have come till the great builder shall have reprobated them There shall no stone be lacking to this building no member to this Body though they lye scaâ—terred yet there will be a Collection Boâ—â— to his bone though they be wounded yet there is a repairing not one of them shall be lost the hair and nail and such excrements may well be let fall and perish but no part shall be missing A sufficiency of parts there will be Thaâ— is the first But yet they make not a body unlesse they come together the dryed bones till they were new set and the Nerves and flesh and skin came upon them could not be said a body tiâ—l the Union of the parts in one come there is no Communion many members there be but by that and that is the next they come to be one body In the naturall body there are Nerves and strings and ligaments and irteries by which all the parts are firmly united Such there are in the Mysticall by which the body is knit and coupled together in every joynt Ephes 4. 16. 1. Spirit us saâ—ictus est nexus he is the prime principall bond The Tendon by which all the parts are knit and coupled The Body to the head by him and the members to the body he is the sap which runs from the root into all the branches that aâ—me dyes and withers and soon falls off which hath not him He is the Leaven by which the whole lump is compacted and grows into one loaf nothing keeps soul and body together but he all would soon fall off like ears of Corn if not by him bound up into one sheaf he is the cement of the whole building there is nothing else to hinde too the Materialls if they bâ— laid loose they cannot last long no Union can be firm without the spirit And to this quasi ad Tendonem all the Nerves and other joyntures tend here they meet they are many as in the naturall body 2. Religâ—on is a main tye it is a religando like Gordions knot it will not be untyed it may well be forc't There is a story how true I know not yet of no mean Author how four strong horses in an whole houres space were not able to strain the joynts of one man in his severall quarters and not then till the executioner with his sword hackt them in peeces it is in nothing so true as in this tye of Religion Non dissolvi possunt quos vera religio conjunxit it only makes true Yoak-followes which like the two Kine as Saint Bernard sweetly compares them bare the Arke of God to Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6. though their Calves were left behinde them and kept one path and went up lowing together Neither Policy nor Villany can make so firm brethren as Religion Fratrum gratia is no where kept so sure as between these Quos Deus Conjunxit is said of marriage knot Let no man put asunder let them not but if they will do it and it hath been done who shall let them from it And it is likeliest done where both the parties are not of one Religion or if they professe one yet they are not what they professe both but of these which by it are made one quis separabit Like Saul and Jonathan they are lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their death not divided neither indeed can they be divided see but what strings they are tyed together with 1. One Faith quisquis fidem se tenere credit unitatem teneat saith St Cyprian He falls from that which falls out of this Faith is imitatis Monimentum Munimentum Therefore the Ancients hold that the Apostles Creed Summa fidei was made for that purpose ut esset unanimitatis indicium that all professors might there meet in one though dispersed never so much in place The Doctrine of Christian Religion is but one one Faith materially The giâ—t of Faith by which we have Faith in the Faith to speak with Athanasius Creed though it be numerically Diverse yet is in all but one one Faith formally one Faith there is union by that 2. One Hope Heaven and our eternall inheritance we all hope for one mark the prize of our high calling we all contend to in the world men take divers wayes because they pitch upon divers ends he saith unto gold thou art my hope another to his honour but they that hope all for one thing like a ship under sail where there be many passengers steer their course unto one and the same Port Can they think to meet there and go every one their own wayes heer As if we had many heads as one said of the Christian Armies Quid absurdius quà m nos in terris dissidere qui fruituri sumus omnes eadem felicitate in coelis By one hope there comes more strength to this Union 3. But the Bond of perfection is love Coloss 3. 14. and that is also one it is called Christs garment Faith and Hope never go apparreld in any other and that was non de parte consutilis sed per totum textilis saith Cyprian without any seam not to be ript nor rent but delivered whole If we have that on and we being Christians would not be thought without it it will not be too little for us to put on sufficit mihi tihi tuniâ—â— Christi saith Bernard it will cover us and withall a multitude of sins of offences of breaches which must else make us fall off on all sides And indeed the cause of all our rents is the want of having that on and it is not such charity which we commonly reckon of such which hath but a thread between it and emnity or so little difference as that they might not be distinguished asunder Christs Garment is not like Jeroboams wherein were made twelve rents at once Integra vestis accipitur the souldier to whose lot it fell took it whole men of that calling seldomest of any have it yet then it was had to shew that it may be had by men of any condition â—â— of that and being had whole it will serve to cover the whole body the ear from hearing the eyes from spying the lips from speaking the hands from practising any thing that may tend to the breach of Union to differences and discention now a threefold cord is not easily broken one Faith one Hope one Love make the bond of perfection make the Union firm But besides these three are other which are as Nerves and Sinews to unite all the parts The Apostle reckons them up in Ephes 4. 4. One Baptisme The Font is the wombe of our new birth sumus fratres As Abraham said to Lot It was strange to Rebecca to have striving in her womb but there was some reason for that two nations and two manner of people were in her bowels But they are all of one people whom the womb of the Church bears if they be right bred Indeed it is not
