Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A05349
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A treatise tending to unitie in a sermon preached at Droghedah on Whitsunday (being the ninth of Iune 1622.) before the Kings Majesties Commissioners for Ireland. By Henry Leslie.
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Leslie, Henry, 1580-1661.
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1623
(1623)
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STC 15501; ESTC S102368
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36,074
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58
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A TREATISE TENDING TO VNITIE IN A SERMON PREACHED AT DROGHEDAH ON WHITSVNDAY being the ninth of Iune 1622. before the Kings Majesties Commissioners for IRELAND By Henry Leslie Quoties dicimus toties judicamur Hierom. DUBLIN Printed by the Societie of Stationers 1623. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD CHRISTOPHER by Gods providence Archbishop of Ardmagh Primate of all Ireland and Metropolitan and one of his Maiesties most honourable Privie Councell MOST REVEREND IT was by your Graces direction that this Sermon was preached and now by the same appointment it is published that the world may see it contayneth nothing but truth and is free from undiscreet raylings wherewith it was charged by them who dare adventure to censure us before they heare us Now these my small labours and the labours of some few dayes being the first fruits of my weake engine I here present unto your Grace to whom I owe my selfe and all I have much more my service with the labour of my hands head and heart as most bounden Indeed this small offering is no more equivalent to my debt than a mole-hill is to a mountaine But whatsoever my barren ground can afford shall be ever at your Honours command to which most humbly I prostrate my selfe praying alwayes that God would be pleased to continue your Grace long unto this poore Church of Ireland that like another Nehemiah you may build up the walls of this decayed IERUSALEM Your Graces most bounden Chaplaine HENRY LESLY A TREATISE TENDING TO VNITIE I. TIM II. V. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Iesus VNder the Old Testament they observed the Feast of Pentecost in remembrance of the Law given at Sinai so it hath beene the practise of the Church under the New Testament to keep the like Feast at the same time in remembrance of the Gospell which came from Ierusalem For if the Law should be thus honoured which is the ministration of death 2. Cor. 3.7 how much more the Gospell which is the ministration of life and that not written in tables of stone as was the Law but in the tables of our hearts by the holy Spirit for this Spirit did descend upon the Apostles in a visible shape on the day of Pentecost Act. 2 according to Christs promise that hee would send unto them another comforter Ioh. 14.16 17 26. even the Spirit of truth Ioh. 16.13 1. Cor. 2.10 to leade them into all truth to teach them all things even the deepe things of God So that those great and secret mysteries which under the Old Testament were shut up from the people like unto the Sanctuarie into which entrance was seldome made are now made open to the understanding of all the faithfull for this Spirit hath revealed them unto the Apostles and the Apostles in their writings have cleerely taught them unto us Even in these few words which I have read behold a bundle of these mysteries but obscurely known in former times now plainly set forth unto us as the mysterie of the Godhead of our reconciliation to God of Christs mediation and of his incarnation There is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus The words containe the summe of the Gospell and chiefe heads of our Christian faith catechising us plainly in sixe maine grounds and principles of Religion I. That there is a God else how should he be one II. that this God is one there is one God III. that this one God is reconciled and made one with us by a mediator for there is a mediator betweene God and men IV. that this mediator is one and one mediator V. that Christ Iesus is this one mediator VI. that Christ Iesus is a man the man Christ Iesus There is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus Thus hee leadeth us by the hand from those things which are most commonly knowne and received to these that be lesse manifest everie one of these principles revealing unto us a greater mysterie and further degree of knowledge For the first that there is a God is acknowledged by all men The second that this God is one is not so commonly knowne as the former for the Gentiles worshipped a multitude of gods yet is it generally confessed not only by the Church but also by the wisest of the Heathen The third that this God is reconciled to us by a mediator exceeds the knowledge of all Gentiles whatsoever who had nothing but the light of nature for it is not knowne by nature but by revelation from God yet is it granted by manie false teachers Papists Iewes and also others who receive but a parcell of Gods word But the fourth that this mediator is one is lesse manifest yet for it is refused by the Papists yet received by the Iewes But the fift that Christ Iesus is this one mediator doth exceed their faith also yet is it acknowledged by manie Heretickes who notwithstanding denied the humane nature of Christ So that the sixt and last that Christ Iesus is a man is most hid and privie as being the proper faith of the true Church As every one of these principles revealeth a further degree of knowledge so also a greater measure of comfort The first that there is a God to whom wee may have recourse in the day of trouble is a great comfort to us but if there were manie Gods so that wee knew not to which of them we should runne for help our comfort were but small therefore the second principle shewes that this God is onely one But albeit there be a God and onely one God yet if we be at enmitie with him wee have greater cause to feare than to reioyce in the third place therefore hee removeth this feare shewing that there is a mediator by whom man is reconciled unto God But yet if there were not one but manie mediators and wee knew not to whom rather to betake us what better should we be therefore in the fourth hee taketh away this doubt also affirming that there is one mediator But though there be but one mediator yet what if he be unknowne to us wee are still as before therefore the fift position leades us by the hand unto the particular person Christ Iesus who is this one mediator But what of all this if Christ Iesus be only God and so as strange to us as the pattic it selfe with whom we are at enmitie therefore to make our ioy full the sixt principle tells us that hee is a man A man and so neare unto us not in place for hee is contayned within the heavens according to his manhood but neare unto us in blood for he is a brother of ours bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and neare unto us in affection for he hath compassionate bowels he is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 and was in all sorts tempted
