Bishoprick in respect of Christ the Bishop of our Soules 1 Pet. 2. 25. The sole oecumenicall and universall President of the whole Church So then as there are many Beames proceeding from the same Sun yet one Sun in which they are United many branches growing from one Tree yet one roote wherein they are conjoyned many Rivers yet one Sea wherein they all meet many lines in a circle but one Center wherein they all concur So the Members of Christs Church though in respect of themselves they be divers yet they have all but one beginning one Spring one roote one Head one Center and in this respect all but one as one in respect of the Head so in respect of the Spirit which animateth every Member thereof This is the soule that informs the whole Church it is that Intellectus agens of which Philosophers have so much dreamed which is Vnas numero in every Member of Christs mysticall Body So that as the integrall Members of mans Body though of themselves they be specifically distinct flesh bones nerves muscles veines arteries c. Every one of them having a peculiar essentiall and specificall form yet being informed with one humane Soule they are but integrall parts of the same man So all Christians in the World though in sex and state and degree and calling and Nation and language they be different yet being regenerated and animated with the same spirit they are but integrall Members of one and the selfe same Church 3. One in respect of Faith and Religion and profession contained in the sacred volume of the Bible the two Brests of the Church out of which Christs Lambs do suck the sincere Milke of the word that they may grow thereby The two Cherubims that with mutuall counterview do face the mercy Seate that is Christ the two great lights that inlighten the World the old like the Moon to rule the night the new like the Sun to rule the day that for the Patriarks this for us the two Pillars to leade us from Egypt to Canaan the old of a Cloud dark and obscure in figures and shadowes the other of fire bright and cleare both of them making one and absolute rule of our faith and profession she is then one because one spirit quickeneth her one because one rule directeth her that is the essentiall form this is the proper passion flowing from this form by which the Church a Posteriori may be demonstrated For they are my Sheep saith Christ which heare my voice John 10. 27. thus then briefly one Spouse one love one Dove one Body one Fleece one Arke on Spirit one Faith one Religion one Head one Shepheard one Flock Here to come to so me application give me leave to use the Apostles protestation I say the truth in Christ Jesus Ilye not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost that I have great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart and with the Prophet Jeremy could wish that my head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the Schismes and divisions that are at this day in the Christian world There was a time there was Woe worth that unhappy Tense there was but Est bene non possum dicere dico fuit I cannot say there is I must needs speak as it is There was a time when the whole Church of God in all places of the world was of one heart and one minde of one accord and of one judgment And howsoever there was and ever will be some difference about some circumstances of no great weight yet was there not the least discrepance amongst them in any one essentiall point of our faith Vna agebat in omnibus membris divini spiritus virtus erat omnibus anima una fidei propositum idem divinitatis celebratio omnibus una Euseb lib. 10. hist Eccl. Chap. 3. in somuch that as when any member of the body is ill affected all the rest do conspire to cure it or when a house is set on fire the whole town will run to quench it So if any heresie happened to spring in any part of the World their common desire was to crush the serpents head to make it like Ionas his gourd of short continuance and to smother it in the birth and make it like the untimely fruit of a Woman which perisheth afore it see the Sun they did conspire to heale the affected member and did concu to stay the flame from further combustion Thus did they from the most parts of the world concur at Nice against Arius at Constantinople against Macedonius at Ephesus against Nestorius at Chalcedon against Entiches Thus was the head of Britaines snake as Prosper Aquitanus tells Pelagius crushed by provinciall Synods in most places of Christendome And long before these times when as yet there was not a Christian Emperour thus they dealt with Montanus in many of their Synods And at Antioch against Paulus Samosatenus they met from all Churches under Heaven as it were against a common theife that stole the Sheep out of Christs flock But now O times the one and undivided spouse of Christ is like a Traytor drawn and quattered the North and the South the Orient and the Occident each differ from other in sundry materiall and essentiall points of Faith And here in the West that Church whose faith was once famous through the whole world which was as a Beacon upon an hill a guide for all the Churches round about her a Sanctuary for orthodoxall exiles one of the four Patriarchicall Seas and that in respect of place and order the first the Empresse of the World the Glory of Kingdomes the pride and beauty of Nations the faithfull City is so estranged from the Bridegroomes Voice and hath so depraved the purity of Christian religion both by loosing of her own and the taking in of Forraine water that as one sayd of Athens we may say of Rome thou mayst seeke Rome in Rome and canst not finde it being become like unto one of the old Aegyptian Temples beautifull without and Cats and Ratts and Crocodiles adored within And whereas shee hath no more reason to be called Catholike then the old Mahometans to call themselves Saracens then the Jewes had to call Herod that was ready to be eaten with wormes a God then the Persians that were shortly afterslaine by the Romans to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Manes had to stile himselfe an Apostle of Jesus Christ then Celsus the Heathen Philosopher to entitle his Books written against Christian Religion the word of truth or Drunkards to be tearmed good fellowes or light housewives honest women having made the rule of her faith like Glaucus the Sea which loosing some part of his Body by beating upon Rocks and shelves hath the same repaired by rocks and sand that cleave to him yet must shee be called the only Catholike Church of
