letter on this manner To the Pastour of London unlesse he meant the Bishop or chiefe Pastour Now it is evident out of the twentieth chapter of the Acts ver 17. and all ancient stories that there were divers Ministers or Presbyters in each of these seven Churches He therefore to whom the letter was addressed in particular to the Angel could be no other than the Bishop or Superintendent of the place who is here blamed for suffering Jezebel to teach which sheweth that he had Episcopall power and authoritie to silence and suspend her or any other erroneous Teacher within his Diocesse What should I adde out of k Lib. 3. c. 3. Irenaeus Polycarpus ab Apostolis in ea quae est Smyrnae Ecclesiâ constitutus est Episcopus quem nos vidimus in primâ aetate nostrâ that the Angell of Smyrna was Bishop Polycarpus ordained by the Apostles themselves whom he himselfe saw in his younger years Or out of l In ep ad Tit. l. 1. Toto orbe decretum est ut unus Presbyterelectus superponeretur caeteris ad quem omnis Ecclesiae cura pertineret Jerome that to prevent schismes among Presbyters and Priests Episcopall governement was established through the whole world And let this suffice to be spoken of the office of this Angell we will now consider of his charge or that wherewith the Holy Ghost here burdeneth him the toleration of heresie and idolatrie I have a few things against thee That thou sufferest m Variam miscellaneam Religionem induxerunt sceptro tuendo ne unquam conspirare interse omnes possint Diodorus Siculus reporteth that the ancient Kings of Egypt made a kinde of medley of religion to serve their turne that the people might thereby be distracted and so disabled from attempting any thing against the State And we reade likewise in n Ecclesiast hist l. 4. c. 27. Socrates of Themistius that he laboured to perswade Valens the Emperour that God was well pleased with varietie of sects dum it a pluribus modis colitur because by this toleration of divers religions God is worshipped after divers manners And Father Parsons with whom o Lib. 3. de rep c. 7. Bodine the great Statesman of France and Cardinall p In Apolog. Allen and William q In his answer to the reformed Catholike Bishop Seminarie Priest joyne hearts and pens spending the strength of their wit and flower of their learning in this argument of toleration taking upon them to prove first in Thesi that Religions differing in substantiall points and fundamentall grounds are comportable in the same Kingdome and in Hypothesi that it is not only lawfull and expedient but also honourable for the King of Great Britaine to permit the publicke profession and practice of the Romish Religion within his Kingdomes For the proofe of their Thesis they alledge but one text of Scripture and that miserably wrested r Mat. 13.30 Sinite utraque crescere in messem let both grow untill the harvest The great want of Scriptures they strive in some sort to supply by conjectures of reason and examples of forreine States but the fairest glosse they set upon their foule assertion is from such plausible sentences of the ancient Fathers as these ſ Lactan l. 5. divin institut c. 14. 20. Quis tam insolens tam elatus est qui me vetet oculos in coelum tollere quis imponat mihi necessitatem vel colendi quod nolim vel non colendi quod velim Nihil est tam voluntarium quam Religio in quâ si animus sacrificantis est aversus jam sublata est jam nulla est Who is so proud as to forbid me to lift up my eyes to heaven Who will impose a necessity upon me either to worship that which I will not or not to worship what I will Nothing so much dependeth on the will as Religion which is not Religion but Hypocrisie if the minde be averse from it t Tertul. ad Scapulam c. 2. Nec religionis est religionem cogere It is against Religion to enforce Religion and constraine men to dissemble with God Verily the chiefest point of Religion consisteth in the inward sacrifice of the heart and devotion of the will and how is it possible to devote our u Bernard in Cant. Fides suadenda non imponend◠will against our will This reason against forcing Religion seemed so forcible to Theodoricus that he forbad all Inquisitions and Tortures in case of Religion For other things saith he we may Religion we cannot command Neither was he singular in this his opinion for upon the like grounds to his Theodosius and Leo Catholike Emperours permitted Churches to the Arrian Heretikes as likewise Constantius and Valentinian Arrian Heretikes granted Oratories to Catholike Bishops The Emperours of Germanie tolerate Lutherans and Zuinglians the French King Hugonots the Grand-Seignior Christians the Pope Jewes in Rome whereunto Bodin addeth the example of the ancient x Aug. l. 18. de Civit. Dei Roma cum omnibus penè gentibus dominaretur omnium penè gentium survivit erroribus Romans who permitted the free use of their Religion to all the Nations they conquered and of the Emperour Alexander Severus who kept in his closet the pictures of Abraham Orpheus Hercules and Christ and privily worshipped them all These are the fairest pretences and plausiblest arguments for toleration How few in number how light in weight how easie and short in the answer First for their text of Scripture let both grow to the harvest which Doctor Bishop setteth in the fore-front of his discourse Can any man of learning and judgement once dreame that our Lords meaning was thereby to inhibite all proceedings against Heretikes and wicked livers to enjoyne all Magistrates to suffer vertue and vice truth and heresie to grow together in the Church till the harvest that is the end of the world Could Doctor Bishop or any other Papist perswade himselfe that our Saviour commandeth that to be done for which he here blameth the Angell of y Mat. 13.30 Thyatira and before the Angell of z Ver. 14. Pergamus Doe not all Papists defend the Inquisition in Spaine and Italie and the Pope their Master his proceedings against Protestants under the name of Heretikes Certainely if Christ in this parable absolutely commands a toleration of Heretickes and Schismatikes under the name of tares the Popish Inquisition is a transgression of Christs command by their owne inference from it which if any Papist maintaine he will not be long out of the Inquisition if he trust not to his heeles he shall feele the gag soone in his mouth and assay the a See the book of the Spanish Inquisition and in it the forme of this bridle man-bridle As for the meaning of the place of Scripture it is cleere in it selfe and hath been long agoe by the Ancients declared to be this that God suffereth hypocrites and dissemblers
how shall wee have Ministers at all without ordination and how shall wee have good Ministers or people without visitation Now for Presbyters or Ministers who are equall in degree to exercise authority one over the other and lay hands upon themselves so to become their own ghostly Fathers is to make order it selfe a confusion Therefore God in the law put a difference between the Priests and Levits and Christ in the gospell between the Apostles and Disciples and the Apostles after Christs death between Bishops and Elders Which the primitive Church kept so religiously that to oppose it in practice was accounted no lesse than l Act. Concil 1. Chalced. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacriledge in doctrine flat heresie The first that I finde ever to have gone about to break downe the partition wall betweene Bishops and Presbyters was Aerius a man like his name light and aery easily carried away with the winde of ambition For as m Epiph. haeres 71. Cum episcopatus spe excidisset Eustathio posthabitus ut se consolaretur hanc haeresem excogitavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanius writeth standing for a Bishopricke and missing it hee invented this heresie to comfort himselfe and because hee could not raise up himselfe to the high ranke of Bishops hee sought to pull them downe to his lower ranke of Elders What difference saith he is there betweene a Bishop and a Priest none at all their order and honour and dignity is one and the selfe-same But for this his sawcy malepartnesse he felt the smart of the Crosier staffe and for ranking Bishops among Presbyters or Elders he was himself ranked among hereticks God who made greater lesser lights in the firmament and set Angels in ranks one above another hath erected an * See King James his Cygnea Cantio Bilson his perpetuall governement Bancroft his slavey of the holy pretended discipline c. de episc Downam his sermon at the consecration of the Bishop of Bath and Wells Andrew opus posthum Hallier defenc ecclesiast hierar l. 1. Aurelius vindiciae censurae tit 3. de epis curatis Hierarchy upon earth which as he hath ever yet so I hope he still will to the end of the world establish and support and propagate it as it hath wonderfully supported and propagated the Church The bounds therof extended by the preaching kept by the government of Bishops the Hereticks and Schismaticks in all ages suppressed by Councels and Synods of Bishops the Rubricks of Ecclesiasticall Kalendars coloured with the blood of so many martyred Bishops are sufficient evidence thereof And as the Church soone after her first plantation exceedingly prospered under the shade of James Bishop of Jerusalem Titus of Crete Timothy of Ephesus Marke of Alexandria Ignatius of Antioch Antipas of Pergamus Polycarpe of Smyrna and divers others ordayned by the Apostles or their immediate successors and in succeeding ages received her best sap and nourishment from the Greeke and Latine Fathers who for the most part were Bishops so n Beza de grad Min. evang cap. 18. Non tantum insignes Dei martyres sed etiam praestantissimos doctores pastores Beza himselfe acknowledgeth it to have beene the singular happinesse of the Church of England which he prayeth may be perpetuall that this reverend and sacred order hath yeelded not only famous Martyrs but also most excellent Doctors and Pastors As the Poet blazing the vertues of the Emperour then reigning said o Mart. epig. l. 1. Te volet invictus pro libertate Camillus Si Cato reddatur Caesarianum erit Brutus and Camillus and Cato the greatest sticklers for the liberty of the commonwealth if they were now alive would turne Royalists so wee may truely affirme that the greatest enemies of Episcopall jurisdiction could not but approve of such Bishops as now sit at the sterne in our Church And what if all are not such must the whole order suffer for their sake p Ovid l. 1. de art Desine paucorum diffundere crimen in omnes lay not upon all the fault of some If one or other budde of Aarons rod the bishopricke of Rome and the dependants thereon are turned into serpents shall the whole rod bee cast out of the Arke and Jonah's