are the diuels harbingers for hee lodges not but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him There are some vse to minish their sinnes either they are not great or they are not many Sure it is that the smallest sinne that can bee beeing the offence of the greatest Maiesty deserueth death and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule and though there were but one yet that were one too many For one foote of a bird taken or one wing belimmed may cost her her life One hole in a Ship may sinke her One bullet may kill as well as twenty The smallest sin is in it nature mortall yea the omission of the smallest duety which the Law of GOD requireth deserueth eternall death For cursed is euery one which continueth not in All Things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer then the smallest sinne against GOD is too great to doe As I therefore desire to escape all curses so will I by the grace of GOD bee carefull to auoide all causes and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule Of the Gospell THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins reconciliation to GOD redemption from hell death and condemnation and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST O happy newes O ioyfull tydings What newes more welcome to prisoners then of a Goale-deliuery What more pleasing to malefactours then to heare of their Princes pardon What would a blind man more willingly heare of then that his eie-sight shall bee restored to him Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten and spent with labour then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen where hee shall most safely rest free from the malice of Pirates and fury of all foule weather Yet for all this the Gospell with many findes but poore acceptance It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries they feele no misery and therefore affect no change What cares a clunch for learning or good manners that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse and inciuility What cares a man for meate that feeles no hunger What doe you talke to him of cloathes that feeles no cold nor nakednesse The lacke of things causeth estimation the sense of lacke When men haue beene worne with warres how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace When a man feeles his disease and sees death staring in his eyes O how welcome is the Physition How welcome should hee bee that would bring him newes of a medicine which hee might easily haue that would cure him and set him vp againe When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea and spent their victuals and water euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity slauery miseries and necessities into which they are driuen by sinne and wherein they are inwrapped they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance And beautifull should be the feete of those which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell I will mediate of my slauery which I am brought to by transgressing the Law that I may duely respect the liberty which is Preached in the Gospell Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace Of the Law and the Gospell THE Law saith doe this and thou shalt liue The Gospell saith Beleeue in the Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued In the Law there is seuerity but in the Gospell mercy In the Law there is reserued no repentance but by the sentence thereof hee that sins must die But the Gospell admits repentance and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies but the Gospell pacifies The Law discouers sin but the Gospell couers it The Law requires a mans owne iustice but the Gospell Preacheth pardon in the iustice of another to wit of CHRIST The Law is written after a sort in the hearts of all men Pagans and Christians but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all And the Gospell was not first and then the Law But the Law was first and then the Gospell To finde out my sinnes I will veiw the Law but to reade my saluation I will looke into the Gospell To despaire of my selfe I will weigh the Law but to hope in CHRIST I will receiue the Gospell If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds I would sticke to the Law but being desirous of mercy I will flye to the Gospell If I would stand vpon my iustice I wold plead the Law but crauing Grace I go to the Gospell Yet this will I doe because the Law is the rule of good workes I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience Yet euery day will I pray and say GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner Of Good and Euill GOOD is more ancient then euill Sanctity is elder then sinne vice is yonger then Vertue There was first an Angell then a diuell First a Man then a sinner First a True-man then a thiefe In good no man can bee too much in euill no man can bee too little Hee that would encrease in good let him thinke hee hath yet too little Hee that would decrease in euill let him remember still hee hath too much The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice Hee taketh the ready course to become good which repenteth of his euils And Hee onely will proue a Saint which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner Of the Church Vniuersall THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on earth This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST who is the onely Head thereof by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life sense and motion And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse both of grace and glory from IESVS CHRIST This Church is the Vine of GODS delight the Spouse of CHRIST His Faire One His Wel-Beloued GODS House and Citty the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD the Wall His omnipotent Grace and gracious Omnipotency the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience Her Ensignes or Armes are Faith Righteousnesse Peace Charity and ioy in the Holy GHOST Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Her Gate is CHRIST Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers and all the Saints of GOD. This is the
