will be too little we finde it thrice threatned Revel 8. 13. Woe woe woe and when these are past with St Bernard we shaâ—l finde a fourth it will be but injustice with the King of Israel to smite but thrice when we should do it five or sixe times it will be but to repeat the words so much the oftner and four woes we shall in justice award unto our selves and those four from four places First From Heaven above us Secondly From the world without us Thirdly From our own consciences within us Fourthly From hell beneath us in respect of every one of these we have just cause to say Woe now unto us 1. From heaven above us â—hen we do contemplate the greatnesse and power of an incensed Judge how the Lord of Hâ—asts is up in armes against us how justice musters up her clouds aâ—d winds and stormes how thousand thousands and ten thousand thousands Dan. 7. dâ—ily march in his Army how he cometh with flames of fire rendring of vengeance how with him Judgement cannot be prevaricated no bribes will blinde his eyes no friends corrupt his affections mercy dares not plead tears will not be heard to speak who is able to stand before consuming fire who can dwell with everlasting burnings How the very Earth shall melt at his presence and the heavens be rowled up as in a scrowle before him how he will â—ip up the bowels of the heart it self and search the secrets of the soul how he found not stedfastnesse in his Angels and even the Starres are unclean in his sight How much more is man a worm even the Son of man which is but a worm If Moses could not abide his back parts how shall we endure his presence what can we conclude from this contemplation but with my Text Woe is unto us 2. One woe is past but behold a second If heaven do abandon us how shall the Earth comfort us If the Lord be against us how can I help was said by a King one as likely to help as any in the world We may well look about us but we shall finde with Ieremy our plague is desperate our wound is incurable When God is angry he infatuates even counsells quos perdere vult dementat He makâ—s abortive all policies you may learn it by Achitophels he suffers the Prophets themselves to provelyers as they did in perswading Abab to battail he turns the swords of Armies against themselves and their bows into their own bowels he makes them bring in a strong people to scourge themselves as Israel the Egyptians as children their own rod. He smites them with blindnesse and astonishment as he threatned Israel Deut. 28. 28. If we look to the Church we finde giddynesse to the Common-weal madnesse if without us to the North vae malum there is a mist to the South there ever and anon ariseth a cloud threatning a storm if within us we may say with the Apostle we are in perils by false Brethren there are Vipers which will eate up the bowels of the Mother that bred them treasons and conspiracies fill us with fears divisions and distractions adde unto our woes The world is by Plato compared to a shop almost whatsoever we look upon we may say with the buyer in Solomon malum est malum est it is naught it is naught We have cause enough if we consider it to say the second time Woe is now unto us 3. And yet behold a third though there be never so many troubles without us yet peace within us would afford us comfort but let us look within us and aske is it peace There is no peace unto the wicked our own consciences will tell us that They are witnesses to accuse us of sin and judges to condemne us to woe If they be quiet and trouble us not our woe is the greater because our consciences are secure but if troublesome how great is our woe They are the Books by which we shall be judged hereafter nay by them we may become our own judges now Search and see if in our own judgement we may not pronounce against our selves another woe how unsufferable are their checks how evident their accusations how faithfull their records others cannot read them and may judge us better then we are we which know them our selves if we will deal truly must needs pronource a righteous judgement and that is Woe be unto us because we have sinned 4. Three woes are past but behold a fourth It is St Bernards woe of his adding if we look below us we shall have cause to say it and there we shall finde the complement of all woe can you endure to hear that fearfull sentence depart you cursed without saying Woe be unto us how ready is the cruell executioner of souls the devill to hale us thither how wide hath hell opened her mouth to receive us there could we but hear the dismall groans and yelling cryes which they make that are swallowed up into the river of Brimstone Let Dives speak for the rest of his fellows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am grievously tormented did we but beleeve the woefull extremity which they are in that are in utter darknesse Let our Saviours report work it into our faith it is weeping aâ—d wailing and gnashing of teeth night the duration of it not passe for a fable we have the everlasting Truth to confirme it there the worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched have we not sufficient cause to cry out Woe be unto us How shall I make you say it if this will not hither we are judged if our judgement be right we must not favour our selves and say this shall not be unto us repentance cannot be true if partiall we must thus judge our selves that we may not be judged non sumus bis judicandi saith St Bernard God will spare us if we spare not our selves Let us cast our selves down at the footstool of his judgement Seat and confesse what we have deserved Let us come as Benbadads servants did to the King of Israel with Sackcloth about our loynes and ropes about our heads 1 Kings 20. 