gourd put in the place thereof I meane the new sprung up mushrome the governement of lay Elders Elders whereof no elder age of the Church ever took notice and the younger cannot tell yet how to christen them because they are a kind of epicoens of both genders plant-animals partly animals partly plants like a sort of Nuns at Bruxels partly regular partly secular in the morning wearing the cowles and habit of Recluses in the afternoone the feathers and other attire of Gallants For they are Clergy-laickes and Lay-clerkes of their clergy they are for they together with their Ministers ordaine Ministers and inflict ecclesiasticall censures and yet laickes they are for they may not preach nor baptize Church-men they are for they beare rule in the Church yet church-men they are not for they may receive no maintenance from the Church They are the Elders that rule well and labour not in the word for such they will have intimated by S. Paul yet the honour which their owne Interpreters there expound honourable maintenance is not due unto them Spare me Men Fathers and Brethren if I spare not them who goe about to bereave us of our spirituall Fathers qui saeviunt in plagas vulnera ecclesiae who seeke to ruine the ruines and spoile the very spoiles of ecclesiasticall dignity and distinction left among us To place such Bats as these rather mice than birds must Christs Apostles and their successors be displaced and all rankes of ecclesiasticall order confounded is there any justice in this to breake all Crosier staves and tread all Miters under foot and teare all Rochets in pieces Unius ob noxam furias Ajacis Oilei for the usurpations and tyranny of one Bishop the Pope of Rome By this reason take away the reverend order of the Apostles for Judas sake take away the sacred order of Prophets for Balaams sake take away the soveraigne order of Princes for Julians sake take away the glorious orbs of starres for the starres sake called q Apoc. 8.11 wormewood in the Apocalyps nay take away the highest regiment of Angels for Lucifers sake and the rest of his faction somtime in the highest order in heaven but now reserved in chaines of darkenesse till the great day This may suffice to bee spoken of and for your calling two words of the two duties implyed in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feede and take the over-sight You are Pastors and Bishops make good your titles feede as Pastors take the over-sight of your Diocesse as Bishops The three orders in the Church Bishops Priests and Deacons resemble the three faculties of the soule the vegetative sensitive and reasonable For as the sensitive
ruddy in the hiew of his passion white in his life and ruddy at his death or white in his garland of c Cyp. l. 1. ep 6. Floribus enim nec rosae nec lilia desunt pax acies habet suos flores quibus milites Christi ob gloriam coronantur lilies unspotted Virgins ruddy in his garland of roses victorious Martyrs or lastly as some flourish upon the letter ruddy in all his Disciples save St. John who shed their blood for his name and Gospell and white in the Disciple in my text who alone came to a faire and peaceable end abiding according to the words of our Saviour till hee came unto him by an easie and naturall death For this priviledge Christ gave him above them all that none should have power to lay violent hands on him who lay in his Redeemers arms d Joh. 1.17 The law was given by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ and with grace came in John a name that signifieth grace Wee read of no John in the old Testament but wee finde two in the Gospell the one the forerunner the other the follower of Christ the one in allusion to the Hebrew Etymology of his name may bee called Gratia praeveniens grace prevenient the other Gratia subsequens grace subsequent the one may bee compared to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Morning the other to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evening starre for Saint John Baptist as the Morning starre ushered in the Sunne our Saviour Saint John the Evangelist as the Evening starre appeared long in the skie shining in the Churches of Asia after the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Jesus was set at his death This latter John is the Disciple whose feast wee now keepe and memory wee celebrate and graces wee admire and title wee are now to declare As Christ spake of the Baptist e Mat. 11.9 What went yee out to see a Prophet nay I say unto you and more than a Prophet wee may say of this Evangelist what are yee come to heare of a Disciple nay I say unto you and more than a Disciple a Prophet an Evangelist an Apostle f Cic. in Brut. O generosam stirpein tanquam in unam arborem plura germina sic in istam domum multorum insitam et illuminatam virtutem O noble stocke on which many grafts of the plants of Paradise are set In some parts of the skie wee see single starres in others a conjunction or crowne of many starres the other Disciples were like single starres some were Prophets some were Evangelists some Doctors some Apostles but in Saint John as a constellation shine the eminent gifts and callings of many Disciples Saint Luke was an Evangelist but no Apostle Saint Peter was an Apostle but no Evangelist Saint Matthew was an Evangelist and Apostle but no Prophet Saint John was all 1 In his Gospell an Evangelist 2 In his Epistle an Apostle 5 In his Apocalypse a Prophet And in all according to his divine Hieroglyphicke g Rev. 4.7 The fourth beast was like a flying Eagle An Eagle Hee was an Eagle in his Apostolike function h Mat. 24.28 Luk. 17.37 where the body was there was this Eagle still lying at his breast In his Gospell like an Eagle hee soareth higher than the other three beginning with and more expresly delivering the divinity of Christ than any before him Lastly in the Apocalypse like an Eagle with open eye hee looketh full upon the Sunne of righteousnesse and the light of the celestiall Jerusalem whereat all our eyes at this day are dazeled Yet this divine Eagle here flyeth low and in humility toucheth the ground stiling himselfe nothing but a Disciple Obser 2 Wee read in i Exod. 15.27 Exodus They came to Elim where are twelve Wels of water and seventy Palme trees In these twelve Springs of water Saint k Hieron tract de 42. mansionibus Nec dubium quin de Apostolis sermo sit de quorum fontibus derivatae aquae totius mundi siccitatem rigant Juxta has aquas 70. creverunt palmae quas ipsos secundi ordinis intelligimus praeceptores Lucà Evangelistà docente duodecim fuisse Apostolos 70. Discipulos minoris gradus Vid supr Ser. 10. The Apostolike Bishop Jerome conceived that hee saw the face of the twelve Apostles and on the branches of these seventy Palme trees the fruit of the seventy Disciples labour In allusion whereunto most of the Ancients make the Apostles the Parents and patterns of all Bishops and the seventy Disciples of Priests the Bishops they make as it were the springs from whence the Presbyters like the Palme trees receive sap and moisture whereby they grow in the Church and bring forth fruit in the parochiall Cures where they are planted The Bishops they called Pastours and Teachers primi ordinis of the first order or ranke the Presbyters or Priests Praeceptores secundi ordinis teachers as it were in a lower fourm To confound which rankes in the Church and bring a Bishop perforce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 downe to the lower fourm or degree of a Priest is defined sacriledge in the great Councell of Chalcedon Yet Saint John the Apostle here of himselfe descendeth into that lower step or staire assuming to himselfe the name onely of a Disciple 1 In humility 2 In modesty 3 In thankfulnesse to his Master 1 In humility to take all Christians into his ranke hëe giveth himselfe no higher title than was due to the meanest follower of Christ The weightier the piece of gold is the more it presseth downe the scale even so where there is more worth you shall ever find more lowlinesse the empty and light eares pricke up but the full bow to the earth 2 In modesty Saint John was the youngest of the Apostles and in that respect tearmeth himselfe rather a Disciple that is a learner than as hee was indeed a great Master in the Church though hee were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet hee was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 young hee was in yeeres but not in conditions his youth was wiser than others age his dawning was brighter than their noon-tide his blossomes fairer than their fruits his Spring exceeded their Autumne yet like Moses hee saw not the beames of his face which all other beheld Young men doe not so much usually over-value themselves as here Saint John doth under-value himselfe the stile wherewith the Church hath most deservedly graced him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John the Divine but the title which hee taketh to himselfe is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scholar or Disciple 3 In thankfulnesse to his Master he chuseth this title before any other thereby professing that whatsoever knowledge hee had hee suckt it from him on whose brest he lay About the time of our Saviours birth as l De vit Pont. tit Christ narrat Orosius l. 6. c. 21. Augustum Caesarem eodem die
