Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	knowledge_n	patience_n	temperance_n	4,684	5	12.0601	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43607	Syntagma theologicum, or, A treatise wherein is concisely comprehended, the body of divinity, and the fundamentals of religion orderly discussed whereunto are added certain divine discourses, wherein are handled these following heads, viz. 1. The express character of Christ our redeemer, 2. Gloria in altissimis, or the angelical anthem, 3. The necessity of Christ's passion and resurrection, 4. The blessed ambassador, or, The best sent into the basest, 5. S. Paul's apology, 6. Holy fear, the fence of the soul, 7. Ordini quisque suo, or, The excellent order, 8. The royal remembrancer, or, Promises put in suit, 9. The watchman's watch-word, 10. Scala Jacobi, or, S. James his ladder, 11. Decus sanctorum, or, The saints dignity, 12. Warrantable separation, without breach of union / by Henry Hibbert ...	Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678.; Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678. Exercitationes theologiae.	1662 (1662)	Wing H1793; ESTC R2845	709,920	522

God David did run the pure path of Gods commandments and Christ did all things well We are to have respect to all the divine ordinances of the God of Truth that in none if it be possible we may be sound faulty Forsake evil and do good saith the Prophet and so the Lord shall crown our desires above what we are able to ask or think saith the Apostle Let your Covetousness be turned to Liberality that the Saints of God those of the houshold of faith may be the better for you Let your Ambition be turn'd to Humility that ye think not of your selves above that which is meet Let your Adulteries be turn'd to Chastity that your bodies may be fit temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in Let your Idolatries and Superstitions be turn'd to the zealous and Primitive service of God that God may dwell in the midst of you Let your Wantonness in attires and habits be turn'd to Gravity whereby the Heavenly graces of the Eternal Spirit may be enlarged in you and manifested by you as becometh Saints Let your hideous Blasphemies and horrid Oaths be turn'd to a reverent naming of the Lord that his Name may be hallowed by you In conclusion let all the Intemperance Prophaneness and Corruptions of our lives be turned to Holiness whereby all our actions may favour of grace goodness and obedience This obedience in actions whereby we glorifie God must be 1. Speedy 2. Cordial 3. Ever augmenting 4. Resolutely constant It must be speedy To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Dilatory procrastinarions beget difficulties and augment our miseries Wherefore to keep a Field from overgrowing with weeds is to pluck them up in the Spring and to preserve ones Body from overcharging with diseases is to purge the bad humors betime Thus sin and disobedience must be nipped in the bud or else they bring forth much soure fruit of trouble and danger 'T is the Polititians observation That à parvis veniunt summa mala principiis The greatest evils have but small beginnings Our obedience must be cordial My son give me thy heart saith the Wise man saith the wiser God If obedience be wrung from us it is not acceptable A cheer 〈◊〉 giver obtains acceptation at Gods hands Abraham's obedience in offering to offen up his son Isaac upon Divine command was cordial So were Davids services being a man after Gods own heart Christs obedience was cordial both in fulfilling every tittle of the Law and suffering the punishment due to our sins So was Paul's when in his conversion he consulted not with flesh and blood but immediately obeyed the Heavenly vision Our obedience must be ever augmenting It is the genuine nature of true grace to be ever growing and of good Christians to grow in grace The perfection of obedience is not compassed in a moment which is but a point of time but by degrees and many previal dispositions Were it not that we are too much indulgent to our corrupt affections our obedience would never leave growing until by Divine assistance and pious endeavours we increase the quantity thereof I know the desire of enjoying the home-pleasures of this sinful life hath the more favorable audience and powerful perswasions in a mind captivated to his own passions and prevails more But where the heart is set at liberty from the bondage of sin there Piety beareth sway and obedience aboundeth Hence proceeds the Apostle's elegant Climax Add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. Acti agamus and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity If these things be in yo● and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Our obedience must be resolutely constant With the Galatians to begin in the spirit and to end in the flesh is a deep apostacy from the truth of obedience and from obedience to the truth It is manifest cowardise in Souldiers to forsake their Colours when they are upon service Our whole life is no other than a continual warfare If our resolution be not fixt in our Christian enterprises if we fail after the military oath is solemnly taken by us in our Baptism in obeying the Captain of our salvation the Lord of Hosts we cannot avoid the bafest imputation of coward●se nor be accounted other than dastardly fugitives We know Satan and the World lay strong siege to take us and to draw us by head and shoulders from our obedience But we may learn from Job this point of valour that though God should kill us much less then if Satan should yet we should not upon any terms forsake him For the crown of life and diadem of glory Rev. 2.10 shall be given unto them alone that are faithful to the death Thus much concerning the honour of Obedience which this Glory in the Text imports Now follows the other honour imported by it which is the honour of Divine worship or adoration whereof there are two degrees 1. Internal 2. External The first is the internal affection or serviceable submission which is as the soul or life The other is the external note or sign of such submission as bowing kneeling supplication these are the body or material parts of it Now this worship when divine and opposed unto civil is proper unto God and incommunicable to any creature For the glorious prerogative of our Creation and Redemption in these works he admits no instrumental service much less can brook a Partner in the glory redounding to them My glory will I not give unto another Psal 95.6 In consideration of the works of Creation the Princely Prophet invites all to adore God O come let us worship and bow down and kneel before the Lord our Maker In consideration of our Redemption God speaking of Christ saith Let all the Angels of God worship him much more men Besides the seeds of grace and true religion are sown immediately by Gods sole powerful hand and their native off spring acts of faith especially must be reserved entire and untouch'd for him Prayers intrinsecally religious or devotions truly sacred are oblations which may not which cannot without open sacriledge be consecrated to any others honour but only to his who infuseth the spirit of prayer and thanksgiving into mens heares Bowing the body and kneeling as used to express a religious and divine worship must not be directed to honour them which are no gods but the Only wise and Immortal King Never had any man juster occasion to worship an Angel than S. John or a Saint than Cornelius and his company had The reason why the Lord in wisdom would have as well their willingness to worship as the Angel's and S. Peter's unwillingness to accept their proffered submission so expresly registred was to imprint the true meaning of that Law in

