the hazard of their own soules and of that which should be as deare to them the peace of the Church Be not then too inquisitive to find out the manner of this union for the holy Father seales up thy lips that thou mayst not once think of Asking the question Just Mart. and tells thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou art not like to meet with an answer and what greater folly can there be then to attempt to do that which cannot be done or to search for that which is past finding out or to be ever a beginning and never make an end Search the scriptures for they are they that testifie of him testifie that he was God blessed for evermore that that word which was Godw as also made flesh that he was the Son of God and the Sonne of man the manner how the two Natures are united is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil ib. unsearchable unfoordable and the knowledge of it if our narrow understandings could receive it would not adde one haire to our stature and growth in Grace that he is God and man that the two Natures are united in one person who is thy Saviour and mediator is enough for thee to know and to rayse thy nature up to him Take the words as they lye in their Native purity and simplicity and not as they are hammered and beat out and stampt by every hand by those who will be Fathers not Interpreters of Scripture and beget what sense they please and present it not as their own but as a child of God Then Lo here is Christ and there is Christ this is Christ and that is Christ thou shalt see many images and characters of him but not one that is like him an imperfect Christ a half Christ a created Christ a fancied Christ a Christ that is not the Son of God and a Christ that is not the Son of Man and thus be rowled up and down in uncertainties and left to the poore and miserable comfort of Conjecture in that which so far as it concerns us is so plain and easie to be known Doe thoughts arise in thy heart do doubts and difficulties beset thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Justin Martyr thy Faith is the solution and will soon quit thee of them and cast them by thy Faith not assumed or insinuated into thee or brought in as thy vices may be by thy education but raised upon a holy hill a sure foundation the plain and expresse Word of God and upheld and strengthned by the Spirit Christian dost thou believe Thou hast then seen thy God in the Flesh from Eternity yet born Invisible yet seen Immense and circumscribed Immortall yet dying the Lord of life and Crucified God and man Christ Jesus Amaze not thy self with an inordinate feare of undervaluing thy Saviour wrong not his love and call it thy Reverence why should thoughts arise in thy Heart his power is not the lesse because his mercy is great nor doth his infinite love shadow or detract from his Majesty for see He counts it no disparagement to be seen in our flesh nor to be at any losse by being thus like us our Apostle tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was a Decorum in it and it behoved him to be like unto his Brethren Debuit It behoved him That Christ was made like unto us is the joy of this Feast but that he ought to be is the wonder and extasy of our joy that he would descend is mercy but that he must is our astonishment Oportet and Debet are binding termes and words of Duty Had our Apostle said It behoved us that he should be made like unto us it had found an easy belief the debuit had been placed in loco suo in its proper place on a sweating brow on dust and putrefaction on the face of a captive All will say it Behoved us much but to put a Debet upon the Son of God to make it a Decorum a beseeming thing for him to become Flesh to be made like unto us to set a Rubie in Clay a Diamond in Brasse a Chrysolet in baser Metall and say it is placed well there to worry the Lambs for the Wolf to take the Master by the throat for the Debt of a Prodigall and with an Oportet to say it should be so to give a gift and call it a Debt is not out usuall language on earth on Earth it is not but in Heaven it is the proper Dialect fixed up in Capitall letters on the Mercy Seat the joy of this Feast the Angels Antheme Salvator Natus a Saviour is born and if he will be a Saviour an Undertaker a Surety such is the Nature of Fidejussion and Suretiship debet he must it behoveth him as deeply engaged as the party whose surety he is And let us look on the aptnesse of the meanes and we shall soon find that this Foolishnesse of God as the Apostle calls it is wiser than men and this weaknesse of God is stronger than men 1 Cor. 1.25 that the oportet is right set For medio existente conjunguntur extrema if you will have extremes to meet you must have a middle line to draw them together and behold here they meet and are made unum one Ephes 2.14 saith the Apostle the proprieties of either Nature being entire and yet meeting and concentring themselves as it were in one person Majesty puts on Humility Power Infirmity Eternity Mortality by the one he dyes for us by the other he riseth again by the one he suffers as Man by the other he conquers as God in them both he perfects and consummates the great work of our redemption And this Debuit reacheth home to each part of my Text to Christ as God The same hand that made the vessell when it was broken and so broken that there was not one sherd left to fetch water at any pit to repaire and set it together again that it may receive and contain the water of life ut qui fecit nos reficeret that our Creation and Salvation should be wrought by the same hand and turned about upon the same wheele Next we may set the debuit upon his person and he is media persona a middle person and the office will best fit him even the office of a Mediator and then as he is the Son of God who is the Image of the Father and most proper it may seem to him to repair that Image which was defaced and well neere lost in us For we had not onely blemished this Image but set the Devils face and superscription upon Gods coyne for Righteousnesse there was Sin for Purity Pollution for Beauty Deformity for Rectitude Perversenesse for the Man a Beast scarce any thing left by which he might know us venit filius ut iterum signet the Son comes and with his blood revives again the first character marks us with his owne signature imprints the Graces of
powerfull Lord shall be lifted up and crowned with glory and honour for evermore Which God grant c. HONI â—…T QVI MAL Y PENSE A SERMON Preached on Whitsunday JOHN 16.13 Howbeit when He the spirit of truth is come he will lead you into all truth WHen the spirit of truth is come c. and behold he is come already and the Church of Christ in all ages hath set apart this day for a memoriall of his coming a memoriall of that miraculous and unusuall sound that rushing wind those cloven tongues of fire And there is good reason for it that it should be had in everlasting remembrance For as he came then in solemn state upon the Disciples in a manner seen heard so he comes though not so visibly yet effectually to us upon whom the ends of the world are come that we may remember it though not it a mighty wind yet he rattles our hearts together though no house totter at his descent yet the foundations of our souls are shaken no fire appears yet our breasts are inflamed no cloven tongues yet our hearts are cloven asunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every day to a Christian is a day of Pentecost his whole life a continued holy-day wherein the Holy Ghost descends both as an Instructer and a Comforter secretly and sweetly by his word characterizing the soul imprinting that saving knowledge which none of the Princes of this world had not forcing not drawing by violence but sweetly leading and guiding us into all truth When He the spirit of truth is come c. In which words we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Epiphany or Apparition of the blessed Spirit as Nazianzen speaks or rather the promise of his coming and appearance and if we well weigh it there is great reason that the Spirit should have his Advent as well as Christ his that he should say Lo I come Psal 40. For in the volume of the book it is written of him that the spirit of the Lord should rest upon him Es 11.2 and I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 Christus legis Spiritus Sanctus Evangelii complementum Christs Advent for the fulfilling of the Law and the Spirits for the fulfilling and compleating of the Gospel Christs Advent to redeem the Church and the Spirits Advent to teach the Church Christ to shed his blood and the Spirit to wash and purge it in his blood Christ to pay down the ransome for us Captives and the Spirit to work off our fetters Christ to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the Spirit to interpret it for we may soon see that the one will little availe without the other Christs Birth his Death and Passion Chists glorious Resurrection but a story in Archivis good newes sealed up a Gospel hid till the Spirit come and open it and teach us to know him Phil. 3.10 and the vertue and power of his Resurrection and make us conformable to his death This is the summe of these words and in this we shall passe by these steps or degrees First carry our thoughts to the promise of the Spirits Advent the miracle of this day cùm venerit when the spirit of truth comes in a sound to awake them in wind to move them in fire to enlighten and warm them in tongues to make them speak Secondly consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work and employment of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall lead you into all truth In the first we meet with 1. nomen personae if we may so speak a word pointing out to his person the demonstrative pronoune ille when he shall come 2. Nomen naturae a name expressing his nature he is a spirit of truth and then we cannot be ignorant whose spirit it is In the second we shall find Nomen officii a name of office and administration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word from whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a leader or conducter in the way for so the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to be their leader and conducter that they might not erre but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep on in a strait and even course in the way And in this great office of the Holy Ghost we must first take notice of the lesson he teacheth it is Truth Secondly the large extent of this lesson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he leads into all truth Thirdly The method and manner of his discipline which will neerly concern us to take notice of it is ductus a gentle and effectuall leading he drives us not he drawes us not by violence but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word here he takes as it were by the hand and guides and leads us into all truth Cùm venerit ille spiritus veritatis When He the spirit of truth c. And first though we are told by some that where the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to fo there we are to understand the person of the Holy Ghost yet we rather lay hold on the pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille when he the spirit of truth shall come he shall lead you which points out to a distinct person For if with Sabellius he had onely meant some new motion in the Disciples hearts or some effect of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been enough but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He designes a certain person and ille he in Christs mouth a distinct person from himself Besides we are taught in the Schools Actiones sunt suppositorum actions and operations are of persons now in this verse Christ sayes that he shall lead them and before he shall reprove the world and in the precedent chapter he shall testifie of me which are proper and peculiar operations of the blessed Spirit and bring him in a distinct person from the Father and the Son And therefore S. Augustine rests upon this dark and generall expression The Holy Ghost communicates both of the Father and the Son is something of them both whatsoever we may call it whether we call him the Consubstantiall and Coeternall communion and friendship of the Father and the Son or with Gerson and others of the Schools Nexum Amorosum the Essentiall Love and Love-knot of the undivided Trinity But we will wave these more abstruse and deeper speculations in which if we speak not in the Spirits language we may sooner lose than profit our selves and speak more than we should whilest we are busie to raise our thoughts and words up to that which is but enough It will be safer walking below amongst those observations which as they are more familiar and easy so are they more usefull and take what oare we can find with ease than to dig deeper in this dark mine where if we walk not warily we may meet with poysonous fogs and damps instead of treasure We will therefore in the next place enquire why he is called the Spirit of Truth for divers
mens unruly lust to pace it more delicately to its end they that magnifie Gods will that they may do their own these men these spirits cannot be from God By their fruits you shall know them For their hypocrisie as well and cunningly wrought as it is is but a poor cob-web-lawn and we may easily see through it even see these spirituall men sweating and toyling for the flesh these spirits digging in the mineralls and making haste to be rich for though Gloria Patri Glory be to God on High he the Prologue to the Play for what doth an hypocrite but play yet the whole drift the businesse of every Scene and Act is to draw and conclude all in this From hence we have our gain The Angel or the Spirit speaks first and is the Prologue and Mammon and the Flesh make up the Epilogue Date manus why should not every man clap his hands surely such Roscii such nimble cunning actors deserve a plaudite By their fruits you shall know them what spirit soever they have it is not of God for nothing more contrary to the flesh than this spirit and therefore he cannot lead this way nor can he teach any thing that may flatter or countenance it there is nothing more against his nature than this fire may descend and the earth may be removed out of its place nature may change her course at the word and beck of the God of nature but this is one thing which God cannot do he cannot change himself nor can his spirit breath any doctrine forth which savours of the world of the flesh or corruption and therefore we may nay we must suspect all those doctrines and actions which are said to be the effects and products of the blessed spirit when we observe them drawn out and levelled to carnall ends and temporall respects for sure the spirit can never beat a bargain for the world and the truth of God is the most unproportioned price that can be laid out on such a purchase When I see a man rowl his eys compose his countenance order and methodize his gesture as if he were now on his death-bed to take his leave of the world when I hear him loud in Prayer and as loud in reviling the iniquity of the times when I see him startle at a misplaced word as if it were a thunder-bolt when I heare him cry as loud for a reformation as the Idolatrous Priests did upon Baal I begin to think I see an Angel in his flight and mount going up into heaven but then after all this extaticall devotion after all this zeal and in the midst of all this noyse wherein I see him stoop like the vultur and flie like lightning to the prey I cannot but say within my self Oh Lucifer son of the morning how art thou fallen from heaven how art thou brought down to the ground nay to hell it self sure I am the spirit of truth looks upward moves upward directs upward to those things which are above and if we follow him neither our doctrine nor our actions will ever savour of this dung So then we see this inconvenience and mischief which sometimes is occasioned by this doctrine of the Spirits leading is not unavoidable it is not necessary though I mistake and take the Divel for an Angel of light that the holy Ghost should be put to silence