per eos aliqua nuntiantur they are then onely Angels or it is all one messengers when they are sent on some message Therefore he concludes Hi qui minima nuntiant Angeli qui summa nuntiant Archangeli vocantur They that are sent on businesse of lesse moment are called Angels of greater importance Archangels August Ex eo quod est Spiritus est ex eo quod agit Angelus est They are Spirits in regard of their Being Angels in regard of their Dooing Good Angels saith Isidor are deputed for the ministery of mans saluation God hath giuen man three helps Sense to see danger neere Reason to suspect danger far off Angels to preuent that he neither sees nor suspects Now the ministery of Angels is three-fold to God to his Church to his Enemies 1. To God which consists principally in two things 1. In adoring and ascribing glory to him So the Seraphims cryed Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts An Army sung Glory to God on high The whole Quire of heauen Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue honour and power 2. In standing in his presence ready at his command They do his commandements harkning to the voice of his Word For this promptnes of obedience wee pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Quod oramus agamus Thus Angels were messengers that Christ should bee conceiued Luke 1. 31. that he was conceiued Mat. 1. 20. that he was borne Luke 2. 11. that he was risen Luke 24. 4. that hee vvas ascended Act. 1. 11. These were great mysteries therefore were confirmed vvith the testimonie of Angels 2. To the Church Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of saluation And by this their ordination to seruice the Apostle shewes how infinitely farre the preeminence of Christ transcends theirs But did not Christ put vpon him the forme of a seruant Doth not himselfe professe that hee came not to be ministred vnto but to minister The answer is easy Non esse hoc naturae sed voluntariae exinanitionis This was not a natural or enforced but a willing abasement of himself Humilitatem non habitam induit celsitatem habitam non exuit Hee put on an humiliation that he had not hee did not put off the glory that he had But the Angels were created to this end that they should serue Totamque conditionem sub ministerio contineri Istis naturale illi aduentitium To them it was necessary to Christ voluntary Now then ministery to the Church is three wayes considerable 1. In this life and that to our Bodies and to our Soules 1. To our Bodies for they necessarily tend to the preseruation of our temporall estates euen from our Cradles to our Graues This is true in Doctrine and in Example In Doctrine There shall no euill befall thee nor any plague come nigh thy dwelling Why how shall wee be protected ver 11. Angelis mandabit For hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies They shall beare thee vp in their hands lest thou dash thy foote against a stone In example an Angel comforts directs feedes Elias Angels plucke Lot out of Sodome An Angel aduiseth Ioseph to fly into Egypt with Iesus Abraham so encouraged his seruant The Lord will send his Angell before thee Iacob went on his way and the Angels of God â—…et him Peter was in prison and the Angel of the Lord freed him 2. To our Soules furthering the meanes of our saluation The Law was giuen by them sayth Steuen Yee receiued the Law by the disposition of Angels GOD makes them instruments to conuey knowledge to his Church It was Gods charge Gabriel make this man to vnderstand the Uision it was the Angels performance Daniel I am come forth to giue thee skil and vnderstanding Saint Iohn acknowledgeth in his Reuelations that an Angel shewed him those things They preserue vs in the true worship of God and cannot endure any attribution of his glory to a creature no not to themselues When Iohn fell downe at the Angels feete to worshippe him he preuented him See thou doe it not They reioyce in our conuersion There is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth They ioy in this for two causes 1. To behold the glorious fruite of their labours for it delights a man to see the works of his hands prosper GOD hath sent them to guide vs to good to gard vs from euill when we follow their guidance they reioyce Let vs hate to sinne as we would not wish to bring griefe to the thresholds of heauen 2. That their number might be made vp againe They lost a number of Spirits they are glad to haue it made vp with Soules The Angels ioyned company with men praysing God on earth so they delight to haue men made their fellow-Choristers in heauen 2. At the end of this life to carry our soules to heauen When the begger died hee was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome He that in life was scorned of men and had no companions but the dogges is so regarded of God that he is garded by Angels Hee that could neither goe nor sit nor stand is now carried not on the shoulders of men as the Pope the proudest on earth but hee rides on the wings of Angels He is carried to a glorious Port by gracious Porters 3. At the last day Christ shall send his Angels vvith a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together the Elect from the foure winds from one end of heauen to the other These are those Reapers that in the time of haruest must gather the tares to the fire and the Wheat to Gods barne This is their ministerie to vs. But it is the Lord that ordereth all our steppes hee spreads the gracious wings of his prouidence ouer vs and the Lord Iesus Christ is all in all vnto vs. Now the rule is Non multiplicanda Entie sine necessitate and Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora It seemes then the helpe of Angels is more then needes For hee that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleepes I answere that Angelicall custody doth not extenuate but extoll Gods goodnesse and Greatnesse towards vs for this is but the execution of his high holy Prouidence It is the wisedome of the King that gouerns all the Cities and Castels in his Dominions yet he leaues not these vnfurnished of men and munition to withstand the enemies inuasion The diuels range and rage against vs in euery corner therefore God hath ordained for our gard an Host of Angels The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them True it is that God is able to defend vs himselfe by himselfe through that immediate concourse
Others will haue something demonstrated to the vnderstanding nothing to the senses Some will haue a demonstration to the senses nothing to the vnderstanding some partly to both others expound it This body then it is thus This body is my body others say it is indiuiduum vagum But Quod multipliciter exponitur communiter ignoratur That which is so variously expounded is generally vnknowne The most iudicious among them cannot explicate it Corpore de Christi lis est de sanguine lis est Deque modo lis est non habitura modum What damnable cruelty then was it in them to burne silly women for not vnderstanding this their inexplicable mysterie Those gunpowder diuines condemned others to the fire for not knowing that which they neuer knew themselues Wee teach such erring soules bee corrected that they may bee conuerted not bee confounded Excommunicated for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus 2. Whether a separation may bee iustly made from our Church for some errors or corruptions of life I know that diuers who were once among vs neuer of vs haue put out their owne lights indeed excommunicated themselues What 's their plea that our assemblies are full of enormities I answer that the defects and corruptions of a Church must be distinguished they are eyther in doctrine or in manners For doctrine some errors are Citra fundamentum some Circa fundamentum others Contra fundamentum Errors beside the foundation trouble errors about the foundation shake errors against the foundation ouerturne all So long then as no foundation is harmed it is not lawfull depart vntill the Church separates from Christ we must not separate from it In two cases there is warrant of separation First when the substance of Gods worship is quite corrupted What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols when this is ver 17. Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord when Ieroboam had set vp Idols in Israel the Priests and the Leuites left their suburbs and possession and came to Iudah and Ierusalem Secondly when the substance of doctrine is quite corrupted If any man consent not to the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse c. From such vers 5. withdraw thy selfe Paul in the Synagogue at Ephesus preached for the space of three moneths together But when diuers were hardned and beleeued not but spake euill of that way he departed from them and separated the Disciples In these two cases lawfull not else For corruption in manners they make not Nullam Ecclesiam sed malam ecclesiam not no Church but a bad Church Wicked Scribes sitting in Moses chaire and teaching the things he wrote must be heard Whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but doe not after their workes Separate from their priuate society not from the publike assembly But they charge vs that we deny Christ. I answere Deniall of Christ is double eyther in iudgement or in fact Deniall of Christ in iudgement makes a Christian no Christian denyall in fact the iudgement being sound makes him not no Christian but an euill Christian. When the Iewes had crucified the Lord of life they remained still a Church if there were any on the face of the earth and Ierusalem was still called the Holy City To them belonged the promise and to their children To them pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the couenants I would to God this bloudy issue were stanched but what age hath not complained it This mischiefe is intestine Amara persecutio in cruore martyrum amarior in pugna haereticorum amarissima in malis moribus domesticorum The persecution of Tyrants was bitter the poyson of heretikes more bitter but the euill liues of Christians most bitter of all Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are enemies of the crosse of Christ. Whereupon saith Augustine How comes that great Champion to fall a weeping Could he endure stripes aboue measure prisons frequent shipwrackes perils by sea and land among enemies among false brethren hunger thirst cold wearinesse painfulnesse Did he fight with beasts after the manner of men was he rap'd vp among the Angels Did hee beare all these miseries was hee honoured with all these mercies and now does he weepe Yes sinne and sensuality was crept into the Church and this made that vndanted spirit fall a weeping Pax a Paganis Pax ab Hâ—…reticis nulla pax a falsis filijs We haue quiet from the Pagans quiet from heretikes but no quiet from wicked and exorbitant professors Our greatest enemies are they of our owne house Lord Iesus heale this plague Now wee haue proued and approued the truth of our owne Church at home let vs examine whether the Church of Rome be also a true member of this Catholike Assembly Errors that annihilate a Church are of two sorts some weakening others destroying the foundation Weakening error is the building of hay and stubble on the foundation the stubble burnt their soules may be saued A man breakes downe the windowes of his house the house stands though defaced he puls downe the lead or tiles the house stands though vncouered he beats downe the wals the house stands though deformed he plucks vp the foundation the house falls and ceaseth to be an house Those which destroy the foundation are the ouerthrowing errors by them a Church ceaseth to bee a Church Yet if an error be against the foundation we are to consider the persons whether they erre of malice or of weaknesse If of malice like Iannes and Iambres that withstood Moses resisting the truth it is no longer a Church But if of weakenesse wee must not so peremptorily conclude for Paul writes to the Galatians as a Church of God though they were peruerted to another doctrine embracing a fundamentall error of Iustification by works The Church of Rome doth wilfully obstinately destroy the foundation therfore may be concluded for no Church If they wil be iustified by the works of the law they are faln from Grace Let vs heare how they quit themselues First they would doe it by retorting all this backe vpon vs they tell vs flatly that we are no Church and thus they prooue it They say we haue no Bishops so no Ministers so no Sacraments therefore no Church Here they clappe their wings and crow Victory Victory As Manasseh against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh and both against Iudah So they haue set our brothers against vs vs against our brothers Papists against vs all Behold the exigent we are in the Papists say we haue no Ministers because they are not made by Bishops the Puritans say we haue no Ministers because they are made by Bishops Which of these speake true Neither First to answer the Puritan Bishops may make
of hearing that they forget the feruencie of praying and praising God The End is euer held more noble then the meanes that conduce vnto it Sin brought in ignorance and ignorance takes away deuotion The Word preached brings in knowledge and knowledge rectifies deuotion So that all our preaching is but to beget your praying to instruct you to praise and worship God The most immediate proper seruice and worship of God is the end and hearing but the meanes to that end And the rule is true Semper finis excellit id quod est ad finem the end euer excells that which leads to the end Scientia non est qualitas actiua sed principium quo aliquis dirigitur in operando Knowledge is not an actiue qualitie but onely a meanes to direct a man in working Non tam audire quà m obedire requirit Deus God reckons not so much of our audience as of our obedience not the hearers but the dooers are blessed in their deed Indeed Christ saith Blessed are they that heare the Word of God but with this condition that they keepe it The worship of GOD is the fruit of hearing shew me this fruit Our Oratoria are turned into Auditoria and we are content that God should speake earnestly to vs but wee will not speake deuoutly to him I hope that no man will so ignorantly and iniuriously vnderstand me as if I spake against hearing of Sermons frequently God forbid you must heare and we must preach Acts. 6. The Apostles gaue themselues continually to prayer and to the preaching of the Word Where yet Prayer is put in the first place I complaine not that our Churches are Auditories but that they are not Oratories not that you come to Sermons for Gods sake come faster but that you neglect publique prayer As if it were onely Gods part to blesse you not yours to blesse God And hereof I complaine with good company Chrysostome saith that such a multitude came to his Sermons that there was scarce roome for a late commer those would all patiently attend the end of the Sermon But when prayers were to be read or Sacraments to be administred the company was thinne the seates empty Uacua desertaque Ecclesia reddebatur Beloued mistake not It is not the onely exercise of a Christian to heare a Sermon nor is that Sabbath well spent that dispatcheth no other businesse for heauen I will be bold to tell you that in Heauen there shall be no Sermons and yet in Heauen there shall be Halleluiahs And this same end for which Dauid came to Gods house shall remaine in glory to praise the Lord. So that all Gods seruice is not to be narrowed vp in hearing it hath greater latitude there must be prayer praise adoration and worship of God Neither is it the scope of Christianitie to knowe but the scope of knowledge is to be a good Christian. You are not Heathen to aske Quid credendum What must we belieue nor Catechists to demand Quid faciendum What must we doe You know what to belieue you know what to doe Our preaching hath not so much need monere as monere though you also need instruction yet more need of exhortation for you haue learnt more then euer you haue followed Come then hither both to heare God and to praise God As Dauid was not onely here a Praiser but ver 16. a Preacher Come and heare all ye that feare God and I wil tell you what he hath done for my soule 2. Which fitly brings mee to the further exemplyfying of this cause mouing Dauid to enter into Gods house Which was not onely to praise him but to praise him publiquely Otherwise he might haue muttered his orisons to himselfe no he desires that his mouth should be a trumpet of Gods glory as frequently in the Psalmes I will praise thee before the great congregations There are some that whatsoeuer seruice they doe to God desire many vvitnesses of it others desire no witnesses at all The former are hypocrites who would haue all mens eyes take notice of their deuotion as if they durst not trust God vvithout witnesse for feare he should deny it Such were the Pharises they gaue no almes without the proclamation of a trumpet and their prayers were at the corners of streets such corners where diuerse streets met so more spectable to many passengers To these Christ Math. 6. Doe thy deuotion in secret and hee that seeâ—… in secret shall reward thee openly The other haue a little desire to serue GOD but they would haue no witnesses at all They depend vpon some great man that will be angry with it And these would faine haue God take notice of their deuotion and no body else So Nichodemus stole to Christ by night and many a Papists seruant would come to Church if hee were sure his Master might not know of it For hee feares more to be turned out of his seruice then out of Gods seruice To these Christ Luke 12. Be not afraid of them that can kill the body and no more but feare him that hath power to cast into hell yea I say vnto you feare him A man may better lose his Landlords fauour then the Lords fauour his Farme on earth then his manor