A COLLECTION OF SERMONS UPON Several Occasions By THOMAS PIERCE D. D. Praesident of St. Marie Magdalen College in Oxford OXFORD Printed by W. Hall for Ric Royston and Ric Davis MDCLXXI THE CONTENTS of this VOLUME ARE SERMONS PREACHED I. BEfore the Lord Major Court of Aldermen and Common Council of the City of London at St. Pauls Church upon the first Sunday after his Majesties Restauration 1660. II. Before the Honourable the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled at St. Margarets Church Westminster upon the 29. day of May being the Anniversary Day of the King and Kingdoms Restauration 1661. III. Before the Right Honourable the House of Lords at the Abby Church of Westminster upon a Solemn day of Humiliation occasioned by the Great Rain in Iune and Iuly 1661. IV. Before the King at Whitehall upon the Wednesday-Monthly Fast when the Pestilence decreased but yet continued As did also the War with the French and Dutch 1665. V. Before the Clergy of England in Convocation Assembled at S. Pauls Church touching the Power of the Church in a National Synod 1661. VI. Before the University at St. Maries Church in Oxford concerning the Rights of the Civil Magistrate and especially of the Supreme upon the opening of the Term 1664. VII Before the King at Whitehall upon Candlemas Day 1661. VIII Before the University upon Act-Sunday-Morning at St. Maries Church in Oxford touching the Usefulness Necessity of Human Learning c. 1664. IX Before the King at White-Hall in Vindication of our Church against the Novelties of Rome 1662. To which is added in this Edition X. A Paraenesis to the Reader touching the Sermon going before and the Discourse which follows after of Romes pretended Infallibility XI Before a Rural Congregation at the Funeral of Edward Peyto of Chesterton in Warwick-shire Esquire 1659. Englands Season FOR REFORMATION OF LIFE A SERMON DELIVERED IN St. PAUL'S Church LONDON ON THE SUNDAY Next following His Sacred Maiesties RESTAVRATION M.DC.LX Christian Reader THat what I committed the other day to the ears of Many I now so suddainly expose to the eyes of All as I dare not pretend to deserve thy Thanks so I conceive I cannot justly incurr thy censure For it is not in complyance with my peculiar inclinations which of themselves are well known to be sufficiently averse from any farther publication of single Sermons but partly to testify my Obedience to the commands of some Learned and pious Friends partly to frustrate the ill-meant whispers of some unlearned and peevish Enemies How farr I was from a design either to please or to provoke either this or that part of the Congregation And how probably desirous to profit both I leave them both to passe a Iudgement not by any one part but by alltogether It would no doubt have been greivous to me to suffer the contumâ—lies of Men for preaching Loyalty and Love and Reformation of Life a tender care of weak Brethren and a Christian Forbearance of one another if I had not thought it an happy lot to suffer ought for His sake who indur'd for mine such contradiction of sinners against himselfe some affirming he was a good Man and others saying Nay but he deceiveth the People If some are yet so devotedly the Servants of Sin as to hate me for bringing them unawares into the light because the Light hath reproved their evill deeds it cannot be from any hurtfulness either in Me or in the light but from their own sore eyes that their eyes are hurt When Men are exasperated with Lenitives and throw themselves into Paroxysmes after all our Pacifick and most Anodynous applications we ought not sure to think the worse but rather the better of our Praescriptions That Christ Himselfe could do no miracles amongst the Men of his own Country was only the Fault of their prejudice and â—nbeleif That the heat harden's clay is from the untowardness of the clay For if it were wax the heat would melt it Nor is the fault in the Sun but in the Dunghill if the more he shine's on it â—he worse it smell 's I know that those Lovers of publick Discord whom my endeavours to reconcile have made outragious as they are few in point of Number so in point of Quality they are of smallest Consideration And I know there are many most worthy persons whom the Virulence of mine enemies hatb made my Friends So that if I were studious to promote mine own Interest and did not very much preferr the consideration of their Amendment I should not indure as now I shall to sue for peace whilst I am injur'd But still remembring what it is to which as Christians we are appointed or as Souldiers markt out and that we are bound to follow our leader even the Captain of our salvation who was perfected through sufferings I shall cheerfully strive to approve my self as a minister of God by honour and dishonour by evill report and good report as a deceiver