which Lawless Miscreants we are here caution'd against in the Text for they are Invaders of their Superiours Rights disturbers of the publick Peace and sworn Enemies to Government Rom. 13.2 the Ordinance of God And therefore to shut up this first Stage From all their Seditious Principles Privy Conspiracies and open Rebellions against the Lords Anointed Good Lord deliver Him and Us Secondly Meddle not with them that are given to Change their God their Religion and Faith I mean that good old Way those beaten Paths visible all along to the Apostolical Age. What Rebells are in State Hereticks and Schismaticks are in the Church By Hereticks I mean such as stifly and obstinately maintain and propagate Errours about the Christian Faith soundly and generally held by the Catholick Church By Schismaticks such as scornfully separate from the received ancient Discipline and set up some new Model of their own 1. Then Meddle not with them that are given to change the primitive Faith We must have a special care of bartering away our precious Faith 2 St. Pet. 1.1 as St. Peter calls it either for the Traditions of men or Doctrines of Devills Rom. 16.17 I beseech you Brethren says St. Paul mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them And knowing that fair means will not always doe He hath elsewhere left a solemn Execration upon Record to affright us from Heretical Teachers saying Though We or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel Sal. 1.8 then that we have already Preached let him be Accursed His words are full of Emphasis it is not though I but though We that is though Peter and James and John and I and all the Apostles should combine together to forge a new Gospâ—l nay though an Angel from Heaven should be in the Plot let him also be Anathema And lest we should think He speaks unadvisedly as led by humane Passion more than by any Divine Warrant He repeats it over again in the very next verse As we said before so say I now again ver 9. if any man Preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be Accursed Whereupon Vinc. Lerinadu Haeres saies good Vincentius in a holy Zeal if any man presume to teach Novelties in the Faith contrary to the ancient sound Doctrine let that elect and chosen Vessel that profound Doctor of the Gentiles that Trumpet of the Apostles who whilst he preached on Earth was caught up into the third Heaven cry out in his writings still against him Let him be twice Accursed Let him be rejected and Excommunicated least the Infection of one Sheep and much more the Defection of one Shepherd endanger the whole Flock of Christ 1 Tim. 6.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Apostle chargeth his Son Timothy O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy Trust avoiding profane and vain Novelties as St. Chrysostome and the vulgar read it which I can't let pass without Vincentius his excellent Paraphrase thereon Keep the Depositum that which is recommended to thy Charge and Trust Id. Ibid. not that which is of thine own Invention that which thou hast received not what thou hast devised a matter not of Wit but Doctrine not of private Usurpation but of publick Tradition thou receivedst Gold free from all mixtures of Brass or Lead Fraud or Feculency and therefore be sure to pay Gold And again O Timothy O Preacher O Priest Shew thy self if thou wilt and canst a cunning Bezaliel in the spiritual Tabernacle fall to work with the Precious Jewells of Divine Doctrine fit them faithfully adorn them wisely add splendor grace and beauty to them Let that be understood more clearly by thy Exposition which was before believed more obscurely But be sure it be the same of the Old stamp and no adulterate Doctrine His meaning is that such things only must be taught and held for matters of Faith both by Priest and People as have been always owned by the Catholick Church from the express Word of God for understanding the true sence whereof in case of Disputes we are to follow Antiquity Vniversality and Consent as he adds afterwards Now that our Church of England is hated by both her Extremes 2 Tim. 1.13 for holding fast this old Form of sound words in their primitive Purity that very Faith whereof our Saviour is the Author our Soveraign the Defender and not admitting their Novel Opinions into her Creed will appear by and by For it seems not unreasonable to satisfie one Enquiry first Quest Why God will suffer so many Heresies and Impostures in the world from time to time to prejudice and countermine his most holy Truth I answer in the words of Moses Deut 13.1 Answ 2. If there ariseth a Prophet or Dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a sign and the signe come to pass and then he entice thee to go after other Gods thou shalt not hearken to that Dreamers words for the Lord your God proveth you whether ye love the Lord with all your heart and with all your Soul A very clear Account of the whole matter God suffers false Prophets to make true Predictions sometimes and then to entice his people to the Worship