hand But the Fourth and Fifth are here still wanting because I could not finde them out and so is the Eighteenth also because I could not get it in The want of which last though happening not through my default yet I have made a kinde of compensation for by adding one other Sermon of those Ad Populum in lieu of that which is so wanting to make up the number an even Score notwithstanding The Reader shall finde it in the later end of the Book carrying on every leafe by a mistake in the printing the title of The First Sermon which he may please to mend either with a dash of his pen by putting out the whole 3. words The First Sermon seeing there are no more to follow it or else with reference to the Seven Sermons Ad Populum formerly published by writing Eighth instead of First all along in the Title 5. As for the Sermons themselves the matter therein conteined the manner of handling c. I must permit all to the Readers doome Who if he be homo quadratus perfectly even and unbyassed both in his Iudgment and Affection that is to say neither prepossessed with some false Principle to forestall the one nor carried aside with partiality for or prejudice against any person or party to corrupt the other will be the better able to discern whether I have any where in these Papers exceeded the bounds of Truth and Soberness or layed my self open to the just imputation either of Flattery or Falshood There hath been a generation of men wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for their own purposes but Malignants sure enough that laboured very much when time was to possess the world with an opinion that all Court-Chaplains were Parasites and their preaching little other then daubing I hope these Papers will appear so innocent in that behalf as to contribute somewhat towards the shame and confutation of that Slander 6. The greater fear is that as the times are all men will not be well pleased with some passages herein especially where I had occasion to speak something of our Church-Ceremonies then under command but since growen into disuse But neither ought the displeasure of men nor the change of times to cast any prejudice upon the Truth which in all variations and turnings of affairs remaineth the same it was from the beginning and hath been accustomed and therefore can think it no new thing to finde unkinde entertainment abroad especially from them whose interest it is to be or at leastwise to seem to be of a different perswasion For that the Truth is rather on my side in this point then on theirs that dissent from me there is besides other this strong presumption onwards That I continue of the same judgment I was of twenty thirty forty years agoe and profess so to doe with no great hopes of bettering my temporal condition by so professing whereas hundreds of those who now decry the Ceremonies as they do also some other things of greater importance as Popish and Antichristian did not many years since both use them themselves and by their subscriptions approve the enjoyning of them but having since in complyance with the times professed their dislike of them their portion is visibly growen fatter thereby If the face of affairs be not now the same it was when the Sermons wherein this point is most insisted on were preached what was then done is not sure in any justice now chargable upon me as a crime who never pretended to be a Prophet nor could then either foresee that the times would so soon have changed or have believed that so many men would so soon have changed with the times 7. Of the presumption aforesaid I have here made use not that the business standeth in need of such a Reserve for want of competent proof otherwise which is the case wherein the Lawyers chiefly allow it but to save the labour of doing that over again in the Preface which I conceive to be already done in the Work it selfe With what success I know not that lieth in the brest of the Reader But that I speak no otherwise then I thought and what my intentions were therein that lieth in my own brest and cannot be known to the Reader Who is therefore in charity bound to believe the best where there appeareth no pregnant probability to the contrary The discourses themselves for much of the matter directly tend to the peace both of Church and State by endeavouring to perswade to Vnity and Obedience and for the manner of handling have much in them of Plainness little I think nothing at all of Bitterness and so are of a temper fitter to instruct then to provoke And these I am sure are no Symptomes of very bad Intentions If there be no worse Construction made of them then I meant nor worse Vse I trust they neither will deserve much blame nor can do much hurt Howsoever having now adventured them abroad though having little else to commend them but Truth and Perspicuity two things which I have alwayes had in my care for whereto else serveth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherewith God hath endued man but to speak reason and to be understood if by the good blessing of Almighty God whom I desire to serve in the spirit of my minde they may become in any little degree instrumental to his Glory the Edification of his Church and the promoting of any one soul in Faith and Holiness towards the attainment of everlasting salvation I shall have great cause of rejoycing in it as a singular evidence of his undeserved mercy towards me and an incomparably rich reward of so poor and unworthy labours Yet dare I not promise to my self any great hopes that any thing that can be spoken in an argument of this nature though with never so much strength of reason and evidence of truth should work any kindly effect upon the men of this generation when the times are nothing favourable and themselves altogether undisposed to receive