Mother of vs all hee that hath not Her for his Mother hath not GOD for his FATHER This is GODS Family hee that serues not Him in it serueth the diuell out of it This is the Court of the great King Hee that is not New-borne in it is some base-borne caitiffe and not counted among the Sons of the King Of the Militant Church CHRIST hath a part of His Mysticall Body triumphing with Him in the heauens and He a part warring vnder Him heere on earth This is a Spirituall Building made of liuing Stones hewen out of the Rocke CHRIST IESVS This is Noahs Arke out of which there is no meanes to scape the flouds of vengeance This like a Ship is weather-beaten with the raging winds and waues of worldly troubles yet is not swallowed vp This Church though farre and wide dispearsed is yet but One as many Members make but one Body many Branches make but one Tree many Riuers make but one Sea many People make but one Kingdom And One shee is because shee acknowledgeth but one GOD confesseth one Faith is ruled by one Head animated of one SPIRIT participateth of one Baptisme and is gouerned by one Law This Church Militant is the Sub-vrbes of the Church Triumphant None must enter into This but hee that hath first passed That None shall triumph like a Victor but hee that hath fought like a Souldier And hee that would weare a Crowne in This must first take vp His Crosse in That The proper and essentiall Members of this Church are all of them holy by the imputation of the Merites of CHRIST their Head and by the powerfull operation of the Spirit of CHRIST which is within them And all these are infallibly knowne onely vnto GOD who seeth the secrets of the heart and can certainely iudge of inward vertues As for the iudgement of men which may bee deceiued with shewes as the Birds were with those artificial grapes of Zeuxis it is vncertaine if of others except there bee some singular reuelation and rather an opinion of charity then a conclusion of certainety This Church Militant is in the world but not of the world All her Members are strangers in the earth but descended from heauen generated not of man but regenerated by the Holy Ghost not begotten of mortall bloud by the appetite of the flesh or will of man but of Immortall Seed by the Word of GOD according to His Will The onely Husband of this Church is CHRIST IESVS For Hee onely hath her holds her leads her To Him alone shee owes her loue her loyalty and fidelity The Friends not the Husbands for shee hath but One of this Bride and Bridegroome are all true Christians specially Pastors which heare the Voice of the Bridegroome and take great delight therein eschewing the voice of strangers The common condition of this Church and all her Members is affliction and persecution But shee counteth nothing more glorious then to beare the reproach of her Husband who is troubled in all troubles remembers all her sighes and enbottles all her teares And shee hath this property that like a Garden shee is greenest after a shower like Camomill shee is most odoriferous being troden on like Spices Shee is most fragrant being rubbed or bruised Whiles shee is persecuted shee flourisheth whiles shee is pressed shee spreadeth whilst shee is iniured shee vanquisheth whilst shee is corrected shee learneth and then gets vp when shee seemeth to bee beaten downe Then is shee most valiant in the Truth when shee is most oppugned for the Truth Being laden with tribulations she gathers strength being watered with the bloud of Martyrs shee taketh Spirit in sorrow shee reapeth solace being straited she is enlarged her very teares doe feed her her fastings do refresh her and those things doe make her floate aloft like corke which make worldlings like lead sinke downe vnto the bottome This Church is the pillar and ground of the Truth so termed of her seruice because shee doth by her Ministery Keepe Confirme and Preach the Truth not that shee hath authority ouer the Truth for the Truth is the ground and pillar of the Church But shee hath authority ouer her children and against all Heretiques from the Truth with which shee is betrusted to preserue and Preach I will therefore enquire for the Scriptures in the Church and for the Church in the Scriptures For the Church sheweth the Scriptures by her Ministery and the Scriptures demonstrate the Church by their Authority Of particular Churches THE Sea is one yet by reason that it washeth on many Countries it obtaineth many names as Brittish Spanish Adriaticall Mediterranean So all true Particular Churches in the world make but one Catholique Congregation though by reason of the Countries States or Nations in which they are dispearsed or else because of diuerse outward formes of gouernment they are called by sundry names These Churches by reason of their open profession of the Gospell and by reason of their outward formes are called visible and may bee seene though which of the Professours in them be truely Saints and appertaine to GODS Election and which are onely guilded pot-sheards and not truely sanctified no man can define precisely These Churches are like the Arke in which were all kind of beasts cleane and vncleane like a Barne where there is wheate and chaffe like a Garden where is flowers and weedes an Army where are men and milk-sops a Net wherein are good fish and bad a Kingdome or Citty wherein are good Subiects and false or vnworthy varlets Now these Churches are then reputed true and counted the daughters of the Catholicke when they professe the true faith of CHRIST and maintaine the true worship of GOD For there is the Church where there is true Faith saith Hierome where GOD is feared and praysed saith Austen where the Sacraments of CHRIST are rightly celebrated and His Word heard and conserued saith Beda Where there is consent in the Faith and consanguinity of the Apostles Doctrine saith Tertullian Where GOD appeareth and speaketh with his seruants saith Ambrose Into what Church therefore soeuer I shall come and shall perceiue the soundnesse of worship and the Faith of CHRIST Preached and maintained in the same I will liue peaceably and submit my selfe to the ordinances of GOD therein most willingly Of Christians CHRIST is the King of Kings and LORD of Lords and Christians of all men are onely of His Royall Bloud bone of His Bone flesh of His Flesh animated with His SPIRIT sprung from His Loynes swayed by His Scepter and partakers of His Glory Christians are not vnder the Law but delight in the Law For he that delights in the Law studies to deale according to the Law but hee which is vnder the Law is dealt with according to the law Euery Christian as hee is a Christian must say with Christ My Kingdome is not of this world And though it bee his destiny for a time to liue in this world
