workes that I doe shall he doe also and greater workes then these shall he doe greater workes then these O blessed Saviour might the Disciples say how can that be Thy name is Wonderfull the great Counsellor and thou dost wonders alone and is not this one of thy great wonders how we should conceive the wonder of this speech greater workes then these O blessed Saviour The Schooles of men have an Axiom among them indeed Many Schollers are better than their Masters but we have learned another lesson in thy Schoole The Disciple is not above the Master and it is enough the Disciple be as the Master is it is enough O humble Saviour among proud sinners it is too much greater workes then thou O Lord didst not thou cure all diseases cast out Divels didst not thou rebuke the Feaver and it durst not stay chide the winds not as he in the Poet expostulate with them but chids them with authority rebuk't the winds and they were silent calmed the Sea and walked upon the swelling waves as it were upon some Marble pavement and can there be greater works then these But who was that O Lord was it not thou that diddest raise the dead that Rulers daughter at the house the Widows sonne at the Hearse the two sisters brother I meane Lazarus in the grave when he that stunk was revived with thy sweet voyce and he that was bound hand and foot with linnen cloaths which was a miracle in a miracle as a Father speakes came forth and walked and can we do greater works then these Now we have begun to speak unto our Lord suffer us to speake once more though we be but dust and ashes Didest not thou feed five thousand men with five loaves five loaves which by a strange Arithmetick were so multiplied by Division and so augmented by Substraction that five loaves sufficed five thousand guests and yet twelve baskets full were gathered up for thy twelve Apostles Didest not thou cure the poore woman of her incurable issue of blood with a touch of the hemme of thy garment only it was her contactus but thy vertue O blessed Lord that did it and shall we doe greater workes than these Yes they doe greater miracles saith Augustine Majus enim est quod sanet vmbra quà m quod sanet fimbria comparing the last I mentioned with that which is recorded of Peter in the Acts that those which had diseases were healed by his shadow as he passed by and they did greater workes that were no miracles then all the miracles that Christ wrought and they were the conversion of many soules to God by their ministery and good reason it should bee thought so for if a shadow a privation a nullity may produce such a reall effect then what shall we think of the light of the Gospell the most beautifull the warmth the most active the truth of the Gospell the most powerfull quality in the world if we believe the Wiseman and two of which are so transcendently excellent that it hath beene said that if God himselfe would take a visible shape he would make a body of light which should be acted and animated by truth as by a soule Thou hast made light thy garment and thou lovest truth in the inward parts Yea and that same Father affirmeth that the justification of a sinner is a greater worke then the creation of a World Aut si aequalis sit utrumque potentiae certè hoc est majoris misericordiae as he concludeth it The Schoole follow him in this and dispute whether it be not simply the greatest worke that ever was and determine that it is ex parte effectus averring that the least worke of grace is greater then the greatest in nature they doubt also whether it be miraculous and leave it doubtfull Our moderne Divines give a reason of it because in creation there is only a negative indisposition of nothing to being but in regeneration there is besides a positive opposition of sinne to grace I will not now discusse whether this be precisely true or no but a great work it is without question as may appeare by the act which is called in Scripture a rising from the dead Blessed are they that have their part in the first resurrection saith the Spirit in the Revelation a generation except a man be borne againe he can never see the kingdome of God saith Christ to Nicodemus a new creation saith Paul to the Corinthians it appeares likewise by the effect the which is called the new heart Create in me O Lord a new heart A new man That the new man may be renewed daily A new creature Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature It appeares lastly by the terms between which there is as much difference as betweene light and darknes death and life Heaven and Hell the Divell and God immane quantum for these are the termes betweene which this mutation runnes as the Scripture teaches us Who can bring to passe this true transmigration Pythagoras dreamed of another but he that is the Father of Spirits and th◠Word that doth it must needs be the breath of his mouth This divine Conversion as Plato calls it speaking admirably of it though he knew it not but he to whom the Prophet goeth in this case turne us O Lord and we shall be turned this wondrous change as Clemens cals it as I noted but he that formed the mountaines and of whom the Psalmist Manus tuae plasmaverunt me he that formed man after his owne image Dii coeptis nam vos mutâstis illas aspiratemeis figmentum cordis saith Moses The imagination of mans heart is only evill and that continually but as for the heavenly work of grace of holinesse of a new man is as the Heaven is said to be and as the Protoplast was figmentum manuum tuarum the workmanship of thy hands O Lord. In a word none can restore or vindicate a man from the servitude of sinne into the libertie of Gods children and of a miserable bond-slave make one a royall man as Clemens cals his Gnostick but the great King of whom it is said if his Spirit make us free then are we free indeed the knot in which we were tyed is dignus vindice nodus and our desperate case doth require a strong helpe according to the use and phrase of Tragedies I could be infinite in this theme if I would tell you all the wonders that they worke in the heart of man the terrours of the Law which make a man think that he is in Hell more truly and more profitably then the Jesuites doe their Clients in their chamber of meditation by the consolations of the Gospell which gives a man wings to flie into Heaven and take sanctuary there from all afflictions from whence he lookes downe upon this lower world with heroicall contempt and scorne wondring at the
men of God Gods Ambassadors There is no gainsaying Demosthenes words t is true of the power of the Spirit in the word of the Ministers as it was said of Steven his enemies could not so much as stand against the wisdome of the Spirit of God that was in him but fell downe as Dagon did before the Arke The tale of the Dragon and his traine the false Prophet is the taile saith Isaiah and the Pope is the false Prophet as may appeare out of the Revelation the taile of the Dragon the Pope may draw the third part of the stars out of heaven but the gates of Hell cannot prevail gainst any part of a starre in the right hand of Christ O thence it is that they are so invincible 2. CORINTH 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God YOu have seene a Larke upon a fine Sunn-shine day mounting and singing not to the Sunne as Cardan tels of strange flowers that make strange hymns to the Moone but as Clemens Alexandrinus speaks of the quire of Grashoppers one of which leapt upon the Musicians Harpe and supplyed the want of a string that chanced to crack in the midst of his song to the most wise God the inventer of musick a song of thanksgiving to him that taught her the art of singing and so she climbes aloft with her prety note peiring and peiring as though she would peire into the secrets of Heaven but on the suddaine when you have long expected what newes shee would bring from thence you have seene her fall silently to the earth againe me thinkes those Ministers may be said to be like those Larkes fly like Larkes and fall like Larks which rise much in the contemplative of their discourse nothing in the practicall which in the explication of truths wind up their auditors understanding to so high a pitch that they seeme to carry them into Heaven and make them read distinctly in the volumnes of eternitie but in the application so slacken their hand that they let their affections fall againe and have them where they found them at the first on earth And therfore I will crave leave to spend this exercise wholly in such instructions as may be profitably deducted out of that which hath beene formerly delivered You have heard the proportion betweene the Ministers of God and the messengers of Princes how they are Ambassadors the compulsion and necessity of the sending of these why there needed Ambassadors the election of these why such meane men were made Ambassadors the confirmation of the point that these meane men are notwithstanding