it No more then the choisest Musick can affect the ear that is stopt up or the most proper Physick operate upon him that either cannot or will not take it But as the Sun when it shineth clearest in a bright day if the beams thereof be intercepted by a beam too but of another kinde lying upon the eye is to the party so blinded as if the light were not at all so I fear it is in this case Not through any incapacity in the Organ so much especially in the learneder part among them as from the interposition of an unsound Principle which they have received with so much affection that for the great complacency they have in it they are loath to have it removed And as they of the Roman party having once throughly imbibed this grand Principle that the Catholick Church and that must needs be it of Rome is infallible are thereby rendred incapable to receive any impressions
is taken from other peculiar and just respects and not from the very condition of Brotherhood it self or any distinction made therein But here is that evil partiality we are to take heed of when we restrain the Brotherhood to some one party or society in the Church such as we think good of and exclude the rest as if they had no part nor fellowship in this Brotherhood nor consequently any right to that special affection wherewith we are to love the Brethren Which partiality hath indeed been the very bane of the Churches unity and peace and the chiefest cause both of the beginning and continuance of most of the schisms under which Christendom hath groaned from time to time 40 Not to speak of the Donatists and other Schismaticks of old who confined the Church to some little corner of the world for which they were soundly confuted by S. Augustine Optatus and other godly Fathers of their times First of all extremely partial in this kinde are the Romish party at this day Who contrary to all truth and reason make the Romane and the Catholick Church terms convertible exacting external Communion with them and subjection to their Bishop as a condition so essentially requisite for the qualifying of any person to be a member of that Church of Christ out of which there is no salvation as that they have inserted a clause to that purpose into the very definition of a Church So cutting off from this brotherhood in a manner wholy all the spacious Churches of Africk and Asia together with all those both Eastern and Western Churches of Europe also which dare not submit to so vast a power as the Bishops of Rome pretend to nor can think themselves obliged to receive all their dictates for undoubted articles of Faith 41. The like Partiality appeareth secondly in our brethren of the separation Marvel not that I call them brethren though they will by no means own us as such the more unjust and uncharitable they And in this uncharitableness such a coincidence there is sometimes of extremes the Separatists and the Romanists consequently to their otherwise most distant principles do fully agree like Samsons foxes tied together by the tailes to set all on fire although their faces look quite contrary wayes But we envie not either these or those their uncharitableness nor may we imitate them therein But as the Orthodox Fathers did the wayward Donatists then so we hold it our duty now to account these our uncharitable brethren as well of the one sort as the other our Brethren still whether they will thank us for it or no Velint nolint fratres sunt These our Brethren I say of the Separation are so violent and peremptory in Vnchurching all the world but themselves that they thrust and pen up the whole Flock of Christ in a far narrower pingle then ever the Donatists did concluding the Communion of Saints within the compass of a private parlour or two in Amsterdam 42. And it were much to be wished in the third place that some in our own Church who have not yet directly denied us to be their Brethren had not some of the leaven of this Partiality hidden in their brests They would hardly else be so much swelled up with an high opinion of themselves nor so much sowred in their affections towards their brethren as they bewray themselves to be by using the terms of Brotherhood of Profession of Christianity the Communion of Saints the Godly Party and the like as titles of distinction to difference some few in the Church a dis-affected party to the established Government and Ceremonies from the rest As if all but themselves were scarce to be owned either as Brethren or Professors or Christians or Saints or Godly men Who knoweth of what ill consequence the usage of such apropriating and distinctive titles that sound so like the Pharisees I am holier then thou and warpe so much towards a separation may prove and what evil effects they may produce in future But how ever it is not well done of any of us in the mean time to take up new formes and phrases and to accustome our selves to a garbe of speaking in Scripture-language but in a different notion from that wherein the Scriptures understand it I may not I cannot judge any mans heart but truly to me it seemeth scarce a possible thing for any man that appropriateth the name of Brethren or any of those other titles of the same extent to some part only of the Christian Church to fulfil our Apostles precept here of loving the brotherhood according to the true meaning thereof For whom he taketh not in he must needs leave out and then he can love them but as those that are without Perhaps wish them well pray for their conversion shew them civil respect c. which is no more then he might or would do to a very Iew Turk or Pagan 43. As for us beloved brethren let us in the name and feare of God beware of all rotten or corrupt partiality in the performance either of this or of any other Christian duty either to God or man And let