disdaines to speake the least word to me Ah my deere Childe my heart melts like Wax in the midst of my bowels to thinke of thee Thou art alas what say I where am I thou art poore wretch possessed of a Dieull and there was hope but now what shall I doe when the Lord of Life shuts his eare to my complaint and roundly answeres me in not answering me Thus she might haue debated the case but she did not For though Christ was silent yet in truth He gaue her a double answere the one by the generall promises of his word the other by the secret whisperings of his Spirit Hee mindes her well enough but Hee makes as though Hee heard not that the precious graces lock't vp in the Cabinet of her heart might bee brought forth to light Besides her cries were Musicall so hee is loth to haue them broke off And more this Delay bred no danger but wher on her affection and made the gift more welcome at the receipt for vsually what is hardly got is greatly set by It is euen so the childe of GOD prayes sometimes on his Knees sometimes on his Face and that with sighes that cannot be expressed and yet GOD seemes not to regard but rather to be angry at his prayer Psalme 80. 4. O Lord saith the Church in her affliction how long wilt thou bee angry against the prayer of thy people Psalme 22. 2. O my God saith Dauid I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season I take no rest Lam. 3. 44. Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloud saith the desolate Ierusalem that our prayer should not passe through What then Esay 59. ◠Is the Lords hand shortned that it cannot saue Or his eare heauy that it cannot heare No But our Iniquities do separate betweene vs and our GOD and our sinnes hide his face from vs that hee will not heare Sometimes we aske we know not what with the sonnes of Zebedee Math. 10. 22. Sometimes we aske with doubting and wauering Iames 1. 6. Sometimes wee aske amisse that wee might consume it on our lusts Iames 4. 5. Sometimes we offer a Dogges-necke Esay 66. 3. our soules delighting in our abhominations Sometimes nay almost alwaies wee haue rouing and ranging thoughts and so no maruell if wee receiue not Quomodo te audiri à Deo postulas cûm te ipse non audias saith Cyprian Cypr. de Orat. Dom. How dar'st thou desire that GOD should heare thee when thou hearest not thy selfe Thou wakest with thine eyes and sleepest with thine Heart where a Christian should wake with his Heart when he sleepeth with his Eyes But let vs step on to the second Discouragement Then came to Him his Disciples and besought him saying send her away for shee cryeth after vs. Where the Disciples do not entreate Him to pittie her but onely to dispatch her one way or other because she kept such a bawling Which dealing of theirs discouers their Curiosity for they will needes for sooth teach their Maister what to do as though Hee leard not as well as they and would not haue dismist her had hee thought it conuenient Thus tampers Peter in a matter of Life and Death and that Eternall and Vniuersall Math. 16. 22. till our Sauiour cals him Satan for his paines But that which I chiefly fasten vpon from the Disciples indifferency is the boundlesse and bottomelesse mercy of GOD which compared with Mans is as the Ocean to a Drop Which made Dauid in the wonderfull strait of Three plagues propounded to choose to fall into the hand of the Lord not into the hand of Man These Disciples were the friends and followers of Christ the Light of the world the Patriarkes of the New Testament assigned to high and heauenly Functions Mathew to bee an Euangelist Peter an Apostle Saint Iohn an Euangelist an Apostle and a Prophet an Euangelist in his Gospell an Apostle in his Epistles a Prophet in his Reuelation Then who should be good if they were euill who tender-hearted if they were vnmercifull Yet such small compassion harbour'd they in their bosomes that so she would leaue her clamouring whether shee sped or no they car'd not greatly Which makes me wonder that the Romanists should bee so chub-headed as to proue from hence the Invocation of dead Saints For first this Woman desires none of them to speake for her Secondly they complaine they make not intercession Thirdly she is neuer the neerer for their request Fourthly suppose she had far'd the better yet I hope there is great difference between praying to the liuing and to the dead Me thinks they should be ashamed thus foully to wrest this Example but who would looke for water from a Pumice-stone or vertues blush in an Italianated cheeke Are these the men so renowned for Artes Tongues Reading Are these the Kil-Cowes of the world for learning Are these the best Schollers of their Seuen-headed Parnassus Come come the Iesuits the Popes Roaring Boyes know well enough we haue got the start of them and therefore they make now no Syllogismes but in FERIO Yet some of our Gentlemen that haue made a steppe beyond the Alpes looke as bigge as Bull-beefe if we offer to