or mansion in heauen Dauid was neither of these His thankfulnesse shal not be hidden timore minantium nor yet will hee manifest it amore laudantium Neither for feare of Commanders nor for loue of commenders He is neither Timidus nor Tumidus not fearefull of frownes nor luxurious of praises but onely desires to manifest the integritie of his conscience in the sight of God It is the manner of the godly not onely to ruminate in their minds Gods mercies but to divulge them to the bettering of others When vvee yeeld thus to the world a testimony of our faith thankfulnesse in Gods publique honour we prouoke others to harken to religion and inflame their hearts with a feruent desire to partake the like mercies The fame of Alexander gaue heart to Iulius Caesar to be the more noble vvarriour The freedome of our deuotion giues an edge to others Beneficium qui dedit taceat narret qui accepit Let him that giues a benefit be silent let him speake of it that hath receiued it There is that law of difference saith that Philosopher betwixt the dooer of a good turne and the receiuer of it Alter statim obliuisci debet dati alter accepti nunquam The one ought quickly to forget what he hath giuen the other ought neuer to forget what hee hath receiued We are the receiuers and must not forget God gaue the Law to Israel and the Custome of the Saints obserued it What we haue heard and knowne and our Fathers haue told vs we will not hide from our children shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord. Indeed there was a time when Christ forbad the
not see corruption How much lesse when he is dead recouer him to life againe Here was the finger of God Now to proceede in order with the myracles 1. Myracle The Vaile of the Temple c. This Vaile was the partition betwixt the Sanctum Sanctorum the Sanctum as it might be the vpper part of the Quire Into this went the high Priest alone once euerie yeare not without bloud which he offred for himselfe and for the errours of the people By the renting this Vaile were many things presignified 1. This serues for a confirmation of that Christ spoke on the Crosse It is finished The renting of the Vaile doth actually eccho to his wordes and indeede fulfils them Here is an end put to all the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the law In the new Testament one onely reall and royall Sacrifice Christ crucified This was that obiect whereto all those legall rites looked to them all there is now giuen a Consuâ—…tum est So that now Coremonia mortua Lex mortifera Ceremonies are dead and the typicall law deadly Nouum Testamentum latet in veteri Vetus patet in nouo The Gospell lay hidden vnder the law the law is compleat in the Gospell Now after that you haue knowne God in his Gospell how turne you againe to the weake and beggarly Elements whereunto you desire againe to be in bondage Gods seruice is now simple and plaine in spirit and truth Christ is sayd to be the end of the law the morrall law he kept himselfe syncerely and satisfied for vs soundly The Ceremoniall was referred to him performed of him fulfilled in him extinguished by him They had all Vigâ—… a Christo relationem ad Christum consummationem in Christo. Hee gaue them their beginning hee hath also giuen them their end The Vaile rent to witnesse the cancelling of that rituall obligation Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs nailing it to his Crosse. That moment was their last gaspe they expired with Christ. But dâ—…d all Ceremonies then vtterly die No some were typicall prefiguring Christ those are dead Some are for decencie and order adminicula deuotionis these are not dead The law of Iewish ceremonies is abolished but some must be retained Christ came not to dissolue order Men consist of bodies as well as soules and God must bee serued with both now bodies cannot serue God without externall rites the Spouse of Christ cannot bee without her borders and laces On necessitie there must be some outward obseruances but thus qualified That they be for number few for signification plaine for obseruation simple farre from ostentation farther from superstition Christ his Spouse must not flaunt it like an harlot but be soberly attired like a graue matron Ceremoniae quasi care moniae wants a carendo as it were ordained to supply the defects of our nature Because we could not serue God in that simplicitie we ought therefore wee haue these helpes Hence it is that the nearer to perfection the fewer ceremonies as it were the more light the lesse shadow In the law were abundant ceremonies in the Gospell far fewer in heauen none at all This condemnes the Church of Rome for a glorious Harlot because shee loads her selfe with such a heape of gawdy ceremonies and their masse for meere Idolatry which they beleeue to bee a reall propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ made by the Priestes for the sinnes of quicke and dead This is to build vp the vaile here rent in pieces and to accuse Christ of falshood in his Consummatum est Is an end put to them and shall they still retaine them yea obtrude them as principall partes of Gods seruice yea worship them yea bind mens consciences to them on paine of damnation Therefore they are liable to Augustines censure who cals such Impios sepulturae violâ—…tores Diggers into the graues of the dead for putrified and rotten reliques Yea to the Iudgement of God who sayth If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though liuing in the world are ye subiect to Ordinances after the commaundements and doctrines of men They will say Dicit Papa sanxit Concilium thus sayth the Pope thus decrees the Councell but wee Dixit Dominus non Donatus wee heare what the Lord sayes in his Scripture concerning the law of ceremonies 2. The second thing signified by the renting the vaile is this The holy of holyes figured the third heauen where GOD sheweth himselfe in glory and maiestie to his Saints Salomons Temple hadde in it three Courts an vtter court whereinto the people were admitted an inner Court wherein onely the Priests and Leuites entred an inmost of all whereinto the high Priest alone and that but once a yeare and this was called Sanctum Sanctorum So there is a threefolde Heauen Coelum elementarium Stellatum Gloriosum First the Elementarie heauen wherein are cloudes windes raine dew and the birds are called the birds of heauen that is of this elementarie heauen The second is the Starrey heauen So the Sunne is sayd to goe from the end of the heauen and his circuite vnto the ends of it The last is the Glorious heauen the habitation of God himselfe and this was signified by the Holy of holyes The vaile signified the flesh of Christ the renting of the vaile the crucifying of Christ by this is made an entrance into that Sanctum Sanctorum the heauen of glory So expressely Heb. 10. Hauing therefore boldnesse to enter into the Holyest by the bloud of Iesus By a new and liuing way which he hath consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say His Flesh. Heauen gate was shut vp by our sinnes none but our highest and holyest Priest had passage there but hee rent the vaile suffred his bodie to be torne by death that he might giue vs an entrance Paul speaking of the legall vse of that Holyest place in the Temple sayth thus Heb. 9. The holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing But now by Christ his renting the vaile Patet alti ianua Coeli the way of saluation is opened Let this reach forth to vs two comforts 1. There is no feare to be shut out of heauen if thou haue faith in Christ for to thee is the vaile rent the separation is abolished Christ is crucified For So sayth Saint Peter an entrance shall be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Indeede to vnbeleeuers and hypocrites to worldly wolues and luxurious goates the vaile is vp still How should they enter the Sanctum sanctorum that neuer approched the Sanctum How shall they see the glory of God who would neuer entertaine the grace of God No to these there are inaccessible barres and Cherubims with flaming swords to forbidde their entrance But to
