he taught as one having authority not as the learned Scribes which he shewed in opening the sence and meaning of the holy Ghost deliuering fit doctrines and making profitable uses and applications from the word so that he spake to the hearts and consciences of his hearers in the power of his ministerie which they doe not who teach the precepts of men but speak only to the ears of their hearers yet alwayes the motives that he used to perswade thē to conformity was not these things are not forbidden or they are the traditiōs of our godlie Elders or they are most fitting this state and present government or it is the pleasure of the civill magistrate or the Church Rulers hold it meet though indeed divers learned men at that verie time used such kind of arguments in their ministerie and teaching for that subscription which they required but his Doctrine which hee preached and the things he urged and pressed was not his own but his that sent him it was not of his humane Invention which yet was a great deall freer from errour then all the fathers and 〈…〉 cels in the world but onelie such as 〈◊〉 that sent him to preach and teach the glad tydings of salvation was the authour of As whereas some might object unto him these are thine own speaches and in the pulpit you haue libertie to say what you list and to gird at whom you please make it playn to our capacities how we may know who is of God and who is sent of the Devill for thou and the Scribes and Pharisees teach both of you verie learnedlie and zealously but in verie manie things especially in the ceremonies and callings actions and gestures of Religious use in the publick worship of God directlie contrarie one against the other and therefore most certaine that both of you cannot possiblie be of God he therefore giues them a playn and an unerring Rule whereby the simplest in a congregation may discerne which preacher teaches the doctrine that comes from God and which speaks onely from men or the deuill first do the will of God get a good and an honest heart free from preiudice and profanesse readie to doe whatsoeuer the Lord requires of thee in generall as thou art a Christian or in particular as thou art a magistrate or subiect minister or hearer husband or wife parent or child master or seruant bond or free old or young rich or poore maried or single or of what condition soeuer for els if thou haue neuer so much wit learning vnderstanding discretion hast not respect vnto all his cōmandemēts though thou feare and reuerence the faithfull ministers of God yea heare them gladly and reforme thy selfe in doing many things which they make plaine to thy conscience is not the will of God yet if thou wilt not captivare thy Iudgment and subdue thy will and affections to be obedient vnto all that God requires it is impossible for thee to discerne the truth or to be preserued from error but if thou wilt be sincere which is Euangelicall perfection free thy heart from hypocrisie and be that thou wouldest seeme to be then if thou wouldest know indeed which preachers are worthy of double honour and which deserue shame contempt looke not at their spruce neatnesse in their attire or excellencie of gifs or degrees of learning for herein perhaps there will appeare no great difference both being graue wise and understanding men but hee that is sent of God seeketh his glory that sent him Yea but which is that the same is true you shall never heare him presse or teach novelties or incerteinties but onely such things as are plainlie grounded on the word of trueth whatsoever they concern faith or government godlinesse or ceremonies yea there is no unrighteousnesse in him nor any unrighteous inference in his ministerie but Christians may most safelie commit their souls to such a one even to depend upon his ministerie as a most powerfull means ordeined by God to bring them to salvation the other seeks his own glory that is a foule fault and he is a very prowd fellow I warrant him what shew soever he make but how may we take true notice of him he speaketh of himselfe and seeketh his own glory his manner of preaching is in one kind or other verie vaine glorious using all possible means though in some verie covertly to set forth himselfe and to make known his great reading or Iudgment his wit art and understanding in all manners or kinds of deepe learning and true schollership and therefore he comes in Excellencie of words and studies most painfullie and carefullie for such Intising speeches wittie and well ordred sayings pleasing passages pithy sentences and elegant phrases even whatsoeuer might ravish the hearers and by the admiration of the excellencie of his gifts and exquisitnesse of his Art might so prevaile that their faith might be in the wisedom of men even to beleeve onely so much as flesh and blood can disclose a man by nature may perceive which kind of preaching with words and manner of handling which mans wisdom teacheth makes the crosse of Christ of none effect and when