Gods Ambassadors and this the last time where the last proofe was from the efficacie of their Ministerie as it was upon the heart in which respect that may be said of all which was said of Luther that he spake as if he had beene within a man in that it was a great worke upon the heart a resurrection a regeneration a new creation in that it was against the propension of the subject the heart of man opposing it in that it was without any great preparation of art and eloquence in which respects though there had never beene any miracle to seale their preaching yet it may be said of the doctrine it selfe as the Thomists say of their Master Aquinas Etsi nullis in vita sua nec morte miraculis claruisset c. to warrant his canonization for a Saint yet his doctrine would be sufficient quot enim articulos tot miracula so many articles as he wrote so many miracles God wrought by him quilibet enim est unum miraculum say they and may not I say so many articles of Religion so farre above naturall reason as they have perswaded men to believe so many miracles have they wrought Lastly in that it hath prevailed over the whole world in spite of all enemies and opposition in which respect I may not unfitly paralell the triumph of the Word of God concerning Christ with the triumph of Christ himselfe described in the 19. of the Revelation who is called the Word of God not without some reference to this I thinke And I saw Heaven opened and behold a white Horse and he that sate upon him was called faithfull and true and in righteousnesse he doth judge and make warre his eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crownes and he had a name written that no man knew but himselfe and he was cloathed in a vesture dipt in blood and his name is called the Word of God and out of his mouth goeth a sharpe sword that with it he should smite the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron c. I might improove this text but that I make haste to the observations that follow which I must passe over in a word because I have many things to speake and am loth to trouble memorie The first of which concernes those that enter into the ministery It is reported of three Romane Ambassadors appointed for Bythinia one of which had his head full of scarres the second did vecordia laborare and the third had the gout in his feet of whom Cato said scoffingly that Romana legatio neque caput neque cor neque pedes haberet and it were great pity that Gods Ministers which are his Ambassadors should be such as might be obnoxious to any just obloquy of the World for any grosse defects it would well become the Church of God the Spouse of Christ which weares the keyes of authority at her girdle as I noted heretofore to turne the key against all those that would presume to enter into this great office and charge and had not good cardes to shew for it that should be found defective either in sound understanding or syncere affection or unblameable conversation either in head or heart or feet Princes count it a point of honour to send those that are fit and in this case it is a shrewd presumption that those that are not fit were never sent by God who is so jealous of his honour they may bee uncased for counterfeits that have not these gifts to shew as it were letters of credit from their Master There is indeed a latitude and it were folly to disable every one that cannot fill Procrustes bed but it is wisdome again to measure every one and stretch them out by Pauls Canons as Nazianzen speaks that they should be of good behaviour apt to teach at the least it is not necessary every one shonld be a golden mouth'd Chrysostom but who ever heard of dumb Orators dumbe Ambassadors much is required of them they must instruct exhort reprove correct c they must be wise and learned and meeke and zealous or to use Nazianzens word they must be in a word heavenly they should reflect some splendor back upon their honours
of the number and meaning and so it extends it selfe 1. To all the Apostles 2. To all Ministers of the Word both of them are Ambassadors for they agree in the substance of their commission though there be some difference in the circumstance of the execution the Apostolike office indeed carried a more lively resemblance of an Ambassage then the ordinary Ministery in two regards 1. They were authorized by Christ himselfe and so received their instructions immediately from his mouth who is the King of the Church and accordingly were furnished with all sufficiencies by the inspiration of his Spirit they bestowed not much time and travaile to speake forreine languages a thing necessary for Ambassadors but as Esaie's tongue was touched by a Seraphim with a cole from the Altar so they had cloven and fiery tongues bestowed on them by the Spirit beside that they had the gift of miracles as it were the broad seale of Heaven annexed to their letters of credit But with our Ministers it is not so but they are brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and trained up in the Schooles of the Prophets and purchase their abilities as he in the Acts did his freedome with a great summe of labour and time and cost and then the Church the Spouse of Christ since her Lords departure as a Matron weares the keyes of authority at her girdle opens to them a doore of utterance and admits them to the service of the Altar As they had a more authenticall mission so they had a motion more observable which addes as it were life and spirit to the image and picture of Ambassadors They were dispatched into all coasts and corners of the world but ours are fastned to some one place like pillars of residence but notwithstanding these petty differences seeing they have the same sphear of activity in which they moove to reconcile men to God and the same Sun of authority by which they moove the power of the Church being the power of Christ derived to her as we call them the Kings officers who are created not immediately by his Majestie but in vertue of his power and in subordination to his Royall prerogative And lastly seeing the similitude may be preserved entire in both though this variety be confessed there being a difference in the type Ambassadors much like that in the antitype of Ministers so that either may answer the patterne And our ordinary Ministers sute with agents or leiger Ambassadors as the Apostles came neerer to extraordinary In all these respects they also being included the whole extent of this word We hath three degrees 1. Himselfe 2. All his fellow Apostles 3. All his fellow-labourers in the Lords harvest I have made some haste but the time I feare hath over runne me much and therefore for that which is behind of the explication I will lay downe but the rude lineaments and proportion and leave the perfect colours and complexion to another time The second word Ambassadors is a speech borrowed from Princes Courts and applyed to Christ his Church by a decent analogy Ambassadors are messengers from one Prince or State to another about such affaires as concerne both You may observe three moments of being in this rude description and accordingly draw out three paralell lines in which the termes of comparison do runne along one by another in a sweet proportion 1. They are both Messengers 2. They are both from Princes 3. They are both about matters of mutuall behoofe But because you know a similitude is a tender thing and must be gently handled you must not squeize it too much and stretch it too farre lest you breake the harmony and analogy the Musicke and Logicke of the parts I shall pray you to carry along with you three maine discords in which they jarre least promising your selves an harmony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every note and point you be offended too much with every harshnesse and inequality 1. Ambassadors are therefore sent from Princes because them selves cannot be present every where but the Lord of these Ambassadors as he is in no predicament of time because he inhabiteth eternity so he is in no vbi but ubiquity 2. Ambassadors are directed to Princes only or free Estates and that from some Peere who can neither claime subjection of them nor superioritie over them to whom he sends But these are sent to subjects to vassalls to rebels from him to whom all owe an oath of allegiance to whose supremacy the highest must subscribe to whose soveraigntie all the sonnes of the mighty are obnoxious in a politicall naturall essentiall order of dependance 3. Ambassadors are set forth with some beseeming port and pompe that they may sustaine the person of majestie and support the majestie of the person whom they represent But with these it is nothing so the Chariots of their glory are the shame of their Lords house who to speak with reverence is like some rich Gentleman in the Countrey who in a bravery scornes to bee brave The third word of the Text remaines for Christ which may beare a