with old nor new with new nor new with old nor Schoole Doctor with Schoole Doctor nor Fryar with Fryar nor Priest with Priest nor Jesuite with Jesuite nor Pope with Councill nor Pope with Pope nor one with another nor any with God And therefore as he in Plutarch who when he cast a stone at a Dogg happened to light upon his Step-mother sayd That though it was besides his purpose yet it was not greatly amisse Or as the Printer of a learned Treatise when in stead of Cardinales he Printed Carnales although it was besides the intent of the Author yet was it neither incongruous Latine nor false English So if Bellarmine in setting downe the works and rules of the Catholique Romish Church when he made Vnitas for One if in writing of Vnitas he had over-reached a little with his Pen and added one Vowell more and made it Vanitas though it had been beside his owne intendment yet had it neither been beside nor against the truth this being a proper passion immediately flowing from the principles of that Church and consequently an inseparable mark whereby to discerne her But to leave the Papists and with an exhortation to all to make an end of all Is the whole Church of Christ but one flock then let us all which professe our selves to be members of this Church of what calling and condition soever we be bend all our endeavours nor for our owne particulars but for the peace and good and preservation of the whole even as the members of a mans body which is a fit embleme of Gods Church do not so much tender their owne good as the safety and preservation of the whole and because the bond of this Unity is Peace let it be the care of you that are Magistrates to maintaine peace and of us that are Ministers to Preach peace and of you that are Lawyers to procure peace and of you that are Jurors to conclude peace and let us all with joynt consents pray for the peace of this Jerusalem that plenteousnesse may be within her Pallaces and peace within her Walls peace in matters of opinion and peace in matters of action peace in matters of piety and peace in matters of equity peace with God and peace with our selves and peace with all men remembring that God himselfe is called the God of peace and his Gospell the Gospell of peace and his naturall Son the author of peace and his adopted Sons the children of peace But especially let me intreat yea and as an Embassadour of Jesus Christ charge you that are Magistrates of our Countrey Justices of the peace to make your practice agree with your names I use this exhortation the rather because I may use the same words to you which the Apostle did to the Corinthians It hath been certainely declared unto me that there are contentions among you and one saith I am Pauls another I am Apollos Who is Paul or who is Apollos but the servants of Christ and members with you of the same body let no man so respect one particular member as that he neglect the whole the whole Church militant and so every particular Church is like unto that Ship wherein Paul sayled under the Roman Centurion from Sidon towards Rome Caelum undique undique pontus Shee is amidst a glassie Sea every where beset with dangers Vna Eurusque Notusque ruunt The ayre thunders the winds blow the raine falls the Sea rageth the waves rise and beat upon the Ship Exoritur clamorque virum stridorque rudentum the ropes crack the men cry they are carryed up to the Heaven and downe againe into the deepe so that their soules even melt within them What must be done in this case Every man must shift for himselfe and his freind and leave the Shipp to the mercilesse Seas or as Parnus his Marriners did fall together by the eares about a rotten Shipp-board and hurt and wound and disgrace and displace one another No no but the Centurion must command the Pilot must guide the Compasse Paul must preach the Marriners must row every man in his place all private respects set aside must labour to bring the Ship to Land Let me then with the blessed Apostle beseech you that all injuries forgotten all wrongs forgiven all factions abandoned all contentions and discords buryed yee walke as the Elect of God holy and beloved put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrell to another even as God for Christs sake forgave you and above all things put on Love which is the bond of perfection and let the peace of God rule in you and the God of peace shall be with you Once againe for conclusion of all let me with the same Apostle exhort you if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my joy my joy nay your owne joy and the joy of all Gods Elect children that yee be like minded having the same love that nothing be done through contention and vaine glory but that in meeknesse of minde every man esteem better of another then of himselfe supporting one another through love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace being of one heart and one soule of one accord and one judgement even as the Church whereof we professe our selves to be members is but one Flock and the Governour of this Flock but one Shepheard and the milke of this Flock one Word and the soule of this Flock one Spirit and the inheritance of this Flock one Kingdome and that I may neither add to nor detract from the Apostles words As there is one hope of our Vocation one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is above all and through all and in us all consider what I say and the God of Gods give you wisedome to know and a conscionable endeavour to put in practise that which hath been sayd The second Sermon LVKE 12. 