prayer we kill the Sacrifice we crucifie the old man we slay the body of sinne we turne from sinne returne to God and seeke His face Esa 55.6 Esa 55.6 this is that first degree of our comming neare By the second wee come nearer by workes of mercy and almesdeeds imitating in doing good the Authour of all good being made like unto our heavenly Father Matth. 5.48 Mat. 5. By the third our thankfull and faithfull obedience we come close up to offer being conformed to Christ following His example walking in His steps and by an obedient tendring of our selves unto God in the blessed Eucharist receiving His body and bloud 2 Pet. 1.4 He living in us and we in Him we are made partakers of the Divine Nature And truely obedience is the end of all the end of all to feare God and keepe His Commandements Eccles 12.13 Eccles 12. It is the principall thing in our duty the chiefe in the Text It is our perfect hearing our perfect offering our comming neare So some expound it Offer ut audias making this offering to bee all in all For this wee heare that wee may know to doe our duty For this we pray for Grace alwaies that wee may be able alwayes at all times to doe our duty This is that which God accepts in Abel Gen. 4. Gen. 4. which He commends in David Psa 40.6 Psal 40. which Hee command's in Saul 1 Sam. 15.22 1 Sam. 15.22 which He requireth of every one A true Sacrifice indeed where we offer not strange flesh 1 Cor. 16.20 but as Saint Austin Gregorie c. our own will unto God A true Sacrifice where we offer not onely nostra that which is our's but nos ipsos our bodies and soules a true Sacrifice where we offer not the dead bodies of unreasonable beasts but a Spirituall reasonable living and holy Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 Rom. 12.1 And indeed this is that for which we are all made an holy Priesthood to offer up Spirituall Sacrifice Pet. 2.5 acceptable to God by Iesus Christ and thus in Him wee truely and indeed come neare to offer Our Prayers are offered in His Name by faith in His Name they begin and end in Him He is our Mediatour to present these unto God 1 Iohn 2.2 1 Iohn 2.2 Our Almes if we look they should do us good must be in His Name also Mat. 10.42 Matth. 10.42 at least He accepts them so Mat. 25.40 25.40 Our obedience must be tendered in our thankesgiving for Him Whatsoever you do in word or deed Colloss 3.17 do all in the Name of the Lord Iesus giving thankes to God and the Father of Him By Him saith the Apostle let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thankes to His Name Heb. 13.15 Heb. 13.15 And now beloved having passed over many things which I should have shewed in the duty of our comming neare to heare I have onely contented my selfe in declaring the order and manner to be observed in Gods divine worship An order truly as appointed by God so truely and fully observed by our holy Mother this famous Church of England An order truely it is so the Church alwaies called it And orders you know are to be obeyed to order us and to keepe us in order and obedience Let all things be done decently 1 Cor. 14.40.33 and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 For God is not the authour of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints And indeed the ancient Fathers as they were nearest those times and therefore might best tell us So they are bold upon it that this order was appointed by the Apostles and by them together with the Christian faith propagated in all Christian Churches It is fit therefore we all stoope to this order And truely in my Text which is the more remarkeable the very same words that expresse Gods will for this order do also peremptorily set down Gods command for our obedience So the word to heare with the Text is by the marginall citations referred to that of 1 Sam. 15.22 To obey c. 2 So the word to offer is extended to obey seeing that obedience is the end of all our offering Psal 40. Psal 4. 3 The word Charob is so by some rendred Offer ut audias making this offering all in all And indeed as the Prayer and Sacrifice of fooles that is sinfull and wicked men is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 Prov. 15 8.21.27 as the cutting off a dogs neck and the offering of swines bloud Esa 66.3 Esa 66.3 So likewise our hearing prayers and offerings are but types and meanes for obedience Obedience as S. Austin calleth it is the mother the guardian and keeper of all vertues The sons of Ionadab how are they praised even by God Himselfe Ier. 35.2 Ier. 35.2 because they obeyed their Father in a temporall obedience in abstinence from things lawfull and though indifferent yet in some sort necessary How far more glorious is it to obey God our Father Christ Iesus our Lord the Church our Mother in and for spirituall obedience God that hath set His Church over us requires obedience to His Church from us Heb. 13.17 Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Soules as they that must give account for you c. And indeed as in hearing if we heare not him that stands next us there is little hope we should heare those that are a far off So if we heare not the Church of God whereby God commeth neare to us there is little hope we will obey and heare God As it is in love If we love not our brother c. 1 Ioh. 4.20 So it is in obedience a duty of love If wee obey not the Church which we have seen how shall we love God whom we have not seen Divines are wont to compare Obedience to Iacob's ladder the lower part of obedience to the Church stand's on Earth but as Iacob's ladder it end 's in Heaven And as there so here God stand's at the top of it And as in Iacob's ladder no ascending to the highest but by the lower steps So no obedience to God unlesse we obey His Church He that heareth you heareth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth Him that sent me c. Luke 10.16 Luke 10.16 So Ezek. 3.7 Ezek. 3.7 God tells His Prophet that the Children of Israel will not heare thee because they will not heare me And Christ bids us that he that will not heare the Church should be as an heathen and a publican Mat. 18.17 No hope of such wilfull fooles And therefore my Text as out of hope though it speake of them yet it speakes not to them as out of all hope to do any good upon them It onely and boldly speakes of
continue to do so little O tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon c. Is it not strange which S. Augustine reporteth 2 Sam. 1.20 That the Heathen though conquerers so much respected the Christian Churches S. Aug. de civ Dei lib. 1. c. 4 5 6. and doe wee so lightly reckon of them nay of Gods reverence in them O dismall decay of Christianity O Apostatising fall O backsliding generation But I refraine my selfe I have said enough only let me say for a conclusion That if we be men me thinks we would heare the voice of Nature that teacheth this reverence to the Heathen her children If Christian men let us heare the voice of God and Scripture which requireth it of us Let us heare the voice of God our Father who commands it Let us obey the Church our Mother who enjoyneth it Let us follow those first and true Christians that practised it or if not them Let us not be worse than the Heathen Iewes Turks or Infidels that still performe it Let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker Let us as oft as we enter into the House of God take heed to our feet and be more ready to heare what is here commanded then as the many do to offer the Sacrifice of fooles FINIS THE SECOND SERMON OF THE SVBORDINATION OF CHVRCH Duties chiefly in reference to the People ECCLES 5.1 And be more ready to heare then to give the Sacrifice of fooles For they consider or know not that they doe evill THIS Chapter most fully noteth the vanities follies and wickednesses committed ordinarily in GODS divine Service as our holy Mother Church in the contents of the Chapter hath most rightly observed Such follies as either declare men to be 1 Ignorant fooles that do them because they know not other or better or else 2 Wilfull fooles that when they may and doe know better yet notwithstanding are still such as will not consider that they doe evill With the former we have here to doe to teach them knowledge to let them know how and what they should doe how they should enter how they should heare how they should pray how they should offer c. With the latter though least with them yet with them we have here also to doe to convince them and to let them know they doe not as they ought to doe namely that their entring their hearing their praying their offering if any such there be are not any pleasing and acceptable Sacrifice unto GOD but truly and indeed as they are here termed the Sacrifice of fooles And indeed the Text though it speaketh of the latter that they know not that they doe evill yet because they will not know it speakes onely to the former Take thou heede to thy foot when c. For them which will not know for such are these Scripture-fooles which have eares and heare not which heare not nor understand Matth. 13.13 Matth. 13.13 which are willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3.5 2 Pet. 3.5 which as it is Prov. 1.8 Prov. 1.8 will neither heare the instruction of GOD their Father nor the Law of the Church their Mother For them I have nothing but with the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.38 1 Cor. 14.38 Hee that is ignorant let him be ignorant still nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we may reade it with the vulgar Qui ignorat ignorabitur Hee that will not know shall not bee knowne As here they say unto GOD. Iob 21.14 Iob 21.14 Depart from us we will not the knowledge of thy wayes So GOD will say to them Matth. 7.23 Matth. 7.23.25.44 Luke 13.26.27 Nescio vos I know you not I never knew you Depart from me all ye fooles all ye workers of iniquity But we hope better things of you and therefore now by GOD's favour and grace undertake to shew you the follies of wicked and ungodly fooles that seeing we cannot mend them we may amend our selves by them The first folly and vanity of fooles that doe evill is That they have no affection or desire to come no care or religious reverence in comming that they come out of custome or feare rather then out of conscience and in the feare of GOD. And when they are come they carry themselves neither according to feare nor conscience These are taxed in the first words Take heed to thy foote c. There are two more follies noted in this verse one more in the second and another in the fourth Those in this verse are either in hearing or in offering Or according to the threefold end of the House of GOD the first is in that which is first after our due entring hearing the second is in that which is the end of all our hearing prayer the third is in that which is the end of our Prayer Sacrifice and offering And indeed this Text is as an exhortation to the Iewes and all the Church of God for their intire and perfect obedience So a Prophecy also that the Iewish Sacrifices should cease and that in stead of them in GOD's House Esa 56.7 being proclaimed the house of Prayer to all Nations Prayer and other Christian Sacrifice should succeed according to that of Malachi the 1.11 Mal. 1.11 From the rising up of the Sunne unto the going downe of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall bee offered unto my Name and a pure offering This not onely the context sheweth in the following verse where GOD's will is layd down concerning publike Prayer the true Christian Sacrifice but also the Text most plainely For whereas we reade be more ready to heare the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the old Latin vulgar Appropinqua ut audias Come neare that thou maist heare plainely implying that the Iewes if they would heare that is obey indeed for so the word here also signifieth must yet come nearer to heare and that besides Moses another also was yet to bee heard namely CHRIST IESUS the promised Messias the SAVIOUR of the World Emmanuell GOD with us that great Prophet He that was to come c. of whom even Moses had fully foretold Deut. 18.18 Deu. 18.18 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise you up of your brethren Acts 3.21 22.7.37 19. like unto me Him shall you heare in all things whatsoever hee shall say unto you And it shall come to passe that whosoever will not hearken unto the words that he shall speake in my name Acts 3.23 I will require it of him or as S. Peter repeateth it That soule shall be destroyed from among the people To heare him was to come neere to heare But this Precept being disobeyed the Prophecy is fulfilled and now is become an History teaching us and all succeeding Generations both 1 who these fooles are namely such as with
