Act. 9 39. the poore Widowes who stood weeping for the death of charitable Dorcas 2. 2. Conscien paâ— Peace ioy and solace in your owne soules which is the continuall feast that God himselfe makes for them that feede the hungry c. 3. 3. Honâ—r A good name which while yee liue shall be c Pro. 3.8 health to your nauells and marrow to your bones and when ye dye it shall be a pretious oyntment to embaulme your bodies in the graue d 15.1 as e Ioh. 12.3.7 Maries spikenard embaulmed Christs body at his funerall 4. 4 Gloria aeterna An f 1 Pet. 1.4 c. 5. v 4. inheritance immortall and vndefiled reserued in heauen for you and an immarciscible crowne of glory g Gal. 6 9. Be not weary therefore of well doing for if yee faint not ye shall reape without wearinesse namely loue honour ioy peace and glory both in earth and heauen h Chrys in loc Qui deficit in semine non gaudebit in messe sed si homo non imponat finem operi deus non imponet finem remunerationi Hee that faints in seed time shall faile in haruest but if a man put no period to his perseuerance in well doing God will put no end to the reward of his well doing The 2. generall part The second difference betweene these wise and foolish builders is in the choise of their foundation the first building on a rocke the other on the sand The principall care of a wise builder is to make choise of a firme foundation to build vpon for if the foundation be immooueable the whole building will stand fast and firme but if the foundation faile all the building though neuer so laboriously framed and artificially composed will fall to the ground and come to ruine Now no foundation is so firme and immooueable as a Rocke and therefore no building so strong as that which is raysed on a rocky foundation which will not faile how great a weight soeuer be laid vpon it nor be mooued much lesse be remooued with any gusts of wind force of stormes or violence of torrents whatsoeuer A true Christian therefore that heares Gods word and doth it is fitly compared to such a wise builder that builds his house vpon a rocke Verse 24. I will liken him c. Expos 1. By this rocke a Aug. Hier. Basil c. in loc some interpreters vnderstand Christ himselfe because by the power of his might the righteous that cleaue vnto him by faith and obedience are protected and strengthened against the violence of all temptations afflictions and persecutions In which sence Dauid saith b Psal 18.2 The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse c. 2. Others by this rocke vnderstand the inuiolable and immooueable diuine truth of his Sacred word So Chrys vpon this text c Chrys in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He calls the firme securitie of his owne doctrine a Rocke because vpon a rocke a man may build securely and hereby hee mooues all his Disciples to imbrace his diuine doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jbid. shewing the firme soliditie and immutability therof by the solidity and immobility of a rocke which who so builds his faith vpon shall stand fast d Psa 125.1 like Mount Sion that cannot be remooued but standeth fast for euer But I thinke both these expositions may bee conioyned and by this rocke we may vnderstand both Christ and his Sacred truth for e Ioh. 14.16 c 17.17 as hee is the truth so his word is truth as he is the life and thâ—t aeternall so his words are f c. 6.68 the words of aeternall life And the whole word of truth is nothing els but the reuelation and manifestation of that aeternall word that increated truth Christ Iesus For hee is the pith and kernell of the whole Bible g Apoc. 1.8 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gospell h Aug. Q. in Ex. 73. 15. de ciu dei c. 18. Velatus in veteri Testamento reuelatus in nouo in illo praedictus in isto praedicatus veiled and clasped vp in the old Testament vnder obscure Prophesies promises types and figures and opened or reueiled in the new for i Exod 73.9 as the two Cherubins had their faces each to other and both to the Propitiatory or mercy-seat so the two Testaments haue relation each to other and are mutually confirmed one by the other and haue both an eye to one and the same Christ k 1 Ioh. 2.2 who is the Propitiation for our sinnes As Christ onely is that foundation whereon the spirituall building of the Church is raysed in some respects 1 Christus Petra namely first because hee alone is the beginning and fountaine whence all spirituall good originally flowes a Iac. 1 17. Euery good and perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights c. and the foundation whereon our confidence hope and expectation of any good which wee expect from God groundeth it selfe b 2 Cor 1.20 for in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen to the glory of God the Father Secondly because all our persuasion of the most Sacred and irrefragable authority of diuine truth stayeth it selfe on him alone as being the onely c Mal. 2.5 Angell of that great couenant of life and peace which God hath made with his Church in him reuealed it to his Church by him d Eph. 2.14.16 17. who is our peace-maker and peace-preacher and our peace and the onely inditer of the Sacred Scripture e Luc. 1.70 who spake by the mouths of all his holy Prophets which were but f Pâ—al 45.1 the pens of this ready Writer in which respects the Apostle saith truely g 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid namely Christ Jesus and on this rocke or foundation the Apostles themselues and their doctrine were founded or els h Act 5.37 as Gamaliel saith both they and it would quickly haue come to nought and fallen to ruine 2. Doctr. Apost So in some other respects i Eph. 2.19 20. the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called the Churches foundation Christ Iesus being the chiefe corner stone First because they were the first that by their doctrine laid the Churches foundation and conuerted Infidells to the Christian faith Secondly because their doctrine receiued immediately from God by most vndoubted reuelation without mixture of errour and now left recorded vnto vs in the Sacred Scripture is the infallible rule of faith to all succeeding generations and that most sure immooueable and rocky foundation vpon which the faith of all Christians may and doth most sâ—curely stay it selfe Therefore Saint Iohn saith k Apoc. 21. â—4 The wall of the city of God hath twelue foundation
that is the Pope and Popish Prelates whereas the Scriptures are written but with inke and paper These traditions they make of three sorts e D. Bysb contra Pâ—rk de Trad. 1. Diuine deliuered by Christ himselfe 2. Apostolicall deliuered by the Apostles 3. Ecclesiasticall deliuered by the Church 1 Diuine 1. Concerning diuine traditions if they bee truely such we most reuerently and religiously receiue them but wee acknowledge none for such but onely those doctrines of faith of Gods worship which are either expresly or by necessary coÌ„sequence contained in the old new TestameÌ„t For although we know and acknowledge that f Bulling de ver Dei the substance of the old Testament was deliuered among the Patriarches from hand to hand by tradition from Adam to Moses and of the new till it was penned by the Apostles and Euangelists g D. Abbot cont Bysh de Trad. as some thinke for eight as others for twenty as others for fourescore yeares yet wee teach that when God had taken the custody of his owne tradition to himselfe by selecting and inspiring choise vessells of grace to commit them to writing least the streames of truth should haue beene polluted by running through the muddy channells of mens mouths then the Church was bound to receiue nothing for diuine truth but what is contained in the Scriptures or necessarily deduced therefrom and firmely grounded thereupon As when God had conueighed the whole light of the world h Gen. 1.3 which before was dispersed in the first dayes creation into the body of the Sunne i v. 14. c. created the fourth day then he would haue the Moone and Starres to deriue their light from thence and the whole earth to be therewith enlightened so though in his first plantation of his Church God did for a time continue the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation thereof vnto some chosen men which might deliuer it to his Church from hand to hand yet now since he hath conueighed the whole light of diuine truth into the Canon of the Scripture hee will haue all the Pastors and members of the Church to deriue their light of sauing knowledge and true faith from thence onely so that the doctrine of the Scriptures is now the onely diuine Tradition 2. Touching Apostolicall Traditions wee acknowledge them likewise for diuine if they vnderstand thereby 2 Apost Trad. that diuine doctrine which the Apostles first preached then wrot in the Scriptures as the pillar and foundation of our faith of which S. Paul speakes a Cor. 11.23 Accepi a Domino quod tradidi vobis I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue also deliuered vnto you c. b Gal. 1.11 12. for the Gospell which was preached of me I receiued it not of man nor was taught it by man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ And this is the holy and diuine Tradition which c Iren. li. 3. c. 1. Ireneus d Cypr. Epist 74. c. Script est Cyprian and other auncient Fathers speake of contained in the Euangelists Apostolicall Epistles and Acts of the Apostles all which are written Scriptures of the new Testament This diuine and Apostolicall Tradition we call with Tertullian The rule of truth 1 Regula veritatis Tertul. 