salvation of the godly more happy and glorious But perhaps this seemeth hard that God should reprobate some ordaine some to condemnation but I answere No sith hee reprobates none but such as voluntarily sinne and so are the Authours of their owne destruction Obj. But sinners cannot but sinne Answer 1. But by grace they might bee saved Secondly though being left to themselves they sinne necessarily yet they sinne willingly for necessity is to bee distinguished from coaction To cleare this point and the Lord Deus est necessariô bonus non coactè God is necessarily good not coactedly Diabolus mali necessariò peccant non coactè the Divell and the wicked sinne necessarily not coactedly But they say God will have all men to bee saved Audio Paulum loqui de 2 Tim. 2. 4. generibus singulorum non de singulis generum I heare Paul speake of some of all estates and degrees of men not of all in generall Noble therefore and Base Learned and Vnlearned Rich and Poore God will have to bee saved For there is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither Bond nor Free there Gal. 3. 28. is neither Male nor Female For yee are all one in CHRIST IESVS If any man say that our sinne is extenuated by predestination I answere with Augustine Deus non est vitiorum nostrorum author Mans sinne destruction from himselfe sed ordinator God is not the Authour of our sinnes and vices but the ordinatour the disposer Hereupon saith Salomon The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea even the wicked for August lib. de Genesi ad cap. 5. Prov. 16. 4. Hos 13. 9. Iob 34. 10 11 12. the day of evill Blame not God as Hosea said to Israel One hath destroyed thee but in mee is thine helpe Finely said Elihu God forbid that wickednesse should bee in God and iniquity in the Almighty For hee will render unto man according to his worke and cause every one to finde according to his way and certainely God will not doe wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert Iudgement Our sinne is our owne if wee perish it is our owne fault many lay 2 Pet. 2. 12. the fault in Adam but the Wise-man saith it is our owne sinne therefore hee counselleth us Say not thou It is through Eccles 15. 11. the Lord that I turne backe for thou oughtest not to doe the thing that hee hateth But Saint Iames answereth all these cavils saying Let no man say when hee is tempted that hee is tempted of God for God cannot bee tempted with evill neither tempteth hee any man but every man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence Iam. 1. 13. and is entised In this question wee have to doe with foure kinds of Hogges or Dogges rather Pelagians Manichaeans Anabaptists Epicures All these barke as the Dogges of Corybant who tore in sunder Neanthes the sonne of Pittacus To all which I answere that the perdition of the wicked so dependeth on predestination as that the cause and matter of predestination is found in themselves Adam fell God so ordaining it yet hee fell by his owne fault For God made all things good therefore Adams sinne was not Gen. 1. 31. by creation but it was the malice and corruption of his will it being as a wheele flexible to either side but the hand of the turner comming unto it it turned it to the left hand not to the right God made man right But say some This doctrine destroyeth all care of well doing Eccles 7. 29. for what need wee doe well if God hath elected us or shunne vice if God hath reprobated us But this presupposeth things impossible for God elects none to salvation but whom hee first chuseth in Christ unto an holy and blamelesse life Ephes 1. 4. Neither doth hee reprobate any but for sinne but upon their refusall of Christ Iesus offered to them in the preaching of the Gospell for men are not vessels of wrath till considered as sinners Eph. 2. 3. nor ordained to destruction but upon refusall of the means of Grace Ezek. 24. 13. 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. Wherfore if one man onely were to bee damned in all the whole world every man should Lament 3. 22. feare lest it should be he walke carefully For blessed is the man Prov. 28. 14. that feareth alway And if one man onely were to bee saved in the whole world every man should hope that it is he and so rest on The action in sinne is from God the prarity from mans corruption Gods mercie walke carefully Dum spiro spero quoth a Father whilest I breathe I hope and above all to take the shield of Faith wherewith we may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked To proceede orderly in this point there bee three opinions the first of the Libertines the second of them that deny Gods Aug. Providence by granting a bare permission as that he suffereth all things but not that hee willeth all things the third opinion is of them that grant God to doe all but so that all actions as they proceed from God are just but as they are done of us to be unjust For the first the Libertines make God the author of sin say of all thefts murders whoredomes that not man but God did them they call all these sinnes mens vocations and that doing them we do but walke in our vocations they say Omnia licent all things are lawfull Ergo licet scortari furari occidere therefore lawfull 1 Cor. 10. to whore steale kill so reasoned Quintinus the Libertine with Calvin saying Omnia munda mundis all things are cleane to the Tit. ◠15. cleane Stuprum ergo furtum homicidium esse munda therfore whoredome theft murder to be cleane But we make not God the Author of sin For his soule hateth abhorreth sin his Law curseth and condemneth sin And whereas it is said There is no evill in the City but the Lord doth it himselfe the words are to be understood Non quatenus sunt mala sed quatenus sunt malorum poenae not as they are evill but as they are the punishment of evill Againe every action so far forth as it is an action is good of God For in him we live and move and have our being As for example one man Act. 17. 28. killeth another the very moving of the body in doing this villany is of God but the evill of the action is from Man and the Divell as one saith finely Actio est à Deo nequitia vero actionis ab Bez◠homine the action is from God the lewdnes of the action from man Another useth this cōparison That as the Sun in Summer draweth stench from a Carrion which smelt not before and yet Calvin the beames of the Sunne pure and no cause of the stench of the Carrion so Gods Providence draweth evill out
contemner of the Word hath an evill and an uncircumcised eare the slanderer hath an evill a railing tongue the covetous man hath a devouring throat like a sepulchre the murtherer hath a bloudy hand the glutton hath an evill bellie the voluptuous man hath an evill a vaine foot like Hazael who ran like a wilde Roe the adulterer hath an evill a whorish uncleane heart but the envious man hath a Divellish eye But such eares shall have no mercy such tongues shall burne in Hell such throats shall be filled with gravell such hands shall wyther as did Ieroboams such eyes shall be darkened The Divell is the Father of envy hee envied Gods glory at the first and he envieth mans felicitie at the last Hemmingius divideth all affections into Corporall and Animall The poyson of envy make the heart unfit for grace The Mother of all corporall affections is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of a mans selfe now Primogenita her first borne daughter is Superbia pride her second daughter is Invidia Envy her third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covetousnesse all come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which now reigneth in the world and like another Alexander hath conquered the same for men are lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud c. As Demosthenes being asked what was the first part of an orator what the second what the third Answered Action so if you aske me what is the first the second the third part of a vile man I must say Envy What is the cause of quarrels What raiseth slanders What multiplyeth suits Envy Invidia est arcus diaboli Envy is the bow of the divell detraction is the arrow she shooteth out of this bow envy is a fire raked up in the heart detraction is as the flame Wee all complaine of envy and say Anger is cruell wrath is raging but who can stand before envy and yet we are as Caine envious A mad dogge infuseth his venome into him whom he biteth so doth envy by the tongue it is the string and pulse of the soule we marvell why men are so vile why they are tainted with a mad dogge and what wisdome is in them If ye have bitter enoiing and strife in your hearts rejoyce not for this wisdome doth not descend Iam. 3. 14. from above but is earthly sensuall and divellish saith the Apostle Chrysostome exclaimeth against this envy thus O invidia pessima fera per te mors intravit in mundum tu occidisti Abelem vendidisti Gen. 3. Iosephum in Aegyptum fugasti Davidem decollasti Babtistam crucifixisti Christum O envy the worst of all wild beasts through thee death entred into the world thou hast killed Abel sold Ioseph into Aegypt persecuted David beheaded the Baptist and crucified Christ All mischiefes flow from envy as all light from the Sun and all water from the Sea Envy is a worke of the flesh a note of a Reprobate Envy blindeth a man Vt proximi bona videre non possit that he canot see his neighbours Gal. 5. Rom. 1. good for envy is like unto sore eyes that are offended at the light Envy overthroweth all love and charity amongst men for love envieth not 1 Cor. 13. Envy is contrary to God and all proceedings for God is so good a God that he can draw good out of evill but the envious they are so evill and mischievous that they can draw evill out of good But you give us but the hearing of this and God will one day give you but the hearing also you shall cry but he will not regard The envious man is his own tormentor you I speake boldly for that the cause is Gods for the manner it may exceed but for the matter I crave no pardon I have as good right to speake it as the Lord Chancellour hath to Zach. 7. carry the broad Seale of England kill this Cockatrice therefore in the egge before it be a serpent kill it in the heart before it breake out into action For even the wicked are not to be envied so saith the Psalmist Fret not thy selfe because of the wicked neither be thou envious for Psal 37. 1. the evill doers Leave him to God pray for him we must be like fishes which live in the salt Sea and yet are fresh so wee in an uncharitable world and yet be charitable though we be reviled yet we blesse though persecuted yet we suffer though evill 1 Cor. 4. 12 13. spoken of yet we pray though envyed and maliced yet we love And yet further observe with me that though envy is a most mischievous sin and is the cause of all the uprores of the world yet it is a thing of that nature that it indamageth and hurteth him most that hath it For this cause envy is compared to fire to a moth to a Bee for as the fire consumeth the matter that nourisheth it and the moth the garment thar breedeth it So doth envy him that envieth Invidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis The man whom envy doth possesse Doth pine at others wealth and good successe He thinketh his Neighbours Oxe fatter than his his neighbours pasture greener than his his Neighbours Corne better than his his Neighbours building stronger and gayer than his And as a Bee stinging a man loseth her sting and never can make hony after So the envious man loseth his labour and the grace of God Envy is to him that envieth as the rust to the iron as the Viper that eateth out the belly of her damme The envious man is as Sysiphus who rolling up a stone it reboundeth on him with a greater force Envy tormenteth the mind it wasteth the body it fretteth the heart it shortneth our daies and damneth our soules it setteth a man awork to backbite slander his Neighbour and to deny him all duties of humanity So then envy hatred and backbiting alwayes goe together as three cankers and evill sores that consume the body hurt the good name lessen the gifts and repine at the good of our brethren Basill compares envious men to Ravens that flye over sweet Gardens and at last seize upon a Carrion He likeneth them to Flies who passe over sound flesh and light upon a sore a galled place so the envious passe over all the rare graces that be in men but Cain prophane and grudgeth at Gods Sacrifice if there be any imperfection in them that they blaze abroad and cover it not they doe not with Sem and Iaphet spread a garment over their Fathers nakednesse I confesse that there is as little good to bee done on these men as most sinners for as a Gen. 9. Smith cannot worke but on hot Yron so a preacher can doe but little good but in a charitable minde Plutarch to teach men to hate envy calleth it sorcery because that through the poyson thereof it doth not onely fil the envious body with a naughty and hurtfull disposition
