stones and in them were written the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles And herein Peter had no preheminence aboue the rest except a primacy of order onely for a Suâ—er omnes â—quo Eccles fortitudo solidatu◠〈◊〉 in Joâ— li. 1 Saint Hierome saith thâ— Church is aequally founded on the doctrine of all the Apostles for these words b Mat. 16.18 Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam were not spoken personally to Peter but generally to all the Apostles who as well as Peter did beleeue and confesse the same faith though in token of vnity they were vttered to one which in vnity did appertaine to all the Apostles c Vnus pro multis vnitas pro â—niuersis Aug. in Psal 88. in whose names Peter alone made this confession Moreouer not Peters person or place but the faith which he confessed is that rocke on which the Church is built as both the whole streame of the Fathers and the generall counsell of Chalcedon doe testifie Vide Aug. de ver dom Ser. 13. Hil. de Trin li. 6. Chrysost inc 16 Mat. Theod. in Cant. Pag 235. Ambros in cap. 2. ad Eph. Epist in Appendice Conc. Chalced 13. Seeing therefore he was called d Aug Retract li. 1. c. 21. Petrus a petra from that rocke of faith which he confessed Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God which faith the rest of the Apostles held taught and confessed as well as he and sealed it with their blood wee may truely inferre with S. Jerome e Hieron in Amos li. 3. c. 6. that in this respect they were rocks as well as he whereon the Church is founded Yea f Petrus gessit personam Ecclesicut Iudas inimicorum Christi Aug. in Psal 108. S. Aug. saith farther that Peter in confessing Christ and receiuing the power of the keyes sustained the person not onely of the Apostles but of the whole Church Militant as Iudas did of the Church malignant g Jdem 50. in Ioh c. 12. Vnus malus corpus malorum significat quomodo Petrus corpus bonorum corpus ecclesiae As one Iudas signified the whole societie of the wicked so one Peter the whole company of good men the body of the Church Therefore from those words of Christ to Peter Thou art Peter c. who represented not the Apostles onely but the whole Christian Church confessing the same faith it cannot bee inferred that S. Peter and his successors are that rocke on which the Church is founded Those therefore that build their faith on that foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereof Christ is the chiefe corner-stone by beleeuing confessing and practizing are those wise builders here specified which build their houses on a rocke For the entire and sincere beleefe profession Nota Eccles infaâ—â—bilerâ— and practise of those supernaturall verities which God hath reuealed in his Sonne Christ by the ministery of the Prophets and Apostles and that in veritie is an infallible note of the true Church and of a true member of the true Church All other notes without this are false and counterfeite and may deceiue vs. Notae fallâ—biles 1 Antiquitas 1. Antiquitie without truth is nothing els but a Cypr. epist 74. 63 Vetustas erroris for we must not so much attend vnto or consider what others haue done or thought fit to be done before vs as what Christ hath done who is before all we must not follow the custome of man but the truth of God for the true antiquity is truth it selfe deriued from Christ b Esa 9.6 the Father of aeternitie 2. Successio 2. Personall succession without doctrinall is but as c Mat. 26.1 c. Caiaphas succeeded Aaron and yet was an enemy to the true High Priest Christ Iesus d Naz in laudem Athanasis Such false Pastors or bad members of the visible Church succeeded the true and good as darknesse succeedes the light or sicknesse health or a tempest faire weather or madnesse the right vse of reason 3. Vnitas 3. Vnity without truth is but a diuelish faction and like that of thieues and rebells an accuâ—sed confederacie and wicked conspiracie against the God of truth e Apoc. 19 16. Who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Such though they combine and v … themselues neuer so strongly are but like f Gen. 49.5 Simeon and Leui brethren in euill or like g Luc. 23 12. Herod and Pilate that vnited themselues in a league of friendship to persecute Christ Iesus 4. Vniuersalitas Vniuersalitie or multitude without truth is nothing for one h 1 Reg. 18.19 Elias teaching and professing Gods truth and truely worshiping the true God of Israel is to be preferred befoâ—e foure hundred Prophâ—ts of Baal though brought vp in Ahabs Court and eating bread at Iezabells table and one i Luc. 23 42. poenitent thiefe confessiâ—g Christ before the high Priests and Elders Scribes Pharises Sadduces and thousands of Iewes persecuting him 5. Nomâ—n Catho Nor the specious titles of holy Catholike Apostolike c for that Church which hath these titles without truth is like a boxe in an Apothecaries shop which without hath the title of a soueraigne antidote written in faire Characters and within is full of deadly poyson Bare titles will not serue the turne for those haeretikes in Saint Bernards time who in truth were Apostatici because they reuolted from the Catholike faith tearmed themselues Apostolici though they could shew no signe of their Apostleship a Ber. Ser. 64. in Cant. and in our dayes Popish Catholikes tearme themselues Catholikes and Iebusites Iesuites and the Synagogue of lust the family of loue Applicat Be not therefore carryed away from the rocke of Christs Sacred truth with any or all those glistering shewes which that painted whore of Babylon makes of antiquitie succession vnitievniue rsalitie or the goodly titles of holy Catholike Apostolike c. for all these are but the b 2 Reg. 9.30 painted face of that whorish Iezabell or her c Apoc. 17.4 golden cup glistering without but within full of the wine of her abhominations and filthinesse of her fornications the truth of Gods word alone is that firme and immnoueable rocke on which euery wise Christian must build the spirituall aedifice of his soule and conscience 1 Petra regenerat 1. This is that rocke out of which wee are spiritually hewen Esa 51.2 that is the Rocke of our regeneration for d 1 Pet. 1.23 we are borne againe not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God which liueth and abideth for euer 2 Nutrit 2. The rocke of our spirituall nourishment vnto saluation whence doe flowe 1. the waters of life to refresh our fainting soules as e Exod. 17 16. streames of Waters flowed from the rocke in Rephidim to refresh the thirsting bodies of the Israelites 2. The
