with the milke of wilde beasts If Iacob sorrowed so for Ioseph if David would have dyed for Absalom if Rachel wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not Let the death of Christ Gen. 37. 35. 2 Sam. 17. Mat. 2. Luke 1. 75. Luke 7. Mat. 26. Psal 51. pierce our hearts and move us to holinesse and let us serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life The Lord sustaine our hearts that with Mary we may wash his feet with our teares and with Peter wee may weepe bitterly Create in us Lord a cleane heart and renue in us a right spirit Another reason is taken from our Salvation for without holinesse we cannot be saved For though wee be not saved for it yet we are not saved without it Hereupon saith the Apostle Follow peace with holinesse without the which yee cannot bee saved A Heb. 12. 14. sore a fearefull speech like the thunder in Mount Horeb which I adde the rather because men mocke at holinesse Oh say they you are holy men you are men of the Spirit you are Saints you are Sermon-men The Bastard Ismael flowted at Isaac Gal. 5. 29. 2 Sam. 6. Ier. 18. Michol skorneth at Davids dancing before the Arke the men of Anathoth did smite Ieremy with their tongue the Adversaries of Iuda jested at the people But if thou beest not holy if thou beest not a Saint thou art a divell and know that if ye Esra 4. Rom. 8. 13. Gal. 6. 8. live after the flesh ye shall dye for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption As Naomi said Call me not Naomi but Mara So call not these men Christians Gospellers but call them swine dogges that tread pearles under their feet call them Adders that will not be charmed call them Wolves that heare Mat. 7. Psal 58. Iohn 10. Hebr. 12. Iohn 6. not their shepheard call them Bastards and not sonnes yea call them divels as Christ called Iudas and say unto them as Christ said to Peter Come behind me Satan thou understandest not the things that bee of God but of man I marvell that the Sunne that is witnesse of these villanies standeth in the heavens that the heavens raine not downe fire and Brimstone as Gen. 19. 23. that the earth swallow them not up as Numb 16. that the creatures put not on their harnesse as Ioel 1. Lastly wee are sanctified wee must therefore be holy that our names and our natures our calling and conversation may be correspondent if then we will have part with Christ we must live after the example of Christ if wee will have Communion Causes of Sanctification The whole Trinity sanctifie with the Saints on Earth wee must bee Saints on Earth if wee will have the company of Saints in Heaven our conversation on Earth must bee heavenly Partly Wee are chosen in Christ that wee should bee holy and without blame before him and partly because the heavenly Court receiveth none but such as are pure Ephes 7. 4. Apoc. 21. 27. holy innocent David saith holinesse becommeth thy house for ever If holinesse become Gods house much more us which are the servants of his house Wel the God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your Spirits Soules and Bodies may bee holy and harmelesse untill the comming of the Lord Iesus For all our sanctification and holinesse is from the Lord as it appeareth plainely by the words of my Text Sanctified of God the Father Causa efficiens sanctitatis the efficient cause of holinesse is God the Father Instrumentalis causa fides the instrumentall cause is Faith for Fides cor purificat Faith purifieth the heart Materialis causa the materiall cause est energia sanctitatis quae est in Act. 15. 9. Iohn 1. 16. Christo for of his fulnes we have all received even grace for grace Formalis causa the formall cause est nostra renovatio ab impuris qualitatibus ad puras integras is our renewing from impure qualities to pure and sound Finalis Dei cultus the final Gods worship to the honour of God and the edifying of our neighbour But yet observe with mee that though sanctification bee attributed to the Father yet the Sonne and the holy Ghost are not excluded for wee hold the principle of the Schoolemen Opera Trinitatis quoad extra sunt indivisa the outward workes of God are common to the whole Trinity and so are we sanctified by Father Sonne and holy Ghost yet sanctification is here ascribed to the Father as being the ground and first author thereof For the Son ne sanctifieth by meriting sanctification the holy Ghost sanctifieth by working it but the Father sanctifieth both by sending his Sonne to merit it and also by giving the holy Spirit to worke Thus Opera Trinitatis the outward workes of God are common to the whole Trinitie Sed opera Trinitatis quoad intus esse singularia the inward workes of God are singular and proper to some persons of the Trinitie Vt patri potentia filio redemptio spiritu sanctificatio tribuitur as power is ascribed to the Father redemption to the Sonne sanctification to the holy Ghost and yet these three now and then bee attributed to all the three persons Quod Vrsinus servato ordine agendi for as the Father and the holy Ghost doe redeeme and yet mediately by the Sonne so the Father and the Sonne doe sanctifie yet mediately by the Holy Ghost The proper or incommunicable workes of the Trinity are the inward eternall and hypostaticall properties as thus Pater generat the Father begetteth the Sonne is begotten and the holy Ghost proceedeth Distinction of persons in the Trinitie and yet the Father is not the Sonne nor the Sonne the Father nor the holy Ghost either Father or Sonne The other workes of the Trinity are indivisible how soever sometimes distinct as Creation to the Father Redemption to the Sonne Sanctification to the holy Ghost Peter Martyr sayth thus Pater ut fons filius ut flumen spiritus ut rivus ab utroque procedens The Father as the Fountaine the Sonne as the flood the Spirit as the River proceeding from them both The fountaine is not the flood nor the flood the fountaine nor the river either fountaine or flood and yet all these bee one water So the Father is not the Sonne nor the Sonne the Father nor the Spirit either Father or Sonne and yet but one God Et hi tres sanctificant and all these three sanctifie quoth Lactantius Ab uno omnia per unum omnia in uno omnia a quo per quem in quo omnia unus a se unus ab uno unus ab ambobus una tamen eadem operatio All things from one all things by one all things in one from whom by whom and in whom are all things one of himselfe one from one one from both and yet one
heart knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit for hee maketh requests for the Saints according to the Will of God The fire which God would have continually to burne upon his Altar came out from the Lord. Levit. 9. 24. If sacrifices were offered up with any other fire the fire was counted strange and the sacrifices no whit acceptable but abominable Cap. 10. 1 c. to the Lord. The Heavenly fire whereby our spirituall sacrifices of prayer must be offered up is that holy Spirit which commeth out from God we must therefore pray in the Spirit yea all good gifts proceede from the Spirit so saith the Apostle The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit 1 Cor. 12 7 8 9 10 11. withall for to one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisedome to another the word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another is given Faith by the same Spirit to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit to another operations of great workes to another Prophecy to another discerning of spirits and to another diversity of tongues to another interpretation of tongues and all these worketh even the selfe-same Spirit distributing to every man severally as hee will So Christ told his Apostles that they spake not but the Spirit of his Father It is not you saith he that speake but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Paul compareth the Spirit of God to a tree that like the Tree of life yeeldeth all graces The fruit of the Spirit Ephes 1. 18. is Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meeknesse Temperance against such there is no Law for they are under the Spirit of grace The Antithesis is betweene the flesh and the Spirit Paul calleth it the Spirit of Wisdome And Esay nameth it The Spirit of Wisdome Counsell Power Strength Because all these are the effects of it for Bezaliel Esay 11. 2. Exod. 31. 3. and Aholiab had their knowledge from Gods Spirit in the works of brasse and silver how much more have we in heavenly things There is no Art no cunning no science but from the Spirit even in the most wicked If you say Quid Spiritui Sancto impys What have the wicked to doe with the Spirit I can answere it thus The wicked have the spirit of illumination as had Achitophel 2 Sam. 16. Mat. 18. Act. 23. and Iudas and Tertullus but not the Spirit of Sanctification and adoption It is said of all the Iudges and Kings The Holy Ghost the Author of all excellent gifts in any that the Spirit of God came upon them so it is said that the Spirit of God came upon Gedeon so it is said of Saul that the Spirit of the Lord should come upon him and he should prophesy and of David that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward Iudg. 6. 34. 1 Sam. 10. 6. 1 Sam. 10. 13. Al the rare excellent things of God are judged by the Spirit The naturall wise man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God But he that is spirituall judgeth all things It is Gods Spirit that frameth all our actions and works and all good things 1 Cor. 14. 15. in us Hitherto tendeth the ceremony used in the Law that in the sacrifices things without life were consecrated with oyle which thing had a double reference first to Christ to note that hee was anointed with the gifts of the Spirit to performe his three offices for so we read The Spirit of the Lord God is upon mee therefore hath the Lord anointed mee a. And againe Thou hast loved Esay 61. 1. Heb. 1. 9. righteousnesse and hated iniquity wherefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes Secondly it had reference unto us to note that all our duties are accepted of God as they are wrought in us by the Spirit but nothing no not prayer is accepted otherwise then it is a worke of the Spirit and commeth from his motion For this purpose note what the Prophet saith in the person of God to Ierusalem I will powre upon them the Spirit of supplications He calleth the gift of prayer the Spirit Zach. 12. 10. of supplications because it is Gods Spirit which worketh in us this gift and maketh us to call upon God but more directly is this point proved by that phrase which Saint Iude here useth praying in the Holy Ghost And this yet farther confirmed in that it is said The Spirit in our hearts crieth Abba Father And Paul layeth downe this point first Affirmatively saying The Spirit helpeth Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 16 27. our infirmities and maketh intercession for us then Negatively Wee know not what to pray yet must wee not thinke that the Holy Ghost doth indeed pray for us as Christ doth or as one of us doth for another For then should the Holy Ghost bee our Mediator which was one of Arrius his heresies but the meaning is that the Holy Ghost stirreth us up to pray and putteth life into our dead and dull spirits to make our prayers fervent Well then prayer is a gift of the Spirit not common to all but proper and peculiar to Gods elect who have the Spirit of God if no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Surely no 1 Cor. 12. 3. man can pray and call upon God but by the Spirit of God Let us then labour for Gods sanctifying Spirit and having it Let us goe along with him and follow his motions powring forth those prayers which he suggesteth unto us and let us take heed that we grieve not the Holy Spirit of God which is done by quenching the good motions thereof through our carelesnes or by Ephes 4. 36. 1 Thess 5. 19. resisting the Spirit through our rebellion But yet note further that howsoever prayer is attributed to the Spirit yet it is a worke of the whole Trinity the Holy Trinity hath a hand in this holy exercise of prayer The holy Ghost The whole Trinity concurres in prayer frameth our requests the Son offreth them to his Father the Father accepteth them thus framed and offered up For the works of the Trinity are invisible yet distinguished so that unto the Father is ascribed the originall beginning of all actions Ille agit Hebr. 11. a se per Filium Spiritum he worketh of himselfe by the Son and the Spirit to the Sonne is ascribed the disposing of the action Iob. 26. 7 8 9. from the Father by the Spirit to the Holy Ghost is attributed the consummating and as it were perfecting of things seeing he worketh from the Father and the Sonne Pater agit ase Filius per se Spiritus Sanctus à Patre Filio The Father worketh by himselfe 1 Cor. 12. 11. the Sonne by him the Holy Ghost from the
Non tamen pugnat ejus potentia cum voluntate his power fighteth Tart. adversus Prax. not with his will Lay thy hand on thy mouth with Iob reason not against God Quis es qui litigas cum Deo Who art thou that strivest with God so much for the attributes Wisdome Salvation Glory Majesty Dominion and Power But it is further to bee noted that in naming God To God only wise c. Hee comprehendeth the three persons for these attributes are due to all the whole Trinity Wisdome Salvation Glory Majesty Power and Dominion The Scripture speaketh diversly of the Trinity sometime ascribing things to one person sometime to another sometimes to all joyntly as power to the Father wisdome to the Sonne goodnesse to the Holy Ghost Psal 104. 1. Prov. 14. Greeve not the good Spirit of God saith the Apostle Yet power wisdome goodnes are due to all the persons of the whole Trinity in a Gods glory dominion power is eternall more strict sence signification Againe yee shall see the creation of all things ascribed to the omnipotency of the Father the administration of all ascribed to the Sonne the sanctification Ephes 4. 30. Gen. 1. Prov. 9. 1. 1 Cor. 6. â—1 of all ascribed to the Holy Ghost yet all three create preserve and sanctify the Church Pater à se Filius per se Sanctus Spiritus à Patre Filio The Father of himselfe the Sonne by him and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne Augustine speaketh Aug. thus Sicut ex intellectu generatur voluntas ex his ambobus procedit memoria in anima ipsa As the will springing from the understanding and from them both the memory in the soule it selfe so the Sonne is begotten of the Father and from both these proceedeth the Holy Ghost This causeth the Scriptures to speake so diversly of the Trinity Power is attributed to the Father but not exclusivè exclusively quoth Vrsinus in his Catechisme sed inclusivè but inclusively for all three are of equall power sed Patri potentia tribuitur Vrsinus quia est fons origo but power is given to the Father because hee is the fountaine the originall the rest of the persons are from him but not as touching their essence but person and manner of existing To conclude the works of the Trinity quoad extra are indivisible but quoad intus they bee singuler as the Father begetteth the Sonne is begotten the Holy Ghost proceedeth from them both hold this Axiome in divinity and learne to speake wisely and soberly of the Trinity Well this glory Majesty dominion and power must be yeelded now and ever for the glory of God endeth not with the end of the world it is for ever here and in heaven the continuance of this world before God is but as a day the Morning of this day was the creation of the Heaven and of Adam untill the flood the Noone of this day was the comming of Christ the Evening is the end of the world a thousand and six hundred yeeres S. Iohn cals but one yeere A thousand and six hundred yeeres are past as 1 Iohn 2. an houre but the glory of the Lord is from eternity to eternity from everlasting to everlasting from eternity as touching election quae est sine principio to eternity quoad reprobationem as touching reprobation for it shall abide without end but in that hee saith both now and for ever this teacheth us that there must be no end of praising God his praises must bee ever in our mouth First for spirituall blessings bestowed here in earth in Heaven as Election Redemption Adoption Vocation Iustification Sanctification Psal 86. Glorification for every one of these commeth from God therefore hee is to be praised both now and for ever Now in this life wee must sing Hosanna to the Sonne of David and hereafter we shall sing Allelujah in Heaven with all the Saints For all spirituall blessings wee must say with the Apostle Blessed be God which hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings For temporall blessings Ephes 1. 3. glory and praise is to bee given to God Christ gave thanks for God is to bee prayed to and praysed for all things food Anna for a child Iacob for riches Abrahams servant for prospering his journey and in a word for all other temporall blessings as health wealth peace prosperity God is to be praised now and ever As there is no end of his benefits towards us Iohn 6. 12. 2 Sam. 2. 1. Gen. 32. 10. Gen. 24. 48. so there should bee no end of our praises towards him but wee must praise him both now and ever To conclude this point here is a secret comparison betweene the glory of man and the glory dominion and power of God mans glory is as a flowre All flesh is grasse and all the glory thereof as the flowre of grasse for so Esay was willed to cry but though hee Esa 40. 6. cry it few will beleeve it wee trust not the Lord one speaketh of an Epitaph graven in the tombe of a great man Hic fuit hic fecit pugnavit vicit amauit Composuis libros gentes populósque subegit Quid mihi cum fuit aut erit est valet vnum He was he did he fought he conquer'd lov'd Wrote books nations and people hee subdu'd But what have I to do with was or Shall With me the Present only is worth all Things past bee gone things to come are uncerten that which is and is for ever goeth for all glory present will bee past and glory future will bee for ever haec vita haec gloria non est vita non est gloria this life this glory is neither life nor glory for wee are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory AMEN This word is an Hebrew word and it is taken in the Scriptures three manner of wayes sometime as a Nowne signifying Christ himselfe sometime as an Adverbe so Christ useth the word saying Amen Amen that is Verily Verily I say unto you and sometime as a Verbe as in this place signifying So be it or be it so So that this word Amen contayneth more than the prayer it Apoc. 1. Iohn 3. selfe For in the prayer wee testify our desire how that wee desire Glory Majesty Dominion and Power to bee given unto God but in this word Amen wee witnes our faith that wee believe Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power to bee his So that from hence wee have to observe to pray with faith to beleeve we shall receive those things wee have prayed for This appeareth in the Prophet Praised bee the Lord for evermore so bee it even so be it And Christ hath taught us thus to shut up our prayers Psal 89. 52. Mat. 6. 13. and the Apostle closeth