in us not for a time but for ever for the Word dwelling noteth a perpetuity and is opposed to sojourning And also that he hath the full disposition and absolute command of the heart as a man of that house whereof he is Lord. Which disposition consists in these six notable benefits which are sure evidences of the Spirits being and dwelling in our hearts every one whereof is worthy our serious speculation The first is the illumination of our understandings with a certain knowledge of our reconciliation to God in Christ Jesus This is obtained by the special information of the Spirit he shall teach you all things he shall guide you into all truth John 14.26 16.13 saith the Saviour of the world This knowledge is not of Generals but of particulars that God is our Father Christ our Redeemer the holy Ghost our Sanctifier the Spirit of God faith the Apostle Rom. 8.16 Beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the sons of God Worketh in us a sure knowledge of the remission of our sinnes of our reconciliation and peace with God of our adoption into the liberty of the sons of God and faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12 now have we received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are given to us of God that is the righteousnesse of Christ assuredly It is not in man to know assuredly what great things God hath done for his soul without the special instruction of the Spirit called the Spirit of truth And the Spirit of wisdom and understanding Isa 11.2 the Spirit of knowledge The second benefit of the Spirit which discovers his being in our hearts is regeneration wherby our hearts are renewed by receiving newnesse of life and grace The coruptions of our nature are expell'd by the Spirits infusion of supernatural qualities into us whereby we are made new creatures and of the servants of sin and limbs of Satan are made the members of Christ and sons of God Hence he is called the Spirit of life Except a man be born again by water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven saith our Saviour Ezek. 36.25 and Ezekiel doth Prophecy that God would sprinkle clean water upon them and they should be clean and from all their filthinesse would he cleanse them It is the Spirit that doth regenerate us who is here compared to clean water for these two causes 1. As water mollifies dry wood and puts sap into dry trees so doth the Spirit supple and mollifie our hard hearts and put sap of grace into them whereby we are made trees of righteousnesse and bring forth fruits of eternal life Christ saith John 7.38 39. that he that believeth in him as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water this saith the text spake he of the Spirit which they that believed on him should receive 2. As water doth purifie the body from all filth so doth the holy Ghost wash away our sins and our natural corruptions John 4.14 hence called a Well of living water springing up to everlasting life Again John the Baptist saith that Christ baptizeth with the holy Ghost and with fire where the Spirit is by consent of Interpreters compared to fire and that 1. As fire doth warm the body being benum'd with cold so doth the spirits our hearts frozen in sin and though dead in sins and trespasses yet by his reviving heat he quickens our hearts and brings us to life again 2. As fire doth purge and take out the dross from the good mettal so doth the holy Ghost separate and eat out the putrifying corruptions of sin out the canker'd and drossie heart of man And thus regeneration is wrought by the Spirit and therefore said to be born of God The third benefit of the Spirit in them to whom he is sent is an union or conjunction with Christ whereby we are made his members Hine baptismus dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 members of his body of his flesh and of his bones and partake of his benefits hereby his graces are in a plentiful manner and an abundant measure distill'd upon us which were in him above all measure hence it is compared to effusion Joel 2.1 John 3.24 I will pour out my Spirit hereby we know saith Saint John that we dwell in him and he in us because he hathi given us of his Spirit The Spirit is the bond of our conjunction descending from Christ the Head to all his members and begetting Faith that extraordinary vertue whereby Christ is apprehended and made our own by special application The fourth benefit whereby the Spirit is known to be sent of God into our hearts is the Spirits governing of our hearts For in whom he is be is Master ordering and disposing the understanding the will the memory the affections and all parts of the body according to his good pleasure for as many as are the sons of God Sam 8.14 Certum est nos facere quod sacimus sed illi 〈◊〉 ut faciamus are led by the Spirit The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord Psal 37.23 in token whereof they that are of the Spirit do savor the things of the Spirit Rom. 8.5 that is they affect and prosecute those things that are good And this called spiritual regiment it consists in two things 1. In repressing all evil motions arising either from within as from evil concupiscence corruption of our nature or from without us by the in●icement of the world or suggestion of Satan 2. In stirring up good affections and holy motions upon every occasion hereto belong those excellent titles given to the holy Ghost the Spirit of the Lord Isa 11.2 the Spirit of wisdom and understanding the Spirit of counsel and of strength the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord he hath these several attributes because he stirs up in the godly these good motions of wisdom of knowledge of strength of understanding of counsel and of fear of the Lord. In Galat. 5.22 the fruits of the Spirit are recorded there to to be love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance where oever these be the Author which is the holy Gost of necessity must be As for love whose object is God and man God for himself man for God it is a testimony of the Spirits presence in us and rule of us he is sent into our hearts saith Lombard when he is so in us as that he makes us to love God and our neighbour whereby we remain in God and God in us As for joy it is a main work of the Spirit making us to rejoyce for the good of others as for our selves whereas carnal men pine away and grieve expressively for others prosperity As for peace it is that concord which must be kept in an holy manner Immane verbum est ultio Senec. with all men

Christian Reader I Have perused the greatest part of this Body of Divinity and find that the Learned and Reverend Author hath so mingled Utile Dulce together that it cannot but in many respects minister much benefit and delight to the Readers of it The Variety of the Matters the Brevity of each Particular the Holiness and Orthodoxy of Doctrine the Delicacy of Choise and Curious Notions the many accurate Collections out of learned Writers Philosophical Historical Theological are such as rendred it to me like a large Botanick garden wherein there are Fruits for the Palate Simples for the Health Flowers for the Eye Rarities for the Curious Walks for Recreation Arbors for Refreshment something or other to please and entertain every comer Or like a Jewel made up of many Diamonds where each little stone contributeth to the beauty and sparkling of the whole There is scarce any subject of Divinity or Morality concerning which we may not here find some elegant Strictures The whole composure of the Work being not intended for a large full and close Tractation of the Subjects therein contained but for a Collection of sundry wholsom and delightful Observations gathered together like Pearls in a Bracelet or Suckets in a Banquet to adorn the Argument and delight the Reader I shall say of it what the Scripture saith of the Land of Canaan that it is full of Milk and Honey and hath in it many Beds of Spices which with their fragrancy and sweetness cannot but refresh and recreate the minds of the Readers So variously hath the Lord distributed his Gifts for the service of his Tabernacle that some bring Wood and Skins some Sîlver and Gold some Blue and Purple some Scarlet and fine Linnen some Onyx and Precious stones some of which Materials are compacted into one Body and Frame others serve for Embroidery and Beauty All for the sanctity and glory of the whole So Christ divideth the spoils of Men as David did those of the Nations and consecrateth them to the uses of his Temple making one mans Judgment and Reason anothers Wit and Fancy