. 28. 1 Cor. 3. 12 15. Gal. 1. 8. 2 Joh. 10. Mat. 15. 12. 1 Cor. 3. 12. 15. Andradus Multò maxima pars Evangelii pervenit ad nos traditione perexigua literis est mandata Hos. Confes. c. 92. Egenum elementum Hosius Plumbea regula Pighius c. a V. Chamier Tom. 1 Panstrat Lib. 9. c. 16. Jewels defence 2. c. 9. b Non male comparari Pharisaeos Catholicis Serarius apud Hal. Seron Mat. 5. 30. c Sadoc discipulus Antiqui Sochaei author sectae Sadducaeorum secundum Rabbinos V. El. Tisb in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schindler in Lexic Pentagl Sed hoc ut Commentum Rabbinicum exigit Montacutius qui Sadducaeorum originem ad Dositheum quendam refert ex authoritate Epiphanii aliorum eosque Sadducaeos dictos confirmat à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustitia ob mores austeros in judiciis severitatem V. Montacut Appar 7. sect 49. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ios. 13. Antiq. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. in Ptol. Iustin. Nuell 146. alii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. Hom 51. in Mat. Mox subsecuta est corruptela Calvin in loc Exod. 8. 14. 1 Cor. 8. 8. Rom. 13. 5. 20. Every particular or National Church hath authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies c. Art 34. a The Ceremonies that remain are retained for Discipline and Order which upon just causes may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equal with Gods law Pref. of Cerem b The Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies but it ought not besides the
Admonition to forbeâ—r Judging 12 IV. Of Direction for the trial of Sincerity 13 by the marks 1. of Integrity and 14 2. of Constancy 15 both joyned together 16-17 OBSERVATION II. Concerning the Power of Gods Word 18 With the Causes thereof in respect 1. of the Instrument 19 2. of the Object 20 3. of the fit Application of the one to the other 21 The Inferences thence against those that despise the Word 22-23 From the success of Ahab's Humiliation 24 OBSERV III. Concerning the Reward of Common graces 25 with sundry reasons thereof 26 and Inferences thence 27 The main Inference To comfort the Godly I against temptations from the Prosperity of the wicked 28 II. against Temporal Afflictions 29 III. against doubtings of their Eternal Reward Sermon II. Ad Populum on 1 Kings 21. 29. Sect. 1. A Repetition of the Three Observations in the former Sermons 2-4 OBSERVATION IV. Concerning Gods forbearig of threatned Judgments 5 Proved 1. from his proneness to Mercy 6 2. from the end of his Threatnings 7-8 The Doubt How this may stand with Gods Truth 9 Resolved by understanding in all his Threatnings 10 a Clause of Exception 11-12 though not always expressed 13-14 Inferences 1. of Comfort to the distressed 15 2. of Terrour to the Secure 16 3. of Instruction to All. 17 Gods promises how to be understood 18 and entertained 19-20 OBSERVATION V. That though it be some grief to forknow the evils to come 21 Yet it is some happiness not to liue to see them 22 with the Reason 23-25 and sundry Uses thereof 26 The Conclusion Sermon III. Ad Populum on 1 Kings 21. 29. Sect. 1-2 THe grand Doubt concerning Iustice proposed 3 CERTAINTY I. All the ways of God are just 4-5 II. Temporal Evils not to the proper adequate punishments of sin 6-7 3. All Evils of Pain howsoever considered 8 are for sin and that 9 for the sin of the sufferer himself 10 How the punishing of the Fathers sin upon the Children 11 can stand with the Justice of God 12-16 CONSIDERATION I. That they are punished with temporal punishments only not with Spiritual or Eternal 13-15 An Objection answered 17 CONSIDERATION II. That such Punishments befà l them either 18-21 1. As continuing in their Fathers sin Or 22 2. As possessing something from their Fathers with Gods curse eleaving thereunto 23-25 CONSIDERATION III. A distinction of Impulsive Causes 26 explained by a familiar Example 27 and applied to the present Argument 28 Seeming Contradictions of Scripture herein 29 how to be reconciled 30 with an Exemplary Instance thereof 31-32 The Resolution of the main doubt 33 Three Duties inferred from the Premisses I. To live well as for our own so even for Posterities sake also 34 II. To grieve as for our own so for our Forefathers sins also 35 III. To endeavour to hinder sin in others Sermon IV. Ad Populum on 1 Cor. 7. 24. Sect. 1. THe Occasion and Scope of the TEXT 2-3 The Pertinency and Importance of the matter to be handled 4-5 viz. of mens Particular Callings and what is meant thereby 6 POINT I. The necessity of living in a Calling 7 Reasons hereof I. in respect of the Ordinance and Gifts of God 9 II. in respect of the Person himself 10-14 III. in respect of others 15 Inference for reproof of such as live idly without a Calling 16-17 as viz. 1. Idle Monks and Friars 18-20 2. Idle Gallants 21-22 3. Idle Beggars 23-24 POINT II. Concerning the Choice of a Calling 25 That in our proper Calling whereunto God calleth us and 26 by what Enquiries they may be known 27 ENQUIRY I. Concerning the Employment it self 1. Whether it be honest and lawful or no 28 Whether it be fit to be made a Calling or no 29 Whether it tend to common Utility or no 30 The Usurers Calling examined by these Rules 32-33 II. Concerning our fitness for that employment 34 1. in respect of our Education 35-36 2. in respect of our Abilities 37-39 3. in respect of our Inclinations 40 III. Concerning the Providential Opportunities we have thereunto 41-43 Wherein is shewed the great importance of an outward Calling 44 POINT III. Concerning the Abidings in our Callings 45-46 1. what is not meant thereby 47-49 2. and what is meant thereby 50-52 3. The abiding therein with God what 53 The Conclusion Sermon V. Ad Populum on 1 Tim. 4. 4. Sect. 1. THe Coherence of the TEXT 2 Scope and of the TEXT 3 Division of the TEXT 4-6 OBSERVATION I. Concerning the Goodness of the Creature 7 Inferences thence I. God not the Author of Evil. 8 II. The Goodness of God seen in the Glass of the Creatures 9-10 III. The Creatures not to be blamed 11-13 OBSERVATION II. Concerning the Liberty and Right we have to the Creatures 14 1. By Creation 15 2. By Redemption 16 Much impleaded 1. By Judaism 17-19 2. By the Church of Rome 20-32 The Extent of this Liberty in Eight Positions 33 OBSERVATION III. The Creatures to be received with Thanksgiving 34-37 The Duty of Thanksgiving Explained and 38 Enforced 1. as an Act of Justice 39-42 as an Act of Religion 43-44 INFERENCES I. For Conviction of our unthankfulness to God 45-46 1. for want of Recognition with two degrees of each 47-48 2. for want of Estimation with two degrees of each 50-51 3. for want of Retribution with two degrees of each 52 II. Six Motives to Thankfulness taken from 53 1. The Excellency of the Duty 54 2. The Continual Effluence of God's Benefits 55 3. Our Future Necessities 56 4. Our Misery in Wanting 57 5. Our Importunity in Asking 58 6. The Freedom of the Gift 59 III. To avoid those things that hinder our Thankfulness which are chiefly 60 1. Pride 61 2. Envy 62 3. Riotous living 63 4. Worldly Cares 64 5. Procrastination 65 IV. To be thankful for Spiritual Blessings Sermon VI. Ad Populum on Gen. 20. 6. Sect. 1. THE Occasion of the TEXT 2. Scope and of the TEXT 3. Division of the TEXT 4. Of the Nature and Use of Dreams 5-6 The former Part of the TEXT explained 7 OBSERVATION I. The grievousness of the sin of Adultery 8-10 and of Fornication Compared 11-12 OBSERVATION II. How far Ignorance doth or doth not excuse from sin 13-16 instanted in this fact of Abimelech 17 Inferences thence I. Concerning the Salvation of our Forefathers 18 19 Two doubts removed 20 II. Not to flatter our selves in our Ignorance 21 III. Of Sins done with Knowledge 22 24 OBSERVATION III. Moral integrity may be in the heart of an Unbeliever 25 with the Reason thereof 26 Inferences thence I. A shame for Christians to fall short of Heathens in their Morals 27 II. Particular Actions no certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Sincerity 28 III. The acquittal of Conscience no sufficient Justification 29 The latter part of the TEXT opened 30 OBSERVATION IV. Concerning God's Restraint of Sin in Men. 31 with the different measure and means thereof 32 1. That there
of spirits divers kinds of tongues interpretation of tongues All which and all other of like nature and use because they are wrought by that one and self-same Spirit which divideth to every one severally as he will are therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritual gifts and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit The word Spirit though in Scripture it have many other significations yet in this place I conceive it to be understood directly of the Holy Ghost the third Person in the ever-blessed Trinity For First in ver 3. that which is called the Spirit of God in the former part is in the latter part called the Holy Ghost f I give you to understand that no man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Iesus accursed and that no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Again that variety of gifts which in ver 4. is said to proceed from the same Spirit is said likewise in ver 5. to proceed from the same Lord and in ver 6. to proceed from the same God and therefore such a Spirit is meant as is also Lord and God and that is only the Holy Ghost And again in those words in ver 11. All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will The Apostle ascribeth to this Spirit the collation and distribution of such gifts according to the free power of his own will and pleasure which free power belongeth to none but God alone Who hath set the members every one in the body as it hath pleased him Which yet ought not to be so understood of the Person of the Spirit as if the Father and the Son had no part or fellowship in this business For all the Actions and operations of the Divine Persons those only excepted which are of intrinsecal and mutual relation are the joynt and undivided works of the whole three Persons according to the common known Maxim constantly and uniformly received in the Catholick Church Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa And as to this particular concerning gifts the Scriptures are clear Wherein as they are ascribed to God the Holy Ghost in this Chapter so they are elsewhere ascribed unto God the Father Every good gift and every perfect giving is from above from the Father of Lights Jam. 1. and elsewhere to God the Son Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4. Yea and it may be that for this very reason in the three verses next before my Text these three words are used Spirit in ver 4. Lord in ver 5. and God in ver 6. to give us intimation that these spiritual gifts proceed equally and undividedly from the whole three persons from God the Father and from his Son