Numb 21. A fire is gone out of Heshbon and a flame from the citie of Sihon it hath consumed Ar of Moab and the Lords of the high places of Arnon But contention runs like wild-fire so furious a pace that nothing but bloud can extinguish it 4. As fire is prouerbially sayd to be an ill master but a good seruant so Anger where it is a Lord of rule is a Lord of mis-rule but where it is subdued to reason or rather sanctified to grace it is a good seruant That anger is holy that is zealous for the glory of God This is Diuision a raging fire and able whether it take hold of ciuilitie or religion of Burse or Church to ouerthrow the common good of both For ciuilitie the breaking of relatiues is the ruine of substantiues We stand not of our selues but vpon reference Want of iustice in magistrates of instruction in gouernours of obedience in subiects of charitie in neighbours destroyes the common wealth Some gather thus much from the fift Commandement by good consequence Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee For if Princes rule well and subiects obey well if masters command right and seruants doe right if Parents instruct children in the feare of God and children obey parents in that feare this happy harmonie shall preserue the land If this relation and reciprocall dutie be neglected all runs to ruine and the blessing of long life shall be with-drawne For it is not fit they should haue long life that rebell against those from whom they had and by whom they hold their life Begin with the least ascendently The ouerthrow of a house is Diuision When the husband and wife draw not euenly in the yoke when the one brings fire the other hath no water to-quench it when the children are refractarie the seruants wasters there must needes be a decay of this familie Whereof consists a Citie but of many housholds If the particulars be ruinated what will become of the generall When the members are gone where is the Bodie If the Magistrates are vniust the people disobedient if one profession quarrell with another and denie mutualitie the head refusing to giue guidance the eyes their sight the feete to walke the hands to worke the body of that Citie dissolues The dissolution of cities and townes must needs ruin the Kingdome When the members fell out with the stomach that it deuoured all and tooke noe paines hereon the eye would not see for it nor the hand worke for it nor the foote walke for it c. so the stomach wanting meate the eyes hands feet and all members faint and languish Tributes subsidies are but the dues and duties of the members to the Prince who as the stomach returnes all to their welfare and benefite Dissention in religion doth no lesse hurt doth more It diuides a house Here. Ver. 52. Fiue in one house shall be diuided two against three and three against two And Math. 10. A mans foes shall be they of his owne household It diuidesa citie How many cities haue beene destroyed by their owne mutinous distractions whome forraigne inuasions could not subdue It diuides a Kingdome whereof Fraunce hath long beene a bleeding witnesse neither hath England beene insensible Ac velut in magno populo cùm saepe coorta est Seditio saeuitque animis ignobile vulgus Iámque faces saxa volant furor arma ministrat It ouerthrowes propinquitie the mutuall succour of lending borrowing giuing relieuing is lost Yea it ouerturnes Nature it selfe setting children at variance against their owne parents There are three very neare Superiour equall inferiour Parent wife children yet we must separate from them rather then from Iesus Christ. Yea it is enough to extirpate all Regem legem grâ—…gem Prince law and people No wonder then if the busie deuill seekes so studiously to kindle this fire So Eusebius obserues The subtle Serpent when persecutions gaue the Church breathing space began to vexe her with her owne diuisions The Fewell Whereon this fire workes is the good Profession of the godly So the rulers against Daniell in causa Dei sui because of his Religion Psal. 59. The mightie are gathered against me not for my transgression nor for my sin O Lord. They persecuted vs not because they find euill in vs but because they cannot find euill in vs. They runne and prepare themselues against me without my fault Without fault it is fault enough in their iudgement because we serue the Lord. They speake euill of vs because we runne not with them to the same excesse of riot If we will not communicate with their vicious customes we shall participate of their raging cruelties Against Israel yea because it is Israel doe they consult Come let vs cut off them from being a Nation that the name of Israell may bee no more in remembrance For this cause was the Babilonian fire kindled against those three seruants of God and the same cause moued mysticall Babylon to burne our Martyrs in England If they would haue turned to Idols and Images the fire hadde beene put out We would not could not yeeld to their superstitions therefore the Fire burned But that which is the occasion of euill cannot be perfectly good Indeed that simplie and of it selfe causeth euill is euill it selfe But that may be good which indirectly and by consequence in mans corrupt nature occasioneth it The Gospell and integritie of professing it is not the efficient but accidentall cause or rather properly no cause but an occasion of this feud The bright Sun shining on mudde and filth is said to cause stench yet is not the Sun the true cause but the former putrefaction of the subiect reflected on when a corrupt vapour comes into the firie region it is soone enflamed Their rancorous filth had lyne quiet as mucke in a dunghill had not the Sun of the Gospell shone on it and stirred it now howsoeuer the Gospell is not the direct cause of this yet surely the occasion For Athens is quiet enough till Paul comes and till Christ is borne Ierusalem is husht in peace Many parishes sticke not to say we had rest and securitie enough before but now since preaching came in and the Pulpets haue beene warmed there is nothing but disturbation and vnquietnes How else could this Text be true that Christ came to send fire on the earth The deluge of sinne was vniuersall and the waters of iniquitie stood vntroubled and all was a Mare mortuum but when Christ puts fire to this water no maruell if they wrastle The deuill stirres not till God rowse him as the wild boare sleepes till he bee hunted Let darknesse couer mens impieties and their slumber is vnmolested produce them to the light and they cannot endure it The vlcerous side full of dead flesh feeles not till you touch the quicke But let
honour as to be Denisons of this Citie whereof once made free how contemptibly they will looke at the vaine endeuors of worldly men Thinke Beloued yea knowe how sweet soeuer the gaines of this lower Citie be it is yet far short of the gaines of heauen And you will one day say There is no Citie to the Citie of GOD. Where shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor any more paine Death with all his Apparitors that cite the whole vvorld to his Court sorrow crying paine shall be no more They shall persecute you from Citie to Citie saith Christ till at last we come to this Citie and then out of their reach O that this clay of ours should come to such honour Well may we suffer it to endure the Worlds tyrannie and to be afflicted by the Citizens thereof alas wee are but Prentises and they will vse vs hardly till our yeres be out When that day comes we shall be free possessors of this Citie You heare now the gate and the Citie what should you doe but enter Passe through the gate of grace a holy sanctified life and you shall not faile of the City of glorie Whither once entred you shall sing as it is in the Psalme Sicut audiâ—…imus ita et vidimus As we haue heard so haue we seene in the Citie of our God VVee see that now which was preached to vs yea and tenne thousand times more then euer could be vttered You shall say to Christ as the Queene of Sheba to Salomon I heard much of thy glory but behold the one halfe was not told me You saw Ierusalem before in a Mappe now you shall walke through the streets and obserue the towres and bulwarkes fully contemplate the glorie But my discourse shall giue way to your meditation The ioyes are boundlesse endlesse the Lord make vs free of this Citie Amen SPIRITVALL EYE-SALVE OR THE BENEFIT of Illumination EPHES. 1. 18. The eyes of your vnderstanding beeing enlightned that â—…ou may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints THE speciall grace that heere Paul prayes for his Ephesians is Illumination wherein is described to vs an Eye Obiect The eye is spirituall the obiect celestiall The Instrument isâ—…gracious the spectacle glorious The eye inlightned there is the organ the hope of Gods calling and the rich inheritance of the glorified Saints there is the obiect The Eye is described by the Situation Qualification The Site is the Understanding the Qualification is Inlightned The Eye Is the most excellent organ of sense Saint Augustine applies Seeing to all the senses Heare and see touch and see and the Psalmist hath Taste and see how gracious the Lord is Other senses discerne onely things neere them this remote and distant obiects Some say the roundnesse of the Eye resembles the Vnity of the Deity which is one and perfect and the triangular sight the Trinity of persons This is too curious happy is that intellectuall eye whose obiect is the blessed Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity whose delight is good yea God In a cleare eye the looker sees his owne image so God in a sanctified vnderstanding sees a limited resemblance of his infinite selfe And as some Physicians say that if looking in a sicke mans eyes they see their image there is hope of life but the want of this resultance is held an