anothers Memory and Reading anothers Oratory and Eloquence to be variously useful to the Edification of his Church and Glory of his Name Whereunto let all of us endeavour sincerely to consecrate both our selves and all that measure of Talents and enjoyments wherewith the Lord hath intrusted us Thine in our Common Saviour EDW. NORWICH SYNTAGMA THEOLOGICVM OR A TREATISE Wherein is concisely comprehended THE Body of Divinity AND THE FVNDAMENTALS of RELIGION Orderly Discussed Προλογοσ The Prologue DIVINITY or inspired Philosophy Theologia est scientia vel sapientia rerum divinarum divinitus revelata ad Dei gloriam ration●lium creaturarum Salutem Walaeus in l●● Commun is as the Haven or Sabbath of all mans contemplations It differeth from all other sciences for although they be busied about man as physick for the health of his body Ethicks for his civil conversation c. Yet none of them leads him to the consideration of his Maker Besides Divinity passeth for the most part from the material and formal cause and thinketh upon the efficient and final the first and the last cause And so while other sciences are either plunged in the baseness of the matter or curiously search into the forms of things which can hardly be known the Divine is carried back to the contemplation of the first cause to eternity and to the last cause in eternity which are the only comfortable meditations Divinity is the book of Gods Word Philosophy the book of Gods Works For Natural Theology is that knowledge or rudiment of knowledge concerning God which may be obtained by the contemplation of his Creatures which knowledge may be termed truly Divine in respect of the object and natural in respect of the light The bounds of this knowledge are that it suffi●eth to convince Atheism but not to inform Religion Hence there was never miracle wrought to convince an Atheist because the light of nature might have led him to confess a God But the Idolaters and Superstitious had need of miracles because no light of nature extendeth to declare the Will and true Worship of God Gods works shew his wisdom and power not his image and therefore never honoured with the title of Gods image but only the work of his hands The contemplations of man do either penetrate to God or are circumfer'd to nature or are reflected or reverted upon himself Out of which several inquiries there do arise three knowledges 1. Divine Philosophy 2. Natural Philosophy 3. And Humane Philosophy or Humanity for all things are marked and stamped with this triple character 1. The power of God 2. The difference of nature 3. And the use of man Now out of the contemplation of nature or ground of humane knowledge to induce any verity or perswasion concerning the points of faith is not safe Da fidei quae fidei sunt For the Heathens themselves conclude as much in that excellent and divine Fable of the Golden Chain That mea and gods were not able to draw Jupiter down to the earth but contrarywise Jupiter was able to draw them up to heaven So as we ought not to attempt to draw down or submit the mysteries of God to our reason but contrarywise to raise and advance our reason to the divine Truth Cullen Div. It is most apparent that Aristotle though stiled Natures chief Secretary and by those Divines who set forth a Book concerning his Salvation Christs forerunner in Naturals Metaphys l. 1. 12. as John Baptist had been in Super-naturals yet writes many things most absurdly concerning God which I list not to recite And I greatly fear for what have I to do to judge that is too true which a cleer head hath said concerning him and others of his Tribe Quantò doctiores tantò nequiores viz. The wiser they were the vainer they were and the further from God and his Kingdom their learning hung in their light Eth. l. 7. c. 3 4. and served but to light them into utter darkness Yea Aristotle confesseth the disability of moral knowledge to rectifie the intemperance of nature which he also confirmed in his own practice I guess this to be one reason why Tertullian saith That the Philosophers were the Patriarchs of the Hereticks Not but that there is an excellent and necessary use of Philosophy which is a gift of God and a great help to Divinity called by some her Hand-maid But captious subtilties and Sophismes or the measuring of Heavenly mysteries by natural reason these are to be avoided as vain deceits idle speculations and aëry nothings Hence the Apostle saith Rom. 1.21 22 23. They became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Professing themselves to be wise they became fools And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God 1 Cor. 2.14 into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and

goodness to us upon whom the glorious light of the Gospel shineth The vail remaineth untaken away 2 Cor. 3.14 18 Mat. 13.16 17 in reading of the Old Testament But we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear For verily I say unto you That many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things Which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them Of Scripture-Interpretation ROgo Greg. Ratio divina in medullá non in supersicie Tert. non verbum ex verbo sed sensum ex sensu transferte quia plerunque dum propriet●s verborum attenditur sensuum virtus amittitur Greg. Epist ad Aristobolum That is a false Exposition which is 1. Praeter fundamentum veritatis when it agrees not with the place treated of but is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliena à proposito 2. Prater fundamentum salutiis when it is not only beside the verity but beside the foundation Christ 3. Circa fundamentum salutis when it weakneth the foundation 4. Contra fundamentum salutis when it raseth the foundation not keeping to the head Christ True interpretation is that which is super fundamentum upon the foundation Hence the Jewish Doctors were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 builders Aedificantes because they were bound to build upon the foundation That there are no real though seeming contradictions Epiphan Epiphanius doth illustrate by this comparison When a man is drawing water out of a deep Well with two vessels of a different metal the water if a man look into the Well as it is coming up will seem to be of a different colour but as it comes nearer and nearer to him the diversity of colours vanisheth and the water in both vessels appears to be of one colour and when we taste it is hath the same relish So although at first sight there may seem to be some contradiction in the holy Scriptures yet when we better consider of it we shall find no contrariety at all but a perfect harmony The Scriptures are difficult 1. In respect of seeming Contradictions 2. Because clothed with dark Phrases Parables c. 3. Because of Prophecies to come not yet fulfilled 4. Because of some places in the Old Testament quoted in the New either not to be found or not in that sense 5. Because of different acceptations of one and the same word The reason of this obscurity is 1. To humble proud man that thinks to know Omne scibile 2. To put a difference between Earth and Heaven 3. To make us painful 4. To shew what need we have of the Ministery Act. 8.30 31. No man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heavenly literature Well saith one He that here is Scholar to himself hath a Fool to his Master Helps to understand the Scripture 1. Pray 2. Read reverently 3. Practise what we know One said The way to understand the difficulty in Pauls Epistle to the Romans Nunquam Pauli sensum ingredieris nisi Pauli spiritum imbiberis Bern. ad cap. 12. was to practise the plain precepts from thence usque ad finem It is said that Origen was the first that wrote Commentaries upon the holy Scripture The Inditer of Scripture is the best Expositor thereof for he knows four things which no man attains to know Viz. 1. The mysteries of Heaven 2. The perfection of the Laws of Nature 3. The secrets of the heart of man 4. The future succession of Ages 2 Pet. 1.20 No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation Of Gods Fore-knowledge and Decree Praescientia NOn est causa futurorum eventuum