2 Doctrinae Cypr. 3 Rectitudinis Basil 4 CredendoruÌ„ agendorum Dyonis Carthus and with Cyprian The rule of doctrine and with Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The rule of right or straight rule of perfection and with their owne Carthusian The rule of faith and manners or of all things to be beleeued and practised for wee constantly auerre with Cyril e Cyril Catech. Hierosol That the securitie of our faith ariseth from the euidence and demonstration of the diuine Scripture so that no man presume aboue that which is written 1. Cor. 4.6 Also we reuerently receiue such Apostolicall Traditions as haue their ground in Scripture though not expresly f Act. 20.7 as the celebration of the Sabboth on the first day of the week g Apoc. 1.10 the Baptisme of Infants c. 3 Eccles Trad. 3. Touching Ecclesiasticall Traditions wee receiue for such First those doctrines of faith which the ancient Primitiue Counsailes haue determined against Haeretikes hauing their ground in Scripture as that there is a Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of the diuine essence and that the Sunne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is consubstantiall and coaequall with the Father c. yet we dare not say with daring h Enchiâ— controv c. 1. Costerius That the first foure generall Counsailes are to bee receiued as we receiue the foure Gospells Secondly those rules which the Primitiue Church hath set downe for order and comelinesse in the seruice of God yea a Perk. de Trad. we acknowledge that the present Church hath power to make Canons to that purpose so they bee consonant to the generall Canons of the Scripture namely 1. That they tend to b 1 Cor. 14.26.40 decency and order 2. To aedification 3. That they be free from superstition 4. That the Church be not ouerburthened with the multitude of them Trad. Papist But if by the Churches Traditions they vnderstand the Canons of their latter Counsailes which were but conuenticles or confaederacies against Christ and his truth for the maintenance of Papall Hierarchy and wherein all the Bishops were the Popes sworne seruants and directed by him as by an Oracle what to doe and decree or the decrees of their Popes some of which haue beene Idolatrous some haereticall and some superstitious or if vnder that name they would thrust vpon vs euery Fryers dreame rotten reliques base costome and idle ceremony of the Romish Church then we reiect their vnwritten Traditions as sandy foundations to build our faith vpon and means to lead vs into a sea of errors and vncertaineties wherein there is neither banke nor bottome And such Traditions as these bee the sandy foundations whereon they build many articles of their Romish Creed namely priuate Masses halfe Communions Transubstantiation adoration of the host of Images and reliques Innocation of Saints and Angells Purgatory and the Popes transcendent authoritie in things Ecclesiastical and temporall For c Andrad in Orthodox Explicat Conc. Trident. li. 2. one of their owne plainly confesseth That many points of their Romish faith would reele and totter if they were not supported by Traditions And this is the reason why they refuse their triall by the Scriptures and thinke d Conference betweene Dr. Feately and M. Fisher. Christ and his Apostles both incompetent Iudges and partiall witnesses for the decision of their cause Yea Bellarmine their great Goliah saith peremptorily a Bell. li. 4. de ver dei non scripto c. 12. That it was not the proper end of the Scriptures to bee rule of our faith and that they are at the best but Regula partialis non
totalis that is a peece of a rule but not the whole entire rule of faith And b Enbhir c. 1. descript Costerius affirmes that they were not writteÌ„ to that end that they should prescribe vnto vs an absolute and exact rule of faith and administration of Sacraments and other things necessary in the Christian Common-weale but occasionally to confute Iewes and Haeretikes and to take away cerâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 which then arose in the Church and to comfort some that were weake and vnstable in the faith c. as if the Christian Church then vpon those occasions had some neede of the Scriptures but now no need at all Thus basely if I may not say blasphemously doe they thinke speake and write of the Sacred Scriptures And when we confute their errors out of the Scriptures then with the Valentinians of old they fall to accuse the Scriptures themselues c Iren. li. 3. contra bar c. 2. Quasi non recte habeant nec sint ex authoritate c. as if they were ill translated or obscure or imperfect without Traditions or of no authority in themselues without the authoritie of the Church 2 Authoritas Eccles Therefore they make the Churches authority another maine foundation of their faith as if it were greater than the authority of scripture yea as if without that scripture were no scripture because the Church gaue testimony to the scriptures that they were diuinely inspired made them Canonicall therefore say they both the diuine and Canonicall authority of the scriptures relyes vpon the Churches authority But let me aske them that so say was Iohn Baptists authority greater than Christs because he gaue testimony vnto him d 1 Ioh 29. Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world oâ— doth the Herald that proclaimes the Kings title and authority giue him his title and authority or is the gold which the goldsmith toucheth therefore good because he vpon trial therof by his touchstone declares it to be so was it not so before his tryall would it not haue been so if he had neuer tryed it yes vndoubtedly Dilemma When the Church did first declare the scriptures to bee the word of God either they were so before this declaration of the Church or not if not then the Church erred in declaring them to be so which were blasphemy and flat Atheisme to auerre if they were so then they receiued no diuine authority from the Churches testimony I know a Iesuit would thinke to winde himselfe out of this dilemma with a Bellarm. li. 2. de author Conc. c. 12. Bellarmins distinction of in se quoad nos saying that the scriptures are of diuine authority in themselues but could not be so acknowledged of vs without the Churches testimony but this distinction will not serue the turne for if they bee so in themselues they would be so if we neuer acknowledged or receiued them for such as the Scriptures of the new Testament are diuine euen among the Iewes and Turks though they would neuer acknowledge them to be so and if they bee so in themselues why should they not be so vnto vs why should we not receiue the sacred Scriptures as diuine for the diuine authority which they haue in themselues without the Churches authoritie Indeed the Churches authority or testimony may bring Infidells or Haeretikes to heare the word that they may be conuerted b Ioh. 1.41.45 as Andrew brought Peter or Philip Nathaniel vnto Christ or as the woman of Samaria brought the citizens of Samaria to heare Christ with her testimony of him c c. 4 39. Come see a man which hath told me all that euer J did Is not he the Christ And in this sense is that S. Aug. saith d Aug. cont epist fundamenti c. 5 I should not haue beleeued the Gospell if the authority of the Church had not mooued me thereunto but when they haue heard it they are conuerted and beleeue not for the Churches testimony but by the diuine authority and coelestiall efficacy of the word it selfe which is e Rom. 1.16 The power of God vnto saluation to eueryone that beleeueth as the Samaritans said to the woman f Ioh. 4.2 Now we beleeue not because of thy words for wee haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeed the Christ the Sauiour of the world 3. Jnfallibilitas Papae The third sandy foundation of the Romish faith is the Popes infallibility which I doe not falsely impose vpon them as a generall ground of their faith though some of their owne learned men hold the contrary because their grand champion Bellarmine auerres and prooues that it is g Bellarm. de Rom. Pom. li. 4. c. 2. Communissima opinio fere omnium Catholicorum that is the most common and generall tenet of all those of the Church of Rome whom he calls Catholikes For although the Papists brag much of their Catholike Church that it can teach nothing but Catholike truth and is not subiect vnto error because Christ said of