32. such coming becomes us best this day Let us cast our selves out of heaven as expecting only wrath from thence out of the world as finding only miseries there out of our selves as feeling nothing but terrours there down even to hell it self whether we deserve to be for ever plunged Let groans fill our souls and tears our eyes vae vohis qui ridetis in such a day as this is and let our mouths be filled with cryes saying it often Woe now unto us that we have sinned But If the greatnesse of our misery have not sufficiently brought us to that yet the neernesse of it will work some true effects Things a farre of work upon our apprehension somewhat but not much upon our passion but passion must be set to work now this day is the passion day of repentance In two
hang by one Artery and have the rest disjoynted By faith and hope and not by love which is the bond of perfeâ—tion If we be wounded there is a repairing if loosed or strained there is a re-establishing if we be of the Body we must have love to all the members care of them all we must suffer with them suffer for them we must cover the blemishes hide the deformities of the parts upon those parts which we think most unhonest we must put more honesty and give the more honour to that part which lacketh Nature and religion both can by no means away with a scisme in the body If there be you be not of the body you cannot say the Text. We that are many are one Body And if we be not of this Communion which is Corporis we cannot be of the other which is Calicis that is Fundamentum Relationis and one bread of one body and of it sumus participes we all partake That of this simus consortes we may be all members To eat of that which is one all over the world as there was but one Lamb to an house so but one bread to the whole Church is the Symboll and Sacrament of one Union with the Body Non ex alio tu nec ex alio ille sed ex eodem omnes nutrimur saith Chrysostome It is but one mystically though numerically many And if but one bread shall we make the Table of the Lord the table of devils And partake of that with bitternesse and wrath If but one body shall we take the member of Christ and make it the member of an harlot of scisme and contention God Almighty grant that we may be all of one minde in one house being all members of one body that being united by one Spirit in one Religion in one Faith in one Hope we may serve one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour in one Love being entred by one Baptisme confirmed and strengthned by one Bread coupled and knit into one Body there be no scisme no division among us but that all the members have a care one of another and endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Till we all meet together into a perfect man and the Measure of the Age of the fulnesse of Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise and glory now and ever Amen THE SIXTH SERMON 1 JOHN 4. 1. Dearly beloved beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God for many salse Prophets are gone out into this world I Must begin where the Text ends the last words of it are the reason of the first Quoniam is a causall Many false Prophets are gone out into this world Why what then Only this beleeve not therefore every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God I could not think of any subject more proper to this season or more profitable for our selves the old complaint is now if ever proved true the dayes are evill The world was never more rightly compared to a Sea then now men upon dry Land as if they were tossed in a rough Sea thorough staggering and giddinesse of their brains are driven to their wits end they look thorough the waves of their unconstant humours and prejuducate conceits which make the straightest things which have been so well settled with mature consideration and unquestioned authority seem to them crooked they complain that the shoars and trees are moved not perceiving how themselves are silently transported and that they move and not these they do not look that way which they row and yet as if they rushed not fast enough to their own destruction they hoise up their sails of fury and madnesse to precipitate them forward They think to make away in the Sea in which they cannot so much as spye out any prints of their steps which have gone before them nor must hope to leave any impression to be found by those which shall follow after God only knows what Port they are bound for I fear me the distraction if not distruction both of Church and state what else do so many fiery discursions abode the perverting of Scriptures pretending of Prophesies wracking of consciences the bold determinations of ignorant Mechanicks flying into the face of dignities and authority wounding thorough the sides of Ecclesiasticall Discipline the head of Monarchy and Government Do they not all huddle in at one gap to let in confusion and ruine Are they not fruitfull seeds which bring forth such a Monster which hath so frighted Germany these hundred yeers and will eat out the very bowels of the Mother which conceived them Is it because there is no Prophet in our Israel at whose lips may be inquired the knowledge of the Law Or is it not rather because there are too many Such which will take upon them tp be Prophets and are not called as was Aaron Which Prophesie in my name saith the Lord and I have not sent them neither did I command them neither spake I unto them and yet they ran Jere. 14. 