fruitlesse speculation Simil. this being as a Shippe without a Pilot in danger every moment to bee gravel'd in the sands of superstition or split on the rocke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as an expert Nauticke but in such a torne vessell that hee dares not commit himselfe to the Sea or make use of his faculty This as an untamed Horse without a Rider that as a faire Steed but unserviceable for warre or travell Each therefore must bee link't to other and become such inseparable mates that nothing may divorce them but the dissolution of the subject Alterius sic Alteraposcit opem res Horat. in Art Poet. conjurat amicè What Poets Mariners and Naturalists have observed of those two Meteors Castor and Pollux is no lesse usefull for us all if either appeare single they presage a tempest or shipwracke but it both together serenity and safety So if both these concurre in the life of a Christian they are an infallible Symptome of his eternall happinesse but if sever'd they foreshew his ruine and destruction Hippocrates twinnes were never so nearely united either in birth naturall disposition or affection as these two ought to bee to make up a perfect man of GOD wise unto salvation Yet I know not how it comes to passe but so it is and 't is a truth no lesse lamentable then strange that these two which ought to bee so individually united are such Strangers each to other and they which should bee such intire brethren stand at such distance that they proove like Eteocles and Polynices living and dying in perpetuall enmity as if they had shaken hands and tooke a perpetuall farewell at the Fall of Adam vowing never afterwards to see one anothers face For see wee not the most unlearned or at farthest not very expert in any kinde of learning most imployed in the practise of morall good duties and as they suppose the true worship of GOD whereas the greatest Clarkes are so fill'd up with with aëry speculations that they have little or no roome left for practicall obedience This made Saint Austin exclaime against himselfe and his Complices Aug. lib. 8. Confess Cap. 8. a little before his Conversion with a Surgunt indocti caelum rapiunt nos cum doctrinis nostris ecce vbi volutamur carne sanguine The unlearned presse into Heaven by violence but wee for all our learning continue in the filth of our sinnes and wallow in the bloud of our iniquity I would this gravamen were not too apposite for these times when Schoole nicities verball difficulties and perplexed Logomachia ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrust out all serious meditation of practicall duties Dum in verbis pugnd est Hilar. ad Constant. dum in no vitatibus quaestio dum in ambiguis occasio litis dum in consensu difficult as est jam nemo Christiest was the complaint of another Father fitted I feare of purpose for us of these times who are more nominall then reall superficiall then Solid Christians and with Aesop's Curre catching at the shadow wee lose the substance of Religion 'T was the observation of his late learned Majestie K. Iames in Aphor. and beyond exception true that the Divell where hee cannot have the whole seekes ever to have one part of the soule which hee may come easyest by in Protestants the Will in Papists the Vnderstanding they being ignorantly practicall wee sciently idle or perverse neither perfect Christians while we want an essentiall part of our profession The like may we observe in the infant age of the world After the true worship of GOD by Caine's wicked seede long suppressed was restored by Seth and Enosh Gen. Gen. 4. vlt. 4. vlt. Corruption of life crept in and brought a Deluge on the Primitive world Chap. 6. So after the truth of Christianitie was by lawes established under Christian Emperours open persecution ceasing Depravation of manners crept in and brought a Deluge of miseries on the Visible Church as the Centuryes may more fully informe you And now even now to our griefe and shame bee it spoken when the light of the Gospell shines at the highest in it's full glory and splendor how great a Defection is there in the Course of our lives as if wee endeavoured of purpose to talke in darkenesse in the midst of light and affected to grope at noone-day when wee rather might and ought to runne the way of his Commandements So truly may that Complaint of Tertullian bee taken up by us Iuel Apol. ex Tertul. O miseros nos qui Christiani dicimur hoc tempore Gentes agimus sub nomine Christi Wee professe Christianity but live like Heathens wee would seeme Saints but our actions beseeme Divels 'T is not unworthy your notice to observe the triple plea of the most part of men among us and those of different professions the meere formall and ignorant Protestant pretends his good meaning the stricter and preciser his good Faith and the Papist his good workes But till all these concurre they are not sufficient severally to make a good Christian. A true and lively faith is that on which the most of us build the assurance of our salvation but if this bee as true and lively as supposed it cannot bee but operative good workes and actions proceeding as necessarily from it as heate from the fire light from the Sunne or wholesome fruit from a good tree and so much doth the very Etymologie of the word import Fiat quod dictum est dicitur inde Fides True it is wee put neither merit of Condignitie nor Congruitie in good workes nor make them the Cause either of Iustification or Salvation as we shall anone manifest yet doe wee maintaine contrary to the no lesse impudent then unjust calumniation of our adversaries their Necessity both to Sanctification and eternall happinesse so the subject bee capable of and disposed for the performance and affirme that though by good workes causative no man is or shall bee yet without good workes consequutivè no man can bee justified Wee willingly imbrace the wholesome advise of their primesupposed founder in his 2. Epistle Chap. 1. verse 10. 