receiver comes along cum pane Domini They that eate of the Sacrifices are partakers of the Altar is a Proposition unquestionably true and then by consequence if they partake of one Bread they also partake of one Body and of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith my Text. We are all partakers of one Bread And it needs not trouble us that the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when before it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there Communion but partaking hâ—re as if the Communion between the signes and the things signed were fuller then it is between the receivers and them Take one as the effâ—ct and the other as the cause so Beza will have it because by the partaking of the Bread we come into the society and Communion of Christ So the Apostle seems to intend it we are one body one with him because we are all partakers of one Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 symbolorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rerum we place not our Union with Christ in participation but in the effect of that which is Communion we fetch it thence not seat it there and as from Christs participation with our nature where the Apostle useth the same word because the Children were partakers of flâ—sh and bloud he also likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took part Heb. 2. 14. did result the Hypostaticall Union of our nature with him So from our participation of one Bread the Symboll of the Sacrament of which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth result the spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Union of his person with us Saint Ambrose upon my Text saith it non participatione taniùn acceptatione sed Vnitate Communicamus Quemadmodum enim corpus unicum est Christo ita nos per hunc panem unione conjungimur So that though not in that the act of partaking of that one Bread yet by that we come to the Communion of Christ though the Bread be but the Symboll of this Society yet upon the partaking of that we come into the Communion of the thing it sâ—lf which is signed by it so that there is full out as firm Communion hence as was before And being a Communion between Christ and us we call it rightly Communio Capitis in the Allegory of a Body which the Apostle heâ—r alludes unto Christ will not away with any other place then the head in the Body Mysticall the supream Head In all other Allegories as of the Vine and the branches he will be the Râ—ot which bears all Rom. 11. 18 and Radix arboris Caput est of the family he the Master and Dominus is ever Capuâ— domus In the Building caput Anguli in the Book in Capite libri and our tenour if it be right must hold in Capite too All the Communion we have with him depends upon this Relation and it is enough we need desire no more Communio Capitis is neer enough This Communion of the Head with the Body is neither Physicall nor Corporall but Spirituall the naturall man cannot perceive it how the Head in Heaven may be united to a Body in Earth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a riddle to humane reason Who shall fetch down Christ from above or if he must be above still Quomodo tenebâ— absentem saith Saint Austen in the person of a naturall man This is chiefly to be explained and about it two things 1. What this Union is 2 Parts 2. Wherein it doth appear 1. Esse 2. Cognosci are the materiall points about it 1. It is Spirituall the eye of Faith and not of Sence can discern 1 Esse it Mitte manum fidei tractasti saith Austen in answer to Quomodo tenebo absentem That there is a Union a being one with Christ is plain from that prayer of our Saviour for his Disciples and not for them only but for all beleevers Father I pray thee that they may be one in us as thou art one in me and I in thee John 17. 21. but that being one is tantiâ—m spiritu fide saith Maldonate and that sicut there is not aequalitis but cujusdam similitudinis saith Chrysostome for â—ssentiall Union which is eternall between the Father and the Son or Hypostaticall Union which is substantiall between the Sonne and our nature it cannot be our personall Union is spirituall and no more Spirituall because it is wrought by the Spirit Faith is the fruit of Spirit and it is that which is the very essence of this Union the neerest symbolically quality that can be between Christ and us In every Union of naturall things vis unitiva some quality or other there must be by which they agree in one something Medie Naturae Fire and water can never be reconciled alone because they have none in that greatest union of all of God and Man Christ himself was factus Mediae Naturae a Mediator Earth and Heaven had never met but by his being exalted in Medium locum the Crosse was between both and Heaven there was content to stoop lowest Earth being able to rise no higher In this Union of our persons with Christ cum Capite Faith is that vis unitiva the Cement by which Caput Anguli is joyned to the building and yet that is but a conjunction no thing is conveyed into the other parts from it it is therefore more the Ligament and sinew by which the Head is united to the Body and thorow which is conveyed all the benefit of being and motion to the members Similitudo imaginis that likenesse after which man was created had united him to God but that was so defaced by the fall God knew him not for his Creature nothing like in the world was left all similitude between God and him lost till Christ repayred that Image again washt it with his Bloud and set Faith in the face of it by that they may meet there is something like to bring them into liking to make an union Neither is this Imaginary a device for speculation but reall spirituall things have the best and truest reality in them The Fathers Illustrate it divers wayes as fire is united to red hot Iron actually and virtually both it is no where more visible more powerfull for the time as the Beams of the Son are united to the ayre as Wine and water contemperated and mixt together as wax to wax and made into one lump The Apostle giveth a plain instance he that is coupled with an Harlot is one body Erunt duo in carne una is the cousummation of marriage in that sence it is called a Mystery between Christ and his Church So he that is joyned unto Christ is one Spirit One Spirit is but Metalepsis one spirituall body is the meaning Faith on our parts the Spirit on his part concurre and make a union You may see more the ground of this will confirme the truth of it and it is in the words of the Text. We are all partakers