14 15. Is not Saul among the Prophets madnesse and cruelty And the devill gotten again into Samuels mantle malice and hypocrisie Is there not a lying spirit got into the mouth of these Prophets As was in Ababs dayes 1 Kings 22. 22. Do they not prophesie lyes unto us in the name of the Lord This this the true cause the Apostle tells in the last words of the Text For many false Prophets are gone out into this world This being the cause what Counsell is to be followed There are two rocks which we must necessarily avoide to beleeve all to beleeve none by beleeving all we rush presently into heresies and scisime by beleeving none we fall upon irreligion and Atheisme against the first the Apostle gives us a Caution Beleeve not every spirit Against the second this Counsell But try the spirits whether they be of God This is his to them to whom he writ this is mine to you to whom I speak Dearly beloved Beleeve not every spirit c. So the Text you see plainly supplies us with two parts First A premonition Secondly A premunition First For praemoniti Secondly Praemuniti First A warning of us Secondly An arming of us They are but two but we may say of them as our Saviour did of the Disciples two swords it is enough we need no more if we be well accoutred with them if thorowly instructed about them if we know how to prove them we shall by the grace of God quit our selves like men not to be put to turn to the right hand or the left but be able to stand fast in our faith till we be removed from our station from faith to fruition from these earthly Tabernacles unto heavenly Mansions from waging of warre and wrestling in combate against sin and errour to wearing of Crowns in immortality and glory We begin with
when a spirituall afflicts her Woe is me that I have not Moses rod to strike these Rocks I have not the art to make you weep no not to weep my self The Angel of God descend this day and stir our pools he touch our hearts that they may teach our eyes true tears and our tâ—nguâ—s strong cryes that we may with unfained sorrow say though it be but the words of this Text Woe now unto us that me have sinned I might have fitted you with a Text of more words but not of more matter long speeches are not alwayes strong ones Magnum in parvo is natures best work so it is reasons so it is religions Those which are run out in length have commonly least spirits in them How short was Moses cry yet how forceable Nay when he had said least he spake loudest Exod. 14. 45. our Saviours cryes are by the Apostle called strong yet they were long none of them how short is that which he hath taught us to utter and yet not the lesse effectuall how powerfull was the Publican in that short petition God he mercifull to me a sinner The Pharisee said more but went home with lesse There are but three syllables in peccavi yet quantum valent saith Saint Ambrose David received pardon only for them it is but little we are to say now we may say it in a moment if we say it right and that we may do that we must say somewhat of the manner of saying it If you please but to observe the Text where it is placed you will finde two necessary attendants on it The Book is a Lamentation the Chapter a Petition it is as Augustus Caesar said of himself when he sate between Horace and Virgil inter suspiria lachrimas The Author of it was a Petitioner with tears in his eyes he was like a Dove upon the Rivers of waters Can. 5. 12. His heart mourning his head dropping prayers and tears are the true acconts of his voyce he spake with his eyes aswell as with his tongue Lamentations mourning and woe are not severed they are joyned by Ezekiel in Gods Book they are not parted by Jeremy in his so it is the manner of repentance to assume what is due by vengeance she doth freely undergoe whatsoever justice doth award they belong to her by her own judgement whatsoever is due by Gods So she useth to judge her self before hand This is her manner and to be practised by us now with Lamentation and mourning to pronounce our woe Woe now unto us that we have sinned I may well tearm my Text the lamentation of a sinner or rather the lamentation of sinners for we are not in our private Closets now the time hath made it publique we are to joyn all of us in doing of it so the Text takes us in all it is not to be said by one alone but by many all of us that are hear present Woe now unto us that we have sinned Now in saying this we say two things 1. Our misery which is the cause of our Lamentatioâ— Woe now unto us 2. Our sin which is the cause of our misery That we have sinned We begin with the first the sence of our misery and that will bring us afterwards to a sight of our sin and in that we have two things to be considered First The greatnesse of it Secondly The neernesse of it First the greatnesse of it it is expressed in one word but that the most significant and full that can be if any expression may be infinite and take in all the intentions of misery that is it Woe now unto us it is in that word Woe Sâ—condly the neernesse of it for miseries a farre of do not so much affect our sences we are not so much touched with them as to go about to prevent them It was St Iohns woâ—dâ—r Quit vos praeâ—nonuit fugere ab irâ venturâ that any should take so much thought as to think of that But this is neer two wayes First in