another Nay one man is a Woolfe unto another Nay one man is a Divell unto another we are not now Christians but Woolves Leopards Lions Divels Nay worse for one Lion eateth not another and the divels strive not among themselves but maintaine one anothers kingdome Let Tygers and Beares and Leopards teare one another Let Scythians and Canibals eate one another who know not God nor good humanity but are without all naturall affection But let us love as brethren bee pittifull be courteous not rendring evill for evill nor rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that wee are thereunto called that wee should bee heires of blessing and if enemies will not be pacified recommend the cause to God till wee meete in Heaven where all injury shall be forgotten and in the meane while I beseech you as Saint Paul did the Saints of Corinth I beseech you I say by the name of our Lord 1 Cor. 1. 10. Iesus Christ that yee all speake one thing and that there bee no discension among you but that yee bee knit together in one minde and in one judgement and whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever Phil. 4. 8. things pertaine to love c. thinke on these things and the God of Love and Peace shall bee with you and the Lord increase your love and make 1 Thess 3. 12. it abound more and more one towards another Christs commandement is all love his Spouse is all loving and Iohn will preach nothing but love and wee must follow after love and above all have fervent love among our selves for that shall cover a multitude of sinnes But marke that the love whereunto Saint Iude exhorteth is called the love of God and keep your selves in the love of God so that not all love is commended but such love onely As is Holy Iust True Constant For first our love must bee Holy love it is for God and not against God under God and not above God for hee loves not God that loves not his neighbour with God whom hee loves not for God and hee that loves his neighbour more than God is unworthy of God and makes his neighbour to be his God Secondly Our love must bee just wee must not love one another in evill but in good and for good Pacem cum hominibus bellum cum vitijs wee must have peace with men warre with their vices We must love their persons but hate their manners if they Foure properties of the Love of God be evill Thirdly our love must bee true Love Wee 〈…〉 and in tongue but in worke and in truth Nemo potest 〈…〉 â—â—â—hn 3. 18. hominis nist primitus fuerit amicus ipsius veritatis 〈…〉 August be a true lover of man unlesse first he be a lover of th◠〈…〉 must love one another not for their riches honours greatnesse but for themselves their good must bee sought not their goods Weâ— must not love one another as dogges doe bones for the flesh that is on them or as men doe trees for their fruit but wee must love them for themselves for this that they are men but especially for that they are vertuous and good men Lastly our love one towards another must bee constant with some friends are like flowers no longer regarded then whiles they are fresh Many mens love is like the harlots love who love while there is lucre and when gifts goe hence their love goes hence they are like the puttocks in the fable that followed the old wife bearing tripes to the market but forsooke her home-ward when her tripes were sold En ego non paucis quondam munitus amicis c. A man shall be loved in prosperity but in adversity as rats forsake an house when it is ready to fall and as lice forsake a mans head when he is dying so his lovers and his friends will forsake him Thus our love should be holy just true constant this is true Christian love wherein men should keep themselves For among murtherers theeves and drunkards there is a kind of love but not the Love that Iude would here to bee among us First therefore the love of Atheists is condemned which comes from profit or from pleasure It is not Charitas ex corde puro Love out of a pure heart Love and good works must goe together 1 Tim. 1. 5. to gloze eate play drinke game bee no good workes therefore this is not love wee call it good fellowship but such good fellowes will goe to the good-fellow the Divell if they repent not For if wee sinne willingly after that wee have received the Hebr. 10. 26 27. knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for judgement There is a carnall love but ours must bee a spirituall love such as was among the Colossians of whose Col. 1. 8. love Paul speaketh Who hath also certified us of your love which yee have by the Spirit There is a worldly love and there is an heavenly Love and knowledge giveth life to this love without it Love is as a dead picture Lovers glorious the name is honorable the praise of it is from the rising of the Sunne unto the going downe of the Sunne One saith that love is like hony in bitter broth and sugar in sowre wine it is like unto the Sun unto the world a candle unto the house a light for our journey a line for our life and a rule for our reprehensions Si diligis fac quicquid vis If Calvin in Iohn Aug. thou beest in love doe what thou wilt speake or bee silent exhort or rebuke call or cry so it bee in love all is well Yet it must be a godly love an holy charity but it is impossible to have it with all some are so wicked If thou canst have Most love for lucre sake the favour and love of men with the favour and Love of God take it it is precious but if thou canst not have the favour and Psal 133. 1. love of men but with the disfavour and dislike of God let it go For certenly The amity of the World is enmity with God Wee must Iam. 4. 4. love men in the Lord God for himselfe man for God Diligendus est Deus propter se homo propter Deum I may compare the love of Atheists to the agreement that is among a kennell of hounds who sleep together play together hunt merrily together but if a man hurle a bone they grinne snatch and bite one another So Atheists agree together till some matter come of private gaine but then there is grinning biting fighting one with another for the best of them is as a brier and Mich. 7. 4. the most righteous of them is sharper then a thorne hedge for from the least of them to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousnesse and Ier.
praemij aeterni vel temporalis aliquis actus hominis ex quantacunque charitate elicitus est de condigno meritorius apud Deum quia quilibet talis est donum Dei From this I inferre that neither life everlasting nor any other either of another eternall reward or temporall act of man proceeding from never so great charity is meritorious of condignity with God because every such action is the gift of God And Lodovicus Granatensis Lodo. Gran. said Salva me ô Iesu ô vita sine qua morior ô veritas sine qua fallor ô via sine qua err◠ô lumen sine quo in tenebris ambulo Save mee ô Iesus ô life without which I dye ô trueth without which I am deceived ô way without which I wander ô light without which I walke in darknesse in te aliquid sum sine te nihil sum in thee I am something without thee nothing There is not a wise Papist but will say this at a dead lift so said Luther when hee was a Minorite Triplex est benedictio praeveniens adjuvans consummans There is a threefold blessing a preventing blessing an helping Luther blessing and a consummating prima est misericordiae the first is of mercy the second of grace the third of glory Mercy preventeth our conversion grace helpeth our conversation glory perfecteth our consummation Wee can neither thinke any Election Vocation Iustification are of Gods free grace good thing till we be prevented of mercy neither can we doe any good thing till we be holpen of grace nor discharged till we be filled with glory Wherin now differ we from him in the doctrine of Mercy The cause of our salvation is Gods mercy alone his good will and pleasure not our works Concerning election If the question be asked why Abraham was chosen and not Nachor why Iacob Gen. 11. Mal. 1. Rom. 9. 1 Sam. 16. was loved and Esau hated why Moses was elected and Pharaoh hardned why David was accepted and Saul refused why few be chosen and the most forsaken It cannot otherwise be answered but thus it was the good will of God to have it so Non est volentis Mat. 22. Rom. 9. neque currentis sed miserentis Dei It is not of the willer nor of the runner but of God shewing mercy Secondly concerning vocation If the question be why Cornelius the Gentile was called not Act. 10. Mat. 11. Tertullus the Iew Why the babes and little ones of the world not the great men Why the poore the base the vile not the rich the noble the honorable Why the sinners and not the just 1 Cor. 1. 26. Mat. 9. Luk. 14. Mat. 11. 26. Why the beggers by the high way were called and the bidden guests excluded we can rēder no other reason but this It was the good pleasure of God Thirdly concerning Iustification If the question be asked why the Publican went home more justified Luk. 18. then the Pharise Why Mary the sinner and not Simon the Leper Luk. 11. Why harlots and Publicans goe before Scribes and Pharises Mat. 21. Gen. 21. into heaven Why the sonne of the free-Woman was received and the Sonne of the bond-woman rejected being the elder Why Israel which so long sought for righteousnesse found it Rom. 9. not and the Gentiles which sought it not found it We can render no cause but this they sought for it by the works of the Rom. 10. Law not by faith our Iustification is perfect because wee are counted just Iustitia Christi through the righteousnesse of 2 Cor. 5. 21. Christ but our sanctification is unperfect Vt mera gratia servati in Domino non in nobis gloriemur That being saved by meere 1 Cor. 1. 3. grace we may glory not in our selves but in the Lord. Finely truly saith one Proprijs meritis non obtineo regnum coelorum I cannot Bern. come to heaven by mine own merits but Christ in a double right obtaining First by the inheritance of his Father And secondly by the merit of his Passion Altero ipse contentus alterum mihi resignavit he being contented with the one hath resigned the other to me it is our worthinesse to know our unworthinesse Say thou art an unprofitable servant say with Viualdus Non abscondo Luk. 17. peccata sed ostēdo I hide not my sins but I shew them non abspergo sed aspergo I wipe them not away but I sprinkle them non excuso sed accuso I doe not excuse them but accuse them peccata enim non nocent si non placent my sinnes hurt me not if they like mee not Initium salutis cognitio peccati the beginning of salvation is the knowledge of my transgression in this flesh dwelleth no goodnes M. Knoxe said at his death Satan tempted him to Confession the way to salvation desperation but he alledged 1 Tim. 1. 15. that Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners after he tempted him to presumption and his merits and he alledged 1 Cor. 4. 7. What hast thou that thou hast not received and if thou hast received it why rejoycest thou as though thou haddest not received it And so drave Satan away Let us renounce our owne merits and fly to Christs so shall wee be partakers of eternall life THE FIVE AND THIRTIETH SERMON VIRS XXII And have compassion of some putting difference c. We must use discretion putting difference betwixt sinners THis is the last exhortation the pith and marrow whereof is to teach us to use discretion to put difference of sinners to pitty some to reprove others lastly so to walke betwixt both as that they may hate all sin even the garment of a sinner for the sinners sake the theeves coate the Adulterers coate for the hatred they beare to theft and adultery for wee must hate the evill love the Amos 5. 15. good that wee may bee like our elder Brother Christ Iesus who loved righteousnesse and hated Hebr. 1. 9. iniquitie First generally wee must use discretion and make difference of men we must be like Surgeons and expert Physicians who doe not lay one plaister to all sores nor minister one potion to all patients this is that serpentine Wisedome that Christ requireth of his Apostles Be wise as Serpents bee innocent as Doves Mat. 10. 16. Wisedome mixed with Innocencie and Innocency with it Wisedome without Innocencie is but craft and subtilty and Innocency without Wisedome is dotage and folly the one maketh us Foxes the other Asses joyne them together and wee are perfect Christians wee must have the Word of Knowledge to know what to speake and the Word of Wisedome to Ministers must be discreete know when and where and how and to whom to speake to some mildely to others roughly as occasion requireth this is the precept given to Thessalonica Wee desire you Brethren admonish 1 Cor. 12. 1
