maintenance and support of these fleshly tabernacles thou shalt eate and drinke ad necessitatem and the church to take downe the frankenesse of nature and tame the wildnesse of the flesh for in point of fasting there is as well a religious as a civill or politicke respect saies thou shalt not eate and drinke ad intemperantiam let us so eate and drinke that we may live and not lust and so live that thus eating drinking we care not if we die to morrow The cause why Moses so long fasted in the Mount was meere divine speculation the cause why David did humiliation so that the way to mortify the flesh and to advance the spirit is by the doore of abstinence whereby wee may undermine the pallaces of lust and wantonnes plant parcimony as nature where riotousnes hath beene study Hooker Eccles pol. lib. 5. that whereas men of the Flesh eate their bread with joy and drinke their wine with a merry heart Eccles 9.7 The man of the Spirit may be contrite and wounded and so humble his soule with fasting Psal 35.13 Beware then of this Ingenuosa Gula this kick-shawed luxury when the braine turnes Cooke for pleasing both of the eye and palate let 's not court appetite when we should but feed it not feed excesse when we should strangle it Moderation and sobrietie are the best Governours of our meetings and where these are as they are not too often in the meetings of a multitude the example of our Saviour will allow us to turne Water into Wine and the advice of his Apostle to drinke it also for our stomacks suke and doubtlesse sometimes for our mirths sake too if we exceed not the bounds of temperance nor flye out into superfluity or Epicurisme which are the blot and staine of Societie and a hinderance of that true joy and comfort which otherwise might smile in our publike meetings when invitations are turned into riots feeding into suffocation clogging the body and damping the spirits and thereby those blessings which else happily might have shower'd upon us A Soule drown'd in meat as the Father phraseth it can no more behold the light of God than a body sunk in puddle can behold the light of the Sun For as fogs and mists arising from the Earth and hiding the light of the Sunne from us debarre us for the present of the vertue of those heavenly influences which otherwise we might partake of So the fumes and vapours of an over-charg'd stomacke ascending to the brain cause a cloudinesse in the soule hindring and darkning those heavenly speculations which the Spirit would else mount to in God and his Son Christ Iesus To conclude then it should be our principall care to keepe the whole man brush'd all sluttishnes swept-of as well within as without not only those outward spots and blemishes which bestain the flesh but even those smaller dusts and atomes which over-spred the soule Remember it is the white robe which is the dressing of the Saint and that the hand which is wash'd in innocency is accepted at Gods Altar The haire that is unshaven is not for his congregation nor the fowle and uncleane thing for his kingdome We read that Solomons Temple had two altars the one without Vbi animaliū caedebatur Sacrificium 1. Kings 6.20 22. where the bullocke was flaine for sacrifice The other within Vbi Thymiamitis offerebatur incensum where incense and perfumes were offered the best mirrhe and the onyx the sweet storax Ecclus. 24.15 And we know that this temple of the holy Ghost hath two altars also the one without in the flesh where the bullocke should bee slaine the Hecatomb of our hundred beasts offered our beastly lusts and corruptions which fight against the soule The other within in the minde where the fumes of mirrhe and frank incense ascend the incense of prayer and gratulation that spirituall holocaust that viall of the Saints full of odours which reacheth the very nostrils of the Almighty On these two altars D. Aug. 256. serm de temp God requires a two fold sacrifice munditiem in corde cleanesse in the heart which David so vehemently desired create in mee a cleane heart O God Psal 5 1. and castitatem in corpore chastity in the body S. Bern. inter sententias which S. Bernar calls martyrium sine sanguine a martyrdome without bloud where there is a death of the flesh without the death of the body a death of her lusts and a death of her corruptions by mortifying and subduing all carnall rebellions And this martyrdome of the flesh S. Paul glories in I keepe under my body or as the Greeke hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corpus contundo Paulin. Ep. 58. et Lividum reddo soe Paulinus reades it to S. Augustine I Bray as it were and macerate my body and marke what followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In