ever Amen So concluded the other Apostles The God of peace that brought againe from the dead the Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the Heb. 13. 20 21. bloud of his everlasting covenant make you perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom bee praise for ever and ever Amen And thus concluded Saint Peter Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to him be glory both now and evermore 2 Pet. 3. 18. Amen Augustine said Tu Domine sic excitas ut laudare te delectet fecisti nos pro te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te thou August lib. 1. confess cap. 1. Lord doest so excite mee that to praise thee it delighteth mee thou hast made us for thee and our heart cannot be quiet till it rest in thee Vae tacentibus de te taceat laâ—des tuas qui miserationes tuas non novit Woe bee to them which speake not of thee hee setteth not foorth thy praise who is ignorant of thy mercies Again saith the father Si omnia membra nostra verteventur in linguas si tot haberemus quot Argus oculos nequaquam sufficerent If all our August lib. Meditationum members were converted into tongues if wee had as many tongues as Argus had eyes they were not sufficient to set foorth thy praises thou art a Lord exceeding great and infinite without measure and end and oughtest to be praised and beloved of all Paul could not name Christ but abruptly but breaketh out into thankesgiving having often other matters inhand yet cannot he stay but soundeth out his gratitude as with a trumpet as writing to Timothy handling other matters on a sudden he leaveth the thing in hand and crieth out Now unto the King everlasting immortall invisible unto God onely wise be honour and glory for 1 Tim. 16. 17. ever and ever Amen So writing to the Romans and handling the priviledges of the Iewes on a sudden he leaveth off and breaketh out into thankesgiving saying Of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever Amen So writing Rom. 9. 5. to the Corinthians and handling the resurrection from the dead on a sudden hee breaketh out to gratitude saying Thankes bee to God which hath given us victorie through Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57. our Lord. Iude here useth a figure called Pleâ—nasmus to expresse his zeale hee doubleth and redoubleth tripleth and multiplieth his words till they be many in number hee is full as the Moone he Iob 32. floweth as the Sea hee is as the new vessels which have no vent for if the fountaine be full the channels cannot bee empty if The Saints plentifull in thanksgiving there bee moysture in the roote the branches cannot wither if there bee heate in the chimney the house cannot bee cold if the heart abound the mouth will bee full of Gods praises Ex abundantia cordis os loquitur out of the abundance of the heart Luke 6. the mouth speaketh Note this in all the Saints of God how plentifully doth David describe his thankefulnesse My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits And againe Praise the Lord ô my Psal 103. 1 2. Psal 146. 1. soule I will praise the Lord during my life as long as I have any being I will sing unto my God With how many words commendeth hee the Law What variety hee useth What cornucopia hee hath Marke his words The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome Psal 19. 7 8 9. unto the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right and rejoce the heart the Commandement of the Lord is pure and giveth light unto the eyes The feare of the Lord is cleane and indureth for ever the judgements of the Lord are truth and righteous altogether Marke I pray you how hee calleth it the Law the Testimonies the Statutes the Commandements the Feare the Iudgements of the Lord then what Epithites hee giveth it the Law Perfect the Testimonies sure the Statutes Right the feare Cleane the iudgements Truth then what fruits he ascribeth to it that it converteth the soule giveth wisedome rejoyceth the heart endureth for ever Thus let us learne to measure our selves and to know the goodnesse of our hearts by the mouth if wee can speake scantly of God and good things plentifully of the world and the vanities of it our heart is naught it is withered like grasse all the dewes of Gods grace are dryed up in it but wee must rowze up both our hearts and tongues and say with David My heart is prepared O my Psal 57. 7 8 9. God my heart is prepared I will sing and give praise Awake my tongue awake viole and harpe I will awake right early I will praise thee O Lord among the people and I will sing unto thee among the nations But to come to a more particular description of Gods attributes and the attributes wherewith hee is described are Wisedome Salvation Glory Majestie Dominion and Power And yet this description is but in part not a full description for who can describe him perfectly hee is shadowed out unto us by the holy Ghost after this manner The Lord the Lord strong Exod. 34. 6 7. mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon their Children unto the third and fourth generation And againe Salomon King Salomon wise King Salomon shadoweth him out after this manner Who hath ascended up to Heaven and Prov. 30. 4. descended Who hath gathered the Winde in his fist Who hath bound All men ignorant till inlightened the Waters in a garment Who hath established all the ends of the World What is his name or what is his Sonnes name if thou canst tell Oh who can tell his name or his Sonnes name Est bonus sine qualitate magnus sine quantitate praesens sine situ sempiternus sine tempore sine initio sine fine Hee is good without quality great without quantitie present without situation everlasting without time without beginning and without end Seditut aequitas dominatur ut majestas novit ut veritas amat ut charitas hee sitteth as equity ruleth as majesty knoweth as verity and loveth as charitie For these be not qualities but of the essence of God Of Rom. 11. him and for him and through him are all things Hee calleth him onely wise wherein hee bestrippeth all men and bereaveth them of wisedome as the Cumane Asse of the Lions skinne as Aesops Crow of her feathers except they have it of God Hereupon saith the Apostle If any man want
AN EXPLANATION OF THE GENERALL Epistle of Saint Iude. Delivered in one and forty SERMONS by that Learned Reverend and faithfull Servant of Christ Master SAMVEL OTES Parson of Sowthreps in Norfolke Preached in the Parish Church of Northwalsham in the same County in a publike Lecture And now published for the benefit of Gods Church by SAMVEL OTES his sonne Minister of the Word of God at MARSHAM 2 PET. 1. 15. I will endevour alwayes that ye also may be able to have remembrance of these things after my departing PROV 13. 9. The light of righteousnesse shineth more and more but the candle of the wicked shall bee put out PROV 13. 13. He that despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but hee that feareth the commandement shall be rewarded LONDON Printed by Elizabeth Purslow for Nicholas Bourne and are to be sold at his Shop at the South Entrance of the ROYALL EXCHANGE 1633. TO THE RELIGIOVS AND RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Knight and Baronet Sir IOHN HOBERT of Blickling Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriffe of the Country of Norfolke SAMVEL OTES wisheth all felicity here and eternall salvation hereafter Right VVorshipfull THese Sermons of my Fathers upon Saint Iude Right worshipfull Sir after that once I was perswaded for Sions sake to have them printed I thought good to dedicate them to your worthy selfe as Saint Luke dedicated his Gospell to Theophilus so I to you another Theophilus a true lover of God and of his Word so right honestly affected to Doctrine and Religion that your Comportment in Gods Church and in all your courses and in all good causes perswades the Countrey your Pietie and Devotion to bee unfained The causes why I present them unto you are these First the true respect you merit from all them who professe Learning Secondly the many excellent gifts worthy of much commendations in your selfe Thirdly that my Father whom God hath taken to his Mercy was sometime Chaplaine to my late Honourable good Lord your Father who now resteth with God his body being layd up in peace and his memory with good men precious and one of the first Chaplaines that ever he entertained Lastly to testifie my owne engagement you being my worthy Patron humbly desiring that as you succeeded your Honourable Father in his Vertues so I may succeed my Father in your favours Touching these Sermons upon Iude the naturall sense thereof is so clearely opened and the Doctrines arising so powerfully applied and enforced and all manner of sinne so reproved that I doubt not but Gods Church and People shall hence reape much benefit which was the Authors onely intent in the exercise of his Ministery But it becommeth not mee to say much they are exposed to publique viewe and as mens eyes shall bee upon them so my prayer to God shall bee that their hearts may be informed and reformed by them For my part I intend especially though I bee of all men most unworthy to bee an instrument herein to further Christs Kingdom which if it may I have my desire howsoever I shall leave it to the blessing of God and your worthy Patronage Now the God of all consolation according to the riches of his Mercy blesse you with the Honorable good Lady your Wife your hopefull Children and whole Familie with all externall internall and eternall blessings of his Spirit that all your actions may bee prosperous your troubles few your comforts many your life long your death