2. Pet. 1.10 to make our Calling and Election sure and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by good workes So farre are we from teaching the people a licencious course of life or rejecting workes of Piety and Religion that wee make it the sole testimony of the livelie-hood of our faith and the assurance of our calling and eternall inheritance If they require a more particular view of those reasons which we◠alleage for the necessity of workes I referre them to any of our Neotericks where they may both see and blush at their as false as malicious scandall Briefely that I may at once stoppe all their clamorous mouthes wee affirme the necessity and injoyne the performance of good works both in respect of GOD our selves and others 1. In respect of GOD
affliction and judgement I might bee over-copious but I hasten Our blessed Saviour himselfe affirmes that eternall life consists in this endowment of knowledge Ioh. 17.3 This is life eternall that they might know thee the only true GOD IESVS CHRIST whom thou hast sent and the Prophet Isaiah in that sublime testimony of God the Father concerning his Son makes it equivalent to of the same nature with true saving faith Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many See heere that happy worke of our Iustification attributed to knowledge which the Prophet Habakuk Chap. 2. v. 4 and the grand Apostle of the Gentiles in more then a full Iury of testimonies assignes onely unto saving faith Vid. Rom. 1.17 Cap. 3.28 Cap. 4.5.13 Cap 5.1 Gal. 3.11 5.6 You have the LORD himselfe often complaining of the defect of this Habit of knowledge in his people 2. Cor. 1.24 Ephes 2.8 Heb. 10.38 and many other places Isai 1.3 Israel saith he doth not know my people doth not consider and then followes that severe commination of the Almighty Ah sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquitie a seed of evill doers c. Intimating that all their impieties proceeded from the want of knowledge of their spirituall estate and consideration of their wayes And in the 5. of Isai verse 1. therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge So likewise by the Prophet Ieremy Chapter 4. ver 22. My people is foolish they have not knowne mee they are foolish children they have no understanding c. and by the Prophet Hosea Chapter 4. vers 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou hast rejected knowledge I will also reject thee c. as if all the afflictions and judgements of the Iewes their Captivity rejection and utter desolation had proceeded onely from this defect of spirituall knowledge But what need I light a Candle to the Sun The Scripture condescending to the Capacity of the meanest doth almost every where implicitly compare the understanding to the Eye the Will and affections to the feete that directing these walking that conferring the Insight of good these the prosecution Now how vaine it were for a blinde man to undertake a journey how many dangers he must needs sustaine by the way yet never attaine his journeys end none can bee ignorant Pray we therefore with David that the LORD would enlighten our eyes that wee may see the wonderfull things of his Law that hee would make us to understand the way of his precepts and then we may add we wil run the way of his commandements for if we runne without this light of knowledge we cannot but fall into the ditch of Errors if not into the pit of perdition Ignoti nulla cupido was the Thesis of the Poet and 't is true in Divinity No man can affect the good he knowes not nor feare the evill whereof he is ignorant Arist 3. Ethic. The Philosopher in the third of his Ethicks assures us that that can be no vertuous action which is not done Volenter scienter constanter so that if it be casually performed and not out of the ground of praeelection and knowledge the action perhaps may be good for the substance but the agent no more conscious to the goodnesse thereof then Baalams Asse of what shee spake to her Master or Pilate of the salvation of mankind by delivering our Saviour to bee crucified In a word Scientia conscientiam dirigit conscientia scientiam perficit Our knowledge must bee the directory of our conscience in it's practise and our practise the perfection of our knowledge We must know to doe before we can doe what wee know Blush then ye grand Imposters startle yee mercilesse seducers who are not ashamed to take away the Key of knowledge from your silly flocke to plucke out the eyes of your Proselytes and withdraw the light of the Gospell from them and then send them that long and difficult journey to heaven How can the choose but erre who are thus extruded into more then Aegyptian darknesse and like the Sodomites Gen. 19. who were stricken with such blindnesse that they could not finde out Lots dore so are these silly ones so blinde in Ignorance that they cannot finde the gate of the heavenly pallace or new Hierusalem Ignorance with them is the mother of devotion but Saint Augustine stickes not to call her pessimam matrem a very bad mother and that of two as bad daughters August Pessimae matris Ignorantiae pessimae itidem sunt duae filiae falsitas scilicet dubitatio