the Baptism of Water which makes them one many Lepers might have washed in Jordan and yet not come out as Naaman the Syrian did The Baptisme of the Spirit doth only that and those that are so born not of flesh nor of water only but of the spirit will keep this union will be one as that is one 5. One House where we are all brought up together the Church Domus Dei is but one I speak not of the materiall house but of the mysticall one Catholike Church in which we suâ—k of the same breasts we are fed with the same milk are tutored under the same Government partake of the same Sacrament Habitare fratres in unum to be of one minde which be of one house this is no small strengthening of the Union These all of them and many more are Ecclesiastica vincula and belong to the chief Tendon by which this union is made the spirit There are others not to be past ore with silence Humane necessity Civill Commerce naturall Relations are all of them Ligaments to bring the parts together to make up this union Religion and Nature both leane to it Their main intendment is to effect it And yet when this is done and the parts joyned the body is not perfect if there be not a Symmetry and agreement between them if they be not of the same nature all t will be but Humano capiti cervicem jungere equinam if not of a just proportion both will be a like monstrous Their nature we have touched already being in one wombe we doubt not of that of the other there may be some question made in the naturall Body it is the wonder of the Creation to see in what perfect meeter all the parts are made yet there may be some aberrations there the same should be in the mysticall Body The Body of Christ can be no lesse perfect and yet the jarring of the parts as if they had not that Symmetry we speak of their falling into pieces as if they were not in their places makes us make a question of it Look a little into the cause of it God saith the Apostle hath so tempered the parts of the body that there might be no schisme no division in it but that the members should have the same care one for another he hath done the like sor the Church Apostles Prophets Teachers workers of miracles gifts of healing helpers governors diversity of tongues c. are all of them members of this body all of them set by him in their right places to their right offices There are divers causes of the schisme that is among them Dislike of their own places The foot would be the hand or else not of the body it aspires higher yet to be the eye or the ear in the seat of Magistracy as it did of late among the Anabaptists in Germany and in the seat of Ministery as in the experience of our times So it was in that great rent of the Body of Israel in Jeroboams dayes the meanest of the people Mechanicks among them were made their Priests and if they may not be that they will not be of the Body and indeed Gratulandum est cum tales de Ecclesia separentur saith Cyprian Vtinam abscindantur was Saint Pauls hearty prayer Such were Corah and his company Moses answer might serve their turns Seemeth it a small thing that the Lord hath separated you to take you neer to himself Is it not enough that you are of the Body Were all the body an eye where were the smelling Hath not he placed lesser lights in the Firmament as well as great ones All are not there primae Magnitudinis hath not he ordered meaner servants in his family as well as greater ones All are not there primae distributionis There will be degrees of glory in Heaven as there are of places in earth Besides to avoide this dangerous schisme hath not God so tempered the body that he hath given the more honour to that part which lacked the onus is ours the hones yours The head cannot say unto the feet I have no need of you nor the eye to the hand I have no need of thee This scisme whether it be in Church or state one Menenius Agrippa in Livy very fitly confuted by telling to the factious Romans the tale of the falling out of the Belly and the members because it seemed to devour all the hands would not work the feet would not stirre the mouth refused to receive any food till they sound themselves to languish thorough the emptinesse of the stomack and by bad experience proved the belly no lesse profitable to the body then the other members and that the safety of the whole depended upon the society and concord of the parts This Emulation hath been the cause of the dissentions which have ever been in the Church Yet there are some others causes The neglect of their own offices and impertinent surview of others which belongs to the head to censure and not to the parts The want of Sympathy with the infirmities of the fellow members if one suffer not careing to suffer with him not considering if a Joynt be loosed or strained all the parts ought to be painted with it neither of these but are causes of this scisme and these lead me to the fourth particular the offices and administrations of the body A sufficiency of parts a uniting of them into one body a placing them in a true Symmetry and Proportion are all of them for this for their administrations and functions and for them they have received diversities of gifts and by them are to be exercised in severall operations all three are specified by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6. All the Body is not one member but many all the members have not the same gifts but divers all their gifts are not for the same operations but severall altogether are most wisely disposed both in the naturall and mysticall Body for the furniture thereof edifying of it self in love Ephes 4. 16. We have not leasure now to take a short view of them in particular All that hath been said tends to this conclusion we are the Body of Christ and Members in particular We that are many are one Body a Body in the parts in the union of the parts in the Symmetry and Agreement of the parts in the offices and Administrations of the parts and if we be of his body in earth we shall be sure to be joyned to our head in Heaven Vsurpavimus regnum Dei in Christo we hold Heaven in Câ—pite already But then if we be all one body there must be no scisme between us no falling off from the parts no falling out without them Ad regnum pervenire non potest qui eam quae regnatura est pacem derelinquit saith Cyprian Hath God tempered them all that there be no division and shall we distemper them by scisme and dissention Will it be enough to