totalis that is a peece of a rule but not the whole entire rule of faith And b Enbhir c. 1. descript Costerius affirmes that they were not writteÌ„ to that end that they should prescribe vnto vs an absolute and exact rule of faith and administration of Sacraments and other things necessary in the Christian Common-weale but occasionally to confute Iewes and Haeretikes and to take away cerâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 which then arose in the Church and to comfort some that were weake and vnstable in the faith c. as if the Christian Church then vpon those occasions had some neede of the Scriptures but now no need at all Thus basely if I may not say blasphemously doe they thinke speake and write of the Sacred Scriptures And when we confute their errors out of the Scriptures then with the Valentinians of old they fall to accuse the Scriptures themselues c Iren. li. 3. contra bar c. 2. Quasi non recte habeant nec sint ex authoritate c. as if they were ill translated or obscure or imperfect without Traditions or of no authority in themselues without the authoritie of the Church 2 Authoritas Eccles Therefore they make the Churches authority another maine foundation of their faith as if it were greater than the authority of scripture yea as if without that scripture were no scripture because the Church gaue testimony to the scriptures that they were diuinely inspired made them Canonicall therefore say they both the diuine and Canonicall authority of the scriptures relyes vpon the Churches authority But let me aske them that so say was Iohn Baptists authority greater than Christs because he gaue testimony vnto him d 1 Ioh 29. Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world oâ— doth the Herald that proclaimes the Kings title and authority giue him his title and authority or is the gold which the goldsmith toucheth therefore good because he vpon trial therof by his touchstone declares it to be so was it not so before his tryall would it not haue been so if he had neuer tryed it yes vndoubtedly Dilemma When the Church did first declare the scriptures to bee the word of God either they were so before this declaration of the Church or not if not then the Church erred in declaring them to be so which were blasphemy and flat Atheisme to auerre if they were so then they receiued no diuine authority from the Churches testimony I know a Iesuit would thinke to winde himselfe out of this dilemma with a Bellarm. li. 2. de author Conc. c. 12. Bellarmins distinction of in se quoad nos saying that the scriptures are of diuine authority in themselues but could not be so acknowledged of vs without the Churches testimony but this distinction will not serue the turne for if they bee so in themselues they would be so if we neuer acknowledged or receiued them for such as the Scriptures of the new Testament are diuine euen among the Iewes and Turks though they would neuer acknowledge them to be so and if they bee so in themselues why should they not be so vnto vs why should we not receiue the sacred Scriptures as diuine for the diuine authority which they haue in themselues without the Churches authoritie Indeed the Churches authority or testimony may bring Infidells or Haeretikes to heare the word that they may be conuerted b Ioh. 1.41.45 as Andrew brought Peter or Philip Nathaniel vnto Christ or as the woman of Samaria brought the citizens of Samaria to heare Christ with her testimony of him c c. 4 39. Come see a man which hath told me all that euer J did Is not he the Christ And in this sense is that S. Aug. saith d Aug. cont epist fundamenti c. 5 I should not haue beleeued the Gospell if the authority of the Church had not mooued me thereunto but when they haue heard it they are conuerted and beleeue not for the Churches testimony but by the diuine authority and coelestiall efficacy of the word it selfe which is e Rom. 1.16 The power of God vnto saluation to eueryone that beleeueth as the Samaritans said to the woman f Ioh. 4.2 Now we beleeue not because of thy words for wee haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeed the Christ the Sauiour of the world 3. Jnfallibilitas Papae The third sandy foundation of the Romish faith is the Popes infallibility which I doe not falsely impose vpon them as a generall ground of their faith though some of their owne learned men hold the contrary because their grand champion Bellarmine auerres and prooues that it is g Bellarm. de Rom. Pom. li. 4. c. 2. Communissima opinio fere omnium Catholicorum that is the most common and generall tenet of all those of the Church of Rome whom he calls Catholikes For although the Papists brag much of their Catholike Church that it can teach nothing but Catholike truth and is not subiect vnto error because Christ said of his true Church built vpon him and the rocke of his diuine truth a Mat. 16.11 That the gates of hell should not preuaile against it which they falsely apply to the Church of Rome b Rom. â— 8 whose faith was indeed once famous through the world though now the c Esa 21 22. faithfull city be become an harlot her gold mixed with drosse and her wine with water yet aske them what they meane by that Church that cannot erre they will tell you they meane thereby the Pope the head of the Church and Saint Peters successor d Luc. 22.32 for whose faith Christ prayed that it should not faile So Bellarmine affirmeth That the common opinion of Romish Catholikes is e Bellar. ibid. Ipsam infallibilitatem non esse in coetu