compare with them and tell vs with a shrugge that They haue Scripture Councels and the Fathers on their side But when wee come to the battell they tell vs from Cardinall Bellarmine that Scripture is not a Rule but a Commonitorie That it is not sufficient That it is not necessarie Come to Councels we are willing to be iudg'd by the most sacred Councell of Ierusalem and in all poynts of Faith by the Ancient Generall Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedonia They make shew of no great dislike but at last they bring vs to the Councell held at Rome vnder Iohn the Three and twentith where the Owle sate President on the Beame or to the Councell of Constance where they burnt the Diuell in Iohn Husses Mitre or to their deare deare Councell of Trent where the Pope against all conscience was both Partie and Iudge Descend we to the Fathers they bring forth marching in single file Origen Cyprian Athanasius Ambrose Austen Ierome Chrysostome and the rest and would make vs beleeue they came Voluntaries when in truth they prest them into the field Where when they bid CHARGE they giue them two blowes for our one and S. Augustine that carries the garland from them all ioynes cheerefully with vs and with speare in wrest makes lanes amongst them Which they perceiuing determine the next time to be euen with vs and to bring forth old Doctors indeed that will stand to them backe and edge namely my Neam Clement and my Neam Abdy and my Neam Martiall and my Neam Hyppolite and my Neam Amphiloch and other such Buttoncap't Fathers as were neuer yet in Rerum Natura Thus haue I Beloued vpon occasion of this simple
THE PATTERNE OF AN INVINCIBLE FAITH A Sermon preached at Paules Crosse the first Sunday after Trinity being the 2 d. of Iune 1616. By WILLIAM WORSHIP Doctor of Diuinitie PSALME 17. 6. I haue called vpon thee surely thou wilt heare me ô GOD. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR FRANCIS BACON KNIGHT ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST HONOVRABLE PRIVIE COVNSELL RIGHT Honourable there is no child of GOD but either hath or must shortly wrastle with Death and Hell A conflict so terrible that not onely the sweat will bubble through the brow but the very bloud will trickle downe within the ribbes Iob. 6. 4. Thus Iob was a Butt for the Almighty to shoot at Oh his spirit was drunke vp with the venim of his Arrowes Psa 77 9. 10. 6. 3. 38. 2. 3. How oft was Dauid at the brim of despaire what cryings what roarings were there before his conscience could he still'd Isa 38. 13. 14. Hezechias chatters like a Crane or Sâ—â—llow whâ— the Lord brake his bones in peecâ—s like 〈◊〉 Peter bitterly weepes Mat 26 75. Luke 18. 13. Rom 7. 24. 1. Tim. 1. 13. the Publican thumpes himselfeâ— and Paul cannot leaue his sighing to think of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persecution and Oppression the cursed fruâ—â— his former ignorance For Preparation against this Agonie I thought it fit to treat of the rare History of the Syro-Phoenician in that solemne and Honorable Assembly whereunto I was newly cal'd Whereon while my thoughts were attending I was suddenly cast vpon my bed of sicknesse and so became more disabled for so great a taske which yet I endeuoured to performe as the Lord gaue vtterance And being by some intreated to divulge it I vtterly denied as conscious of mine owne wants when loe receiuing some inckling of your Honours fauour towards me I aduentured to coÌ„secrate this poore Discourse to your name as desirous to congratulate with the rest of the Sonnes of the Prophets this iust amplification of your deserued honour And so the boldnesse of Loue and Duty hath sent out this meane and slender Tractate to one of the most Accurate Iudgments and Heroical Spirits vnder Heauen With my daily prayers for the continuance and encrease of true blessings to your Honour I humbly take leaue Your Honours euer in all duetie and obseruance WILLIAM WORSHIP THE TEXT MATH 15. 22. c. 22 And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same Coasts and cryed vnto him saying Haue mercy on mee ô Lord thou Sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuill 23 But he answered her not a word And his Disciples came and besought him saying send her away for she cryeth after vs. 24 But he answered and said I am not sent but vnto the lost sheep of the house of Israel 25 Yet shee came and worshipped him saying Lord helpe mee 26 But hee answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to Dogges 27 And she said Truth Lord yet the Dogges eat of the crummes that fall from their maisters table 28 Then Iesus answered and said vnto her O woman great is thy Faith bee it vnto thee euen as thou wilt NOw was the time that the day began to dawne when the beames of Christs grace 〈◊〉 shortâ—â— to bee shed vpon the Gentiles The Scribes and Pharises the Diuines of Iury through Enuy and Maliciousnesse discerne not the worth of the Messiah They hold