Thess 5. 14. them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded beare with the weake bee patient towards all men Some are wilde heifers and must have a yoake some are rude horses and must have a snaffle some are dull asses and must have a whip and a spurre some are unruly and must bee admonished some feeble and must be comforted some weake and must bee tolerated and towards all we must use patience This doctrine concerneth all but chiefly Ministers they must know who be woolves and who be sheepe who be serpents and who be doves whom to draw and whom to lead when to pipe and when to mourne when to powre in oyle when to powre vinegar when to use the menaces of the Law when to use the promises of the Gospell All ground is not alike some must have a share some a clotting All wood is not to be used aliee some will be plained and is soft some must have a wedge and a beetle All sores are not to bee handled alike some must have searing iron some a seare-cloth So all Christians are not alike to bee handled and it is a notable worke of Gods Spirit to discerne spirits thus Philip discerned not Simon Magus as Peter did Philip 1 Cor. 12. Act. 8. admitted him to Baptisme but Peter spied him in felle nequitiae in the gall of bitternesse In Rome the Magistrate had carried before him Secures fasces hatchets and rods the first for the great the second for the lesse offendors Alterius vitia emendandae alterius frangenda Paul Aug. in Gal. 2. Act. 5. Seneca reprehended Peter to his amendment Peter corrected Ananias to his condemnment Nobilis equus umbra virgae regitur at indomitus nec calcaribus incitari potest A rod will checke a free-horse and a twigge command a gentle nagge whereas the spurre cannot stirre a stubborne jade nor the whippe scare the untamed colt The Nurse when the Child hath a fall will first helpe it up after chide it and if it fall againe correct it so must the Nurse of soules first helpe a brother out of the mire of sinne then chide him for falling into the ditch and if this will not serve applie a sharper corrasive to his sore yet let all this bee done with wisedome and discretion Qui mittit in altum lapidem recidet in caput ejus lest he deale like a man that throwes up a stone rashly in his humour and it falleth downe againe upon his own head Hierom. ad Ruâ—t Monacâ— to teach him wisedome Well wee must have compassion of some for some sinnes are to be pitied we must be so far from hating and rejoycing at their falls that wee ought rather to sorrow and to bee greeved Hereupon saith Paul Brethren if any of you bee overtaken with any fault you that are spirituall helpe to restore him in the spirit of meekenesse Gal. 6. 12. insult not over him but restore him know that thou mayest fall We must be compassionate to such as sinne of infirmity thou art of the same mould he is falne by his own infirmity thou standest by the grace of God Noli superbire be not proud thou standest not of thy selfe Noli superbire but be strong in the Lord and through the power of his might pitty thy brother and restore him with Ephes 6. 10. meekenesse The Word in the originall signifieth to set a thing in joynt as wee doe a legge or an arme dislocated not breaking it but putting it into the place againe when it is out and this is done foure wayes quoth Master Perkins first by reprehending Perkins in his Treatise of the Tongue 2 Sam. 12. generally and covertly as Nathan did David in a parable which entred further into him than if it had beene done roughly Secondly in the place of a reprehension to put an exhortation as are pilles in Sugar so Paul prescribed saying Rebuke 1 Tim. 5. 1. not an Elder but exhort him as a Father and the younger men as brethren c. Thirdly to propound the reproofe in a mans owne person so Paul did saying Now these things Brethren I have figuratively applyed to my selfe and to Apollos for your sake that yee may 1 Cor. 4. 6. learne by us that no man presume above that which is written that one swell not against another for any mans cause Fourthly to reprove but with prefaces insinuations as that we do it of love that we do it of good will so Naamans servant said to his Master saying 2 Reg. 5. 13. Father if the Prophet had commanded thee some great thing oughtest thou not to have done it If we be beleevers of Christ we cannot but lament the fall of a brother and among the members there is such sympathy that if one suffer all the rest suffer with it Wee are the 1 Cor. 12. 26. members of Christ and the members one of another Paul told the Corinthians that in stead of laughing they should have sorrowed What 1 Cor. 5. 2. father is not greeved with the hurt of his children What friend is not greeved at the losse of his friend What shepheard delighteth in the wronging and scattering of his flocke and not in gathering it together How did it greeve Abraham to lose Gen. 17. 1 Sam. 19. Ismael How did Ionathan vexe himselfe for David And how did David rescue a poore sheepe or a Lambe out of the mouth of the Lion And shall not wee rescue a soule out of the mouth 1 Sam. 16. of the Divell If men bee of a contrary minde to us oh doe not hate them but pitty them and instruct them with meekenesse 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. praying God to give them repentance that they may know the truth and that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the Divell which is taken of him at his will Monicha wept so long for Augustine a Manichaean that a Bishop said unto her Filius iot lachrymarum perire non potest A sonne of so many teares cannot perish This affection should bee in us towards a sinner This was in Abraham when hee prayed for Sodom saying Gen. 18. What if there bee but tenne righteous men will you not spare the City And this was also in Moses when hee cryed to God saying Forgive them O Lord or else rase mee out of the Booke of life that thou Exod. 32. hast written And in Esay when hee cried TurneTurne away from mee labour Mâ—n more compassionate toward beasts and beasts to men than men to men not to comfort me I will weepe bitterly because my people perish And in Ieremy when hee wished That his head were a well of water and his eyes fountaines of teares that hee might weepe day and night for the people And this affection was also in Christ when hee wept over Ierusalem saying Oh if thou haddest knowne at the least in this Esa 22. 4. Ier. 9. 1. Luke
of the riches and wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearcheable are his judgements and his wayes past finding â—ut Yea so wise a God is hee that deprehendit astutos in astutia that hee taketh the wilie and subtill in their craft and subtiltie nay there is no Wisedome there is no understanding there is no Counsell against the Lord. Let us Prov. 21. alwayes then submit our selves to this onely wise God who knoweth how to deliver us out of temptation and trouble and to 2 Pet. 2. punish the wicked for with him is wisedome and strength hee hath counsell and understanding Iob 21. 22. I am come unto the second title and that title is that hee calleth him a Saviour yea our Saviour a title of great comfort hee is able to save us hee is willing to save us what now is wanting to our full consolation There is power there is will in him to save us upon these two pillars resteth our faith So Saint Peter comforted the dispersed Church for having shewed how that through the aboundant mercy of our God wee are elect and regenerate to a lively hope and how faith must bee tried hee commeth at last to this salvation here spoken of and telleth them that they shall one day receive the end of their faith even the salvation of their soules The which salvation in Christ is no new thing but a thing prophesied of old salvation is the thing that wee all long for for there is none so wicked but he would bee saved and no salvation but in Christ There is no other name given unto men by which they shall bee saved save onely by the name of Act. 4. 12. Iesus hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour so called at his birth This day is Luke 2. 11. borne a Saviour which is Christ the Lord so named before his birth Thou shalt call his name Iesus for bee shall save his people from their Mat. 1. 21. sinnes And thus called after his birth and Ioseph called his name Iesus a title knowne in Heaven honoured in Earth and feared in Hell He is a Saviour a powerfull Saviour when he Mat. 1. 25. was weakest then did he the greatest works that ever were done hee was powerfull in his life in doing miracles in giving sight Christ is properly called the Saviour to the blind eares to the deafe tongues to the dumbe legges to the ame life to the dead O but more powerfull at his death in saving the world For then the Sunne was darkened the earth trembled the stones clave in pieces the graves opened the dead raised his death reached to Heaven to earth to Hell the Angels rejoyced the Divels trembled and all men were comforted Let Satan boast like Rabsache that God cannot deliver Ierusalem out of his hands that God cannot deliver the elect from his power he is a lier the God of peace shall tread him under our feete shortly our Michael hath cast downe the Dragon we may sing the â—o Paean the joyfull triumph with the Saints Now is salvation in Heaven and strength and the Kingdome of God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is throwne downe which accused them day and night before God and they overcame him with the blood of the Lambe For indeed Christs death was our life his sacrifice our satisfaction Lact. his labour hath eased our burthens his wounds our curing his stripes our healing his curse our blessing his damnation our absolution Finely saith one Thou art sicke hee is the Physician of thy soule yea dead in sinne hee is thy Saviour and reviver thou art starved through sinne hee is the bread of life thou art thirsty hee is the water nay dead with thirst hee is the ever-springing well the River of Paradise one drop whereof is more than all the Ocean The Graecians for an earthly deliverance by Flaminius cried so loud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the earth gave an Eccho and a rebound that their cry made the Fowles of the ayre to fall downe dead their voice and shoute was as the sound of a thunder how much more cause have wee to reioice in the Lord Iesus who saveth both body and soule and delivereth from dangers of this life and the life to come The Angels sung at his birth Glory be to God on bigh Luk. 2. in earth peace good will towards men No tongues of men or Angels are able to expresse this benefit it is a greater my stery than so for so the Apostle confesseth saying Without controversy great is the mystery of godlines which is God is manifested in the flesh justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentils beleeved on in the world and received up in glory Moses saved Israel from Pharao Christ saveth us from the Divell hee from Aegypt Christ from hell hee brought them into the land of Chanaan Christ will bring us Exod. 12. Col. 1. into heaven hee sprinkled the dore posts with the blood of the Lambe Christ our hearts with his owne blood The Papists are injurious to Christ and breake in upon his titles and offices making him either no Saviour or else but a little Saviour in ascribing salvation to Agnus Dei to the blood of Martyrs to Crosses Masses Papists doe as much incroch upon Christ as the Turkes doe they will not acknowledge election justification to come from grace as a right Popish doctrine tends to the disgracing of Grace Father but from workes a stepmother all their doctrine savours of pride blaspheming grace and the worke of grace Note their doctrines de igniculis virtutum insitis à natura of sparkes of vertue grafted in us by nature de gratia operante cooÌ„perante of operating and cooÌ„perating grace de puris naturalibus of pure naturals they will not suffer any body to call God Father and yet is hee the Father of Mercies and God of all 2 Cor. 1. 