of Sion be thou ruler in the middest of thine enemies Whilst our Saviour lived upon earth the soveraigne balsamum of wounded mankind yeelding a savour of life unto life was kept as it were in a narrow boxe but at our Saviours death the boxe was broken and this precious oyntment poured out and the whole world filled with the smell thereof This doctrine touching the naturalizing if I may so speak of the Gentiles into the spirituall Common-wealth of Israel was implyed in the Metaphor of the Rose of the field Cantic 2.1 I am the Rose of the field Christ is not a garden flower for few to see and fewer to smell unto but a Rose of the field for all to gather that have a hand of faith to touch him but it was unfolded at large to Saint Peter in a vision of a sheet let downe from Heaven knit at foure corners Acts 10.11 12. in which were all manner of foure footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things c. The foure corners of the sheet signified the foure parts of the world all sorts of living creatures all sorts of men of all kindreds nations and languages The sheet in which they were all wrapped is the Church militant In the end of the vision the vessell was received up againe into heaven Acts 10.16 to shew that in the end of the world the whole Church militant shall be transported into heaven and become triumphant St. b Orig. comment in Cant. homil 1. Quemadmodum in Evangelio mulier illa quae sanguine fluebat archi Synagogae filiam curatione praevenit sic Aethiopissa id est Gentium Ecclesia Israel aegrotante sanata est Origen representeth this truth most cleerly unto us through the mirrour of an allegory Though saith he the found of the Gospel came later unto the Gentiles yet the Gentiles prevented the Jewes in giving credit to it and were justified before them as the woman in the Gospel that was sicke of a bloudy issue was healed before the Rulers daughter The daughter of the Ruler of the Synagogue was a type of the Jewish Synagogue the woman that was in a long consumption by reason of her continuall fluxe of bloud was an embleme of the people of the Gentiles lying more than twelve ages sicke of a bloudy issue weltring in her naturall filth and bloud Now as Christ going to cure the Rulers daughter was touched by the Canaanitish woman sicke of a bloudy issue and she by that touch was cured so though Christ came first to heale the Synagogue yet the Gentile Church touching the hemme of his garment by faith is first healed and saved The phrase of sending forth judgement expresseth our Saviours readinesse in opening the treasures of heavenly wisedome and unfolding the mysteries of eternall salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till he shooteth out casteth out or sendeth forth judgement of his owne accord as a tree doth his fruit or the Sunne his beames Matth. 12.35 A good man bringeth forth out of the treasure of his heart good things Matth. 2.11 The Sages opened their treasures and every Scribe which is instructed unto the Kingdome of heaven is like unto a man that is an house-holder which bringeth forth out of his treasures things new and old I have not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart Psal 40.10 saith David in the person of Christ I have declared thy faithfulnesse and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindnesse and thy truth from the great congregation Ver. 9. I have preached righteousnesse in the great assembly I have not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest And according to this fore-going type how ready the truth himselfe was to publish the Gospel of the Kingdome appeareth by his taking all occasions from every ordinary occurrent to instruct his Disciples in points of heavenly wisedome as from a draught of fish to admonish them of fishing for soules from Well-water to treat of the water of life from barly loaves to exhort them to labour for the food that perisheth not from burying the dead to reprove those that are dead in sinne from curing the blind in body to rebuke the spirituall blindnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees from a question concerning the materiall Temple to fore-tell the dissolution of the temple of his body and raising it up againe in three daies To conceale any needfull especially saving truth is to bury the gold of Ophir and thereby deprive not only others but our selves also of the benefit and use thereof Wherefore St. c August l. 12. confess Veritas nec mea nec tu◠nec illius est sed omnium nostrûm quos ad ejus communionem publicè vocas admonens nos ut nolimus eam habere privatam ne privemut ea Augustine sharply censureth such as would challenge a peculiar interest and propriety in that which is the common treasure of Gods Church saying The truth is neither mine nor thine nor his but all ours in common whom thou O Lord callest publikely to the communion thereof dreadfully admonishing us not to desire to have it private lest we be deprived of it In speciall the truth of judgement ought not to bee kept in but to bee sent forth For to detaine any private mans goods is but a private wrong but unrighteously to detaine justice which is the Kings or the Common-wealths or rather both their good is a kind of peculatus or publike theft We laugh at the Indians for casting in great store of gold yeerly into the river Ganges as if the streame would not runne currently without it yet when the current of justice is stopt in many Courts the wisest Soliciters of sutes can finde no better means than such as the Indians use by dropping in early in the morning gold and silver into Ganges to make it runne Pliny reporteth of Apis the Aegyptian god whom they worshipped in the likenesse of a Cow or Oxe that hee gave answers to private men è manu consulentium cibum capiendo Taking alwayes some food from their hands otherwise the Oracle was dumbe I need not to prosecute the application in this place where by the testimony of all men and the truth it selfe the streame of Justice if any where runneth cleerly most free from all filth and corruption Therefore I passe from Christ his sending forth judgement to his victory Hee shall send forth judgement unto victory There are two principall acts or to speake more properly effects of our Lords Princely function 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement and victory judgement upon and victory over all his enemies Wee have them both in the words of my Text Judgement which hee shall send forth and Victory unto which But of what Judgement or Victory the words are to bee construed the learned Interpreters of holy Writ somewhat differ in judgement Some in their ghesses fall short upon the particular judgement and utter
ancient as now shee is For she was made so at Christs death cum è terra sublatus fuero omnes ad me traham like Eve shee was formed out of the second Adams side whence issued the two Christian Sacraments the water of baptisme and the blood of the holy Eucharist At the first she was fed with the sincere milke of the word in the Apostles time came to her perfect growth strength and full dimensions in the Fathers dayes when shee valiantly encountred all persecutors abroad and heretickes at home After 600. yeeres she began apparently to breake and in every latter age decayed more and more and now in most parts of the Christian world except onely where by reformation her age is renewed shee is become decrepit dimme in the sight of heavenly things deafe in the hearing Gods word stiffe in the knees of true devotion disfigured in the face of order weake in the sinewes of faith cold in the heart of love and stouping after the manner of bowed old age to graven Images Wherefore it may bee doubted that Cardinal Bellarmine was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participated somewhat of the infirmities of old age in his bookes of the notes of the Church where hee would have o Bell. de not Eccles l. 4 c. 5. Secunda nota est antiquitas antiquity to be a proper marke of the true Church He might as well have assigned old age to bee the proper note of a man which neither agreeth to all men nor to man alone nor to any man at all times no more doth antiquity to the Church What neede I adde any more sith the truth himselfe hath dashed through this marke againe and againe Matth. 5.21.27.31.33.38.43 teaching us that the essayes of the auncients are not the touch-stone of truth but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say you have heard that it was said by them of old time c. But I say unto you c. Yea but say our adversaries of Rome Christ himselfe elsewhere argueth from antiquity both affirmatively o Mat. 19.4 He which made them at the beginning made them male and female and negatively p ver 8. From the beginning it was not so And Saint John also q 1 Joh. 2.7 This is the message which ye heard from the beginning And r Tertul. contra Prax. Id vertum quod prius id adulterinum quod posterius Tertullian That is true which is first that is counterfeit which is latter And Saint ſ Epist ad Pomp. Nonne ad fontem recurritur c. Cyprian saying If the pipe which before yeelded water abundantly faile suddenly doe we not runne to the spring And the councell of Calcedon crying with one voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the auncient rites and customes prevaile and before them the Prophet Jeremy t Jer. 6.16 aske for the old paths and walke therein All which allegations make strongly for the prime and originall antiquity not for any of later standing The old pathes which the Prophet Jeremy speaketh of are the pathes of Gods commandements laid downe by Moses and the Prophets there wee are to aske where is the good way and to walke in it not because it is the old way but because it is the good way For there are old wayes which are not good wayes which God forbids us to walke in * Ezek. 20.18 Walke not in the statutes of your Fathers nor observe their judgements And u Psal 49.19 David forewarnes us of He shall follow the generation of his Fathers and shall never see light A fit poesie to be written upon the doore of every obstinate recusant among us The councell of Calcedon cryeth up ancient customes and ordinances and so doe wee such as are descended from the Apostles or at least are not repugnant to their doctrine and practice Saint Cyprians advice is good If water faile in the pipe or conduit or runne muddily to have recourse to the spring but what spring doth he there point unto fontem dominicae traditionis the fountaine of the Lords tradition that is the scriptures Tertullians observation is true 'T is good coyne that 's first stampt and afterward that which is counterfeited the husbandman first sowed good seed and then the envious man sowed tares Let the Romanists prove their Trent doctrine to be Dominica and to have in it the Kings stampe wee will admit it for currant After Christ and his Apostles had sowne the good seede which wee yet retaine pure in our reformed Churches they by their additions have sowne upon it tares Saint John draweth an argument from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell and Christ from the beginning that is the first promulgation of the law in Paradise Let the Romanists fetch an argument from antiquity so high and we will soone joine issue with them And to this antiquity we might strictly tye our adversaries as Saint Cyprian doth his opposites u Cyp. ep 3. Non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putaverit sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus Wee must not respect saith hee what any hath done before us in the matter about which wee contend but what Christ did which was before all When they pleaded ancient tradition hee demands x Epist ad Pomp. Unde est ista traditio utrumne de dominicâ evangelicâ autoritate descendens c. si in evangelio praecipitur aut in apostolorum epistolis aut actibus continetur observetur haec sancta traditio whence is that tradition is it derived from the Gospel or Acts of the Apostles or their Epistles then let such a holy tradition bee religiously kept And Saint Augustine * Aug. contra lit Petil. l. 3. c. 6. standeth at this ward against the Donatists whether concerning Christ or concerning his Church or concerning any thing that pertaineth to our faith and life wee will not say if we but as he going forward addeth if an Angel from heaven shall preach unto you but what you have received in the Scriptures of the Law and Gospell let him bee accursed Yet wee give them a larger scope even till the beginning of the seventh age wherein Mahumetanisme began to spread in the East and Antichristianisme in the West For the first sixe hundred yeeres they cannot finde any Kingdome Commonwealth Country Province City Village or Hamlet under the cope of heaven professing their present Trent Faith Wherefore as Phasis while hee was highly extolling the Emperours proclamation for placing men of quality in the Theater according to their ranke was by that very edict thrust out of the place hee had got there by Lectius the Marshall x Mart. epig. l. 5. Edictum domini deique nostri Quo subsellia certiora fiunt Et puros eques ordines recepit Dum laudat modo Phasis in theatro Phasis purpureis ruber lacernis c. Illas purpureas arrogantes Jussit surgere Lectius