respects we shall finde it neer enough 1. Of Person 2. Of Time Those two will adâ—e sufficiently to the greatnesse of our misery we shall not be put to in quire further 1. Of Person it is our own misery it belongs to our selves Woe now to us Others miseries affect us not much they work according to their distance of place or person Pacis cum proximus ardet there begins our perplexity When our selves come to be touched and repentance toucheth no where else it swells in her own bancks it keepeth sessions at home and pasleth judgement only against it self We we are the men to whom woe doth appertain nostra res agitur we must not put it of from our selves least God Iâ—y it on To us belongeth shame and confusion of face saith Daniel Dan. 9. repentance threatens none but it self vae nobis is the voice of it Woe unto us 2. Of Time Neither doth it deferre its iudgement nor put of the evill day farre from us we deserve to have it brought upon us presently and repentance iudgeth according to our desâ—rts Woe now unto us now indeed were it iustice with God to bring upon us all this woe he hath forborne and given uâ— many times of tryall but we have despised the riches of his grace and his goodnesse hath not lead us to repentance He hath come these many yeers looking for fruit and found nothing but leaves now might he in iustice lay his Axe to our roote and bid cut us down now might he pronounce a curse against us and make us wither away he might now speak unto us in his displeasure depart you cursed and powre upon us all his storms of indignation and vengeance If we were now to stand before Gods tribunall and to be indged according to our deserts and there we are now placed by repentance even now presently were all this misery to come upon us Now if any thing will work true apprâ—hension in us it must be this Iraventura Makes not any deep impression in many of us the day of death though we see it a farre of may strike us into so ne dumps but they are never so true as 〈…〉 Cum sit inbeforae similis jam jamque tenere When we see an hand writing with Baltazer or hear a voyce speaking our doom with Nabuch adnezzar then will our joynts he loosed and our knees tremble Saint Gregory reports it of himself that when he expounded that sentence of Abraham unto Dives now thou art tormented he was not able to on in his Sermon Pavore potius indigent quam expositione saith he to his Auditors the apprehension of the present wrought so much upon him as if the jam vero were iam verum now to be said to any of us as it was to him indeed we are to say it our selves now Woe now unto us This certainly will make us sufficiently apprehensive of our misery And now as men brought unto some dangerous disease ever look unto the cause that brought them to it being in a storm as Jonahs Marriners were they cast about to finde the fountain of it it is the great consultation of this Kingdom at this time to finde out the Authors of those great distempers that are in it So the sence of our misery will bring us to a sight of our sin for indeed hinc illae lachrimae all our sorrows come from thence we must lay all our fault upon our sins our sins are the troublers of ouâ— Israel and that leads me to the second part of my Text. Woe now unto us that we have sinned We came not till now to the cry of true repentance it is not her misery she is under but the sin she hath committed makes her cry it is all the note that they have in hell Woe now unto us but they never come to say that we have sinned for there is no place for repentance the sence of their miseries makes them only cry not any sorrow or remorse for their sins But it is these we must now cry of if we be true penitents our sins must trouble us and not any other troubles whatsoever And now it is fittest to be troubled for them for in times of other afflictions we cannot so well spend our tears upon our sins torments of the body will drink up our spirits the pains which we endure take up our complaints our sins are not so well thought on when our sences are otherwise perplexed sorrow often proves too late which is let alone till then but now we do but make our selves miserable we willingly assume woe unto our selves those woes we spake of we blesse the goodnesse and long suffering of our God are not as yet forced upon us but freely assumed by us other sorrows go not so neer unto our hearts at this time that there may be the better room for the sorrow for our sins sins are best lamented when we are otherwise well and not afflicted Pharoah and Abab have done it in extremity but it came not freely from them but by force besides they lamented their plagues not their sins But it is for these that we are troubled not that we are punished but that we have sinned And that we may thoroughly be troubled for them we must be sure to take a good sight of them not cover them as Cain nor hide them as Adam not cast them behinde our backs but bring them before us set them in our sight that God may cover them while we discover them that when we bring them before our faces he may cast them behinde his back Sin cannot be hid but when God hides it we may rake it up as we do fire in embers but at the day of Revelation God will bring it to light But then to say that we have sinned will not be enough to make us see our sins we have spent enough in the commission Saint Peter tells us shall we be short in our confession If we did go about it we could not bring all our sins to our remembrance Holy men though they have studied the Art of Arithmetike have fain to set down at the foot of their accompt an indefinite number my sins are more then the hairs of my bead saith David then the sands on the Sea shore then the stars in the firmament Our secret sins St Bernard cals them maris magni reptilia they are like the creeping creatures of the great Sea innumerable yet as an huge army though the common souldiers be not to be mustered the heads and chieftains are in the firmament the starres are not to be numbred yet those of greatest influence and magnitude are among our sins there are leaders Captains over their hundreds and thousands there are some of more transcendent magnitude and maligne influence we may take sight of them and we shall not transgresse the limits of the Text neither it is to say but so much the ofner that we have sinned We begin with Pride that Primum
