TO MY EVER most worthily honour'd Lord the Earle of NORVVICH My most honoured LORD I Might not but tell the world that this Sermon which was mine in the Pulpit is Yours in the Presse your Lordships will which shall neuer bee other then a command to mee fetches it forth into the Light before the fellowes Let mee bee branded with the Title of it if I can thinke it worthy of the publike view in comparison of many acurate peeces of others which I see content themselues dayly to dye in the eare Howsoeuer if it may doe good I shall blesse your Lordship for helping to aduance my gaine Your noble and sincere true-heartednesse to your God your King your Countrey your friend is so well knowne that it can be no disparagement to your Lordship to patronize this Hypocrite whose very inscription might cast a blurr vpon some guilty reputation Goe on still most noble Lord to be a great Example of vertue and fidelity to an hollow and vntrusty Age You shall not want either the acclamations or Prayers of Your Lordships euer deuoted in all true duty and obseruance IOS Exon. THE HYPOCRITE 2. TIM 5. 3. Hauing a forme of Godlines but denying the power thereof IT is an vnperfect Clause you see but a perfect description of an Hypocrite and that an Hypocrite of our own times the last which are so much the worse by how much they partake more of the craft and diseases of age The Prophets were the Seers of the old Testament the Apostles were the Seers of the new those saw Christs day and reioyced these foresaw the reigne of Antichrist and complained These very times were as present to S. Paul as to vs our sense doth not see them so clearely as his reuelation I am with you in the spirit saith he to his absent Colossians reioycing and beholding your order he doth as good as say to vs I am with you in the Spirit lamenting and beholding your mis-demeanours By these diuine Opticks hee sees our formall piety reall wickednes both which make vp the compleate Hypocrisie in my Text Hauing a forme of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof I doubt not but some will bee ready to set this sacred Prognostication to another Meridian and indeed wee know a generation that loues themselues too well much more then peace and truth so couetous that they would catch all the world in S. Peters net proud boasters of their owne merits perfections supererogations it would bee long though easie to follow all we know where too many treasons are hatched wee know who in the height of minde exalts himselfe aboue all that is called God wee know where pleasure hath the most delicate and debauch'd Clients we know where Deuotion is professedly formall and liues impure and surely were wee clearely innocent of these crimes I should be the first that would cast this stone at Rome but now that wee share with them in these sins there is no reason wee should bee seioyned in the Censure Take it among yee therefore yee Hypocrites of all professions for it is your owne Yee haue a forme of Godlinesse denying the power thereof What is an Hypocrite but a Player the Zani of Religion as ye heard lately a Player acts that he is not so doe ye act good and are wicked here is a semblance of good a forme of Godlinesse here is a reall euill a deniall of the power of Godlinesse There is nothing so good as Godlinesse yea there is nothing good but it nothing makes Godlinesse to be good or to be Godlinesse but the power of it for it is not if it worke not and it workes not if not powerfully now the denyall of good must needs bee euill and so much more euill as the good which is denyed is more good and therefore the denyall of the power of Godlinesse must needs bee as ill as the forme or shew of Godlinesse would seeme good and as the power of Godlinesse is good this is therefore the perfect hypocrisie of fashionable Christians they haue the forme they deny the power here is then a direct and professed opposition betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the forme and the power and no lesse betweene the actions employed about them both the one hauing the other denying hauing the forme denying the power As all sinne is originally from the Diuell so especially Hypocrisie hee is the father of Lyes and what is Hypocrisie but a reall Lye that is his Darling and these two are well put together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. TIM 3. 2. in Hypocrisie speaking Lyes Now as all things are more eminent in their causes and originals then in the effects deriued from them so it must needs be said that the greatest Hypocrite in the World is the Diuell I know hee heares what I say but wee must speake truth and shame him For Satan is trasformed into an Angel of light saith the Apostle not he was but he is so transformed that he neuer did neuer will put off that counterfeit and as all his Impes are partakers of the Satanicall nature so in euery Hypocrite there is both the Angel and the Diuell the seeming Angel is the forme of Godlinesse the reall Diuell is the denyall of the power of Godlinesse It must be in another sense that that father said Innocentia tempore posterior est quam malitia I am sure the Angel of light was before the Satan and now because hee is Satan hee puts on the Angel of light such shall be our method in this Hypocrite wee treat of first wee will begin with the Angell of Hypocrisie and then shew you the Diuell in his true shape First then here is a forme and but a forme of Godlinesse A forme do's well but if it be but a forme it is an immateriall shadow of Pietie such was this of these men for