though Corah and his complices perish in their gainsayings yet God forbid that all Israel should be swallowed up on the same gulph In the third of the first of Samuel Samuel runs to Eli when the voice was Gods but was taught at last to answer Speak Lord for thy servant heareth though there be many false Prophets yet Micaiah was a true one and though there be many false Teachers come into the world yet the spirit of God is a spirit of Truth ducet nos and he shall lead us into all truth And that we may follow as he leads we must observe the wayes in which he moves for as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a way of peace Luk. 1.79 so there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wayes of truth and in those wayes the spirit will lead us I may be in viis iniquitatis in the wayes of wickednesse in the wayes of the Gentiles and prophane men in viis meis in my own wayes in those wayes which my fancy and lust hath chalked out on that pinacle and height where my ambition hath placed me in that mine and pit where my coverousnesse hath buried me alive and in these I walk with my face from Jerusalem from the truth and in these he leads us not How can he learn poverty of spirit who hath no God but Mammon and knows no sin but poverty How can he be brought down to obedience and humility who with diotrephes in S. John loves to have preheminence and thinks himself nothing till he is taller than his fellowes by the head and shoulders how can he hearken to the truth who studies lies and doe we now wonder why we are not taught the truth where the Spirit keeps open school there is no wonder at all the reason why we are not taught is because we will not learn Ambition soars to the highest seat and the Spirit directs us to the ground to the lowest place the love of the world doth fill our barns and the Spirit points to the bellies of the poore as the better and safer garners my private factious humour tramples under foot obedience to superiours because I my self would be the highest and challenge that as my peculiar which I deny to others but this spirit prescribes order Doth Montanus lead about silly women and prophesy doth he call his dreames revelations Eusebius tells us that the Spirit which led him about was nothing else but an inseparable desire of precedency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. c. 21. Tert. coat Valent c. 4. Doth Valentinus number up his Aeones and as many crimes as gods Tertullian informes us that he hoped for a Bishoprick but fell from those hopes and was disappointed by one who was raised to that dignity by the prerogative of Martyrdome and his many sufferings for the truth Doth Arrius deny the divinity of the Son read Theodoret and he will shew you Alexander in the chaire before him Theod. l. 1. c. 2. Doth Aerius deny there is any difference between a Bishop and Presbyter the reason was he was denied himself and could not be one so that he fell from a Bishoprick as Lucifer did from Heaven whose first wish was to be God and whose next was that there were no God at all From hence these stirres and tumults in the Church of Christ from hence these storms and tempests which blow and beat in her face from hence these distractions and uncertainties in Christian Religion that it is a matter of some danger but to mention it which made Nazianzen in some passion as it may seem cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
shall neither be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idle and not walk for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk but to nopurpose unfruitfull in the knowledge of Jesus Christ For to joyne these two Knowledge and Practice and to abound more and more is to walk in Christ Thus much of the first 2 Part. And thus wee see a Christian mans life is not as empty aery speculation a sitting still or standing but a walke Let us now in the second place see wherein this motion or walke principally consists and you may think perhaps That I shall now point out to the Deniall of our selves shew you Christ's Cross to take up and bid you follow him to fight against the World and all that is in the world the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eyes Joh. 1.2.16 and the pride of life that it is To lay hold of Christ to love Christ to be Adopted to be Regenerate to be called and converted for with these Generalities the Religion of too many is carried along and not with the thing it self but the Name and with these names and Notions they play and please themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the silly Fly doth with the flame of the Taper till they loose their wings and feet and are but a body a Lump that can neither walk nor move They deny themselves with an Oath and yet are themselves still as greedy as rapacious as before They take up the Crosse but 't is to lay it on other mens shoulders they follow Christ but as Peter did afarr off or rather as the Jews to crucify him They fight against the world that is against one another who shall possesse it for even this we doe not doe not fill our coffers but in the name of Christ and Religion They lay hold on Christ but 't is to carry him along with them to promote and further their designes They love him 't is plaine they doe and yet no give him a cup of cold water when he beggs at their doore They love him as they doe one another til 't is put to the Tryall They are Adopted but not of his family Regenerated but are liker to the Father of lies then him they pretend to They are called and converted For they know the very houre and moment of time when they heard the voice and said Amen to it Lord what a noyse have these Phrases these words made in the World and yet 't is the world still even a world of wickednesse Sen. Centrov As the Orator said of Figures possumus sine his vivere we may live and be saved with less noise for all these signifie but one and the same thing To deny our selves to take up the Crosse to follow Christ to fight against the world to lay hold on Christ to love him to be Adopted Regenerated and Converted all is no more then this to believe in Christ and to be sincere upright just and honest men Yet these words and words of Holy writt the language of the Spirit of God and they all full and significant nor can I give you a fairer Interpretation of my Text He that denies himself walks in Christ he that loves Christ walkes in him hee that is Adopted Regenerate Converted walks in Christ but this is too generall and I see but ill use made of these excellent expressions which should make us better and through our own wilfull solly make us worse for we may shape our selves how we list in our Fancy and be quite the contrary we will therefore interpret this walk in Christ by that of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 7.13 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was called Grot. in loc points out and designes as a Learned man hath observed the time of his Heavenly Calling and so both callings are made compatible and friendly linkt together my condition of life in this world and my calling to a better my being a part of the Common-wealth and my being a member of Christ For Christ came not to breake Relations or to disturb Common-wealths not to shut up the Tradesmans shop or block up the Sea to the Merchant nor to take the Husband-man from the Plough and I may doe all these and yet denie my self and take up the Crosse and fight against the world or rather I cannot do all these unlesse I doe the other not abide in one calling as I should unlessed walk worthy of the other not be a good Merchant unlesse I be a god Christian that we doubt not nay but not walk in Christ unlesse we walke in our Calling The life saith Saint Paul which I now live in the Flesh Gal. 2.20 I live by the Faith of the Son of God That is Those things which I do pertaining to the flesh and which this naturall mortall life requires as to eat drink converse with others and to seek my meat by the sweat of my browes which may seem to have no relation to a Spirituall life I do them in the Faith of the Son of God For in all these things I have alwayes an eye to the rule of Faith I make that my starre my Compasse to steer by and my care is to make every action of my life in my temporary conformable and consonant to my heavenly calling And the reason is plain for even our naturall and civill Actions as farr as they are capable of honestie or dishonesty pertaine or have reference to faith for although Christ and his Religion do not necessitate or compell men to engage in this or that particular Action or calling yet notwithstanding it is a rule sufficient to govern and direct us in any to keep us in a faire correspondency and obedience to reason and the will of God the Faith and Religion of Christ being practicall and having that force and efficacy which may be showne and manifested in all the civill Actions of our life Wisd 16.21 As the Jewish Rabbies report of the Manna which the Children of Israel did eat in the Wildernesse that it had this wonderfull property that it would fit it self to every mans tast and look what Viand what meat it was that any was delighted with it would in tast be like unto it so doth Christianity like this Manna doctâ quadam mobilitate by a certain secret force apply it self to every Tast to every Calling Read the Sermon on the Mount and those Epistles which the holy Apostles sent to severall Churches and what is there delivered the Foundation first laid then an Art of Governing our selves and conversing with men Art thou called to be a Servant 1 Cor. 7.21 Or there it is art thou called being a servant Eph. 6 7. serve as in the sight of Christ Art thou called to be a master Remember thou hast a Master in Heaven Art thou a Husband-man it will hold the Plough with thee Art thou a
but not to cut off a mans eare and like unto Saint Paul but himself corrects it with another sicut 1 Cor. 11.1 sicut ego Christi as I am unto Christ Secondly But in the next place if not sicut vidimus as we have seene others then not sicut visumfuerit as it shall seem good in our own eyes for fancy is a wanton unruly froward faculty and in us as in Beasts for the most part supplies the place of reason vulgus ex veritate pauca Pro Rose Comaedo ex opinone multa aestimat saith Tull. the Common people which is the greatest part of mankinde are lead rather by Opinion then by the truth for vulgus is of a larger signification then we usually take it in because they are more subject and enslaved to those two turbulent Tribunes of the soul The Irascible and Concupiscible Appetite and so more opinionative then then those who are not so much under their command It is truly said Affectiones sacilè faciunt opiniones our affections will easily raise up opinions for who will not soon fancy that to be true which he would have so which may either fill his hopes or satisfy his lusts or justifie his anger or answer his love or look friendly on that which our wild Passions drive us to Opinion is as a wheele on which the greatest part of the world are turned and wheeled about till they fall off severall waies into severall evills and doe scarce touch at Truth in the way Opinion builds our Church chuseth our Preacher formeth our Discipline frameth our gesture measureth our Prayers Methodizeth our Sermons Opinion doth exhort instruct correct Teaches and commands If it say Goe we goe and if it say Doe this we doe it we call it our conscience and it is our God and hath more worshippers then Truth For though Opinion have a weaker Ground-work then Truth yet she builds higher but it is but Hay and stubble fit for the fire Good God what a Babel may be erected upon a Thought I verily thought saith Saint Paul and what a whirlwind was that thought Act. 26.9 which drove him to Damascus with Letters and to kick against the pricks Shall I tell you it was but Fancy that in Davids time beat downe the carved works with Axes and Hammers It was but a Thought that destroyed the Temple it self that killed the Prophets and persecuted the Apostles and crucified the Lord of life Himself And therefore it will concern us to watch our Fancy and to deal with it as Mothers doe with their children who when they desire that which may hurt them deny them that but to still and quiet them give them some other thing they may delight in take away a Knife and give them an Apple so when our Fancy sports and pleaseth it self with vaine and aery speculations let us suspect and quarrell them and by degrees present unto it the very face of Truth as the Stoick speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. fist and winnow our imaginations bring them to the light and as the devout Schoolman speaks resolve all our effectuall notious by the Accepistis Gers by the Rule and so demolish all those Idolls which our Passions by the help of Fancy have set up for why should such a deceit pass unquestioned why should such an Imposture scape without a marke Thirdly But now if we may not walke sicut visum est as it seemeth good unto us yet we may sicut visum est Spiritui sancto as it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost Yes for that is to walke according to the rule for he speaketh in the word and to walk after the Spirit and to walk by this Rule are one and the same thing but yet the World hath learn'd a cursed Art to set them at distance and when the Word turnes from us and will not be drawn up to our Fancy to carry on our pleasing but vaine imaginations we then appeal to the Spirit wee bring him in either to deny his owne word or which in effect is the same to interpret it against his own meaning and so with Reverence be it spoken make him no better then a Knight of the post to witnesse to a lie This we would doe but cannot for make what noise we will and boast of his Name we are still at visum est nobis it is but Fancy still 't is our own spirit not the Holy Ghost For as there be many false Christs so there are many false spirits and we are commanded not to beleeve 1 Joh. 4.1 but to try them and what can we try them by but by the Rule and as they will say lo here is Christ or there is Christ so they will say Lo here is the spirit and there is the spirit The Pope laies claime to it and the Enthusiast laies claim to it and whoso will may lay claim to it on the same grounds when neither hath any better Argument to prove it by then their bare words no Evidence but what is forg'd in that shop of vanities their Fancy idem Actio Titioque both are alike in this And if the Pope could perswade mee that â—e never open'd his mouth but the spirit spake by him I would then pronounce him Infallible and place him in the chaire and if the Enthusiast could build me up in the same faith and belief of him I would be bold to proclaim the same of him and set him by his side and seek the Law at his mouth would you know the two Grand Impostors of the World which have been in every age and made that desolation which we see on the Earth They are these two A pretended zeal and a pretence of the spirit If I be a Zealot what dare I not doe and when I presume I have the Spirit what dare I not say what Action so foule which these may not authorize what wickedness imaginable which these may not countenance what evill may not these seale for good and what good may they not call evill oh take heed of a false light and too much fire these two have walkt these many Ages about the Earth not with the blessed Spirit which is a light to illuminate and as Fire to purge us but with their father the Devil transform'd into Angels of light and burning Seraphins but have led men upon those Precipices into those works of Darknesse which no night is dark enough to cover Conclus 1. I might here much enlarge my selfe for it is a subject fitter for a Sermon then a part of one and for a Volume then a Sermon but I must conclude And for conclusion let us whilst the light shineth in the world walk on guided by the rule which which will bring us at last to the holy Mount For objects will not come to us but have onely force to move us to come to them Aeternall Happiness is a faire sight and spreads its beames and unvailes its beauty