derived from the head that it may be set on And of what nature they are you have heard bâ—fore Spiritus sanctus est nexus and thence is this union called spiritull Thirdly Again ut sit verum debet esse vivum a true head must be endued with the same soul the rest of the members are and such is Christ our head the Spirit is the life of both in the lead that is fully we have all received from his fulnâ—sse that member which hath not his Spirit is not of his body his children are led by his spirit We may know by this whether we be in him or no by the Spirit which he hath given us A true head we may know him by this The second is a perfect head such an one which hath First 2 Perfectum Reason Secondly Sence Thirdly Motion Fourthly Soundnesse Fifthly Beauty in it Aâ—l are in him First The faculties of the soul understanding will prudence providence he knoweth all things sustaineth quickneth governeth all things Secondly he seeleth our miseries seeth our wants heareth our prayers smelleth our sacrifices tasteth our charities he speaketh and pleadeth for us makâ—th intercession for us Thirdly he moveth us all spirituall motion in the body comes from him holy dâ—sires good works pure thoughts in nature in religion life and motion is a Capite We see it in those Creatures which are insectilia cut them in pieces that part lives longest which cleaves to the head the other soon dyes so it is in others so in our spirituall body whatsoever is from the head is dead presently Fourthly He is a sound and perfect head ill humours which do infect the body flow not from him All is like Aarons oyl which runs down from the head to the skirts of the cloathing or like Hermons Dew which waters the Vallies His Influence haâ—h no malignity in it but rather healing to the members Fifthly he is a fair and beautifull head admits of no deformity The fairest of ten thousand fairer then the children of men All these shew him to be a perfect head The third he is an only head to have no head acephali to have 3 Vnicum more heads policephali are both a like monstrous privations of one divisions into many ever tend to desolation God and nature ever affect one and but one God himself being Principalis Vnit as loves unity best especially in the best And de ratione capitis est unum esse and therefore God after all things had been scattered both in Heaven and Earth by division by hearkening unto more heads then one to the Serpents hâ—ad in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time would gather them altogether again into one the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that is properly a gathering together unto one head all gathering together is into one as of sheep into one flock of materialls for building into one pile of many numbers into one summe of many grains into one loaf but none so emphaticall so fit in expression as of many members unto one head and that one head is Christ Him God hath given to be head of his body which is the Church and he is caput unicum only one head all the heads of divinity as great Maps in a little compasse as many plots in a small Module bring them together contract them to one they make but one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one head and that is Christ The fourth is he is an head that never dieth death hath no dominion 4 Perpetuam over him even in Heaven when his body shall be removed thither he will do the part of an head And while there is life in him he will preserve it in his body the Church cannot dye while her head lives nor want while it hath sense and motion and speech and understanding to provide for it Summe up all that need be said of an head all is in him Verum Vaum Perfectum Perpetuum all to be said to be seen of him We have made this to appear sufficiently the Communionis not yeâ— full if all come from the head to the body and nothing back again from the body to the head two things it owes to the head at least 1. Obedience 2. Maintenance First Obedience to be ruled and governed and moved by the head 1 Obedience it hath the eyes to see the brain to counsell the will to put on and all to be sit to govern if it go without the head Mole ruit suâ shall the soot or the hand say unto the eye we have no need of thee the Apostle makes this his chief argument for obedience Ephesians 5. 22 23. Let Wives be subject to their Husbands for the Husband is the head of the Wife as Christ is of the Church The head wheresoever it be in the body Naturall Politicall Spirituall is to be obeyed The second is Maintenance if the head be hurt or gone as good all Mainâ—â—nance the members be away be the body never so entire the members right in their places if the head hap to be away as good they all asunder Therefore all Creatures strive most to defend their head they had rather receive blows any where else then there The Serpent her self exposeth her whole body to keep her head from bruising you may mark how she gardeth it with her whole train the rather because she knows that is laid at most her head was to be broken ever since the prevarication so it is in others In the body Politique the enemy gives that charge that the Kings of Aram did not to fight against great or small but only against the King 1 Kings 22. 31. Therefore Davids men had a care of him ten thousand of them were not so good as he the light of Israel was out if he were gone So it is in other heads All fencers play is most against it it concerns the body to defend it most ibi fortiter opponere ubi fortiter oppugnatur So do Pagans Infidels Hereticks strike at our head our chief care if it be right must be to defend it against them These are due from the body to it and then there will be Communis cum Vnione which is best on both sides of spirit and life from the head Of Duty and Defence from the body it to guide this to guard it to lead this to be lead this agreement if it be in all things will make the union to appear sufficiently which is corporis cum capite with Christ our head Let us look back once to the ground of this union which is in the Sacrament by which we that are many are one one with Christ because we have all partaken of one bread The Communion was for this union he comes to the outward signes that by them he may come neerer unto us if we eat we have him in us nisi manducaveritis Yee shall not have him in you and manducantibus verè ac realiter