respâ—ct of persons it is our own and not others Secondly of time it is not to come but is come already Woe now unto us And by that time we have considered these we shall finde cause enough for lamentation and finding thâ—se offâ—cts look further to the true cause of our misery which is our sin take a full sight of that and that is properly opus Diei I humbly beg of God his assistance while I dispatch it 1. Our Misery That takes up the first place So it useth in all complaints especially where our pain is as it is heer Woe is the worâ— we have it expressâ—d by Woe is a word of malediction and commination there iâ— a cursing and a threatning â—ver imployed in that any mean Grammarian knows the meaning of that interjâ—ction Two wayes only do we finde it usâ—d in Scripture 1. By God when he denouncethany judgement upon others So it is often in the Prophets Isai 5. Ezek. 13. and by our Saâ—iour in the Evangelists Matth. 23. by the Angel in the Apocalips Chap. 18. and Chap. 9. 2. By others when they lament any judgement already fallen or likely to fall upon themselves in Ieremy we finâ—e it often Iere. 4. 31. Woe is me now for my soul fainteth Iere. 10. 19. Woe is me for my destruction and my grievous plague Iere. 15. 10. Woe is me my Mother that thou bast born me a contentions man a man that striveth with the whole earth Of this sence is this Text we do even curse our selves in saying of it at least we make application of that curse which doth beloâ—g unto us And this is very proper to this time we are now in hand with that which the Apostle else where adviseth us unto To judge our selves that we may not be judged of the Lord by denouncing of a curseâ— we take upon us to be Judges in the Court of Conscience we are allowed to do it to our selves it is the part of the discipline of repentance to award that unto our selves which the Justicâ— of God hath threatned unto sinners such we are nay the very clâ—iâ—fest of sinners we do not do it potestative but approbative we consent that the judgement of God is just and we cannot juâ—ge lâ—ssâ— doth belong unto us then this this is the least that we can juâ—ge Woe unto us Now repentance is rightly called by the School a peâ—ce of juâ—tice it consists especially in awarding due punishment poenitentia à puniendo saith the Master L. 4. d. 14. We are apt in this matter to follow Peters counsell Master favour thy self either we see not fully what we have committed that part of the wallet we commonly cast behinde or we are but partiall judges to determine what we have deserved but true repentance may not so spare her self she is to assigne all that doth belong unto her self to appoint in her own judgement whatsoever divinâ— judgement hath threatned And then once Woe
respects we shall finde it neer enough 1. Of Person 2. Of Time Those two will adâ—e sufficiently to the greatnesse of our misery we shall not be put to in quire further 1. Of Person it is our own misery it belongs to our selves Woe now to us Others miseries affect us not much they work according to their distance of place or person Pacis cum proximus ardet there begins our perplexity When our selves come to be touched and repentance toucheth no where else it swells in her own bancks it keepeth sessions at home and pasleth judgement only against it self We we are the men to whom woe doth appertain nostra res agitur we must not put it of from our selves least God Iâ—y it on To us belongeth shame and confusion of face saith Daniel Dan. 9. repentance threatens none but it self vae nobis is the voice of it Woe unto us 2. Of Time Neither doth it deferre its iudgement nor put of the evill day farre from us we deserve to have it brought upon us presently and repentance iudgeth according to our desâ—rts Woe now unto us now indeed were it iustice with God to bring upon us all this woe he hath forborne and given uâ— many times of tryall but we have despised the riches of his grace and his goodnesse hath not lead us to repentance He hath come these many yeers looking for fruit and found nothing but leaves now might he in iustice lay his Axe to our roote and bid cut us down now might he pronounce a curse against us and make us wither away he might now speak unto us in his displeasure depart you cursed and powre upon us all his storms of indignation and vengeance If we were now to stand before Gods tribunall and to be indged according to our deserts and there we are now placed by repentance even now presently were all this misery to come upon us Now if any thing will work true apprâ—hension in us it must be this Iraventura Makes not any deep impression in many of us the day of death though we see it a farre of may strike us into so ne dumps but they are never so true as 〈…〉 Cum sit inbeforae similis jam jamque tenere When we see an hand writing with Baltazer or hear a voyce speaking our doom with Nabuch adnezzar then will our joynts he loosed and our knees tremble Saint Gregory reports it of himself that when he expounded that sentence of Abraham unto Dives now thou art tormented he was not able to on in his Sermon Pavore potius indigent quam expositione saith he to his Auditors the apprehension of the present wrought so much upon him as if the jam vero were iam verum now to be said to any of us as it was to him indeed we are to say it our selves now Woe now unto us This certainly will make us sufficiently apprehensive of our misery And now as men brought unto some dangerous disease ever look unto the cause that brought them