Conciliorum vt in concilio Episcoporum sed in solo Pontifice that the infallibilitie rests not in the assembly of Counsailes nor in the counsell of Bishops but in the Pope alone for they hold that any member or Pastor of their Church is subiect vnto error yea all the Bishops and Pastors of the Church assembled in a generall Counsaile if the Pope confirme not their Canons onely the Pope cannot erre when he defines a matter of faith Ex Cathedra that is by his Papall authority as if the Popes chayre were made of Irish wood to which no cobweb of errour could possibly cleaue And therefore all must be Haeretikes that be not within his pale scripture must be no scripture without his allowance and Kings no Kings if he please to kick their crowns of their heads with his holinesse foot or to bellow out excommunications and depositions against them with his Papall Bull. Yea hee may make new articles of faith as Pius quartus did adde twelue articles to the Nicene Creed in a Bull of his sent out about the time of her Tridentine conuenticle entitled
that is the Pope and Popish Prelates whereas the Scriptures are written but with inke and paper These traditions they make of three sorts e D. Bysb contra Pâ—rk de Trad. 1. Diuine deliuered by Christ himselfe 2. Apostolicall deliuered by the Apostles 3. Ecclesiasticall deliuered by the Church 1 Diuine 1. Concerning diuine traditions if they bee truely such we most reuerently and religiously receiue them but wee acknowledge none for such but onely those doctrines of faith of Gods worship which are either expresly or by necessary coÌ„sequence contained in the old new TestameÌ„t For although we know and acknowledge that f Bulling de ver Dei the substance of the old Testament was deliuered among the Patriarches from hand to hand by tradition from Adam to Moses and of the new till it was penned by the Apostles and Euangelists g D. Abbot cont Bysh de Trad. as some thinke for eight as others for twenty as others for fourescore yeares yet wee teach that when God had taken the custody of his owne tradition to himselfe by selecting and inspiring choise vessells of grace to commit them to writing least the streames of truth should haue beene polluted by running through the muddy channells of mens mouths then the Church was bound to receiue nothing for diuine truth but what is contained in the Scriptures or necessarily deduced therefrom and firmely grounded thereupon As when God had conueighed the whole light of the world h Gen. 1.3 which before was dispersed in the first dayes creation into the body of the Sunne i v. 14. c. created the fourth day then he would haue the Moone and Starres to deriue their light from thence and the whole earth to be therewith enlightened so though in his first plantation of his Church God did for a time continue the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation thereof vnto some chosen men which might deliuer it to his Church from hand to hand yet now since he hath conueighed the whole light of diuine truth into the Canon of the Scripture hee will haue all the Pastors and members of the Church to deriue their light of sauing knowledge and true faith from thence onely so that the doctrine of the Scriptures is now the onely diuine Tradition 2. Touching Apostolicall Traditions wee acknowledge them likewise for diuine if they vnderstand thereby 2 Apost Trad. that diuine doctrine which the Apostles first preached then wrot in the Scriptures as the pillar and foundation of our faith of which S. Paul speakes a Cor. 11.23 Accepi a Domino quod tradidi vobis I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue also deliuered vnto you c. b Gal. 1.11 12. for the Gospell which was preached of me I receiued it not of man nor was taught it by man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ And this is the holy and diuine Tradition which c Iren. li. 3. c. 1. Ireneus d Cypr. Epist 74. c. Script est Cyprian and other auncient Fathers speake of contained in the Euangelists Apostolicall Epistles and Acts of the Apostles all which are written Scriptures of the new Testament This diuine and Apostolicall Tradition we call with Tertullian The rule of truth 1 Regula veritatis Tertul. 2 Doctrinae Cypr. 3 Rectitudinis Basil 4 CredendoruÌ„ agendorum Dyonis Carthus and with Cyprian The rule of doctrine and with Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The rule of right or straight rule of perfection and with their owne Carthusian The rule of faith and manners or of all things to be beleeued and practised for wee constantly auerre with Cyril e Cyril Catech. Hierosol That the securitie of our faith ariseth from the euidence and demonstration of the diuine Scripture so that no man presume aboue that which is written 1. Cor. 4.6 Also we reuerently receiue such Apostolicall Traditions as haue their ground in Scripture though not expresly f Act. 20.7 as the celebration of the Sabboth on the first day of the week g Apoc. 1.10 the Baptisme of Infants c. 3 Eccles Trad. 3. Touching Ecclesiasticall Traditions wee receiue for such First those doctrines of faith which the ancient Primitiue Counsailes haue determined against Haeretikes hauing their ground in Scripture as that there is a Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of the diuine essence and that the Sunne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is consubstantiall and coaequall with the Father c. yet we dare not say with daring h Enchiâ— controv c. 1. Costerius That the first foure generall Counsailes are to bee receiued as we receiue the foure Gospells Secondly those rules which the Primitiue Church hath set downe for order and comelinesse in the seruice of God yea a Perk. de Trad. we acknowledge that the present Church hath power to make Canons to that purpose so they bee consonant to the generall Canons of the Scripture namely 1. That they tend to b 1 Cor. 14.26.40 decency and order 2. To aedification 3. That they be free from superstition 4. That the Church be not ouerburthened with the multitude of