his true Church built vpon him and the rocke of his diuine truth a Mat. 16.11 That the gates of hell should not preuaile against it which they falsely apply to the Church of Rome b Rom. â— 8 whose faith was indeed once famous through the world though now the c Esa 21 22. faithfull city be become an harlot her gold mixed with drosse and her wine with water yet aske them what they meane by that Church that cannot erre they will tell you they meane thereby the Pope the head of the Church and Saint Peters successor d Luc. 22.32 for whose faith Christ prayed that it should not faile So Bellarmine affirmeth That the common opinion of Romish Catholikes is e Bellar. ibid. Ipsam infallibilitatem non esse in coetu Conciliorum vt in concilio Episcoporum sed in solo Pontifice that the infallibilitie rests not in the assembly of Counsailes nor in the counsell of Bishops but in the Pope alone for they hold that any member or Pastor of their Church is subiect vnto error yea all the Bishops and Pastors of the Church assembled in a generall Counsaile if the Pope confirme not their Canons onely the Pope cannot erre when he defines a matter of faith Ex Cathedra that is by his Papall authority as if the Popes chayre were made of Irish wood to which no cobweb of errour could possibly cleaue And therefore all must be Haeretikes that be not within his pale scripture must be no scripture without his allowance and Kings no Kings if he please to kick their crowns of their heads with his holinesse foot or to bellow out excommunications and depositions against them with his Papall Bull. Yea hee may make new articles of faith as Pius quartus did adde twelue articles to the Nicene Creed in a Bull of his sent out about the time of her Tridentine conuenticle entitled
and raise the walles but roofes the top and perfects the building this heauenly Husbandman doth not onely plant and sow by doctrine but water by Application that the seed may yeeld the more copious increase as he doth elsewhere a Ioh. 13.17 Jf yee know these things blessed are yee if yee doe them Wherein the b 1 Pet. 2.25 chiefe Shepheard and supreame Bishop of our soules teacheth all his subordinate Pastors especially in these dayes wherein there is c Beza much science but little conscience to bend thâ—ir endeauours rather d Bern. ad imbuenda corda quam exprimâ—nda verba to reforme mens liues then either to tickle their itching eares or informe thâ—ir curious vnderstandings and to seeke not so mâ—ch e Phil 2.21 the things that are their owne that is their owne vaiâ— glorious applause by curious straines of wit or painting ouer their Sermons with the Vermillion of humane Eloquence as the things that are Iesus Christs by certefying mâ—ns Consciences and conuersations and seeking to bring home many sheepe to Christ his folde many soules to his Kingdome Otherwise those croking Frogs of Rome I meane the Iesuites and Seminary Priests which now more then euer swarme in our Coasts like the Grashoppers and Caterpillers of f Ex. 10.12 Egipt will still get ground of vs while we seeke to please mens eares and they to worke vpon their consciences the strongest band to tye men fast to God and his sacred truth and so in time the Israelitish Prouerbe may be inuerted to our great shame and the scandall of our Religion h g 1 Sam. 18.7 Dauid hath but his 1000. and Saul his 10000. Pardon therfore my plainnesse Right Honourable c. If I striue that my doctrine may be deliuered h 1 Cor. 2.4 rather with the euidence of the spirit and power then with the enticing words of mans wisedome and eloquence for my desire is not to please carnally nor to tickle the eares of the curious but to win those that are truely religious to a constant perseuerance in truth and godlinesse and I wish that wordes may be vnto you as nailes and goads fastned by the masters of the Assemblies to pricke you forward to good workes i Eccles 12.11 and make you cleaue fast to Christ and his truth continually Concerning the sense of the Text I finde a difference among Interpretors 1 Some by this house built on a rocke vnderstand the Christian Church in Generall built on the rock of Christian Doctrine which is called a 1 Tim. 3.15 The House of the liuing God Of this House 1. Christ Iesus is the chiefe corner stone b Eph. 2.19.20 2 The Prophets and Apostles foundation stones and 3 The faithfull liuing stones made a spirituall house c â— Pet. 2.5 4 The two opposite walles are the Iewes and Gentiles 5 The foure corners of the House are the foure Euangelists 6 The Pillars are the Prelates of the Church 7 The Windowes wherâ—by the light is conneyed vnto it are the Pastors and Doctors of the Church 8 The Dore is Christ Iesus the dore of the sheepe d Ioâ— 10.7 9 The Curtaines wherewith this House or holy Tabernacle of God is adorned are the Precepts of the Law and Promises of the Gospell 10 The Table of this House is the sacred Scripture holy Eucharist 12 The spirituall meat set vpon this Table is Christ e Ioh. 6.31 the celestiall Manna the bread of life broken to vs in the Word and Sacraments 13 The Vessels of honour appertaining to this House are f Rom. 9.22 23 the Vessels of mercy prepared vnto glory and the Vessels of dishonour are the Vessels of wrath prepared to destruction For the visible Church is like h Gen. 7.2 8.7.8 Noahs Arke which contained both cleane and vncleane Beasts and had in it as well the greedy Rauen that flying out of it neuer returned againe as the harmlesse Done which out of the Arke found no rest for the soale of her foot but with an Oliue branch in her mouth returned to the Arke againe This was figured in i Gen. 4.1 Adams family Typ Eccl visib which had in it a bloody Cain as well as an innocent Abel k 9.18 c. in Noahs which had a cursed Cham as well as a blessed Shem and Japheth l 21.9 in Abrahams which had a persecuting Jshmael as well as a persecuted Isaack and in Isaacks m 25.33 which had a prophane Esau selling his Birthright for a messe of Pottage as well as a godly Iacob that obtained the Blessing n 27.27 But the wicked Jn vnitate Ecclesiae non corporis Eccl. Alexan de Hales although they bee in the vnity of the Church visible yet not in the vnity of the Churches body mysticall or if they be it is but as corrupt humours are in the body naturall which must be purged out before the body can be healthy and strong but not as sound sollid and substantiall parts of the same body For of those that liue in the visible Church there are three sorts 1 Some are members thereof by Profession only 2 Others both by profession and affection for the present but not in resolution 3 Others both by profession affection and resolution hauing their hearts fast knit vnto God for euer And of Professors there bee foure sorts 1 Some professe the Cnristian faith but not wholly and intirely as Heretickes 2 Others professe the whole sauing truth but not in vnity as Scismaticks 3 Others professe the whole truth in vnity but not in sincerity nor with a resolute and vndaunted constancie as temporizing hyppocrites Exposit 2 and all these 3 sorts build vpon the sand 4 Others professe the whole sauing truth in vnity and sincerity and with an irrefragable constancie and these only build vpon the rocke a Mat 25.2 Exposit 2 2 Other Interpretors vpon this place vnderstand not the Church in generall but the particular members of the Church whereof some are wise some foolish builders as elsewhere a Mat 25.2 they are compared vnto wise and foolish Virgins 1 The wise Builders are they that both by hearing and practising build their faith on the rocke Christ and his sacred truth whose faith neither the raine of prosperity can corrupt or â—eaken nor the flouds of aduersity vndermine nor the winds of diabolicall suggestions shake downe and ouerthrow because the foundation on which they are built is immoueable namely the rocke Christ and his sacred truth 2 The foolish builders are they that by bare hearing without due practising build their false temporary faith vpon the sands of humane traditions or their owne vaine fancies and superstitions which euery win of vaine doctrine storme of affliction or tempest of temptation may easily ouerthrow because it is built on the sand and the fall of such buldings and builders will be great because they fall finally