falsehood and doubting are the best of-spring that she procreates Scripture the onely meanes of saving knowledge with them is Inky divinity obscure a Nose of wax Albert. Pighius lib. 1 Eccles Hierar a shipmans hose the cause of many schismes errors and heresies and therefore the knowledge or perusall thereof forbidden the people This perhaps it may be to them that perish but to us 't is the savour of life and power of GOD unto salvation But ô the blasphemy of these miscreants good GOD that any wretch should bee so audacious thus to revile that word of his Maker by which at the last day he shall bee judged to make his GOD a Lyer and that word of his the cause of schismes errors and heresies which as the Sunne in the midst of his glory dispells the mists of all errors And here I might observe a pretty but lamentable contradiction of theirs The Scripture say they containes not all things necessary to salvation unlesse they add traditions and yet an Implicit faith shall serve turne for the multitude without the knowledge of either what 's this but flatly to deny them the meanes of salvation and to be more mercilesse to their owne people then the Divell himselfe for he but allures they by a consequence compell them to their destruction Great cause have wee beloved to praise the mercies of our gracious GOD who hath freed us from their tyrannicall Injunctions Saint Peter would have us bee ready to render a reason of our faith 1. Pet. 3.15 and of the hope that is in us but maugre their prime supposed founder this is no more regarded by them then the perusall of the Scripture an Implicit or infolded faith will content them if they beleeve with the Church though they know neither what the Church nor themselves beleeve they imagine they are in the right way to Canaan when they are led blindfold to Aegypt I deny not but that there are in the Church many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Babes in CHRIST and Children in faith and knowledge I confesse that an implicit faith may be in some cases tolerated so it be not imposed by a peremptory determination of the Church but grounded on the generall truth of Scripture when we want either faculty or meanes for the attaining of that knowledge which affords us a distinct
of life with solidity of knowledge Let us indeavour to bee as so many burning and shining Lampes burning with the fire of Zeale in our selves and shining with the light of wholesome instructions to others let the splendor of our lives shine in the faces of the world and dazle the eyes of them whom it may not guide Then shall wee with authority speake what wee doe when wee doe what wee speake Dan. 12.3 then shall wee one day shine as the starres in the firmament if wee have heere shined in this inferior orbe amongst our brethren and by our righteousnesse converted many to righteousnesse Thus when wee doe what wee teach and practise what wee knowe then and then onely shall wee bee happy which is my last particle and followes in a word to bee considered If yee know these things happy are yee if yee doe them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 happy are yee To omit the manifold Scholasticall distinctions of this Happinesse or Beatitude The third Part. Gabr. Biel Lect. 66. Occam part 2. Dialog Biell and Occham have thus abridged them Felicity say they is either temporall and seeming consisting onely in worldly prosperity or else spirituall true and reall this againe is either viae or patriae of our way or country the former being an operation or perfect disposition fitting us for the later the later againe is either of the Intellect or Will the first is the intellectuall vision or contemplation of the Almighty the second is that which fills the Capacity of the Will and excludes all desire of any farther perfection joy or delight Either of these the first onely excepted may in a different manner bee understood in the words of my Text So happy are they that doe the Wil of GOD that they are here heires apparant to the kingdome of heaven and shall heereafter bee invested and put in actuall fruition of it heere they are filled with grace there crowned with glory Blessed Reward for such small paines Wonderfull recompence for such momentary service But what said I Reward and Recompence Ob. Here may our adversaries of Rome take occasion to insult and proclaime their doctrine of merits as if this happinesse were theirs by the rule of commutative Iustice and that they might challenge GOD of injustice if hee withheld it and so much is the Cardinall bold to affirme lib. 5. de Iustificat Resp Cap. 1. But let mee tell them that there is merces gratuita as well as debita a reward of free grace and bounty as of due debt or desert Simil. As an indulgent father may give his Childe a great summe of mony or large revenewes as a reward for a pleasing letter or well-penned Epistle which in commutative Iustice deserve not the thousandth part of his largesse the application is so facile that I may not spend time in the rehearsall The necessity and benefit of good workes I acknowledge and you have before heard it but I deny the sufficiencie of their merit please you heare the Reasons in a word and I conclude 1. Their imperfection both of parts and degrees deny them the priviledge of desert For the imperfection of parts how much good injoyned by GOD's law is omitted how much evill prohibited is committed even by the most sanctified and regenerate and consequently how insufficient for merit the Scripture is as copious as evident peruse if you please Iam. 2.10 Chap. 