32. Feare not little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure c. CYRVS when he went against Babylon falling in his way upon Gyndes a Navigable River for his more speedy dispatch he caused it to be cut into many streames and the event was answerable to his expectation for by that meanes he found a safe and ready passage for his Army and Carriages When I first looked upon this River of God in hope of the like event I did the like but the successe hath proved different for whereas I might in an houres space have swimmed it over going in one Channell having cutt it into two streames and divided either into sundry smaller Rivers it hath proved like Elishaes Cloud ever bigger and bigger or like the waters that flowed out of the Temple in Ezekiels vision ever broader and deeper Caelum
and Antiochia and Constantinople and the rest in the Eastern Empire but passing thence into the North and from thence with the Gothes and Vandals into Germany and France and Spain and Italy yea into Africk too had infected all Churches in the West Which makes Hierome say that the whole world groaned and marvelled to see her self become an Arrian an Arrian sate in Peters chaire the head of the Church that great Melchisedeck whose Priesthood is not to be compared to any other their God and their Lord the Pope himself rather then he would die in the defence of the Gospel subscribed to Arianisme surely the whole Body must needs goe wrong when the head did thus miscarry This plague endured not for some small moment like the Macedonian Empire which was but a Flash and gone but for the space of three hundred years and upward Where was now the true Church amongst the Arrians which oppugned the Doctrine of the Nicene Synod in sundry councels and expelled the Orthodox Bishops and enjoyed their rooms and instead of the true Christ worshipped an Idol of their own inventions or rather in a few miserable and forlorne wretches which remained in prisons and wildernesses and Mountains and dennes and Caves of the Earth as was the case of the Church at that time so was it in the time of Wicliffe and Husse for then the Devill had for a long time been loosed and Antichrist was in the height of his pride and the light of the Gospel was raked for up in the Ashes of Popery in so much that that which Nazianzen spoke in the oration against the Arrians might fitly have been applied against the Papists Where be those that object poverty unto us and boast of their prosperous Estate this is another mark of the Popish Church Where be those that define the Church to be a multitude and set at nought a little Flock and yet if multitude should beare the bell away the Papists should not have any such cause of triumph as they wll beare the world in hand that they have There are at this day foure Religions in the world if the name of Reâ—igion may bee given to them all Judaisme Paganisme Mahumetanisme and Christianisme of all these Iudaisme is the least but Paganisme exceedeth all the rest Mahumetanisme which is a mixture craftily composed of the other three both in largenesse of Countreys and multitude of people goeth beyond all Christendome for it hath not only seated it self in the whole Turkish Empire and the large kingdomes of the great Sophi but spreadeth abroad in many places of the vast dominions of Tartarie Cathaia and China almost unto the Easterne Ocean and what it hath of latter years gained in the West wee feel partly in the miserable distresâ—e of Hungary and Transilvania and have just occasion â—f greater feare if the Lord out of compassion to his poor Church shall not overthrow the plots of that proud Senacherib and put a â—ook in his nose and a bridle in his lips and carry him back again the same way that hee came Nâ—w for Christianisme amongst those that pâ—ofesse the name of Christ there are not above a third part that are Papists for the Russians together with the Reliques of the Greek Church the Armenians and the Christians that are under the Emperour of the Abassens doe exceed the number of all those which hold the Principles of the Romish Church The Protestants come not much behind them for howsoever within these hundred years the Moone did suffer such an universall Eclipse that a man would have judged she had lost her light and the Lords flock was but like a few grapes after the Vintage is ended here a grape and there a grape on the outmost boughes Yet since it pleased God to stiâ—re up the heart of Martin Luther to stand at open defiance with the Italian Goliath which reviled the Israel of God she hath every day recovered her light the Gospel that was then hid under a bushel is become like to Davids Sunne which cometh forth as a Bridegroom out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a Gyant to runne his course the professors of the Gospel have wonderfully increased so that now their sound is gone through the earth and their words unto the ends of the world There is no place in the Globe of the earth where Christ is professed which hath not some Protestants Italy the very Center and sinke of Popery