3. comfort The Church of Rome saith That all the actions of men unregenerate bee not sinne that originall sinne needeth no repentance that a man by meere naturals may love God feare God and beleeve in Christ that a regenerate man may fulfill the whole Law as said the Trident Councell that wee may doe works of supererogation Et quid nunc relinquitar Christe Iesu And what is now left for Christ Iesus The Iesuites aske Why is it not as honorable for God as great glory to powre in an inherent righteousnesse into us as to give us a reputed or imputed righteousnesse But so they may aske Why God kept not Adam from falling Had it not bene as honorable to have kept him from falling No no for then wee had not knowne the sweetnesse of the Messiah So it may seeme as honorable Gen. 3. 15. for God to have kept us from sicknesse but then we had not knowne the goodnesse of the Physician
punished yet but like the malefactor in prison and fetters till the Assise so he in chaines till the generall judgement then his torments as also the torments of all the damned are to be â—ncreased 〈…〉 of the Saints and Angels shall be encreased The Contents of the fourteenth Sermon THe sinne of Sodome and Gomorrah fornication and all manner of uncleannesse the odiousnesse of this sinne the evils that flowe from it the evill it brings upon the Actors described The falls of the Saints Noah Lot Solomon not to be imitated The polygamie of the Fathers discussed not justified The causes of Sodoms uncleannesse The Contents of the fifteenth Sermon SOdomes punishment set out for an example to all uncleane persons So all examples though not for imitation yet for instruction The kinde of their punishment Fire and that eternall This described by divers names by comparing it with elementary fire by the degrees of punishment in it all eternall and irremissible And how God squared their punishment to their sinne and so doth he usually with all sinners The Contents of the sixteenth Sermon MAny of the wicked mentioned two handled 1 They are sleepers 2 Defilers of the flesh In the first what kinde of sleepers 1 Such as sleepe in sinne and security 2 How fitly called sleepers 3 How dangerous this sleepe is and hereupon exhorteth to awake and watch In the second who these defilers of the flesh are what misery God brings on them in this life and will bring in the life to come The hainousnesse of the sinne aggravated by divers arguments The danger and filthinesse set out to make all to loath it The Contents of the seventeenth Sermon A Third sinne formerly mentioned here handled namely Despising Government This shewed by rebellion and despightfull speaking This sinne is odious being the divels sin all rebels his children Christ taught and practised obedience and so did the Apostles and Orthodox Fathers and all Christians even to heathenish and persecuting Emperours rebellion unnaturall a resisting Gods ordinance a cause of all wickednesse and confusion They that despise government doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warre against God and seeke to bring all to confusion these especially the Anabaptists and Papists who are here refuted and reproved and obedience urged The Contents of the eighteenth Sermon THe confutation of raylers and despisers of government by the example of Michael that would not raile on the Devill The distinction betweene an Angell and an Archangell The History of this dspute not extant and the reason thereof The impudency of Satan assaulting an Archangell Meekenesse taught us by the example of the Archangell Christ his Apostles and all the Saints Rayling and cursed speaking though ordinary yet odious dishonours God disgraces our brethren and hurts our selves Whether rayling and cursing be lawfull and how farre further we must learne to governe the tongue The Contents of the nineteenth Sermon A Further reproofe of Raylers whose hearts being poysoned with malice make them uncapable of grace but like dogs to barke and bite and like Serpents to vent poysonous speeches The Separatists infected with this poyson Ignorance for the most part the cause in them and Papists that raile on our Church and Doctrine and in others that they practise this sinne Therefore all should vse the meanes to get knowledge which meanes are briefly described They that raile upon ignorance are condemned much more they that doe it upon knowledge as Iulian the Apostata But the generall cause is Ignorance though in some simple yet in many affected and wilfull and these latter worse then the brute beasts for they make vse of their naturall knowledge these abuse themselves in those things they know The Contents of the twentieth Sermon HAving described and confuted the wicked he execrate them Because they follow the way of Cain which is described to bee 1 Envy 2 Prophannesse 3 Hypocrisie 4 Dispaire Every of which hee describes by many resemblances and fearfull effects and dehorteth from them The Contents of the one and twentieth Sermon HE prosecuteth the second cause why Iude execrate the wicked which was because they became subject to destruction by the deceit of Baalams wages transported by cotetousnesse The odiousnesse of which sinne he describes in divers respects First because iâ— iâ— the 〈◊〉 of all 〈◊〉 Secondly because so many woes are denounced against it Thirdly it is the originall of all sinnes against God and Man Fourthly it deprives of all the beatitudes mentioned in Mat. 5. and of Heaven it selfe Hee dehorts from this sinne by many arguments especially two First because the desire is never satisfied Secondly because things desired be 1 Vncertaine 2 Vnprofitable 3 Hurtfull The Contents of the two and twentieth Sermon HE prosecutes the third cause why Iude execrate the wicked because rebellious as Corah where having prooved all government is Gods ordinance whether Monarchy Aristocraty or Democrity and preferred Monarchy hee concludes rebellion to bee a resisting of Gods ordinance and pernicious to Church and Common-wealth and to the rebels themselves Hee proceeds to the twelve and thirteene verses and observes in them these wicked to be described 1 By their sinnes 2 By their judgement Their sins to be three 1 Epicurisme they eate and drinke without feare feeding themselves 2 Pride like swelling waves 3 Hypocrisie set out by three comparisons There First like clouds without raine Secondly like trees without fruit Thirdly like starres without light Their judgement blacke darkenesse and this after amplified Vers 14. and 15. In the handling from the manner how the Apostle describes these sinners by divers metaphors He observes first that it is usual with the Spirit of God to use such metaphors therfore lawful for all Preachers in their Sermons to do the like Secondly that the creatures beside the consideration of their natures give occasion of morall meditations Hee enters upon the first sinne Epicurisme describes it shewes the drowsinesse of it in respect of the effects and end Hee dehorts from this sinne by many arguments Further in that they are said to feed themselves two things are noted First they doe not glorifie God secondly not releeve others Lastly in that they are said to be blots in their Love-feasts that it is a staine to the godly to eate and feast with those Epicures or other wicked ones And hee describes the Love-feasts the institution abuse and abolishing of them The Contents of the three and twentieth Sermon HEE prosecutes the other two sinnes Pride and Hypocrisie Hee shewes Pride to bee a vice abominable to God in generall In particular hee prooveth it vaine in respect of 1 God 2 Men 3 the Proud themselves That is naturally in all men the godly themselves are sometimes overtaken by it It is expressed both in things pertaining to God and Man many wayes though in all yet most in the worst and it is not onely seene in life but after death it brings shame and destruction temporall and eternall Hypocrisie is
Cap. 21. 27. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Col. 1. 9. Iob. 14. Iob. 38. 36. Men and Angels Hee calleth all the starres by their names he hath put Wisedome in the reines and hath given to the heart understanding his Wisedome is infinite But let us see the certainty of his Iudgements for as the voice vanisheth but litera scripta manet So the damnation of the wicked is certaine his heart cannot endure nor his hands be strong that is hee shall never bee able to defend himselfe he shall be as drosse as brasse Ezech. 22. 14. 18 as tinne and iron and lead in the middest of the fornace as God shall melt them that is destroy them But to proceede orderly the decree of God hath two parts Election and Reprobation That some are elected appeareth by many testimonies of the Scripture Paul saith Whom hee hath predestinate them hath hee also called c. Moses willeth Israel to Remember the dayes of old when Deut. 32. 8. the most high God divided their inheritance when he separated the sonnes of Adam c. And Paul saith That God hath chosen us in him that is Christ before the foundation of the World Wherefore some are Ephes 1. 4. Rom. 9. 17. elected some not For he hath Mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth God hath made all things for his glory yea even the wicked for the day evill If any will goe further and say why will God be thus glorified The Apostle answereth him that hee will have mercy on him to whom hee will shew Mercy and he will have Rom. 9. 15. 18. compassion on him on whom he will have compassion And againe he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will hee hardeneth hee doth as pleaseth him even as the Psalmist saith Our God is in Heaven he doth whatsoever hee will Christ giveth no other reason It is so O Psal 115. 3. Mat. 11. 26. Psal 39. 9. Father because thy good pleasure was such Obmutui quoth David quia tu Domine fecisti I became dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou diddest it But if any proud man go yet further and say Why will God have it so It is a proud question for either man or Angell and the Apostle answereth him O man who art thou that pleadest with God Shall the thing formed say Rom. 9. 20 21. to him that formed it why hast thou made mee thus hath not the Potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Inscrutabilia sunt Dei judicia and therefore the Apostle breaketh out saying O the deepenesse of the riches both of the Wisedome and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his Iudgements Rom. 11. 33. 34. and his wayes past finding out for who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who was his Counsellor I say with Augustine Cave praecipitium Take heed of a breake-neck With Iob lay thy hand Gods will most perfect his proceedings most iust oâ—â—y mouth With David meddle not with matters above thy reach Quae supra nos nihil ad nos What are above us pertaine not to us With Paul Sape adsobrietatem Presume not to understand above that which is meete to understand but that yee understand according to sobrietie Iob 39. 