excellencie or grace of words is more affected then the dignitie or worthinesse of the matter which is intreated then are their sermons beautified with most glorions speeches wherein the focre and power of eloquence doth shew it selfe to allure and delight the hearers but he that is sent of God labours and striues to speake in such words and phrases seeme they never so plaine base or contemptible wherein the power of God may bee made manifest to the consciences of their hearers honour and reverence such but it is most dangerous to commit thy soul unto and to depend upon the ministerie of the other though he be as great a scholler and as wise a man as is in all the World These courses therefore all those that desire to use their talents profitablie in the ministerie of the Church must purposely avoid even as they would the golden legend or like Deceiveable fables not but that those to whom God hath given a beautifull forme of speaking may use it as well as they that have comely shape or fairefaces but as they that bee black must not paint themselues so preachers may not affect oratorie to the eare but to the heart nor yet that rude and grosse phrases are the onely powerfull manner of speaking but that every one is to use that gift which God hath given him to the edification of his auditorie which consists in delivering the sence plainly in the evidence of the spirit and applying it powerfully to the conscience and this deuiding the word aright that euerie one may haue his portion seasonably ought to be studied for and affected of all faithfull ministers not a painted or pensild maner of speaking But those that scorn this māner of handling the word
are to bee esteemed vaineglorious teachers though their mouths even runne over whith all manner of art eloquence and learning And as for those that preach any thing which God hath not commaunded or perswade to conforme to any thing which is not grounded on the scriptures from these words of Saint Peter wee may safely esteeme them whether they speake elegantly or rudely but fabulous fellowes and Deceiueable doctors in taking vpon them like young masters or old Rabbies to teach defend or maintaine any thing in Gods worship which Christ the sole Doctor of all thinges whatsoeuer of Religious vse and which his Churches vpon any cause and in any respect may conform vnto neuer commanded taught or in the scriptures published or so much as once mentioned by precept or president yea obserue them wel and take heed of them these are the teachers of false Christs for they may as well teach that here is Christ or loe he is there as presse Christians to coÌ„forme to this ceremonie or that gesture of religious use in the publicke worship of God which Christ neither here nor there nor any where ever taught or in any degree or respect commanded so that if you heare any preachers teahing things with great zeale and learning which are not the direct commandements of Christ or grounded plainly in the evidence of the spirit upon the unerring rocke of the sacred Scripture I will not deny but such may speake in the power of a Spirit but certainly not of Gods Spirit For he even the Spirit of truth teaches nothing of himselfe though he be the very fountaine of all truth but onely what he hath heard in the word of the Father not that he needs any instructer or direction but that the most glorius and blessed Trinitie as the sole and onely way to preserue all true Churches or congregations in holy and heavenly unitie hath tied himselfe as it were or covenanted that though there be many other things of most admirable excellencie yet to require conformitie to nothing but those things which are written in the scriptures seeing they are fully and perfectlie sufficient unto faith or beliefe and therefore unto all manner of godlinesse the fruits of faith and so to eternall life the end or reward of faith through his name If any man therfore undertake to teach the Churches of Christ let him speake as the words of God and not as the cannons and precepts of men do enioyne for as God is glorified by those so is hee much dishonoured by these yea though they speak the wisdom of this world which the great ones Commend the learned approue and all doe generallie admire for the kingdom of God or preaching consists not in word in phrases in elegancie of speach excellencie of uttrance or in any other endowments of Art nature but in the evidence of the spirit of power when the cosciences of the hearers by the right handling of the word shall bee wrought upoÌ„ by making manifest the verie secrets of their hearts and so enforced to humble their souls and worship God and confesse not that great learning or reading is in the preacher but plainlie that God is in that ministerie indeed because it casteth down and doth not lift up as the word or doctrine of men doth because their manner of teaching is meerly carnall euen such as is approved by men but not warranted by the word strong holds or the Imaginations and Inventions