evill communications that is often conversation with the wicked noted by the plurall number corrupt good manners yea the Apostle is so severe in this point that hee will not have a wicked person suffered in the Congregation and therefore hee commandeth the incestuous Corinthian to bee cast out that is excommunicated and hee giveth the reason Know yee not that a 1 Cor. 5. 5. little leaven sowreth a whole lumpe Intimating thereby that one evill person might corrupt the whole Church and a little Colloquintida marreth a whole messe of pottage one scabbed sheepe 1 Reg. 4. 39. infecteth a flocke one sparke of fire may burne an house and one infected house may spoyle a Citie one roote of bitternesse Hebr. 12. 15. suffered to spring up may trouble and defile many sinne is as contagious as any disease and wee are as apt to take the contagion of sinne as of the plague This knew David well enough and We must hate sinne because God hates it in all therefore hee crieth out Depart from me yee wicked keepe aloofe come not neere me to infect my Royall person For I tell you plainely I will keepe the Commandements of my God Even so wee Psal 16. should not brooke the society of them that bee vile and wicked and hate to bee reformed and cast Gods Words behind them Psal 50. 17. But some will say This is a doctrine of precisenesse they say wee need not be so severe against sinners peccata eorum sunt parva pauca their sinnes be but small and few But small sinnes may wound the conscience and damne us if wee looke not to them to strive against them A mouse is but litle yet killeth he an Elephant if he get into his truncke a Scorpion is little yet able to sting a Lion unto death the Leopard being great is poysoned with an head of garlicke a little spittle of a man fasting will kill a serpent and the Divell by little sinnes will wound us to death The sinne and the coate of the sinne is to be hated quoth Ambrose Lib. 6. Hexameron A reason may be drawne from the blessed Trinity God the Father hateth sinne The foolish shall not stand in his sight and hee hateth them that worke iniquity Therefore we his children must hate Psal 5. 5. it God the Sonne hateth sinne saith the Apostle Thou hast loved righteousnesse and hated iniquity therefore we his fellow brethren Hebr. 1. 9. fellow heires must hate it that wee may be like our elder brother God the Holy Ghost hateth it therefore it is said Greeve not the Spirit by whom we are sealed unto the day of Redemption Ephes 4. Gen. 3. 15. Therefore wee the temples of him must hate it wee must hate the serpent and the seed of the serpent By the hatred of God against the sinne of Achan judge of all sinne As great as the Eagle is yet one may see her vertue in a feather for it consumeth all feathers as mighty as the fire of Aetna is yet one may feele the heate of it in a sparke as huge as the sea is yet one may taste the saltnesse of it in a droppe as great as the Whale is yet we may feele the power of him in one breath Hercules body was knowne by the length of his foote and wee by this sinne of Achan may know Gods hatred against all sinnes For the theft of Achan buried close under the ground brake forth such a stinch in the nostrils of God as that his garment brought the plague to the whole host and God no lesse hateth it in all men Finely saith Augustine Deus in non renatis odit peccata personas God hateth in the not regenerate both their sinnes and also their persons in renatis verò odit peccata non personas in the regenerate hee truly hateth their sinnes but not their persons as the physician hateth the disease of the sicke man not his person or body of the sicke Againe From whence commeth sinne but from the Divell What meane we then to joyne with Satan our enemy and the enemy of God Hee that committeth sinne is of the Divell for the Divell sinneth from the beginning Resist the Divell therefore give 1 Iohn 3. 8. no place to him He is an adversary and shall wee love him Hee Sinne must be hated as it tends to Gods dishonor is a serpent and shall we trust him Hee is a murderer and shall we intertaine him Sin is furthered by him therefore let us hate it I grant that some enemies are to bee loved because they are our enemies onely whereupon saith our Saviour Love your Iam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Apoc. 10. â—ohn 8. 44. Mat. 5. 44. enemies doe good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute you And some are to be hated because they are Gods enemies and the friends of Satan so Iohn the sonne of Hanani the Seer went out to meete Iehosaphat and said unto him Wouldest thou helpe the 2 Chro. 19. 2. wicked and love them that hate the Lord Therefore for this thing the wrath of the Lord is upon thee And so the wrath and judgement of God is over all those that support the wicked and will not shew themselves enemies to all such as hate the Lord. Wicked men must be hated but yet for their evill not as the evill concerneth any way us but as the evill tendeth to the dishonour of God Simeon and Levi hated the Sychemites for the Gen. 34. 25. sinne of their sister Dinah but this hatred sprang not in that God was dishonoured by this sinne but from a regard of themselves because that hereby they might receive some disgrace So Absalon is said to have hated his brother Amnon because hee had forced his sister Tamar and two yeeres after he murdered his 2 Sam. 23. 22. brother for this fact this hatred of Absalon against Amnon though it were for Amnons wickednesse yet it was not good but wicked for the originall of this his hatred was not simply the sinne of Amnon as committed against God but because Absalon had some speciall disgrace hereby For Tamar was borne to David of the same woman that was mother also to Absalon But we must hate the wicked for their dishonoring of God and not suffer them to goe unreproved nor unpunished Immmunity and impunity cause much iniquity I would learne this Are Papists the friends of God or his enemies If they bee friends Why have wee professed otherwise these many yeeres If they bee enemies then doe wee well not to suffer them You know what Christ said to the Church of Pergamus I have a few things against Apoc. 2. 14. thee because thou hast there them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam which taught Balac to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel Vers 15. that they should eate of things sacrificed unto Idols and commit fornication even so
but they that have beene mockers of God and Religion most odious most severely punished yet all condemned as being persecutors carnall lose Libertines though they thinke themselves 〈◊〉 yet they 〈◊〉 the bondslaves of sinne and Satan they are onely free that are the servants of God and subdue their lusts and they have thereby assurance of their election and salvation The Contents of the thirtieth Sermon HEre he condemneth Sectaries that make a division in the Church which is one and the true members thereof preserve unity among themselves these Sectaries are dangerous as Idolaters Three sorts of them viz. Heretikes Schismatikes and Apostates who are described and condemned Pride the root of Heresie and Schisme though the Scriptures the meanes to confute them yet they pervert them to maintaine their errors That we may avoid these wee must keepe our hearts from infidelity our minds from false opinions and our conversation from scandall they are the chiefe Engines Satans vse to overthrow the Church making Sects and divisions either for matters Ecclesiasticall or Temporall These Sectaries are by Iude called naturall men that is unregenerate having no more then they drew from Adam without grace and knowledge of heavenly things yet practised many civill vertues invented Arts and in many things exceeded many that beare the names of Christians though they had but naturall illumination not the Spirit of Sanctification and so Saint Iude addeth having not the Spirit that is the Spirit of God and being without it had no spirituall grace but were led by the spirit of pride errour c. The Contents of the one and thirtieth Sermon HAving noted the opposition betweene the wicked and the godly from the conjunction discretive But that though Sectaries pull downe yet the godly must build up themselves in their holy Faith he justifieth first in the metaphor Edifie hee inferres two things first that we must be builders using the Word of God for our rule or square and confute the Papists that tooke it away secondly that we must encrease daily in knowledge grace and goodnesse and reproove our non-proficiency and shew that it is a propertie of the wicked to decrease and taxe both such as thinke they know enough and such as will not indevour to know exhorting all to use all diligence to learne and to build so as when their earthly tabernacle bee dissolved they may have assurance of a house in the Heavens he proceedeth with the Apostle to the thing wherein hee must be built and that is in their Faith and this not barely named but with a note of excellency above all vertues being called Most holy Faith He sets out the necessity of Faith in all our actions that they may bee pleasing to God and having shewed that Faith is the originall of all good workes he sheweth the end and manifold uses of them Finally that Faith is the life of the soule by it God lives in us and wee shall live eternally with him Hee proceeds to the note of excellency that is called most holy and first shewes the excellency of it above all other vertues and that holy first in regard of the subject purifying the heart and making our persons and 〈…〉 Secondly in respect of the object the holy Trinitie Thirdly in respect of the officient cause the holy Ghost and hence concluded that the Papists workes are not holy being not done in Faith and that the wicked have no Faith because no holinesse And lastly he sheweth that this holy Faith must be begotten by hearing the holy Word of God The Contents of the two and thirtieth Sermon HAving set out the relation betweene Faith and Prayer and the manifold and marveilous effects of Prayer and that it is not onely powerfull but pleasant to God and the Saints themselves he descends to divide Prayer into divers kinds in divers respects and sheweth how all must be uttered Hee proceedeth further to set out the excellency of Prayer by many resemblances and manifold effects and uses having spoken of Prayer in generall he comes to shew that it must bee in Spirit and sheweth what it is to pray in the Spirit and that hee deâ—ineth so as either the holy Ghost must be the Author of Prayer being the Author of all Graces yet so as the holy Trinity have a hand in it or secondly that our Prayers must be spirituall and zealous not carnall and with the lips hee reprove the Papists that require but an actuall intent and sheweth it is the manner not matter that God respects That wee must take heed that neither businesse nor multitude of cogitations steale away the times of prayer but that wee pray alwayes with pure zealous and faithfull hearts and then we may relye upon his promises for all good things The Contents of the three and thirtieth Sermon HAving breifly shewed the relation betwixt Faith Prayer and Love he instanceth in Love setteth out the excellency of it above all vertues bewailes the want of it and exhorts unto it yet distinguisheth and sheweth it must be the Love of God which we must keepe our selves in this he describes by foure properties that it must bee 1 Holy 2 Iust 3 True 4 Constant And condemnes the love of Atheists carnall wordly men and Papists distinguisheth the love of God into 1 His love to us 2 Our love to him His love to us though infinite yet described in divers respects 1 By comparison 2 By distinction First into his love 1 Immanent 2 Transient Secondly 1 Generall 2 Speciall Thirdly 1 Temporary 2 Sempiternall Our love to god he sheweth to be an effect of his love to us and uses foure reasons to excite us to the love of God First à mandato from the Commandement of God Secondly 〈…〉 from the Law of equity Thirdly à commodo from the manifold good that redounds to us by it Fourthly 〈…〉 from our duty he being our Father Lastly he sheweth the manner how we should performe it and taxeth our fayling in the manner The Contents of the foure and thirtieth Sermon FIrst observing how Saint Iude having give divers Precepts to the godly commforts them with the hope of eternall life he shewes this to bee the duly meanes to support the soules of the faithfull and entreth into a large learned and elegant discourse concerning eternall life and the joyes of Heaven and sets them out firtst to bee in themselves both unspeakeable and incomprehensible yet that may be guessed at by comparison with the most excellent earthly things and setteth out the glorious estate of the Saints both in body and soule and reprooves such as are so delighted with this life as they thinke not on eternall life and confutes divers erronious conceits concerning this life and againe describes it 1 By the eternity 2 Infinite extent of the place 3 The infinite kindes of pleasures Lastly having set out the glorious estate hee sheweth the meanes how wee should attaine to it and that not by our merits but Gods mercies
he proceeds to the other three Attributes viz. Majesty Dominion and Power and sheweth what it is first to ascribe Majesty to God that it is to acknowledge his Majesty and Greatnesse in all his Workes and reprooves our dulnesse that admire onely his Miracles when all his Workes declare his Majestie Many regard not his Miracles nor signes of his wrath He proceeds to the fifth namely Dominion and sheweth that to consist in that authority whereby he commands in all Kingdomes Places Persons and he distinguisheth these into three kinds viz. his kingdome of 1 Power 2 Grace 3 Glory and describes them But insisteth in his Kingdome of Grace within us and reprooves our rebellions and trecheries that yeeld subjection to sinne and Satan and set up our owne wills and lusts to beare rule in us and so make a mocke of Christs Kingdome and that wee ought to subject as the Angels and doe his will as they most willingly speedily and faithfully And to this end to have our soules and bodies purified that hee may dwell and rule in us He proceeds to the sixth and lost Attribute of Power and sheweth that this consisteth in that he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in all places and persons being present in all places by his power though not in body and that this is an ascribing Power to him to depend upon his Power and to trust to his Strength being all-sufficient after that hee observeth all the sixe Attributes to belong to the whole Trinity and that for ever Lastly hee sheweth the divers significations of Amen and therewith how powerfull a conclusion it is in all prayers implying in it faith and zeale in him that prayeth Laus Deo The Analysis of the Epistle of Saint IVDE The Epistle hath five parts 1 Saluation in it three 1 The person saluting described by three 1 His name IVDE 2 His calling a Servant of Iesus Christ 3 His kindred or alliance the brother of Iames. 2 The persons saluted and they are all that are called and sanctified of God the Father reserved to Iesus Christ Verse 1. 3 The matter of the salutation wherein he wisheth to them three things Verse 2. 1 Mercy 2 Peace 3 Love 2 Exordium or entrance wherein he expresseth his purpose in this Epistle which was to write to them concerning salvation and here he testifies 1 His love to them by his kinde compellation Beloved 2 His desire and earnest endeavour to further them in the way of salvation in that he gave all diligence to write of the common salvation 3 Proposition the maine meanes to further you in the way of salvation Verse 3. The maintenance of the true Faith Not acquired by the power of Nature But given once to the Saints 4 Illustration and enforcement by Exhortation Verse 3. that contend earnestly for the maintenance of faith and use motives 1 In respect of God giving because given to the Saints and to neglect it is to neglect Gods grace giving meanes of salvation 2 In respect of some wicked Apostates whom hee describes 1 Generally by their Verse 4. 1 Subtilty crept in 2 Sinne turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and deny God 3 Iudgement ordained of old to this condemnation Admonishing them to whom hee writ to take heede both of their sinne and iudgement by the examples of the Israelites both their Sinne unbeliefe Iudgement destruction Verse 5. Angels both their Sinne pride Iudgement everlasting chaines c. Vers 6. Sodomites and Gomorrheans both their Sinne uncleannesse Iudgement eternall fire Ver. 7 2 Particularly calling them dreamers and describe 1 Their sinnes ranged into two heads 1 Vncleannesse defile the flesh 2 Rebellion in two things 1 Despising Government Verse 8. 2 Railing on This latter aggravated V. 9 10 He parallels them by their patternes Verse 11. Cain for envy Balaam for counselling to vncleannes Corah for contempt of government Hee sets them out by godly resemblances Verse 12. 1 Spots in regard of their defiling staining 2 Dry Clouds Barren Trees in respect of hypocrisie Verse 13. 3 Raging foming waves in respect of their pride and vaine glory 4 Wandring Starres in respect of their errour and ignorance 2 Iudgement the blacknesse of darknesse for ever this hee confirmes out of the prophesie of Enoch wherein two things 1 Prophet by two 1 His name Enoch 2 Order of descent from Adam the seventh from Adam Verse 14. 2 Prophesie the matter of it Verse 14 15. 3 Their properties Verse 16. 1 Murmuring 2 Repining 3 Licenciousnesse 4 Boasting 5 Flattery Direction for maintenance of true faith in three things 1 How to avoid these impious Apostates which draw from the faith which is 1 By remembring the predictions of the Apostles that forewarned of such Mockers and lustfull livers Verse 17 18. 2 Observing their practice answerable to the Apostles prediction making sects being not spirituall but carnall Verse 19. 2 How to preserve themselves in the faith and this by foure meanes Verse 20 21. 1 Mutuall edification 2 Zealous and spirituall invocation 3 Keeping themselves in the love of God 4 Constant expectation of eternall life by the mercy and meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ 3 How to preserve others in the faith 1 The weake by compassion Verse 22. 2 The obstinate by feare Verse 23. 5 Conclusion with prayer and praise to God wherein hee insinuates 1 What they are to expect and desire at Gods hand and their ground because he is able being Verse 24 25. 1 To keepe 2 To present blamelesse c. 1 Onely wise 2 And Sauiour 2 What is to be ascribed to him 1. Glory 2 Maiesty 3 Dominion AN EXPOSITION VPON THE whole Epistle of Saint Iude. VERSE 1. The Author and Pen-man of this Epistle Iude the servant of Iesus Christ c. BEfore I enter upon the handling of this Epistle I will speake briefly first of the Author 2. of the Penman 3. of the Argument 4. of the Occasion of this Epistle For I cannot dilate at large as Salomon did of trees from the Cedar to the Isop nor as Pliny did of beasts frō the Elephant to the Pismeire nor as Lactantius did of Fishes from the Whale to the Lamprey And first for the Author of this booke it is the holy Ghost For all Scripture is given by inspiration from God and Prophecie came 1 Tim. 3 16. 2. Pet. 1. 20. Luke 1. not in old time by the Will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the spirit of God and it was God that spake by the mouth of all his Prophets which have been since the World began And as he directed the tongues of Holy men to speake and therfore saith our Saviour It is not yee that speake but the spirit of my father in you so he directed Mat. 10. 20. their pens to write so that it was not they that wrote but the holy Ghost by them By this therefore it evidently appeareth of what reverent account this Epistle ought for