us humbly beseech the God of all grace and peace to put into our hearts a spirit of Wisdom and Charity that we may duly both honour and love all men in such sort as becometh us to do but especially that we may love and honour him above all who hath already so loved and honoured us as to make us Christians and â—ath further engaged himself by his gracious promise to love honour and reward all those that seek his honour and glory To whom be all honour and glory ascribed c. AD AULAM. Sermon IV. BEVVOYR JULY 1636. Psalm 19.13 Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins Let them not have dominion over me So shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression 1. THis Psalm is one of Davids Meditations That it is Davids we have it from the Title in the beginning That it is a Meditation from the close in the end of it Now there are but two things especially whereon to employ our meditations with profit to the right knowledg whereof some have therefore reduced the whole body of Divinity God and our selves And the meditation is then most both compleat and fruitful when it taketh in both Which is to be done either viâ ascensus when we begin below and at our selves and so build upwards raising our thoughts higher to the contemplation of God or viâ decensus when we begin aloft and with him and so work downwards drawing our thoughts home upon our selves 2. This later is the method of this Psalm in the former part whereof David beginneth as high as at the most Highest and then descendeth as low as to himself in the later For the succouring of his Meditations there he maketh use of the two great Books that of Nature or of the Works
word sufficiently to save our souls if we will believe but not to solve all our doubts if we will dispute The Scriptures being written for our sakes it was needfull they should be fitted to our capacities and therefore the mysteries contained therein are set forth by such resemblances as we are capable of but farr short of the nature and excellency of the things themselves The best knowledge we can have of them here is but per speculum and in aenigmate 1 Cor. 13. as it were in a glass and by way of riddle darkely both God teacheth us by the Eye in his Creatures That is per speculum as it were by a glass and that but a dimme one neither wherein we may read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of the invisible things of God but written in small and out-worne characters scarce legible by us He teacheth us also by the Eare in the preaching of his holy word but that in aenigmate altogether by riddles darke riddles That there should be three distinct persons in one essence and two distinct natures in one person That virginity should conceive Eternity be born Immortality dye and Mortality rise from death to life That there should be a finite and mortall God or an infinite and Immortall man What are all these and many other more of like intricacy but so many riddles 16. In all which that I may from the premises inferr something of Use we should but cum ratione insanire should we go about to make our Reason the measure of our Faith We may as well think to graspe the earth in our fists or to empty the sea with a pitcher as to comprehend these heavenly mysteries within our narrow understandings Puteus altus the well is deep and our buckets for want of cordage will not reach neer the bottome We have use of our Reason and they are unreasonable that would deny us the use of it in Religion as well as in other things And that not only in Agendis in matters of duty and morality wherein it is of a more necessary and constant use as the standard to regulate our judgements in most cases but even in Credendis too in such points as are more properly of Faith in matters doctrinal and dogmatical But then she must be imployed only as an handmaid to Faith and learn to know her distance Conférre and Inférre those are her proper tasks to conferr one Scripture with another and to inferr conclusions and deduce instructions thence by clear Logical discourse Let her keep within these bounds and she may do very good service But we marr all if we suffer the handmaid to bear too great a sway to grow petulant and to perke above the Mistress 17. It hath been the bane of the Church and the original of the most and the most pernicious errors and heresies in all ages that men not contenting themselves with the simplicity of beleeving have doated too much upon their own fancies and made Reason the sole standard whereby to measure both the Principles and Conclusions of Faith It is the very fundamental errour of the Socinians at this day No less absurdly then as if a man should take upon him without Mathematical instruments to take the just dimensions of the heavenly bodies and to pronounce of altitudes magnitudes distances aspects and other appearances only by the scantling of the Eye Nor less dangerously then as if a Smith it is S. Chrysostomes comparison should lay by his tongs and take the iron hot from the forge to work it upon the anvil with his bare hands Mysteries are not to be measured by Reason That is the first Instruction 18. The next is That forasmuch as there are in the mystery of Christianity so many things incomprehensible it would be safe for us for the avoiding of Errors and Contentions and consequently in order to those two most precious things Truth and Peace to contain our selves within the bounds of sobriety without wading too farr into abstruse curious and useless speculations The most necessary Truths and such as sufficed to bring our forefathers in the primitive and succeeding times to heaven are so clearly revealed in scripture and have been so universally and constantly consented unto by the Christian Church in a continued succession of times as that