blessed your election sure and your salvation certaine Amen Your Worships in all Christian offices to command Samuel Otes Minister of the Word of God at Marsham in Norfolke TO THE GODLY AND Well-affected Reader whosoever COurteous Reader I am bold at the length to present to thy view these Sermons of my Fathers upon the Epistle of Saint Iude which though in this Learned age among so many excellent and accurate Sermons and Treatises it may seeme presumption to publish yet in this sinfull age I thought they might proove most usefull for the beating downe of sinne and convincing the consciences and converting the soules of sinners there being not many of this kinde for though knowledge abound and learning florish and most desire to have their understanding informed and affections pleased yet true godlines and righteousnes is dayly decaying and few desire to have their lives reformed though they have the forme of godlines yet they have denied the power thereof and though they professe they know God yet in their works they deny him Which this man of God considering did bend all his labour and learning to the beating downe of sinne and building up in vertue and saving knowledge wherein how powerfull and prevalent hee was thou mayst ghesse by these Sermons tanquam ex ungue leonem Concerning himselfe his learning life c. It is not meete I should say much seeing I may seeme to speake partially out of affection yet I hope I may without blame give testimony to that truth which all that knew him will acknowledge namely that hee was a faithfull labourer in the worke of the Lord a workeman that needed not to bee ashamed a burning and a shining light burning with zeale shining both by divine Doctrine and godly conversation Burning so as he consumed himselfe to give light to others and shining not onely before his Parochiall charge where hee lived and exercised his Ministery being as an Augustine Sowthreps in Norfolke to that Hyppo a Polycarpe to that Smyrna but the whole Country so as they all knew him a faithfull Samuel a learned laborious and godly Preacher who did empty himselfe to fill others and did waste and consume his strength to instruct the flocke committed to his charge Neither was the lustre of his light confined in that Parish or Country wherein hee lived but shined further into other parts of this Kingdome so as three very Godly and Eminent Persons in this State worthy instruments of Gods glory florishing in their time with many excellent graces and vertues on earth and now all shining glorious Saints in Heaven did take notice of him and did successively entertaine him Chaplaine namely Sir Francis Walshingham Secretary to the State Sir Iohn Popham Lord-Chiefe-Iustice of England and Sir Henry Hobart Knight and Baronet Lord Chiefe-Iustice of the Common Pleas all which notwithstanding hee continued so lowly in his owne eyes and so zealous in his Function as hee neither carelesly nor ambitiously left his Cure to seeke other preferment But having at any time performed his due observance to those Honorable Persons according as hee was engaged hee presently returned to his accustomed weekely and almost daily taske of preaching for his heart was so inflamed with the zeale of Gods glory and yet so ballanced with the feare of God and true humility that neither the learning nor graces that were in his owne heart nor the lustre and grace he had with other did puffe him up with price and this humility and lowlines in his owne eyes Magna
Give me riches take all the rest to thy selfe speaking unto the Divell Faith Hope Charitie body and soule and what thou wilt for many are cold in faith and many are utterly ignorant in the faith and regard no faith they are like Horse and Mule in whom is no understanding Psal 32. but are men Omnium horarum as one saith like the raine-bow of all colours like the Troianes tun to hold all liquors like the Israelites that cried haile King Salomon haile King Adonia So they have cried haile Queene Marie haile Queene Elizabeth they can live in all times for they can shift their sailes for all windes they regard no faith but are fit for all faiths all Princes yea for the Divel as the men of Calecut at this day they have two faces with Ianus two tongues with Iudas two hands with Ioab Psal 78. one to embrace withall the other to stabbe withall they have two hearts with Israel a double heart a heart and a heart Paul compareth a Christian to a husband-man to a wrestler to a souldier all which labour hard or else they get nothing No man that 2 Tim. 2. 4 5 6. warreth saith Paul entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier if any man also strive for a masterie he is not crowned except he strive as he ought to doe the husbandman must labour before hee receive the fruites Such like similitudes he hath in another place know yee not that they which runne in a race runne all c. In this sense saith Salomon Buy 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. Prov. 23. 23. the truth purchase it redeeme it with the losse of all that thou hast But wee will give all gold and silver for lands but not a Ministers must maintaine true faith to death penny for Gods truth and Religion that ware is out of request So Christ saith Strive to enter in at the straite gate for many shall seeke to enter and shall not be able The Antithesis is betweene seeking and striving some seeke and have some cold desire but they Luk. 13. strive not Paul therefore calleth it The fight of faith and he 1 Tim. 6. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 7. Iude v. 9. 1 Pet. 5. 8. saith of himselfe I have fought a good fight I have kept the faith c. The Divell never so strove with Michael for Moses his body as he doth with us for faith therefore resist him in the faith Thus Ambrose said to Valentinian Prius animam quà m fidem auferes mihi ô Imperator O Emperour thou shalt first take away my life before my faith Hic hic occidite here here kill me and doe with me what 1 Reg. 21. thou wilt Si Naboth vineam patrum tradere noluit if Naboth would not depart from the vineyard of his Fathers Absit ut vineam Domini tradam God forbid that I should depart from the vineyard of the Lord So Ierome said to Ruffine Si veritas est causa discordiae mori possum tacere non possum If truth be the cause of discord and jarre I may dye but I may not hold my peace thus Chrysostome would not give place to Arcadius Eudoxia but went into exile and Calvin said in a like case to the Syndici of Geneva Exarescet hoc brachium prâ—â—squâ—m coenam Domini indigâ—iâ— praebere velim this arme of mine shall first wither before I will give the supper of the Lord to the unworthy Hemingius saith that there Libro de Pastorum is a foure-fold fight and a fourefold-flight in Ministers his words are these Quatuor modis sunt mercenarii cum se non apponunt Sophisticae tyrannidi flagitiis Hypocrisi exponant Sophisticae veram doctrinam seu fidem tuendo tyrannis tum voce tum precibus non adulando flagitiis ea accusando quartò hypocritis eorum larvam detrahendo Men become hirelings foure manner of wayes c. Quia tacuisti fugisti tacuisti quia timuisti because thou wert silent thou fled'st thou wert silent because thou fearedst Aug. Thirdly they must strive and that earnestly even strive unto death so saith the Wiseman Strive for the truth unto death and defend justice for thy life and the Lord God shall fight for thee against Eccles 4. 28. Esa 59. 4 5. 14. thine enemies God complaineth of the want of this saying No man calleth for justice no man contendeth for truth they trust in vanitie and speake vaine things they conceive mischiefe and bring forth iniquitie they hatch Cockatrice egges and weave the Spiders webbe he that eateth of the egges dieth and that which is troden upon breaketh out into a serpent therefore iudgement is turned backeward and iustice standeth farre off for truth is fallen in the streete and equitie cannot enter In Gods matters we must be earnest say Be strong and let us be valiant for our people 2 Sam. 10. 12. and for the Cities of our God and let the Lord doe that which is good in his eyes Even so let us fight for our God the Gospell and the sacraments of our God If every haire of our head were a life and every life as long as Methusalah's all are to be ventured for the faith of Gen. 5. our God every drop of blood must bee powred out So the Apostle telleth the Hebrewes yee have not yet resisted unto blood striving The earnestnesse of Idolaters must make us zealous against sinne yet had they striven much and long and therefore the Apostle telleth them that they had endured a great fight in afflictions partly whiles they were made a gazing stocke both by reproches and afflictions and partly while they became companions of them which were so tossed to and fro he putteth in Heb. 12. 4. this word Earnestly because of the adversaries that will so earnestly impugne it Who use their profession as Iehu used his chariot he drove as if he had beene madde who plead for Baal 2 Reg. 9. 20. as Crassus pleaded for Pompey who brake his sides and died within three dayes after for they are earnest in all errors The Israelites gave all their Iewels to make an Idoll a Golden Calfe The men Exod. 32. Ier. 44. 19. Act. 19. 1 Reg. 18. 28. Mat. 23. Levit. 20. in Ieremies time were at great cost and burnt incense to the Queene of heaven and powred out drinke offerings unto her made Cakes c. The Ephesians yelled together Great is Diana of the Ephesians Baals priests cried loud and cut themselves as their manner was with knives and Lancers till the blood gushed out upon them The Pharisies compasse Sea and Land to make one Proselyte The Canaanites burnt their children to Moloch The Pagans did eate Cyrils heart or liver with salt The Turkes in the service of their Mahomet on fridayes houle that yee may heare them 〈…〉 off The Aethiopians tread not
