resolution of the Schooles In ciuill and popular elections if men take choyce of such a person to beare any office or place among them as by the locall Charters Ordinances Statutes or other Customes which should rule them in their choice is altogether ineligible the election is de iure nulla naught and voyde the incapacitie of the person elected making a nullity in the act of election No lesse is it in morall actions and elections if for any intended end wee make choice of such meanes as by the Law of God which is our rule and must guide vs are ineligible § 22. The second Reason and such is euery sinne Another reason is grounded vpon that Principle a Aquin. 1. secundae qu. 18 art 4. ad 3. qu. 19. art 6. ad 1. ex Dionysio cap. 4. de diuin nomin Bonum ex causa integra Malum ex partiali Any partiall or particular defect in Obiect End Maner or other Circumstance is inough to make the whole action bad but to make it good there must be an vniuersall b Non est actis bona sâ—npliciter nisi â—mnes bonitates concurrant sed quilibet defectus singularis causaâ— malum Aquin. 1. 2. qu. 18. art 4. ad 3. concurrence of all requisite conditions in euery of these respects As a disfigured eye or nose or lippe maketh the face deformed but to make it comely there is required the due proportion of euery part And any one short Clause or Prouiso not legall is sufficient to abate the whole writ or instrument though in euery other part absolute and without exception The Intention then be it granted neuer so good is vnsufficient to warrant an Action good so long as it faileth either in the obiect or maner or any requisit circumstance whatsoeuer c 1. Sam. 15. 20 c. Saul pretended a good end in sparing the fat things of Amalek that he might therewith do sacrifice to the Lord but God reiected both it and him 1. Sam. 15. We can thinke no other but that d 2. Sam. 6. 6 7. Vzzah intended the safety of Gods Arke when it tottered in the cart and hee stretched out his hand to stay it from falling but God interpreted it a presumption and punished it 2. Sam. 6. Doubtlesse e Math. 16. 22 23. Peter meant no hurt to Christ but rather good when hee tooke him aside and aduised him to be good to himselfe and to keepe him out of danger yet Christ rebuked him for it and set him packing in the Deuils name Get thee behinde me Sathan Mat. 16. But what will wee say and let that stand for a third reason if our pretended good intention proue indeed no good intention § 23. The third Reason And certainly be it as faire and glorious as we could be content to imagine it such it will proue to be if it set vs vpon any sinfull or vnwarranted meanes indeed no good intention but a bad For granted it must be that the Intention of any end doth virtually include the meanes as in a Syllogisme the Premises doe the Conclusion No more then can the choice of ill meanes proceed from a good intention then can a false Conclusion be inferred from true Premises and that is impossible From which ground it is that the a Greg. lib. 28. Moral cap. 13 Euseb. Enuss hom 26 and others Fathers and other Diuines do oftentimes argue from the intention to the action and from the goodnesse of the one to the goodnesse of both to that purpose applying those speeches of our Sauiour in the twelfth and in the sixth of Mathew b Math. 12. 33. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt And c Math. 6. 22 23. if thine eye be single thy whole bodie shall be full of light but if thine eye be euill thy whole body shall be full of darknesse The light of the body is the eye and the worke the intention No maruell when the eye is euill if the whole body bee darke and when the intention is euill if the whole worke be naught That which deceiueth most men in iudging of good or bad intentions is that they take the end and the intention for one and the same thing betwixt which two there is a spacious difference For the end is the thing propter quid for which we worke that whereat we ayme in working and so hath rationem causae finalis but the intention is the cause à qua from which we worke that which setteth vs on working and so hath rationem cause efficientis Now betweene these two kindes of causes the finall and the efficient there is not only a great difference but euen a repugnancie in such sort as that it is impossible they should at any time coincidere which some other kinds of causes may doe It is therefore an error to think that if the end bee good the intention of that end must needs be good for there may as well be a bad intention of a good end as a bad desire of a good obiect Whatsoeuer the end be we intend it is certaine that intention cannot be good which putteth vs vpon the choice of euill meanes §. 24. The first Inference against the Church of Rome Me thinkes the Church of Rome should blush if her forehead dyed red with the blood of Gods Saints were capable of any tincture of shame at the discouery of her manifold impostures in counterfeiting of Reliques in coyning of Miracles in compiling of Legends in gelding of good Authors by expurgatory Indexes in iuggling with Magistrates by lewd Equiuocations c. Practices warrantable by no pretence Yet in their account but a Sancta Hypocrisis was Dominicus his word pâ—aefraudes for so they terme them no lesse ridiculously then falsly for the one word contradicteth another But what doe I speake of these but petty things in comparison of those her lowder impieties breaking couenants of truce and peace dissoluing of lawfull and dispensing for vnlawfull marriages assoyling Subiects from their Oaths and Allegiance plotting Treasons and practising Rebellions excommunicating and dethroning Kings arbittarie disposing of Kingdomes stabbing and murthering of Princes warranting vniust inuasions and blowing vp Parliament houses For all which and diuers other foule attempts their Catholique defence is the aduancement forsooth of the Catholique Cause Like his in the Poet b Horat. lib. 1 Epist. 