thing so much as their tiring In summe they spend all their time in a manner in beautifying and adorning their body to please their lovers but in comparison none at all in beautifying and adorning their soules to please their Maker and Husband Christ Jesus Of these Saint m James 5.5 James long ago gave us the character They live in pleasure in the earth and waxe wanton and are fatted for the day of slaughter I spare to rehearse other lavishing out of time lest the rehearsing thereof might seeme worthy to bee numbred among the idle expences thereof And now it is time to set the foot to the account of my meditations on this Scripture The Conclusion and draw neere to that which we all every day draw neerer unto an end The * 1 Pet. 4.7 end of all things is at hand be sober therefore watch unto prayer The day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the workes thereof shall be burned up This great Doomes-day cannot bee farre off as wee see by the fearfull fore-runners thereof howsoever the day of our death which may be called little doomes-day will soon overtake us peradventure before the Sunne yet set or this glasse be runne Wherefore I beseech you all that heare mee this day in the feare of God by occasion of the summons in my Text to enter into a more strict examination of your life than ever heretofore bring out all your thoughts words deeds projects councels and designes and lay them to the rule of Gods Law and if they swerve never so little from it reforme and amend them recount how you have bestowed the blessings of this life how you have imployed the gifts of nature how you have increased your talents of grace wherein the Church or Common-wealth hath been the better by you consider how you have carried your selves abroad in the world how at home in your private families but how especially in the closet of your owne heart You know out of the Gospel that a mans n Mat. 12.44 house may be swept and garnished that is his outward conversation civill and faire and yet harbour seven uncleane spirits within If lust and covetousnesse and pride and envie and malice and rancour and deceit and hypocrisie like so many serpents lye under the ground gnawing at the root of the tree be the leaves of your profession never so broad and seem the fruits of your actions never so faire the vine is the vine of Sodome and the grape the grape of Gomorrah There is nothing so easie as to put a fresh colour upon a rotten post and to set a faire glosse upon the fowlest matters to pretend conscience for most unconscionable proceedings and make religion it selfe a maske to hide the deformity of most irreligious practices But when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened and the intents and purposes of all our actions manifested and the most hidden workes of darknesse brought to light As it is to bee hoped that many that are infinitely wronged in the rash censures of men shall be justified in the sight of God and his Angels so it is to be feared that very many whom the world justifieth and canonizeth also for Saints shall be condemned at Christs barre and have their portion with hypocrites in hell there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore sith we shall all one day come to such a publike such an impartiall such a particular tryall of all that we have done in the body either good or evill let us looke more narrowly to all our wayes and see that they be streight and even 1. Let us search our heart with all diligence let us look into all the corners thereof and see there lurke no wickednesse nor filthinesse nor hypocrisie there let us looke to our thoughts that they be pure to our desires that they be lawfull to our affections that they be regular to our passions that they be moderate to our ends that they be good to our purposes that they be honest to our intentions that they be sincere to our resolutions that they be well grounded and firme 2. Next let us take our tongue to examination and weigh all our words in the ballance of the Sanctuary and try whether they have not been light and idle but grave and profitable not crafty and deceitfull but simple and plaine not false and lying but true and faithfull not outragious but sober not filthy but modest not prophane but holy not censorious but charitable not scurrilous but ponderous not insolent but lowly and courteous not any way offensive and unsavoury but such as might o Ephes 4.29 minister grace to the hearers 3. Lastly let us lay our hands upon our handy workes and examine our outward acts and deeds 1. Whether they have been alwayes justifiable in generall by the Law of God that is either commanded by it or at least warranted in it 2. Whether they have been and are conformable to the orders of the Church and lawes of the Land For wee must obey lawfull authority for conscience sake in all things that are not repugnant to the divine Law as Bernard piously resolveth saying Thou must yeeld obedience to him as to God who is in the place of God in those things that are not against God 3. Whether they have been agreeable to our particular calling For some things are justifiable by the Law of God and man in men of one state and calling which are hainous sinnes in another as we see in the cases of Uzza and Uzziah 4. Whether they have been answerable to our inward purposes intentions and dispositions For though they are otherwise lawfull and agreeable yet if they goe against the haire if they are done with grudging and repining and not heartily they are neither acceptable to God nor man 5. Whether they have been all things considered most expedient For as many things are profitable and expedient that are not lawfull so some things are lawfull that are not p 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawfull unto me but all things are not expedient expedient and because they are not expedient if necessity beare them not out they become by consequent unlawfull For we are not onely bound to eschew all the evill we know but also at all times to doe the best good wee can else wee fulfill not the commandement of loving God with all our heart and all our soule and all our strength To summe up all I have discoursed unto you first of the Stewardship of the things of this life secondly of the account of this Stewardship thirdly of the time of this account The Stewardship most large the account most strict the time most uncertaine After the explication of these points in the application I arraigned foure Stewards before you first the sacred
obedience bee better than sacrifice the sacrifice of obedience must needs be the best sacrifice Yet so hath the Divell blinded many that they place the greatest Religion in disobedience God accepted not Corah his sacrifice because he sacrificed in schisme nor will hee of their outward religious acts who stand in opposition to the Churches authority Government is as necessary in the Church as in the Commonwealth 3. Qualitatem sacrificiorum sacrifices of righteousnesse that is sacrifices rightly offered Chrysostome sheweth the maner the sanctified will saith he is the altar charity the fire the sword of the Spirit the knife the hand faith 4. Effectum the effect of these sacrifices As good works partake in the name so have they the effect and vertue of sacrifices In a good construction they may be said to appease Gods wrath and to procure unto us spirituall and temporall blessings they may be said to appease Gods wrath three wayes 1. By taking away the fuell thereof viz. sins For as light expelleth darkness so the sacrifice of righteousnesse expelleth impiety and iniquity which provoke Gods wrath 2. By brightning the Image of God in us and making it more conspicuous this 〈…〉 enflame Gods love to us in his beloved Christ Jesus Certainly as 〈◊〉 â—â—aments jewels make a Spouse more amiable in the eies of her hus◠〈◊〉 good works when their imperfections are covered with the robes of 〈◊〉 righteousnes make the soule more amiable in the sight of God and men 3. By making us capable of a greater measure of Gods love and favour For though they are no way meritorious causes of Gods blessings spirituall or temporall yet are they as precious dispositions and conditions in the subject and as these appease Gods wrath so they may bee said to impetrate of God spirituall and temporall blessings In this argument this grave and learned Divine expatiated alledging many remarkable passages out of the ancient Fathers namely out of Saint Chrysostome in Heb. hom 33. Talibus sacrificiis placatur Deus S. Ambrose de penit l. 2. c. 4. Qui agit poenitentiam non solum diluere lachrymis debet peccatum suum sed etiam emendatioribus factis operire tegere delicta superiora ut non ei imputetur peccatum Gelas cont Pelag. concil Tom. 2. Tam jugi supplicatione quam eleemosynis caeterisque bonis actionibus expiandum est peccatum August ep 54. Misericordiae operibus expiatur peccatum Fulgent ep 2. Agnoscamus opera bona locum orationis habere apud Deum Hilar. in Matth. can 4. Charitas errorum nostrorum ad Deum ambitiosa est patrona Tertull. de patient c. 13. Mortificatio aures Christi aperit severitatem dispergit clementiam illicit Greg. moral 9. c. 14. Verba nostra ad Deum sunt opera quae exhibemus Et in Psal 7. poenit Quid est manibus Deum exquirere nisi sanctis operibus invocare Salvatorem Cyp. ep 8. Admoneo religiosam solicitudinem vestram ut ad placandum atque exorandum Dominum non voce solâ sed jejuniis lachrymis omni genere deprecationis ingemiscamus Chrysost 2. Cor. hom 20. Spiritum vocas non verbis sed factis opus clamat fit sacrificium And now that I have set before you the gift of the fourth Speaker viz. a border of gold with studs of silver it remaineth that I work in