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A05416
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The bruising of the serpents head A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse September 9. 1621. By Roger Ley Maister of Arts, and minister of Gods word in Shoreditch.
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Ley, Roger, b. 1593 or 4.
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1622
(1622)
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STC 15568; ESTC S103082
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34,316
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56
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the head the infection might spread abroad vpon the body and destroy all like a common pestilence It was for some thing he fell to this temptation in assaulting Christ whom he felt so impregnable All these things will I giue thee she wing him the world and glory of it He had some show for his promise although his reason was vnsound saying it is deliuered vnto mee and to whomsoeuer I will I giue it Luke 4.6 This authoritie is first and principall in the Infidels who wanting the true guide by an ineuitable fall doe light vpon the false In them he ruleth and leadeth them on to his owne ends and these are of greatest power and possesse the chiefe roomes in his house by domineering in the world That we may not faile of the truth haue recourse vnto the fountaine and beginning which vsually giues the cleerest euidence wee shall find greatnesse and vngodlinesse grow together The first Citty that was built had Cain to be the founder called Enoch after his sonnes name From him came Lamech Gen. 4. and from that wicked race descended the great men of the earth Iabal the father of such as dwell in tents Iubal of skilfull musicians and Tubal Cain of artificers in brasse and yron No words of Abel but religion and slaughter together Of Seth and Enos comming at last in Abels roome it is reported Gen. 4.26 Then as if it had beene long looked for before then beganne men to call vpon the name of the Lord. But time the great friend and enemie to the earth as it brought about this good turne did weare out that happie season Gen. 6.1 For when they beganne to multiply the sonnes of God tooke vnto them the daughters of men and from so bad a copulation we could not expect but a like progenie the flood swept away the generation at last only eight were found fit to be saued in the Arke and one Cham in the company After this beginning to relate what followed though briefely were too tedious Let vs looke at our owne times find we not the strong man armed in his Palace How are the spacious places and gardens of the world inhabited by them that know not the worship of God And in Christian Kingdomes how hath idolatry preuailed and prouoked the highest a sinne to states both dangerous and fatall it often ouerthrew the Iewes and now hath so exasperated the Iudge of the earth that Turkish cruelty hath cut of the goodliest branches of this Vine and that Citty which the Tartarian conquerour iudged fit to command the world is become the chiefe seate of this Mahometant tyrant Roome the other eye of Europe helpes him forward by hindring a reformation to this effect the Dragon and the Beast ioyne together their forces Let none thinke this imputation is iniust time and euill custome make way to a destroyer by soiling religion with superstition and idolatry The spirit of God speaketh so much almost in plaine termes Reuel 9.20 When the Angels were loosed from the riuer Euphrates to bring so many millions to kill the third part of men yet the rest of men repented not of the workes of their hands that they should not worship Deuils and idols of gold and siluer and brasse and stone and wood which neither can see nor heare nor walke Who hath come from the riuer Euphrates and slaine so many but the Turke bringing so many millions to destroy Of whom hath he slaine them but of Christians and who worship Images but the Christians the followers of Mahomet hate idoles and the professors of Christ are in loue with them By the way then see how little good Christendome can expect while Antichrist and his Kingdome stand In the meane time see the strong man armed keeping his Palace the two imperiall Citties one rent from the Christians the other renting in pieces the truth of Christianity Romulus built it at first in blood and that in the blood of a brother since hauing got an Empire by the euerie and oppression now supports it selfe the same way as if it would ratifie that maxime in Philosophy We are nourished by those meanes from whence we arise and spring vp For now a Monarchie ouer the conscience a new priuiledge is that they challenge cruelty to vphold it and commodity gleaned in deuotion to vphold themselues these are the chiefe Pillars to maintaine their state When Christ came in person to bind this strong man the Romans had Iury vnder their dominion Herode an Idumean was their King religion was corrupted with traditions the sects of Saducees and Pharisees made a diuision within and therefore their outward miserie was the greater And at our Sauiours second comming this is his owne prediction The Sonne of man shall not find faith vpon the earth so mightily doth this strong man enlarge his territories Come vnto Gods owne house his Church where religion is truly profest where God hath his Church he will haue his Chappell hauing most cause to be stirre himselfe least he be a looser thether hee conuerts his greatest forces to worke in all sorts and by all deuises And that two waies either to quench the least sparkes that are to aduance the truth or to depraue and corrupt it by turning matters the wrong way and mixing euill with the good Sometimes he is a solicitor to set forwards his owne busines in consultations Many times he helpes the Iudge in giuing sentence He can doe as with Achabs Prophets enter and seduce in the place of sanctity He aduanceth many men into offices and specially where money makes the way for those are his vsuall staires When hee hath set them vp they must honour their Patron and benefactor and he a little direct them in execution And that no place may want him in the good actions of many hee foisteth some lamenesse and cloggeth the endeauours of honest men This strong man is not armed alone but skill can doe equall mischiefe 2. Cor. 11.14 Satan is transformed into an Angell of light Not in shape for the Angels haue no countenance or visible forme but as Zanchie saith he counterfeiteth holinesse that his counsells may be heard Like a corrupt Tradesman hee can sophisticate his vnprofitable commodity and colour his harmes with guilded pretences In the Church he can sow faction vnder pretence of zeale and cherish curiosity vnder tendernes of conscience In the common affaires of this life he can make bribery walke vnder the name of thankfulnes and gratuitie oppression vnder thrift pride vnder commendable fashion and ciuility These trickes make him dance in a net gulling the world as it were in laughter and by his policies he will preuaile The reason is if vice were seene in his owne apparell it would scare the beholder with a fearefull and vgly visage therfore he doth furnish it vp with the choisest ornaments and paints ouer the deformities with better showes to make it passe for commendable What thing is so bad or base but one