37. Psal 131. 1. Rom. 12. 3. Gods glory is above the Heavens wee may barke at it as Dogges doe against the Moone but we cannot pull it downe To speake more fully Gods will is a reason of all reasons it is the rule of all equitie Ideo vult quia vult Hee will because he will Eâ— ideo justum est quia vult and it is therefore just because hee will Tangere vis coelestes ignes liquesces wilt thou touch these Lipsius Heavenly fires thou shalt melt Scandere vis in providentiae montem wilt thou climbe up into the high mount of Gods Providence Cades thou shalt fall Natabis in abysso Dei wilt thou swimme in Gods bottomelesse waters Mergeris thou shalt be drowned Thou seest a little living creature the Flye buzzing about the Candle till shee bee burned So our minde waxeth wanton about Gods secrets till wee be overwhelmed The will of God is Causa causarum the cause of causes Cui licet quod libet nil libet nisi quid licet The Iudgements of God are August oftentimes secret hid but never unjust Let us learne Heavenly things by Earthly A man hath in his house vessels of Gold and of Clay for his use and pleasure That a Prince pardoneth one malefactor and punisheth another and yet justly That a Creditor exacteth tenne pounds of one Debtor and remitteth twenty pounds to another and yet in the one is but just in the other is mercifull So God damning some is just and saving other is mercifull and in neither cruell or unjust David compareth the judgements of God to a great Deepe saying Thy Iudgements are like a great Deepe wee cannot Psal 36. 6. wade in them Finely saith Augustine Tu homo expectas a me responsum ego sum homo itaque ambo dicentem audiamus O homo tu quis August ser 10. de verbis Apost es melior est fidelis ignorantia quam temeraria sententia Petrus negat Latro credit O altitudo quaeris turationem ego expavescam tu rationare ego mirabor tu disputas ego credam altitudinem video profundum non pervenio O altitudo Thou O man expectest an answere from me and I am a man as well as thou let us therefore both heare another speaking O man who art thou Faithfull Ignorance is better than a rash unadvised Sentence Peter denyeth the Theefe beleeveth O height thou demandest a reason of this I will feare and tremble thou reasonest I will wonder thou disputest I will beleeve I see a depth but I cannot come to the bottome O depth But we as though God had made us his fellowes as though wee were of privie Councell will rush into his Chaire and determine rashly of his Iudgements Some grant election but then they adde that it standeth upon our workes that godly are elected because they will bee holy but wee are elected that we God elects us of his free Grace may be holy not because we will be holy Holines is the 〈◊〉 or effect not the cause of election So saith Paul He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that wee should bee holy and without blame before him in love who hath predestinate us to bee adopted Ephes 1. 4 5. through Iesus Christ unto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his Will As if Paul had said that he considered nothing without himselfe but therefore chose us because hee loved us no cause can bee rendred of our election but the Will of God Vocavit 2 Tim. 1. 9. nos Deus non secundum opera c. he hath called
the old world there were but eight beleevers but two Iosua and Caleb and in Christs time we read but of an hundred and twenty beleevers As Aegypt was full of lice Nilus full of Crocodyles Golgotha full of dead mens skulls so is the world full of Infidells He destroyed them that beleeved not And hence commeth it to passe that so many are damned even because they want faith Perditio tua ex te ô Israel thy destruction commeth of thy selfe ô Israel Ex nobis quod damnamur It is of our selves that wee bee damned blame not God but thine owne infidelity For all things Hos 13. Man 5. are possible to them that doe beleeve And therefore Hemingius in his Enchiridion distinguisheth of the word that There is Duplex verbum Damnans Salvans That there is a double word a Damning and a Saving word The damning word is the Law the saving word is the Gospell The Law offereth grace to them that doe it Yee shall keepe therefore Deut. 2. 27. Gen. 3. 5. Levit. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 4. 9. my statutes and my iudgements which if a man doe he shall live in them But the Gospell offereth grace to the beleevers For Christ is the end of the Law unto every one that beleeve For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeve in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Faith is ever a chiefe doer in matters of salvation and therefore said Hemingius in his Enchiridion that Causa imperans salutis est pater the Iohn 3. 16. commanding cause of our salvation is God For God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Sonne to save the world Causa obsequens est filius the obedient pliant cause is the Psal 40. 7. Sonne In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will I am content to doe it thy Law is written in my heart Causa consummans est Spiritus Sanctus the consummating cause is the holy Ghost so saith the Apostle But yee are washed but yee are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. but yee are iustified by the grace of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God The instrumentall cause is double Exhibens Recipiens Rom. 1. 18. The exhibiting Cause is the word the receiving cause Faith as therefore a Smith worketh not in cold iron so a preacher worketh not on an Infidell There is no life of God in us till we beleeve Ephes 4. 18. till then our cogitation is darkened and we are strangers from the life of God He that beleeveth in him shall not be condemned but hee that Iohn 3. 18. beleeveth not is condemned already because he beleeveth not in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God A tree liveth not without moisture Without faith no accesse to God nor a bird without aire nor a fish without water nor a Salamander without fire So the soule liveth not without faith The just doth live by his faith this is the spirit and soule of the inward man we Hab. 2. have a name to live yet are we dead if we want faith I live by faith in the Sonne of God saith Paul who loved me and gave himselfe for Gal. 2. 20. me Infidels therefore are dead men What is the cause that wee profit no more by the word wee beleeve not the preacher that may bee verified of our people which God said to Ezechiel concerning the Iewes They come unto Ezech. 33. 31 32. thee saith God as people useth to come and my people sit before thee and he are thy words but they will not doe them For with their mouthes they make jests and their heart goeth after their covetousnesse and loe thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but doe them not So we come to the Sermon heare the preacher but we doe not heare him with such zeale and affection as we should wee beleeve not but abuse the word to our owne condemnation why care wee no more for heaven but are so worldly truely we beleeve not God what is the cause that wee live in sinne seeing it is damnable For the wayes of it is death wee beleeve not the Scriptures what is the Rom. 6. 23. 2 Cor. 4. 4. cause of all disorder even infidelity The God of this world hath blinded their eyes our eares are open to heare but not our hearts to beleeve Satan stealeth away the word lest we should beleeve and so be saved But let us make much of the word that wee may Mat. 13. 19. have faith to beleeve For faith nay one dramme of faith is of more worth than all the treasure in the world This that good merchant well knew that sold all to buy it For hee that beleeveth shall not be condemned for every beleevers cause is removed Mat. 13. 24. from the Court of Gods justice into the Court of Gods mercy where hee that beleeveth is not condemned Therefore our care must be with S. Paul that we may be found having the righteousnesse of Christ by faith For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 1. Iesus as all beleevers are and untill thou beest a beleever thou belongest not to God For as the Eagle refuseth her birds till they can mount and soare to the Sunne and as the Raven acknowledgeth not her young ones till they be blacke So God rejecteth the infidels and receiveth none till they beleeve None are the Sonnes of God but the faithfull the rest are bastards I confesse there be degrees in faith The first is a rudiment or entrance Gal. 3. Mat. 12. 20. Rom. 14. 1. Hebr. 10. 22. Rom. 4. 18. which Christ calleth Smoking flaxe The second is a weake faith Him that is weake in faith saith Paul receive unto you The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assurance of Faith Such a faith was in Abraham who above hope beleeved under hope But no faith is abominable and may easily be discerned from a weake faith As a sicke man is knowne from a dead man So a weake faith from no faith Even a desire of Faith is a token of faith For Gods spirit worketh God giues grace according to the measure of Faith that but no faith is accursed For he that beleeveth not is còndemned already There be degrees in faith three examples we have The first of the Ruler of the Synagogue who beleeved that his daughter should revive if Christ would but touch her But the Iohn 3. 18. Iohn 4. woman with the bloody issue beleeved that she should be whole if she touched but the hemme of his vesture But the Centurion beleeved that his servant should doe well if Christ spake but the Luk. 8. Mat. 8. word here is Gradus positivus the positive degree the
he nameth the sinnes that as hands pulled downe this uncleannesse upon them that like Load-stones drew it violently unto them that like stickes kindled the fire that is idlenesse pride fulnesse of bread And these Ezech. 16. being amongst us can wee doubt of the fruit which is whoredome idlenesse is the Anvill whereon Satan worketh it Salomon noteth the Harlot to be idle not to busie her selfe in any good trade of life She sitteth at the doore of her house on a seat in the Prov. 9. 14 15. high places of the City to call them that passe by the way c. her feet cannot abide in her house now she is without now in the streets and lyeth in wait at every corner Prov. 7. 10. 11. Apelles painted Venus in a snailes shell to note that women must stay at home not bee gadders like Dina shee fell not till The causes of Sodomes uncleannesse many first idlenes then and then she plaid the whore and not before when came David to adultry but when he gave over his warres and was idle O tia si tollas periere Cupidinis arcus Gen. 34. 2 Sam. 11. 2 4. saith the Poet Take away idlenesse and Cupids bow will soone be broken Quaeritur Aegysthus quomodo sit factus adulter Ovid. Inpromptu causa est de sidiosus erat If it bee demanded how Aegystus became an adulterer the cause may quickly be rendred hee was slothfull idle unchast folly for the most part is begot of an idle braine hatched in a lazy body Paul noteth it in Ephesus that the women there were idle and went about from house to house 1 Tim. 5. 13. and not onely idle but pratlers also aâ—d busie-bodies speaking things that are not comely Salomon describeth a vertuous woman and saith Shee seeketh Wooll Flaxe and laboureth cheerefully with her hands she is like the ships of Merchants shee bringeth her food from far Prov. 31. 13. c. and she riseth while it is yet night and giveth her portion to her houshold and the ordinary to her maids shee considereth a field and getteth it and with the fruit of her hands shee planteth a Vineyard shee putteth her hands to the wherne and her hands handle the spindle shee maketh her selfe carpets fine linnen and purple is her garment Such have no leisure to be unchast If therefore wee will not be overtaken with uncleannesse let us abandon idlenesse and vse diligence in our calling for that is a notable helpe to keepe out inordinate desires and unchast thoughts Another hand to pull this sinne upon us is pride The daughters of Sion falling to pride fell to adultery they had their slippers and their calles and their round attires their sweet balls Esa 3. 