Pras●i●ntia Dei est co●●oscitiva non c●●sa●iv● Orig. Pro hoc doctissimè satis amplè argumentatur Origen In Genes Prescience or Foreknowledge in God is to be considered Largely or Strictly In the former sense it notes the whole act of Preordination in the latter the Knowledge of God preceding in order the appointment to the end And thus by the Schoolmen it is distributed into Absolute and Special The first is that by which God from eternity doth know all things simply and absolutely The latter is that by which God not only knoweth the Elect as he knoweth other things but acknowledgeth them for his and loves them above all others This is called the Knowledge of approbation Consider it now in the former sense that is as absolute Foreknowledge And there is difference between Providence Predestination and Prescience for Providence reacheth to all that God would do Predestination only to the counsel of God about reasonable creatures but Prescience reacheth unto all things to be done either by God or any other and so to Sins Now we are not able to express the manner of this divine knowledge unless it be by way of negation that is by denying to God those ways of knowledge which are in the creatures and do note imperfection For God doth not know things 1. By sense These things are spoken of God metaphorically or by an Anthropopathy 2. Nor by opinion or conjecture for that is neither certain nor evident 3. Nor by faith for that comes by relation and report of others 4. Nor by Art for that must be by defining dividing compounding comparing reasoning c. 5. Nor successively for God knows all things in one view and not one after another 6. But by his Essence by a way more excellent above all Men and Angels by a knowledge most true certain evident and perfect Produce your cause Isa 41.21 22 23. saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth and shew us what shall happen let them shew the former things What they be that we may consider them and know the latter end of them Isa 42.9 or declare us things for to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods Behold the former things are come to pass and now things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them Decretum Gods Decree is both unsearchable and inevitable Zech. 6. Divi●um confilium d●m devitatur impletur Greg. compared to mountains of brass which the Poets hammer'd at in their Inel●ctabile fatum as they called it Gods decrees lie hid till they come to execution They run as a river under-ground till they break out and shew themselves Only when he hath once signified his will then we understand it which before lay hid from us that is to use tho Prophets phrase when the chariots come out from between the mountains of brass when the event declareth what was the immutable Decree of God The Decree of God is so far from calling us off from that it obligeth us to the use of all due means For the life of the body The absoluteness

everlasting rest Our Saviour is the Author of salvation not to all that talk of him c. But as a Physician is the cause of health to those patients that will follow his directions so Christ is the Author of salvation unto all those that obey him Let us then examine our obedience Christ wills us to avoid sins that cause his Gospel to be ill spoken of By good works to adorn it to stop the mouths of adversaries c. Do we so doth not drunkennesse covetousnesse pride malice and uncleannesse abound As they said and promised to Joshua so let us to Christ Voluntatem e● promptitudinem nihil aliud exigit deu● Chrys Hom. ult in Mat. Whatsoever thou commandest us we will do and whithersoever thou sendest u● we will go Doth Christ command us to abandon covetousnesse which is idolatry and the root of all evil then let us not be glewed to the world Doth he forbid us drunkenness malice pride c. Let us have no fellowship with those unfruitful morks of darkness but rather reprove them let us forsake father and mother c. and follow him for without obedience there is no salvation 1. And let us obey Fully the young man in the Gospel most proudly vaunted that he had kept all the commandments from his youth let us endeavour that we may say so in truth and sincere heart And as Zachary and Elizabeth let us walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless 2. Cheerfully God loves a cheerful giver I was glad saith the Psalmist when they said let us go up into the house of the Lord. 3. Constantly A runner hath not the prize till he come to the Goal A traveller hath not his money till he come to his journey's end Here we are as children growing higher and higher in knowledge faith love obedience c. Let us hold out to the end running constantly in the way of obedience Triplex obedient●● 1 Vo●i 2. Co●formitat●● 3 Resignationis that we may have eternal salvation Obedience is the Touch-stone of Faith As the tree is known by the fruits so Faith by obedience We shoul do by Christ and his Word as some flowers by the sun open and shut with it Behold 1 Sam. 15.22 to obey is better than sacrifice Action As the life of things stands in goodnesse So the life of goodness in action The chiefest goods are most active the best good a meer act Religion as it is communicative like light so it is active like fire Those who rest either in hearing or contemplation alone put Paralogisms that is tricks and fallacies Sophister-like upon themselves and upon their own soules and will prove egregious fooles in the end Therefore it is most safe to follow Davids example Not onely to prick up our ears but also to put our hands unto Gods commandments My hands will I lift up unto thy Commandments Psal 119 48. which I have loved Civil Justice Delphidio Oratori vehementer quendam accusanti Pet. Man● in vit Julian pre argumentorum 〈◊〉 tandem exclamanti Ecquis Florentissime Caesar volens esse paterit usquam 〈◊〉 ●●gare sufficerit Respondet Julianus Ecquis innocens esse poterit si accusâsse sufficiet Justitia 1. Commutativa 2. Distributiva Sicut justum est ut in delinquentes digna debeat vindista procedere it● iniquum est Greg. Epist l. 2● quibusdam afflictionibus quempiam irrationabilitur subjacere Excellent was the Epistle of Adrian the Emperour to Minutius Funda●●● the Proconsul of Asia E●scb l. 2. c. 9. in the behalf of the Christians If your Provincial can prove ought against the Christians whereof they charge them and justifie it before the barre let them proceed on and not appeach them only for the name with making outcries against them For it is very expedient that if any be disposed to accuse the accusation be throughly known of you and sifted Therefore if any accuse the Christians that they transgresse the laws see that you judge and punish according to the quality of the offence But in plain words if any upon spite or malice in way of cavillation complain against them see you chastise him for his malice and punish him with revengement Par tibi culpa fuit Par tibi paena subit Nec culpa est levior nec tibi paena minor Righteousnesse exalteth a Nation Prov. 14.34 but sin is a reproach to any people Alms. The sun that fountain of light and heat who continually sends his light and beams upon the earth the earth net being able to return them to heaven again in Oblique line reflects them to us and the other creatures In like manner we whosoever we are being heated by the sun-shine of the Sun of righteousness being we are not able to reflect them upon him must communicate them to our brethren about us Our A●ms should come up before God as the smoke of the incense from the censer of the Angel or the golden Altar before the Throne Man that came naked out of the womb of the earth was even so rich that all things were his Heaven was his roof or Canopie bespangled with goodly starres of all magnitudes Earth his floore The sea his fish-pond The Sun and Moon his torches and all creatures his vassalls And if he lost the fulness of his Lordship by being a slave to sin yet we have Dominium gratificium Gerson● Every son of Abraham is heir of the world Freely we having received freely we ought to give Beneficium qui dedit taceat narret qui accipit haec s●ilicet inter duos beneficii lex est alter statim oblivisei debet dati alter accepti nunquam He that doth a good turn must instantly forget it but he that receives it must alway remember Charity best appeares when we can say Quantum ex quantillo Lumen de suo lumine c. Ennius Yet still this rule is to be observed Omni petenti not omnia petenti I will so light another mans candle as I will not put out my own Nè dormiat in the sauris ●uis quod pauperi prodesse potest Cypr. Munus bonum est Eleemosyna omnibus qui faciunt eam coram summo deo Idem Qui pauperi Eleemosynam dat deo suavitatis odorem sacrificat Mr. Fox being asked if he remembred a poor man he used to relieve answered The Christian Primitives were no Possessives they sold their possessions and goods and parted to every man that stood in need Non enim ●ta divites saith Chrysoft none were so rich c. Bis dat qui citò dat I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such Liberality implyeth liberty yet many there are like spunges suck up water a pace but they let not fall a drop though they he full till they be squeezed They part with their Penny as with blood out of their hearts Citius aquam ex punice clavam ex

