to bee revealed 2. Thess 2.8 and behold hee is conspicuous with his Locusts and followers warres and rumours to trouble all the world and they haue beene felt and heard pestilence and famine earth-quakes and strange prodigies false Prophets and false brethren increase of iniquity and frozennesse of charity what man so simple that speakes not of and daily almost complaines not Two signes onely remaine which can bee doubted of The preaching of the Gospel throughout the world and the Conversion of the Iewes to Christianitie But the first according to most Writers was accomplished in the Apostles time For went not their sound out through all the earth their words vnto the ends of the world Rom. 10.18 or at least now is as Io. Fredericus in a peculiar tract hath shewed by spreading the Gospell amongst the East Indians Vid Pareum in 11. cap. ad Roman Dub. 18. Vid. Marlorat in Rom. 11.20 and Americans And for the latter though Chrysostome Hilarie Ambrose Hierome and Augustine with diuers of our new Writers very probably collect that before the end there shall bee a generall conversion of the Iewes yet Calvin Bucer and Musculus with divers others of good note expound that Israel of God Rom. 11.26 the onely place that intimates such a matter either allegorically of the faithfull or of some persons to bee converted in allages of the Iewish Nation All falling at length on Origens vncertainty in this point Quis autem sit iste omnis Israel what all that Israel is that shall be saued Hee only knoweth and his Sonne that saueth them Small hope may therefore be grounded on such ambiguities To these if wee further adde the Prophesie of Rabbi Elias not disliked by most of the Ancients and the Cabala of Rabbi Isaac on the first verse of Genesis related by Genebrard Chronol lib. 19. which al driue at the period of 6000 yeares By the Septuagints Iosephus Eusebius Augustines Isidores and Alphonsus the Astronomers account this date is out already And according to the truer supputation of those that followe the Hebrew text not far from finishing the times for the Elects sake being to bee shortned What is left therefore B. for vs but to watch and be ready as our Saviour counselleth lest our Master come and the Bridegroome passe this day as a Theefe ouertake vs where wee are least prouided of it S. Hierome professeth that whether he eate or drinke or did any other thing this voice did alwaies seeme to trumpet in his eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudiciū arise you dead and come to iudgement And nothing can better vs more then the remembrance of this like sentence vttered by our Saviour Come giue an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward Certainely there can bee in this case but two kindes of deliuerings the first from our sinnes to a better estate the second for our sinnes to an incensed Iudge If the first befall thee no happinesse can be greater then thine but if the second without redresse thou shalt bee cast into prison which is the last circumstance I before proposed and will hasten by reason of the time briefly to conclude 10 And thou be cast into prison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Syriack domum vinctorum to wit by the Sergeant to whom the Iudge deliuered thee That which breeds here a scruple is what this word prison should signifie Conveniunt similitèr omnes saith Bellarmine lib. 1. de Purgatorio cap. 7. All Interpreters concurre in this that by this prison is meant hell and thus farre he speaketh ingeniously But marke the poore shifts of so great a scholler to set vp his Dagon againe that hath so often falne before the Arke of God hee is faine to rake Hell it selfe to finde out Purgatory For this hee goeth onward In quo tamen multae sunt mansiones aliae pro damnatis aliae pro his qui purgantur In this hell notwithstanding are many mansions some for the damned others for them which are to bee purged But a more ample mappe of this place wee haue in his second booke of Purgatory and Chap. 6. where hauing rejected 7. opinions concerning this subterranean Geography the eighth he borroweth frō the Schoolemen and seemeth to approue that this infernum or hell is a place within the bosome or bowels of the earth divided as the higher regions into foure parts whereof the lowest sinke or coale-house is hell next aboue that Purgatory then Limbus infantum where children goe that dye vnbaptized aboue all Limbus Patrum where the Patriarkes were faine to lodge before Christs Passion but then were remoued and the place left empty This scantling of time will not permit mee to examine all particulars how our adversaries could come to so perfect notice of all these places as also so distinctly to vnderstand what persons are there to bee purged and for what sinnes how grieuous the punishment is there inflicted by diuels in a corporall fire Vide Bellar. vbi supra how long it shall endure what suffrages Masses or indulgences will asswage it or remoue it that the soules can neither merit nor demerit in such a case that they are alwaies certaine of their