Sunday or Holy day without cause approved by the Curate And is it not a shame that an abuse should grow to a custom which every curate may remedy When Demetrius called in question the dishonour of Diana and the despising of her magnificence as hee calls it the multitude made an outcry no lesse then two hours long Great is Diana of the Ephesians Act. 19.27 And shall we see the dishonour of God and the despising of his magnificence and munificence in that Image which is not from Jupiter but of Jehovah grow into a custom and shall we keep silence Enough of this for I know to whom I speak The other abuse which I complain of is to the dishonour of the other Sacrament Namely it is as it seems a custom or fashion in these parts to bring Joy sops as they call them cups of Wire and Sops to the Communion table at the time of Weddings and to fill the same table with pots and cakes immediately after the end of the marriage that the Bridegroom and Bride and their company may eat drink and be merry But what hath carnal eating and drinking to doe with that table which is provided onely for the soules fast Yea the Canon forbids any Feasts banquets or drinkings to be kept in the Church Chappel or Church-yard much more at the Communion table except the Communion feast onely proper thereto Yea in the Common Prayer book the Communion is appointed to be ministred and celebrated in or with the Marriage businesse and the Bridegroom and Bride are then also injoyned to receive the same It is no good fashion then that Christs cup should give place and be forgotten for Joy sops sake and that this should come in use instead of that is a soul mistake These abuses I desire may be reformed yet withall I crave favour that I may not be in this as an informer to bring any one in question at this time for any thing past but that upon this warning there may bee future reformation wherein if I speed then I have not said nothing concerning a Visitation The rest I leave to God and you beseeching the Lord so to enlighten our heads and sanctifie our hearts and strengthen our hands that we may both know and doe our duties effectually to the obtaining of everlasting blessednesse thorough Jesus Christ c. Finis Serm. 3. Trino-uni gloria Three SERMONS here put together in one continued Tract upon Mat. 13.47 48. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Net that that was cast into the Sea and gathered of every kind which when it was full they drew to shore and sate down and gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away IT is sayd of our Saviour Rev. 3.7 that he hath the key of David and openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth And it seemeth he did this much in his time by Parables For in them he was most frequent and familiar as appeareth here ver 34. All these things spake Iesus unto the multitude in Parables and without a Parable spake he not unto them And the end and reason he sheweth ver 11. namely for opening to his disciples but for shutting to others Therefore his Parables are in this Chapter especially concerning the Kingdom of Heaven Now the Kingdome of Heaven is diversly taken sometimes for the Church Triumphant and state of glory as Mat. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Sometimes for the Church Militant and state of Grace as Mat. 19.14 Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Sometimes for the gathering of the Church the Ministry of the Word the very Kingdom of the Gospel as Mat. 21.43 The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation that shall bring forth the fruits thereof And so it is in this and most of the other Parables of this Chapter Lutz Har. Evang. Regnum coelorum in praesenti non significat vitam faelicitatem beatam sed totum mysterium five negotium Evangelii The Kingdom of Heaven in this place doth not signifie the life of blessednesse but the whole businesse and mystery of the Gospel Theophylact. Sagena est doctrina piscatorum The draw-net doth signifie the Doctrine of Christs Fishermen Here then we have an excellent description and expression of the publishing of the Gospel the very Ministeriall work of Preaching It is expressed by its dignity and honour it is the Kingdome of Heaven 2. By its property or effect it is a draw-net cast into the sea for so the word may be read Sagena a draw-net 3. By its end upshot or issue it hath first its fulnesse which when it was full and then its tryal they drew to shore and sate down and gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away The first part of this description of the Ministerial work is by its honour or dignity it is the Kingdom of Heaven Behold its honour yea indeed its double honour It is a Kingdom and it is a heavenly Kingdome First it is a Kingdom For it hath been the work of Kings and it is still a work that worketh upon Kings It hath been the work of Kings for Melchisedeck a King was also a Priest and David a King was also a Prophet and Solomon a great King affected and adopted to himself the name of a Preacher And it also worketh upon Kings even to subdue and conquer them and in a sort to depose and put them down not temporally