with God God is no accepter of persons but in every nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnes Act. 10. 34 35. is accepted with him Many will glory of their alliance and kindred and albeit they haue neither Learning nor Living nor Wisedome nor Civility nor Honesty nor Piety at all yet if they can fetch their Pedigree from some Noble or Worshipfull House they boast thereof and hold themselves worthy of reverence and honour The Iewes gloried that Abraham was their Father but what gained they by it When Christ told them Vos estis ex patre Iohn 8. 44. diabolo You are of your Father the devill and his workes yee doe 2 Reg. 21. 2. Reg. 20. David had Absolom Salomon Rehoboham Amon a wicked Father had Iosiah to his sonne a good man and Ezekiah a good father had Manasses to his sonne a vile man Ismaell had Isaac to his brother so had Esau Iacob Caine had Abell Absolom had Salomon But Caine was a Vagabond Ismaell a persecutor Absolom a Rebell Esau a Reprobate 'T is follie in men to glory in Gen. 4. Gal. 4. stocke or kindred If they will glory let them glorie in this that they are the servants of Iesus Christ for outward titles without inward vertues availe nothing for what shall it profit Not to glory in Alliance and Kindred us to bee intituled Christians and yet live as prophanely as Infidels to be called the Church of God and yet in conversation to resemble the Synagogue of Satan to bee counted the children of God and yet spend our times like the sonnes of Belial to bee reputed the servants of Christ Iesus and serve the World the Flesh and the Divell to descend of noble godly Parents and yet degenerate from their noble godly wayes God is not pleased with shadowes but with substance not with outward titles but with truth in the inward parts If then Psal 51. thou wilt boast of thine honourable Kindred labour strive endevour that thou mayest glory and say That God is thy Father the Church thy Mother Christ Iesus thy elder Brother that is most High Holy Honourable Kindred Thus much for the Person writing his Name his Calling his Kindred THE SECOND SERMON VERS I. To them which are Called and Sanctified c. Vocation the beginning of Salvation I Am now come to the persons to whom he wrote this Epistle and they are described three wayes 1 By their Calling 2 By their Sanctification 3 By their Preservation But first they are described by their calling To them that are called saith hee The beginning of our Salvation is that wee are first called of God wee come not of our selves God calleth us Nemo venit ad Christum nisi pater traxerit Iohn 6. 44. No man commeth unto Christ except the Father draw him Et ista attractio est nostra vocatio per Evangelium Spiritum sanctum and this drawing is our calling by the Gospel and holy Spirit Caro sanguis non revelat c. Flesh and Bloud doe not reveale these Mat. 16. 17. things but God our Father by our calling in the Gospel As the Sheepheard with his whistle calleth his sheepe as the two silver trumpets called Israel to warre as the master-Bee calleth the Num. 10. whole hyve together with his humming So God calleth his Church running from him by his Word and Spirit Wisedome saith Salomon cryeth without shee uttereth her voyce in Prov. 1. 20. the streets shee calleth in the high street among the prease in the entrings of the gates and uttereth her words in the City And againe he saith Wisedome hath built her house and hewen out her seven Pillars she hath killed her Victuals drawne her Wine and prepared her Table she hath Prov. 9. 1 c. sent forth her Maidens and cryeth in the highest places of the City saying Whoso is simple let him come hither and to him that is destitute of Wisedome shee saith Come and eate of my Meat and drinke of the Christ profitable to none but to them that are called Wine that I have drawne Wisedome there is Christ Iesus who calleth us by his Gospel The lowest staffe or step of Salvation is Vocation the highest is Glorification For whom hee predestinated them also hee called and whom hee called them also hee justified and whom he justified Rom. 8. 30. them also hee glorified I speake in respect of men For with God praescientia his prescience is the first step of salvation For those which he knew before he predestinated Wee runne from God but he Rom. 8. 29. calleth us and cryeth after us as the Canaanite did after Christ hee seeketh us being lost hee calleth us being deafe he lighteneth Luke 4. 18. 1 Sam. 26. 14. us being blind hee freeth us being slaves hee healeth us being lame he quickeneth us being dead he awaketh us by his Gospell as David did Abner with his showting The top the roote the foundation and the roofe the beginning increasing and finishing of our salvation is of God Coepit perficiet Hee hath begunne and he will finish it So saith the Apostle Hee that hath begun this good worke in you will performe it untill the day of Iesus Christ Paul arrogateth nothing to himselfe but placeth himselfe in the ranck of the Wicked till God called him his words are We are by nature the children of wrath as well as others And to the Ephes 2. 3. Gal. 1. 13. 15. Galathians hee writeth thus Yee have heard of my conversation in times past in the Iewish Religion how that I persecuted the Church of God extreamely and wasted it But when it had pleased God which had separated me from my mothers womb called me by his Grace c. The Galathians were Idolaters knew not God til God called them The Ephesians were darkenesse but being called they were lux Gal. 4. 8. Ephes 5. 9. in Domino Light in the Lord The same is said of the Corinthians But what doe I light a candle at noone-day or adde legges 1 Cor. 12. to the Dromedarie who runneth most swiftly or powre water into the Sea which overfloweth or prove a knowne truth received of all men But to proceede Christ is not profitable but unto them that are called otherwise hee is as a Medicine not taken as a Plaister not applied as Meate not eaten as Light to them that are in a dungeon Hereupon saith Paul Wee preach Christ crucified to the Iewes a stumbling-blocke to the Gentiles foolishnesse but to them that are called of God the Wisedome of God and the Power of God Persius wept when he saw a Toade that hee had not given thanks to God who made him not a Toade but a Man Socrates thanked Nature that had made him a reasonable creature and not a Beast and among them a Man and not a Woman and among men an Athenian not a Thebane Philip rejoyced that
avarum liberalem tibi reddam da timidum jam Cruces ignes Phalaridis taurum contemnit da libidinosum continentem reddam tanta Doctrinae vis est c. that is Give me an angry man and with one Word of God I will make him as meeke as a Lambe give mee a covetous man and I will render him againe liberall give me a fearefull timerous man and by and by hee shall contemne Gallowes Fire yea and Phalaris his Bull give me a lecherous man and I will make him chaste and continent such is the force of Doctrine As the Load-stone draweth not Iron except it bee pure So the Word of God doth not draw men from the mire and dirt of sinne except they be purified with the Spirit Briefly in one word I say with Tertullian in Apologetico Fiunt homines Christiani non nascuntur Men are made Christians not borne Ephes 2. 2. Tit. 3. wee are by nature the children of Wrath by grace wee are the Sonnes of God Once againe Christ is not profitable the Gospell is not availeable but to them that are called but being called it is powerfull When the men of Cyprus and Cyrene spake unto the Grecians and preached the Lord Iesus The hand of the Lord was with them that is the power and vertue of the Spirit so that a great number Acts 11. 21. beleeved and turned unto the Lord Whereupon Chrysostome libro adversus Gentiles proveth the deity of Christ that using no Arms but twelve poore Apostles silly weake unlearned men subdued the whole world to him He overthrew the Lawes of the Fathers he abrogated the ancient customes A marvelous power by the Doctrine of Fishers Toll-gatherers Tent-makers to raise the dead to cleanse the Lepers to expell Divels to vanquish Tyrants to put death to flight to stay the tongues of the Philosophers to shut the mouthes of the Orators to conquer Kings and Princes Barbarians Grecians and all men Alexander with the sword and the Apostles with the Word to conquer the World For their sound went out through all the earth and their Rom. 10. 18. words unto the ends of the World Pray therefore that God by his Spirit would make the Word effectuall to be odorem vitae a favour of life to life and not a fauour of death unto death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surely God even God by his Spirit doth all In a word God calleth us else we come not and his calling is diverse 1. In respect of time 2. In respect of place In respect of time For God calleth in divers houres of the day that is in divers ages of the world and in divers yeeres of our age Gods calling diverse both for time and place Some before the Law as Abel Enoch Noah Abraham some under the Law as Moses David Iosias Esay with other Kings and Prophets Some after the Law as the blessed Apostles Martyrs Confessors Some in the first houre their childhood as Samuel Ieremy Iohn Baptist some in the third houre their youth as Daniel and Iohn the Evangelist some in the sixth houre their middle age as Peter and Andrew some in the eleventh houre their old age as Gamaliel Ioseph of Arimathea some in the last houre of the day the last houre of their life as the Theefe upon the Crosse In respect of place For God calleth some from their ship and some from their shops some from the Markets some from under the hedges This diverse calling at divers times and in divers places intimates A Caveat A Comfort A Caveat for such as are called that they magnifie not themselves and vilifie others Nemo dicat ideo me vocavit quia colui Deum quomodo coluisses si vocatus non fuisses let no man say God August de verb. Apost hath called me for that I worship him how shouldest thou worship him if thou wert not called A Comfort for them that feele not themselves sufficiently called that they rest in hope God can and will call when where and whom he will either at the last houre with the theefe upon the gallowes or out of oppressing Egypt with the Israelites Luke 23. Exod. 3. or in the middest of the persecution of the Saints of God as he did Saul Let us then patiently attend our calling Deus adversum Acts 9. vocat credentem docet sperantem consolatur diligentem exhortatur conantem adjisvat precantem exaudit tamen Deus solus fidem spem charita tem laborem preces operatur God calleth the adverse teacheth the beleever comforteth him that hopeth exhorteth him that loveth helpeth him that laboureth and yet God alone worketh faith hope charity c. Ille vocat aversos vocatos justificat justificatos sanctificat sanctificatos glorificat Hee calleth the averse justifieth them that are called sanctifieth them that are justified and glorifieth them that are sanctified The Whelpes of a Lion are borne dead but at the yelling and roaring of the Lion they are quickned and raised from death So we are borne dead dead in our trespasses Ephes 2. 1. Phil. 2. 16. and sinnes but by the calling of the Gospell as by the roaring of the Lion wee are quickned It is a word of life our calling and all good is wrought by it As it is verbum scientiae prudentiae a word of knowledge and wisedome potentiae 1 Cor. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 23. Acts 14. and of power gratiae and of grace sic est verbum vitae so it is the word of life Nulla scientia nec potentia nec gratia nec vita sine Evangelio there is no knowledge nor power nor grace nor life without the Gospell Well God calleth inwardly by his Spirit outwardly by his Our Vocation what it teacheth us Sanctification Word This should teach us first to walke worthy our calling that as he which hath called is holy so should we be holy in all our life and conversation according as it is written Bee yee holy for I am holy We are called not to ncleannesse but unto sanctification Levit. 11. 44. 1 Thes 4. for unto this end hath the grace goodnesse and bountifulnesse of our Lord appeared that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world because sancta conversatio confundit inimicum aedificat proximum glorificat Deum a holy life a godly conversation doth confound and stop the mouthes of our enemies doth edifie and build up our Brethren doth glorifie God Secondly Seeing the internall meanes of our calling is the Spirit this should teach us never to grieve the Spirit by whom we are called out of darkenesse into light Nature teacheth us not to grieve our naturall parents and Religion should teach us not to grieve the Spirit Grieve not the Spirit by whom ye are sealed Ephes 4. to the day of Redemption Last of all seeing we are called not onely inwardly by the Spirit but outwardly by the holy Word This word
must bee unto us dearer than thousands of silver and gold more precious than the gold of Ophir sweeter than the Honey or the Hony-combe For albeit God can onely by the inward motion of his blessed Spirit worke out make-sure and perfect our salvation yet it pleaseth him in his eternall wisedome to use the word as an ordinary meanes of our vocation and salvation As then God giveth learning by study wisedome by experience riches by travell and like things by like meanes so he maketh perfect the calling of his Saints by the preaching of the Word which Rom. 1. 16. is the power of God to salvation to every man that beleeveth The second title of honour given here to the Saints is Sanctification he calleth them sanctified of God the Father this is the next grace wherewith he adorneth them For God continueth his graces as Iacob continued his wrastling as Peter continued his knocking till they let him in and God will not leave calling and working till hee hath sanctified and perfected his graces like the Sunne that never leaveth shining but commeth Psal 19. Exod. 17. forth as a Bridegroome out of his Chamber and rejoyceth as a Giant to runne his course Like the Fountaine of Elim and waters of Shilo that never leave running The calling of God is without repentance Rom. 11. 29. For God is not a man that hee should lye neither as the Sonne of man Numb 23. 19. that he should repent as Balaam though a false Prophet said most truely Whom God calleth them he justifieth whom hee justifieth he sanctifieth and whom he sanctifieth he glorifieth The learned call this Text in Rom. 8. Auream catenam a golden Rom. 8. 29 30. Chaine hee that draweth one linke draweth all the Chaine For as hee that hath one damnable sinne hath all sinne and is guilty of all so hee that hath one grace effectually hath all God perfects his Workes God is not like a stepmother that putteth out her child to nurse he is not as the Partridge or Bird that forsaketh her nests nor Ier. 1. 17. Iob 29. 1 Reg. 3. like the Ostrich that leaveth her egs in the dust like Salomons Harlot that exposed her child to the sword But he is as the Eagle that carrieth her yong in her wings till they can flie as the Pelicane that feedeth her yong ones with her heart-bloud till they can feed themselves He blesseth us untill he hath brought us into his Kingdome of blisse where wee shall never hunger nor thirst any more For Hee will destroy Death for ever and the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces and the rebuke of his Esa 25. 8 9. people will hee take away out of all the Earth for the Lord hath spoken it and in that day men shal say Loe this is our God We have waited for him and hee will save us this is the Lord wee have waited for him we will rejoyce and bee joyfull in his Salvation So the Lord Iesus hath perfected the worke of our Redemption hee was borne for us he lived hee died he rose againe he ascended hee maketh intercession for us and hee will glorifie us so saith our Saviour Father I will that they which thou hast given me bee with mee even where I am that they may behold my glory that is that they may enjoy the Iohn 17. 24. eternall glory with mee This is a Doctrine of singular comfort like the wine and oyle that revived the wounded man like the news of Iosephs honour Luke 10. Gen. 45. 28. Luke 2. that comforted old Iacob like the song of the heavenly souldiers that rejoyced the Sheepheards like Davids Harpe to drive away Sauls melancholy Hath God begun with thee hath he called thee hast thou felt the motions of his Spirit in thy heart Noli timere bee not afraid hee will end with thee and accomplish all his graces in thee I meane not in perfection Nam sanctitas tribus gradibus perficitur Holinesse consisteth in three degrees In this life while we are regenerate by water and the holy Spirit after this life while the Soule enjoyeth the presence of God after the day of Iudgement when in Soule and body wee shall bee united to our head Christ Iesus In this life there is a threefold Sanctification 1 Imputed unto us 2 Wrought in us 3 Wrought by us Imputed Sanctification is when God imputeth unto us the sanctification of Christ Who is made to us Wisedome Righteousnes 1 Cor. 1. 30. Sanctification and Redemption By this wee are said to bee sanctified when the vertue of Christs Passion the fruit of his Death the power of his Resurrection is applied unto us and Christs Sanctification made ours by imputation Therefore the Apostle saith That Iesus Christ to the end that hee may sanctifie his people with his owne bloud suffered without the gate Heb. 13. 12. Sanctification wrought within us is the inward change of a man iustified whereby the image of God is restored in him a Protestants Religion teach Sanctity change not a non esse ad esse from a not being to a being for the faculties of the soule were before not ab esse ad non esse from a being to a not being for the faculties of the soule remaine still but ab esse ad esse from an ill being to a good being not abolishing the will minde and affections but rectifying and renuing them a change of a man iustified for we are iustified before we are sanctified Iustification is actus individuus Sanctification is actus dividuus we are iustified at once we are sanctified by degrees wee are iustified when our sinnes are not imputed unto us we are sanctified when a cleane heart is created and a right spirit renued in us Sanctification wrought by us is that whereby wee sanctifie and make holy the outward works and actions of our life This the Lord requireth Be ye holy for I am holy To this Saint Paul Levit. 11. 44. exhorteth let us cleanse our selves from all silthinesse of the flesh and 2 Cor. 7. 1. of the spirit and grow up to full holinesse in the feare of God The righteousnesse of Justification is by faith without works the righousnesse of Sanctification is by workes and by faith justifying righteousnesse is perfect but not inherent sanctifying righteousnesse is imperfect but inherent glorifying righteousnesse is perfect and inherent neverthelesse we must confesse that all our sanctification is from God Here the slander of the Papists is answered for Justification for whom God calleth he justifieth and whom hee iustifieth he sanctifieth We preach not an idle faith as they say opening windowes and doores to all wickednesse by a Solifidian error and an imputative Iustice A late Papist in his Treatise of the Eucharist saith We preach liberty we hinder good workes we teach a naked faith No no wee teach sanctity holinesse more than they who with Alexander the third
