in vpon vs. f Gen. 3.4 Euah was seduced by hearkning to the voice of the diuell we must bee conuerted by hearkning to the voice of God g Nunc vnde irrepsit morbus inde remedium intrat vt per eandem vestigia sequatur vita mortem tenebras lux venenum serpentis antidotum veritatis Jbid. that so life may enter into our soules by the same gate by which death entered and light come into the houses of our soules by the same windowes by which darknesse did and the antidote of truth Christs owne confection may be taken of vs in the same cuppe wherein we first dranke the poyson of that old serpent namely by hearing The sacred Scriptures are the mysticall Paradise of God in the midst whereof grow the two trees of knowledge and life the fruites whereof are to bee gathered of vs by these two hands of reading and hearing but hearing is the right hand that is the more actiue and effectuall The word of God is the well of saluation whence flowe riuers of waters of life that make glad the city of God .i. his true Church and our eares are the channels by which the streames of these liuing waters doe flow into our soules It is also a 1. Pet. 2.2 sincere milke to nourish vs flowing from the two breasts of Christ .i. the two Testaments and our hearing is as the mouth whereby we sucke this sincere milke that we may grow thereby Wherefore let vs hearken to that great proclamation of the King of Kings b Esa 55 â— c. Loe euery one that thirsteth come to the waters c. Let vs not spend our money as too many doe for that which is not bread and our labour for that which satisfieth not preferring like swine huskes and acornes before better food but let vs come vnto God and encline our eares to him that our soules may liue c. c Psal 119.24 Let his statutes be our delight and our counsailors d Luc. 1â— 39.42 Let vs choose Maries better part namely to sit at Christs feet and heare his preaching saying with S. Peter e Ioh. 6.68 Master whither should wee goe from thee thou hast the words of eternall life For if we leaue him and his sacred word to hearken to vnwritten traditions Popes decretalls Schoolemens labyrinths Iesuites Pamphlets or Seminary Priests buzzing suggestions inciting vs to set vp the f 1. Sam. 5.3 Idol Dagon with the Arke of God in the temple of our soules or g 2 Reg. 18.21 to diuide our hearts betweene God and Baal ioyning with the worship of the true God and his Sonne Christ the worship of Saints Angells Bread Images Reliques c. we commit a double euill wee leaue the fountaine of liuing Waters and digge to our selues broken cesternes that can hold no water Ier. 2.13 h Ber Ser. â—8 in Cant. Solius habet auditus verum qui percipit verbum None heares the truth but hee that hearkens to the word of truth for the word of God alone is that i Apoc. 1 16. two-edged-sword which commeth out of the mouth of Christ which is k Heb. 4.12 mightie in operation and sharper than any two edged sword to cut downe error and kill sinne in vs entring into the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit c. a Ioâ— 6.20 As the sound of the â—ammes hornes Gods power accompanying it made the walls of Iericho to fall so the mightie voice of Gods word if rightly heard of all by the vertue of his spirit accompanying the same would make the walls not onely of mysticall Babell but of hell it selfe to reele and totter and fall flat downe and the whole kingdome of Sathan to come to mine for it is b Rom. 1 6. the power of God vnto saluation and it will make the Prince of hell recoyle and giue backe and fall to the ground c Ioh. 28.6 as the powerfull voice of Christ made Iudas and his confederates goe backeward and fall to the ground d Ber. Dom. 7. post Pent. And this glasse of truth deceiues no man flatters no man but truely and impartially shewes euery man what he is that no man be cast down with needlesse feares nor lifted vp with vaine presumptions Also it supplants vice and implants vertue in vs banisheth our vaine and cherisheth our good desires layes our sinnes before our faces and so humbles our proud and loftie lookes and throwes vs downe before Gods footstoole with godly sorrow and true compunction for them and then raiseth vs vp againe with pretious promises and vnspeakeable comforts in the tender mercies of a compassionate father and soueraigne merits of a soule-sauing Sauiour These effects hath this powerfull word of Christ in all attentiue deuout and religious hearers if it haue not in all it is because many heare amisse as e Iac. 4.3 many aske and receiue not because they aske amisse for some haue f Mat. 13.9 hearing others vnhearing eares some heare the word and keepe it others heare and sleight it g c. 7.6 treading this pretious pearle like filthy Swine vnder their feet in the mire of their sins and rending those with the teeth of malice and obloquy that bring it vnto them therefore Christ makes this first maine difference or opposition betweene the hearers of the word that the one sort are h Rom. 2.13 not hearers onely but doers of the word who are the wise builders and shall be iustified but the other sort are i Iac. 1.22 not doers of the word but hearers onely deceiuing their owne soules who are foolish builders and shall be condemned for they with their building shall come to ruine There be diuers sorts of vnprofitable hearers 1. Some haue dull eares a Mat. 13 â—4 hearing they heare but doe not