and yet true I will blesse being calumniated And being wrong'd above measure I will intreat The more it seems to be impossible to win the inventors of evill things to reconcileableness of Spirit the more will I labour for its Attainment For I will never cease to pray that by that powerfull convincing controuling Spirit which stilleth the raging of the sea and the madness of the People we may be knit together in one mind and in one judgment That the present time of our prosperity may prove the Season for our Amendment and change of life that all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamor and evill speaking may be put away from us with all malice and that as members of one Body whereof Christ Iesus is the Head we may each of us indeavour in our several stations to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace That this was really the intent of the Following Sermon the later part of the Sermon will make apparent For what was spoken in reflection upon the darknesse of the night was only premised as a Foyl to commend the Day And as a thing without which I could not make an impartial parallel between the Text and the Time Besides that in the method of healing wounds which a flatterer may palliate but cannot cure there is as charitable an use both of the Probe and the Abstersive as there can possibly be of the Oyl and Balsam The Decollation of Gods Anointed which was so farr a Deicide as he was one of those Gods who shall dye like men had been declared by the Parliament before I made my strictures on it to haue been a most horrid and hideous Murder And if my censors did not think they had once offended they would not be candidates as they are for a Royal Pardon It being so naturall for a pardon to include and connotate an offence that unlesse we were conscious of having sinn'd we could not
in the next verse after my Text as if they meant nothing more than the opening of a way to rebel against him For besides that in the Canon of the Council at Trent a Divorce quoad Torum Torum ob multas Causas was decreed to be just in the Church of Rome although our Lord had twice confin'd it to the Sole Cause of Fornication Matth. 5. 32 19. 9. And besides that the word Totum was constantly reteined in four Editions particularly in That which had the Care and Command of Pope Paul the Fifth Let it be granted that the Council did mean no more than a meer Sequestration from Bed and Board to endure for a certain or uncertain time and not an absolute Dissolution of the Conjugal Knot yet in the Judgment of Chemnitius yea and of Maldonat Himself who was as learned a Iesuite as that Society ever had it would be opposite even so to the Law of Christ. For he who putteth away his Wife for any Cause whatsoever besides the Cause of Fornication commits Adultery saith the Iesuit even for this very reason because he makes Her commit it whom he unduly putteth away Nay Chemnitius saith farther That the Papal Separation from Bed and Board is many wayes a Dissolution of the Conjugal Tye. Nor does he content himself to say or affirm it only but by a Confluence of Scriptures does make it good That against the Command of our blessed Saviour in the verse but one before my Text That which God hath joyn'd together the men of Rome do put asunder By these and many more Corruptions in point of Practice and Doctrine too which were no more then Deviations from what had been from the Beginning and which the learnedest Sons of the Church of Rome have been forced to confess in their publick writings the awakened part of the Christian world were compell'd to look out for a Reformation That there was in the See of Rome the most abominable Practice to be imagin'd we have the liberal Confession of zealous Stapleton himself and of those that have publisht their Penitentials We have the published Complaints of Armachanus and Grostead and Nicolas de Clemangis Iohn of Hus and Ierome of Prague Chancellor Gerson and Erasmus and the Archbishop of Spalato Ludovicus Vives and Cassander who are known to have died in the same Communion did yet impartially complain of some Corruptions Vives of their Feasts at the Oratories of Martyrs as being too much of kin unto the Gentiles Parentalia which in the judgment of Tertullian made up a species of Idolatry And Caâ—ander confesses plainly that the Peoples Adoration paid to Images and Statues was equal to the worst of the ancient Heathen So the buying and selling of Papal Indulgences and Pardons 't is a little thing to say oâ— Preferments too was both confest and inveigh'd against by Popish Bishops in Thuanus Now if with all their Corruptions in point of Practice which alone cannot justifie a People's Separation from any Church though the Cathari and the Donatists were heretofore of that opinion we compare their Corruptions of Doctrine too and that in matter of Faith as hath been shew'd Corruptions intrenching on Fundamentals it will appear that That door which was open'd by Us in our first Reformers was not at all to introduce but to let out Schism For the schism must needs be Theirs who give the Cause of the Separation not Theirs who do but separate when Cause is given Else S. Paul had been to blame in that he said to his Corinthians Come ye out from among them and be ye separate 2 Cor. 6. 