threefold construction wherein Christ may be conceived either as the author or the end the Alpha and Omega of this Ambassage or thirdly the object of these Ambassadors the center and circumference of their imployment But I promised but a delineation of these things only give me leave to close up all with one observation out of the words I noted before that this sentence We are Ambassadors is closer trussed up in the Originall into one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of a precious emphasis which is much abated and very dilute almost lost in the translation for that word of action signifying the office may tell us so much in our eares that those officers must be men of action they must be of a nimble and active constitution The men of the earth may be of a more dull and sad temper they may fold their armes they may stretch themselves upon their beds of Ivory and turne themselves upon them as the doore turnes upon the hinges But these Messengers of Heaven must be like Heaven in perpetuall motion They may well fall to a motus trepidationis if they but once forget their daily progresse They that preach Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse must be like the Sunne who commeth forth of his chamber like a bridegroome and rejoyceth to runne his race as a mighty man and yet when they have done all there will be many sonnes of darknesse that will live in a night of security and sleepe and snort in sinne there will be many cold professors that are frozen to their lusts and will not be thawed by that Divine Lamp and melted into the teares of true repentance And therefore this translation We are Ambassadors nimis lentum est We ergo Ambassadors hoc quoque est nimis lentum These Ministers must fly like the Cherubims that give attendance in the presence of God they must have
God by which we are that which we are and I am able to do all things by the grace of God which enableth me And we may say of grace in this kinde as the Poet doth O mutis quoque piscibus Donatur a Cygni si libeat sonum Totum muneris hoc tui est Quod spiro placeo si placeo tuum est Yet Moses could not rest but he leaves objecting and fals intreating O my Lord I pray thee send by the hand of him whom thou shouldest send And who is so highly priviledged above Moses that might not shrinke as Moses did when hee should consider with himself the weightinesse of the worke and the weaknesse of his owne person and say as Paul did who is sufficient for these things But it is time to frame an answer Though neither our shallow capacitie can sound the depth of Gods counsels nor he be bound to render a reason of his proceedings yet he gives us both liberty to enquire with sobriety and light to finde out so much that we may go away with reasonable satisfaction And therefore I pray observe with me three principall Reasons why the Lord who wants neither wisdome or power to contrive it otherwise either by immediate irradiation upon the understanding and influence into the will or by the ministerie of the blessed Angels yet thought good rather to make use of the helpe of man for the bringing of man to himselfe and working that mighty worke of conversion which our Divines have thought and taught not without some probabilitie of reason to be greater than the great worke of the first creation The first I take to be from the nature of the thing wherewith this order stands in greater congruity divers wayes For first of all supposing things in statu quo that God will have men descend by naturall propagation and divide themselves into politicall societies of which and out of which he will call some to grace which shall come by degrees not powred in all at once but dropped in by little and little here a line and there a line It sures not with the nature of Angels to have such ordinary and visible commerce with men as is necessary to accomplish this for men in this case must be alwaies feeding as children use and must have continuall hand and tending well indeed they may be dry nurses to watch and preserve and protect the children of God but to be fathers to beget them by the immortall seed of the Word to be wet nurses to succle them with the syncere pure milke of the Word they cannot be So that unlesse we would imagine the whole face of nature changed and all moulded into a new frame this peece would not hold proportion with the rest Nay it were a thing irregular and a kinde of violence to the Angelicall nature to converse with men in this kinde whereas we all know nullum violentum est perpetuum there be few Analogies but there be none Anomalies that are perpetuall Indeed the Lord uses them for the good of man many times but their part is not to be alwayes on the Stage 2. By this meanes man is drawne to God in such a manner as is most convenient for his nature not only in regard of his composition for by preaching of the Word his sensible part is wrought upon and affected but also in regard of his freedome for as in the free motions of nature there is that I may use a distinction something nice for the termes but necessary for the thing I say a cooperation without any coaction so in the first motion of grace though the Lord worke with a certaine infallibility and as I may say a sweet necessity yet he doth not offer violence to any principle of nature which hath some evidence ever from this that God workes it by man so that if you looke to both the causes the principall and instrumentall you may say it is the work of God therefore there is no possibilitie of resistance it is the work of man therefore there is no shew nor shadowes of violence and these two must goe together for as the King in Plutarch said of a groat it is no kingly gift and of a talent it is no base bribe So may we say in this case to worke with danger of failing agrees not with the power of God whose will is not will if not omnipotent except it can worke what it will Againe to worke by way of forcing agrees not with the nature of man whose will is not will except it will what it workes I should enterpret my selfe more fully for feare of unkind constructions but that I must make haste 3. There is a decency that seeing the Sonne of God became the sonne of man that the sons of men might become the sonnes of God and we having all received of his fulnesse grace for grace his gifts of grace should be conveighed as by a conduit pipe by the same nature and therefore the Apostle painting forth unto us that goodly body of the Church of which Christ is the head makes Apostles Evangelists Pastors all men c. the organicall parts of that body which receive sense and motion and direction from the head and for this purpose he is as the head annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes that is in greater measure and above that from him it may distil by the higher to the lowest members Now the Angels are not univocall members with us under the same head though for the efficacie of Christs merit whether it may any way redound to those blessed Spirits I will neither peremptorily deny nor dispute for the present and therefore it is more meet the Word should be committed to men than Angels or any other creatures The second principall reason may be this because it is most profitable for man that men should be Gods Ambassadors and that in three respects 1. Because this honour is both a fruit of Christs exaltation Who ascended on high and led captivitie captive and gave gifts unto men and those gifts are the ministeriall gifts as you may see in the place and besides it is a reall pledge of Gods affection to man not only to the persons so dignified but also in them to all mankinde even as great offices in the Court bestowed on any are ordinarily arguments of great grace with the King 2. Because it is a most probable and likely way to bring men to God for many reasons which I will but propound and so proceed 1. In that God deales familiarly with us which is a wondrous art to win affection You know the Fable of the Theban Dame that was misperswaded to intreat lupiter to company with her in all his majestie to which when he condescended she was so farre from taking that pleasure she promised her selfe from her goodly Bridegroome that she lost her life So could not our feeble spirits brooke the presence of the