it as in the three former his embleme consisting of an Image and a Motto the Image is Cotta the Motto the words of Cicero de claris Oratoribus Inveniebat acutè Cotta dicebat purè nihil erat in ejus oratione nisi siccum sanum Cotta his invention was acute his elocution was pure and there was nothing in his Sermon which was not solid and sound THE REHEARSERS CONCLUSION OR THE FASTENING THE BORDERS TO THE SPOUSE HER NECKE AND BREAST PLiny a Plin. l. 2. nat hist c. 44. Metellae Crassi uxoris sepulchrum ita constructum est ut quinquies candem verborum sententiam regerat writeth of an Eccho sounding from the Tombe of Metella Conclusion which repeated the same sentence five severall times this five-fold Eccho I am now become in your eares eandem sententiam quinquies regerens rehearsing now my Text five times foure in repetition and application to the foure Preachers and now the fifth time in the conclusion and application to my selfe Vary the translation as you please yet the collation will still hold if you stand to the last and reade the words wee will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver the collation is already made for the foure borders are the foure methodicall discourses beautified with variety of art and learning which I have imperfectly rendered and nothing remaineth but that as it were with a silke string or ribbon I gather the rowes of pearle and all the borders of gold together which before I tooke off that we might more particularly view them and fasten them all to the Spouse her neck breast by drawing towards an end and pressing close my exhortation to the heart of this great assembly If you follow learned Junius his translation Faciemus tibi aureas lineas cum punctis argenteis you may be pleased to interpret the foure lines of gold drawne at length to bee the foure Texts handled and unfolded at large by the Preachers and the puncta argentea or the points of silver speciall notes of observation upon them placed as points or prickes in a line some in the beginning some in the middle and some in the end The points beginning and continuing wee have already passed and are now come to puncta terminantia the closing points or rather period and full poin of all But if you preferre the Seventies translation before either and will have the Text rendred thus Faciemus tibi similitudines auri cum punctis argenteis Wee will make thee similitudes or resemblances of gold with points of silver my application shall bee in the words of Origen Nos tibi aurea ornamenta facere non possumus non tam divites sumus ut Sponsus qui aureum tibi monile largietur nos similitudines auri faciemus And indeed what are the imperfect notes which I have imparted to you but similitudines obscure resemblances of those borders of gold I spake but now of In which respect as when Marcellus in his Pageant brought in golden Statues or Images of the Cities hee had taken and afterwards Fabius brought in the same carved in wood Chrysippus said wittily Has illarum thecas esse so it may bee truly said that the Sermons which I have repeated were but illorum thecae covers or at the best tables and indexes of theirs the blame whereof lyeth not wholly upon the broken vessell of my memory or my noters for though the vessell be sound and set direct under the spouts mouth it is not possible but that some drops should fall besides and others be blowne away with the
to mingle themselves with godly Professours in the visible Church whom because we cannot sufficiently discerne and distinguish who know not the hearts of men he forbiddeth us to attempt an universall and utter extirpation of them in this respect only ne simul eradicemus triticum lest together with cockle and darnell or in stead thereof we pluck up good wheat What maketh this for the toleration of open Idolatours and known Heretikes or scandalous livers who if they be not weeded out by execution of penall Statutes or Ecclesiasticall censures will hinder the growth of all vertue and Religion Wherefore the case being so cleere that this text of Scripture is shamefully wrested by the Adversarie I leave the Patrons of toleration to be disciplined by the Jesuit b Mald. in hunc loc Abutuntur hoc loco ut probent aut non puniendos aut non occidendos haereticos Maldonat who in his Comment upon this text strikes them smartly with his feruler that abuse this place as he saith to prove that Heretikes are not at all to be punished or not to be punished with death I come to the ancient Fathers who indeed justly taxe the heathen for follie and crueltie in forcing their idolatrous worship upon Christians by the sword which they were never able nor so much as once offered to maintaine by argument Against all such who terrifie and teach not as St. Austine speaketh or begin with fire and faggot or have no sharper weapons to defend the truth of their Religion than the edge of the axe or point of the sword Lactantius and Tertullians exceptions are just and their admonitions seasonable c Lact. divin instit l. 5. c. 20. Verbis potiùs quà m verberibus res agenda est ut sit voluntas distringant aciem ingeniorum suorum si ratio eorum vera est afferatur parati sumus au dire doceant tacentibus certè nihil credimus sicut nec sae vientibus quidem cedimus Let the heathen draw the sword of their wits and trie it at the point of argument They dislike not after gentle remedies have proved uneffectuall to use severitie against obstinate Heretikes For though Saint Bernard saith truely Fides suadenda non imponenda faith is to be perswaded not to be imposed upon a man yet Tertullian affirmeth as truely in another case Contumacie is to be dealt roughly withall durities vincenda est non suadenda obstinacie is to be compelled not perswaded Yea but faith is the gift of God and cannot be forced upon a man against his will Neither can any morall vertue and yet Drunkards and Incontinent persons and Theeves and Murderers are justly punished And why not as well Miscreants Idolatours and Heretikes Faith indeed is the gift of God yet he neither giveth it nor preserveth it in us without meanes whereof one of the chiefe is the strict execution of Ecclesiasticall discipline and Imperiall lawes whereby all the Diocesse of d Aug. ep 48. Hippo cum tota esset in parte Donati ad unitatem catholicam timore legum imperialium conversa est Hippo was reclaimed from the heresie of the Donatists Religion e Lactan. loc sup cit Non est opus vi injuria quia Religio cogi non potest cannot be enforced It is a true proposition if it be rightly understood but no way maketh for toleration of errour or against wholsome lawes for the preservation of the purity of Religion For the acts of Religion are of two sorts 1 Inward as beliefe and affiance in God hope and charity 2 Outward as to goe to Church to heare Sermons to be present at the administring of the Sacraments to make open profession of our faith by word of mouth or writing to these men may bee compelled by penall Statutes Health cannot be forced upon a sicke man yet his mouth may be violently opened with a spoone and that cordiall water powred downe his throat which may bee a good meanes under God to recover his health To this purpose Saint Austine speaketh * Epist 48. Utrisque molestus est utrosque tamen amat appositely Hee that by a smart blow rowseth a man in a Lethargie or by maine force bindes a mad man is troublesome to both yet doth a good office to both Yea but is it not cruelty to trouble men or women for their conscience to compell people by violent meanes to communicate with that service which in their heart they abhorre supposing it to bee the true worship of God to which the State compelleth though they that are forced to it deem otherwise to enforce them in this case to it is no persecution at all but execution rather of Gods Law or if they will needs have it termed a persecution I distinguish with Saint f Aug ep 50. Est persecutio justa quam facit impiis Ecclesia est persecutio injusta quam faciunt impii Ecclâ—siae ep 48. â—lanè semper mali persecuti sunt bonos boni malos illi nocendo per injustitiam hi consulendo per disciplinam illi immaniter isti temperanter illi persequuntur sanitatem hi putredinem Austine of a double persecution 1. A just which the Church of God raiseth against the wicked for their impieties 2. Unjust which the wicked when they are in place raise against the godly for the truths sake The former proceeds from love and zeale and intends instruction the later from malice and cruelty and intends destruction the one wounds by injustice the other heales by discipline that lets out the corrupt this spills the life bloud Now for the examples of toleration of divers Religions they are either in such places where there are divers Regiments and Soveraignties as in Germany where each Prince maintains that Religion which he is perswaded in his conscience to bee the right or of Princes which could doe no other as things then stood with them as Theodosius who for a while bare with the Arrians but as soone as hee had strength enough against them prohibited them all meetings deprived them of the benefit of making Wills and forbad all disputing about the equality of the persons in the Trinity as we may reade in Sozomen and Theodoret or they are of Heretickes Turkes and Infidels and so no good presidents for Orthodoxe Christians In briefe they are all either impertinent or inconsequent and are over-borne with stronger reasons and more uncontrollable authorities on the contrary which before I martiall in their order I will set downe certaine distinctions and cautions for the clearer manifestation of the truth 1. First by divers Religions we understand Religions differing in main grounds and substantiall points of faith not in the outward forme of discipline much lesse in the habit or furniture of Rites and Ceremonies onely Diversities of Rites and Ceremonies have been alwayes in the Catholike Church without breach of unity The Spouse of Christ weareth a garment wrought about with divers colours