and the seat of the great Whore when Iezabel hath done what she can in murthering the Lords Prophets will affoord seven thousand men which have never bowed the knees of their hearts unto Baal In France wee have a farre greater number in Germany the major part almost all Polonie all Denmarke Swethen Norway Britain and all the Islands in the Northern seas which have taken the military Oath to fight under Christs standard If these be not equall to them yet consider on either side such as know the Principles of Christian Religion and can give an account of their faith and we have a farre greater number for the common people amongst them are stupid and blind and do no more understand the mysteries of their salvation then Pagans and infidels or those in the Acts who being demanded of Paul whether they had received the holy Ghost made answer that they never heard whether there was an holy Ghost or no. And little marvel for many of their Priests do no more understand their Masses which they mumble dayly in their Churches then Balaams Asse understood his own voice It is enough for them to believe as the Church believeth though they know no more what that is then did Bellarmines Collier who being demanded what he believed quoth he that which the Church beleeveth being again demanded what that was answered the same which I beleeve Herein we will not think much that the Papists exceed us Bellarmine may give good measure if hee draw the dregs and all but Austen will teach him another lesson Noli numerare turbas hominum incedentes latas vias implentes crastinum circum civitatis natalem clamando celebrantes civitatem ipsam male vivendo turbantes noli illas attendere multi sunt quis numerat sed pauci per viam augustam incedunt Chrysostome will teach him that not in numeri magnitudine sed in virtutis probitate consistit multitudo It was a prety stratageme of the Roman Captaine when his Souldiers were few in number to make every man draw a bough in the drie dust that so the Samnites with which he was to encounter beholding them a farre off might believe that his Armie was greater then indeed it was we are no such dastards as to be afraid of every withered branch that can rayse up dust into the ayre if the Papists purpose to match us with multitude let them bring such as have some skill to handle their
use the meanes they can to put this evill day from them as being the beginning of their eternall woe and sorrow but let the children of God be no more afraid to dye then they fear a Bee without a sting then they feare a sleep when their eyes are heavie or they feare to be comforted when they are in miserie or to be at home when they are abroad in a strange Country FINIS TO THE READER Reader IF the reverend Author of those Sermons had not been one of those Qui male merentur de viribus suis for so I shall take leave to expostulate with his modesty his more then vulgar Abilities might have added much to the lustre of his Name with which he hath hitherto dealt so unkindly as to detaine it though not in the shade yet at too great a distance from the Sun Whilst he lived in the Vniversitie he was a singular Ornament to the Colledge where Providence had bestowed him and being thence called forth to a Pastorall charge over the place which first welcomed him into the World he was quickly taken notice of as worthy of a more eminent Station in the Church to which he was accordingly preferred with the generall acclamations of all the knowing and pious Divines in the Diocesse with whom to say nothing of others though of greatest note in that Precinct for a comprehensive and orthodox Judgement adorn'd with all variety of learning he hath ever been held in greatest Estimation As for these Sermons some of which saw the light and all have been delivered many yeares ago they are able to speake for themselves Their maine designe is to heale the plague of the Heart not the Itch of the Eare Animis composuit non auribus Here is good wholesome â—iands 〈◊〉 before you and if your Palate be not over 〈◊〉 you will have no cause to quarrell with the Sance What help soever the Booke shall afford you in your spirituall negotiations give God the glory and the Author I doubt not hath his End T. Tully LUKE 12. 32 Feare not little Flock for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome CHRIST the Great Shepheard of our soules being shortly to finish that for which he came into the World the work of our Redemption and to lay downe his life for his Sheep and according to his corporall presence to have them in the wildernesse of this World where they should find Amalekites to encounter them the Sonnes of Anack to impugne them fierce Serpents to sting them Lyons and Beares and Foxes and Wolves to devour them and the very Wildernesse it selfe by its naturall barrennesse ready to starve them doth in the precedents of this Chapter warne and arme them against all humane and mundane fears Humane from Verse 4. till the tenth Mundane from the tenth till this thirty second both which if I be not mistaken are by way of recapitulation wrapped up in the beginning of this Verse Feare not c. And in the later part confirmed by an Argument a majori For it is your Fathers pleasure c. As if he should have sayd My friends which have forsaken all and followed me in the regeneration though ye be as a flock of Sheep subject to wandring unfit to provide fot\r your selves things necessary unable to resist the Wolves amidst whom ye are though ye be little in the opinion and estimation of the World being reputed the scum of the earth the filth of the world the outcast of the people and of-scouring of all things lesse in comparison with the world being in respect of them as the first