totally irrecouerably from Gods grace and glory into the bottomlesse pit of perdition and destruction But this difference seemes to me rather verball then reall because the Church is nothing els but a Mullarum vnita vel potius vnanimitas animarum Bern Serm 61 in Cant a collectiue consisting of many particular men conioyned in the generall Profession of the same Christian faith though some bee true Israelites some cursed Edomites some professing the truth in sincerity others in hypocrisie some constantly cleauing thereto euen in the mouth of danger others quickly startling aside from it like a broken bow This Text therâ—fore is Gods fanne to discerne this corne from that chaffe His true touchstone to trye this pure gold from that counterfeit copper and the iust ballance of his Sanctuary to discerne thâ— weight of a sound sollid and sincere profession of Christianity from that which is deceitfull vppon the weights and lighter then vanity it selfe Diuision For it doth expresse a threefold difference betweene wise and foolish builders First in the manner of their building for the wise builders perfect their building both by hearing and practising but the foolish builders leaue it vnperfect hearing but not practising Secondly in the foundation of their building the wise build vpon a sure and immooueable foundation namely a Rocke but the foolish either on none or a weake foundation namely the superficies of the earth or the sand Thirdly in the effect and issue of their building for whereas both buildings are violently assaulted and beat vpon by raine stormes and wind the one stands fast like Mount Sion b Psal 125.1 c. the other thereof falls downe flat and the fall thereof is great Both begin wâ—ll and consent in the first act namely of hearing Christs words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 24. 26. c. Whosoeuer heareth c. but in the latter they differ as farrre as the East is from the West or the heauen from the earth for the one conioynes hearing and doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heares and doth them v. 24. the other disioynes what God would haue conioyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearing but not doing v. 26. And this is that which makes such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wide distance between them First in their properties the one sort being tearmed wise the other foolish builders Secondly in their worke the one building on the rocke the other on the sand Thirdly In the successe of both for the issue of the one building is firme stability but of the other vtter ruine The first difference betweene these wise and foolish builders is in the manner of their building the first by hearing onely the second by hearing and practising But both heare for the eares are the open doores by which the knowledge of those things entereth into the soule which haue no visible species for the eyes to apprehend a Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing which is the b Heb. 11.1 euidence of things not seene Insomuch as the Centurion who saw Christ crucified beleeued not on him by seeing but by hearing for hearing him giue vp the ghost with a loud cry contrary to the nature of that lingring death he concluded c Mar. 15.36 Surely this was the Sonne of God d Ber. Ser 28. in Cant. Auditus iuuenit quod non visus oculum species fefellit auri veritas se infudit His eyes saw him e Esa 53 2 3. despised and reiected of men a man full of sorrowes hauing no forme nor beautie that he should be desired but by his voice he beleeued and acknowledged to bee the Sonne of God not by his face being herein a patterne for all Christs sheepe and an Idea of them all f Ioh. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice c. Aquin. 1.2 Q. 12. The Scholemen say there is a threefold booke wherein we know God First of nature secondly of Scripture thirdly of life By the two first we know him in this life but in part and as it were in a glâ—sse darkely but by the third we shall know him in the life to come when wee shall see him face to face g 1. Cor. 13.9 For the learning of the first booke wee neede vse nothing but our eyes h Rom. 1.20 for the inuisible things of God to wit his eternall power and Godhead are by the creation of the world made visible i Aug 5.55 in Joh Tom. 10. Aske the ornament of the heauens namely the brightnesse of the Sunne the beautie of the day and the eye of the world and the splendour of the Moone and order of the Starres the solace and ornament of the night aske the aire replenished with birds natures quiristers who by their pleasing notes and chirping voices dayly chaunt out the prayses of their Creator aske the earth adorned with trees and plants and replenished with foure-footed beasts and creeping things and made the'receptacle habitatioÌ„ of Man the litle world the epitom of Gods workmanship and idea of diuine section Lastly aske the sea the profound volume of Gods wonders swarming with admirable and innumerable sorts of Fishes aske them all and they will really answer thee The Almightie hath created vs a Vniuersus mundusnâ—l aliud est quam deus explicatus Athenag for the whole world is nothing els but a large booke wherein God is expressed whose creatures are such faire Characters that we may reade them running We need but looke and learne see and perceiue yea we may not onely see b Cypr. de card Câ—â— operibus smell tast and feele how gratious the Lord is when we smell taste and feele his creatures For the learning of the second booke we must vse both our eyes and eares in reading and hearing but especially our eares for although reading of the Scripture be no small edifying as appeares by the fruit thereof in the Israelites c 2. Reg 33.2 c when the booke of the law was read by Hilkiah the Priest in the dayes of Iosiah and d Neh. 8.31 c. by Ezra the Scribe in the time of Nehemia yet hearing of the Scriptures opened and applyed by preaching is a more powerfull meanes to aedification and saluation for many e Act. 8 3â— with the Eunuch may reade the Scriptures and not vnderstand them vntill the liuely voice of some Philip be as a key to open the closet of Gods hidden treasures that is the mysteries of the Gospell vnto them Dignum esset per superiores oculorum fenestras veritatem intrare in animam c. Ber. Ser. 38 in cant It were to be wished that the light of truth might enter into our soules by the windowes of our eyes but this is reserued for vs in the life to come when we shall with most pure and perfect eyes reade in the booke of life and see God face to face But now wee receiue the remedy as the disease first crept
hard and flinty heart which disobedience and rebellion had shut vp and closed This doing of Gods word consists in two things Esa 1.16 17. Rom. 15.8 Eph. 4.22 23 24. 1. In ceasing to do euill and 2. In learning to do well In casting off the workes of darknesse and putting on the armour of light In putting off the old man and putting on the new c. 1. We must mortifie sinne in our earthly members c. Col. 3.5 and crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 e Ber. Ser. 30. in Cant. which is a kind of Spirituall Martyrdome And this must bee done 1. Speedily f Luc. 12.40 because we know not what day or houre the Sonne of man will come to call vs to an account g 2. Cor. 5.10 for the deedes done in the body whether they be good or euill 2. Totally h 1. Sam. 15 9 c. for in destroying these spiritual Amalekites we must not spare one Agag neither may we foster one i Iud. 16.4 c. Dalila or k Mat. 14.4 Herodias in our bosomes .i. one darling or beloued sinne least that one though we thinke it but a little one as l Gen. 19.20 Lot said of Zoar incense Gods iust wrath and worke our deserued destruction for if any of these m Iud. 2. 3. Canaanites remaine within our borders they will be prickes in our eyes and thornes in our sides wounds in our soules and vlcers in our conscienences giuing our soules no rest but still vexing and molesting vs. 3. Finally that wee returne no more a 2. Pet. 2.21 â—2 with the dogge to his vomit or the sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire for it had been better for vs neuer to haue known the way of righteousnesse than hauing knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto vs. A true poenitent hates sinne once repented of more mortally than b 2 Sam. 13.15 Ammon did Thamar after he had defloured her or c Gen. 27 35. Esau did Jacob after he had supplanted him twice and deceiued him both of his birthright and blessing For sinne is in this respect a true Iacob a supplanter indeed 1. It supplants vs and depriues vs of our birthright or interest vnto the kingdome of heauen which we should haue had by Christ Iesus the true heire of heauen 2. It depriues vs of all Gods blessings temporall spirituall and eternall and therefore is to be mortally hated and vtterly reiected 2. We must doe good d Mat 3.8 bringing foorth fruites worthy amendment of life and e Col. 1.10 walking worthy of the Lord endeauouring to please him in all things beeing fruitfull in all good workes and abounding in the knowledge of God And to the end our workes may bee truely good and such as God accepteth wee must obserue these conditions 1. That our selues bee in Christ ingraffed into him as branches into the stocke and incorporated as members with their head by the bond of the spirit and hand of faith f â— Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature First he must be in Christ and then a new creature It is the axiome of the Schoole Diuines Regula Scholast Complacentia operis praesupponit complacentiam personae The worke can neuer bee accepted except the person be first