have somewhat against thee that thou sufferest The woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Com. in Apoc. Ambrosius Ansbertus Richell Dionysius Carthusianus and Hugo Cardinalis translate the word in the Originall uxorem thy wife which is the rather worth the noting in these Popish Interpreters who yet condemne Priests marriage Doubtlesse this Angel was a good Bishop for he is highly commended by our Saviour yet had he his wife by their confession Why therefore may not sacred persons enter into the sacred bands of matrimony Is it because as Pope Sirycius and after him Cardinall Bellarmine bear us in hand conjugall acts and matrimoniall duties stand not with the sanctity of the Priests function Now verily this is a strange thing that marriage according to the doctrine of their Church is a Sacrament conferring grace and yet a disparagement to the most sacred function marriage is a holy Sacrament and yet Priests are bound by a Sacrament that is an oath never to receive it marriage was instituted in Paradise in the state of mans innocencie when the image of God which the Apostle interpreteth to be holinesse and righteousnesse shined most brightly in him and yet it is a cloud nay a blurre to the most holy calling marriage was appointed by God as a speciall remedie against fornication and all uncleannesse and yet is an impeachment to holinesse The Aaronical Priesthood by Gods owne order was to be continued in the line of Aaron by generation not election and yet marriage cannot stand with the holinesse of Priesthood Who of the Patriarkes before the Flood was holier than Enoch who walked with God and was translated that he should not see death of the Prophets under the Law than Ezekiel of the Apostles than St. Peter and Philip and yet of Enoch we read that f Gen. 5.22 he begat sonnes and daughters and Saint g Chrysost in Gen. homil 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysostome bids us take speciall notice of it that the Holy Ghost saith in the same Verse he walked with God and beg at sonnes and daughters to teach us that the bonds of matrimony are no such fetters that they hinder us from walking with God Ezekiels h Ezek 24.16 wife is mentioned in his prophecy and Peters i Mat. 12.14 wives mother in the Gospel and Philips k Acts 21 9. daughters that prophesied in the Acts with whose examples l Clem. strom l. 3. p. 327. ' H 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clemens Alexandrinus mightily confoundeth and convinceth those ancient Heretickes the fore-runners of our Papists who disparaged this holy ordinance of God What saith hee will they blame the Apostles themselves For Peter and Philip begat children Philip also gave his daughters in marriage Neither can our adversaries evade these instances by saying that the Apostles indeed had wives before they were ordained Priests but after they entred into that holy calling forsooke them and had no more commerce with them For m Clem. strom l. 7 p. 529. Arunt B. Petrum cum vidisset uxorem suam duci ad mortem nomine quoque compellâsse ac dixisse Heus tu memento Domini Clemens informeth us that Saint Peters wife kept with him till her death and that when he saw her led to martyrdome he called to her by name and encouraged her saying Remember the Lord. Howbeit the major part of the Expositors take not Jezebel here for the Bishops wife but a disciple of the Nicolaitans who is here named Jezebel because shee resembled Jezebel especially in three particulars 1. As Jezebel brought amongst the Israelites the false worship of the Idoll Baal so this woman laboured to bring into this Church of Thyatira Idolatry and other pernitious errours in doctrine and practice 2. n 2 Kin. 9 22. Jezebel was given to fornication for which vice the Holy Ghost brandeth this woman also 3. Jezebel was a woman of authority and by her place and dignity did countenance and maintaine Idolatry and so it is likely that this was a woman of some place and ranke which she abused to countenance wicked opinions and seduce Gods servants o Hieron de nom Heb. Jezebel in the Hebrew signifieth fluxum sanguinis or stirquilinium an issue of bloud or doung both which were verified in the wife of Ahab whose abominable life and fearfull death yee may see set forth in lively colours in the booke of p 2 Kin. 9.33 ad finem They threw her downe and some of her bloud was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses and he trod her under foot Ver. 37. The carkeis of Jezebel was as doung upon the face of the field Kings to breed in all men and women a detestation of the one by the shame and horrour of the other A lamentable spectacle deare Christians to see the daughter and wife of a King trampled under foot in the dirt and the dogges tearing her flesh and licking up her bloud Shee who spent so much time in dressing and tricking up her selfe at the window is throwne downe headlong out of that window shee that looked so high falls full low and is trod under foot by her servant shee who spilt Naboths innocent bloud in Jezreel expiateth the place with her owne bloud that face on which shee a little before had laid costly colours and oyntments is now besmeared with dirt and stained with her owne bloud that flesh of hers which she pampered with all kindes of delicious meates is now cast to dogges Let them heare this and feare who weare Jezebels colours and tread in her steps who defile themselves with corporall or spirituall fornication who either idolatrize or idolize worship painted images or make themselves such Jezebel was the first we reade of that tooke the pensill out of the hand of her Maker endeavouring to mend his workmanship and what became of her you heard but now And howsoever some of late as they have sowed pillowes under mens elbowes so have tempered colours also for women and made apologies for painting yet all the ancient Fathers condemne it as a foule sinne Saint q Cyp. de hab virg Nonne metuis oro quae talis es ne cum resurrectionis dies venerit artifâ—x tuus te non recognoscat ad sua praemia promissa venientem excludat removeat increpans vigore censoris judicis opus hoc meum non est nec haec imago nostra est cutem falso medicamine polluisti crinem adultero colore mutásti Deum videre non poteris cùm oculi tibi non sint quos Deus fecit sed quos Diabolus infecit Cyprian thus schooles a young Jezebel in his dayes Art not thou afraid saith hee that plaisterest thy face and paintest thy body lest at the day of judgement thy Maker will not know thee but when thou pressest among the rest to receive the promised rewards to his servants will put thee backe saying Who art thou
wife embracing a stranger in bed so doth the wrath of God burne like fire and his jealousie breake out like a bright flame against such as Pigmalion-like entertaine an Idoll for him in the bed of their soule and commit fornication with it To commit fornication and to eat meat sacrificed unto Idols There is so neare affinity betwixt carnall and spirituall fornication that few defile their soules with the one but are defiled in body with the other as Jezebels scholars here who by eating meat sacrificed unto Idols were provoked to corporall uncleannesse One sinne as it breedeth so it feedeth another and as blindnesse of eyes was inflicted upon Elymas for his blindnesse of heart so God in his secret and just judgement here punished the Nicolaits spirituall with corporall fornication that as they provoked him to jealousie by familiarly and freely conversing with Idolaters so they were provoked to jealousie by their wives keeping company with adulterers Touching eating meats sacrificed unto Idols which the Spirit in this place and Saint k 1 Cor. 10.20 Paul and all the l Acts 15.20 Apostles in their decretall Epistle so strictly forbid you are to understand that the Christians in the Primitive Church in respect of their acquaintance and alliance with the heathen that dwelt among them did not sticke when they were invited by them to goe to their banquets and feasts which they kept in the Temples of their Idols when they sacrificed unto them and there they spent the remainder of such cates and wines as had beene offered to their Paynim gods The pretence which the Christians had for their resorting to these feasts was this that they knew the Idoll was nothing and therefore giving thankes to God for his creatures they did eat of all things without any scruple of conscience howsoever they had beene used and to whomsoever they had beene offered This our Saviour here reproveth the Thyatirians for and St. Paul the Corinthians in the place above alledged shewing that though the Idoll was nothing in it selfe yet sith the Gentiles did offer such things as were served-in at their Idols feast not to God but to Divels the Christians could not sit at the same tables with them rejoycing and feasting in the names of them but they must be partakers of their idolatry The maine argument he useth may bee thus reduced to forme They that eat of things offered unto Idols are partakers of the Divels table and are as it were in messe with him But none of Gods family may table with the Divell therefore all Christians ought to make conscience of accepting the heathens invitation to such feasts wherein they were to feed upon the Devils reliques Now that the servants of God may not meddle or make with the Divell or any of his instruments needs no proofe at all m 2 Cor. 6.14 For what Communion hath light with darkenesse or what fellowship hath Christ with Belial And that they that keepe gaudy dayes for the Divell and make merry with his reliques have fellowship with him the Apostle sheweth by the like examples They that eat of the sacramentall bread have their communion with Christ they that eat of the legall sacrifices are partakers of the Altar even so they that eat things offered unto Idols divide commons as it were with the Dâ—vell Thus have I glanced at all the parts of this Scripture but my principall aime was from the beginning at Jezebel set as a faire or rather foule marke in the midst of this verse I have somewhat against thee that thou sufferest Jezebel It is not onely evill to doe but also to suffer evill when it is in in our power to hinder it as I proved heretofore at large by arguments drawne 1. From the Law forbidding to plow with an Oxe and an Asse and punishing Idolaters with death 2. From the Gospell denying the service of two Masters and interdicting all fellowship and communion of light with darknesse or Christ with Belial 3. From the Spirits bill of enditement framed against the Angels of Pergamus and Thyatira for tolerating the Nicolaitans 4 From Gods threatning to cut off all such as sweare by him and by Malchim 5 From the Kings command in the parable to compell all the guests that were bid to come to his marriage feast 6. From the imputation which is laid by the Spirit upon many Kings of Israel and Judah for not taking away the high places 7. From the examples of Asa Josiah Ezechiah Nebuchadnezzar Constantine Jovian Theodosius and other religious Princes who by severe lawes restrained heresie and idolatry and constrained the true worship of God 8. From the verdict and depositions of the ancient Fathers Tertullian Cyprian Jerome Austine Leo Gregory Clemens Alexandrinus Epiphanius and Bernard who all strengthen the armes of the Magistrate and sharpen his sword against heretickes 9 From the lawes of the ancient Grecians Romanes and almost all the heathen who censured some way or other all innovation in religion