they were vnnaturall traytors headye high-minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely if they were vnnaturall they must needs bee vnchristian if they were traytors to their King they could bee no Subiects to God if heady and high-minded they had nothing to doe with him whose first Lesson was Learne of me for I am meeke Nulla creatura humilior Deo as Laurentius well if they had pleasure for their Idoll they could not haue the Lord for their God so as euen without God they had yet a forme of Godlinesse Godlinesse is a thing much talkt of little vnderstood whiles the ancient Schoole had wont to say that it is not practicall not speculatiue but affectiue their meaning was that it is in all these in the heart in the braine in the hand but most in the heart it is speculatiue in the knowledge of God practicall in the Seruice to God affectiue in our feare of him loue to him ioy in him Shortly then to apprehend God as he hath reuealed to serue him as hee hath required to bee affected to him as wee ought is
other a positine denyall In the former what power hath Godlinesse if it haue not made vs good a feeble Godlines it is that is ineffectuall if it haue not wrought vs to bee deuout to God iust to men sober and temperate in the vse of Gods creatures humble in our selues charitable to others where is the Godliness where is the power If these were not aparantly done there were no forme of Godline if these be not soundly heartily done there is a palpable deniall of the power of Godlines Heare this then ye ignorant and seduced soules that measure your Deuotions by number not by weight or that leaning vpon your idle elbow yawningly patter out those prayers whose sound or sense yee vnderstand not yee that bring list-lesse eares seuered from your wandring hearts to the Messages sent from Heauen yee that come to Gods board as a surfeited stomacke to an Hony-combe or a sicke stomacke to a Potion Shortly ye that pray without feeling hear without care receiue without appetite ye haue a forme of godlines but deny the power of it Heare this yee that weare out the floore of Gods house with your frequent attendance yee that haue your eares open to Gods Messengers and yet shut to the cries of the Poore of the Orphan of the Labourer of the distressed Debtor ye that can lift vp those hands to heauen in your fashionable prayers which yee haue not reached out to the reliefe of the needy members of your Sauiour whiles I must tell you by the way that hard rule of Laurentius Magis delinquit diues non largiendo superflua quam pauper rapiendo necessaria the rich man offends more in not giuing his superfluities then the poore man in stealing necessaries Yee that haue a fluent tongue to talke vnto God but haue no tongue to speake for God or to speake in the cause of the dumbe Ye haue a forme of Godlinesse but deny the power thereof Shortly yee that haue no feare of God before your eyes no loue to goodnesse no care of obedience no conscience of your actions no diligence in your Callings yee haue denied the power of Godlinesse This very priuatiue denial shall without your repentance damne your soules Remember Oh remember that there needes no other ground of your last and heauiest doome then Yee haue not giuen Yee haue not visited But the Positiue denyall is yet more irrefragable If very priuations and silence speake much more are actions vocall Heare this then yee visors of Christianitie who notwithstanding all your ciuill smoothnesse when yee are once moued can teare Heauen with your Blasphemies and bandy the dreadful name of GOD in your impure mouthes by your bloody Oathes and Execrations ye that dare to exercise your saucie wits in prophane scoffes at Religion yee that presume to whet your law-lesse tongues and lift vp your rebellious hands against lawfull authority whether in Church or State yee that grinde faces like edge-tooles and spill blood like water yee that can neigh after strange flesh and vpon your voluptuous beds act the filthinesse of Sodomiticall Aretinismes yee that can quaffe your drunken carouses till you haue drowned your reason in a deluge of deadly Healthes yee whose foule hands are belimed with bribery and besmeared with the price of blood yee whose sacrilegious throats haue swallowed downe whole Churches and Hospitals whose mawes haue put ouer whole Parishes of sold and affamished soules yee whose faction and turbulencie in nouell opinions rends the seame-lesse Coat not considering that of Melancthon that Schisme is no lesse sinne then Idolatry and there cannot easily be a worse then Idolatry either of them both are enough to ruine any Church vnder Heauen Now the God of Heauen euer keep this Church of ours from the mischiefe of them both yee whose tongues trade in lyes whose very profession is fraud and cozenage yee cruell Vsurers false Flatterers lying and enuious Detractors In a word yee who euer yee are that goe resolutely forward in a course of any knowne sinnes and will not bee reclaimed yee yee are the men that spit God in the face and deny flatly the power of Godlinesse woe is mee we haue enow of these Birds euery where at home I appeale your eyes your eares would to God they would conuince me of a slander But what of all this now the power of Godlinesse is denyed by wicked men How then what is their case Surely inexplicably vnconceiuably fearefull The wrath of God is reuealed from Heauen against all vngodlinesse saith the Apostle How reuealed say you wherein differ they from their neighbours vnlesse it be perhaps in better fare no gripes in their conscience no afflictions in their life no bands in their death impunitas ausum ausus excessum parit as Bernard Their impunitie makes them bold their boldnesse outragious Alas wretched Soules The World hath nothing more wofull then a Sinners welfare It is for slaughter that this Oxe is fattened Ease slayeth the simple and the prosperitie of fooles shall destroy them PRO. 1. 