the prime sense infallibly to shew us this there can be no Interpreter but the holy Ghost that gave it Besides these two all other Interpretation is private Wherefore as the Lords of the Philistines sometimes said of the kine that drew the Ark unto Bethshemesh If they go of themselves then is this from God but if they go another way then is it not from God it is some chance that hath happened unto us so may it be said of all pretended sense of Scripture If Scripture come unto it of it self then is it of God but if it go another way or if it be violently urged and goaded on then is it but a matter of chance of mans wit and invention As for those marvellous discourses of some framed upon presumption of the spirits help in private in judging or Interpreting of difficult places of Scripture I must needs confess I have often wondred at the boldness of them The spirit is a thing of dark and secret operation the manner of it none can descry As underminers are never seen till they have wrought their purpose so the spirit is never perceived but by its effects The effects of the spirit as far as they concern knowledge and instruction are not particular Information for resolution in any doubtful case for this were plainly revelation but as the Angel which was sent unto Cornelius informs him not but sends him to Peter to School so the spirit teaches not but stirs up in us a desire to learn Desire to learn makes us thirst after the means and pious sedulity and carefulness makes us watchful in the choice and diligent in the use of our means The promise to the Apostles of the Spirit which should lead them into all truth was made good unto them by private and secret informing their understandings with the knowledge of high and heavenly mysteries which as yet had never entred into the conceit of any man The same promise is made to us but fulfilled after another manner For what was written by revelation in their hearts for our instruction have they written in their books To us for information otherwise then out of these books the spirit speaks not When the spirit regenerates a man it infuses no knowledge of any point of faith but sends him to the Church and to the Scriptures When it stirs him up to newness of life it exhibits not unto him an inventory of his sins as hitherto unknown but either supposes them known in the law of nature of which no man can be ignorant or sends him to learn them from the mouth of his teachers More then this in the ordinary proceeding of the holy spirit in matter of instruction I yet could never descrie So that to speak of the help of the spirit in private either in dijudicating or in interpreting of Scripture is to speak they know not what Which I do the rather note first because by experience we have learnt how apt men are to call their private conceits the spirit and again because it is the especial errour with which S. Austine long agoe charged this kinde of men tanto sunt ad seditionem faciliores quanto sibi videntur spiritu excellere by so much the more prone are they to kindle schisme and contention in the Church by how much they seem to themselves to be endued with a more eminent measure of spirit then their brethren whilst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Basils speaks under preâ—â—ense of interpretation they violently broach their own conceits Great then is the danger in which they wade which take upon them this business of interpretation temeritas asserendae incertae dubiaeque opinionis saith St. Austine difficile sacrilegii crimen evitat the rashness of those that aver uncertain and doubtful interpretations for Catholick and absolute can hardly escape the sin of sacrilege But whereas our Apostle saith their own destruction is the destruction only their own This were well if it stretched no farther The ancients much complain of this offence as an hinderer of the salvation of others There were in the days of Istdorus Pelusiota some that gave out that all in the old Testament was spoken of Christ belike out of extream opposition to the Manichees who on the otherside taught that no text in the old Testament did foretel of Christ. That Father therefore dealing with some of that opinion tells them how great the danger of their tenent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for if saith he we strive with violence to draw and apply those texts to Christ which apparantly pertain not to him we shall gain nothing but this to make all the places that are spoken of him suspected and so discredit the strength of other testimonies which the Church usually urges for the refutation of the Jews For in these cases a wrested proof is like unto a suborn'd witness It never doth help so much whilest it is presumed to be strong as it doth hurt when it is discovered to be weak S. Austine in his books de Genesi ad litteram sharply reproves some Christians who out of some places of Scripture misunderstood fram'd unto themselves a kinde of knowledge in Astronomy and Physiology quite contrary unto some part of heathen learning in this kinde which were true and evident unto sense A man would think that this were but a small errour and yet he doubts not to call it turpenimis perniciosum maximè cavendum His reason warrants the roundness of his reproof For he charges such to have been a scandal unto the word and hinderers of the conversion of some heathen men that were schollars For how saith he shall they believe our books of Scripture perswading the resurrection of the dead the kingdome of heaven and the rest of the mysteries of our profession if they finde them faulty in these things of which themselves have undeniable demonstration Yea though the cause we maintain be never so good yet the issue of diseas'd and crazie proofs brought to maintain it must needs be the same For unto all causes be they never so good weakness of proof when it is discovered brings great prejudice but unto the cause of religion most of all St. Austine observ'd that there were some qui cum de aliquibus qui sanctum nomen profitentur aliquid criminis vel falsi sonuerit vel veri patuerit instant satagunt ambiunt ut de omnibus hoc credatur It fares no otherwise with religion it self then it doth with the professors of it Diverse malignants there are who lie in wait to espie where our reasons on which we build are weak and having deprehended it in some will earnestly solicit the world to believe that all are so if means were made to bring it to light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen speaks using for advantage against us no strength of their own but the vice and imbecillity of our defence The book of the Revelation is a book full of wonder
even in his most chosen vessels evermore secret and hidden infirmities and sometimes gross and open scapes which may serve when they look into themselves to abate all overweening conceit of their own righteousness and when they shall look into the errours of others may be secret admonitioners unto them not rashly to condemn them considering their own weakness I will therefore shut up this place with the saying of Saint Ambrose etiam laepsus sanctorum utilis est Nihil mihi obsuit quod negavit Petrus etiam profuit quod emendavit The fall of the Saints is a very profitable thing It hurts not me that Peter denied Christ and the example of his amendment is very beneficial unto me And so I come unto the preparative unto Peters Repentance in these words and he went forth THe wisdom of God hath taught the Church sometime by express message delivered by words of mouth sometime by dumb signes and actions When Jeremy walk't up and down the city with a yoke of wood about his neck when Ezekiel lay upon his side besieged a Slate with the draught of Jerusalem upon it and like a banished man carried his stuff upon his shoulders from place to place they did no less prophesie the captivity desolation famine and wo which was to fall upon Jerusalem then when they denounced it by direct word and speech yea many of the ordinary actions of the Patriarks which seem to participate of chance and to be in the same rank with those of other men themselves as a learned divine of our Mercerus age observes not intending or understanding any such thing contained by the dispensation of the Holy Ghost especial lessons and instructions for us That speech of Sarah cast out the bondwoman and her son c. seemed to Abraham only a speech of curst heart and she her self perceives not her self to speak by direction from God but moved with impatience of Ismaels petulant behaviour toward her son Yet the Holy Ghost himself hath taught us that this act of hir prefigured a great mystery Many disputations there are concerning the cause of this action of Peters going forth whether it were out of the common infirmity that is in most men namely a greater shame to repent then to offend or whether it were out of modesty and good nature that he could not indure the sight of Christ whom he had so grievously offended Howsoever it were we shall do this Scripture no wrong if we think it to contain an act in outward shew casual and like unto the actions of other men but inwardly indeed an especial action of a person great in the sight of God and therefore comprehending some especial instruction And to speak plainly this abandoning the place wherein he fell the company for fear of whom he fell and those things that were occasioners of his sin doth not obscurely point out unto us an especial duty of speedy relinquishing and leaving of all either friends or place or means or whatsoever else though dearer unto us then our right hand then our right eye if once they become unto us inducements to Sin In former days before the Fulness of time came the Calling of the Elect of God was not by any one act more often prefigured then by this action of going forth When the purpose of God was to select unto himself a Church and to begin it in Abraham come forth faith he unto him out of thy countrey and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house When Israel being in AEgypt it pleased God to appoint them a set Form and manner of serving him before this could be done they and all theirs must come forth of AEgypt they must not leave a hoof behinde them When the time of the Gospel was come our Saviour holds the same course none must be of his company but such as come forth leave all and follow him And therefore the Apostle putting the Hebrews in minde of their duty expresses it in this very tearm Let us go forth therefore unto him saith he without the camp bearing his reproach And in the original language of the New Testament the Church hath her name from this thing from being called forth so that without a going forth there is no Church no Christianity no