to it being in a storm as Jonahs Marriners were they cast about to finde the fountain of it it is the great consultation of this Kingdom at this time to finde out the Authors of those great distempers that are in it So the sence of our misery will bring us to a sight of our sin for indeed hinc illae lachrimae all our sorrows come from thence we must lay all our fault upon our sins our sins are the troublers of ouâ— Israel and that leads me to the second part of my Text. Woe now unto us that we have sinned We came not till now to the cry of true repentance it is not her misery she is under but the sin she hath committed makes her cry it is all the note that they have in hell Woe now unto us but they never come to say that we have sinned for there is no place for repentance the sence of their miseries makes them only cry not any sorrow or remorse for their sins But it is these we must now cry of if we be true penitents our sins must trouble us and not any other troubles whatsoever And now it is fittest to be troubled for them for in times of other afflictions we cannot so well spend our tears upon our sins torments of the body will drink up our spirits the pains which we endure take up our complaints our sins are not so well thought on when our sences are otherwise perplexed sorrow often proves too late which is let alone till then but now we do but make our selves miserable we willingly assume woe unto our selves those woes we spake of we blesse the goodnesse and long suffering of our God are not as yet forced upon us but freely assumed by us other sorrows go not so neer unto our hearts at this time that there may be the better room for the sorrow for our sins sins are best lamented when we are otherwise well and not afflicted Pharoah and Abab have done it in extremity but it came not freely from them but by force besides they lamented their plagues not their sins But it is for these that we are troubled not that we are punished but that we have sinned And that we may thoroughly be troubled for them we must be sure to take a good sight of them not cover them as Cain nor hide them as Adam not cast them behinde our backs but bring them before us set them in our sight that God may cover them while we discover them that when we bring them before our faces he may cast them behinde his back Sin cannot be hid but when God hides it we may rake it up as we do fire in embers but at the day of Revelation God will bring it to light But then to say that we have sinned will not be enough to make us see our sins we have spent enough in the commission Saint Peter tells us shall we be short in our confession If we did go about it we could not bring all our sins to our remembrance Holy men though they have studied the Art of Arithmetike have fain to set down at the foot of their accompt an indefinite number my sins are more then the hairs of my bead saith David then the sands on the Sea shore then the stars in the firmament Our secret sins St Bernard cals them maris magni reptilia they are like the creeping creatures of the great Sea innumerable yet as an huge army though the common souldiers be not to be mustered the heads and chieftains are in the firmament the starres are not to be numbred yet those of greatest influence and magnitude are among our sins there are leaders Captains over their hundreds and thousands there are some of more transcendent magnitude and maligne influence we may take sight of them and we shall not transgresse the limits of the Text neither it is to say but so much the ofner that we have sinned We begin with Pride that Primum
Rem terrenam Câ—lestem we come now to the Communion or their coming into one to make up the Sacrament though the one part be on earth the other in heaven and look how high the heaven is from the earth yet they may meet they must meet else there will be no Sacrament at all Nulla virtus Sacramento saith Cyprian they must be in Common or there will be no Communion and then the Text will not be true which saith The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Bloud of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communiâ—n of the Body of Christ Communion is ever cum unione when two or more meet in one 2 The Coâ—â—â—en there is a Communion It is divers wayes either by nature which is Physicall as when soul and body are united into one person there is Communion between them by reason of thaâ— union Secondly by miracle which is Metaphysicall as when two Natures God and man were united into one Christ There is also Communion between them by virtue of that Union neither of these is this heer for it is no substantiall no Hypostaticall Vâ—ion and yet the Fathers have used both these to illustrate this Communâ—on Thirdly by locall coberence as when many stones are in one heap Fourthly by actuall inexistence as where accidences as colours c. are in one ubject none of these yet for the body and bloud of Christ may not be thought to be Locally Actually any where but in Heaven The Heavens must contain him till his second and last coming There is yet another way Fiftly Intellectually Sacramentally which consists in meer relation which is the nature of Communion Sacramentall Union is that Communion we speak off and it consists in a Mysticall and Mutuall relation between the signes and the things signed Sacramentum est rei Sacrae signum is Saint Austins definition and allowed and approved by all when the signe comes to signifie the sacred thing it comes to be a Sacrament and this