22. This brasteata foelicitas which they inioy here is but as Carpets spread ouer the mouth of Hell For if they denie the power of Godlinesse the God of power shall be sure to denie them Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie I know you not There cannot bee a worse doom then Depart from me that is depart from peace from blessednesse from life from hope from possibility of being any other then eternally exquisitely miserable Qui te non habet Domine Deus totum per didit Hee who haith not thee O Lord God hath lost all as Bernard truely dying is but departing but this departing is the worst dying dying in Soule euer dying so as if there be an Ite depart there must needs be a maledicti depart ye cursed cursed that euer they were borne who liue to dye euerlastingly For this departure this curse ends in that fire which can neuer neuer end Oh the deplorable condition of those damned soules that haue sleighted the power of Godlinesse what teares can bee enough to bewayle their euerlasting burnings what heart can bleed enough at the thought of those tortures which they can neither suffer nor auoyd Hold but your finger for one minute in the weake flame of a farthing Candle can flesh and blood indure it With what horror then must we needes thinke of Body and Soule frying endlesly in that infernall Topheth Oh thinke of this ye that forget Got and contemne Godlinesse with what confusion shall yee looke vpon the frownes of an angry God reiecting you the vgly and mercilesse Fiends snatching you to your torments the flames of Hell flashing vp to meet you with what horror shall ye feele the gnawing of your guilty consciences and heare that hellish shrieking and weeping and wailing and gnashing It is a paine to mention these woes it is more then death to feele them perhorreseite minas formidate supplicia as Chrysostome Certainly my beloued if wicked
Nature create vs anew free vs from euill feoffe vs in good honour wealth contentment euerlasting happinesse Oh the wonderfull Oh the beneficiall power of Godlinesse And now what is the desire of my soule but that all this could make you in loue with Godlinesse that in stead oâ— the ambitions of honour the tradings for wealth the pursuit of pleasure your hearts could be set on fire with the zealous affectation of true Godlinesse Alas the least ouerture of any of these makes vs mad of the world if but the shadow of a little honour wealth promotion pleasure bee cast before vs how eagerly doe we prosecute it to the eternall hazard of our Soules behold the substance of them all put to together offers it selfe in Godlines how zealously should we embrace them and neuer giue rest to our Soules till we haue laid those true grounds of hapnesse which shall continue with vs when all our riches and earthly glorie shall lie downe with vs in the dust Alas noble and Christian hearers yee may bee outwardly great and inwardly miserable it was a great Caesar that said I haue beene all things and am neuer the better It is not your bags ye wealthy Citizens that can keepe the Gout from your ioynts or Care from your hearts It is not a Coronet ye great Peeres that can keepe your heads from aching all this earthly pompe and magnificence cannot keepe out either death or conscience Our prosperity presents vs as goodly Lillies which whiles they are whole look faire and smell sweet but if once bruised a little are nastie both in sight and sent it is only Godlinesse that can hold vp our heads in the euill day that can bid vs make a mocke at all the blustering stormes of the world that can protect vs from all miseries which if they kil yet they cannot hurt vs that can improue our sufferings and inuest vs with true eternall glory Oh then be couetous be ambitious of this blessed estate of the Soule and as Simon Macchabeus with three yeeres labour tooke downe the top of mount Acra in Hierusalem that no hill might stand in competition of height with the Temple of God so let vs humble and prostrate all other desires to this one that true Godlines may haue the sway in vs. Neither is this consideration more fit to bee a whetstone to our zeale then a touch stone to our condition Godlinesse why it is an herb that growes in euery soyle as Platina obserues that for 900. yeares and vpwards none of those Popes of whom sanctity is ascribed in the abstract were yet held Saints after their death except Celestine the 5. which gaue vp the Pontificall Chayre after sixe Moneths weary sitting in it so on the contrary wee may liue Ages ere wee heare a man professe himselfe god-lesse whiles hee is abominably such He is too bad that will not bee thought godly as it is a brazen-fac'd Curtezan that would not bee held honest That which Lactantius said of the Heathen Philosophers that they had many Schollers few followers I cannot say of the Diuiue wee haue enow to learne enow to imitate but few to act Be not deceiued Godlinesse is not impotent where euer Godlines is there is power Hath it then preuayled to open our eyes to see the great things of our peace hath it raysed vs vp from the graue of our sinnes eiected our hellish corruptions changed our wicked natures new created our hearts well may we applaud