die so was it necessary he should live again 1. In regard of Gods Decree Isa 53.10 revealed in his Word promising that He should see his seed that is the Just and that He would prolong his days Peter in his Sermon on the day of Pentecost averrs That David in the 16. Psalm spake of Christ's Rising by way of prediction the knowledge whereof came unto him by Divine infusion Act. 2.31 2. It was necessary for the instruction and settlement of our Faith we being naturally prone to infidelity And that 1. Concerning the Divinity of our Saviour Christ the glory and truth whereof had not been made sufficiently apparent had he not used his power in rising again But in that he is risen he hath mightily declared himself to be the Son of God i.e. Ex afflicto ejus statu as Gal. 4.14 very God of very God Who although he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 If Christ be not risen saith the same Apostle 1 Cor. 15. then our preaching is in vain and in vain our faith By his Resurrection therefore we obtain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei a full measure of faith in this that there is no place of doubting left us but that we firmly may believe that Jesus Christ is true God for whom to be held bound in the strict chains of a powerful death is a matter of the greatest impossibility Again it was necessary for the settlement of our Faith 2. Concerning the victory Christ hath gotten over death The weaker is overcome of the stronger so that if Christ had not risen he had been weaker than Death had not been a sufficient Redeemer we had been still in our sins we could not have been perswaded God had received perfect satisfaction But being that he is revived by the same Power that giveth life unto all Death hath no longer dominion over him Gods justice is satisfied and we remain no longer in our sins Wherefore we may well in the language of triumph proclaim O death where is thy sling O grave where is thy victory And we continuing the same note may adde by the vertue of a lively faith Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 3. It was necessary for the comforting assistance of our Hope lest it should be converted into a Desperate humour Our propensity to Desperation is by woful experience too well known But inasmuch as our Saviour our Head Clarissima fidei conf●ssio Brentius Brevis longa totaque aurea est haec Apologia saith another had a glorious Exit out of the grave and an absolute conquest over death it is forcible enough to make us hope that we his members united unto him by the indissoluble bond of the Spirit shall also rise again after death Upon this hope was that speech of Job grounded I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Job 19. Were it not for Christ's Resurrection hope herein might have failed both him and us for his is the cause of ours therefore is he stiled Primitiae dormientium The first-fruits of them that sleep 4. It was necessary for the compleat and perfect consummation of our eternal happiness For in that he was humbled to sustain great evils by dying for our freedom from all evil so was he glorified by his Resurrection for our promotion to all ●ood He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Rom. ● ult And as it is Heb. 7.25 He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them 5. It was necessary in regard of the compleat discharge of his office of Priesthood to which he was from all eternity anointed of the Father If he had not risen again he had not performed the full duty of that calling which required that he should make satisfaction for the sins of people which he did by offering up himself an Offering and a Sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling favour upon the Cross And further that calling required also that he should apply the vertue of this Sacrifice the merit of his death to every true Believer which could not be performed without his Resurrection So that as he died to satisfie the justice of God so was it requisite he should rise from death to make to us a particular application of the vertue of his Passion by his effectual Intercession unto his Father in heaven for us upon earth Whereupon comes the Apostles Quaere and Answer Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Thus much of the Necessity of Christ's Resurrection The second point is concerning the Ends of his Resurrection which are divers Viz. 1. In regard of himself 2. In regard of the Law 3. In regard of us In regard of himself the end of his Rising was twofold 1. To declare that he himself that Holy and Just one whom the Jews had by wicked hands crucified and slain was the Prince of life Who at his pleasure as he could give life to others so unto himself Act. 3.15 though he were brought to the lowest step of an humbled state though death held him in its hands For if at his Crucifying the shaking of the earth the rising of some dead bodies the obscuration of the Sun not hap'ning within the compass of the course of nature because not at the usual time of the conjunction of those two Planets the Sun and Moon wrested a confession out of the spectators that He was the Son of God much more may his Resurrection evict thus much that He is the Prince of life who might lay down and take up his life when he pleased And 2. That having finished and perfected the great work of our Redemption he might reign thenceforth for ever in glory ●●n 7.14 Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and whose Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Albeit he seemed for a time to be deposed from his Royalty whilst he submitted himself to death yet it was but a short cessation that he might come off with the greater honour and so to enter into his greatest glory In regard of the Law the end of his Rising was to ratifie the truth of that Promise of life which was pass d unto man upon the performance of that Covenant passed betwixt God and man Do this and thou shalt live It could not be but that in equity Christ should live again being that he did fulfill exactly and precisely

