a fiery and bloody triall prize not this transitory life aboue the word of life Gods Gospell and aboue the Lord of life Gods only begotten Sonne and aboue eternall life Gods bountifull and free gift Reu. 2.10 Esto fidelis Be thou faithfull vnto the death and Christ shall giue thee the Crowne of life Thou that art a fruitefull Vine planted by Gods owne right hand and watered with the dew of Heauen take heed that thy branches be not torne away by the violent blast of persecution when God shall be pleased to suffer such tempests to trouble the lower region of the Ayre in this militant Church Hath God planted thee in a fruit full hill Esay 5. fenced thee and gathered out the stones from thy Vineyard by Reformation take heed that thou suffer not thy fence to be troden downe be watchfull that the enuious man doe not throw in againe those stones by deformation Be carefull also that thy boughes and limmes be not stollen away by night by those that creepe through the hedge into the vineyard Take heed that the little foxes do not vndermine thine inclosure and purloine away thy best fruit when they pretend to look another way and professe onely to request courteous harmlesse harbour for a while in thy ground but in the mean time work themselues in dig their earths and bring in their yong cubbes thither which will soone learne not onely to climbe vp to the top of the vine and crop the fairest branches but also scratch vp the root of it Of these I will say nothing let the Spirit speake Cant. 2.15 Cant. 2.15 Take vs the foxes the little foxes that spoyle the Vines for our Vines haue tender grapes That I dwel not too long vpon Vniuersals giue me leaue now to descend vnto particular application of this precept by discussing what kind of Church it most properly concernes and who are they that fruitfully vse or peruersely abuse this wholesome spirituall counsell Tene quod habes Hold that thou hast First for the hauing The Church of Rome arrogateth vnto it selfe the prime possession of this spirituall tenure that they only hold it in Capite from Christ himselfe in their own head the Pope that al other Christian Churches are but vnder-tenants as holding by deriuation of petty leases from this vniversall Land-lord that they haue an indefeasible perpetuity therof as intailed vnto the Pope sibi haeredibus in perpetuum to him his heires world without end that other Churches haue no other Charter of it then a Transcript from that Originall and no longer can hold it then whilest they are conformable and seruiceable in Tenancie of vassalage or villenage to the Lords of the Mannor of Rome A vaine fond incroching forgery of vsurpation as authenticall as the pretended donation of Constantine of the patrimony of Saint Peter and other priuiledges vnto Siluester the Pope To these we may wel say with the Apostle Came the word out from you 1. Cor. 14.36 or did you preach the same 1. Cor. 1. or were wee baptized into the name of S. Peter or S. Paul If Prioritie imply originall tenure in faith surely Ierusalem must bee the grandmother Church Isai 2.3 For de Sion exiuit lex Out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem The ancient Fathers reckoned not one but many Tertul. de Praescript aduers Haret Ecclesias matrices originales fidei motherly originall Churches wherein the faith was planted seuerally by diuers Apostles not by one And therfore whersoeuer any church can shew conformity vnto the Charter of the Scriptures it may rightfully plead this Habeo as well as any other the Church of the world As for the church of Rome we deny not but in the primitiue and better times it might wel say Habeo I haue this pledge of Truth Teneo I keepe it intire and sincere But the present Roman Church or rather the Papall faction in the Westerne Church hath long since left that Hold the present Church there hauing little else but locall prescription for propertie herein The ancient Christian Romans according to the instruction of the great Apostle expressed vnto them were not ashamed to hold Rom. 3.24 that we are iustified freely by grace The present in Rome or depending on Rome imbaseth this doctrine by mixture of workes preparatory satisfactory and superrogatory The old Christian Romans were so obedient vnto their Instructors as to imbrace his doctrine when he said Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers The now new Romanists subduce from this yoke their Clergie and Votaries nay they subiect the Scepter of Princes to the Popes becke S. Chrysost in Rom. 13. Chrysostome vpon the aforesaid words of the Apostle said Si Propheta si Euangelista Though thou be a Prophet or an Euangelist yet thou art a subiect