1. Quocunque modorem is their Resolution by right or wrong the State of the Papacie must be vpheld That is their vnum Necessartum and if heauen fauour not rather then faile helpe must be had from c Flecte esi nequeo Superos Achâ—â—unta monebo Virg. Ae. neid 7. hell to keepe Antichrist in his throne But to let them passe § 25. The second Inference against a vulgar error and touch neerer home There are God knoweth many Ignorants abroad in the world some of
TVVO SERMONS PREACHED AT TWO SEVERAL VISITATIONS AT BOSTON in the Diocesse and County of Lincolne BY ROBERT SANDERSON Bachelour of Diuinitie and late fellow of Lincolne Colledge in OXFORD PSAL. 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue it LONDON Printed by G. P. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Churchyard at the Signe of the Greene Dragon 1622. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God GEORGE Lord Bishop of London my very singular good Lord. My good LORD I Had euer thought the interest of but an ordinary friend might haue drawne mee to that whereto the despight of a right bitter foe should not haue driuen mee till the Fate of these Sermons hath taught mee my selfe better and now giuen me at once a sight both of my Errour and Infirmitie The improbity of some good friends I had out-stood who with all their vexation could neuer preuaile vpon me for the publishing of but the former of them when loe at length the restlesse importunity of hard censures hath wrung both it the fellow of it out of my hands So much haue wea stronger sense of our own wrongs theÌ„ of our friends requests and so much are wee forwarder to iustify our selues then to gratifie them How euer if by Gods good blessing vpon them these slender labours may lend any help to aduance the peace quiet of the Church in setling the iudgements of such as are more either timorous then they need bee or contentious then they should bee I shall haue much cause to blesse his gracious prouidence in it who with as much ease as sometimes hee brought light out of darknesse can out of priuate wrongs worke publique good In which hope I am the rather coÌ„tent to send them abroad though hauing nothing to commend them but Truth and Plainenesse Yet such as they are I humbly desire they may passe vnder your Lordships protection whereunto I stand by so many deare names engaged By the name of a Visitour in respect of that Society whereof I was of late a member which founded by your Lordships godly a Richard Flemming and Thomas Râ—therham Bishops of Lincolne Predecessors hath had pleÌ„tiful experience of your Lordships singular both Care and Iustice iâ— preseruing their Statutes and maintaining the rights of their foundation By the name of a Diocesan in respect of the Country wherein it hath pleased God to seate mee which hath found much comfort in your Lordships religious and moderate gouernment By the name of a Master in regard of that dependance I haue vpon your Lordship by speciall seruice Which as it putteth a boldnesse into mee to tender this small pledge of my thankefulnesse to your gracious acceptance so it layeth a strong Obligation vpon me to tender my best prayers vnto Almighty God for the continuance and increase of his blessings vpon your Lordship to the good of his Church vpon earth and your eternall crowne in heauen Bootheby Paynell Linc. Nouem 20. 1621. Your Lordships Chapleine in all dutifull obseruance ROBERT SANDERSON AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER GOod Christian Reader vnderstand that in the deliuery of these Sermons because it was fit I should proportion my speech as neere as I could to the houre I was forced to cut off here and there part of what I had penned which yet now together with that which was spoken I here present to thy view distinguished from the rest with this note against the lines Thus much I thought needfull to aduertise thee because I see men are captious more then enough lest I should bee blamed of vnfaithfulnesse in either adding any thing vnto or altring any thing of that which I deliuered which I haue auoided as neere as the imperfection both of my Copies and memory would permit Reade without gall or preiudice Let not truth fare the worse for the Plainenesse Catch not aduantage at Syllables and Phrases Study and seeke the Churches Peace Iudge not anothers seruant Let vs all rather pray one for another and by our charitable support helpe to beare the burdens one of another and so fulfill the Law of Christ. Amen Amen THE FIRST SERMON ROM 14. 