eternall salvation and this to be firmely beleeued as an article of faith It will aske I say more time then your patience can allowe mee I will strike therefore at the roote and so passe along To make all this good vnto vs Bellarmine produceth tenne places out of the old Testament and so many more out of the New To all which in generall I answere First out of Bellarmine himselfe in the last Chapter of his first booke of Purgatory Where being vrged by Peter Martyr and our men that Purgatory is is not found in Scripture and therefore can bee no matter of Faith hath nothing to say but this Ad primum ergo respondeo Non est necesse vt Scriptura vbique omnia dicat It is not necessary that the Scripture should every where mention all things especially where it may be patched vp with Apostolicall traditions On which when Bellarmine also relyeth for the proofe of this Ignis Fatuus what doth hee In eundem locum but in effect as Iunius well notes against him ouerthrowe his Scripture forces Sith Traditions take no place but where Scripture faileth Lib. 4. de verbo Dei non scripto Lib. 2. Epist Libro 12. Deipnosop Conuenit inter nos aduersarios ex solo literali sensu peti debere argumenta efficacia Bellar. l. 3. de verb. Dei c. 3. Lib. 1. de purgat c. 7. by his owne doctrine in his first generall Controversie But as that lunaticke Thrasylaus mentioned by Horace and Athenaeus thought all the ships to bee his owne that arriued in the Haven at Athens so wheresoeuer there is fire doubtfully mentioned of in Scripture our Adversaries straight convey it to heate Purgatory kitchin Secondly I answere in
that wise merchant in the Gospell to purchase that field where this pearle of wisedome lyes hidden And suffer fooles gladly by S. Paules direction to speake where there is a fault because yee your selues are wise So shal we at length mount vp from these foolish and flitting vanities to possesse those glorious and vnchangeable mansions which the wisedome of the Father Christ Iesus hath purchased for his elect children before the foundations of the world To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be ascribed all wisedome glory might and maiesty both now and ever AMEN HERESIES PROGRESSE A SERMON PREACHED AT THE COVRT BY IOHN PRIDEAVX Rector of Exceter Colledge His MAIESTIE'S Professor in Divinity in the Vniversity of OXFORD OXFORD Imprinted by LEONARD LICHFIELD Anno Salutis 1636. 1. COR. 11.19 For there must be also Heresies among you that they which are approued may be made manifest among you 1 IT is a receiued observation that where God sets vp his Church the Divell will erect a Chappell and no sooner shall the good husband haue sowne his field with good seed Math. 13.24 but the enemy will take vantage of the servants drow sinesse to cast in Tares This our Apostle found here by his troublesome experience for hauing but newly planted a Church among these witty Corinthians how soone was it plundred and puzled with dangerous oppositions and distractions A brabble grew among them at their first initiation concerning their first teachers one was for Paul C. 1. v. 12. another for Apollos a third for Cephas a fourth for Christ some were all for strong lines and entising words of mans wisedome others were taken with vnaffected simplicity Thus they censure their teachers and their gifts who should haue censured themselues for the amending of their liues according to their increase of knowledge Their teachers instructed them to abandon all fleshly lusts they could tolerate incest amongst themselues They pressed them to put vp iniuries or to arbitrate theÌ„ in private Cap. 5. their violence drew them to implead their brethren before heathen-Iudges to the scandall of Christianity They informed them that single life and mariage C. 6. meates of this kinde or that were to be held as things indifferent so that by the abuse of their Christian liberty C. 7. their weaker brethreÌ„ were not scandalized yet quarrells and endlesse debates must be kept on foot also in such petty matters These drew them farther to vnreverend behaviour C. 10. both of men and women in the Church it selfe C. 11. at their publique meetings at such time as they came to receaue the Lords Supper to affect to be accounted great Schollers rather then to edifie one another Nay some of them grew so gracelesse C. 15. as to deny the resurrection to the ouerthrow of all that they had learned before Now this must needs stagger the weaker and cast some of them vpon such or the like dangerous deliberations Are these the fruits of Christianity and the quietnesse we shall receaue by this Gospell of peace Is faith thus founded in ficklenesse charity in disturbances hope in hazards patience and brotherly kindnesse in all kinde of iniuries and combustions Our case seemed farre better when we walked in Gentilisme now offences are multiplied who shall stop them injuries are daily offered who can right vs Contentions continually arise but what effectuall meanes appeare to compose them These temptations our Apostle foreseeing endeavours to meet with and