to the higher powers And S. Bern. Bern. Qui conatur excipere tentat decipere He that would except any goeth about to deceiue But the moderne Order of Iesuits are more learned then these Fathers and more wise then the very Apostles of Iesus The ancient Christian Romans learned of S. Paul Rom. 10.14 How can they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued And therefore as they beleeued only vpon God in Christ so in prayer they called only on him But the present Romanists fill their churches altars of Inuocation oblation with ten Saints for one Christ The old Romans beleeued S. Paul when he wrote vnto them Stipendium peccati mors Rom. 6.23 the wages of sinne is death But the new Romanists distinguishing of sinnes mortall and veniall maintaine that there be some sins for which death is not due The old Romans beleeued that eternall life is the gift of God Rom. 6.23 but the new that it is due to the worth of good workes The ancient Christian Romans learned no doubt the same doctrine of this Apostle which he taught their brethren the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.26 As oft as yee eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death vntill he come But the new Romanists robbe vs all of the Bread by a pretended Miracle of Transubstantiation and the Laitie of the Cup by a tricke of Concomitancie But I am not here to read a Lecture of the differences and degenerations of the present Roman Church which are soundly and plentifully demonstrated by the lights of the reformed Churches in their controuersall Bookes Only this I inferre that of all Christian Churches that I know extant this day in the World the Roman troope especially in the superlatiue Tenents of the Iesuites can least of all iustifie themselues and say either Habui quod teneo I had it from Christ that which I now hold or Teneo quod habui what I receiued from Christ and his Apostles I still maintaine intire and incorrupt such
Virtuall 1. Virtuall from the beginning of the world in vigour and power of Redemption as he was agnus occisus ab origine mundi a Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world So Abraham saw him as come and his day as present His other Commings are Actuall 2. Actuall And first in carne when he came to man by assuming his nature when he came adsuos to the Iewes and they receiued him not This Comming was in humilitie and embasement in forma serui in the forme of a seruant to make vs free by suffering bondage His comming to Ierusalem was Locall 3. Locall both a preparatiue to his Passion and a prefiguration of his exaltation Venit Rex thy King commeth and the royall acclamation of Hosanna was sung to him Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord. There is his Spirituall Comming inuisibly 4. Spirituall and into our soules by grace and the power of his holy Spirit to raise vs from the graue of sinne and spirituall death This comming is in misericordia in mercy His last Comming is Iudiciall in Iustice 5. Iudiciall in Maiestie and Glory to iudge the quicke and dead to render to euery one as his workes shall be to transforme the Church Militant into Triumphant And this his comming is called by Saint Paul Titus 2. the glorious appearance of our great God and Sauiour Iesus Christ And our Sauiour himselfe foretelleth that he the sonne of man shall come in a triple glory in his owne glory and in his Fathers Luke 9.26 and of the holy Angels Of these Commings some are past and not here intended at all otherwise then by presupposition That other which is present and daily namely him comming to his chosen by mouing and changing their hearts by renewing their spirit by comforting and instructing their soules is not here meant otherwise then by analogie and application The last and most vniuersall comming is that which is here promised Behold I come And this is vsually called his second comming namely visible and proper wherein it is suitable to his comming by Incarnation and sensible conuersation but much diuers from it First in Manner that being in the depth of humiliation this in the height of exaltation that in reproach and infirmitie this in beautie and glory Secondly in the End and complement that being to vndergoe Death this to bring a crowne of life that to be despited and spit on by his enemies Psal 2. this to bruise his enemies like a Potters vessell and to make his foes his footstoole Thirdly in Time that being in the fulnesse of time when the vaile of Mosaicall Types and Ceremonies was to vanish Gal. 4.4 and yeeld to the substance this future in another most absolute fulnesse of time when the whole frame of this Earth is to be taken asunder