fruit of peace But Christ doth not only wish this but also will it he commends it to them and commands it them both under one his teaching was ever with auâ—hority 2. Imperatively Pax vobis is as much as Pacem babete in vohis if it were not good for us he would never wish it much lesse command it and this here is but a remembring of them saith Saint Chrysostome of what he had before so oft told them of having peace one with another If his authority was doubted then sure it was sufficiently confirmed now now he was risen from the dead and had conqueâ—ed all those enemies of peace even death it self the last enemy of all To speak of peace to advise to it to enjoyn it was a very fit time Dives in hell desired no more then that one should rise from the dead to teach his brethren Now the peace which commands us is Oris Operis Cordis 1. To speak peace for strise like to flames gather life by breath angry words are ever heralds unto warre they that will pursue peace must keep their tongue from evils and their lips that they spake no guile Curses and reproaches are like arms of straw to the fire of wrath saith Camerarius they adde fuell to it but a soft answer saith Solomon allayeth it The Apostles though they had tongues given them like fire yet they were such as had light as much as heat in them and that heat which was was cooled with a blast of winde Acts 2. And heat can do no harm where it is governed by light there must be habete potestatem in verbis before there can be any hopes of habete pacem in vobis they know not the way of peace which know not how to do that 2. The next is Pax operis To practise peace Christ did both they heard him speak and he shewed them his hands and his feet to confirm his practise he was mighty in deed and in word the Scripture places deed ever first where it speaks of Christ Acts 1. 1. Luke 24 19. to shew there was most worth in that and Christs action should be our imitation when we speak peace we should shew our hands that we practise it that we labour for it not Joaâ— and Judas like have peace only in our mouth but a sword or staffe in our hand But it is possible our labour may be lost as Davids was in Psal 120. I labour for peace but when I speak unto them thereof they make themselves ready for battell It is likely we shall speed no better then Christ told his Disciples when as he sent them forth with the like salutation Pax buic domui as it hits and meets with the Son of peace so it will be retained else returned back to us again yet there must be still 3. Pax in corde a well wishing unto peace an hearty desire of it not to let enmity take up any room there to expresse it by free motion of it by glad receiving it by seeking and suing for it by sending after it and purchasing it till this be seen we shew not our side how it bleeds after peace This is Christs wish that we would do thus and this is not only commended unto us but commanded us Pax vobis i. e. habete pacem in vobis And let it now passe for an injunction and not only for a salutation Love is of the same nature with peace our Saviour calls it a new Commandement John 13. 34. Peace hath somewhat the advantage of that our Saviour speaks of and that only to Peter after his resurrection but this he gives in charge to all his Disciples Pax vobis is he to them We come to that now the Persons to whom it is enjoyned his Disciples they were then gathered together and their Congregation did fitly represent the Church of God only they were gathered through fear these through love Now peace is never so fit as at a meeting be it from what cause soever whether of love or fear there to be published then to be entertained When men are simul there ought least of all to be simultas Peace is the Cartilage which keeps the members together the bond of peace the Apostle calls it because the Church like a sheaâ—e hath by it all her ears of corn kept from shattering together This was the peace of Christs principall intendment Pax Ecclesiae that they should alwaies be as their bodies were conjoyned so have their hearts and mindes united as they are of one place so have all one peace we cannot say with any successe Pax huic domui if they be not of one minde in the house Saint Basil reports with astonishment what he had by experience sound in his travells that when in all Arts and Sciences and societies he saw peace and agreement tantum in Ecclesiâ Christi pro quâ ipse mortuus maximum dissidium Ascet p. 186. He reckons it among the judgements of God and we can do no lesse if any time we think seriously of it he imputes the cause of that to mens contempt of their heavenly King as Israels calamities in the time of Judges because every man did what they list and there was no King in Israel they which are rebells to the King will not be ruled by his Law sine Rege sine Lege ever go together and they do little better but deny his soveraignty which reject his commands they forgo their obedience which cast of his cognizance nay with greater rage then the souldiers used him they rent in sunder his seamlesse coat and break even his bones in peeces so Saint Austin speaks of the Schismatick Donatus There will be ever in the Church of God haters of Peace The enemie of peace will be still sowing tares of dissention ever since the opening of the second seal Revel 6. 