3.2 Rom 7.23 Deut. 27. vlt. with many other places which I forbeare so much as to name that I may not trespasse on your patience that they want many degrees of perfection is no lesse evident for the best workes of the best and holiest men are as uncleane as a menstruous Cloth or polluted rag as it is Isay 64.6 2. Our good workes are due debt to the Almighty and therefore not meritorious the neglect of them may cast us into hell but the performance cannot challenge heaven in as much as wee give him but part of his owne and when wee have done all that is commanded us wee may say as our Saviour hath informed us Luke 17.10 wee are unprofitable servants and have done onely what wee ought happy wee if so much 3. Our good workes are not our owne and therefore can merit nothing for us for GOD worketh in us both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 neither have wee any thing which wee have not received 1. Cor. 4.7 and if the LORD vouchsafe to conferre any reward on us for them 't is for his owne gift's sake more then our merit August de verb. Apost Serm. 15. Non meritis nostris retribuit sed dona sua coronat as Saint Austin 4. If these workes were meritorious the worke and reward should have some equality of proportion but inter finitum infinitum nulla est proportio as Philosophers tell us What equality then can there bee betweene our poore defective maimed workes and that Crowne of infinite glory Lastly wee are Iustified and consequently past all merit before the accession of workes GOD'S grace causeth whatsoever merit is in us but our merit is neither the cause of grace nor glory Nor doe our good workes otherwise availe us then as hee accepts them in our onely Mediator CHRIST IESVS and that for his merit and satisfaction imputed to us by faith and his continuall intercession for us at the right hand of his Father In a word they are no antecedent cause but consequent Condition of our Iustification and Salvation non praecedunt justificandum sed subsequuntur justificatum in Saint Austin's phrase and in Saint Bernard's they are via regni non causa regnandi Thus and thus onely are they prevalent and efficacious to bring us to this Happinesse mentioned in my Text and purchase for us the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the world Should I now enter into a serious discourse of this kingdome and happinesse and indeavour to describe it in it's proper colours I should rather display mine ignorance then increase your knowledge in this unsearchable mystery and puzzle mine owne rather then informe your understandings I might herein wisely imitate that Philosopher who after a long and serious contemplation of the nature of GOD return'd answer that hee could tell what hee was not but what he was went beyond his expression or conceipt So must I ingeniously confesse in the language of the Father Augustine Facilius possum dicere quid ibi non sit quà m quid ibi sit non est ibi mors non est ibi luctus non est ibi lassitudo non est infirmitas non est fames nulla sitis nullus aestus c. In briefe there is an absolute freedome from all evill both of Sinne and Punishment and a full fruition of all good both of grace and glory and above all of the chiefest good GOD himselfe For a more particular discovery and information I referre the Curious if any bee to the nice Metaphysicall scruples of the Schooles where they may perhaps sooner winde themselves into a perplexed Labyrinth of difficulties then any way satisfie their over-daring curiosity But for the more moderate I suppose that of the Apostle will give them reasonable satisfaction Neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what joyes GOD hath prepared for those that love and feare him 1. Cor. 2.9 Now sith it cannot enter into us pray wee that wee may enter into it that by continuance in well doing wee may both seeke and obtaine glory Rom. 2.7 and honour and immortality And doe thou ô LORD vouchsafe to prepare a place for us in those heavenly Mansions that wee with the Saints and Angels already there may sing perpetuall Hallelujahs and praise thy glorious Majestie for all eternity and that for the merits of thy dearely beloved Sonne IESVS CHRIST to whom with thee and the blessed Spirit be all Praise Power Majesty Dominion and Thanksgiving from this time forth and for evermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Errata Page 10. line 2. for one reade none and line 17. ibid. ma. 1. for 1 ma or prima Pag. 14. l. ◠for for reade far
that wee may glorifie him as our Father Matth. 5.16 obey his will as our King 1. Thes 4.3 and testifie our gratitude to him Rom. 12.1 as our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier 2. In respect of our Selves that wee may discerne the truth and livelie-hood of our Faith Mat. 7.18 Iam. 2.17 as also that it may bee exercised Rom. 8.13 nourished and corroborated thereby that wee may ascertaine our selves of our Election 2 Pet. 1.10 and remission of sinnes that wee may avoide punishments both temporall and eternall Mat. 7.19 1. Tim. 4.8 and obtaine those rewards of our obedience both corporall and spirituall which are annext to good workes by GOD's free and gracious promise 3. In respect of others that wee may edifie them by our pious example 2. Cor. 4.15 that wee may gaine unbeleevers from their infidelity 1. Pet. 2.12 and lastly that we may avoide all scandall Rom. 2.24 to which our profession is or may bee liable I might instance in all and spend my selfe in the prosecution of each of these particulars if either necessity required or time would permit