vnderstand These are no better for their being in the Church than the Churches pillars for either b Act 20 9. with Eutichus they sit sleeping while the minister is preaching or if their eyes wake their hearts are a sleepe for like men in a dreame their hearts waue after their fancies and are so firmely fixt on their worldly profites and carnall pleasures that like Idols in the Temple c Psa 115 5 6. they haue eyes and see not eares and heare not and although the sound of the word beat their eares neuer so much yet the sound of the world and the flesh beates it backe againe These although they can hunt Mammon dry-foote in their shops all the weeke and neuer be weary or spend whole dayes and nights in a Tauerne sacrificing to Bacchus yet they thinke one houre too much to be spent in the Temple whereby those d Mat. 8.34 Gadarenes make it apparant that in their account hara domestica is preferred before ara dominica their Mammon before Christ the world before the word and their owne Swinesties before Gods Sanctuary 2 Some haue
hard and flinty heart which disobedience and rebellion had shut vp and closed This doing of Gods word consists in two things Esa 1.16 17. Rom. 15.8 Eph. 4.22 23 24. 1. In ceasing to do euill and 2. In learning to do well In casting off the workes of darknesse and putting on the armour of light In putting off the old man and putting on the new c. 1. We must mortifie sinne in our earthly members c. Col. 3.5 and crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 e Ber. Ser. 30. in Cant. which is a kind of Spirituall Martyrdome And this must bee done 1. Speedily f Luc. 12.40 because we know not what day or houre the Sonne of man will come to call vs to an account g 2. Cor. 5.10 for the deedes done in the body whether they be good or euill 2. Totally h 1. Sam. 15 9 c. for in destroying these spiritual Amalekites we must not spare one Agag neither may we foster one i Iud. 16.4 c. Dalila or k Mat. 14.4 Herodias in our bosomes .i. one darling or beloued sinne least that one though we thinke it but a little one as l Gen. 19.20 Lot said of Zoar incense Gods iust wrath and worke our deserued destruction for if any of these m Iud. 2. 3. Canaanites remaine within our borders they will be prickes in our eyes and thornes in our sides wounds in our soules and vlcers in our conscienences giuing our soules no rest but still vexing and molesting vs. 3. Finally that wee returne no more a 2. Pet. 2.21 â—2 with the dogge to his vomit or the sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire for it had been better for vs neuer to haue known the way of righteousnesse than hauing knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto vs. A true poenitent hates sinne once repented of more mortally than b 2 Sam. 13.15 Ammon did Thamar after he had defloured her or c Gen. 27 35. Esau did Jacob after he had supplanted him twice and deceiued him both of his birthright and blessing For sinne is in this respect a true Iacob a supplanter indeed 1. It supplants vs and depriues vs of our birthright or interest vnto the kingdome of heauen which we should haue had by Christ Iesus the true heire of heauen 2. It depriues vs of all Gods blessings temporall spirituall and eternall and therefore is to be mortally hated and vtterly reiected 2. We must doe good d Mat 3.8 bringing foorth fruites worthy amendment of life and e Col. 1.10 walking worthy of the Lord endeauouring to please him in all things beeing fruitfull in all good workes and abounding in the knowledge of God And to the end our workes may bee truely good and such as God accepteth wee must obserue these conditions 1. That our selues bee in Christ ingraffed into him as branches into the stocke and incorporated as members with their head by the bond of the spirit and hand of faith f â— Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature First he must be in Christ and then a new creature It is the axiome of the Schoole Diuines Regula Scholast Complacentia operis praesupponit complacentiam personae The worke can neuer bee accepted except the person be first accepted g Gen. 4.4.5 as we see in Cain and Abel Therefore S. Aug. saith of the vertues of the Heathens as the iustice of Aristides the temperance of Fabritius c. that they are but h Aug in Ps 31. Splendida peccata .i. Glistring or glorious sinnes and i Et Ser. 55. de ver dom in Ioh. Cursus celerimus praeter viam .i. a most swift course but out of the way and saith moreouer k Et in Psal 83. That their chickens were trodden vnder foote by God because they were not hatched in the nest of the Church meaning that their good workes were reiected of God because themselues were not members of the Christian Church 2. That our good workes proceed a 1. Tim. 1.5 from a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfained for the spirit of grace is the father and faith the mother of good workes the one the root and the other the iuice of that tree that brings foorth good fruit b Ber. Ser. 30. in Cant. Nec palmites absque vite nec virtus absque fide True vertue can bee no more without true faith than the branches without the vine in which they grow and by which they liue and are nourished c 1. Reg. 6.34 The two doores of the Sanctum Sanctorum had folding leaues clasping in each other to teach vs that the two doores of faith and charity by which Christ enters into our soules as