of men which in a high degree do exalt themselves against the knowledge of God even against those doctrines of ceremonies callings gestures which God hath made known in the word and set mens thoughts and consciences at libertie from the obedience of Christ according to the scriptures concerning these things onelie under pretence of not being forbidden and so by their conformitie to that which Christ hath not commanded doe most strongly repaire and fortifie tâ—ose strong holds of humane devices concerning voluntary religions or ceremonies which the Lord by all meanes labours as being the greatest hinderers of the peace of his kingdome and fosterers of his rebellious enemies to haue utterlie ruinated yea and as Christ hath ordained to sanctifie and cleanse his Church by the obedience of faith which is the true conformitie of the doctrines of the word so these men by pressing conformitie to ceremonies callings and gestures which haue no warrant in the word do directly intimate though they pretend the cleane contrarie that their religion is but a doctrine of the tongue and not of the reformation of the life For if they subscribe and haue understanding of the heauenly doctrines and be able to retaine them in memorie and so at a trice can discourse or reason of them then are they absolutely qualified and excellent Divines though they make no conscience of that which they know and professe further then they see cause so indeed do most beastly pollute and by plain intimation both of their doctrine and life perswade their hearers to defile the Church of Christ and to take away the beautie glorie of it which is to be free froÌ„ human inventions to fill it with all horrible spots and wrinkles of worldly traditions that so it may never be holy but full of blame Are you not ashamed you deceitfull guides to cast abroad these firebrands and mortall insinuations in your lectures sermons or writings coÌ„versations and yet protest you meane no hurt is not your fiery heat in these courses a fained madnes or doe you make any more conscience thereof then of your play or sporte Yea say they our purpose in so doing is to do much good for we teach presse that in this conformitie which we so perswade unto every one should come with a good honest heart to perform these actions gestures withal for that is it which the Lord requires yea hee will passe by much infirmitie where he findes true sinceritie So that belike if men seem to haue good affections that shall be sufficient warraÌ„t to iustifie any strange or vncommanded gesture or ceremonie in the publicke worship of God yea though it be never so wickd at least in appearance and Idolatrous an action yet if they meane well and beleeue as the Church beleeues that these things are indifferent and lawfull or not forbidden all shall be exceeding well and what I pray you if the Iewes with good and honest hartes even sincerely purposing and verely intending to winne them vnto God do marrie wyues of Ashdod Amon and Moab dare you say these mariages are lawfull or can their Children euer possibly for all this good meaning speake the language of Canaan sincerely or trewly no verely though you charge them vpon paine of death to prepare them selues therevnto neuer so hartely yet doe you but presse them to a thing impossible be not wiser then God least it
Yea I do friendly intreate these Merchants of experience in and with these true west Churches of Christ advisedly to view and take particular notice of these pleasant wares so full of delicacy which their souls by reason of their excellent fatnes do so greedily yea most violently thirst or luste after and sincerely to consider whether they be not so like to those of poperie as one naughtie egge can possibly be like another though perhaps one be but addle and the rottennesse of the other most offensiuely stinkes the one most noysome the better very unholesome But here our adversaries will confesse that for the forme they are alike indeed as one partridge is to another but in their use and intention most opposite even cleane contrary But is not this I pray you some small parcell of the voyce of that beast yea is it not an apparant branch of his great blasphemie to assume authoritie to ordaine ceremonies and callings for the publicke worship of God and to appropriate unto them holy or religious uses and spirituall intentions which power is onely proper and peculiar unto God himselfe and yet even this divine authoritie doe they dare to assume as their divino iure hath publicklie proclaimed to all the Churches in the world But to leaue this to their better consideration and to assume that which which they must needes bee willing to grant that the things in question are in their outward forme like unto those of popery but not in their use at least as it is preached I humbly desire them to consider whether this bee not without any turning or winding a direct and manifest breach of the second commandement where the Lord forbids all Churches under