that they know him it is evident Col. 3. 1 2 3. by the testimony of the Apostle Behold thou art called a Iew and restest in the Law and gloriest in God but that they did not know him truly the same Apostle also testifieth saying The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you yea the Rom. 2. 17. 24. Divels knew him and his death but yet idly historically onely not unto Salvation And many so beleeve historically no further than the very Divels themselves doe For sinne still raigneth Iam. 2. 19. in them notwithstanding the commandement of the Apostle Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that yee should obey it in the lusts thereof Rom. 6. 12. But to returne to our Papists who have opened their mouth against Heaven whose tongue walketh through the world for pride is to them as a chaine they are found to be notable hereticks denying not in words but in truth the Lord Iesus First they make him no Iesus by ascribing purging of sin to the bloud of Martyrs which they call Thesaurum Ecclesiae the treasure of the Church out of which they grant their Indulgences They make him no Christ by denying his Offices first they make no Priest by erecting a daily unbloudy sacrifice they rob him of his intercession by praying to Saints They make him no Prophet by ascribing so much to their traditions by giving the Pope authority over the Gospell to coyne Lawes as they list by bringing in with Cyrill the Monke Evangelium aeternum an everlasting Gospel which say they abolisheth the Gospell of the Father in the time of the Law and the Gospell of Christ in the time of Grace They make him no King by giving all power to the Pope to save to destroy to pull out of Heaven to pluck down to Hell Such a Cerberus is this of Rome not with three heads but with three crownes boasting De plenitudine potestatis of the fulnesse of power whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse among them that perish This hath Sathan parted his Kingdome that the Turke in the 2 Thess 2. 9. East should deny Christs Natures and the Pope in the West his Offices and Merits For the former Romane Empire stood on Injustice the latter of Impiety the first injuring Men the other God yet not so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against God as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Christ The Papists alleage the words of the Apostle Hereby shall yee know the spirit of God every spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God but by the Spirit there is meant the doctrine not of men the doctrine is of God though not the man They quote also another place of Iohn Whosoever Christ alone paid the whole ransome of our Redemption beleeveth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God but Saint Iohn speaketh not of a bare confession but of a right beleefe for the Divels confessed Christ To conclude they hold not the foundation with us For other 1 Iohn 5. 1. Luke 4. 1 Cor. 3. 11. Gal. 5. 2. foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Christ Iesus For if the Galathians joyning Circumcision with Christ overthrew all for so saith the Apostle If yee circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing The Papists joyning workes with faith nature with Grace the Law with the Gospell the Sacrifice with the Sacrament Moses with Christ must needs overthrow all for whole Christ or no Christ Totus Christus aut nullus Christus Hee payd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ransome and either hee paid all or not a 1 Tit. 2. Act. 4. penny Non est aliud nomen there is no other name given unto men whereby they shall bee saved save onely by the name of Iesus One compareth Christ to a man that purchaseth a Lease with his owne money and lets it to his successors to hold it by a Pepper kernell or a Rose leafe Christ hath paid for our Salvation For we are redeemed not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold c. But with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe undefiled all our 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. workes are but as a pepper kernell yea as nothing For when we have done all those things that are commanded us wee may say that wee are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duties to do Luke 17. 10. If the fathers of these men had never sinned yet could they not doe greater injury to the Church of God than to beget such sonnes or monsters rather as Tully said of Catiline Ecce ecclesiam apostaticam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Catholicam utinam Deus Nestorem excitaret qui lites inter nos illos componeret Behold a Church Apostolicall and strife-stirring not Catholike I would God were pleased to raise some Nestor up to compose these jarres betweene us and them But to leave this note that Christ here is called our Lord which he is two wayes Iure creationis Iure redemptionis First By right of Creation for by him God made the World Hebr. 1. 2. Secondly By the right of Redemption for God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne to save the World Hereupon Iohn 3. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 20. saith Paul Yee are bought with a price Now redeeming is either by price and paying or by power and force Christ hath done both hee gave a price to God And gave himselfe a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2. 6. men Hee came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water 1 Iohn 5. and bloud In water is signified washing by bloud Redemption Secondly by his Power he redeemeth and hath taken us from the Divell So saith the Author to the Hebrewes Hee hath delivered Hebr. 2. us from death and him that hath the Lordship of death And Saint Iohn saith that Hee saw a great battell in Heaven Micbael and his Divers effusions of Christs bloud Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels but prevailed not neither was their place any more found in Heaven It was a greater matter to Christ to redeeme the World Apoc. 12. 7. than to make the World Hee made it in six dayes but he was thirtie and three yeeres in redeeming it hee made all with a word yea with a breath By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and the hoast of them by the breath of his mouth For the letter Psal 33. 6. ◠He in the Hebrew is but a breath But hee redeemed it with a great price not with silver and gold but with bloud not with bloud of Buls Goats but with his own precious Bloud 1 Pet. 1. 18. Gold and silver are but red earth and white earth which the error of
said as Bernard said Caput canum cor vanum a gray head and a greene wit gray haires and greene lusts but we must goe forward and not fall from the state of grace Take heed that no man fall away from the Heb. 12. 15. state of grace saith the Apostle Christianity and progresse in religion is compared to a building in a building men must goe forward and to the foundation adde the roofe And it is compared to a race in a race men run on till they come to the goale Iude 20. and it is compared to the growth of trees Trees grow bigger and 1 Cor. 9. 24. 2 Pet. 3. 28. Ephes 4. 14. taller And it is compared to the ages of men the ages of men grow still and they bee elder to day than they were yesterday And it is compared to the morning light and to the Sunne which Prov. 4. 18. commeth forth as a Bridegroome out of his Chamber and rejoyceth as a Giant to run his course The morning light waxeth brighter and Psal 19. brighter the Sun shineth more and more unto the noone day Even so good men must wax better better The Church is Gods vineyard his people are his plants the plants must grow and the Christians increase Terra Domini est ecclesia ejus ipse rigat ipsam colit ipse agricola pater Gods ground is his Church he tills dungs Aug. in Psa 36. waters himselfe is the Husbandman and we must bring forth fruit and grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Paul prayeth for the Philippians that they may abound in grace more and Phil. 1. 9. more And for the Colossians To increase in knowledge Let vs grow up therefore into full holinesse in the feare of God in grace 1 Cor. 7. 1. there is no stand but either a progresse or a regresse non oportet Chrysost Homil. 14. exordia sola habere clara sed clariorem finem A good beginning must have a better end The runner must continue to the goale and the Champion to the victory The Orator will shine most in the end Vt cum plausibus discedat that hee may depart with credit The wicked grow worse and worse He that puts his hand to the plough must not looke backe hee shall have the crowne of victory that continueth unto death and hee be saved that growes better to the end Non progredi est regredi not Luke 9. Mat. 12. Bern. to goe forward is to goe backeward We must not be like Ioshua his Sunne which stood still nor like Ezekiahs Sunne which went backeward but like Davids Sunne which alway goeth forward As well was hee punished that hid his talent as he that spent his Mat. 25. Luke 16. masters goods riotously The Divines hold two principles in divinity That good men goe forward their ditch becommeth a flood and their flood a Sea they looke forth as the morning as faire as the Moone Eccles 24. 35. Cant. 6. 9. Iohn 15. 2. pure as the Sunne terrible as an army with Banners they beare fruit and Christ purgeth them That they may bring forth more fruit they flourish like a Palme tree and grow as a Cedar of Lebanon they are planted in the house of the Lord and will flourish in the Courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in their age they Psal 92. 