light and treacherous Priests out thence Zeph. 3.4 who have polluted the Sanctuary and have done violence to the Law that is all the want which is want of zeale not too much zeale Be it knowne unto the world that these Reformers cannot bee too zealous though exceeding zealous for the Lord hath beene to them exceeding gratious and the adversary is exceeding proud and the Churches friends exceeding cold the Churches straights are exceeding great the Priests and their services have been and are exceeding abominable and the zeale of Church-men exceeding cold I sayd not well there zeale cannot be cold I meane these Church-men for the most part have no zeale at all for God but their zeale boyleth and runnes over against God Mal. 3.4 and those pleasant offerings which God hath commanded must and will have when all is done Therefore must Reformers now suffer themselves if they will shew themselves in any proportion answerable to be eaten up with an Holy zeale for the house and houshold of God The greatnesse of the provocation the excellency of the object the weight of the occasion beares out the soule not onely without blame unlesse from wicked and vile men but with great praise in such extasies of zeale seeming distempers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.11 Non amat qui non Zelat Aug. It is the glory of a Christian to be boyling in spirit to be carried with full sayle and as it were with the Spring tide of affection so long as the streame runnes in the due channell And if there bee great occasions for great motions then it is fit the affections should rise higher as to burne with zeale to be sicke of love to be more vile for the Lord as David to be counted out of our wits with Saint Paul hereby to further the cause of Christ and the good of soules It was a quicke answer that Luther gave Erasmus he told Luther you are too hot Luther Bee it so Erasmus in your judgement but the judge of all the world who hath loved mee with a love as strong as death for whose cause I am exceeding zealous will not tell me one day Martin thou wast too hot But it is to be doubted He will say rather Erasmus thou wast too cold Away with these midling men dangerous persons who say others have too much zeale because they have none at all Master * On Rev. 3. ver 15 16. Mediocritas hic est pessima nihil in te mediocre esse contentus sum totum summum totum perfectum de sidero Jero Ep. 15. ult 181. Vide Lact. lib. 6. ca 16. Min. Felix p. 25. line 36. in folio Brightman lessons them very well so doe two or three more they shall doe well to observe it that they may prevent a curse a spuing out I can but point to the Margin adding this to the line Blessed be God for those Governors of Israel who were the more forward in the cause of God the more backward others were that offered themselves willingly among the people And blessed bee God for the people that offered themselves so willingly also And for their zeale which shamed the Priests for it is much but the Lord encrease it yet more and make it yet more hot and more boyling in and for the cause of Christ for He is worthy How ever it fareth with the world it shall bee well with them for the hearts of all that are good are towards all such that have offered themselves willingly And which is their securitie the eyes of the Lord are towards them for good who would stand up for His cause against a crooked and perverse generation It shall be well with all such though they be smitten vvith the tongue and hand both yet it shall be well The Lord will remember all those for good Amen Now vve goe on In my understanding the state of Religion hath never been vvorse since the Reformation then this present yeare so the Doctor saith 1. I say first he answers himself in my understanding saith he he is but one man his understanding must not be a Standard vvhereat to measure the judgement of other men in so high and daintie a cause vvherein the glory of God is so much concerned Thousands there are vvho unde stand themselves as vvell as he vvho know it to bee cleane contrary 2. Seemeth the state of Religion never vvorse than now at this present time Yes So it vvas in ancient time know vve not this of old vvhen Israel vvas in Egypt They had never a vvorse opinion of their state then vvhen it vvas beginning to mend Then they vvere comming out of their furnace I say then vvhen they thought themselves plunged deeper in Then they exclaymed against Moses O how they sparkled and kindled against Moses just as vve doe against our Nobles and Worthies hee had done them the greatest vvrong and disservice that could bee done Why so Because Moses vvould bring them out of Egypt But vvho murmured so vvho vvas so uncivill The ignorant multitude True they did complaine of their blessings and murmured vvith meate in their mouth But