accepted g Gen. 4.4.5 as we see in Cain and Abel Therefore S. Aug. saith of the vertues of the Heathens as the iustice of Aristides the temperance of Fabritius c. that they are but h Aug in Ps 31. Splendida peccata .i. Glistring or glorious sinnes and i Et Ser. 55. de ver dom in Ioh. Cursus celerimus praeter viam .i. a most swift course but out of the way and saith moreouer k Et in Psal 83. That their chickens were trodden vnder foote by God because they were not hatched in the nest of the Church meaning that their good workes were reiected of God because themselues were not members of the Christian Church 2. That our good workes proceed a 1. Tim. 1.5 from a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfained for the spirit of grace is the father and faith the mother of good workes the one the root and the other the iuice of that tree that brings foorth good fruit b Ber. Ser. 30. in Cant. Nec palmites absque vite nec virtus absque fide True vertue can bee no more without true faith than the branches without the vine in which they grow and by which they liue and are nourished c 1. Reg. 6.34 The two doores of the Sanctum Sanctorum had folding leaues clasping in each other to teach vs that the two doores of faith and charity by which Christ enters into our soules as his holy Temples must neuer be separated but Se inuicem tenere .i. Fold in one the other and claspe hands together d Leo magnus Sicut enim in fide est operum ratio sic in operibus fidei fortitudo As faith is the norme or squire to rule out our good workees so good workes are the proppe or pillar to vphold and strengthen our faith For faith and good workes be fundamentall stones in the spirituall building of our soules to be an holy Temple in the Lord e Eph 2. vlt. an habitation of God by the spirit but they both leane vpon relye vpon and are borne vp and sustained by the greatest and chiefest corner-stone Christ Iesus Maldonate Mald. in loc therefore the Iesuite doth falsely taxe vs in his Commentaries vpon this text for building on the sand because wee teach with S. Paul That f Rom. 3.28 faith alone doth iustifie without the workes of the law seeing wee teach withall that charity is the life and soule of faith and that a true iustifying faith must needs be operatiue and fruitfull in charity g Iac. 2. vlt. for as the body without the soule so faith without charity is dead We teach indeed and that according to the Scriptures that in the act of Iustification faith is alone Thesis nostra Fides est sola quoad actum iustificandi non solitaria quoad actum existendi because wee beleeue that not any merit of our owne workes but the merit of Christ his perfect obedience actiue and passiue doth purchase at Gods hands the remission of our sinnes and makes our peace and reconciliation with him and faith alone is the eye whereby wee behold Christ and the hand of the soule which wee stretch out to lay hold on him and to apply the plasture of his pretious merits to our wounded soules and to open the rich treasurie or caskenet of his spirituall graces vnto vs thereforethough we teach that faith is alone in that act as most proper thereunto as the eye is alone in the act of seeing the eare in the act of hearing and the
stones and in them were written the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles And herein Peter had no preheminence aboue the rest except a primacy of order onely for a Suâ—er omnes â—quo Eccles fortitudo solidatu◠〈◊〉 in Joâ— li. 1 Saint Hierome saith thâ— Church is aequally founded on the doctrine of all the Apostles for these words b Mat. 16.18 Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam were not spoken personally to Peter but generally to all the Apostles who as well as Peter did beleeue and confesse the same faith though in token of vnity they were vttered to one which in vnity did appertaine to all the Apostles c Vnus pro multis vnitas pro â—niuersis Aug. in Psal 88. in whose names Peter alone made this confession Moreouer not Peters person or place but the faith which he confessed is that rocke on which the Church is built as both the whole streame of the Fathers and the generall counsell of Chalcedon doe testifie Vide Aug. de ver dom Ser. 13. Hil. de Trin li. 6. Chrysost inc 16 Mat. Theod. in Cant. Pag 235. Ambros in cap. 2. ad Eph. Epist in Appendice Conc. Chalced 13. Seeing therefore he was called d Aug Retract li. 1. c. 21. Petrus a petra from that rocke of faith which he confessed Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God which faith the rest of the Apostles held taught and confessed as well as he and sealed it with their blood wee may truely inferre with S. Jerome e Hieron in Amos li. 3. c. 6. that in this respect they were rocks as well as he whereon the Church is founded Yea f Petrus gessit personam Ecclesicut Iudas inimicorum Christi Aug. in Psal 108. S. Aug. saith farther that Peter in confessing Christ and receiuing the power of the keyes sustained the person not onely of the Apostles but of the whole Church Militant as Iudas did of the Church malignant g Jdem 50. in Ioh c. 12. Vnus malus corpus malorum significat quomodo Petrus corpus bonorum corpus ecclesiae As one Iudas signified the whole societie of the wicked so one Peter the whole company of good men the body of the Church Therefore from those words of Christ to Peter Thou art Peter c. who represented not the Apostles onely but the whole Christian Church confessing the same faith it cannot bee inferred that S. Peter and his successors are that rocke on which the Church is founded Those therefore that build their faith on that foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereof Christ is the chiefe corner-stone by beleeuing confessing and practizing are those wise builders here specified which build their houses on a rocke For the entire and sincere beleefe profession Nota Eccles infaâ—â—bilerâ— and practise of those supernaturall verities which God hath reuealed in his Sonne Christ by the ministery of the Prophets and Apostles and that in veritie is an infallible note of the true Church and of a true member of the true Church All other notes without this are false and counterfeite and may deceiue vs. Notae fallâ—biles 1 Antiquitas 1. Antiquitie without truth is nothing els but a Cypr. epist 74. 63 Vetustas erroris for we must not so much attend vnto or consider what others haue done or thought fit to be done before vs as what Christ hath done who is before all we must not follow the custome of man but the truth of God for the true antiquity is truth it selfe deriued from Christ b Esa 9.6 the Father of aeternitie 2. Successio 2. Personall succession without doctrinall is but as c Mat. 26.1 c. Caiaphas succeeded Aaron and yet was an enemy to the true High Priest Christ Iesus d Naz in laudem Athanasis Such false Pastors or bad members of the visible Church succeeded the true and good as darknesse succeedes the light or sicknesse health or a tempest faire weather or madnesse the right vse of reason 3. Vnitas 3. Vnity without truth is but a diuelish faction and like that of thieues and rebells an accuâ—sed confederacie and wicked conspiracie against the God of truth e Apoc. 19 16. Who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Such though they combine and v … themselues neuer so strongly are but like f Gen. 49.5 Simeon and Leui brethren in euill or like g Luc. 23 12. Herod and Pilate that vnited themselues in a league of friendship to persecute Christ Iesus 4. Vniuersalitas Vniuersalitie or multitude without truth is nothing for one h 1 Reg. 18.19 Elias teaching and professing Gods truth and truely worshiping the true God of Israel is to be preferred befoâ—e foure hundred Prophâ—ts of Baal though brought vp in Ahabs Court and eating bread at Iezabells table and one i Luc. 23 42. poenitent thiefe confessiâ—g Christ before the high Priests and Elders Scribes Pharises Sadduces and thousands of Iewes persecuting him 5. Nomâ—n Catho Nor the specious titles of holy Catholike Apostolike c for that Church which hath these titles without truth is like a boxe in an Apothecaries shop which without hath the title of a soueraigne antidote written in faire Characters and within is full of deadly poyson Bare titles will not serue the turne for those haeretikes in Saint Bernards time who in truth were Apostatici because they reuolted from the Catholike faith tearmed themselues Apostolici though they could shew no signe of their Apostleship a Ber. Ser. 64. in Cant. and in our dayes Popish Catholikes tearme themselues Catholikes and Iebusites Iesuites and the Synagogue of lust the family of loue Applicat Be not therefore carryed away from the rocke of Christs Sacred truth with any or all those glistering shewes which that painted whore of Babylon makes of antiquitie succession vnitievniue rsalitie or the goodly titles of holy Catholike Apostolike c. for all these are but the b 2 Reg. 9.30 painted face of that whorish Iezabell or her c Apoc. 17.4 golden cup glistering without but within full of the wine of her abhominations and filthinesse of her fornications the truth of Gods word alone is that firme and immnoueable rocke on which euery wise Christian must build the spirituall aedifice of his soule and conscience 1 Petra regenerat 1. This is that rocke out of which wee are spiritually hewen Esa 51.2 that is the Rocke of our regeneration for d 1 Pet. 1.23 we are borne againe not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God which liueth and abideth for euer 2 Nutrit 2. The rocke of our spirituall nourishment vnto saluation whence doe flowe 1. the waters of life to refresh our fainting soules as e Exod. 17 16. streames of Waters flowed from the rocke in Rephidim to refresh the thirsting bodies of the Israelites 2. The