16. c. their bracelets and their bonnets the tyres of their head and their muffler and their head-bands and their tablets and their eare-rings and their rings and nose-jewels their costly apparell and their veyles and their wimples and their crisping pins their glasses and their fine linnen their hoods and their lawnes But God threatned them That in stead of a sweet savour their should bee a stincke and in stead of a girdle a rent in stead of dressing the haire baldnesse and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackecloth and burning instead of beauty This was one whetstone to set an edge upon them to uncleannesse God giveth a precept of apparell saying Thou shalt not weare a garment of divers sorts as of wollen and linnen together Deut. 22. 11. A precept not ceremonial but morall to this end that al men woman might walk soberly chastly not beastly or heathenishly but to abstain from fornication and possesse their vessels in holines and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as doe the heathen Womens 1 Thes 4. 3 4. 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. parell must not be outward with broided haire and gold put about but the inner man must be cloathed I say of apparell as Paul said of meat meats are ordaâ—ned for the belly and the helly for 1 Cor. 6. 13. meats So it is for the backe and the backe for it but the Lord Gluttonie Drunkennesse and evill company the third and fourth causes of Sodomes uncleannesse shall destroy both it and them But the inward apparell shall last for ever Saint Ambrose calleth pride the banner of whoredome the net of lechery and filthinesse And pretily said Aesop to a Ruffian strangely attired that if he did it to pleasure men hee was but a foole for no wise man will account the better of him and if he did it to please women he was but a knave and meant unchastly In one word men now goe like women and women like men Ambr. Optat ephippia bos optat arare Caballus the Oxe wisheth to carry the saddle the Horse to draw the Plough We have forgotten that Adam and Heva wore leathern Gen. 3. 1 Sam. 28. 2 Reg. 1. Mat. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 9. Mat. 26. coats that Samuel had a simple mantell that Elisha wore haire-cloth that Iohn Baptist had on him a Cammels skin that the women of Ephesus were arrayed with modesty not with silke nor gold nor pearle or stollen haire that the Lord Iesus had a woven coat without seame Some Thamars cover themselves Gen. 38. with veyles and maskes some Potiphars wife allureth Ioseph some daughters of Sion perfume themselves with muske-balls At mulieres bene olent cum nihil olent women smell well when they smell nothing at all Some Iezabels paint their faces But I say Ier. 4. with a Father that mulier quae aliter se pingit quam Deus fingit verendum ne Creator in die judicii creaturam suam minimé recognoscat Hierome 2 Reg. 9. the woman that painteth her selfe otherwise than GOD hath made her it is to be feared that the Creator in the day of judgement Cypr. will not acknowledge her for his creature and that they Qui crines fulvos c. which paint their haire red and yellow prognosticate afore-hand of what collour their heads shall bee in hell The third hand to pull this sinne on Sodome was gluttony Lot in his drunkennesse committed incest and begat two cursed nations Ammon and Moab oftentimes did Israel beginne in eating Ezech. 16. Gen. 19. 1 Cor 10. 7. and end in whoring Sine cerere baccho friget Venus without meats and drinks lecherous lust waxeth cold Lady Venus dwels at the signe of the Ivie bush where there is cleannesse of teeth usually there is no filthinesse of body but if we stuffe our corps like cloke-bags making our mouths as tunnels our throats as Vid. Boys 15. Sunday post Trin. the Crab-fish c. wine-pipes our bellies as barrels if wee fill them full of strong drink and new wine there must follow some vent some uncleannesse of filthinesse A fourth hand to pull this sinne on them might
a murderer in hand a lyer in tongue if not in himselfe yet in his members As hee was against Moses by Corah Dathan and Abiram David by Doeg Ieremy by the men of Anathoth Paul by Tertullus Iohn Baptist by Apoc. 12. 10. Iohn 8. 44. Numb 16. Psal 52. the Scribes yea Christ by the Pharisees but Dathan and his company perished in an earth-quake Doeg was rooted out the men of Anathoth were captivated the Scribes were confuted the Pharisees put to silence Maledicere est adeo illicitum ut peccatuin est maledicere diabolo to speake evill or to rayle is so unlawfull that it is a sinne to curse or banne the Divell Michael would not rayle no more ought we to rayle or revile one another when as difference shall chance to arise amongst us He that calleth his brother foole contemptuously or opprobriously is in danger of Hell Mat. 5. 22. fire And Saint Paul saith Let all sowernesse or bitternesse or wrath or anger and out-cryes and blasphemies be quite taken from among you with all maliciousnesse be courteous one to another and pittifull forgiving Ephes 4. 31. one another even as Christ forgave you And in another place Let your patient minde be knowne to all men The Lord is even at hand As though he should say will ye be malitious spitefull reviling Phil. 4. 5. your brethren and the Lord is at hand will yee be falling out one with another and his comming so neere And yet as Ephraim was full of drunkards Crete full of lyers Ephesus full of Idolaters so the world is full of raylers of whom it may be said as Hierome said of Ioviman Tacere nesciunt quia nunquam didicerunt bene loqui they know not to be silent because they never learned Hierome to speake well Erasmus speaking of this rayling age saith that there be three things to keepe the tongue in First it hath many strings these strings should curbe it in Secondly there is a double ditch of teeth and thirdly two walls of lips yet all will not hold in the tongue Dimidiam partem vitiorum in mundo sibi vendicat lingua the tongue challengeth halfe the vices in the Gregor Naziau world for what vice almost floweth not from the tongue rayling reviling lying swearing blasphemie perjury slander c. all these be the vices of the tongue Hermophilus offending with his tongue perpetuum silentium sibi indixit in joyned his tongue perpetuall silence And Pambo in three months would not speake till he had learned the first verse of the 39. Psalme which runneth thus I said I will take heed unto my wayes that I offend not in my tongue Et melius est certè nil loqui Psal 39. 1. quà m malè loqui It is much better to be silent and to speake nothing than to speake evill therefore saith the Apostle As elect of God holy and beloved put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of Col. 3. 12 13. mind meeknesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another Of all victories it is the greatest to forbeare being provoked Michael would not revile the divell and wilt thou revile thy brother yet many passe not what they say what speeches Mildnesse a meanes to stay a rayling tongue they give it if they be offended The Schollers of Pithagoras kept silence for five yeeres it were to be wished that these might be enjoyned silence alway except they could speak better Epictetus reduced all vertues into two heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abstaine sustaine and he reduceth all vices into two heads Impatiency and Incontinency when injuries are not borne nor pleasures eschewed Spirtus Dei neque mordax the spirit of God is neither a lyer nor a biter a rayler let us then give courteous speeches Not rendring evill for evill nor rebuke for rebuke 1 Pet. 3. 9. Againe hard words rayling cursed speaking hurt our selves and doe no good to the adversaries Mollis sermo frangit iram a soft answer putteth downe displeasure for as a Canon-shot is Prov 15. 1. repelled with wooll not with brasse as wild-fire is quenched with milke not with water as the Adamant is broken with the blood of a Goat and not with an hammer as the wrath of an Elephant is appeased not with swords but with Mulberries So malice is an adversary in a rayler is quenched with lenity not with reviling like a Lion that is mitigated with the humblenesse of a beast unto him Hereupon saith Paul If thine enemy Rom. 12. 20. hunger feed him if he thirst give him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head that is thou shalt win him Therefore saith Ambrose to Calligonus Ego patior audiam quod est Episcopi I will suffer and heare which is the part of a Bishop Tu ages loqueris quae sunt carnificis thou doest and speakest which belongeth to a murtherer and cruell person Regium est audire mala à quibus laudare esset pudor it is a princely thing to heare evill of them of whom it is a shame to be commended Leave them to God Dominos illos increpabit the Lord shall rebuke them yea The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud Psal 12. 3 4. things Which have said with our tongues we will prevaile wee are they that that ought to speake Who is Lord over us Shemei shall not ever 2 Sam. 16. 5. Dan. 14. Dan. 6. raile on David the Iudges shall not ever accuse Susanna the idolaters shall not ever speake evill of Daniel Doeg shall not ever slander Abimelech the Arrians shall not alway defame Athanasius 2 Sam. 22. as they did for Arsenius God will make their innocency as Psal 37. 6. the light and their judgement as the noone-day Here a question may be moved whither a Christian may at any time curse and speak hardly to the wicked and rebuke them Some object Levit. 19. Non maledices surdo Thou shalt not curse the Levit. 19. 14. deafe nor put a stumbling blocke before the blind They say that wee may not say Racha or foole to our brother much lesse may wee Mat. 5. use hard words rayling sentences they quote Paul to the Romanes Blesse them that persecute you blesse I say and curse not Cum Rom. 12. 14. maledico edere non licet we may not eate with a rayler They alledge the example of Christ Who when he was reviled reviled not 1 Cor. 5. 11. againe And that of Paul Wee are reviled and yet wee blesse Wee Lawfull to curse sinne though not sinners are persecuted and suffer it Wee are evill spoken of and yet wee pray To all these I answere in two words that in all speeches wee must regard two things The goodnesse of the cause and cleerenesse 1 Cor. 4. 12. 13. of our minde that wee speake not of spleene of affection of revenge