our selues is the confidence of our godlinesse but if we be still old still corrupt still blind still dead still diuelish Away vaine Hypocrites yee haue nothing to doe with Godlinesse because Godlinesse hath had no power on you Are yee godly that care to know any thing rather then God and spirituall things Are yee godly that haue neither ability nor will to serue that God whom yee fashionably pretend to know Are ye godly which haue no inward awe of that God whom yee pretend to serue No gouernment of your Passions no Conscience of your Actions no care of your Liues False Hypocrites yee doe but abuse and prophane that name which yee vniustly arrogate No no Godlinesse can no more be without power then the God that works it Shew mee your Godlinesse in the true feruor of your Deuotions in the effectuall sanctification of your hearts and tongues in the conscionable carriage of your liues Else lo the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to take my Couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed PSAL. 50. 16. Yee haue heard the power of Godlinesse heare now the denyall of this power How then is it denyed Surely there is a verball there is a reall denyall rebus verbis as Hilary It is a mistaking of Logicians that Negation is the affection of a Proposition onely No God and Diuiuitie finde it more in Practice This very power is as stoutly challenged by some men in words as truely denied in actions As one sayes of the Pharisees answer concerning Iohns calling verum dicebant mentiebantur so may I of these men It is not in the power of words to deny so strongly as deeds can both the hand and the tongue interpret the heart but the hand so much more liuely as there is more substance in acts then sounds As he said Spectamur agendo we are both seene and heard in our actions Hee that sayes there is no God is a vocall Atheist hee that liues as if there were no God is a vitall Atheist he that should say Godlinesse hath no power is a verball Atheist hee that shall liue as if Godlinesse had no power is a reall Atheist they are Atheists both We would flye vpon a man that should denye a God with Diagoras though as Anselme well no man can doe this interius from within wee would burne a man that should deny the Deitie of Christ with Arrius wee would rend our clothes at the blasphemie of that man who with the Epicures and Apelleians should exempt the cares and operations of God from the things below wee would spit at a man that durst say there is no power in Godlinesse These monsters if there bee such hide their vgly heads and finde it not safe to looke on the light Fagots are the best language to such miscreants but these reall denyals are so much more rife and bold as they can take the aduantage of their outward safety and vnconuinciblenesse Their wordes are honey their life poyson as Bernard said of his Arnoldus And these actions make too much noyse in the world that which Saint Chrysostome saies of the last day that mens works shall speake their tongues shal be silent is partly true in the meane time their workes cry out whiles their tongues whisper There is then really a double denial of the power of Godlines the one in not doing the good it requires the other in doing the euill it forbids The one a priuatiue the
sinners did truely apprehend an hell there would be more danger of their despaire and distraction then of their securitie It is the Diuels policie like a Rauen first to pull out the eyes of those that are dead in their sinnes that they may not see their imminent damnation But for vs Tell me yee that heare me this day Are ye Christians in earnest or are yee not It yee be not what doe yee here If ye be there iâ— an hell in your Creed Ye do not lesse beleeue there is an Hell for the godlesse then an Earth for men a firmament for starres an heauen for Saints a God in heauen And if ye doe thus firmely beleeue it cast but your eyes aside vpon that fierie gulfe and sinne if yee dare Yee loue your selues well enough to auoid a knowne paine we know there are Stockes and Bride-wells and Iayles and Dungeons and Rackes and Gibbers for malefactors and our verie feare keeps vs innocent were your hearts equally assured of those hellish torments yee could not ye durst not continue in those sins for which they are prepared But what an vnpleasing and vnseasonable subiect am I fallen vpon to speake of Hell in a Chrstian Court the Emblem of Heauen Let me answer for my selfe with deuout Bernard Sic mihi contingat semper beare amicos terrendo salubriter non adulando falaciter Let me thus euer blesse my friends with wholsome frights rather then with plausible soothings Sumenda sunt amara salubria saith Saint Austin Bitter wholsome is a safe receipt for a Christian and what is more bitter or more wholsome then this thought The way not to feele an Hell is to see it to feare it I feare we are all generally defectiue this way we doe not retire our selues enough into the Chamber of Meditation and thinke sadly of the things of another world Our Selfe-loue puts off this torment notwithstanding our willing sinnes with Dauids plaâ—ue non oppropinquabit It shall not come nigh thee if wee doe not make a league with hell and death yet with our selues against them Fallit peccatum falsa dulcedine as Saint Austin sinne deceiues vs with a false pleasure the pleasure of the world is like that Colchian hony wherof Xenophons soldiers no sooner tasted then they were miserably distemperd those that tooke little were drunke those that tooke more were mad those that tooke most were dead thus