argument of instant death whereby they giue themselues a prognosticke signe whether the Patient will dye of that sicknesse or recouer it by the reflection of his eyes But it is certaine if Gods image be not in the vnderstanding instat mors animae the soule is in danger if it shine there there is comfort of life yea life of comfort Hence it is that the God of this world doth so striue to blind the minds of them that beleeue not ne imago Dei c. that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ who is the Image of GOD should not shine vnto them God hath set two liddes to defend the corporall eye from annoyances So hee hath giuen the vnderstanding duas palpebâ—… Faith and hope to shelter it For the eye is not more tender to the body then the vnderstanding is to the soule And therefore Satan seekes by all meanes to hurt it eyther by offering it violent blowes which the shield of Faith beares off or by throwing dusts into it gifts blinde the eyes which the other lidde of hope for better riches keeps out The Situation Of this spirituall eye is in the Soule God framing mans soule planted in it two faculties the Superior that is the Vnderstanding which perceiueth and iudgeth the Inferiour that is the will which being enformed of the other accordingly followes or flies chuseth or refuseth The Scripture fauouring the simplest capacity compares these two powers of the soule to two knowne parts of the body The vnderstanding to the Eye the Affections to the Foote the eye directing the foote walking Euery man is naturally borne blinde and lame as Zedekiah captiuated to the King of Babylon first they put out his eyes and then they lamed his feete with fetters of brasse So is euery man by nature and therefore easily made a slaue to the king of infernall Babylon if the mercy of Christ should not redeeme him This consideration reacheth foorth to vs two vses the one of Instruction the other of Reprehension 1. This teacheth vs to desire in the first place the Inlightning of our eyes and then after the strengthening of our feete So that sweet Prophet ordereth his prayers Psal. 25. First Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach mee thy paths Then Lead me in thy truth First cleare my eyes then enable my feete Psal. 119. Make mee to vnderstand the way of thy precepts And then I will runne the way of thy Commandements Hee that would saile safely must get a good Pilot before good rowers Swift horses without a skilfull waggoner endanger more Hee that labours for feet before he hath eyes takes a preposterous course for of the two the lame is more likely to come to his iourneyes end then the blind Could hee runne as swift as Hazael and outstrip the young Hart on the mountaines yet being blinde he would hardly hitte the way to Heauen There is but one way thither by-paths innumerable it is a thousand to one against him that he misseth the right If he be set into it yet there are so many blockes rubbes obstacles put before him by the Deuill and the world that hee can no more goe into the true way then he could discerne it from the false But if a man hath eyes there is hope he will creepe to heauen though on lame feet Hee sees where Ierusalem stands and hath direction for the way as trauellers in scroles from such a village to such a city c. so the word of God
called a Chariot because it carrieth the soules faculties to all organs and parts of the body and that with wonderfull speed 2. Morally by considering how frequently wee haue transgressed those vertues to which the very Heathen gaue a strict obedience Where is our iustice temperance patience We haue idle designes and idler desires and giue vvay to all euill that may bee either thought or wrought and what we dare not act we dare like Wee lothe like fond sheepe the good pastures of fit benefits and bleat after the brouse of vanities Like erring Planets we keepe not the ecclyptike line of vertuous mediocritie As God hath all good in himselfe all euill onely in knowledge so we on the contrary haue much good in knowledge all euill in our selues 3. Spirituall knowledge goes yet further euen in medullas et penetralia cordis It searcheth the heart and if in that most inward Chamber or in any cabinet thereof it can finde an Idol it brings it forth It sees when the torrent of time beares thee downe the streame of custome what faintnesse is in thy faith what coldnes in thy zeale when the awe of man giues the fear of God a check-mate It sounds the lowest depth of the Conscience and spyeth blemishes in the face of whitest innocence So it brings the best soule downe on her knees teacheth her the necessity of humblenesse and puts this prayer in her mouth Lord be mercifull to me a sinner We haue now done with the Organ of Seeing the vnderstanding or Soules Eye let vs come to the obiect to be seene The hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints The Obiect Is cleare and transparent to a sanctified Eye The Philosophers propound sixe necessary occurrences to our perfect Seeing and you shall see them all here met 1. Firmenesse or good disposition of the Organ that seeth A rolling eye beholds nothing perfectly A Dinahs eye is the prologue to a rauished soule This must be a composed eye stedfastly setled on the diuine obiect saying with Dauid My heart is fixed O Lord my heart is fixed The proposed glory is so infinite that it may well take vp the whole eye for it shall one day take vp the whole man Enter thou good seruant into thy masters ioy it is too great to enter into thee This Obiect is so immense that we cannot well looke besides it 2. The Spectacle must be obiected to the sight the eye cannot pierce into penetralia terrae or sublimia coeli nor can the vnderstanding see into these supernaturall ioyes vnlesse the Lord obiect them to it Hence it is that many neglectfully passe by 〈◊〉 lumine lumen the light for want of eyes to regard it But God here produceth the wardrobe of his glory to the sanctified eyes as if he said Uenite videte Psal. 46. Come and see So Moses Stand still and see the saluation of God So Christ to his Apostles It is giuen to your eyes to see these things to others but by parables 3. That there be a proportionall distance betwixt the organ and the obiect neither too neere nor too far off A bright thing held too neere the sight confounds it be it neuer so bright if too farre off it cannot discerne it God hath sweetly ordered and compounded this difference Those euerlasting ioyes are not close by our eyes lest the glory should swallow vs vp for mortall eyes cannot behold immortall things nor our corruptible sight see stedfastly that eternall splendor Who can see God and liue And though you say it is the soule that sees yet euen this soule whiles it is prisoned in this muddy vaile or rather Iayle the flesh hath by reason of the others impotency and passiblenesse a thicke cloud cast betweene it selfe and glory For now wee see through a glasse darkely but then face to face Now I know in part then shall I know euen as also I am knowne The best eye vpon earth lookes but through a glasse a lattice an obscuring impediment Now on the other side lest this obiect should be too farre off that the intellectuall eye could not reach it behold God hath giuen it the first fruits Righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost a prelibation of glory It sees the earnest of the Spirit sealing vs vp to the day of redemption a pledge of those ioyes which otherwise no eye hath seene no eare heard nor heart on earth conceiued 4. It is required that the obiected matter be substantiall not altogether diaphanous transparent but massie and of a solid being Otherwise the sight cannot perceiue nor the minde well conceiue the nature which is so subtil sublim'd but intends it selfe still further till it can acquiescere in materiam visibilem rest it selfe on some visible obiect But this Obiect here proposed is no empty Chimera or imaginary tralucent ayery shadow but substantiall the hope of Gods calling and a glorious inheritance which though natures dull eye cannot reach faiths eye sees perfectly For Hac est fides credere quod non vides And the subiect of this spectacle is by demonstration prooued solid and substantiall because nothing but that can giue this intellectuall eye firme content and complacency How go the affections of man in a rolling and ranging pace from one creature to another now thy heart is set vpon wealth thou wilt haue it though thou digge for it in visceribus both matris filiorum in the bowels of the earth and of the sonnes of the earth Say wealth is come thou art then for honor thy riches are a ladder whereby thou wouldest climbe to dignity Dedecet diuitem esse ignobilem Nobility gotten hath not setled thee thou art trauersing new desires Thy lust presents thee a beauteous paramour vncleane desires now fill vp thy scene and thou playest like that Germane many parts thy selfe a golden Asse a proud Lyon a luxurious Goate Wealth and greatnesse commands thy pleasure thy lust is answered then thou art for musike and so actest a fourth part thou art thine owne fidler Now thy bloud is to be heated with delicates thou must be indulgent to thy throat with lust-prouoking meates and so playest yet another part a Cater to vncleannesse When all is done Non contenta quies non est sedata libido When thou hast thus wandred and beg'd of euery poore creature a scrap of comfort yet thou art but clawed and cloyed with variety with vanity not contented It is al but one little crumme to one halfe dead of hunger Couldst thou passe ouer the vast Vniuerse from the conuexe superficies of heauen to the center of hell yet the immense capacity rapacity of thy desires will not be satisfied Well then did Augustine confesse Fecisti nos ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te O Lord thou didst make vs for thee and our heart cannot bee quiet till it