hony of spirituall consolation which doth comfort the soules of Gods Saints in their spirituall Warfarre more than the hony that f 1 Sam. 14.27 Ionathan tasted comforted his fainting Spirits in his warfare against the Philistims for Gods word is sweeter to the soules of his children than the g Psal 19.10 hony and hony combe 3. The oyle of denotion for this rocke poures vs out h Ioh. 29.6 riuers of oyle to supply our hard hearts and stiffe knees that our soules and bodies may be flexible to the will of God 3. Protectionis 3. The rocke that shelters vs from the tempests of temptation and floudes of affliction and persecution i Psal 104.18 as the stonie rockes are a refuge for the conies for whither should we flye in all these for shelter but to Christ and his word The Prophet Esay saith of Christ k Esa 32.11 This man shall be an hiding place from the wind and a couer from the tempest as riuers of Water in a dry place or as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land And Dauid of his word a Psal 56.10 In thy word will I reioyce in thy word will I comfort me 4. Salutis 4. The rocke wherein wee may repose vs for rest and safety as the b Cant. 2 14. Doues in the clefts of the rocke or as Moyses did c Exod. 33.22 v. 23. who was put by God into the cleft of the rocke in Horeb and couered with his hand while his glory passed by and in this rocke we may hehold with Moses not onely posteriora dei 5. Contemplat the backe-parts of God that is his wondrous workes and the acts of his power and iustice but anteriora dei the foreparts of God that is the face of his mercy and d Psal 4.6 light of his countenance and that in him which is the e Heb. 1.3 expresse character of his fathers substance or image of his person namely Christ Iesus And with f 1 Reg. 19.11 1â— Elias standing in the caue of the rocke in Horeb wee may behold God himselfe passing by vs not onely in a strong wind violent earthquake and consuming fire of iustice by the threatnings of the law but in a soft still voice of mercy by the promises of the Gospell Seeing therefore Christ and his holy word is the onely rocke First of our regeneration without which we lye g Eph. 2.1 dead in sinnes and trespasses Secondly of our spirituall nourishment and consolation without which wee can neuer grow to a h c. 42 3. perfect man in Christ Iesus Thirdly of our supportation without which wee fall to ruine Fourthly of our shelter and protection without which wee lye open to the stormes of all miseries temptations afflictions and persecutions Fifthly of our diuine contemplation wherein we may see God and his Sacred mysteries by the eye of faith i Cor 2.14 which can nor bee discerned by the eye of reason and without which we are k Apoc. 3.17 miserable and wretched poore and blind and naked let vs build our faith and obedience on this blessed rocke which is immooueable and cannot be shaken and then we shall haue a l Heb. 12.28 kingdome that cannot be shaken that is of aeternall glory in heauen All that build not on this rocke are foolish builders and build vpon the sand or superficies of the earth without a foundation By the sand is here meant 2 Super arenam aedificare m Faber Stap. in Loc. 1. Aliud a petra fundamentum that is any other foundation of our spirituall building besides Christ and his Sacred word namely mens traditions or our owne opinions or false miracles or lying legends or the worlds baites or the diuells suggestions c. all which are fitly compared vnto sand 1. Rat. Simil. for their worthlesnesse for sand is of small or no value 2. their fruitlesnesse for sand is barraine 3. their discohaerent incongruity for yee cannot make a rope of sand the parts whereof will not hang together 4. their inconstant instabilitie floating like a quicke sand Euery Haeretike therefore as a Hilar. in Loc Hilary saith builds vpon the sand because Haereticall doctrines had no firmer ground than mens fancies and haue no cohaerence either with the truth or among themselues Therefore b Iren. li. 1. c. 13. Ireneus compares haeretikes to men labouring of a frenzie Quia vmbras pro rebus sectuntur They pursue their owne shaddowes and feede themselues with their owne fancies And c Beda in Loc. Beda saith That euery sinner builds on the sand because sinne hath no foundation to stay it selfe vpon nor any reall entity or subsistence in it selfe for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meere irregularitie or deflexion from the lawe of God Applicat Now there be amongst vs foure sorts of men that build vpon the sand 1 Papists First Superstitious Papists secondly Prophane Belials thirdly Greedy Mammonists fourthly Masqued Hypocrites First Superstitious Papists though they would bee accounted the onely true Church and that none built vpon the rocke of truth but they build their faith vpon sandy foundations I will not meddle with those sandy foundations whereon they build the hope of their saluation namely their owne merits and satisfactions the merits and intercessions of Saints and Angells and the Popes indulgences whereby he exhausteth the Churches treasurie as they tearme it to fill his owne coffers but will only speake of those whereon as maine foundations they build their faith forsaking the sole immooueable rocke on which they should build it namely Christ and his Sacred truth recorded in the Scriptures Papist Fidei fundamenta tria And these are three 1. the Churches traditions 2. the Churches authority 3. the Popes infallibility yet these three meete in one center and are deuolued by them into one and the same ground or principle of their faith for they make the Popes mouth the Delphos that deliuers to the present Church the Oracles of the auncient Churches traditions And their Canon Law set foorth vnder Gregorie the 13. saith a D 40. Si Papa That men doe with such reuerence respect the Apostolicall sea of Rome that they rather desire to know the institutions of Christian Religion from the Popes mouth than from the holy Scriptures But let vs consider these sandie foundations of their faith seuerally 1 Tradit 1. For Traditions their councell of Trent made a carnall decree b Hist Conc. Trid at the time of a Carnouall that c Sess 4 Decr 1. they should be receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherwith we receiue the Sacred Scriptures yea d Costeri Lâ—â—chirid c. 10. Costerius a Iesuite goes farther and will haue them receiued with more reuerence because they are the epistle of the King of heauen written with his owne finger in the heart of the Church
f Bulla Pii 4 super formae profess fidei The publike profession of the Orthodoxall faith to be vniformely professed and obserued and likewise he may adde ten commandements of the Church to the ten commandements of Almighty God which I haue seene in an English Roman Catechisme which must be kept with all Religious obedience of all the Popes Disciples and dispence against the commandements of God by allowing incestuous marriages and the religious vowes of children made without the consent yea against the will of their parents and the deposing and murthering of Princes for the aduancement of the Catholike Religion These be strange conclusions to be drawne from Christs prayer for Peter that his faith should not faile which place a Aug. de corrept gra 12. S. Aug. will haue to be meant onely of Peters own particular sauing faith whereby he should after his fall resist the temptations of Sathan and stand fast vnto aeternall life and comfort and strengthen his brethren falling as he did with the same comforts wherewith himselfe was comforted of God which exposition seemes most consonant to the scope of the text But admit it to be meant of that doctrine of faith which S. Peter should teach the Christian Church shall they therfore deriue the effect of Christs prayer from Peter to the Popes of Rome from an holy Apostle diuinely inspired and directed by Gods vnerring spirit into all truth b Ioh. 16.13 according to Christs promise made to his Apostles to a ranke and succession of men among whom their owne Histories do testifie that there haue been found Atheists Infidells Idolaters Heretikes Schismatikes incarnate diuells and hatefull monsters of mankind vndoubtedly so good praemises will ill beare so bad conclusions Jnst I need not goe farre for instances their owne histories afford such plenty c Baron Annal. Anno. 3033. 