are we either intoxicated or infatuated or kild right out with this deceitfull world that wee are sensible of our iust feares at the best we are besotted with our stupid securitie that wee are not affected with our danger Woe is mee the impenitent resolued sinner is alreadie falne into the mouth of hell and hangs there but by a slender twigge of his momentanie life when that hold failes he fals down head-long into that pit of horror and desolation Oh yee my deare brethren so many as loue your soules haue mercie vpon your selues Call aloud out of the deeps of your sins to that compassionate Sauiour that he will giue you the hand of faith to lay hold vpon the hand of his mercie and plenteous redemption and pull you out of that otherwise irrecouerable destruction Else yee are gone yee are gone for euer Two things as Bernard borrowes of Saint Gregorie make a man both good and safe To repent of euill To abstaine from euill would yee escape the wrath of God the fire of hell Oh wash you cleane and keepe you so There is no lauer for you but your owne teares and the blood of your Sauiour Bathe your Soules in both of these and bee secure Consider how many are dying now which would giue a world for one houre to repent in Oh be yee carefull then to improue your free and quiet houres in a serious and heartie contrition for your sinnes say to God with the Psalmist Deliuer me from the euill man that is from my selfe as that Father construes it and for the sequell in steed of the denying the power of Godlinesse resolue to denie your selues to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously godly in this present world that hauing felt and approued the power of godlinesse in the illuminating our eyes in raysing vs from our sinnes in eiecting our corruptions in changing our liues and creating our hearts anew we may at the last feele the happie consummation of this power in the full possessing of vs in that eternall blessednesse and glory which he hath prepared for all that loue him to the perfect fruition whereof hee bring vs that hath dearly bought vs Iesus Christ the righteous to whom c. FINIS Errata FOr Scaene read Scene pag. 12. l. 2. Haillarduâ— r. Aâ—â—â—lardus p. 18. l penult none 〈…〉 marg p. 20 such r much p. 25. l. 19 for aids r finds pa. â—4 20 p. 27. l 15. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 34. 5. or as in steed read as No Creature is more humble then God The Temple of the Lord. Neat in words if foule in fact Heauy eare Deafe eare Herod within Iohn without Either all or none all The whole world is set in euill Wickednesse blinds the vnderstanding The right hand of the most high They told truth and yet lyed
houres Lecture and yet nauseates at the publike praiers of the Church Doe you see a superstitious votary looking rufully from his knees vpon his adored Crucifixe and as Isaac the Syryan prescribes liuing like a dead man in a solitary Sepulcher yet making no bones of killing Kings Nay to ascend vnto an higher key of pretended holinesse Doe yee see some of the elect Manichees lying vpon hard mats which S. Austin sayes were therfore called Maâ—tarij Doe ye see the penances of the three super-mortified Orders of the Mahumetan Saints Doe ye see an illuminate Elder of the Anabaptists rapt in diuine extasies Doe yee see a stigmaticall Fryer lashing himselfe to blood wallowing in the snow naked returning the lice into his bosome Doe ye see a nice humorist that will not dresse a dish nor lay a cloth nor walke abroad on a Sunday and yet make no conscience of coozening his neighbour on the worke-day All these and many others of the same kinde are Swans which vnder white feathers haue a blacke skin These haue a forme of Godlinesse and are the worse for it for as it is the most dangerous and killing flattery that is brought in vnder a pretence of liberty so it is the most odious and perilous impiety that is hid vnder a forme of Godlinesse These men I say haue a forme and nothing else saue a forme of Godlinesse But withall let me adde that whoso euer makes a good profession hath this forme and is so farre commendable as he professes well If there bee not matter to this forme the fault is in what is not and not in what there is Certainly Religion is not Chaos-like without forme As not Ciuility so Godlinesse cannot be without due forme ye cannot thinke Gods Seruice to be all lining no out-side A forme there must be It was a Law written in Greeke and Latine Letters ouer the gate of the first peculiar partition of the Temple which was atrium Iudaeorum Euery stranger that passes into the holy Place must die if hee had not the marke of a Iew vpon his flesh it was capitall to tread in those holy Courts The Temple was the Type of the Church if wee haue not so much as a forme of Godlines procul ô procul without shall be dogs and if a Beast touch the Mount it shall dye What shall we say to those gallants that hate to haue so much as a forme of Godlinesse there cannot be a greater disparagement cast vpon them then the very semblance of Deuotion To say Grace at meals to bow a knee in prayer to name God other then in an oath to once mention Religion is a base mortify'd pusillanimous tendernesse What talke ye of a Sermon a Play if you will what speake you of weeping for sinns talke of drinking healths singing of rounds courting of Dames reuels matches games any thing saue goodnesse what should we say of these men euen this He that hath but a forme is an Hypocrite but hee that hath not a forme is an Atheist I know not whether I should seuer these two Both are