unitur corpus Christi sicut panis though the manner differ This corporally the bread is that spiritually Christ is It concerns us much then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we may be of the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse participes ut simus consortes to be of the Communion that which is Sacramentall to be of it to be at it to eat to eat often that we may be of this union with Christ here quae justificat which will bring us to that quae glorificat our blessed union with God hereafter Whither he bring us all Amen THE FIFTH SERMON 1 COR. 10. 17. We that are many are one Bread and one Body WE are still upon this theam Bonum est nobis esse hic therefore what the Apostles would we have done Aedificavimus tria Tabernacula We have staid a time in two of them we must not dwell there Tents are not for mansions we must remove to the third Communio corporis which is mysticall will now take up our Communio Corporâ—s employment Yet we pitch this upon the same ground we did the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is still causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our spirituall Communion which is capitis our mysticall Communion which is corporis spring from thence from the Sacramentall which is calicis we are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread One body there it is we need not seek it by induction from the Text which is there literally as we did the other our Communion with Christ cum capite that was as much intended as truly effected as this though not so fully expressed And that must have been first if not for honour which is ever due to the head yet for necessity we must have premised that there could be no talk of the members growing into one body if they be not first united into one head and in this sence Christ is caput Ecclesiae because all begin there as the branches at the root if they be not held to it by Ligaments and Nerves the skin the flesh and the veins never grow to them never feed and nourish them But we have done with that and now the body in its right place comes next to be thought on One body is but one term of the Communion duas oportet esse essentias ad minus ut sit Communio seu unitio two at least are required to all relation the Relatum is one but the correlata are many as many as we are many there are many members but one body though we retain unity there for the body can be but one yet we must admit of Multiplicity here the members must be many Si omnia essent unum membrum ubi corpus saith the Apostle and so they are in the Text. We that are many are one Body The ground of this Relation is necessarily to be thought on to make it up and it comes into the Text one Bread that is it the Sacramentall Communion is the cause of the Mysticall that hath ever been considered in all the parts of the Text and the Apostle will not have it left out here two wayes it comes to be considered 1. As it is the signe of it bread of the body one bread of one body signum unitatis Saint Austin calls it for many grains go to make up that many members to make up this Bread and Wine both of them ex multis rediguntur in unum so we that are many are one body this is Sacramentall and if we read the Text right as both the Originall hath it and all the Ancient both Translators and Expositors render it t is thus for there is one bread we also that are many are one body one as that is one say Chrysostome and Ambrose c. Yet I doubt not but a good Spirit moved our modern Translators to render it as my Text reads it We that are many are one bread and one body one bread first because we all eat of one bread and vi fidei are in a manner become one with that as alimentum Alitum are one and one body by virtue of that one bread spiritually one body mystically yet the other is easier lesse strained and therefore we will keep to that 2. It is not only as a signe but also as a cause of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a causall because that is but one the bread as the Paschall Lamb was but one to all the house of Israel one in a Mysticall and Spirituall sence though Numerically many and we all partake of this one all the Church of God all over the world partakes of one and the same bread in civill commerce to eat of one bread at one board hath ever been a pledge of unity and concord so it is in our mysticall society we are all of one Corporation one body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because we all partake of one bread All these will come to be considered in their places We begin with the Text The Correlatives We that are many To the Church at Corinth are the words directed but may be assumed by us by all that are in the Church of God wheresoever they be place and time matter not in this matter nos illi multi so Beza reads it we are those many We the Jews and Turks cannot read this Text illi multi t is true too many they are but such which come together into one they are not materialls of this building not sheep of this flock not grains of this bread not members of this body at the best they are but of those other sheep our Saviour speaks of Qui non sunt hujus Ovilis or nondum sunt in Gods good time they may be brought but as yet are not Besides them the Schismatiques cannot read it illi multi many they are so many as that the world wonders at it The Arians and Donatisâ—s never overspread the East and West part of the Church more in their times then these in ours Like Egypts frogs the whole Land is full of their croakings But yet they are many still there is some good in that they come not into one Quot homines tot sententiae their perpetuall differences among themselves shew they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not animated with one Spirit they would be fearfull to the whole Church if they could be that and like the Cake of Barly in the seventh of Judges they might tumble down into the Hosts and Armies of Israel and overturn them but that they cannot be their Cake which a flash of zeal hath heated will prove dough or rather like grains not ground they will not be kneaded or knit into one Loaf if at any time they come together it is with the sowre leaven of malice and uncharitablenesse or of hereticall and Pharisaicall doctrines the Leaven of the Law which was to be cast out not with the Leaven of the Gospel the