upon enquiry you vvill finde that Aaron and Mirian murmured these strove also The Brother and the Sister contended and chid vvith Moses and if sisters chide vvith their brothers they will chide bitterly Adde vve hereunto What vvas intimated before and must needs cause a seeming confusion in things The Church-mans Idols are smitten at then vve must expect that he vvill rage as they did vvhen Stephen assured them touching the alteration of things the casting out of beggerly rudiments and how they had persecuted their brethren and Teachers Act. 7.54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth VVe goe on as followeth So farre things are set backe 1. I answer first by questioning how farre backe Things are not set farther backe this yeare then as they have beene alwayes and ever vvill be vvhile Reformation comes on It pluckes downe first and casteth forth the rubbish and all this vvhile behold nothing but ruines Truely every mans Tabernacle as well as Davids if raised according to right order and rule must be raised out of ruins Certainly the building never vvent up before it vvent first backe and fell downe even to the ground and into ruins Touching this more anon 2. I aske againe are things set backe Certainly no that is a deceit the Doctor is quite mistaken Things doe not goe backe vve go backe The hearts of the children of men pull back the more strongly the more Reformation drawes on and vvith the more strength If Reformation comes on my heart drawes backe mightily and I cannot thinke I stand single in the vvorld My heart may be an embleme vvherein to behold the Cloyster and Colledge both I say againe things goe not backe Reformation is not set backe vvee turne backe like a deceitfull bow and the more
a Divell in Hell a Prince in the Ayer a partie on earth and a king over them which is the Angell of the bottomlesse pit so long Reformation will find a mightie opposition what the gates of Hell can make And if Reformation be so opposed as that which destroyeth defileth Idolls then it is quickly read how reformers are accounted of Eccles â— 9,10 The thing that hath beene it is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sunne Is there any thing whereof it may be said See this is new It hath beene already of old time which was before us They that have beene employed in Temple-worke and in defiling of Idols they have ever beene accounted factious seditious rebellious those that would turne the world upside downe Acts 17.6 I must adde c. for there is a great deale more yet we read all in these words Behold they belch out with their mouth Psal 59.6 what are their words very Swords are in their lippes they would slay the righteous man therewith for they call him by their owne name Exulem me de suo nomine vocat Cicer. Paradox and that is a devouring name as bad as can be their tongue is as an arrow shot-out Jer. 9.8 which malice ever drawes to the very head as Jehu drew his bow with his full strength 2 King 9.24 But none of all that is strange The righteous are not troubled at it their patience can digest more then this besides their Lord and master hath beene so reproached and Matth. 10.25 If they have called the Master of the House Belzebub How much more shall they call them of his houshold But what shall we thinke Can Reformation goe on Shall Idols be defiled even now Shall these Refiners prosper There is some resolution given hereunto as followeth SECT XV. Notwithstanding the contempt that is cast upon Reformation and Reformers yet both shall goe on and prosper I Will beginne with Questions and Answers Quest Shall this worke of defiling Images for that I call Reformation shall it goe on Answ Yes sure God wills and commands Images to be defiled and it must be done Quest At this time Answ There I am at a stand I cannot certainly tell that I thinke so but in Gods time it shall be done which time the Father hath put in His owne power Act 1.7 But the righteous they that walke in the truth that 3 Joh. 3.4 doe faithfully whatsoever they doe may say as their Brethren before them Neh. 4.2 our worke is Reproached and we are despised They may say so indeed but it is a very good signe that the worke goes on Idols shall be defiled even now It is I say as comfortable a signe as can be wished the divell and his party have great wrath Revel 12.12 therefore wee know they have but a short time Obj. But in a short time they may doe a length of mischiefe An. True but they are held short in a chaine which the Lord holds in His hand and they cannot proceed an inch farther then He lets it forth And a great good signe it is they shall not proceed much farther because the Almightie hath them in His fetters And they feele themselves checkt and curbed-in as a wilde bull in a net But they thinke their tongue is their owne and at liberty