with an high hand an hard heart and a whorish forehead such are idolaters blasphemers drunkards usurers adulterers robbers which say yet once more will I doe this or that sinne once more will I dallie one cup more will I have for God say they is patient and long suffering thus sin toucheth sinne but God will whet his sword and bend his bow and Psal 7. 11 12. then yee know what followes the blacke arrowes and instruments of death Paul sheweth a better end of grace than wantonnesse hee saith The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared Tit. 2. 11 12. and teacheth us to deny impietie and wicked worldly desires and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world The goodnesse of God leadeth us to repentance honor health wealth long Rom. 2. 4. life taketh thee by the hand and leadeth thee to repentance as the Angell led Ezechiel into the Sanctuarie Noli peccare spe nam Bern. paenam dabis re sinne not in hope for thou shalt smart for it indeed It is as great a sinne to presume of grace and mercy as to despaire of grace and mercie for they that despaire may be raised up but such as presume are seldome saved He that heareth Deut. 29. 19. 20 21. the Words of this curse and blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke in the stubbornesse of my heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not be mercifull unto him but then the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and every curse that is written in this booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven Therefore Paul in all his writings when he handleth the doctrine of grace and mercie he handleth it very warily as a man handleth gunpowder or quicke-silver lest they should turne it into wantonnesse As 1 Tim. 4. 10. We trust in the living God which is the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4. 10. Rom. 8. 1. especially of those that beleeve And Rom. 8. 1. Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Cerist Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And 1 Pet. 2. 9. Yee are a chosen generation Gal. 5. 24. a royall priesthood an holy nation that yee should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his marveilous light God is a Saviour of all that is of all beleevers there is no condemnation so that we walke in the spirit we are Christs if we crucifie the flesh a royall priesthood if we shew forth the vertues of him that hath made us Kings and Priests Other wisdome hath no portion of the Spirit of God we have neither part nor fellowship in Iesus Christ Sumus in felle nequitiae wee are in gall of bitternesse Let us not then turne the grace of God into wantonnesse as Gods benefits and bounty oft make licentious and impious many do for the better God dealeth with them the worse they deale with him turning grace into wantonnesse and Christian libertie into carnall licentiousnesse not regarding the Apostles Counsell Brethren yee have beene called into libertie only use not your libertie as an occasion unto the flesh but by Love serve yee one another Gal. 5. 13. If God give us an inch wee take an ell and abuse his goodnesse God dealeth with us as a nurse doth with her Child he nourisheth and bringeth us up but wee deale with him as the Asses foale with her damme when she hath sucked her damme shee kicketh with her heele as the swallow doth with men she harboureth with us all summer and in winter departeth and leaveth nothing but dirt behind her Thus Moses complained of Israel Doe yee so reward the Lord O yee folish people and unwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee he hath made thee and proportioned thee So Deut. 32. 6. Esau complaineth of Iuda I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me The oxe knoweth his owner and the Esa 1. 3. Asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath no understanding Ieremie reneweth the same complaint a little before the captivity They said not where is the Lord that brought us out of the land of Aegpyt that ledus thorough the wildernesse thorough a desart Ier. 2. 6. a wast land thorough a dry land and by the shadow of death by a land that no man passed thorough and where no man dwelt and againe O generation take heed to the word of the Lord have I beene as a wildernesse unto Israel or a land of darkenesse wherefore saith my people then wee are Lords we will come no more unto thee Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire Yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number The matter is more fully handled by Ezechiel Ieremie his mate and companion both before and in the captivity saying Thou hast not remembred the dayes of thy youth when thou wast naked and bare and wast polluted in thy blood Thus all the Prophets Ezech. 16. 22. with open mouth crie out against iniquitie The richer wee are the vainer wee are the higher wee are the prouder wee are the stronger wee are the crueller and the more quarrellous wee are the yonger the lascivier the more healthfull the more sinnefull and carelesse wee wound God with his owne weapon For hee that should have beene upright when hee waxed fat spurned with the Deut. 32. 15. heele thou are fat thou are grosse thou art laden with fat therefore hee forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his salvation We abuse every blessing of God wee are like Aesops snake that lay still in the frost but stung him that warmed her in his bosome so long as God keepeth us sicke and lame and poore we are in some order our eares are full of Sermons our lips full of prayers our hands full of almes our hearts full of holy meditations For when the outward man perisheth the inward man is renewed daily but if we come to health and wealth and strength we rage 2 Cor. 4. 16. like Giants we are like bad ground which the more sweet dewes it receiveth the more weeds it bringeth out And therefore wee Gods patience makes us presumptuous are neere unto cursing whose end is to be burned If God give some libertie and remission wee stretch it too farre if hee permit hawking and hunting we spend most of our dayes in it wee make an Hebr. 6. 8. occupation of play Because God permitteth us to eate and drinke and weare apparell wee eate till wee surfet and drinke till wee be drunken and attire our selves like peacocks like Geta the Emperor that was served
whatsoever they pretend in words Quid dicta audiam cum facta videam what doe I heare thee talke when I see thy deeds Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven saith Christ but he that Mat. 7. 23. doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Those men are come to the height of sin For there be sixe degrees of sin first Neglectus Ephes 4. 2 Thes 2. Rom. 1. Esa 40. notitiae Dei the neglect of the knowledge of God the second is Execatio execation blindnesse the third is Idolatry a fruit of execation of blindnesse the fourth outragious wickednesse the effect of idolatry the fifth a reprobate mind the sixth the fruits of a reprobate mind that is an universall injustice in all their workes for they deny God in every worke The wicked deny God and yet all his creatues declare him and Psal 19. 1. that foure wayes saith Hemingius in his Enchiridion First In the Varietie of them They that here feele not Gods graces shall feele his power Secondly In the Vtility of them Thirdly In the Order of Creation And fourthly In the End of their Creation The first declareth his Power The second his Iustice The third his Wisedome The last his Glory Seeing all things are made for man it cannot bee but man is made for another and that is God onely but the wicked shall find God and feele God when it is too late though here they doe deny him Therefore Hemingius distinguisheth of Gods presence that it is fourefold A presence of Power in all men even in the Reprobate a presence of Grace even in the Elect only a presence of glory in the Angels Saints departed and an hypostaticall presence of the Father with the Sonne Quoad essentiam as touching his essence The wicked that deny God here shall feele his power one day and say Wee have erred from the way of Truth the light of Righteousnesse hath not shined unto us Wis 5 6. 7. and the Sunne of Vnderstanding rose not upon us We have wearied our selves in the wayes of wickednesse and destruction and wee have gone through dangerous wayes but wee have not knowne the wayes of the Lord c. Thus God complained of Israel and Iuda saying They have grievosly trespassed against me saith the Lord they have denyed the Lord and said It is not hee c. Thus may wee complaine Therefore Ier. 5. 11. 12. I say to England as hee said to Iuda O daughter of my people gird thee with Sackcloth and wallow thy selfe in the ashes make lamentation and bitter mourning as for thine onely sonne for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us They deny the onely God c. God here is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the onely God to note the Trinity in Vnity there is one God one Essence of the three persons Deus unus trinus unus Essentia trinus Hierom. personis God is one and three one in Essence and three in persons Thus Moses taught Israel The Lord our God is Lord onely Deut. 6. 4. Malachi asketh the Iewes if one God hath not created them As if hee should say yee know well enough for the question Mal. 2. 10. is more Emphaticall than a simple proposition In this point Paul noteth a great difference betwixt the Christians and the Heathen saying Though there be many that are called gods in Heaven or in Earth as there bee many gods and many Lords yet unto us 1 Cor. 8. 6 7. there is but one God which is the Father of whom are all things and wee in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him Againe hee speaketh of the Deitie as of the Mediatorship Vnus Deus unus Mediator c. There is one God and one Mediator 1 Tim. 6. betweene God and Man even the Man Christ Iesus And a number of vnities he commendeth to the Ephesians There is one Body andone Spirit one hope of your Vocation there is one Lord one Faith Ephes 4. 4 5 6. one Baptisme one God and Father over all c. We must neither confound Many resemblances to illustrate the Vnity and Trinitie the persons nor divide the Essence but hold the plurality of persons and the unity of the Essence The Heathen thought it impossible for one God to governe this great world therefore they made one God for Heaven as Iupiter another for Hell as Pluto one for Bread as Ceres another for Wine as Bacchus one for the Sea as Neptune another for the Winde as Aeolus one for Learning as Minerva another for Merchandize as Mercury Thus the Heathen vowed Tenths to Hercules that they might be rich they killed a Cock to Aesculapius that they might recover their health they sacrificed a Bull to Neptune that they might saile prosperously But what doe I name the Heathen when the Papists multiplied to themselves many gods they prayed to Sebastian for helpe from the Plague to Anthony for the Gangrene to Patronilla for Agues to Apolonia for the Touth ache to Benedict for the Stone to Hubert for the biting of a madde Dog yea they have made a severall God for every Countrey as Saint George for England Saint Iaques for Spaine Saint Dennis for France Saint Patricke for Ireland Saint Palladius for Scotland Yea for every beast a severall God as Loye for Horses Anthony for Pigges Wendeline for Sheepe But their madnesse is evident to all 2 Tim. 3. 9. men If they say they make not these Gods I aske why pray they unto them How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved But wee beleeve in God alone therefore must we pray to Rom. 10. 14. him alone There is but one Sunne in the Heavens one Phaenix in Arabia one master-Bee in an Hyve one Pilot in a Ship one God in the World The Trinity of Persons the Fathers have shadowed forth unto us by divers similitudes as in the Rainebow in which is one substance namely the cloud and yet three differences which thou art not able to discerne In the Fountain where there is Scaturigo the boyling or rising up of the water out of the Spring Rivus the River Stagnum and the Poole In the Minde where there is Intellectus Vnderstanding Voluntas the Will Memoria and the Memory In the Soule where there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Minde and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit and yet there bee not three Mindes nor three Soules but one Minde and one Soule but three powers in the Minde and Soule In the Sun where there is Corpus the Body Calor Heate Splendor Light or Brightnesse and yet not three Sunnes but three distinct things in the Sunne The Orthodoxe Fathers said truely and wisely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Godhead and one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity And God is
the old world there were but eight beleevers but two Iosua and Caleb and in Christs time we read but of an hundred and twenty beleevers As Aegypt was full of lice Nilus full of Crocodyles Golgotha full of dead mens skulls so is the world full of Infidells He destroyed them that beleeved not And hence commeth it to passe that so many are damned even because they want faith Perditio tua ex te ô Israel thy destruction commeth of thy selfe ô Israel Ex nobis quod damnamur It is of our selves that wee bee damned blame not God but thine owne infidelity For all things Hos 13. Man 5. are possible to them that doe beleeve And therefore Hemingius in his Enchiridion distinguisheth of the word that There is Duplex verbum Damnans Salvans That there is a double word a Damning and a Saving word The damning word is the Law the saving word is the Gospell The Law offereth grace to them that doe it Yee shall keepe therefore Deut. 2. 27. Gen. 3. 5. Levit. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 4. 9. my statutes and my iudgements which if a man doe he shall live in them But the Gospell offereth grace to the beleevers For Christ is the end of the Law unto every one that beleeve For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeve in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Faith is ever a chiefe doer in matters of salvation and therefore said Hemingius in his Enchiridion that Causa imperans salutis est pater the Iohn 3. 16. commanding cause of our salvation is God For God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Sonne to save the world Causa obsequens est filius the obedient pliant cause is the Psal 40. 7. Sonne In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will I am content to doe it thy Law is written in my heart Causa consummans est Spiritus Sanctus the consummating cause is the holy Ghost so saith the Apostle But yee are washed but yee are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. but yee are iustified by the grace of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God The instrumentall cause is double Exhibens Recipiens Rom. 1. 18. The exhibiting Cause is the word the receiving cause Faith as therefore a Smith worketh not in cold iron so a preacher worketh not on an Infidell There is no life of God in us till we beleeve Ephes 4. 18. till then our cogitation is darkened and we are strangers from the life of God He that beleeveth in him shall not be condemned but hee that Iohn 3. 18. beleeveth not is condemned already because he beleeveth not in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God A tree liveth not without moisture Without faith no accesse to God nor a bird without aire nor a fish without water nor a Salamander without fire So the soule liveth not without faith The just doth live by his faith this is the spirit and soule of the inward man we Hab. 2. have a name to live yet are we dead if we want faith I live by faith in the Sonne of God saith Paul who loved me and gave himselfe for Gal. 2. 20. me Infidels therefore are dead men What is the cause that wee profit no more by the word wee beleeve not the preacher that may bee verified of our people which God said to Ezechiel concerning the Iewes They come unto Ezech. 33. 31 32. thee saith God as people useth to come and my people sit before thee and he are thy words but they will not doe them For with their mouthes they make jests and their heart goeth after their covetousnesse and loe thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but doe them not So we come to the Sermon heare the preacher but we doe not heare him with such zeale and affection as we should wee beleeve not but abuse the word to our owne condemnation why care wee no more for heaven but are so worldly truely we beleeve not God what is the cause that wee live in sinne seeing it is damnable For the wayes of it is death wee beleeve not the Scriptures what is the Rom. 6. 23. 2 Cor. 4. 4. cause of all disorder even infidelity The God of this world hath blinded their eyes our eares are open to heare but not our hearts to beleeve Satan stealeth away the word lest we should beleeve and so be saved But let us make much of the word that wee may Mat. 13. 19. have faith to beleeve For faith nay one dramme of faith is of more worth than all the treasure in the world This that good merchant well knew that sold all to buy it For hee that beleeveth shall not be condemned for every beleevers cause is removed Mat. 13. 24. from the Court of Gods justice into the Court of Gods mercy where hee that beleeveth is not condemned Therefore our care must be with S. Paul that we may be found having the righteousnesse of Christ by faith For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 1. Iesus as all beleevers are and untill thou beest a beleever thou belongest not to God For as the Eagle refuseth her birds till they can mount and soare to the Sunne and as the Raven acknowledgeth not her young ones till they be blacke So God rejecteth the infidels and receiveth none till they beleeve None are the Sonnes of God but the faithfull the rest are bastards I confesse there be degrees in faith The first is a rudiment or entrance Gal. 3. Mat. 12. 20. Rom. 14. 1. Hebr. 10. 22. Rom. 4. 18. which Christ calleth Smoking flaxe The second is a weake faith Him that is weake in faith saith Paul receive unto you The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assurance of Faith Such a faith was in Abraham who above hope beleeved under hope But no faith is abominable and may easily be discerned from a weake faith As a sicke man is knowne from a dead man So a weake faith from no faith Even a desire of Faith is a token of faith For Gods spirit worketh God giues grace according to the measure of Faith that but no faith is accursed For he that beleeveth not is còndemned already There be degrees in faith three examples we have The first of the Ruler of the Synagogue who beleeved that his daughter should revive if Christ would but touch her But the Iohn 3. 18. Iohn 4. woman with the bloody issue beleeved that she should be whole if she touched but the hemme of his vesture But the Centurion beleeved that his servant should doe well if Christ spake but the Luk. 8. Mat. 8. word here is Gradus positivus the positive degree the
Aegypt So Satan cannot hold us in bondage longer than God will Satan is the strong man but Christ is stronger than he As the water-spaniell watcheth the shot to fetch the fowle that is striken as the Iaylors watch at the judgement seats and the hangman for the dayes of execution So Satan and his Angels waite on Gods Majestie to bee set aworke but of themselves can doe nothing therefore are they said to be delivered into chaines and reserved How Satan is said to be loosed yet ever bound in everlasting chaines As in my text For the Lord dealeth with Divels as men use to do with curst bandogs which will flie at the throate of every one whom they met they tye chain them up 2 Pet. 2. 4. for feare of doing hurt For proofe whereof note what God said to the Divel under the serpent Thou shalt bruise his heele By which Gen. 3. 15. phrase is implied a restraint namely that hee should not come so high as the Saints head to crush it he should onely snarle at the heele and bite it that is he should not be able utterly to destroy their soules I but Satan is now losed and the thousand yeares wherein hee Apoc. 20. 7. was chained are expired and therefore now he hath liberty to do what he can But brethren ye shal understand that this is spoken Comparativè comparatively in regard of former restraint as when a dogge hath beene somtime tyed up very close and afterward his chaine is let further he may be said to be loosed But the Lord limiteth this his libertie he can goe no further than God will give him leave For if it were not limited the Divell should soone devoure all mankind if hee were not restrained no creature could resist him and stand before him As the Sea if it 1 Pet. 5. 8. had not bounds would soone overwhelme the whole world So would the Divel soone turne all topsi-turvy bring all to the very depth of Hell where he himselfe is Therefore saith the Apostle Iam 4. Rom. 16. 20. Resist the Divell and he shall flie from you And Paul telleth the Romanes that The God of peace shall tread Satan under their feet shortly And in that Christ calleth him the Strong man Luke 11. And the holy Ghost the Prince of the World Iohn 12. The God of the World 2 Cor. 4. The Spirit that ruleth in the Ayre Ephes 2. A Roaring Lion 1 Pet. 5. 8. A Flying Dragon Apoc. 12. The Angel of the bottomelesse pit Apoc. 20. Powers dominations c. Ephes This is not to feare us or to make us dread him too much but to awake us As Saint Peter saith Be sober and watch not to 1. Pet. 5. 8. bee faint hearted not to despaire He may sorely assault us but hee shall never prevaile against us He may winnow us as hee did Peter but hee shall not finally overthrow us Our Faith shal Ephes 17. quench all his firie darts though he let them flie at us as thicke as haile stones as he did at Iob being deprived of Goods Cattel Children and all that he had yet these darts we shall keepe off by faith Hellgates shall not prevaile against us Saint Augustine Mat. 16. 18. compareth the Divels to Mastives Qui latrant non mordent which bark but bite not to Serpents which hisse but sting not Permitti◠illos Deus saevire aut ut probet fidem electorum aut ut Aug. corrigat mores malorum God suffereth them to rage either to prove the faith of his Elect or otherwise to correct the manners The Divell as yet punished in part of the evill Well God hath reserved them in everlasting chaines under darknes they are punished already but their full punishment is not before the day of judgement As yet they are but as prisoners in fetters and irons the great Assises the day of execution is yet to come For neither are the wicked nor yet the Divell punished as they shal be The wicked departed are now punished in Hell in soule For it is appointed for all men once to dye and then commeth the judgement but they shal be more tormented Hebr. 9. 27. when soule and body shall be united together For now they Eccles. 12. 7. smarte but in one part that is in soule so the full torment of the Divels is not untill the last day For as the joyes of the elect shall then be fuller and the paines of the damned grievouser So the glory of the good Angels and the torments of the bad the fuller rivers of brimstone shall be powred out upon them So the Divell said to Christ that he tormented them before their time For it is torment to the Divell here to want the presence Luk. 5. of Christ but it shal be greater after the Iudgement day when 2 Thess 1. the hope of killing mo soules shal be frustrate then shal be fletus stridor dentium weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. Note these two Aphorismes that the joyes of the elect and blessed Angels shal be greater and that the torment of the Divels and the damned shal be heavier than their double punishment shall be more grievous than ever it was that is poena damni poena sensus their paine of losse and paine of sense Wherof Divines make mention For the elect shal be more nearely united unto God than now they are and the damned shal be more further removed from him than now they be The captivitie of Hell is like the captivitie of Israel in Assyria that is irreturnable the joyes of the elect shal be so great as no tongue can utter them and the paines of the damned shal be so extreme as no eare can heare them no heart conceive them Christ having reckoned up many plagues as how that Nation shall rise up against nation and kingdome against kingdome and great earthquakes Luk. 2 1. 10. 11. shal be in divers places and hunger and pestilence and fearefull things c. At last concludeth Initium autem dolorum haec these are but the beginnings of sorrow As if he had said All these things are but smoke in respect of a terrible fire ensuing As a mustering of souldiers before the said battell What will then the end be if the beginning be so grievous The damned quoth Gregorie suffer an end without end a death without death a decay without decay For their death ever liveth their end ever beginneth their decay never ceaseth they are ever healed to be new wounded and alwayes repaired to be new devoured they are ever dying and never dead eternally broiled but never burnt up ever roring in the pangs of death and never rid of those pangs For these evill Angels with all the wicked shall have The wicked shall be punished in hell in those parts they sinned punishment without pity miserie without mercie sorow without succour crying without comfort mischief