coming is the Communion We look to two things 1. The cause of it 2. The effects First Divine institution is the cause The Rain-bow it is generally 1 The cause agreed upon was before the floud yet was not any signe of the promise of God of not destroying the world with a deluge till after the floud it was in nube to be seen there but not signum in nube till God first appointed it his signe to Noâ—h The Wine in the Cup the Bread on the Table were in use before blessed in their creation for temporall food but not in any use to a spirituall life till blessed again at their institution they were not signes of any sacred things till God appointed them his signes to his Apostles and as words which come to the ears are signa rerum of those things which the minde means to expresse if aptly appointed and do conveigh the very things to the understanding of the Auditor if he be quick you would wonder at it to see how soon at a word speaking a thing of never so great distance can come to his knowledge so these earthly things which are signa rei sacrae which come unto the eyes and the other senses being aptly appointed by the first institutor do conveigh unto the faith of the worthy receiver the very things themselves and though they were before at never so much distance they come to be present to our faith as other things expressed by words are to our reason and sence To make signes of such belongs only unto him which can give the things and his body and bloud none can give but himself none can make a signe to be a means to conveigh it to be apledge to confirm it but he the Elements are empty and non significant Accedat verbum ad Elementum saith Austin his word his work that comes and it becomes a Sacrament the signe is made effectually to signifie the sacred thing and that making a signe is the cause of the Relation of the Communion first Secondly being so made by the virtue of the Divine Institution 2 The effects the effects of Sacramentall Communion follow The signes themselves have a Communication of the Proprieties of the things signes Communicatio Idiomatum is the chief effect As by the Hypostaticall Union of the two natures in Christ the humane nature is invested into the Divine the manhood being assumed is allowed to carry away the properties of the Godhead in the person of Christ And thence comes it that the Son of God is called the Son of man and the Lord of life was crucified and slain The Mother of God the Bloud of God are usuall speeches with the Fathers so in this Sacramentall Union by virtue of that Communion in the words of institution the Bread is called the Body of Christ the Wine his Bloud When we give the Bread we say The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ c. the Cup we say The Bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ The Bread though it be res terrena is called Panis vitae the food of Angles the Bread which came down from Heaven The food of the soul Panem Dominum S Cyprian calls it and not only Panem Domini and all this per Metonymiam signi because of the Communion it hath with the things signed with the Body of Christ Neither is this Communion only nominall but also reall the very substance of Christs Body and Bloud is by it communicated to worthy receivers they are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull saith our Church Not in the signes essentially but by the signes effectually for we must hold us to this that the Union is not Physicall nor Metaphysicall not Essentiall nor Locall but Intellectuall and Sacramentall and yet reall and not only nominall Ask what the Bread and Wine is I answer the Body and Bloud of Christ Ask me how or which way I answer Sacramentally because they are the Communion of the Body and Bloud of Christ and not that properly neither for a substance cannot be a Relation but by a Metonymy of the effect because they make us partakers of the Body and Bloud of Christ they are called the Communion of his Body and Bloud And being Communis substantiae they are also Communio efficaciae they make us partakers of the merit of Christs Body and Bloud those things ever bring their worth and dignity with them remission of sins redemption sanctification salvation all graces come along with Christ in quo est omnis gratia Habent omnia qui habent deum habentem omnia St August And as there is Communion with them so there is communition from them we may not amisse take the word Communio a Communiendo that is to be reckoned among the benefits we receive so our Church reckons it the strengthening of our souls Vis semper fortior in Vnione nothing can prevail against earth when heaven
the first part though the last in my Text the Premonition Many false Prophets are gone out into this world It is that which all the Prophets all the Apostles ever complained of I need not quote you places of Scripture to prove it Look but into Jere. 14. 14. and Chap. 23. Vers 21. Our Saviour himself foretells us of them Matth. 24. 