attributes he hath he is called the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 the Spirit of Grace of Love of Joy of Zeale for where he worketh Grace is operative our Love is without dissimulation our Joy is like the joy of heaven as true though not so great our Faith a working faith and our Zeal a coale from the Altar kindled from his fire not mad and raging but according to knowledge he makes no shadowes but substances no pictures but realities no appearances but truths a Grace that makes us highly favoured a precious and holy Faith full and unspeakable Love ready to spend it self and zeal to consume us of a true existence being from the spirit of God who alone truly is but here the spirit of Truth yet the same spirit that planteth grace and faith in our hearts that begets our Faith cilates our Love works our Joy kindles our Zeal and adopts us in Regiam familiam into the Royall Family of the first-born in Heaven but now the spirit of Truth was more proper for to tell men perplext with doubts that were ever and anon and sometimes when they should not asking questions of such a Teacher was a seal to the promise a good assurance they should be well taught that no difficulty should be too hard no knowledge too high no mystery too dark and obscure for them but Omnis veritas all truth should be brought forth and unfolded to them and have the vayle taken from it and be laid open and naked to their understanding Let us then look up upon and worship this spirit of Truth as he thus presents and tenders himself unto us as he stands in opposition to two great enemies to Truth as 1. Dissimulation 2. Flattery and then as he is true in the lessons which he teacheth that we may pray for his Advent long for his coming and so receive him when he comes And first dissemble he doth not he cannot for dissimulation is a kind of cheat or jugling by which we cast a mist before mens eyes that they cannot see us it brings in the Divel in Samuel's mantle and an enemy in the smiles and smoothness of a friend it speakes the language of the Priest at Delphos playes in ambiguities promises life As to King 〈◊〉 who a 〈…〉 slew when death is neerest and bids us beware of a chariot when it means a sword No this spirit is an enemy to this because a spirit of truth and hates these in volucra dissimulationis this folding and involvednesse these clokes and coverts these crafty conveyances of our own desires to their end under the specious shew of intending good to others and they by whom he speaks are like him and speak the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.12 in the simplicity and godly sincerity of the spirit not in craftinesse not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 handling the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 4.2 Eph. 4.14 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in the slight of men throwing a Die what cast you would have them noting their Doctrine to men and the times that is not to men and the times but to their own ends telling them of Heaven Wisdom 1.5 when their thoughts are in their purse This holy spirit of Truth flies all such deceit and removes himself far from the thoughts which are without understanding and will not acquit a dissembler of his words there is nothing of the Divels method nothing of the Die or hand no windings nor turnings in what he teacheth but verus vera dicit being a spirit of truth he speaks the truth and nothing but he truth and for our behoof and advantage that we may believe it and build upon it and by his discipline raise our selves up to that end for which he is pleased to come and be our teacher And as he cannot dissemble so in the next place flatter us he cannot the inseparable mark and character of the evill spirit qui arridet ut saeviat who smiles upon us that he may rage against us lifts us up that he may cast us down whose exaltations are foiles whose favours are deceits whose smiles and kisses are wounds for flattery is as a glasse for a fool to look upon and so become more fool than before it is the fools eccho by which he hears himself at the rebound and thinks the wiseman spoke unto him and it proceeds from the father of lies not from the spirit of truth who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever who reproves drunkennesse though in a Noah adultery though in a David want of faith though in a Peter and layes our sins in order before us his precepts are plain his law is in thunder his threatnings earnest and vehement he calls Adam from behind the bush strikes Ananias dead for his hypocrisie and for lying to the holy Spirit deprives him of his own Thy excuse to him is a libell thy pretence fouler than thy sin thy false worship of him is blasphemy and thy form of godlinesse open impiety and where he enters the heart Sin which is the greatest errour the grossest lye removes it self heaves and pants to go out knocks at our breast and runs down at our eyes and we hear it speak in sighs and grones unspeakable and what was our delight becomes our torment In a word he is a spirit of truth and neither dissembles to decieve us nor flatters that we may deceive our selves but verus vera dicit being truth it self tells us what we shall find to be most true to keep us from the dangerous by-paths of errour and misprision in which we may lose our selves and be lost for ever And this appears is visible in those lessons and precepts which he gives which are so harmonious so consonant so agreeing with themselves and so consonant and agreeable to that Image after which we were made to fit and beautifie it when it is defaced and repaire it when it is decayed that so it may become in some proportion measure like unto him that made it for this spirit doth not set up one precept against another nor one text against another doth not disanul his promises in his threats nor check his threats with his promises doth not forbid all Feare in confidence nor shake our confidence when he bids us feare doth not set up meeknesse to abate our zeale nor kindles zeale to consume our meeknesse doth not teach Christian liberty to shake off obedience to Government nor prescribes obedience to infringe and weaken our Christian liberty This spirit is a spirit of truth and never different from himself never contradicts himself but is equall in all his wayes the same in that truth which pleaseth thee and that which pincheth thee in that which thou consentest to and that which thou runnâ—st from in that which will rayse thy spirit and that which will wound thy spirit And the reason why men who
way and through all the surges of this present world brings us to the presence of God who is truth is self a truth which leads us to our Originall to the Rock out of which we were hewen and brings us back to our God who made us not for the vanities of this world but for himself an Art to cast down all Babells all towring and lofty imaginations which present unto us falshoods for truths appearances for realities plagues for peace which scatter and divide our soules powre them out upon variety of unlawfull objects which deceive us in the very nature and end of things For as this spirit brought life and immortality to light 2 Time 1.10 for whatsoever the prophets and great Rabbies had spoken of immortality was but darknesse in comparison of this great light so it also discovered the errors and horror of those follies which we lookt upon with love and admiration as upon heaven it self What a price doth luxury place on wealth and riches what horror on nakednesse and poverty How doth a jewell glitter in my eyes and what a slurr is there upon virtue what Glory doth the pomp of the world present and what a sad and sullen aspect hath righteousnesse How is God thrust out and every Idol every vanity made a God but the truth here which the spirit teacheth discovers all pulls off the vayle shewes us the true countenance and face of things that we may not be deceived shewes us vanity in riches folly in honour death and destruction in the pomp of this world makes poverty a blessing and misery happinesse and death it self a passage to eternity placeth God in his Throne and man where he should be at his footstoole bowing before him which is the readiest way to be lifted up unto him and to be with him for evermore In a word a truth of power to unite us to our God that brings with it the knowledge of Christ the wisdome of God which presents those precepts and doctrines which lead to happinesse a truth that goes along with us in all our wayes waits on us on our bed of sicknesse leaves us not at our death but followes us and will rise again with us unto judgement and there either acquit or condemn us either be our Judge or Advocate For if we make it our friend here it shall then look lovely on us and speak good things for us but if we despise it and put it under our basest desires and vile affections it will then fight against us and triumph over us and tread us down into the lowest pit Christ is not more gracious then this truth to them that love it but to those who will not learne shall be Tribulation and anguish the Sun turn'd into Bloud the world on fire the voyce of the Archangel the Trump of God the severe countenance of the Judge will not be more terrible then this truth to them that have despised it For Christ Jesus shall judge the secrets of the heart acquit the just condemn the impenitent according to this truth which the spirit teacheth according saith Saint Paul to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 The large extent of this lesson This is the lesson The spirit teacheth truth let us now see the extent of it which is large and universall for the spirit doth not teach us by halves doth not teach some truths and conceal others but teacheth all truth makes his disciples and followers free from all errors that are dangerous and full of saving knowledge For saving knowledge is all indeed that truth which brings me to my end is all and there is nothing more to be known I desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 2.2 here his desire hath a Non ultra this truth is all this joyns heaven and earth together God and man mortality and immortality misery and happiness in one drawes us neer unto God and makes us one with him This is the Spirits lesson Commentum Divinitatis the invention of the divine Spirit as faith is called the gift of God not onely because it is given to every believer and too many are too willing to stay till it be given but because this spirit first found out the way to save us by so weak a means as Faith And as he first found it out so he teacheth it and leaves out nothing not a tittle not an Iota which may serve to compleat perfect this Divine Science In the book of God are all our members written All the members yea and all the faculties of our soul and in his Gospel his Spirit hath framed rules and precepts to order and regulate them all in every act in every motion and inclination which if the Eye offend pluck it out if the Hand cut it off which limit the understanding to the knowledg of God which bind the will to obedience and moderate confine our Affections level our hope fix our joy stint our sorrow which frame our speech compose our gesture fashion our Apparel set and methodize our outward behaviour Instances in Scripture in every particular are many and obvious and what should I more say for the time would faile me to mention them all In a word then this truth which the spirit teacheth is fitted to the whole man fitted to every member of the body to every faculty of the soule fitted to us in every condition in every relation it will reign with thee it will serve with thee it will manage thy riches it will comfort thy poverty ascend the throne with thee and sit down with thee on the dunghill it will pray with thee it will fast with thee it will labour with thee it will rest and keep a Sabbath with thee it will govern a Church it will order thy Family it will raise a kingdome within thee it will be thy Angel to carry thee into Abrahams bosome and set a crown of glory upon thy head And is there yet any more or what need more than that which is necessary There can be but one God one Heaven one Religion one way to blessednesse and there is but one Truth and that is it which the Spirit teacheth and this runs the whole compass of it directs us not onely ad ultimum sed usque ad ultimum not onely to that which is the end but to the means to every step and passage and approch to every help and advantage towards it and so unites us to this one God gives us right to this one Heaven and brings us home to that one end for which we were made And is there yet any more Yes particular cases may be so many and various that they cannot all come within the compass of this truth which the spirit hath plainly taught 't is true but then for the most part they are cases of our own making cases which we need not make cases sometimes raised by weakness sometimes by wilfulness sometimes even by sin it self which
reignes in our mortall bodies and to such this lesson of the Spirit is as an Ax to cut them off But be their Originall what it will if this truth reach them not or if they bear no Analogy or affinity with that which the Spirit hath taught nor depend upon it by any evident and necessary consequence they are not to be reckoned in the number of those which concern us because we are assured that he hath led us into all truth that is necessary Some things indeed there are which are indifferent in themselves quae lex nec vetat nec jubet which this Spirit neither commands not forbids but are made necessary by reason of some circumstance of time or place or quality or persons for that which is necessary in it self is alwayes necessary and yet are in their own nature indifferent still veritas ad omnia occurrit this truth which is the spirits lesson reacheth even these and containes a rule certain and infallible to guide us in them if we become not lawes unto our selves and fling it by to wit the rules of Charity and Christian prudence to which if we give heed it is impossible we should miscarry It is the love of our selves the love of the world not charity or spirituall wisdome which make this noyse abroad which rend the Church in pieces and work this desolation on the earth it is the want of conscience the neglect of conscience in the common and known wayes of our duty which have raised so many needless cases of conscience which if men had not hearkened to their lusts had never shewn their head had been what indeed they are nothing the acts of charity are manifest 1 Cor. 13. She suffereth long even injuries and errours but doth not rise up against that which was set up to enlarge and improve her Charity is not rash to beat down every thing that had its first rise and beginning from Charity is not puffed up swells not against a harmless yea and an usefull constitution though it be of man Doth not behave it self unseemly layes not a necessity upon us of not doing that which lawful authority even then styles an indifferent thing when it commands it to be done Charity seeketh not her own treads not the publique peace under foot to procure her own Charity is not provoked checks not at every feather nor startles at that monster which is a creation of our own Charity thinketh no evil doth not see a Serpent under every leaf nor Idolatry in every bow of Devotion if we were charitable we could not but be peaceable if that which is the main of the Spirits lesson did govern mens actions there would be abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth Multa facienda sunt non jubente lege sed liberâ charitate saith Austin Charity is free to do suffer many things which the Spirit doth not expresly command and yet doth command in generall when it commands and enjoyns obedience to Authority which hath no larger circuit to walk and shew it self in than in things in themselves indifferent which it may enioyn for orders sake and the advantage of those things which are necessary which are already under a higher and more binding law than any Potentate or Monarch of the earth can make The acts I say of Charity are manifest but