their defects out of the largeness of his bounty copiously supplied with a proportion of grace Old things are past behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 Among which All there is a new Fear by the secret influence of Mercy at the conversion of a sinner diffused into the heart that Fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom Psal 111.10 By it all our desires are cast into a new mould so we frame our dispositions to a cor●e● spondency to the rule of justice Gods will whereof as there is some part reserved in his own bosom from the knowledge of man not to be prayed into so there is a● much as concerns us both for faith and fact in acquiring a future everlasting blessed state Divino afflatu by Divine inspiration reveal'd lest to us in writing To this an hearty obedience is expected at our hands which is effected in us by us not by the strength of Nature that 's corrupted but by the power of the Holy Ghost that 's purely vigorous When we are thus wrought upon we become so f● in good that worldly pers●sions be they never so plausible cannot without much reluctation work us to evil Gods elect when called are so altered by spiritual irradiations in their intellectual part by unresistible motions in their concupiscible that the whole bent of their desires of their thoughts through begun fear looks directly at the glory of their Maker Heavenly considerations do so affect them and an actual sense of Gods goodness doth so transport them that the Serpent like insinuation of the World the Flesh the Devil fastens not on them without oppugning what disple seth God Sin is loathsom as making them abominable to him Piety delectable as procuring favour from him His love rightly conceived of them and their expectation of highest preferment in the Heaven of heavens makes them fear lest they should lose both to offend him that dwelleth there So zealous is their care through a sense of misery so affectionate their fear through a sense partly of mercy and of justice partly that they become Argot eyed to look about lest they be foully overtaken with the pollution of sins running source What through infirmities which make them uncapable of perfection in this life they cannot accomplish they through this holy fear compass in desire which of God is graciously accepted accepting the good will for the good deed After this manner was Jacobs mind first moved with a multitude of ambiguous thoughts surprised fearing he had offended through an unreverend incivility His rushing into that place without requisite preparation where he received an heavenly Oracle and of which he held a reverend opinion as being the House of God begat in him such a strong suspicion of respassing that he was afraid Yet not so as to have been diffident of Gods mercy or in an academical suspence of his favour to have grown desperate but his fear was prudently tempered with three pure Ingredients growing in the Paradise of God Faith Hope and Love That fear therefore which was in him at first imperfect and initial by the mixture of these graces with it acquired perfection in him and became filial Comparatively alone are things on Earth perfect Absolute perfection is not here no not in cases spiritual to be aspir'd unto that 's for Heaven What the Apostle writ to the Corinthians cometh to pass as well here below as there above When that that is perfect is come 1 Cor 13.10 then that which is imperfect shall be done away So initial fear which by multiplicity of acts proves in time habitual comes to that height of excellency that it is made filial which also usher'd in by servile and initial causes them to cease and does all it self Not unlike the Dictator in Rome who ruling 1 Joh. 4.18 Timorem scilice● servitem illum non amicalem other Officers did nothing Divine John seeing the Saints love to be full of confidence concludes it perfect and that perfection to exclude fear Perfect love casteth out fear This perfect love is coincident with filial fear which is of the children of the Free-woman The fear that it expels is servile proper unto vassals and is but of Hagars brats Rom. 8. We have not received saith the Doctor of the Gentiles the spirit of fear to bondage but of freedom They that are the freeborn of Heaven Denizens of the New Jerusalem are free from pannick terrors whereunto through the thundring threats of the Law slaves alone are subject and for which Devils tremble That ignoble brood of the Bondwoman who have no heart to serve God have no heart to come boldly to him base spiteful fear captivating their senses makes them flinch and decline his presence who allotteth to the slavishly fearful Rev. 21.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their part as the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death But whose hearts are planted in a noble height being descended from the most High ravish'd with a loving fear of Divine Majesty scorn baseness and through fire and water neglecting themselves run to do him service Glorious are those attributes where with this above all other Fear is honored It is said to be filial where of Bernard gives the reason Quia non timet Deum quasi servus crud●lem dominum Rern● de timore Dei sed quasi filius dulcissimum patrem Because who hath it fears not God as an offending servant a severe master but as a gracious son a most indulgent father Not without Apostolical authority is it reputed Evangelical because wrought by the Gospel the law of liberty and subject to the Spirit of freedom For good cause it is reported chaste as is observed by learned Zunchy Zanch. lib. 1. de Relig. Quia qui sic timent castum habent cor For who are so given have a chaste heart toward God they fear him as a good wise her loving husband only out of love faith one Weemse In Psal 18. Hierom graceth it with the title of holy for that it is a sacred quality peculiar unto Saints through the propitious infusion of the Most Holy One of Israel Spiritual vigilancie over all our ways in our Christian deportment toward God and toward man springing from it moved a conceited Friar to call it Ostiarium anima the soul's Door-keeper As it admits not the Malignant spirit to break into the soul as it expelleth all unruly motions and unmannerly behaviours in the sight of God as it beats back and shuts the doors against all importunate suggestions of the black Prince of darkness and impious practices of malecontented sinners so it opens the everlasting gates of the immortal soul for the King of Glory to come in to take possession 'T was truly spoke of Siracides They that fear the Lord will keep their hearts to wit to receive him To express what happy security we enjoy by it in the state of

ye not then defiled with the contaminating and for did customs of the world but as ye are separated from all others to an holy emploiment so do not ye degenerate but let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Know that the eys of all men are fixt upon you If covetousness pride luxury drunkenness or any other vice reign in any of you if any of you be of a dissolute life whose conversation is not ruled by the doctrine ye teach ye are but miserable creatures Be assured Pope Innoc. lib. 3. de S. Altar myst that Quisquis sacris indumentis ornatur honestis moribus non 〈◊〉 quanto venerabilior apparet hominibus tanto indignior redditur apud Deum saith one God contemns him and will reward him according to his work For It is not every one that cries Lord Lord that shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but only they that do the will of my Father saith Christ Take heed therefore to your lives If you preach well and live ill you do but build with one hand and pull down with another And thus much for the Caveat as it respects our selves Now of the Caveat briefly as it respects the Church of God Take heed to all the flock c. A Minister hath the custody of many souls and if any perish through his means he is liable to Gods judgments As therefore we come provided with Knowledge so with a resolution to propagate and diffuse it Knowledge in the best of us not communicated to the building up of the Church in holiness is like costly materials prepared for the erecting of some sumptuous building yet to no use the loss whereof is irrecoverable It stands us upon therefore to be instant in season and out of season to be Instructers of the flock committed to our charge both in doctrine and manner of living The reason hereof rendred in my Text is substantial in that we are made Overseers of the flock The word interpreted Overseer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence saith one Nomen Episcopi plus sonat oneris quàm honoris But I take it here in a larger signification than it is commonly used All Ministers are Overseers of that Flock the charge of whose souls is committed to them They are their Spiritual Tutors unfolding unto them the secret mysteries of Divine knowledge They must inform them if ignorant reform them if erroneous reprove them if dissolute confirm them if weak in the faith They are called Watchmen to watch for their souls salvation