Iesus Christ our Lord and from the eternal Spirit of them both the Holy Ghost as from one intire indivisible and coessential Agent But for that we are gross of understanding and unable to conceive the distinct Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Godhead otherwise than by apprehending some distinction of their operations and offices to us ward it hath pleased the Wisdom of God in the holy Scriptures which being written for our sakes were to be fitted to our capacities so far to condescend to our weakness and dulness as to attribute some of those great and common works to one person and some to another after a more special manner than unto the rest although indeed and in truth none of the three persons had more or less to do than other in any of those great and common works This manner of speaking Divines use to call Appropriation By which appropriation as power is ascribed to the Father and Wisdom to the Son so is Goodness to the Holy Ghost And therefore as the work of Creation wherein is specially seen the mighty power of God is appropiated to the Father and the work of Redemption wherein is specially seen the wisdom of God to the Son and so the works of sanctification and the infusion of habitual graces whereby the good things of God are communicated unto us is appropriated unto the Holy Ghost And for this cause the gifts thus communicated unto us from God are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual gifts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit We see now why spirit but then why manifestation The word as most other verbals of that form may be understood either in the active or passive signification And it is not material whether of the two ways we take it in this place both being true and neither improper For these spiritual gifts are the manifestation of the spirit actively because by these the Spirit manifesteth the will of God unto the Church these being the Instruments and means of conveying the knowledge of salvation unto the people of God And they are the manifestation of the spirit Passively too because where any of these gifts especially in any eminent sort appeared in any person it was a manifest evidence that the Spirit of God wrought in him As we read it Acts 10. that they of the Circumcision were astonished when they saw that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gifts of the Holy Ghost If it be demanded But how did that appear it followeth in the next verse For they heard them speak with tongues c. The spiritual Gift then is a manifestation of the Spirit as every other sensible effect is a manifestation of its proper cause We are now yet further to know that the Gifts and graces wrought in us by the holy Holy Spirit of God are of two sorts The Scriptures sometimes distinguish them by the different terms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although those words are sometimes again used indifferently and promiscuously either for other They are commonly known in the Schools and differenced by the names of Gratiae gratum facientes Gratiae gratis datae Which terms though they be not very proper for the one of them may be affirmed of the other whereas the members of every good distinction ought to be opposite yet because they have been long received and change of terms though haply for the better hath by experience been found for the most part unhappy in the event in multiplying unnecessary book-quarrels we may retain them profitably and without prejudice Those former which they call Gratum facientes are the Graces of Sanctification whereby the person that hath them is enabled to do acceptable service to God in the duties of his General Calling these latter which they call Gratis datas are the Graces of Edification whereby the person that hath them is enabled to do profitable service to the Church of God in the duties of his particular Calling Those are
utterly unlawful which yet indeed is indifferent and so lawful is guilty of superstition as well as he that enjoineth a thing as absolutely necessary which yet indeed is but indifferent and so arbitrary They of the Church of Rome and some in our Church as they go upon quite contrary grounds yet both false so they run into quite contrary errors and both superstitious They decline too much on the left hand denying to the holy Scripture that perfection which of right it ought to have of containing all things appertaining to that supernatural doctrine of faith and holiness which God hath revealed to his Church for the attainment of everlasting salvation whereupon they would impose upon Christian people and that with an opinion of necessity many things which the Scriptures require not and that is a Superstition These wry too much on the right hand ascribing to the holy Scripture such a kind of perfection as it cannot have of being the sole director of all humane actions whatsoever whereupon they forbid unto Christian people and that under the name of sin sundry things which the holy Scripture condemneth not and that is a superstition too From which Superstition proceedeth in the second place uncharitable censuring as evermore they that are the most superstitious are the most supercilious No such severe censures of our blessed Saviours person and actions as the Superstitious Scribes and Pharisees were In this Chapter the special fault which the Apostle blameth in the weak ones who were somewhat superstitiously affected was their rash and uncharitable judging of their brethren And common and daily experience among our selves sheweth how freely some men spend their censures upon so many of their brethren as without scruple do any of those things which they upon false grounds have superstitiously condemned as utterly unlawful And then thirdly as unjust censurers are commonly entertained with scorn and contumely they that so liberally condemn their brethren of prophaneness are by them again as freely flouted for their preciseness and so whiles both parties please themselves in their own ways they cease not mutually to provoke and scandalize and exasperate the one the other pursuing their private spleens so far till they break out into open contentions and oppositions Thus it stood in the Roman Church when this Epistle was written They judged one another and despised one another to the great disturbance of the Churches Peace which gave occasion to our Apostle's whole discourse in this Chapter And how far the like censurings and despisings have imbittered the spirits and whetted both the tongues and pens of learned men one against another in our own Church the stirs that have been long since raised and are still upheld by the factious Opposers against our Ecclesiastical Constitutions Government and Ceremonies will not suffer us to be ignorant Most of which stirs I verily perswade my self had been long ere this either wholly buried in silence or at leastwise prettily well quieted if the weakness and danger of the error whereof we now speak had been more timely discovered and more fully and frequently made known to the world than it hath been Fourthly let that doctrine be once admitted and all humane authority will soon be despised The command of Parents Masters and Princes which many times require both secrecy and expedition shall be taken into slow deliberation and the Equity of them sifted by those that are bound to obey though they know no cause why so long as they know no cause to the contrary Delicata est obedientia quae transit in causae genus deliberativum It is a nice obedience in S. Bernard's judgment yea rather troublesome and odious that is over-curious in discussing the commands of superiours boggling at every thing that is enjoyned requiring a why for every wherefore and unwilling to stir until the unlawfulness and expediency of the thing commanded shall be demonstrated by some manifest reason or undoubted authority from the Scriptures Lastly the admitting of this doctrine would cast such a snare upon men of weak judgments but tender consciences as they should never be able to unwind themselves thereout again Mens daily occasions for themselves or friends and the necessities of common life require the doing of a thousand things within the compass of a few days for which it would puzzle the best Textman that liveth readily to bethink himself of a sentence in the Bible clear enough to satisfie a scrupulous conscience of the lawfulness and expediency of what he is about to do for which by hearkening to the rules of reason and discretion he might receive easie and speedy resolution In which cases if he should be bound to suspend his resolution and delay to do that which his own reason would tell him were presently needful to be done until he could haply call to mind some Precept or Example of Scripture for his warrant what stops would it make in the course of his whole life what languishings in the duties of his calling how would it fill him with doubts and irresolutions lead him into a maze of uncertainties entangle him in a world of woful perplexities and without the great mercy of God and better instruction plunge him irrecoverably into the gulph of despair Since the chief end of the publication of the Gospel is to comfort the hearts and to revive and refresh the spirits of God's people with the glad tidings of liberty from the spirit of bondage and fear and of gracious acceptance with their God to anoint them with the oyl of gladness giving them beauty for ashes and instead of sackcloth girding them with joy we may well suspect that doctrine not to be Evangelical which thus setteth the consciences of men upon the rack tortureth them with continual fears and perplexities and prepareth them thereby unto hellish despair These are the grievous effects and pernicious consequents that will follow upon their Opinion who hold That we must have warrant from the Scripture for every thing whatsoever we do not only in spiritual things wherein alone it is absolutely true nor yet only in other matters of weight though they be not spiritual for which perhaps there might be some colour but also in the common affairs of life even in the most sleight and trivial things Yet for that the Patrons of this Opinion build themselves as much upon the authority of this present Text as upon any other passage of Scripture whatsoever which is the reason why we have stood thus long upon the examination of it we are therefore in the next place to clear the Text from that their mis-interpretation The force of their collection standeth thus as you heard already that faith is ever grounded upon the word of God and that therefore whatsoever action is not grounded upon the word being it is not of faith by the Apostles rules here must needs be a sin Which collection