who are in authoritie would alwayes have before their eyes that charge which Iehoshaphat gave unto his Iudges 2. Chron. 19.6 And he said to the Iudges Take heed what yee doe for yee execute not the judgement of man but of the Lord Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be with you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neyther respect of persons nor receiving of reward The scond use is generall for all Christians If God be one the mediator one then should we likewise be one So the Apostle reasoneth Eph. 4.4 There is one bodie one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all whereupon followeth the conclusion set downe vers 3. that we should endevour to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace So say I There is one God and one Mediator and therefore should wee who worship this one God through this one Mediator be one as they are one But how should we be one One in opinion one in affection First I say one in opinion all holding rhe same things beleeving the same things teaching the same things worshipping God after the same maner for looke how commendable varietie is in all other things it is as much to be abhorred in religion even those who have held the greatest falsehoods hold that there is but one truth I never read of more then one hereticke that held all heresies true Philastrius relateth the opinion of one Rhetorius who said that all religions did well and which is much like unto this there was in the same age a foolish franticke fellow named Postellus wrote a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein hee taketh upon him to reconcile all the religions of all nations and calleth it Concordiam Orbis Yea and little better are those who would make a reconciliation betweene the Papists us being altogether indifferent in things most different They are kind-hearted Philistims that would bring the Arke of God and Dagon under one roofe they are of his mind that Turonensis writeth of who said It is best of all si illa illa colantur neque esse noxium si inter gentilium aras Dei ecclesiam quis transiens utraque veneretur They are as one saith the ghosts of that heretick Apelles whose speech it was That it is sufficient to beleeve in Christ crucified and that there should be no discussing of the particular warrants and reasons of our faith Or the brood of Leonas one of the Courtiers of Constantius and his Deputie in the Seleucian Councell who when the Fathers hotely contended as there was good cause for the consubstantialitie of the Sonne Get you home said be and trouble not the Church with these trifles These things seemed but trifles unto carnall men yet were they matters of great importance and so be the differences betweene us and the Papists of such weight as thereupon dependeth the truth of Gods worship the life of his Church the salvation of our soules And therefore no hope of peace but though manie meanes of reconciliation have beene used yet never anie could prevaile The Emperours Ferdinand and Maximilian travelled painfully herein and by their appointment Cassander a great and learned Papist drew a proiect to shew his iudgement so did Fricius and the Interimists but all was in vaine for Babylon could not be cured her grapes were become as the grapes of Admah and her vine as the vine of Tseboim And as she could not be reformed so we could not admit of anie agreement by meeting in a middle course For the truth it is on high saith Leo they may ascend to us but for us to goe downe to them it is neyther safe nor honest Now it is no more plaine that the Citie of Rome hath descended from the seven hills on which it was seated in old times unto the Martian plaines that lye below than it is that the Church of Rome hath fallen away from that faith which once was commended in her Bethel is become Bethaven the faithfull citie is become an harlot her silver is turned into drosse so that unlesse wee would betray the truth wee we cannot yeeld to them in anie thing wherein they dissent from us but if there be anie agreement amongst us they must come out of Babell that is wholly renounce their owne parts and ioyne hands with us whereof there is but little hope when we consider what small effect Reformation hath taken in this kingdome these yeares past As king Ioash asked Iehoiada the high Priest 2. King 12.7 and the other Priests why they did not repayre the ruins of the Temple so may our truly religions King question us that are the Priests why the Temple of the Lord is so long in repayring in this land nay what is the cause that the ruines of the Temple grow greater everie day more falling away from the truth than that are reclaymed from errour Surely the causes hereof are manifest give me leave to observe unto you such as I hold to bee the chiefe things that continue this people in their blindnesse and hinders reformation The first is their custome and long continuance in errour there being nothing harder than to breake an ignorant man of his custome De doctrinâ Christ l. 4. c. 24. S. Augustine comming to Cesarea where the people had an ancient custome once a yeare for certaine dayes together to divide themselves into parts and throw stones one at another whereby manie were slaine found it an exceeding hard matter to disswade them from it This is noted by that Father to have hindred the reformation of the Donatists Some were bound not by truth but by an hard knot of obdurate custome Epist 48. c. And surely this is a people of all other most zealous of their ancient customes Secondly the societie and alliance whereby they are linked one to another restrayneth them being ashamed and afraid to part with their acquaintance This is noted by S. Basil to be the thing that hindred the conversion of the Arrians in his time Epist 70. There is saith he small hope of reducing them to the truth who are linked to hereticks with the band of long amitie and S. Austin yeeldeth the same reason why the Donatists in his age could not be reclaimed Epist 48 ad Vincent How many saith he being moved with the truth would have beene good Catholicks and yet deferred it fearing the offence of their friends So have I heard manie say in this kingdome If such and such men would goe to Church I would goe also but if I should begin I should have the ill will of all the country Thirdly the busie trafficking of Priests and Iesuites for the maintenance of their great goddesse Diana by whom they have their living What skilfull workemen they are and how cunningly they keep them in blindenesse were long to relate this I hope is sufficiently knowne