that they be not carried away with every wind of dectrine that they run not into absurd enormities but that they hold fast the profession of the faith in holiness and righteousness all the days of their lives They are called Pastors whose calling is to use all diligence to feed their flock and protect them from eminent mischiefs by a careful foresight or present needful power The Symbole of this say some is the Bishops Crosier the Spiritual Shepherds staff which is acutus in fine ad pungendum pigros rectus in medio ad regendum debiles retortus in summo ad colligendum vagos sharp in the end to prick up the slothful and make them nimble right in the midst to govern the weak but crooked in the top like a hook to gather the dispersed or such as go astray They are called Gods Stewards whose office is faithfully to provide all things necessary for his family They are called the Light of the world whose property is to discover things hid in darkness They by their knowledge dispel the clouds of ignorance by their holy conversation the works of darkness All things that are discovered are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light hence they shew the house of Judah their sins Eph. 5 13. and the house of Jacob their thrnsgressions They are called Stars Fixt in the right hand of God tanquam in firmamento suo as in their heaven Stars have their light from the Sun so you not originally from your selves but derivatively from the Sun of Righteousness Your knowledge proceeds from the revelation of Jesus Christ who was in the bosom of the Father and must be communicated to the world And to this end they move perpetually about the world so ought you about the Church that all therein may be partakers of the light of life Wonderful are the effects and powerful the operation that the Celestial bodies have by their influences upon the Elements and upon those things compacted by them So questionless the effects wrought by the powerful preaching of the Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation by such whose conversation is in heaven as Divine stars are far superior unto them The operation I am sure more effectual because more spiritual For as the Stars beget life in things void of life and cause vegetation by their heat So they by their precepts beget saith in those that are dead in sins and trespasses which is the soul of the soul by which we live unto God for Faith cometh by hearing and the just lives by his faith Furthermore by the propagation of the Gospel by preaching the Church of God grows and all therein as tender plants and trees of righteousness bring forth the fruits of eternal life Lastly The fixt Stars candem sempet inter 〈…〉 disstantiam they keep the same proportion of distance to each other The like harmony must be among us that all of us together may declare the glory of God They are called Angels to whom God hath given charge over his people to protect them Heb. 1. ult For as they are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation so are Ministers wherefore saith the Prophet How beautiful are the feet of those that bring the glad tidings of peace What shall I say more They are called Fathers All these names import labour in them to whom they are ascribed So that great must be the pains that we must take with the Flock the Church of God over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers A word to the people I beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake 1 Thess 5.13 Apud Graecos majori in honore babebantur Philosophi quàm Oratores Illi enim rectè vivendi c. Lactantius The Grecians gave greater respect to their Philosophers than to their Orators because these taught them how to speak but those how to live well And s●ffer the word of exhortation Heb. 13.22 God must send ere man can go And here is Gods care of man his love to man God comes not in his own proper person He speaks not in his own proper voice So great is the Majesty of the one that

none can see him and live Exod 33.20 So terrible the other that the Israelites trembled cap. 19.16 His sight so full of Majesty that Woe is me saith Isaiah I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts cap. 6.5 So full of terror his Voice that the Israelites said to Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die Exod. 20.20 Thus would God come unto us his sight would dash us his voice would daunt us His presence is accompanied with lightning when he speaks he thunders Sinai was in a burning sever before God the Earth was troubled with a shaking ague the floods ran back at his presence the heavens dropt at the first sight Psal 68.8 The voice of the L●rd is powerful the voice of the Lord is full of majesty Namper C●dros intelligit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicquid est eximium in mundo the voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh c. Psal 29. So that the Lord considering that Man is but flesh as weak as water he refrains from coming but not from sending to us for us Not Angels though ministring spirits as he did before the Law but having an eye to mans imbecility flesh of our flesh bone of our bone Men. Because himself would not thunder he sends Boanerges sons of thunder He sends not Angels spirits but Men-angels messengers Mat. 2. but little inferior to Angels And this he doth for several reasons besides that of his love and care viz. 1. To shew us in what reputation Man is with him He makes men not mean men but his Embassadors to men Such as do reveal his secrets Privy Councellors such as represent his Person a kind of Kings And this honour all his Saints have Psal 149.9 2. To exercise us in that high grace of humility God exalts man to humble man If the Lion roar who will not fear Amos 3.8 If the Lord speak who will not who cannot but obey No thanks to him then But when Man speaks and men obey hoc opus this is the work of humility Here he shews himself a true subject when he yields obedience to Gods word spoken by man albeit in dignity he be far inferior unto him 3. Because it is the surest bond of Amity If one needed not the instruction of another but every one should think himself sufficient of himself such is the pride of man what division what debate what contempt of one another Now this is the surest True-loves knot between man and man Let therefore a man so account of us saith the Apostle as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 And Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 SCALA JACOBI OR St James his Ladder JAMES ● 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed ANTIQUITY reports that the statute of Merciery was erected where crosse wayes met to point out to passengers and pilgrims the direct paths they desired to travel So I may conceive of this blessed messenger of God the Apostle James made in the likeness of God In this world we are pilgrims and strangers where we have no abiding City but seek for one to come our way to that City which is the heavenly Hierusalem is through many tribulations and crosses where this Apostle being set up doth shew the way to us wherein we must walk if we will possesse the treasure of our hopes and long'd for felicity And because the way is ascendant leading gradually upward I therefore may compare it to a pair of staires or call it Scalam Jacobi St James his ladder wherein are to be observed 1. The bottome or ground 2. The several steps placed in a due proportion 3. The top or upper part which we aime to arrive at As for the bottome it is that good word of God the Gospel of Christ Jesus which the Holy Ghost by this Sainted Penman is pleased to stile a law describ'd by two singular attributes the one of perfection the other of liberty it is a prefect law of liberty As for the steps they are four the first is Speculation Whoso looketh the second is Perseverance and continueth therein the third is Remembrance he being not a forgetful hearer the fourth is Practice but a doer of the work As for the top of these staires it is the end of this Scripture and shall be I trust of my discourse blessedness this man shall be blessed in his deed I must stand a while upon the bottome of the staires