measure of his fall and therefore could not measure nor comprehend the height and depth of Gods mercy in Christ they had not heard of Gods mercy in Christ and therefore could never teach or thinke of the profunditie of humiliation the latitude of sanctification the altitude of glory but vanishing in their imaginations instead of these groped in the darke to find mans Summuns bonum in himselfe and dreamed a pretty dreame of a shadow of happinesse man is a dreame of a shadow as Pindar speakes which they meant to purchase with a shadow of wisdome and vertue and riches and honour and pleasure and in this respect we must doe with their bookes as they say the Iewes did with the book of Hester The Iewes read the booke of Hester indeed because they account it Canonicall Scripture but before they read it they let it fall to the ground because they doe not finde the name of God once mentioned in it as their Rabbins have observed So for the morall treatises of Philosophers we must read them because they speak of vertue and happinesse but we should let them fall to the ground before we read them because they doe not give glory to the glorious name of God I come to the third which I meane to draw from the efficacy of their Ministery for which purpose I might produce many expresse places of Scripture and many plaine experiments for this respect the Lord Iesus is represented in a Vision to Saint Iohn in the Revelation With a sharpe two edged sword proceeding out of his mouth and when he talked with his Disciples going to Emaus Did not our hearts burne within us said they while he talked with us In this respect the Psalmist saith of him Psalme 45. Thou art fairer then the children of men Grace is powred into thy lips Suada in labris sessitat Apes in ore mellificant t is true of him for Grace is powred on his lips a sweete attractive Grace which is an eloquent beautie as they say that beautie is a dumbe eloquence and therefore Thou art fairer then the children of men and it followes Thy arrowes are sharpe in the heart of the Kings enemies his lips and mens hearts are chained together as you have heard the Embleme of the French Hercules In this respect the Prophet Ieremy saith His Word was like a burning fire shut up in his bones and he could not stay the Prophet Esay had his tongue touched with a cole from from the Altar The Apostles had the gift of fiery tongues and what was the succeesse at one Sermon of Peter three thousand were set on fire and inflamed with the love of God and come rather bleeding then breathing forth these words to the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe What should I tell you the voyce of God is mighty the voyce of God breaketh the Cedars the Cedars of Lebanon which is not only true of thunder as interpreâ—ers expound it but of the Word of God For if Caligula trembled at that I am sure Felix did at this Act. 24. when Paul reasoned of righteousnes and temperance and judgement to come Felix trembled a strange thing that the accused party triumphed and the Judge trembled if being touched with his affecting words and trembling he had turned to Christ as the Needle touched with the Loadstone turnes to the North and had shaped his course accordingly Felix had beene happy as one saith But this is the more remarkable because in the same place Tertullus a curious Oratour had made a quaint oration with no such successe as if the Lord would compare as it were with humane faintly eloquence and teach us that all is but painted eloquence in comparison of the divine power of his Word Indeed they report that when Tully pleaded for Ligurius I thinke Caesar trembled and the bils of accusations fell out of his hands as it were wrested out by Tullies eloquence but you shall see the difference anon Yea and Paul himselfe felt the force of this thunder for in the very heat of his persecution as he marched furiously like Iehu to Damascus he was arrested by a messenger from Heaven a great light shone round about him and he heard a voyce from Heaven the light like lightning flashed in his face and dazeled his eyes and laid him flat on his backe But will you heare a terrible thunder-clap Saul Saul why persecutest thou me this was the thunder that boared his eares as Scaliger reports of a countrey fellow that had his eares boared with thunder and this was the lightning which as the Naturalists say melts the Sword and hurts not the Sheath that breakes the bones and bruises not the flesh this was the lightning that broke Pauls heart and melted his very soule within him and made him that was yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Iesus breath out more gentle and humble words Who art thou Lord what shall I doe Lord and the like I cannot stand to presse these and yet I cannot passe over one place because it is most effectuall looke Heb. 4. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then a two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Who hath any gold weights and a ballance of the Sanctuary that we may expend and weigh these golden words exactly I pray marke it is a living Word yea more a working Word yet more a cutting Word yea and more yet a piercing Word it is not as other written words are mutus magister but viva vox a living word it is not living as some do of whom it may be truly said Hic situs est as Seneca said of Vatia but it is an effectuall working word it is not working as some do till they be cold again or as we say as good never the whit as never the better but it is a cutting word it is cutting not lightly to raze the skin and scratch a little but it bites sore it is a piercing word it is like a sword a bloody instrument but that it is sharper for the Apostle saith sharper the word is a word of comparison but the thing is above compare for it is sharper then a sword it is like a two edged sword as I told you of Christ in the Revelation it will cut which way soever it lights either a savour of life to salvation or a savour of death unto condemnation as the Apostle speaks but it is sharper then any two edged sword It was once said of the sword of Goliah by David There is none to it but I dare say it is true of the sword of God and of Gideon the sword of God and his Ambassadors for it pierces to the dividing of the soule and spirit who is so acute
almost that can distinguish these two by an intellectuall precision I am sure Interpreters sweat about it and yet this royall sword like Alexanders is so sharp that it cuts this knot with an actuall diuision betweene the joynts and the marrow not the hardest bones can abate or turn the edge of this invincible weapon not the most hidden marrow can escape the dint of it but as the Sun in the 19. Psalme nothing is hid from the heat of it To conclude it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart the strangest Critick that ever was thought it not free from it and whereas other Criticks pride themselves in restoring some obliturated monuments stopping some gaps in old Manuscripts taking up some stitches let fal in a Poet this goes farther and reades the very thoughts verbamentis the letters written in the soule that abrasa tabula as the Philosopher cals it I have put all the weights graines and scruples that I have into the Scales and yet this place of Scripture as it is pure the word of God is like gold which is tryed in the fire seventimes so for weight it weighs them all downe which was the reason that I insisted the longer on it for me thinks this very place doth not only affirm that the Word is effectuall but confirme it exceedingly being it selfe so effectuall I conclude this generall he that knows the efficacy of this Word cannot chuse but acknowledge the divinitie of this power and be affected as the Prophet Habakuk was with the presence of God in his glorious works When I heard saith he my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voyce rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble There remaines much behind yet for I should shew you this in particular both extensively and intensively as it works 1. In the heart 2. A strange worke in the heart both these in regard of the act it selfe and then in regard of the manner of working 1. Without any helpe ex parte subjecti the heart conferres nothing not so much as naturall receptivitie 2. Without any help ex parte medii no insinuations of wisdome no tricks of Rhetorick but with downe right blowes and I could wish all unsaid that hath beene spoken that I might spend my selfe wholly in these things but I must touch them briefly The heart of man is the most free and hard of any thing to worke upon and to make an impression and stampe upon this hard heart this heart that is so stonie Adamantine harder then the mother Milstones as the Scripture teacheth To compell this freewill that Domina sui actus the Queene in the soule the Empresse it cannot be without a divine power without a hand that is omnipotent but the Ministers doe this by the Word they mollifie and wound and break this heart they incline and bow and draw this free will whither the spirit listeth And Clemens Alexandrinus is not afraid to say that if the Fables of Orpheus and Amphion were true that they drew birds beasts and stones with their ravishing melodie yet the harmony of the Word is greater which translates men from Helicon to Sion which softens the hard heart of man obdurate against the truth that raises up children to Abraham of stones that is as he interprets of unbelievers which he cales stockes and stones that put their trust in stones and stockes which