rest in thee Nothing but the Trinity of persons in that one Deity can fill the triangular concaue of mans own heart The fire flieth to his sphere the stone falleth to his center the riuers run to the sea as to their end and rest and are but violently detained in any other place The needle touched with the Loadstone stands euer trembling and quiuering till it enioy the full aspect of the Northerne Pole Thus the Lord is onely our Center the very life of satisfaction full of perfect and infallible comfort and he alone can content the boundlesse apprehension of this intellectuall eye All other are but shadowes and vanities but this matter obiected in my Text satisfies The world cannot but this can the hope of Gods calling and his glorious inheritance c. 5. Clearnesse of space betwixt the Organ and the obiect For the interposition of some thicke and grosse body preuents the faculty of the Eye The quickest eye cannot see through hils and a crasse cloud is able to hide the Sunne from vs at noone day On necessity that wee may behold with our vnderstandings eyes this celestiall obiect the hope of our calling there must be a remouing of all thicke and impenetrable obstacles 1. Some haue whole mountaines betwixt their eyes and heauen the mountaines of vaineglory hinder their sight They are rauished with the brauery of earth they thinke there is no heauen but at Court no further scope of ambition then to be great in this world If you tell them of the glory of Gods Inheritance giuen to his Saints alas they beleeue not your prattle they cannot see it They cannot indeed for who can see through mountaines 2. Others to make surer preuention against their sight of heauen haue rolled the whole earth betwixt that and their eyes These are the couetous who are rooting downe to the Center If you tell them of this hope c. they answere Non videmus nisi terram wee see nothing but earth Well may they say so for what eyes can see through the vast and condensed body of the earth 3. Others yet haue interiected such obscure and pitchy clouds between their sight and this Sunne of glory that they cannot see Whether of errors that darken the light of the truth Or of affected ignorance that blindes their owne eyes Or of blasphemous Atheisme they will see nothing but what they doe see Where is the promise of his comming Since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation Nil noui video I see no new thing it was so and it is so Non aliud vidêre patres aliudue nepotes Aspicient Or of rude and crude impieâ—…ies which both bleare their owne eyes and shadow heauens graces from them Thus the Deuill deales with theÌ„ as the Pharises seruants dealt with Christ first they blinde him and then buffet him and bid bim prophecie who smote him First hee puts out their eyes with their owne iniquities and then leades them about to make himself sport They cannot see the way to blisse they haue blinded themselues interposed such clouds betwixt them and heauen that this glorious light cannot shine vnto them There must be then a clearer space and this God grants to faith Stephen full of the holy Ghost looked vp stedfastly into heauen and saw the glory of GOD c. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God Though this bee taken for more then a spirituall sight yet hence we haue this comfort that our eyes of Faith shall see God now in Grace and our eyes of flesh heereafter in glory 6. Lastly the obiect must be stable and firme for if it moue too swiftly it dazeleth the eye and cannot be truly according to the perfect forme of it beholden An oare in the riuer often seems to the passengers as if it were brokeâ—… by reason of the swift and violent motion of the water An arrow cuts the ayre with such quicknesse that we can scarce discerne it which lying at the marke is easily seene God hath therefore answered our desires and fitted our vnderstandings with a stable obiect which Paul calls an exceeding eternall waight of glory A waight substantiall and permanent not a light transient matter nor a swift voluble nature but waighty Therefore let vs not looke on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall It is here called an Inheritance which none can take from vs that subtle Lawyer Satan shall neuer be able to picke cauils against it You must not expect that I should enter into a particular resolution of our obiected comforts I must reserue that to a more liberall time Onely now let vs set them in our meditation and settle our selues to attaine them Contemne we condemn we the foolish choice of worldlings in regard of our portion and better part neuer to bee taken from vs. Why should I dislike my gold because he preferres his copper The least dramme of these ioyes shall outwaigh all the pleasures of earth And as one torment in hell shall make the reprobate forget all earthly vanities so the least drop of this pleasure shall take from vs the remembrance of our former miseries Wee shall not thinke on our pouerty in this world when we possesse those Riches and forget our contemptible basenesse when God shall giue vs that Glory of Saints Hee shall not much remember the dayes of his life because God answereth him in the ioy of his heart God giue vs to see these things now in grace that we hereafter may see them in glory Amen THE COSMOPOLITE OR WORLDS FAVOVRITE LVKE 12. 20. But God said vnto him Thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided THIS is the Couetous mans Scripture and both like an vnflattering glasse presents his present condition what he is and like a fatall booke premonstrates his future state what hee shall bee And because as no man would be thought of others or will thinke himselfe a worldling so nor apply to himselfe the terrour of this Text therefore this Scripture doth both indigitate and single him out with a Tu es hâ—…mo and when it hath set himselfe before himselfe it tels him how he shall stand before the Tribunall of God vvith a lost name with a lost soule with a lost world with a lost and neuer to be recouer'd heauen We shall perceiue more plainly the Cosmopolites fearefull iudgement if we take a precursory view of the Parables former passages First we haue the Rich man vers 16. prospering in his wealth not onely in the vsurious gaines which his money fraud oppression or vniust dealing might get but euen in those things which God by the hand of nature did reach
deale of righteousnesse Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Hee hath broken Tâ—…tam Legem though not Totum Legis I speake not heere of the absolutely dissolutely wicked whose life is like Elreds raign Praua in principio peior in medio pessima in vltimo bad in the beginning worse in the midst worst of all in the end But of those that haue some good measure of grace and stand in the state of adoption yet may admitte of Pauls prayer to be sanctified throughout And vpon good reason for there is an vniuersall corruption therfore should be an vniuersall sanctification That young man that professeth himselfe to haue kept the Commandements and Christ began to loue him yet there was a little leuen spoyled all Couetousnesse Vnum restat one thing was vvanting Sell that thou hast and giue to the poore No he was costiue and could not abide such a purge Herod though he heard many Sermons of Iohns preaching gladly and it is some good thing to heare Sermons with ioy yet the leuen of Herodias marred all Let him that is taught in the word communicate vnto him that teacheth him in all his goods This was the Apostles Canon an ordinance that will kill where it lights yet a world of arguments hath beene inuented to stoppe it vp We will giue of charity but any thing of duty yes of duty Well we will giue somewhat of duty but part of all yes part of all Put out this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wee will compound with you though we take away a talent of your duties wee will returne a mite of beneuolence I will tell you a tale a Seignior came with his seruant to one of our Ladies Images no matter which for they doe not scant her of number