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A10061
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The laver of the heart; or Bath of sanctification Preached at Pauls Crosse the first of September last, 1615. By Gabriel Price, minister and preacher of Gods word.
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Price, Gabriel.
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1616
(1616)
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STC 20306; ESTC S102929
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54,546
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178
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of the Diuine to pronounce iudgement at the barre why should the Diuine by mans directions bee taught to speake in the Pulpit If the Captaine must not sight when the meane souldier will appoint him nor the souldier fight with such weapons as his enemies will appoint him then Gods Ministers ought not to teach what the best man in the parish will appoint him But the proposition is true Ergo wofull it is to heare how the gold of the Sanctuarie is changed Ierem. Lam. 4.1.2 and become dim and how the Noble men of Sion comparable to fine gold are become earthen pitchers waiting on the humour of men to be filled with winde that they may fill others with vanity that the Lord may say now as this Prophet said of Iudah and Israel Lam. 2.14 Thy Prophets haue looked out vaine and foolish things for thee and they haue not discouered thine iniquitie to turne away thy captiuity but haue looked out for false prophecies and causes of banishment The vse is both for reprehension and for instruction first for reprehension it reproueth first such Ministers that bee slaues and vassals to mens affections Such were the foure hundred 1. Reg. 22.6 Prophets to please Ahab And would to God there were not among the Prophets that will speak as the best man of the parish will haue him speake and that will speake mans inuentious in painted eloquence to set forth themselues and that there were not that because they may not speake what they will speake not at all making a diuorce betweene the tongue and the hart lest their Poperie be seene 1. Cor. 7.23 Galath 1.10 1. Thessal 2.4 Secondly it reproueth such that teach for the doctrines of Gods commandements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mans precepts setting forth their owne inuentions and their Traditiones sancta Romana with more authority and commendation then the word of God Maith 15.9 because if men or Angels proach otherwise then wee haue receiued from Christ and his Apostles they bee accursed Anathama marah natha According to which doctrine of the Apostle Saint Paul Galath 1.9 Cyp. ad Powp p. 228. faith Nihil innonetur nisi quod traditâ—â—n est vnde est istae traditio vtrum de dominica Euangelica authoritate descondâ—â—s an de Apostolorum mandâ—â— is at ques Epistolis veniens ca eniâ—â— faâ—â—â—da â—sse qua scripta sunt c. and proposed vnto Iosuah saying Let not the booke of the Law depart from thy mouth Vntill I deeply weighed this I was drowned in the opinion of learning resolued that where learning is there is the light of true vnderstanding till together with this I say I called to minde that the Scribes and Pharisees chiefe Doctors experienced in the Scriptures vnderstood not the Law nor Christs parables aright because to them it was not giuen Matth. 13.1 Luk. 10.21 but was giuen to babes Whereupon I am now moued to say it is not the wise dome of flesh and blood that can iudge of the spirit not learning but God enlightening that directeth the vnderstanding to the right obiect Wherfore I praise that illustrious Scaliger exere 359. who saith Nostra hac in literarum studijs peregrinatio sine suprema Luce miserabilia quadam erratio est This our painfull peregrination in studies if it be destitute of that supreame light in nothing else but a miserable kinde of wandring Yet in giuing this glory to God I commend not certaine speculatiue spirits that runne in the other extreame who thinke God will make knowne his mysteries to them whether they take paines or no. For if the prouision of this baser life cannot bee gotten without the sweat of our browes much lesse can the food of that better life bee gained without the sweat and industrious searching of our soules But to returne to humane traditions from whence we haue digressed In speaking of humane learning I beseech you to vnderstand me and that with distinction For whan I name humane inuentions traditions whether of doctrines or of ceremonies I pray rightly to be vnderstood For concerning doctrine I meane