1. Marcellin turned Pagan and sacrificed to heathenish Idols for which hee was condemned in the counsaile of Sinuessa 2. d Idem An. 357. Liberius was an Arrian and subscribed to the vniust condemnation of Athanasius 3. Honorius was a Monothelite holding that Christ had but one will consequently but one nature for which he was condemned in e Synod 6. act 4.12 13. 7. act vlt. 8. act 7. three seuerall counsailes 4. f Theod Niem de schism li. 3. c. 44. The counsailes of Pisa and Constance condemned Greg. 12. and Benedict 13. for notorious Schismatikes obstinate Haeretikes scandalizers of the whhle Church and vnworthy the Papacy 5. g Conc. Constan 5.73 Bin. Com. Conc. P. 1584. And the same Counsaile of Constance condemned Iohn the twenty three for an Atheist because he held as his iudgement that there was no immortality of the soule nor resurrection of the body nor life euerlasting 6. h Conc. Basill sect 34. The counsaile of Basill deposed Eugenius the fourth declaring him to be a Simonist a periured wretch an incorrigible schismatike and an obstinate haeretike And a Watson quodâ—bet Bellarmine being demanded after the death of Sixtus 5. what hee thought became of him answered Quantum capio quantum sapio quantum intelligo descendit ad infernum As farre as I can thinke conceiue or vnderstand he is gone directly vnto hell It is strange therefore that those that haue no faith themselues should be such infallible rules to guide the faith of others and to lead others to heauen while themselues goe to hell seeing no norme or squire can make other things squared thereby straight lf it selfe be crooked nor any man iudicially determine otherwise than himselfe iudgeth vnlesse there be such a vertue annexed to the Papall chaire that be the Pope what he will when hee sits downe therein he shall be like b Num. 23.11 Balaam to blesse where he meanes to curse or like c Ioh. 11.50.51 Caiaphas to prophecye and speake truth not vnderstanding what he saith d Dr. Field of the Church li. 3. in Append. Moreouer it is the iudgement of many of their owne diuines namely Bozius Gerson Occam Almaine Alphonsus a Castro and the Sorbonists that the Pope may not onely be an Haeretike himselfe but write teach preach and define Haeresie and that è Cathedra .i. by his Papall authority And diuers instances are giuen by our e Dr. VVhite of the Church sect 36. learned Diuines wherein they haue actually erred not onely in Church Canons dispensations and Papall decrees but euen in matters of faith defined by them both in Prouinciall and generall Counsailes And one of their owne Canonists saith f Apud Grat. D. 4. Si Papa That if the Pope be found so negligent of his owne and his brethrens saluation that he draw innumerable soules by troopes with himselfe to be damned in hell no man may say vnto him why doest thou so What a lamentable thing is this that poore seduced soules should thus forsake the rocke of truth to build their faith on such sandy foundations namely the Churches Traditions as they are deliuered by the Pope and the Churches authoritie which is in effect nothing els but the Popes infallibility who is the Church g Greg. de Valentia T. 3. disp 1. P. 24. virtually because all the power of the Church rests wholy in him and yet he a man that may be and often hath beene an obstinate Haeretike Schismatike Atheist c. and teach preach and define error and lead thousands with himselfe headlong vnto hell But let vs renounce such sandy foundations and build our faith on the rocke of truth contained in the Scripture for the sacred Scripture is that a Zanc. de scrip Paradise of God in the midst whereof are first the tree of knowledge bearing no forbidden fruit for b Deut. 29.29 reuealed things are for vs and our children Secondly c Apoc. 2.7 The tree of life Christ Iesus the kernell and pith of the scriptures and no d Gen. 3. vlt. Cherubin set with a flaming sword to keepe vs from it but the way left wide open and all inuited to come vnto it e Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me c. Thirdly f Psal 23.2 Riuers of liuing waters to refresh and comfort our soules in temptation affliction and persecution Fourthly A coelestiall aire sweetly breathing in the midst thereof videlicet g 2. Tim. 3.16 afflatus Spiritus Sancti the inspiration of the holy Ghost inspiring both the penmen of it and all that with faith humility and reuerence reade or heare it Fiftly God walking in the midst of this Eden whose voice doth teach reprooue correct instruct and comfort euery sonne of Adam that doth heare and doe it making him h V. 15. wise vnto saluation through the faith that is in Christ Jesus 2. A second sort of those that build on the sand are Prophane sinners who build on the sand of their owne securitie and praesumption of Gods mercy i Rom. 6.11 continuing in
that the Church of Rome as now it is is the onely true auncient Catholike Church and the Protestants are haeretikes and their Church sprung vp but lately since Luthers dayes Thirdly they teach their disciples that the Scriptures are obscure and dangerous for lay-men and silly women to meddle withall because the reading and misunderstanding of the Scriptures hath bred many haeresies and therefore it is enough for them to relye vpon the definitions of their mother the Romish Church and directions of their ghostly Fathers without any further search or inquiry thus thieues put out the candle that should discouer them Fourthly they tell them that it is haeresie for a lay-man to dispute in points of faith neither must they reade any bookes written against the Romish Religion or any part thereof nor conferre with any Protestant minister or other able to defend his religion but in all doubts repaire to their ghostly fathers for resolution Fiftly they extoll deuout ignorance and implicite faith to the skies and tell them that such ignorantly deuout soules shall haue the benefit of other mens knowledge So they canonize the Colliars faith and make it their seduced disciples Creed to beleeue as the Church beleeues Now when silly ignorant soules haue deepely drunke in these principles what maruaile is it if they bee easily peruerted and hardly conuerted when their seducing teachers haue thus hedged in their eyes eares and hearts that they should not heare nor vnderstand Hortatio Wherefore seeing these a Mat 7.15 Wolues in sheepes cloathing who like the wolues of Africa faine the voice of sheepeheards to deuoure the flocke be so busie to infect our flocks with Popery let vs be as vigilant to continue them in the truth Now if euer S. Bern. exhortation is to be put in practise b Ber. li. 3 de consid c. 10 Danda est opera vt increduli conuertantur conuersi non auertantur auersi reuertantur c. We that are Ministers of the word must sedulously endeauour that those which do not rightly beleeue may be conuerted and those that are turned out of the way may returne into the right way againe and those that are conuerted may not be turned away and those that are peruerse may be directed into the paths of righteousnesse and those that are subuerted may bee recalled into the wayes of truth and that the subuerters themselues should haue their errors conuinced by the euidence of truth that either themselues may be reclaimed or they may loose all power and authority to subuert others 1 Ad epist Let me therefore beseech you Reuerend Fathers in the bowells of Christ Iesus who am vnworthy to counsaile you that as yee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops or ouerseers in name c Act. 20.28 so ye would indeed in these dangerous dayes with a most vigilant eye ouersee the flocke of Christ committed to your seuerall charges which Christ hath purchased with his owne blood Ye sit at the sterne of this ship of the English Church and are skilfull in your compasse O let not these disastrous winds carry it the contrary way but guide it still as ye haue done in the way of truth to the hauen of hapines Ye are the d Mar. 13.34 porters of this house fold of Christ and haue the keyes of iurisdiction in your hands to let in and out O watch therefore that these e Ioh. 10.2 thieues and robbers breake not in and steale away the sheepe of Christ from his fold whose soules are most f Psal 116.15 deare and pretious in his sight And see that euery Archippus vnder you in your seuerall Diocaeses doe both by preaching and catechizing according to his Maiesties late pious and most Christian directions g Col. 4.17 take heed to the ministery that he hath receiued in the Lord that he fulfill it 2. Ad Mag. And let all religious Magistrates in their places seeke with godly a 2 Pa◠35.5 Josiah to purge Gods house where it is polluted either with error or sinne and with zealous b Neh. 4.1 9. Nehemiah endeauour to reaedifie the ruine of Gods