fruits in respect of the Harvest as the gleanings in comparison of the Vintage yet be not dismayed nor discouraged for any thing that the world wiâ—l or can inflict upon you for loe he that was your enemy is now become your friend he that had a Sword of vengeance drawne against you will now fight for you he that was a just and severe Judge is now become your Father because you are in me and howsoever of your selves you have deserved no better then others whom he hath left in that masse of corruption wherein all Adams Children lay drowned yet his good will and pleasure is such that he will at length freely bestow upon you an inaccessible Inheritance in his Kingdome of glory much more will he watch over you by his heavenly protection provision and direction in this Kingdome of Grace Feare not c. A Doctrine proposed by way of exhortation Which words divide themselves into two branches 1. Feare not little Flock 2. A reason or argument to confirme this For it is your Fathers pleasure c. In the first of these observe 1. The object Flock 2. The quantity of it Little flock 3. An incouragement against feare In the second note these particulars 1. The Grantor Your Father 2. The cause impulsive that makes him respect us and that is his good pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father is pleased 3. The manner of conveyance by Franck Almaigne to give 4. The quality and quantity of the gift a Kingdome Of each of which particulars because I cannot now particularly discourse for as much as they seem unto me like Elishaes Cloud still bigger and bigger or like the waters of the Sanctuary deeper and deeper I will by your patience make the object of our serious speech the subject of my speech at this time Flock The party to whom this speech is directed are his Disciples Verse 1. and Verse 22. those which he had picked and culled from amongst all the Sons of Adam and effectually called to his grace the Church without that was actually existent at that present so that what is here spoken to them is spoken to the whole Church of God They then were shee still is a Flock of Sheep for that is meant as may appeare by conference with like places John 10. 11. 16. 27. John 21. 15. Matth. 25. 33. Psal 100. 3. Whence observe two things 1. The quality of the members in that they are resembled unto sheep 2. The unity of the whole body in that it makes but one Flock of Sheep Concerning the first The Church of God is called a Flock of Sheep not a Herd of Swine nor a Kennell of Dogâ— nor a Stable of Horses nor a Fold of Goates nor a Mew of Hawks nor a Capine of Foxes nor a Den of Wolves nor a Puddle full of Toades because she must not wallow in the filthy mire of sin like Swine nor bite one another like Dogs nor be proud and stomackfull like Horses nor stink in her corruption like Goates nor be ravenous like Hawks nor fraudulent like Foxes nor cruell like Wovles nor poysonfull like Toades but in patience and sincerity in meeknesse and simplicity in innocensie and humility she must resemble a Flock of Sheep So then the ungodly miscreant that drinks iniquity like water and is frozen in his own Dregs and
dealing holily and hating covetousness and such I hope all are that be here present Now that which I have spoken concerning them that are deceitfull and unconscionable is no more a disgrace unto these and their Calling then it was to Christs Apostles that one of them was a Judas or to the Leviticall Priests that one of them was a Caiphas or to the Sons of God the good Angels Jobâ— that the Prince of darkness the Devil was one of their company Only this one thing let me beseech them to take notice of the better that any thing is the more dangerous it is when it is abused Can there be any thing more necessary then Fire and Water when they keep their proper places displace them remove the fire from the hearth into the house-top and astus incendia volvunt it indangereth the whole Town remove the River out of its Channell into the mowne Meadowes and new grown Corn and Sternit agros sternit sata laeta boumque labores It sweepes away the Câ—râ— and makes havock of all Was there ever Creature that God made more excellent then the Angels and yet those Angels that fell and kept not their first Estate no Creature under Heaven so hurtfull and dangerous as they Come to man is there any calling if ye respect publick peace so necessary as the Magistrate whom God hath set in his own room and stiled with his own name If yee respect the Soule of man so worthy as the Minister if yee respect the health of Body so necessary as the Physitian if yee respect the outward and temporall Estate so requisite as the Lawyer But if these abuse their places if the Magistrate under a colour of executing of Justice practise Tyranny if the Minister for sound Doctrine preach Heresie if the Physitian instead of wholesome Physick minister poyson to his Patients who so pernicious So likewise the Lawyer if in stead of opening and explaining the Lawes and defending the right and standing in the gap that falshood and wrong may not enter he labour to smother the Law and outface the truth and patronize falshood who more hurtfull then he The more you are to be exhorted for you are all but men and no man walke he never so uprightly but he is subject to fall to walke worthy of that excellent vocation whereunto you are called love your Freinds honour the Mighty regard your Clients respect your Fees The labourer is worthy of his hyre But preferr truth and a good conscience before them all and let neither might nor feare nor Client nor Freind nor Fee nor any thing in the World cause you to make shipwrack of a good conscience or to give leave to your tongues which as the Heathen man said should