not that it is vtterly vnlawfull to mention men mens writings in the place of God in preaching for it is lawfull to alleage in Sermons the authority of men making for the truth of God as it was lawfull for Dauid to kill Goliah with his owne sword For an arrow out of a mans owne quiuer against himselfe doth more fester the wound and wound him to death then the sword of his enemy And concerning humane learning I say with Saint Basil Adâ—â—potes that both the knowledge and vse of naturall learning in a Minister is lawfull and somtimes necessarie and this doth the very example of the Apostle reach vs Act. 17.28 Saint Paul to conuince the ignorant and idolatrous Athenians of great blockishnes and prophanesse alleageth the saying of Aratus the Poet to proue the true God who said 1. Cor. 15.33 that in God wee had our liuing our mouing and being And in the question of the resurrection reprouing the Epicures who as if there were no resurrection nor life to come gaue themselues to all pleasure and riotousneste of life S. Paul condemned by a sentence out of Menander the Poet saying Euill speech corrupt good manners The like he alleaged out of Epimenides Tit. 1.12 saying the Cretians are alwaies liars Thus wee see not onely humane but prophane learning may serue Diuinicy as hand-maidens being purified and cleansed from the Idolatrie and impiety of the Heathen Thus farre I dare goe albeit I dare not speake with the spirit of Atheisme and blasphemie that Plinies Philosophie equalleth the bookes of Moses not that Aristotles Ethickes and Politickes equall the Proverbs of Salomon nor that Mareus Aurelius equalleth Marke the Euangelist nor that Merlius prophecy be one with the Prophecie of Isay nor the eloquence of Cicero and Demesthenes equall the cloque noe of the holy Ghost nor any Doctors or Fathers before the doctrine or Christ much lesse the Pope and his decrees to be before or equall with the decrees of God in the Bible Neither doe I meane of traditions concerning ceremonies that it is vtterly vnlawfull to vse any in the Church-apparell and seruice being commanded by the Christian Magistrate For as religion can stand without Popish trash from Rome and Rhemes yet â—ruâ— religion neuer was without certain ceremonies euen as a learned Lecturer of Geneua hath said Bucer in Mat 18. that Cerepâ—oniae enim testes religiouis sunt Ceremonies are witnesses of religion for there are religious as well as irreligious ceremonies Can Baptisme bee without water and the Lords Supper without bread and wine bee not prayers performed with kneeling and what letteth the Sacrament to bee receiued kneeling when the words deliuering the same into the hands of the people it nothing else but a prayer and the precisest I hope will not denie kneeling at prayer The Scripture soundeth as forth of a Trumpet that indifferent things
of God whatsoeuer Vse 1 The vse of this doctrine is laid downe by the Prophet Ieremy saying Ierom. 25.5 Turne againe now euery one from his euill way and from the wickednesse of your inuentions and you shall dwell in the land that the Lord hath giuen vnto you and to your fathers for euer and euer That is as we desire to be the matter whereon Gods mercy shall worke and as we desire to liue euery one quietly vnder his owne vine and if wee would continue in this land which the Lord our God hath giuen vs then we must euery one forsake his euill waies amend our liues and sanctifie our selues that we may be holy Hath any of vs endured misery suffered want hath the plague threatened vs famine pinched vs theeues and robbers spoyled our goods haue any of vs been rich and now poore haue we been vnderset with friends and their sauour turned into disfauour consider deeply the matter O my brethren and let vs at length learne the true way to remedie our euill to procure our safety Psalm 14â— 12 13. and encrease againe what wee haue lost let vs leaue off to doe euill learne to doe well that we may bee saued let vs cast off sinne Hos 5.15 and all shall be amended and restored Then shall the earth yeeld her encrease and God euen our God shall giue vs his blessing Vse 2 Another vse hereof in that sanctification maketh vs capable of Gods mercies that God will neuer withdraw his mercy from him that repenteth Zach. 1.3 and amendeth his life For the Lord hath promised it Turne you vnto me saith the Lord of Hoastâ— and I will turne vnto you saith the Lord of Hosts Feare not the assistance of God in any trouble or triall or death or affliction Psal 89.4.24.28.33 if thou hast repented for then thou shalt hold out to the end For albeit thou maiest slip and fall againe Ioh. 10.28 