13. 14. shall be fat and flourishing Another principle in Divinity is that bad men decrease they grow from Lovers to Lechers from Liars to Swearers from Quarrellers to Killers They are ever learning as Paul said of the 2 Tim. 3. 7. Hypocrites and never come to the knowledge of the truth they are plants not planted by Christ therefore to be rooted up for they be Ier. 9. 2. 3. Adulterers and an assembly of rebels They bend their tongues like their bowes for lies but they haue no courage for the truth upon the earth for they proceede from evill to worse and they have not knowne mee saith the Lord. They have seven sinnes more and seven Devils moe enter and their plague shall bee seven times greater Mat. 12. But let us Crescere de virtute in virtutem grow from vertue to vertue and let our workes bee more at the last than at the first and let us try our selves every day whether wee goe forward or Apoc. backward in Religion A wise occupier will at the yeeres end see whether he hath gained or lost and a wise Christian will examine himselfe whether hee bee increased or decreasing in Religion in Faith in Zeale in Knowledge and Godlinesse For there bee more Bankrupts in Religion than in any Trade besides in the whole World Salomon lost his ships Laban his sheepe Esau his lands and birth-right the Prodigall sonne his patrimonie 1 Reg. 10. Gen. 30. Heb. 12. Luke 15. Iob 1 1 Tim. 1. 19. Iob his cattell but most men lose faith love piety and a good conscience they are poorer to God this yeere than the last For as touching Faith Religion Love Zeale c. they have made shipwracke The Wicked are like Nebuchadnezzars Image whose head was all of gold whose shoulders were all of silver whose belly was all of brasse whose legges were all of iron and feete of clay they are worst at last they live not to amend but to fulfill the measure of their iniquity The first yeere wee are Angels the second Mat. 23. 32. yeere Men the third yeere devills like the Taxus of India which the first yeelded fruit the second yeere leaves the Perseverance brings the Crowne third yeere poyson But hast thou left Sodome Looke not back againe with Lots wife lest thou bee turned into a pillar of Salt Hast thou marched toward the heavenly Canaan turne not Gen. 19. Act. 7. 1 Cor. 9. backe againe in thine heart like the Israelites Hast thou begun to runne in the wayes of God like the Corinths Sic curre ut comprehendas so runne that thou mayst obtaine hast thou begunne in the spirit make not an end in the flesh like the Galathians Gal. 3. 2 Cor. 12. pray thrice as Paul did yea pray seven times as Elias did yea pray without ceasing that thou mayst goe forward in Religion Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri Adam 1 Reg. 18. fell from Paradise Iudas from the schoole of our Saviour the Angels from Heaven yea the whole world falleth Scarce one of a hundred of a thousand hold fast the profession of their hope Heb. 10 32. without wavering But to proceed Iude saith of these Angels That they left their habitation Where Gods justice is discharged of all blot and staine for willingly wilfully they fell from God that God might be just when he speaketh and pure when hee judgeth The Scripture therefore distinguisheth the times of their state The first time is their creation in which they were made all
and bring him quickly into our Ladies bands and make him sinke by beggerie The Apostle Paul useth many reasons against it able to move an heart of flint if there be any droppe of grace in him if he pertaine to Gods election if he be not vas irae a vessell of wrarh a reprobate a firebrand in Hell 1 Cor. 6. 13 14 a member of the Divell His first reasons is that The body was made for the Lord a swell as the soule his second That the body shall 15 16 18 19. be raised up at the last day to an incorruptible estate His third That our bodies are the members of Christ His fourth He that coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one body with an harlot the fifth This is sinne in a speciall sense against our owne bodies the sixth The body is the temple of the holy Ghost finally The body is bought with a price and therfore is not our owne These are the reasons that the Apostle useth against this sinne to make all men to deny it and defye it But to proceede the wrath of God against this sinne of whordome is as the fire of Aetna not only to burne the whrne and the whoremonger but their seed as one said the bastard shall be a faggot a firebrand in Hell to burne the parents For the children of adulterers shall not be partakers of the holy things and the seed of the wicked bed shall be rooted out and though they Wisd 3. 16 17 18 19. live long yet shall they be nothing regarded and their last age shall be without honor if they dye hastily they have no hope neither comfort in the day of triall For horrible is the end of the wicked generation And againe the bastard-plants shall VVisd 4. 3 4. take no deep root nor lay any fast foundation For though they bud forth in the branches for a time yet they shal be shaken with the wind for they stand not fast they shal be rooted out As The divell prevailes most by uncleannesse one said of the theefe on Christs right hand that Luke nameth one theefe to let us see that all theeves are not damned and yet but one theefe to let us see that all theeves are not saved So say Luke 23. I of Iephta that God nameth one bastard to let vs see that all Iudg. 11. 1. are not rejected of God and yet but one to let us see that all are not accepted of God I exclude them not from the Covenant of life I abridge not the mercies of God I clip not the wings of his compassion towards them For it is as great a sinne to abridge the mercies of God to the penitent as to dilate it and prostitute it to the reprobate For the Lord is stronge mercifull Exod. 34. 6 7. and gracious slow to anger and abundant in mercy and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne And againe Hee is gracious and slow to anger and of great kindnesse Ioel. 2. 13. and repenteth him of the evill But this is it that I insist upon and take in hand to prove that God punisheth the uncleane and incontinent persons even in their seed aswell as in their bodies goods and name and let all men that take pleasure in this sinne assure themselves that the end will be bitter as worme-wood Prov. 5. 4. and sharpe as a two-edged sword For hee that followeth a strange woman is as an Oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole that goeth Prov. 7. 22. to the stockes for correction till a dart strike thorow his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that she is in danger For they that goe to a strange woman seldome returne againe neither take they hold of the Prov. 2. 18. way of life If they reply that David did commit adultery and yet did returne I answer it is true of many thousand adulterers one David did returne but thou hast cause rather to feare to perish wirh the multitude than to returne with David But before I prosecute this point further note the mercy and wisdome of God in the decalogue In the first precept he provideth for our callings that no man contemne us but honour us in the sixth for our bodies that no man kill them in the eighth for our goods that no man steale them in the seventh for our wives that no man abuse them that none violate their chastity and therefore severely hath God revenged this sinne he hath punished it in the great ones hee hath set a marke a brand of vengeance upon them as upon Pharoah in Egypt and Abimilech Gen. 12. Psal 160. 30. in Gerar and yet they touched not Sara but onely intended it So Phinees ranne thorow a Lord and Lady Moses Numb 25. hanged the heads and Princes of the people And if God hath not spared the high cedars of lebanon looke not that he will spare the low shrubs Potentes potenter punientur the mighty shall Wisd 6. 6. Acts 10. 34. be mightily punished and meane men shall bee punished also Deus non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is no accepter of persons Eusebius Cremonensis reporteth of Ierome that on his death-bed he used these words unto his Disciples Ensis diaboli est luxuria ô quot illa romphaea inter fecit lechery is the sword of the divell ô how many hath this sword slaine Est rete diaboli ô quot illud rete inescavit Many of the Saints have beene overtaken by adultery it is the net of the divell O how many hath it deceived Est esca diaboli it is the bait of the divell O how many hath this baite entrapped There is no sinne in the second table wherein the divell hath more prevailed and gone away a greater conquerer than in this sin of Whoredome and therefore it is noted that in Mary Magdalen there were seven divels For this sinne wee read Luke 7. Gen. 6. that it repented God that ever he made man and indeed the mischiefes that come of this sinne be manifold Nam luxuria corpus debilitat memoriam hebitat cor aufert oculos caecat famam denigrat marsupium evacuat furta homicidia infert iram Dei provocat for lechery weakneth the body infeebleth the minde dulleth the memory taketh away the heart blindeth the eyes hurteth the good name emptieth the purse causeth thefts murders and all other sinnes kndleth Gods wrath For this sinne God brought a floud of water upon the old world and for this sinne the Lord reigned fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven and destroyed Gen. 6. Sodome Yea for this sinne God slew foure and twenty thousand Cave vinum cave mulieres take heed of wine take heed of women he that useth wine carryeth fire in his bosome and a woman is sagitta diaboli the arrow of the divell Homo mulier sunt ignis palea