4. There was power given to take peace from the earth then was Pax terris that part of the Angels song turned into vaeterris Jehnes fury and Jereboams schisme carry all away before them The Gospel they pretend to both as if it had gotten new colours war and the sword and not peace and love Yet shall Christs wish take no effect Pax vobis will sure be welcome to the Disciples Pax domui huic to the sons of peace here Those to whom Christ wisheth it are the same to whom the Angels proclaimed it Luke 2. Pax terris but quibus saith Saint Bernard 〈◊〉 hominibus magnae scientiae dignitatis sed bone voluntatis But what and if you will needs reject it shall it be sayd in vain Pax vobis if it finde no sons of peace it will return to vs again the blessing of peace will be returned to them that plead for it and that our Saviour pronounceth blessed are the Peace makers And blessed for ever blessed be that Peacemaker who did not only plead for peace all his life but purchased it by his death who payd the
will be too little we finde it thrice threatned Revel 8. 13. Woe woe woe and when these are past with St Bernard we shaâ—l finde a fourth it will be but injustice with the King of Israel to smite but thrice when we should do it five or sixe times it will be but to repeat the words so much the oftner and four woes we shall in justice award unto our selves and those four from four places First From Heaven above us Secondly From the world without us Thirdly From our own consciences within us Fourthly From hell beneath us in respect of every one of these we have just cause to say Woe now unto us 1. From heaven above us â—hen we do contemplate the greatnesse and power of an incensed Judge how the Lord of Hâ—asts is up in armes against us how justice musters up her clouds aâ—d winds and stormes how thousand thousands and ten thousand thousands Dan. 7. dâ—ily march in his Army how he cometh with flames of fire rendring of vengeance how with him Judgement cannot be prevaricated no bribes will blinde his eyes no friends corrupt his affections mercy dares not plead tears will not be heard to speak who is able to stand before consuming fire who can dwell with everlasting burnings How the very Earth shall melt at his presence and the heavens be rowled up as in a scrowle before him how he will â—ip up the bowels of the heart it self and search the secrets of the soul how he found not stedfastnesse in his Angels and even the Starres are unclean in his sight How much more is man a worm even the Son of man which is but a worm If Moses could not abide his back parts how shall we endure his presence what can we conclude from this contemplation but with my Text Woe is unto us 2. One woe is past but behold a second If heaven do abandon us how shall the Earth comfort us If the Lord be against us how can I help was said by a King one as likely to help as any in the world We may well look about us but we shall finde with Ieremy our plague is desperate our wound is incurable When God is angry he infatuates even counsells quos perdere vult dementat He makâ—s abortive all policies you may learn it by Achitophels he suffers the Prophets themselves to provelyers as they did in perswading Abab to battail he turns the swords of Armies against themselves and their bows into their own bowels he makes them bring in a strong people to scourge themselves as Israel the Egyptians as children their own rod. He smites them with blindnesse and astonishment as he threatned Israel Deut. 28. 28. If we look to the Church we finde giddynesse to the Common-weal madnesse if without us to the North vae malum there is a mist to the South there ever and anon ariseth a cloud threatning a storm if within us we may say with the Apostle we are in perils by false Brethren there are Vipers which will eate up the bowels of the Mother that bred them treasons and conspiracies fill us with fears divisions and distractions adde unto our woes The world is by Plato compared to a shop almost whatsoever we look upon we may say with the buyer in Solomon malum est malum est it is naught it is naught We have cause enough if we consider it to say the second time Woe is now unto us 3. And yet behold a third though there be never so many troubles without us yet peace within us would afford us comfort but let us look within us and aske is it peace There is no peace unto the wicked our own consciences will tell us that They are witnesses to accuse us of sin and judges to condemne us to woe If they be quiet and trouble us not our woe is the greater because our consciences are secure but if troublesome how great is our woe They are the Books by which we shall be judged hereafter nay by them we may become our own judges now Search and see if in our own judgement we may not pronounce against our selves another woe how unsufferable are their checks how evident their accusations how faithfull their records others cannot read them and may judge us better then we are we which know them our selves if we will deal truly must needs pronource a righteous