Ierusalem and to defend this building against all malicious Tobiahs and Sanballats that seeke to hinder it 3 Ad priuatos And let all priuate men take heed that these wily Serpents creepe not into their bosomes by their subtle insinuations but let thē hold fast the truth that they haue receiued in the Lord and if any though an c Gal. 1.16 angell from heauen bring them any other doctrine let them hold him accursed d Cypr. de vnit Eccl. sect 1. Nutet enim necesse est vagetur spiritu erroris arreptus velut puluis ventiletur qui salutaris viae non tenet veritatem for he must needs totter and wander and being driuen with the spirit of error be carryed away as e Psal 1.4 dust or chaffe which the wind scatters away from the face of the earth that doth not keepe the truth of that way that leades to saluation f Eph. 4.14 Be not therefore like children wauering and carryed away with euery wind of vaine doctrine but follow the truth in loue and in all things growe vp to him that is the head namely Christ Iesus ◠Tent. persecut 3. The third sort of temptations wherewith the Church is assaulted is affliction and persecution compared to the blustering Northwinds and violent flouds which beat vpon this house for the true Church is like g Gen. 7.18 8.4 Noahs arke still floating on the waters of trouble till shee come to rest on Ararat the Mount of God for h Act. 14.22 through many tribulations we must enter into Gods kingdome i 2 Tim 3.12 And all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution for k Aug in Ps 31. though God had one sonne without sinne yet he hath none without affliction A Christians life is like a nauigation in a tempestuous sea the harbor whence we launch is our mothers wombe the port whereto we are bound is the hauen of heauen but the interim betweene the whole time of our sayling in the troublesome sea of this world is full of tempests full of Pyrats So that Reuerend Luther said truely Qui non est crucianus non est Christianus no crosse no Christian consonant to that of the Apostle l Heb. 12.5 If ye bee without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes And concerning the Churches persecutions that of Homer concerning Troy may most truely bee spoken of the true Church Militant a Homer Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She hath but a little breathing time from her continuall warfare for these two contrary armies Israel and Amalech are alwayes fighting b Ex 17. vlt. God will haue warre with mysticall Amalech .i. the Church malignant from generation to generation c Ser. 92. de
Temp. As soone as the Israelites had dranke of the rocke forthwith they warred against Amalech to teach vs that we no sooner drinke of the rocke Christ and are incorporated into him but forthwith we must prepare our selues for a warfare For the visible Church is like d Gen. 25.22 Rebeccaes wombe wherin are bred sonnes of contrary natures as Iacob and Esau and these striue together in her wombe from her very conception of thee e Apoc. 12.5.15 As soone as euer the woman is deliuered of a manchild that is the Church hath brought foorth a sonne to God presently the dragon doth cast out flouds of water out of his mouth to destroy it This auncient enmity betweene the old serpent and the seed of the woman began in Paradise f Gen. 3 15â— I will put enmity betweene thy seed and her seed c. And forthwith it began to breake out by open persecution for the persecution of the Church of the old Testament began with g Cap. 48. Abels murther h Aug. de Ciu. dei li. 18. c. 51. Dedicat Ecclesiam sanguine He dedicates the Church to God by his bloud and of the Church of the new Testament with cruell i Mat. 2.16 Herods bloudy butchering the poore Infants of Bethleem who were Martyrs Opere et si non voluntate in the worke it selfe or their outward act of suffering though not in will or intention whence S. Aug. called them k Aug. de sanct sect 11. Primitias Martyrum The first fruites of the Martyrs of Christ for they suffered for Christ though they knew not for whom they suffered Pro Christo occiduntur paruuli pro iustitia moritur innocentia The little Infants of Bethleem dyed for Christ innocence dyed for righteousnesse for so Christ is called i Ier. 23.6 The Lord our righteousnesse And euer since k Gen. 21.9 10 Ishmael hath persecuted Isaac that is those who are borne after the flesh them that are borne after the spirit In the ten primitiue persecutions the furrows of the Churches field were watered with streames of bloud and this made it the more fertile for l the bloud of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church Cypr. de duplici Mart. And euer since that bloudy Whore of Babylon hath borne sway in the world she hath made her selfe a Apoc. 19.6 drunke with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus by her bloudy inquisition cruell massacres horrid treasons and open persecutions for where she may preuaile she vseth no other arguments to maintaine her religion but whipes racks gibbets strappadoes fire and fagot as b See Foxe his Acts and Monuments of he Church here in England in Queene Maries dayes for she seekes not to persuade but to compell and delights to tyrannize ouer mens consciences Their very mercies are cruell there is more mercy to be found of the mercilesse elements to wit the flaming fire and raging sea than at their hands where they may preuaile and therefore from their bloudy hands and cruell teeth the Lord deliuer vs. For we may safely pray Vt c Cypr. de mort MartyriuÌ„ desit animâ— that we his seruaÌ„ts being hurt by no persecutioÌ„s may alwaies glorifie his holy name in his holy church as our church praies in our Letanie because God requires not our bloud but our faith as that blessed Martyr S. Cyprian saith but if the stormie winds and violent flouds of persecution for the truth should beate vpon the house of this Church we must also pray and that earnestly Ne animus desit Martyriâ— that our minds be not wanting vnto Martirdome but that we may be willing to shed our bloud for him and his truth that shed his precious bloud for vs our saluation for these be the winds and stormes that make a true perfect triall indeed who haue built the spirituall houses of their soules on a sure and who on a sandy foundation and which building will stand 1 Perfeuerautia aâ—ctorum and which fall to ruine First those that haue built the spirituall houses of their soules vpon the â—ocke Christ and his sacred truth not by hearing or knowing onely but by beleeuing and practising will outstand all these tryalls of raine flouds and stormie winds and d Psal 125.1 stand fast like Mount Sion which cannot be remooued but standeth fast for euer for of such a building it is here said though all these beat vpon it Jt fell not c. Saint Chrysostome writing vpon this place saith e Chrys in Loc. Boni firmitatem Petrae constantiae virtute superant c. The constancy of good and faithfull men exceedes the firmenes of a rocke Ibid. A rock though neuer so much beaten against by the waues and winds stands immooueable and not hurt as scorning their violence so a faithfull Christian because the Lord is his rocke and he is built vpon the rocke Christ Iesus scornes the force and malice of the diuell and all his confaederates knowing that though Sathan raise vp a mighty wind to shake him on euery side a Iob 1.10 as the wind did the foure corners of Jobs house yet hee cannot shake him off his foundation though he vexe him with all his stormes yet none of these nor the very gates of hell can preuaile against him because he is built vpon a rocke Such a one was b Gen. 37 39. c. Joseph who serued God not onely in Potiphars house and Pharaohs Court but in the prison also wheÌ„ his feet were fast in the stockes their ó entred into his soule And c Iob 19.25 Job who when God set him vp as a marke to shoot at still held fast his confidence in his redeemer J know that my redeemer liueth c. d Dan. 3.16 17. And the three childeren whom neither the threats of Nebuchadnezzar nor his angry countenance nor the sight of the fierie furnace could deterre from worshipping their God nor cause them to fall downe before the golden Image And e Dan. 6.12 13. Daniel whom neither the fauours of Darius could allure nor his irrecouerable edict compell to desist from praying to his God but he chose rather to be cast into the den of Lyons I could be almost infinit in instances of the like kind out of the Ecclesiasticall histories where we find S. And. kissing his crosse imbracing it with a Salue Sancte crux c. Ignat. inuiting the wild beasts to deuoure him saying I am the Lords wheat must be ground with the teeth of wild beasts S. Laurence vpon his fierie gridiroÌ„ which was to him as a bed of down outbrauing the tyrant Decius and telling him that one side was wasted enough he should now turne vp the other But I shall need no more instances seeing Saint Paul in the name of all Gods Saints bids open defiance to Sathan and his complices f Rom. 8.35 c Who