hang by one Artery and have the rest disjoynted By faith and hope and not by love which is the bond of perfeâ—tion If we be wounded there is a repairing if loosed or strained there is a re-establishing if we be of the Body we must have love to all the members care of them all we must suffer with them suffer for them we must cover the blemishes hide the deformities of the parts upon those parts which we think most unhonest we must put more honesty and give the more honour to that part which lacketh Nature and religion both can by no means away with a scisme in the body If there be you be not of the body you cannot say the Text. We that are many are one Body And if we be not of this Communion which is Corporis we cannot be of the other which is Calicis that is Fundamentum Relationis and one bread of one body and of it sumus participes we all partake That of this simus consortes we may be all members To eat of that which is one all over the world as there was but one Lamb to an house so but one bread to the whole Church is the Symboll and Sacrament of one Union with the Body Non ex alio tu nec ex alio ille sed ex eodem omnes nutrimur saith Chrysostome It is but one mystically though numerically many And if but one bread shall we make the Table of the Lord the table of devils And partake of that with bitternesse and wrath If but one body shall we take the member of Christ and make it the member of an harlot of scisme and contention God Almighty grant that we may be all of one minde in one house being all members of one body that being united by one Spirit in one Religion in one Faith in one Hope we may serve one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour in one Love being entred by one Baptisme confirmed and strengthned by one Bread coupled and knit into one Body there be no scisme no division among us but that all the members have a care one of another and endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Till we all meet together into a perfect man and the Measure of the Age of the fulnesse of Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise and glory now and ever Amen THE SIXTH SERMON 1 JOHN 4. 1. Dearly beloved beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God for many salse Prophets are gone out into this world I Must begin where the Text ends the last words of it are the reason of the first Quoniam is a causall Many false Prophets are gone out into this world Why what then Only this beleeve not therefore every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God I could not think of any subject more proper to this season or more profitable for our selves the old complaint is now if ever proved true the dayes are evill The world was never more rightly compared to a Sea then now men upon dry Land as if they were tossed in a rough Sea thorough staggering and giddinesse of their brains are driven to their wits end they look thorough the waves of their unconstant humours and prejuducate conceits which make the straightest things which have been so well settled with mature consideration and unquestioned authority seem to them crooked they complain that the shoars and trees are moved not perceiving how themselves are silently transported and that they move and not these they do not look that way which they row and yet as if they rushed not fast enough to their own destruction they hoise up their sails of fury and madnesse to precipitate them forward They think to make away in the Sea in which they cannot so much as spye out any prints of their steps which have gone before them nor must hope to leave any impression to be found by those which shall follow after God only knows what Port they are bound for I fear me the distraction if not distruction both of Church and state what else do so many fiery discursions abode the perverting of Scriptures pretending of Prophesies wracking of consciences the bold determinations of ignorant Mechanicks flying into the face of dignities and authority wounding thorough the sides of Ecclesiasticall Discipline the head of Monarchy and Government Do they not all huddle in at one gap to let in confusion and ruine Are they not fruitfull seeds which bring forth such a Monster which hath so frighted Germany these hundred yeers and will eat out the very bowels of the Mother which conceived them Is it because there is no Prophet in our Israel at whose lips may be inquired the knowledge of the Law Or is it not rather because there are too many Such which will take upon them tp be Prophets and are not called as was Aaron Which Prophesie in my name saith the Lord and I have not sent them neither did I command them neither spake I unto them and yet they ran Jere. 14. 14 15. Is not Saul among the Prophets madnesse and cruelty And the devill gotten again into Samuels mantle malice and hypocrisie Is there not a lying spirit got into the mouth of these Prophets As was in Ababs dayes 1 Kings 22. 22. Do they not prophesie lyes unto us in the name of the Lord This this the true cause the Apostle tells in the last words of the Text For many false Prophets are gone out into this world This being the cause what Counsell is to be followed There are two rocks which we must necessarily avoide to beleeve all to beleeve none by beleeving all we rush presently into heresies and scisime by beleeving none we fall upon irreligion and Atheisme against the first the Apostle gives us a Caution Beleeve not every spirit Against the second this Counsell But try the spirits whether they be of God This is his to them to whom he writ this is mine to you to whom I speak Dearly beloved Beleeve not every spirit c. So the Text you see plainly supplies us with two parts First A premonition Secondly A premunition First For praemoniti Secondly Praemuniti First A warning of us Secondly An arming of us They are but two but we may say of them as our Saviour did of the Disciples two swords it is enough we need no more if we be well accoutred with them if thorowly instructed about them if we know how to prove them we shall by the grace of God quit our selves like men not to be put to turn to the right hand or the left but be able to stand fast in our faith till we be removed from our station from faith to fruition from these earthly Tabernacles unto heavenly Mansions from waging of warre and wrestling in combate against sin and errour to wearing of Crowns in immortality and glory We begin with