judgement and that is Woe be unto us because we have sinned 4. Three woes are past but behold a fourth It is St Bernards woe of his adding if we look below us we shall have cause to say it and there we shall finde the complement of all woe can you endure to hear that fearfull sentence depart you cursed without saying Woe be unto us how ready is the cruell executioner of souls the devill to hale us thither how wide hath hell opened her mouth to receive us there could we but hear the dismall groans and yelling cryes which they make that are swallowed up into the river of Brimstone Let Dives speak for the rest of his fellows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am grievously tormented did we but beleeve the woefull extremity which they are in that are in utter darknesse Let our Saviours report work it into our faith it is weeping aâ—d wailing and gnashing of teeth night the duration of it not passe for a fable we have the everlasting Truth to confirme it there the worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched have we not sufficient cause to cry out Woe be unto us How shall I make you say it if this will not hither we are judged if our judgement be right we must not favour our selves and say this shall not be unto us repentance cannot be true if partiall we must thus judge our selves that we may not be judged non sumus bis judicandi saith St Bernard God will spare us if we spare not our selves Let us cast our selves down at the footstool of his judgement Seat and confesse what we have deserved Let us come as Benbadads servants did to the King of Israel with Sackcloth about our loynes and ropes about our heads 1 Kings 20. 32. such coming becomes us best this day Let us cast our selves out of heaven as expecting only wrath from thence out of the world as finding only miseries there out of our selves as feeling nothing but terrours there down even to hell it self whether we deserve to be for ever plunged Let groans fill our souls and tears our eyes vae vohis qui ridetis in such a day as this is and let our mouths be filled with cryes saying it often Woe now unto us that we have sinned But If the greatnesse of our misery have not sufficiently brought us to that yet the neernesse of it will work some true effects Things a farre of work upon our apprehension somewhat but not much upon our passion but passion must be set to work now this day is the passion day of repentance In two
respects we shall finde it neer enough 1. Of Person 2. Of Time Those two will adâ—e sufficiently to the greatnesse of our misery we shall not be put to in quire further 1. Of Person it is our own misery it belongs to our selves Woe now to us Others miseries affect us not much they work according to their distance of place or person Pacis cum proximus ardet there begins our perplexity When our selves come to be touched and repentance toucheth no where else it swells in her own bancks it keepeth sessions at home and pasleth judgement only against it self We we are the men to whom woe doth appertain nostra res agitur we must not put it of from our selves least God Iâ—y it on To us belongeth shame and confusion of face saith Daniel Dan. 9. repentance threatens none but it self vae nobis is the voice of it Woe unto us 2. Of Time Neither doth it deferre its iudgement nor put of the evill day farre from us we deserve to have it brought upon us presently and repentance iudgeth according to our desâ—rts Woe now unto us now indeed were it iustice with God to bring upon us all this woe he hath forborne and given uâ— many times of tryall but we have despised the riches of his grace and his goodnesse hath not lead us to repentance He hath come these many yeers looking for fruit and found nothing but leaves now might he in iustice lay his Axe to our roote and bid cut us down now might he pronounce a curse against us and make us wither away he might now speak unto us in his displeasure depart you cursed and powre upon us all his storms of indignation and vengeance If we were now to stand before Gods tribunall and to be indged according to our deserts and there we are now placed by repentance even now presently were all this misery to come upon us Now if any thing will work true apprâ—hension in us it must be this Iraventura Makes not any deep impression in many of us the day of death though we see it a farre of may strike us into so ne dumps but they are never so true as 〈…〉 Cum sit inbeforae similis jam jamque tenere When we see an hand writing with Baltazer or hear a voyce speaking our doom with Nabuch adnezzar then will our joynts he loosed and our knees tremble Saint Gregory reports it of himself that when he expounded that sentence of Abraham unto Dives now thou art tormented he was not able to on in his Sermon Pavore potius indigent quam expositione saith he to his Auditors the apprehension of the present wrought so much upon him as if the jam vero were iam verum now to be said to any of us as it was to him indeed we are to say it our selves now Woe now unto us This certainly will make us sufficiently apprehensive of our misery And now as men brought unto some dangerous disease ever look unto the cause that brought them to it being in a storm as Jonahs Marriners were they cast about to finde the fountain of it it is the great consultation of this Kingdom at this time to finde out the Authors of those great distempers that are in it So the sence of our misery will bring us to a sight of our sin for indeed hinc illae lachrimae all our sorrows come from thence we must lay all our fault upon our sins our