his holy Temples must neuer be separated but Se inuicem tenere .i. Fold in one the other and claspe hands together d Leo magnus Sicut enim in fide est operum ratio sic in operibus fidei fortitudo As faith is the norme or squire to rule out our good workees so good workes are the proppe or pillar to vphold and strengthen our faith For faith and good workes be fundamentall stones in the spirituall building of our soules to be an holy Temple in the Lord e Eph 2. vlt. an habitation of God by the spirit but they both leane vpon relye vpon and are borne vp and sustained by the greatest and chiefest corner-stone Christ Iesus Maldonate Mald. in loc therefore the Iesuite doth falsely taxe vs in his Commentaries vpon this text for building on the sand because wee teach with S. Paul That f Rom. 3.28 faith alone doth iustifie without the workes of the law seeing wee teach withall that charity is the life and soule of faith and that a true iustifying faith must needs be operatiue and fruitfull in charity g Iac. 2. vlt. for as the body without the soule so faith without charity is dead We teach indeed and that according to the Scriptures that in the act of Iustification faith is alone Thesis nostra Fides est sola quoad actum iustificandi non solitaria quoad actum existendi because wee beleeue that not any merit of our owne workes but the merit of Christ his perfect obedience actiue and passiue doth purchase at Gods hands the remission of our sinnes and makes our peace and reconciliation with him and faith alone is the eye whereby wee behold Christ and the hand of the soule which wee stretch out to lay hold on him and to apply the plasture of his pretious merits to our wounded soules and to open the rich treasurie or caskenet of his spirituall graces vnto vs thereforethough we teach that faith is alone in that act as most proper thereunto as the eye is alone in the act of seeing the eare in the act of hearing and the
architects labour with all their arr and industry to repaire the ruines of Babell but g Psal 127.1 except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it and the Lord hath decreed and denounced the fall thereof by that h Apoc. 14.12 euerlasting Gospell which the Angell brought into the world therefore downe it must and the fall thereof shall be great and shall crush all that wittingly willingly and wilfully fall with it and vnder it as the i Oct. 26 1623. late fall of an house did some adhaerents vnto Babilon and presse them downe if they speedily repent not to the bottome of hell And such also will be the fall of all worldlings Iust secunda other foolish builders on the sand if they speedily conuert not and become wise builders to builde on the rocke Christ and his Sacred truth both by beleeuing and practising As here their fall was great when they wittingly and willingly consented vnto sinne and greater when they acted it and greatest of all when they persisted in it so hereafter their fall shall be exceeding great Not like k Gen. 3 23. Adams onely from a paradise of pleasure to a wildernesse of woâ— for so they fall here when they fall from truth to errour and from righteousnes to sinne and wickednes but like Lucifers who fell like l Luc. 10.11 lightning that is swiftly and suddainely from the height of heauen to the depth of hell and from being an Angell of light and a pure starre of coelestiall brightnesse to be an angell of aeternall night and the blacke Prince of infernall darknes Applicat To the end therefore that wee may escape this fearefull fall and irrecouerable Mine of haeretiks prophane wretches worldlings and hypocrites let vs build on the firme rocke of Christ and his heauenly truth both by hearing and practising Wee of this land are bound to God for innumerable blessings namely a Religious King a hopefull Prince a fruitfull land like Canaan flowing with milke and hony or Eden the garden of the Lord also goodly and populous cities and townes and flourishing Vniuersities and Innes of Court which like Theopbrastus Persian tree doe at the same time bud blossome and bring forth fruit So that we may say of England as one did of Rhodes Semper in Sole sita est for we haue had a long sunne-shine of prosperitie peace and plenty and withall the sunne-shine of the Gospell which as Luther said is Genus generalissimum omnium bonorum the well head of our happinesse for hereby we may build on the rocke while other our neighbour nations build on the sand Seeing therefore God hath trusted vs with such a treasure let vs be thankefull for it and shew our thankfullnes first in imbracing this Gospell of peace peaceably as the subiects of the Prince of peace Let vs not stand striuing as too many haue vainely done already too long about the swadling cloutes of holy Religion namely Clericall habites and other comely Ceremonies least while we striue about these ouermuch wee endanger the body or substance of true Religion let vs not any longer râ—nd in sunder the a Cypr. de vnit Eccles seamelesse coat of Christ the vnitie of the Church by our needlesse conâ—en iâ—nâ— about thâ—se â—hâ—â—gs â—or if â—ee b Gal. 5.15 bite and deuoure one another let vs take heed least we bee consumed one of another and while we â—iâ—tuâ—be thâ— Churches peace we depriue her of her prospâ—râ—â—ie anâ— make an open waâ— as this breaâ—h hath already done too much for those proud and cruell Babylonians