therefore they say as once they did Ob. What doe these men will they fortifie themselves Neh. 4 2. An. Yes that they will in the Lord and power of His might Eph. 6.10 for wisedome and strength are His Dan. 2.20 And He is a good Lord a strong hold in the day of trouble and He knoweth them that trust in Him Nahum 1.7 The adversary mooks on Ob. Will they make an end in a day Neh. 4.2 An. No nor in a yeare neither Temple worke the defiling of Idols there goes on more slowly then Romes work doth yet we know the proverbe and that Romes Leaven hath not sowred the whole lumpe yet and experience tels us that the heires of the beard or head wax not white altogether One Idoll is smitten now another to morrow in good time they shall all be defiled The adversary goes on much cast downe as formerly in their owne eyes for they perceive that the worke now also as then is wrought of our God Neh. 6.16 and is so firme and stable that a Fox cannot break it downe with all his cunning they must adde the strength of a Lyon to it too and therein is their hope Ob. That these feeble men shall not be able to goe on An. Thus the adversary reproached anciently the servants of the Lord who went on the better and more comfortably though indeed they were then and are now but a feeble folke so are the Conies too yet make they their houses in the rockes Prov. 30.26 A feeble folke that have the munition of Rockes for their defence and a Redeemer that sainteth not nor is weary They may doe great things for Hee is mightie and strong The Lord of Hosts is His name He shall throughly plead His cause That He may give rest to the Land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babilon Esa 33.16 40.26 Jer. 50.34 Againe we say their strength may well be wasted in all this time but they have a continuall influence and supply from the Spring head the God of their strength to whom they have a continuall recourse for as the waters neare them run from the fountain every morning and returne to it every night so doe they receive from God and returne to God so they renew their strength like Eagles and goe from strength to strength with the increase of God for as was sayd when they be at a low ebbe then they slow upward to their fountaine and spring head whereas these scorners are like waters wee observe running from the spring head and never returne againe and they are feeble men indeed but let them say what they have devised Ob. That these feeble men shall not be able to carry on the work and beare up any longer against the tide of opposition and contradiction of tongues so some say and vaunt too and good men feare An. I will answer first as Master Jewell whose face did shine in every mans eye but his owne in a case not unlike I have no skill saith hee in the wicked mans Almanack Gods will be done It is His cause whatsoever shall happen and His Name be blessed for ever for what He hath done But so vaunted the heathen against the faith of Christ Ad certum tempus sunt Christiani postea peribunt redibunt Idola redibit quod erat autea Verum tu cum expectas miser infidelis ut transeant Christiani transis ipse sine Christianis August In Psal 70. See Apâ—l pag. 26. These Christians are but for a
strongly the more Reformation comes on 3. I aske againe are things set backe They are vvho sets them backe but they vvho should put to both their shoulders to the setting them forward It vvas so in ancient times Who set deliverance backe vvhen a deliverer vvas sent unto them but the Israelites themselves vvith their owne hands So vvhen the deliverer came forth of Zion vvho opposed Him The Rulers Joh. 7.48 Have any of the Rulers beleeved in Him The chiefe Priests and Scribes Were they obedient No All these opposed Reformation vvith all their power these professed themselves the most bitter enemies thereunto The Priests and Scribes they for the most part that Are we cannot say properly they live but are Vatia hic situs est non diu vixit sed diu fuit Sen. in Cathedralls Cloysters Colledges these draw backe mightily and cause others so to doe when Reformation goes forward So it hath beene in all ages whether not so now let others judge I vvill tell my observation and every mans that vvill observe vvhich is this Those places as that earth is under which the Mines of Gold and Silver are nothing growes thereon say the Naturalists for the use of man no not so much as a grasse for meate to beasts Then there must needs be a drawing backs 4. We may note that the Lord doth seeme to goe backe when He meanes to goe forward with might and power And when He resolves to doe the greatest matters for His Church He then so seemes to stand that the Church cannot easily judge whether He meanes to goe forward or backward whether He be for the Church or for her adversary Josh 5.13 when the Churches