metamorphoses men that are beast-like wild birds for their lightnesse and vanity serpents for their craft and subtilty Lions for their wrath and crueltie Swine for voluptuousnesse and luxurie c. and charmes them so that of wild beasts they become tame men that makes living stones as he did others come of their owne accord to the building of the walls of Ierusalem as he of Thebes to the building of a living Temple to the everliving God this must needs be a true perswasive charme as he speakes Herodotus relates of Cambyses that being admonished of his drunkennesse by Prexaspes a noble Counsellour in a rage he commanded his sonne to be placed before him as a marke and his Bow and Arrows to be brought and He shot and killed the boy and then caused him to be opened and finding the Arrow in the middest of his heart he made this argument that he was no drunken man and turning him to the father asked him with a cruell smile what he thought of it O my Lord said Prexaspes betwixt griefe for his sonne and feare for himselfe I think the gods cannot shoote better I may paralell this out of Scripture and apply it to my purpose for the Apostles in the Acts being charged with drunkennesse Peter steps up to make an apologie he takes his bow and arrowes as the Prophet Esay speakes he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft in his Quiver hee shootes and smites three thousand with one arrow and when they opened themselvs it was found they were pricked in their hearts and you shall now be judges whether I may not well say as he did with a little alteration O Lord I thinke none but God none but thou can shoot so well I conclude this the Ministers of the Word are stars in the right hand of God as it is in the Revelation and therefore they dart their influence into the secret corners of the soule their words fall high from heaven and therefore sinke deepe into the hearts of men As the woman of Tekoah was subtile because the hand of Ioab was with her so they are powerfull because the hand of God is with them they are the pen that write in mens hearts but it is the hand of God In a word they beare such authority because they are men under authority men of God Gods Ambassadors I should prosecute the rest but I will rather leave the point abruptly then be tedious 2. CORINTH 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God IT is a maxime in Divinitie received by generall consent of all Cathedram habet in coelo qui corda docet and therefore I see no reason why that which hath beene said should not bee a sufficient argument to prove that those that sit in Moses chaire are sent from Heaven except it be to those that from walking in the way of the ungodly and standing in the way of sinners are come to sit in the chaire of the scornfull Yet I will adde a second degree to put it out of question for they doe not only worke upon the heart in generall but in a speciall and strange manner as might be shewen many wayes I will but touch the principall It is our Saviours promise to his Disciples Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me the
wanton and lascivious Rhetorick makes the immortall seed of Gods Word more unfruitfull like a sword wrapped in wooll that cannot cut like an Oke embraced with the flattering Ivie that will not thrive and prosper I doe not condemne Rhetorick the genuine tropes and figures in a solid speech are like arrowes in the hand of a mighty man as the Psalmist saith in another case blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them And as the Philosopher said of Oyle observing the use to be good but the abuse to be great Male sit illis cinaedis said he qui rem optimam pessime infamârunt so may I say the use is good but the abuse is great of eloquence and therefore away with these effeminate and unmanly Orators that have cast a shrewd aspersion upon a noble profession As for the modest and sober use that is true of Divinitie which Seneca said of Philosophy that is true of eloquence which he said of wit Philosophia non renunciat ingenio Theologianon renunciat eloquentiae for there is an eloquence in the Scripture which is more then eloquence the Rhetoricians may call theirs an Allurement of the soule but this is a transmigration as I told you theirs may perfundere animum but this doth perfringere they may delight but this doth ravish with a divine Enthysiasme theirs is properly oratory but this is to speake more properly Imperatory which is then most full of Affection when it is most free from affectation theirs is more Scholasticall but this is more majesticall as best becomes the mouth of Princes as the noble Lord of Plesis hath well noted of the stile of the Scripture But the best of their nervi and tâ—ri the best sinewes and strength is but as Longinus observs of some childish Orators their schoole wit through curiosity ends in folly or frigidity and chilnesse in comparison of this To end this I can beare well that they brag of their Arculae Myrothesia and Lecythi like some deformed woemen of their boxes out of which they draw a painted and greasie beautie But I cannot brook that they should speake of thunder and lightning in their Orators ignorant and silly men as though these fiery Meteors were bred or did appeare in this lower Region so far from Heaven No no as they said once of Christian Souldiers that they were Fulminatrix Legio so I may say of the celestial Hierarchie of the Angels of the Churches the Lords Ministers that is Fulminatrix Regio and if I be not deceived he should not be much amisse that should call the Pulpit the shop of thunder all other Pericles have but brutum fulmem in comparison of that as you may conceive out of that which hath beene spoken and that which is the wonder in this all this is without any pomp or shew not with great pompe but with great weaknesse and infirmity rather which argues the evidence of the Spirit and the power of God the more strongly I conclude therefore As one said of Demetrius Pompeii libertus who spake much but had nothing to doe when Pompey himselfe who did all but said but little I regard not said he what thou sayest but what he doth silently so may we say it skils not so much what the Minister said outwardly as what the Spirit workes inwardly since the efficacie of their words depend not so much upon themselves because they are good orators as upon the Spirit of God because they are Gods Orators Gods Ambassadors I have finished now the explication of the intensive efficacie I must adde a word of their extensive for so I was constrained to call them for distinction sake I meane it thus If you take a view of the whole world you shall scarce find a region of which the Ministers of the Gospell may not say as he in the Poet Quae Regio in terris nostri non plena laboris The Sects of Philosophers were distinguished by the names of Italick and Ionick as Laertius tels us but Religion is characterized and known by the name of Catholike Now wee know there is nothing commonly received but either by the law of nature in morall or by the law of nations in politicall affaires Now the faith of Christ preached by the Ministers being dispersed over all and not imprinted in all by either of those it cannot be but probable that it proceeds from the grace of God who is the God of nature Againe as the great Mathematician said once to the King let me have a place to stand on and I will move the earth implying that the moving of this earth could not be supposed without a firme standing on some other earth granted so the moving of the whole earth by the Ministers to the embracing of the faith must needs evince a fixing of them in Heaven from whence they are sent and the rather because of that great opposition which they find every where which will compell us to grant the former supposition You have seene the Embleme of an earth beseiged round with many windes the Devill on the one side blowing and the Pope the Divels instrument on the opposite side blowing and the Cardinals the Popes agents on each side betweene them blowing and the Turke at another corner blowing and all to shake this earth and yet notwithstanding all these the word is written in it immobilis the word is written in indeleble characters and it is unmoovable and it may well be said of all these blowers as the Orator said of the Athenians comparing them to men running up an Hill they blow hard but runne slow The Earth is the Ministers of the Gospell and that Word which they preach all those and many other lay their heads together to blow it away but all in vaine for the finger of God hath written immobilis upon them and his decree is like the Medes and Persians that cannot be changed but what he hath written he hath written Nulla litura in Decretis sapientum t is true of God and good reason the Spirit as the wind bloweth where it listeth as Christ saith and it is folly at least if not madnesse as Pythagoras speaks to blow against the winds The Word is like the Lampe that is unquenchable in the storie which laughs at the winds ridebis ventos saith he that swell and puffe and blow against it but it cannot blow it out and they that carry it are like the Persian Souldiers which they call immortall of whom the world may say as they did once of the Grecians in that Epigramme whom they thought invulnerable we shoot at them but they fall not downe we wound them and not kill them In a word as Gamaliel said of the Apostles preaching if it be of God it will prevaile we may invert it and say most truly if it prevaile thus against all opposition surely it is of God they are men of his right hand