them Trad. Papist But if by the Churches Traditions they vnderstand the Canons of their latter Counsailes which were but conuenticles or confaederacies against Christ and his truth for the maintenance of Papall Hierarchy and wherein all the Bishops were the Popes sworne seruants and directed by him as by an Oracle what to doe and decree or the decrees of their Popes some of which haue beene Idolatrous some haereticall and some superstitious or if vnder that name they would thrust vpon vs euery Fryers dreame rotten reliques base costome and idle ceremony of the Romish Church then we reiect their vnwritten Traditions as sandy foundations to build our faith vpon and means to lead vs into a sea of errors and vncertaineties wherein there is neither banke nor bottome And such Traditions as these bee the sandy foundations whereon they build many articles of their Romish Creed namely priuate Masses halfe Communions Transubstantiation adoration of the host of Images and reliques Innocation of Saints and Angells Purgatory and the Popes transcendent authoritie in things Ecclesiastical and temporall For c Andrad in Orthodox Explicat Conc. Trident. li. 2. one of their owne plainly confesseth That many points of their Romish faith would reele and totter if they were not supported by Traditions And this is the reason why they refuse their triall by the Scriptures and thinke d Conference betweene Dr. Feately and M. Fisher. Christ and his Apostles both incompetent Iudges and partiall witnesses for the decision of their cause Yea Bellarmine their great Goliah saith peremptorily a Bell. li. 4. de ver dei non scripto c. 12. That it was not the proper end of the Scriptures to bee rule of our faith and that they are at the best but Regula partialis non
totally irrecouerably from Gods grace and glory into the bottomlesse pit of perdition and destruction But this difference seemes to me rather verball then reall because the Church is nothing els but a Mullarum vnita vel potius vnanimitas animarum Bern Serm 61 in Cant a collectiue consisting of many particular men conioyned in the generall Profession of the same Christian faith though some bee true Israelites some cursed Edomites some professing the truth in sincerity others in hypocrisie some constantly cleauing thereto euen in the mouth of danger others quickly startling aside from it like a broken bow This Text therâ—fore is Gods fanne to discerne this corne from that chaffe His true touchstone to trye this pure gold from that counterfeit copper and the iust ballance of his Sanctuary to discerne thâ— weight of a sound sollid and sincere profession of Christianity from that which is deceitfull vppon the weights and lighter then vanity it selfe Diuision For it doth expresse a threefold difference betweene wise and foolish builders First in the manner of their building for the wise builders perfect their building both by hearing and practising but the foolish builders leaue it vnperfect hearing but not practising Secondly in the foundation of their building the wise build vpon a sure and immooueable foundation namely a Rocke but the foolish either on none or a weake foundation namely the superficies of the earth or the sand Thirdly in the effect and issue of their building for whereas both buildings are violently assaulted and beat vpon by raine stormes and wind the one stands fast like Mount Sion b Psal 125.1 c. the other thereof falls downe flat and the fall thereof is great Both begin wâ—ll and consent in the first act namely of hearing Christs words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 24. 26. c. Whosoeuer heareth c. but in the latter they differ as farrre as the East is from the West or the heauen from the earth for the one conioynes hearing and doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heares and doth them v. 24. the other disioynes what God would haue conioyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearing but not doing v. 26. And this is that which makes such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wide distance between them First in their properties the one sort being tearmed wise the other foolish builders Secondly in their worke the one building on the rocke the other on the sand Thirdly In the successe of both for the issue of the one building is firme stability but of the other vtter ruine The first difference betweene these wise and foolish builders is in the manner of their building the first by hearing onely the second by hearing and practising But both heare for the eares are the open doores by which the knowledge of those things entereth into the soule which haue no visible species for the eyes to apprehend a Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing which is the b Heb. 11.1 euidence of things not seene Insomuch as the Centurion who saw Christ crucified beleeued not on him by seeing but by hearing for hearing him giue vp the ghost with a loud cry contrary to the nature of that lingring death he concluded c Mar. 15.36 Surely this was the Sonne of God d Ber. Ser 28. in Cant. Auditus iuuenit quod non visus oculum species fefellit auri veritas se infudit His eyes saw him e Esa 53 2 3. despised and reiected of men a man full of sorrowes hauing no forme nor beautie that he should be desired but by his voice he beleeued and acknowledged to bee the Sonne of God not by his face being herein a patterne for all Christs sheepe and an Idea of them all f Ioh. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice c. Aquin. 