servitutem redigo I bring it into subiection 1. Cor. 9.27 And in subjection indeed it must be brought in subjection to the soule which as it gives the other forme so it should steere and master it Vnumquodque sicundum hoc vivat unde vivit saith S. Augustine let every thing live according to the rule and platforme of that by which it lives Vnde vivit caro tua De anima tua unde vivit anima tua De Deo tuo unaquaque harum secundum vitam suam vivat Whence lives thy body from thy soule whence lives thy soule from thy God Let both then live according to that Life which gave them life The world was made for man and man for his soule his soul for God Tū rectè vivit carosecundū animā D. Aug. Serm. 13. deverb Dom. cùm anima vivit secundum Deum The sweet Saint Augustine still then the body lives rightly according to the soule when the soule lives rightly according unto GOD. Let the body then so live after the soule and the soule after GOD that both body and soule may live with God in his eternall kingdome and that for his deare Sons sake Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with the Father the holy Ghost bee all honour and glory ascrib'd both now and for ever Amen Gloria in excelsis Deo FINIS Jehovah-Jireh GOD In his PROVIDENCE And OMNIPOTENCE Discovered A SERMON PREACHED Ad Magistratum at CHARD in Sommerset 1633. By Humphrey Sydenham Laudate Dominum de omnimoda potentia ejus Laudate eum secundum multitudinem Magnitudinis ejus Psal 150.2 LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE for Humphrey Robinson at the Signe of the Three Pigeons in PAULS Church-yard 1637. TOMY HIGHLY HONOUR'D FRIEND Sr. JOHN STAVVELL Knight of the BATH THIS SIR IUST promises are just debts and debts though delayed ever come acceptably if they come with advantage I long since promised you a transcript of this Sermon which was the Principall and now I send it you with a Dedication which is the Interest and such an Interest I
eares the Dissembler with his lippes the envious with his teeth the Slanderer with his tongue the Blasphemer with his mouth the Intemperate with his Throate the Hypocrite with his heart the Incompassionate with his Bowells the Glutton with his Belly the Adulterer with his Bones and marrow the Covetous and grinding Miscreant with his bands the Purloyner with his Fingers and lastly the Transgressor in generall with his Feete that those which have beene swift heretofore in running to mischiefe and the shedding of innocent Bloud may at length bee more carefull to treade in the pathes of Righteousnesse that they which were sometimes going downe to the Chambers of Death to this Olim tenebrae in the Text to the fearefull darkenesse our Ephesian was involv'd in may at length climbe up to the Lux in Domino to bee Light in the Lord Heb. 12.23 nay to the Lord who is the Light To the generall Assembly and Church of the first-borne where the foundations are laid with Saphires and the windowes made with Agats Isa 54.11 12. and the Gates of Carbuncles and the whole Fabricke of precious Stones which as so many Lights point to that Light inaccessible to GOD the Father and his Son CHRIST JESUS to whom with the Spirit of Lights be all Glory ascrib'd for ever and ever Gloria in excelsis Deo Amen FINIS The foolish Prophet A SERMON PREACHED Ad CLERVM At the Trienniall VISITATION of the right Reverend Father in GOD WILLIAM by divine providence Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells At TAUNTON in SOMERSET Iune 22. 1636. By Humphrey Sydenham PSAL. 75.4 5. Dixi insipientibus nolite iniquè agere nolite in altum extollere Cornu vestrum LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE for Humphrey Robinson at the Signe of the Three Pigeons in PAULS Church-yard 1637. TO THE NOBLY-INGENIOUS EDVVARD SEYMOVR Esquire This. SIR T Is acriticall age we live in where Divines and Poets have alike fate and misery most men frequenting Churches as they doe Theaters either to clap or hisse and it is with the Auditors of the one as with the Spectators of the other sometimes they bestow their Laurell sometimes their Thistle Applause sometimes sometimes censure Vnhappy Creatures that we are to be thus fed with Aire as if we no longer liv'd by the Spirit of God but the breath of the people And if this Ayre were either pure or temperate it were a passable calamity but it is for the most part poyson'd and corrupt Loose men breath their rottennesse and filth upon us and it is not wit for sooth nor bravery except it be drivell'd upon the Priest whom they all besmeare with calumny and rake the very kennell for dirt to fling at him as if he were the only prodigy of the times S. Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very dung of the world 1 Cor. 4. and the off-scouring of all things unto this day This is the common misery of our Tribe and it was mine in opening the folly of this Pseudo-Prophet which hit so unhappily with the temper of those holy Monopolizers which pretend so much to be the only men of the Spirit that the Catharist was up in Armes and Demetrius and the Zealous Crafts-men were about mine eares who put me without mercy to the push of their Pike and shot their poyson'd Arrowes even bitter words against me such as malice could only sharpen or falsehood levell But notwithstanding the Spirit of Rabshakeh and the venome of those sanctified Raylers I wanted not my Propugners amongst the impartially judicious both Divines and Layicks and with the latter of these more eminently your selfe And had I had no more it was enough that there was Seymour in it a name that involves Nobility and the better part of it Vertue and the better part of vertue humility and courtesie and all these temper'd in you with a religious observance of the Rites of the Church you live in so that you are not transported with change and novelty not apt to be misted with any false light of the times not with the Ignis fatuus of our Prophet here no Proselyte of Schisme or Innovation but a man fast to your selfe constant and resolv'd in all your actions which is an excellent temper to make a Christian of and a sure foundation to build true friendship on especially in this age of words where Integrity and Goodnesse are so rarely met with by me I am sure Your unhappy but true-hearted Servant HVM SYDENHAM THE Foolish Prophet EZECH 13.3 Thus saith the Lord God Woe unto the Foolish prophets that follow their owne spirit and have seene nothing THus saith the Lord God Israel no doubt was out of Joynt and a strange loosnesse in all her Tribes when Folly and Blindnesse and a Deluding Spirit were obtruded to her Prophets and thus thunder-clapt with an Woe too and that from the mouth of the Lord himselfe Sic dicit Dominus Deus Thus saith the Lord God 'T is not alwaies desperate with the Church of God when his Prophets are sent to it with a Cavete in their mouth matter only of caution or premonition that hath a taste no lesse of his Providence than his Mercie But when their cheekes are fill'd with a Vaevobis his hearuld of displeasure and malediction vengeance and her vialls are ever at the heeles And this under the law was customary from Go's Prophet to the people but somewhat rare and of remarke from his Prophet to their Prophets and that by speciall commaund too from Heaven in a sic dicit Dominus Deus Thus saith the Lord God But doubtles this Woe was denounced in the very heate of superstition when the Rage and Fury of the people whoring after novelties and following the blindnesse of their owne spirit hurried them along to the worshipping of stocke and stones when there were as many Prophets as there were Gods and Gods almost as things Every Hill and Mountaine had an Altar smoaking and in every Grove and under every greene Tree Incense burnt to the Queene of Heaven and all the Hoste of it when the true Lord of both was forgotten in his worship the Pagan Hecatombe had cried downe the Sacrifice of the living God and whole Heards and Droves offered to Ashteroth and Chemosh or some God of Ekron when there was scarce a Bullocke for immolation to the Lord of Hosts The Almighty therefore begins to rouze himselfe and to shew that there is no God indeed but himselfe and no true Prophet but whom he pleases to accomodate will now harnesse one of his owne and for his better choise hee goes not to the glory of Israel but amongst the captives by the river Chebar he meetes with the Sonne of Buzy an obscure Priest among the Chaldean's upon him the Spirit of the Lord must rest And because hee shall be knowne to be a Prophet of His indeed and what hee speakes to be inspir'd meerely from above the Heavens themselves
to the Right Honourable IOHN Lord POVLETT Baron of Henton St. George SIR IF there be a Succession of Vertues with the Fortunes of Great men doubtlesse there should be of the Services of those that honour them This makes me speak boldly through the sides of your Noble Father whose continued respects towards me and incouragements I cannot better acknowledge than by my thankefull expressions to such a Son who in the hopes and expectations of his Countrey shall no lesse inherit Him than his Revenewes Ana then Honour Riches Wisedome you cannot but prescribe for what else may either intitle you to Greatnesse here or to Glory hereafter Such a Patronage as This I could not but listen after where is as well Vertue to countenance me as