THE ART OF SALVATION Preached First at Saint MARIES in OXFORD and now Published By THOMAS TVVITTEE B. D of Oriell Coll. and Vicar of Northlye What is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule Matt. 16.26 Si animam negligamus nec corpus salvare poterimus non enim anima pro corpore sed corpus pro anima factum est qui ergo quod primum est negligit quod inferius est extollit utrumqne corrumpit Cyprian de reparatione lapsi Printed Anno Dom. 1643. To the Right Honourable THOMAS Earle of DOVVNE c. his singular good Lord and Patron Right Honourable THe Heathâ—n by the purblind light of nature were so gratefull that they did Deifie their Patrons as the Historian telleth us a shame it were for Christians nay for Divines in the meridian sunshine of the Gospell not to acknowledge their Benefactors to vindicate my selfe from such aspersion I presume humbly to dedicate this paper present to your Lordship in all thankfull acknowledgment of your bounteous favours Thou art troubled much and carefull for many things but one thing is necessary saith our blessed Saviour to Martha in the Gospell For though at your returne from forraigne parts Your Lordship finds Your native Country miserably embroyled in a civill warre which is a sea of all infaelicity and therefore the authors thereof deserve to be banished out of the borders of humane nature as that learned Frenchman observeth Charron of wisedome lib. â— cap. 11. â— Yet my good Lord in the middest of all these distractions I hope you wil never forget that unum necessarium You have a God to serve a soule to save That this may be Your Lordships prime care and intentionâ— and that in these tottering times wherein the very foundations of the earth are out of course you may be preserved by the power of God through faith unto salvation in his appointed time exchanging your Coronet of temporary honour for that Crowne of immortall immaculate and immarcessible glory is the continued prayer of Your Lordships most humbly devoted Chaplaine and servant THOM. TVVITTEE THE ART OF SALVATION ACTS 16.30 31. Sirs What must I doe to be saved c. And they said Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved c. MY Text doth thus derive his pedigree A vision sends Paul into Macedonia at Philippi the Metropolis there he makes his abode religious Lidia whose heart God had opened to receive the Gospell sets open her house to harbour his Apostles But Paul must not preach here long unlesse he will to prison the ejecting of a Devill proves many times cause enough to persecute an Apostle especially where gaine or superstition may be pretended there want not Masters to raise such complaints and there are Magistrates enough to prosecute this quarrell who side it with a Diviner rather then a Divine and countenance a Jugler more then a Preacher to prison then must our harmelesse Apostles who here might have demanded as some time did their innocent Master For what good worke doe you this the charge for safe custody being strict the Dungeon is their Chamber the stocks their bed a hard lodging for their late tortured bodies but ill were it with the Saints Si tantas Malitia vires quantos Conatus If mallice had as much power as it hath will to doe mischeife and if the Saints extremity were not the Saviours opportunity and his helpe nearest when they seeme most forlorne and destitute noe rocks no rivers noe walls noe doores noe barres not the Center of the earth nor channell of the sea can hinder the Almighty from extending his hand of compassion to his distressed ones In the dead of the night and depth of the Dungeon Paul and Sylas sing Psalmes unto God who demonstrateshis omnipotent presence by a miracle not more strange for the time then for the effect a midnight and a pick-locke earthquake in breife a vision sends Paul into Macedonia thus to be distressed in body and a Vision sends this Jaylor thus perplexed in minde unto Saint Paul who being roused from his Midnight sleep with the shaking of the prison and the noyse of the doores chaynes and bolts that were undone not as yet acquainted with the power or mercy of God plots onely to escape the Tyranny of man by an Act of desperation but is seasonably prevented by the pious charity of holy Paul who saves his life restraines his fury by informing him of the certaine aboad of his charge whereas being amazed convinced confounded he calleth for lights comes trembling in prostrates himselfe at those feet which but whilom he set in the stocks and with all proposeth this so necessary a Quaere Sirs What must I doe to be saved And they said c. In which words are these two generall parts 1. A Question proposed 2. An answer thereunto The question in these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sirs What must I doe that I may be saved The answer in these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house In the Question are these particulars to be considered 1 The person demanding the distressed Jaylor I what must I doe 2. The parties demanded the blessed Apostles Paul and Sylaâ— in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sirs Sirs what must I doe 3. The matter in question and that is the eternall wellfare of the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may be saved In the answer these 3 particulars offer themselves 1. The object proposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord Josus 2. The meanes how to apprehend or lay hold on that object which is faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeve 3. The happy