of Idols merely and on purpose to try their Constancy whether they will by any means or artifices be tempted from his service and change their God Now Heresie under the Gospel bears Analogie to Idolatry under the Law both imply a setting forth of strange Gods Act. 17.18 And therefore St. Paul gives much the same reason hereof with that of Moses saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be also Heresies among you 1 Cor. 11.19 that they which are approved may be made manifest There Must be Good and Evil Life and Death true and false Religions set before men else there would be no Choice no Vertue but all Necessity there being no such thing as Victory without Enemies no credit in vindicating truth were there no Errour in the World Therefore it is that God permits men oftimes of subtile heads rational learning eloquent speech pleasing converse and exemplary lives tâ— set up for Hereticks in their several ages as a Touchstone to prove his own Servants Faithfulness to shew whether they love or flatter Him whether they hold their Religion by chance or choice whether a well-contrived Fable learned Cheat or specious Imposture can perswade them out of their Christian Name that they which are approved may be made manifest For he onely is a true and Catholick Christian who preferres nothing before the Catholick Faith Vinc. Ler. Ib. Not any private man's Love nor his Wit nor his Eloquence nor his Philosophy nor his Authority no nor that Dagon of his Infallibility but despising all these is fixed and immoveable in that Faith he finds the Church Vniversal hath ever held and resolves to hold and live and die
A SERMON Preached at the ASSIZES AT HERTFORD March the 9th 1682 3. By Iohn Standish D. D. and Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY Remove not the ancient Land-markes which thy Fathers have set Prov. 22.28 LONDON Printed by Tho. Milbourn for Robert Clavel at the Sign of the Peacock at the West End of St. Pauls To the Right Worshipful James Willymott Esq High Sheriff and one of His Majesties Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace for the County of Hertford AND To all the rest of His Majesties truly Loyal Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace for the said County SIRS DIvers others Reasons besides the Consciousness of my In-sufficiency for these things made me at first unwilling to appear in Print one of which I shall acquaint you of to shew that my desire to be excused was Real and not without some ground Ye know The burnt Child dreads the Fire I never published but one Sermon before and that too by His MAJESTIES express Command and yet I was not only Challenged publickly and Animadverted upon for it but to make the Scene more pleasant in exposing me the same Ingenuous unknown Hand tied me to the Cart-tayle of a Non-Conformist as if I had been one of the Changelings in my Text a false Brother Or in the new Style a Trimmer Indeed I did not think fit to accept his Challenge but know all men by these presents that was for the Author's sake and Theirs that set him on work more than my own And I have taken occasion to mention this now partly to let them see I can forgive a wrong without the formality of receiving Satisfaction but chiefly to convince You that a man may be in some danger of censure under your Protection when he is not safe or out of Gun-shot though armed with the KINGS Authority After all you see I have performed more then I would promise and denied my self to gratify You. For your repeated Importunity hath prevailed upon my second thoughts to believe That the making this Sermon publick may possibly contribute one Mite to his MAJESTIES and the CHVRCHES service in this nice Juncture And then let the Criticks shew their Teeth and Conscious Men betray their Guilt by being angry with me it shall not break my sleep so long as I have gained my Point that is done nothing but what was my Duty to do as became Your Obedient Servant JOHN STANDISH London April the 30th 1683. Proverbs Chap. 24. Ver. 21. Meddle not with them that are given to Change SEmper Eadem is Truth 's Royal Motto She is ever the same constant and immutable like that Rock of Ages from whence she was hewen even the God of Truth St. James 1 1◠in whom is no variableness or shadow of turning but Falsehood Errour and Vice smell of the Pit the bottomless Pit out of which they were digged They are constant in nothing but inconstancy they have more change of shapes than Proteus himself more colours than the Camelion more faces than ever Briareus was fancied to have hands alike in nothing but their common Deformity The Devil ye know is the Father of Lies who sometimes puts on the form of a Serpent sometimes plays the Roaring Lyon and sometimes acts an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 as may best suit with his present design and no wonder if his Children be all like the Father 'T is only then for Atheists Hereticks and Hypocrites those unnatural Fooles to divide Sacred Unity affect Novelties and prove moral Changelings but