and the curtaine of the Heauens to bee withdrawne and passe away like a scrowle This glorious and finall comming of our Sauiour as it is the Epilogue consummation of this present World is by diuers handled by way of declaring the foregoing signes of it and ayming at the exact time thereof Both which I vtterly forbeare lest I should incurre curiositie and offend against breuitie in speaking of an houre to come with neglect of the houre now past I onely propound a briefe touch of plaine Instruction This triple Instruction was for breuitie omitted easie for the meanest out of a mystery of the highest which I reduce to these three termes Fides Spes Charitas Faith Hope and Charitie First Faith That we must firmely beleeue Fides that Christ will come and call vs all to Iudgement A needlesse note some will say this being one of the Articles of the Creed and a maine principle of Religion I acknowledge it and so Saint Paul better knew that hee had taught the Resurrection and yet in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 15. such Atheisme crept in that hee was faine to spend a long Chapter and inculcate many Arguments to hold vp staggering beleeuers and refute misbeleeuers Nay naturall reason doth without Scripture prooue that there must needs bee a future finall Iudgement to recompence good and euill which in this world many times are thwarted so preposterously I will mention but one ground and that touched by Saint Paul there If there were no hope but in this life then pious and honest men were omnium miserrimi Curlonis malè sit malis bene c. Sen. of all others the most miserable And yet such is our weaknesse such the strength of Satans suggestions against the Truth that wee need to haue this foundation daily more strongly setled and rammed in our hearts Veniet Christus ad iudicandum vinos mortuos Christ Iesus shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead This is the sure Anchor of our Faith which fasteneth and secureth our wauing and floating vessell amidst the stormes of the tempestuous warfare in this mortall life and keepeth vs from splitting vpon the Rockes of Desperation whereat many suffer Shipwracke Secondly 2. Spes it supporteth vs by Hope and expectation of the comfortable performance of Gods promises For with small ioy shall wee acknowledge a second comming of Christ vnto Iudgement if wee apprehend it onely as it is bent contra homines to take vengeance vpon sinfull men so euen the Deuils beleeue it Iam. 2.19 and tremble at it But wee looke for it with the expectation of Hope and the obiect of Hope is bonum futurum a good and ample reward which wee are to receiue So Saint Paul Tit. 2. vpon declaration of the appearing of the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men Tit. 2.13 adioyneth thereto our good vse of it Expectantes beatam illam spem Looking for that blessed hope of the comming of our Lord and Sauiour And heere in my Text it is the insoluble bond which connecteth the Precept which formerly I handled with this comfortable Motiue For why should wee striue against the world ad tenendum quod habemus to holde the Faith and Sanctitie which by Gods grace we haue vnlesse hee who is the Authour and finisher of this Faith would certainly come with the Crowne in his hand to reward our constancie Nay the same Apostle Rom. 8. reueileth to vs that the very stupid creature is indued with hope of this kinde Rom. 8.19 as expecting the reuelation of the glorie of the Sonnes of God And therefore in the meane time though with griefe and groaning yet with patience beareth a subjugation vnto seruitude How much more shall the Sonnes of God themselues beare their owne burthen patiently for a time till the restauration of all things come The third dutie hence drawen 3. Charitas is our loue to God to our brethren which followeth vpon our desire of this comming and louing the same 1. Tim. 4. A Crowne of righteousnesse layed vp for
mee and for all that loue his comming And surely if wee loue this his comming wee cannot loue sinne nor the world nor our flesh as it is sinfull and wee cannot but loue our brethren who shall bee knit together with vs in one bundle by the Angels that shall gather vp Gods haruest The last thing we are to consider is the celeritie of this comming 3. Cito Vento cito I come quickly This expectation is not long our deliuerance is neere at hand Venio not veniam not I will come but I am now comming I come and that quickly Heere the Epicure and worldling obiecteth Obiect where is this citò quickly How quickly when as so many ages haue passed since his promise was vttered and yet he is not come Of these Saint Peter prophecieth that