the Gospel of salvation term'd a law the law of the spirit the law of faith the law of the spirit as the prime inditer the law of faith as the prime effect the law of the spirit in regard of the spiritual graces of God produced by it the law of faith as the special duty enjoined us in it Rat io nominis primum inquirenda we are now by the lawes of accurate teaching to enquire specially why the Gospel is called a law and that is 1. Because what is delivered therein to be observed of us is obligatory coming by way of command and having in it the regal stamp of supream authority 2. Because it prescribes punishments to the disobedient transgressors thereof sincere obedience and essectual beleeving in Christ being exacted of us upon pain of death 3. Because it containeth large promises of great rewards to the faithful observers of the sacred contents thereof Bernard as Bernard saith in his Meditations Si tormenta non terreant saltem invitent praemia if threatned punishments do not deterr us promised rewards may the more invite us As it is a law so it is a perfect law perfect in the Author Gods Spirit which is infallible not admitting either Popish legends to delude the People or traditional writs to destroy them Integra est doctrina ac pro●nde animos redintegrat Jun. Psal 19. Perfect in the manner of delivery divine inspiration as proceeding from the will of God not from the will of man Perfect in operation as converting the soul making wise the simple rejoycing the heart in lightning the eyes and making the man of God perfect thorowly furnished unto every good work Perfect in the contents and matter as full and wanting nothing conducing to the bet tering of our knowledge in the wayes of piety our knowledge contemplative in matters of faith our knowledge practical matters of fact And perfect in the end Gods glory the glory of his mercy

one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel With one mind as the Apostles Act. 2. All were of one mind striving together not one against another but all together against their opposers for the faith of the Gospel And this is concors discordia an agreeing discord musical frets Hence then Union of minds makes fellows of the Gospel Union in vertue which is threefold is a badge of the union of minds Union in vertues intellectual in vertues moral in vertues spiritual In vertue intellectual there is heavenly knowledge in vertue moral there is honesty and goodness in vertue spiritual there is Religion faith and obedience A threefold cord of this making is hard to break saith the Wise man Therefore what the Apostle exhorts to all the faithful I restrain to my present matter Eph. 4.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Ministers endeavour to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Worthy memory is the story of him that had Eighty sons who ready to breathe his last gave each of them a bundle of Arrows commanding them to break it But they conscious of their own imbecility ingenuously confess'd that it was a task impossible to be performed by them which taken he singled out the arrows and broke them every one by themselves with ease Thus saith he O my sons if ye hold together in brotherly love ye are invincible but if the cursed seed of discord be once sown in your hearts ye are gone ye are broken expect nothing but destruction I leave the application of this to you my Brethren Only remember this saying Let brotherly love continue Peace-makers must not be Peace-breakers for Septimum abominatio animae illius the sowing of discord is one of the seven things that God hates Pro. 6.19 with 16. God is love therefore Ministers of God must be Ministers of love like-minded having the same love of one accord of one mind Phil. 2.2 Animo animâque inter se miscebantur Act. 4.32 saith Tertullian of those Primitive Christians yea they were una anima one soul so Tremellius rendreth that text out of the Syriack all informed with one and the same soul all as one man Poets tell us of Theseus and Perithous of Achilles and Patroclus of Orestes and Pylades of Damas and Piphias of Aeneas and Achates faithful lovers sworne friends Holy Writ tells us of Abraham and Lot of David and Jonathan of Solomon and Hiram of Christ and John of Paul James Peter John true hearts all To shew of what nature their love must be I instance only in David and Jonathan David and Jonathan's souls were knit as if there were but one soul in two bodies And Jonathan loved David as his own soul 1 Sam. 18.1 Hence amicus quasi animi custos Far were they and ought ye to be from that execrable answer of Cain Am I my brothers keeper Far be from us all private grudgings Gen. 4. gilded over with fair words all publick contentions in matters of little consequence The first is a main trick of the Devils invention Mel in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis Their tongue is here in the West while their hearts stray in the East far enough asundea These are double-hearted as the Prophet speaks Facta est fides Evangeliorum fides temporum cùm fides una esse debeat eò pene ventum est ut nulla sit Hilary an heart and heart Monsters of men they are The other the Devil fathers too the root of it is pride But remember what the Apostle writes to Timothy The servant of the Lord must not strive 2 Tim. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne rixando amittatur veritas ut fere fit Whence so many Schisms in the Church of God whence so great havock of Religion whence so many Paradoxes and Chimera's of Opinions whence the first raising of that Antichristian Idol of Rome whence proceeded those Locusts that came out of the infernal pit I mean Jesuites and others of their disordered Orders whence so many murthers and poisoning of Kings whence the damnable ●ots invented by those Rake-hels I leave to name Is it not from contention founded on ambition A contentious spirit is a proud spirit Pro. 13. Only by pride cometh contention Is it not from private emulation Is it not in a word from the Devil for had not he been in them all had been well Hate then ye children of the most High harted and enmity See ye love one another but avoid these enemies of the Gospel as serpents They pretend to be servants of Christ yet they serve Antichrist Have no fellowship no peace with that painted Whore of Babylon shake not hands with her kiss her not She offers a golden cup but beware Mors in olla touch not taste not handle not it is full of poison full of abomination But rather hearken to the heavenly voice Depart ye depart ye go ye out from thence Come out of her come out of her Isa 52.11 Esto procul Roma qui cupis esse pius my people 2 Cor. 6.17 Rev. 18.4 How can they possibly agree with you who cannot agree among themselves And here I impose a task upon you and a blessing if ye perform it Pray for the peace of Jerusalem let them prosper that love thee Peace be then to thee and peace be to thine helpers for thy God helpeth thee as Amasai said to David 1 Chr. 12.18 And now to end this point I beseech you brethren with the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment speaking the truth in love There must be the same mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same judgment Eph. 4.15 So be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13.11 And now I pass to the second part of the Text The Separation without breach of the Vnion whereof a word and away That we should go unto the Heathen and they unto the Circumcision Christs charge unto his Disciples was Ite praedicate Go and preach to all Nations to all the parts of the world East West North South A figure hereof might be those twelve Oxen that supported the molten Sea three looking towards the North three towards the West three towards the South three towards the East Mark 6. And our Saviour having gathered these Twelve together he sends them forth by two and two or by couples They go therefore they fulfill his command Take my yoke upon you Matth. 11. I may compare them thus coupled unto the two Milch-kine that carried the Ark from the Philistims unto Kiriath-jearim And the rather to Milch-kine because they being full of the sincere milk of