hee threw in an angell of gold the humble picture in gratitude made a curtsie to him The seruant obseruing and wondring at her Ladiships plausible carriage purposed with himselfe to giue somewhat too that he might haue a curtsie So hee puts into the basen sixe pence and withall takes out his masters angell the Image makes curtsie and seemes to thanke him still It is common with this City to take away the Cleargies angell and to lay downe sixe pence in the stead yet looke they for curtsie too but I thinke no honest man will giue them thankes This little leauen vndoes all goodnesse You shall walke in all the wayes which the Lord your God commands you All put out in omnibus in All and wee vvill say something to it But as Deus remittit omnia peccata aut nulla God forgiues all sinnes or none so we must faithfully resolue against all sinnes or we repent of none As is Gods remission such must be our contrition Euery man is an Adam a good conscience his Paradise lust the forbidden fruit one lust is able to turne him out of all his comforts Hast thou kept thy hands from iniury yet if thy tongue haue offended thou shalt bee iudged of thy idle words Suppose thou hast preserued Castitatem linguae sobriety of speech yet if any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man but thy thoughts haue welcommed a pleasing lust those thoughts haue leuend thy soule For God will not onely bring euery worke into iudgement but euery secret thought whether it be good or euill Men haue brought that opinion into a prouerbe Thought is free no thy Thought is Gods bond-slaue As thou canst not thinke a good thought but by his suggestion so nor an euill thought but by his permission If but thy thought harbour this leuen the whole lumpe is sowred Actions men see thy thoughts onely God and thy selfe Ille liber inter accusatores quem propria non accusat conscientia That man needes feare no accusers that is freed from the condemnation of his owne conscience There are sixe motiues that inferre and inforce a caution of little sinnes Little sinnes are dangerous because they are Mortalia they are deadly Plurima they are numerous Insensibilia not easily felt Materialia maximoruÌ„ they are the materials or seeds of grosse sins Maximas inficiunt virtutes they leuen the best vertues Facilius perdunt they more cunningly destroy the soule 1. Minima mortalia euen the least offence is mortall in it owne nature culpable of transgression and liable to malediction The wages of sinne is death It was a strange glosse of Haymo vpon that Text Hoc non de omnibus peccatis intelligendum est sed de criminalibus This is not meant of all sinnes but onely of such as are criminall such saith he as S. Iohn speakes of There is a sinne vnto death I say not that thou shouldst pray for it So S. Pauls indefinite speech of all sinnes he restraines to S. Iohns particular sense of one sinne that sinne which shall neuer be forgiuen against the Holy Ghost For otherwise if St. Iohn should intend it of all criminall sins then it would follow that we should not pray for heretikes adulterers homicides which were directly crosse to the rule of charitie Certainly Paul in that generall rule admitted of no exception it is an Aphorisme wherein no sober iudgement can find distinction The Apostle thought of no veniall when he called all mortall The wages of sinne not of this or that sinne as sacriledge robbery blasphemy c. but of sinne any sinne euery sinne though men deeme it triuiall they shall find it mortall is death I know there is a iust distinction of sinnes of greater lesse Puritie and equality of all transgressions is an idle dreame It was a worse murder to kill Zachariah at the Altar then Uriah in the field To steale Sacra de Sacro holy things out of a holy place is worse theft then to steale profana de profano common things out of a profane place The difference of the punishments manifests a difference of the sinnes As in heauen one starre excells another starre in glory so in hell one firebrand exceeds another in burning though all feele the fire hote enough Christ tells the Pharises that they make their Proselite two-fold more the child of hell then themselues Tolerabilius erit Sodomae It shall be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of Iudgement then for Capernaum and yet the Sodomites were then in hell They that deuoure widowes houses vnder the colour of long prayers shall receiue greater damnation As they haue been more wicked they shall be more wretched This distinction of sinnes vvee take vp and iustifie yea we dare goe further and say there are some sinnes mortall and some veniall but not in their owne nature The difference is not ratione Peccatorum sed Peccantium not in respect of the sinnes but of the Sinners To the faithfull and penitent all sinnes are veniall to the vnbeleeuers and impenitent all sinnes are mortall It is misericordia
to dispense vvith it Thou shalt not worship an Idoll no not to saue my life Not to saue life as those three seruants of God professed to Nebuchadnezzar If the God wee serue will not deliuer vs yet we will not serue thy gods nor worship thy golden image Thou sayest Minimum est it is little but in minimis fidelem esse magnum est to be faithfull in a little is no little vertue Well done good seruant thou had beene faithfull in a little therfore I will make thee ruler ouer much Hee that is not carefull in a little is not to bee trusted for more If any man will corrupt his conscience for a pound what would he doe for a thousand If Iudas will sell his Master for thirty pence about some 22. shillings of our money what would he haue sold for the Treasury God neuer gaue a Non obstante for sinne The Pope indeed giues Buls and Indulgences Pardons for cursed works before their perpetration but God neuer allowes leaue to doe ill The Pope sayes Kill an hereticall King God sayes Touch him not woe to that soule who takes the Popes word before the Lords word God charged a Prophet that he should eate no bread nor drinke water in Bethel Another Prophet came saying An Angell spake to me blessed Angels speake truth nay more hee spake by the word of the Lord. Bring him backe that hee may eate bread and drinke water He did so but marke the euent returning home a Lyon slew him by the way Beleeue not a man beleeue not a Pope beleeue not a Prophet beleeue not an Angell against the word of the Lord. Let vs refuse iniquity in what extenuation of quantitie or colour of qualitie soeuer it be offerd vs. For sinne is like a bemired dog if it fawnes on vs it foules vs. And the least sinne is like a little leake in a shippe which if it be not stopped will sinke the whole vessell The Frenchmen haue a military Prouerbe The losse of a nayle the losse of an Army The want of a nayle looseth the shooe the losse of a shooe troubles the horse the horse indangereth the rider the rider breaking his ranke molests the company so farre as to hazard the whole Army From slender and regardlesse beginnings grow out these fatall and destructiue effects The dores are shut the theefe cannot enter a little boy is put in at the window and he opens the dore for the great thiefe so the house is robbed A charme is cast in at the window eye or eare that quickly vnlocks the dore of the heart till all the roomes be ransak't not a peece of vertue or one gemme of grace left Pompey marching to the warres requested to lodge his Army in a certaine Citie by whose borders he must needs passe the Gouernour answered that he would not trouble his Citie with so numerous and dangerous a guest Pompey then desired but entertainement and reliefe for his sicke souldiours who were perishing for want of succour the Gouernour thought sicke men could do them no mischiefe this was granted they admitted Being there a while they recouered their health opened the gates to the rest so became strong enough to take the Citie If Satan cannot get leaue for his whole Army of lusts yet he begs hard for his weake ones as sinnes of infirmitie but those sickly souldiours soone get strength to surprise the soule The trees of the Forrest held a solemne Parliament wherin they consulted of the innumerable wrongs which the Axe had done them therefore made an Act that no tree should hereafter lend the Axe a helme on paine of being cut downe The Axe trauels vp downe the Forrest begs wood of the Cedar Oke Ash Elme euen to the Poplar not one would lend him a chip At last he desired so much as would serue him to cut downe the bryers and bushes alledging that those shrubs did suck away the iuyce of the ground hinder the growth and obscure the glory of the faire and goodly Trees Hereon they were content to afford him so much when he had gotten his helme he cut downe themselues too These be the subtle reaches of sinne giue it but a little aduantage on the faire promises to remooue thy troubles and it will cut downe thy soule also Therefore Obsta principijs trust it not in the least Consider a sinne as indeed it is a crucifying of Christ wilt thou say I may crucifie Christ a little I may scourge his flesh wound his side pierce his heart a little What man loues the Lord Iesus who would either say it or doe it Consider thy falling into sinne a hurling of thy selfe downe from some high pinacle wilt thou say I may breake my necke a little Consider it a casting thy selfe into vnquenchable fire wilt thou say I may burne my soule and body a little As suffering wee thinke the least misery too great so sinning let vs thinke the least iniquitie too great So auoiding also little sinnes we shall finde great fauour with Iesus Christ. Amen FAITHS ENCOVRAGEMENT LVKE 17. 