call the whole world as Aristotle doth a seruant instrumentum animatum a liuing instrument the great dealers in it are least of all themselues the more they are the greater their debt the more they stirre the more they are led and wrought vpon And so much of the second part of the Text our Sauiours power A compendious dispatch shall soone finish the last which containeth a vse for his Auditours First he strike that negligence He that is not with me is against me There are Neutralls in the world some it seemed at that time stood stedfast neither with Christ nor the Pharisees they gaue both the hearing but did according to their owne pleasures to shew it were no newes if after times and perhaps these of ours swarme with a like company But if some stay betweene good and bad how doe these words comprehend all vnder good and bad admitting none of a middle ranke Surely Psalme 69.28 as the Psalmist did pray that his enemies might be blotted out of the Booke of the liuing when in very truth they were neuer written there for then their names could not haue beene raced out onely in presuming hypocrisie they had written themselues there therefore he prayeth God would renounce them openly and proue them to be none of his so is it here no Neutralls but in opinion others may thinke them so or they themselues but Christ flatly discardeth all such Hee that is not with me is against me We neede not with S. Ieromie expound it of the deuill in particularly but including others with him referre it to those idle hearers which heard his words and saw miracles to no purpose so were enemies Quisquis non adiuuat quodammodose opponit saith Caluin hee that doth not helpe apposeth in a sort such negligence maketh the enemies more arrogant and the well willers more discouraged euen in humane affaires a man is more open for his enemies to play vppon if his friends faile him then if he had not any And what greater enemic hath religion then deuotion without practise this maketh all the world superficiall and Sermons heard like orations the vehemency of Gods command is let slip and this made a busines of the eare And when faults are commonly taxed the hearers account all but a wornesubiect and a beaten theame whereby the word is become as sounding brasse or emptie crackes to no end so these indifferent friends turne grieuous aduersaries August 1. de peccatorum meritis 28. Let vs thinke with S. Austen nec est vlli vllus medins locus vt possit esse nisi cum diabolo qui non est cum Christo There is no middle place for any he must needs be with the deuill that is not with Christ If then we be not Christs enemies we must doe two things that we may be with him maintaine his cause when wee see his commandement and vindicate his honour if any disgrace his words and offend him By the first we make confession of our faith vpon occasion speake his truth and practise it so we honour him as his followers saue our selues by the right course and gaine others to him by example This benefit is great Many stand with him that many doe stand for And example because it beateth vpon the sences by an open Oratory proues the strongest mouer As among plants that grow the seede lyeth in the fruit so the fruit of a godly life is as seed it propagateth religion and stirreth vp others to godlines Christ saith Let yourlight shine before men S. Austen reasoneth why Mat. 5.14 seeing else where he commandeth good workes should be done in secret and answereth not that any should praise you but conuersi fiant quod est may glorifie your Father which is in heauen and become worshippers of him by your example Secondly we must reproue sinne vindicate his honour account his enemies considering their wickednes our owne Nothing is more defaced then godlines one reason whereof is this men sufferit to rest securely vnder their nose and where sinne is not controld it waxeth shamelesse The Prophet Esay foretold of Christ Esay 53.2 He should grow vp as a tender plant and as a roote out of a dry ground the world should yeeld him small moistures and his truth would be bended and bowed like a tender sprig of small account One complained of nature that man the best creature was brought into the world weakest naked destitute and vnable to help himselfe So fareth it with the best cause of truth and honesty hauing plaine dealing for a companion when vice is armed and wants not the fence of a guardian and protector The earth is become a stage and the cheefe actors egregious hypocrites it yeelds the show of soundnes when the inward substance is rotten pretending much and performing little Men will fight rather pro focis then pro aris for their priuate respects then Gods glory Perhaps a religious cause may haue defenders but if it be opposed or procure hatred and crosse other mens humours that once it become a burden or a charge they cast it off though they loose Christ and all by the departure They follow sinne with the swinge of the time and will goe with the streame though they drowne in the end Ruffin vpon the Creede sheweth no disgrace can harme one for doing good Christ for vs stooped to infirmities and was borne of a Virgine which humiliation was no staine to his Diuinity or blemish to his person he prooueth it by a similitude Si quis vide at paruulum in profundo caeni necari c. If a man of worth see a child ready to be choked in the mud though he get some mire by plucking him out can we account him deformed or polluted in like case let a man doe good the aspersions cast vpon him can be no dishonour And how can he expect the fauour of Christ that playes the flincher or if he belong to him not sympathise in his disgrace Or to speake of conuenient regards how can he refuse iustly to vndergoe a burden for Christ that tooke so many loades of heauie cariage before for him Infinite commodity might redound to his Kingdome by this spirituall fortitude the stout reprehension of a sinner might perhaps recall him at last or make his proceedings more calme and coole him where it could not saue him The opposition of the wicked in a bad cause or the helping of the weaker side in a good may meete with iarres and rubs in the way but the end which trieth all shall crowne those attempts with honour But in standing thus firmly with Christ wisdome and discretion must be guides when there are apparent testimonies no good can come it is in vaine to stirre One may better spare the labour then put the Scripture to a swearing man in a drunken fit or counsaile a man bent to scorne and derision Deuotion without circumspection betrayes the truth and counsell then looseth the Maiesty