was wont to say tyrannically what Antidotum contra Caesarem and that is a reall crime in them only which was a ridiculous accusation of Trebonius Quod telum toto pectore non exceperit Again let this be our meditation when we returne from thence with benefit Blessed be thou and blessed be thy counsell and blessed be the Lord that sent thee out to meet me this day Surely this is a man of God a man of Heaven tell me O you that are cunning linguists did he not speak with the tongue of Angels was not I in heaven while I heard him is it but an imaginary fancie or did I heare the more then Pythagorean harmony of the sphears His words like Soveraigne balme dropt into my wounded soule like the sweet influence of the Pleiades upon this lower world me thought I felt my heart while he spake shoot up into my eares as it were to meet and kisse the blessed lips which distilled such gracious dew such golden showres and drinke them as the parched and thirsty earth the dew of Heaven and yet in the sweet remembrance thereof My soule magnifieth the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Blessed be the Lord that hath sent his Angels as he did to Peter to draw me out of the dungeon of sinne and misery that hath sent his Ambassadors as David did to Hanun to comfort me Signa Deum agnosco per sua Christus adest only Christ the munificent God as Nazianzen cals him could go to the cost of these precious and cordiall words he hath put them into the mouths of his Ambassadors The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the comfortable fellowship of the blessed Spirit be with all those blessed soules that by the grace of God and power of his Spirit love the Lord Iesus Deo soli gloria SIXE SERMONS ON I COR. II. II. Preached at Cambridge BY JOHN STOUGHTON Doctor in Divinitie sometimes Fellow of Immanuel Colledge in Cambridge late of Aldermanbury LONDON Perfected by the Author in his life time COLOS. 3. 11. But Christ is all and in all LONDON Printed by R. B. for Iohn Bellamie Henry Overton Iohn Rothwell and Ralph Smith 1640. A methodicall Analysis of the chiefe heads treated on in these Sermons upon the 1 CORINTH 2. 2. 1. Context 1 Occasion of the Epistle ministred by 1. Information of those of the house of Cloe. 2 Inquiry of those of the Church of Corinth 2. Argument of the Epistle 1. Complaint of corruptions to Chap. 7. 2. Resolution of questions Complaint of corruptions 1. Persons guiltie 1. Magistrates 2. Preachers 3. Whole Presbyterie 2. Severall maladies 1. Permitted 1. Schisme 1. Broken out with arrogancy 2. Not bound up with charity 2. Incest 1. Committed by vilanie 2. Not controlled by authority 3. Law suits 1. Prosecuted at heathen Courts 2. Not taken up by Christian care 3. Cure 1. Of Schisme from 10. vers of 1. Chap to 5. 1. Intimated 1. Premises his Letter sent by Timothie 4. 17. 2. Promises to come himselfe 19. 2. Expressed 1. Summe of the Letter an exhortation to unitie 1. Proposition supposed 10. 2. Assumption whetted with interrogations v. 13 3. Conclusion 1. Proposed 1. Sweet intreatie 2. Sound authoritie vers 10. 2. Iterated 14. vers of 4. Chapter 2. An objection 1. Insinuated vers 12. 2. Removed where 1. Causes of their disorder 1. Bewitching tongues of teachers 2. Itching eares of hearers 2. Cure where is expressed 1. Dutie of people they must not esteeme too highly of their Ministers for 1. They are but the Lords Servants 2. The Corinthians servants in the Lord. 2. Duty of Ministers in Pauls example in which 1. Efficient 1. God peremptorily commanding 2. Paul voluntarily obeying 2. End 1. God intends his glory Chap. 1. 2. Paul attends the Peoples good Chap. 2. 1. God commands Paul so to doe v. 17. of 1. Chap. to the end 2. Paul determines to do so 3. He did so 2. Text with the context containes 1. A generall precept 1. What they must preach in the Text. 1. For matter Christ Iesus only 2. For manner with all humilitie 2. Why they must preach in the text and context 1. God commands it 2. It is the Ministers duty from the ends he seekes 1. Gods glory not his owne applause 2. The peoples salvation not his approbation 3. How they must preach 1. Not in humane wisdome 2. Plainly and humbly 2. An illustrious example of Paul 3. Text alone where 1. The Ministers duty which is more naturall to the scope 1. Expressed in Pauls example 2. Enforced as it containes 1. A precept concerning the argument of preaching 2. An argument to provoke us to that precept 1. Paul did thus therefore none exempted 2. He did this not out of rashnesse but deliberated what to do 3. He determined not so much as to know 4. Not any thing 5. No not amongst the Corinthians save Christ crucified Observe That if Paul upon these termes would not then no Minister upon any termes must preach any thing but Iesus Christ and him crucified 2. The duty of every man which is more generall in the order of nature Doct. That the knowledge of Iesus Christ crucified is sufficient to Salvation 2 Explication two things to be considered 1 Appretiation 2. Appropriation 1. Gift 2. Conveyance 1. Gift Christ is a sufficient Saviour 1. What is meant by salvation where is considered 1. The utmost end and chief happinesse of man 2. His present state by nature 2. How Christ hath sufficiently wrought salvation for us 1. Explained 1. He hath redeemed us from all misery 1. Of sin 1. Original impuritie 2. Actualimpiety 2. Of punishment 2. He hath filled us with all good things 1. Holines 2 Happines 2. Proved 1. By 3. things in the text 1. He is Christ 2 He was crucified forus 3. He is Iesus 2. Scripture 2. Conveyance Faith is sufficient to make him our Saviour 1. Explication 1. What faith is 2. How it comes to be sufficient 2. Prooved 1. Faith in Christ is the summe of Divinity 1. Doctrine of Divinity Christ being 1. The foundation of faith 2. The fountaine of obedience 2. The rule of Divinity considered in a double difference 1. Before Christ 1. Before the Law 2. Vnder the Law 2. After Christ 1. Before the Law this was the Religion of 1. Adam 2. Abraham 2. Vnder the Law they were lead to Christ by 1. Their Sacraments 1. Ordinary 2. Extraordinary 2. Ceremonies 1. Sacrifices 1. Propitiatory 2. Gratulatorie 2. Holy persons 3. Holy places 3. In the times of the Gospell 2. Christ is the scope of all the Scripture in Generall 1. As the immutable substance of the Rule is considered 2 As it may bee accommodated to the mutable circumstances of the rule according to the difference of time He is the summe 1. Of the old Testament in 1. Propheticall 2. Historicall Scriptures 2. New Testament Application 1. Confutation of
it that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and who is so impious as once to call it into question We read in the golden Legend of Poets of a fruitfull tree of which he sayes Vno avulso non deficit alter Aureus and something like in Alcinous's Garden but Christ is the tree of life in the middest of the Paradise of God whose fruits are of twelve sorts according to the seasons of the yeare and according to the families of the house of Israel whose leaves also were for the healing of the Nations how much more golden then that one fruitfull then those other We are beholding to Polydore Virgil and ancient Histories that call our England Puteus inexhaustus for the store of commodities but Christ is a fountaine better then that Well of Iacob a Fountaine of whose water whosoever drinketh shall never thirst againe For he is a fountaine of living water springing up to everlasting life What doe I speake of Fables They say it 's true of the Oyle at Rhemes that though it be continually spent in the inauguration of their Kings of France yet it never wasteth and this they attribute of the crosse to the blessing I am sure it is true of the Oyle in the Cruse of the Widow of Sarepta that it fed her house and failed not though they be false and foolish which would father that miracle upon the Crosse too which they find in the sticks that she gathered which they say lay a crosse as well it may be as Helena found her crosse and as true I am sure it is that Christ crucified is the pot of Mannah the Cruse of Oyle a bottomlesse Ocean of all comfort to the faithfull he is rivers of oyle and his steps drop fatnesse for this cause received the Spirit without