Concerning PVBLIKE-PRAYER AND THE FASTS OF THE CHURCH Six Sermons or Tractates By Io. Br. B. D. Their severall Contents are set downe in the next page S. Aug. de Temp. Serm. 230. Adversus Daemonum nequitiam quae nobis DOMINVS arma * Matth. 17.21 This kinde goeth not out but by Prayer and Fasting ostendit debemus utique retinere sc Orationem Iejunium LONDON Printed by Richard Badger and are to bee sold in S. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleetstreet at the Shop turning up to Cliffords Inne 1636. THE CONTENTS OF THESE SIX SERMONS FOLLOVVING Serm. I. Of Religious feare and Reverence in Gods House II. Of the Subordination of Church Duties in reference chiefly to the people III. Of the Duties Nature and Lawes of Publike Prayer IV. Of the necessity and order of Gods Service by Prayer and the Words Ministration chiefly in reference to the Clergy V. Of the Grounds and Reasons of Set times for Fasting VI. Of the manner and quality of Church Fasts TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD VVILLIAM Lord MAINARD Baron of EASTAINES and one of His Majesties Lords Lievtenants for the County of ESSEX Right Honourable and my very good Lord I Could never have thought these Sermons or any thing else comming from me worthy the view of so learned an Age. Neither have I ever shunned ought more then to come in publike Yet I know not how it now happeneth that I am at this present drawen forth into open view urged partly by the advice and earnest request of some good friends who judged these Sermons when preached necessary for these times partly by the mistake of some otherwise I doubt not well affected Christians who neverthelesse not well understanding my meaning have misreported both it and me To satisfie both I deemed this the best way necessary also perhaps besides other reasons hereby to prevent the publishing of them by any other hand since some Copies have gone abroad not through any desire of mine but by the request of those friends I could not gainsay That I present them to your Lordship is not without great good reason you not onely having beene a chiefe Auditour at the preaching of some of them but also which I may never forget nor can sufficiently recount being my most noble free and bountifull Patron Wherefore I could not but here follow the example of our Blessed LORD and SAVIOUR joyning the remembrance of Mary's Spikenard with the Gospell preached that is with these Sermons sent abroad into the World the thankefull acknowledgment of your Honours bounty For since in our bookes and writings wee honourably mention those Worthyes in Learning whose more able studies have furthered or advanced ours wee should by as good reason inscribe our books or writings to those Noble Personages worthy of all Honour whose rightly imployed wealth or power have under GOD supported upheld or encouraged our otherwise disheartned studies Thence Gratitude hath made it a custome with us even anciently practised by sundry Heathen that where Honourable greatnesse and goodnesse hath by any nourished the life and sappe of Learning for the present there by a due retaliation Learning and Arts should honor and eternize their memories to all future Ages that thus they by whom we live now may by us or ours in an happy and blessed memoriall live for ever I cannot promise your Honour by this poore worke any such lasting monument nor am I one of those that can any way arrogate that title to my selfe My desire onely is hereby to acknowledge to the World how much I am your Lordships that seeing I appeare in publike I may stirre up others if any shall receive any benefit by my poore labours to praise and pray GOD for your Noble Lordship Whilst I shall alwayes pray and beseech His Heavenly Majestie to blesse your Honour your Noble Lady Children and Familie with all increase of Heavenly Ioyes and earthlie happinesse Remaining whilst I live Your Lordships in all affectionate service and duty most bounden IOHN BROVVNING THE FIRST SERMON CONCERNING RELIGIOVS FEARE and REVERENCE in GOD's HOUSE ECCLES 5.1 Take heede to thy foote or keepe thy foote when thou entrest into the House of GOD. THE House of God is the house of Prayer Esay 56.7 Esay 56.7 Hither we enter that wee may offer not as at Ierusalem in one place 1 Tim. 2.8 hot every where calling upon GOD in Spirit and truth Iohn 4.23 Iohn 4.23 For from the rising of the Sunne saith the Lord even unto the going downe of the same Mal. 1.11 my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering And what that is Verse 8. there at the 8. verse is shewed by the contrary If yee offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not evill If yee offer the lame for sacrifice is it not evill 1 Cor. 11.29 Yes doubtlesse very evill and the sacrifice of fooles that as Blinde cannot see not discerning the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.22 therefore no reverence in offering that as Lame cannot bend or bowe despising the Church of God M. Minucius Felix in Octavio p. 51. and therefore no reverence in entring It is the saying of Minucius Felix to the Heathen De vestro numero carcer ex estuat nullus ibi Christianus nisi aut suae religionis rous aut profugus I would we could say so too No such matter our prisons are full And what 's the reason because our Churches are empty Empty at those publique Prayers when we should prevaile with God for a blessing both for our private and publique good when by being ready to heare and obey God and his Church wee may cause Him in His Church to be ready to heare us and to give us his blessing out of Sion Thus empty of offerers Nay empty of hearers strange in this Eare-age either wee heare not at all like the deafe Adder or else wee heare not as we should heare Wee have the Word of God in respect of persons we pronounce This or that or such or such a man for the most part such as they should not be Heare yee him Or else wee that are your Prophets as you call us are as the Prophets of old wee are unto you as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can play well on an Instrument Ezek. 33.32 you heare our words but you doe them not your Entrance is without reverence your Hearing for the most part unlesse you respect the person without attention your Prayers and Offerings without devotion and your departure I am affraide to tell you if you continue such must needs be without grace blessing and benediction Let mee not beloved be your Enemy for telling you the truth I had intended to have brought you other matter stronger meat but as the Apostle to the Hebr. 5.12 Hebr. 5.12 Yee that for the time ought to have
reverence of the whole man we doubt not but he requireth the reverence of every part For as the body cannot move without the soule so God injoyning us the reverence and affectionate care and keepe of the soule in his service requireth every motion of each part of the body agreeable thereunto There is no doubt will any say but GOD requireth the reverence of the heart the foot of the soule therefore there is no doubt will I say that GOD requireth the reverence of the feet of the body and that the motion of the one be agreeable to the affection of the other and this he doth here expresly Againe the name here used argueth this reverence It is GODS House 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth Elohim as the Mother Church called it and we from it Chyrch that is The Palace of the great King And shall we not performe that reverence here to GOD which we do to any King to every King Nay shall we doe more reverence in the Court of an earthly mortall King than in the Courts of the everlasting King of Kings Againe the word that followeth implyeth it For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Come neere or approach in good order a word borrowed from the March of Souldiers which if not in good order ye know what danger followeth This care or keeping of our foot is showne in our orderly and reverent comming neere Againe the very part concerning which and the phrase commanding here used plainly averreth it For the foot is that part whereby of all others we testifie our reverence and our obedience to our Superiours and that we testifie by no means so much as by the keeping in or keeping back of this very member the foot for by the reverent moving or bowing or as it were keeping in of our foot wee testifie our duty reverence respect honour and worship to our superiours Therefore whilest God calleth for thy foot he calleth for thy reverence by thy foot For thy reverence when thou entrest for this is the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven For thy reverence when thou prayest in it for we must worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker It is Nilus his precept Psal 95.6 Nilus Ep. Admon 130. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When thou art in the Church be not lifted up behave not thy selfe proudly For they that stand before the King dare not laugh or looke big So the poor Publican stood afar off where standing afar is put for a reverent awefull and submissive prostration Mary Magdalen fell downe at our Saviours feet and so did David when he prayed Psal 5.7 Psal 5.7 I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy mercies and in feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple as also the 2 Sam. 7.18 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord and what is my Fathers House that thou hast brought mee hitherto Thus these holy men fell downe at Christs feet and good reason for it For as the feet are naturally inferiour to the head being therefore placed and put under it So are we to Christ For Hee is our Head and wee are His members Ephes 5.23 Ephes 5.23.30 But besides as the respect wee have to Christ bindeth us to this reverence so the respect wee should have to our sins V. S. Epiphan Physiog c. 12. They say of the Peacock That after he hath swolne himselfe with the glorious shew of his goodly feathers he is presently dejected with the bare sight of his ugly feet so should we at the sight of our sinnes which are our black feet humble and cast downe our selves c. Moreover as the remembrance of our sins so the remembrance of that which is due to our sins as also of that duty we come here about it is to pray and to confesse our sins but the proper gesture of prayer is kneeling prostration Therefore saith the Apostle I bow my knees daily to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes 3.14 c. The very remembrance of this should make us bow at the doore but when we pray and confesse our sins and miserable condition what gesture can be fitter S. Basilius de Spir. Sanct. c. 27 Notandum id quod de precibus omnibus Hugo Victor Preces ait è persona eorum dicuntur qui quotidie cadūt nituntur resurgere per poenitentia Hugo de San. Vict. de Eccles offic l. 2. cap. 1. than that which is the most liveliest expresse confession of the most wretched condition It is S. Basils observation That by falling to the ground in prayer and rising againe after prayer we doe shew that by sin we are fallen to the earth and are by the only love of our Maker and Creator raised toward Heaven againe By the one wee confesse that our sin is the cause of the earths and of our owne curse of our own death that for it we justly are earth and to earth shall returne againe By this we acknowledge with Abraham our Father that we are but dust and ashes and worthily deserve a worser and a lower death but by the other we confesse our hope of a better Resurrection and standing up when by GODS love and CHRISTS merits we shall be able to stand at the last day Againe it is the Apostles precept Col. 3.16 that we should teach and admonish one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs How do the faithfull admonish one another by singing Psalmes c. Is it not by that cheerefulnesse by that devotion they see in one another So doth not the reverent entrance of one that entreth as he should stir up the fainting devotion of them that pray Doth not the devout kneeling of those that are about us put us also in minde of the duty and earnestnesse of our prayers we are about And so whereas the Priest preacheth to the eare onely every one in this his devotion and by his example which is most forceable preacheth to each others eye Againe this bodily reverence as it addeth heat of devotion to others so it is truly an incentive of devotion to our selves for the body as it receiveth life and motion from the soule so it returneth also a further life by motion to it againe as strings touched in the same instrument move one another or as the bodies warmth warmes the cloathes which reciprocally preserve and returne the bodies warmth againe Moreover is it not a testification of GODS presence Is it not an acknowledgement of that faith is in thee concerning the same Why doest thou saith S. Iames boast of thy faith why talkest thou of prayer the act of faith Shew me thy faith by thy workes and thy prayer by thy reverence We use to say Vid. Vitruvium Archit lib. 13. c. 1 Cardan de subtilit lib. 11. Ex pede Herculem and it is the conclusion of exact Naturalists That by the length of
neere to heare 2 The Order that as we must first enter before we heare so we must heare before we can offer pray or praise GOD as we should From both these the Manner and the Order We for better order sake will digest all our duty into these three Propositions First That we must first after our due entring Proposition I heare Secondly That in the House of God we must Proposition II heare the Word of God Thirdly That we must not only heare GODS Proposition III Word but we must also offer unto God And That we may offer as we should We must come neere to heare And here Beloved the better to shew you these particular duties we will do as Mariners oft-times in describing dangerous Coasts shew you where others heretofore have made shipwracke where others have committed folly that you may avoide their sin and so escape their punishment FIrst for the first Proposition or Observation Proposition I That after thy due entring thou must heare first Take heed to thy foot how thou entrest 1 Duely enter And even here some are so ready for hearing that they skip over the duty of entring Take heed to thy foot c. They are perswaded comming late for so they please to come not till the Sermon begin that they may be sure there be nothing but hearing then if they come for come they will not unlesse they may heare and no hearing if no Sermon when they come thus late they hold it I say unlawfull nay superstitious to fall downe on their knees to offer any prayer unto God the reason say they is in my Text because forsooth they are commanded to be more ready to heare than to offer the Sacrifice of fooles Miserable men according to the old Proverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrice fooles for so many times for such are they condemned even in this Text they cite 1 For their late entring for hearing being their timeliest exercise they are commanded to be ready to heare that is to make haste to the House of God to be swift to heare the Word of God to be as diligent in Gods service as the Centurions Servants were in his Matth. 8.9 Mat. 8. When he bids come to come and not to go from hence till he biddeth us go It is the Law of our Church in the 18. Canon That no man depart out of the Church during the time of Service and Sermon And it was the ancient custome of the first and ancient Church Io. Cassianus Instit l. 3. c 7. li. 4. c. 16. Concil Agathens Can. 47. Psal 122.1 Cassian tels us that they which came after the first Psalme was begun were subject to censure And the Councell of Agatha with diverse others That they that were too ready to depart from hearing should be alike censured thou must make haste and be ready to heare not over ready to depart from hearing The second folly for which they are condemned is for ill entring that being come late they will thus enter that having committed a sin and folly in the one they will notwithstanding adde another folly in the other that being not ready to heare they are over-ready to leape over their lesson in the first words Take heed to thy foot when thou entrest It is reported by Buxtorfius Io. Buxtorfius de Synag Iuda cap. 5. that the Iewes being moved by the authority of this Text have an Iron Instrument placed at the entrance of their Synagogue with which they pare off the dirt off their feet before they enter Thus they abuse the Text to their superstition But these men farre more abuse it and more wickedly making this Text the Patron of their impiety Let us see and examine it and we shall soone see that Inke serves as well to make Paper white as this to maintaine their folly Nay doth it not rather condemne them 1 For first is it not the first Take heed to thy foot c. Wonder it is how they can heare that which is not leape over this duty and never see it Let them but doe the first Take heed to their feet when they enter and let them then be as ready to heare as they please 2 This word here used for hearing signifieth to obey so Gen. 26.5 Gen. 26.5 because that Abraham heard or obeyed my voice it is so usually taken in the Scripture even this sense it hath also in this place Thus to heare is to heare indeed 3 This word Cherob signifieth an orderly comming neere 1 Sam. 15. and therefore such as best agrees with this reverence it being a meanes for our orderly hearing if we come neare as we should do We will go into His Tabernacle and fall low on our knees before His footstoole Psal 132.7 Psal 132.7 4 This hearing being for offering and prayer as we shall see hereafter it must needs be that GOD must needs best accept that for which our hearing is ordained Rom. 10.13 14. Rom. 10. 5 Besides the word Bethelohim the House of GOD sheweth that the way to take heed to our feete is to enter by prayer first because even the House of GOD is the house of Prayer Psa 56.7 6 Againe there is an hearing in prayers Attention to them is a duty of this hearing also And do not the words be not rash with thy mouth inferre asmuch And if GOD forbid the rashnesse of the foote in the former words and the rashnesse of the mouth in the following doth He not much more forbid the rashnesse of the eare which ought first to be opened by Prayer according to that of the Psalmist Psal 40.7 Non enim ingredi Domum Dei sed sine offensione ingredi laudis est Si esset c. S. Hieronymus in locum Seu Alcuin in locū Basil edit 1531 But mine eares hast thou opened We pray for the one LORD open thou our lips that our mouth may shew forth thy praise And ought we not to pray for the other Surely it is not so easie a thing to heare as they suppose It is the saying of Alcuinus and others of the ancient from Saint Hierom and Saint Austen Si esset omnium qui in Ecclesiâ Dei c. If it were so ready or easie a matter for all that are in the Church of GOD to heare the Word of GOD c. Surely say they the HOLY GHOST would never have bid us Come neare that thou maist heare I may ad if the HOLY GHOST had thought it needlesse Hee would never have made this a Rule for His Church Take heede to thy foote But they object againe Objection Prayer in time of Reading or Preaching is a private worship and therefore unlawfull in the time of publique Service I answer It is not unlawfull Answ for did not Saint Peter and Saint Iohn Acts 3.1 Acts 3.1 make their petitions after the Christian manner in the Temple the Iewes being at their
publique Service Did not Samuel's Mother aske a Sonne of GOD 1 Sam. 3.10 in the time of Divine and publique worship Yes surely And may not we doe the like No doubt we may Doubtlesse we must not otherwise Remember this is an entry to hearing Take heede to thy foot when thou goest into the House c. And remember this also Appropinqua ut audias Come neare that thou maiest heare And thus much of our due entring Now of the second duty our hearing That next after due entring wee must heare And after due entring Heare Hearing is the sence of discipline It is that which GOD first requireth of you It is the first in our Commission Goe teach all Nations For as he that is borne deafe and never heard is alwaies dumbe and will never speake So he that never heareth the Word of GOD can never invocate the Name of GOD. How shall they call on Him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.13 Hence it was the custome alwaies in the Church that first they heard So was it in the Church of the Iewes Nehem. 9.3 Nehem. 9.3 They read the Law one fourth-part of the day and another fourth part they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God After their Prayers as Iosephus describeth it followed their Sacrifice This order being observed afterward in the Christian Church as it is most obscurely collected from the 1 Cor. 11. c. the whole Service was called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also by the Latines Ordo And indeed as the Catechumeni amongst the Greekes and mother Church and Audientes amongst the Latines was the first step to Christianity or rather the preparation to it So likewise the Prayer of the Catechumeni Concil Laodicen Can. 19. or Hearers was the first Prayer of the three So that ancient Counsell of Laodicea reckons it So the Greeke Dionysius Saint Chrysostome Clemens and all the ancient record it and the same order the Church of England hath most justly followed that as in our Churches the Pulpits are placed below the Altar above or in the highest place so wee should first heare before we presume to offer Thus Levi. 2.13 Marke 9.49 amongst the Iewes every Sacrifice must bee seasoned with salt the Symboll of knowledge And GOD requires our heart the seat of knowledge Hos 6.6 I will have mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings So true is that of Lactantius Lactantius lib. 1. cap. 1. Neque religio ulla sine sapientiâ suscipienda nec ulla sine Religione probanda sapientia Rom. 12.1 It is our reasonable service GOD calls for For as He hath given us reason so He would we should chiefly shew it in His Service For this cause the Aegyptians made them eyes and eares of gold and silver and hung them in their Temples intimating that they should first heare before they presumed to offer Hence also that Symboll of Pythagoras That wee must not speake of GOD sine lumine And indeed the calling upon GOD is called the seeking of God Esa 55.6 Matth. 