to doubt of them must needs argue a spirit of pride and singularity at least if not also of Strife and Contradiction But in things less evident and therefore also less necessary no man ought to â—e either too stiffe in his own private opinion or too peremptory in judging those that are otherwise minded But as every man would desire to be left to his own liberty of judgement in such things so should he be willing to leave other men to their liberty also at least so long as they keep themselves quiet without raising quarrels or disturbing the peace of the Church there-abouts 19. As for example Concerning the Entrance and Propagation of Original sin the Nature Orders and Offices of Angels The Time Place and Antecedents of the last judgement The consistency both of Gods immutable decrees with the contingency of second causes and of the efficacy of Gods grace with the freedom of Mans will c. In which and other like difficult points they that have travelled farthest which desire to satisfie their own curiosity have either dasht upon pernicious Errors or involved themselves in inextricable difficulties or by Gods mercy which is the happiest loose from such fruitless studies have been thereby brought to a deeper sense of their own ignorance and an higher admiration of the infinite majesty and wisdome of our great God who hath set his counsels so high above our reach made his wayes so impossible for us to finde out That is our second Instruction 20. There is yet another arising from the consideration of the greatness of this Mystery That therefore no man ought to take offence at the discrepancy of opinions that is in the Churches of Christ amongst Divines in matters of Religion There are men in the world who think themselves no babes neither so deeply possest with a spirit of Atheisme that though they will be of any Religion in shew to serve their turns and comply with the times yet they are resolved to be indeed of none till all men be agreed of one which yet never was nor is ever like to be A resolution no less desperate for the soul if not rather much more then it would be for the body if a man should vow he would never eat till all the Clocks in the City should strike Twelve together If we look into the large volumes that have been written by Philosophers Lawyers and Physicians we shall finde the greatest part of them spent in disputations and in the reciting and confuting of one anothers opinions And we allow them so to do without prejudice to their respective professions albeit they be conversant about things measurable by Sense or
practise of the Church especially in the ancienter times hath been concerning those matters and that to consider what conformity the doctrines under triall hold with the principles upon which that their sense or practise in the premises was grounded The Iudgment and Practice of the Church ought to sway very much with every sober and wise man either of which whosoever neglecteth or but slighteth as too many do upon a very poore pretence that the mystery of iniquity began to work betimes runneth a great hazard of falling into many Errors and Absurdities If he do not he may thank his good fortune more then his fore-cast and if he do he may thank none but himself for neglecting so good a guide 31. But this now-mentioned Rule although it be of excellent use if it be rightly understood and prudently applyed and therefore growing so nere the Text I could not wholly baulk it without some notice taken of it it being not within the Text I press it no farther but come to another that springeth out of the very Text it self And it is this a very good one too viz. That when we are to try the doctrines we should duly examine them whether they be according unto Godliness yea or no. Our Saviours direction for the discovery of false Prophets Mat. 7. is to this very purpose Ex fructibus Ye shall know them by their fruits Meaneth he it trow you of the fruits of their lives in their outward conversation Verily no not only no nor principally neither perhaps not at all For Falshood is commonly set off by hypocrisie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the next following verse here Shews of sanctity and purity pretensions of Religion and Reformation is the wooll that the wolfe wrappeth about him when he meaneth to do most mischief with least suspition The Old Serpent sure is never so silly as to think his ministers the ministers of darkness should be able to draw in a considerable party into their communion should they appear in their dismal colours therefore he putteth them into a new dress before he sendeth them abroad distinguishing and transforming them as if they were the ministers of righteousness and of the light Our Saviour therefore cannot mean the fruits of their lives so much if at all as the fruits of their Doctrines that is to say the necessary consequents of their Doctrines such conclusions as naturally and by good and evident discourse do issue from their Doctrines And so understood it is a very useful Rule even in the Affirmative taking in other requisite conditions withall but in the Negative taken even alone and by it self it holdeth infallibly If what is spoken seem to be according to godliness it is the better to like onward and the more likely to be true yet may it possibly be false for all that and therefore it will be needfull to try it farther and to make use of other Criterians withall But if what is spoken upon examination appear to have any repugnancy with Godliness in any one branch or duty thereunto belonging we may be sure the words cannot be wholsome words It can be no heavenly Doctrine that teacheth men to be earthly sensual or Devilish or that tendeth to make men unjust in their dealings uncharitable in their censures undutiful to