1.2 Q. 12. The Scholemen say there is a threefold booke wherein we know God First of nature secondly of Scripture thirdly of life By the two first we know him in this life but in part and as it were in a glâ—sse darkely but by the third we shall know him in the life to come when wee shall see him face to face g 1. Cor. 13.9 For the learning of the first booke wee neede vse nothing but our eyes h Rom. 1.20 for the inuisible things of God to wit his eternall power and Godhead are by the creation of the world made visible i Aug 5.55 in Joh Tom. 10. Aske the ornament of the heauens namely the brightnesse of the Sunne the beautie of the day and the eye of the world and the splendour of the Moone and order of the Starres the solace and ornament of the night aske the aire replenished with birds natures quiristers who by their pleasing notes and chirping voices dayly chaunt out the prayses of their Creator aske the earth adorned with trees and plants and replenished with foure-footed beasts and creeping things and made the'receptacle habitatioÌ„ of Man the litle world the epitom of Gods workmanship and idea of diuine section Lastly aske the sea the profound volume of Gods wonders swarming with admirable and innumerable sorts of Fishes aske them all and they will really answer thee The Almightie hath created vs a Vniuersus mundusnâ—l aliud est quam deus explicatus Athenag for the whole world is nothing els but a large booke wherein God is expressed whose creatures are such faire Characters that we may reade them running We need but looke and learne see and perceiue yea we may not onely see b Cypr. de card Câ—â— operibus smell tast and feele how gratious the Lord is when we smell taste and feele his creatures For the learning of the second booke we must vse both our eyes and eares in reading and hearing but especially our eares for although reading of the Scripture be no small edifying as appeares by the fruit thereof in the Israelites c 2. Reg 33.2 c when the booke of the law was read by Hilkiah the Priest in the dayes of Iosiah and d Neh. 8.31 c. by Ezra the Scribe in the time of Nehemia yet hearing of the Scriptures opened and applyed by preaching is a more powerfull meanes to aedification and saluation for many e Act. 8 3â— with the Eunuch may reade the Scriptures and not vnderstand them vntill the liuely voice of some Philip be as a key to open the closet of Gods hidden treasures that is the mysteries of the Gospell vnto them Dignum esset per superiores oculorum fenestras veritatem intrare in animam c. Ber. Ser. 38 in cant It were to be wished that the light of truth might enter into our soules by the windowes of our eyes but this is reserued for vs in the life to come when we shall with most pure and perfect eyes reade in the booke of life and see God face to face But now wee receiue the remedy as the disease first crept
humors of sinne and so playes the schoolemaster not onely in whipping and scourging vs but also in teaching and instructing vs to know God and our selues and the worlds vanitie and to labour after a more permanent faelicity Whereas prosperitie many times like c Iud. 16 19 â—0 Dalila lulls many a strong Sampson so long asleepe in her lappe of carnall pleasures that she takes from him that wherein his spirituall strength consisteth and betrayes him to that vncircumcised Philistim the diuell So then the worlds musicke of profits and pleasures is but a Syrens song which while it tickles our eares it wounds our hearts and splits our soules vpon the rockes of sinne whereby ofttimes wee make shippe-wracke of our saluation d 2 Sam 11.2 c. Dauid who did cleaue fast vnto God in his troubles in his prosperitie started aside like a broken bow and fell into the fearefull sinnes of Adultery and murther And Peter a Mat. 26.51 Ioâ— 18.10 18 who stoutly defended his master among the swords and staues in the garden basely denyed him when he was basting himselfe by the fire in the high Priests hall b Aug. in Psal 34. Homo victus in Paradiso victor in stercore c Ioq 2.8 Job by his patience was a conquerour on the dunghill and d Gen. 3.6 Adam by his pride was conquered in Paradise Also Romes peace and securitie after the Carthaginian wars were ended did her more hurt than all the former battailes And Saint Bernard saith of the Church e Ber. Ser. 33. in Cant. Amara fuit prius in nece Martyrum amarior postea in conflictu haereticorum amarissima vero nunc in moribus domesticorum intimating that she was more hurt by the licentious liues of her children in the dayes of her peace than by the bloud of her Martyrs or her conflict with haeretikes Applicat And may it not be truely said of this Church and land that the raine of prosperitie peace and plenty falling not by drops but by full showers vpon it in the late long and happy reigne of our euer to be remembred and thrice renowned Deborah and our now peacefull Salomon hath done more hurt to this building by rotting many beames and rafters thereof than those tempestuous whirle-winds and violent torrents of persecution in Queene Maries dayes for whereas there were then glorious confessions of the truth in the midst of the fire now there be dayly Apostacies from it in the dayes of peace And our moralitie is so corrupted with our long peace and prosperitie that there was neuer more lying and dissembling in Creta swearing and forswearing in Carthage gormandizing in Capua or Semiplacentia drunkennesse in Germany pride in Spaine or wantonnesse in Italy than is at this day in our land as if the vices of all nations did meete here as in their Center or as if our land were the sinke or common sewer for the sinnes of all nations to runne into Shall we thus repay the Lord for his blessings shall we now begin to f Num 11.5 6. loath our Manna that hath thus long fallen dayly about our tents and hanker againe after the flesh-pots of the Romish Aegypt shall we surfet of our quailes and being full fed with Gods blessings g Deut. 8.10 spurne with the heele against him and turne our backes vpon his mercy-seat God forbid Let vs not thus turne Gods grace into wantonnesse and repay him with our foule and crying sins in stead of thankfullnesse for his blessings like the sea that receiues sweet waters from the fountaines of the earth and returnes them salt and bitter least we incurre the curse of the reprobate Iewes a Psal 69.22 23 Rom. 11.9 10. Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling blocke c. and the things that should haue beene for their weale be vnto them an ocasion of falling 2. Tent. persuas 2. With this tentation of prosperitie I may conioyne the Churches second tentation by the pleasing south-winds of haereticall persuasions because they are most rife in the dayes of the Churches peace With these winds hath the house of the liuing God beene forcibly beat vpon and the ship of his true Church beene violently tossed almost in all ages in the troublesome sea of this world for haeretikes and schismatikes being themselues carryed away with these b Iren. li 3. c 13. three disastrous whirle-winds 1. With the vncleane spirit of error 2. With their owne frenzie whereof they labour 3. Magis studio contradicendi c Cypr ad Demet sect prima quam voto discendi .i. Rather with an itching humour of singularity to contradict the truth than a true zealous humility to learne it seeke to driue others with them into error and so they willfully d Mat. 15.14 blind leade the woefully blinded with themselues into the ditch of destruction But he who is driuen of these winds e Aug. Ti. 1. in Ioh. Mat. 25.30 Non portum sed planctum inueniet shall in the end arriue at no other harbour but where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Applicat And from these disastrous winds our Church is not free now in the dayes of her peace for there swarmes among vs corner-creeping Priests and Iesuites who like subtle foxes seeke to vndermine and roote vp the flourishing vine of this Church and State by f 2. Tim. 3.6 creeping into hovses and leading captiue silly women laden with diuers lusts and silly Ideots apt to beleeue whatsoeuer they tell them without further tryal of their doctrine by the touchstone of truth This kind of fishing they learned from Sathan himfelfe who first g Gen. 3.1 attempted the woman that by her hee might tempt the man vsing the wife as a trappe to catch her husband And from the auncient Gnostikes of whose ring-leader Marcus Jrenaeus reports h Iren. li. 1. c. 9. Maximè circa mulieres occupatus est His principall aime and chiefest businesse was to seduce silly women And as the diuell at first a Cypr. de vnitate Eccl. sect 5 Verbis mendacibus blandiens rudes animas incauta credulitate decepit deceiued the poore innocent soules of our first parents by his lying flattering words praesuming vpon their heedlesse credulitie so they by their lying and flattering words which are b Lact Jnstit li. 5. c â—1 Mella venenum tegentia pills of poyson lapt in hony creepe into the soules of their ouer-credulous Disciples and blinding them with the false vizar of the name of the ancient Catholike Church lead them hoodwinked to their owne destruction Ieâ—uiticaal traps to catch poore soules For first they tell them and that onely truely c Cypr. de vnit Eccles That out of the true Church there is no saluation but all that are out of it must needs perish as all that were out of the arke were drowned in the deluge Secondly they falsly assume
Temp. As soone as the Israelites had dranke of the rocke forthwith they warred against Amalech to teach vs that we no sooner drinke of the rocke Christ and are incorporated into him but forthwith we must prepare our selues for a warfare For the visible Church is like d Gen. 25.22 Rebeccaes wombe wherin are bred sonnes of contrary natures as Iacob and Esau and these striue together in her wombe from her very conception of thee e Apoc. 12.5.15 As soone as euer the woman is deliuered of a manchild that is the Church hath brought foorth a sonne to God presently the dragon doth cast out flouds of water out of his mouth to destroy it This auncient enmity betweene the old serpent and the seed of the woman began in Paradise f Gen. 3 15â— I will put enmity betweene thy seed and her seed c. And forthwith it began to breake out by open persecution for the persecution of the Church of the old Testament began with g Cap. 48. Abels murther h Aug. de Ciu. dei li. 18. c. 51. Dedicat Ecclesiam sanguine He dedicates the Church to God by his bloud and of the Church of the new Testament with cruell i Mat. 2.16 Herods bloudy butchering the poore Infants of Bethleem who were Martyrs Opere et si non voluntate in the worke it selfe or their outward act of suffering though not in will or intention whence S. Aug. called them k Aug. de sanct sect 11. Primitias Martyrum The first fruites of the Martyrs of Christ for they suffered for Christ though they knew not for whom they suffered Pro Christo occiduntur paruuli pro iustitia moritur innocentia The little Infants of Bethleem dyed for Christ innocence dyed for righteousnesse for so Christ is called i Ier. 23.6 The Lord our righteousnesse And euer since k Gen. 21.9 10 Ishmael hath persecuted Isaac that is those who are borne after the flesh them that are borne after the spirit In the ten primitiue persecutions the furrows of the Churches field were watered with streames of bloud and this made it the more fertile for l the bloud of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church Cypr. de duplici Mart. And euer since that bloudy Whore of Babylon hath borne sway in the world she hath made her selfe a Apoc. 19.6 drunke with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus by her bloudy inquisition cruell massacres horrid treasons and open persecutions for where she may preuaile she vseth no other arguments to maintaine her religion but whipes racks gibbets strappadoes fire and fagot as b See Foxe his Acts and Monuments of he Church here in England in Queene Maries dayes for she seekes not to persuade but to compell and delights to tyrannize ouer mens consciences Their very mercies are cruell there is more mercy to be found of the mercilesse elements to wit the flaming fire and raging sea than at their hands where they may preuaile and therefore from their bloudy hands and cruell teeth the Lord deliuer vs. For we may safely pray Vt c Cypr. de mort MartyriuÌ„ desit animâ— that we his seruaÌ„ts being hurt by no persecutioÌ„s may alwaies glorifie his holy name in his holy church as our church praies in our Letanie because God requires not our bloud but our faith as that