19. And he said vnto him Arise goe thy way thy faith hath made thee whole THESE words were spoken by our Sauiour Christ to the penitent and faithfull Leper For induction I will obserue two remarkeable circumstances preceding my Text. First that Christ did mend him and then commend him hee did purge him and praise him 1. Hee mended him curing first his body then his soule His body of the Leprosie a disease not more lothsome to endure then hard to cure The difficulty of healing it appeares by the answere of the King of Israel vpon the receit of the King of Syria's letters Am I God to kill and make aliue that this man doth send vnto me to recouer a man of his Leprosie intimating that onely God is able to cure the Leprosie His soule of the spirituall Leprosie and this was the perfection of health For this cure the Prophet so earnestly prayes Sana animam Lord be mercifull vnto me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee This is a supernaturall cure fit onely for the great Physician of soules to performe the more difficult Quo minus in natura sit quod profit because nature hath no influence in her starres no minerals in her earth no herbes in her garden that can heale it 2 Hee commends him of all the ten cleansed there are none found that returned to giue glory to God saue this stranger God had his Tythe there whence he might least expect it Now what doth Christ commend him for For his thankefulnesse for his humility for his faith why these graces were Christs owne doth hee praise him for that himselfe had giuen him Yes this is Gods custome Sua dona coronat hee crownes his owne graces hee rewards his owne gifts Which teacheth how wee should vnderstand Reward in the Scripture Call the labourers and giue them their hire Whosoeuer
whose bowels neuer knew the softnes of such a nature exposed to all the tyrannie of their hands and tongs hands that like cruell Chirurgions searched euery part of his blessed body tongues that ranne nimbly through all the passages of obloquie till they had ouertaken reproch it selfe and cast it on him His body at the full will of the tormenters and his soule not without intolerable terrors as they might iudge by strange speech that came from him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Doth man triumph ouer him and doth God forsake him This might breed in their hearts a suspition either that hee was a deceiuer or else vtterly cut off To stifle this doubt in the very birth hee shakes the earth and rends the rockes that as they knew him dying Hominem vâ—…rum so they might perceaue him doing these myracles not Hominem merum but the euerliuing God These wonders blow the sparke of their faith almost dying with Christ and roote in their hearts a deepe and infallible perswasion of their Sauiour Something there is to keepe the faith of the elect from quenching though Satan raigne on it showres of discomforts Though no obiect greets the eye of flesh but discouragement yet there is a secret Spâ—…it within that will neuer suffer the faith to faile 5. In regard of the Disciples to shame and conuince them for leauing him Christ had said before Luk. 19. Si hitacerent loquerentur lapides If these speaking of his Disciples should hold their peace the stones would immediatly cry out Loe this saying is here come to passe the Disciples hold their peace the stones speake they forsake Christ the rockes proclaime him Such a shame is it for Apostles and ministers of Christ to hold their peace that if they be silent the very stones shall preach against them The walles windowes pauements of Churches shall cry out against such Pastors that vndertake the office of a sheep-heard and feed Christ his flocke with nothing but ayre And euen you that come to heare if no remorse can be put into your hearts at the relation of our Sauiours death if you haue no feeling of his sorrowes no apprehension of these mysteries no repentance of your sinnes no emendation of your liues know that the very seates whereon you sit the walles of your Temples the very stones you tread on shall beare witnesse against you Now the Lord Iesus that at his death brake the Rockes by the vertue of his death breake our rocky hearts that being mollified in this life they may be glorified in the life to come Grant this O Father for thy mercies sake O Christ for thy merits sake O holy Spirit for thy names sake To whom three persons one onely wise and eternall God be glory and prayse for euer Amen THE FOOLE And His Sport PROV 14. 9. Fooles make a mocke at sinne THE Prouerbes of Salomon are so many select aphorismes or diuinely morall Sayes without any mutuall dependance one vpon another Therefore to studie a coherence were to force a marriage betweene vnwilling parties The words read spend themselues on a description of two things the Foole and his Sport The Foole is the wicked man his Sport pastime or babble is Sinne. Mocking is the medium or connexion that brings together the Foole and Sinne thus he makes himselfe merry they meete in mocking The foole makes a mocke at sinne Fooles The foole is the wicked an ignorant heart is alwayes a sinfull heart and a man without knowledge is a man without grace So Thamar to Ammon vnder his rauishing hands Doe not this folly If thou doest it Thou shalt be as one of the Fooles in Israell Ignorance cannot excusare a toto wilfull not a tanto Christ shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that knowe not God The state of these Fooles is fearefull Like hooded Hawkes they are easily carryed by the Infernall Falconer to hell Their lights are out how shall their house scape robbing These Fooles haue a knowledge but it is to doe euill They haue also a knowledge of good but not scientiam approbationis they know but they refuse it So God iustly quites them for though hee knowe them ad scientiam he will not know them ad approbationem But giues them a Discedite nescio vos I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie A man may be a Foole two wayes by knowing too Little Much. 1. By knowing too little when hee knoweth not those things whereof he cannot be ignorant and doe well I determined not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified But euery man sayth hee knowes Christ. If men knew Christ his loue in dying for them they would loue him aboue all thinges how doe they know him that loue their money aboue him Nemo verè nouit Christum qui non verè amat Christum No man knowes Christ truely that loues him not syncerely If men knew Christ that he should be Iudge of quicke and dead durst they liue so lewdly Non nouit Christum qui non odit peccatum Hee neuer knew Christ that doth not hate iniquitie Some attribute too much to themselues as if they would haue a share with Christ in their owne saluation Nesciunt Christum seipsos they are ignorant of both Christ and themselues Others lay too much on Christ all the burden of their sinnes which they can with all possible voracitie swallow downe and blasphemie vomite vp againe vpon him But they know not Christ who thus seeke to diuide Aquam a sanguine his bloud from his water and they shall faile of iustification in heauen that refuse sanctification vpon earth 2. By knowing too much when a man presumes to know more then he ought His knowledge is apt to be pursie and grosse and must be kept low Mind not high things sayth the Apostle Festus slandered Paul that much learning had made him madde Indeed it might haue done if Paul had bin as proud of his learning as Festus was of his honour This is the knowledge that puffeth vp It troubles the braine like vndigested meate in the stomach or like the scumme that seeths into the broth To auoyd this follie Paul fortbids vs to be wise in our owne conceites Whereof I find wo readings Be not wise in your selues and Be not wise to your selues Not in your selues coniure not your witte into the circle of your owne secret profit Wee account the simple Fooles God accounts the crafty Fooles He that thinkes himselfe wise is a Foole ipso facto It was a modest speech that fell from the Philosopher Si quando fatuo delectari volo non est mihi longè quaerendus me video Therfore Christ pronounced his Woes to the Pharises his doctrines to the people The first entrie to wisedome is Scire quod nescias to know thy ignorance Sobrietie is the measure for knowledge as the