Wisdomes Sons who have espoused the true Religion must be faithful and true to their holy Consort must never abate of their old affection never undervalue their Choice so much as to long for varieties or in the language of my Text not medle with them that are given to Change A piece of seasonable Advise for a brain-sick Age a soveraign Amulet to preserve us from the contagious humour of a giddy unconstant World In pursuance whereof I shall endeavour 1. To explain the Wise man's Terms and then 2. Apply his Pious Counsel And 1. What He means by them that are given to Change or Changers as the Original may be copied as well in little That will soon appear if we consider First The Emphasis and significancy of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shonim from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shanah to change alter iterate fluctuate vary and never continue in one stay from whence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shanah a year from its vicissitude various seasons frequent changes of weather and circular Revolutions Some Affinity too it seemes to have with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shanan which signifies to whet and forbish up instruments of Cruelty weapons of War and in spight of the old Prophesie to change plow-shares into Swords Micah 4.3 and turne their pruning-books into Speares By all which put together we understand that the Royal Pen-man here points at those Plagues of mankind who live as it were in a Circle ever opposite to the Center of Rest and Peace those Seditious Turbulent and Atheistical Spirits who study nothing but Innovations who would fain upon every occasion as the toy takes them Change their God Religion Princes Government Fundamental Lawes laudable Rites ancient Customes and the whole State of a Kingdome The very Thing He put in a Caveat against before by way of Allegory saying Prov. 22.28 Remove not the ancient Land-Marks which thy Fathers have set 2. By considering the Antithesis or opposition between this and the former part of the Verse we shall be more fully informed what these Changers are My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to Change The Antithesis must needs infer That these Changers are either 1. Such as would seem to Fear the Lord but not the King pretending a mighty Zeal for the Divine Name and Worship in their own and that commonly some new-found singular Way but all this while reviling his Vice-gerent for Presumptuous are they 2 St. Pet. 2.10 and self-willed and not afraid to speak evil of Dominions Principalities and Powers Like those Russian Eremites Fletcher's Hist of Russia and Pasquil Prophets we read of they think themselves inspired and sent on purpose into the World to blazon their Superiours faults quarrel their Conduct and find some flaw in their wisest Counsels They would have Us believe that the Kingdome of Christ is indeed a Fifth Monarchy to be built upon the Ruines of all Secular Powers and that the Church cannot be edified nor Religion advanced till they pluck them down or get above them Or else Secondly It must infer That these Changers are such as Fear the King perhaps but not the Lord Men of no Conscience Rev. 17.14 or Religion at all but Policy The High and Mighty KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS is not in all their thoughts they have no Fear of God before their Eyes but content
in That and onely That Meddle not then but avoid all those that have actually changed the Doctrine of Faith and not to mention others now I shall onely instance in and caution us all against Two formidable Parties which are the great Temptations of this our age to allure and seduce men from their received and most holy Faith First Meddle not with the Church of ROME who though she cry her self up for the Eldest Sister among the Churches and plead Antiquity for all her Errours yet they that have perused the most ancient Greek and Latine Fathers and other Writers nay they that can but read their English-Bible may easily see how unconstant what an Apostate she hath been of latter times Once indeed we grant her Faith was famous and spoken of throughout the World as St. Paul witnesseth Rom. 1.18 but since she is degenerated she hath removed the old Land-Mark she hath espoused corrupt Principles and Practices and sought out many many New Inventions Eccles 7.29 Let Her make out that new found Name of a Roman-Catholick to be better sence as she useth it then a Particular Universal and tell us by what Logick she arrogates to her self that Indefectibility promised onely to the Church Catholick Let Her once fairly demonstrate that Christs Kingdom was indeed of this World St. -Joh 18.36 and St. Peter by Him constituted his sole undoubted Vice-Roy nay let Her convict St. Peter Himself of Heretical Modesty at least because he proclaimeth not Himself but the KING SUPREAM for otherwise 1 St. Pet. 2.13 instead of the true ROCK she doth most manifestly build upon the Sand. Let Her produce any manner of evidence for the POPE's Universal