those of Christian prudence are not particularly designed Prudentia respicit ad siagularia because that eye is given us to view and consider particular occurrences and circumstances and it depends upon those things which are without us whereas Charity is an act of the will and here if we would be our selves or rather if we would not be our selves but be free from by-respects and unwarrantable ends if we would divest our selves of all hopes or feares of those things which may either shake or raise our estates we cannot be to seek For how easy is it to a disengaged and willing mind to apply a generall precept to particular actions especially if Charity fill our hearts which is the bond of perfection and the end and complement of the Law which indeed is our spirituall wisdome In a word in these cases when we goe to consult with our reason we cannot erre if we leave not Charity behind us or if we should erre our charity would have such an influence upon our errour that it should trouble none but our selves for Charity beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things And this is the extent of the Spirits lesson and if in other truths more subtill than necessary we are to seek it matters not for we need not seek them for it is no sin not to know that which I cannot know it is no sin to be no wiser than God hath made me or what need our curiosity rove abroad when that which is all and alone concerns us lies in so narrow a compasse In absoluto facili aeternitas Hil. de Trin. saith Hilary the way to heaven may seem rough and troublesome but it is an easy way easy to find out though not so easy at our first onset to walk in and yet to those that tread and trace it often as delightfull as Paradise it self See God hath shut up Eternity within the compasse of two words Believe and Repent which is a full and just commentary on the Spirits lesson the summe of all that he taught lay your foundation right and then build upon it because God loved you in Christ do you love him in Christ love him and keep his commandements than which no other way could have been found out to draw you neer unto God Believe and Repent this is all Oh wicked abomination whence art thou come to cover the earth with deceit with malice what defyance what contentention what gall and bitternesse amongst Christians and yet this is all Believe and Repent The pen the tongue the sword these are the weapons of our warfare What ink what blood hath been spilt in the cause of Religion how many Innocents defamed how many Saints anathematized how many millions cut down with the sword yet this is all Believe and Repent We hear the noyse of the whip and the ratling of the wheeles and the prancing of the horses the horseman lifteth up his bright speare and his glittering sword Nah. 3.2,3 Every part of Christendome almost is a stage of war and the pretence is written in their banners you may see it waving in the aire for God and Religion and this is all Believe and Repent Who would once think the pillars of the earth should be thus shaken that the world should be turned into a worse Chaos than that out of which it was made that there should be such wars and fightings amongst Christians for that which is shut up and brought unto us in these two words Believe and Repent for all the truth which is necessary which will be sufficient to lift us to our
end and raise us to happinesse can make no larger a circumference than this this is the Law and the Prophets or rather this is the Gospel of Christ this is the whole will of God in this is knowledge justification redemption and holiness this is the Spirits lesson and all other lessons are no lessons not worth the learning further than they help and improve us in this In a word this is all in all and within this narrow compass we may walk out our span of time and by the conduct of the same Spirit in the end of it attain to that perfection and glory which shall never have an end And so from the lesson and extent of it we passe to the manner and method of the spirits Teaching it is not Raptus a forcible and violent drawing but ductus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word a gentle leading and guiding into all truth Ducet vos He shall lead you into all truth And now we know our Teacher and the Lesson it will be good to know the method of this Discipline The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall lead you which implyes a capability a preparednesse a willingnesse in them to be led and the spirit that leadeth us teacheth us also to follow him not to resist him that he may lead us not to grieve him by our backwardnesse that he may fill us with joy not to quench him that he may enlighten us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.6 to stir up his gifts that they dye not in us Now this promise was directly and primarily made to the Apostles whose Commission was extraordinary even as large as the whole world and therefore needed the spirits guidance in a more high and eminent manner the gifts of Tongues and diversities of graces which might fit them for so great a work that as their care so their power might be as universall as the world And yet to them it was given in measure and where measure is there are degrees for they were lead by degrees not streight to all truth but by steps and approches Saint Peter himself was not wrapt up as his pretended successor into the chaire of truth to determine all at once for when pentecost was now past he goes to Caesarea and there learnes more then he did at Jerusalem sees that in the sheet which was let down to the earth which he heard not from the Tongues and of a truth now perceived what he did not before Acts 10.34 that God was no accepter of persons that now the partition-wall was broken down that Jew and Gentile were both alike and the Church which was formerly shut up in Judea was now become Catholique a Body which every one that would might be a member of Besides though the Apostles were extraordinarily and miraculously inspired yet we cannot say they used no meanes at all to bring down the blessed Spirit for t is plaine they did wait for his coming they did pray for the truth they did labour for the truth they did conferre one with another met together in counsel deliberated before they did determine nor could they imagine they had the spirit in a string and could command him as they please and make him follow them whithersoever they were pleased to go And then between us and the Apostles there is a maine difference nor can we expect an ocular and visible descent and therefore if we will be taught by the spirit we must use the meanes which the same spirit hath prescribed in those lessons which he first and extraordinarily taught the Apostles and not make use of his name to misinterpret interpret those lessons which he taught or bring in new of our own and as new so contrary to them for what is new must needs be contrary because he then taught all truth and what is more then all is nothing what is more then all truth must needs be a lye Nor did he lead them into all truth for themselves alone but for all those who should come after them for all generations to the end of the world he made them Apostles sent them to make us Christians to make that which he taught them a rule of life and to fix it on the Church as on a pillar that all might read it that none should adde to it or take away from it and for this they are called a Foundation Ephes 2.20 and we are said to be built upon them Jesus Christ being the head corner-stone which we could not be if their testimony were so scant and defective that there were left a kind of necessity upon us to hew and square out what stones we please and lay a new one of our own to cast down theirs and beare up whatsoever our insolent and boundlesse lusts will lay upon it And now what 's become of my Text for if this be admitted we cannot say the spirit led them for what leading is that which leaves us so farre behind at such a distance from the end that in every age he must come againe and take us by the hand and draw us some other way even contrary to that which he first made known and what an all is that to which every man may adde what he please even to the end of the world for every mans claim and Title to the spirit is the same as just warrantable in any as in one when they speak contrary things the evidence is the same that is none at all unless this be a good Argument he hath the spirit because he sayes so which is as strong on his side that denyes it upon the same pretence Amongst the sonnes of men there are not greater fooles then they who have nothing to say for what they say but that they say it and yet think this nothing enough and that all Israel are bound to hearken to them as if God himself did speak And this is an evil a folly a madnesse which breaths no where but in Christendome never heard of in any other body or society but that of Christians for though many Governours of Common-wealths did pretend to a kind of commerce and familiarity with some God or Goddess when they were to make a law yet we doe not read of any as farre as I remember that did put up the same pretence that they might break it but when the law was once promulg'd there was nothing thought of but obedience or punishment But Christians who have the best Religion have most abused it have play'd the wantons in that light in which they should have walkt with feare and trembling and finding themselves at losse finding no satisfaction to their pride and ambition to their malice and lusts from any lesson the Spirit hath yet taught have learnt an Art to suborne something of their own to supply that defect and call it a Dictate of the spirit Nor was this evill of yesterday or which befell the weakest onely for the Divell hath made use
of it in all ages as of the fittest Engine to undermine that truth which the spirit first taught Tertullian as wise a man as the Church then had being not able to prove the Corporiety of the soule by scripture flyes to private Revelation in his Book De anima non per aestimationem sed Revelationem what he could not uphold by reason and judgment Post Ioannem quoque prophetiam meruimus conscqui c. Tertull. de Anim c. ix montanizans he strives to make good by Revelation for we saith he have our Revelations as well as Saint John Our sister Priscilla hath plenty of them her traunces in the Church she converses with Angels and with God himself and can discerne the hearts and inward thoughts of men Saint Hierome mentions others and in the dayes of our fore-fathers Calvin many more Calvin contra Libert who applyed the name of the spirit to every thing that might facilitate and help on their designe as parish priests it is his resemblance would give the name of six or seven severall Saints to one image that their offerings might be the more I need not goe so farre back for instance Our present age harh shewen us many who have been ignorant yet wiser then their Teachers so spirituall that they despise the word of God which is the dictate of the spirit for this monster hath made a large stride from forreigne parts and set his foot in our coasts If they murder the spirit moved their hand and drew their sword if they throw down Churches it is with the breath of the Spirit if they would bring in parity the pretence is the Spirit cannot endure that any should be supreme or Pope it but themselves our humour our madnesse our malice our violence our implacable bitternesse our railing and reviling must all go for inspirations of the spirit Simeon and Levi Absolon and Achitophel Theudas and Judas the Pharisees and Ananias they that despise the holy Spirit of God these Scarabees bred in the dung of sensuality these Impostors these men of Belial must be taken no longer for a generation of vipers but for the scholars and friends of the holy Ghost whatsoever they do whithersoever they goe He is their leader though it be to hell it felf May we not make a stand now and put it to the question whether there be any holy Ghost or no and if there be whether his office be to lead us Indeed these appropriations these bold and violent ingrossings of the blessed Spirit have I fear given growth to conceits well neer as dangerous that the spirit doth not spirare breaths no grace into us that we need not call upon him that the text which telleth us the holy Ghost leadeth is the holy Ghost that leads us that the letter is the spirit and the spirit the letter an adulterate piece new coyned an old Heresie brought in a new dress and tire upon the stage again that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strange unheard of Deity and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ascriptitious and supernumerary God Nazianz Or. 37. Quis veterum vel recentium adoravit spiritum quis oravit c. sic Macedoniani Eunomiani Ibid. I might say that it is more dangerous than this for to confess the Spirit and abuse him to draw him to as an accessary and abettor nay as a principall in those actions which nature it self abhors and trembles at is worse than out of errour to deny him For what a Spirit what a Dove is that which breathes nothing but gall and wormwood but fire and brimstone what a Spirit is that which is ever pleading and purveying for the flesh what a Spirit is that which is made to bear witnesse to a lie for as Petrarch tells us Nihil importunius erudito stulto that there is not a more troublesome creature in the world than a learned foole so the Church of Christ and Religion never suffered more than by carnall men who are thus spirit-wise for by acknowledging the Spirit and making use of his name they assume unto themselves a licence to do what they please and work wickednesse not onely with greedinesse but cum privilegie with priviledge and authority which whilest others doubt of though it be not onely an Error but Blasphemy yet parciùs insaniunt they are not so outragiously made But yet we must not put the spirit from his office because dreams or rather the evaporations of mens lusts do passe for revelations or say he is not a leader into truth because wicked or fanatick persons walk on in the wayes of Errour in the wayes of Cain or Corah and yet are bold to tell the world that this spirit goes before them The mad Athenian took every ship that came into the harbour to be his but it doth not follow hence that no wise and sober merchant knew his own To him that is drunk things appeare in a double shape and proportion Geminae Thehae gemini soles two cities and two suns for one but I cannot hence conclude that all sober men do so nor can I deny the Spirits conduct because some men wander as they please and run on in those dangerous by-paths where he will not lead them this were to deny an unquestionable and fundamentall truth for an inconvenience to dig up the foundation because men build hay and stubble upon it or because some men have sore eyes to pluck the Sun out of its sphere It were indeed dangerous to teach that the spirit did teach and lead us were there not meanes to try and distinguish the Spirits instructions from the suggestions of Satan or those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those mishapen lumps and abortive births of a sick and loathsome brain or our private humour which is as great a Divel Beloved 1. Epist of St. John c. 4. v. 1 2. saith S. Joh. believe not every spirit that is every inspiration but try the spirits whether they be of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world that is have taken the chaire and dictate magisterially what they please in the name of the Spirit when themselves are carnall And he gives the rule by which we should try them in the next verse Every spirit that confesseth Jesus is the Lord is of God that is whosoever strives to advance the Kingdome of Christ and to set up the spirit against he flesh to magnifie the Gospel to promote men in the wayes of innocency perfect obedience which infallibly lead to happinesse is from God every such inspiration is from the spirit of God for therefore doth the spirit breath upon us that he may make us like unto God and so draw us to him that where he is we may be also But then those inspirations which bring in God to plead for Baal which cry up Religion to gain the world which tread down peace and charity and all that is praise-worthy under feet to make way for