7.7 The Woman in the Gospell before she sought first lighted her candle The like must wee doe we must light the candle here that must light us at the Altar we must first heare And as we must heare first So we must heare Proposition II that which is first in Gods House Gods Word Heare GOD's Word Psal 119.105 for that as the Psalmist tells us is that which is a light to our feete and a lanterne to our steps A light indeed not onely to shew us our way but also to guide us in our way The Church is Heaven upon Earth and the Scriptures the Old and New Testament are the lights in this Heaven Therefore amongst the Iewes in their Synagogues there was the reading of the Law and the Prophets Acts 13.15 Acts 15.21 and every Sabbath day Moses was read in all their Cities Semblably did the first Christians even in the Apostles times reading as we doe both the Old and New Testament To this the Apostle alludeth Colos 4.16 So more fully Ephes 5.19 Cal. 4.16 Ephes 5.19 Colos 3.18 But most plainely Colos 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all wisedome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and Spirituall Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye doe in word or deede do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thankes to GOD and the Father of Him Where the whole order of the Church Service being summarily comprised is in like sort observed by our holy Mother Hoc officium sicut quodlibet aliud praeter nocturnum Oratione cōcluditur Domine Deus Pater qui nos ad principium Dici c. Hug de S. Vict. De Eccles Offic. li. 2. c. 2. Vide Ejusdem c. 16. the Church of England Her prayer of the Catechumeni as Hugo de Sancto victore gives us cause to distinguish it ending at the first Collect is entirely the Word of God even many entire portions of Gods most holy Word 1 The Psalmes 2 First and Second Lessons 3 Evangelicall Anthems most fit to expresse our joy in CHRIST our praising God for the Word of God 4 Those short and pious Ejaculations all entirely the Word of God And as in the first So in her second Service where after the due entrance by a particular Confession of our sins in every Commandement the first thing we heare is the Word of God in two other Lessons Epistle and Gospell And as we call use and order them so were they used in all ages and Churches Plentifull testimonies may bee brought concerning this not onely out of the most ancient Councells and first Fathers but also out of those first Liturgies of Antioch Alexandria Hierusalem Constantinople As even at this day they are in the same order observed by the Graecians Indians Russians Abissines and Aethiopians not to speake of the Latine and Westerne Christians So you see we doe what we should do what hath alwaies beene done by all in all places at all times And in doing thus you see the Church of England is truely Catholique But are there no follies in hearing Yes surely else what need our blessed SAVIOUR say Take heede how ye heare Many follies there be in hearing and these two are the greatest 1. That men thinke all Religion consists in hearing only these do not offer The 2. That they thinke there is no hearing without a Sermon these forget this that they must come neare to heare And indeed as in comming there is foote after foote one step after another as degrees in comming So are there degrees in hearing whereby we come neare to heare The first and neerest degree in hearing Degrees in hearing 1 whereby we come close up to God is the hearing of the sacred Oracles of God God's originall very Word properly so
called in the Old and New Testament having in the Old a double difference of the first or second Canon or bookes Canonicall and Apocryphall received also as were the rest from the Iewes to whom were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 Rom. 2.5 And therefore the Christian Church durst not reject them though because they received them not alike from all they had them not in the like reverence These bookes though distinguished from the other and valued under them yet were farre preferred before all Ecclesiasticall writings whether of particular men or Churches they were read in the Church next the Scriptures for manners and instructions in lesser points the other being received onely for the undoubted Canon and rule of faith So you see the first degree wherby we come nearest to heare and wherein we are safest in hearing is in Hearing God Himselfe The second degree 2 Degree whereby we come neare to heare though not so neare as before nor so sure as the other is the hearing the Word of GOD applyed either by generall or particular Churches in their 1 Catechismes their 2 Councels 3 Confessions their 4 Ritualls their 5 Homilies which next the Word of GOD are most worthily preferred before all other private works or Preachings being the workes of 1 many and those most learned and holy men 2 discussed with the clearest judgement 3 penned with the maturest study 4 delivered in the shortest manner 5 applyed in the most familiar phrase 6 ordered with the plainest method 7 shewing the most needfull points Lastly 8 comprehending most fully the summe substance and body of Christian Religion This degree though not so neare as the former yet by these eight steps if not many more it comes nearer up to heare then the latter Which is 3 Degree The third kinde of hearing the Word of GOD from particular and private men in their Sermons or Homilies which being the workes of one man alone are therefore most subject to errour large discourses and therefore more apt to be mistaken more hardly understood ofttimes not so applyed to the meanest capacities many times conversant as the Text leadeth us about unnecessary truths and high disputes confused and intricate in their order manner and method partaking of many imperfections weaknesses and ignorances in respect of those many wants even in the best of any of us all For we are though sent from God but men subject to infirmities failing I say many times for want of study want of time want of bookes want of meanes want of learning want of judgement c. and these and many more even in the best of ours Not to speake of the greater part of Sermons for the most part the worse in all perchance not penned at all delivered with little or no studie oft-times with little judgement by men of small knowledge learning or reading without any scanning discussing or clearing following their owne private fancies rather then the Word of GOD in the received Tenets of the Christian Church Not to speake of those Sermons of turbulent factious and seditious men worthy of no name memory or mention but the mention of Pilate who as hee out of a desire of pleasing others or profiting themselves by gaine lucre or vaine glory dare doe that which I dare not speake of nay which I tremble to thinke of opposing God and His Church Christ and His Spouse rending tearing and dividing CHRISTS seamelesse Coate nay dismembring and renting His most glorious body So you see that Sermons are the least and last degree of hearing whereby we least come neare to heare in which greatest danger of hearing And surely give me leave to tell you where Sermons and private expositions have prevailed and the Word of God it selfe either neglected or despised or any way thrust out in publique there follies have beene multiplied fooles have abounded not knowing that they doe evill This experience shewes us and because my Text is Historicall I will briefly shew you in the Iewish Easterne Westerne and Muscovy Churches 1 In the Iewish the Iewes neglecting the more publike authority of the Word of God and leaning to the doctrines of men in their traditions they fell at last to build the Law of Moses upon their Talmud Misnah with their Gemarahs by doing evill they became fooles that knew not that they did evill their Religion now being nought else but a masse of fooles and a packe of extreame follies 2 In the Church of Greece one siding with Cephas another with Apollos even in those earely dayes men getting them an heape of Teachers having itching eares hating sound Doctrine and multiplying foolish errours Sermons were restrained to some few to Bishops onely in their severall Diocesses or some from them and now as it seemeth they little venter beyond their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 In the Church of Rome the Scriptures once read constantly as with us through the whole yeare whereas being after hid in an unknowne tongue and Legends obtruded for them their Sermons began to bee frought with follies the Truth of GOD began manifestly to bee corrupted 4 Lastly the Church of Mosco and Russia neglecting the truth of God's Word and giving eare promiscuslouy to private interpretations and Sermons of men unlearned in the Scriptures and GODS Divine truth were at last faine to have private Sermons and Preaching as wee properly call it supprest and publique penned Homelies read in their places I cannot stand now with any more reasons which I might produce to shew you that howsoever these other bee excellent degrees of hearing yet in them there must bee caution as before for entring Take heede to thy foote So now for hearing Take heede how you heare whom you heare and what you heare As for the Word of GOD it is the touchstone the rule it selfe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere milke that sure word of prophecy 1 Pet. 2.2 2 Pet. 1.19 whereunto yee doe well that yee take heede as to a light that shineth in a darke place Our Sermons howsoever in respect of this light are but as candles to the Sunne This is the way whereby we may and do God be praised come nearest to heare Certainly howsoever we doe as I hope we all do reade the Scriptures at home yet the Word of God as it hath most right to the House of God so then most of all hath it God's blessing when in God's House it is delivered by God's Minister in the person and presence of God Where two or three are met together in my name much more if in His owne house Matth. 18.20 to His owne Word there am I in the midst of them Thus you see how wee must come neare to heare But we must not only heare It is at this day the Proposition III folly of the Iewes that they thinke they may turne their Temples into Schooles but they may not change their Schooles into Temples And is not the same folly found