there shall come in the last daies scoffers 2 Pet. 3.3 saying Where is the promise of his comming Nay but they arme themselues with a pretended reason from experience For since the Fathers slept all things continue as they were Our Fathers haue runne their race and other generations haue succeeded and yet the world indures yet no dissolution of it by any such comming of the Sonne of man to iudgement That God may be iustified Resp and men found lyers hereto we answere First to the Persons Marke what those obiectors are Scoffers and men walking after their owne lusts The cloud of lust hath darkened in them the light not onely of religion but also of reason They are willingly ignorant Secondly to the matter it selfe 2 Pet. 2.9 There can be no slacknesse in God such as men account slacknesse Men make a false reckoning of those times and seasons which God hath kept in his owne bosome To Gods eternitie such times can make no difference with him a thousand yeares are as a day and a day as a thousand yeares Nouissimi dies are to him all the time of grace after the first comming of the Sonne of man in the flesh Lastly wee must interpret Iudgement not only as generall to the whole world but also as particular to euery singular man In the first Christs comming hath depended many large reuolutions of naturall time and how long it shall he only knoweth that commeth In the second acception Christ commeth to euery of vs Citò very quickly in a proper sense First in regard of the shortnesse of their liues For euen those that liue vnto decrepid age yet passe away Citò quickly The life of man is but a span long our dayes passe like a Weauers Shuttle nimbly our life ends like a tale that is told Secondly our owne luxuries fill vs full of diseases which yet more shorten this our short day of life and set our Clock forward that it striketh dead before the time of our naturall circle is gone about Nay where moderation and care is vsed for preseruation of health yet God for our sinnes sendeth common scourges and calamities of ranging publike diseases by the distemper of the Aire and seasons or otherwise Hereof at this present we feele a taste not only in this City but also generally through this Land by strange new feauers God giue vs the grace to bee true Physicians to see the cause thereof in our selues namely our common sinnes which make diseases so common amongst vs and to apply the true cure Repentance And withall to giue him thankes that in this great and populous City he spareth the fearefull Rod of the Plague in this sickly season Lastly hereto I adde that meanes of particular dissolution whereby in most proper sense God may be said to come Citò quickly and call vs before we bee aware vnlesse we remaine in perpetuall actuall preparation and that is by sudden vnexpected death whether by inward vnknown and vnfelt diseases which sometimes extinguish our Lampe in a moment when wee thinke our selues in best health and strength or outwardly by inundation of Deluge as Noahs Floud When men were eating and drinking the Floud came or by casualtie as by Thunder from Heauen by Earthquakes such as haue swallowed vp euen whole Cities Euseb and some neere the place whereto my Text is written I meane in Greece and some parts of Asia or by ruine of those houses which we inhabite for a shelter to vs so Iobs Children feasted their last when a mighty winde vnioynted the house and their bodies Beloued Christians heere remembrance both dolefull and ioyfull biddeth me stand still and looke neerer home This place but much more this time wherein I speake bids me recount the workes of God This day wherein I speake standeth in center and equall ballance betweene two dayes which I must neuer forget The one of publike danger intended by men but preuented by God the other of danger and damage not intended by men but permitted and disposed by God The one by common gratulation yee are to celebrate in this place fiue daies hence being the fift of our Nouember the other is fit for me to record in my personall thankesgiuing being past fiue daies since namely the sixe and twentieth of October I will not say the fift of the Roman Nouember In both of these the case hath a Venio citò a most sodaine vnexpected dissolution The one intended of our whole State represented in a publike solemne Assembly the other vndergone of some priuate persons in a concealed Conuention In the one Gunpowder Treason the Agents were Romish plotters and pioners Antichristian Molewarps working a most prodigious and neuer paralelled Treason in a subterraneous Vault when with one sulpherous blast there had beene like to haue beene brought a generall destruction