be Oracles of the truth to be Bauds and Brokers for an ill cause remembring that that description which old Cato and Quintilian gave of an Orator as it agreeth to us that are Ministers so to you also that are Lawyers Viz. that he is Vir bonus dicendi peritus and therefore as he must be Dicendi peritus a good Speaker to must he also be Vir bonus a good liver Enough of this To conclude this first generall Point and so to descend unto the second for I will not now trouble you with the other two properties of a Sheep seeing the Dove-like or sheep-like simplicity is a virtue wherwith every Member of Christs Flock must be qualified we are all to be exhorted and let me say unto you with Saint Austine Hortor vos omnes charissimi meque hortor vobiscum I beseech you yea and my selfe with you to avoid hypocrosie and that the rather because it is a sin unto which all Adams Posterity are yea though they be regenerate by the spirit of God in a greater or lesser degree subject To this purpose we are to labour for single hearts because these are the soul of our actions without which well they may have a being yet have they neither life nor moving For as the Body when the Soul is separated from it how comely soever it be in outward form will presently stink and become noysome so all our words and actioâ—s whether they concern Piety or honesty God or our Neighbour if the heart be not joyned with them are but stinking Carrion and filthy Abominations in the Nostrils of Almighty God The second generall Point is the unity of Christs Church she is but as one Flock as the Sheep under one Shepheard though never so many do all concur to the making of one and the same numericall Flock So all Christians though never so dispersed over the Globe of the Earth being fed in the green Pastures of the Lord which are beside the waters of comfort do make but one and the same individuall Church And this the very word it selfe doth imply if we look into his Parentage in the Greek tongue viz. a Congregation or collection of many particulars into one society and city of God for which cause she is called one undefiled Love Cant. 6. 8. one Body Ephe. 4. 4. within which nothing is dead without which nothing is alive as Hugo speaks one Sheepfold John 16 Figured by one fleece of Gideon which was wet with the Dew of Heaven when all the ground beside was dry shadowed by the Arke of Noah wherein eight Persons were saved when all the rest or the World was drowned the Boards of which Arke were conglutinated and pitched together within and without within that she should not loose her own and without Ne admitteret alienam that she should not leake in forrain waters as a Donatist did not unfitly expound it or rather as Austine moralizeth it Vt in compagine unitatis significetur tolerantia charitatis ne scandalis ecclesiam tentantibus sive abâ—ijs quritus abijs sive quae foris sunt cedat fraterna junctura solvatur vinculum pacis August contra Faustum lib. 12. Chap. 14 reason 1. In respect of Christ the Shepheard is one therefore the Flock but one the Bridegroome one therefore the Spouse but one the Head one therefore the Body but one In this respect Cyprian holds the whole Church one Bishoprick not that his meaning is that any one man should be ministeriall head of the whole church in Christs corporal absence that the Bishop of Rome for that were to marry the chast Spouse to two Husbands instead of a faithful Spouse to make her a filthy Harlot Cyprians words wil admit no such Interpretation unus est episcopatus c. And what account he made of the Bishop of Rome which then was a man of better worth then al those Magogs who have possessed that Chaire for a thousand yeares last past it may appeare by this that he contemned his Authority vilipended his Letters opposed his Councell to his his Chaire to his called him a proude man an ignorant man a blinde man and little better then a Schismatick It is then one
consider how they weary and wear and wast themselves while they thus rubb one upon another It was a prettie invention of the States of the low Countreys upon some feare of discord between them and England when they painted two earthen pots floating upon the Seas with this motto Si collidimur frangimur the like might they justly feare Si collidimur frangimur If we thus be knocked together we shall both be broken in peices If wee thus bite and devoure one another we shall be bitten and consumed one of another And last of all which is not the least of all oh that they would consider that the Politician at home and the Papist abroad looks upon them and howsoever they may seem in outward shew to incline to the one or the other party yet indeed they laugh in their sleeve and in their hearts say There there so would we have it Hoc Ithacus velit magno mercentur Atridae It is noted that when the Grecians strove amongst themselves Philip got them all into his hands and certainly there is not a fitten opportunity then this for the dissembling Atheist and the neutralizing Worldling and the statizing Polititian for the Foxes these little Foxes that dwell amongst us and have already destroyed our Vines and left us nothing upon them save a few small grapes to obtaine their much desired prey For these are like the Eele-catchers in the old Poet it 's best fishing for them in troubled and muddy waters Tacitus notes of the ancient inhabitants of this Land that by their continual factions and dissentions they made an easie way for the Roman conquest Britanni factionibus studiis trahuntur nec aliud adversus validissimas gentesnobis utilius quam quod in communi non consulunt sed dum singuli pugnant universi vincuntur While the present Inhabitants of this Land tread in the foot-steps of