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth IT cannot be auoyded § 1. The occasion so long as there is or Weaknesse on earth 17. April 1619. or Malice in hell but that scandals will arise and differences will grow in the Church of God What through want of Iudgement in some of Ingenuity in others of Charity in almost all occasions God knoweth of offence are too soone both giuen and taken whilest men are apt to quarrell at trifles and to maintaine differences euen about indifferent things The Primitiue Romane Church was not a little afflicted with this disease For the remedying whereof Saint Paul spendeth this whole Chapter The Occasion this In Rome there liued in the Apostles times many Iewes of whom as well as of the Gentiles diuers were conuerted a Act. 28. 24. to the Christian Faith by the preaching of the Gospel Now of these new Conuerts some better instructed then others as touching the cessation of legall Ceremonies made no difference of Meates or of Dayes but vsed their lawfull Christian liberty in them both as things in their owne nature meerely indifferent Whereas others not so throughly b De nouâ— conuersus de lege Catholica minùs sufficienter instructus Lyra. catechized as they still made difference for Conscience sake both of Meates accounting them Cleane or Vncleane and of Dayes accounting them Holy or Seruile according as they stood vnder the Leuiticall Law These later Saint Paul calleth c Vers. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weake in the Faith those former then must by the law of Opposition be d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15. 1. Strong in the Faith It would haue become both the one sort § 2. Scope and the other notwithstanding they differed in their priuate iudgements yet to haue preserued the common peace of the Church and laboured the a 2. Cor. 10 8 edification not the ruine one of another the strong by affoording faithfull instruction to the consciences of the weake and the weake by allowing fauourable construction to the strong But whilest either measured other by themselues neither one nor other did b Gal. 2 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Apostle elsewhere speaketh Walke vprightly according to the truth of the Gospel Fault and offences there were on all hands The Strong faultie in Contemning the Weake the Weake faultie in Contemning the Weake the Weake faulty in Condemning the Strong The strong proudly scorned the weake as silly and superstitious for making scruple at some such things as themselues firmely beleeued were lawfull The weake rashly censured the strong as prophane irreligious for aduenturing on some such things as themselues deeply suspected were vnfawfull
insinuations bee wonne ouer to imbrace the truth which wee professe And as for loose persons and prophane ones that make it their sport vpon their Ale-benches to rayle and scoffe at Puritanes as if it were warrant enough for them to drinke drunke talke bawdy sweare and stare or doe any thing without controll because forsooth they are no Puritanes As wee could wish our Brethren and their Lay-followers by their vncouth and sometimes ridiculous behauiour had not giuen prophane persons too much aduantage to play vpon them and through their sides to wound euen Religion it selfe so wee could wish also that some men by vnreasonable and vntust othersome by vnseasonable and indiscreet scoffing at them had not giuen them aduantage to triumph in their owne innocency and persist in their affected obstinacie It cannot but be some confirmation to men in error to see men of dissolute and loose behauiour with much eagernesse and petulancy and virulence to speake against them Wee all know how much scandall and preiudice it is to a right good cause to bee either followed by persons open to iust exception or maintained with slender and vnsufficient reasons or prosecuted with vnseasonable and vndiscreet violence And I am verily perswaded that as the increase of Papists in some parts of the Land hath occasionally sprung by a kinde of Antiperistasis froÌ„ the intemperate courses of their neighbour Puritanes so the increase of Puritanes in many parts of the Land oweth not so much to any sufficiency themselues conceiue in their own grounds as to the disaduantage of some Prophane or Scandalous or Idle or Ignorant or Indiscreet opposers But setting these aside I see not but that otherwise the name of Puritane and the rest are iustly giuen them For appropriating to themselues the names of Brethren Professors Good men and other like as differences betwixt them and those they call Formalists would they not haue it thought that they haue a Brotherhood and Profession of their owne freer and purer from Superstition and Idolatry then others haue that are not of the same stampe and doing so why may they not be called Puritanes The name I know is sometimes fastened vpon a Of late our English Arminians haue got the tricke to fetch in within the compasse of this â—itle of Purâ—aâ—es all orthodoxe Diuines that oppose against their Semipelagian subtilties of purpose to make sound truth odious anâ— theiâ— owne corrupt nouelties more paffable and plausible those that deserue it not Raskall people will call any man that beareth but the face of honesty a Puritane but why should that hinder others from placing it where it is rightly due To their second Grieuance I answere § 28. The second Publique meanes by Conferences Disputations and otherwise haue beene often vsed and priuate men not seldome afforded the fauour of respite and