vpon Moses and Aaron Princes and Peeres Commanders Commoners yea Church and Common-wealth neither wanted there any thing to the ripenesse and perfection thereof but the last hand to act it In the other were Patients some Romishly seduced but God forbid that I should entertaine so vncharitable a thought as to compare the one to the other in intentions or affections God ouertooke the one in their owne snare and brought them to punishment for their barbarous attempts the other gasped their last in the place and act of their Deuotions The fall of the house at the Blacke-Fryers where perished about an hundred persons being present at a Iesuites Sermon In what manner or measure of chastisement or punishment God came to these when hee cut off their daies tam cito by such a sodaine downefall I cannot I may not iudge their persons I leaue to him that shall come to iudge them and vs all But as for my selfe let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I doe not vncessantly acknowledge Gods speciall mercy to mee who spared me from this Veni cito as if hee had vouchsafed me a priuiledge of longer time of repentance which surely in that case I was of corporall and spirituall danger I could not expect much lesse deserue I ran with others into errors nay deeper then others in respect of my Vocation and Profession Math. 9.13 yet hee that calleth not the iust but sinners to repentance preserued this my life when I was ouerwhelmed with the ruines and rubbish of that dolefull house in this Citie not farre from this place Hee that saith to euery of vs Behold I come quickly by the approach of corporall dissolution saith now to mee Beholde when I came quickly to many others round about thee I came not then to thee by vntimely death that that thou mayst come to mee by timely repentance and due thankfulnesse What now remaineth for mee but with the Prophet Dauid to say from my heart The Lord hath inclined his eare vnto mee Psalm 116. therefore will I call vpon him so long as I liue The snares of death compassed mee round about and the paines of hell gate hold vpon mee I was in misery and hee helped mee I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord in the sight of his people euen in the midst of thee O Ierusalem The God of Peace who hath redeemed and sanctified his Church by the euerlasting Couenant of his most precious blood sanctifie vs all throughout in Soule Body and Spirit that wee holding fast that holy Faith which wee haue receiued may with hope and ioy heare that blessed voyce Behold I come quickly Euen so Lord Iesus come quickly Amen FINIS
and almost eaten out the pure gold of Apostolicall Doctrine And as this is most iust so is it in it selfe in naturall reason most probable We see by experience that he who hath held a coard with both hands if hee let goe the hold with one he is the lesse able to hold fast with the other The Anchor of our hope is pitcht not below in the bottome of the Sea but aboue in the highest heauens with both hands wee hold fast this Cable the one sticking close vnto God by holding to his truth in Religion the other by remaining constant in puritie of conuersation If we doe but let slacke one of these our hands though the Angell of God yea God himselfe should crie loud vnto vs Tene quod habes yet hardly shall wee bee able to maintaine our hold with the other The last meanes of losse is Dolo by Fraud 3. Dolo. which is practised vpon vs by the Deuill by the world and the flesh by wicked and lewd company imployed as their instruments and this engine likewise worketh vpon vs in both the obiects both of Pietie and of Honestie both in dogmaticis in the doctrine of faith as also in moralibus in peruerting our liues to vitiousnesse The deceit in this kinde is different from the former because there the Deuill gaineth ground of vs onely by Surreption possessing our minds and affections with present apprehension and titillation of pleasure which so transporteth vs as that the vnderstanding is lulled asleepe and considereth not the losse and danger But in this a kinde of Compensation is pretended by way of bargaine or exchange and our wandering soules are possessed with an opinion of Truth and Pietie when wee runne headlong into iniquitie or errour Heere I say men are dealt withall as by Commutation to leaue that which they haue for another doctrine which is pretended to be better though indeed nothing but counterfeit and gilded ouer with the forged lustre of beautie and ornament of outward pompes feeding the eye and possessing the captiuated senses of the simple wherein wee behold the deceitfull boldnesse of the great enemy and his instruments who being