those ancient Britannes behold Hell hath enlarged it selfe the Antichristian Synagogue of Rome hath hereout sucked no small advantage and the Romans do their worst to come and take away which God forbid both our place and our Nation True it is say they which thou hast said the Church is one Flock one Bodie one Spouse one Sheep-fold all the members thereof have one belief one heart one soule This very point doth manifestly demonstrate the Protestants to be not so much as members of the Catholique Church because they be at continuall jarrs and wars amongst themselves To whom I may return this Proverb Physitian heale thy selfe Or I may say as one said unto Philip when he began to reprove two forreiners for dissentions betweene themselves quoth one unto him look first to your owne house and make peace there and then reprove your neighbour Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes Our dissentions we see we lament and bewaile yet are they neither in number so many springing all from one or two roots or in quality so flagitious being matters of question not of faith about the hemme and fringe not about the garment it selfe about the husk not about the kernell about ceremonies and circumstances not about the essentials and fundamentals of faith or that they exclude us not from the society of the faithfull unlesse Austin and Jerome and Ruffinus and Epiphanius and Chrysostome Cyrill and Theodoret Ireneus and Victor Paul and Barnabas be excluded together with us who although as was before said they consented in all the fundamentals of Religion yet in some points of circumstance and ceremonie they varied But what do al the builders of Babell speak the same language do all the Romans agree amongst themselves indeed as well as Dogs in a Kitchin or Cocks in a pit or as did the Midianites host and Cadmus his Souldiers they consent together as did Herod and Pilate both at odds amongst themselves yet both against Christ Or as Sampsons foxes their heads looke every one severall wayes marry their tayles are tyed together with fire-brands in them for annoying their enemies or as the Beasts which Cacus an old Italian Gyant who dwelt where the Pope now dwels was wont to steale from others which lest by their foot-steps they should be discovered he was wont to draw into his denne by their tayles their faces looking another way all the unitie that they can boast of is in the tayl whereby they are drawn to yeild and submit themselves and their works to the censure of the Romish Church their heads looking another way I will not now speak of their actual and morall dissentions neither of the many schismes and divisions which have been in the Romish Church when sometimes there were two sometimes three Popes at once and for the space of two yeares together none at all Neither will I mention the difference of their Religious orders whereof there are or have been at the least 100. in many things differing one from another their intellectuall and dogmaticall differences are such and so many as that if I should repeat them unto you I should both weary my selfe and much abuse your Christian attention Our learned Solomon in his Apologie for the oath of Allegiance hath gathered 11. gross contradictions out of Bellarmine Pappus hath observed 237. different opinions cited in Bellarmine Crastovius hath observed 205. contradictions amongst the Jesuites Willet hath cited 57. points wherein Bellarmine contradicteth himself 39. points wherein Popery crosseth it selfe 100. opposite constitutions in their Canon law and 70. contradictions between the old and the new Papists Bishop Ridely hath quoted 17. manifest contradictions out of Steph. Gardiner in one question viz. touching the Sacrament of the Altar as they call it And a worthy Prelate of our Land in his Catholique Apologie hath confirmed almost all those positions which we maintain against the Church of Rome by evident testimonies out of their owne Writers What shall I say more Let the Papists if they can name any maine controversie between them and us wherein they doe agree amonst themselves For my part I thinke it requires more paines and judgment to set down the doctrines and positions of the Church of Rome then demonstratively to confute and overthrow the same If I alledge Bellarmine Suarez or the greatest Jesuites Pighius Catharinus or who weare the name one or other peradventure will reply that it is but a particular opinion and not the doctrine of their Church Whither then shall I goe to the Pope himselfe then say I the Papists must condemne their Communion under one kind for so did Gelasius nay they concur with the Montanists for so did Zepherinus with the Arrians for so did Liberius with the Nestorians for so did Anastasius 2. with the Monothelites for so did Honorius with other Hereticks in other points for so other Popes have done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus see you Pythagarus determine Here I am put off with the words of their nice and quirling distinctions The Pope as a private Doctor may