Service to God the reason of all which is this we are all by nature in the High Priests court as Peter was where we all deny and forswear our Master as Peter did neither is there any place for Repentance till with Peter we go forth and weep For our further light we are to distinguish the practise of this our going forth according to the diversity of the times of the Church In the first ages when Christianity was like unto Christ and had no place to hide its head no entertainment but what persecution and oppression and fire and sword could yield it there was then required at the hands of Christians an Actual going forth a real leaving of riches and friends and lands and life for the profession of the Gospel Afterward when the Tempests of persecutions were somewhat alay'd and the skie began to clear up the necessity of actual relinquishing of all things ceast Christians might then securely hold life and lands and whatsoever was their own yet that it might appear unto the world that the resolution of Christian men was the same as in times of distress and want so likewise in time of peace and security it pleased God to raise up many excellent men as well of the Laity as of the Clergy who without constraint voluntarily and of themselves made liberal distribution of all they had left their means and their friends and betook themselves to deserts and solitary places wholy giving themselves over to meditation to prayer to fasting to all severity and rigidness of life what opinion our times hath of these I cannot easily pronounce thus much I know safely may be said that when this custome was in its primitive purity there was no one thing more behoofful to the Church It was the Seminary and nursery of the Fathers and of all the famous Ornaments of the Church Those two things which afterwards in the decay and ruine of this discipline the Church sought to establish by Decrees and Constitutions namely to estrange her Priests from the world and bind them to single life were the necessary effects of this manner of living for when from their childhood they had utterly sequestred themselves from the world and long practised the contempt of it when by chastising their body and keeping it under with long fasting they had killed the heat of youth it was not ambition nor desire of wealth nor beauty of women that could withdraw them or sway their affections That which afterwards was crept into the Church and bare the name of Monkery had indeed nothing of it but the name under pretence of poverty they seized into their possession the wealth and riches of the world they removed themselves from
them to take in good part the good will of the man for want of more business the Synod brake up At length are we coming to the main battel The Armies have been in sight one of another and have had some parly The manner was this Upon Thursday the 6. of Decemb. stylo novo The Synod being set in the morning the Praeses signified that there had come unto him in the name of the Remonstrants these fower H. Leo Niellius Matthisius and Pinakerus to give notice that the Remonstrants were ready according to their Citation but because they had but lately come unto the Town that yet convenient Lodgings were not provided their papers books and stuff were confused therefore they requir'd respite either till Saterday or at least Friday morning The President of the Politicks replyed that they should come and personally make appearance before the Synod and there propose their mindes and if the Synod approved their causes they might be deferr'd Upon this were two of the Deputies of Utrecht sent forth to give them warning to provide for their present appearance In the mean while till they came the Praeses thought fit that such as in the former Session delivered not themselves concerning the Reformation of abuses in Printing should now do it Here was little delivered besides what was said the day before only some few particulars as that order should be taken to repress this longing humour in many men of coming to the Press that there should be no Impression of the Bible at any time without leave had Forreign Books brought out of other Countreys should not be distracted here without peculiar leave after their being perused by the Censurers to ease the Censurers that they might not be troubled with reading too great a multitude of improfitable books it was thought fit that the books should first be brought to the Classes and what they approved should be brought to the Censurers c. In the mean while the Remonstrants came all that were cited by Letters and were admitted into the Synod There is in the midst of the Synod-House a long Table set as it seems for them for it hath hitherto been void no man sitting at it here Chairs and Forms being set they were willed to sit down The Praeses told them that he had commended to the Synod their Suit of being a little respited but it was the will of the Deputies for the States that they should come before the Synod and propose their cause themselves Episcopius standing up spake to this effect First he prayed God to give a blessing to this Meeting and to poure into their mindes such conceits as best fitted men come together for such ends then he signified that according to their Citation they were now come ad collationem instituendam concerning that cause which hitherto with a good Conscience they had maintain'd As for the point of delay true it is they spake to the Praeses concerning a respite until Saterday or Friday by reason of that great distraction of their books and papers and want of convenient lodging but not as a petition to be moved in that behalf unto the Synod but only as a thing which out of common equity they might have presumed on without acquainting the Synod with it For they were ready even at that present to begin the business they came for without any further delay But this they left to the Deputies Secular and Ecclesiastical to determine of Then were they requested to withdraw a little into a chamber near the Synod House and immediately was it proposed unto the Synod what time was to be set for to begin The time prefixt was the morrow after Jo. Polyander took hold of those words ad collationem and told the Synod that it was fit the Remonstrants were told the end of their coming and the manner of proceeding which should be taken with them that they might know what they were to look for and so provide They were to be inform'd that they came not to conference neither did the Synod profess it self an adverse party against them Conferences had been heretofore held to no purpose They ought to have heeded the words of the Letters by which they were cited They were called not to conference but to propose their Opinions with their Reasons and leave it to the Synod to judge of them The Synod would be a Judge and not a party Then were they call'd in again and all this was told them Episcopius answered that for the word Collatio he stood not on it and how they would carry themselves it should appear the day following Mean while one thing they would request of the Synod that is that Grevinchovius and Goulartius should be sent for to the Synod as Patrons of this cause That they had this last week exhibited a Supplication to the States General to this purpose and receav'd this answer that they should put this matter to the Synod and if the Synod thought it fit to be granted they would not be against it Neither did they propose this to seek delayes For they were ready whilst these men should be sent for to proceed to the action Only they thought fit that to maintain their cause they should be sent for who could best do it Then were they again dismist and one was sent to them to call for their Supplication to the Lords and the Lords Answer To this they return'd that the Lords gave this answer not in writing but by word of mouth and for the copy of their Supplication they called not for it any more Then was the thing proposed unto the Synod and the Secular Deputies replyed that they would return their answer on the morrow and the same was the answer of the Synod Mr. Praeses thought that Grevinchovius might be admitted salvis censuris Ecclesiasticis yet notwithstanding he thought good to acquaint the Synod with the quality of this man and thereupon he produced the Act of the Provincial Synod of South Holland wherein it was witnessed that the Synod because he did refuse to appear when they cited him and because of many blasphemies in his Book and of many reproachful speeches against the Magistrates and against the Ministers had suspended him ab omni munere Ecclesiastico From this Grevinchovius had not appealed to the National Synod and therefore it was in the power of the Synod to do what they thought fit Then were the Remonstrants again call'd in and it was signifyed unto them that on the morrow they should understand the will of the Synod concerning their motion made and so were they again dismist and the Session ended the Praeses having first premised that all other things yet depending as the Decree concerning the Proponentes together with the Remedies concerning the abuses in Printing and what else soever must be deferr'd and the business in hand alone attended My Lord Bishop was desirous that Mr. Carleton should stay this day to see the coming of