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I would saith he Naz. Or. 20. there were no precedency no priority no dignities in the Church but that mens estimation did onely rise from vertue but now the right hand and the left the higher and the lower place these terms of difference have led men not into the truth but into that ditch where Errour mudds it self Caeca avaritia saith Maximus covetousness and ambition are blind and cannot look upon the truth though she be as manifest as the sun at noon and it fares with men in the lust of their eyes in the love of the world as it did with the man in Artemidorus who dreamt he had eyes of gold and the next day lost them had them both put out for now no smell is sweet but that of lucre no sight delightfull but of the wedge of gold and so by a strange kind of Chymistry they turn Religion into Gold and even by Scripture it self heap up Riches and so they lose their sight and judgement and savour not the things of God but are stark blind to that truth which should save them But now grant that they were indeed perswaded of the truth of that which they defend with so much noyse and tumult yet this may be but opinion and fancy which the love of the world will soon build up because it helps to nourish it and how can we think that the spirit did lead them in those wayes in which self love and desire of gaine did drive on so furiously for sure the spirit of truth cannot work in that building where such Sanballats laugh him to scorne Now all these are the very cords of vanity by which we are drawn from the truth and must be broken asunder before the spirit will lead us to it for he leads us not over the Mountaines nor through the bowells of the Earth nor through the numerous Atomes of our vaine and uncertaine and perplext imaginations but as the wisdome which he teacheth so is the method of his Discipline pure peaceable Jam. 3.17 and gentle without partiality without hypocrisie and hath no savour or relish of the Earth for he leads the pure he leads the peaceable he leads the humble In a word he leads those who are lovers of peace and truth Conclus And now to draw towards aconclusion will you know the wayes in which the Spirit walks and by which he leads us will you know the rules we must observe if we will be the Spirits Schollars I will be bold to give them you from one who was a great lover of truth even Galen the Physician I can but name them for the time will not suffer me to insist they are but four the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a love of Truth the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a love of Industry a frequent meditation of the truth the third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an orderly and methodicall proceeding in the pursuit of Truth the last is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercitation and our conformity to the truth in our conversation And this gold though it be brought from Ophir yet may it be usefull to adorn and beautifie those who are the living temples of the holy Ghost And first Love is a passion imprinted in us to this end to urge and carry us forward to the truth and it is the first of all the passions the first of all the operations of the soul the first mover as it were being a strong propension to that we love and which is fitted and proportioned to the mind seeking out the meanes and working forward with all the heat of intention unto the end eminent among the affections calling up my fear my hope my anger my sorrow my fear of not finding out yet in the midst of fear raising a hope to attain to it my sorrow that I find not so soon as I would and my anger at any thing that is averse or contrary at any cloud or difficulty that is placed between me and the truth The love of Christ saith S. Paul constraineth me 2 Cor. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a resemblance taken from women in travell constraineth urgeth me worketh in me such a desire as the pain in travell doth in a woman to be dlivered for do we not labour and travell with a conclusion which we would find out and what joy is there when we have like that of a woman in travell when a man-child is brought into the world If you love me keep my commandement John 14.15 saith Christ if you love me not you cannot but if you love me you will certainly keep them Will you know the reason why the wayes of truth are so desolate why so little truth is known when all offers it self and is even importunate with us to receive it there can be no other reason given but this that our hearts are congealed our spirits frozen and we are coldly affected to the truth nay are averse and turn from it this truth crosseth our profit that our pleasure other truths stand in our light obstruct our passage to that we most desire S. Paul speaks plainly If the truth be hid it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4.3,4 in whom the God of this world hath fo blinded their mind that the light of this truth should not shane upon them for if we have eyes to see her she is a fair object as visible as the Sun if we do but love the truth the spirit of truth is ready to take us by the hand and lead us to it but those that withdraw themselves doth his soul hate Now in the next place this love of truth brings in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a love of Industry for if we love it it will be alwayes in our thoughts and we shall meditate of it day and night for to love seven yeares are but a few dayes and great burdens are but small and labour is but pleasure and we walk in the region of truth viewing it and delighting in it gathering what may be for our use we walk in it as in a Paradise Truth is best bought when it costs us most and must be wooed oft and seriously and with great devotion as Pythagoras said of the gods Non est salutanda in transitu is not to be spoken with in the By and passage is not content with a glance and slutation and no more but we must behold it with care and anxiety we must make a kind of peregrination out of our selves and must run and sweat to meet it and then this spirit leads us to it And this great encouragement we have that in this our labour we never faile of the end we labour for which we cannot find in our other endeavours and attempts in which we have nothing to uphold us under those burdens which we lay upon our own shoulders but a deceitful hope which carries us along to see it self defeated the frustration whereof
is a greater penalty and vexation than that which we undertook for its sake How many rise up early to be rich and before their day shuts up are beggers how many climb to the highest place and when they are neer it and ready to fit down fall back into a prison But in this we never faile the Spirit working with us and blessing the work of our hands making our busie and carefull thoughts as his chariot and then filling us with light such is the priviledge and prerogative of Industry such is the nature of Truth that it will be wrought out by it nor did ever any rise up early and in good earnest travell towards it but this spirit took him by the hand and brought him to his journeys end If thou seekest her as silver Prov. 2.4,5 if thou search for her as for had treasure which because it is hid we remove many things turn up much earth and labour hard that we may come to it then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God in which work our industry and the Spirits help are as it were joyned and linked together You will say perhaps that the Spirit is an omnipotent Agent and can fall suddenly upon us as he did upon the Apostles this day that he can lead us in the way of truth though we sit still though our feet be chained though we have no feet at all but the Proverb will answer you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If God will you may sail over the sea in a sieve but we must remember the Spirit leads us according to his own will nad counsel not ours that as he is an Omnipotent so he is a free Agent also and worketh and dispenceth all things according to the pleasure of his will and certainly he will not lead thee if thou wilt not follow he will not teach thee if thou wilt not learn nor can we think that the truth which must make us happy is of so easie purchase that it will be sown in any ground and as the Divels tares grow up in us Nobis dormientibus whilest we sleep The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 method or an orderly proceeding in the wayes of truth for as in all other Arts and Sciences so in our spirituall wisdome and in the school of Christ we may not hand over head huddle up matters as we please but must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep an order and set course in our studies and proceedings our Saviour Christ hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.33 seek first the kingdome of God and in that kingdome every thing in its order there is something first and something next to be observed and every thing is to be ranked in its proper place the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us of principles of Doctrine which must be learned before we can be led forward to perfection Heb. 5.13,14 of milk and of strong meat of plainer Lessons before we reach at higher Mysteries nor can we hope to make a good Christian veluti ex luto statuam as soon as we can make a picture or a statue out of clay Most Christians are perfect too soon which is the reason that they are never perfect they are spirituall in the twinkling of an eye they know not how nor no man else they leap over all their alphabet and are at their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their end before they begin are at the top of the ladder before they have set a foot to the first step or rown they study heaven but not the way to it they study faith but not good works repentance without a change or restitution Religion without order they are as high as Gods closet in heaven when they should be busie at his foot-stool study predestination but not sanctity of life study assurance but not that piety which should work it study heaven and not grace and grace but not their duty and now no marvel if they meet not with that saving truth in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this so great disorder and confusion no marvel when we have broke the rules and order not observed the method of the Spirit if the Spirit lead us not who is a Spirit that loveth order and in a right method and orderly course leads us into the truth The last is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercitation and practice of the truths we learn which is so proper and necessary for a Christian that Christian Religion goes under that name and is called an exercise by Clem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. l. 4. Al. Nyssen Cyril of Ilierusalem and others and though they who lead a Monasticall life have laid claim to it as their own they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it may well belong to every one that is the Spirits Scholar who is as a Monk in the world shut up out of it even while he is in it exercising himself in those lessons which the Spirit teacheth and following as he leads which is to make the world it self his monastery A good Chritian is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet Arrian l. 3. c. 5. and by this daily exercise in the doctrines of the Spirit he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Stoicks speak drive the truth home and make it enter into the soul and spirit for as Auaxagoras said well manus causa sapientiae 't is not the brain but the hand that causeth knowledge Talis quisque est qualibue delectater inter artisicem artificium mira cognatio est and worketh wisdome for true wisdome that which the Spirit teacheth consists not in being a good Critick or in rightly judging of the sense of the words or being a good Logician in drawing out a true and perfect definition of Faith and Charity or discoursing aptly and methodically of the Lessons of the Spirit or in being a good Oratour in setting out the beauty and lustre of Religion to the very eye No saith the son of Syrach He that hath no experience knoweth little Ecclus. 34.10 Ex mandato mandatum cernimus by practising the command we gain a kind of familiarity a more inward and certain knowledge of it If any man will do the will of God he shall know the Doctrine Joh. 7.17 in Divinity and indeed in all knowledge whose end is practice that of Aristotle is true Those things we learn to do we learn by doing them we learn devotion by prayer charity by giving of alms meeknesse by forgiving injuries humility and patience by suffering temperance by every day fighting against our lusts as we know meat by the taste so do we the things of God by practice and experience and at last discover heaven it self in piety and this is that which S. Paul calls knowledge according to godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 we taste and see how gracious the Lord is we do as it were see with our
eyes and with our hands handle the word of truth In a word we manifest the truth and make it visible in our actions and the Spirit is with us and ready in his office to lead us further even to the inner house and secret closet of truth displayes his beames of light as we press forward and mend our pace every day shining upon us with more brightnesse as we every day strive to increase teaching us not so much by words as by actions and practice by the practice of those vertues which are his lessons and our duties we learn that we may practice and by practice we become as David speaks Psal 119.99 wiser then our teachers to conclude day unto day teacheth knowledge and every act of piety is apt to promote and produce a second to beget more light which may yet lead into more which may at last strengthen establish us in the truth and so lead us from truth to truth to that happy estate which hath no shadow of falshood but like the Spirit of Truth endureth for evermore THE FIRST SERMON JAMES I. Vers ult Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is This to visite the fatherlesse and widdows in their affliction and to keep himselfe unspotted from the World NOthing more talkt of in the world then Religion nothing lesse understood nothing more neglected there being nothing more common with men then to be willing to mistake their way to withdraw themselves from that which is indeed Religion because it stands in opposition to some pleasing errour which they are not willing to shake off and by the help of an unsanctified complying fancy Multi fibi fidem ipsi potiut constitunut quam accipiunt dum quae velunt sapiunt nolunt sapepere quae vera sunt cum sapientiae haecveritas sit ea interdum sapere quae nolis Hilar. 