humane Diuels well met an Hypocrite is a masked Diuell an Atheist is a Diuell vnmasked whether of them shal without their repentance be deeper in Hell they shall once feele I determine not Onely let me assure them that if the infernall Topheth bee not for them it can challenge no guests Thus such for the forme of Godlinesse which is the Angel of Hypocrisie our speech descends to the Diuell in Hypo which is the denial of the power of Godlines but whiles I am about to represent vnto you the vgly face of that wicked one God meets vs in the way and stayes my thoughts and speech vpon the power of Godlines ere we fall vpon the deniall of that power What power then is this of Godlines what doth it what can it doe The weakenes of it is too apparent If we look to the Author of it Christ Iesus alas he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Butt or mark for opposition to shoot at whereas true power is an Al-chum that bars resistance Prou. 30. if to the means of Godlines here is the foolishnesse of Preaching 1. Cor. 1. 21. if to the effects of Godlines here is weak grace strong corruption Ro. 7. if to the opposites of Godlines here is a Law fighting fighting perhaps so it may be be foyled nay but here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conquering and captiuing Law Ro. 7. 23. wherby I am not only made a slaue but sold for a slaue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 7. 14. So then here is an opposed Sauiour a foolish preaching a feeble grace a domineering corruption and where then is the power of Godlinesse all this while Know O thou foolish man that God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong God and yet there is a Diuell Hee could call in the being of that malignant Spirit but he will not he knowes how to magnifie his power by an opposite Christ will be spoken against not for impotence to resist but for the glory of his preuailing so wee haue seene a well tempered Target shot at to show the impenetrablenesse of it Preaching is foolishnesse but it is stultitia Doi and the foolishnesse of God is wiser then then the wisedome of men Grace is weake where corruption is strong but where grace preuailes sin dares not shew his head sin fights and subdues his owne Vassals but the power of Godlines foyles it in the renewed so as if it liue yet it raignes not Great then is the power of Godlinesse great euery way great in respect of our enemies great in respect of our selues of our enemies The Diuell the World the Flesh So great first that it can resist the Diuel and this no small matter to resist the powers and Principalities of Hell whom resist stedfast in the faith Resist Alas what is this The weake may perhaps resist the strong the Whelpe the Lyon We may resist the spirit of God himselfe semper restitistis saith Saint Stephen of the Iewes Lo here is resistance to God and not for a brunt but perpetuall ye haue alwaies resisted so the ship resists the Rocke against which it is shattered so the crushed worme turns towards the foot that treads it Yea but here is a preualent resistance Resist the Diuill and he shall flee from you Iam. 4. 7. Lo Godlinesse can make a Coward of the great Prince of Darkenesse Hee shall flee but if Parthian-like hee shall shoot fleeing as hee doth Lo this shall quench all the fiery darts of Satan Ephes 6. If hee betake himselfe to his hold this can bater and beat downe the strong holds of sin about his cares this can enter and bind the strong man Shortly it can conquer Hell yea make vs more then Conquerors Lo to conquer is not so much as to make another a Conqueror but more then a Conqueror is yet more Is there any of you now that would be truely
great and victorious it is the power of Godlinesse that must doe it Pyrrhus his word concerning his Soldiers was Tu grandes ego fortes Surely if our Profession make vs great our faith must make vs valiant and successfull I tell you the conquest of an euill spirit is more then the conquest of a world of men Oh then what is it to conquer Legions And as it foiles Sathan so the world No maruell for if the greater much more the lesse The world is a subiect Sathan a Prince the Prince of this world The world is a bigot Satan is a God The God of this world If the Prince if the God be vanquisht how can the subiect or suppliant stand out What doe we talke of an Alexander or a Cesar conquering the world Alas what spots of earth were they which they bragged to subdue In so much that Rome which in two hundred fortie three yeares had gained but some fifteene miles about in Seneca's time when her Dition was at the largest had the neighbouring Germanie for the bounds of it Loe here a full conquest of the whole world Mundns totus in maligno To conquer the whole materiall world is not so happie so glorious a worke as to conquer the malignant and this the power of Godlinesse onlie can doe this is the victorie that ouercomes the world euen your faith And now what can the flesh doe without the World without the Deuill Surelie were is not for the Deuill the world and the flesh were both good and if it were nor for the Deuill and the World the flesh were our best friend now they haue debauch't it and turn'd it traitor to GOD and the Soule now this proud flesh dares warre against heauen Godlinesse doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beat it blacke and blew Yea kill it dead Martifie your earthly members Colos 3. So as it hath not a limbe to stir not a breath to draw Anacharsis his charge was too hard for another but performable by a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee can rule his tongue his gut his lust Sampson was a strong man yet two of them he could not rule the power of Godlinesse can rule all Oh then the great power of godlines that can trample vpon the flesh the World the Deuill Super aspidem vpon the Aspe the Dragon the Lion Or as the Psalmist Psal 91. Vpon that roaring Lion of Hell vpon that sinuous Dragon the World vpon that close biting Aspe the flesh And as great in respect of our enemies so no lesse great in respect of our selues Great and beneficiall What wonders are done by Godlinesse Is it not a great wonder to make a Foole wise to make the blind see This godlinesse can doe Psal 19. 