hold him but Glasse or else but Chrystall or but white Saphir at the best when in truth hee is a * So Luther cals him in his Coâ—ment vpon the 2 to the Galatians Diamond For as the Diamond is the chiefe of Gemmes so Iesus Christ is the chiefe of Men. As the colour of the Diamond is properly of no colour so the comming of Christ was without any shew As there is nothing more white then the light of the Diamond nothing more blacke then his shadow so nothing more glorious then Christ in his Transfiguration nothing more sad then Hee in his Passion Yet as a Diamond set on blacke tent or pitch changeth not his hue as any other stone would doe so Christ on the Crosse in Death in the Graue is still the same without variation And as the Diamond yeeldeth not to the Hammer nor to the File nor to the Fire nor scarse to Time it selfe so Christ is inuincible lasting Euerlasting Then Cleopatraes Pearle is worth two hundred and fifty thousand Crownes howsoeuer the Hog trample it vnder foot and Christ is here highly prized by an Aliant although the Iewes make no reckoning of Him The Historie consists of three parts a Protasis an Epitasis a Catastrophe The Protasis or Ground worke is in the 22 verse and containâ—s A Note of Attention a Description of a Petitioner a Description of the Party sued to and the Summe of the Supplication The Epitasis or Busie part comprehends the diuers Repulses or Discouragements of the said Suppliant where are also inter-wouen many rare and incomparable vertues to the 28 verse The Catastrophe or Close containes as well An high Commendation of the Petitioner as A cheerefull Grant of her Desire in the last verse The Text is long and full of matter I will striue to be short but dare not too cursorie lest I huddle vp the message of my Heauenly Maister And Behold This Behold in this place giues euery one of vs an hub by the elbow and cals on vs to attend How attend Iuguâ—â—â—â—â— Saint Austine tels vs with vnderstanding with willingnesse with obedience With vnderstanding that we may come to the kernell of the Word with willingnesse for God loues a cheerefull hearer with obedience as the end of both for without Holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. He therefore that hath eares to heare let him heare and let him heare Now this very Sermon this present Sunday lest the Lord cut him off that he neuer heare Preacher more or at least take away his hearing which is worse then if he lost his limbes or his eye-sight For wanting them hee might bee carried to the Church where if hee could not get in for the presse yet he might be let downe with cordes before the Preacher as was the man that was sicke of the Palsie Marke 2. 4. and so receiue comfort It were but taking of softly the leades in some places the tyles in som alas the thatche but when the sense of Hearing is gone then farewell the sound of the word Preached the most delicate and heauenly Musick that euer was The Petitioner whom we are to behold is described by her Sex by her Country by her Faith and by her Zeale By her Sex Behold a woman not for the blaze of beauty which perhaps shee wanted but for the Commemoration and Imitation of her vertues Luke 1. 48. 2. 36. 3. 8. The Euangelists mention many excellent women the blessed Virgin her cosen Elizabeth old Anna loanna Susanna others which
Redemption and by the Right of Marriage and therefore is the Head of the Church in regard of Order as being the First-born among his Brethren In regard of Perfection both for his sublimitie fulnes of Grace and in regard of Vertue for that a certaine influence is deriued from him to all the members of his Church And Hee is called Lord not Denominatiuely but Essentially to the right conceiuing whereof is required a stedfast beleefe of his God-head against those execrable Heretickes Ebion Cerinthu◠Berillus Samosatenus Marcianus Photinus Arius Seruet Francis Dauid the Anti-trinitariās of this time And here obserue how honourably this woman thinkes of Christ Shee cals him Lord the Iewes Beelzebub Math. 10. 25. Yet she was an Heathea they Circumcised 1. Cor. 1. 28. Shee an Out-cast they of Israel shee nuzled vp in grosse Idolatry they trayned vp in the Law from their child-hood she but of small and slender knowledge they learned men and subtle Disputers Good Lord how strong art thou in weaknesse and how thou choosest the things that are not to bring to passe the things that are Aug. Cons Etiam sic Domine etiam sic Euen so ô Lord because it is thy will whose dealings are often secret alwaies iust Now where shee salutes Him by the name of the Sonne of Dauid it is euident that shee takes him to bee the promised Messiah For all Iurie rang of this Iohn 7. 42. that The Christ should come of the linage of Dauid Which shee hearing at an outside assisted by the Spirit of God and weighing all circumstances aright concludes that This is He. Which declares her faith to bee holy and aduised well grounded vpon the promises of God and not a fleeting and vapourous imagination This is that which is written in the very beginning of the Gospell The Booke that is the Catalogue or Register Math. 1. 