confession of their own learned Writers depend upon unwritten Traditions more than upon the Scriptures True it is that for most of these they pretend to Scripture also but with so little colour at the best and with so little confidence at the last that when they are hard put to it they are forced to fly from that hold and to shelter themselves under their great Diana Tradition Take away that it is confessed that many of the chief Articles of their Faith nature vacillare videbuntur will seem even to totter and reel and have much ado to keep up For what else could we imagine should make them strive so much to debase the Scripture all they can denying it to be a Rule of Faith and charging it with imperfection obscurity uncertainty and many other defects and on the other side to magnifie Traditions as every way more absolute but meerly their consciousness that sundry of their Doctrines if they should be examined to the bottom would appear to have no sound foundation in the Written Word And then must we needs conclude from what hath been already delivered that they ought to be received or rather not to be received but rejected as the Doctrines and Commandments of men 14. Nor will their flying to Tradition help them in this Case or free them from Pharisaism but rather make the more against them For to omit that it hath been the usual course of false teachers when their Doctrines were found not to be Scripture-proof to fly to Tradition do but enquire a little into the Original and growth of Pharisaical Traditions and you shall find that one Egg is not more like another than the Papists and the Pharisees are alike in this matter When Sadoc or whosoever else was the first Author of the Sect of the Sadduces and his followers began to vent their pestilent and Atheistical Doctrines against the immortality of the Soul the resurrection of the Body and other like the best learned among the Iews the Pharisees especially opposed against them by arguments and collections drawn from the Scriptures The Sadduces finding themselves unable to hold argument with them as having two shrewd disadvantages but a little Learning and a bad cause had no other means to avoid the force of all their arguments than to hold them precisely to the letter of the Text without admitting any Exposition thereof or Collection therefrom Unless they could bring clear Text that should affirm totidem verbis what they denied they would not yield The Pharisees on the contrary refused as they had good cause to be tied to such unreasonable conditions but stood upon the meaning of the Scriptures as the Sadduces did upon the letter confirming the truth of their interpretations partly from Reason and partly from Tradition Not meaning by Tradition as yet any Doctrine other than what was already sufficiently contained in the Scriptures but meerly the Doctrine which had been in all ages constantly taught and received with an Universal consent among the People of God as consonant to the holy Scriptures and grounded thereon By this means though they could not satisfie the Sadduces as Hereticks and Sectaries commonly are obstinate yet so far they satisfied the generality of the People that they grew into very great esteem with them and within a while carried all before them the detestation of the Sadduces and of their loose Errors also conducing not a little thereunto And who now but the Pharisees and what now but Tradition In every Mans eye and mouth Things being at this pass any Wise Man may Judge how easie a matter it was for Men so reverenced as the Pharisees were to abuse the Credulity of the People and the interest they had in their good Opinion to their own advantage to make themselves Lords of the Peoples Faith and by little and little to bring into the Worship whatsoever Doctrines and observances they pleased and all under the acceptable name of the Traditions of the Elders And so they did winning continually upon the People by their cunning and shews of Religion and proceeding still more and more till the Iewish Worship by their means was grown to that height of superstition and formality as we see it was in our Saviours days Such was the beginning and such the rise of these Pharisaical Traditions 15. Popish Traditions also both came in and grew up just after the same manner The Orthodox Bishops and Doctors in the ancient Church being to maintain the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead the Consubstantiality of the Son with the Father the Hypostatical union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ the Divinity of the Holy Ghost and other like Articles of the Catholick Religion against the Arrians Eunomians Macedonians and other Hereticks for that the words Trinity Homoiision Hypostasis Procession c. which for the better expressing of the Catholick sence they were forced to use were not expresly to be found in the holy Scriptures had recourse therefore very often in their writings against the Hereticks of their times to the Tradition of the Church Whereby they meant not as the Papists would now wrest their words any unwritten Doctrine not contained in the Scriptures but the very Doctrine of the Scriptures themselves as they had been constantly understood and believed by all faithful Christians in the Catholick Church down from the Apostles times till the several present Ages wherein they lived This course of theirs of so serviceable and necessary use in those times gave the first occasion and after-rise to that heap of Errors and Superstitions which in process of time by the Power and Policy of the Bishop of Rome especially were introduced into the Christian Church under the specious name and colour of Catholick Traditions Thus have they trodden in the steps of their Forefathers the Pharisees and stand guilty even as they of the Superstition here condemned by our Saviour in teaching for Doctrines mens Precepts 16. But if the Church of Rome be cast how shall the Church of England be quit That symbolizeth so much with her in many of her Ceremonies and otherwise What are all our crossings and kneelings and duckings What Surplice and Ring and all those other Rites and Accoutrements that are used in or about the Publick Worship but so many Commandments of men For it cannot be made appear nor truly do I think was it ever endeavoured that God hath any where commanded them Indeed these things have been objected heretofore with clamour enough and the cry is of late revived again with more noise and malice than ever in a world of base and unworthy Pamphlets that like the Frogs of Aegypt croak in every corner of the Land And I pray God the suffering of them to multiply into such heaps do not cause the whole Land so to stink in his Nostrils that he grow weary of it and forsake us But I undertook to justifle the Church of
the throne is established in the sixteenth and of its height too for it exalteth a Nation in the 14th of the Proverbs As then in a Building when for want of good looking to the Mortar getting wet dissolveth and the walls belly out the house cannot but settle apace and without speedy repairs fall to the ground so there is not a more certain symptom of a declining and decaying and tottering State than is the general dissolution of manners for want of the due execution and administration of Iustice. The more cause have we that are Gods Ministers by frequent exhortations admonitions obsecrations expostulations even out of season sometimes but especially upon such seasonable opportunities as this to be instant with all them that have any thing to do in matters of Iustice but especially with you who are Gods Ministers too though in another kind you who are in commission to sit upon the Bench of Judicature either for Sentence or Assistance to do your God and King service to do your Country and Calling honour to do your selves and others right by advancing to the utmost of your powers the due course of Iustice. Wherein as I verily think none dare but the guilty so I am well assured none can justly mislike in us the choise either of our Argument that we beat upon these things or of our Method that we begin first with you For as we cannot be perswaded on the one side but that we are bound for the discharge of our duties to put you in mind of yours so we cannot be perswaded on the other side but that if there were generally in the greater ones that care and conscience and zeal there ought to be of the common good a thousand corruptions rife among inferiours would be if not wholly reformed as leastwise practised with less connivence from you confidence in them grievance to others But right and reason will that every man bear his own burthen And therefore as we may not make you innocent if you be faulty by transferring your faults upon others so far be it from us to impute their faults to you otherwise than as by not doing your best to hinder them you make them yours For Iustice we know is an Engine that turneth upon many hinges And to the exercise of judicature besides the Sentence which is properly yours there are divers other things required Informations and Testimonies and Arguings and Inquests and sundry Formalites which I am neither able to name nor yet covetous to learn wherein you are to rest much upon the faithfulness of other men In any of whom if there be as sometimes there will be foul and unfaithful dealing such as you either cannot spie or cannot help wrong sentence may proceed from out your lips without your fault As in a curious Watch or Clock that moveth upon many wheels the finger may point a wrong hour though the wheel that next moveth it be most exactly true if but some little pinn or notch or spring be out of order in or about any of the baser and inferiour wheels What he said of old Non fieri potest quin Principes etiam valde boni iniqua faciant was then and ever since and yet is and ever will be most true For say a Iudge be never so honestly minded never so zealous of the truth never so careful to do right yet if there be a spiteful Accuser that will suggest any thing or an audacious witness that will swear any thing or a crafty Pleader that will maintain any thing or a tame Iury that will swallow any thing or a craving Clark or Officer that for a bribe will foist in any thing the Iudge who is tied as it is meet he should to proceed secundùm allegata probata cannot with his best care and wisdom prevent it but that sometimes justice shall be perverted innocency oppressed and guilty ones justified Out of which consideration I the rather desired for this Assise-Assembly to choose a Text as near as I could of equal latitude with the Assise-Business For which purpose I could not readily think of any other portion of Scripture so proper and full to meet with all sorts of persons and all sorts of abuses as these three verses are Is there either Calumny in the Accuser or Perjury in the Witness Supinity in the Iurer or Sophistry in the Pleader or Partiality in