my Lords although the one of you is known to me but Ex auditu but being such as John gives of Demetrius I may speak to you both as I concluded my speech to you the last yeare that you may say with that worthy Judge of Israel Whose oxe have we taken and to whom have we wittingly done any wrong or at whose hands have we received any bribe to blind our eyes therewith Now as Plutarch writes of Garlick and Rue that being planted besides Rose-trees they make the Roses smell the sweeter So the corruptions of evill men set by the vertues of the good make them more pleasant in the nostrills of all good men The condemnation of evill is a secret commendation of them The threatning of judgment to the evill implies a promise of reward to them that are good Goe on in the name of God and the Spirit of the Lord even the Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of Counsell and fortitude the Spirit of Knowledge and the feare of the Lord rest upon you and guide you in all your Consultations Proceedings and Judgements that Justice and Equity may be advanced Vice suppressed Religion and Piety established Gods name glorified Peace maintained your Duties discharged and your Soules saved through Christ Jesus c. The fourth Sermon LVKE 12. 32. For it is your Fathers good pleasure c. WEe have in it observed four things 1. The Granter your Father 2. The thing granted a Kingdome 3. The grantees not all Adams sons but the Sheep of this little flock 4. The consideration or cause impulsive and that is nothing in man but the love and will and good pleasure of Almighty God your father is wel pleased The last time I supplied this place I spoke of the first I will now follow the words as they lie in order and leaving that which I noted in the second place to the last as it lies in my Text I will conclude the other two in this one Proposition Our heavenly father bestows upon the members of his little flock eternall life in his Kingdome of glory not for any merit either of Faith or of Works but meerly of his good will and pleasure We do not now dispute whether any being come to yeares of discretion can be saved without faith and new obedience I grant none can these and others be media ad salutem and fruits and effects of predestination to life but the question is which is the Sola causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which internally moves God to do this Here we exclude both faith and works yea predestination in Christ yea and Christ himselfe in whom as in the head this little flock was elected to a Kingdome and ascribe all those to the good pleasure of his will This is the little inward wheel which sets all the rest on work it 's the Primus motor which carries all the inferior orbes Election to Salvation the death and merits of Christ Vocation and the rest with and under it Election to glory is the first link in this golden chain it 's the Primum mobile that carries all the rest with it and for this and so consequently for all the rest we find no praevision either of faith or works or of any other thing for what could he foresee to see in man that is good but what from eternity he decreed to bestow upon him for his prescience in order of nature follows his decree that is he did not decree because he did foresee but he fore-saw because hee decreed things to be thus or thus but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good pleasure and will of God And surely this we may see as in a pure glasse as Austin well notes in the very head of the Church Mortal man is conceived of the seed of David by what works by what vertue did this mortall flesh merit that it should be united unto the Divinity that in the very Virgins womb he should be made the head of Angels the glory of the Father the only begotten sonne of God the righteousnesse light and salvation of the world Surely he was not made the Son of God by living righteously but it was the Fathers good pleasure that he should be dignified with this honour that he might make his little flocke partakers of his gifts But because we are now about divine mysteries in which we can know no more then the Lord hath revealed in his word let us follow this word as the Israelites followed the cloud which indeed shews the way to the promised Land and as the Wise men followed the Star which led them to Christ and it will bring us into the Kings chamber as a Father speaks Where are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid that we should be holy c. And all this according to the good pleasure of his will Eph. 1. 4 5. here almost every word is an argument 1. He hath chosen us From whence did he choose us Out of that masse of corruption in which all mankind was drowned and was become sonnes of wrath and bond-slaves to Satan Well then as there could be no merits in them which he past by for if they had merited they had been elected so neither did wee merit why we should be elected but from his good will and pleasure have we obtained this grace 2. Before the foundation of the world Ergo from eternity Ergo not for works 3. That we should be holy Ergo not because we were holy and so the Apostle speaks of faith God had mercie on me Vt fidelis essem not because I was faithfull 4. According to the good pleasure of his will There is the ground and cause of all Our fathers good pleasure Even so O father because thy good will and pleasure was such Adde unto this that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 1. He hath called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace Where to our works hee opposeth Gods purpose and grace And not to trouble you with other places that in Rom. 9. where speaking of Gods free election of some and rejection or if you like the word better praeterition of others he sends us to the prine cause of all the pleasure and will of God 1. He instanceth in Ishmael and Isaac both begotten by faithfull Abraham yet one is elected the other left out but because the Jews might object that there was not the same reason of Ishmael and Isaac the one being begotten of a bond-woman the other of a lawfull wife Sarah to whom he was promised before he was conceived Therefore hee brings another instance in Esau and Jacob who though they were both children of Isaac and discended from faithfull Abraham to whom the promise was made In thy seed c. and were Twins of one Birth and in all things like save that Esau was the Elder