sins are the troublers of ouâ— Israel and that leads me to the second part of my Text. Woe now unto us that we have sinned We came not till now to the cry of true repentance it is not her misery she is under but the sin she hath committed makes her cry it is all the note that they have in hell Woe now unto us but they never come to say that we have sinned for there is no place for repentance the sence of their miseries makes them only cry not any sorrow or remorse for their sins But it is these we must now cry of if we be true penitents our sins must trouble us and not any other troubles whatsoever And now it is fittest to be troubled for them for in times of other afflictions we cannot so well spend our tears upon our sins torments of the body will drink up our spirits the pains which we endure take up our complaints our sins are not so well thought on when our sences are otherwise perplexed sorrow often proves too late which is let alone till then but now we do but make our selves miserable we willingly assume woe unto our selves those woes we spake of we blesse the goodnesse and long suffering of our God are not as yet forced upon us but freely assumed by us other sorrows go not so neer unto our hearts at this time that there may be the better room for the sorrow for our sins sins are best lamented when we are otherwise well and not afflicted Pharoah and Abab have done it in extremity but it came not freely from them but by force besides they lamented their plagues not their sins But it is for these that we are troubled not that we are punished but that we have sinned And that we may thoroughly be troubled for them we must be sure to take a good sight of them not cover them as Cain nor hide them as Adam not cast them behinde our backs but bring them before us set them in our sight that God may cover them while we discover them that when we bring them before our faces he may cast them behinde his back Sin cannot be hid but when God hides it we may rake it up as we do fire in embers but at the day of Revelation God will bring it to light But then to say that we have sinned will not be enough to make us see our sins we have spent enough in the commission Saint Peter tells us shall we be short in our confession If we did go about it we could not bring all our sins to our remembrance Holy men though they have studied the Art of Arithmetike have fain to set down at the foot of their accompt an indefinite number my sins are more then the hairs of my bead saith David then the sands on the Sea shore then the stars in the firmament Our secret sins St Bernard cals them maris magni reptilia they are like the creeping creatures of the great Sea innumerable yet as an huge army though the common souldiers be not to be mustered the heads and chieftains are in the firmament the starres are not to be numbred yet those of greatest influence and magnitude are among our sins there are leaders Captains over their hundreds and thousands there are some of more transcendent magnitude and maligne influence we may take sight of them and we shall not transgresse the limits of the Text neither it is to say but so much the ofner that we have sinned We begin with Pride that Primum
of one Bread There are foure sorts of unions both Scriptures and Fathers use to Illustrate First Eternall between the Father and the Sonne Secondly Hypostaticall between the divine nature and humane Thirdly Conjugall and Matrimoâ—iall between husband and wife Fourthly Allegoricall as between the Vine and branch between Head and Members between Bread and the receivers each would afford matter for a Sermon I must insist only on that last That which we eate turns in carnem sanguinem alimentum fit alitum if so be it be digested first else it doth not Cibus Iadigestus famem satiat animalem non naturalem It comes not into union with the body by which it might grow stronger but is forceably cast out though it stay the stomack for a time So it is in our spirituall food they which know not how to digest it by faith have their appetite staid not their groweth and strength augmented but if it be digested it comes into one it becomes one with us Thus are Christ and we made one We have the Symboll the Sacrament the Seal of it of which we all eate and wherefore do we eate but ut uniamur What is more ours then that we have eaten A neerer Symboll could not possibly be thought on of our incorporation and making one with him and yet St Bernard saith more Et manducat nos mâ—mducatur à nobis quo arctiùs illi astringamur In one and the same action he feeds on us we feed on him his joy fills us our faith feeds him his body his bloud his suffâ—rings his righteousnesse are meat and drink to us our faith our repentance our obedience our salvation are meat and drink to him and those are one though the comparison be without compaâ—isâ—n yet our Saviour himself prayes it may be so John 17. St Bernard proves it is so between Christ and us we one with him abiding by faith and love he one with us aâ—iding by peace and truth yet not in that manner one as they are the dâ—fferâ—nce of our nature and substance still remains which are one in the Father and the Sonne only the diversity of our a Non câ—hrrent aâ—essennarum sed coâ—tinentia voluntarâ—m Lern. wills reconciled makes us one one with the Father and the Sonne and so one ut Deus homo unus spiritus certa absoluta veritate dicantur si sibi glutino amoriâ— inbâ—reant So sure are we one so reall is our spirituall Union with Christ our Head if we eat the Bread if we digest it we are sure of it in reason that we eat is the