prevent by forewarning them that such things were to be expected but God that permits them will so dispose them that all shall sort to the best 2. My Text then is an Incouragement to the godly not to be any way cast downe or daunted at the rising of divisions or Heresies for as much as all these tend to the manifestation of their constancy As though hee should haue said I heare that there be divisions amongst you and I partly beleeue it But what should these things make our doctrine suspected or abate your zeale or bring you into a conceipt that you were in better case before your conversion No Beloued I that haue laid Christ for the foundation tell you before hand that not onely gold and silver and pretious stones but wood and hay and stubble will be built vpon it Cap. 3.12 My planting and Apollo's watring in their increase will discouer noxious weeds among the good wheat Schismes will creep in to disturbe the Churches vnity Heresies to corrupt the doctrine but God will so dispose of all that the issue shall bee prosperous For there must be also Heresies among you that they which are approued may bee made manifest among you The words fall asunder into these 2 parts 1. A Position There must bee also Heresies among you 2. An Exposition That they which be approued may be made manifest among you The first sheweth what will fall out let the best men doe their best The second foretells what will be the Issue let the worst men worke their worst In the first sickle men haue a way to play their parts in the second the Church hath a stay what to think of it what to censure In the first appeares Gods long suffering in the second his wisedome goodnesse that out of darknesse brings light strength out of weaknesse The master may steepe for a time on a pillow as in war vnder hatches the waues rocke the ship take in water Math. 8.23 the Disciples cry out Lord saue vs we perish But when he ariseth and rebukes the winde there shall follow a great calme to the astonishment of those that were in Ieopardy beyond expectation Now of these in their order and first of the Position in these words 3. For there must be also Heresies among you Heresie is a voluntary chusing of an opinion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against some article of faith without ground of Scripture an obstinate maintaining of it against all lawfull determinatioÌ„s of the true Church for some Sinister particular respects Some Monkes deriue it froÌ„ the Latin haereo for the stubborne sticking to that which is wrong But this was their ignorance in the Greek where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by consent of their better schollers signifies nothing but an election And this is taken sometimes indifferently for an opinion in diverse sects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. â—5 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. V. 20. whether they be good or bad There rose vp certaine of the heresie of the Pharisees Acts 15. our Translation sayth Sect. So Acts 26. St Paul professeth that after the strictest heresie of religion he lived a Pharisee But in other places of Scripture it most commonly carries with it a brand of infamy as Galat. 5. where it is reckoned with adultery Idolatry and witchcraft and such other workes of the flesh In the 2. of Peter 2.1 it is passed with the Epitheton of
of the Church by the seede of the Word Of which two things are here intimated first their secret increase as the Morning deaw which is found vpon the grasse though no vapour or cloud appeares from whence it hath discended and secondly their multitude which as the morning drops in euery age more multiply then man can take notice of The Spirit of God therefore never ceaseth from the propagating Christs Church though men neglect their duties and all the world oppose it And here I might take occasion to discourse how the Church is sometimes invisible and yet ever fruitfull sometimes personated by Hypocrites and yet springing still as the Corne among the Weeds in persecution flourishing in exile from one place entertayned ever in another knowne still to bee by her members but onely knowne to God how many the members be But I perceiue the time hath prevented me The application of the whole is This is the day of Christs power wherein we are to tender our free-will offerings prayers praise thankesgiuing vnto the Lord of Hostes in the beauties of holinesse now he cometh downe vnto vs as our Prophet speaketh like the raine into a fleece of wooll even as the droppes that water the earth Let vs conclude therefore with the end of that same 27. Psalme Blessed bee the Lord our God even the God of Israel which only doth wondrous things And blessed bee the name of his Maiesty for ever and let all the earth be filled with his Maiesty Amen Amen THE FIRST FRVITS OF THE RESVRRECTION A SERMON PREACHED ON EASTER DAY AT St PETERS in the East in Oxford By IOHN PRIDEAVX Doctor of Divinity Regius Professor and Rector of Exeter Colledge OXFORD Imprinted by LEONARD LICHFIELD Anno Salutis 1636. THE FIRST FRVITS OF