any Officer or any close corruption any where lurking amid those many passages and conveyances that belong to a Iudicial proceeding my Text searcheth it out and indicteth â—â—e offender at the tribunal of that impartial Judge that keepeth a privy Sessions in each mans breast The words are laid down so distinctly in five Rules or Precepts or rather being all negative in so many Prohibitions that I may spare the labour of making other division of them All that I shall need to do about them will be to set out the several portions in such sort as that every man who hath any part or fellowship in this business may have his due share in them Art thou first an Accuser in any kind either as a party in a Iudicial controversie or bound over to prosecute for the King in a criminal Cause or as a voluntary Informer upon some penal statute here is something for thee Thou shalt not raise a false report Art thou secondly a Witness either fetched in by Process to give publick testimony upon oath or come of good or ill will privately to speak a good word for or to cast out a shrewd word against any person here is something for thee too Put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness Art thou thirdly returned to serve as a sworn man in a matter of grand or petty inquest here is something for thee too Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Comest thou hither fourthly to advocate the cause of thy Client who flyeth to thy learning experience and authority for succour against his adversary and commendeth his state and sute to thy care and trust here is something for thee too Neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest Iudgment Art thou lastly in any Office of trust or place of service in or about the Courts so as it may sometimes fall within thy power or opportunity to do a suiter a favour or a spite here is something for thee too Thou shalt not countenance no not a poor man in his cause The two first in the first the two next in the second this last in the third verse In which distribution of the Offices of Justice in my Text let none imagine because I have shared out all among them that are below the Bench that therefore there is nothing left for them that sit upon it Rather as in dividing the land of Canaan Levi who had no distinct plot by himself
other person that should but touch them So not only our Fathers Sins if we touch them by imitation but even their Lands and Goods and Houses and other things that were theirs are sufficient to derive God's Curse upon us if we do but hold them in possession What is gotten by any evil and unjust and unwarrantable means is in God's sight and estimation no better than stollen Now stollen Goods we know though they have passed through never so many hands before that man is answerable in whose Hands they are found and in whose Custody and Possession they are God hateth not Sin only but the very Monuments of Sin too and his Curse fasteneth not only upon the Agent but upon the brute and dead Materials too And where theft or oppression or Perjury or Sacrilege have laid the foundation and reared the house there the Curse of God creepeth in between the walls and ceilings and lurketh close within the stones and the timber and as a fretting moth or canker insensibly gnaweth asunder the pins and the joynts of the building till it have unframed it and resolved it into a ruinous heap for which mischief there is no remedy no preservation from it but one and that is free and speedy restitution For any thing we know what Ahab the Father got without justice Iehoram the Son held without scruple We do not find that ever he made restitution of Naboth's vineyard to the right heir and it is like enough he did not and then between him and his Father there was but this difference the Father was the theif and he the receiver which two the Law severeth not either in guilt or punishment but wrappeth them equally in the same guilt and in the same punishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And who knoweth whether the very holding of that vineyard might not bring upon him the curse of his father's oppression It is plain that vineyard was the place where the heaviest part of that Curse overtook him But that which is the upshot of all and untieth all the knots both of this and of all other doubts that can be made against God's justice in punishing one for another ariseth from a third consideration which is this That the children are punished for the fathers sins or indefinitely any one man for the sins of any other man it ought to be imputed to those sins of the Fathers or others not as to the causes properly deserving them but only as occasioning those punishments It pleaseth God to take occasion from the sins of the fathers or of some others to bring upon their children or those that otherwise belong unto them in some kind of relation those evils which by their own corruptions and sins they have justly deserved This distinction of the Cause and Occasion if well heeded both fully acquitteth God's justice and abundantly reconcileth the seeming Contradictions of Scripture in this Argument and therefore it will be worth the while a little to open it There is a kind of Cause de numero efficientium which the learned for distinctions sake call the Impulsive Cause and it is such a cause as moveth and induceth the principal Agent to do that which it doth For example a Schoolmaster correcteth a Boy with a rod for neglecting his Book Of this correction here are three dictinct causes all in the rank of Efficients viz. the Master the Rod and the Boys neglect but each hath its proper causality in a different kind and manner from other The Master is the Cause as the principal Agent that doth it the Rod is the Cause as the Instrument wherewith he doth it and the Boy 's neglect the impulsive Cause for which he doth it Semblably in this judgment which befel Iehoram the principal efficient Cause and Agent was God as he is in all other punishments and judgments Shall there be evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3. and here he taketh it to himself I will bring the evil upon his house The Instrumental Cause under God was Iehu whom God raised up and endued with zeal and power for the execution of that vengeance which he had determined against Ahab and against his house as appeareth in 4 Kings 9. and 10. But now what the true proper Impulsive Cause should be for which he was so punished and which moved God at that time and in that sort to punish him that is the point wherein consisteth the chiefest difficulty in this matter and into which therefore we are now to enquire viz. Whether that were rather his own sin or his Father Ahab's sin Whether we answer for this or for that we say but the truth in both for both sayings are true God punished him for his own and God punished him for his fathers sin The difference only this His own sins were the impulsive cause that deserved the punishment his fathers sin the impulsive cause that occasioned it and so indeed upon the point and respectively to the justice of God rather his own sins were the cause of it than his fathers both because justice doth especially look at the desert and also because that which deserveth the punishment is more effectually and primarily and properly the impulsive cause of punishing than that which only occasioneth it The terms whereby Artists express these two different kinds of impulsive causes borrowed from Galen and the Physicians of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would be excellent and full of satisfaction if they were of easie understanding But for that they are not so especially to such as are not acquainted with the terms and learning of the Schools I forbear to use them and rather than to take the shortest cut over hedge and ditch chuse to lead you an easier and plainer way though it 's something about and that by a familiar Example A man hath lived for some good space in reasonable state of health yet by gross feeding and through continuance of time his Body the whilst hath contracted many vicious noisom and malignant humours It happeneth he had occasion to ride abroad in bad weather taketh wet on his feet or neck getteth cold with it cometh home findeth himself not well falleth a shaking first and anon after into a dangerous and lasting Fever Here is a Fever and here are two different causes of it an antecedent cause within the abundance of noisom and crude humours that is Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the evident cause ab extra his riding in the wet and taking cold upon it and that is Galen's causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us go on a little and compare these causes The Physician is sent for the sick man's friends they stand about him and in cometh the Physician among them and enquireth of him and them how he got his Fever They presently give him such Information as they can and the Information
course for the time and to wait God's leisure and a farther opportunity And if after some reasonable expectation upon further tender with modest importunity he cannot yet hope to prevail he must begin to resolve of another Course submit himself to Authority and Order acknowledge God's Providence in it possess his soul in patience and think that for some secret corruption in himself or for some other just cause God is pleased that he should not or not yet enter into that Calling On the other side a Gentleman liveth in his Country in good credit and account known to be a sufficient man both for Estate and Understanding thought every way fit to do the King and his Country service in the Commission of the Peace yet himself either out of a desire to live at ease and avoid trouble or because he thinketh he hath as much business of his own as he can well turn him to without charging himself with the cares of the publick or possibly out of a privy conscientiousness to himself of some defect as it may be an Irresolution in Iudgment or in Courage or too great a propension to foolish pity or for some other reason which appeareth to him just thinketh not that a fit Calling for him and rather desireth to be spared But for so much as it is not fit a man should be altogether his own Judge especially in things that concern the Publick he must herein depend upon those to whom the power of sparing or imposing in this kind is committed He may excuse himself by his other many occasions alledge his own wants and insufficiences and what he can else for himself and modestly crave to be spared But if he cannot by fair and honest sute get off he must submit himself to Authority and Order yield somewhat to the Iudgment of others think that God hath his secret work in it and rest upon the warrant of his outward Calling The outward Calling then is not a thing of a small moment or to be lightly regarded