from their seats or thrones according to Popish presumption but spiritually from their sins according to Gods ordination Not peremptorily in pride commanding as if a Priest might beard a King but meekly in reverence exhorting as in the message of the King of Kings And that it hath this force in this nature to subdue Kings witness the many Kings and Kingdoms that have been drawn from heathenish superstition to Evangelicall profession by this silly net of simple Fishermen All which together do cry the truth of that which the Prophet spake concerning the Church Is 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens shall be thy nursing mothers and of that Psal 72.11 All Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall do him service Yea not onely it hath this power in this kind to put down but also in the same nature to set up and make to invest and to ordain Kings I mean spiritually to make spirituall Kings so that by meanes of this our Ministry that also is fulfilled and brought to passe Exod. 19.16 Ye shall be unto me a kingdome of Priests and that Rev. 5.10 Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth This is armour of proof unto the Ministers and touch of proof unto the people It is armour of proof unto the Ministers
in that he led captivity captive Eph. 4.8 8. Q. Is there need of sitting or use of seats in Heaven A. No for glorified bodyes are not subject to weaknesse 1 Cor. 15.43 Rev. 21.4 9. Q. Why then is Gods throne and his sitting thereon mentioned Dan. 7.9 Rev. 4.2 A. To set forth God to our capacity by the similitude of a Judge 10. Q. Is not then the right hand of God here properly to be understood A. No for God is a spirit Joh. 4.24 11. Q. What meaneth this then And sitteth on the right hand of God A. It is a borrowed or figurative speech signifying his supreme dignity above all creatures and his government over his Church Eph. 1.20 21 22. and his mediation Rom. 8.34 and his power over his enemies 1 Cor. 15.25 12. Q. What doe you gather for practise out of all aforesaid of the sixth article A. That I must now endeavour to ascend unto Christ in affection Col. 3.1 and in conversation Phil. 3.20 Secondly that I must hope to ascend to him at last bodily and in person Thirdly that I may not think of receiving Christ corporally in the Sacrament because so he is in heaven and shall be to the end Act. 3.27 Fourthly that I must be constant in Gods service seeing Christ hath triumphed over the Kingdome of darknesse Fifthly That I must goe boldly to the Throne of grace Heb. 4.16 Sect. 16. Of the seventh Article or next following 1. Q. WHat is the seventh Article or next following A. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead 2. Q. VVho shall come A. Christ in his humane nature Act. 1.11 10.42 17.31 Ioh. 5.22 3. Q. From whence and whither shall he come 4. From thence that is from heaven Come that is to us on earth as Act. 1.11 4. Q. When shall he come A. It is not revealed Mat. 13.32 5. Q. How shall he come A. In power and great glory Mat. 24.24 30. Luk. 23.30 6. Q. How or wherein shall this judgement be A. Only in trying and in rewarding or answering 2 Cor. 5.10 7. Q. Shall all works then be rewarded or answered according to their worth or merit A. Evill works shall but good works rather according to their evidence and testimony then according to their merit In which sense the word for is to be understood Mat. 25.35 Luk. 7.47 8. Q. But how shall all works be truly tried A. Gods knowledge and our own consciences shall agree as Register books to discover all Rev. 20.12 Gen. 4.7 Num. 32.23 9. Q. Shall there be any other Iudgement A. Yes every soul shall be particularly judged at the hour of death Eccles 12.17 Heb. 9.27 Luk. 16.22 10. Q. What needeth then a second judgement A. Not to amend or alter any thing formerly done Eccles 11.3 but to confirm all publickly by the voice of all 1 Cor. 6.2 And that the body may also be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 11. Q. What mean you by the quick and the dead A. All mankind that shall be then at Christs coming quick and alive or dead and departed 12. Q. What learn you for practise out of all aforesaid of the seventh article A. To rejoyce that he who is my Saviour shall be my judge 2 Tim. 1.12 Secondly to wait and prepare for that which is so certain and uncertain and terrible Mat. 13.35 Thirdly to avoyd secret as well as open sinning because all must come to light 1 Cor. 4.5 Sect. 17. Of the eighth Article or next following 1. Q. WHat is the eighth Article or next following A. I beleeve in the Holy Ghost 2. Q. What is it to beleeve in the Holy Ghost A. To put my trust in him as in my God and sanctifier as before in the first and second Articles 3. Q. How can he God who is said to be sent Joh. 14.26 15.26 and to be received Joh. 20.22 Act. 19.2 and to be given Joh. 14.16 A. That is spoken not in respect of his person but of his gifts or effects 4. Q. Is the Holy Ghost then another from the Father and the Son A. He is another person Ioh. 14.16 another Comforter though they be one in essence 1 Ioh. 5.7 5. Q. What is his personall propriety A. Proceeding