without all composition Most commonly it is a freedom from mixture of heterogeneal things which might adulterate purity In Doctrine unlearnedness in faith unfainedness in love sincerity in worship chastity in life and conversation integrity do make up that we call simplicity of Christ which I shall comdendiate into these three 1 Simplicity of Doctrine 2 Of Worship 3 Of life 1 The simplicity of Christ was personal for being in the form of God he emptied himself and took on him the form of a servant Phil. 2. 6. Official in the acting of offices of his Priest Prophet and King in great simplicity Doctrinal in the preaching of the Gospel Conversionall in the deportment of his life But now I speak of the simplicity of his Doctrine the Doctrine of the Gospel which is a mistery that exceeds in glory 2 Cor. 3. 9. and which the Angels stoop down to pry into and yet is in contempt as foolishness with the wisdom of this world that wch is a quintessence above al clementary learning and transcendent above every predicament hath been entertained with Stand thou here or sit under my footstool whereas that which the Apostle calls vain Philosophy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 science falsly so called hath been entertained with Sit thou here in a good place The Doctrine of which you are born is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incorruptible sad and which you are nourished by is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere milk which denotes simplicity Christ for righteousness Christ for a root on whom the branches do live dependingly for the root beares them and derivingly for the root feeds them is the sum of this doctrine Here is no mixture of Jewish rites as if we would look for Christ in that manger wherein he lay when he was a babe the bird is now hatcht and the eggshel lies empty Here is no corrival of mans works to spoile this simplicity there remains no place for them as they are meritorious for that sets them in the chair of Christ nor as they are motives of God to justifie for that sets them in the place of free-grace nor as conditions of the Covenant for that sets them in the place of faith but as they are fruits of holiness for that sets them in their own place assigned to them by this Doctrine 2 Simplicity of worship which is called spirit and truth Job 4. 23. not Judaicall and shadowish not Samaritan idolatrous but spiritual and inward The Apostle calls the Jewish types which were rich beggarly Elements we have them in the rich plainness of the Gospel In matter of worship that of Austin is the truth and Socrates had seen it before colendus est quomodo se colendum praeceperit as himself hath commanded Those that were mint-masters of worship used to feign correspondence with some deity that under that reputation they might vend off their devices God must stamp that worship as shall be currant man is apt to indulge his eye in Gods worship It 's the hardest thing saith one to leave our eye and fancie behind us as Abraham did his servants when we go up into the monnt to sacrifice The spiritual part of religion is the hardest part If we look into Justin Martyr and see how the dresse of worship was changed by degrees we shal finde that it became at length quasi reductus in Ecclesiam Judaismus unbecoming the purity of this virgin 3 The simplicity of life It was an excellent testimoniall subscribed by the Apostle his conscience 2 Cor. 1. 2. that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in this world The form of godliness is but a Mathematicall body consisting of lineaments onely Religion is practicall and alwayes married to honesty and righteousness towards men religious dishonesty is worse than a Christian married to a Heathen in the times we live that saying is too true universus mundus exercet histrioniam all men almost disguise and act parts Men either make it a stalking horse to their own game a footstool to their ends a covert of gold for their filthy designes or lodge it onely in the cock-loft of a cold brain and not in the warme room of affections And the simplicity of Christ is broken into a multiplicity of senses and wayes Let this Point for use recommend to Ministers and people both the simplicity of Christ 1 To the Ministery for though this be not a place to teach them yet it is a place to teach you what to say and what to expect of Archippus videlicet the simplicity of Christ both in the matter and manner of the delivery of this Doctrine 1 Simplicity for the matter of the Doctrine I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ saith he that had sitten at the feet of Gamaliel for though that of Justin Martyr be true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All truth spoken by Plato or Aristotle is ours and that which is true in Philosophy is true also in every place yet it is of the seed of the Word quod Christus nascitur in corde auditorum We must set bread before hungry souls and not be like the School-men that set men upon gnawing hard stones All learning may be spent upon the simplicity of the Gospell In breaking down strong holds meeting with subtilty of mens hearts raising up the dejected Spirit prostrate under sin counter-mining the methods and stratagems of the Devill and you will finde that the old Adam in mens hearts is too hard for young Melancthon and who is sufficient for these things 2 Simplicity for manner of delivery for painted glasse is more gaudy but cleer glass transmits more light the rule is to clothe spiritual things with spiritual words 1 Cor. 2. 