to ruine our Ierusalâ—m who say of it in their hearts c Psal 127.7 Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground But being â—ll Ministers or members of one Church which is d Cypr. ibid. Vna ColuÌ„ba one e Cant. 5.2 doâ—e of Christ let vs haue all the douelike spirit of humiâ—itie charit peace vnitie for the doues of one house liue together loue together fly together flocke together kisse each other and in all respects performe the lâ—wes of loue peace and vnanimity So let vs liue and loue together and with the first belâ—euers of the Primitiue Church be all of a Act. 4.32 one heart and one soule Let all ministers preach and people pray for the peace of our Ierusalem b Psal 122.6 7. for if peace be within her walls plenteousnesse will be within her palaces 2. Let vs that are built on this rocke of truth bring forth the fruits of holines and true righteousnes So S. Ier. said of the Christians of his dayes c Hieron Proâ—m Comment in Ezech. Scripturarum cupimus verba in opera vertere non dicere sancta sed facere we desire to turne the words of the Scripture into workes and not to speake of but to doe the workes of holinesse As the naturall life lies hid in the heart the fountaine of the vitall spirits and yet Physitions iudge of it by the pulse in the arme so the spirituall life of a Christian to wit his regeneration lies hid in the heart and soule and yet men iudge of it by the motion of the arme the exercise of good workes for d Mat 7.10 the tree is knowne by his fruites We cannot iudge of the life of grace and power of true Religion in the soules of men 1. By the eyes for many lift vp their eyes to heauen by seeming shewes of sanctitie when their hearts lye grouelâ—ng on the earth yea mudling in the earth by base worldlinesse and grossâ— carnalitie 2. Nor by the eares foâ— there be many e Iam. 1.22 hearers of the word but not doers of the same deceiuing their owne soules 3. Nor by the tonguâ— foâ— many f Mat. 15.8 7.21 draw neere to God with their mouths and honour him with their lips when their hearts are far from him and cry with a zealous ingemination Lord Lord and yet doe not the will of their heauenly Father But by the arme or hand that is by doing cheerefully sincerely and constantly the things that God commandeth g Cant. 5.1 6.2 Christ the bridegroome comes into his garden not to refresh himselfe vnder the shadow of the trees or to behold the greene leaâ—es or to crop the buds and blossomes but to gather the fruits that his friends may eate abundantly for then Châ—ist feedes when his friends feed the head is nourisheâ— in his members h Mat. 25.40 In as much as yee haue done it vnto me of these little ones ye haue done it vnto me Let therefore the word of God i Col. 3.16 dwell in you as it dwels among you plenteously that ye may bee k 1 Tim. 6.18 rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate to the poore and needy l Esa 58 7 8. dealing your bread to the hungry drinke to the thirsty bringing the poore that are cast out into your houses couering the naked with a garment not hiding your selues from your owne flesh then shall your light breake forth as the morning and your health spring foorth speedily your righteousnes shall goe before you and the glory of the Lord shall be your reward And then shall God a Apoc. 20.1 chaine vp Sathan in the bottomlesse pit and restraine the force and malice of wicked men that they cannot hurt vs b Aug in Exod. Malorum potestas deficit in muscis The power of the Magitians failes in the flies for Sathan cannot doe the least thing without Gods permission If therefore we c Eccles 12. vlt. feare the Lord and keepe his commandements heare his word and doe it euen those stormes flouds and winds which Sathan stirres vp to cast downe our spiriruall building shall blow our happines and land the ships of our soules and bodies at last in the hauen of heauen Now let euery heart stretch forth an hand apply what hath beene spoken to himselfe and pray earnestly for the assistance of Gods Spirit that he may so doe for we may preach and you heare and both loose our labour except there be a drawing of the father a touch of the Sonne and an inspiration of the Holy-Ghost but if these concurre then God himselfe makes the Sermon and builds vp thereby the spirituall Edifices of our Soules makes them stand fast for euer and so the fruit of a few houres hearing shall be eternity of dayes A Prayer Grant vs grace therefore O Lord to bee doers of thy word not hearers only deceiuing our own souls vouchsafe so to assist vs with thy holy Spirit in this our building that we may not build the spirituall Edifices of our soules either on humane traditions with superstitious Papists or vpon our vaine presumption of thy mercy with prophane secure sinners or vpon the perishing vanities of this world with foolish Mammonists or vpon our outward profession of faigned holinesse with masked Hypocrites but vpon the rocky faundation of thy Christ and his sacred truth both by hearing and practizing that no raine of worldly prosperity nor stormes of aduersity windes of haereticall perswasions or violent flouds of persecutions ouerthrow this our spirituall building but that it may stand fast like mount Sion till this house of our earthly tabernacle being dissolued wee haue a building giuen vs of thee an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens FINIS