THE RESVRRECTION 1. COR. 15.20 But now Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept THis day is this Scripture fulfilled in our eares B. and containeth the happiest tidings that ever was imparted to flesh and blood For fiducia Christianorum as Tertullian begins his booke de Resurrectione carnis is resurrectio mortuorum The chiefest string that Christians haue to their bow is their vndoubted perswasion that the dead shall rise againe This the truth saith he constraines vs to beleeue this truth is revealed in Gods Word this Revelation is no where exprest in shorter and plainer tearmes then in these words of the blessed Apostle which now I haue read vnto you I shall not need to wast time or suspend your patience with an over-logicall demonstration of the coherence with that which went before It may suffice by the way only to take notice of First the Apostles auditory Secondly his manner of proceeding His Auditors were the Corinthians great Critikes prone to factions and emulations standing much vpon their Philosophy and straines of subtilities whereby the Apostles plaine course of teaching was contemned as vulgar his person vnderualued his Followers esteemed weake and simple as his apology discouereth in the foure first chapters Besides this they had gotten a tricke to bolster out one another for what misdemeanour soever and to vndergoe rather the frowne of any forraine iurisdiction then quietly to haue matters composed among themselues chap. 5. and 6. And now could this chuse but draw on greater scandals as quarrelling about Virginity and marriage which should haue the preeminence chap. 7. Abuse of Christian liberty to the overthrow of their weaker brethren chap. 8. and 9. Irreverent behaviour both of men and women at Prayers Sermons and receiuing of the Sacraments chap. 10. and 11. Odious comparisons betweene Preachers and Linguists tongues and miracles miracles and other spirituall gifts as if any of these were our owne or if other vse then to edify one another from the beginning of the 12. to the end of the 14. chapter No marvaile then if in a Church so tainted some fell out of their presumptuous profanenesse to question also the Resurrection which how the Apostle here meets within this 15. chapter may be noted farther as a patterne for disputants in divinity to imitate For first hee comes not vpon them with Philosophicall Quiddities or apocryphall fragments to justify an article of such consequence Nay saith he I haue deliuered vnto you first of all that which I also haue receiued how that Iesus Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures verse 3.4 The Scriptures therefore are the grounds foundation of Apostolike building And that according to the Scriptures all things came to passe hee bringeth in eye-witnesses verse 5.6 Cephas the Foreman and if his word would not bee taken an eleuen more of the same ranke to justify it And in case also that these should bee excepted against vpon a suspition of partiality there are ready fiue hundred brethren besides which all saw Christ at once after his Resurrection and divers were aliue at that time to witnesse it And least our Apostle might bee noted as too confident vpon heare-say last of all hee was seene of mee also saith hee as of one borne out of due time the last and the least but all comes to one for whether it be I or they so we preach and so yee beleeued But here the Corinthians might except admitting these proofes as strong for the Resurrection of Christ Doth it thereupon also follow that our bodies shall likewise bee raised Yes saith the blessed Apostle otherwise there were no avoiding of those prodigious absurdities preaching and faith should bee vaine the Apostles found false witnesses the liuing in their sinnes the dead perished Christians of all professions the most miserable Let a Scholler then gather the arguments and he shall finde the first fairely categoricall That which the Scripture hath expressedly delivered and so many eye-witnesses beyond exception are ready to avouch must needs bee true without contradiction and cannot bee denied without impiety But Scriptures and witnesses are cleare for Christs resurrection therefore that is an argument beyond all exception The second is Hypotheticall forcing a number of intolerable absurdities If Christians are not to rise againe by vertue of Christs Resurrection as Christ did then the Preaching of the Apostles is a foppery the faith of Christians vaine the forgiuenesse of their sinnes a fancy the hope of their dead a delusion their estate in this life beyond all others the most wretched but such inferences are no way to bee indured therefore it must be ever firmely held that not onely Christ rose againe but that Christians by vertue of his Resurrection are also to be raised Vncontroleable therefore is this minor proposition which the Apostle here assumeth But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept I could not passe along this goodly Field of Corne B. without plucking some eares which were eminent aboue the rest for where may a man