their superiours or any other way superstitious licentious or prophane 32. I note it not without much rejoycing and gratulation to us of this Church There are God knoweth a foot in the Christian world Controversies more then a good-many Decads Centuries Chiliads of novel Tenents brought in this last age which were never believed many of them scarce ever heard of in the ancient Church by Sectaries of all sorts Now it is our great comfort blessed be God for it that the Doctrine established in the Church of England I mean the publick Doctrine for that is it we are to hold us to passing by private opinions I say the publick Doctrine of our Church is such as is not justly chargeable with any impiety contrarious to any part of that duty we owe either to God or Man Oh that our conversations were as free from exception as our Religion is Oh that we were sufficiently carefull to preserve the honour and lustre of the truth we profess by the correspondency of our lives and actions thereunto 33. And upon this point we dare boldly joyn issue with our clamorous adversaries on either hand Papists I mean and Disciplinarians Who do both so loudly but unjustly accuse us and our Religion they as carnal and licencious these as Popish and superstitious As Eliah once said to the Baalites that God that answereth by fire let him be God so may we say to either of both and when we have said it not fear to put it to a fair trial That Church whose Doctrine Confession and Worship is most according to Godliness let that be the Church As for our Accusers if there were no more to be instanced in but that one cursed position alone wherein notwithstanding their disagreements otherwise they both consent That lawful Soveraigns may be by their Subjects resisted and Arms taken up against them for the cause of Religion it were enough to make good the challenge against them both Which is such a notorious piece of Vngodliness as no man that either feareth God or King as he ought to do can speak of or think of without detestation and is certainly if either St Peter or St Paul those two great Apostles understood themselves a branch rather of that other great mysterie 2 Thes. 2. the mysterie of Iniquity then of the great Mysterie here in the Text the Mysterie of Godliness There is not that point in all Popery besides to my understanding that maketh it savour so strongly of Antichrist as this one dangerous and desperate point of Iesuitism doth Wherein yet those men that are ever bawling against our Ceremonies and Service as Antichristian do so deeply and wretchedly symbolize with them The Lord be judg between them and us whether our Service or their Doctrine be the more Antichristian 34. I have done with the former Inference for the trial of Doctrines there is another yet behinde for the bettering of our Lives For sith Christianity is a Mysterie of Godliness it concerneth every Christian man so to take the mysterie along with him that he leave not Godliness behind That is whatsoever becometh of doubtful controversies to look well to his life and to make conscience of practising that which without all controversie is his duty I know Controversies must be looked into and it were well if it were done by them and by them only whose gifts and callings serve for it For truths must be maintained errours must be refuted and the mouths of gainsayers must be stopped All this must be done it is true but it is as true when all this is done still the shortest cut to heaven is Faith and Godliness 35. I know not how
on that behalf But he that suffereth for his errour or disobedience or other rashness buildeth his comfort upon a sandy foundation and cannot better glorifie God and discharge a good conscience then by being ashamed of his fault and retracting it 21. Seventhly hereby we expose not our selves onely which yet is something but sometimes also which is a far greater matter the whole Reformed Religion by our default to the insolent jeers of Atheists and Papists and other profane and scornful spirits For men that have wit enough and to spare but no more religion then will serve to keep them out of the reach of the Laws when they see such men as pretend most to holinesse to run into such extravagant opinions and practises as in the judgement of any understanding man are manifestly ridiculous they cannot hold but their wits will be working and whilest they play upon them and make themselves sport enough therewithal it shall go hard but they will have one fling among even at the power of Religion too Even as the Stoicks of old though they stood mainly for vertue yet because they did it in such an uncouth and rigid way as seemed to be repugnant not only to the manners of men but almost to common sence also they gave occasion to the wits of those times under a colour of making themselves merry with the Paradoxes of the Stoicks to laugh even true vertue it self out of countenance 22. Lastly for why should I trouble you with any more these are enow by condemning sundry indifferent things and namely Church-Ceremonies as unlawful we give great scandal to those of the Separation to their farther confirming in that their unjust schisme For why should these men will they say and for ought I know they speak but reason why should they who agree so well with us in our principles hold off from our Conclusions Why do they yet hold communion with or remain in the bosome of that Church that imposeth such unlawful things upon them How are they not guilty themselves of that luke-warme Laodicean temper wherewith they so often and so deeply charge others Why do they halt so shamefully between two opinions If Baal be God and the Ceremonies lawful why do they not yield obedience cheerful obedience to their Governours so long as they command but lawfull things But