at this day also with us Not to speake of Schooles kept here for Children an abuse certainely none of the least amongst us Doe you not think that all Religion consists in hearing Are not our Churches made onely Schooles and of Oratories and houses of Prayers are they not made Oratories in another sence for preaching and hearing onely I appeale to our selves how we throng on all hands to the one a Sermon how scarcely or not at all are we seene at the other Prayers As if we were all eare but where then is the body 1 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 12.19 the body of Religion It was not so in the Apostles times when notwithstanding being new converted they had more neede of hearing I am perswaded saith the Apostle that you are full of all goodnesse filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another Rom. 15.14 Rom. 15.14 Teaching and admonishing one another Coloss 3.10 1 Cor. 14.35 Ephes 5.19 Ephes 5.19 The women must learne from the men at home 1 Cor. 14. And the Children from the Mothers 1 Tim. 2.15 1 Tim. 2.15 The Apostle chides the Hebrewes Heb. 5.12 Heb. 5.12 that when for the time they ought to bee Teachers they have neede againe to bee taught the first principles And it was the Apostles censure of some bad ones 2 Tim. 3.7 2 Tim. 3.7 that they were ever learning and never learned Beloved There is a time limited for the learning of every science S. Chrys Hom. 3. in Coloss f. 1378. and Saint Chrysostome expostulateth with his people How long shall wee bee teaching you faith and good manners shall we alwayes dwell in hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was not so in the Apostles times They when they had instructed any passed them by and made them Teachers over others and thus they went sayth hee over the whole World And indeed the first and best Christians after they had learned their first principles in their Catechisme they gave themselves continually to Prayer Acts 1.14 For as in our Church Service Acts 1.14.2.42.6.4 the Creede the Confession of the faith followeth next after the hearing of GODS Word to shew us that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of GOD Rom. 10.17 Rom. 10.17 So after the Confession of our faith our faith confessed presently shewes it selfe in Prayer This as the order of the ancient Churches in their Liturgies is observed by our holy Mother the Church of England being that very naturall order which the Apostle most plainely layeth downe Rom. 10.13 14. Whosoever shall call on the Name of the LORD shall bee saved How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher So then The end of our Preaching is that you may heare The end of your hearing is that you may believe The end of all our believing is that we may all pray invocate and call on the Name of GOD. Thus the end of all our hearing is that we may offer And indeed as Saint Cyprian S. Cypr. lib. 2. Ep. 2. S Chrys orat 2. de precat 8 46. T. 1. and all Divines note in hearing God commeth neare to us God speakes to us but in Prayer we come neare to Him we speak to Him his being the true Sacrifice which after the abolishing of those bloudy Sacrifices now only remaineth in the Church of God the house of prayer Esa 56.7 And surely after GODS Law transgressed by Adam as the bloudy Sacrifices were necessary for a threefold end 1. To signifie what man had deserved for sinne viz. to dye as the poore beast did 2. To Type out CHRIST IESUS the true Lambe of God slaine from the beginning for sinne 3. To testifie their perfect thankesgiving and intire obedience for their Redemption from sinne So likewise CHRIST being come it was requisite they should cease and others should succeed in their roomes for the same ends and use It is very remarkeable that the Genealogies of their Priests being confounded and their Temple destroyed to which their Sacrifices were tied Deut. 12.26 Deut. 12.26 now at this day the Iewes comfort themselves in that of Hose 14.4 Hos 14.4 Wee will render the calves of our lips acknowledging this in their Prayers at this day to be the true Sacrifice And indeede both to them and us there were alwayes three kindes of Spirituall Sacrifices whereby in our prayers we come neare to offer Degrees in offering 1 The Sacrifice of Penance that as the beast was slaine for sinne so we should dye to sinne This wee have in that Paenitentiall Psal 51.17 Psal 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart a broken and contrite heart ô Lord thou wilt not despise This Sacrifice our Mother Church intends we should offer in that laborious Paenitentiall Prayer the Letany which anciently using as doth ours that forme of LORD have mercy on us from the Paenitentiall Psal 51.1 Psal 51.1 was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and being performed in all devout humility in the very words and formes of beseeching were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lastly continued with fasting and all earnest laborious constancy was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 12.5 The second is the Sacrifice of Mercy It was mercy that another namely Christ Iesus typed in the Sacrificed beast should dye for them for us for all And therefore GOD as He sheweth mercy to us so He requires mercy from us Hos 6.6 I will have mercy and not Sacrifice Hos 6.6 This Sacrifice as it was anciently observed in the Communions of the first Christians 1 Cor. 16.1 2. in their collections they thence being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greek and oblations in the Latin Church So is it also commanded in our Offertories as being that Sacrifice with which God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 Heb. 13.16 The third is the Sacrifice of thankesgiving and obedience To obey is better then Sacrifice 1 Sa. 15.22 23 1 Sam. 15.22 and for praise Psal 50.14 Psal 50.14 Offer unto GOD thankesgiving and pay thy vowes unto the most high and Verse 23. Who so offereth praise he honoureth me 23. We praise God in the Psalmes but more peculiarly we give Him thankes in our thankesgiving the blessed Eucharist wherein offering not Christ Iesus unto God for we neede not we cannot He did it Himselfe perfectly being once offered but offering His body we offer our selves in Him They are the very words of our holy Mother the Church of England in her post-Cōmunion And here wee offer and present unto thee ô Lord our Souls and bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice unto thee The very words of the Apostle Rom. 12.1 Rom. 12.1 By the first the Sacrifice of Penance in humble fasting and
them this that they are fooles indeed And truly Is it not folly for one man to oppose the whole Christian Church of God Is it not folly for one man to thinke himselfe wiser than Gods Church Catholique over the world assisted with Gods Spirit in all ages Is it not folly for things indifferent to breake the union and peace of all Christian Churches Is it not folly in the highest degree that though they have beene convinced of their follies they will notwithstanding goe on still in their folly and not know or acknowledge that they doe evill I am not hasty to apply sentences of condemnation I wish from my heart their conversion who are thus perversly affected As I said at first my Text speaketh not nor I as I hope to any such here yet I desire that they that will not heare from me from us here may at least heare from us by others here Our prayers shall be for them our studies and endeavours if it may be to doe them good Exhortation In the meane time my Exhortation is to you First for obedience to our Mother Church and conformity with her to the best and purest Churches Surely beloved it is not safe to disobey seeing he that dispiseth her cannot chuse as I have shewed but displease God being in a great forwardnesse to make Him turne His backe upon him and upon his Cain-like offering 2 For caution in hearing how and whom you heare seeing it is not likely that they should teach obedience who are themselves the authors of disobedience It is S. Iohn 2. Ep. v. 10. Ioh. 2. Ep. v. 10 If there come any to you not having this Doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him GOD speede 3 For particular obedience to this order in GODS divine and publique worship that you be carefull how you enter whom when and how you heare what and how you offer That you bee carefull so to offer that you may profitably come neare so to come neare that you may obediently heare so to heare that you may religiously and piously offer And if thus we offer it shall be truely as some read it Super donum insipientum Sacrificium a Sacrifice far above the Sacrifice of fooles It shall be the savour of life unto life a Sacrifice truely acceptable to God in the Merits and Passion of Iesus Christ FINIS A SERMON PREACHED IN CHELMSFORD AT A QVARTER-SESSIONS 1632. Ecclesiastes 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words bee few I May not wave this Text because of the Occasion nay rather this Text best fits the Occasion for even here behold a Sessions also 1 The Iudge upon the Bench GOD in Heaven 2 The Offenders at the Barre Coram before GOD the Iudge Thou whosoever upon Earth 3 Faults committed Abuses to bee reformed Errours censured Rashnesse in the mouth Hastinesse in the heart the two most usuall and common offenders 4 The Lawes to be promulged the Charge that is given and that of both sorts both negative and affirmative as well forbidding as bidding and commanding Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty c. Let thy words be few And indeed these Sessions have the advantage of all ours here on earth 1 For the Matters about which they are such as concerne the High Court of Heaven or our Petitions to the Star-Chamber of the Highest GOD Prayer 2 For the Iudge it is GOD as farre above all here as Heaven is above Earth 3 For the Offenders it would bee considered whether they that be Iudges here below be not as others guilty Offenders at this barre here Especially this would bee thought upon with the first Whether these Sessions in this place well held would not make way for the better performing ours And doubtlesse so they will For what better in the entrance and beginning than that with which if they begin aright all men do begin withall Prayer the Lock of the Night the Key of the Morning the entrance to every action Without me saith CHRIST ye can do nothing Iohn 15.5 Iohn 15.5 Not judge I am sure for justice and judgement are the Lords and fetch them downe we must by prayer as David did Give thy judgements O Lord unto the King and thy righteousnesse to the Kings Sonne Psalme 72.1 Psal 72.1 But the reason of your meeting is for abuses to be reformed then what more needfull to be reformed than our Prayers If amisse we begin as they are our first beginning what hope ever of a good ending But the end of our meeting is for peace for civill peace and what more assured way for this than to lay the foundation of religious peace Religion my Text sheweth it bridles the Tongue that untamed member that sets the world on fire it restraineth the Heart the root of all outward actions Religion is the soule of the State the life of the Common-weale and surely as in a Glasse face answereth to face so doth the peace of the State to the peace of the Church like Hippocrates his Twins they laugh and weepe together as Castor and Pollux ominous it must needs be if the peace of the one be sundred from the other Solomons Temple was first built 1 Kings 6 7. then Solomons House and the same wisdome that taught him so to build taught him so to reforme by the same Order It is observeable that Solomon intreating of the remedying of follies in these following Chapters begins in this beginning of this Chapter from the errours and vanities in Religion plainly teaching us that as follies and iniquities in Religion are the ground of all other follies so the reforming of these is the way to establish all the rest But of follies in Religion those are the greatest which are in the greatest and neerest degree to the honouring and dishonouring GOD such are they that are in Prayer for this is the Ladder of Heaven the Christians Sacrifice the just mans Safegard the Divels scourge the Spirits earnest this is the Nurse of love the Friend of peace the Soules solace our Accesse to God the Meanes of salvation For Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved Ioel 2.32 Ioel. 2.32 Acts 2.21 Rom. 10.13 14 15. c. For this as I have shewed is all our preaching hearing beleeving Rom. 10. Our entring hearing offering in the former words hither are they referred all of them here the greatest danger if we misse herein the greatest comfort if we hit and therefore here as for that unum necessarium I challenge your best attention Where you may please to consider these three things First the Errours indited the follies arraigned either in defect or excesse of religious duties Secondly the Precepts Charge and Injunctions given which are these Be not rash with thy mouth and let