Whom doth GOD admit into heauen which is not admitted by the Minister into the Church To whom will GOD giue His Sonne for foode to his hungry soule but to him that receiues Him in the Sacrament Whose sinnes are loosed in heauen but hee that is loosed by the Minister on earth Who is wedded vnto CHRIST IESVS as a Virgine but hee that is prepared and fitted for Him by the Minister Or who is receiued of GOD as an holy liuing and accceptable sacrifice but hee that is as it were tyed to the hornes of the Altar and presented of the Priest perfect in IESVS CHRIST And if it happen that a man bee saued without the Ministery of man say it is a rare and extraordinary fauour and a thing whereof no man should dare to presume least by presuming vpon extraordinary grace and contemning the ordinarie meanes a man doe iustly for presuming depriue himselfe of grace as by his negligence hee depriued himselfe of the meanes of grace But yet there are which meanely esteeme of the Priest-hood because they spie vices in Priests But it were wisedome to distinguish betweene a man and his manners betweene a Priest and his vices and equity not to contemne all for some It were better to make much of the euill for them that are good rather then for them that are euill to contemne the good For it is better to do good vnto the euill though vndeserued then to depriue good men of the good which they doe deserue And hee is a very Cham that will blaze or sport at the nakednesse or infirmities of his Father Arise ô LORD and looke vpon Thy Seruants Let Thy Priests bee cloathed with Righteousnesse And praise yee the LORD all ye Seruants of the LORD yee that stand in the house of the LORD Praise the LORD yee sonnes of Aaron Praise the LORD yee house of Leui All yee that serue the LORD praise the LORD Holinesse becommeth His House for euer Of the Scriptures or Word of God THE Scriptures containe sufficient matter for a mans direction to eternall life They are the rule of faith and the measure of good manners Wouldst thou know what to beleeue They will instruct thee Wouldst thou know how to liue They will teach thee Wouldst thou discerne thine errours They will enlighten thee Wouldst thou amend thy life They will perswade thee Wouldst thou finde comfort They will affoord it thee Thou art blind but They are Light Thou art diseased but They are Sound Thou art euill but They are Good Thou art deceitfull but They are Faithfull For thy wants there is in Them a supply for thy superfluities They haue a remedy The ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of CHRIST Neither can hee know GOD that is ignorant of his Word GODS Word a Meate Drinke and Physicke or the soule Yet as these things hurt the body rather then helpe it if they bee not well entertained so is it with the Word Yet the hurt lies not in the Word which is good but in the heart which is naught The Sunne shining vpon a bed of Roses makes it smell well but vpon a dunghill it makes it stinke The fault is not in the Sunne but in the dunghill To some the Word is the sauour of life to others it is the sauour of death the more they heare the worse they are but this is through their owne corruption Raine falling on a medow makes it flourish but on a flint it doth but wet it And water which quencheth fire inflameth lime And such the Word appeareth by reason of the diuerse obiects whereon it worketh The waters of Marah being bitter were made sweete by a Tree throwne into them The waters of Iericho being vnwholesome and the soile sterile were healed and corrected after Elishah had cast his salt into them So are mens hearts amended by the Word applyed to them and of bitter are made sweete of barren fruitfull by the blessing of GOD vpon it And as Ionathan recouered his sight and strength by the hony which hee tasted of in his faintnesse So the children of GOD are comforted and refreshed by the good Word of GOD which they receiue with hunger into their soules This Word is in it selfe the same though it bee not brought by the same men or in the same language to vs as gold is gold whether it be giuen a man in a purse of veluet or a pouch of leather and the selfe-same man may bee clad either in silke or home-spun russet It skils not therefore so much who brings it as if hee bring it Wee will take money out of a slouens hands Elias will eate his meate though a Rauen bring it And thirsty Sampson will take his drinke out of the iaw-bone of an Asse The light is not the worse because it stands vpon a wodden candlesticke nor learning any whit the lesse to bee respected because it is couered vnder a threed-bare gowne Well howsoeuer the Word comes or whosoeuer brings it it shall bee welcome to mee so long as it is the Word of GOD and not the fables of men It is mine appointed food I will receiue it whether it come in a platter of wood or in plate of siluer or whether the Cooke that drest it be vertuous or ill disposed Of Hearers IT is good to take heed not onely what wee heare but how As it is not amisse for a man to consider what he eates and drinkes as in what fashion Some times death is in the pot and poyson mixed in the cup. I would be loath to let venome in at mine eares or let-them swallow poyson And though a man should receiue that that is good if hee receiue it not well it will rather do him hurt then good Euen good food doth sometimes turne to bad humours though the fault bee not in the foode but in the feeder And workes though externally good yet if they bee not well performed will proue but little beneficiall to the worker There are some that like the Athenians haue their eares open onely for nouelties Some come to heare and not to learne some regard delight and not profite and words rather then matter some wil giue a man the hearing but they will beleeue no more thenlikes their humors And many shew themselues Censurers not Schollers Some are pleased with the voyce and delight in great sounds but whatsoeuer the sense be it is not of so great request Yee shall haue many quarrell with the Preacher his speech is plaine his voyce low he hath no good action his wordes stuck like burres in his throate Hee whips his Auditors hee is too full of the Fathers hee meddles too much with Controuersies hee railes vpon the Parish hee is an easy Diuine it was a plaine Sermon hee Preaches nothing but Law or hee is meale-mouthed hee Preaches his hearers a sleepe hee sings Placentia hee is loath to offend Or hee is neuer well but when hee is inueighing hee speakes daggers and hee aimed