same with us in Religion it is so too and eat it we do we all are partakers of one Bread That this union is we are sure of the Scripture every where beareth witnesse of it we could not be branches he the Vine not members he the head not pretious stones built upon him he the foundation the cheif corner stone we need not eat his flâ—sh nor drink his bloud the Cup which we blesse need not be the Communion of his Bloud the Bread which we break the Communion of his Body no Communion at all indeed but for this union 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might well be spared but for this ut uniamur it is the signe of it the seal of it the ground of it the cause of it ut corpus in terris capiti in caelis to make them one to make this union between Christ and us Christus erat faciens utrumque in unum Christs whole work was to do this to make us one our nature one in the Hypostaticall union our persons one in the spirituall nec prâ—judicat rerum pluralitas huic unitati for we that are many are one bread and one body one bread partaking all of one bread one body united all to one head one signe one thing we all though never so many partake of it All the beleevers bad one heart and one minde Acts 4. All of them are joyned into one head That this is that was the first I have been the longer because it is a matter of so much importance and not so easily conceived all our hope of that union Quae glorificat which the blessed Angels and Saints enjoy consists in this our spirituall union quae justificat which is with Christ by faith illa praemium haec meritum est saith Bernard all curâ—m rit is to be joyned with Christ There is yet another work to be done to make this appear else non apparentis non existentis eadem est ratio as good not be at all And yet appear we cannot make it to the eye of sence Caput in 2 Cognosci coelis corpus in terris est it is much too weak to be able to ken so farre neither indeed is it necessary that the hand or foot should see the heal if they feel it if they finde the use and benefit of it that will be appearance enough to them and that is to be had of him Two wayes it will appear 1. By that which the head is to the body 2 Wayes 2. By that the body is to the head There are foure things required to our head all four to be known 4 Wayes of him That it be 1. Verum 2. Perfectum 3. Vnicum 4. Peâ—petuum Christ is all these unto the body 1. Verum of the same nature with the body not like Nabuchadnezzars 1 Verâ—â— Image whose head was of Gold the breasts of Silver the thighes of Brassâ— the feet of Iron and Clay And that he might be of the same nature you know he took upon him our nature and therefore God saith the Apostle hath made him head of the Church Ephes 1. and that he is of the same nature appears First by his suffering for us he had not what to offer till he had Corpus aptatum Heb. 10. he had not been the Saviour of the body if he had not had that Tolle caruem Christi praesta quid Deus redemit saith Tertullian to Marcion He redeemed not the Angels quia non assumpsit he took not upon him their nature Secondly By his suffâ—riâ—g with us therefore saith the Apostle it behoved him to be in all things like his brethren that he might be a mercifull high Priâ—st And again that by the things which he suffered when he was tâ—mpted he might succour them that are tempted for he is not an high Priest which may not be touched with our infirmities when he cryed out upon the way Saul Saul why peâ—secutest thou me he was neerly touched he could not be an head if he had not this a sence of the bodies griâ—vances Secondly Again to make him a true head he must be united to the body An head sâ—vered from the body is not the head as good no head at all a wrong head set on a right head cut off are much a like the Joynts and Ligaments and Nerves are all for that end
unitur corpus Christi sicut panis though the manner differ This corporally the bread is that spiritually Christ is It concerns us much then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we may be of the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse participes ut simus consortes to be of the Communion that which is Sacramentall to be of it to be at it to eat to eat often that we may be of this union with Christ here quae justificat which will bring us to that quae glorificat our blessed union with God hereafter Whither he bring us all Amen THE FIFTH SERMON 1 COR. 10. 17. We that are many are one Bread and one Body WE are still upon this theam Bonum est nobis esse hic therefore what the Apostles would we have done Aedificavimus tria Tabernacula We have staid a time in two of them we must not dwell there Tents are not for mansions we must remove to the third Communio corporis which is mysticall will now take up our Communio Corporâ—s employment Yet we pitch this upon the same ground we did the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is still causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our spirituall Communion which is capitis our mysticall Communion which is corporis spring from thence from the Sacramentall which is calicis we are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread One body there it is we need not seek it by induction from the Text which is there literally as we did the other our Communion with Christ cum capite that was as much intended as truly effected as this though not so fully expressed And that must have been first if not for honour which is ever due to the head yet for necessity we must have premised that there could be no talk of the members growing into one