equally from the Father and the Son Ioh. 15.26 6. Q. Why is he called holy A. Because he is the worker of holiness Rom. 1.4 the spirit of sanctification 7. Q. How far doth he prevail in this work A. To make us spirit that is spirituall Ioh. 3.6 and partakers of the godly nature 2 Pet. 1.4 8 Q. And is this which is proper to the Elect the alone and onely work of the holy Ghost A. No he worketh many other works common to the reprobate in faculties both temporall as courage Iud. 6.34 14.6 and artificiall skill Ex. 31.3 and also spirituall as understanding the truth Mat. 7.22 and rejoycing in it Mat. 13.20 9. Q. But is the work of regeneration alike in all A. Yes in nature and quality if we respect Adoption Justification and the application of Christ to us though not in quantity if we respect sanctification and faith and the application of us to Christ for in that respect it may be divers in the same person or subject at divers times as the Sun is in his light and heat 10. Q. May the Holy Ghost be then finally and totally lost in the regenerate A. No though in respect of sense for a time he may seem lost as Ps 51.10.12 yet he never finally faileth in the elect Pro. 24.16 Ps 37.24 11. Q. Hath the Holy Ghost been alwaies a worker A. Yea and that not onely in creation Gen. 1.2 and illumination 2 Pet. 1.21 but also in sanctification Ier. 1.5 12. What meaneth that then Joh. 7.39 The holy Ghost was not yet given A. It must be understood of the full revolution of the holy Ghost and exhibition of his miraculous gifts after Christ 13. Q. What doe you learn for practise out of all this aforesaid of the eighth Article A. To worship one God in three persons Secondly to seek and ascribe grace and holinesse from and to the right author Iam. 1.17 Thirdly to take heed of resisting the holy Ghost Act. 7.51 and of grieving the holy Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 lest I disprove my regeneration and quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Sect. 18. Of the ninth Article or the next following 1. Q. WHat is the ninth Article or the next following A. The holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints 2. Q. What word is wanting here A. I beleeve 3. Q. Why not I beleeve in A. Because that implyeth trust and confidence which we must yeeld to God 4. Q. What mean you by the word Church A. Gods chosen and called people Act. 20.28 5. Q. When were they chosen A. Before the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 6. Q. When were or are they called A. In their severall times and turns 7. Q. Whence
to defend them against the piercing of others obloquie and against the pinching of their own industry against outward shame against inward pain For seeing their calling and employment is so high and excellent so great and honourable as not onely themselves to be but also to make others Kings and in this sort to depose the spiritual kingdom of darknes and to set up the kingdom of grace what cloud of shame what storm of pain can be sufficient to dazle the light or to abate the heat of this sun-shining honour or with what difficulty objected or conceited may we be dismayed seeing God hath so honoured us as not only to be his workmen but co-workers with him 2 Cor. 6.1 Yea to stand in his stead and to act his part We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through us we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled unto God Yea and hath so far imparted himself unto us as to affirm He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10.16 This therefore may well be our sufficit our sufficient satisfaction against all discomforts and discouragements and make us say The lot is fallen to me in a fair ground yea I have a goodly heritage Ps 16.6 Secondly it is touch of proof to the people to tell what metall they are whether currant or counterfeit For if they be as they should be and receive this work of ours effectually then they are informed in knowledge reformed in wickednesse conformed in holinesse they are strengthned to strive with nature and elevated to the strain of grace They are no more slaves to lust and pleasure but even in all tribulation more then conquerors Rom. 8.37 they beat downe their body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 They crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 they are born of God and doe overcome the world 1 Joh. 5.4 they are made Kings Yea not onely they shall finde this alteration and exaltation in themselves but we shall also find a change of their affection and disposition toward us for it is unpossible that this great work should be wrought in them but they must acknowledge the instruments and workers their contempt will be turned to reverence their neglect to respect their spight to love their grudging and murmuring into freewill offering liberall contributing Esteeming us as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the secrets of God 1 Co. 1.4.1 Even so far forth as not onely inwardly to conceive but even outwardly to expresse that acclamation How beautifull are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 And so ye see the honour of