measure and was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes and in him God is as he cals himselfe I am because in him hee is all good that the heart of the godly can wish or want he is that benedictum medicamentum that annointing medicine the only all-healing medicine against all diseases the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against all danger To conclude as Demosthenes said of Pronunciation that it was primum secundum tertium in all Rhetorick so may I say of Salvation it is primum secundum tertium in all Divinitie and in it Christ is all in all And thus I see I have taken up my speech where I let it fall the last time for if you remember when I ended I said a great word That faith in Christ crucified was the theme of all Theologie the scope of all the Scripture which now that I may liberare fidem I must endeavour to make good I feare not that you should thinke I make quidlibet ex quolibet as Alchymists they say can fetch oyle out of flint and as the Papists say the Scripture is a nose of wax and make it so when they conclude the Popes supremacie out of Peters walking on the waters for I see my Text will warrant me in what I have said for if Paul would preach nothing but Christ Iesus and him Crucified and yet was to preach all that was necessarie to salvation then questionlesse he judged Christ crucified to bee the summe of all beside this evidence that convinced me necessity compelled me to take this course for when I sought for witnesses of that I had delivered in the Scripture the whole booke of God offered it selfe and therefore in such copious plentie I deemed this the most compendious path to prove that in generall which otherwise would have proved infinite if I had once minced it into the particulars Having thus scoured the way I come now to enter upon the point to shew that faith in Christ is the summe of Divinitie the scope of the Scripture and first I will begin with Divinitie because the rule of it being the Analogie of faith will light us in the search of the secrets of the Scripture and lead us into the native meaning therof with more facility and this I will apply to the double consideration of Divinitie both in the maine substance which was alway the same and the mutable circumstances therof which according to divers times had some diversitie The maine substance of Divinitie was alway that Doctrine and Rule that chalked out the way in which man was to walk to eternall salvation and eternall happinesse which will easily appeare to be summarily comprised in faith if that be true which is most true which I have already proved that it is sufficient to attaine salvation and the same will shine yet more brightly if we do but lay downe the severals of the art for this will be the summe that all will amount to this will be the Epitome of all even Christ Iesus who is the foundation of faith and the fountaine of all obedience which are both and all the parts of Divinitie Take these asunder now and consider them severally That Christ is the foundation of our faith I will alledge but one place for it heare what Paul saith 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mysterie of godlines God manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached of Men believed in the World received into glory See here the mysterie the whole mysterie of godlinesse and that a great mysterie yea and without controversie great is the mystery of godlinesse and yet this is all even Christ Iesus Reason it selfe will subscribe to this Article and proove it too for you know the object of faith is God alone and by it we are united unto him and this was the condition of our integritie our bodies were temples of his blessed Spirit and the delight of the Lord was in the sonnes of men but now having provoked him to indignation against us by our voluntarie transgression his mind is alienated and the case is altered his good Spirit being grieved is departed from us and he frowns upon us with an angry countenance neither can it be otherwise for he could not love his owne justice if he did not hate our iniquitie We may read our misery in Adams story who after his sinne when he heard the voyce of the Lord walking in the Garden was afraid and hid himselfe And againe in the children of Israel who hearing the terrible thunders and seeing the thick flashes of lightning and the mountaine smoaking when the Law was given at Mount Sinai in a great fright came to Moses and said Speake thou unto us and we will heare but let not God speake to us lest we die and the reason of this is because our guiltie conscience suggests no other conceit of God unto us but as of an angry Judge who is cloathed with revenge and terrour as with a garment and whose garments are dyed in blood as the Prophet elsewhere speaketh Moses à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And these examples teach us in what need
did they fell downe flat as it were and worshipped the God of Israel I made choise of these the rather among infinite examples because I may paralell both with the thing in hand for the Preaching of the Word is but like the sounding of Rams-hornes in the judgement of carnall men towards the shaking of the wals of Iericho towards the casting downe the strong holds of sinne And the former would make a sweet Embleme of it A Souldier with a Trumpet in the right hand and an earthen Pitcher with a Lamp in the left hand lively representing the Minister who doth both in his ministery sound the Trumpet of the Gospell and in his martyrdome break his body like some earthen pitcher that the glory of God might breake forth through the humane frailtie like a Lamp and shine more bright and cleare But I must passe over these I will touch but one thing and so conclude for there is yet another respect in which God gets glory by this order and that is because by this meanes he takes try all of the obedience of his children whether they will entertaine such homely messengers for his sake who sends them and yeeld obedience to him whose will they publish But too much of this argument which I am affraid some may think needlesse or fruitlesse and the truth is I should not have gone so farre in this path if I had not observed some worthies of Israel all the way before me 2. CORINTH 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God IT is reported of a Saracen Ambassador to Charles the Great that sitting in the Emperors Hall at dinner with him and observing two tables full of guests the lower of poore people invited according to his accustomed manner in ragged weeds and simple apparell he asked what they were the Emperor answered These are the Servants of our God whom we Christians worship and I entertaine them for his sake the upper full of gallants Courtiers in gold chains and gay attire he asked also what they were the Emperor answered these are my servants that attend upon my person O said the Saracen if you preferre your servants before the servants of your God that they be brave and costly and these be base and beggarly I will never embrace your religion I may not thinke there is any sonne of scoffing Ismael here any bastard Saracen among these true sonns of Abraham sonnes of Promise sonnes of the Prophets that will pick a hole in the coat of Gods true servants his Ambassadors that so they may picke a quarrell with Gods true religion I may not thinke so And yet I thinke I may take occasion here to take away all occasion of doubting that may perhaps arise in some weake judgements For as Aristotle could not better apprehend or expresse the magnitude of God then by the magnificence of the King of Persia so there may be some babes in Christ not throughly weaned from the vanities of this world that would require some outward eminencies in the Ministers of the Word to prove that they are Gods Ambassadors which if they be wanting though they dare not contradict the truth because they professe to believe so much yet they cannot conceive the mystery because they do not believe so much as they professe And therefore having cleared this the last time why God made choise of meane men for this honourable office rather then of the Glorious Cherubims and Seraphims rather then of the sonnes of the mighty give me leave now to produce some few evidences by which it may appeare that these men are indeed Gods Ambassadors The ground of this is plaine as I touched also before for this great world is a little Kingdome wherein God is the soveraign Lord the King of Kings and all men for their possiessions are his tenants for their functions his Lievtenants and in this great world the little flock of Christ is a great family in which God is the great Master of the family There can nothing be done in this family in this Kingdome without the authority of this Master of this King and therefore the Ministers of the Word must needs be dispensers of his speciall favour in the great family of his