and mystery the ancients seem to have made a religion to meddle with it and thought it much better to admire it with silence then to adventure to expound it and therefore amongst their labours in exposition of Scripture scarsly is there any one found that hath toucht it But our age hath taken better heart and scarsly any one is there who hath entertained a good conceit of his own abilities but he hath taken that book as a fit argument to spend his pains on That the Church of Rome hath great cause to suspect her self to fear least she have a great part in the prophesies of that book I think the most partial will not deny Yet unto the expositors of it I will give this advice that they look that that befal not them which Thucidides observes to befal the common sort of men who though they have good means to acquit themselves like men yet when they think their best hopes fail them and begin to despair of their strength comfort themselves with interpretations of certain dark and obscure prophesies Many plain texts of Scripture are very pregnant and of sufficient strength to overthrow the points maintained by that Church against us If we leave these ground our selves upon our private expositions of this book we shall justly seem in the poverty of better proofs to rest our selves upon those prophesies which though in themselves they are most certain yet our expositions of them must except God give yet further light unto his Church necessarily be mixt with much uncertainty as being at the best but unprobable conjectures of our own Scarsly can there be found a thing more harmful to religion then to vent thus our own conceits and obtrude them upon the world for necessary and absolute The Physicians skill as I conceive of it stands as much on opinion as any that I know whatsoever Yet their greatest master Hippocrates tells them directly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Then the Physicians presumption upon opinion there is not one thing that brings either more blame to himself or danger to his patient If it be thus in an art which opinion taken away must needs fall how little room then must opinion have in that knowledge where nothing can have place but what is of eternal truth Where if once we admit of opinion all is overthrown But I conclude this point adding only this general admonition that we be not too peremptory in our positions where express text of Scripture fails us that we lay not our own collections and conclusions with too much precipitancy For experience hath shewed us that the error and weakness of them being afterwards discovered brings great disadvantage to Christianity and trouble to the Church The Eastern Church before S. Basils time had entertained generally a conceit that that those Greek Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the rest were so divided among the Trinity that each of the Persons had his Particle which was no way appliable to the rest S. Basil having discovered this to be but a niceness and needless curiosity beginning to teach so raised in the Church such a tumult that he brought upon himself a great labour of writing many tracts in Apology for himself with much ado ere matters could again be setled The fault of this was not in Basil who Religiously fearing what by way of consequence might ensue upon an error taught a truth but in the Church who formerly had with too much facility admitted a conclusion so justly subject to exception And let this suffice for our third part Now because it is apparant that the end of this our Apostles admonition is to give the Church a caveat how she behave her self in handling of Scripture give me leave a little instead of the use of such doctrines as I have formerly laid down to shew you as far as my conceit can stretch what course any man may take to save himself from offering violence unto Scripture and reasonably settle himself any pretended obscurity of the text whatsoever notwithstanding For which purpose the diligent observing of two rules shall be throughly available First The literal plain and uncontroversable meaning of Scripture without any addition or supply by way of interpretation is that alone which for ground of faith we are necessarily bound to accept except it be there where the holy Ghost himself treads us out another way I take not this to be any peculiar conceit of mine but that unto which our Church stands necessarily bound When we receded from the Church of Rome one motive was because she added unto Scripture her glosses as Canonical to supply what the plain text of Scripture could not yield If in place of hers we set up our own glosses thus to do were nothing else but to pull down Baal and set up an Ephod to run round and meet the Church of Rome again in the same point in which at first we left her But the plain evident and demonstrative ground of this rule is this That authority which doth warrant our faith unto us must every way be free from all possibility of errour For let us but once admit of this that there is any possibility that any one point of faith should not be true if it be once granted that I may be deceived in what I have believed how can I be assur'd that in the end I shall not be deceived If the author of faith may alter or if the evidence and assurance that he hath left us be not pregnant and impossible to be defeated there is necessarily opened an inlet to doubtfulness and wavering which the nature of faith excludes That faith therefore may stand unshaken two things are of necessity to concur First that the Author of it be such a one as can by no means be deceived and this can be none but God Secondly that the words and text of this Author upon whom we ground must admit of no ambiguity no uncertainty of interpretation If the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall provide himself to battle If the words admit a double sense and I follow one who can assure me that that which I follow is the truth For infallibility either in judgement or interpretation or whatsoever is annext neither to the See of any Bishop nor to the Fathers nor to the Councels nor to the Church nor to any created power whatsoever This doctrine of the literal sense was never greivous or prejudicial to any but onely to those who were inwardly conscious that their positions were not sufficiently grounded When Cardinal Cajetan in the days of our grandfathers had forsaken that vein of postilling and allegorising on Scripture which for a long time had prevailed in the Church and betaken himself unto the literal sense it was a thing so distastful unto the Church of Rome that he was forc'd to find out many shifts and make many apologies for himself The truth is as it will appear to him that reads his
it like the Prophets of God with quietness and moderation and not in the violence of passion as if we were possest rather then inspir'd Again what equity or indifferency can we look for in the carriage of that cause that falls into the handling of these men Quis conferre duces meminit qui pendere causas Quâ stetit inde favet what man overtaken with passion remembers impartially to compare cause with cause and right with right Quâ stetit inde favet on what cause he happens that is he resolute to maintain ut gladiator in arenam as a Fencer to the Stage so comes he to write not upon conscience of quarrel but because he proposes to contend yea so potently hath this humor prevail'd with men that have undertaken to maintain a faction that it hath broken out to the tempting of God and the dishonour of Martyrdom Two Fryers in Florence in the action of Savonoralla voluntarily in the open view of the City offer'd to enter the fire so to put an end to the controversie that he might be judged to have the right who like one of the three children in Babylon should pass untouch't through the fire But I hasten to visit one weak person more and so an end He whom we now are to visit is a man weak through heretical and erring Faith now whether or no we have any receit for him it may be doubtful For S. Paul advises us to avoid the man that is a maker of Sects knowing him to be damned yet if as we spake of not admitting to us the notorious sinner no not to eat so we teach of this that it is delivered respectively to the weaker sort as justly for the same reasons we may do we shall have a Recipe here for the man that erres in faith and rejoyceth in making of Sects which we shall the better do if we can but gently draw him on to a moderation to think of his conceits only as of opinions for it is not the variety of opinions but our own perverse wills who think it meet that all should be conceited as our selves are which hath so inconvenienced the Church were we not so ready to anathematize each other where we concur not in opinion we might in hearts be united though in our tongues we were divided and that with singular profit to all sides It is the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and not Identitie of conceit which the Holy Ghost requires at the hands of Christians I will give you one instance in which at this day our Churches are at variance The will of God and his manner of proceeding in predestination is undiscernable and shall so remain until that day wherein all knowledge shall be made perfect yet some there are who with probability of Scripture teach that the true cause of the final miscarriage of them that perish is that original corruption that befell them at the beginning increased through the neglect or refusal of grace offered Others with no less favourable countenance of Scripture make the cause of reprobation only the will of God determining freely of his own work as himself pleases without respect to any second cause whatsoever Were we not ambitiously minded familiam ducere every one to be Lord of a Sect each of these tenents might be profitably taught and heard and matter of singular exhortation drawn from either for on the one part doubtless it is a pious and religious intent to endeavour to free God from all imputation of unnecessary rigour his justice from seeming unjustice incongruity on the other side it is a noble resolution so to humble our selves under the hand of Almighty God as that we can with patience hear yea think it an honour that so base creatures as our selves should become the instruments of the glory of so great a majesty whether it be by eternal life or by eternal death though for no other reason but for Gods good will and pleasure sake The authors of these conceits might both freely if peaceably speak their mindes and both singularly profit the Church for since it is impossible where Scripture is ambiguous that all conceits should run alike it remains that we seek out a way not so much to establish an unity of opinion in the mindes of all which I take to be a thing likewise impossible as to provide that multiplicity of conceit trouble not the Churches peace A better way my conceit cannot reach unto then that we would be willing to think that these things which with some shew of probability we deduce from Scripture are at the best but our opinions for this peremptory manner of setting down our own conclusions under this high commanding form of necessary truths is generally one of the greatest causes which keeps the Churches this day so far asunder when as a gracious receiving of each other by mutual forbearance in this kinde might peradventure in time bring them nearer together This peradventure may some man say may content us in case of opinion indifferent out of which no great inconvenience by necessary and evident proof is concluded but what Recipe have we for him that is fallen into some known and desperate Heresie Even the same with the former And therefore anciently Heretical and Orthodox Christians many times even in publick holy exercise converst together without offence It 's noted in the Ecclesiastick stories that the Arrians and Right believers so communicated together in holy prayers that you could not distinguish them till they came to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gloria patri which the Arrians used with some difference from other Christians But those were times quorum lectionem habemus virtutem non habemus we read of them in our books but we have lost the practise of their patience Some prejudice was done unto the Church by those who first began to intermingle with publick Ecclesiastical duties things respective unto private conceits For those Christian offices in the Church ought as much as possibly they may be common unto all and not to descend to the differences of particular opinions Severity against and separation from heretical companies took its beginning from the Hereticks themselves and if we search the stories we shall finde that the Church did not at their first arising thrust them from her themselves went out and as for severity that which the Donatists sometimes spake in their own defence Illam esse veram Ecclesiam quae prosecutionem patitur non quae facit she was the true Church not which raised but which suffered persecution was de facto true for a great space For when heresies and schismes first arose in the Church all kind of violence were used by the erring factions but the Church seem'd not for a long time to have known any use of a sword but only of a buckler and when she began to use the sword some of her best and chiefest Captains much misliked it The first law