this work in respect of what it is A Kingdom Secondly the same also appeareth in regard of its quality considering of what kind it is an heavenly kingdom It is said to be of heaven for its Kings sake and for its kinds sake For its Kings sake who only is Christ the Son of God the heavenly King This kingdome hath no King but that Caesar who onely is semper Augustus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords And for its kind sake also being no naturall rule or temporall regiment but supernaturall and divine This therefore must needs be great addition to that former point of honour It is a kingdom to make men Kings It is an heavenly kingdom to make them good Kings which of all works is the best and greatest Man is called a little world yet the rule of himself is greater then of the great world for he that ruleth his own mind is better then he that winneth a City Prov. 16.23 Alezander having subdued the great world or at least a great part of the world where was his honour when he failed in that little rule of himself Surely he then being in honour had no understanding but might be compared to the beasts that perish It is therefore more honour to have our hearts thus crowned spiritually then to have our heads invested with a temporall crown even as much as it is more to bee a good man then a great man or as the soul is more worth then the body or the body and soul more worth then the world or heaven more worth then the earth And such is the nature of this kingdom so doth it inthrone and crown us spiritually not temporally heavenly not earthly My kingdom is not of this world saith our Saviour Joh. 18.36 And here both sellers and buyers both Ministers and receivers both Priests and people may see what kind of commodity they have in hand and learn how to deal therein It is a heavenly traffique they may not be earthly or carnally minded in it The Minister he may not make merchandise of the Word of God or at least no other then free merchandise as the Prophet Isaiah doth Is 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that have no money come buy and eat He may not begin it with what shall I give for it as if the gift of God might be obtained with money for that was Simons sin who thereby shewed himself to be in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquttie Act. 8.18 Nor yet with what shall I have with it as if Christ were to be sold at a price for that was Judas his sin who therefore hanged himself and burst asunder in the midst Act. 1.18 Not but that he may rejoyce in his labour and take his portion Eccl. 2.24 5.17 For that in all degrees is the gift of God And in this particular the labourer is worthy of his hire Luk. 10.7 And thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn 1 Cor. 9.9 but it must be done willingly and of a ready mind not for filthy lucre sake 1 Pet. 5.2 His work is heavenly his aim and end likewise must be heavenly and holy and voyd of earthly respect The people also must take it as it is a spiritual not a carnal commodity and therefore be contented to be discontented and pleased to be displeased and think it their honour to be dishonoured as concerning the flesh and the outward man accounting the faithfull wounds of a lover better then the pleasant kisses of an enemy Prov. 27.6 And Gods precious balms though they break the head Ps 114.5 yet because they heal as soon as break more acceptable more comfortable more estimable then the old serpents apples offered from the forbidden tree because though they delight the eye and please the tast yet in delighting and pleasing at once they also kill and destroy And so much of the first part of the description of the Ministry of the Word namely by its dignity and honour the Kingdom of Heaven The second part or point is its property practise or effect It is a draw-net cast into the sea which gathered of every kind The summe of all
filled Chap. 2. ver 4. yea so abundantly filled that each one was able to fill multitudes For by Saint Peters preaching the same day there were added to the Church about 3000. soules ver 41. Thus this heavenly fire hid since the world began and from all ages Col. 1.26 now breaking forth sheweth most heat and light Thus our Zacheus for that name whether you expound it Just or Pure may well stand for him who is the fountain of all Justice and purity recompenseth his former hoording and sparing by giving fourfold Thus the holy and precious oile of gladnesse powred upon the head of the Church runneth down to the skirts of his clothing even to all his members and parts For saith Saint Peter here ver 16. This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall be in the last daies saith God that I will powre out of my spirit upon all flesh And this is that which is cited Heb. 8.11 They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know ye the Lord for all such know me from the least of them to the greatest Thirdly not to like end was the Holy Ghost before come or given For before he was given to foretell things to come and to be done now to tell and declare things done and finished Before to set forth the shadow of good things to