so carefully keepeth all our members Custodit omnia ossa he keepeth all our bones abstergit lachrymas ab oculis hee wipeth the teares from our eyes docet manus praeliari he teacheth our hands Psal 34. Psal 116. Psal 144. 1. to warre and our fingers to fight dirigit gressus nostros in via pacis he directeth our going in the way of peace totum denique corpus custodit to conclude he keepeth the whole body For the Lord saith David is thy keeper the Lord is the shadow at the right hand Ought we not then to give our eyes our hands our feet and the Psal 121. 5. whole body unto his service that as we have given our members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity to commit iniquity So now to give over our members servants unto righteousnesse in holinesse for being freed from sinne and made the servants of God our fruit must be in holinesse and our end shall be life eternall Againe God punisheth uncleannesse many waies our members are the members of Christ shall we take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Againe they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost If any man defile 1 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 3. the Temple of God him shall God destroy A Noble man will not lodge in a hoggs coat nor Gods Spirit in a filthy uncleane unchast body Quid luci cum tenebris what communion hath light 2 Cor. 6. 14. with darkenesse what concord hath Christ with Belial what part hath the beleever with the unbeleever or what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Againe our members shall be glorified in heaven Let them therefore glorifie God in this life for as no uncleane beast might tarry upon the Lords Mountaine so no polluted person shall passe thorow the gates Apoc. 221 of the new Ierusalem God punisheth this sinne many wayes First with beggery for he that feedeth harlots shall never bee rich for indeed it is a sinne Prov. 29. 3. against nature for whereas other men sowe for an Harvest these defilers of the flesh which plough with othermens heifers sowe that which they dare not reape Secondly he punisheth defilers of the flesh with infamy for their reproach shall never be done away Prov. 6. 33. Thirdly with lothsome diseases for the most righteous God hath appointed that they which will taste of the sweet of sinne shall be filled with the gall of punishment it bringeth corruption of the blood dissolution of the sinewes rottennesse of the marrow aches in the joynts crudities in the stomacke paines in the head gowtes and palsies heavinesse in the heart and stinging of the conscience Fourthly Yea and after all these it shall be punished with hell fire For it is written for fornication uncleannesse inordinate Col. 3. 6. affection c. the wrath of God remaineth on such And againe whoremongers Heb. 13. 4. and adulterers God will judge for is stabunt moechi without shall be dogges and inchanters and whoremongers c. onely Apoc. 22. 15. such as be Virgins follow the Lambe Know ye therefore yee Apoc. 14. Gal. 4. Numb 5. Deut. 23. 3. defilers of the flesh there is no place for you in heaven you must rest and dwell in the tenement in hell The Bastard Ismael hath no place in Abrahams house the unclean Canaanite hath no room in the host of Israel The misbegotten Ammonite hath no accesse into Gods Tabernacle As the whoremongers and defilers of the flesh have neither foot nor furrow nor inch of roome in Gods Kingdome Sunt in felle nequitiae they are in the gall of Acts 8. 21. bitternesse as Simon Peter said of Simon Magus The holy Ghost joyneth a whore and a dogge together Thou shalt not bring the Deut. 23. 18. hire of an whore nor the price of a dogge into the house of God And Ieremy compareth these adulterous beasts unto neighing horses and Ier. 5. 8. the Wise man likens them to an Oxe going to the slaughter and cals Prov. 7. 22. the whore a deepe ditch and a narrow pit And they that enter into her Prov. 2. 19. hardly returne againe to take hold of the way of life The guests and Whoredome and all uncleannesse odious companions of harlots are in Hell nay in the depth of Hell Heaven will not receive them O that men could-see into Hell they should see as many defilers of the flesh as many whoremongers as of any sin against the second table Many make little reckoning of this sin of whoredome which the Apostle meaneth by defiling of the flesh but if the punishment provided for it already spoken of cannot let you see the grievousnesse of this sinne then listen to that which now I shall say unto you First it taketh away the heart of a man so saith the Prophet Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart As Hos 4. 11. Nabuchadnezzar had the heart of a beast so these defilers of the flesh have beastly hearts Et praestat bestiam esse quà m bestialiter Seneca vivere A man had better be a beast than live beastly Secondly This sinne is so much the greater because it hath a lawfull remedy To avoid fornication saith the Apostle let every 1 Cor. 7. 2. man have his wife and every wife her husband And againe They that cannot abstaine let them marry A poore theefe is pittied that stealeth to satisfie hunger but he that stealeth and hath enough of his owne his sinne is the greater and the more to be punished Prov. 6. 33. so hee that hath a lawfull remedy and such a remedy as God hath ordained and yet runnes a whoring his sinne is the more abominable and deserveth greater punishment Such was Davids sinne hee had many wives and concubines and yet hee 2 Sam. 11. 5. c. tooke another mans Wife and therefore his sinne was horrible Thirdly by this sinne of whoredome Satan gaineth two soules at once a theefe may steale alone the drunkard may be drunken alone the murtherer blasphemer idolater usurer c. may sinne alone but the whoremonger killeth two soules at one clap If the blood of Abel cryed for vengeance how much more shall those soules cry for vengeance whom these defilers of the flesh have brought to destruction yet these defilers care not how many they abuse and whores and harlots care not how many they lead to the divell they open their quiver against every arrow Eccles 26. 22. Fourthly Defilers of the flesh whoremongers are the Divels factors Satan is a tempter so are they and therefore when they goe about to defile any they should answere them as Christ answered Mat. 4. 1. Peter when hee counselled him to save himselfe Come behind mee Satan thou art an offence unto mee I reade of a certaine Matron Mat. 16. 23. that being intised by a desire of the flesh an
superfluity and increasing of it the growing and increasing of wealth the leaves of it your children tenants and followers the shadow your repose and contentment that you take in your wealth the worme that biteth this Ivie is Death the fading of this Ivie is the decay of your estate the wind that smote Ionas his head is the misfortune that may blow upon you No man can promise himselfe to bee wealthy till night one coale of fire one unadvised word two false oathes of two false villaines may make thee a Begger and a Prisoner all at once or if not so yet thy wealth may goe from thee in a moment as it did from that rich man of whom Christ speakes in the Gospell saying Thou foole this night shall they fetch thy soule from thee For as wee came naked out of our mothers Luk. 12. Wombe so naked shall wee returne thither againe If Riches therefore Iob 1. 2. increase let us not set our hearts upon them nor be carryed away by the deceit of Balaams wages As riches are uncertaine so secondly are they unprofitable if it bee more than for things necessary and maintenance competent And therefore the Scripture cals gold and silver lands and livings riches and possessions a shadow Man walketh Psal 39. 6. in a vaine shadow hee disquieteth himselfe in vaine hee heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them Againe the Scripture calleth them a flower All flesh is grasse and all the glorie as the flower of grasse Againe the Scripture calleth them 1 Pet. 1. 24. Liers The chiefe men are Liers And further the Scripture calleth Psal 62. 9. them vanity All is vanity And lastly nothing Wilt thou set thine eyes uponit and it is not it hath no being Indeed Eccles 1. wealth if it bee for more than things necessarie and maintenance competent is unprofitable for it will doe no good either to soule or body or name or state For first what is good for the Soule but Faith Repentance the Spirit of God Prayer Pardon of sinnes and eternall Life But riches and wealth can purchase none of these things neither gold noâ— precious stones can buy Repentance the holy Ghost the Spirit Pardon of sinnes and eternall Life therefore riches are unprofitable for the foule Againe riches are unprofitable for the Body for can riches buy health purchase ease or a good nights rest or an houres sleepe or a good stomake No no and what is the body the better for it then Againe riches profit not a mans Name For they can not win him any credit For what is credit to have a cap or knee or a few complements given him to be crowched unto as a little curre to a mastiffe dogge to bee soothed up and to bee sprinkled with a little Court holy-water No no but credit is to bee Wealth cannot preserve from temporall or spirituall evils well esteemed of in the hearts of men to find reverence in their soules and to bee placed in a good roome of their affections but wealth cannot doe this but grace and vertue A poore man that lives vertuously shall be more respected in the soules and consciences of men than the richest man under Heaven wanting these things as for example Iohn had more reverence in Herods heart than Herod among all his Courtiers Mat. 14. Lastly wealth wil not profit a mans Estate For it cannot free us from evill nor procure us any good it cannot free us from evill For all evils are either spirituall or temporall ghostly or bodily The ghostly evils are our sinnes as superstition and idolatry swearing and blasphemy profaning of the Sabbath and neglecting of the Word contempt of lawfull authorities murthers and cruell hatred chambering and wantonnesse c. And will a golden plaister heale these diseases No no. A man shall not leave his sinnes the sooner for that hee is rich and hath his purse full with Dives his coffers full with Croesus his grounds full of cattell with Iob his barnes full of corne with the Epulo it is not wealth that wil make him leave his sins but weeping mourning praying and crying to God for mercy this is the plaister that must heale the soule And as wealth cannot preserve us from Ghostly no more can it from temporall evils for can it drive away the gout the stone the collicke the feaver the plague the head-ach the tooth-ach yea a fellon or a white-loe or any greater or lesser disease whatsoever No no the frogges of Egypt entered into the rich Exod. 9. mens houses of Egypt as well as the poore so diseases and other evils into rich mens bodies as soone as into poore mens carkasses Nay I will adde one thing more which perhaps you will thinke strange wealth cannot keepe a man from poverty because I know yee will deny this I will bring in seventy Kings at a time to take their oathes upon it Looke into the booke of the Iudges and yee shall find seventy Kings with their fingers and toes cut off glad like whelpes to licke up crummes under another Kings table And then a little while after yee shal Iudg. 1. 6. see that the same King that made all of them so poore is used in the same sort himselfe What beggers brat could come to more need Now deny if yee can but that a rich man may dye a begger as well as hee that is so borne I have knowne many that from great wealth have come to a morsell of bread whose youth swimming in dainties in old age were glad to snap at a crust Againe for inward troubles riches cannot free us of them Nay as cobwebs breed sooner in Wainescot faire hangings than upon a plaine wall so those that are rich are more clogged Riches hurtfull to the outward and inward man with these things than the poore When a rich man lyes sicke of any disease hath he one pang the lesse or is hee able to beare one fit more patiently because hee can make a greater inventory than his neighbour No rather it makes his crosse heavyer Yee see then wealth connot profit a mans estate Why should wee then gape after it as Ravens for heate and bee carried away with the deceit of Balaams wages Last of all wealth is hurtfull and dangerous and yet the hurt proceeds not from the nature of wealth but from the corruption of men as cold drinke in it selfe is good but to him that hath an Ague hurtfull and as bad as poyson Wealth is like an Hartichoake a little picking meate there is not so wholesome as delicious and nothing to that it shewes for more than the tenth part is unprofitable leaves and besides there is a coare in the middest of it that will strangle you if yee take not heed such a thing is wealth that men so covetously desire it is like some kind of fishes so full of bones and unseene that no man can eate of it without great
1 Sam. 4. 11. Ier. 7. 9 10 11 12. walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called and say We are delivered though we have done all these abominations Is this house become a denne of theeves wherupon my name is called before your eyes Behold even I see it saith the Lord. But goe yee now unto my place which is in Shilo where I set my name at the beginning and behold what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel Thus for hypocrisie was Shilo destroyed they halted with God Dicunt sed non faciunt they said but they did not He is not a Iew that is one outward neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew that is one within and Rom. 2. 28 29. the Circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So we are Protestants in the Letter not in the Spirit professors outward none inward Christians in the 1 Pet. 3. 21. flesh none in the heart baptized in the body not in the conscience It is said of Epicurus that he did put on but the bare name of Cicero 5. Tuscul a Philosopher was not a Philosopher in truth It may as truly be spoken that many in this age put on but the naked shape of Christians and are not Christians indeed and that many colour their wickednesse by outward pretence of Religion and by bearing Bibles in their hands and the Word in their mouth though it be never settled in their hearts being like the Carbuncle that hath a fiery shew yet never flames like those that use muske and pommanders to conceale their unsavory and stinking breath But such God hateth with a dooble hatred and will be revenged of them It were better that we had no eares to heare Hypocrisie the counterfeit of religion nor tongues in our head to talke of God rather then by talking and hearing to cover our notorious wickednesse For we shall perish and we shall have neither part nor fellowship in the number of the faithfull God above all things commended sincerity in Iehosaphat Act. 8. 21. 2 Chro. 19. 3. For he had prepared his heart to seeke God hee had some sap but hee had the heart of an Oke also and was sincere so was Eleazar hee 2 Mac. 6. 23. could not be drawne to play the hypocrite by no flatteries nor allurements no not to save his life thereby and to avoid most grievous torments And Nazianzen could say of his Father that he chastised pride and loved humility not fainedly or colourably but sincerely truly and that he reposed humility in his soule and not in his garments or bowing downe of his head or low speech or a thicke and long beard or coloured haire or grave pace in going For these things saith he are easely devised yet quickly reproved for no counterfeit thing can be durable Such men there were once but where are they now to be found and how rare are they Most men are like the Church of Sardis they have a name to live and yet are dead they seeme to live but with God they are dead their faith is dead their zeale dead men live when they bring forth fruite else they be dead Tullies sonne brought from Atheus not only nomen but rem not the name of learning only but learning it selfe So wee should bring and carry away from Christ not his name only but his vertues and so be followers of God as deare Children otherwise if we be Christians Ephes 5. 1. in name and not in truth if we draw neere unto God with our mouthes and have our hearts farre from him we shall perish for Can a rush grow without mire or can grasse grow without water so are Iob. 8. 11 13 14. the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish his confidence shall be cut off and his trust shall be as in the house of a spider And againe it is said of the hypocrite that his ioy is but a moment and though his excellency mount up to Heaven and his head reach unto Cap. 20. 5 6. the clouds yet shall he perish for ever like his dung c. Let us then as we love our soules shunne hypocrisie and use sincerity this shall comfort us at the last as it did Ezechias for being upon his death-bed this was his comfort that he had served God not in shew but Esa 38. 3 in truth but we are cloven-footed cloven-hearted with God In animis hominum multae sunt latebrae multique recessus In mens hearts there be many dennes and lurking places and many windings turnings But let me say to the hypocrite as Chrysostome said Hypocrita aut esto quod appares aut appare quod es Hypocrite eyther be as thou seemest or appeare as thou art for simulata sanctitas est Aug. duplexiniquitas counterfeite piety is double impiety First because it is impiety and then because it is counterfeite making truth falshood and God a lier But as it is said Non auditores sed factores legis Not the hearers but the doers of the Law shal be iustified so of religion Non eandem profitentes sed eidem obedientes Rom. 2. not professors but performers shall bee glorified Let us not Sincerity is by God required hypocrisie reproved then bee like the Figge tree which our Saviour cursed that had leaves in abundance but no fruit at all For it is not the lifting up of our eyes or the knocking of our brests nor the holding up of our hands which shall stand us in stead at the last day but Mat. 21. the wounded soule the sincerity of the heart the contrite spirit joyned with outward observance and obedience which shall administer true joy in the latter end Therefore let us as elect of God holy beloved let us I say professe with our mouthes and practise with our lives let us sing in voyce with the spirit also let us repent in life and sow in teares let us cleanse the flesh that wee may bee mortified and cleanse our spirit so shall wee be glorified let us never be as cloudes without water as trees without fruit as the raging waves of the sea as starres without light I meane hypocrites For hypocrites are as clouds without water as trees without fruit as starres without light Thus Iude painteth them out and that finely and so doth our Saviour for speaking of hypocrites he saith They binde heavie burdens and grievous to bee borne but they themselves will Mat. 23. not move them with one of their fingers and hee saith that They doe all their workes to bee seene of men that they straine at a gnat and swallow downe a Cammell that they tithe Mint Annise and Cummin but leave the weightier matters