7 8. Let mee be bold to say we are naturally like Salomons childe Folly is bound to our heart Prou. 22. 15. in things pertaining to GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We were foolish saith Saint Paul Titus 3. Would any of vs that are thus borne naturals to God bee wise to saluation That is the true wisdome indeed all other is but folly yea madnesse to that The Schooles cannot teach vs this Philosophie whether Natural or Morall or Politicke can do nothing to it if yee trust to to it it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vaine deceit as Saint Paul Coloss 2. 8. Triobularis vilis as Chrysostome It is only Godlinesse must doe it Please your selues how you list without this yee great Politicians of the world the wise God hath put the pide coate vpon your backs past vpon you his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 22. If ye were Oracles to men ye are Ideots to God Malitia occaecat intellectum as he said ye quick-sighted Eagles of the world without this ye are as blinde as Beetles to heauen If ye would haue eies to see him that is inuisible the hand of your omnipotent Sauiour must touch you and at his bidding you must wash off your worldly clay with the Siloam of godlinesse Is it not a wonder to raise the dead wee are all naturally not sicke not qualming not dying but dead in sinne Colos 2. 13. Yea with Lazarus quatriduam and ill senting yea if that will adde any thing as S. Iudes trees or as they say of acute Scotus twice dead would ye arise It is only godlinesse that can doe it Yee are risen vp through the faith in the operation of God Colos 2. 12. This only can call vs out of the graue of our sinnes Arise thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life Christ is the author godlinesse is the meanes All yee that heare mee this day either ye are aliue or would be Life is sweet euerie one challenges it Doe yee liue willingly in your sinnes Let me tell you ye are dead in your sins This life is a death If you wish to liue comfortably here and gloriously hereafter it is godlines that must mortifie this life in sinne that must quicken you from this death in sinne Flatter your selues how you please ye great gallants of both sexes yee thinke your selues goodlie peeces without godlinesse ye are the worst kind of carcasses for as death or not being is the worst condition that can befall a creature So death in sinne is so much the worst kinde of death by how much grace is better then nature A liuing Dog or Toad is better then a thus-dead sinner Would yee rise out of this loathsome and wofull plight it is godlinesse that must breathe grace into your dead limbes and that must giue you the motions of holy obedience Is it not a wonder to cast out Deuils I tell you the corporall possession of ill spirits is not so rare as the spirituall is rife No naturall man is free One hath the spirit of errour 1. Tim. 4. another the spirit of fornications Ose 2. another the spirit of feare 2. Tim. 1. another the spirit of slumber another the spirit of giddinesse another the spirit of pride all haue Spiritum mundi the spirit of the world 1. Cor. 1. 12. Our storie in Guliel Neubrigensis tels vs of a countriman of ours one Kettell of Farnham in King HENRY the Seconds time that had the facultie to see spirits by the same token that hee saw the Deuils spitting ouer the Drunkards shoulders into their pots the same facultie is recorded of Anthony the Heremite and Sulpitius reports the same of Saint Martin surely there need none of these eies to discerne euerie naturall mans soule haunted with these euill angels Let me assure you all ye that haue not yet felt the power of Godlinesse ye are as truely though spiritually carried by euill spirits into the deeps of your knowne wickednesse as euer the Gaderen hogges were carried by them downe the precipice into the Sea would ye be free from this hellish tyranny only the power of Godlinesse can do it 2. Tim. 2. 23. If peraduenture God
will giue them repentance that they may recouer themselues out of the snares of the Diuell and Repentance is you know a maine part of Godlinesse If euer therefore ye be dispossessed of that euill one it is the power of Godlinesse that must do it What speake I of power I had like to haue ascribed to it the acts of omnipotencie And if I had done so it had not bin much amisse for what is godlinesse but one of those rayes that beames forth from that Almightie Deitie What but that same Dextra excelsi wherby hee workes mightily vpon the soule Now when I say the man is strong is it any derogation to say his arme is strong Faith and Praier are no small peeces of Godlines and what is it that God can doe which Praier and Faith can not doe Will yee see some instances of the further acts of Godlinesse Is it not an act of omnipotence to change nature Iannes and Iambres the Egyptian Sorcerers may iuggle away the Staffe