yet thou canst not finally perish Ioh. 17.23 for all thy sinnes committed after thy true and found repentance 1. Ioh. 3.6 shall not bee thought vpon Which is that 1. Ioh. 2.8 which the blessed Apostle giueth for comfort If any man sin we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous For Iesus is not to bee tied onely to such sins as neuer were committed before but is also to sinnes often fallen into So that frailty and not loosenesse be the cause thereof And an Article of our faith it is to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes shall we glosse vpon it thus that is of such sinnes as I neuer committed but once Surely if we doe it must bee said cursed bee the glosse that corrupteth the Text. For that Article compriseth all sinne before Baptisme and after Baptisme before repentance and after repentance for euer throughout the course of our liues c. Vse 3 Lastly the vse may serue to informe our iudgements that sinne and wickednesse causeth the Lord to translate a people here and there and to spew the vngodly out of their lands goods and dwellings For the seauen nations Leuit. 18. 24. which the Lord cast out before Israel were cast out because they had defiled themselues with sinne vers 25 The land saith the Lord is defiled therefore I will visit the wickednesse therof vpon it and the land shall vomit out hâ—r inhabitants vers 28. For shall not the land spew you out if yee defile it as it spewed out the people that were before you and it is a commandement saying Leuit. 20.22 Ye shall keepe therfore all mine ordinances and all my iudgments and doe them that the land whether I bring you to dwell therein spew you not out But me thinkes I heare some obiect and say If such an one for his sinnes bee cast out of his house land liuing how commeth it to passe that hee to whom the Lord hath giuen it is as wicked as he that was cast forth I answere It may so come to passe in the iustice of God that the rod which the Lord vseth to correct one for sinne may afterward it selfe bee throwee Isa 10.5.12 into the fier Wherefore I beseech you in the feare of God euen as you would be preserued aliue and after this life saued for euer lay away Atheisme Heathenisme Papisme and Brownisme with all sin and wickednesse and continew in the profession of the Gospell that you may dwell in the Lords fauor and inherit the land of the liuing for euer Doct. 2 Againe in that he saith that thou mayest be helped It may serue to teach vs that all our righteousnesse and all that wee doe in the seruice of God bringeth no aduantage nor profit vnto God but the end why God requireth obedience of vs is for our owne good and welfare prooued heere sanctitie is required of vs but for our owne good that wee may bee saued If a man should be an earnest sutor to his neighbour and importune his neighbour not for any thing for himself but for his neighbours owne good would not euery man condemne that man of great follie if hee should reiect his requests yet the Lord of heauen and earth daily importuneth vs and that for our owne euerlasting gaine which is godlinesse to bring vs to eternall blisse and wee turne the backe and giue him the left eare like gracelesse children vpon whoÌ„ their parents bestow many meanes and much money in schooling and otherwise to haue them thriue in learning and trading but all in vaine Know dear Christians that your comming to Church and giuing your presence at a Sermon is not to countenaÌ„ce the Preacher nor to the glory of God onely but it is for thine owne gaine not only the gaine of spirituall graces but of temporall good things also For as Iob saith Iob 22.3 Is it any thing to the Almighty that thou art righteous is it profitable to him that thou makest thy waies vpright therefore acquaint thy selfe I pray thee with him and make peace vers 21. thereby thou shalt haue prosperitie For if thou returne to the Almighty vers 23. thou shalt bee built vp thou shalt lay vp gold for dust vers 24. and the gold of Ophir as the fliuts of the riuers Yea the Almighty shall bee thy defence vers 25. and thou shalt haue plentie of siluer Deut. 5.29 Who can denie and reade this but that all Iob 35.7 that the Lord commands Psalm 16.2 50.12 116.12 is for our welfare vnlesse we will denie God himselfe The reason of this truth is because God is Almighty and able to glorifie himselfe without vs. But heere a question may arise Mat. 3.9 which is this If our seruice doe not profit God why doth the Lord require it it seemeth he hath some respect to himselfe No such matter But when hee requireth vs to abstaine from euill and doe good hee onely considereth what is