and profanation of divine worship Lastly from the great danger of heresie which like a canker soone spreads over the whole body of the Church and if it bee not looked into killeth and that eternally thousands of soules breaketh the bands of nature and cutteth asunder all sinewes of humane society putteth enmity variance and implacable discords in families soweth seeds of sedition in the State reacheth dagges and daggers to subjects to assacinate the sacred persons of the Lords annointed layeth traynes in the deepe vaults of dislâ—yall hearts to blow up Parliaments and offer whole Kingdomes for an Holocaust It now remaineth that I appeach the Whore of Babylon of Jezebalisme and discover her filthy abominations and abominable filthinesse in the face of the sunne The Spirit here describeth Jezebel by three markes 1. Imposture She calleth her selfe a Prophetesse 2. Impurity She teacheth to commit fornication 3. Idolatry She alloweth eating meat sacrificed unto idols With these three crimes I dare more confidently charge the Romane Synagogue because with a whorish forehead shee seemeth rather to stand upon the justification of them than the deniall For among her religious practises shee reckoneth pious frauds as if shee verily beleeved that which heathen Varro writeth n Expedit falliâ—n religione civitates That it is expedient for men to be cheated in matter of religion And hereupon Vincentius Bellovacensis in the life of Saint Dominicke intitles one chapter De sanctâ ejus hypocrisi Of his holy hypocrisie And for impurity Casa the Archbishop of Beneventum layeth colours of eloquence upon that foule sinne which God punished in Sodome with fire and brimstone And for idolatry Gregory de Valentiâ the prime of the Schoole-men professedly pleads for it and endevours to prove it to bee lawfull out of the words of Saint Peter o 1 Pet. 4.3 Greg. de Val. de cult â—mag Quid attinebat ita detâ—rminatè cultus simulacrorum illicitos notarâ— si omnino nullos simulaâ—hrorum cultus
whole Psalme wherein foure things are particularly descanted on 1. The grievous affliction of Gods people who were banished their native soyle and by the waters of Babylon sate downe and wept 2. The inhumane cruelty of the Babylonians who not content to banish them out of their native country endeavoured also to banish all naturall affection out of their mindes requiring from them light and merry songs in this their great heavinesse 3. The zealous affection of the people towards their Country 4. Their effectuall prayer to God against their enemies the Edomites as the instigators of the siege and sacke of Jerusalem and the Babylonians as the chiefe actors in that bloudy Tragedy Remember the children of Edome c. We have in these words 1. A patheticall imprecation 2. A propheticall denunciation Edome is accursed Babylon is sentenced the one for advising the other for committing outrage upon Gods people Nothing will satisfie their malice and cruelty but a glut of bloud and massacre of Gods Saints and razing the holy City againe and againe if it were possible to a second foundation In the patheticall imprecation note we particularly 1. The curse it selfe Remember 2. The parties accursed The children of Edome 3. The cause why they are accursed their words steeped in the gall of malice Downe with it downe with it to the ground Likewise in the prophesie against Babylon observe 1. Her title Daughter of Babylon 2. Her judgement Which art to be destroyed 3. Her sin implyed in those words As shee hath served us Remember Remembrance is the calling to mind of such things as before we had forgot or at least put by and laid aside for the present God therefore who at once apprehendeth all things past present and future cannot be properly said to remember any thing yet by a figure he is said to remember his covenant when he performeth the conditions on his part to remember his children when he rewardeth them for their obedience and to remember his enemies also when hee repayeth unto them the workes of their hands The good theefe taketh the Word in the good sense b Luk. 23.42 Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome And David c Psa 106.4 5. Remember mee O Lord with the favour thou bearest thy people O visit mee with thy salvation that I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladnesse of thy nation that I may glory with thine inheritance But the Jewes here take the words in the worst sense Remember the children of Edome that is thinke upon them according to their deserts There is a precious balme that breaketh the head and the soft drops pierce stones even so the milde and meeke prayer of Gods people here against their unnaturall brethren the Edomites pierced the heavens and prevailed with him that is omnipotent God remembred his peoples just complaints and the Edomites paid for it Thus if we would remember the words of God d Rom. 12.19 Heb. 10.30 Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord and when wee are wronged in the highest degree commit our cause to him and not to vow threaten or practise our owne revenge God would certainly right us in due time Are wee not brethren If then we have hard measure offered unto us why doe we not complaine to our heavenly Father Why doe wee not powre out our groanes into his bosome either in the words of Brutus e Plut. in vit Brut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or rather in the words of David f Psal 35.1 Plead thou my cause O Lord with them that strive with mee fight against them that fight against mee Or of the slaine under the Altar g Rev. 6.10 How long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell upon the earth Yea but ye may object Is not this Remember here an imprecation or a curse in words as smooth as oyle and yet in the sense as sharp as swords What then may the children of blessing curse Is not cursing accursed by the Prophet His h Psal 10.7 mouth is full of cursing As he loved i Psal 109.17 cursing so let it come unto him as he delighteth not in blessing so let it be farre from him Are not curses fitly compared to arrowes shot bolt upright which fall downe upon the head of him that drawes the bow Doth not our blessed Saviour command us to k Mat. 5.44 blesse them that curse us And doth not the Apostle repeat it againe and againe for feare we should forget it l Rom. 12.14 Blesse them that persecute you blesse I say and curse not Are not cursed speakers sharply censured by the Apostle and ranked among the greatest sinners m Rom. 3.13 14. Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feet are swift to shed bloud The resolution of this doubt consisteth in a distinction of the 1. Parties 1. Cursing 2. Cursed 2. Cause Saint Austine alloweth of no cursing by malediction but propheticall prediction Peter Martyr putteth a great difference between cursing which proceeds from a sense of our private wrong and that which breakes out of zeale for Gods honour when his name is blasphemed or his kingdome opposed and truth scandalized Men saith he may not curse carnali affectu out of a carnall affection but it is another thing cùm aguntur Spiritu Dei when they are moved thereunto by the Spirit of God He distinguisheth also of temporall and eternall evills and he is of opinion that in some case temporall evills may be wished to our enemies because they may turne to their good but in no wise eternall Pareus having distinguished of humane imprecations and divine and subdivided these either into immediate or mediate determineth that observing some conditions wee may without sinne curse some kind of men What we may safely build upon in this question I will lay down in three assertions 1. Men that have the gift of Prophecy may curse the enemies of God and his truth not only in generall but also in particular as David doth n Psal 69.25 Acts 1.20 Judas Peter o Act 8.2 20. Simon Magus and Paul the high p Act. 23.3 Priest For this kind of cursing is not properly malediction but prediction neither is it spoken voto optantium sed spiritu prophetantium as Saint Austine teacheth us to distinguish 2. Men endued with ecclesiasticall power may pronounce Anathema's deliver to Sathan and curse obstinate heretickes and contemners of ecclesiasticall discipline For this is jus dicere not maledicere an act of power not impotent affection of censure not revenge Howbeit the Church must be sparing of these thunder-bolts of execration and excommunication remembring alwayes that this power is q 2 Cor. 10.8 given to them for edification not for destruction For it is most true that the
us doe something to him and for him he hath remembred us not in words but in deeds let us remember him as well in deeds as words let us honour him with our substance let us blesse him with our hands let us praise him with our goods Peradventure you will say Our h Psal 16.2 goods are nothing to him our goodnesse extendeth not unto him he is far above us and out of the reach of our charity see how the Prophet himselfe removeth this rub in the next verse But to the Saints that are on the earth and to them that excell in vertue And our Saviour assureth us that i Mat. 25.40 Verely verely I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto mee Whatsoever we doe unto them Christ taketh it as done unto himselfe In feeding the hungry ye feed Christ in clothing the naked ye cloth him in visiting the imprisoned ye visit him Though ye cannot now with Mary Magdalen reach up to his head to breake a boxe of Spicknard and powre it on him yet ye can annoint him in his sicke and sore comfort him in his afflicted provide for him in his famished relieve him in his oppressed yea and redeem him also in his captive members This to doe is charity and mercy at all times but now it is piety and devotion also It is not sufficient for you to lift up your hands in prayer and thanksgiving ye must stretch them out in pious and k Heb. 13.16 charitable contributions for with such sacrifices God is well pleased And if ever such sacrifices are due to him now especially upon the yeerly returne of the feast wee celebrate for the preservation of our King and Kingdome Church and Common-wealth Nobles and Commons Goods and Lands nay Religion and Lawes from the vault of destruction Remember O Lord the children of Edome in that day what they said Novelties shall passe with a crack and Heretickes shall receive a blow and what they assayed even to raze Jerusalem and Sion to the ground and forget not O Lord the Whore of Babylon which hath dyed her garments scarlet red in the bloud of thy Saints and Martyrs make all her lovers to forsake her and abhorre her poysoned doctrine though offered in a cup of gold Strip her of her gay attire pluck down her proud looks humble her before thy Spouse and if she will not