liberty to bring in their allegations And I thinke it can be hardly or but rarely instanced that euer Depriuation hath beene vsed but where fatherly Admonitions haue first beene vsed and time giuen to the Delinquents to consider of it and informe themselues better This course vsually hath beene taken though euery priuate particular man hath no reason to expect it The Reuerend Fathers of our Church wee may welâ— think amid so much other emploiment caÌ„not be so vnthriftie of their good houres as to lauish them out in hearing contentious persons eandem cantilenam sing the same note a hundred times ouer and require farther satisfaction after so many publique and vnanswerable satisfactions already giuen Yet haue the a Witnesse the learned Bookes of diuers Reuerend Prelates Iohn Whitgift Iohn Buckeridge Thomas Morton c. Bishops and others Church Gouernours out of their religious zeale for the peace of Gods Church beene so farre from despising our Brethren herein that they haue dispenced somtimes with their other weighty occasions and taken paines to answere their reasons and confute their exceptions satisfie all their doubts and discouer the weakenesse of all their grounds in the points questioned And as to their third Grieuance §. 29. The third First for my owne part I make no doubt neither dare I be so vncharitable as not to thinke but that many of them haue honest and vpright and sincere hearts to God-ward and are vnfainedly zealous of Gods Truth and for Religion They that are such no doubt feele the comfort of it in their owne soules and we see the fruites of it in their conuersation and reioyce at it But yet I cannot bee so ignorant on the other side as not to know that the most sanctified and zealous men are men and subiect to carnall and corrupt affections and may bee so farre swayed by them in their iudgements as not to be able to discerne without preiudice and partialitie truth from errour Good men and Gods deare children may continue in some errour in iudgement and consequently in a sinfull practice arising thence and liue and die in it as some of these men haue done in disobedience to lawfull Authoritie and that vnrepented of otherwise then as in the lumpe of their vnknowne sinnes It is not Honestie or Sinceritie that can priuiledge men from either erring or sinning Neither ought the vnreproued conuersation of men countenance out their Opinions or their Practices against the light of Diuine Scripture and right Reason As wee read Cyprians errour in old time and wee see a So Pâ—lagius from whose root Popery in that branâ—h and Arminianâ—sme sprouted was a man as strict for life as any Catholikeâ—yet a most dangerous and pestilent Heretique Arminius his corrupt doctrine in our dayes haue spred much the more for the reuerend opinion men had of their personall endowments and sanctitie Secondly though Comparisons be euer harsh and most times odious yet since honestie and pietie is alledged without disparagement be it spoken to the best of them there are as good and honest and religious and zealous men euery way of them that willingly and cheerefully conformed as of them that doe not In the times of Popish persecution how many godly Bishops and conformable Ministers laid downe their liues for the testimonie of Gods Truth and for the maintenance of his Gospel And if it should please God in his iust iudgement as our sinnes and amongst others our Schismes and distractions most worthily deserue to put vs once againe to a fiery tryall which the same God for his goodnes and mercie defend I make no question but many thousands of Conformers would by the grace of God resist vnto bloud embrace the Faggot and burne at a Sâ—ake in detestation of all Popish Antichristian Idolatry as readily and cheerefully and constantly as the hottest and precisest and most scrupulous non-Conformer But thirdly let mens honesty and piety and gifts be what they can must not men of honesty and pietie and gifts liue vnder Lawes And what reason these or any other respects should b Non enim in cuiusquaÌ„ personâ praetermittendum
for why should he punish vs for that which so much magnifieth and commendeth his righteousnesse b Vers. 5. But if our vnrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God what shall we say Is God vnrighteous that taketh vengeance The second Inference If so then it is iniust either in God or Man to condemne vs as sinners for breaking the Law The Colour for why should that action be censured of sinne which so abundantly redoundeth to the glory of God c Vers. 7. For if the Truth of God hath more abounded through my lie vnto his glorie why yet am I also iudged as a sinner The third and last and worst Inference If so then it is a good and a wise resolution Let vs sinne freely and boldly commit euill The Colour for why should we feare to do that from which so much good may come in this verse of my Text And not rather Let vs doe euill that good may come This last cauilling Inference § 3. Diuision the Apostle in this verse both bringeth in and casteth out againe bringeth in as an obiection and casteth out by his answere An answere which at once cutteth off both it and the former inferences And the Answere is double Ad rem ad hominem That concerneth the force and matter of the obiection this the state and danger of the obiectors Ad rem in the former part of