17. The actual Departure indeed was Ours but Theirs the causal as our immortal Arch-Bishop does fitly word it we left them indeed when they thrust us out as they cannot but go whom the Devil drives But in propriety of speech we left their Errors rather then Them Or if a Secession was made from Them 't was in the very same measure that They had made one from Christ. Whereas They by their Hostilities and their Excommunications departed properly from vs not from any Errors detected in us And the wo is to Them by whom the offence cometh Matth. 18. 7. not to Them to whom 't is given If when England was in a Flame by Fire sent out of Italy we did not abstein from the quenching of it until water might be drawn from the River Tiber it was because our own Ocean could not only do it sooner but better too That is to say without a Figure It did appear by the Concession of the most learned Popish VVriters that particular Nations had still a power to purge themselves from their corruptions as well in the Church as in the State without leave had from the See of Rome and that 't was commonly put in practice above a thousand years since It did appeare that the Kings of England at least as much as those of Sicily were ever held to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that by the Romanists themselves until by gaining from Henry the First the Investiture of Bishops from Henry the Second an Exemption of the Clergy from Secular Courts and from easie King Iohn an unworthy Submission to forreign Power the Popes became strong enough to call their strength the Law of Iustice. And yet their Incroachments were still oppos'd by the most pious and the most learned in every Age. Concerning which it were easie to give a satisfactory account if it were comely for a Sermon to exceed the limits of an hour In a word it did appear from the Code and Novels of Iustinian from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set out by the Emperour Zeno from the practice of Charles the Great which may be judged by the Capitulars sent abroad in his Name from the designs and Indeavours of two late Emperors Ferdinand the First and Maximilian the Second from all the commended Kings of Iudah from the most pious Christian Emperours as far as from Constantine the Great and from many Kings of England in Popish times too that the work of Reformation belong'd especially to Them in their several Kingdoms And this is certain that neither Prescription on the Pope's side nor Discontinuance on the King 's could adde a Right unto the one or any way lessen it in the other For it implies a contradiction that what is wrong should grow right by being prosperous for a longer or shorter season Had the Pope been contented with his Primacy of Order and not ambitiously affected a Supremacy of Power and over all other Churches besides his own we never had cast off a Yoke which had never been put upon our Necks And so 't is plain that the Usurper did make the Schism If Sacrilege any where or Rebellion did help reform Superstition That was the Fault of the Reformers not at all of the Reformation nor of All Reformers neither For the most
Many of them reject each other 420 421 c. The Doctrines and Practices of the Papists condemn'd by not a few of them 423 424 c. Clergy Their Prosperity the Lay-mans Privilege p. 17 18. Charity To enemies npon the Motives of generosity p. 28 29. Christ why he needed a Conformity to the law for uncleanness p. 275 276 c. his presentation 278 c. How to be presented by us 286 287. Christian Wherein his Bravery consists p. 63 64. how a disgrace to Christianity p. 153 154. and how a Glory p. 165 166. should press after Perfection 323 324. Church The rightful Power reduc'd to four heads p. 196 197 c. The necessity of its Authority 199 200 c. For the ending of strife 216 217. Conscience unaffectedly tender p. 89 90. Consideration of how great use 451 c. Controversies Their unseasonableness 439 c. Custome How the same from God and Belial p. 262. D Death often to be thought of p. 436 437 c. desirable p. 467 c. 478. An Instance of an happy calmness of Death p. 487 488. Deliverance Compared to the day p. 16 17 c. should be an inforcement to change of life p. 23. Despair Good and Evil p. 88 89 c. Devil How Instrumental to our Good p. 104 105 c. Divorce Why only permitted by Moses p. 353 354. Allowed by the Papists