while the meat was yet in their mouthes the heavy wrath of God came upon Psal 78. 30 31. them and slew the strongest of them and smote downe the chosen men of Israel This made Iob to offer sacrifice for his children hee Ioâ— 1. 4 5. knew how many falls are in belly-cheare Men eate and drinke away their Christ yea they eate and drinke away their soules nay they eate and drinke away their salvation the fruit of the flesh is found more among the poore than the rich which is a double sinne Chrysostome in this respect preferreth brute beasts befor us for they goe from belly to labour we go from belly to bed if not to worse we eate till we surfeit and drinke till we be drunken we eate while we sleepe and sleepe till we be hungry againe wee sleepe compasse from eight to eight of the clocke And note that he saith that they fed themselves onely where observe two things First that they did not glorifie GOD in their meats and drinkes Secondly That they relieved not others but fed themselves All our eating and drinking every morsell of bread or drop of drinke that we put into our mouthes should be to the glory of God so saith the Apostle Whether yee eat or drinke or whatsoever 1 Cor. 10. 31. yee doe doe all to the glory of God but we like the Israelites sit downe to eate and drinke and rise up to play these are the effects of 1 Cor. 10. 7. our Feasts Alas we eate and drinke daily and yet not one among an hundred nay scarce one among a thousand can tell how to eate and drinke to please God in it namely that wee may bee the stronger and apter to walke in our generall calling of Christianity and in our particular callings to Gods glory and the good of the Church in discharge of our duties Wee read not that Dives surfeited yet feeding him selfe not doing any good hee Luke 16. 19. is condemned This is that which God spake by Zachary When ye fasted and mourned the fifth and seventh month even these seventy Zach. 7. 5 6. yeeres did ye fast unto me doe I approve it and when yee did eate and when yee did drinke did yee not eate for your selves and drinke for your selves Secondly they fed and lived but not to any bodies good but Wee must not be like Nabal providing only to feed our selves to pamper themselves this was the sinne of Israel not that they had the calves of the stall that they lay on beds of Ivorie that they warbled to the tune of the Vyoll c. but that they neglected the poore amongst them Wee are borne for others the Heathen Amos 6. 6 8. could say Ortus nostri partem patria vendicat our Country challengeth part of our birth our friends part our kinsfolkes part for none of us liveth to himselfe Nemo igitur sua quaerat Let no man Rom. 14. 7. seeke his owne things his owne profit health or wealth but his Neighbours Ye know the life and end of churlish Nabal at his sheepe-shearing he kept a feast as it had been a King and David sending unto him for some victuals hee answered Davids servants 1 Sam. 25. Who is David and who is the sonne of Ishai there bee many servants now adayes that breake from their masters shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be This was the sinne of the shepheards of Israel they fed themselves They did eate the fat and cloathed themselves with the wooll yea they did kill them that Ezech. 34. â— 3. were fed but fed not the sheepe If we eate onely to satisfie hunger the Horse and the Hog eate with as good a conscience as wee doe for as every creature of God is good so it ought to be received 1 Tim. 4. 4. of us with thanksgiving And observe that Iude noteth this as a great fault in the godly that they suffered the wicked to eate among them to staine their meetings these spots were as the menstruous cloth of a Esa 64. woman as the spots of a Leopard all the water in the Sea cannot Ier. 13. wash them away all Niter and Borith cannot cleanse them they are as drops of blood in Lawne or Camericke they did Ier. 2. not onely defile their feasts but them also that feasted with them they were like menstrusie to staine them and pollute them If any that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an 1 Cor. 5. 11. Idolator or a rayler or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one eate not if ye eate or company with them they will defile you Origen would not pray with an Hereticke Martian would have saluted Polycarpe and taken him by the hand No saith hee Agnosco te primogenitum diaboli I know thou art the first borne of the divell Iohn the Evangelist would not wash in the bath wherin Cerinthus an enemy to GODS trueth bathed himselfe Every one that will avoid evill must avoid the company of the evill for he shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle and rest upon his holy Mountaine In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but hee Psal 15. 4. honoureth them that feare the Lord therefore Iude taxeth the godly for conversing with Epicures for feeding with them and telleth them that they are spots in their feasts With this also God charged the two Churches of Ephesus and Pergamus they had many good things in them yet had God this against Ephesus that Shee had them that maintained the doctrine of the Nicholaitanes which The Godly have ever abandoned the wicked were as spots to staine them And against Pergamus that Shee had them that maintained the doctrine of Balaam These spots should bee wiped out of the Lords glasse these Lepers should bee Apoc. 2 6 14. banished the hoast of Israel these goats should not come into the Lords field these tares should not come into the Lords barne Doest thou love God and the Gospel of God then love the friends of God and hate his enemies as David did Doe not I Psal 139. 21 22 hate them that hate thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them right sore as if they were my enemies There is no man but hee may doe some thing to discountenance sinne and sinners no Flie so little but hath his spleene no Pismier but hath his choller no Hare so little but hath his shadow and no man so meane but hee may reprove the Wicked therefore let thy countenance to such be as the North-wind and never entertaine Iudas with Iohn nor Simon Magus with Simon Peter As the sweet river Hippanus is made bitter when it passeth the Pole Exanthe like the bitter water spoken of in the booke of Numbers So are men made
nothing more foolish nothing more base nothing more inhumane nothing more impious then pride yet there is no end of this humour men are proud in death and life yea and beyond death like Abimelech who bade his Page kill him that it might not be said that he died by the hand of a woman yet a Iudg. 9. 55. woman gave him his deadly wound This made men to call their houses and their townes after their owne names that they might live in spight of God if not in themselves yet in their posterity but they are notably travised by the Spirit of God when he saith Wise men dye aswell as fooles and leave their riches for Psal 49. 10 11 12. others yet they thinke that their houses and habitations shall continue for ever and call their Lands after their owne names but man shall not continue in honour but is like the beasts that perish Many desire to live if it be but in an Epitaph in an Inscription on their grave yet names are rotten many times before their carkases Sir Thomas More sent unto Erasmus for verses to be ingraven upon his tombe At patibulum erat illi pro sepulchro the blocke was to him for a sepulcher quoth Calvin who compareth him to Shebna unto whom God said What hast thou to do here that thou shouldest here hew thee out a sepulcher as he that heweth out his sepulcher in an high place or that graveth an habitation for himselfe in a rocke for whereas Shebna thought to make his name immortall by his famous sepulcher he dyed most miserably among the Assyrians So Sir Thomas More thought to make his name immortall by his tombe epitaph there written he perished as a traitour Stately tombes and epitaphs are nothing every passenger censureth and saith Thy pompe is brought downe to the grave the worme is spred under thee and Esa 14. 11 the wormes cover thee Thou saidst I will ascend up to heaven and exalt my throne above besides the starres of God but thou shalt be brought down to the grave to the sides of the pit So Caesar an heathen derided the pride of Cyrus for his sepulcher and said Coelo tegitur qui non habet True zeale burnes out by degrees till it come to full flame urnam superbiain coelo nata est sed velut immemor qua via inde cecidit illuc ideo redire non potuit Pride as one prettily speaketh was bred in heaven but having as it were forgotten which way it fell from thence it could never afterwards finde the way thither againe Hugo lib. de anima Let us therefore abandon this sinne of pride and hate it as the Divell himselfe nay more then the Divell For the Divell cannot hurt thee till pride hath possessed thee And there be two things that make a man proud Scientia Divitiae Knowledge and Riches Scientiainflat saith Paul Knowledge puffeth up Divitiae inflant Riches also puffe up therefore saith Paul to Timothy Charge 1 Cor. 8. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 17. rich men that they bee not high-minded As hee that drinkes wine shall feele it fume into his head though he be never so sober so wealth is a cup of fuming wine which the best man that lives shall feele fuming in his heart and some are made starke drunk withall They are drunke but not with wine and as wormes breed Esa 29. 