13. It s vain oile that 's spent in strong lines that hang together as sand without time standing together as letters in the Hebrew one not touching another Let a crucified Christ be preacht in a crucified Phrase and though you preach not with embroidery of silver and gold yet surge ambula if you make the hearer arise and walk it s farre the better It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to divide the Word a right a word taken from culling up of the sacrifices to shred the intrals into mince meat or to put the text to death and torment so as to make the people eat the flesh with the blood Keep the true pattern of wholsom words The People Are exhorted to hold fast this threefold simplicity of Christ in Doctrine worship and conversation In Doctrine All Scipture centers in and looks to Christ both Old Testament and New as the Cherubims to one another and both to the mercy seat he was then swathed up in types he is now unvaled in a rich plainnes of the Gospel those precious stones which God promises to build his Church Isa 54. 13. Do all come but to this All thy children shall be taught of God In worship spirit and truth are better
thus expresses it Eccles 2. 18. being vainly pufft up in his fleshly minde 7 Unsuspitious credulity of others eminent in appearance of holiness doth at unawares enwrap many well meaning men The Novatians would not admit lapsed men to communion The Donatists would not beare with mixture in their Churches as they pretended both these sorts of men did bear a plausible shew of holinesse in their opinions but God doth not approve a holinesse of mans making for that which is indeed holinesse must have upon it Gods superscription Use For the Use of this Doctrine let me bespeak you in the words of S. Peter Epist 2. Cap. 3. Vers penult Take heed lest being led away by the errour of the wicked or of lawlesse men ye fall from your own stedfastnesse This Caveat I might enforce upon you from divers Topicks or places as namely the dangerousnesse of this disease which seizes on the head from whence as saith the Greek Proverb the fish doth first begin to be corrupted as also from the easinesse of being infected and from the difficulty of the cure but having spoke enough of the first of these I will onely use a few words concerning the two latter 1 It 's as easie to be infected as it is for sheep to catch the rot by feeding in rotten pastures and our experience shews us that one that angles with such baits catches more fish in a week than preaching of Christ and the simplicity of him will catch in some yeers for errour hath something in us as he that gave the reason for the faster growth of weeds than sweet herbs said that the soile was naturall mother to the one and but step-mother to the other 2 There is no simplicity of truth a multiplicity of errour the streight line between point and point can be but one the oblique lines many therefore it is easie to hang upon one tenter-hook or other that look so many and even contrary wayes 3 Errour is many times more specious to our shallow proud corrupt reason than the truth of God whose depths and mysteries cannot otherwise be answered then with Tu quis es 4 The mint-masters of errour do usually fashion their doctrines to flesh-pleasing and man-pleasing ye shall not easily finde that false prophets did preach the burdens of the Lord but rather as Peter observes 2 Pet. 2. 19. they promise liberty which is so taking a thing that looking humanely we may wonder that Christ preaching repentance self-deniall the crosse should gain any So much for the easiness of being infected then next a word for the difficulty of the cure 1 The cure is difficult because men are hard to be convinced of the sin and falshood if with zeal open profession they have maintained it therefore they in the Council of Trent as the history relates would hardly be drawn to admit of any recess from their former errours ne viderentur errasse lest they might seem to have erred and so weaken the credit of all they held before as the crack made in Ice useth to runne further then where it is first made But if in punishment upon them that receive not the truth in love God do give men up to efficacy of errour or do otherwise recompence their errour by delivering them up to vile affections and lusts Rom. 1. 27. who shall then pull off that fearfull seal of God that seals them up in stupidity and under a reprobate minde 2 Therein men are great lovers of their own fancies Amat quisque quod a se repertum est no mother but loves her own babe 3 A conceit that errors of minde are not sin as morall sins are but there are diseases of the head as well as seated in other parts And certainly these capitall distempers do great prejudice to practicall holiness being like suckers that bear no fruit but do divert and draw away the sap from the fruit-bearing branches So much for the first part the object of the fear lest the mindes of the Corinthians should be corrupted from the simplicity of Christ the second part is the resemblance of false teachers to the serpent and this manner of beguiling Eve by subtilty lest as the serpent c. From which words the Point is obvious Doct. 2. As Eve was beguiled