Sometimes as in the case last proposed it may have the chief and the casting voice but where it hath least it hath always a Negative in every regular choice of any Calling or Course of life And it is this outward Calling which I say not principally but even alone must rule every ordinary Christian in the judging of other mens Callings We cannot see their hearts we know not how God might move them we are not able to judge of their inward Callings If we see them too neglectful of the duties of their Calling if we find their Gifts hold very short and unequal proportion with the weight of their Calling or the like we have but little comfortable assurance to make us confident that all is right within But yet unless it be such as are in place of Authority and Office to examine mens sufficiences and accordingly to allow or disallow them what hath any of us to do to judge the heart or the Conscience or the inward Calling of our Brother So long as he hath the warrant of an orderly outward Calling we must take him for such as he goeth for and leave the trial of his heart to God and to his own heart And of this second general point the choice of a Calling thus far Remaineth now the third and last point proposed The Use of a Mans calling Let him walk in it vers 17. Let him abide in it ver 20. Let him abide therein with God here in my Text. At this I aimed most in my choice of this Text and yet of this I must say least Preachers oft-times do with their proposals as Parents sometimes do with their Children though they love the later as well yet the first go away with the largest portions But I do not well to trifle out that little sand I have left in Apologies let us rather on to the matter and see what Duties our Apostle here requireth of us under these Phrases of abiding in our Callings and abiding therein with God It may seem he would have us stick to a Course and when we are in a Calling not to forsake it nor change it no not for a better no not upon any terms Perhaps some have taken it so but certainly the Apostle never meant it so For taking the word Calling in that extent wherein he treateth of it in this Chapter if that were his meaning he should consequently teach that no single man might marry nor any Servant become free which are apparently contrary both unto common Reason and unto the very purpose of the Chapter But taking the word as we have hitherto specially intended it and spoken of it for some setled Station and Course of Life whereby a man is to maintain himself or wherein to do profitable service to human Society or both is it yet lawful for a man to change it or is he bound to abide in it perpetually without any possibility or liberty to alter his course upon any terms I answer it is lawful to change it so it be done with due caution It is lawful first in subordinate Callings For where a man cannot warrantably climb unto an higher but by the steps of an inferiour Calling there must needs be supposed a lawfulness of relinquishing the inferiour How should we do for Generals for the Wars if Colonels and Lieutenants and Captains and common Soldiers might not relinquish their charges and how for Bishops in the Church if beneficed-men and College-Governours were clench'd and riveted to their Cures like a Nail in a sure place not to be removed Nay we should have no Priests in the Church of England since a Priest must be a Deacon first if a Deacon might not leave his Station and become a Priest But St. Paul saith They that have used the Office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and so in lower Callings it is that men should give proof of their worthiness for higher It is lawful secondly yea necessary when the very Calling it self though in it self good and useful doth yet by some accident become unlawful or unuseful As when some Manufacture is prohibited by the State or when some more exact device of later Invention hath made the old unprofitable It is lawful thirdly when a man by some accident becometh unable for the duties of his Calling as by Age Blindness maim decay of Estate and sundry other impediments which daily occur It is lawful fourthly where there is a want of sufficient men or not a sufficient number of them in some Callings for the necessities of the State and Country in such cases Authority may interpose and cull out men from other Callings such as are fit and may be spared to serve in those Not to branch out too many particulars it is lawful generally where either absolute Necessity enforceth it or lawful Authority enjoyneth it or a concurrence of weighty Circumstances
the Church is Besides these that do it thus by open Assault I would there were not others also that did by secret underminings go about to deprive us of that liberty which we have in Christ Jesus even then when they most pretend the maintenance of it They inveigh against the Church Governors as if they lorded it over Gods Heritage and against the Church Orders and Constitutions as if they were contrary to Christian liberty Wherein besides that they do manifest wrong to the Church in both particulars they consider not that those very accusations which they thus irreverently dart at the face of their Mother to whom they owe better respect but miss it do recoil pat upon themselves and cannot be avoided For whereas these Constitutions of the Church are made for Order Decency and Uniformity sake and to serve unto Edification and not with any intention at all to lay a tye upon the consciences of men or to work their judgments to an opinion as if there were some necessity or inherent holiness in the things required thereby neither do our Governours neither ought they to press them any further which is sufficient to acquit both the Governours from that Lording and the Constitutions from that trenching upon Christian liberty wherewith they are charged Alas that our brethren who thus accuse them should suffer themselves to be so far blinded with prejudices and partial affections as not to see that themselves in the mean time do really exercise a spiritual Lordship over their disciples who depend in a manner wholly upon their judgments by imposing upon their consciences sundry Magisterial conclusions for which they have no sound warrant from the written Word of God Whereby besides the great injury done to their brethren in the impeachment of their Christian liberty and leading them into error they do withal exasperate against them the minds of those that being in authority look to be obeyed and engage them in such sufferings as they can have no just cause of rejoyceing in For beloved this we must know that as it is injustice to condemn the innocent as well as it is injustice to clear the guilty and both these are equally abominable to the Lord so it is superstition to forbid that as sinful which is in truth indifferent and therefore lawful as well as it is superstition to enjoyn that as necessary which is in truth indifferent and therefore arbitrary Doth that heavy woe in Isa. 5. appertain think ye to them only that out of prophaneness call evil good and nothing at all concern them that out of preciseness call good evil Doth not he decline out of the way that turneth aside on the right hand as well as he that turneth on the left They that positively make that to be sin which the Law of God never made so to be how can they be excused from symbolizing with the Pharisees and the Papists in making the narrow ways of God yet narrower than they are teaching for Doctrines mens Precepts and so casting a snare upon the consciences of their brethren If our Church should press things as far and upon such grounds the one way as some forward spirits do the other way if as they say it is a sin to kneel at the Communion and therefore we charge you upon your consciences not to do it so the Church should say it is a sin not to kneel and therefore we require you upon your consciences to do it and so in all other lawful yet arbitrary Ceremonies possibly then the Church could no more be able to acquit her self from encroaching upon Christian Liberty than they are that accuse her for it Which since they have done and she hath not she is therefore free and themselves only guilty It is our duty for the better securing of our selves as well against those open impugners as against these secret underminers to look heedfully to our trenches and fortifications and to stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free lest by some device or other we be lifted out of it To those that seek to enthral us we should give place by subjection no not for an hour lest we be ensnared by our own default ere we be aware For indeed we cannot be ensnared in this kind but merely by our own default and therefore St. Paul often admonisheth us to take heed that none deceive spoil or beguile us as if it were in our power if we would but use requisite care thereunto to prevent it and as if it were our fault most if we did not prevent it And so in truth it is For we oftentimes betray away our own liberty when we might maintain it and so become servants unto men when we both might and ought to keep our selves free Which fault we shall be the better able to avoid when we shall know the true causes whence it springeth which are evermore one of these two an unsound head or an unsound heart Sometimes we esteem too highly of others so far as either to envassal our judgments to their opinions or to enthral our consciences to their precepts and that is our weakness there the fault is in the head Sometimes we apply our selves to the wills of others with an eye to our own benefit or satisfaction in some other carnal or worldly respect and that is our fleshliness there the fault is in the heart This latter is the worst and therefore in the first place to be avoided The most and worser sort unconscionable men do often transgress this way when for fear of a frown or worse displeasure or to curry favour with those they may have use of or in hope either of raising themselves to some advancement or of raising to themselves some advantage or for some other like respects they become officious instruments to others for the accomplishing of their lusts in such services as are evidently even to their own apprehensions sinful and wicked So Doeg did King Saul service in shedding the blood of fourscore and five innocent Priests and Absalom's Servants murdered their Masters brother upon his bare command and Pilate partly to gratifie the Iews but especially for fear of Caesar's displeasure gave sentence of death upon Iesus who in his own conscience he thought had not deserved it In such cases as these are when we are commanded by our superiors or required by our friends or any other way sollicited to do that which we know we cannot do without sin we are to maintain our liberty if we cannot otherwise fairly decline the service by a flat and peremptory denyal though it be to the greatest power upon earth As the three young men did to the great Nebuchadnezzar Be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up And the ancient Christians to the heathen Emperours Daveniam Imperator tu