but I must bee compendious These are the true ends and genuine Causes of our good workes which although they produce nor such effects or so frequently as could bee wisht yet doe they leave behinde them more testimonies of Charitie and pious munificence then their doting fancies of merit and satisfaction Witnesse our Hospitalls Colledges Libraries Schooles c. newly built or augmented which for the short time of reformation and the shorter meanes of well-devoted Benefactors especially those of the Clergie are more then they can exhibit in a farre larger space So that now thankes bee to the first mover of their faithfull hearts our Catalogue of charitable Worthies is daily increased and the Preachers memory extended in the rehearsall But leave wee them to the glorious reward of their magnificent workes Let our care bee that wee abuse not their well-intended bounty by our ill-applying behaviour by bribery or perjury in our entrance by voluptuous luxury in our continuance by disdainefull Ingratitude or haughty ambition at our departure but remember that precept of our LORD Deuteronomie 6.11 12. Dent. 6.11 12. Now that wee injoy houses full of good things which wee filled not wells which wee digged not vineyards and Olive-trees which wee planted not now that wee have eaten and are full beware wee least wee forget the LORD our GOD who hath dealt thus graciously with us I affect not to bee an Ibis in defiling mine owne neast or a Cham in revealing the shame of so indulgent a parent yet give mee leave to add a well-wishing Caution or two in a word and I have done And first let mee advise those who have the oversight or education of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vse 1 those young and tender plants the Sucklings of our Academy that they neither seduce them by their owne example nor suffer them to bee misled by pernicious Complices that they may not sucke poyson in steed of milke from their mothers breast and purchase a little smattering of knowledge at so deare a rate as a totall depravation of manners and so bee driven to scandalize if not revile her after their departure Let not that bee said of our Helicon which was once of the Pope's Court Aula tua bonos recipit non facit mali ibi proficiunt boni deficiunt but let our diligence in their nurture make us heare well abroad and redeeme that scandall and part of our lost esteeme which now flies in the tongues of the heedlesse multitude Next for you of riper yeares that you would not Nero-like teare out the bowells of so gracious a mother by faction or division but consider How good and joyfull a thing it is for us brethren to dwell together in Vnity Psal 133.1 You know how neare a tye of Brotherbood wee have super-added to that common bond of Christianity wee have not onely one GOD for our Father and one Church for our Mother but one Academy also and many of us one Colledge for our Nurse Let us not then bee so factiously contentious nor let there be such strife betweene us for as Abraham said to Lot Wee are Brethren You know the distinction of Philosophers betweene Action and Faction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this being the imployment of an art that of a prudence so may this Faction of ours well vent it selfe in artificiall scoffes or some ingeniously wicked Libell but shewes in us little prudence or discretion Let us rather be conversant in prudent and religious actions and if any difference arise among us for Office Dignity or Preheminence take Ajax his triall in the Poet Ovid. 13. Metam Spectemur agendo or that decision for the golden Apple betweene the three goddesses detur digniori let the worth of our actions challenge the worth of our esteeme and the dignity of our indowments merit the dignity of our place Lastly for those among us of the Ministerie that wee would informe the people as well by our Actions as Elocution our Example as our precept and preach to them vivâ voce which as one wittily is vitâ voce least what wee build with with one hand we pull downe with another and verifie that Romanist's invective Quod dictis comprobant factis improbant quod dictis monent ut faciamus factis monent ne faciamus True it is wee are to live by precept not example yet is this a more compendious way to finish a Minister's worke for as the divine Philosopher Longum iter per praecepta Seneca breve efficax per exempla Our examples are usually more powerfull then our precepts whether it bee that the Eye workes more on the minde and stirres it up sooner to action then the Eare according to the Poet Segnius irritant animum dimissa per aurem Quam quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus c. Hor. in Art Poet. Or that wee have the actions of men alwaies before our eyes but their Sermons onely one howre in a weeke or it may bee in a Moneth or a Quarter or a Yeare or perhaps more seldome so well are many of us affected to the duties of our Calling But beware we B.B. that our Salt bee not unsavourie Matth. 5. and cast out on the dounghill that our light bee not extinguished and ourselves excluded into utter darkenesse least like Cookes wee bee imployed onely in handling dressing and preparing this foode of our soules but taste not the least morsell of it our selves or like those builders of Noah's Arke who made an Arke for the safety of others but perished themselves in the waters so wee when wee have preached to others our selves become Cast-awaies 1. Cor. 9.27 Let us then place in our hearts as Aaron on his breast the Vrim and Thummim revelatum and perfectum joyne integrity