Power and so perhaps Censure and Prejudice may be a little hush't or at least not so loud but that the labours of poore men may travell the world if not without their snarlings for who can so muzzle a blacke mouth'd Curre yet without their publique Barkings and traducements Beleeve it Sir what I present you here is mine owne though but a mite and a mite thus offered cannot prove lesse acceptable to a noble Treasury than an Oblation of a richer value since your Free-will offerings were ever of best esteeme both with God and Good men which doth hopefully incourage me of your faire entertainment of This from the hands of Your most devoted HVM SYDENHAM THE CHRISTIAN DUELL The first Sermon ROM 7.25 So then with the minde I my selfe serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sinne THis life is a warfare and this Text a lively description of it where the parts lye as the two Armies of Israel and the Philistines did in Elah Ephes Dammim there is a Mountaine on the one side and a Mountaine on the other and a Valley betweene them 1 Sam. 17. Here is first Lex Dei V. 3. the Law of God on that Mountain the Israelite pitcheth then Lex peccati the Law of sinne on this the Philistine betweene both there is a spacious Valley where David encountreth the mightie Goliah the spirituall Combatant his fleshly adversary and this in the Ego ipse I my selfe where the conflict is both hot and doubtfull sometimes the flesh hath the defeate and then the Law of God hath the glory sometimes the minde is overlaid by the strokes of the Flesh and then the Law of sinne In this Duell our Apostle is a maine Champion or to use his own word a Servant Ego ipse servio I my selfe serve and I serve two wayes mentally with the minde that is for the Law of God carnally with the flesh this for the Law of sinne Serm. 44. de temp Audi saith the Father vitam justi in isto adhuc corpore bellum esse nondum triumphum the righteous man hath but a skirmish here no triumph no triumph yet but a daily tempest and strugling betweene the minde and the flesh the Law of God and the Law of sinne and this Law is the occasion of that warre and that warre of captivitie and yet this captivitie at last of triumph I finde a Law in my members fighting against the Law of my minde Quando audis repugnantem quandò captivantem bellum non agnoscis D. Aug. ibid. and bringing me into captivitie to the Law of sinne V. 23. Here is fighting and bringing into Captivity that 's the Warre on the other side Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord v. 24. Here is deliverance from death and Grace by Iesus Christ our Lord this the Triumph Now the ground both of that warre and this Triumph the Apostle locks up here in a Nempe igitur a so then So then with the minde I my selfe serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sinne Thus you see how the Field is pitch'd and every word in its severall squadron but before wee enter lists or can well shew you the heate of the encounter it will not be amisse to open first what the word Minde imports what her office and properties then what the Law of God and the service requir'd there and so the Analogie between both In the next ranke what the word Flesh specifies what the Law of sinne the service due there also and the relation between them This done I shall in the reare bring up the ego ipse the Apostle himselfe harness'd and ready arm'd for the spirituall conflict and setting him betweene the Minde and the Flesh the Law of God and the Law of sinne typifie and represent unto you the state of a true Christian Souldier here on earth how his loynes should be girt his feet shod his Armour buckled on what his breast-plate and Shield and Sword and Helmet and how farre able or not to withstand all the firy Darts of the wicked one This whilst I endevour to performe I shall desire this honorable and learned Throng to make use of Saint Augustines Apologie on the same subject Potentiam mihi praebeat charitas vestra D. Aug. Serm. 5. de verb. Ap. ut si habeam propter obscuritatem rerum difficilem disputationem saltem habeam facilem vocem ut autem prosit labor noster sit patiens auditus vester Discourses which savour of depth and industry are most proper for noble and ingenuous Auditories and looke for patient attention and candid interpretation I begin where I should with the minde of man tell you what it meaneth here and how it holds conformitie with the Law of GOD. PARS I. With the minde I serve the Law of God AND for the better opening of this Cloud both Fathers and Interpreters make a criticisme between Soule and Minde and Spirit which some endevouring to expresse have not unfitly compar'd to a house of three roomes