consequent of this faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou shalt be saved and thy house Sirs What must I doe c. of these in their order first of the first the person demanding I the distressed Iailor What must I c. Although the word of God be now the ordinary meanes of mans conversion as in the 1. to the Corinth 1 21. Since the world by it's wisedome knew not God it pleased him by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve foolishnesse not that it it so in it selfe but in regard of that more excellent and supernaturall meanes God might have used and not have made man his agent in the conversion of man or else foolishnesse because the world doth so commonly account of it Yet is not here a rule of necessity but an indulgent dispensation not that the grace of God is here limited or his spirit restrained but hath allwaies free operation if not in the meanes yet in the directing of us to the knowledge and use of the meanes Our Apostle himselfe but in the 9. Chapter going before being on his Iourney about another errand is by a great light and voyce from heaven directed unto Ananias that old Disciple of Damasco
the prime apostle tells us 2 Pet. 2.10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do this you shall never fall I may adde if you do not you shall perish for ever our blessed Saviour justifieth this when being advertised by a worldly Martha of her many imployments to the end that he should either commâ—nd her or command her sister to assist her answereth breifly thus Martha Martha thou art carefull for many things and one thing is necessary and Mary hath chosen that better part which shall never be taken from her Where our blessed Saviour tacitely reprehends her needlesse deligence and withall plainely applauds her sisters happy carefullnesse thou art troubled one thing is necessary and that hath thy sister chosen Salvation requireth our best care diligence because tending to the preservation and eternall welbeing of the soule the best part of man that Divinae aurae particula the inbreathing of God as the Poet calleth it as far beyond the body as immortall before mortality or Heaven the Earth they were wont to say saith S. Bernard Qui corpus curat bonum curat Castellum he that keepes his hody keeps a good Castle but I say sterquilinium vile he is busy only about a Dunghill but he that is solicitous for the welfare of his soul chooseth the better part is imployed about the best businesse and in doing this hath effected all though he neglect the whole world Lastly without this all other forecast is folly all gaine losse and therefore the Holy Ghost stileth him a plaine foole whose provilence extendeth no further then the things of this life Dost thou resolve on nothing but building of bigger barnes And because thy fields are laden with a plentifull Crop therefore chant that carelesse requiem to thy soule Ede bibe lude Eate drinke take thy pastime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art a foole for this night shall thy soule be required and then where is all thy plotting and plodding for the world Luke 12 20. without this happy diligence all other gaine is losse and therefore our blessed Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What shall it profit a man to gaine a world if he loose his soule Mat. 16 26. where you see the soule is pretious and invaluable the losse of it irrecoverable and a whole world nay not a million of worlds a sufficient recompence for one soule How then are the greater part of the world here to be taxed who thinke of that last of all nay least of all which doth require their prime care and greatest diligence how doth the Holy Ghost complaine of this Oh that they were wise Oh that they would thinke of their latter end and O si ad precepta mea Oh that thou hadst taken heed to my precepts then had thy peace beene as the river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the sea Isay 48.18 And ideo captivus ductus est populus meus quia caruit scientia Therefore is my people gâ—â—e into captivity because they have no knowledge they regard not the worke of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands but the harpe and the violl and wine are in their feasts but alas the dreadfull consequence for therefore hell hath enlarged her selfe and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth among them shall descend into it And not to insist on generalities I speake in Saint Austens phrase Aures omnium pulso conscientias singulorum convenio I knocke at the doore of every mans conscience have we beene so carefull in this particular God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to attaine salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1. Thessal 5.9 But we live as if we were appointed onely for the service of Mammon and set upon this dunghill the earth onely to dig out our owne damnation I question not our desire salvation without doubt is every mans desire none so wretched that would not be saved Beatus vult homo esse etiam non sic vivendo ut possit esse Man would be happy though he trace those broad pathes that tend to the chambers of death but for our actions there 's the matter wherein I may truly say as holy David in that Psalme The wickednesse of the ungodly sheweth to his face that there is no feare of God before his eyes so our supiue negligence our carelesse oscitancy our extravagant intentions shew to our faces that we are not carefull for heaven nor sollicitous of Salvation The ambitious plots only for an