blessed Martyr S. Cyprian saith but if the stormie winds and violent flouds of persecution for the truth should beate vpon the house of this Church we must also pray and that earnestly Ne animus desit Martyriâ— that our minds be not wanting vnto Martirdome but that we may be willing to shed our bloud for him and his truth that shed his precious bloud for vs our saluation for these be the winds and stormes that make a true perfect triall indeed who haue built the spirituall houses of their soules on a sure and who on a sandy foundation and which building will stand 1 Perfeuerautia aâ—ctorum and which fall to ruine First those that haue built the spirituall houses of their soules vpon the â—ocke Christ and his sacred truth not by hearing or knowing onely but by beleeuing and practising will outstand all these tryalls of raine flouds and stormie winds and d Psal 125.1 stand fast like Mount Sion which cannot be remooued but standeth fast for euer for of such a building it is here said though all these beat vpon it Jt fell not c. Saint Chrysostome writing vpon this place saith e Chrys in Loc. Boni firmitatem Petrae constantiae virtute superant c. The constancy of good and faithfull men exceedes the firmenes of a rocke Ibid. A rock though neuer so much beaten against by the waues and winds stands immooueable and not hurt as scorning their violence so a faithfull Christian because the Lord is his rocke and he is built vpon the rocke Christ Iesus scornes the force and malice of the diuell and all his confaederates knowing that though Sathan raise vp a mighty wind to shake him on euery side a Iob 1.10 as the wind did the foure corners of Jobs house yet hee cannot shake him off his foundation though he vexe him with all his stormes yet none of these nor the very gates of hell can preuaile against him because he is built vpon a rocke Such a one was b Gen. 37 39. c. Joseph who serued God not onely in Potiphars house and Pharaohs Court but in the prison also wheÌ„ his feet were fast in the stockes their ó entred into his soule And c Iob 19.25 Job who when God set him vp as a marke to shoot at still held fast his confidence in his redeemer J know that my redeemer liueth c. d Dan. 3.16 17. And the three childeren whom neither the threats of Nebuchadnezzar nor his angry countenance nor the sight of the fierie furnace could deterre from worshipping their God nor cause them to fall downe before the golden Image And e Dan. 6.12 13. Daniel whom neither the fauours of Darius could allure nor his irrecouerable edict compell to desist from praying to his God but he chose rather to be cast into the den of Lyons I could be almost infinit in instances of the like kind out of the Ecclesiasticall histories where we find S. And. kissing his crosse imbracing it with a Salue Sancte crux c. Ignat. inuiting the wild beasts to deuoure him saying I am the Lords wheat must be ground with the teeth of wild beasts S. Laurence vpon his fierie gridiroÌ„ which was to him as a bed of down outbrauing the tyrant Decius and telling him that one side was wasted enough he should now turne vp the other But I shall need no more instances seeing Saint Paul in the name of all Gods Saints bids open defiance to Sathan and his complices f Rom. 8.35 c Who
architects labour with all their arr and industry to repaire the ruines of Babell but g Psal 127.1 except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it and the Lord hath decreed and denounced the fall thereof by that h Apoc. 14.12 euerlasting Gospell which the Angell brought into the world therefore downe it must and the fall thereof shall be great and shall crush all that wittingly willingly and wilfully fall with it and vnder it as the i Oct. 26 1623. late fall of an house did some adhaerents vnto Babilon and presse them downe if they speedily repent not to the bottome of hell And such also will be the fall of all worldlings Iust secunda other foolish builders on the sand if they speedily conuert not and become wise builders to builde on the rocke Christ and his Sacred truth both by beleeuing and practising As here their fall was great when they wittingly and willingly consented vnto sinne and greater when they acted it and greatest of all when they persisted in it so hereafter their fall shall be exceeding great Not like k Gen. 3 23. Adams onely from a paradise of pleasure to a wildernesse of woâ— for so they fall here when they fall from truth to errour and from righteousnes to sinne and wickednes but like Lucifers who fell like l Luc. 10.11 lightning that is swiftly and suddainely from the height of heauen to the depth of hell and from being an Angell of light and a pure starre of coelestiall brightnesse to be an angell of aeternall night and the blacke Prince of infernall darknes Applicat To the end therefore that wee may escape this fearefull fall and irrecouerable Mine of haeretiks prophane wretches worldlings and hypocrites let vs build on the firme rocke of Christ and his heauenly truth both by hearing and practising Wee of this land are bound to God for innumerable blessings namely a Religious King a hopefull Prince a fruitfull land like Canaan flowing with milke and hony or Eden the garden of the Lord also goodly and populous cities and townes and flourishing Vniuersities and Innes of Court which like Theopbrastus Persian tree doe at the same time bud blossome and bring forth fruit So that we may say of England as one did of Rhodes Semper in Sole sita est for we haue had a long sunne-shine of prosperitie peace and plenty and withall the sunne-shine of the Gospell which as Luther said is Genus generalissimum omnium bonorum the well head of our happinesse for hereby we may build on the rocke while other our neighbour nations build on the sand Seeing therefore God hath trusted vs with such a treasure let vs be thankefull for it and shew our thankfullnes first in imbracing this Gospell of peace peaceably as the subiects of the Prince of peace Let vs not stand striuing as too many haue vainely done already too