body if they be not first united into one head and in this sence Christ is caput Ecclesiae because all begin there as the branches at the root if they be not held to it by Ligaments and Nerves the skin the flesh and the veins never grow to them never feed and nourish them But we have done with that and now the body in its right place comes next to be thought on One body is but one term of the Communion duas oportet esse essentias ad minus ut sit Communio seu unitio two at least are required to all relation the Relatum is one but the correlata are many as many as we are many there are many members but one body though we retain unity there for the body can be but one yet we must admit of Multiplicity here the members must be many Si omnia essent unum membrum ubi corpus saith the Apostle and so they are in the Text. We that are many are one Body The ground of this Relation is necessarily to be thought on to make it up and it comes into the Text one Bread that is it the Sacramentall Communion is the cause of the Mysticall that hath ever been considered in all the parts of the Text and the Apostle will not have it left out here two wayes it comes to be considered 1. As it is the signe of it bread of the body one bread of one body signum unitatis Saint Austin calls it for many grains go to make up that many members to make up this Bread and Wine both of them ex multis rediguntur in unum so we that are many are one body this is Sacramentall and if we read the Text right as both the Originall hath it and all the Ancient both Translators and Expositors render it t is thus for there is one bread we also that are many are one body one as that is one say Chrysostome and Ambrose c. Yet I doubt not but a good Spirit moved our modern Translators to render it as my Text reads it We that are many are one bread and one body one bread first because we all eat of one bread and vi fidei are in a manner become one with that as alimentum Alitum are one and one body by virtue of that one bread spiritually one body mystically yet the other is easier lesse strained and therefore we will keep to that 2. It is not only as a signe but also as a cause of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a causall because that is but one the bread as the Paschall Lamb was but one to all the house of Israel one in a Mysticall and Spirituall sence though Numerically many and we all partake of this one all the Church of God all over the world partakes of one and the same bread in civill commerce to eat of one bread at one board hath ever been a pledge of unity and concord so it is in our mysticall society we are all of one Corporation one body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because we all partake of one bread All these will come to be considered in their places We begin with the Text The Correlatives We that are many To the Church at Corinth are the words directed but may be assumed by us by all that are in the Church of God wheresoever they be place and time matter not in this matter nos illi multi so Beza reads it we are those many We the Jews and Turks cannot read this Text illi multi t is true too many they are but such which come together into one they are not materialls of this building not sheep of this flock not grains of this bread not members of this body at the best they are but of those other sheep our Saviour speaks of Qui non sunt hujus Ovilis or nondum sunt in Gods good time they may be brought but as yet are not Besides them the Schismatiques cannot read it illi multi many they are so many as that the world wonders at it The Arians and Donatisâ—s never overspread the East and West part of the Church more in their times then these in ours Like Egypts frogs the whole Land is full of their croakings But yet they are many still there is some good in that they come not into one Quot homines tot sententiae their perpetuall differences among themselves shew they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not animated with one Spirit they would be fearfull to the whole Church if they could be that and like the Cake of Barly in the seventh of Judges they might tumble down into the Hosts and Armies of Israel and overturn them but that they cannot be their Cake which a flash of zeal hath heated will prove dough or rather like grains not ground they will not be kneaded or knit into one Loaf if at any time they come together it is with the sowre leaven of malice and uncharitablenesse or of hereticall and Pharisaicall doctrines the Leaven of the Law which was to be cast out not with the Leaven of the Gospel the
God Ephes 5. 10. That ye may allow these things which are best Phil. 1. 10. Try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. Try the spirits whether they be of God And now we go about the Tryall there are but two wayes that I know of but both are Demonstrative we may not in this case content our selves with probabilities or possibilities shews and apparances are no good grounds for our souls to take any thing upon trust our proof must be armour of proof or else we shall not be well appointed against them The first is à Priori the second à Posteriori from their calling from their conversation those two are the grounds we can only go upon First From their calling for they must have that or else they cannot be right No man takes upon him the honour unlesse he be called as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. God himself renounceth them from being his if they come and be not sent if they run and be not commanded Jere. 14. If they be not sent by him you may soon