Emphasis is in the conjunction Autem as if he had said Thou must not be like the wicked they murmure complaine speake proudly flatter for gaine but thou must not doe so but thou must turne over another leafe learne Christians must not live like Heathen Infidels a new lesson But yee beloved this teacheth all Christians to love like Christians to walke worthy of their calling not to bee like the Pagans the Heathen For what hath light to doe with darknesse 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17. or righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse What concord hath Christ with Belial And what part hath the beleever with the Infidel Come out therefore from among them and separate your selves saith the Lord and touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you Christ will not have his Apostles be like the Heathen When ye pray use no vain Mat. 6. 7 8. repetitions like the Heathen be not like to them And he would not have us to bee like the Pharises For all the workes that they doe is Cap. 23 6 7 8. to be seen of men they love greeting in the market and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi but be yee not called Rabbi for the godly and the ungodly have two diverse fathers God and the Divell yee are of Iohn 8. 44. your father the Divell and the workes of the Divell doe yee two diverse mothers the Church and the Synagogue of Satan two diverse Schoolemasters the Flesh and the Spirit two diverse Rom. 6. 8. Esa 30. Countries the Heavenly Ierusalem and Tophet therefore their life must be diverse So reasoneth Christ Take no thought saying What shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall wee bee cloathed After all these things seeke the Gentiles for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things Thus Paul Mat. 6. 32. maketh an Antithesis betweene the Gentiles and the Christians This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that yee hence forth walke not Ephes 4. 17 18 19 20. as other Gentiles walke in vanity of their minde having their cogitations darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart which being past feeling have given themselves to wantonnesse to worke all uncleanenesse with greedinesse but yee have not so learned Christ Againe having spoken of the enemies of the Crosse he maketh the comparison betweene them and the Apostles the friends of Christ saying Brethren bee yee followers of mee and looke on Phil. 3. 17 18 19 20. them which walke so as ye have have us for an ensample for many walke of whom I told you before and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glorie is their shame which minde earthly things But our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee looke for a Saviour even the Lord Iesus Let others live as they list but wee will remember the words of the Lord. So Iosuah said Let others serve Idols Ios 24. 15. I and my houshold will serve the Lord Let other perish their life is no rule to us Vivimus praeceptis non factis Wee live by precepts not by deeds Legibus Dâ—i non exemplis hominum by the Lawes of God not by the examples of men Foolishly therefore said Radbode the King of Phrisia for comming to the Font to be baptized hee asked What was become of his Ancestours And answere being made that they died in a fearefull state unchristned replyed that hee would rather perish with the multitude than goe to heaven with a few So Constantius said that Athanasius Gods Word doth stay from running on with the wicked with his few troubled the whole world But he answered him againe Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth â—o destruction and many there be which goe in thereat strait is the gate and the way narrow that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it If but eight Mat. 7. 13 14. men in all the world should be saved as in Noahs flood labour thou to be of these eight Many reason thus Others do it most men doe it therefore will I doe so These be the drunken arguments of the world but we must not follow a multitude Major pars saepe vincit meliorem the greater part ofteÌ„ times overcommeth Exod. 23. 2. the better The Nicene Councell had erred but for Paphnutius but eight onely were saved in Noahs Arke but two Israelites of Gen. 8. Num. 14. Act. 1. Ezech. 9. Apoc. 3. 4. 600000. entred into Canaan but an hundred and twenty beleevers were found in the primitive Church but few in Ierusalem were marked with the letter Tau but few in Sardis walked with God in white To conclude The whole world is set on wickednesse Good men are as blacke swannes wee must shine as lights in the middest of a 1 Iohn 5. 19. Phil. 2. 15. crooked nation If other be dogges let us be Lambes if other be crowes let us be doves if other bee tares let us bee wheate let others live as they list let us live in the Lord let us say with the Saints Come let us go up into the Mountaine of the Lord and to the Mich. 4. 2 5. house of the God of Iacob he will teach us his waies we will walke in his pathes yea let us walke in the name of our God for ever and ever Let others murmure complaine walke after their owne lusts speake proudly and flatter men because of advantage Let us remember the words of the Lord Let us build on in our most holy faith let us pray in the spirit and clense our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow up in full holines 2 Cor. 7. 1. in the feare of God Let not us looke at the multitude to goe to hell with them for company Non enim minor erit gloria si fueris foelix cum paucis nec minor erit poena si miser erit cum multis For thy glory shall not be the lesser if with few thou beest happy nor thy paine the lesser if with many thou be miserable every man shall have paine enough in hell not the lesser for the multitude but the greater For as the Saints in heaven have joy each one from another so the damned in Hell have the more griefe each one from another Mat. 22 13. Now more particularly hee biddeth them remember the words of the Apostles to stay up and to comfort them in the middest of murmurers complainers proud men flatterers sectaries mockers and sendeth them to the Scriptures to the words of the Apostles But I will arise ab Hypothesi ad Thesin from the supposition to the position And here wee learne to whom the Scriptures are profitable and comfortable even to them that remember
read the ancient Fathers to prove and trie every thing and Sectaries seek novelties and admire them to hold that which is good and not to depart from the faith of the Catholicke Church For there is but one dove one spouse one body of Christ Of this sinne the Apostle giveth the Church warning saying Let us consider one another and provoke unto love Hebr. 10. 24 25. and unto good Workes not forsaking the fellowship that we have among our selves as is the manner of some It is the manner of some to turne with the spiders breath the sweet iuyce of flowers into poison to seeke knots in bulrushes to stumble at every straw that stoppeth the course of their eager spirit to breake the bonds of peace to forsake this fellowship that wee should have among ourselves and to single and sever themselves by themselves they busie their braines about Pythagoras numbers Plato's Idea and Aristotles commonwealth they see not at Damascus a strange 2 Reg. 16. 10 11 Altar with Ahaz but they strait-way get the patterne and Vrias the Priest must make them the like at home But what saith Paul concerning these Sectaries I beseech you brethren saith he marke them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the Rom. 16 17 18. doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speeches and flattering deceive the heart of the simple The Prophet David saith Ierusalem a figure of the Church is built as a City that is at unity in it selfe and when the Holy Ghost Psal 122. 3. Act. 2. 1. Act. 4. 32. Iudg. 20. 1. came downe in visible signes upon the Apōstles They were all with one accord in one place and it is said that the whole multitude of them that beleeved in the first times had but one heart and one Soule It is said of Israel that they came together as it had beene one man with the same mind and intent not with as many opinions as persons The Iewes had but one kind of worship prescribed and 2 Chro. 30. 12. that in one only Temple And it is said of Iuda that the hand of the Lord was in Iuda so that he gave them one heart to do the commandement of the King and of the rulers according to the Word of the Lord So if we will become a spirituall building unto God if wee will receive the promise of the Holy Ghost if we will worship God in Spirit and truth if we will have the hand of the Lord upon us we must be at unity and concord with our selves we must abide with one accord and one mind in an house wee must have one heart to doe the commandement of the King and of the rulers we must not leave the Temple to follow every opinion but we must be no makers of Sects but must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace S. Peter prophesied and foretold of these Sectaries Ephes 4. 3. which privily should bring in damnable heresies even denying the 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. Lord that hath bought them and bring upon thmselves swift damnation and that many should follow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth saith he shall be evill spoken of and through covetousnesse shall they with fained words make marchandize of you c. There is in a naturall body a quicking soule a radicall humour and a naturall heate and there is in the spirituall body Division sometime more dangerous than Idolatry of the Church the Holy Ghost to give life to it Faith is the radicall humour to continue it and charity as the naturall heate or vitall Spirit carried throughout the Arteries or parts of the Church For All things must be done in love Division and discord 1 Cor. 10. 14. Sects and Schismes are the cause of all evill of all mischiefe this is that Pandoras boxe that Trojane horse from whom all evill and mischiefe doe proceed Example among many other may be the Church of Corinth who beginning about matters of ceremonies and policie proceeded first to division and separation some holding of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas and some of Christ and so to false doctrine denying the Resurrection 1 Cor. 1. 12. and therefore by the Canon of the Apostle to be avoided and Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria told Novatus that it was Euseb de vit Const 2. more grievous to breake the unity of the Church then to commit Idolatry For this saith hee was punished but with the sword but the other with the opening gulfe of the earth swallowing up the Authors and confederates thereof Et non dubitabitur sceleratius esse commissum quod gravius erat vindicatum And there is no doubt but that was more haynously committed which was more sharply and severely punished If yee have bitter Iam. 3. 14 16. envying and strife in your hearts saith the Holy Ghost reioyce not for where envying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of evill wayes There be three Furies in Hell Heresy Schisme Apostacy Saith a learned man Haeresis errorem fundamentalem in side tuetur Heresy defendeth some fundamentall error in the faith Schisma unitatem Ecclesiae ob minuta discindit Schisme cutteth in sunder the unity of the Church for small and trifling things Apostasia rectam fidem religionem penitùs abdicat Apostasie utterly rejecteth and forsaketh the right Faith Religion of God and turneth from the holy Commandements given of God For heresy is occupied about dogmaticall conclusions concerning Faith and beliefe Schisme about rites and ceremonies and other things of no moment For whosoever shall obstinately defend any perverse corrupt opinion is an Hereticke whosoever shall divide himselfe from the Church for manners and rites is a Schismaticke Againe one and the selfe-same errour in divers men hath divers names For a false opinion of God is in a Iew Infidelity in an Ethnike Paganisme in a Christian heresy in a Turke Ignorancy Heresy is only in such as are baptized even as Schisme is Finely said Bibliander that one sinne according to divers effects hath divers names For to doe any thing against the Scriptures saith hee it is sinne or rebellion rather to thinke any thing contrary to the Scriptures it is foolishnesse to contradict them is error to forsake them Apostacy Pride the cause of heresy schisme All these are pardonable if they be not wilfull we must therefore be very watchfull that Satan possesseth not our mind heart or life our mind with perverse doctrine our heart with wicked affections our life with evill manners Study therefore day and night to keep the mind in purity and in the knowledge Hemming of the trueth the heart with pious and holy cogitations and thy life with chast manners and good examples Cyprian saith Vnum tentat diabolus tentat ut
lupus ovem à grege The Divell tempteth Cypri and assaieth one thing as a Woolfe he tempteth the sheep from the flocke as an hawke hee tempteth to sever the flying Dove from her company as a sword-player hee proveth to divide and cut the member from the body And so the Divell tempteth to sever and divide a Christian from the Church than which nothing is more dangerous Hilary saith Periculosum est atque etiam maximè miserabile tot nunc fides existere quot volunt ates Hil. lib. ad Constan tot nobis doctrinas esse quot mores tot causas blasphemiarum pullulare quot vitia sunt dum aut fides scribuntur ut volumus aut ita ut volumus intelliguntur It is most dangerous and very miserable that there are so many faiths as wills and so many doctrines as manners of men and thereby so many causes of blasphemy should spring up as there are private faults and vices in men whilest either we set downe and penne our faith as we will or els expound and understand it as wee lust and like of And indeed for Sects and Schismes we abound Omnes volunt esse Apostolos Cypr. lib. 1. ep 1. All would be Apostles all Prophets all Doctors Pastoris officium oves vendicant The sheep doe vendicate and challenge the office of the shepheard the foote contendeth to bee the head the souldier striveth to be the Captaine every member would usurpe anothers office and be in others place hinc Schismata hence spring Schismes and Sects et radix eorum superbia and the Nazianz. roote of them is pride The Sects in Christs time among the Mat. 22. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Pharises Sadduces Essenes the Sects that sprung up in Corinth those in Rome where of yee may read Rom. 16. and the Sects Schismes that are this day in our Church rose either of pride or of covetousnes As a member cut from the body dieth as a branch cut from the vine whithereth as a river cut and divided into many parts drieth up so if we be cut and divided from the Church wee perish utterly For what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath the beleever with the Infidell or what agreement hath the Temple of 2 Cor. 6. 15. God with Idols Yet this I note withall that these Sects hinder not the Church forever God by them revealeth his truth Si hostes Ecclesiam gladio persequuntur exercent ejus patientiam If enemies August de civit Dei lib. 18. cap. 51. persecute the Church with the sword they doe exercise her patience sin malè sentiunt exercent ejus sapientiam but if they imagine evill against the Church they do exercise her wisdome There must needs be offences aswell in doctrine as in manners God turnes the malice of hereticks to the good of his Church oportet esse haereses there must be heresies That they which are approved among you might be knowne For Gods Church is not only subject to dissention as touching orders and manners but also to heresies as touching doctrine Per haec otium torporem Ecclesiae discutit Deus By these things God shaketh off the idlenesse Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 11. 19. or slothfull heavinesse or dulnesse of his Church and wipeth away the rust thereof and maketh the Church people of God carefull and diligent to search the Scriptures whereby all heresy and schismes might be destroied and so avoided But you will say that these hereticks and Sectaries quote Scriptures and what shall the simple doe I answere that wee must deale with them as Christ did with Satan returne Scripture upon them For the Divell having taken Christ into the holy City and set him on the pinacle of the Temple said unto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe For it is written He will give his Angels charge over thee and with their hands they shall Mat. 4 5 6 7. lift thee up lest at any time thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone But Christ our Saviour retorted Scripture upon him againe and said It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God The Pelagians to prove Gods grace is not sufficient without our will alledge these words of the Almighty If yee consent and obey yee shall eate the good things of the land The Anabaptists to overthrow Esay 1. 19. Magistracie quote the words of Paul Standfast in the libertie wherwith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled againe with the yoke Gal. 5. 1. of bondage The Donatists to prove a perfection quote the saying of the Apostle Now the God of peace sanctifio you throughout and I Gal. 5. pray God that your whole Spirit soule and body may bee kept blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. The Anthropomorphites to prove God like a man quote the saying of the Psalmist The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eares are open to their prayers Psal 34. 15. The Familists to prove that wee are co-deified with God and God co-hominified with us alledge the saying of the Apostle Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not the seed of God abideth in him neither 1 Iohn 3. 9. can he sinne for he is borne of God The Papists to prove the primacy of the Pope alledge God made two lights the greater Light to Gen. 1. 16. rule the Day and the lesser the Night meaning say they the Pope and the Emperour the Pope to rule the Clergy and the Emperour the Laity To prove Purgatory they quote the 8. Psalme Thou hast put all things under his feete all sheep and oxen yea Psal 8. 8. and the beasts of the field the fowles of the ayre and the fishes of the sea per pisces animas in Purgatorio intelligunt by fishes they understand the soules in Purgatory as by the birds the Angels and by beasts men The Brownists to prove that no good can be done by a Parliament quote these words of the Holy Ghost Neither by an army Zacha 4. 6. or strength but by my Spirit saith the Lord. To prove that Kings have no authority in the Church they alledge this text To bind their Kings in chaines and their Nobles with linkes of iron To prove that we have in our Church no Word preached no Sacraments The Papists charging us with Sects have more themselves rightly ministred no Minister lawfully called of God they alledge this Scripture How shall they preach except they bee sent To all which we must be able to say Rursus scriptum est as Christ did we must have judgement We must abound in knowledge Psal 149. Rom. 10. 15. Mat. 4. 7. Phil. 1. 9. Hebr. 13. 9. 1 Cor. 14. 20. and in judgement The heart must be established with grace we must not be children in understanding as concerning maliciousnesse wee must bee children but in understanding we must