contrary to the Law of Christ p. 381 382. Drollery It s dangerous Tendency to Profaneness p. 335 c. 338 339. E Enemies Not to be Insâ—â—ed over p. 10 11. but rather obliged p. 27 28. England Characters of its state before his Majesties Restauration p. 12 13 c. p. 43 44 c. p. 58 59. p. 149. The Kings thereof Absolute 385. How by degrees incroached on by the Pope 386 387. F Faith How in many who think they want it p. 90. It s Victory over our sufferings p. 165 166 167. Fortitude Wherein it stands p. 64 65. Fear How useful p. 83 84 c. G God How the Author of all our sufferings and the sole support in them p. 161 162 c. To be serv'd with the best of what we are or can p. 281 282 c. Gospel How spread through the world p. 315 316 c. Gratitude Its Generosity p. 31 32. Motives to it in England p. 58 59. H Half-Communion Its Rise p. 358 376 377. How contrary to Scripture ibid. Hierarchy Twofold Civil as well as Ecclesiastical p. 212 p. 233 234 c. Humility It s proper season p. 36. Motives to it p. 266 270 c. I Ignorance aggravates as well as excuses p. 37 38. Impunity the greatest punishment p. 132 133. Impurity Legal a Type of Original Sin 265 266. Infallibility The chief Foundation of all Popish Errors 357 401 402. Acknowledged to be Incommunicable to any Church 429 430. Ingratitude It s chief Aggravation p. 66 67 c. Indifferent things what kind of necessity they acquire to themselves and how 202 203 c. 289 290 c. K King His Prerogative the Peoples Privilege p. 16 17. His right of calling Synods 197 198 c. His presiding in and over them 209 210. His Divine Institution and Supremacy p. 223 224 c. ad p. 258. L Lawes Their Original Institution threefold p. 203 204 c. Bind the Conscience though of Humane Institution p. 208. Learning The Vsefulness and Necessity of that which is but Humane p. 304 305 c. It s Insufficiency without the help of the Divine p. 313 314 c. It s right imployment p. 331 332 333 c. Lite Its shortness p. 457 458 462 463. It s uncertaintâ— 459 473. and Frailty 461. It s vexation 464 465 c. Motives to and the Method of Improving it 470 471 c. This life compar'd with Eternity p. 479 480. M Magistrates Their Ordination p. 232 233 c. ad p. 244. Their Subordination p. 245 246 c. Man Motives to his Humility from the baseness of his Matter p. 267 268 c. All equal in what respects p. 270 271 c. His twofold Original 454 455 c. Marriage It s Primitive Institution Vindicated p. 352 354. When first denyed to the Clergy p. 358 379. Contrary to Scripture and the practise of the Apostles 380. Mercy How Gods chiefest Attribute p. 77 78 c. 116 117. O Oath How it differs from Gods Word p. 110 111. Obedience to Magistratee a good work of the first rank p. 211 212. In things indifferent p. 293 294. Obligations cease to bind in three Cases p. 115. P People Not the Original of Government p. 233 c. and p. 243 244 c. Persecution Compar'd to the night p. 12 13. c. Pestilence How much worse than War p. 149 150 151. Tends the most to Humiliation p. 157. Ever laid on by an hand from Heaven p. 162 163. Popes Many of them coâ—fessedly Heretical p. 371 372 406 411 412. The Original of their Supremacy p. 359 366 367 c. Primacy of order allow'd to them 367 369. Prayer in an unknown Tongue contrary to Scripture and the practise of the Primitive Church p. 378 379. Preaching It s Different Effects p. 320 321. Praecepts Difference 'twixt them and a bare Permission p. 353. Pride How inexcusable in man p. 268 269. Priest His Duty p. 325 326 c. Promises of God Conditional as his Threats p. 113 114. Prosperity It s proper use p. 25 26 c. It s danger p. 33 34 35. It s proper season p. 50 c. It s mischief p. 51 52 c. It s dignity p. 60 61. Punishment It s threefold End p. 128 129 c. For the Amendment of Offenders p. 130 c. For the benefit of others p. 134 c. For the satisfaction of the injur'd p. 139 c. significant of the sin which it revengeth p. 147 148. Purgatory It s Original p. 358. Purification of the Virgin p. 259 260 c. R Rebellion A species of Sacrilegâ— p. 241. Reformation It s proper Season and Reasons of it p. 31 32 c. 61 62. The Moderation of ours from Rome p. 212 213. From the Court of Rome p. 388. Its causes p. 382 383. Justified p. 387. Repentance In what sense apply'd to God p. 109. Even in men it works Miracles p. 116 117. Not to be deferr'd p. 284 472 c. With the danger of deferring it ibid. ad p. 478. Five Tokens of a sincere Repentance p. 490. 491 492 c. Rome Its Church a particular Church and younger than Jerusalem c. p. 365. Confess'd by its Champions to be corrupt in point of Doctrine p. 373. And Practise p. 382 383 399 400 406. Is in no sense Infallible p. 403 c. ad p. 407. S Schisme On whom to be charg'd 384. Scripture Translated into Mother-tongues p. 377 378. Sermons The Danger of Idolizing them p. 321 322. Severity The mercy of it p. 100 101 c. p.