in this kind that ever was made was enacted by Theodosius against the Donatists but with this restraint that it should extend against none but only such as were tumultuous and till that time they were not so much as toucht with any mulct though but pecuniary till that shameful outrage commited against Bish. Maximian whom they beat down with bats and clubs even as he stood at the Altar so that not so much the error of the Donatists as their riots and mutinies were by Imperial laws restrained That the Church had afterward good reason to think that she ought to be salubrior quam dulcior that sometimes there was more mercy in punishing then forbearing there can no doubt be made St. Austine a man of as milde and gentle spirit as ever bare rule in the Church having according to his natural sweetness of disposition earnestly written against violent and sharp dealing with He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being taught by experience did afterward retract and confess an excellent use of wholsome severity in the Church Yet could I wish that it might be said of the Church which was sometimes observed of Augustus In nullius unquam suorum necem duravit he had been angry with and severely punisht many of his kin but he could never endure to cut any of them off by death But this I must request you to take only as my private wish and not as a censure if any thing have been done to the contrary When Absolom was up in arms against his Father it was necessary for David to take order to curb him and pull him on his knees yet we see how careful he was he should not die and how lamentably he bewail'd him in his death what cause was it that drove David into this extream passion Was it doubt of heire to the Kingdome That could not be For Solomon was now born to whom the promise of the Kingdom was made was it the strength of natural affection I somewhat doubt of it Three year together was Absolom in banishment and David did not very eagerly desire to see him The Scripture indeed notes that the King long'd for him yet in this longing was there not any such fierceness of passion for Absolom saw not the Kings face for two years more after his return from banishment to Hierusalem What then might be the cause of his strength of passion and commiseration in the King I perswade my self it was the fear of his sons final miscarriage and reprobation which made the King secure of the mercies of God unto himself to wish he had died in his steed that so he might have gain'd for his ungracious childe some time of repentance The Church who is the common mother of us all when her Absoloms her unnatural sons do lift up their hands and pens against her must so use means to repress them that she forget not that they are the sons of her womb and be compassionate over them as David was over Absolom loath to unsheath either sword but most of all the temporal for this were to send them with quick dispatch to Hell And here I may not pass by that singular moderation of this Church of oursâ—â— which she hath most christianly exprest towards her adversaries of Rome here at home in her bosome above all the reformed Churches I have read of For out of desire to make the breach seem no greater then indeed it is and to hold communion and Christian fellowship with her so far as we possibly can we have done nothing to cut of the favourers of that Church The reasons of their love and respects to the Church of Rome we wish but we do not command them to lay down their lay-Brethren have all means of instruction offered them Our Edicts and Statutes made for their restraint are such as serve only to awake them and cause them to consider the innocency of that cause for refusal of communion in which they endure as they suppose so great losses Those who are sent over by them either for the retaining of the already perverted or perverting others are either return'd by us back again to them who dispatcht them to us or without any wrong unto their persons or danger to their lives suffer an easie restraint which only hinders them from dispersing the poyson they brought And had they not been stickling in our state-business and medling with our Princes crown there had not a drop of their blood fallen to the ground unto our Sermons in which the swarvings of that Church are necessarily to be taxt by us we do not binde their presence only our desire is they would joyn with us in those Prayers and holy ceremonies which are common to them and us And so accordingly by singular discretion was our Service-Book compiled by our Fore-fathers as containing nothing that might offend them as being almost meerly a compendium of their own Breviary and Missal so that they shall see nothing in our meetings but that they shall see done in their own though many things which are in theirs here I grant they shall not finde And here indeed is the great and main difference betwixt us As it is in the controversie concerning the Cononical books of Scripture whatsoever we hold for Scripture that even by that Church is maintained only she takes upon her to adde much which we cannot think safe to admit so fares it in other points of Faith and Ceremony whatsoever it is we hold for faith she holds it as far forth as we our ceremonies are taken from her only she over and above urges some things for faith which we take to be error or at the best but opinion and for ceremony which we think to be superstition So that to participate with us is though not throughout yet in some good measure to participate with that Church and certainly were that spirit of charity stirring in them vvhich ought to be they would love and honour us even for the resemblance of that Church the beauty of which themselves so much admire The glory of these our proceedings even our adversaries themselves do much envy So that from hence it is that in their vvritings they traduce our judiciary proceedings against them for sanguinary and violent striving to persvvade other nations that such as have suffered by course of publick justice for religion only and not for treason have died and pretend we what we list our actions are as bloody and cruel as their own wherefore if a perfect pattern of dealing with erring Christians were to be sought there were not any like unto this of ours In qua nec saeviendi nec errandi per eundique licentia permittitur which as it takes not to it self liberty of cruelty so it leaves not unto any the liberty of destroying their own souls in the error of their lives And now that we may at once conclude this point concerning Hereticks for prohibiting these men access to religious disputations it is now too late to
aequum feras he must go very near to teach for truth the contrary falshood To return then from this digression to our rich man Pelagius I grant was deceived when he shut all rich men out of the Kingdome of Heaven but suppose we that he had prevailed in this doctrine that he had wrought all the world to this bent that the Church had received it for Catholick doctrine shew me he that can what inconvenience would have attended this error If every rich man should suddenly become liberal and disburse his moneys where his charity directed him if every painted gallant did turn his Peacocks feathers into sackcloth if every glutton left his full dishes and betook himself to temperance and fasting yea and thought himself in conscience bound so to do out of fear least he might hear of Recepisti I perswade my self the state of Greece would never suffer the more for this but the state of Christianity would have thrived the more Well had it been for our rich man here if he had been a Pelagian for this point of Pelagianisme is the surest remedy that I know against a Recepisti whereas on the contrary side by reason of the truth many rich and covetous persons flatter themselves in their sin whereof they die well conceipted from which they had been freed had it been their good fortune to have been thus far deceived and been Pelagians Let men therefore either quite refuse riches if they offer themselves which is the advice I give or if they will give them acceptance let them believe that if they be rich they may be saved but let them so live as if they could not for the one shall keep them from error in their faith the other from sin in their Actions A second reason perswading us to the neglect of these so much admired things of the world is the consideration of certain abuses which they put upon us certain fallacies and false glosses by which they delude us for I know not how the world hath cried them up and hath given them goodly titles ut vel lactis gallinacei sperare possis haustum as Pliny speaks men call them blessings and favours and rewards and think those men most blest of God who injoy most of them these goodly titles serve for nothing but to set men on longing after them and so fill those that have them with false perswasions and those that have them not with despair and discontents were they indeed blessings were they rewards then were our case very evil and we ourselves in greater danger of a recepisti than before for as Abraham here tells the man of recepiste bona thou hast received tby goodthings so our Saviour tells more than once of some qui habent mercedem have their reward if then we shall beg and receive these things at the hands of God as a reward of our service we shall be no more able when we come to appear before our God to shelter our selves from an habetis mercedem you have your reward then the rich man here could defend