have done vertuously but thou Pro. 31. 29. surmountest them all As Christ commended Iohn Baptist above all Nazarites saying There is no greater Prophet than Iohn among them Luk. 7. 28. that are begotten of women And the Lord Moses above all Prophets So Iude commendeth Faith above al vertues All precious stones Deut. 34. are good yet none like the Topaze all flowres are faire yet none Iob 28. like the Lily most trees bring fruit but none like the Apple-tree Faith purifies our hearts and makes our actions and persons holy of Persia or the Tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and gave fruit every moneth Many vertues are excellent and further our salvation yet none like faith Iustice giveth every man his owne temperancy restraineth lusts fortitude beareth Apoc. 22. 2. 1 Iohn 5. 4. all labour and toile prudence guideth our actions but faith overcommeth the world so doe not other vertues faith is like the three 2 Sam. 23. worthies of David who brake thorow the whole host and drew water of the Well of Bethlem Ionathan and his armour-bearer 1 Sam. 19. slew twenty men Shamgar with an Oxe goade slew six hundred Iudg. 3. 31. Iudg. 15. Philistines Samson with the jaw-bone of an Asse slew a thousand men thus these men brake thorow an whole host and faith overcommeth the whole world In this faith Paul insulted over heaven and earth men and Angels I am perswaded saith Paul that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor Rom. 8. 38. things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And againe he saith I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keep that which I have committed unto him meaning himselfe against that day It is called Holy yea most Holy for all our works are polluted and receive their holinesse from faith and faith from Christ who is the object of it As the Sunne giveth light to all Planets as salt seasoneth all meates so Faith seasoneth all works for in themselves they are polluted For who can say I have made my heart cleane I am cleane from sinne For as the holy man of god saith Hee found no stedfastnesse Pro. 20. 9. Iob 4. 18 19. in his servants and laid folly upon his Angels how much more in them that dwell in houses of Clay whose foundation is the dust which shall bee destroyed before the moth And againe he maketh this demand and saith What is man that he should be cleane And hee that is borne of a Woman that hee should be just Wee are all as a menstruous cloth Cap. 15. 14. as an uncleane thing we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the wind haue taken us away only Faith purifieth our hearts To come neerer fidem sanctissimam vocat ratione objecti hee Act. 15. 9. calleth it most holy Faith by reason of the object Deum enim trinum unum respicit it respecteth three and one three in Persons one in Essence Morall vertues they are occupied about humane objects and things created as liberality about giving of good things temperance about meate drinke fleshly lusts leachery c. Fortitude in suffring adversity therefore they cannot be called most holy vertues Againe it is called most holy Faith in respect of the efficient cause thereof that is to say the Holy Ghost For the Holy Ghost bestoweth upon us all good things love joy peace long 1 Cor. 12 Gal. 5. 22. suffering gentlenesse goodnesse Faith meeknesse temperance all these and all the rest are the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost Now because the Authour is holy his Works his gifts and graces bee holy Nil nisi sanctum à sancto spiritu prodire potest If no holines no Faith Nothing can come from the holy Spirit but that which is holy Aug. Learne here to judge of the works of the elder World their almes their prayer their love what love could there be without faith and what faith could there bee among them without the doctrine of God Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God But did they fast often Wee seldome or never Did they Rom. 10. 14. give almes and doe we live unto our selves are our right hands dryed up with Ieroboams Did they pray in the night wee scarce in the day Did they love one another agree together and doe wee sue and sting one another like the Serpents of Sinai O brethren they shall rise in judgement against us as Christ said of the Ninivites Except our righteousnesse our prayers our love exceed theirs wee shall not enter into Heaven our faith is Mat. 11. not most holy no nor holy nay no faith at all And by the way note that hee calleth faith holy not unholy unjust unchaste drunken faith such as the world braggeth of in these dayes the dead faith that Saint Iames inveigheth against so earnestly All lewd men boast of faith but I will say to them as Iames said O stende mihi fidem per opera Shew me thy faith by thy workes shew mee it by thy zeale thy piety thy truth thy chastity thy mercy with our faith let us joyne vertue The Israelites cryed Templum Domini templum Domini the Temple of 2 Pet. 1. 5. the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Pharisees cryed The Baptisme of Iohn the Baptisme of Iohn the Iewes cried We have Abraham to our Father the Scribes cried We have Moses to our Doctor the Ephesians cryed Great is Diana of the Ephesians but Ieremy bade the Israelites amend their wayes and their works Ier. 7. 4. Iohn bade the Pharisees bring forth fruits of Repentance Christ bade the Iewes doe the Workes of Abraham He told the Scribes Luk. 3. 8. Iohn 8. Iohn 5. Ephes 4. 20. that Moses would condemne them and Paul told the Ephesians that they had not so learned Christ and so say we to these men that boast of faith I will reason with them as Ieremy did with the people Will yee steale murder and commit adultery and sweare falsly Ier. 7. 9 10. and burne incense unto Baal and walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before mee in this house whereupon my Name is called even so will we sweare lye raile slander and say that we beleeve Was Gods house a denne for theeves is faith become a cloake for theeves whoremongers lyers swearers usurers Idolaters blasphemers drunkards pot-companions c I say of this faith as Saint Iames said of Wisedome This wisedome descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and divelish so Iam. 3. 5. this faith is not from above but is earthly sensuall and divelish For faith sheweth it selfe in good workes and can no more be separated from it
with a true Heb. 10. 22. heart in assurance being sprinkled in our heatts from an evil conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water All living creatures have their nourishment every one in their kinde some live of the Earth as Molles other some of the Water as Fishes some of the Ayre as the Camelion some of the fire as the Salamander other creatures more noble than they live by meat as the naturall man but others more noble than he as the Angels by meditations contemplations The Soule therefore being a spirituall substance as the Angels is nourished and fed with the same meate that they bee Here is the difference their vision of God is Col. 3. 3. Ephes 4. 18. cleere and manifest ours obscure and darke their life perfect ours imperfect their life is a life of glory ours is called the life of grace As the sea followeth the moving of the Moone for as shee increaseth that waxeth so the perfection of a Christian life dependeth on prayer as our prayers increase so doth our perfection in Christianity increase also For seeing the heart is the beginning of life and of workes Et quale cor talia opera and as our heart is such be our workes if the heart therefore be devout and well ordered our workes will bee devout and good also if otherwise our workes will be vile and naught For unto Tit. 1. 15. the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their mindes and consciences are defiled To conclude it is no little proofe of the vertue of prayer to behold the two principall glories and testimonies which the Father gave to Christ Iesus in prayer for in his transfiguration while hee prayed His face did shine as the Sun and his cloathes were as Mat. 17. 2. white as the light and in his Baptisme while he praied The Heavens were opened unto him the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted Mat. 3. 15. upon him This should incourage us to pray and to pray alwayes to pray and to pray continually even every moment as the least occasion is offered prayer should bee the key to open the day and the locke to shut in the night when wee rise in the morning we should pray with Abrahams servant and say O Lord God Gen. 14. 12. I beseech thee send me good speede this day when we lay us down at night to pray with the sweet Singer of Israel Lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death and whatsoever wee take in hand Psal 13. 3. either by day or night to prevent it with the blessing of the Psalme Prosper the worke of our hands O prosper thou our handy worke Egredientes de hospitio armet oratio regredientibus de platea occurrat Psal Ier. Ep. intercessio when thou goest out of the house let prayer arme thee Prayer the means whereby wee receive all good things when thou returnest into thy house let prayer meete with thee prayer is vinculum invincibile wouldest thou binde the Almighty that he may not hurt thee Prayer is the band by which hee is tyed and wouldest thou untie him to doe thee good Prayer must doe it Prayer is Clavis Scripturae it is our Oedipus to resolve our doubts it is our Commentary to understand Gods Word Oratio est Deo sacrificium Diabolo flagellum oranti subsidium Prayer is a sacrifice to God a scourge to the Divell and a helpe to our Aug. selves in all our troubles And againe Orationis purae magna est virtus velut fidelis nuntius mandatum peragit penetrat quò caro non pervenit Great is the power of pure prayer for it is a faithfull Aug. in Psal 36. messenger shee delivers her errand and pierceth thither whither flesh cannot come And this was it which made Bernard to say Nemo nostrûm parvipendeat orationem suam dico enim vobis quodipse ad quem oramus non parvipendet eam postquam egressa est ab ore nostrùm ipse scribit eam in libro suo unum in duobus indubitanter sperare possumus quoniam aut dabit quod petimus aut quod novit utilius Let none of us lightly esteeme his prayer I tell you that hee to whom we pray doth not lightly esteeme it after it is out of our mouth he writes it in his booke and one of these two wee may doubtlesse expect either that hee will grant our petition or that which hee knoweth to bee better for us Call upon mee and I will heare thee saith God Aske and you shall have saith Christ Before they cry I will heare them saith Iehovah The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him saith David O then let us call and cry unto him by earnest and hearty prayer night and day but let us pray in knowledge with understanding in faith by beleeving in remorse with seeking in zeale without cooling in attention without wandering in reverence without contemning in constancy without revolting and in love without revenging Let our eyes bee fastned hearts fixed knees bowed mouthes opened and our hands lifted up as to the King of Kings and as Iacob would not let the Angell goe till he were blessed so let not God goe till wee be heard Finely said one Orat misericordia non orat miseria orat innocentia non orat nequitia orat judex desiderat parcere non orat reus ut indulgentiam mereatur accipere Doth mercy pray and shall not miserie piety intreate and shall not iniquity the Physician request and shall not the sicke the rich begge and not the poore the innocent pray and not the guilty the just and he that never sinned fall downe and the sinnefull sinner stand upright the Sonne of righteousnesse bee humbled and the sonne of wickednesse waxe proud shall the judge intreate and desire to pardon and the traytor not begge to bee forgiven Is not Christi actio Christiani institutio Christs practice our president But hee prayes and shall not wee pray Wee must pray for our bodies that they may be preserved for our soules The Holy Ghost the Author of prayer that they may bee saved for our estates that they may bee maintained for our thoughts that they may bee sanctified for our words that they may bee seasoned for our actions that they may bee ordered by Gods Spirit But Saint Iude doth not onely exhort to prayer but also sheweth how wee must pray In the Spirit the which words may be understood two manner of wayes either of the Author of prayer or of the Manner of praying If we understand it of the Author the sense is good for Gods Spirit causeth prayer and every good worke For wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for us Rom. 8. 26 27. with sighs that cannot bee expressed for hee that searcheth the
speaketh this by way of comparison not that the wicked should be rebuked but he sheweth their malice and the small hope of their amendment Well Rebuke not a scorner saith Salomon lest hee hate thee but rebuke a wise man and hee will love thee And the Prophet speaking of the wicked saith They hate him that speaketh in the gate meaning the Prophet that openly Amâ—â— 5. 10. reproveth them and they abhorre him that speaketh uprightly But if a Physician give a sharpe potion or a Surgeon a sharpe corrasive it is not to kill the patient but to recover him If a shepheard after his whistle settes his dogge on his sheepe it is not to woorry them but to returne them home therefore let men suffer the Word of exhortation as the Apostle intreateth them saying I beseech you brethren suffer the Word of Exhortation You are Hebr. 13. 22. sheepe wee shepheards and no difference but this that they in the field have to do with unreasonable sheep wee in the Church with reasonable yet some are woolves not sheep some are unreasonable and evill men yet rebuke them Dilexit Theodosius arguentem non adulantem Theodosius loved a reprover not a flatterer for better are the wounds of a lover than the kisses of an hater David wished to bee rebuked Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefit and let him reprove me and it shall bee a precious oyle Better Psal 141. 5. we chide then God chide And other save with feare The feare here named is not only the denouncing of judgement by way of doctrine against impenitent sinners but also the holy discipline of the Church the fearefull sentence of Excommunication whereby men are delivered up to Satan as was the incestuous Corinthian of whom Paul writeth thus When yee are gathered together and my spirit with you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that such one I say by the power 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 of our Lord Iesus Christ be delivered unto Satar for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus So Hymeneus and Alexander were excommunicate and delivered up to Satan 1 Tim. 1. 20. for their blasphemy For can there be a greater feare then to thinke that wee are estranged from the company of the Saints put out of the Church delivered into the power of Satan wholly committed and commended to the Divell Thus Babilas Bishop of Antioch excommunicated Philip the Emperour for the executing Divers kindâ— of excommunication of an hostage committed unto him thus Ambrose Bishop of Millane excommunicated Theodosius for a murder done at Thessalonica thus Symonachus excommunicated Anastasius the Emperour for blasphemy and Paganisme thus Innocentius excommunicated Arcadius Eudoxia for persecuting Chrysostome Thus are vile men to be handled they are to be excommunicate and delivered up to Satan We must have no fellowship with them Finely saith one Triplex est Communio there is a threefold Hemingius Communion Spiritualis Moralis Sacramentales Spirituall Morall Sacramentall The first with God in a spirituall life the second with men in our daily conversing the third with the Pastor and the Church in partaking of the holy mysteries And againe Triplex est excommunicatio Spiritualis Moralis Sacramentalis Spirituall Morall Sacramentall Spirituall whereby a man is shut out of Heaven and shall never be partaker of the price of our high calling which is in Christ Iesus Morall whereby a man is excluded from the company of men Sacramentall whereby he is excluded from prayer the Word Sacraments And this excommunication is a fearefull thing it is to be cut or divided from the body of Christ and to be delivered up to Satan There is a two fold use of Excommunication First Vt excommunicatus pudore victus ad poenitentiam excitetur deflectat à malo That the excommunicate may bee ashamed of 2 Cor. 2. 7. his sinne and be brought to repentance and so to eschew evill Secondly Ne contagio ad reliquos serpat Lest the contagion should creepe and infect others For a little leaven sowreth a whole lumpe of 2 Cor. 5. 6. dowe And excommunication is sometime just sometime unjust but howsoever it passeth against us justly or unjustly it is to be Greg. feared Sententia excommunicationis sivè justa sivè injusta metuenda est THE SIX AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XXIII Pulling them out of the fire The sinner in a dangerous estate BEfore yee heard that we must use discretion and put difference of sinners to pitty some and to reprove some To save them with feare that is by sharp reproofes to draw them out of danger Now here in these words hee sheweth the great danger men are in when they sinne they are in the fire ready to bee consumed and therefore hee saith Plucke them out of the fire And who can pluck them out of the fire but with violence This is the state of the wicked they are as dry trees and rotten wood and two things are prepared for them a sharpe hatchet and a quicke fire for every tree that bringeth Luke 3. 9. not forth good fruit shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire This is that which the Apostle calleth the deceitfulnes of sinne Exhort one Hebr. 3. 13. another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne It promiseth safety and bringeth destruction so the Apostle affirmeth Sinne saith hee tooke occasion by the Commandement and thereby slew mee We thinke wee are well Rom. 7. 11. inough when wee sinne and yet indeed wee are at the very pits mouth For when the wicked grow as grasse and all workers of iniquity Psal 92. vers 7. flourish then shall they be destroyed for ever And Iob speaking of the wicked saith One dieth in his full strength being in all ease and Iob. 21. 23 24. prosperity his brests are full of milke and his bones full of marrow And as the sudden ruine of the wicked is set out by fire they are The fickle estate of the wicked ready to be burned so againe their state is described by yee they are as men that walking on an yee suddenly fall So saith the Psalmist Thou doest set them in slippery places and castest them Psal 73. 17 18. downe into desolation how suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed Their estate also is set out by grasse and hearbes which grow to day and are cut downe to morrow so saith David They shall soone bee cut downe like grasse and shall wither Psal 37. 2. as the greene hearbe their estate also is compared to Chaffe which now lies in the floore and by and by is blowne away with the winde The Prophet saith They are as Chaffe which the winde driveth away Alas all their felicity and great pompe it Psal 1. 4. is but a dreame it is but