if Baal be an Idol and the ceremonies unlawfull as they and we consent why do they not either set them packing or if they cannot get that done pack themselves away from them as fast as they can either to Amsterdam or to some other place The Objection is so strong that I must confesse for my own part If I could see cause to admit of those principles whereon most of our Non-conformers and such as favour them ground their dislike of our Church-Orders and Ceremonies I should hold my self in all conscience bound for any thing I yet ever read or heard to the contrary to forsake the Church of England and to fly out of Babylon before I were many weeks older 23. Truely Brethren if these unhappy fruits were but accidentall events onely occasioned rather then caused by such our opinions I should have thought the time mis-spent in but naming them since the very best things that are may by accident produce evil effects but being they do in very truth naturally and unavoidably issue therefrom as from their true and proper cause I cannot but earnestly beseech all such as are otherwise minded in the bowels and in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by all the love they beare to Gods holy truth which they seem so much to stand for to take these things into their due consideration and to lay them close to their consciences And as for those my brethren of the Clergie that have most authority in the hearts of such as byasse too much that way for they only may have some hope to prevail with them the rest are shut out by prejudice if I were in place where I should require and charge them as they will answer the contrary to God the Church and their own consciences that they would approve their faithfulness in their ministry by giving their best diligence to informe the judgments of Gods people aright as concerning the nature and use of indifferent things and as in love to their souls they are bound that they would not humour them in these their pernicious errours nor suffer them to continue therein for want of their rebuke either in their publick teaching or otherwise as they shall have opportunity thereunto 24. But you will say If these things were so how should it then come to passe that so many men pretending to godliness and thousands of them doubtless such as they pretend for it were an uncharitable thing to charge them all with hypocrisie should so often and so grievously offend this way To omit those two more universal causes Almighty Gods permission first whose good pleasure it is for sundry wise and gracious ends to exercise his Church during her warfare here with heresies and schisms and scandals And then the wiliness of Satan who cunningly observeth whither way our hearts incline most to looseness or to strictness and then frameth his temptations thereafter So he can but put us out of the way it is no great matter to him on whether hand it be he hath his end howsoever Nor to insist upon sundry more particular causes as namely a natural proneness in all men to superstition in many an affection of singularity to goe beyond the ordinary sort of people in something or other the difficulty of shunning one without running into the contrary extreme the great force of education and custome besides manifold abuses offences and provocations arising from the carriage of others and the rest I shall note but these two only as the two great fountains of Errour to which also most of the other may be reduced Ignorance and Partiality from neither of which God 's dearest servants and children are in this life wholy exempted 25. Ignorance first is a fruitful mother of Errour Ye erre not knowing the scriptures Matth. 22. Yet not so much grosse Ignorance neither I mean not that For your meer Ignaro's what they erre they erre for company they judge not all neither according to the appearance nor yet righteous judgment They only run on with the herd and follow as they are lead be it right or wrong and never trouble themselves farther But by Ignorance I mean weakness of judgment which consisteth in a disproportion between the affections and the understanding when a man is very earnest but withall very shallow readeth much and heareth much and thinketh he knoweth much but hath not the judgment to sever truth from falsehood nor to discern between a sound argument and a captious fallacy And so for want of ability to examine the soundness and strength of those principles from whence he fetcheth
we take leave so to speak sutably to our own low apprehensions for in the God-head there are properly no Qualities but call them Qualities or Attributes or what else you will there are foure perfections in God opposite to those defects which in our earthly Parents we have found to be the chief causes why they do so oft forsake us which give us full assurance that he will not faile to take us up when all other succours faile us Those are his Love his Wisdome his Power his Eternity all in his Nature To which foure adde his Promise and you have the fulness of all the assurance that can be desired 20. First the Love of our heavenly Father towards all mankinde in general but especially towards those that are his children by adoption and grace is infinitely beyond the Love of earthly Parents towards their children They may prove unnatural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their bowels may be crusted up against the fruit of their own body But the Lord cannot but love his people He can as well cease to be as to love for he is love If he should deny that he should deny himself and that he will not do because he cannot and that he cannot do because he will not Potenter non potest It is impossible for him to whom all things are possible to deny himself The Church indeed out of the sense of her pressures letteth