Church from him as from the great Master of this family And againe Ambassadors of his Royall pleasure in his Kingdome of the world from him as from their supreme Lord the King of Kings But why doe I produce the ground the Text is plaine We are Ambassadors for Christ and if you cast your eyes back to the foregoing verse you shall see from whom namely from God And the same Apostle in the last of the Ephesians useth the same word to the same purpose For whom I am an Ambassador in chaines where a man would think hearing of an Ambassador that he spake of a golden chaine and in some kind of vanity boasted of it And indeed the servants of God are noble and free though fettered in chaines of Iron as the slaves of sinne are base prisoners though in chaines of Gold And in this sense I thinke I may allude to the story and custome of wearing chaines and say the Divell deales with them as the Aetoli scoffingly said of Titus Flaminius the Romane Generall who pretended liberty to the Graecians but yet held some principall Cities by Garrisons that he made their clog smoother indeed than it was under Philip King of Macedon's tyranny but as heavie as it was And again Their feet are free from the stocks but their necke is under the yoke but this by the way The same thing is affirmed every where through the Scripture in equivalent termes Prophets are called Men of God in the Old Testament and Timothy in the New is stiled a Man of God and all Apostles Servants of Iesus Christ the Servants of God and Angels of the Churches for this reason But why do I enforce the Text the truth is plain and who is there here that doth not acknowledge it Who is such a fresh Proselyte in the Lords familie that doth not know his cognizance his livery As the Disciples said ignorantly to Christ himself Art thou only a stranger in Israel and knowest not these things So it may be truly said to that Christian if there be such an one Who is such a novice in Gods schoole that if he hath but learned the Alphabet of the language of Canaan cannot tell that they speak the language of Canaan Thou art a Galilean thy very speech bewrayes thee said the maid to Peter So may every Christian see the Minister by his speech as Socrates did and know where they are and from whom they come or if any doe not understand them when they tell them whose Ambassadors they are it is because they have not an interpreter as the Eunuch said to Philip they have not the Spirit of God which
should be their interpreter But why doe I confirme the truth of this the point is plaine That the Ministers of Gods Word are servants of Iesus Christ Men of God Gods Ambassadors Yet suffer me now according to promise for the further clearing of this to adde a few probable demonstrations if I may so speake without a Soloecisme and because the Doctrine is the best and truest touchstone of the Doctor I shall draw them all from the nature and qualitie of the Doctrine they teach And here I might enlarge my selfe for all those arguments that are alleadged by Divines to prove that the Scriptures are of Divine authority might easily be perswaded to speake the same for the Ministers and prove that they have a Divine Author but I shall single out two or three most pithy and pertinent for my purpose And first I might place Antiquity an Argument much used much urged by the ancient Fathers against the ancient Philosophers a good argument if I had not little time enough for better for though I have not such an overweening opinion of every Moth-eaten Manuscript as your young and busie Criticks seeme to have though I do not superstitiously admire and adore every relique and ragg of every Father perhaps of their own getting as the Papists do though I know there be sins of the forefathers mentioned in Scripture there be an old Serpent an old man not commended I wist there is vetustas erroris as a Father speakes there are veteratores as well as veteres and not farre distant to conclude the Gibeonites musty bread and moldie shooes are but a slovenlie argument of a long and teadious journey yet I confesse in a good sense the Prophet Ieremy bids the Israelites inquire for the old way which was the good way as if antiquum bonum were convertible one with another and both of them with unum verum In a good sense I approve the Axiome of Tertullian Quod antiquissimum etiam verissimum I admit that of the Poet Veritas temporis filia though some allow Platoes elogy of the ancient Antiquitie is neere a Deitie to conclude I thinke that true antiquitie in any Doctrine argues the author of it to be time that is the ancient of daies I am sure it is so here for though I find it not recorded in Polydore Virgil De Inventoribus rerum yet I can warrant it out of better Authors that Paradise was the first Parish that had a Sermon in it and Adam was the first auditor that heard a Sermon in Paradise and the fall of man was the first Text of the Sermon that Adam heard and God was the first Preacher of a Sermon upon that Text and these were the briefe notes written by Moses in characters of Gods Sermon The Seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head So that God is not only as the Athenian Commander said he was being asked what he was neither Bow-man said he nor Pike-man nor Hors-man nor Footman but one that knowes istis omnibus imperare But God as he gave some to be Priests some to be Levites some to be Prophets in the old Law and some to be Apostles some to be Evangelists and some to be Pastors and some to be Preachers in the new Law and is the Lord of all these qui solus novit illis omnibus imperare So he was himselfe as I shewed the first Preacher and all the rest ever since perform their office by an authority derived from him they are the Lords Vicars This is the true antiquitie of the Doctrine that Gods Ambassadors teach of the function they have not as they who were wont to weare Moones in their shooes to cleare theirs that they were older than the Moon they were rather Lunatick as the Gospell speakes though the Church of God may even in this sense bee said to have the Moone under her feete as the Woman in the Revelation a Type of the Church is said to have the Moone under her feet But that which Cyprian alledges and allowes Non quod ante nos ille vel ille dixerit sed quod ante omnes Christus and therefore wee may justly say to all other Doctors as the Egyptians in Plato to the Graecians You Graecians are alwayes children and to another Doctor thou art but of yesterday but the Word of God endureth for ever as God the Word is yesterday and to day and for ever the same from eternitie to eternitie But I passe from this to the second which shall be the excellencie of their Ambassage For if the people in the Acts for a little flashie eloquence in Herods Oration could say The voyce of God and not of man If Plato could discern some beams of Divinitie in all Arts for some obscure tidings of God that they told him Grata de Deo fama in artibus sparsa est If Pompey were received by the Princes non tanquam ex vrbe missus sed tanquam è caelo delapsus as the Orator speakes because they found a beneficiall though thin influence of his Justice and temperance upon them If Catoes nobility though he were but Novus homo must be derived from heaven and that by the best Heraulds the minds of men admiring his vertues tertius è coelo cecidit Cato Then I pray tell me in what account should the Ministers be to whom all these may be as truly applyed as they were friendly supposed in the other It is not with them as it was with the Persian Lord in Apelles Shop whom the apprentises admired for his bravery so long as he stood silent but when he began to speake of things he had no skill in derided him for his simplicitie but cleane contrary like Vlisses in Homer who stood like some silly Countrey fellow leaning upon his staffe saith the Poet but when he spake he spake admirably Let me intreat you to take notice but of the subject and the project of their doctrine and you shall see it for he that teacheth plainly of the incomparable perfection of the Deitie the incomprehensible distinction of the Trinitie the depth of predestination the power of creation the skill of gubernation that there is a nature infinitely surpassing all nature that it is one yet three three and yet one that all things were moulded in nothing made of nothing and yet kept from nothing is not this man from God Surely none but they that have learned of his Spouse plowed with this Heifer can areed these riddles Againe he that teaches truly of mans blessed integrity his cursed apostacie the Divell the Serpent the Garden the Apple the Woman the funerail which Adam made for himselfe the fall how man was once full of sanctitie in his soule beautie in his body majestie in both the son of God a vessell of honour the tenant of Paradise the heire of Heaven the lord of the creatures whom the very sacred Angels served and the very salvage