by the subtilty of the serpent so are mens mindes corrupted by false teachers from the simplicity of Christ False Doctors Satanae lenones saith one they are Satans instruments as the serpent was the Devil his Pandors worsting to the deflowering of Christs espoused Virgins The wisdome of the serpent is commanded and warranted to Gods people the subtilty of the serpent is found in these subverters of the chastity of Doctrine I cannot I may not spend any time in this point for I have no sand left onely observe 1 That the defection the corruption of men principled with pure doctrine is feared Gospel-principles are not so much to be scanned by curiositie of reason as received in simplicity of faith 2 The Apostle alledges the most ancient example of corruption of minde that is in the world that which men call New Light is many times but some exploded errour furbisht up and old wayes are but acted once again There is properly no new truth but there may be new discoveries 3 What a sharp comparison doth he use to resemble false teachers unto the devil his first instrument used by him and therefore let no man temeraciously say they are holy men they aime at more refined degree of holinesse then others for it 's no wonder saith the Apostle that if Satan be transformed into an Angel of light his Ministers also be transformed or disguised as the Ministers of righteousnesse 4 The Serpent took Eve at the beginning and subtilly ravisht her of her integrity we must look to our selves it 's the usual time to set upon us in our infancy of knowledge either to disgrace the truth newly brought to light or to displant it before it do take root 5 That corrupters come with subtilty and have their slights Ephes 4. 14. they come with good words Rom. 16. 17. they beguile with enticing words Col. 2. 4. they speak lies in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4. 2. they can wear the rough garment and sheeps cloathing Their subtilty may be observed in the Serpentine which they imitate 1 The serpent set upon the weaker sex and the Apostle saith they lead captive silly women 2 They are subtil in being modest at first miâ—â— erroris sunt verecunda Hath God said Gen. 3. saâ— the serpent the deceiver begins with queries rathâ—â— then down-right assertions 3 They will take their rise from Gods Word and rather wrest then deny it as the serpent here perverted those words the knowledge of good and evil to another sense and meaning 4 They promise magnificent and great things they promise them liberty saith Peter 2 Pet. 2. 18. Ye shall be as gods saith the serpent what great bubbles are usually spoken of glory joy familiarity with God c. 5 They comply with mans pride with self c. and fit the bait to the fish They allure through the lusts of the flesh c. 2 Pet. 2. 18. 6 They draw a man from practical obedience unto extrinsecal and meer empty speculations for the theorie is pleasant and easie but the truth is bitter 7 They bring points of faith to thebar test of captious reason God in the prohibition of this tree had shewn much arbitrariness of will to make probation of mans obedience therefore they ought not to have been arraigned coram non Judice as neither the cleer points of faith The time puls me by the eare and therefore for close as deceivers have the Serpents subtilty so get you the Serpents wisdom and if I were to prescribe prophylacticks or preservatives I would exhort you 1 To hold the head and so to fortifie the vitals from this epidemick infection Col. 2. 19. 2 To pursue practicall doctrine solid meat and let alone these sweet meats the tree of knowledge is fair to look on the tree of life better to feed on 3 Affect not things above the Word a holiness a zeal a knowledge above what is written Eve went some what further then Gods Word gave warrant when she replied neither shall ye touch it so there are many will say This is the holier way this is the better not having any Word for it 4. Avoid the house of infection the Fowlers net From such turn away saith the Scripture if the woman will confer with the Serpent you see what comes on it it 's the itch and pride after novelties that exposes us to temptations FINIS
than Jerusalem and this mountain therefore be satisfied in simplicity of Gospel-sacraments which as Duplessis observs have been made by men the port-gates of superstition and curiosity because the eye hath somewhat to do in them as corruption began at the tree in Paradise and came in by the eye In life that your voice be not onely smooth and hands rough for practical holiness is the life of religion else we may have golden heads and feet of clay To conclude let it be our joynt aime the simplicity that is in Christ and be not too indulgent to your ears which hath sometime been the vanity of hearers of those Sermons at Pauls coming hither for Jewels to hang in their ears rather then for wholsom Bread Let not the tree of Knowledge be preferred before the tree of life lest when you come to die you cry out with Craesus Solon Solon who had before time taught him of blessedness without regard There is such multiplicity of opinions that most men count it impossible to reduce the swarm into one hive especially because men usually lay so much weight every man upon his own opinion not considering that the kingdom of God consists not in meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Hence it is