but to draw the party to remembrance And so there is place left in the Church as well for Cursing as Blessing for rough as for milde speech so that Gods glory bee sought in the suppression of sinne Vt omne os obstruatur that every mouth may be stopped and that all glory may bee given to God Thus we Gen. 3. cap. 9. Deut. 27. read that God cursed the Serpent that Noah cursed Cham of the twelve tribes sixe of them stood on Mount Garazim to blesse and sixe on mount Hebal to curse all the people to say Amen Iacob uttered a dire imprecation upon Simeon and Levie saying Curbe Gen. 49. 7. Mat. 23. Mat. 13. their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell And lest any should restraine this to time of the Law Note that Christ pronounceth many woes against the Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites in one Chapter And hee cried woe to the impenitent saying Woe be to him by whom offences come And againe Woe bee Mat. 11. Mat. 26. to thee Corazim Woe bee to thee Bethsaida c. And againe Woe to that man by whom the Sonne of man is betraied it were good for that man if 8 Cor. 16. hee had not beene borne And againe Woe to the World because of offences And Simon Peter cursed Simon Magus saying Thy money perish 2 Tim. 4. 14. with thee And Paul cried Maranatha Anathema to them that love not the Lord Iesus And hee cursed Alexander the Copper-smith Act. 13. 10. Gen. 49. He hath done mee saith Paul much evill the Lord reward him according to his workes And so hee cursed Elimas the sorcerer and called him the Child of the divell an enemy to all righteousnesse But yet wee must curse the sinnes not the party So Iacob cursed Apoc. 2 the rage of his Sonnes not themselves So God hated the deeds of the Nicholaitans not the men Yea sometimes both sinnes and men may be cursed if they give signes of reprobation So the Church prayed against Iulian not for him And Saint Iohn 1 Iohn 5. 16. tels us that there is a sinne unto death I say not that thou shouldest pray for it But to leave all this Michael striving with the Divell durst not give him a railing sentence but saith The Lord rebuke thee Let us learne this lesson of Michael in all reproaches and bitter speeches of our brethren to say unto them The Lord reprove thee for passion must not overmaster us But these railers wee must answere sometime with silence for unto many natures to answere againe is to put fuell to the fire for anger is fire and words are fuell But if silence will not serve the turne then it is good to give place unto it I meane to goe away from Rem 12. 19. a railing person till his anger be over and if that will not serve the turne then answere him as Michael did here the Divell The Lord reprove thee And in any wise take heed you prouoke We must give account of idle much more of evill words not anger for the forcing of Wrath bringeth forth strife as the churming of milke bringeth forth butter and wringing the nose bringeth forth bloud Let us therefore avoyd the customary sinnes of passions and not answere evill for evill or rebuke for rebuke but say with Michael The Lord rebuke thee And with David Iudge me o God and Prov. 30. 33. Psal 43. 1. defend my cause against the unmercifull people that is the cruell company of mine adversaries deliver me from the deceitfull and wicked man The Lord rebuke thee This teacheth us as to avoyd all railing so to study carefully and diligently the government of the tongue and to beware of rotten speeches The mouth is the messenger of the heart and from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A filthy tongue argueth a filthy heart an unbridled tongue a licencious heart A poisoned tongue that belcheth out nothing but banning and cursing railing and reviling speeches doth manifest a cursed and corrupt heart Our Saviour saith A Mat. 12. 13 good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth goodthings and an evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things but I say unto you that of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement If then at the end of the end of the world and day of judgement wee must reckon and account for idle words How much more for our railing reviling speeches Let us therefore hearken unto the counsell of the Apostle Let not corrupt communion proceed out of your mouths but that which is good to the use of edifying that may Ephes 4. 29. minister grace unto the hearers Wee should be of a patient nature and follow the example of Michael who striving with the Divell durst not give him a railing sentence but say The Lord rebuke thee If an Archangell abstaine from all railing having to doe with the Divell the greatest enemie of God and his people wee that have to do with bad men must not take liberty to our selves to use reviling speeches We must commit revenge unto God who hath said Vengeance is mine I will repay THE NINETEENTH SERMON VERS X. But these speake evill of those things they know not c. Malice turnes men into dogs THis is the fourth note that he giveth unto the wicked you shall know them by their evill speaking they are like unto blacke-mouthed Rabshakeh they rayle on God and good men He calleth them first sleepers secondly defilers of the flesh thirdly despisers of government and here raylers they speake evill of all things As fire lyeth not long in the stubble or in the flaxe but the flame breaketh out so hatred lyeth not long in these mens hearts but breaketh out in evill speeches and many times They will speake evill of things they know not Munster writeth of men in India Qui non loquuntur sed latrant which speaketh not like men but barke like dogs so these barke like dogs against the Moone Gorgon turned men into stones and Circe changed them into swine and malice turneth these men into doggs like Hecuba at the siege of Troy for their rayling David saith The wicked speake evil from their mothers wombe even from their belly have they erred and speake lyes their poyson is even as the poyson of Psal 58. 3 4. a serpent like the deafe Adder that stoppeth her eare that is they passe in malice and subtilty the crafty Serpent the first thing they doe is to speake evill it is Alpha and Omega first and last with them As the serpent vomiteth up her poyson before she drinketh Malice in the heart â—he cause of rayling in the tongue of a cleare fountaine so this is the sinne that must bee avoided before we drinke of the water of life the Word of God Lay
things which yee heare and have not heard them Luke 10. 23 24. But to proceed if it bee a sinne to raile in ignorance how execrable is it when it is in knowledge then it is a double sinne as in Iulian the Apostata who said of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He knew the Scriptures hee had read the Scriptures but he despised them and therfore the Church never pray'd for him but against him So Chrysostome speaking of certain Hereticks called Anomaies saith Hanc arborem haereseos nec Paulus plantavit nec Apollo rigavit nec Deus auxit neither have Paul Chrys planted this tree of heresie nor Apollo watered it nor God encreased it sed plantavit superbia rigavit invidia but Pride planted it A shame for a Christian to bee ignorant of Christianity and Envy watered it they sinned in knowledge not in ignorance they said that they knew God as well as God knew himselfe And as these Anomaies went to farre one way so did the Sceptickes another way they doubted of all things Num Chrisippus homo esset an formica whether Chrisippus were a man or a pismire whether snow is white or blacke For Satan is ever in his contraries All Arrianisme came from pride in knowledge not ignorance alone Arrius seeing Alexander preferred before him denied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ the consubstantiality against his own conscience and his end was accordingly for as he was a disputing being provoked to the stoole in exonerating nature hee poured out all his bowels and so hee dyed These men had need say Pone ostium labiis set a doore before my lips The Pharisees also knew Christ yet railed on him they called him Fabri filium the Carpenters Sonne a man of new learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 141. a drunkard a worker by the Divell a deceiver therefore they were farre from mercy and many sinned In spiritum sauctum against the holy Ghost Lastly the Divell sinned thus for it could not be ignorance they being by creation Angels of light Mat. 13. Mar. 2. Mat. 12. Iohn 7. he fell upon mere envy in knowledge whereupon Billius in his Anthologiâ maketh the comparison betweene him and Christ Ille voluit esse supra Angelum Hee would be above an Angell Sed hic infra hominem but Christ beneath a man and therefore he became a scorne of men yea the very outcast of all people Ille coelum dedignatus est he disdained Heaven but Christ disdained not to walke on the earth Ille omnibus hominibus invidit hee envied all men and would have them to perish but Christ Loved 1 Tim. 2. 4. all and would have all to be saved but this malice of Satan could not be in ignorance but in knowledge But to returne most men raile in ignorance they are like unto Herpasta Socrates shee foole that having lost her eyes did not beleeve that shee was blind but thought the house to be darke So we are blind and yet will not see it it is nothing to name the tenne Commandements the Lords prayer the twelve Articles of faith the two Sacraments but to understand them We raile on Catechising for that wee understood it not Acts 8. 30. I say to thee as Philip said to the Eunuch when he heard him read the Prophecie of Esaias Vnderstandest thou what thou readest Even so understandest thou what thou prayest beleevest receivest Christianus sine scientia est sicut navis sine remis A Christian without knowledge is like a ship withovt sailes rudder ancker cable c. or like a bird without wings or like a tree without Iohn 3. 19 rootes or a purse without mony This is the condemnation of the World that men love darkenesse more than light and why so their deedes are evill They shall one day cry out in Hell Wee have erred from the way of truth the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us the Sunne of understanding rose not up upon us Wee have wearied our Ignorance the cause of distruction selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction and wee have gone through dangerous wayes but wee have not knowne the way of the Lord. Men are not ignorant for want of teaching but for want of learning Wisd 5. 6 7. 13. wee will not learne there wee shall say Assoone as we were borne wee beganne to draw an end and have shewed no token of Vertue but are consumed in our owne wickednesse If wee should live so long as Methnsalah who lived nine hundred sixty nine yeeres it may be we would have more knowledge for the World but no more for God we have sold our selves with Ahab to doe wickedly the dayes will come that we shall say as Iacob said Surely Gen. 5. ca. 28. 16 the Lord was in this place and I was not aware The Lord was here but I was not aware of it hee spake to me and I heard him not hee offered his grace to me and I regarded it not his Sunne shined and I beheld it not And now it is night and I cannot walke death commeth and I cannot worke their bones shall lie downe in the graves full of ignorance blindnesse poperie Iohn 12. Qualis enim vita finis ita For as thy life is so is thy death Thy bones are full of the sinne of thy youth and it shall lie downe with thee in the Dust And Paul is peremptory namely That God will render Iob 20. 11. 2 Thess 1. 8. vengeance unto them that doe not know him The wicked seeing the elect in Heaven shall say to God as Esau said to Isaac Hast thou but one blessing my Father blesse me even me also my Father But it will be too late their blessing shall be turned into a cursing Nay Iude chargeth them further that they abused themselves in that they knew not like the Doctors of Ephesus of whom Paul reporteth thus They would be Doctors of the Law and yet understand 1 Tim. 1. 7. not what they speake neither whereof they affirme And also in that they knew For saith Iude Whatsoever things they know naturally as beasts which are without reason in those things they corrupt themselves so that every way they are vile and miserable as Apoc. 3. 17. Some things they knew naturally as beasts that know sweet from sowre good from evill meat from poyson The wicked know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the formall things but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mysteries in Christ Hereupon saith Paul We speake the Wisedome of God in a mysterie even the hid Wisedome whereof 1 Cor. 2. 14. the wicked have no saving understanding The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are not spiritually discerned They savor not the things that are of God as Christ said to Peter Come behind