Ioram fell to idolatry Hilary did beleeve the Church rather hidde for hee could not see it flourishing and he said that the mountaines the woods the prisons and the whirlepooles were safer than the temples for these are his owne words Montes lucus carceres voragines sunt tutiores quà m templa Arrianisme so prevailed at that time Hierome said Ingemuit totus mundus Arrianum se esse miratus est That 〈◊〉 the whole world wept and wondred that it was become an Arrian Peters little ship was now indangered the windes tost her the waves beat her on the sides little hope but was at the point of sinking but at the last the Lord did arise commanded the winds and the tempest ceased and a calme succeeded and all the Bishops which were exiled were called home againe then Aegypt received his Athanasius triumphing then France embraced Hilary returning from warre then was Antioch gladde at the returne of Chrysostome and Italy threw off her mourning garments at the returne of Eusebius I know that Canus calleth these speeches hyperbolicall of Hilary and Hierome but that is but his hyperbolicall lye This is the common Inne wherein the Papists lodge most of our objections but I reason thus Eadem est ratio totius quae est singulornus membrorum At singula membra possunt cadere Ergo totum corpus The same reason is of the whole which is of every particular member But every particular member may fall The Pope may erre Therefore the whole body The epistles of the Bishops were corrected by Councels provinciall and the Provinciall Councels by the generall and the former generall Councels by those that came afterward saith Augustine Ecclesiam Dei finaliter errare nego that the Church of Aug. lib. 2. de Baptism 1. Iohn 3. God can finally erre I deny for hee that is of God sinneth not and Christ telleth us that there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect if it were possible but unpossible that they should finally be deceived Here the great question is decided Num Papa potest in fide deficere whether the Pope can faile in faith because hee is the whole Church Virtualiter To this wee object Pope Iohn the 22. That hee erred because hee affirmed and held that the soules of the righteous did not see God till the day of judgement which heresy of his was condemned at Paris with the blast of trumpers and we say that Câ—lestine erred when hee held that marriage was dissolved if either of them meaning the man or wife fell into heresy and Gregory when writing to Augustine of Canterbury he said that the husband might marry another wife Si mulier non possit debitum maâ—iâ—o reddere Saint Ambrose in a certaine Sermon of his dicit Petrum fidem sum perdidisse saith Ambr. ser 47. that Saint Peter lost his faith If Peter failed certenly his successors may faile To these Canus answereth that Iohn the 22. and the rest erred personally not judicially to Ambrose his speech hee saith Fides capitur pro fidelitate that faith is there taken for fidelity illam ergo non fidem amisit it was that hee lost namely his fidelity not his faith and he further addeth Papam haeredem esse Petri privilegiorum non culparum that the Pope was the heire of Peters priviledges not of his offences To conclude with Canus all come to this point Bishops Fathers Councels The Popes Legates in Councels may erre for Christ prayed not for Peters Legates but for Peter himselfe quoth the Cardinall of Ture Immo Papam errare posse sed moribus yea the Pope may erre but yet in manners not in faith yea the Pope may erre in faith personaliter non judicialiter personally not judicially quoad factum non quoad fidem as touching facts not as touching faith as Sixtus 4. which taught Catherinam Senensem stigmata non habuisse where hee erred as touching the history not as touching faith and they all affirme that the Pope may erre in his gallery not in his Consistory which is a monstrous answere as though Christ had prayed for the place the walles not for the person as if faith were in the walles not in the heart But if the Pope dye in an heresy though never holden in his Consistory as Iohn the two and twentieth did let them tell mee in what state hee dieth Corde creditur ad justitiam With Rom. 10. the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse shall they give The Papists distinctions how the Pope may erre and not erre nice and frivolous us such drosse for gold such chaffe for corne suth lees for wine Shall they build such stubble upon the foundation Ignis probabit the fire shall trie it Let God and man judge of this answere 1 Cor. 3. THE NINE AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XXIIII And to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with ioy Wee must bee presented blamelesse before God THis is the second thing hee prayeth for as touching this life that God shall present them faultlesse Wee shall bee pure and perfect without fault without spot or wrinkle Nam nil Apot. 21. 27. immundum intrabit c. No uncleane thing shall passe thorow the gates of the new Ierusalem To this end God hath elected us before the foundation of the World That wee should bee holy Ephes 1. 4. and without blame before him in love Hitherto tendeth Pauls prayer Now the very God of Peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit soule and body 1 Thess 5. 23. may bee kept blamelesse untill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Wee are said to be faultlesse blamelesse and without spot not that wee are without sinne but because God imputes not our sinnes unto us So Saint Paul would have a Bishop sine crimine without fault non dicit sine peccate hee doth not say without sinne for no man is sine peccato without fault though many be sine crimine without offensive fault and yet sine peccate sumus wee are without sinne without fault quia non imputatur nothis because it is not imputed to us Whereupon David Blessed is Psal 32. 2. the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne If therefore the Papists should cry all the day long and all their life long Beatus qui Wee are righteous by imputation of Christs righteousnesse timet Deum Blessed is he that feareth God Beatus qui miseretur pauperibus Blessed is hee that considereth the poore and needie Beatus qui operatur justitiam Blessed is he that worketh righteousnesse Beatus qui loquitur verè Blessed is he that speaketh truly for Psal 112. 1. Psal 42. 1. Psal 119. Esa 33. 15. he shall dwell on high his defence shal be the munitions of the rockes bread shall bee given him
and concludeth his Epistle with it Grace bee with you Amen for wee must not doubt of Gods promises but beleeve stedfastly That all the promises of God are in Amen diversly used in Scripture Christ yea and are in him AMEN Againe this word Amen teacheth us to desire earnestly 2 Tim. 4. 22. and fervently the thing wee pray for For the prayer of the righteous availeth much if it bee fervent David was fervent in his Iam. 9. 16. Psal 106. 48. prayer Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever and let all the people say Amen And verily this word Amen noteth our desire our earnest fervent desire to bee heard and to obtaine it is in effect thus much O Lord thus bee it unto mee what my tongue or soule have begged give it me grant it me Amen Amen So Lord even so Lord. FINIS THE TABLE OF THE Sermons upon Saint IVDE Points handled Serm. 1. THe holy Ghost the Author of all Scripture Fol. 1. Two Iudases 1 Iscariot 2 Brother of Iames 1 Some Scriptures doubted of 2 A threefold office of the Church concerning Scripture 3 Honourable titles given the wicked why 4 Stormes should not discourage the godly ibid. Three sorts of servants ibid. Gods service most happy 5 Gods service perfect freedome ibid. Brings all good to us 6 All other service vile or dangerous 7 Mans dignity in three things 8 Priviledges of Gods servants ibid. Pope abuseth the title of servant 9 Servants must imitate their Master obey him 10 Gods servants rewarded ibid. Servants may not Lord it over the rest of the Family 11 Godly profession brings more glory than honourable alliance 12 13. Sermon 2. VOcation the first step to Salvation 15 Before calling wee are children of wrath not capable of Christ 16 The happinesse of having the Gospell 17 Vocation Externall Internall Invitation Admission 17 18 Externall calling unprofitable without internall 18 The efficacie of Gods Word in the ministery thereof 19 Vocation diverse in respect of time and place 20 None called for desert ibid. Sanctification followes vocation 21 God as he beginne will finish till he glorifie ibid. Sanctification three-fold Imputed unto us Wrought in us Wrought by us 22 Difference of righteousnesse of Iustification and Sanctification 23 Papisticall doctrine tends to licentiousnes ours to holinesse ibid. Faith and Workes joyned in the person justified in the act of justification 24 Sermon 3. CHrists Priesthood two parts Redemption Intercession 26 Redemption hath two parts Reconciliation and Sanctification ibid. Reconciliation consists in two points Remission of sinnes and imputation of Christs righteousnesse 27 Iustification what it is ibid. Adoption what it is ibid. Benefits of Adoption and Iustification 27 Sanctification consists in mortification and vivification 28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his beginning godly sorrow his companion the Spirituall combat ibid. Sanctification but in part as our knowledge ibid. Divers acceptions of holinesse 29 Wee must bee holy because God is holy 30 Wee must bee holy because it is the end of our Redemption 31 Without holinesse no salvation ibid. Wee must bee holy because called Saints ibid. All our holinesse is from God 32 The persons of the Trinity distinguished 33 Preservation in the state of Grace the chiefest blessing 34 Gods providence preserves in all accidents of life 35 God frees from all afflictions 36 God preserves his Scriptures and Saints 37 Gods preservation of soule and spirituall estate most gracious 38 39 Sermon 4. MErcie Peace and Love three most excellent gifts 40 How these three flow from the Trinity ibid. How mercy in God 41 A rule for Christian salutations ibid. Mercy fourefold ibid. Generall mercies bestowed on all ibid. Speciall mercies on the elect ibid. The long suffering of God 42 The greatest mercy concernes salvation ibid. Our election is of Mercy ibid. Gods abundant mercy in Christ 43 Mercy seven-fold ibid. All that wee have is of mercy ibid. Misericordia communis peccantium portus ibid. Peace three-fold 44 Peace the ornament of the Church and signe of Christs Kingdome ibid. God the Author of Peace 45 A commendation of peace ibid. Contention cause of destruction 46 Vnion makes powerfull ibid. True peace to bee sought and imbraced 47 Righteousnesse cause of peace ibid. Peace of Conscience passeth all understanding 48 Prosperity profiteth not without peace of Conscience ibid. The wicked have no peace 49 Christ dyed rose ascended to perfect our peace ibid. Peace is used for outward prosperitie 50 All priviledges spirituall and temporall belong to the godly ibid. Yet sometime God withholds outward blessings 51 Sermon 5. God loves the fountaine of mercy peace and all good things 52 Gods love is most abundant immeasurable immutable unspeakeable 53 How God is said to be love ibid. Love of man to man the most excellent vertue 54 No Love to man without the love of God 55 True love rare among men 56 That love which is truely Christian must be embraced all other abandoned 57 Not sufficient to have grace but there must be a desire of increase till we come to glory 58 Sermon 6. FAith the most necessarie and excellent vertue 61 Sonnes three-fold by Nature by Doctrine by Adoption or Inspiration 62 Faith set out by it's attributes that wee might labour for it 63 Many carelesse to get Faith or maintaine it ibid. Faith must bee maintained to the death 64 A foure-fold fight and flight of Ministers ibid. The zeale of Idolaters and Heretickes for false religion should make us to be zealous for Gods truth 65 Divers degrees of zeale ibid. God lookes to the truth of our zeale not the heate 66 God accepts according to that a man hath if in truth ibid. Love ought to bee shewed in all our instructions and reprehensions 67 What love required in Ministers to their people ibid. Wee must be zealous in the matter of Religion and industrious for our soules 68 Salvation ought to be our onely ayme to have it assured to our selves and propagated to others 69 Many more regard humane writings yea vaine pamphlets than Scriptures 70 All men ought to labour to get assurance of salvation 71 Salvation common in three respects ibid. As salvation is common so the Church Catholicke 72 Writing the most safe meanes to performe God truth ibid. Traditions bring errors to the Church 73 Exhortation powerfull urged in meekenesse 74 The Minister must exhort and the people suffer the Word of exhortation 75 Sermon 7. GOds truth must bee maintained 76 Faith the gift of God a fruit of the Spirit ibid. Divers acceptions of Faith 77 Divers excellent attributes of saving Faith ibid. Faith a worke of the Trinity 78 The meanes to beget Faith outwardly the Ministery of the Word inwardly the operation of the Spirit 79 True Faith in few in all ages ibid. True Religion most ancient and Scriptures before all other writings 80 As God is immutable so his truth and Religion ibid. Though types and shadowes vanish truth and
Gods Word the chiefe meanes to restraine lust 339 Lust tempteth to all sinne 340 The best assaulted by lusts but not led by them ibid. All the works of the flesh are from the lusts of the flesh 341 Lusts bring damnation ibid. Lust insatiable 342 Lust defiles body and soule and gives Satan interest in the whole man 343 Lust defaces Gods Image ibid. Lust is in the godly but gaines not in them 344 Sermon 27. THe corruption of the heart is shewed by corrupt speaking 345 The wicked have beene alwayes great boasters with their tongues but performe little with their hands 346 Pride is naturall to us we have it from our first parents 347 Pride the ruine of angels and men ibid. The godly humble in regard of their sinnes not proud of their vertues ibid. Scoffers and slanderers like dogges 348 Good men despise the applause of flatterers and debase themselves ibid. Though we must not endure vaine applause yet wee must free our selves from slanders 349 The most vile usually the most proud and greatest boasters 350 Pride endeth with vanity ibid. Flatterers applaud others for their owne gaine 351 The Popes great boasters 352 Flattery described with the properties and punishment thereof 353 VVe must not listen to flatterers but give God the glory 354 Flattery servile and base 355 Flattering preachers most pernicious ibid. Ministers must reprove the greatest 356 Such as desire to be flattered are occasion of flattery ibid. He that reprooveth doth profit more than he that applauds 357 Flattery to be rejected and despised ibid. Flattery flatterers compared to divers things 358 Flattery gives to vices the names of vertues 359 Sermon 28. CHristians must not live like Heathen infidels 360 The godly and wicked opposite in divers respects 361 Wee must not bee led by the multitude for the greater part are the worser 362 The more glorified the greater joy the more damned the greater torment ibid. Not sufficient to have the VVord unlesse we remember it 363 How wee may heare the VVord profitably that we may find it the savour of life unto life 365 The memory the soules treasury ibid. VVhatsoever doctrine is not remembred is lost 366 Our forgetfulnes and negligence in divine doctrine most grosse ibid. The VVord of God the most sure foundation to build upon 367 The Saints modest in their owne prayse but zealous for Gods glory 369 Circumstances to bee observed in reproving 370 Three sorts of malicious reprehenders condemned 371 Sermon 29. THere have beene scoffers and mockers in all ages 372 Mocking what in Latin whence derived 373 Divers sorts of mockers 374 Mockers of God and religion most odious ibid. Mocking scoffing and jesting the basest fruit of wit 375 Some sinners like Dogges some Hogges ibid. Scoffers punished 376 Mocking a kinde of persecution 378 The tongues of scoffers instruments of persecution 379 Many scoffing Atheists at Christ and Religion 380 Scoffers as the Divels band-dogges so bond-slaves ibid. He is strongest that overcomes his lusts 381 Mortification a signe of justification 383 If no sanctification no glorification 384 Sermon 30. SEctaries cause division in the Church 385 The Church and members thereof love Vnity 386 Dissention the cause of all mischiefe in the Church ibid. Three causes of division in the Church Heresy Schisme Apostacy 387 The difference of these ibid. Pride the cause of Schisme 388 No salvation out of the Church ibid. Heresies though hurtfull in themselves yet God maks them profitable to the Church 389 Heretikes pervert Scriptures to maintaine their errours ibid. The Papists charging us with Sects have more among themselves 390 Satans chiefest engine to hurt the Church is dissention 391 Schisme a grievous sinne ibid. Naturall men perceive not the things of God nor any good 392 By regeneration we are adopted the Sonnes of God 393 Many naturall men exceed Christians in bridling their affections and in some mortall actions 394 Naturall men inventers of Arts and trades 395 Beasts exceed many naturall men ibid. Love makes all things easy 396 A sinner hardly drawne from sinne ibid. Gods grace is to our hearts as the Sunne-beames to the earth ibid. None boast more of the spirit then they that are led by the spirit of error 397 The Popes pride reproved that call onely their Clergy spirituall all other temporall ibid. Naturall men though they have not the spirit of sanctification yet illuminated 398 All grace and true goodnes flowes from Gods Spirit 400 Sermon 31. THe godly and the wicked every way opposite 403 Edification being a building the Saints be the houses 404 VVe must build in our selves temples for the Holy Ghost ibid. Gods VVord the rule and square whereby we must build 405 VVe must endeavour to edify others especially our children 406 VVee must dayly encrease in knowledge grace and goodnes 407 Good men grow dayly in grace and goodnes ibid. The wicked grow dayly worse and worse 408 VVee are none proficients in plenty of meanes ibid. Pride and negligence cause of none proficiciency ibid. VVe bee diligent in seaking knowledge wee shall attaine to it 409 VVe should not build our hope on earth but in Heaven 410 Faith is the originall of all good works 411 No life of grace here or glory hereafter without faith 412 Faith the most excellent of all vertues ibid. Faith is called holy in respect of the effect in the subject secondly of the object thirdly the efficient cause thereof 413 All good works without faith vaine 414 If no holines in life no true faith in heart ibid. Faith is begotten by hearing and encreased also 415 God works not by miracles when hee affords meanes 416 Sermon 32. FAith and prayer may not bee disjoyned 417 Faith the mother of prayer and prayer the meanes to confirme faith ibid. Prayer the meanes whereby wee receive all good things 418 Prayer prevalent over all creatures 419 Prayer pleasant to God and man 420 The Saints have delighted to spend much time in prayer ibid. Divers divisions of prayer into divers kinds in divers respects 421 All prayer must be offered in the mediation of Christ 422 Prayer necessary for all estates for all times 423 Gods wrath powred out upon them that doe not pray ibid. Gods house a house of prayer 424 Prayer comforteth in all estates ibid. ☞ Prayer the food and nourishmert of the soule 405 Prayer sanctifyeth all our actions ibid. Prayer admirable in the effects if in due manner 406 We must pray continually ibid. VVee must pray in the spirit and how 407 The Holy Ghost the Author of prayer yet so as the whole Trinity hath a hand ibid. Prayers must bee spirituall and fervent 409 God regards both the manner and end in all holy duties 410 Our prayers must bee neither tepidae timidae nec temerariae ibid. God heareth not the prayers of sinners except for vengeance 411 God hath promised all good things to prayer ibid. Sermon 33. FAith Prayer and Love have mutuall relation 412 Love the most