9. Aug. in the hearts of trees so pride the Worme of wealth for so a Father cals it commonly breedeth in the hearts of rich men And this pride God hateth let us hate it also For it is Radix cuncti mali Regina omnium vitiorum It is the roote of all evill and the Greg. in M◠Queene of all vice The third vice that hee chargeth them with it is hypocrisie in that they being in malice like Cain in covetousnesse like Balaam in rebellion like Chore yet eate and feast with the godly Clouds without raine waves without water trees without fruit starres without light And here is to be observed the greae zeale of the Apostle which as fire kindling by little and little is now come to his height and heate he cannot forbeare them any longer but must needs paint them out in their colours Iames and Iohn were Mar. 3. filii tonitrui sonnes of thunder And surely wee had need thunder in this age men are so asleepe By these degrees did the zeale of Paul grow to this height Yee cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord and the cup of Divels yee cannot bee partaker of the Lords table 1 Cor. 10. 21 22. and of the table of Divels doe wee provoke the Lord to anger are wee stronger than hee as if he should say God will either breake thee or bend thee there is no striving against him David speaking of Idols at last bursteth out They that make them are like unto Psal 135. 18. them and so are all they that put their trust in them and God will binde them both in one bundle and cast them into the fire So Debcra having spoken of the wickednesse of Sisera concludeth with an execration against all the wicked rising ab Hypothesi ad Thesim saying They fought from Heaven even the Searres in their courses Iudg. 5. 20 21 26 31. fought against Sisera The river Kison swept them away the ancient river the river Kishon Shee put her hand to the naile and her right hand to the Workmans hammer with the hammer smote shee Sisera shee God loveth sincerity and detesteth hypocrisie smote off his head after she had wounded and pearced his temples So let all thine enemies perish ô Lord c. But to leave this and to come to the sinne here condemned which is hypocrisie In speaking whereof he clappeth on all his sayles and goeth with full wind For he compareth hypocrites to clouds which promise raine and yet they be dry clouds they deceive the husbandman they bring no raine at all Hee compareth them to trees which blossome and flourish but bring forth no fruit and unto starres which promise light and yet do but deceive the poore traveller for they be wandring stars The Lord detesteth nothing more then for men to make his religion a cloake to their wickednesse and to thinke the bare profession of his name inough God requireth truth in the inward parts And in another Psal 51. 6. Psalme he bringeth in the Lord thus reasoning against hypocrites and counterfets which pretend but not intend Why doest thou take my Covenant in thy mouth and hatest to be reformed c Psal 50. 16. For this sinne God destroyed Shilo and removed his Arke from it the Arke had remained in Shilo about three hundred yeeres but after it was taken the Priests slaine and the people miserably discomfited Hereupon saith God Will yee steale murder and commit adultery and sweare falsely and burne incense unto Baal and Ier. 7. 7 8 9.
If I should please men saith the Gal. 1. 10. Apostle I am not the servant of God Now chuse whether thou wilt serve God or men we must learne of the Lord Iesus His enemies could say though temptingly That he was true taught the way of Mat. 22. 16. God truly neither cared for any man for he considered not the person of men As touching the outward quality as whether a man be rich or poore some workes of Christ are our instruction as his miracles some are our imitation as his deeds vertues Learne not therefore of Christ to rebuke the Wind to still the Sea to turne Mar. 5. Iohn 2. Luke 7. Iohn 9. Water into Wine to raise the Dead to open the eyes of the Blind for these thou canst not doe all these are thy instruction but learne to speake truely this thou mayest doe and this is thy imitation speake truth and that truely for God liketh better of Adverbes than of Nounes Christ spake without regard of men let us learne to speake so The word flatterer in Greeke signifieth servility or slavishnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he is a Page a Servant a Slave to other mens affections there is no difference betweene a Gally-slave and him but that the one is fettered in body the other in minde the one serveth the Turke the other the Divell the one chained for a time the other for ever For the Flatterer is in the snare of the Divel and is taken of him at his will Tot vincula habemus quot peccata we have so many bands as we have sinnes I would that there were not 2 Tim. 2. 26. of these Flatterers amongst the Church-men who should rather rebuke then flatter Surely the vulgar people delight to Soothing Preachers the most base flatterers be flattered and would not by their willes heare the Law of the Lord and hence is it That they say to the seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesy not unto us right things but speake flattering things unto us Prophesy errours But such flattering prophets the Holy Ghost Esay 30. 10. calleth the taile and saith The Lord will cut off from Israel head and taile branch and rush in one day the ancient and the honorable man hee Esay 9. 14 15. is the head and the prophet that teacheth lies he is the taile But as touching these flattering prophets that will sow pillowes under mens elbowes and sooth them up in their sins God will punish them He will feed them with Wormewood and make them drinke the water of gall The Holy Ghost compareth them to bad surgeons Ier. 23. 15. that bring toothsome but not wholesome medicines They have Ier. 8. 11. healed the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweet words saith God saying Peace peace when there was no peace Hence grew the ruine of Ierusalem hence is the ruine of England that we are not playne with our people we monish them not the complaint of God against the false prophets may bee taken up against many of us Thy prophets have looked out vaine and foolish things for thee and they have not discovered thine iniquity to turne away thy captivity but Lament 2. 14. looked out for thee false prophesies c. Ministers are called The salt Mat. 5. Ier. 8. of the earth the light of the World Physicians Surgeons Salt must needs be sharp to a rotten wound light is painefull to a sore eye a good Physician must trouble his patient ere hee heale him A Surgeon must lance a festred wound God will have Esay crie aloud Esay 58. 1. lift up his voice like a trumpet shew the people their offences and the house of Iacob their sinnes Ieremy must speake all that God commandeth He must not be afraid of mens faces Esay would not flatter Princes but told them that they were rebellious and companions of Ier. 1. 8. Esay 1. 23. theeves that they loved gifts and followed after rewards that they iudged not the fatherlesse and the Widowes complaints came not before them He that shall deale so with the Nobles of England shall have small thankes yet are they men and not God flesh and not spirit sinnefull aswell as they of Iuda Iames and Iohn were Boanarges sonnes of thunder we had need thunder and lighten as Pericles did Mar. 3. in Greece speaking will do little good we must not sow pillowes under Ezech. 13. 10. Gal. 4. 16. mens elbowes We say as Paul said to the Galatians Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Better you hate us then God For they that flatter you serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speeches and flattering deceive the hearts Rom. 16. 18. of the simple Flattery is a sinne but we are the cause of it the fault is in our selves No man can be flattered but he first flattereth himselfe no vermine breedeth where hee findeth no warmth no flies swarme where they see no flesh no Eagles light where they see no carcasse no man claweth but where he seeth pride in the partie to worke upon These men are as brasse-pots which be they never so huge yet a man can carry them by the eares where hee Reproofe profits more then flattery will so may these men bee carried by the eares and yet it is to their owne hurt For flatterers are like wormes and mothes which eate wooll and garments but it cannot be seene till the knop be off so proud men see not their sinnes till it bee too late Si fueris Thraso non deerit tibi Gnato If thou wilt be a boasting bragging Thraso thou shalt never want a flattring parasitical Gnato Thus by these flatterers many Gentlemen be cōsumed before they be aware their flattering followers undoe them There be two kindes of persecutions Manus persequentis Lingua adulantis the hand of the Tyrant and the tongue of the flatterer the latter is the worser as it is most pernicious to the soule it doth the soule good to be reprooved it driveth away sin as the North-wind doth the raine Multi culpāt amicos Many blame their friends but those accusations are but like water in a Smithes-forge to kindle not to quench the fire Let us blame and rebuke men not to make them worse but better not viler but warier David prayed Corripiat me justus Let the righteous smite me For that is a benefit Psal 41. 5. Let him reprove me and it shall be a precious oyle that shall not breake my August ser 59. de verbis Domini head Well said Augustine Non omnis qui parcit est amicus nec omnis qui ferit est inimicus Not every one that spareth us is a Friend nor every one that striketh us is an enemy Melius cum sinceritate diligere quà m cum levitate decipere better to love with sincerity then to deceive with levity