fall complaints sometimes as if she were forsaken But Syon said the Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Esay 49.14 But she complaineth without cause it is a weakness in her to which during her warfare she is subject by fits but she is checkt for it immediately in the very next verse there Can a woman forget her sucking childe c. Yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee 21. Again their Love may be alienated by needless jealousies or false suggestions and so lost But his Love is durable he loveth his own unto the End He knoweth the singleness of their Hearts and will receive no accusation against them Quis accusabit Who dare lay any thing to the charge of his Elect when he standeth up for their Iustification They alas are negligent enough unthankful undutiful children nay confest it must be other while stubborn and rebellious But as Davids heart longed after Absolon because he was his son though a very ungracious one so his bowels yearn after those that are no wayes worthy but by his dignation only to be called his sons Forgiving all their by-past miscarriages upon their true repentance receiving them with gladness though they have squandred away all their portion with riotous living if they return to him in any time with humble obedient and perfect hearts and in the mean time using very many admonitions entreaties and other artifices to win them to repentance and forbearing them with much patience that they may have space enough to repent in And if upon such indulgencies and insinuations they shall come in he will not onely welcome them with kinde embraces but do his part also to hold them in when they are even ready to flie out again and were it not for that hold would in all likelyhood so do So as unless by a total wilful renouncing him they break from him and cut themselves off nothing in the world shall be able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 22. Yet again Parents affections may be so strongly byassed another way as we heard that in the pursuit of other delights they may either quite forget or very much dis-regard their children But no such thing can befal our heavenly Father who taketh pleasure in his people and in their prosperity whose chiefest delight is in shewing mercy to his children and doing them good The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them Deut. 10. And whereas the Church as we also heard is apt to complain that she is forsaken and desolate the Lord by the Prophet giveth her a most comfortable assurance to the contrary Esay 62. Thou shalt no more be called forsaken c. But thou shalt be called Hephzibah It is a compound word and signifieth as much as My delight is in her and so the reason of that appellation is there given For the Lord delighteth in thee That for his Love the first Attribute 23. His Wisdom is the next Fathers and mothers through humane ignorance cannot perfectly understand the griefs of their children nor infallibly know how to remedy them if they did But God who dwelleth in light nay who is light knoweth the inmost recesses the darkest thoughts and secrets of all mens hearts better then themselves do He perfectly understandeth all their wants and what supplies are fittest in their respective conditions with all the least circumstances thereunto belonging When all the wits and devices of men are at a loss and know not which way in the world to turn them to avoid this danger to prevent that mischief to effectuate any designe the Lord by his infinite wisdom can manage the business with all advantage for the good oâ— his children if he see it behoveful for them bringing it about suaviâ—er fortiter sweetly and without violence in ordering the means but effectually and without fail in accomplishing the end 24. Which wisdom of his observable in all the dispensations of his gracious providence towards his children we may behold as by way of instance in his fatherly corrections As the Apostle Heb. 12. maketh the comparison between the different proceedings of the fathers of our flesh and the Father of spirits in their chastisements They do it after their own pleasure saith he that is not alwayes with judgement and according to the merit of the fault but after the present disposition of their own passions either through a fond indulgence sparing the rod too much or in a frantick rage laying it on without mercy or measure But it is not so with him who in all his chastisements hath an eye as to our former faults such is his justice so also and especially to our future profit such is his mercy and ordereth all accordingly His blessings are our daily food his corrections our physick Our frequent surfetting on that food bringeth on such distempers that we must be often and sometimes soundly physickt or we are but lost men As therefore a skilful Physitian attempereth and applieth his remedies with such due regard to the present state of the Patient as may be likeliest to restore him to a good habit of body and consistency of health so dealeth our heavenly Father with us But with this remarkable difference The other may erre in judging of the state of the body or the nature of the ingredients in his proportions of mixture in the dose and many other wayes But the Lord perfectly knoweth how it is with us and