come to devour widows houses their substance and estates there can be no good lookt for from their coming They are of their Masters Profession and his name is Apollyon a destroyer and do but mark how they do ply his work they destroy even foundations themselves Faith Hope Love Obedience and if foundations be destroyed what shall the righteous do Other Reasons we might yeeld but these are enough to make us follow the Apostles counsell to mark those which make divisions and contentions which with fair speech and flattering deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 17 18. Indeed to warne us of them it is enough alone but to remember the Text it self Many fals Prophets are gone out into this world I passe to the second part The Premunition To be warned of them and not Armed against them is to little purpose we may be armed two wayes by the Text. First Negatively non credendo Secondly Affirmitively probando First Non Credendo Beleeve not every spirit Spirit and Prophet are here Synonima so Beza and the best expound it Metonimically it is put for him Every Prophet pretends he hath the Spirit Mabomet himself that grand Impostor stuck not to affirm that the spirit was his teacher By the name of the spirit they gain authority unto their Doctrines So as you have heard already The devil sendsforth his agents under the pretence of divinity But there is a lying spirit as well as a true one and here we have a caution de non Credendo Beleeve not every spirit It is not safe for any soul to be too credulous in matters of salvation to beleeve every report is in civill affairs an argument of greatest Levity much more in religious Credulity was the sin of our first parents Eve beleeved the Serpent Adam beleeved her I know when God speaks to beleeve him presently ea Credulitas semper magni fuit ingentis animi saith Saint Chrysostome it was Abrahams praise and the Virgins Maries But since lying spirits are gone out in the name of God credulity must needs be dangerous The foolish will beleeve every thing saith Solomon Prov. 14. 15. And the sonne of Syrach Eccle. 19. 4. He that is hasty to give credit is light minded This de non credendo then cannot but be a good watch word Beleeve not every spirit And the reason of it is It is alwayes best policy to watch that place where the enimy strives to enter ibi fortiter opponere ubi fortiter oppugnatur Satans chief battery is against our Faith we need not fear him much if he get not in at that poyson hath no hurt in it if it be not received nor false doctrines if not beleeved therefore his Agents work most upon credulous natures they commonly begin with weak and silly women which are easie to beleeve and creep into them and then by them winde themselves into the opinions and bosomes of weak and effâ—minate men The Devill never could do any thing if you would not beleeve him He requires Faith in his Auditors as well as God doth in his Belief is the only passage of all good or evill to the soul if that be easie to God he enters and with him all graces if open to the devill he enters and with him all vices Therefore Solomon bids us keep our heart with all diligence and especially that passage at which Satan so much seeks to enter which is beleeving And that we may the better keep our heart we should keep our ears too stop those outward passages hearken not to them Deut. 13. 3. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of the Prophets or dreamer of dreams c. We let him in too neer if he get into the ear that passage he seeks to get first if he can have free accesse to the ear he will command the heart too ere he have done And that we may keep both our heart and ear we should keep our houses too not let them lye open to them it is not safe letting them come so neer us their desire is to creep in there first 2 Tim. 3. 6. But no deceitfull person shall dwell in my house He that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight saith the Psalmist and these are Deceivers Matth. 24. 5. and Lyers 2 Thes 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Beloved let me not be mistaken I mean those false Prophets which are spoken in my Text which are gone out into the world which come unto you with damnable doctrines novelties sâ—ismes which sow divisions contentions debates among you which call themselves Prophets but are not sent and come in the name of the spirit but are not to be received for it is the Apostles caution Dearly beloved beleeve not every spirit But I mean not to insist longer upon this The second take up more time which is affirmative Probando But prove the spirits whether they be of God There is good reason for this rule to beleeve all tends to heresie and scisme for there are lying spirits 1 King 22. 22. Evill spirits Judges 9. 23. Vnclean spirits Luk. 4. 23. Spirits of errour 1 Tim. 4. 1. And therefore you have heard of the Apostles caution de non credendo Beleeve not every spirit But yet to beleeve none tends as much another way to irreligion and Atheisme for there is a spirit which is of God nay there are the seven spirits of God which are sent abroad into the world and these are to be beleeved Revel 5. 6. What is to be done that we may not be deceived We are now to hearken to the Apostles counsell Prove the spirits whether they be of God Now proving them is all the way we have to be safe from errour the false and lying spirit comes in the name of God to us as well as the righteous and true spirit dicit Dominus is the prologue ever to their lye 1 Kings 22. 11 12. In my name do they prophesie lyes saith the Lord himself Jere. 14. We cannot but mistake if we take all if we take none to take the right is to be take us to the rule to prove the spirits whether they be of God And now if ever we have need of proving we live in the last and perillous dayes where many spirits of errours are gone abroad and many are deceived by them those that are yet free or not so farre gone have reason to be both more thankfull unto God and more vigilant over themselves the name of the spirit is able to deceive the best and wisest If a bad one but come and as once the good spirit did Gen. 1. 2. incumhehat aquis be but incumbent there or rest and stay there God knowes what he may produce it concerns such especially to take heed to this rule to prove the spirits whether they he of God or no. And it is but the same which Saint Paul else where bids us Prove your selves 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove what things are well pleasing unto