addition of honour some more preferment The covetous sweats only to increase his substance and enlarge his Patrimony and for us all we can be content as the Psalmist saith Torise early and go to bedde late and to â—at the bread of carefulnesse for the things of this world in this we live in this we grow old in this we dye and then alasse for pitty the maine bufinesse is neglected heaven is not thought of Salvation is not finished Wherefore what distresse drove this perplexed party in the the text unto let I beseech you a religious discretion worke in every one of you and make you sollicitous for the welfare of your soules I read of Plato that when the Cyrenenses sent to him to prescribe them some forme of Government he replyed that they were too happy to yeild obedience unto any laws Oh let it not be true of any of you that your happinesse here will not permit you to thinke of being happy hereafter Consider that weighty reason of our blessed Saviour what will it profit a man though he gaine the whole world if he loose his owne soule What did it profit that rich man Luke 16. That he was clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared deliciously every day when no sooner dead but in hell in torments Nay it was the aggravation of his misery that he had once beene happy so what will it profit you that ye are descended generously clad costly fed choicely and enjoy all the pleasures and delights of the world when no sooner dead but that of S. Bernard proves true Carodatur esca vernibus anima praeda Daemonibus the body becomes a prey for devouring wormes the soule for tormenting Devills see a President in the 5 of Wisdome and there the gallants of those times unseasonably bewailing such folly Nos stulti c. We fooles erred from the way of truth and the light of Righteousnesse hath not shined unto us we have wearied our selves in in the wayes of destruction and gone through desolate places but as for the way of the Lord we have not known what hath pride profitted us and riches withall their vaunting brought us These things are past away even as an Arrow shot at a marke or as the trace of a Ship at Sea or as a guest that tarrieth but for a day Wherefore blessed beloved in the God of love Christ Jesus blessed for evermore when the eie that seeth me this day may see me no more and the eare that heareth me may heare me no more for ever when I that speake this to you may be dissolved to my originall dust Let not this my poore exhortation be as the beating of the Aire or passe unreguarded but in the fields in your houses at your tables in your closets on your bedds alwaies inturrupt all extravagant intentions with this I have a God to serve a soule to save What must I doe to be saved Consider further God willeth not your destruction he hath not appointed you to wrath he hath made himselfe knowne unto you he doth by me the unworthiest of his Messengers intreat you that you would be reconciled unto him whose voyce if you will this day heare you shall not perrish notwithstanding all your former provocations Oh then seeing God and man grace and nature heaven and earth concurre to do you good perish not through your owne obstinacy save your souls that you perish not in the condemnation of the world And when ye have obtained some comfortable assurance this way account your selves more happy then if you were Monarches of this whole universe for quanta faelicitas what unspeakable selicity is it to be saved Saul had a Kingdome and yet he did dispaire Esau was a Duke and yet a cast-away Judas had his Bishoprick and yet the sonne of perdition and quanta facilitas what facility in the obtaining of it For heaven is not now tyed to these impossible conditions doe this and live non reqnirit Deus sanguinem sed fidem sayeth S. Cyprian God now requireth not bloud but faith only beleeve and live for ever Oh then labour for faith follow faith fight that good fight of faith be faithfull unto death which is the end of your dayes and then you shall be sure to receive the end of your faith which is the salvation of your soules which God of his infinite mercy vouchsafe for the Son of his love Christ Jesus sake to whom with the all sanctifying spirit three Persons one eternall invisible indivisible Essence be ascribed all power praise might and Majesty dignity Dominion and thanksgiving from henceforth and forevermore Amen FINIS
and punishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Saviour This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse more then light because their deeds are evill John 3.19 Hence learne we in the second place to bewaile and deplore this our naturall ignorance Man is borne like a wild asses Colt yet vaine man would be wise Iob. 11.12 Where the holy Ghost shewes that we are not only Sottish but peevish and intractable not only ignorant of Gods will but having a will still to be ignorant Secondly labour for knowledge pray with holy David Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law and give me understanding in the way of godlinesse use the helpe and direction of the Ministrie for the Doctrine of salvation must be learned of those to whom God hath committed the worde of reconciliation Labia Sacerdotis The Priests lipps must preserve knowledge and the People must seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hoasts Mala. 2.7 As before the publishing of the Law the preist went immediately unto the mouth of God to know his will so must we now goe unto the booke of God wherein is a peculiar patefaction of