24. Saint Peter 2 C. 2. v. 1. is evidence enough There were false Prophets among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you Which privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift damnation To be told of them aforehand is the way to take heed of them to be warned of them to be armed against them And indeed we had need to be warned there are five reasons to be yeelded from the very Text I need not seek further for more 1. From their name They are Prophets 2. From their fame They are false Prophets 3. From their number There are many false Prophets 4. From their time being now present are gone out 5. From the place whither they are gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know not what spirit moved our Translators to render the Article so significantly sure it was a good one Into this world 1. They are Prophets Who would fear to be seduced by such a name The very name of a Prophet hath been in all ages venerable Whither should she go for truth but to a Prophet for instruction not destruction But this hath ever been the Devils policy to bring in damnable heresies under Heavenly Titles he which skils to transform himself into an Angel of Light knows how to make his Agents seem like Saints It is the old Proverb in nomine Domini incipit omne malum God himself complains of it In my name have they prophesied lyes Jere. 23. The enemy dares not appear himself nor send in his own name Sub praetextu Divinitatis delitâ—scentes omnia polluitis as Constantine told Novatus Centu. 4. This hath been his way he hath his Prophets as well as God he hath been ever stiled Gods ape and therefore though they be Prophets which come unto us yet you are to be warned concerning them that is the first reason 2. They are false Prophets such are all of his sending be their shews never so glorious the very Mahometanes would be called Maslulinen the damnedst Incendiaries stile themselves Jesuites the horridst Treason hath been hatcht in a Disciple the lying spirit comes in the mouth of a Prophet so do wolves in sheep skins gilded pills are ever bitterest painted poasts rotrennest Hic dolus est magnus Lupus est qui creditur agnus Such as these do soonest seduce for they have Syrens voyces Crocodiles tears and most dangerous they are because the least suspected This is another reason and enough alone if they be proved false to take heed of them and such as these then false Prophets 3. They are many Legion may be their name as well as his who is the Master of them Mark 5. 9. Ye are many saith Eliah 1 Kings 18. 25. So they were indeed 450. to one ods enough And a little after 400. to one Michaiah 1 King 22. 6. Our Saviour himself notes out their number Matth. 24. 5. Many shall say Lord have we not prophesied in thy name False Prophets all not of his sending such as he will professe unto that he never knew them Matth. 7. 22 23. It was the complaint of the Church still Many dogs are come about me Psal 22. 16. And they are false Prophets look to Isai 56. 10 11. Greedy dogs which cannot understand which look to their own way for their own advantage for their own purpose By the many heresies they have scattered you may well guesse at their number Epiphanius in his dayes reckons up two hundred Ecclesiasticall Histories muster them up by thousands In Luthers time in Germany they grew to 100000. Now if a small number were to be despised yet so many may not we well say of the true ones in comparison of the false as the Disciples did of the Loaves what are those among so many All our hope is that which the Lord told Gideon he saveth not by many This is another reason why we should take heed of them Quia multa sunt 4. They are already gone out like the Locusts out of the dark smoak Revel 9. 3. In the Apostles time the mystery of iniquity began to work Alages since have been pestered with them Semper aut exortae sunt novae Haereses aut renovatae veteres hath been the complaint of the whole Church Satan never sleeps he hath like the Philistimes his spoiling bands still abroad God hath no sooner his Prophets out but he hath his Moses presently met with the Magitians they were then so they are still no times have ever had so just cause to complain as ours we may take up Saint Jeromes cry changing but the name ingemuit tot us Orbis Miratus est se Arianum factum And yet is it worth the noting that the Apostle saith they are gone true Prophets are alwayes said to be sent they go not till they be commanded but these run and yet I spake not to them saith the Lord of their own heads they are gone out this is another reason why you must beware quia multi exierunt many false Prophets are gone out Lastly they are gone out into this world all the Emphasis lyes in the Article this present world now as well as then this place of the world here as well as there nullibi satis tutum nullibi satis cautum saith Bernard this world as much as that hath been troubled with them Europe as well as Asia toto divisos Orbe Britannos we which are a world by our selves have a world of them like the Frogs of Egypt they crawl in all places of the Land the Kings houses the Ovens and the kneading troughes are not free from them Here is cause enough why we should take warning Quia multi for many false Prophets are gone out into this world Besides these all from the Text we might render some reason out of the Text They are gone out for what purpose think you First To seduce non Doctores sunt sed Seductores saith Tertullian and that they may better do it they begin as the Serpent did with the woman and they creep into their houses as he did for Serpentis est serpere the Apostle speaks it plain They Creep into houses and lead captive simple women which are laden with sins which women are ever learning and yet never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. And that they do under a shew of godlinesse making long prayers Luke 20. 44. And then Secondly When they are got in wherefore come they there Our Saviour resolves you the Wolf cometh not but to devour and destroy and for that they