ween is another-gates matter than to make the face to shine This for material Oil. Then for those other outward things which for some respects I told you might be also comprehended under the name of Ointments Riches Honours and worldly Pleasures alas how poor and sorry comforts are they to a man that hath forfeited his good Name that liveth in no credit not reputation that groaneth under the contempt and reproach and infamy of every honest or but sober man Whereas he that by godly and vertuous Actions by doing Iustice and exercising Mercy and ordering himself and his affairs discreetly holdeth up his good Name and reputation hath that yet to comfort himself withal and to fill his bones as with marrow and fatness though encompassed otherwise with many outward wants and calamities Without which even life it self would be unpleasant I say not to a perfect Christian only but even to every ingenuous moral man The worthier â—ort of men among the Heathens would have chosen rather to have died the most cruel deaths than to have lived infamous under shame and disgrace And do not those words of St. Paul 1 Cor. 9. shew that he was not much otherwise minded It were better for me to dye than that any man should make my glorying void Thus a good Name is better than any precious Ointment take it as you will properly or tropically because it yieldeth more solid content and satisfaction to him that enjoyeth it than the other doth 17. Compare them thirdly in those performances whereunto they enable us Oils and Ointments by a certain penetrative faculty that they have being well chaâ—ed in do supple the joynts and strengthen the sinews very much and thereby greatly enable the body for action making it more nimble and vigorous than otherwise it would be Whence it was that among the Greeks and from their example among the Romans and in other Nations those that were to exercise Arms or other feats of Activity in their solemn Games especially Wrestlers did usually by frictions and anointings prepare and fit their bodies for those Athletick performances to do them with more agility and less weariness Insomuch as Chrysostom and other Greek Fathers almost every where use the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only when they speak of those preparatory advantages such as are prayer fasting meditation of Christs Sufferings or of the Joys of Heaven and the like wherewith Christians may fortifie and secure themselves when they are to enter the combate with their spiritual enemies but more generally to signifie any preparing or fitting of a person for any manner of action whatsoever 18. But how much more excellent then is a good name Which is of such mighty consequence advantage for the expediting of any honest enterprise that we take in hand either in our Christian course or civil life in this World It is an old saying taken up indeed in relation to another matter somewhat distant from that we are now treating of but it holdeth no less true in this than in that other respect Duo cum faciunt idem non est idem Let two men speak the same words give the same advice pursue the same business drive the same design with equal right equal means equal diligence every other thing equal yet commonly the success is strangely different if the one be well thought of and the other labour of an ill name So singular an advantage is it for the crowning of our endeavours with good success to be in a good name If there be a good opinion held of us and our names once up whether we deserve it or no whatsoever we do is well taken whatsoever we propose is readily entertained our counsels yea and rebukes too carry weight and authority with them By which means we are enabled if we have but grace to make that good use thereof to do the more good to bring the more glory to God to give better countenance to his truth and to good causes and things Whereas on the other side if we be in an ill name whether we deserve it or no all our speeches and actions are ill-interpreted no man regardeth much what we say or do our proposals are suspected our counsels and rebukes though wholsom and just scorned and kickt at so as those men we speak for that side we adhere to those causes we defend those businesses we manage shall lie under some prejudice and be like to speed the worse for the evil opinion that is held of us We know well it should be otherwise Non quis sed quid As the Magistrate that exerciseth publick judgment should lay aside all respect of the person and look at the cause only so should we all in our private judgings of other mens speeches and actions look barely upon the truth of what they say and the goodness of what they do and accordingly esteem of both neither better nor worse more or less for whatsoever fore-conceits we may have of the person Otherwise how can we avoid the charge of having the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of Glory with respect of persons But yet since men are corrupt and will be partial this way do we what we can and that the World and the affairs thereof are so much steered by Opinion it will be a point of godly wisdom in us so far to make use of this common corruption as not to disadvantage our selves for want of a good name and good Opinion for the doing of that good whilst we live here among men subject to such frailties which we should set our desires and bend our endeavours to do And so a good Name is better than a good Ointment in that it enableth us to better and worthier performances 19. Compare them Fourthly in their Extensions and that both for Place and Time For place first That Quality of the three before-mentioned which especially setteth a value upon Ointments advancing their price and esteem more eminently than any other consideration is their smell those being ever held most precious and of greatest delicacy that excel that way And herein is the excellency of the choicest Aromatical Ointments that they do not only please the sence if they be held near to the Organ but they do also disperse the fragrance of their scent round about them to a great distance Of the sweetest herbs and flowers the smell is not much perceived unless they be held somewhat near to the Nostril But the smell of a precious Ointment will instantly diffuse it self into every corner though of a very spacious room as you heard but now of the Spikenard poured on our Saviours feet Ioh. 12. But see how in that very thing wherein the excellency of precious Ointments consisteth a good Name still goeth beyond it It is more diffusive and spreadeth farther Of King Uzziah so long as he did well and
Mystery that driveth at all this must needs be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the highest degree the great mystery of Godliness That for the scope 27. Look now secondly at the parts and parcels the several pieces as it were whereof this mystery is made up those mentioned in this verse and the rest and you shall find that from each of them severally but how much more then from them altogether joyntly may be deduced sundry strong motives and perswasives unto Godliness Take the material parts of this Mystery the Incarnation Nativity Circumcision Baptism Temptation Preaching Life Death Burial Resurrection Ascension Intercession and Second coming of Christ. Or take if I may so call them the formal parts thereof our eternal Election before the World was our Vocation by the Preaching of the Gospel our Iustification by Faith in the merits of Christ our Sanctification by the Spirit of grace the stedfast Promises we have and hopes of future Glory and the rest It would be too long to vouch Texts for each particular but this I say of them all in general There is not one link in either of those two golden chains which doth not straitly tye up our hands tongues and hearts from doing evil draw us up effectually unto God and Christ and strongly oblige us to shew forth the power of his Grace upon our souls by expressing the power of Godliness in our lives and conversations That for the parts 28. Thirdly Christian Religion may be called the Mystery of Godliness in regard of its Conversation because Godliness is the best preserver of Christianity Roots and Fruits and Herbs which let alone and left to themselves would soon corrupt and putriâ—ie may being well condited with Sugar by a skilful Confectioner be preserved to continue for many years and be serviceable all the while So the best and surest means to preserve Christianity in its proper integrity and power from corrupting into Atheism or Heresie is to season it well with Grace as we do fresh meats with salt to keep them sweet and to be sure to keep the Conscience upright Holding the mysteries of faith in a pure Conscience saith our Apostle a little after at verse 9. of this Chapter and in the first Chapter of this Epistle vers 19. Holding faith and a good Conscience which latter some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack Apostasie from the faith springeth most an end from Apostasie in manners And he that hath but a very little care how he liveth can have no very fast hold of what he believeth For when men grow once regardless of their Consciences good affections will soon languish and then will noysom lusts gather strength and cast up mud into the soul that the judgement cannot run clear Seldom is the head right where the heart is amiss A rotten heart will be ever and anon sending up evil thoughts into the mind as marish and fenny grounds do foggy mists into the air that both darken and corrupt it As a mans taste when some malignant humour affecteth the organ savoureth nothing aright but deemeth sweet things bitter and sowre things pleasant So where Avarice Ambition Malice Voluptuousness Vain-glory Sedition or any other domineering lust hath made it self master of the heart it will so blind and corrupt the judgment that it shall not be able to discern at any certainty good from evil or truth from falshood Wholsome therefore is St. Peters advice to add unto faith Vertue Vertue will not only keep it in life but at such a height of vigour also that it shall not easily either degenerate into Heresie or languish into Atheism 29. We see now three Reasons for which the Doctrine of Christianity may be called The mystery of Godliness because it first exacteth Godliness and secondly exciteth unto Godliness and is thirdly best preserved by Godliness From these Premisses I shall desire for our nearer instruction to infer but two things only the one for the trial of Doctrines the other for the bettering of our lives For the first St. Iohn would not have us over-forward