himself from a recepisti They may indeed pass for rewards and blessings and that truly too but to a sad and disconsolate end for their is no man though never so wicked but that some way or other doth some good some cup of cold water hath been given some small service enterprized even by the worst of men now God who leaves no service unrewarded no good office unrespected therefore preserves these sublunary blessings of purpose ut paria faciat to clear accounts with men here who otherwise might seem to claim something at his hand at that great day It is the question Ahasuerus makes What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this God is more careful of his honour than Ahasuerus was none more careful than he to reward every service with some honour Nebuchadnezzar was no Saint I trow yet because of his long service in the subduing of Tyre God gives him AEgypt for his reward they are the Prophet Ezechiels words when therefore thou seest God willing to bring the world upon thee to inrich thee to raise thee to honours suspectam habe hanc Domini indulgentiam as Tertullian saith be jealous of this courtesie of God or rather cry out with St. Bernard Misericordiam hanc nolo Domine O Lord I will none of this kinde of mercy for how knowest thou whether he reward not thee as he did Nebuchadnezzar only to even accounts with thee and shew thee that he is not in thy debt that thou mayest hear at the last either a recepisti or an habes mercedem thou hast thy reward O quanta apud Deummerces si in praesenti praemium non sperarent saith St. Hierome O how great a reward might many men receive at the hand of God if they did not anticipate their reward and desire it in this life Why do we capitulate with him for our services Why not rather out of pious ambition desire to have God in our debt He that doth God the greatest service and receives here from him the least reward is the happiest man in the world there goes a story of Aquinas that praying once before the Crucifix the Crucifix miraculously speaks thus unto him Benede mescripsisti Thoma quam ergomercedem accipies Thou hast written well of me Thomas what reward dost thou desire To whom Aquinas is made to answer Nullam Domine praeter Teipsum no reward Lord but thyself 't is great pity this tale is not true it doth so excellently teach what to ask of God for our reward in his service Let God but assure thee of this reward caetera omnia vota Deo remittas thou mayest very well pardon him all the rest let us therefore amend our language and leave off these solecismes and misapplied denominations of blessings and favours and rewards names too high for any thing under the moon and at our leisure finde out other names to express them as for this great esteem which we make of the things below it comes but from this that we know not the value of things above did we believe our selves to be the heirs and the sons of God and knew the price of our inheritance in Heaven it could not be that we should harbour so high and honourable conceits of earthly things it is a famous speech of MARTIN LUTHER Homo perfecte credens se esse haeredem et filium Dei non diu superstes maneret sed statim immodico gaudeo absorberetur Did a man indeed believe that he is a son and heir unto God it could not be that such a man should long live but forthwith he would be swallowed up and die of immoder ate joy And certainly either our not believing or not rightly valuing the things of God or howsoever not knowing them is the cause of this our languishing and impatient longing after earthly things It is but a plain comparison which I shall use yet because it
to pass that in military companies and in all great cities and places of Mart and concourse few moneths yea few weeks pass without some instance and example of blood-shed either by suddain quarrel or by challenge to Duel and single combate How many examples in a short space have we seen of young men men of hot and fiery disposition mutually provoking and disgracing each other and then taking themselves bound in high terms of valour and honour to end their quarrels by their swords That therefore we may the better discover the unlawfulness of challenge and private combate let us a little enquire and examine in what cases blood may lawfully and without offence be shed that so we may see where amongst these single combate may finde its place The Manichees were of opinion that it was not lawful to violate any thing in which there was life and therefore they would not pull a branch from a tree because foresooth there was life in it To think that mans life may be in no case taken from him is but a branch of Manichisme and the words of my text do directly cross it where it is laid down that for the cleansing of blood blood may and must be shed For the avoiding therefore of the extream we are to note that the lawful causes of bloodshed are either publick or private publick cases are two First in case of Justice when a malefactor dies for his sin by the hand of the Magistrate Secondly in case of publick war and defence of our Countrey for the Doctrine of Christ is not as some have supposed an enemy to Souldiership and Military Discipline When John the Baptist began to Preach Repentance and amendment of Life amongst those that came forth to understand and learn their duty the Text saith that the Souldiers came and ask't him Master what shall we do And John wills them not to lay down their weapons or to take another course of life which he ought and would have done if that course had been unlawful but he instructs them rather in their calling For he gives them these two Lessons Do no man wrong And be content with your pay your wages Then which there could not have been better or more pertinent counsel given to Souldiers they being the two principal vices of Souldiers to wrong places where they live by forrage and pillage and to mutiny in dislike of their pay When Saint Peter came to Preach to the Centurion in the Acts we finde not a syllable in all that Sermon prejudicial to a Souldiers profession And therefore accordingly in the times of the Primitive Church Christians served even under Heathen Emperours and that with the approbation of God himself For in the Ecclesiastick story we read of the Legio Fulminatrix of a band of Souldiers called the Thundring Band. Because that at what time Marcus the Emperour lying with his Army in Germanie was afflicted with a great drought and in great danger of the enemy when they were now about to joyn battel the Christian Souldiers that Band fell flat on their faces and by their instant prayers obtained of God a great Tempest which to the Emperour and his army brought store of cold refreshing water but upon the enemy nothing else but fire and whirl-wind The Emperors Epistle in which this story is related is this day extant recovered by Justin Martyr who lived about the time the thing was done wherefore we may not doubt of the lawfulness of that profession which it hath pleased God thus to grace and honour with such a miracle Besides these two there are no other publick causes of blood-shed As for the causes in private I know but one and that is when a man is set upon and forced to it in his own defence If a thief be robbing in the night and be slain the Law of God acquits him that did it and by the Roman Laws Nocturnum furem quomodo libet diurnum si se telo defenderit it was lawful to kill a thief by night at any hand and by day if he used his weapon of private blood-shed there is no cause but this this we must needs allow of For in all other private necessities into which we may be driven the Law and Magistrate have place to whom we must repair for remedy but in case of defence of life against sudden on set no law can be made except we would make a Law to yield our throats to him that would cut them or our Laws were like the Prophet that came to Jeroboam at Bethel and could dry up mens arms that offered violence wherefore all cause of death one onely excepted is publick and that for great reason For to die is not a private action to be undertaken at our own or at any other private mans pleasure and discretion For as we are not born unto our selves alone but for the service of God and the common-wealth in which we live so no man dies to himself alone but with the damage and loss of that Church or common-wealth of which he is a member Wherefore it is not left to any private mans power to dispose of any mans life no not to our own only God and the Magistrate may dispose of this As Souldiers in the camp must keep their standing neither may they move or alter but by direction from the captain so is it with us all Our life is a warfare and every man in the world hath his station and place from whence he may not move at his own or at another mans pleasure but only at the direction and appointment of God his General or of the Magistrates which are as Captains Lievtenants under him Then our lawful times of death are either when our day is come or to fall in battel or for misdemeanor to be cut off by the publick hand of Justice Ut qui vivi prodesse noluerunt eorum morte respub utatur He which otherwise dies comes by surreption and stealth and not warrantably unto his end And though we have spoken something in Apology and defence of War yet you may not think that in time of War your hands are loose and that you may at your pleasure shed the blood of your enemy Misericorditer etiam bella gerantur saith S. Austine even in war and battel there is room for thoughts of peace and mercy and therefore many of the ancient Heroes renowned Souldiers and Captains were very conscientious of shedding the blood of their enemies except it were in battel and when therewas no remedy to avoid it In that mortal battel Sam. 2. between the Servants of David and the servants of Isbosheth the Scripture reports that Abner fled And Azael Joabs brother following him hard at heels to kill him Abner advises him twise Turn aside saith he why should I smite thee to the ground But when Azahel would not hearken but followed him still for his blood then he stroke him with his spear that he died In the