beseech you all wishing my voice might reach as farre as the fault extends to every person and place that you and they would all receive the second Word 2 Of Exhortation and Admonition that as we hold the Spirits unity so we would even in this also provide for the Churches peace that we would all as one herein follow our blessed Saviours command his Spirits direction his Churches practice in all ages That as we are his peoples mouth to him we would not be too precipitate in our selves too unadvised in respect of the people whose mouthes and hearts that all may be but one mouth and heart must necessarily in GOD'S publike service accompany and go along with ours that howsoever we do when we speake to the people yet when to God we speak that Our words be few Let not our mouth be rash or our heart hasty to utter any thing before Him that may make our Sacrifice to be the Offering of Fooles Nay rather let us be more ready to heare that is to obey GOD and his Church seeing to obey is the fat of Sacrifice Yea 1 Sam. 15.21 much better than all Sacrifice Surely the Heathen man can tell us that this is that kept up their Sparta How much more this obedience to GOD his Son our Saviour his Word his Spirit his Catholike and universall Church In whose wall as in Noahs Arke you and we all are only safe 3 And truly that I may adde the third word of Gratulation we have ever great cause to confesse and acknowledge GOD's favour and mercy to us who are of this English Church and far more juster cause have we to praise Him not as the Heathen Man that we are Men only not Women Grecians not Barbarians Athenians not Baeotians for now Male and Female Gal. 3.28 Graecians and Barbarians are all one in CHRIST but that we are Men not Beasts Christians not Heathen English the best Reformed for pure Doctrine and perfect Discipline which GOD hath by a long and happily continued peace so mercifully approved so miraculously defended Truly the Iewes in their Beracoth recounting the blessings their Fathers received and themselves now want doe daily blesse and continually praise GOD for them How much more justly and truly should we do this daily and hourely We have received the substance whereof they the shewes the body CHRIST whereof they the shadowes the truth and performance whereof they but the promise thus indeed with us all Christians after CHRIST But of so many Christian Churches how many with Israel of old in Egyptian bondage under the Turke and other Easterne Princes How many scorcht or at least in danger of the fiery Furnace with the three Children How many in peace have not the cleare truth How many in full truth have not perfect peace having both how many have not that discipline and government that must under God preserve them Onely we I say enjoy all God grant we may take the course by seeking God truly to enjoy them still I say wee of this Nation do and have long enjoyed them all by Gods speciall mercy It being a special argument of Gods singular favour toward this Reformation received and established in this Church that God notwithstanding all our infinite sins beyond other Nations hath and is still pleased so long to vouchsafe us such Peace such Plenty such a flourishing State such inward Content such outward Prosperity so many and great Deliverances so strange and miraculous Preservations such happy Government under so many Pious and Religious Princes having added this also in this most happy Succession that with the ending of that former Kingly Race of ours neither our Peace nor His Truth did end but that another and nearer Kingdome is added to us to strengthen our Peace to encrease our Thankefulnesse to God our Obedience to Him and His Vice-gerent O let us not forfeit this Peace yea Gods blessed Truth by any unthankefulnesse Let us not as fools still strive with God His Christ His Spirit Let us ever obey God also in this Take His Counsell Be not rash with our mouth c. FINIS THE FOVRTH OF THE NECESSITY AND ORDER OF GOD'S Service by Prayer and the Words Ministration in reference chiefly to the CLERGIE Preached at the Trieniall Visitation of the R. Reverend Father in GOD William Lord Bishop of London holden at Dunmow in Essex Sept. 11. Anno Domini 1634. ACTS CHAP. 6. VER 4. But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the ministration of the Word IT was an ancient custome in the Churches Synodall assemblies that the Sacred Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bookes of Holy Scripture Vide Christop Iustell IC in Prafat ad Codicem Canonū Eccles Cathol in initio the Rule of Christian Faith were openly layed on an higher deske the Ecclesiasticall bookes of the Councils the Rule of Discipline and Order on a lower by them To teach us doubtlesse that both these are a safety and defence the one to the other Neither Faiths Doctrine secure without the pale of Discipline nor Disciplines Order sound without the ground of Doctrine Both like those two Sisters in the Gospell Mary and Martha or these in the Text Prayer and the Word serving the LORD in the mutuall service of one another Behold what then was is now againe represented unto your Christian view even those two Bookes opened before your eys or one Canon in both those Bookes A Canon truly it is and that of the second Synod that ever was the first and only yet recorded also in the Booke of God a speciall part of His holy Word and therefore most truly Canonicall And which is yet worth our observing As it pleased GOD The first Synod that ever was Acts Chap. 1. in the 34. yeare of our Christian Aera and the next after our Blessed SAVIOUR'S Assention was called for the setling the number and Persons of the holy Apostles the Churches Founders and Governours So this second now in the same yeare held as Binnius and Baronius Vid. Binium Tom. 1. Concilio 4. fol. 1. C. Baronium ad An. 35. n. 1. c. account doth as we see by the same providence designe and set downe their Office and Duty and not theirs alone but the Duty of us all who succeede them So a Synod we have in the Text Verse 2. Then the Twelve called the multitude of the Disciples c. And a Synod also at this time for some like end And a yearely provision it was and it seemeth from the same ground that as That Acts 1. and This here in the same yeare so also in after ages a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Con. Nicen. 1. Can. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Chalced. Can. 19. Bis in anno juxta Patrum decreta aut si non saltem semel Concil Tolitan 4. cap. 3. circa Ann. Dom. 633. Turonens 2. c. 1. Anno Dom. 570. Vid. Apostolorum Canon 38. alias 36. twice
admonish and put you and my selfe in minde what we ought to performe what we our selves are to expect in our charge from them Beloved we are as Moses in the Gap to stand before and betwixt GOD and his people to offer up supplications for them We the Salt of the earth which ought to season and relish others The eyes and lights of their lives to guide and teach them the good and the right way to salvation And this I am sure is it that they may daily and continually by our frequent exhortations and pious examples be stirred up to call upon God that they may be saved Rom. 10.13 Rom. 10.13 Let us Beloved endeavour * 2 Tim. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to kindle this fire againe and by al meanes effect by the Words ministration that publike prayer Gods service may be againe restored into Gods House the House of prayer What else should be the end of this or any our visitation Yea what else did that great Sheepherd and Bishop of our soules Christ Iesus intend and drive at in his trienniall Visitation truly I may well call it so for as if that were the ground of ours and all ours to be directed by that he also visited his Temple twice in foure yeeres for whereas he preached only three yeeres and an halfe he visited his Temple twice in that space Once Iohn 2. Iohn 2. v. 13.14 15 16. at the entrance and beginning of his Office and againe three yeeres expired and some few dayes before his Passion he came againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Rod and power to purge and visite his Temple the second time Matth. 21. Mat. 21.12 13 14. In both behold the same end intended namely Prayer to bee not onely restored but also preferred in the House of prayer It is worth our observing that that part of the Temple thus then abused was but Atrium populi The Porch of the people that which was there sold or bought was all for the service and ministration of the Temple Yet as though all were not well if prayer were not all in all if it dwelt not alone or chiefe in its own house and every part of it he doth that which He never else did He takes the cause into His own hand even the Lambe of God who came to save to serve and suffer yet here turnes Lion and as if this were his second comming commeth even againe and the second time in wrath fury and indignation to cast out all intruding upon his Service Prayer and to restore it againe unto his owne House as that which is to be not only of his Israel but the continuall Sacrifice of all Nations My House saith he and his only charge it is at both those His Visitations shall be called the House of prayer unto all Nations Esay 56.7 But ye c. This our blessed Saviours Visitation was in Saint Hieromes judgement the greatest miracle that ever he did on earth in his owne person not only that one and alone in so meane and low estate he casts out so many thousands as S. Hierome observes * S. Hier. lib. 3. Comment in Math. c. 21. Tom. 6. f. 44. but also which is more wonderfull that changing his tenour and course of mercy and meeke mildenesse in which he then came to seeke and save He thus of a Lambe became a Lion of a milde and gentle Saviour a most severe and terrible revenging Iudge and who never before so much as quenched the smoking Flax or broke the bruised Reed who never before once strake or moved hand yet here did it and did it againe not with the hand alone but as it were with all his force even with scourges and rods to shew us what we should do and how zealous we should be in this case Nay to teach us how strictly now he requires the performance and how severely he will hereafter revenge the neglect of this duty at his second comming to judgement Let us therefore c. FINIS THE FIFTH OF THE GROVNDS AND REASONS OF Set-times of Fasting Preached upon Tuesday in the Passion weeke at CHELMESFORD Anno Domini 1630. In these two Parallell places MARK 2.20 LUKE 5.35 But the dayes will come when the Bridegroome shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those Dayes THere is A time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance saith the a Eccles 3.4 Preacher If ever a time in the Church for the Church to dance it was at her owne Bridalls when shee was married to the greatest Heire that ever was the Heire of Heaven and Earth When mans nature was espoused in CHRIST to GOD never to be dissundered when b Esay 9.6 to us a Child was borne and to us a Sonne was given when c Malach. 