to believe every spirit Every spirit doth he say Truly it is impossible we should unless we should believe flat contradictions Whilst one Spirit saith It is another Spirit saith It is not can a man believe the one and not disbelieve the other if he hear both Believe not every spirit then is as much in St. Iohn's meaning as if he had said Be not too hasty to Believe any Spirit especially where there appeareth some just cause of Suspicion but try it first whether it be a true spirit or a false Even as St. Paul biddeth us prove all things that having so done we may hold fast what upon trial proveth good and let the rest go 30. Now holy Scripture is certainly that Lapis Lydius that Test whereby this trial is to be made Ad legem ad testimonium when we have wrangled as long as we can hitherto we must come at last But sith all Sectaries pretend to Scripture Papists Anabaptists Disciplinarians All yea the Devil himself can vouch Texts to drive on a Temptation It were good therefore we knew how to make right applications of Scripture for the Trial of Doctrines that we do not mistake a false one for a true one Many profitable Rules for this purpose our Apostle affordeth us in sundry places One very good one we may gather from the words immediately before the Text wherein the Church of God is said to be the pillar and ground of truth The Collection thence is obvious that it would very much conduce to the guiding of our judgments aright in the examining of mens doctrines concerning either Faith or Manners wherein the Letter of Scripture is obscure or the meaning doubtful to inform our selves as well as we can in credendis what the received sence and in agendis what the constant usage and practice of the Church especially in the ancient times hath been concerning those matters and that to consider what conformity the Doctrines under trial hold with the principles upon which that their sence or practice in the Premisses was grounded The Iudgment and Practice of the Church ought to sway very much with every sober and wise man either of which whosoever neglecteth or but slighteth as too many do upon a very poor pretence that the mystery of iniquity began to work betimes runneth a great hazard of falling into many errors and Absurdities If he do not he may thank his good fortune more than his forecast and if he do he may thank none but himself for neglecting so good a guide 31. But this now mentioned Rule although it be of excellent use if it be rightly understood and prudently applied and therefore growing so near the Text I could not wholly baulk it without some notice taken of it it being not within the Text I press it no farther but come to another that springeth out of the very Text it self And
disobedience nor refuse to do the thing commanded by such authority whosoever should take offence thereat 39. Fourthly though lawfulness and unlawfulness be not yet expediency and inexpediency are as we heard capable of the degrees of more and less and then in all reason of two inexpedient things we are to do that which is less inexpedient for the avoiding of that which is more inexpedient Say then there be an inexpediency in doing the thing commanded by authority when a brother is thereby offended is there not a greater inexpediency in not doing it when the Magistrate is thereby disobeyed Is it not more expedient and conducing to the common good that a publick Magistrate should be obeyed in a just command than that a private person should be gratified in a causless scruple 40. Fifthly when by refusing obedience to the lawful commands of our Superiours we think to shun the offending of one or two weak brethren we do in truth incur thereby a far more grievous scandal by giving offence to hundreds of others whose consciences by our Disobedience will be emboldened to that where to corrupt nature is but too too prone to affront the Magistrate and despise Authority 41. Lastly where we are not able to discharge both debts of Iustice are to be payed before debts of Charity Now the duty of obedience is debitum Iustitiae and a matter of right my Superior may challenge it at my hands as his due and I do him wrong if I with-hold it from him But the care of not giving offence is but debitum Charitatis and a matter but of courtesie I am to perform it to my brother in love when I see cause but he cannot challenge it from me as his right nor can justly say I do him wrong if I neglect it It is therefore no more lawful for me to disobey the lawful command of a Superiour to prevent thereby the offence of one or a few brethren than it is lawful for me to do one man wrong to do another man a courtesie withal or then it is lawful for me to rob the Exchequer to relieve an Hospital 24. I see not yet how any of these six Reasons can fairly be avoided and yet which would be considered if but any one of them hold good it is enough to carry the Cause and therefore I hope there need be no more said in this matter To conclude then for the point of Practice which is the main thing I aimed at in the choice of this Text and my whole meditations thereon we may take our direction in these three Rules easie to be understood and remembred and not hard to be observed in our Practice if we will but put our good wills thereunto First if God command we must submit without any more ado and not trouble our selves about the expediency or so much as about the lawfulness of the thing commanded His very Command is warrant enough for both Abraham never disputed whether it were expedient for him nor yet whether it were lawful for him to sacrifice his Son or no when once it appeared to him that God would have it so 43. Secondly if our Superiours endued with lawful authority thereunto command us any thing we may and where we have just cause of doubt we ought to enquire into the lawfulness thereof Yet not with such anxious curiosity as if we desired to find out some loop hole whereby to evade but with such modest ingenuity as may witness to God and the world the unfeigned sincerity of our desires both to fear God and to honour those that he hath set over us And if having used ordinary moral diligence bonâ fide to inform our selves the best we can there appear no unlawfulness in it we are then also to submit and obey without any more ado never troubling our selves farther to enwhether it be expedient yea or no. Let them that command us look to that for it is they must answer for it not we 44. But then thirdly where Authority hath left us free no Command either of God or of those that are set over us under God having prescribed any thing to us in that behalf there it is at our own liberty and choice to do as we shall think good Yet are we not left so loose as that we may do what we list so as the thing be but lawful for that were licentiousness and not liberty but we must ever do that which according to the exigence of present Circumstances so far as all the Wisdom and Charity we have will serve us to judge shall seem to us most expedient and profitable to mutual Edification This is the way God give us all Grace to walk in it So shall we bring Glory to him and to our selves Comfort so shall we further his Work onward and our own Account at the last AD AULAM. Sermon XIII WHITE-HALL JULY 1641. Rom. 15. 6. That ye may with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. THe sence hangeth unperfect unless we take in the former verse too Both together contain a Votive Prayer or Benediction wherewith the Apostle for the better speeding of all the pains he had taken in the whole former Chapter and in the beginning of this to make the Romans more charitably affected one towards another without despising the weakness or judging the liberty one of another concludeth his whole discourse concerning that Argument His Exhortations will do the better he thinketh if he second them with his Devotions I have shewed you saith he what you are to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now God grant it may be done Now the God of patience and of Consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Iesus that ye may with one c. 2. In the matter or substance of which Prayer besides the formality thereof in those first words Now the God of Patience and Consolation grant you St. Paul expresseth both the thing he desired even their unity in the residue of the fifth verse To be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Iesus and the end for which he desired it even Gods glory in this sixth verse That ye may with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. Of that I have heretofore spoken now some years past of this I desire by Gods grace presently to speak And like as in that former part we then considered three particulars First the thing it self Unity or like-mindedness to be like-minded and then two amplifications thereof one in respect of the Persons that it should be universal and mutual one towards another the other in respect of the manner that it should be according to Christ Iesus So are we at this time in this latter part to consider of the like three particulars First the End it self the glory of God that ye may
both sorts as they are set down the one in the beginning of verse 19. The works of the Flesh are manifest which are these Adultery c. the other in the beginning of verse 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is Love c. And those differences are four First those effects of the former sort proceed originally from the Flesh these from the Spirit Secondly those are rather stiled by the name of Works these by the name of Fruit the Works of the Flesh but the Fruit of the Spirit Thirdly those are set forth as many and apart Works in the Plural These as many but united into one Fruit in the Singular Fourthly those are expresly said to be manifest of these no such thing at all mentioned 6. The first difference which ariseth from the nature of the things themselves as they relate to their several proper causes is of the four the most obvious and important and it is this That whereas the vicious habits and sinful actions catalogued in the former verses are the production of the Flesh the Graces and Vertues specified in the Text are ascribed to the Spirit as to their proper and original cause They are not the works of the Flesh as the former but the fruit of the Spirit 7. Where the first Question that every man will be ready to ask is What is here meant by the Spirit The necessity of expressing supernatural and divine things by words taken from natural or humane affairs hath produced another necessity of enlarging the significations of sundry of those words to a very great Latitude Which is one special cause of the obscurity which is found in sundry places of holy Scripture and consequently of the difficulty of giving the proper and genuine sence of such places and consequently to that