8. de Trin. V. 22. to frame one of their own and call it by that name That which flatters their corrupt hearts That which is moulded and attempered to their bruitish desigus That which smiles upon them in all their purposes which favours them in their unwarrantable undertakings That which bids them Go on and prosper in the wayes which lead unto death That with them is True Religion In this Chapter and indeed in every Chapter of this Epistle our Apostle hath made this discovery to our hands Some there were as he observes that placed it in the ear did hear and not do and rested in that some did place it in a formall devotion did pray but pray amisse and therefore did not receive some that placed it in a shadow and appearance Verse 25. seemed to be very religious but could not bridle their tongue and were safe they thought under this shadow others there were that were partiall to themselves despisers of the poor that had faith and no works in the second Chapter and did boast of this others that had hell fire in their Tongue and carried about with them a world of iniquity which did set the wheel the whole course of Nature on fire in the third Chapter and last of all some he observed warring and fighting killing that they might take the prey and divide the spoil in the fourth Chapter And yet all religious Every one seeking out death in the errour of his life and yet every one seeming to presse forward towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus To these as to men ready to dash upon the rock and shipwrack doth our Apostle cry out as from the shore to turn their compasse and steer their course the right way and seeing them as it were run severall wayes all to meet at last in the common gulph of eternall destruction He calls and calls aloud after them To the superstitious and the prophane To the disputer and the scribe to them that do but hear and to them that do but babble To them that do but professe and to them that do but beleeve the word is Be not deceived This is not it but Haec est This is pure Religion is vox à Tergo as the Prophet speaks Esay 30. a voice behinde them saying This is the way walk in it This is as a light held forth to shew them where they are to walk as a royal Standard set up to bring them to their colours This doth Infinitatem rei ejicere as the Civilians speak Take them from the Devils latitudes and expatiations from frequent and fruitlesse hearing from loud but heartless prayer from their beloved but dead faith from undisciplined and malitious zeal From noise and blood from fighting and warring which could not but defile them and make them fit to receive nothing but the spots of the world from the infinite mazes and by-paths of Errour and brings them into the way where they should be where they may move with joy and safety looking stedfastly towards the End Let us now hear the conclusion of the whole matter whatsoever Divines have taught whatsoever Councels have determined or the schoolmen defined whatsoever God spake in the old times whatsoever he spake in these last dayes That which hath filled so many volumes and brought upon us Fatigationem Carnis that weariness of the flesh Ecclesia 1 2.12 which Solomon complains of in reading that multitude of Books with which the world doth now swarm with That which we study for which we contend for which we fight for as if it were in Democritus his Well or rather as the Apostle speaks in Hell it self quite out of our reach or if there be any truth that is necessary or any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying even in this of Saint James Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit c. I way call it the picture of Religion in little in a small compasse and yet presenting all the lines and dimensions the whole signature of Religion fit to be hung up in the Church of Christ and to be lookt upon by all that the people which are and shall be born may truly serve the Lord May it please you therefore a while to cast your eyes upon it and with me to view First The full proportion and severall lineaments of it as it were the essentiall parts which constitute and make it what it is and we may distinguish them as the Jew doth the Law by Do and Do not The first is Affirmative To do Good to visit the fatherlesse and widdows in their affliction The second not to do evil to keep our selves unspotted from the world And then secondly to look upon as it were the colours and beauty of it and to look upon it with delight as it consists First in its purity having no mixture Secondly in its undefilednesse having no pollution And then thirdly the Epigraph or title of it the Ratification or seal which is set to it to make it Authentick
to win our love and allure and draw us and if it draw us we must up and be stirring and walke on to meet it Climachus what that devout Writer saith of his Monk is true of the Christian he is assidua naturae violentia his whole life is a constant continued violence against himself against his corrupt nature which as a weight hangs upon him and cloggs and fetters him which having once shaken off he not onely walks but runns the wayes of Gods Commandements Conclus 1. Secondly let us walke honestly as in the Day walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as becommeth Christians in our severall stations and conditions of life and not think Christ dishonoured if we mingle him with the common Actions of our life For we never dishonour him more then when we take him not in and use him not as our guide and rule even in those Actions which for the grosnesse of the subject and matter they work on may seem to have no favour or rellish of that which we call Religion Be not deceived Maâ—um Rempturb â—i quam comam â—…ec he that thus takeâ—… him in is a Priest a King the most honorable person in the world Behold the profane Gallant who walks and talks away his lâ—…e who divides himself between the combe and the glass and had rather the Common-wealth should flie in pieces then one hair or his Periwig should be out of its place to whom we bow and cringe to and sail down to as to a Golden Calf I tell you the meaness Artizan that works with his hands even he that grindes at the Mill is more honourable then hee Take the speculative Phantastique Zealot the Christian Pharisee that shuts himself up between the eare and tongue between hearing much and speaking more and doing contrary the worst Anchoret in the world being full of Oppression deceit and bitterness I may be hold to say The vilest person he that sits with the doggs of your Flock is more Honorable more righteous then hee and of such as these Saint Paul spake often Philip. 3.18 and he spake it weeping that they did walk but walke as Enemies to the Cross of Christ Let then Every man move in his owne Sphere orderly abide in the Calling wherein he is called and in the last place That we may move with the first mover Christ the beginner and Author of our walke Let us take him along with us in all our waies Hearken what Christ Jesus the Lord will say That we may walk before him with Reverence and Godly feare not sicut vidimus Heb. 11.28 as we have seen but look upon one another as the two Cherubims 1 King 6. touching and moving one another but with the Ark of the Testimony in the midst betwixt us and by that either inciting or correcting one another in our walk Secondly not sicut visum suerit not as it shall seem good in our own eyes for nothing can be more deceitfull then our own thoughts nor sicut visum spiritui not as every spirit may move us which wee call Holy for it may be a lying spirit and lead us out of our way into those evills which grieve that Blessed Spirit whose Name we have thus presumtuously taken in vain But let us walk as we have received him let us joyn example with the word it will be no more as a meteor to mislead us but a bright morning Starr to direct us to Christ correct our fancy by the rule and it will be sanctum cogitatorium a Lymbeck an holy elaboratory of such thoughts which may fly as the Doves to the windows of heaven and last of all try the Spirit by the word for the word is nothing else but the breathing and voice of the Spirit and then thou shalt be baptized with the Spirit and fire the Spirit shal enlighten thee and the spirit shall purge and cleanse thee and lead the into all truth shall breath comfort and strength into thee in this thy walk and pilgrimage and thou shalt walk from strength to strength from virtue to virtue even till thou come to thy journeys end to thy Fathers house to that Sabbath rest which remains to the Children of God THE FOURTH SERMON JOHN 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him THese words are our Saviours and it was usuall with this our good Master by those things which were visible to the eye to lift up his hearers minds and thoughts to spiritual and Heavenly things to draw his discourse from some present occasion or businesse in hand He curseth the fig-tree Math. 21.19 Sterilitas nostra in Ficu Luke 11. which had nothing but leaves to correct our sterility and unfruitfulnesse at the table of a Pharisee upon the sight of the clean outside of his cup he discovers his inward parts full of ravening and wicknesse At Jacobs well Iohn 4. he powreth forth to the woman of Samaria the water of life After he had supped with his disciples he takes the cup and calls the wine his Blood John 15. and himself the true Vine Thus did Wisdom publish it self in every place upon every occasion The well the Table the High-way side every place was a Pulpit every occasion a Text and every good lesson a Sermon To draw down this to our present purpose In the beginning of this Chapter he worketh a miracle multiplyes the loaves and the fishes that the remainder was more then the whole a miracle of it self able to have made the power of god visible in him and something indeed it wrought with them for behold at the 24. v. they seek him they follow him over the Sea They ask him Rabbi when camest thou hither at the next verse but our Saviour knowing their hypocricy answers them not to what they ask but instructs them in that they never thought on Verily verily you seek me not for the miracle but the loaves v. 26. But behold I shew you yet a more excellent way I shew you bread better then those loaves better then Moses his manna behold I am the bread of life v. 48 and my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed v. 55. and he commends it unto them by three Virtues or effects 1. That it fills and satisfies which neither the loaves nor Moses his manna could do For he that cometh to me that devoteth himself to me shall never hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst v. 35. 2. It is a living bread v. 51. a bread that gives life which Moses manna could not do but was destroyed with them that ate it in the wildernesse v. 49. 3. That it was bread which had power to incorporate them to embody them to make them one and give them union and communion with the Lord of life in the words of my Text He that cateth my flesh and drinketh my blood that is as Christ himself
so instead of a Church have set upoan Idol as great an Idol as they have made the Virgin Mary For the one as well as the other must go for a mother of mercy And do we not with grief behold it so in other factions though as distant from this as the East is from the West do they not meet in this to count all goats that are not within their fold to leave no way to happinesse but in their company do not they look upon their condition as most deplorable who do not cast in their lots with them who are not of the same collection and discipline of their fraternity which they call the Church of Christ why should men thus flatter themselves t is not our joyning to this particular Church or that new fancied and new gathered Congregation but our dwelling in Christ our eating his flesh and drinking his blood our feeding on and digesting his Doctrine and Growing thereby can make us Christians and as an unnecessary separating my self from so an uncharitable and supercilious uniting my self with this or that Congregation may endanger my estate and title in Christ and my dwelling in the one if I take not heed may dispossesse me of the other For I conceive there is no policy no discipline so essential to the Church as piety as our obedience to Christ Suppose I were in a wildernesse did my soul lie as David speaks amongst Lions yet might I dwell in Christ be the government and outward policy what it will nay be there but a slender appearance of any yet might I dwell in Christ nay did persecution seal up the Church doors and leave no power to censure inordinate livers were there no more left then a dic fratri tell it to thy brother between thee and him yet could I dwell in Christ else why was their faith commended who wandered up and down in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins in Deserts and Mountains in Dens and Caves of the earth but then Heb. 11. if we dwell not in Christ if we do not love him and keep his Commandements I cannot see what Church what Congregation can be a Sanctuary to shelter us and our crying the Church the Church will be but as the Jews crying the Temple the Temple of the Lord but as the sound of brasse or tinkling of a Cymbal a sad knell and fearful signe and indication of men departed from Christ and cast out of doors being dead in their sins Oh then let us take heed as the Apostle exhorts that no root of bitternesse spring up to trouble us and thereby to trouble corrupt Heb. 12.15 and defile many that we blesse not our selves in our hearts and say we shall have peace when we walk in these unpeaceable imaginations call that Religion which is indeed sensuality for when one sayes I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos 1 Cor. 2.4 when one sayes I am of this Congregation and another I am of that are yet not carnal and we may observe he doth not say when one is or when one thinketh he is but when he sayes that he is when he is so pleased and delighted in it so rests upon it that he must vent and preach and publish it to the prejudice and censure of others then when they thus say it are they not carnal Do they not please themselves and commit folly in their own souls where Pride mixeth and ingendereth with covetousnesse and worldly respects and begets malice debate envy backbiting persecution let us then take heed of this of this root of bitternesse that beareth gall and worm-wood and let us watch over our selves that we embrace not a name for a thing a Company for a Church our humour and fancy for Christ and that we do not so joyn our selves with others that we lose our hold and place in Christ And therefore in the last place let us make a strickt survey let us impartially commune with our own hearts and see how we have held up the relation between Christ and us whether we can truely say we are his people and he is our God this added to the rest makes up a number an account without this our joyning with such a body such a company nay our appearing in his Courts our naming him and calling upon his name are but cyphers and signifie nothing t is not the Church but the spirit of Christ and our own consciences which can witnesse to us that we are inhabitants of the new Jerusalem and dwell in Christ we read in the 45. of Gen. that when Jacob had news that his son Joseph lived his heart fainted for he beleeved them not but at the sight of the chariots which Joseph sent to carry him his spirit revived so it is here when we shall be told or tell our selves for our selves are the likeliest to bring the news that we have been of such a Church of such a Congregation and applaud our selves for such a poor and unsignificant information blesse our selves that the lines are fallen unto us in so goodly a place when we shall have well looked upon and examined all the priviledges and benefits we can gain by being parts of such a body all this will not assure us nor fix our anchor deep enough but will leave us to be tossed up and down upon the waves of uncertainty will leave us fainting and panting under doubt and unbelief For to recollect all in a word Our admiring his Majesty our loving his command our relying on his protection and resting under the shadow of his wing Again our ense and feeling of the operation of the spirit of Christ by the practick efficacy of our knowledge the actuation and quickning of our faith and the power of it working a universal constant sincere obedience these are the chariots which Christ sends to carry us out of Egypt unto our celestial Canaan and when we feel these and by a sweet and well gained experience feel the power of them in our souls then we draw neer in full assurance then we shall joy fully cry out with Jacob it is enough then we shall know that our Joseph is alive and that Christ doth dwell and live in us of a truth And now to conclude Concl. and by way of conclusion to enforce all these to imprint and fasten them in your hearts what other motive need I use then the thing it self Christ in man and man in Christ for if honour or delight or riches will move us here they are all not as the world giveth them but as truth it self giveth them a sight into which the Angels themselves did stoop and desire to look into To be in Christ to dwell in Christ if a man did perfectly beleeve it of himself that he were the man non diusuperstes maneret said Luther he would even be swallowed up and die of immoderate joy Here now is life and death set before us Heaven and Hell opened to our very eye