his revealed will and unto those men whom he hath made able Ministers of the new Testament For they are the Stewards of God and dispensers of his sacred Mysteries 1 Cor 4.1 The word of reconciliation is committed unto them 2 Cor 5.19 Ambassadors for Christ that doe in his stead pray us to be reconciled unto God they are the light of the world duces viae guides unto our spirituall Canaan Instructors of the ignorant Teachers of them that want discretion they are indeed the very privy Councellors of heaven For nihil faciet Dominus nisi prius servis suis Prophetis revelaverit God will doe nothing but he will first reveale it to his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 What shall we say then to those that contemne the Ministrie as a calling unworthy and unnecessary altogether Certainely it is a grand pollicie of Sathan to bring the leaders into disgrace that so he might carry the people hoodwinckt to Hell and I feare that Jewes and Turkes will one day rise in judgement and condemne many that beare the name of Christians for they honour the Mufties of Superstition these contemne the Ministers of the Gospell The pastors then must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men able to teach for Quod parum uovit nemo docere potest as the Poet. No man can instruct others if ignorant himselfe and men apt to teach 1 Tim 3.2 Not suppressing the light of their learning under the bushell of a lazie and unseasonable silence like unto frozen Rivers that make great shew but yeild no water unto the thirsty passenger And for all we must hence learne to wait at the gates of wisdome to be frequent in the use of Gods Sacred Ordinances for though the world think it not so needfull yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Peter you do well that you take heed unto the word of God as unto a light shining in a darke place for this will make you wise unto salvation and my third part the matter in question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may be saved It was a good Epigram that learned scholler Aldus Manutius wrote upon his studdy doore Quisquis es Aldus etiam atque etiam te rogat Vt perpancis agas deinde arctutùm abeas Whoever thou art Aldus intreates the breifly to dispatch and presently begonne unlesse thou come as Hercules sometime did to wearied Atlas to put thy shoulder under the burthen Plutarch recordes of that famous Councell assembled in Greece of 12 severall people that they wrote on the Temple of Apollo instead of Homers Iliades the songs of Pyndarus large and tyring discourses such short commemoratives as these Know thy selfe Beware of suretiship use moderation How strickt an observation have we here of these Rules what carefulnesse to avoid the censure of a tedious or unnecessary question though so daunted with feare and distracted with astonishment yet he recollects his wits and makes but one Quaere and that so pithy and materiall that I may say with the Orator in another case Quam plurima paucis what a world of matter in so few words nay sillables To besaved comprehends in it the meanes of our conversion to Christ our Regeneration Justification Glorification whatsoever tends to our new being here or our eternall well being hereafter for thus I construe his meaning with Aretius that he is de salute animae sollicitus sollicitous now for the welfare of his soule for the safe abode of his prisoners freed him from bodily danger and withall observe I beseech you that he intimateth knowledge of action and promise of obedience What must I d◠The Heathen especially those that rellished the doctrine of the Perepateticks conceited the cheifest happinesse of man to consist in the action of vertue and therefore though grace were every way free in God yet he knowes aliquid agendum something on mans part is to be performed And lastly he is not curious to pry into the state of others as once that prime Apostle Domine quid autem hic what shall he here do and therefore is justly reprehended with quid ad te what is that to thee follow thou mee but hi◠discreet charity begins at home and in the first place reflects upon himselfe what must I doe to be saved here the observations come thick upon us but we will shut up all in this one namely That the businesse of salvation requires the best care paines and diligence of the best and therefore our Saviours injunction is generall First seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Math. 6.33 prae omnibus conditis animam charius amare debemus above all things created a mans cheifest care must be for the welfare of his soule and therefore holy David styleth it his Darling that is most precious in his esteeme Deliver my soule from the Lyon my Darling from the power of the dogge And Domine die animae Lord say unto my soul I am thy salvation Psal 35. How slightly soever the world for the most part esteeme of Salvation as if nothing were more easie and triviall then to be saved yet they find the fatall contrary by harsh experience and Sathan himsele that cunning Sophister who now by all meanes labours to perfwade this for a truth in the heart of vaine and carelesse man that so he may neglect heaven deferre his conversion and despise profered grace will one day prove himself a liar and with utmost arguments of aggravation alledge the difficultie nay impossibility thereof turning his tale and flatly telling the amazed conscience that the Art of Salvation requireth time and care and paines and that long and narrow way to Heaven will not be troden in an instant This