as Saint Peter speaketh themselues the seruants of corruption 2. Pet. 2.19 yet promise libertie to them whom they seduce And this is that snare of the Deuill wherein they are caught to doe his will which as it is powerfull in inticing vnto morall crimes so much more doth it worke vpon the weaker members of the Church to seduce them from the truth of the Gospell and to carry them vp and downe with euery wind of doctrine But who or what am I reuerend honourable and Christian Auditory that presume to take this taske in hand to vtter this Text with these polluted lips Can I vndertake to speake the words of exhortation vnto Constancie who my selfe haue been so late an example and spectacle of Inconstancie Can Tene quod habes sound well out of the mouth of him whose actions haue spoke too loud Emisi amisi quod habui I haue left and lost that which I had and ought to haue kept So many worthy Spectators and iudicious Auditors as I behold this day may be as so many witnesses or accusers to stop my mouth or at least to open it to professe that I am vnworthy to bee a Physician to others who haue had most need to heare that voyce of Cura teipsum Physician heale thy selfe Most true it is that my foot hand and heart haue been taken and too long held in the Snare of the Fowler and carried away captiue into Babylon where if I consider mine owne demerits I deserued to bee held in the chaines of spirituall captiuitie and to be kept perpetuall prisoner in the dungeon of Error Superstition and blindnes wherein my guilt hath bin the greater in that mine hands haue not been beaten off from this Hold by the violent force of persecuting terrour but haue been willingly and wilfully stolne away by mine owne corrupt and carnall passions For which mine obliquitie and grieuous defection as formerly by penne so heere by voyce before this Congregation I humbly craue pardon of our most reuerend mother the renowned Church of England then also of the spirituall Fathers these Churches lights and guides the Lords Bishops and of my venerable brethren the rest of the Ministery and generally of this and all other Christian congregations whom no doubt I haue scandalized But aboue all I implore the mercy and indulgence of my heauenly Father that hee will vouchsafe to imbrace mee his returning Prodigall Child giuing him all humble and hearty thankes that hee hath reduced vnto his fold this wandering and diseased Sheepe and to our euer blessed Sauiour for daigning in his mercy to looke backe vpon mee with his gracious eye as he did vpon his lapsed Apostle It was thy mercy Oh sweet Sauiour which raised me out of that stupiditie and made mee to haue a liuely sense of thy Truth and mine owne falshood and therefore as thou diddest vpon the fall of thine Apostle iudge him not the lesse fit but the more able thereupon to establish others by saying vnto him Eu tu conuersus confirma fratres tuos I am therefore not discouraged but the more emboldned by the sense of my former diseasednesse to stirre vp others vnto constancy in holding that faith which they haue receiued Thus much for this precept as it concerneth euery christian soule and my selfe in particular to hold his owne portion that he hath least hee bee left poore and naked and blind and miserable when as perhaps hee thinkes himselfe rich and well clad and wanting nothing Now right honourable and beloued Auditory giue me leaue to insist vpon that subiect which I take to be principally here intended namly the inculcation of this precept of constancy vnto the collectiue members of Christ namely particular visible Churches and Congregations To them the Spirit as to a great and numberlesse Auditory preacheth this wholesome Sermon of Perseuerance Thou visible particular Church of God Mat. 13. Pom. 13. whosoeuer thou art that hast receiued the Word with gladnesse that hast cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light that hast abandoned the vanities of Paganisme and the crooked peruerse errours which follow mans naturall corruption thou that hast submitted thy neck to the gentle yoake of Christs Crosse imbraced the glad tidings of the Gospell and doctrine of sincere faith Rom. 1.16 which is powerfull vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Stand fast in that which thou hast receiued striue and wrastle for that faith quae semel tradita est sanctis which was once giuen to the Saints Iude. v. 3. loose not by fainting orstarting that Crowne of Honour sacred reputation which thou hast worthly got amongst other Christian Churches Imitate those holy Confessors and Martyrs quorum nomina in benedictionibus whose very names are blessed If God call thee vnto