shed only for fashions sake such as Quintilian spake of nihil facilius lachrimis marescit Nothing sooner grows dry then tears but as the Text saith He wept bitterly to summon up that Siccoculum genus Christianorum a sort of Christians who never had tear dropt from their eye to witness their repentance to teach us to enlarge the measure of our sorrow for our sins and in case of grievous relapse not mince out our repentance but to let loose the rains unto grief And thus I come to handle the parts in order more particularly and first of the person He. Amongst all the Saints of God whose errours are set down in holy Scriptures there is none whose person was more eminent or fall more dangerous then Saint Peters That which wisemen have observed in great and eminent wits that they evermore exceed either they are exceeding good or else they are exceeding bad in Saint Peter was true both ways His gifts of Faith of understanding in the mystery of Godlines of resolution to die in our Saviours cause were wonderful but yet his errours were as many and as strange yea so much the more strange because in that thing he most offended in which he was most eminent It was a great argument of his Faith when in the Tempest meeting our Saviour on the waters he calls out unto him if it be thou command me to come unto thee on the waters but no sooner was he come out of the ship but through infidelity he began to sink Again of his great understanding in the mystery of Christ he gave a notable instance when being questioned by our Saviour whom men took him to be he gave the first evident plain and open testimony that ever was given him by man Thou art Christ the Son of the living God John indeed gave testimony and so did Simeon and so did many more but it was more involv'd done in more covert terms more dark Whence we may and that not without some probability argue that the understanding of these men was not so evidently so fully so perspicuously enlightned as was Peters Signum est intelligentis posse docere It is a great argument that a man doth passing well understand himself when he is able perspicuously and plainly to speak to the understanding of another This confession therefore of Peter that carries with it greater light and perspicuity then any yet that ever was given doth not obscurely intimate that he had a greater measure of illumination then any of his predecessors Yet to see the wonderful dispensation of the holy Ghost scarce was this confession out of his mouth but in the very next bout where our Saviour begins further to enform him in the particulars of his Passion and Death and despiteful handling by the Jews the edge of his conceit was quite turned quite blunted and dull Poor man as if he had been quite ignorant of the end of Christs coming out of a humane conceit and pity he takes upon him to counsel and advise our Saviour Sir favour your self these things shall not come unto you and for this pains he is rewarded with no less reproachful a name then that of Satan of a seducer of a Devil He that shall peruse the story of the Gospel and here stay himself might think that that which we read John the sixth v. 70. spoken of Judas Have I not chosen you twelve and one of you is a Divel were here fulfilled in Peter Last of all his love to Christ and resolution in his quarrel he gave an evident testimony when he protested himself ready to lay down his life for him Greater love then this in the Apostles judgement no man hath then to lay down his life for his friend This Saint Peter had if we may believe himself Yea he began to express some acts of it when in defence of his master he manfully drew his sword and wounded the servant of the high Priest But see how soon the scene is changed This good Champion of our Saviour as a Lyon that is reported to be daunted with the crowing of a Cock is stricken out of countenance and quite amazed with the voyce of a silly Damsel Yea so far is he possest with a spirit of fear that he not only denies but abjures his master and perjures himself committing a sin not far behind the sin of Judas yea treading it hard upon the heels But the mercy of God that leaves not the honour of his servant in the dust of death but is evermore careful to raise us up from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness suffers not this rock this great pillar of his Church to be overthrown He first admonishes him by the crowing of a Cock when that would not serve himself full of careful love and goodness though in the midsts of his enemies forgets his own danger and remembers the danger of his servant Himself was now as a sheep before the shearer dumb and not opening his mouth yet forgets he not that he is that great shepherd of the flock but David like rescues one of his fould from the mouth of the Lion and from the paw of the Bear He turns about and looks upon him saith the Text he cries louder unto him with his look then the cock could with his voice Of all the members in the body the eye is the most moveing part that oft-times is spoken in a look which by no force of speech could have been uttered this look of Christ did so warm Peter almost frozen dead with fear that it made him well-near melt into tears As if he had cried out with the spouse Cant. 6. O turn away thine eyes for they have overcome me he grows impatient of his looks and seeks for a place to weep what a look was this think you Saint Jerome discoursing with himself what might be the cause that many of the Disciples when they were called by our Saviour presently without further consultation arose and followed him thinks it not improbable that there did appear some Glory and Majesty in his Countenance which made them believe he was more than a Man that thus bespake them whatsoever then appear'd in his Looks doubtless in this Look of his was seen some Soveraign power of his Diety that could so speedily recover a man thus almost desperately gone a man that had one foot in hell whom one step more had irrecoverably cast away It was this Look of Christ that restored Peter Quos respicit Jesus plorant delictum saith Saint Ambrose those weep for their sins whom Jesus looks upon Negavit primo Petrus non flevit quia non respexerat Dominus Negavit secundo non flevit quia adhuc non respexerat Dominus Negavit tertio respexit Jesus ille amarissimè flevit Peter denies him once and repents not for Jesus look't not back upon him he denies him the second time and yet he weeps not for yet the Lord look't not back
power pointed out unto us in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things But the subject of this Christian power hath been so necessarily wrapped up and tyed together with the power that for the opening of it I have been constrain'd to exemplifie at large both what this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this all things is and how far it doth extend so that to enter upon it a new were but to trouble you with repetition of what is already sufficiently opened I will go on therefore unto the second general of my Text. For here me thinks that question might me asked which Dalilah asked of Sampson Tell me I pray thee wherein this great strength lieth Behold beloved it is expressed in the last words through Christ that strengtheneth This is as I told you that hair wherein that admirable strength of a Cristian doth reside I confess I have hitherto spoken of wonderful things and hardly to be credited wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least the strangeness of the argument call my credit into question Loe here I present unto you the ground of all this A small matter sometimes seems wonderful till the cause of it be discovered but as soon as we know the cause we cease to marvel how strong soever my discourse of Christian Omnipotency doth seem yet look but upon this cause and now nothing shall seem incredible For to doubt of the omnipotency of a Christian is to question the power of Christ himself As the Queen of Sheba told King Solomon that she had heard great things of him in her own countrey but now she saw truth did go beyond report so beloved he that travels in the first part of my Text and wonders at the strong report of a Christian mans power Let him come to the second part to our Solomon to him that is greater then Solomon to Christ and he shall finde that the truth is greater then the same of it for if he that was possest of the evil spirit in the Gospel was so strong that he being bound with chains and fetters he brake them all of what strength must he be then whom it pleaseth Christ to enable or what chains or fetters shall be put upon him which he will not break From this doctrine therefore that Christ is he that doth thus enable us we learn two lessons which are as it were two props to keep us upright that we lean not either to the right hand or to the left First not to be dejected or dismay'd by reason of this outward weakness and baseness in which we seem to be Secondly not to be pust up upon opinion and conceit of that strength and glory which is within us and unseen For the first for our own outward weakness be it what it will we cannot be more weak more frail then Gideons Pitchers now as in them their frailty was their strength and by being broken they put to flight the army of the Midianites so where it pleases Christ to work that which seems weakness shall become strength and turn to flight the strongest adversary Satis sibi copiarum cum Publio Decio nunquam nimium Hostium fore said one in Livie we may apply this unto our selves be we never so weak yet Christ alone is army and forces enough and with him we can never have too many enemies The flesh indeed is weak for our Saviour tells us yet this weakness of the flesh is no prejudice at all to the strength of a Christian for though the flesh be weak yet the spirit is strong and so much our Saviour tells us too and why then do we not follow the stronger part Si spiritus carne fortior quia generosior nostra culpa infirmiora sectamur saith Tertullian If the spirit be stronger then the flesh what madness is it in us to make choice of and follow the weaker side Nulla sides unquam miseros elegit amicos Which of you is so improvident as in a faction to make choice of that side which he sees to be the weakest and which he knows must fall Again this weakness of a Christian is only outward within what he is the words of my Text do sufficiently shew Socrates outwardly was a man of deformed shape but he was one of an excellent spirit and therefore Alcibiades in Plato compares him to an Apothecaries box which without had painted upon it an Ape or a Satyre or some deformed thing but within was full of sweet and precious oyntment Thus beloved it is with a Christian whatsoever outward deformity he seems to have howsoever he seems to be nothing but rags without yet he is totus purpureus all scarlet and glorious within I have said ye are Gods saith the Scripture the Magistrate is wont to ingrosse and impropriate this Scripture to himself because sitting in place of Authority for execution of Justice he carries some resemblance of God but to whom can this Scripture better belong then to the Christian man For the magistrate carries indeed some shew of God without but many times within is full of corruption and weakness the Christian carries a shew of weakness without but within is full of God and Christ. The second thing which I told you we learn't was a lesson teaching us not to be puft up with opinion and conceit of our own inward strength and glory for if any man because of this shall begin to think of himself above what he ought Let him know that he may say of his exceeding strength no otherwise then the man in the book of Kings spake when his axe was fallen into the water Alas Master it was but lent Those that build houses make Anticks which seem to hold up the beams whereas indeed as St. Paul tells the Olive branch Thou bearest not the root but the root thee So is it true in them they bear not up the house the house bears up them Beloved seem we never so strong yet we are but Anticks the strength by which the house of Christ doth stand is not ours it is Christs who by that power by which he is able to subdue all things to himself doth sustain both himself and us FINIS Luke 18. 1. And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint MY Text is like the Temple at Hierusalem It is the house of prayer wherein we may learn many special points of the skill and practice of it Now as that Temple had two parts First the Forefront the porch the walk before it and secondly the Temple it self So have these words likewise two parts First there are words which stand before like a porch or walk and they are these And he spake a parable unto them Secondly here are words like unto the Temple it self That men ought always to pray and not to faint If you please before we enter into the Temple or speak of these words That men ought always to pray Let us stay and