that one unchurches another and unchrists another solos credit habendos esse deos quos ipse colit as the Poet anciently leaves the question about the bigness distance motion of the Sun to Mathematicians thou mayest have as much benefit by the Sun as they that altercare about them Above all things lay not the foundation of your communion in the agreement one of another with you in all your private opinions that 's a principle that will divide the Church in semper divisibilia that makes the foundation of the house of the twig of a tree not of the body And peradventure as there are not two of a hundred of one face so not of one opinion in all things extrinsecal nay haply saith a learned man not Peter and Paul Certa sunt in paucis saith Tertullian fundamentals are few they that make too many of them make the fewer Christians if a man hold fast the simplicity of Christ in Doctrine worship life though not admitted into your fellowship yet they will be in your Communion through Christ whether you will or no. Doct. 2 d. The Corruption of the mind is the cause of deviation or recess from the simplicity that is in Christ This Point gives occasion to entreat of the cortuption of the minde the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies plots devices 2 Cor. 2. 11 ordinarily the reasonings apprehension judgement the leading faculty of the soule which is the subject and seat of this corruption This is not meant of natural corruption which is a part of original sin for it is the corruption of Gospel-truth formerly received especially doctrinall corruption and therefore the Apostle having said Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever presently adds Be not carried away by divers and strange Doctrines Heb. 13. 9. The Text affords me three things for the oopening of this Point 1 The corruption of minde here feared is of them that have received the virgin truth a sad thing that they that blossom so faire should be blasted or cankered it is not corruption of life he feares but of minde many are tainted in their intellectuals that make a fair shew in morals the Apostle prophesies of a time that will come That men will not indure sound doctrine they will not imbrace nay they will not indure it but will turn away their eares from the truth and be turned to fables 2 Tim. 4. 3. 2 This corruption of minde is to be feared both by Ministers for the flock and also by parents and masters yet there are few as wofull experience shews us and therefore young men and unballast are negligently suffered without bridle to rush into the infection as if it was nothing to have the leprosie in the head to make ship wrack of faith to corrupt the simplicity of Christ to beare that fearfull brand 2 Tim. 3. 8. men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith The light of the body saith out Saviour is the eye If that be single the whole body is full of light if evill the bed is full of darkness the minde is the Pilot or Steers-man and if we weigh truths at a false beame we may take and mistake the most desperate errour for the most precious truth 3 The first point or step of recess and of deviation from the simplicity of Christ is the corruption of minde how many stairs do men fall how many floores high untill they fall even into Atheisme from a zealous profession A reprobate mind is the punishment of a corrupt mind Ro. 1. 28 They did not like to retein God in their knowledge therefore God gave them over to a reprobate minde therefore we had need to keep principles pure for the cloud that at first showes but like a mans hand may suddenly overspread the whole heaven The causes of this corruption of minde are these and such like 1 The minde being the upper region is corrupted from the lower region passions lusts interests by ends do bribe the minde to be advocate for errour and mis-biasse the judgement the staffe that is streight of it self seems crooked in the water by refraction of the species or duplicity of the medium and we know that our eye or brain is distempered by suffusions of choler c. from a foule stomack 2 Ungroundedness in the truth betrays the minde to deceit and errour and empty barne is soon blown down oh that our people were so ungrounded in Catechistical doctrine which is indeed the reason that they are an easie prey to all kinde of Sectaries and do cedere occupanti as I may say fall to the first occupant 3 A meer notion which is like light without heat a winter-snow a thing without sense and feeling of any powerfull operation and work of truth upon the heart is but a slender guard from this corruption of the minde a man without much adoe recedes from barren notions he that feels the warmth and power is not easily changed they did not receive the truth with love of the truth and therefore God gave them up to efficacy of errour 2 Thess 2. 10. 4 A satiety or dislike of saving doctrine when novelty is preferred because it 's new and ancient truth like an old Minister now adayes is lesse regarded the stomack is crude and queasie and so relishes trash better then wholsome food 5 The letting loose of wilde reason to dispute out faith reason is but a Dwarf too low to behold Christ except it climbe into the fig-tree and go let sober men be content with that which is so frequently said It 's written 6 Pride of knowledge is very dangerous the ancient pride is this and the Apostle