read the ancient Fathers to prove and trie every thing and Sectaries seek novelties and admire them to hold that which is good and not to depart from the faith of the Catholicke Church For there is but one dove one spouse one body of Christ Of this sinne the Apostle giveth the Church warning saying Let us consider one another and provoke unto love Hebr. 10. 24 25. and unto good Workes not forsaking the fellowship that we have among our selves as is the manner of some It is the manner of some to turne with the spiders breath the sweet iuyce of flowers into poison to seeke knots in bulrushes to stumble at every straw that stoppeth the course of their eager spirit to breake the bonds of peace to forsake this fellowship that wee should have among ourselves and to single and sever themselves by themselves they busie their braines about Pythagoras numbers Plato's Idea and Aristotles commonwealth they see not at Damascus a strange 2 Reg. 16. 10 11 Altar with Ahaz but they strait-way get the patterne and Vrias the Priest must make them the like at home But what saith Paul concerning these Sectaries I beseech you brethren saith he marke them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the Rom. 16 17 18. doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speeches and flattering deceive the heart of the simple The Prophet David saith Ierusalem a figure of the Church is built as a City that is at unity in it selfe and when the Holy Ghost Psal 122. 3. Act. 2. 1. Act. 4. 32. Iudg. 20. 1. came downe in visible signes upon the Apōstles They were all with one accord in one place and it is said that the whole multitude of them that beleeved in the first times had but one heart and one Soule It is said of Israel that they came together as it had beene one man with the same mind and intent not with as many opinions as persons The Iewes had but one kind of worship prescribed and 2 Chro. 30. 12. that in one only Temple And it is said of Iuda that the hand of the Lord was in Iuda so that he gave them one heart to do the commandement of the King and of the rulers according to the Word of the Lord So if we will become a spirituall building unto God if wee will receive the promise of the Holy Ghost if we will worship God in Spirit and truth if we will have the hand of the Lord upon us we must be at unity and concord with our selves we must abide with one accord and one mind in an house wee must have one heart to doe the commandement of the King and of the rulers we must not leave the Temple to follow every opinion but we must be no makers of Sects but must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace S. Peter prophesied and foretold of these Sectaries Ephes 4. 3. which privily should bring in damnable heresies even denying the 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. Lord that hath bought them and bring upon thmselves swift damnation and that many should follow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth saith he shall be evill spoken of and through covetousnesse shall they with fained words make marchandize of you c. There is in a naturall body a quicking soule a radicall humour and a naturall heate and there is in the spirituall body Division sometime more dangerous than Idolatry of the Church the Holy Ghost to give life to it Faith is the radicall humour to continue it and charity as the naturall heate or vitall Spirit carried throughout the Arteries or parts of the Church For All things must be done in love Division and discord 1 Cor. 10. 14. Sects and Schismes are the cause of all evill of all mischiefe this is that Pandoras boxe that Trojane horse from whom all evill and mischiefe doe proceed Example among many other may be the Church of Corinth who beginning about matters of ceremonies and policie proceeded first to division and separation some holding of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas and some of Christ and so to false doctrine denying the Resurrection 1 Cor. 1. 12. and therefore by the Canon of the Apostle to be avoided and Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria told Novatus that it was Euseb de vit Const 2. more grievous to breake the unity of the Church then to commit Idolatry For this saith hee was punished but with the sword but the other with the opening gulfe of the earth swallowing up the Authors and confederates thereof Et non dubitabitur sceleratius esse commissum quod gravius erat vindicatum And there is no doubt but that was more haynously committed which was more sharply and severely punished If yee have bitter Iam. 3. 14 16. envying and strife in your hearts saith the Holy Ghost reioyce not for where envying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of evill wayes There be three Furies in Hell Heresy Schisme Apostacy Saith a learned man Haeresis errorem fundamentalem in side tuetur Heresy defendeth some fundamentall error in the faith Schisma unitatem Ecclesiae ob minuta discindit Schisme cutteth in sunder the unity of the Church for small and trifling things Apostasia rectam fidem religionem penitùs abdicat Apostasie utterly rejecteth and forsaketh the right Faith Religion of God and turneth from the holy Commandements given of God For heresy is occupied about dogmaticall conclusions concerning Faith and beliefe Schisme about rites and ceremonies and other things of no moment For whosoever shall obstinately defend any perverse corrupt opinion is an Hereticke whosoever shall divide himselfe from the Church for manners and rites is a Schismaticke Againe one and the selfe-same errour in divers men hath divers names For a false opinion of God is in a Iew Infidelity in an Ethnike Paganisme in a Christian heresy in a Turke Ignorancy Heresy is only in such as are baptized even as Schisme is Finely said Bibliander that one sinne according to divers effects hath divers names For to doe any thing against the Scriptures saith hee it is sinne or rebellion rather to thinke any thing contrary to the Scriptures it is foolishnesse to contradict them is error to forsake them Apostacy Pride the cause of heresy schisme All these are pardonable if they be not wilfull we must therefore be very watchfull that Satan possesseth not our mind heart or life our mind with perverse doctrine our heart with wicked affections our life with evill manners Study therefore day and night to keep the mind in purity and in the knowledge Hemming of the trueth the heart with pious and holy cogitations and thy life with chast manners and good examples Cyprian saith Vnum tentat diabolus tentat ut
have done vertuously but thou Pro. 31. 29. surmountest them all As Christ commended Iohn Baptist above all Nazarites saying There is no greater Prophet than Iohn among them Luk. 7. 28. that are begotten of women And the Lord Moses above all Prophets So Iude commendeth Faith above al vertues All precious stones Deut. 34. are good yet none like the Topaze all flowres are faire yet none Iob 28. like the Lily most trees bring fruit but none like the Apple-tree Faith purifies our hearts and makes our actions and persons holy of Persia or the Tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and gave fruit every moneth Many vertues are excellent and further our salvation yet none like faith Iustice giveth every man his owne temperancy restraineth lusts fortitude beareth Apoc. 22. 2. 1 Iohn 5. 4. all labour and toile prudence guideth our actions but faith overcommeth the world so doe not other vertues faith is like the three 2 Sam. 23. worthies of David who brake thorow the whole host and drew water of the Well of Bethlem Ionathan and his armour-bearer 1 Sam. 19. slew twenty men Shamgar with an Oxe goade slew six hundred Iudg. 3. 31. Iudg. 15. Philistines Samson with the jaw-bone of an Asse slew a thousand men thus these men brake thorow an whole host and faith overcommeth the whole world In this faith Paul insulted over heaven and earth men and Angels I am perswaded saith Paul that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor Rom. 8. 38. things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And againe he saith I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keep that which I have committed unto him meaning himselfe against that day It is called Holy yea most Holy for all our works are polluted and receive their holinesse from faith and faith from Christ who is the object of it As the Sunne giveth light to all Planets as salt seasoneth all meates so Faith seasoneth all works for in themselves they are polluted For who can say I have made my heart cleane I am cleane from sinne For as the holy man of god saith Hee found no stedfastnesse Pro. 20. 9. Iob 4. 18 19. in his servants and laid folly upon his Angels how much more in them that dwell in houses of Clay whose foundation is the dust which shall bee destroyed before the moth And againe he maketh this demand and saith What is man that he should be cleane And hee that is borne of a Woman that hee should be just Wee are all as a menstruous cloth Cap. 15. 14. as an uncleane thing we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the wind haue taken us away only Faith purifieth our hearts To come neerer fidem sanctissimam vocat ratione objecti hee Act. 15. 9. calleth it most holy Faith by reason of the object Deum enim trinum unum respicit it respecteth three and one three in Persons one in Essence Morall vertues they are occupied about humane objects and things created as liberality about giving of good things temperance about meate drinke fleshly lusts leachery c. Fortitude in suffring adversity therefore they cannot be called most holy vertues Againe it is called most holy Faith in respect of the efficient cause thereof that is to say the Holy Ghost For the Holy Ghost bestoweth upon us all good things love joy peace long 1 Cor. 12 Gal. 5. 