amidst so many interpretations of one and the same place whilst each contendeth for that sence which himself hath pitched upon of infinite disputes and controversies in point of Religion Among which words three especially I have observed all of them of very frequent use in the New Testament which as they are subject to greater variety of signification than most other words are so have they ever yet been and are like to be to the Worlds end the matter and fuel of very many and very fierce contentions in the Church Those three are Faith Grace and Spirit Truly I am perswaded if it were possible all men could agree in what signification each of those three words were to be understood in each place where any of them are found three full parts at least of four of those unhappy Controversies that have been held up in the Christian Church would vanish 8. And of the three this of Spirit hath yet the greatest variety of Significations God in his Essence the Person of the Holy Ghost good Angels evil Angels extraordinary gifts wherewith the Apostles and others in the Primitive times were endowed the several faculties of the Soul as Understanding Affections and Conscience the whole Soul of man supernatural Grace besides many others not needful now to be remembred all come under this appellation of Spirit Much of the ambiguity of the World I confess is cut off when it is opposed to Flesh yet even then also it wanteth no variety The Divine and Humane Nature in the Person of Christ the literal and mystical sence of Scripture the Ordinances of the Old and New Testament the Body and the Soul Sensuality and Reason the corruption of Nature and the Grace of God all these may according to the peculiar exigence of several places be understood by the terms of Flesh and Spirit 9. Generally the word Spirit in the common notion of it importeth a thing of subtile parts but of an operative quality So that the less any thing hath of matter and the more of vertue the nearer it cometh to the nature of a Spirit as the Wind and the Quintessences of Vegetables or Minerals extracted by Chymical operation We use to say of a man that is of a sad sluggish and flegmatick temper that he hath no Spirit but if he belively active quick and vigorous we then say he hath spirit in him It is said of the Queen of Sheba when she saw the wisdom and royal state of King of Solomon that there was no more spirit left in her that is she stood mute and amazed at it as if she had had no life speech sense or motion in her The Soul is therefore called a Spirit because being it self no bodily substance it yet actuateth and enliveneth the body and is the inward principle of life thereunto called therefore The Spirit of life and St. Iames saith The body without the Spirit is dead that is it is a liveless Iump of flesh without the Soul So that whatsoever is principium agendi internum the fountain of action or operation as an inward principle thereof may in that respect and so far forth borrow the name of a Spirit Insomuch as the very flesh it self so far forth as it is the fountain of all those evil works mentioned in the foregoing verses may in that respect be called a Spirit and so is by St. Iames The Spirit that is in us lusteth after Envy saith he that is in very deed the Flesh that is in us for among the lusts and work of the flesh is envy reckoned in the very next verse before the Text. 10. To come up close to the Point for I fear I have kept off too long as they stand here opposed by Flesh I take to be clearly meant the Natural Corruption of Man and by Spirit the Supernatural Grace of God Even as the same words are also taken in some other places as namely in that saying of our Saviour Ioh. 3. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Which words may serve as a good Commentary upon this part of the Text for they do not only warrant the interpretation but afford us also the reason of it under the analogy of a twofold Birth or Generation The Generation whether of Plants or living Creatures is effectual by that prolifical vertue which is in the seed Answerable therefore unto the twofold Birth spoken of in the Scriptures there is also a twofold seed The first Birth is that of the Old man by natural generation whereby we are born the sons of Adam The second Birth is that of the New man by spiritual regeneration whereby we are born the Sons of God Answerably whereunto the first seed is Semen Adae the seed of old Adam derived unto us by carnal propagation from our natural Parents who are therefore called The Fathers of our Flesh together wherewith is also derived that uncleanness or corruption which upon our first birth cleaveth so inseparably to our nature and is the inward principle from which all the works of the flesh have their emanation But then there is another seed
Scripture to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation Art c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. Orat. 2. contr Judaeos c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. Orat. 2. contr Jndaeos That the observation of annual Festivals in memory of Christ or his Apostles as Christimas Easter c. is Antichristian superstitions and unlawful 1 Cor. 11. 32. 1 Cor. 11. 23. 15. 3. Quod accepisti non quod excogitasti Vinc. Lir. cap. 27. Numb 22. 18. 1 Joh. 4. 1. Acts 17. 11. 1 Thes. 5. 21. Jude 16. Gal. 1. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. Hom. 13. in 2 Cor. Jer. 5. 31. 1. a Si cùm mihi furta largitiones objiciuntur ego respondere soleo meis non tam sum existimandus de rebus gestis gloriari quà m de objectis non confiteri Cic. pro domo sua b Mihi de memetipso tam multa dicendi necessitas quaedam imposita est ab illo Cic. pro Syll. c Job 16. 2. 2. d Etsi ego dignus hac contumelia at tu indignus qui faceres tamen Teren. e Psal. 55 12 14. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. f Psal. 109. 29. g Esay 11. 5. h Rom. 13. 14. i 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. k Eph. 6. 14 c. 1. 2. 3. l Non dubito quin Iob fuerit Rex Didac Stan in Job 2. 3. m Job 1. 3. n Job 29. 9. o Ibid. ver 25. p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suid. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Cultus magnificus addit hominibus authoritatem Quintil. 8. Inst. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odyss 19. Hoc Priami gestamen erat cùm jura vocatis More dabat populis Virgil. Aen. 7. See Franc. Pollet 3. Hist. fori Rom. 6. r Psal. 109. 16 17. s It is joy to the just to do judgment Prov. 21. 15. t Iuris aequitatis quae virum principem ornant studiosissimus eram Vatabl. hic 6. 7. t 3 Kings 3. 12. u 3 Kings 3. 5-11 x Ibid. ver 9. to discern judgment ver 11. y Ibid ver 10. z Col. 2. 3. a Psal. 45. 6 7. b Esay 11. 5. 8. 1. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot. Etâ— Nicom 3. ex Theogn d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philop. in Prior. Arist. e Matt. 23. 23. f Prov. 24. 26. 2. 3. g Quid est suavius quam bene rem gerere beno publico Plaut in Capt. 3. 2. h Rom. 12. 7. i Faxis ut libeaâ— quod est necesse Auson in Sent. Periand k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. de venatione apud Stobaeum l Quapropter edulcorare convenit vitam Cn. Marius in Mimiambis apud A. Gell. 15. 25. 4. m Prov. 16. 12. 9. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophocl o Lyran. hic p See Syrac 4. 10. 10. q Non mihi sed populo Ae. Adrianus Imp. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. in Epist. ad Alex. r Ita magnae vires gloriae decorique sunt si illis salutaris potentia est Nam pestifera vis est valere ad nocâ—ndum Seneca 1. de clem 3. s Senec. in Medea 2. 2. t Psal. 82. 6. Hoc tecum commune Deis quod utrique rogati Supplicicibus vestris ferre soletis opem Ovid. 2. de Ponto 9. u Wisd. 6. 6. x Luk. 12. 48. y Rom. 13. 5. z Rom. 13. 6. a Rom. 13. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 22. 25. b Rom. 13. 8. c Gen. 2â— 2. 26. â— Psal. 34. in titulo d sed Roma parentem Roma patrem patriae Ciceronem libera dixit Juven Satyr 8. patrem patriae appellavimus ut sâ—iret daâ—am sibi potestatem patriam quae est temperatissima liberis consulens suáque post illos ponens Senec. 1. de Clem. 14. e 4 King 5. 13. f Psal. 34. 11. g Ut eos quasi filios cerneret per amorem quibus pater prâ—erat per protectionem Gloss. interlin hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Philo de creat Principis h Prov. 3. 3. Matth 23. 23. Non auferat veritas misericordiam nec misericordia impediat veritatem August sent 110. apud Prosperum II. i Non solum quâ— dat esurienti cibum sitienti potum verùm etiam qui emendat verbere in quem potestas datur vel coercet aliquâ disciplinâ in eo quod corripit aliquâ emendatoriâ poenâ plectit eleemosynam dat quia misericordiam praestat Aug. in Euchir c. 72. k 1 Tim. â— 3. l 2 Thes. 3. 10. 12. m Ne crederetur quod faveret eis nimis in praejudicium justitiae subditur causam Lyran. hic n Ne forte motu pietatis indiscretae condescenderem ei in praejudicium justitiae Lyran. hic o Exod. 23. 3. 13. p Omnia judicia aut distrahendarum controversiarum aut puniendorum maleficiorum causà reperta sunt Cic. pro Cecin 14. q Deut. 17. 2 c. See also Deut. 13. 14. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. 2. Ethic. 1. s Deut. 19. 17 c. t Judg. 19. 30. u 3 Kings 3. 16. 28. u Dan. 13. 16. y Si judicas cognosce Sen. in Med. 2. z Prov. 18. 13. See Syrac 11. 7 8. a Prov. 25. 2. 15. 1. b Cic. 1. Acad. quaest in fine Involuta veritas in alto latet en 7. de benefic 1. c 3 Kings 21. 13. 2. d Jer. 37. 13. e Acts 24. 5. 25. 7. 3. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand apnd Stob. Ser. 44. g 2 Sam. 16. 34. h Prov. 18. 17. 4. i Take head what you do 2 Chr. 19. 5. k Senec. lib. 2. de ira cap. 23. 16. l Quipote plus urget pisces ut saepe minutos magnus comest ut aves enecat accipeter Varro in Margopoli factus praeda majori minor Sen. in Hippol act 2. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acuere n Psal. 37. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. 2. Phys. tex 76. o Esay 3. 15. p Psal. 14. 4. q Eripite nos ex fancibus eorum quoram crudelit as c. Craâ—â— apud Cic. 1. de O. ratore r Psal. 3. 7. s Psal. 58. 6. See also Prov. 30. 14. Joel 1. 6. 17. t See Syrac 4. 9. u Exod. 18. 21. x 3 King 10. 20. y 1 Sam. 17. 34 c. z Esay 44. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe apud Homer a John 10. 12. 18. b Horat. 3. Od. 24. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. 5. Ethic. 7. d Anach arsi apud Plutarch in Solone nonn uâ—i Zaleuco tribuunt e Inde latae leges ne fortior omnia posset Ovid. 3. Fast. 19. f Considera qualia de te praestes qui tantâ authoritate subveheris Cassiod 6. Epist. 15. g Rom. 13. 4. h Horat. de art Poet. i Prov. 17. 16. k 2 Chro. 19. 6. l Psal. 82. 6. m 1 Pet. 5. 5. n Luke 1. 52. o Psal. 75. 2. 4. 20. p Esay 58. 4. q Rom. 13. 4. r Sam.