been made the savour of death unto death and mercy malevolent At what time soever c. hath scarce with many left any time to repent and therefore it will concern us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist. 20. ad Basil Magn. as Nazianzen speaks with Art and prudence to dispence the word of truth or as Saint Paul speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cut it out as they did their sacrifices by a certain method to give every one his proper food in due season for some dispositions are so corrupted that they may be poisoned with Antidotes Theod. Therap Theodoret observes that God himself did not fully and plainly teach the Jews the Doctrine of the Trinity lest that wavering and fickle Nation might have took it by the wrong handle and made it an occasion of relaps into that Idolatrous conceit which they had learnt in Egypt of worshipping many gods The Novatians errour who would not accept of penance after Baptisme so much as once though no Physick for a sinner yet might have proved a good Antidote against sin for men had they beleeved it would some at least have been more shy of sin and more wary in ordering their steps and shunned that sin as a Serpent which would excommunicate them and shut them for ever out of the Church And therefore the Orthodox Fathers even there where they oppose that assumed and unwarranted severity of the Novatian deliver the Doctrine of Repentance with great caution and circumspection and a seeming reluctancy invite loquor Ter. de penitent Bas t m 1. Hem. 14. saith Tertul. I am made unwilling to publish this free mercy of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Basil I speak the truth in fear for my desire is that after Baptisme you should sin no more and my fear is you will sin more and more upon presumption of Repentance and mercy He would and he would not publish the free mercy of God in Christ he was bound to preach Repentance and yet he feared What means that profuse yet sparing tender of Gods mercy these large Panegyricks and as great jealousies why did they so much extol Repentance and yet male ominari presage such an evil consequence out of that which they had presented to all the world in so desirable a shape But now the Father was so taken so delighted with the contemplation of it discovered so much power in it that he thought the Devils themselves in the interim and time between their fall and the Creation of man might have reprented and been Angels of light still and now drawing in his hand and putting it forth with fear and trembling before holding out Repentance as a board or planck to every ship-wrackt soul but now fearing lest Repentance it self should become a rock one would think the holy Father himself were turned Novatian and to speak truth that which the Novatians pretence to denie Repentance after Baptisme exprest these expressions from him and was the true cause which was made him publish it with so much fear ne nobis subsidia paenitentiae blandiantur that men might not be betrayed by the flattery and pleasing appearance of that which should advantage them and level their thoughts on that benefit which it might bring to them and boldly claim it as their own though they are willing to forget and leave unregarded that part of it which should make way to let it in and hearing of so precious an Antidote presume it will have the same virtue and operation at any time and so after many delayes make no use of it at all That the Doctrine of Repentance might not maks us stand in more need of Repentance in a word that that which is a remedy might not by our ill handling and applying it be turned into a disease Look into the world and you will see there is great need of so much fear and such a caution and that more fall by presumption then despair non am morbis quam remedio laboramus by our own folly and the Devils craft our disease doth not hurt us so much as our remedy and Repentance which was ordain'd as the best Physick to purge the soul is turned into that poyson that corrupts and kills it What wandring thought what Idle word what prophane action is there which is not laid upon this fair foundation The hope of pardon which yet will not bear up such hay and stubble we call sin a disease and so it is a mortal one but presumption is the greatest the very corruption of the blood and spirits of the best parts of the soul we are sick of sin t is true but that we feel not but we are sick very sick of mercy sick of the Gospel sick of Repentance sick of Christ himself and of this we make our boast and our bold relyance on this doth so infatuate us that we take little care to purge out the plague of our heart which we nourish and look upon as upon health it self we are sick of the Gospel for we receive it and take it down and it doth not purge out but enrage those evil humours which discompose the soul we receive it as Judas did the sop we receive it and with it a divel For this bold and groundlesse presumption of pardon makes us like unto him hardens our heart first and then our face and carries us with the swelling sailes of impudence and remorslesnes to an extremity of daring to that height of impiety from which we cannot so easily descend but must fall and break and bruise our salves to pieces praesumptio inverecundiae portio saith Tert. prsumption is a part and portion and the upholder of immodesty and falls and cares not whither ruins us and we know not how abuses and dishonours that mercy which it makes a wing to shadow it and hath been the best purveior for sin and the kingdom of darknesse We read but of one Judas in the Gospel that despaired and hanged himself and so went to his place but how many thousands have gone a contrary way with lesse anguish and reluctancy with fair but false hopes with strong but fained assurances and met him there Oh 't is one of the divels subt lest stratagems to make sin and hope of heaven to dwell under the same roof to teach him who is his vassal to walk delicately in his evil wayes and to rejoyce alwaies in the Lord even then when he fights against him to assure himself of life in the chambers of death And thus every man is sure the Schismatick is sure and the Libertine is sure the Adulterer is sure and the Murderer is sure the Traitor is sure they are sure who have no savour no relish of Salvation The Schismatick hath made his peace though he have no charity The Libertine looks for his reward though he do not onely denie good works but contemn them The Adulterer absolves himself without Penance The Murderer knows David is entred Heaven and hopes
title to that honour which we give to a just man How many count themselves just men yet do those things which themselves if they would be themselves would condenm as most unjust and do so when others do them and how many have carried so much honesty with them into hell the Law of men cannot reach home to carry us to that height of innocency to which on other Law but that within us might lift us up but the Lawes of this Lord like his power and providence reach and comprehend all the very looks and profers and thoughts of the minde which no man sees which we see not our selves which though they break not the peace nor shake any pillar of a common-wealth for a thought troubles no heart but that which conceives it yet it stands in opposition to that policy which this our Lord hath drawn out and to that end for which he is our Lord and is louder in his ears then an evil word in ours and therefore he looks not onely on our outward guilt but the conscience it self and pierceth to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit regulates the very thoughts and intents of the heart which he looks upon not as fading and vanishing characters in the soul but as killing letters imprinted and engraven there as S. Basil speaks as full and compleat actions wrought out in the inward man Saint Bernard calls them passivas actiones passive actions which he will Judge secundum evangelium Bas de virg Bern. 159. according to these Laws which he hath publisht in his Gospel Secondly that he is a Lord appears by the vertue and power of his dominion for whereas all the power on earth which so often dazles us can but afflict the body this wounds the soul rips up the very heart and bowels and when those Lords which we so tremble at till we fall from him can but kill the body This Lord can cast both soul and body into Hell nay can make us a Hell unto our selves make us punish and torment our selves and being greater then our conscience can multiply those strokes Humane laws have been brought into disgrace because they had not power enough to attend and hold them up and even the common people who fear them most have by their own observation gathered the boldnesse to call them cobwebs for they see he that hath a full purse or a good sword will soon break through them or finde a beesom to sweep them away What speak you of the Laws I can have them and binde them up in sudariolo saith Damianus in the corner of my Handkerchief nay many times for want of power victae leges the Laws must submit as in conquest and though they have a tongue to speak yet they have not a hand to strike And as it is in punishment so it is sometimes in point of reward men may raise their mer it deserts so high that the Exchecquer it self shall not finde a reward to equal them We have a story in our own Chronicles of a Noble-man who did such service for his friend then but a private man that he made him first a Conqueror then a king the Historian gives this note that kings love not to be too much beholding to their Subjects nor to have greater service done then they are able to reward and so how truly I know not makes the setting on of the Crown on his friends head one cause of the losing of his own But it is not so with this our Lord who being now in his throne of Majesty cannot be outdared by any sin be it never so great never so common and can break the hairy scalp of the most Gyant-like offender and shiver in pieces the tallest Cedar in Libanus Who shall be able to stand up in his sight In his presence the boldest sinner shall tremble and fall downe and see the Horror of that profitable Honorable sinne in which he Triumpht and called it Godlinesse The Hypocrite whose every word whose every motion whose every look was a lye shall be unmaskt and the man of Power who boasted in malice and made his will a Law and hung his Sword on his will to make way to that at which it was levell'd shall be beat down into the lowest pitt to Howl with those who measured out Justice by their Sword and thought every thing theirs which that could give them Before him Every sinne shall be a sinne and the wages thereof shall be Death Again he hath rewards and his Treasurie is full of them Not onely a Cup of cold water but the powring forth my blood as water for the Truths sake shall have its full and overflowing Recompence nor shall there ever any be able to say what profit is it that we have kept his Laws No saith Saint Paul Non sunt condignae Mal. 2.14 Rom. 8.8 put our passions to our Actions our Sufferings to our Almes our Martyrdome to our Prayers they are not worthy the naming in comparison of that weight of Glory which our Lord now sitting at the right Hand of God hath prepared for them that feare him Nec quisquam à regno ejus subtrahitur nor can any goe out of his reach or stand before him when he is angry He that sits on the Throne and he that grindes at the Mill to him are both alike 3. And now in the third place That every knee may bow and every Tongue confesse him to be the Lord Let us a little take notice of the large compasse and Circuit of his Dominion and the Psalmist will tell us That he shall have Dominion from the Sea to the Sea and from the River unto the ends of the world Adam the first man and he that shall stand last upon the Earth Every man is his subject For he hath set him saith Saint Paul at his right hand in heavenly places and hath put all things under his Feet and gave him to be Head over all Things to his Church and what a thin shadow what a Nothing is all the overspreading power of this world to this All other Dominion hath its bounds and limits which it cannot passe but by violence and the sword nor is it expedient for the world to have one King nor for the Church to have one Universall Bishop or as they speak one visible Head For as a ship may be made up to that bulke that it cannot bee managed so the number of men and distance of place may be so great that it cannot subsist under one Government Thus it falls out in the world but it is not so in the Kingdom of this our Lord No place so distant or remote to which this Power cannot reach Lybiam remotis Gadibus Jungit all places are to him alike and he sees them all at once It is called the Catholick Church and in our Creed wee professe wee beleeve Sanctam Catholicam Ecclesiam the holy Catholique CHURCH That is That that
and are ready to welcome and reward and cast off all the Huge distance and inconsistency which is between these two the pleasing of men and the being a servant of Christ and of these we shall speak plainly in their order si adhuc placerem if I yet pleased men c. And first we need not doubt that most men desire to be pleased and it may seem a needlesse labour to go about to prove it for do but whisper do but breath against their humour and you have made a demonstration that it is so Saint Paul indeed makes it his wonder at the 6. v. miror quod tam citò I wonder that you are so soon removed and we might well wonder at his wonder but that his miror carries with it more of reproof then admiration for the consideration of this humour this desire to be pleased takes off our admiration and when we have discovered this we cease to wonder into a barren soile from the Gospel of Christ which bringeth salvation but withall trouble to the flesh to another Gospel which is no Gospel but excludeth both in a word to see men begin in the spirit and end in the flesh Omnis rei displicentis etiam opinio reprobatur saith Tert. The very thought of that which displeases us displeases us almost as much as the thing it self for indeed it is nothing but thought that troubles us and it is not the matter or substance of truth but opinion and our private humour which makes truth such a bitter pill that we cannot take it down It was the usual speech of Alexander the great to his Master Aristotle Doce me facilia leave I pray you your knotty and intricate discourses and teach me those things which are easy which the understanding may not labour under but such as it may receive with delight and it is so with us in the study of that art of arts which alone can make us both wise and happy we love not duros Sermones those hard and harsh lessons which discipline the flesh and bring it into subjection and demolish those strong holds which it hath set up and in which it trusteth a Parasite is more welcome to us then a Prophet he is our Apostle who will bring those familiar and beloved arguments to perswade us to that to which we have perswaded our selves already and further our motion to that to which we are flying we finde almost the parallel in the 30. of Esai 10. v. of those who say to the Seers see not loquimini placentia Prophesie not unto us right things but Prophesie deceits men who had rather be cosen'd with a pleasing lie then saved with a frowning and threatning truth rather be wounded to death with a kisse then be rowsed with noise rather die in a pleasant dream then be awaked to see the pit opening her mouth and even speaking to them to fly and save themselves from destruction I am appeal to your eye and tender you that which your observation must needs have taken up before both at home in your selves and abroad in others for he that doth but open his eyes and look into the world will soon conceive it as a common stage where every man treads his measures for approbation and applause where every man acts his part walks as a Parasite to himself and all men one