what climate or government soever not simply as I may say to haue but to make Images or any visible representations of the eternall loue of God the Father and of the incomprehensible and invisible grace of IESVS CHRIST shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost but as if the Lord had said I know it is absolutelie necessarie in my outward and publicke worship to haue certaine visible signes and formes subiect to common sence and reason which must haue this heavenlie use even to represent to the minde and understanding by the eye of faith these spirituall graces for else the imagination beeing left at libertie and not preciselie tied to these set formes and divine ordinances will bee so full of wandring fantasies in hearing seeing tasting handling and meditating as the soule can never possibly bee edified But yet saith the Lord. Thou shalt not make or devise these I doe reserue that glory to my selfe and will not under Law or Gospell giue it no not in the least circumstance of publicke and religious use in my worship and service to any other But say our adversaries wee doe not take that glory to our selues therefore wee haue not broken this commandement I confesse between the theife and the receauer the whore and the bawd there is indeed some manifest difference and therfore to auoide all manner of contention herein it is as if the Lord had said in plainer termes Thou whoseuer thou art generall counsell or nationall synode ciuill magistrate or ecclesiasticall Ruler or both together shalt not make or being made shalt not command or teach any to conforme vnto any thing of Religious vse pertaining to my worship and service which I may self haue not commanded no nor the liknes of any such thing either in forme or vse so that if these things in question be but like popish devices and be not coÌ„manded by God we may not for any cause or consideration or in any respect whatsoeuer bowe downe vnto them that is intertaine or shewe forth any reuerent estimation of them and so onely in a good meaning for peace and quietnes sake coform vnto them in the worship of God Vnlesse therfore the verie touching of holy things in or by the soundnes of some doctrines in our Church and so as it were carrying a part of holy flesh in the skirt of our garment or divine service be a sufficient warrant to make any ceremonie lawful yea though it be taken from the heathen poets from the Turkish Alcaron or the Popes massebook yet vpon intentionall altering of the vse they may be very safely coÌ„formed vnto in the publick worship of God their argument of haueing the substance hath no iot of substance in it at all Therefore vnlesse their words reasons and arguments whereby they perswade to coÌ„formitie come from the mouth of God we haue sufficient forewarning no not in any case to conform unto the but to esteeme them as verie chaffe huft and puft up perhaps into a verie great bulke making a goodlie shew in outward appearance by excellencie of words and art but being winnowed or tried by the fanne of the Lord no corne of grace or one grain of goodnesse can be found therein and this is the verie cause why the Lord threatens to bee or to come against such sweet tongued preachers that labour chiefly for a sweet deliverie and to that end steale the word never applying it to the right end and use but as it were by force and armes doe take and carrie away the true scence intent and meaning of the scriptures ordeined onely to maintain the truth by tricks of wit tearms of art they enforce theÌ„ at least to seem to maintaine errors even the meere Inventions of men and this in some false in many flattering and in most a dreaming kind of preaching is the onely and main cause of error and schismes diversitie of opinons sects that are among the people not bringing any other profit in the world unto their hearers but either to nuzle them still in ignorance or to bee utterlie out of loue with the trueth from hence then haue wee good warrrant to adjudge all their doctrins which are not according to the word of God to be verie lies though they shew never so great art and learning and thereby giue all good content to their auditorie For that high or large commission of all the true ministers of Christ extendes onelie to Teach the Churches to obserue and conforme unto all things not which they in wisdom and discretion shall adjudge meet and fit or think not to be forbiden but onely what-whatsoever Christ in the word hath commanded and we will abjure whatsoever we cannot prove to be his commandement if then they presse any thing which is not the commandement of Christ they goe beyond the limits of their commission yea doe more then ever our Lord himselfe would do for though indeed his 〈…〉 ctrines seemed verie strange yea impossiâ—â—e to some and others marveiled or were astonied not at his allegation of fathers or patriarkes of Councels or Rabbies and other learned authors nor at his excellencie of gifts but at his knowledge in the Scriptures for