10 III. Concerning the Style FIVE ENQUIRIES viz. 11 13 1 Why the God of Patience 14 16 2 Why of Consolation 17 19 3 Of the Choise of these two Attributes 20 4 Their Conjunction 21 5 and Order 22 In the matter of the Prayer three Particulars 23 I. THE THING prayed for viz. Like-mindedness 24 6 Opened 27 and Pressed upon those Considerations 28 1 That we are members of the same Body 29 2 and of the same Family 30 3 That it forwardeth the building up of Gods Church 31 33 4 but the want of it giveth Scandal to the Enemies thereof 34 35 II. The FORMER QUALIFICATION importing an agreement 1. Universal 36 38 2 Mutual 39 40 III. The LATER QUALIFICATION importing an agreement 1. according unto Truth and Godliness 41 42 2 after the Example of Christ. 43 The Conclusion Sermon IX Ad Aulam on I TIM III. XVI Sect. 1-4 THe Occasion Scope and Division of THE TEXT 5 6 Of the word Mysterie 7 I. POINT The Gospel A GREAT MYSTERY Because 8 9 1 it could not have been knowen 10 13 2 had it not been revealed and 14 15 3 being revealed cannot be perfectly comprehended 16 17 INFERENCES thence 1. Reason not to be the measure of Faith 18 19 II. Disquisition of Truth to be within the bounds of Sobriety 20 21 III. Offence not to be taken at the difference of Opinions among Christians 22 23 II. POINT Christianity a Mysterie of Godliness In regard 24 26 1 both of the general Scope thereof 27 2 and of the special Parts thereof 28 3 and the means of conserving it 29 31 INFERENCES thence 1. for the tryal of Doctrines 32 33 with application to the present Church of England 34 II. For the ordering of our Lives 35 The Conclusion Sermon X. Ad Aulam on PSAL. CXIX LXXV Sect. 1. THe Division of THE TEXT 2 6 What is meant by the Judgments of God 7 POINT I. The righteousness of Gods Judgments  1 as proceeding from him 8 9 2 as deserved by us 10 INFERENCES thence 1. Not to murmure against the wayes of Gods providence 11 2 but to submit our wills to his 12 14 Davids many troubles 15 17 and God the causer thereof 18 POINT II. That God causeth his servants to be troubled it is out of his faithfulness whether we respect 19 1 his Promises 20 22 2 or their Relations 23 The Inference thence To bear troubles cheerfully 24 25 POINT III. The faithfulness of God in sending troubles evidenced from 26 30 1 The End he aimeth at therein 31 34 2 The Proportion he holdeth therein 35 36 3 The Issues he giveth thereout Sermon XI Ad Aulam I. Ser. on I COR. X. XXIII Sect. 1-2 THe Scope and Division of THE TEXT 3 4 All things meant of Indifferent things only 5 What things are Indifferent 6 8 POINT I. The Liberty we have to Indifferent things 9 10 The Errour of those that overmuch restrain this Liberty 11 14 blamed as 1 unrighteous in it self 15 22 2 Dangerous in the Consequents 23 with some APPLICATION to this Church 24 The chief Causes of that Errour discovered 25 27 viz. 1 Ignorance 28 30 2 and Partiality 31 POINT II. All Christians have title to this Liberty 32 The Unregenerate as well as the Godly 33 35 And the Clergy as the Laity 36 The Conclusion Sermon XII Ad Aulam II. Ser. on I. COR. X. XXIII Sect. 1-2 THe Scope and Division of the Text. 3 5 OBSERV I. Expediency not considerable but in Lawful things only 6 Illustrated by the Contrary Examples of David  In the matter of Saul 7 and in the matter of Uriah 8 11 THE INFERENCE thence Not to doe any unlawful thing seem it never so expedient 12 OBSERV II. Things otherwise lawful to be forborne when they are inexpedient 13 16 what Expedience is 17 and how it differeth from lawfulness 18 THE INFERENCE Expediency to be examined in all our actions as well as Lawfulness 19 21 Two important Reasons thereof 22 23 OBSERV III. Edification the measure of Expediency 24 27 What is Edification 28 29 In the exercise of Liberty much left  to the Discretion of particular men 30 33 and to the Charity of particular men 34 35 A necessary Caution touching the Authority of Superiors in indifferent things 36 41 The Cases of Obedience compared and Scandal compared 42. c. Our whole Duty for Practise summoned up in Three Rules Sermon XIII Ad Aulam on ROM XV. VI Sect. 1-2 THe Scope and Division of the Text. 3 9 The words That ye may glorify God opened in Six Particulars 10 11 POINT I. The Glory of God to be intended as our chiefest End 12 Reas. 1 as being the chiefest Good 13 2 and that whereunto we are both in Duty 14 3 and Wisdome obliged unto 15 Inferences of Admonition That we doe not either  1 bestow upon any Creature any of that Glory which is due to God 16 2 or draw to our selves any of that Glory which is due to God 17 3 or accept if cast upon us by others any of that Glory which is due to God 18 19 4 nor entitle the glory of God to our own passions or interests 20 22 with some Application hereof 23 24 POINT II. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  With the Reasons both of the Stile it self 25 26 And why it is here used 27 POINT III. God to be glorified of us first with the minde 28 And then with the mouth 29 POINT IIII. God is much glorified by Christian unity and Like-mindedness 30 31 Illustrated from the resemblance of Musick 32 33 and from the resemblance of Building 34 35 and that in regard both of Dispatch 36 37 and Strength 38 The Conclusion Sermon XIIII Ad Aulam Ser. on PSAL. XXVII X Sect. 1-2 THe Scope and Division of the Text. 3 The words in the former part of the Text opened 4 POINT I. A possibility of failing in all worldly helps 5 7 I. Either out of Choise Instanced  1 in Parents 8 9 2 and all other Friends 10 12 II. Or out of Necessity 13 15 The Inference Not to trust in any Creature 16 The words in the later part of the Text opened 17 POINT II. Gods help ready when all others fail 18 Proved 1. by instances 19 2 by Reasons taken partly from the Nature of God viz. 20 22 1 his Love 23 24 2 his Wisdome 25 3 his Power 26 4 his Eternity 27 28 Partly from his Promises 29 32 Inferences thence 33 The Conclusion Sermon XV. Ad Aulam on LUKE XVI VIII Sect. 1. THe Scope of the whole Parable 2 and of the Text in particular 3 The Division of the Text. 4 POINT I. The persons here compared and opposed 5 I. Who are meant by the children of the world 6 8 and why they are so called 9 13 II. What is meant by Light 14 15 and who by Children of Light 16 The Inference from their Opposition 17 18