Monarchy in the first five hundred years ELEUTHERIUS who flourished in the second Century acknowledgeth LUCIUS the first Christian KING of England and in all the World to be Gods immediate VICAR in his own Dominions Speeds Chron. and GREGORY the Great who lived in 570 saies expressly if any man call himself Universal Pastor or Head of the whole Church he is the forerunner of ANTICHRIST and why are not they as Infallible as their Successors Let Her shew any ground for Idol Worship in the Holy Scriptures or the primitive Writers Tertullian Lactantius and several others do plainly condemne it even in their own Notion Let Her acquit her self of the many senceless absurdities and contradictions of TRANSUBSTANTIATION and tell us by what warrant of Antiquity she denies the Cup in the Eucharist to the Laity St. Mat. 26.27 contrary to a palpable command Drink ye All of it There had been more pretence of reason for denying them the Bread Lev. 17.11 or Body because the Life is in the Blood besides that it is no where in the Gospel said Eat ye All of That She professedly edifies the People in Ignorance 1 Corinth 14. by Praying and Prophesying in an unknown Tongue she makes no other use or accompt of CONFESSION then what professed Drunkards do of Vomiting She abuses and cheats the World for filthy Lucre's sake with that gaineful Dream of Purgatory and those more dangerous delusions of Indulgences in a word she absolves natural Subjects from all Oaths and ties of Obedience deposes KINGS and disposes of their Crowns to mention no more and then we will confess it is not She but We that are given to Change the Faith but not till then 2. Meddle not with the Enthusiast on the other hand whatever his Sirname be though it be Legion for they are Many They will teach you strange and desperate Doctrines such as Absolute Reprobation without any prospect of man's Fall of a Light within them whereby they read the will of God more certainly then by the Lampe of this Word of Gods being the Author of mens sins as that lying Greek said of Old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Gods Grace is irresistible to some and equally Impossible to others that men may be saved by the strength of their own natural Powers without the special Grace of God merited by Christ that Christ himself had no Being at all before he was born of the Virgin Mary or at the best that He was onely the First-born of Gods Creatures with many more such frightsub Blasghemies And as the summ of all the rest they will insinuate that Jesuitical and Traiterous Position of taking up Armes by the KINGS Authority against his Person holding it lawful to arraign and condemn Majesty it self at the Barr of his own Subjects in a Mock-Court of Justice such a horrid Doctrine as I believe Jews themselves would never have own'd or practised had they been convinced that JESUS was their lawful KING Meddle not with them for they have forsaken the right way 2 St. Pet. 2.15 yea Wo unto them saies St. Peter for they have gone in the way of Cain and followed the errour of Balaam New Lights indeed they are but all wandring Stars St. Jude v. 13. of an irregular motion and running out of one Heresie into another being constant to nothing but the incorrigible temper of mad Prophets and Rengious Murtherers Thirdly and Lastly For yet thou lackest one thing and if thou wilt be perfect Meddle not with Schissmaticks St. Mat. 19.21 that are given to change the received ancient Discipline for some new fangled Model of their own and rashly depart from the Communion of the Established Church Were not our Church-Government legible all along in Ecclesiastical story to the Apostles times And did we not find the Original of their several Projects in the Annals of the very last Age there might be somewhat pleaded in their excuse Let one Instance serve for all that the Cross in Baptism that great Scandal and stumbling Block as they would make it is no new thing St. Austine or St. Cyprian can tell them at large and the old the excellent Rule of the Primitive Church about such Rites was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Nic. Let the ancient Customs prevail There is indeed no Prescription against Truth as Tertullian observes neither Space of Time nor Patronage of Learned men nor Priviledge of Countries and our Saviour calls himself the Truth not the Custome but yet however in things harmless and decent and tending to edification Custome and Antiquity are like the gray haires of old Men Prov. 20.29 so far from contempt or reproach that they are their Beauty Crown and Glory And it is a very hard case that men should be so superstitiously affraid of Popish abuses on the one hand as to incurre a more dangerous mistake on the other Rom. 1.16 Rev. 7.2 c. 16.2 and profess they are wholly ashamed of the Cross of CHRIST and that they will rather suffer the mark of the Beast than the Seal of the living God to be set upon their Foreheads Constantine's Name will be for ever Great for making the Cross his Standard in vertue whereof He did