come now to minister the substance of the things themselves Before to teach men but now we may say in some sort to teach Angells For now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Eph. 3.10 And in the ministry of the Gospell the things are now shewed which the Angells desire to behold 1. Pet. 1.12 Before it was to prepare the bride for the marriage of the Lamb Now it is to keep the keies of the bridechamber dore to bind and loose open and shut I will give thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shal be loosed in Heaven saith Christ to Saint Peter Mat. 16.19 For which causes I doubt not it is that the least of the Kingdom of God that is as aforesaid after this third and full revelation of the Trinity is said to be greater then John the Baptist whose time was but a little before it Mat. 11.11 What followeth then for our instruction out of this inlargement of the holy Spirit to us but this that we also be inlarged in the holinesse of our spirits unto him that as he hath abounded unto us so we may abound unto him and that as he to us so we to him be renued In our manner Not with eye service as men-pleasers but heartily as to the Lord. Col. 3.23 In our measure Rich in faith rich in good works In our end Not minding earthly things but having our conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 But how was this new and great coming of the Holy Ghost It was in or under signs and figures types and emblems For the Son came to take our nature because he was to stand in our room to act our cause therefore his coming must be hypostaticall he must be that he seems to be The Word was made flesh Joh. 1. But the Holy Ghost was to renew us into his nature that we might be partakers of the godly nature 2 Pet. 1.4 therefore it sufficeth that his coming be symbolicall not becoming or being what he shews but shewing what he is his properties and effects As excellently here hee doth in three notable symboles or signs Namely Wind Fire and Tongues And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing and a mighty wind c. To seek all the agreements between these shaddows and their substance were to attempt that impossibility 2 Esd 4.5 Weigh me the weight of the fire or measure me the blast of the wind Expect not all then but be content with some And first of the wind The Wind hath two especiall properties Secretness and Activeness First Secretness and that both in its arising and its working 1. Secretnesse in its arising It is so secret that it cannot be known for I will rather believe Christ who telleth me that I cannot tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth Joh. 3.8 then I would yeeld to the wisdom of man if all Philosophers could as indeed they cannot agree together to tell me from whence it cometh God bringeth them out of his treasures Ps 135.7 No doubt out of those treasures of light and and might knowledge and power the light which no man can attain unto 1 Tim. 6.16 And secondly it hath Secretness in its working too for it unsensibly pierceth the sensible joynts and bones Zephyrus quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vitam ferens and worketh sensible refreshing on the unsensible herbs and plants And to the Holy Ghost also is secretnesse proper both in his beginning or arising and in his working In his beginning for we say he hath a beginning of personality though not of nature A beginning from the Father and the Son not in time being coeternall but by proceeding Whereof the proceeding of the stream from the fountain of the heat from the fire and of the light from the sun is all too short and weak expressions and yet these in time we are still together And in his working also he is secret Entring in to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and the joynts and the marrow Heb. 4.12 And as the true Zephyrus breathing breath of lives upon all the plants which the heavenly father hath planted and that unsensibly as the wind blowing when and where and how he listeth The former secresie is for our admiration the greater it is the farther we must stand from it For qui scrutatur majestatem opprimetur à gloria He that searcheth Gods majesty shall be oppressed of his glory It is enough to cry out O the deepness of this secret The latter is for our examination for we must prove our selves whether we are in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 If we live in the spirit we must walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 And as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom 8.14 Again Activenesse also is another property of the wind It is active constantly strongly subtilly variously 1. Constantly for it is alwaies in motion its being consisteth in action for it is not wind if it do not blow And though it be not in all places alwaies alike perceived yet never can it be said to be in no place at all 2. Strongly for it bendeth the pliant plants but breaketh or overturneth the stiffe and sturdy oaks 3. Subtilly for it findeth the chaffe in the middest of the wheat and purgeth and scattereth it quite away 4. Variously for it bringeth sometimes lightning sometimes rain