or stories in the lower roome is Anima in the middle Mens above both Spiritus as the Cock-loft or upper Region of the Soule In these three is the substance of the soule lodged Quasi quadam sua Trinitate this being it seemes an Embleme of the Deity a Trinitie in Unitie and a Unitie in Trinitie the Essence the same in all but the proprietie diverse like severall strings in an Instrument set in tune to make up one Harmony and therefore it is call'd Anima De spirit Anima c. 12. dum animat Spiritus dum spirat mens dum metit meminit Or else Anima dum vegetat mens dum intelligit Spiritus dum contemplatur So that here is no Essentiall but onely a Vertuall difference the substance of the soule lying in the powers and properties thereof and yet not divided into parts but simple and individuall these powers neither impairing nor adding to the unitie of the soule no more than the diversities of streames to the unitie of one source or fountaine And yet there are divers steps
swadling band Iob 26.11 breakes up for it his decreed place and sets barrs and gates and saies Hither to shalt thou come no farther and here shall thy proud waves bee stayed Iob 38.9 10. Shall we yet step a staire lower and opening the Jawes of the bottom lesse pit see how powerfully hee displayes his Eanners in the dreadfull dungeon below Behold Hell is naked before him Iob 26.6 and destruction hath no covering This made our Prophet sing more generally The Lord is above all Gods whatsoever pleased him that did He in Heaven and Earth and in the Sea and in all deepe places Psal 135.6 Psal 135.6 Thus you heare God is in the world as the Soule is in the body life and government And as the soule is in every part of the body so is God in every part of the world No Quarter-master nor Vice-gerent He but universall Monarch and Commander Totus in toto Totus in qualibet parte A God every where wholly a God and yet one God every where onely One whom the vaine conjectures of the Heathen dreaming to be moe gave in the Skie the name of Iupiter in the Ayre Iuno in the Water Neptune in the earth Vesta and sometimes Ceres the name of Apollo in the Sunne in the Moone Diana of Aeolus in the windes Ex D. August Hot kerus Eccles pol. l. b. 1. Sect. 3. of Pluto and Proserpine in Hell And in fine so many guides of Nature they imagin'd as they saw there were kinds of things naturall in the world whom they honour'd as having power to worke or cease according to the desires of those that homaged and obey them But unto us there is one onely Guide of all Agents naturall and he both the Creator and Worker of all in all alone to be bless'd honour'd and ador'd by all for evermore And is God the Lord indeed Is he chiefe Soveraigne of the whole world Hath his Power so large a Jurisdiction Doth it circuit and list in Water Earth Aire Fire nay the vaster Territories of Heaven and Hell too How then doth this fraile arme of Flesh dare list it selfe against Omnipotence Why doth it oppose or at least incite the dreadfull Armies of him who is the great Lord of Hosts Why doe we muster up our troupes of Sinnes as if we would set them in battel-aray against the Almighty Scarce a place where he displaies the Ensignes of his Power but man seemes to hang out his flag of Defiance or at least of Provocation and though he hath no strength to conquer yet he hath a will to affront If he cannot batter his Fort he will be playing on his Trenches anger his God though not wound him In the earth he meetes him by his groveling Sinnes of Avarice oppression violence rapine Sacriledge and others of that stye and dunghill In the Water by his flowing sinnes of Drunkennesse Riots Surfets Vomitings and what else of that frothy Tide and Inundation In the Aire by his windy sinnes of Ambition Arrogance Pride Vain-glory and what vapour and exhalation else his fancie relisheth In the Fire by his flaming sins of Lust Choller Revenge Bloud and what else sparkles from that raging furnace In Heaven by his lofty Sinnes of Prophanation Oathes Blasphemies Disputes against the Godhead and the like And lastly as if Hell were with man on earth or man which is but Earth were in Hell already by his damned sins of Imprecations Curses Bannings Execrations and others of that infernall stampe which seeme to breath no lesse than Fire and Sulphure and the very horrors of the burning Lake Thus like those Monsters of old wee lift our Pelion upon Ossa Tumble one mountaine of transgressions upon another no lesse high than fearefull as if they not onely cryed for thunder from above but also dar'd it But wretched man that thou art who shall deliver thee from the horrour of this death 2 Thes 1.8 When the Lord shall reveale himselfe