long about the swadling cloutes of holy Religion namely Clericall habites and other comely Ceremonies least while we striue about these ouermuch wee endanger the body or substance of true Religion let vs not any longer râ—nd in sunder the a Cypr. de vnit Eccles seamelesse coat of Christ the vnitie of the Church by our needlesse conâ—en iâ—nâ— about thâ—se â—hâ—â—gs â—or if â—ee b Gal. 5.15 bite and deuoure one another let vs take heed least we bee consumed one of another and while we â—iâ—tuâ—be thâ— Churches peace we depriue her of her prospâ—râ—â—ie anâ— make an open waâ— as this breaâ—h hath already done too much for those proud and cruell Babylonians to ruine our Ierusalâ—m who say of it in their hearts c Psal 127.7 Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground But being â—ll Ministers or members of one Church which is d Cypr. ibid. Vna ColuÌ„ba one e Cant. 5.2 doâ—e of Christ let vs haue all the douelike spirit of humiâ—itie charit peace vnitie for the doues of one house liue together loue together fly together flocke together kisse each other and in all respects performe the lâ—wes of loue peace and vnanimity So let vs liue and loue together and with the first belâ—euers of the Primitiue Church be all of a Act. 4.32 one heart and one soule Let all ministers preach and people pray for the peace of our Ierusalem b Psal 122.6 7. for if peace be within her walls plenteousnesse will be within her palaces 2. Let vs that are built on this rocke of truth bring forth the fruits of holines and true righteousnes So S. Ier. said of the Christians of his dayes c Hieron Proâ—m Comment in Ezech. Scripturarum cupimus verba in opera vertere non dicere sancta sed facere we desire to turne the words of the Scripture into workes and not to speake of but to doe the workes of holinesse As the naturall life lies hid in the heart the fountaine of the vitall spirits and yet Physitions iudge of it by the pulse in the arme so the spirituall life of a Christian to wit his regeneration lies hid in the heart and soule and yet men iudge of it by the motion of the arme the exercise of good workes for d Mat 7.10 the tree is knowne by his fruites We cannot iudge of the life of grace and power of true Religion in the soules of men 1. By the eyes for many lift vp their eyes to heauen by seeming shewes of sanctitie when their hearts lye grouelâ—ng on the earth yea mudling in the earth by base worldlinesse and grossâ— carnalitie 2. Nor by the eares foâ— there be many e Iam. 1.22 hearers of the word but not doers of the same deceiuing their owne soules 3. Nor by the tonguâ— foâ— many f Mat. 15.8 7.21 draw neere to God with their mouths and honour him with their lips when their hearts are far from him and cry with a zealous ingemination Lord Lord and yet doe not the will of their heauenly Father But by the arme or hand that is by doing cheerefully sincerely and constantly the things that God commandeth g Cant. 5.1 6.2 Christ the bridegroome comes into his garden not to refresh himselfe vnder the shadow of the trees or to behold the greene leaâ—es or to crop the buds and blossomes but to gather the fruits that his friends may eate abundantly for then Châ—ist feedes when his friends feed the head is nourisheâ— in his members h Mat. 25.40 In as much as yee haue done it vnto me of these little ones ye haue done it vnto me Let therefore the word of God i Col. 3.16 dwell in you as it dwels among you plenteously that ye may bee k 1 Tim. 6.18 rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate to the poore and needy l Esa 58 7 8. dealing your bread to the hungry drinke to the thirsty bringing the poore that are cast out into your houses couering the naked with a garment not hiding your selues from your owne flesh then shall your light breake forth as the morning and your health spring foorth speedily your righteousnes shall goe before you and the glory of the Lord shall be your reward And then shall God a Apoc. 20.1 chaine vp Sathan in the bottomlesse pit and restraine the force and malice of wicked men that they cannot hurt vs b Aug in Exod. Malorum potestas deficit in muscis The power of the Magitians failes in the flies for Sathan cannot doe the least thing without Gods permission If therefore we c Eccles 12. vlt. feare the Lord and keepe his commandements heare his word and doe it euen those stormes flouds and winds which Sathan stirres vp to cast downe our spiriruall building shall blow our happines and land the ships of our soules and bodies at last in the hauen of heauen Now let euery heart stretch forth an hand apply what hath beene spoken to himselfe and pray earnestly for the assistance of Gods Spirit that he may so doe for we may preach and you heare and both loose our labour except there be a drawing of the father a touch of the Sonne and an inspiration of the Holy-Ghost but if these concurre then God himselfe makes the Sermon and builds vp thereby the spirituall Edifices of our Soules makes them stand fast for euer and so the fruit of a few houres hearing shall be eternity of dayes A Prayer Grant vs grace therefore O Lord to bee doers of thy word not hearers only deceiuing our own souls vouchsafe so to assist vs with thy holy Spirit in this our building that we may not build the spirituall Edifices of our soules either on humane traditions with superstitious Papists or vpon our vaine presumption of thy mercy with prophane secure sinners or vpon the perishing vanities of this world with foolish Mammonists or vpon our outward profession of faigned holinesse with masked Hypocrites but vpon the rocky faundation of thy Christ and his sacred truth both by hearing and practizing that no raine of worldly prosperity nor stormes of aduersity windes of haereticall perswasions or violent flouds of persecutions ouerthrow this our spirituall building but that it may stand fast like mount Sion till this house of our earthly tabernacle being dissolued wee haue a building giuen vs of thee an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens FINIS