conclude that they be not of God That you may understand this point more fully being a matter these times so much stand upon You must observe that there is a twofold calling by God 1. Extraordinary 2. Ordinary First Extraordinary which was in old times either spiritus Oris as Abraham Moses Samuel so the all the Apostles They were called by the voyce of Christ and sent into the world Or else ore spiritus by speciall instinct whereby they were inwardly furnished with all the gifts of the spirit necessary to that service whereto they were designed so were many of the Prophets Elias in the deplored estate of the Jews These wayes of calling are now ceased and not to be looked for The Anabaptists and their brood the Brownists which pretend Revelations and Dreams are not to be regarded By the instinct of the spirit of arrogancy and error do they take upon them to prophecy and of no other spirit at all though they come unto you in a mighty winde yet God is not in that winde you may not take those spirits to be of God 2. The other way of calling by God is his Ordinary calling and that is twofold Internall Externall 1. Internall and that is when a man findes himself furnished with gists fit sor that calling so saith Musculus and Zanchie They are the Talents with which Christ hath endued him for his service The search of this is left to every mans Conscience which desires the Ministery he shall be reckoned an Intrudor if he finde not these in some measure in himself and therefore in our Form of Consecration the Bishop asketh every one which cometh to be Ordained whether he do think himself to be inwardly called I confesse outward abilities others may judge of humane learning skill in Divinity sound Intellectuals by discourse by examination they come to be discovered but inward preparations they are from the Lord It is the height of arrogancy for any to take upon them to judge of them in others than themselves for what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 11. God onely is the tryer of the heart and reins He proudly enters into Gods Judgment Seat which takes upon him to determine that If it be internall and secret how cometh it known to thee or me Let other judge of my abilities for the Function but the preparations of my heart are known onely to God and my self 2. Externall and that is Mediante Ecclesiâ Christ hath left the power unto his Church he called his Apostles they called others after them Titus had precept from Paul to ordain Ministers in every City Tit. 1. 5. So had Timotby by Imposition of hands 1 Tim. 5. 2. Christ cannot be visibly present the Heavens must contain him till his last Coming but by his Spirit he is present with his Church he calls by it those whom it balls lawfully we are to acknowledge to be called by God But whether it calls lawfully or no that is now called in question whether this Calling onely belong to the chief of the Church which are so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to all the mulâ—itude of beleevers Those that question it do withall question the Doctrine of our Church and if that which they dare not deny but was well setled by uncontroulable Authority cannot satisfie them how shall I Yet I shall adventure to lay my Axe unto the root of this Tree of pride and arrogancy which doth oppose it if so be it prove not as the young Prophets did which was but borrowed They that are for a populary election pretend two Arguments for the Confirmation The Scriptures and the Primitive times I shall satisfie both with their own principles 1. For the Scriptures their own rule is this That nothing bindes to a necessity of observation which hath not there an affirmative precept enjoyning it Let them stand but to this and be tried by themselves whether there be any such or no and whether they do well in imposing a necessity of things which are besides the rule Is there any let them demonstrate it and carry the cause Is there none let them see the invalidity and weaknesse of their Argument and relinquish it But They object the practice of the Apostles in their times there are many things which must go to make that an everlasting rule and not temporary those times and ours are not like and therefore not the like discipline I will name but one reason an essentiall one the true cause of that alteration that hath been in this point All the beleevers were then of one minde there was no danger of any schis◠〈◊〉 any rent to be made in the Church then of which innumerable have been since But yet that they cannot prove the multitude of the 〈◊〉 were present we will grant that and not onely with silence as some think but with suffrages as others without which there was no laying on of hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is suffragiis creare as Erasmus argues in the Election of Matthias to the Apostleship and the seven to the Deaconship let it be granted they were there that they sâ—â—e not onely still but said some what but gave their consent yet that was onely to their Ordination not to their Institution at the giving them power to preach not assigning them any place and I report me to any indifferent Judge whether that be not so done in our Churches Form of Ordination 2. For the Primitive times which succeeded the Apostles we may most admite of their inference from thence which have been ever most enimies to true anâ—iquity you I now how Episcopacy and Ceremony is opposed which themselves cannot deny but be grounded in Antiquity we may say most truly what Saint Augustine saith to some of the same sort Qui in Evangelio nihil nisi quod vultis