to another that is do the same which the Israelites did after the molten Calf Exob 32.27 slay every man his brother and every man his Neighbour and every man his Companion every man being a ready executioner in this kinde and every man ready and willing to die We will therefore in the next place search this evil humour this desire of being pleased and we shall be the willinger to be purged of it if either we consider the causes from which it proceeds or the bitter effects which it produceth And First It hath no better Originall then Defect then a wilfull and negligent fayling in those Duties to which Nature and Religion hath obliged us a leannesse and emptinesse of the soul which not willing to fill it self with Righteousnesse fills it self with Aire with false counsells and false attestations with miserable comforts In time of necessity when we have nothing to eate we fall too with the Prodigall and fill our Belly with husks The wicked flie when none pursueth Prov. 28.1 fly from themselves to others and from others to themselves chide themselves and flatter themselves are troubled and soon at rest fly to the Rule which condemns them to absolve them and suborne one Text to infringe and overthrow another as he that hath no good Title is bold on a false one Citò nobis placemus It is a thing soon done and it requires no labour nor study to be pleased we desire it as sick men doe Health as Prisoners doe Liberty as men on the rack doe Ease for a troubled spirit is an ill disease not to have our will is the worst Imprisonment his choice is to put himself upon the rack Rom. 14. the last vers We may see it in our civill affaires and matters of lesser allay when any thing lyes upon us as a burden how willing are wee to cast it off How doe we strive to pluck the sting out of every serpent that may bite us how do we study to work out the venom out of the worst of evills when we are poore we dreame of Riches and make up that which is not with that which may be when we have no House to hide our heads we build a Palace in the Aire when we are sick This thought turnes our bed That we may recover and if the Physitian cannot heale us yet his very name is to us as a promise of Health we are unwilling to suffer but we are willing nay desirous to be eased as Basil tells us of young men that when they are alone or in some solitary place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they feigne unto themselves strange Chimeras suppose themselves Lords of Countreys and favourites of Kings and which is yet more though they know all this to be but fancy and a Lye yet please themselves in it as if it were true indeed Arist Rhetor. 2. c. 14. We all are like Aristotles young man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of Hope and when there is no Doore of hope left we make one And so it falls out in the managing of our spirituall estate we doe as the Apostle exhorts though not to this end cast away every Thing that presseth down but so cast it away as to leave it heavier then before preferr a momentary ease which we begg or borrow or force from Things without us before that Peace which nothing can bring in but that griefe and serious Repentance which we put off with hands and words as as a Thin irksome and unpleasing For could we be sick we might be well did not we love our disease we might shake it off but
dead but for the living this I say is all but some have stretched this word beyond its proper and naturall signification others and that a multitude do rest under the shadow of the word content themselves in the outward action do do it and no more which indeed is not to do it For though this word to doe be not of so large a signification as the Church of Rome hath drawn it out in that they might build an Altar and offer up Christ again which they say is to remember him yet is it not so scant and narrow as ignorance and prophanenesse make it verba non sono sed sensu sapiunt saith Hilary Hilar. advers Const Aug. we must not tie our selves to the sound but lay hold on the sense of the words and this word to do though it be lesse than the little cloud in the book of the Kings nothing neer so big as a mans hand yet if it be interpreted it will spread and be as large as heaven it self and containes within its sphere and compasse all those starres those graces and virtues which will entitle us to blisse by fitting and qualifying of us to do it for indeed non fit quod non fit legitimè that is not done which is not done as it should be those duties in Scripture which are shut up in a word are of a large and diffusive interpretation when God bids us heare he bids us obey when he bids us believe he bids us love when he awakes our understanding he commands our hand when he bids us do this he bids us perfect our work for hearing is not hearing without obedience faith is dead if it work not by charity and knowledge is but a dream without practice and we do not that which we do not as we should To do this then is not barely to take the Bread and eat it this Judas himself might do this he doth that doth it to his own damnation and therefore though it be not now common Bread and common Wine but consecrated and set apart for this holy use yet we must be careful that we attribute no more unto them than Christ the author doth we must not suffer our eyes to dazle at the outward Elements nor must we rest in the outward action for this were in a manner to transubstantiate the elements and bring the body and blood of Christ into them which nothing can do but faith and repentance this were to make the very action of receiving it opus privilegiatum as Gerson speaks to give it a greater prerogative than was ever granted out of the court of heaven This were to rest in the meanes as in the end and at once to magnifie and prophane it This were to take it as our first parents did the Apple That our eyes may be opened and then to see nothing but our own shame this were to eat and to be damned But this we shall not need to insist upon for it is sufficient to point out to it as to a thing to be done and that we may doe it besides the Authority and command and love of the Author we have all those Motives and inducements which use to stir us up and incite us unto action even then when our hands are folded and we are unwilling to move As 1. the fitnesse and applyablenesse of it to our present condition 2. the profit and advantage it may bring 3. the pleasure and delight it carryes along with it 4. the necessity of it which are as so many allurements and invitations as so many winds to drive us on and make us fly to it as the Doves to their windows And 1. it fitteth and complyeth as it were with our present condition blanditur nostrae infirmitati and even flatters and comforts and rowzeth up our weaknesse and infirmity as our Saviour speaks upon another occasion This voyce this institution came for our sake we walk by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 saith the Apostle hoc est nostrae insirmitatis saith the Father and this is a signe and an Argument of humane Infirmity that we walk by faith that God can come no neerer to us nor we to him that we see him onely with that eye which when it is clearest sees him but as in a glasse darkly And therefore as God sent Adam into the world and gave him adjutorium simile sibi a help convenient and meet for him Gen. 2. so doth he place us in his Church and affords us many helps meet for us and attempered to our frailty and humaue Infirmity He speaks to our Eare and he speaks to our eye he speaks in Thunder and he speaks in a still voyce he passeth his promise and seals and confirmes it he preaches to us by his word and he preaches to us by these Ocular sermons by visible Elements by water to purge us and by Bread and Wine to strengthen us in his grace and omits nothing that is meet and convenient for us When God told the people of Israel that he would no longer goe before them himself he withall tells them he would send his Angel which should sead them and when we are not capable of a neerer approach he sends his Angels his words his Apostles his Sacraments which like those ministring spirits minister for them who are heires of Salvation and not content with the generall declaration of his mind he addes unto it certaine seals and externall signes that we may even see and handle and taste the word of life and as it was said by Laban and Jacob when they made a Covenant Gen. 31.48 this stone shall be witnesse between us so God doth say to thy soule by these outward Elements This Covenant have I made with thee and this that thou seest shall witnesse between thee and me Doe thou look upon it and bring a bleeding renewed heart with thee and then Doe this and I will look upon it as upon the Raine-bow and remember my Covenant which was made in the bloud of my Sonne I thus frame and apply my self to thee in things familiar to thy sight that thou mayst draw neerer and neerer to that light which now thy mortall eye thy frailty and infirmity cannot attaine to And shall we not meet and embrace that help which is so fitted and proportioned to us Secondly profit is a lure and calls all men after it and if you ask with the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what profit is there we may answer with him much every manner of way For what is profit but the improvement of our estate the bettering of our condition as in the increase of Jacobs Cattell the doubling of Jobs sheep as when Davids sheep-hook was changed into a Scepter here was improvement and advantage And this we find in our spirituall addresses in our reverent accesse to this Table a great improvement in some thirty in some sixty in some an hundred fold a will intended a love exalted our hope increased our
when we sow our own seed in our own ground we have laid the foundation of a faire hope and we seldome misse of a rich plenteous harvest When we venture out of our place we venture as at a Lottery where we draw many blanks before we have one prize and when that is drawne it doth not countervaile the fourtieth part of our venture but the trumpet sounds as at a triumph and we leave behind us more then we carryed with us and go away with the losse So it is when we move in another mans place we move upon hopes which most times deceive us when we do our own businesse we find no difficulty but in the businesse it self and no enemy but negligence but when we break our limits and leap into other mens affaires we meet with greater opposition we meet with the Law which is against us and very often too strong for us we meet with those who will be as violent to defend their station as we are to trouble it and if we chance to break through all these yet when we have cast up our accounts and reckon up the trouble we have undergone the illegality and injustice of our proceedings the detestation of all good men and the vengeance which hangs over us with that benefit which we have reapt we may put our advantage in our eyes as they say and drop it out Lastly à necessario from the necessity of doing it and I doe not meane a legall and Causative necessity as the Civilians speak a precise necessity which the law and honesty layes upon us but a necessity in respect of the end which is to be quiet which we cannot attaine to but by our motion in our own place for other paths are strange paths and heterogeneous to it and the further we goe in them the further we are off and meet with nothing but that which is Diametrically opposed to it injustice hatred the curse both of God and man goods which are of no value whilst they are in our hands and never estimable but in his whose they truly are which all are ill materialls to make a pillow to rest on In a word in this our irregular motion we look toward the rising Sun and travell towards the West we run from the shade into a tempest we seek for ease and rest and have thrust our selves into the Region of noise and thunder and darknesse Ask those boysterous and contentious spirits which delight in warre ask the Tyrants of the earth those publique and priviledg'd thieves ask those who doe wade to their unwarranted desires through the fortunes and bloud of others and see how they are filled with horror and anxiety how the riches which they so greedily desired have eaten them up Behold them afraid of their fortunes of their friends of themselves even fainting and panting on the Pinacle of State ready to be blown down with every puffe of wind as busie to secure their estate as they were to raise it and yet forced to that unhappy prudence which must needs endanger it Behold one slaine by his friends another by his sonnes a third by his servants and some by their very souldiers who helpt to raise them to this formidable height Look over all the Tragedies which have been written scarce any but of these Sine caede sanguine pauci Few of them have brought their gray haires unbloudy to their grave and if this be to be quiet we may in time be induced to believe that rest and peace may be found even in hell it self This then is not the way and if we will reach home to the end we must choose that path which leads unto it This is not the Apostles method no saith Saint Paul we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office having therefore different callings and different gifts and different places to move in let every man wait upon and move in his own for there he may be quiet and no where else let the Lawyer plead and the Divine preach let the husbandman plough the earth and the Merchant the Sea let the Tradesman follow his trade let the Magistrate governe and let all the people say Amen let all men make good their place and every man doe his own businesse and so rejoyce together in the publique order and peace And as Cuiacius that famous Lawyer in France Papyrius Massonius in Elog. illust Viror in vita Cuiacii when he was askt his opinion in points of Divinity was wont to give no other answer but this Nihil hoc ad Edictum Praetoris this which you ask me hath to relation to the Edict of the Praetor so when any temptation shall take us and invite and flatter us Ire in opus alienum to put our hands to another mans work let us drive it back and vanquish it with this considerate resolution that it is not amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is none of our businesse no more pertaining to our calling then Divinity doth to the Edict of the Praetor And then as we confine our selves to our own calling so let us be active and constant in our motion in it and as it follows in the Apostles method let us shake off sloth and work with our hands which is next to be consider'd For indeed idlenesse is the mother and nurse of this pragmaticall curiosity Plaut Mostell Haec mihi verecundiam virtutis modum deturbavit saith he in Plautus this takes off our blush and makes us bold adventurers to engage our selves in other mens actions for when the mind of man is at loose not taken up and busied in the adorning of it self then Dinah-like it must gadd abroad to see the daughters of the Countrey and mingle it self with those contemplations which are as it were of another Tribe and Nation meere strangers unto her It is the character of the strange woman Prov. 7. That she is garrula vaga that she is loud and ever stragling vagum scortum as Horace calls her and her feet abide not in her house Polit. 7. c. 3. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle in his Politicks He that will be Idle will be evil and he that will do nothing will do that which he should not and the reason is given by the Stoick mobilis inquieta mens homini data est the mind of man is full of activity ever in motion and restlesse now carried to this object and anon to that it walks through the world and out of the world and is not at rest when the body sleeps and if it do not follow that which is good it will soone fasten to that which is evil for it is not as a wedg of lead but of the nature of an Angel which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cannot sleep as Aristotle spake of children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it cannot rest and be quiet and therefore the same Philosopher much