4.2 the Sunne of righteousnesse arose after a long night of sorrow with healing on his wings when the Angels sung for joy d Luke 2.14 Glory to GOD on high on Earth peace good will towards men When Great joy was proclaimed Vniversall joy which should be to all people I suppose it thence not onely a precept Luke 2.10 but also a Salutation or Valediction call it which you please which the Apostle so often useth but especially to the Philippians Philip. 3.1 4.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoyce or Farewell in the LORD and againe Rejoyce in the LORD alwayes Which latter the Church chusing for her Epistle on the third Advent Sunday begins her Day and course of time from Advent Sunday the Bridegroomes comming so going through every part of her SAVIOUR'S Life thus shewing all hers that all their joy must be in Him in His presence in whose presence there is fullnesse of joy for evermore And as there is the same reason of contraries So if the Churches joy bee for the Bridegroomes presence then must her sorrow bee for her Bridegroomes absence especially Cum auferetur ab ejs When the Bridegroome shall be taken away then shee must needs mourne then must she needs fast if not for her owne losse yet for His sake for His Command who hath commanded that When the Bridegroome is taken away that then shee should fast in those Dayes To which words orderly to enter we must note that the Pharisees did upbrayd our SAVIOUR with many things of which when nothing could rightly be fastened on Himselfe they begin to find fault with His Disciples Like as many now a dayes do with CHRISTS Spouse the Church whom when they can justly charge with nothing they must at the least quarrell with her followers with her Discipline with her Attire with her Orders either for her eating as the Pharisees did with our SAVIOUR but immediately before for eating with Publican's and Sinners Verse 16. Mark Verse 30. Luke or for her not eating her fasting a Wednesday Friday Ember or Lenten fast For these men we must take
I am the Spouse and Church of Christ did so Therefore she chose the 95. Psalme for her invitation therefore was the 6. Verse of that Psalme usually resounded Psal 95.11 Passim in Horolog Eucholog caeteris Graecorum officiis quae vide Et apud Latinos Cassiod in conclus Psalm 141. ubi ex Augustino Et in Psal 94. S. August hom 10 De verbis Apostoli in principio ubi Psalmi hujus meminit in Ecclesiis usurpati 1 Cor. 11.4 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O come let us worship c. Thus did she then doe both in the East and West and so must we do if we be of her followers if we belong to her 2 But there is another Reverence of the Head The Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 11. That the Woman dishonoureth her head if she be uncovered and the Man his head if he be covered The head of the Man is CHRIST a glorious head and therefore to be glorified the head of the Woman is the Man a weake head God knoweth and therefore she to be covered the Woman the weaker vessell and therefore covered the Woman first in the transgression the cause of covering and therefore covered the Woman hath her haire by nature for a covering and therefore covered The Man for contrary reasons in the Church must be uncovered that is without his ordinary covering This was the custome of Christs Spouse the Catholike Church through the World The custome of the Church 1 Cor. 11.16 which the Apostle telleth us no man may breake We have no such custome therefore we have a contrary is a good argument It is the command of Christ by his Apostle as may bee gathered out of the same Chapter Vers the first At least one made by the Apostles 1 Cor. 11.1 not a temporary Law made for a time as * some vainely glosse it It was a perpetuall Law The Geneva Notes on 1 Cor. 11. so the Apostle groundeth it upon GOD upon CHRIST upon Nature upon Grace upon Reason upon Religion c. all I hope no temporary things For such the Church held it so she ever practised it Tertullian is a witnesse for the West Tert. Apol. cap. 30. Illuc suspicientes Christiani manibus expansis quia innocuis capite nudo quia non erubescimus denique sine monitore quia de pectore oramus c. S. Basil the Great is a witnesse for the East S. Basil ad Neocaesar Epist 63. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who blaming the Clergie and People of Neocaesarea putteth them in minde of their famous Bishop Gregory Thaumaturgus He saith S. Basil never covered his head at prayer Why so Because he was saith he a true Scholler of the Apostle who telleth us that every man praying or prophesying having his head covered 1 Cor. 11.4.7 dishonoureth his head And the man ought not to cover his head insomuch as hee is the Image and glory of God Surely should he nay I say more should any Turke or Infidell come into our Churches and behold our devotions and our reverence here they would by our behaviour take this place for a Theater and our exercises here for so they call them rather for a gazing-stock then once guesse it any service of God or that it were any Reverence becomming the Spouse of the glorious Bridegroome Certainly if there be a way to grieve the Holy Spirit of God Rom. 8.26 who maketh our prayers or the Bridegroome 1 Iohn 2.1 who as our Advocate presenteth our prayers this is the meanes to make him withdraw to cause him be gone to drive him away to cause that he be taken away And thus we are come to the second Proposition or Observation Proposition II That the Bridegroome must be taken away It was when the Bridegroome spake it a Prophesie and now is as Irenaeus defineth every Prophecy a History fulfilled and fulfilled it was at this very time this very weeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use the words of my Text these very dayes and therefore to speake something of it at this time were a word in due time But how shall I be able to enter this Sea of our Saviours Passion and not bee swallowed up of teares How shall I shew you this dismall dolefull taking away this bleeding spectacle At which Heaven shut its eyes and withdrew its light at which the Sun covered his face and the Moone veiled her selfe in bloud at which the Earth trembled and all the Creation and powers of Heaven and Earth man onely excepted wrapped themselves in black shady darknesse mourning that man for whom this Bridegroome became man should have so deepe so bloudy a hand in this taking away How shall my fraile tongue be able to tell you how He was taken betrayed bound and scourged how He was scoffed reviled mocked and spit on how He was crowned with Thornes beaten with Rods and Reeds cruelly whipped despitefully arrayed how He was pierced torne crucified and tormented how He was despised and rejected of men A man of sorrowes Esay 53.3 and acquainted with griefe He was oppressed and afflicted vers 7. He was brought as a Lambe to the slaughter and as a Sheepe before the Shearer so he opened not his mouth He was taken from prison and from judgement vers 8. and who shall declare his generation saith the Prophet Who shall indeed declare it Nay who can declare it Since an Angell from Heaven at His Birth and Wedding declared the joy who but an Angell from Heaven can declare the sorrow We should wrong our Saviours Passion and the Scriptures relation if any other than the voice of God or Heaven should relate it Therefore the Church the Spouse ordaineth that so we should heare it See the Church Service Epistle and Gospell for the weeke before Easter and heare it so over and over againe because it can never too much affect us You heard it ere while at large related in the History truly an History by One that saw it On Sunday you heard S. Matthew relate it at large yesterday and to day S. Mark and lest we should want the knowledge of this taking away or not expresse it enough in our mourning the Church ordaineth that on every day of this Weeke wee should heare the full History of this His taking away by the mouth of one of his foure witnesses Neither hath the Church done any new thing in this * S. August Sermone 144. de tempore Sicut enim passio ex omnibus Evangelistis conscripta est sic dies Isti septem vel octo durant spacium ut secundum omnes Evangelistas Resurrectio recitetur Passio autem quia uno die legitur non solet legi nisi secundum Matthaeum Volueram aliquando ut per singulos annos secundum omnes Evangelistas etiam Passio legeretur factum est non audierunt homines quod consueverunt perturbati sunt c. Apud Latinos factum
Ecclesiâ congregari ante humanos actus Deo orationum suarum offerre sacrificium Nam á nonnullis ieste S. Augustino in hebdomade quinquies jejunatur quod ait ille multi in vitâ suâ faciunt maxime in monasterijs constituti S. August Ep. ad Casulan 86. Hos innuit loco citato S. Hieronymus Deo vacantes de quibus vide veteres passim Palladium praesertim S. Theodoretum will tell us Iejunia congregationes c. The fastings and prayers in the weeke dayes he meaneth especially r Synaxes n. habitas olim tà m in Parasceve quà m feriâ quartâ locus S. Epiphanij quē supra laudavimus satis manifestè ostendit quin S. Chrysostomus in 1 ad Tim. 1. Hom. 3. Graeci autem ubi Dies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indixerunt suis Pascha nuncuparunt uti etiamnum in corum officijs videre est S. Chrysostom id satis evidenter etiam Hom. in eos qui Pascha jejunant Hom. 52. de Diversis N. Testam verb. h. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scil. Dominicâ quartâ Sabbati Parasceve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sc. in Sabbato vel in Martyrum festis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De quotidiano a. Sacrificio S. Chrysostom pluribus quidem in locis e.g. Hom. 3. in Ephes 1. Hom. 17. in Heb. 6. c. Wednesday and Friday meetings were appointed for them which cannot or rather will not saith he meete every day in the Church he meaneth Lay-men there before they goe about their businesse to offer up their prayers unto God And indeed if Fast then Pray I dare say it is here included I am sure it is here intended We may see it most evidently by divers other places of Scripture viz. 2 Sa. 12.22 Psal 35.13 Esth 4.16 Iudg. 20.26 Dan. 10.3 c. 2 Sam. 12.22 Psal 35.13 Esth 4.16 Iudg. 20.26 Dan. 10.3 c. They never goe asunder as by infinite testimonies may bee declared For Fasting is the forerunner of Prayer and Prayer is the companion of Fasting And indeed this is one principall and maine end of fasting to quicken our * Efficax est oratio praecedente jejunio c. S. Cypri de jojun Tenta cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. S. Chrysost in Psal 145. Prayers and to make them more lively For as Prayer without fasting is weake and feeble so Fasting without Prayer is to small effect They therefore most assuredly must goe together It is confessed by all that the Bridegroome as Fasted so Prayed likewise not for Himselfe for His owne but for His Spouses sake and in her behalfe Infinite testimonies might be heaped up out of the Scriptures as also out of all Divines You may see it plainly averred by our Saviour Himselfe Ioh. 11. Iohn 11.42 But as He prayed at all times to teach us we should pray at all times continually Luke 18.1 So He prayed at the time of His taking away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Luke 22.44 Luke 22.44 To teach us say Divines how we should pray at those times and in those dayes when either the Bridegroome was taken away and we to commemorate this Taking away or we in feare and danger that He be taken away againe Thence in the distresse of the Church when Iames was beheaded Peter in prison the Church in persecution and in danger againe to loose the Bridegroome yea rather at such time when These days came about againe wherein the Bridegroome was taken away the Children of the Bride-chamber by their fasting to mourne for Him for so it then was * E textu liquet tempus Parasceves seu Passionis fuisse quod Apostoli assiduâ constanti supplicatione tunc transigebant Vt hinc probabiliter admodum constaret memoriam Passionis Dominicae Quadragesimali jejunio illo praesertim triduano solenniter anno vertente ab Apostolicis observatā fuisse Ideoque haec lectio à Syris antiquissimis reijcitur in Sabbatii primum jejunii seu Initium Quadragesimae ut eo doceant Quadragesimale jejunium eum in finem fuisse institutum ut peccata nostra in sponso sublato lugeamus Vid. Widmonstadij Syriacum Testam ad 12. caput Act. in calce Testamenti Syr. Good Friday and Easter Even Then saith Saint Luke againe Acts 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was made by the whole Church Publike Prayer you heare of But what this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was let us aske the Graecians and mother-Mother-Church who best knew the use force and application of this word and they will tell us And indeed I speake it not GOD knoweth to flatter the Church of England but as it is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the use and acception of the Easterne Christians in all their * Passim in Rubricis Horolog Eucholog c. in quibus nonnunquà m mendosè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reperitur Verùm in Liturgiâ sub nomine S. Petri. p. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illi subjuncta reperitur Verum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod suspicor in Rubricis Graecorum menda est Typographica Cum ista 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut recte Meursius in Glossario ipsa sit illa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de quibus Apostolus 1. Tim. 2.1 Continuatio Bookes and Rubrickes is nothing but That Prayer which in after times and other use was called The Letanie This was as it seemeth the first name of the Letanie So you see here is Fasting injoyned upon the Wednesday and Friday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if Fasting then Prayer also And as publike Prayer for so it is you see what Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 22.44 The Letanie a larger a more earnest and instant Prayer The Application And now Beloved having gone through the five Propositions and Their that is The Children of the Bridechamber's practice I have brought you home to our owne Mother-Church which I hope you all now plainly see practizeth nothing but what she ought to do nay what indeed she is bound to observe and therefore we the more bound to observe her Now give mee I beseech you leave briefly to use a word or two of Exhortation and Application 1 Duty Thankefulnesse The first is as wee have all great cause of Thankefulnesse unto Almighty GOD for having vouchsafed us a favour beyond all other Christian Churches even the Reformed Churches themselves viz. to bee borne bred and brought up in that Church which by the confession of all most truly is a patterne and president to all Reformed Churches whatsoever Witnesse her adversaries on both hands on the right hand and on the left who though never so studiously opposing her though never so strictly examining her could never yet touch her in the least kind either for her Doctrine or Discipline Witnesse their quarrelsome bookes Luke 21.31 witnesse her abundant Answers Iohn 14.13 I may say as our
SAVIOUR of S. Peters tryall Satan in her adversaries did desire to sift her and yet as our SAVIOUR sayd of Himselfe he nor his could never finde or have any thing in her Witnesse the unpartiall judgment of all though strangers unto her who have so farre admired her so justly extolled her so gravely commended her to and above all others I might name many testimonies in this kinde I name but one for all Alexander Alesius a Scottish Doctor who so farre approved the Reformation of this Church of England and the Service-Booke thereof then as I may say but begun and unperfect that hee translated it into Latine and commended it as a Paterne to all Christian Churches The Booke is still to be seene printed in Lipsich in Germany Anno 1551. And indeed as I sayd at first Reformation being as the Civilian defineth it a Restitution of any thing to his pristin first and best estate we may well pronounce this Church a most true Reformed Church who hath so truly done this so fully performed it In all her Doctrine in all her Discipline she hath by following the steps of the Bridegroome manifested her selfe to be the very Spouse of Christ GOD grant us as truly by following her to shew our selves to be the children of the Bridechamber 2. Obedience generall The second Exhortation is for Obedience to this Spouse of CHRIST For we can never be thankefull to the Bridegroome unlesse we be obedient to the Bride wee shall never bee of His Chamber unlesse wee follow His Church The Church beloved is that which defendeth our King the State our Countrey The Bride the Church is that which keepeth the Bridegroome with us the cause of all our joy It should bee therefore dearer unto us then our owne lives as deare as our owne soules Beloved give me leave which I intended more fully to give you some short rules of peace and Obedience You have heard reason and evidence alleaged for much of this Churches practice even now she may be as fully nay she hath beene more fully cleared in all others It is your part to judge the best of her who is indeed your Mother and seeing you have already seene reason for some it is your duty to thinke there is as good reason for all others though you see it not Bee not therefore forward to judge of those things which you have not knowledge for Remember you cannot attaine or understand the reason of many things and some things the most knowing of us knoweth not at all Every man hath his measure in which we must containe our selves We learne to know and know to doe and practise and if we have so much knowledge to know our duty what care we for any more Curiosity it is not Christianity that carryeth us farther Neverthelesse if any be curiously desirous to be satisfied in the Churches practice in any thing she either doth or teacheth it is my counsell that they repaire to those that are learned judicious obedient and moderate minded men Let them avoid Schismatickes and baulke them that are malecontent and factious And as if the Spaniard French or any other potent neighbour nation should which God of his mercy forbid invade this land it were the part of every good Patriot to oppose them and defend this countrey So much more is it the part of every good Christian to oppose them that oppose the Church and first of all our duty to frame arguments and to labour to defend that Church and truth which under God is the maine defence of us all Otherwise let us feare that if we live not with the Spouse we indeed forsake the Bridegroome If we deny our obedience to the one the other also for our disobedience be most deservedly taken away The third is of particular Obedience to this text to the Bridegroome And indeed 3. Obedience particular if wee obey not the Bridegroome as good never obey the Spouse if not Him none of Hers we My text telleth us The dayes will come c. But you have heard and seene and know it as well as I can tell you that The Dayes are come and now are and weekly come againe And will the Dayes never come for us to doe our Duty to shew our obedience It is a part of humanity to weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12.15 to mourne with them that mourne If wee cannot mourne you have heard what will make us mourne Fasting And indeed He that left all for us cannot wee leave a little for Him When Hee was taken away for us cannot we take for a time somewhat of our allowance from our belly for Him for His in almes for our selves our owne sinnes If there were no other reason wee ought even to sorrow with and for Him who sorrowed so much for us Wee of all ought to regard His sorrow You know whose lamentable complaint it is Lament 1.12 Have yee no regard all yee c. No regard doubtlesse if we regard not to shed a teare to let fall a drop to send forth a sigh for Him And what regard we should have of this His sorrow we may see and learne by His blessed Mother that ever blessed Virgin It is Simeons prophecie to her Luke 2.35 Yea a sword saith he shall pierce thorow thine owne soule also The sword of sorrow so they expound it No lesse weapon then a sword and this not to pierce into but to pierce thorow and that not to pierce thorow the body onely or the flesh but thorow and thorow Luke 23.27 and that thorow thine owne soule And good reason for it For if women and those strangers wept so sore as we reade Luk. 23. 27. for his taking onely before he came to the Crosse what sorrow doe we thinke becommeth the Mother or the Spouse of Christ when they see Him taken away lifted up hanging and bleeding on the Crosse If the Centurion and the Souldiers that crucified Him and all the people that reviled Him begin to returne and lament Luke 23.47 48. and to smite their brests as we read Luk. 23. How shall our hearts smite us that they smite us not that they smite us no more that they smit us not before Nay if the Thiefe on the Crosse forgetting his owne shame and paine and sorrow begin to lament for the Bridegroome if he begin to rebuke his fellow for not sorrowing what shall we doe how shall we sorrow Me thinkes I heare that blessed Thiefe speaking to every one of us Luke 23.40 41. as sometimes he spake to his fellow Dost not thou feare God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And wee indeed justly for we if we fast or mourne or sorrow nay should we die the death and ever mourne in endlesse sorrow yet we receive the due reward of our sinnes of our owne deeds for we have sinned all all kinde of sinnes But This man He hath done nothing amisse If any thing amisse