bring a Serpent into the roome of it none but a Diuine power which Moses wrought by could change the Rod into a Serpent or the Serpent into a Rod Nothing is aboue nature but the God of nature nothing can change nature but that which is aboue it for nature is regular in her proceedings will not bee crost by a finite power since all finite agents are within her command Is it not a manifest change of the nature of the Wolfe to dwell quietly with the Lambe of the Leopard to dwell with the kid of the Lion to eat straw like the Oxe of the Aspe to play with the child How shall this be it is an idle conceit of the Hebrewes that sauage beasts shall forgo their hurtfull natures vnder the Mâ—ssias No but ratâ—onall beasts shall alter their dispositions the rauenous oppressor is the Wolfe the tyrannicall persecutor is the Leopard the venemous Hereticke is the Aspe these shall turne innocent and vsefull by the power of Godlinesse for then the earth shall bee full of the knowledge of the Lord Esay 11. 6 7. Is it not a manifest change of nature for the Ethiopian to turn white for the Leopard to turne spotlesse This is done when those doe good which are accustomed to euill Ier. 13. 23. and this godlinesse can doe Is it not a manifest change of nature for the Camel to passe through a needles eye this is done when through the power of godlinesse ye great and rich men get to heauen Lastly it is an easie thing to turne men into beasts a cup too much can doe it but to turne beasts into Men Men into Saints Deuils into Angels it is no lesse then a worke of omnipotencie and this godlinesse can doe But to rise higher then a change Is it not an act of omnipotencie to create Nature can goe on in her tracke whether of continuing what shee actually finds to be or of producing what she forbids to be potentially in pre-existing causes but to make new matter transcends her power this god linesse can do here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new creatre 2. Cor. 5. There is in nature no predisposition to grace the man must bee no lesse new then when hee was made first of the dust of the earth that earth of nothing Nouus homo Eph. 4. 21. How is this done by Creation and how is he created In righteousnesse and holinesse holinesse to God righteousnesse to men both make vp Godlinesse A regeneration is here a Creation Progenuit is expressed by Creauit Iam. 1. 18. and this by the word of truth Old things are passed saith the Apostle all must be new if wee will haue ought to doe with God our bodies must bee renued by a glorious resurrection ere they can inioy heauen our soules must bee renued by Grace ere wee can inioy God on earth Are there any of vs pained with our heart of stone Wee may bâ—e well enough the stone of the reines or bladder is a woful paine but the stone of the heart is more deadly hee can by this power take it out and giue vs a heart of flesh Ezec. 12. Are there any of vs wearie of carrying our old Adam about vs a grieuous burthen I confesse that which is able to weigh vs downe to Hell doe wee groane vnder the load and long to be eased none but that Almightie hand can doe it by the power of godlinesse creating vs anew to the likenesse of that second Adam which is from heauen heauenly without which there is no possibilitie of saluation for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God In a word would wee haue this earth of ours translated to heauen it is only the power of godlinesse can doe it And as this power of godlines is great so no lesse beneficiall Beneficiall euery way both here and hereafter Here it frees vs from euill it feoffs vs in good Godlinesse is an Antidote against all mischiefe and miserie yea such is the power of it that it not only keepes vs from euill but turnes that euill to good All things worke together to the best to them that loue feare God saith the Apostle lo all things Crosses sinnes Crosses are blessings sinnes are aduantages Saint Pauls Viper befriended him Saint MARTINS Ellebore nourisht him Saluti fuere pestifera as Seneca speakes And what can hurt him that is blessed by crosses is bettered by sins It feoffes vs in good Wealth Honour Contentment The Apostle puts two of them together Godlinesse is great gaine with contentment 1. Tim. 6. 6. Here are no iffs or ands but gaine great gaine and gaine with self-sufficiencie or contentment wickednesse may yeeld a gaine such as it is for a time but it will bee grauell in the throat gaine farre from contentment Length of dayes are in the right hand of true wisdome and in her left hand riches and honour Prou. 3. 16. Lo honour wealth are but gifts of the left hand common and meane fauours Length yea eternitie of daies is for the right that is the height of bountie Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come saith the Apostle the promise that is enough Gods promises are his performances with men to promise and to pay are two things they are one with God To them that by patient continuing in wel-doing seeke glory and honour and immortalitie eternall life Rom. 2. 7. Briefly for I could dwell here alwayes it is godlinesse that only can giue vs the beatificall sight of God the sight yea the fruition of him yea the vnion with him not by apposition not by ad haesion but by a blessed participation of the diuine nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. I can go no higher no the Angels and Arch-angels cannot looke higher then this To summe vp all then Godlines can giue wisedome to the foole eyes to the blind life to the dead it can eiect Diuels change the course of