out and the young Eagles eateit what shall the tongue doe that mocketh God his heavenly Father the 2 Cor. 5. 20. Church his Mother the Saints his fellow brethren members of Christs Body the holy Ghost his Schoole-master the Preachers the messengers of God the Gospell the Word of life the two Sacraments the two dugges of life the Food of our soules Into their secrets let not my soule come saith old father Iacob Many Scoffers and railers smite with the tongue condemne us of singularity precisenesse puritanisme they would not have us so odde but to be good fellowes boone companions sport and play drinke and swill like other men and to Gen. 49. 6. walke as the world doth But let us answere these men as Alexander answered Parmenio counselling him to a thing undecent and unseemely Facerem si Parmenio essem at Alexandro neutiquam licet I would doe this if I were Parmenio but it is no way beseeming Alexander to doe it So will wee answere Atheists Papists Worldlings We would doe such and such things we would drinke with the drunkard sweare with the swaggerer and runne into all excesse of riot if wee were Atheists Papists prophane worldlings At Protestantibus Christianis non licet But it is not lawfull for Christians and Protestants so to doe God bee thanked wee are free now from open persecution the Moone is not turned into bloud the Dragon pursueth not the woman the daughters of Sion are not Apoc. 6. Cap. 12. Lament 2. 1. 2 Reg. 21. darkened the Church is not blacke as Cant. 1. our bloud is not powred out like water as in Ierusalem the Preachers are not scattred abroad as Moses in Madian Daniel in Chaldaea Hosea in Israel Ieremy in Iuda Iohn in Asia Peter in Samaria Philip in Alexandria Thomas in Aethiopia Bartholomew in India Andrew in Scythia SimoÌ„ in Persia Iudas in Mesopotamia Marcus in Colonia Nathanael in France Ioseph of Aramathia in Scotland and Paul in England yet are we not free from all persecution for wee are persecuted with the toung the woolf cannot bite yet can he barke the wicked cannot smite with the fist yet can he smite with the toung these serpents cannot sting yet can they hisse as they said of Ieremy Come let Ier. 18. 18. us smite him with the tongue and let â—â— not give heed to any of his Words so good men shall be sure to bee smitten with the tongue These voices are oftentimes heard Oh these holy men oh these Bible-men oh these precisians Puritans mortified men men of the spiritlare not others holy and honest and good as well as they Oh take heed Dathan Corah and Abiram went to hell for as liâ—lle as Numb 6. 16. that and thither shall these go if they repent not The first Christians wanted not these derisions mockings and scoffings Tertullian in Apologetico saith that they in the Primitive Church were called Asinarij Semissij homines Crucifixi discipuli Galilaei Nazareni heards of Asses vile Fellowes the disciples of a man crucified Galilaeans Nazarites eaters of mans flesh drinkers of mans bloud for that they received the Sacraments Libanus scholler to Iulian the Apostata scoffed at Christ asking what the Sonne of the Carpenter did then in heaven To whom the Schoole-master of Antioch answered Concinnat loculos Iuliano he was making coffins for Iulian. So he died within 3. daies saith the Tripartite History The same Tripartite History telleth of one Lucius Lib. 7. cap. 12. Samasatensis who mocking at Christianity said that he got nothing by it but the increase of his name in one syllable For The godly usually mocked for well doing before he was christened hee was called Lucius but after that he was called Lucianuâ— but he mocked and barked so long at Christ that in fine he was torne in pieces of dogs one dog are another A wicked witnesse mocketh Iudgement saith Salomon but judgements Prov. 19. 28 29. 2 Sam. 6. 21 21. are prepared for the scornefull that is mockers Finely did David answere Michol It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Fathers house c. And I will yet bee more vile then thus and will bee low in my owne sight c. So let us answere these huswifes dames scoffers mockers God hath not chosen them nor their Fathers house and we wil be yet more vile seeing it is before our God But yet howsoever Iulian flowt at Christ Diagoras jest at religion Dionysius scoffe at the last Iudgement Ismael the bastard 2 Reg. 2. 19. mocke Isaac Senacherib laugh at the virgin Sion and nod his head at Ierusalem yet how le they weep they and lament this sinne in hell Oh brethren hee that heard our men how in their secret meetings they deride the Preacher the Word the Auditors the Church the assemblies how they canvice every professour his life how they censure all men how they open their mouth against heaven and their tongues walke thorow the earth how they talke on their Ale-bench sparing neither Magistrate not Minister nor private man would wonder that such iniquitie should be in the world yet are they no sooner in danger but they tremble But the vilenesse of this sinne of mocking shall yet more plainely appeare if yee marke the cause of it it is ever lightly for doing well and refraining evill For this cavse Cain disdained and hated his brother Abell because his owne works were evil 1 Iohn 3. 12. his brothers good a vile spirit that cannot abide vertue but so greedily thirsteth after sinne which is of the Divell drinke not with the drunkard and they mocke thee sweare not with the swearers and they mocke thee be not vaine in words in apparell in behaviour and they mocke thee Heare the Word read of it talke of it and by and by a yong Saint and an old Divell you will to Heaven ere your bones bee cold with a number of such mockes and divellish taunts but Iudgements are prepared for these Prov. 19. 29. sinne seene and sorrowed for hath pardon promised but sinne jested at and played withall hath vengeacne threatened It is the 2 Sam. 24. voice of a Christian to say I have sinned but it is the voice of a reprobate to say Tush let them preach I will sinne still and Prov. 14. 9. so verifieth the saying of Salomon The foole maketh a mocke of sinne he doth not know the grievousnesse thereof nor Gods judgements against the same It is strange that one reporteth that in Collecke a towne in Germany Anno. 1505. certaine vaine persons hopping and dancing in the Church-yard being admonished by the minister to cease and contemning it ranne round about till at last they fell all downe dead And note that these vile men shall be in the It is damnable to scoffe at the Saints last times they have beene at all times For sinne is as ancient as Satan who was a murtherer from
of men and yet no cause of that evill Another useth this Simile That as in cutting with a bad knife the cutting is of my selfe but the evill cutting is of the knife So the action is of God but the evill of the action is of our selves Augustine affirmeth Deum per malos agere Lipsius August in Enchiridion ad Laurentium that God worketh by evill men Deus enim inquit ille jussit Shemei Davidimaledicere for God saith he commanded Shemei to curse David Againe he saith In peccato peccatoris nihil esse positivum sed privativum In the sin of a sinner nothing is positive but privative So God is said to make blind whom he inlightneth not to harden whom he softeneth not and to reprobate whom he calleth not effectually But I will conclude this point with the saying of two worthy men Augustine and Fulgentius Augustine The causes of Reprobation are hidden but iust saith thus Deus operatur in cordibus hominum ad inclinandas voluntates eorum quocunque vult sive ad bona pro sua misericordia sive ad mala pro ipsorum meritis God worketh in the hearts of men to incline their wils to whatsoever hee will either to good things by his mercy or to evill by their deserts And Fulgentius saith thus Deus licet author non sit malarum cogitationum ordinator est tamen malarum voluntatum de malo opere cujuslibet mali non desinit ipse bonum operari Although God be not the Author of evill cogitations yet is hee the orderer of evill wils and of the evill worke of every evill man hee ceaseth not to worke a good worke Beza hath three Aphorismes against Castellio Primùm causas reprobationis esse à nobis absconditas sed tamen justas alioquin judicium esset penes lutum non penes figulum First the causes of reprobation are hid from us yet they bee just otherwise the judgement were in the power of Clay not of the Potter Secondly Deum non simpliciter creare quenquam ad exitium that God not simply hath created any to destruction but the causes 1 Hosca 13. 2 Pet. 2. of destruction are of himselfe Perditio tua ex te O Israel thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel and the Apostle saith that the wicked perish through their owne corruption Thirdly Deum non spectare reproborum exitium ut ultimum finem sed gloriam suam quae in eorum justa condemnatione lucet that God beholdeth not the destruction of the wicked as the last end but his glory which shineth most brightly in their condemnation As Salomon saith The Lord hath made all things for his glory even the wicked for the day of evill So that the justice of God shall appeare to his glory even in the destruction of the wicked The second opinion is of them Qui dicunt Deum omnia permittere sed non velle which say that God permits and suffers all things but hee willeth not all things but God saith that it is his will and that nothing is done without his will Our God saith Psal 115. 3. Psal 135. 6. David is in heaven hee doth whatsoever hee will No impediment can let his worke but hee useth even the impediments to serve his will And whatsoever hee willeth that doth hee in Heaven and in Earth in the Sea and in all deepe places That appeareth in the affliction of Iob Satan envied Iob and the Chaldees robbed him Iob 1. 1 Reg. 22. yet Iob said Dominus dedit dominus abstulit the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away In the deceiving of Achab the Divell is sent of God to bee a lying spirit in the mouthes of the foure hundred Prophets Si ista execatio est Dei nudum permissionis figmentum evanescit If this execation bee the judgement of God this bare and naked figment of permission must vanish as smoke and as the untimely fruit of a woman An earthen pitcher shall drive away the Madianites Trumpets of Rammes hornes shall blow downe the wals of Iericho a peble stone shall God worketh by evill men and not in them overthrow the great Goliah that is the scripture shall overthrow the conceit the imagination and fiction of bare permission As Iael with one nayle stroke Sisera to the ground so will I with one example beate downe the paper-wals of this opinion Absalom defiled his fathers bed and committed a notable villany yet God calleth it his worke Verba enim Dei sunt they are Gods owne words Tufecisti occultè ego vero palam coram 2 Sam. 16. hoc Sole thou hast done it secretly but I openly before this Sun To strengthen this for Vis unita fortior The Iewes Pilate Herod crucified Christ yet the Apostle said that they did nothing but that which the hand and counsell of God had decreed And yet againe Act. 4. that a threefold cable may not easily bee broken the Ier. 5 cruelty of the Chaldees in Iudaea Ieremy calleth the worke of God In which since Nebuchadnezzar is called Servus Dei the servant of God and God calleth the King of Assyria the rod of his wrath Esa 10. I doe but crop some few examples of millions and infinite that might bee alleaged Nothing is clearer than these speeches that God blindeth men that he giveth them the spirit of slumber Esa 29. Exod. 9. Rom. 1. 28. that hee hardeneth their hearts and so is hee said to have hardned Pharoahs heart and to give men up into a reprobate sense And of the inhabiters of Canaan Moses said that God hardneth their hearts to fight against the Church And Paul calleth the wisedome of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These bee not matters of reason but of faith Et ubi fides incipit ratio desinit where Ios 11. Ephes 3. 10. Ambr. faith beginneth reason endeth But I answere with Calvin that though God willeth all things yet hee neither commandeth nor compelleth the wicked Though God would revenge the Adultery of David by the Incest of Absalom yet God neither commanded nor compelled him which freeth God The third opinion is of them that say all things come to passe by Gods providence that our actions as they proceed from God are just and as they come of our selves unjust Hereupon Beza distinguisheth thus Deum agere in bonis per bonos that God worketh in good men and by good men Per malos vero 1 parte quaesâ—ionum agere at non in malis and that hee worketh by evill men but not in evill men In his enim duntaxat agit quos spiritu suoregit Hee worketh in them onely whom he ruleth by his spirit In malis igitur non agit aliquid hee worketh not therefore in evill men Ephes 2. 2. for Satan not God worketh in them And Master Calvin against the Libertines produceth two exceptions Primò sic Deum agere periniquos