1. of the Generation of IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of DAVID As if Saint Mathew like Iohn Baptist should point with his finger to the Messiah and cry Behold this Man so poore and so contemptible in shew is lineally descended from the Kings of Iudah and is the onely Redeemer of Israel A wonderfull Mysterie that GOD should be manifested in the flesh 1. Tim. 3. 16. yet is it the staffe and pillar of our comfort Therefore Saint Paul affirmes Rom. 1. 3. that Christ was made of the seed of Dauid Not that the Virgin Mary conceiued Him through the pleasure of carnall desire but through faith remaining still in her chastenesse and integrity euen as the Church in a kind of Imitation brings forth children to GOD and is yet a Virgin August Enchirid as Austin excellently noteth Then here is a Towell thrust into the throates of Valentine Marcion Manichaeus Apollinaris and other pestilent Heretickes who stand vp against the truth of Christs Humanity And more there is ministred a sweet Repose for a troubled conscience For what keepes me from dispaire when Satan claps hold on mee with his bloudy sleeue and his great Butchers knife a-crosse his mouth but this that my Sauiour is the Sonne of Dauid Heb. 2. 17. Gal. 1. 4. a mercifull and faithfull High Priest who hath giuen himselfe for my sinnes Hee hath Giuen Satan vnderstand'st thou that not receiued not exacted Hee hath giuen Himselfe Himselfe Satan mark'st thou that not Siluer not Gold not Paschall Lambes not Angels For my Sinnes Satan mind'st thou that Not for my Holinesse not for my Righteousnesse For My sinnes Satan hear'st thou that as well as for Paules or for Peters For though they were a thousand times more Sanctified then I yet were they neuer a whit more Iustified then I And the goodnesse they had came not from themselues but from GOD who hath put into my heart a great desire not of Heauen onley for so had Balaam Numb 23. 10. but of Faith and Repentance which the Reprobate cannot haue Thus if in our Agonies wee shall latch the blowes of our ghostly Aduersarie wee may boldly look for that Crowne of Righteousnes 2. Tim. 4. 8. which the Lord hath promised to those that loue his appearing The Summe of her Petition is set downe two waies Indefinitely and Determinately Indefinitely in these words Haue mercy on me Where shee sues in forma Pauperis and pleades for Mercy not Merit though she was one of the godliest women in all the world Yet you know Beloued who stand vpon the Merit of Condignity affirming and that from their Councell of Trent Concil Trid. Sect 6. cap. 11. 1. Cor. 9. 16. that they haue Faculty giuen them perfectly to fulfill the Law Nay the Rhemists go further and will stand to it that they are able to doe more then the Ten Commandements require They talke of Puritans but if these be not pure pute Sycophants and the white sonnes of Novatus the ROMAN Presbyter who are To whom notwithstanding to doe them a fauour wee will chaine the Anabaptist after whom shall come the Brownist in a string who is halfe an Anabaptist as the Tadpole is halfe a Frogge Well for vs poore Publicanes wee will not trust to our deserts which will shelter vs no more then an Arbour in Winter but to GODS tender compassion What though my sinnes bee as red as bloud as blacke as Haire-cloth as Pitch as Hell Yet are they not Infinit as is GODS Mercie Onely I must Repent that is confesse and forsake my sinnes and turne with my whole heart not faynedly to the Lord. For our Sauiour chargeth his Disciples to Preach Repentance and Remission of sinnes Luke 24. 47. So that no Repentance no Forgiuenesse of sinnes I know the Gospell is a Booke of Mercie I know that in the Prophets there are many aspersions of Mercy I know that Out of the Eater comes Meat and out of the Strong comes Sweetnesse Iudg. 14. 14. and that in the Ten Commandements which bee the Ministration of Death 2. Cor. 3. 7. there is made expresse mention of Mercy I will haue mercy vpon Thousands Yea the very first words of them are the Couenant of Grace I am the Lord THY God Yet if euery Leafe and euery Line and euery Word in the Bible were nothing but Mercy Mercy it nothing auailes the Presumptuous sinner that lies rotting in his iniquities Our GOD is not an impotent GOD with one Arme but as Hee is slow to anger so is Hee great in Powre Nahum 1. 3. and will not surely cleere the wicked O but he is Mercifull Gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity and transgression and sinne Is not here Mercy mentioned nine or ten times together It is But reade on to the very next words And not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the Fathers vpon the children and vpon childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation Is not this the terrible voyce of Iustice