been with David It was not some light touch to rase only the surface and skin of the heart but like a sword it pierced deep into him To teach us one lesson that actions spotted though but with the least suspicion of sin ought nor carelesly to be past by or slightly glanced at but we ought to be deeply apprehensive of them and bestow greatest care and consideration upon them The third part of our Text containeth the cause of Davids remorse in the last words Because he cut off Sauls skirt in the two former parts we had to do with greatness there was 1. a great Person and 2. great Remorse can we in this third part find out any great cause or reason of this so to make all parts proportionable Certainly he that shall attentively read and weigh these first words of my Text and know the story might think that David had committed some notable error as some great oppression or some cruell slaughter or some such royall sin which none but Kings and great men can commit But beloved this my Text seems to be like the Windows in Solomons Temple broad within but narrow without or like a Pyramide large and spatious at the Basis and ground of it but small and sharp at the top The Person and Remorse which are the Ground and subject of my Text both are great and large but the cause which is the very crown and top of all that is very small yea peradventure none at all For whether it be that my self accustomed to greater sins and now grown old in them have lost all sense of small and petty errours or whether indeed there be no errour at all in this action of David but only some fancy some jealousy arising out of that Godly and carefull watch he kept over all his wayes or whatsoever else it was that caused this scruple or remorse in David it is a very hard matter to discover and yet notwithstanding that we may make more open pass unto such Doctrines as I shall raise out of these words let us a little scan and consider what it was in this action that made David thus strangely scrupulous And first of all was it for that he had toucht and taken that which was none of his own and therefore might seem to fall within compass of the Law against injury and purloyning This seems not probable for when afterwards in the like case he came upon Saul as he was sleeping in the Camp and took from him the Spere and the pot of Water which stood at his head we do not read that his heart smote him and yet he took what was none of his Or 2ly was it that he did wrong and dishonour Saul in mangling his garment Indeed the Jews have a tradition that this was the sin of which David was here so sensible And therefore say they whereas we read in the first of Kings that when David grew old they covered him with clothes but he gat no heat this was the punishment of his sin committed against Saul God so providing that garments should not be serviceable to him who had offended in wronging Sauls garments But this I must let go as a fable Or 3ly was it that he had unadvisedly given way to some disloyal thought and at first resolved to revenge himself on Saul having him at the advantage though afterward he repented Indeed St. Chrysostome thinks so and therefore on those words at the latter end of the verse next before my Text And David arose he notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See you â—â—ot saith he what a tempest of rage and anger begins to rise in him for he supposeth him to arise in heat and fury with a resolution for blood but it pleased God in the way to make him relent and change the purpose of revenge into the Action of cutting off his skirt and that this smiting of Davids heart was nothing else but his repenting himself for giving over hasty entertainment to such a rebellious thought But beloved who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Davids thoughts were known only to God and himself Since therefore God gives not this as a reason of Davids remorse but another thing far be it from me that I should wrong David so far as to burden him with that with which none but God can charge him I rather chuse to follow St. Basils rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the Scriptures be understood as they lye The Scripture tells us Davids heart smote him because he cut of the skirt of Sauls garment and not because he had conceiv'd against Saul any thought of blood But what cause then shall we give of Davids remorse none other Beloved but that Religious and carefull jealousie which still he had over his own thoughts which made him pietatis affectu etiam quae tuta sunt formidare Hieron To suspect all things be they never so safe and never to think himself secure from the contagion of sin It was with David as it is wont to be with men that are often troubled with sicknesses and diseases suspicionibus inquietantur medicisque jam sani manum porrigunt omnem calorem corporis sui calumniantur Senec. Disquiet themselves with every little alteration in their Bodies repair to the Physician when they are well and think every heat to be an Ague fit Horum corpus non est parum sanum sed sanitati parum assuevit these men are not sick but they do not know what it is to be in health In the same state is David he had been often infected with Spirituall weakness and disease and therefore he suspects every motion of his heart and takes every thought to be a temptation Hujus animus non erat parum sanus sed sanitati parum assuevit his Soul was not sick of any sin but he did not know what it was to be in Spirituall health For us and for our use hath the Holy Ghost registred this example of scruple and tenderness of conscience Let us returne to our selves and see what lessons we may learn hence for our behoof Men usually are either grown old in sin therefore their eyesight is decayed they cannot eaâ—â—ly see and discerne smaller sins or else as Hagar in the Book of Genesis laid Ismael afar off from her that she might not be griev'd with the sight of him so we labour to lay our sins far out of kenn that the memory and sight of them might not exasperate and trouble us For the cure of both these infirmityes I have borrowed out of the Lords treasury a Spectacle or Optick Glass which if we use it will restore our decayed eyesight and quicken and make us read our sins in the smallest print and let themâ—â—ly never so farr from us yet will it present them unto us in their true quantity and greatness Towards the better use of which Spirituall Glasse one lesson would I especially commend unto you to be perpetually Jealous
Synod first to handle of Election and then of Reprobation as much as should seem necessary and for the Churches good and withall charged them to answer roundly and Categorically whether they would proceed according to this order they answered No. Then did the Praeses require them to withdraw and give the Synod leave to advise of this The sum of that which past in the mean time was this That their pretence of Conscience was vain since it was not of any thing which concern'd Faith or good manners but only of order and method in disputing which could not at all concern the Conscience that the Disputation must begin from Election First because the order of Nature so requir'd to deal of the Affirmative before the Negative and again because that all Divines who ever handled this Question did hold the same order and the Holy Ghost in Scripture had taken the same course That they should be assured in the name of the Synod that they should have Liberty to diseusse the question of Predestination throughout That whatsoever they pretended yet the true end of their so hotly urging the question of Reprobation was only to exagitate the Contra-Remonstrants Doctrine and to make way for their own Doctrine in point of Election Iâ—â—dius observed that it had been the Custome of all those who favour'd Pelagianism to trouble the Church with the question of Reprobation D. Gomarus that saw that his Iron was in the fire for I perswade my self that the Remonstrants spleen is chiefly against him began to tell us that Episcopius had falsified the Tenent of Reprobation that no man taught that God absolutely decreed to cast man away without sin but as he did decree the end so he did decree the means that is as he predestinated man to death so he predestinated him to sin the only way to death and so he mended the question as Tinkers mend Kettles and made it worse then it was before In summe the Synod caused a Decree to be penn'd to this purpose That it should be lawful for the Remonstrants to propose their Doubts both in the Question of Election and of Reprobation but for the order in disputation which of the two should come first they should leave that to the Synod who thought it fitter to give then to receive Laws and that whereas they pretended Conscience it was but vain since there was nothing in Scripture against this Command of the Synod nay that it was more agreeable with Conscience to obey then to withstand Then were the Remonstrants called in and after a short admonission better to advise themselves the Decree of the Synod was read unto them And when they began to urge their Conscience the Praeses Poliricus spake to this purpose that there had heretofore been many Decrees made by the Delegates but they had been all neglected he therefore strictly warn'd them that no man should dare to withstand any Decree either of the Magistrate or of the Synod either by open opposing against it or by sullen silence under pain of penalty according to the will of the Lords When Episcopius had said aegerimè ferimus and would have said somewhat more he was enjoyn'd silence and so the Session ended Mr. Praeses telling us that the next Session we should come to the question si per Remonstrantes liceret Now concerning Monsieur Moulins Proposals of which your Lordship requir'd to know what I thought I will deliver my self in my next Letters to your Honour In the mean time commending your Honour to Gods good protection I humbly take my leave Dort this 17 27. of Decemb. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Friday 18 2â—â— of Decemb. in the morning it was long ere the Synod met At length being come together there were read the two Decrees one of the States another of the Synod made the former Session the reason of the repeating was the absence of some the day before Then did the Praeses signify that that very morning immediately before the time of the Synod he had received from the Remonstrants Letters satis prolixâ—â—s which concern'd himself and the whole Synod the perusal of which Letters was the cause of his long stay The Letters were sent to the Secular Delegates to know whether or no they would have them read Whilst the Seculars were advising of this point there were brought in a great heap of the Remonstrants Books and laid upon the Table before the Praeses for what end it will appear by and by The Secular Delegates signifie that they think not fit that the Letters should be publickly read and that the Remonstrants should immediately be call'd in They being entred the Praeses askt them whether they were ready to obey the Orders set down by the States and the Synod They require to have their Letters read but the Seculars willed them instead of reading their Letters to hearken to a Decree of the States and forthwith was read a Decree sounding to this purpose that the States strictly commanded that nothing should be read or spoken in the Synod in prejudice of the Decree made yesterday but that they should without any further delay come to the business in hand The Remonstrants reply that except they may most freely propose their mindes in both the parts of Predestination both Election and Reprobation they refused to go further in Conference for that their Conscience would not permit them The Praeses replyed that for Liberty of proposal of their opinions they could not complain for the Synod had given them Libertatem Christianam aequam justam but such an absolute Liberty as they seemed to require of going as far as they list of oppugning before the Synod what opinions they pleased of learned men this they thought unfit And as for Conscience they knew that the Word of God was the rule of it Now what part of Scripture had they that favoured them in this behalf or that did take any order and prescribe a Method in Disputation By thus stiffely urging their Conscience they did exceedingly wrong the Decrees of the States and Synod as if by them something against the Word of God some impiety were commanded When the Praeses had thus said he began to propose unto them certain Interrogatories concerning the Five Articles Your Honour may be pleased to call to minde that in one of my former Letters I shewed that because the Remonstrants had given up their opinions very perplexedly and imperfectly the Synod had thought good that the Praeses should propose them certain questions out of their own Writings so the better to wrest their meaning from them This was the Praeses now beginning to do and this was the cause of the bringing in of the Books The Interrogatory proposed was this Whether or no they did acknowledge that the Articles exhibited in the Hague Conference did contein their opinions Episcopius stept up and required that it might
be lawful for them to set down their own Tenents and not be forced to answer thus to other mens Writings H. Leo in choler told the Praeses that he did evidently see that it was the drift of the Synod to discredit them with the Magistrate and that for his own part he would rather leave his Ministry then make any answer to these Interrogatories The Praeses here advised him to bethink himself seriously whether his Conscience could assure him that this was a good cause of leaving his Ministry because he might not proceed in Disputation according as he thought fit Wezekius answer'd that he would not submit himself to this examen and nisi posset liberrimè agi he would not answer at all The same was the sence of Hollingerus his answer Episcopius plainly told them nisi in omnibus liberum esset to do as they thought good they would go no farther For we are resolv'd saith he agere pre judicio nostro non pro judicio Synodi then one of the Seculars stept up and willed those words should be noted The Praeses then told them that the true cause of all this their indisposition was that they forgot themselves to be Citati and that they were not acquainted with being commanded They were to remember that they stood before God before their Magistrate and that their cause was the cause of the Church whose peace would not be procured by this behaviour They might remember what they told the Forreign Divines in their Letters to them that there was of late a great Metamorphosis in the State Non estis nunc judices Domini rerum sed Citati but as it seem'd they were resolv'd to suffer omnino nullum judicium de iis fieri Episcopius here urged his Conscience Adde Verbum Dei then saith the Praeses shew us upon what Text of Scripture you ground your Conscience otherwise you wrong both the Magistrate and the Synod Corvinus answered that that scantling of Liberty which the Synod gave them did not suffice their Consciences Poppius likewise required larger Liberty and that he might not be dealt withall by Authority but by Reason The Praeses answered that in Conscience he could not give them greater Liberty then they had already given them and therefore askt him if he would answer to the Interrogatories He stoutly replyed Malo quidvis pati Sapma replyed to the same purpose and over and above added Ut nostrum judicium non satisfacit Synodo ita nec Synodi Judicium nostro Rickwardius told the Synod that they dealt not charitably with them and openly protested as Episcopius had before done non agemus pro judicio Synodi sed pro judicio nostro The Praeses replyed vocem hanc esse intollerandam Niellius excepted against this proceeding with them capitatim and requir'd that they might consult in common what answer to give For my self saith he I am a man of no ready speech and unfit for sudden disputation Too great advantage is taken against men by this kinde of proceeding Many members of the Synod were they thus singled out to give a sudden answer might easily peradventure be put to some distress Nullam esse causam tam justam de qua non facile possit triumphari si de ea agatur tantum pro arbitrio adversarii The Praeses told them that here was nothing requir'd but that they would give a reason of their Faith which they had for this many years taught in their Pulpits in their Writings therefore they could not be unprovided to give an answer and for that they mentioned the Synod as an Adversary they had been already taught sufficiently by the Forreign Divines that the Synod could not be counted pars adversa they answer'd that they requir'd a copie of the reasons given by the Forreign Divines that they might consider of them but they were denyed it Here was by one of them I know not whom a reply made that the Remonstrants in refusing to proceed except they might freely handle the point of Reprobation did no other then the Contra-Remonstrants had formerly done in the Hague Cenference who there openly refused to proceed if they were urged to have the same point handled notwithstanding the command of the Magistrate Festus Hommius replyed that the narration was falsified for the Contra-Remonstrants did not simply refuse to deal in the point of Reprobation neither did the Magistrate command them to do it as now he had commanded them And thus much did some of the Secular Deputies stand up and give witness unto Episcopius here urged some words out of the Conference to prove what was said but what these words were I could not take The Praeses went forward to propose the Interrogatories Goswinus and Neranus answer'd as their fellows had formerly done Isaacus Frederici urged for himself that when he was removed from being a Member of the Synod he was commanded conjungere se Citatis this he could not do if thus he was enforced to answer for himself alone The Praeses answered that by the Decree of the States they were accounted no Colledg but only as they were cited so were they to answer Capitatim and by Poll. And as for Isaacus since he knew that the Synod accounted of him as of one of the Citati he could not be ignorant that his quality was the same with theirs Isaacus answer'd that he had evermore been averse from sudden disputations and therefore he meant not to answer Here it was denyed by some of the Remonstrants that the States had made any Decree that they should thus give answer capitatim The Delegates for the Seculars stood up and signified viva voce that they had decreed it Episcopius answer'd that the Scribe Heinsius used some such words but he took it to have been only some phrase of Heinsius not any Decree of the Lords Heinsius replyed that he did nothing but what he was commanded Episcopius protested that till that hour he never heard that by any Decree of the States they were enjoyn'd to answer thus singly and by Poll. Poppius signifyed that he thought it a thing very unbefitting both his age and his Ministry to submit himself to such a Pedagogica collatio as sometimes by Martinus Gregorii it had been styled The Praeses then askt them all in general whether they did persist in this their Answer They all replyed Yea. The Remonstrants therefore being dismist the Praeses required the Synod to think what course they would take to proceed protesting that he thought that all Liberty befitting was grantunto them and calling in the Remonstrants again and advising them to consider what they did they all replyed that they were resolv'd non capitatim sed conjunctim respondere The President of the Politicks commanded them that without peculiar leave granted none of them should go out of the Town The Praeses Eclesiasticus advising the Synod to think of some course of gathering the Remonstrants opinions out of their