God Ephes 5. 10. That ye may allow these things which are best Phil. 1. 10. Try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. Try the spirits whether they be of God And now we go about the Tryall there are but two wayes that I know of but both are Demonstrative we may not in this case content our selves with probabilities or possibilities shews and apparances are no good grounds for our souls to take any thing upon trust our proof must be armour of proof or else we shall not be well appointed against them The first is à Priori the second à Posteriori from their calling from their conversation those two are the grounds we can only go upon First From their calling for they must have that or else they cannot be right No man takes upon him the honour unlesse he be called as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. God himself renounceth them from being his if they come and be not sent if they run and be not commanded Jere. 14. If they be not sent by him you may soon conclude that they be not of God That you may understand this point more fully being a matter these times so much stand upon You must observe that there is a twofold calling by God 1. Extraordinary 2. Ordinary First Extraordinary which was in old times either spiritus Oris as Abraham Moses Samuel so the all the Apostles They were called by the voyce of Christ and sent into the world Or else ore spiritus by speciall instinct whereby they were inwardly furnished with all the gifts of the spirit necessary to that service whereto they were designed so were many of the Prophets Elias in the deplored estate of the Jews These wayes of calling are now ceased and not to be looked for The Anabaptists and their brood the Brownists which pretend Revelations and Dreams are not to be regarded By the instinct of the spirit of arrogancy and error do they take upon them to prophecy and of no other spirit at all though they come unto you in a mighty winde yet God is not in that winde you may not take those spirits to be of God 2. The other way of calling by God is his Ordinary calling and that is twofold Internall Externall 1. Internall and that is when a man findes himself furnished with gists fit sor that calling so saith Musculus and Zanchie They are the Talents with which Christ hath endued him for his service The search of this is left to every mans Conscience which desires the Ministery he shall be reckoned an Intrudor if he finde not these in some measure in himself and therefore in our Form of Consecration the Bishop asketh every one which cometh to be Ordained whether he do think himself to be inwardly called I confesse outward abilities others may judge of humane learning skill in Divinity sound Intellectuals by discourse by examination they come to be discovered but inward preparations they are from the Lord It is the height of arrogancy for any to take upon them to judge of them in others than themselves for what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 11. God onely is the tryer of the heart and reins He proudly enters into Gods Judgment Seat which takes upon him to determine that If it be internall and secret how cometh it known to thee or me Let other judge of my abilities for the Function but the preparations of my heart are known onely to God and my self 2. Externall and that is Mediante Ecclesiâ Christ hath left the power unto his Church he called his Apostles they called others after them Titus had precept from Paul to ordain Ministers in every City Tit. 1. 5. So had Timotby by Imposition of hands 1 Tim. 5. 2. Christ cannot be visibly present the Heavens must contain him till his last Coming but by his Spirit he is present with his Church he calls by it those whom it balls lawfully we are to acknowledge to be called by God But whether it calls lawfully or no that is now called in question whether this Calling onely belong to the chief of the Church which are so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to all the mulâ—itude of beleevers Those that question it do withall question the Doctrine of our Church and if that which they dare not deny but was well setled by uncontroulable Authority cannot satisfie them how shall I Yet I shall adventure to lay my Axe unto the root of this Tree of pride and arrogancy which doth oppose it if so be it prove not as the young Prophets did which was but borrowed They that are for a populary election pretend two Arguments for the Confirmation The Scriptures and the Primitive times I shall satisfie both with their own principles 1. For the Scriptures their own rule is this That nothing bindes to a necessity of observation which hath not there an affirmative precept enjoyning it Let them stand but to this and be tried by themselves whether there be any such or no and whether they do well in imposing a necessity of things which are besides the rule Is there any let them demonstrate it and carry the cause Is there none let them see the invalidity and weaknesse of their Argument and relinquish it But They object the practice of the Apostles in their times there are many things which must go to make that an everlasting rule and not temporary those times and ours are not like and therefore not the like discipline I will name but one reason an essentiall one the true cause of that alteration that hath been in this point All the beleevers were then of one minde there was no danger of any schis◠〈◊〉 any rent to be made in the Church then of which innumerable have been since But yet that they cannot prove the multitude of the 〈◊〉 were present we will grant that and not onely with silence as some think but with suffrages as others without which there was no laying on of hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is suffragiis creare as Erasmus argues in the Election of Matthias to the Apostleship and the seven to the Deaconship let it be granted they were there that they sâ—â—e not onely still but said some what but gave their consent yet that was onely to their Ordination not to their Institution at the giving them power to preach not assigning them any place and I report me to any indifferent Judge whether that be not so done in our Churches Form of Ordination 2. For the Primitive times which succeeded the Apostles we may most admite of their inference from thence which have been ever most enimies to true anâ—iquity you I now how Episcopacy and Ceremony is opposed which themselves cannot deny but be grounded in Antiquity we may say most truly what Saint Augustine saith to some of the same sort Qui in Evangelio nihil nisi quod vultis