22. suffering gentlenesse goodnesse Faith meeknesse temperance all these and all the rest are the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost Now because the Authour is holy his Works his gifts and graces bee holy Nil nisi sanctum à sancto spiritu prodire potest If no holines no Faith Nothing can come from the holy Spirit but that which is holy Aug. Learne here to judge of the works of the elder World their almes their prayer their love what love could there be without faith and what faith could there bee among them without the doctrine of God Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God But did they fast often Wee seldome or never Did they Rom. 10. 14. give almes and doe we live unto our selves are our right hands dryed up with Ieroboams Did they pray in the night wee scarce in the day Did they love one another agree together and doe wee sue and sting one another like the Serpents of Sinai O brethren they shall rise in judgement against us as Christ said of the Ninivites Except our righteousnesse our prayers our love exceed theirs wee shall not enter into Heaven our faith is Mat. 11. not most holy no nor holy nay no faith at all And by the way note that hee calleth faith holy not unholy unjust unchaste drunken faith such as the world braggeth of in these dayes the dead faith that Saint Iames inveigheth against so earnestly All lewd men boast of faith but I will say to them as Iames said O stende mihi fidem per opera Shew me thy faith by thy workes shew mee it by thy zeale thy piety thy truth thy chastity thy mercy with our faith let us joyne vertue The Israelites cryed Templum Domini templum Domini the Temple of 2 Pet. 1. 5. the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Pharisees cryed The Baptisme of Iohn the Baptisme of Iohn the Iewes cried We have Abraham to our Father the Scribes cried We have Moses to our Doctor the Ephesians cryed Great is Diana of the Ephesians but Ieremy bade the Israelites amend their wayes and their works Ier. 7. 4. Iohn bade the Pharisees bring forth fruits of Repentance Christ bade the Iewes doe the Workes of Abraham He told the Scribes Luk. 3. 8. Iohn 8. Iohn 5. Ephes 4. 20. that Moses would condemne them and Paul told the Ephesians that they had not so learned Christ and so say we to these men that boast of faith I will reason with them as Ieremy did with the people Will yee steale murder and commit adultery and sweare falsly Ier. 7. 9 10. and burne incense unto Baal and walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before mee in this house whereupon my Name is called even so will we sweare lye raile slander and say that we beleeve Was Gods house a denne for theeves is faith become a cloake for theeves whoremongers lyers swearers usurers Idolaters blasphemers drunkards pot-companions c I say of this faith as Saint Iames said of Wisedome This wisedome descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and divelish so Iam. 3. 5. this faith is not from above but is earthly sensuall and divelish For faith sheweth it selfe in good workes and can no more be separated from it
gods may not understand that you like roguish robbing rascals are here sayling Alas wee tumble out our prayers as a Beares whelpe they are like arrowes without heads that cannot pierce like swords without edge that cannot cut they be too blunt to obtaine any thing of God they have no wings to mount up to heaven We aske and receive not because wee aske amisse We do either postulare non postulanda we aske things that Iam. 4. 3. Bern. are not to bee asked or else when wee aske them wee pray not in the holy Ghost Oh that all men knew this that all England had learned that not all prayers but spirituall prayers are accepted of God! but wee are ignorant and will be ignorant still filthy and will bee Apoc. 22. 11. filthy still But let us amend this fault learne at last to pray for prayer is good so that it be a true reflexion of the soule from the feeling of Gods mercies and our owne wants God hath promised us all good things under his hand and seale but yet with a condition so that wee pray truly and aske them as we should The Lord is neere to all them that call upon him yea unto all such as call upon Psal 145. 18. him faithfully For many carry prayer in their mouthes as meÌ„ carry fire in a flint and perfume in a pomander the one without heate the other without smell so they carry prayer without all devotion verball vocall prayers can obtaine nothing of God When yee stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you saith God and though yee make many prayers I will not heare THE THREE AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XXI And keep your selves in the Love of God c. Faith prayer and love have mutuall relation FRom faith he came unto prayer froÌ„ prayer he commeth now to love bie est enim aurea catena for this is a goldeÌ„ chaine every linke is one within another these three goe together like the three Angels that came to Lot like the three graces that are Gen. 19. inseparable or like the three Worthies who brake thorow the host of the Philistins Faith begetteth 2 Sam. 23. prayer and prayer strengtheneth the faith and neither of these can stand without love prayer and love be as the two mighty rivers named in Genesis Pishon and Gihon and faith as the garden of Eden out of which they flow or the sea into which they runne and where all of them jointly doe end their course Love is a chiefe a principall vertue Faith and Love the one with God the other with men bee as the roote and the branch as the mother and the daughter as the foundation and pillars of all Christian buildings the end of all is Love the end of the first table the Love of God the end of the second the love of man so saith the Holy Ghost The end of the Commandement is Love out of a pure heart out 1 Tim. 1. 15. of a good conscience and out of a faith not fained Whatsoever precept or commandement is in the Scripture it hath relation to Love For be that loveth another fulfilleth the Law Christianity is where the Rom. 13. Spirit is and where the Spirit is there is Love For God is Love Love the most excellent of all vertues and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him Austen saith that a man may have baptisme and yet bee wicked prophecy and yet be wicked take the Sacrament of the body and Aug. Hom. 15. bloud of the Lord and yet be wicked be named a Christian and yet bee wicked Habere Sacramenta ista omnia malus esse potest habere autem charitatem malus esse non potest He may have all these Sacraments and yet be wicked but if he have Love hee cannot be wicked Paul reckoning up the fruits of the Spirit he nameth Love first as the Gentleman-Vsher to goe before them all The fruites of the Spirit saith hee is Love joy peace c. For as Manna Gal. 5. 22. Exod. 16. Exod. 3. Iudg. excelled all bread as Aarons rod did eate up the rods of the sorcerers as Gedeons sword passed all the swords of the Madianites so Love passeth all other vertues All our bebts should stand in Love so saith the Apostle Owe nothing to any man but this Rom. 13. 8. that yee love one another Our debts were soone paid and our Executors should bee soone discharged if this were of this debt we can never be discharged so long as we live The journey of Israel was ended in forty yeeres Herods temple was built finished in six forty yeeres Noahs Arke was perfited in an 120. yeeres but this debt is never ended Beloved saith S. Iohn let us love one another for Love commeth of God every one that loveth is borne of God knowith God but hee that loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love S. Peter naming many vertues maketh up the measure and ends in love Ioyne saith he vertue with your faith with vertâ—e knowledge 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse Love This vertue above all others is as the hoope or fagot-band that keepeth all close therefore saith the Apostle Above all things put on Love which is the bond of perfection Col. 3. 14. As the Sunne giveth light to all Planets as salt seasoneth all meates as the Moone ruleth over the Sea and all moist bodies as the rod of the Tribe of Levi passed in honour all other tribes so Love passeth all qualities among men Though I spake 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3. with the tongues of men and Angels and have no love I am as sounding brasse or a tinckling Cymball and though I bad the gift of Prophecy and knew all secrets and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I could remove mountaines and had no love it profiteth me nothing and though I feed the poore with all my goods and though I give my body that I be burned and have not Love it profiteth me nothing For this cause hee willeth the Ephesians to follow the truth in Love Moses did wish that Ephes 4. 13. Numb 11. 29. all the Lords people could prophesie and That the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Saint Paul did wish that all men were like himselfe in purity and that all did speake strange languages but rather that 1 Cor. 7. 7. 1 Cor. 14. 5. Aug. they prophesied Saint Augustine wished that all would remember Love and brings this reason Sola est enim quae vincit omnia sine qua nil valent omnia and ubique fuerit trahit ad se omnia For onely Love overcommeth all things and without Love all things Love is every where very cold are nothing