stoop nor repent her of her spirituall fornication savage cruelty against the professours of the truth reward her as shee hath served us But as for those that have forsaken Babel joyne with us in the defence confirmation of the Gospel prosper them in all the reformed Churches and grant that as they all agree in the love of the same truth so they may seek that truth in love and that their love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgement that they may discerne those things that differ and approve of those things that are excellent that they may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Cui c. SERMONS PREACHED IN LAMBETH PARISH CHURCH THE WATCHFULL SENTINELL A Sermon preached the fifth of November THE LXI SERMON PSAL. 121.4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe THe more the enemies of the Gospel endevour to blot out this feast out of our Calender and raze it out of the memory of all men by giving it out where they see the coast cleare and none to encounter their falshood that the ground of this dayes devotion was a fiction of ours not a designe of theirs a stratagem of state to scandalize them not a plot of treason to ruine our King and State by so much the more all that love the truth in sinceritie ought to keep it with more fervencie of devotion celebrity of publique meeting and solemnity of all corresponding rites and ceremonies that the voyce of our thanksgiving and the sound of Gods praise for so great a deliverance may ring to the ends of the earth and the children yet unborne may heare it Other feasts we celebrate by faith this by experience and sense other deliverances we beleeve this we feele the ground of other festivities are Gods benefits upon his people indeed but of other countreyes and other times but of this is the preservation of our owne Countrey in our owne time And therefore what S. Bernard spake of the feast of Dedication we may say of this a In fest dedic Tantò nobis debet esse devotior quanto est familiarior Nam caeteras quidem solemnitates cum aliis ecclesiis habemus communes haec nobis est propria ut necesse sit à nobis vel à nemine celebrari We ought the more religiously to keepe this feast by how much the more neare it concernes us for other solemnities wee have common with other Churches this is so proper to us that if wee celebrate it not none will This wee ought in speciall to owne because it presenteth to all thankfull hearts a speciall act of Gods watchfull care over our Church our Nation yea and this place For this monster of all treasons which no age can parallel was conceived within our precincts and so it should have brought forth ruine and destruction in our eyes if God had not crushed it in the shell we should have seen on the sudden the citie over against us all in a light fire all the skie in a cloud of brimstone and the river died with bloud wee should have heard nothing after the cracke of thunder but out-cries and voyces in Ramah weeping and mourning and exceeding great lamentation our Rachel mourning for her children and shee would not have beene comforted because they should not have beene The lowder the cry of our sorrow would then have beene the lowder ought now to be the shouts of our joy To which purpose I have made choyce of this verse for my text taken out of a Psalme of degrees that I might thereby raise my meditations and your affections to the height of this feast The words may serve as a motto and the worke of this day for an image to make a perfect embleme of Gods watchfull care over his people and the peoples safetie under the wings of his providence But before I enter upon the parts of this Psalme it will be requisite that I cleare the title a Song of degrees If the meaning be as some translate the words Shur hamagnaloth Canticum excellentissimum an excellent song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we read Adam hamagnaloth a man of eminent degree are not all the other Psalmes likewise excellent songs Why then hath this onely with some few that follow it the garland set upon it Some will have these fifteene Psalmes beginning from the 120. to
ad Eugen l. 2. I ergo tu tibi usurpare aude aut dominans apostolatum aut apostolicus dominatum c. Bernard was in the wrong for hee inferres the cleane contrary from it and which is most considerable in a booke of consideration dedicated to the Pope himselfe Peter could not give thee that which he had not what he had that he gave thee care over the Churches but did hee not also give thee dominion heare what himselfe saith not as being Lords over Gods heritage but being made examples to the flocke lest any man should thinke that this was spoken onely in humility and not in truth it is the voice of the Lord in the Gospell Kings of the nations beare rule over them but it shall not bee so with you it is plaine that Lord-like dominion is forbidden to the Apostles goe too therefore now and assume to thy selfe if thou dare either the office of an Apostle if thou be a Lord or Lord-like Dominion if thou be an Apostle Howbeit I deny not that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used sometimes signifieth to rule with Princely authority and Lord-like command both in Scriptures and prophane Writers as a Hom. Il. 1. Homer stileth King Agamemnon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Shepheard of the people so God himselfe calleth Cyrus his b Esay 44.28 That saith of Cyrus he is my shepheard Shepheard and which is very observable Cyrus as if hee had taken notice of this name imposed by God upon him before his birth was wont usually to say c Xen. Cyr. poed l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That a good Prince was like a good Shepheard who can by no other meanes grow rich than by making his flocke to thrive under him the prosperity of the subject is not only the honour but the wealth also of the Prince All this maketh nothing for the Popes triple Crowne to which hee layeth claime by vertue of Christs threefold pasce or feede Joh. 21.15.16.17 for neither doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 originally nor properly nor usually signifie to reigne as a King especially when oves meae or grex domini my sheepe or the flocke of God is construed with it nor can it be so taken here or Joh. 21. as the light of both texts set together reflecting one upon the other will cleer the point For that which Christ enjoyneth Peter Joh. 21. that Peter here enjoyneth all Elders the words of the charge are the same Feede my sheepe there Feede the flocke of God here But Saint Peter enjoyneth not all Elders in these words to rule with soveraigne authority as Kings over the whole flocke or as Lords over their owne peculiar for this hee expressely forbiddeth ver 3. therefore to usurpe authority over the whole Church or to domineere over any part thereof is not to feede according to Christs charge to Saint Peter or Saint Peters to all Elders What is it then if you have reference to the Etymology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feede as the word imports in the originall is to reside upon our cure or abide with our flocke where the spouse is commanded to seeke Christ d Cant. 1.8 goe thy way forth to the footsteps of the flocke And indeed where should the Sentinell be but upon his watch-tower where the Pilot but at the sterne where the intelligence but at his orbe where the sunne but within his ecliptick line where the candle but in the candle-stick where the diamond but in the ring where the shepheard but among his flocke whom hee is to feede for whom he is to provide of whom hee is to take the over-sight to whom hee ought to bee an example which hee cannot be if hee never be in their sight But because this observation is grounded only upon the Etymology I will lay no more stresse upon it The proper and full signification of the word is pastorem agere to play the good shepheard or exercise the function of a Pastor which consisteth in three things especially 1 Docendo quid facere debeant 2 Orando ut facere possint 3 Increpando si non faciant 1 In teaching those of his flock what they ought to doe 2 In praying that they may doe it 3 In reproving if they doe it not All which may bee reduced to a threefold feeding 1 With the Word Jer. 3. Jer. 3.15 I will give you pastors according to mine owne heart that shall feede you with knowledge and understanding 2 With the Sacraments Apoc. 2. Joh. 6. 3 With the Rod Micah 7.14 To feed with the Word and Sacraments is the common duty of all Pastors but to feed with the rod is reserved to Bishops they are Seraphims holding the spirituall sword of excommunication in their hands to guard the tree of life whose speciall office and eminent degree in the Church is implyed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the vulgar latine rendereth providentes but Saint e Aug. de civ l. 19 c. 19. Supervidentes appellantur ut intelligant se non esse episcopos qui prae esse dilexerint non prodesse Austine more agreeable to the Etymology supervidentes super-visours or super-intendents Yet this is but a generall notation of the name every Bishop is a super-visour or over-seer but every super-visour is not a Bishop The Lacedaemonian Magistrates were called Ephori which is an equivalent stile to Episcopi and f Euseb vit Constant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constantine the great spake as truely as piously to his Bishops Yee reverend Fathers are Bishops of them that are within the Church but I of them that are out of the Church where your pastorall staffe is too short I will piece it out and lengthen it with my scepter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the most proper and restreyned signification is to exercise Episcopall authority or performe the office of a Bishop which consisteth in two things 1 In ordaining 2 Ordering 1 Giving orders 2 Keeping order Saint Paul giveth g Tit. 1.5 Titus both in charge for this cause left I thee in Crete to ordaine Elders in every Church there is the first to wit ordination and to set in order things that are wanting or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to correct things out of order there is the second viz. ordering or reformation Timothy likewise the first consecrated Bishop of Ephesus is put in minde of these branches of his Episcopall function of the first h 1 Tim. 5.22.19 Lay hands suddenly on no man of the second Against an Elder receive not an accusation but under two or three witnesses i ver 20. Them that sinne rebuke before all that others also may feare Be not k ver 22. partaker of any other mans sinnes to wit by not censuring or punishing them These two offices to bee most necessary in the Church every mans reason and common experience will informe us For