from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that feare him not what Cave shall hide 2 Sam. 22.9.16 or what Rocke cover them At his rebuke the foundations of the world are discovered even at the blast of the breath of his displeasure Out of his mouth commeth a devouring flame and if he do but touch these mountaines they shall smoake Psal 104.32 if he but once lift up his iron Rod he rends and shivers and breaketh in pieces like a Potters vessell he heweth asunder the snares of the ungodly and his enemies he shall consume like the fat of Lambes Psal 37.20 O then let all the earth feare the Lord let all the Inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him let Kings throw downe their Scepters at his feet and the people their knees and hearts at those Scepters from the Cedar of Libanus and the Oke of Basan to the shrub of the Valley and the humble Hysope on the wall let all bow and tremble Princes and all Iudges of the Earth both young men and Maidens old men and children let them all seare and in searing praise and in praising sing of the Name and Power of the Lord God for his Name onely is excellent Psal 148.13 and his power and Glory above Heaven and Earth On the other side is the Lord Omnipotent indeed Hath his Power so wide a Province and extent Is the glory of his mighty Acts thus made knowne to the sounes of men Is his Kingdome not onely a great but an everlasting Kingdome His Dominion through and beyond all Generations Psal 145.13 Doth hee plant and root up prune and graft at his owne pleasure Psal 147.6 Doth hee raise the humble and meeke and bring the ungodly down to the ground Is he with his Ioseph in the prison with Eliah in the Cave with Shadrach in the Furnace with Daniel in the Den Doth hee deliver his anoynted from the persecution of Saul His Prophet from the fury of Iezcbel his Apostle from the bonds of Herod His Saint from the Sword and Fagot of the Insidell Psal 104.21 Doth hee cloath the Lillies of the field Have Lyons roaring after their prey their food from him Doth he give fodder unto the Cattell quench the wild Asses thirst feed the young Ravens that call upon him Doth he stop the mouthes of wilde beasts Quench the violence of fire Abate the edge of the Sword Shake the very powers of the Grave and all for the rescue and preservation of his servants his faithfull his beloved servants Why art thou then so sad O my soule why so sad and why so disquieted within thee Trust in God Psal 147.3 he healeth those that are broken in heart and giveth medicine to heale their sick enesse Though thy afflictions be many thy adversaries mighty thy temptations unresistable thy grievances unwieldie thy sinnes numberlesse their weight intollerable yet there is a God above in his provident watch-Tower a God
repellat in his fourth Booke of Epistles ex Registro 95. chapter Nay Rome her selfe though she much vaunt in the Title of the Mother Church is not without her Moles and Scarres this way Some of her owne Sonnes I know not whether out of Zeale or Envie have bespaul'd her shrewdly declayming against her Prelates for their suddaine jumpe from the Court to the Consistory whose former imployments and endeavours were wholly devoted Iuri Caesareo and could give no other account of their learning Quà m Venationi Voluptatibus student At Councels they were but as ciphers and margents or rather mutes whilst others spake they were Instar ligni elinguis vel lapidis muti As a dumbe stone or a tonguelesse peece of wood and such there were in Sacro Concilio Tridentino the sacred and famous Councell of Trent was not exempted from this infamy Stella in cap. 6. Lucae one of their Friers tells me so in his Commentaries upon the sixth of Luke 39. verse Pudet haec opprobria Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli Now the Ground and Originall of these corrupt abuses in the Church Flens dico gemens denuncio Greg. ut sup I suppose to bee that which Saint Gregory mournfully obtrudes to some Prelates of his Age generally condemning herein the practices of France and Germany where there were none admitted to Sacred Orders sine commodi datione without a Gratuity or Present not remembring it seemes that strict precept of Christ to his Disciples Who giving them power against uncleane Spirits and sending them abroad to cure all manner of diseases bids them Heale the Sicke cleanse the Lepers raise the Dead cast out Divells but with this caution gratis accepistis gratis date neither provide golde your selves nor accept any offered you Loe freely you have received freely give Math. 10.10 The taking of a few shekels of Silver and a few changes of Rayment stuck Naamans Leprosy upon Gehazi and his upon