burdens were sorest then her deliverance was nearest when her groanes were strong because of cruell Taskmasters then Moses came and deliverance went on a maine and in full strength Then in the last place because 5. This falling to ruines first This setting backe of things is a great offence in our way Let us consider this with all our hearts that we may not stumble at it What setting backe is here Take it to the utmost extent that can be and yet it is no other but as the Lord Christ was set back in His way to glory He went on the left-hand as farre back as possibly could be before he sate downe on the Right hand of the Majestie on High To expresse it as well as I can The Lord Christ went a back-way to His Throne Ephe. 4.9.10 He that is now ascended up above all Heavens is the same that descended first into the lower parts of the earth A back-way to glory sure He was set-backe so farre as is the Crosse and that we sometimes call Hell and yet this backe-way was the ready way to His Crowne to His glory Can the Church dislike this way which Her Lord Christ hath gone before her in and paved out unto her though seemingly a backe and contrary vvay Certainly the Church and every member there must be made conformable to their Head even in their way to Glory They must be set backe and back and yet farther backe How farre backe Even to the place of Dragons they may dash upon hell it selfe that low bottome before they rise up to their crowne And yet this backe-way this unsearchable and admirable way though it seemes an uncomfortable way even as the shadow of death yet shall it yeeld as much comfort as can be conceived for the farther backe now the farther forward anon the lower the descent the higher the ascent It vvas the way that Christ went in before and all His must follow Him in the same way after The old and ancient vvay it is from the Crosse to the Crowne from the lower parts of the earth to the highest Heavens from Hell to Glory It is well with the Body the Church if she be as the Lord Christ her head But she knowes it is vvell vvith her Head yet He vvas set backe as farre backe as can be imagined and from thence tooke His rise to Glory It is the Churches vvay also a back-way and darkesome but in that way God is most glorious leading to the inheritance of the Saints in light The vvords fit very vvell and doe afford a strong consolation Luk. 24.26 ought not the Church to have suffered these things and to enter into her Glory This vvill give full answer to this setting backe if farther backe then yet things are The Church may be set-backe as farre as the gates and suburbes of Hell shee may be smitten into the place of Dragons and yet all this vvhile be in her vvay to her highest preferment 1 King 2.31 The Church can comfort her selfe in these vvords and vvill consider this vvith all that though a man hath beene smitten at the Altar vvhether he did flie for refuge yet it is rare to see a man smitten to death vvhom God hath truely humbled and brought upon his knees My meaning is vve doe not reade that God ever destroyed a praying people though things seeme to that people much set backe I goe on now for I must examine the Respects In respect first I. Of the greatnesse of distractions vvhich have divided us all one from another Not all Divide impera yet cursed be all that have so distracted us for thereby they bare rule and are multiplyed We say againe and say truely not all The good and bad stand out now and are as discernable as is the right hand from the left But joyned vve are now the closer together the Good vvith the Good the Bad vvith the Bad The good hold vvith the good never faster the Bad are joyned with the Bad never closer like the scales of the Leviathan they sticke together that they cannot be sundered Job 41.17 But into their secret let my soule never come Into their assembly mine honour be not thou united for in their anger they slew a man and in their selfe-will they digged downe a wall Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruell Lord divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Amen Gen. 49.6 So much be said in Respect of our destractions The second followes In Respect of II. The multitude of Sects and Sectaries men are dided in their opinions so many heads so many conceits every man has his way 1. I answer first Sects there are amongst us not a multitude we hope and these that are the greatest part of them in my observation which is not slight are occasioned by the Liturgy which is called The Divine Service I forbeare but handle it and see whether it be not all flesh no spirit at all And the Lord looke upon this cause and the offence it hath caused and require it He will doe it Onely let this be remembred in the meane time that it may bee now as once it was Acts 24.14 After the way which some