the verse And not rather as we be slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say Let vs de euil that good may come Ad hominem in the latter end Whose damnation is iust In the former part there is an Obiection and the Reiection of it The Obiection And not rather Let vs do euill that good may come The Reiection thereof with a Non sequitur implying not onely the bare inconsequence of it vpon the Apostles Conclusion but withall and especially the falsenesse and vnsoundnesse of it taken by it selfe As wee be slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say Let vs do euill c. My ayme at this present is to insist especially vpon a Principle of practique Diuinitie § 4. and Summe of the Text. which by ioynt consent of Writers old and new Orthodoxe and Popish resulteth from the very body of this verse and is of right good vse to direct vs in sundry difficulties which daily arise in vita communi in point of Conscience The Principle is this we must not do any euill that any good may come of it Yet there are besides this in the Text diuers other inferiour obseruations not to bee neglected With which I thinke it wil not be amisse to begin and to dispatch them first briefly that so I may fall the sooner and stay the longer vpon that which I mainely intend Obserue first the Apostles Method § 5. OBSER 1. Diuine truths must be cleared from cauill and substantiall maner of proceeding how hee cleareth all as he goeth how diligent he is and carefull betimes to remoue such cauils though he a Propter hos arguendos fecit Paulus hîc quasi digressionem tractando haec Caietan in hune locum step a little out of his way for it as might bring scandall to the Truth he had deliuered When we preach and instruct others we should not thinke it enough to deliuer positiue truths but we should take good care also as neere as we can to leaue them cleare and by preuention to stop the mouthes of such as loue to picke quarrels at the Truth and to barke against the light It were good we would so farre as our leisure and gifts will permit wisely forecast and preuent all offence that might be taken at any part of Gods truth and be carefull as not to broach any thing that is false through rashnesse error or intemperance so not to betray any truth by ignorant handling or by superficiall slight and vnsatisfying answers But then especially concerneth it vs to bee most carefull herein when wee haue to speake before such as we haue some cause before-hand to suspect to be through ignorance or weaknesse or custome or education or preiudice or partiall affections or otherwise contrary-minded vnto or at leastwise not well perswaded of those Truths wee are to teach If the wayes be rough and knotty and the passengers feeble-ioynted and darke-sighted it is but needfull the guides should remoue as many blockes and stones out of the way as may bee When we haue gone as warily as we can to worke Cauillers if they list will take exceptions it is our part to see wee giue them not the aduantage lest wee helpe to iustifie the Principals by making our selues Accessories Those men are ill aduised how euer zealous for the Truth that stirre in controuersed points and leaue them worse then they found them b Aut animo demas aut viribus addas Dictum Archidami ad filium Stomake will not beare out a man without strength and to encounter an aduersarie are required c As Zuinglius said of Carolosladius whom he iudged too weake to vndertake the defence of the Truth against Luther in the point of Consubstantiation Non saâ—is humerorum habet Sleidan Shoulders as well as gall A good cause is neuer betrayed more then when it is prosecuted with much eagernesse but little sufficiencie This from the method Obserue secondly the Apostles manner of speech OBSERV II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 6. The Slandey of the Ministers regular doctrine is more then an ordinary Slander Translators render it As we are wrongfully blaâ—ed As we are slandered As we are slanderously reported And the word indeede from the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originall importeth no more and so Writers both Prophane and Sacred vse it But yet in Scriptures by a Specialty it most times signifieth the highest degree of Slander when we open our mouthes against God and speake ill or amisse or vnworthily of God that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and properly the sin wee call Blasphemy And yet that very word of Blasphemy which for the most part referreth immediately to GOD the Apostle heere vseth when hee speaketh of himselfe and other Christian Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we are slandred nay as we are blasphemed A slander or other wrong or contempt done to a Minister quâ— talis is a sinne of a higher straine then the same done to a common Christian. Not at all for his Persons sake for so hee is no more Gods good creature then the other no more free b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 14. 15. Iam. 5. 17. from sinnes and infirmities and passions then the other But for his Callings sake for so he is Gods c 2. Cor. 5. 20. Embassadour which the other is not and for his workes sake for that is Gods d 1. Thes. 2. 13. message which the others is not Personall Slanders and Contempts are to a Minister but as to another man because his person