his house for ever And upon this ground belike it was that our Saviour afterwards comming into the Temple of Ierusalem with great indignation overthrew the Tables of the money changers and the Seates of them that solde doves And why why The Church is not a place of merchandise Math. 21.12 the selling of doves is dangerous in the Temple if we may beleeve the Fathers comment on that place a sinne so hainous that it toucheth upon the holy Ghost Columbas vendere est despiritu sancto commodum temporale percipere he that makes a temporall commodity by the gifts of the holy Ghost Greg. lib. 4. Epist ex Reg st cap. 95. doth but sell doves in the Temple translates a Church to an Exchange makes a house of prayer but a den for theeves And for this or the like occasion one Symon doomes another with a pecunia tua tecum in perditionê Acts 8 10. Thy money perish with thee Acts. 8.10 And now for redresse of those grosse enormities in the Churches where they raigne as God forbid they should raigne or touch here in a Church reformed there are two things necessarily required in their Guides and Governours Vigilancy and Integrity that they looke on men fraught with sufficiency and worth and not transported with any sinister or by-respects either of profit or partiality 'T is lamentable that Ignorance and Simplicity should be thus braying out the Oracles of God that such beasts should be emploied about the carriage of his Arke which can doe nothing but low after their calves at home Moses tells plainely the Israelite 1. Sam. 6.12 non junges Bovem Asinum an Oxe and an Asse shall not plough together Deut. 22. that is as the Father moralls it Sapientem cum stolido non junges inpraedicatione verbi In the spirituall plough Wisedome and Folly are unequally yok'd Greg Hom'l 19. super Ezek. Knowledge and Ignorance will never draw together and therefore wee reade that the Raunge of the mountaines is the feeding for the wilde Asse Iob. 39.8 but the fruitfull Fielde for the Oxe that treadeth out the corne 1. Cor. 9.9 Send then the illiterate a grazing on the mountaines Ignorance and Barrennesse will dwell together But place the Schollar with the laborious Oxe direct Learning to the corne-field and the fruitfull Vine to the greene pastures and the still waters to the prepared Table and the cup that overstoweth from the Vale of death to the Path of Righteousnesse that hee may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal 23. I conclude this tedious point with the advice of that devout Abbot to his advanced Proselyte and by way of humble suite preferre the same to the reverend care of him whom God's speciall providence hath made a super-intendent of his Church here Beseeching him in the bowells of Christ Iesus that those which shall bee hereafter partakers of his Dabo vobis whom he shall either sanctify by laying hands on or otherwise publikly admit to any service in the Church may be such as the Father there squares-out a President and a Patterne unto others Qui sunt compositi ad mores probati ad sanctimoniam parati ad obedientiam subjecti ad disciplinam catholici adfidem fideles ad dispensationem concordes adpacem conformes ad unitatem This is not all I yet presse closer with Saint Bernard Sint in judicio recti in jubendo discreti S. Bernard lib. 4. de considerat ad Eugenium circa medi um in loquendo modesti in professione devoti in zelo sobrji in misericordia non remissi in otio non otiosi quorum ingressus pacificus non molestus exitus qui Ecclesias non spolient sed emendent qui famae provideant suae nec invideant alienae Heere is all and that is enough enough I am sure for the matter of ordination t is time now to looke on the Parties ordered and they are described here by the word Pastors Pastors with a qualification after mine owne which is the second part I will give you Pastors after mine owne heart Dabo Pastores I will give you Pastors Pars 2. The word PASTOR is of a large dimension and if wee traverse the latitude and extent thereof it will involve in the generality any Teacher in the Church But because some of them insteed of starres fixt in their Orbes have prov'd Wandring starres Iude 13. reserved for darkenesse and the Text being in a direct Antipathy with such whom the Prophets style Idole corrupt brutish destroying Pastors Ier. 10.21 Let 's goe up a little to the Mountaines of Israell to the Fat pastures where the Lord's Flocke and Folds he and there from the scriptures themselves take a view whom he hath made choyce of what Pastors he hath cull'd out after his owne heart where wee shall finde that as God is a God of Providence so of Order And as in all other things so principally in his Church And that wee